“I don’t have any either,” I confessed. How could I have not anticipated needing them?
Because I’d been too obsessed with being inside her. The idea of protection had never occurred to me, baby deal and all.
She eyed me. “You don’t haveany?”
I ran my hands down her—clothed—legs. “I don’t walk around the world planning to get into some woman’s pants wherever and whenever. I’m deliberate.” I was paying for my lack of preparation. Desire built under my skin and only Autumn could sate it. “I can run to a gas station?—”
“No.” Her eyes grew round as saucers. She gripped me by the shoulders. “We’re supposed to be so wildly in love we married right after meeting. Your dad won’t buy the family idea if gossip spreads around town that my new husband is buying protection.”
From her tone, she was worried the nameless and faceless gossipers would say more, like that I was purchasing condoms to keep from getting my new wife pregnant.
A small glow of disappointment lit in my stomach. She kept her wits about her when I was pawing at her. I was ready to bury myself in her sweet body and she was thinking strategy. She’d been considerate about me and then about my plans.
My ego wasn’t usually frayed so easily, but Autumn wasn’t swept away by the thought of just being with me.
“I’m sorry.” She shook her head. “But no condoms will be bought in Bourbon Canyon.”
“No one knows me at the grocery store.”
She gave me a doubtful look. “You’re right,” she said dryly. “No one will notice the incredibly handsome stranger buying Trojan XLs. And absolutely no one, especially not the older employees who’ve worked fordecadesat the store, will put two and two together when they hear that Gideon James is back in town and married to a Kerrigan.”
The way satisfaction rolled over me when she said my full name was all-consuming. I wanted my name on this woman’s lips, only I’d rather she was breathy and moaning it. “What, then? We have those Trojan XLs shipped to us?”
Her hands were propped on the bed, but she lifted her shoulders. “I guess.”
“I’ll run to Bozeman tomorrow.”
“I can walk to work.”
“No. I’ll drop you off.” A reminder clicked in my head. “Shit. I have a meeting right away. I can drop you off and then run to Bozeman. Maybe I need to buy that pickup.”
Her mouth twitched like she was holding back a smile. And yeah, the idea of planning a condom run around work meetings to run a half-a-billion-dollar casino was absurd.
“Mrs. James, there is nothing funny about our lack of protection.”
She pinched her finger and her thumb together. “It’s a little funny. You’re planning to buy a vehicle so you can buy condoms.”
Kissing her told me it’d be worth it. Protection wasn’t happening tonight, but I was a resourceful man. I gripped the fabric of her leggings and tugged. “There’s plenty we can do in the meantime.”
“Oh,” she squeaked, going tense. “Um . . .”
I paused. “Do you want this?”
“Oh my god, yes. But can we shut the light off?”
No fucking way.
Yet I wanted her to be comfortable with me. Only minutes ago, she’d twined her body around me like I was a pole and she was a Vegas stripper.
I claimed her mouth again and eased her to her back. “I want to see it all,” I said against her lips and skated my hands over her sides and down her torso. “Every last inch.”
“I don’t think?—”
“Good. If you’re thinking, I’m doing it wrong.” I kissed her again, taking my time plundering her mouth until I earned that little whimper and she went molten in my arms.
Her legs relaxed and her knees fell to the side. Instead of stripping her down and getting to business, I rocked against her, loving how she automatically tipped her hips up to meet me. I wedged an arm between us and drew her knee out, getting her used to being spread out before me. Then, I worked on getting her top over her head.
Her bra was plain and white and trimmed with lace. A simple, perfect wrapping for spectacular tits. I tugged the straps down her arms and freed her globes from the material. Her breasts popped out, her nipples pearled and begging to be sucked.
