Page 56 of One Kind Hand

She pulled the lapels of her coat tighter around her neck. “No hints about what is or isn’t under this coat then.”

“Fine. We’ll be in the air for approximately an hour, okay?” He closed the distance between them and tugged on the end of the belt of her coat. “Now can I please take your coat?”

The slight pleading in his voice and the fact that he’d caved to at least give her the travel time had her nodding. He pulled on the belt, loosening it, then used his other hand to free it. He paused for a moment, almost as if bracing himself for what he was about to see.

Charlie felt like a present being unwrapped. A mix of playfulness and nerves swirled inside her. Teasing him was fun, but what if he didn’t like what was under her coat? Isabel and Jackson had reacted favorably to her ensemble, so Charlie told her nerves to take a hike.

Austin ran his finger down the seam the two sides of her coat created once the belt was undone. Then his hands slid inside the folds, pushing the coat off her shoulders, his warm palms caressing her bare shoulders and sending a shudder through Charlie.

She straightened her arms so he could slide the coat off her completely, loving how his pupils had zipped open to huge black pools and his tongue had darted out to wet his lips.

“Killer little black dress,” he whispered. “Like, I may be having a heart attack.”

Charlie took her coat from him and draped it on a nearby chair then she rested her hands on Austin’s shoulders. He coasted his hands from under her arms, down her sides, and to her hips then pulled her up against him. She immediately felt the effect her outfit was having on his body.

Not a heart attack. His blood was definitely pumping through his veins. It was just collecting all in one spot.

She lifted her leg slightly so her knee gently massaged his crotch and he released a staccato breath as he closed his eyes. “My fancy clothes meet your approval then?”

“Good God . . . yes.” He rested his forehead against hers. “I’m about to mess up that lipstick though.”

“Go for it.”

Austin pressed his lips to the tip of her nose first, then to her cheek, and finally landed on her lips. He hooked his hand on the back of her knee on her lifted leg, not letting her lower it. Instead he ground his arousal against her a bit, pulling a soft moan from her as he took command of her lips. When his tongue sought entry, she granted it, stroking her own tongue against his, wanting to have him as an appetizer. As the main course. As dessert.

The plane’s engines flared to life and Austin groaned after ending the kiss. “We’d better sit.” He rubbed his thumb over her lips, wiping away lipstick.

She did the same to him, but she rather enjoyed the way she’d marked him. “Whatever tonight’s plans are, I sincerely hope they involve more of that.”

He nudged her into a window seat then sat beside her. “Most definitely.” He passed her a napkin from the appetizer tray, both of them wiping away lipstick. “I want to scrap about ninety-five percent of the plan and only do that.” He leaned over and stole another kiss now that they were seated.

That sounded good to her too.

After they both secured their seatbelts, Austin passed her a champagne flute and took one for himself. Holding his glass up, he said, “To a lovely night with an even lovelier woman.”

“To keeping that level of charm going all night long.”

They clinked glasses and each took a sip. As the plane took flight, Austin asked, “How was your day?”

“Pretty routine. Quick flight to Boston and back to Maplehaven. Spent some time organizing this outfit. My dad and I avoided fighting by riding ATVs. I got ready for tonight. Visited with Knox, my crow pal.” She gestured to herself. “And now I’m here with one sexy guy which is where I wanted to be all day.” She threaded her fingers with his and he brought her hand up to kiss the back of it. “How was your day?”

“Also routine. Filming was accident free and rolled along nicely. Talked to one of my sisters.” He shrugged. “But right now is my favorite part of today.” Another kiss made its way across her knuckles.

They spent the flight enjoying champagne and appetizers, flirting, and generating a shit ton of sexual energy that Charlie’s body was having serious trouble containing. How was she supposed to make it through an entire dinner when all she wanted to do was peel that suit off Austin and dive in? The only consolation was that he appeared to be having the same struggles.

When the plane finally landed, Austin bustled her off and into a waiting limousine. She felt as if she were in a movie instead of real life. Maplehaven wasn’t home to one limousine. Unless you counted the rusted front end of the one that had been in McDonnell’s field since before Charlie was born. A family of raccoons lived in it so Mr. McDonnell’s wife wouldn’t let him junk it.

The limo Charlie was in now had definitely not housed raccoons. It did, however, contain a man who was making her lose her mind as he trailed his fingers up her thigh and under her dress. He’d helped her back into her coat when they’d gotten off the plane, but he had free access to other things as she sat with her legs slightly open in invitation. When he shifted her underwear and teased the part of her that burned for him, Charlie had trouble not shouting his name.

Instead she opened her legs wider and pulled him into a fiery kiss, hoping to keep them both relatively quiet. Her hands journeyed from his shoulders down his chest to the buckle on his belt. Still deep into the kiss, she worked that buckle until it was undone. She unbuttoned and unzipped his pants, plunging her hand into his boxer briefs to surround his rigid length.

He moaned into the kiss as she stroked him. She groaned in response to his fingers caressing the right spot in her core. Within moments, they were both writhing in their seats as pleasure coursed through them. Charlie was no virgin to vehicle sex, but a limo was a significant upgrade to the pickup trucks—and once bulldozer—she was accustomed to.

After she orgasmed, she bent and took Austin into her mouth. He shivered then bucked as she worked him to his own release.

“Best limo ride ever,” Austin whispered as she sat up. He pressed several pecks to her cheek and neck.

“A new favorite way to travel,” she agreed, angling her head a bit so Austin could reach more of her neck.