Thrill of Love Read online

  Jon patted his chest with both hands, flashing a cocky grin. “Something better to do than Jon Sweetness Butterscotch? Are you kidding? That’s not even a possibility.”

  “Did I mention he’s aggressive?” Ty teased.

  “Seriously, Trixie,” Jon said, “it’s just dinner. Unless, of course, you want it to be more.”

  “I’ll tell you what. How about you help me get to my room so I can take a nice, warm shower, leave me at the door, and I’ll meet you guys for dinner.” Trixie went up on her knees and Jon helped her to her feet.

  “Leave you at the door, huh?” Jon grumbled, and put an arm around her waist.

  “I made that clear for a reason.” Trixie leaned on him and said to Ty and Aiyla, “Sevenish?”

  “Sounds good.” Ty helped Aiyla to her feet and turned around. “Climb on, baby cakes. Let Prince Charming carry you to our room.”

  “I want to go with him,” Trixie said. “The man knows how to give a woman fairy tales.”

  Jon scoffed. “Come back to my room, baby, and I’ll show you the biggest wood in the Enchanted Forest.”

  Trixie swatted his arm. “Pig. My room. Now.”

  “Now we’re talking.” Jon chuckled as they walked away.

  “He’s so funny,” Aiyla said as she climbed onto Ty’s back, knowing arguing with her man was a futile effort. “I could get used to this.”

  “I hope you will.” He carried her toward the resort. “What do you think of the resort?”

  “It’s gorgeous. I can’t wait to explore the inside.” Aiyla loved antique furniture and buildings. Her sister often teased her about liking anything aged and told her she’d probably fall in love with a gray-haired old man one day.

  “I’ve known Charlotte Sterling, the owner of the resort, for a few years from doing this event. The resort is no longer open to the public, but her parents were the original coordinators of the Mad Prix, and she opens the inn to host the awards ceremony and honor her parents.” He pulled open a heavy wooden door and navigated through a beautiful room with a stone fireplace and antique furniture, where a number of people she recognized from the event were mingling. “I found out last year that she knows my uncle Hal and my cousins from Weston, Colorado. Hal was married here, and his son, Josh, got married here last year.”

  “I guess it really is a small world. You can put me down now.” She wiggled down his back until her right foot touched the hardwood floor.

  He put an arm around her, bearing her weight. “You sure you’re okay?”

  “I think so. It’s not as bad as it was. It feels like a really bad toothache. A deep pain that flares up and then just hangs on.”

  “When we get to our room, you can rest it. That will help.”

  “Our room?” Her pulse quickened. She’d assumed they’d stay together, but hearing him say it made it even more real.

  “I had Charlotte move us to one of the suites with a Jacuzzi tub so you could really relax. I probably should have run that by you first, huh?”

  She shrugged a shoulder, loving that he had taken care of it.

  He gathered her in his arms, and it felt so good to be there, she never wanted to move. “I thought I’d pamper my girl for a while.”

  “Pamper me? You do remember who I am, right? The girl who is used to doing everything herself?”

  He touched his lips to hers and said, “Yes, and I’m the guy who isn’t used to doing things for a special woman. This is new territory for both of us. Let’s go see how we make out with our new roles.”

  “Oh, role-playing and making out. Sounds like the perfect night.” They headed for the stairs and she said, “You can be a cabana boy. Preferably a naked one.”

  “And you can be mine.” He swept her off her feet and into his arms. “Oh, wait, that’s not role-playing, is it?” He kissed her as he carried her up the stairs. “How about I’m a lucky bastard and you’re the adoring girlfriend I get to spoil?”

  “While naked,” she said, and proceeded to kiss him all the way to their suite.

  THEY FOUND THEIR bags waiting for them in the large, elegant suite. A king-size bed was tucked in a nook on the left side of the room, and just beyond, double doors opened to a large bathroom with sparkling marble floors. A chest-height stone wall with a two-way fireplace separated a luxurious seating area with a leather sofa and two wing chairs from a large Jacuzzi tub, which was built into a glass alcove overlooking the mountains. Ty couldn’t help but think that the only thing that could make the room better would be if the bed were on an outdoor deck. He loved sleeping beneath the stars with Aiyla in his arms, serenaded by sounds of nature.

  Aiyla reached for Ty’s hand. “I’ve never stayed anywhere like this before.”

  “Well, it won’t be the last time.” He began filling the tub while she used the bathroom. He couldn’t wait to pamper her and help her relax.

  She came out with a washcloth and dug around in her bag, withdrawing a pretty pink bottle of body wash. He took them from her hands and set them beside the tub.

  “I plan on treating you right, baby, so get used to nice places.”

  She wrapped her arms around him and said, “I don’t need luxury. I just need this. You, me, and a few less clothes.”

  “And here I am trying to give you a chance to settle in.” He pulled her tank top over her head and tossed it on the floor, taking her in a tender kiss that quickly turned intense.

  “You love me,” she said against his lips.

  “So much, baby. I never knew it was possible to love someone more with every passing minute.”

  He lowered his mouth to her warm, sweet lips, kissing as they stripped each other bare, then walked hand in hand into the tub.

  “Careful.” He helped her sit facing him and lifted her legs over his, drawing her closer. He leaned in for another kiss, feeling like a glutton and knowing he’d never get enough of them.

  He wet the washcloth and poured body wash onto it, gently washing her shoulders and breastbone. Her hands slid from his shoulders to his biceps, her delicate fingers curling around them. She trapped her lower lip between her teeth, her muscles tense. She’d been more relaxed in the shower at the campsite, but that was after making love and waking up in each other’s arms. He sensed she was fighting the urge to say she could bathe herself, which only made him love her more.

  “Relax,” he coaxed as he continued washing her. “I’ve got you, baby.”

  She exhaled a long breath and let her arms fall to the water.

  “I wish I could take your pain away,” he said as he washed her injured leg and kissed her knee.

  “I’m okay. Two weeks of rest, ice, and elevation and I should be good to go.”

  He let the washcloth fall from his hands, wanting to cleanse the rest of her body with his hands. She picked up the washcloth and ran it over his arms and chest while he poured body wash into his palm and bathed her breasts. Her nipples pebbled against his fingers, and a needful sound slipped from her lips. Just being close to her could undo him, but hearing the way he affected her, combined with her soft hands running along his thighs? He was toast.

  “Baby…”

  He cupped the back of her head, guiding her mouth to his. Every stroke of her tongue made his heart beat faster, his desire run hotter. Her hands moved over his abs and he rocked his hips, wanting her to—hell, yes. She fisted his cock, stroking him perfectly, tight and hard, her soft palm moving slowly over the head, sending rockets of lust careening through him. He deepened the kiss, filling his hands with her hips, and lifted her. She guided him to her entrance, and he groaned with the all-consuming pleasure as her body welcomed him.

  He held her there, still and tightly wrapped around him, and tangled his hand in her hair, reveling in the feel of her breasts against his chest, her thighs around his waist. He pressed his cheek to hers and said, “Don’t move, baby. Just let me hold you. Let me feel all of you against me.”

  Her inner muscles tightened around his cock, and he nipp
ed at her earlobe. “Mm. Tricky. You feel incredible, baby.” He lowered his mouth to her neck, kissing and sucking, until her fingernails dug into his arms and her hips rocked. He clutched her ass, holding her still, and she whimpered.

  “Ty,” she pleaded.

  “When you say my name that way, it makes me go crazy.”

  He ground his hips, still buried deep inside her, and cupped one breast, slicking his tongue around her nipple. She rocked to the same rhythm as him, and he sealed his mouth over the taut peak.

  She gripped his head, holding him there. “Don’t stop—”

  His favorite phrase.

  He sucked harder and moved his other hand between her legs from behind, caressing the sensitive skin around her entrance. She moaned and writhed, and when he teased over her puckered flesh, her body jolted. He drew back, fearing he’d found her boundaries, but she guided his hand back to where it was and his mouth to her breast again.

  “I said don’t stop.”

  He possessed all of her, teasing and nipping, thrusting and grinding. He pushed his finger past that tight rim of muscles, and her sex clamped around his shaft. His name flew from her lips—“Ty!”—as her orgasm claimed her. Her body bucked and rocked, squeezing him so tight he gritted against the need to come, wanting to extend her pleasure. But she felt too good, sounded too erotic. Heat clawed its way down his spine, throbbing through his core, and shattered his ability to think past the woman in his arms and the immense pleasures claiming more of him with every rock of her hips. When she sank her teeth into his shoulder, an explosion of sensations pulled him over the edge.

  “Aiyla, baby—”

  He held on tight, every kiss taking him higher, as their bodies took over.

  They remained as one long after the last aftershock rumbled through them, their hearts twining together like strong, stable roots, anchoring and nourishing their love with every whispered promise.

  Chapter Eleven

  “LET’S EXPLORE,” AIYLA said to Ty the next morning as they packed their belongings. They still had an hour before breakfast and the awards ceremony, and she wanted to check out the resort. She’d wanted to do it last night after they’d met Trixie and Jon for dinner, but she’d been too tired. She and Ty had cuddled up on a lounge chair on the balcony. He’d put pillows under her leg to keep it elevated, and she must have fallen right to sleep, because she’d woken up at three o’clock in the morning to pee, and Ty had insisted on carrying her to the bathroom. No need to aggravate your leg. I’ve got you.

  “You sure you’re up for the extra walking?”

  He’d been so sweet last night and this morning. They’d made love again earlier, and after showering together, he’d massaged pain relief ointment into Aiyla’s sore leg and then wrapped it. They had no idea where Jon had scrounged up the ointment, but it was thoughtful of him. Ty’s touch was healing, and she knew it was probably a psychological benefit because of how close they’d become. Now, as she closed her bag, her mind traveled back in time, to when her mother was still alive. Her mother had never talked about her or Cherise’s father, except to say he hadn’t stuck around. She’d never seen her mother go out on a single date, which was probably why it hadn’t been high on Aiyla’s list of priorities. Cherise, however, had dreamed of having a whole family, with a husband and father for her future children, ever since she could remember. Even though her sister was happily married, Aiyla hadn’t thought she was missing out on anything. Until Ty. Now she couldn’t imagine going back to a life without him, and it made her wonder if her mother had ever been loved the way Ty loved her.

  “Aiyla?” Ty said, pulling her from her thoughts.

  “Yes, sorry. I’m okay. I want to walk around.”

  “You got lost there for a minute.” He crossed the room with concern in his eyes and open arms.

  “I was just thinking about my mom,” she said as he embraced her. “We’re so happy, and I don’t think she ever had anything like this.”

  “But she had you and Cherise, baby.”

  “I know. I guess since I never knew what I was missing until I found you, if she never had it, she probably wouldn’t have died longing for it, either.”

  He hugged her tight without saying a word, and it was exactly what she needed. Some questions were better left unanswered. It had been almost thirteen years since she’d lost her mother, and she didn’t often wallow in the sadness of missing her. Instead, she thought of happier times, like when she and her mother and sister would watch movies and eat popcorn on Saturday nights. They may not have had enough time together, but what time they did have had been happy.

  Not wanting to get mired down in memories, she took Ty’s hand and pulled him toward the door. “Let’s explore before our day gets crazy.”

  They followed the wide hallways through each wing of the resort, and when they came to a section that was roped off, Ty explained that there had been some type of mayhem involving the accidental consumption of marijuana brownies during his cousin Josh’s wedding weekend, which had resulted in damage to one of the rooms.

  “Sounds like you have wild cousins.”

  “Not usually that type of wild,” he said. “Luckily, another cousin, Beau, renovates historic properties. He’s renovating a house on the mountain back home and then he’s coming out to fix the damage and handle some other repairs for Charlotte. Who, by the way, I want you to meet.”

  He led her down a grand staircase to the main floor and then weaved through another maze of hallways. As they neared a set of double doors, a string of sexy sounds filtered into the hallway. They both stopped cold, sharing an oh shit expression. The doors were ajar, and Ty peeked into the room. Aiyla swatted his arm.

  “Don’t spy,” she whispered.

  “This is her office,” he whispered. “I’m just making sure some other couple didn’t happen upon it and decide to play office romance.”

  “What if it’s her?”

  He pulled back from the door. “I don’t see anyone.”

  Aiyla peeked through the opening, trying to figure out where the noises were coming from. A leather couch sat a few feet in front of the door, facing an ornate wooden desk with two computer screens. The desk was littered with sticky notes, notebooks, and what looked like candy bar wrappers. Empty water bottles were strewn across a credenza and the floor. The blinds hung crooked, and the desk chair was pushed over by a bookcase.

  “I don’t see anyone eith—”

  A woman popped up from the middle of the room, her dark hair a tangled mess. She ran to the desk and began typing feverishly. The long sleeves of the man’s button-down shirt she wore flailed over her hands as her fingers flew across the keyboard—and she didn’t seem to have any pants on. Aiyla stumbled backward into Ty.

  “Whoa,” he said too loudly.

  “Shh!”

  The office doors flew open and the woman grabbed Ty’s hand and dragged him into the room. “Thank God it’s you. Get in here.” She reached for Aiyla’s hand and pulled her in, too, nudging them both around the couch, bringing into view a blow-up doll lying on the floor. “You better be Aiyla or I have a bone to pick with this handsome guy.”

  “I am,” Aiyla said, giving Ty a what-the-fuck-did-we-walk-in-on look. “Sorry to interrupt you.”

  “Interrupt? You’re saving me. I’m Charlotte by the way.” She pointed to Ty. “You, on your knees.” She pushed down on Ty’s shoulder, shoving him to the floor. “Good.” She grabbed Aiyla’s arm and guided her in front of him. “Come on, gorgeous, I need you to lie flat on your back.”

  “Um…?” Aiyla glanced at Ty, who was chuckling.

  “She’s an erotic romance writer,” he explained. “C. S. Sterling.”

  Aiyla felt her eyes widen. “You wrote Crazy, Sexy, Sinful and Yours, Mine, and Definitely Not Ours?” She had to work hard not to go all fan-girl crazy on her.

  “The one and only.” She waved her hand at the floor. “But I’m on a deadline to finish this book and I can’t get the pos
ition right with this doll, so if you wouldn’t mind?”

  “I’m a huge fan,” Aiyla said as she lay on her back in front of Ty. “Do you actually research every position?”

  “You read erotic romance?” Ty arched a brow.

  “Be thankful, big boy,” Charlotte said to Ty. “And yes, I have to research every position. I have to make sure the mechanics are right.” She handed the legs of the blow-up doll to Aiyla. “Can you please grab Charlie’s thighs and hold them above your head?”

  Aiyla did as she asked. “Charlie?”

  “Charlie Hunnam is this week’s muse.” Charlotte pushed Ty’s shoulders down so he was leaning over Aiyla’s pelvis. “Use your left hand for balance between her legs. The idea is that you’re snacking on Aiyla as she noshes on Charlie.”

  “Hey, hey, hey,” Ty said in an authoritative voice. “There’ll be no noshing on any other men.”

  Aiyla laughed.

  “You laugh, but He-Man over here is probably serious. I doubt he wants to share a cutie like you with anyone else.” Charlotte grabbed Ty’s right hand and guided it to the doll’s butt.

  “Char!” Ty complained.

  “Oh, shush. You’ll offend Charlie.” Charlotte stood with her hands on her hips, assessing their positions. “Good. Now stay there for a minute while I write this scene.”

  “Are you kidding?” Ty shook his head.

  “Shh. You’ll mess up my mojo.” Charlotte returned to the desk, her fingers flying over the keyboard again.

  For the next forty minutes they followed her every command, made sexy noises, and repositioned themselves three times. Ty snuck kisses and copped feels while Charlotte was busy typing.

  “Oh, this is going to be so good!” Charlotte exclaimed, her eyes glued to the monitor.

  Ty moved over Aiyla, nipping at her lips, and slowly lowered his body beside hers.

  “You’ll mess her up,” she whispered.

  “Shh.” His lips grazed hers, and she leaned up to capture more.

  He pushed the doll to the side, cradling her body with one arm, and cupped the back of her head with the other, kissing her like they were the only two people in the world, much less the room. As long as the sounds of the keyboard ticked away, it meant Charlotte was preoccupied, and the more Ty kissed her, the less Aiyla cared if Charlotte was busy or not.