Bidding on the Bachelor Read online

  Carissa didn’t know what to think or how to feel. She’d revealed her deepest, darkest, dirtiest secret.

  She’d expected to still feel that shame, that discomfort. Surprisingly, she actually felt lighter, freer.

  “I hadn’t planned on spending the evening this way, but I’m really glad I told you all of this,” she confessed.

  He smiled. “I’m glad you told me, too. I wish I had known sooner, but I understand completely.”

  His eyes were so mesmerizing. She could stare at them for days at a time. The blue color was so brilliant and welcoming. When she talked to Jasper, it was as if she was the only person on the planet. More than that, it was like whatever she was talking about, big or little, was the most important thing in the universe. No wonder everyone wanted to be around him. Be with him.

  She remembered something. “Um, should I ask you whatever happened to that girl from the other night? The woman you had the date with before you found me on the side of the road,” she supplied.

  Finally, he drank his wine. A rather large sip, she noticed. “I think you have a pretty good idea how that ended.”

  She raised an eyebrow in question.

  “The date wasn’t that great.”

  Yikes. “Sorry,” she said.

  “Are you?” he asked.

  “Not really.” She let out a harsh, bitter laugh. Carissa couldn’t believe she’d just admitted that. “It’s wrong, I know. I shouldn’t wish your dating life any ill will. But I do.”

  His smile faded. A breeze came off the water. She’d let her hair down and she could feel the long blond strands blowing around her face. Something shifted between them. He put the wineglass down and closed the distance between them. “It’s wrong. For so many reasons. But since you got back, I feel drawn to you.”

  She’d experienced the same sensation and yet his words had the breath leaving her body. “We’ve kissed a couple times.”

  “Yes, we have.”

  “I will blame the first one on alcohol. And fried cheese sticks.”

  “I don’t get how the cheese sticks factor in but I’ll agree.” He tilted his head. “What about the second time?”

  “Imminent danger always ups your adrenaline.”

  “We’re now calling your overheated car imminent danger?” he asked.

  “As long as you buy that.”

  “The kisses probably shouldn’t happen again,” he said, running his hands up her arms.

  Her tongue darted out to wet her lips. “You’re right. Definitely no more kissing.”

  And that’s when he kissed her. His mouth met hers in a slow, sensual buildup that left her breathless. She wound her arms around his neck as he pulled her closer.

  This was no ordinary kiss. This was the kiss of old-school Hollywood movies. It was like that one where... And then she couldn’t think anymore. Not about movies or kisses or anything except Jasper Dumont.

  After a very long time of devouring her mouth, he pulled back, running his thumbs over her cheeks and using those baby blues to dazzle her erratically beating heart even more.

  “I told Riley and Elle that you were an amazing kisser,” she said, her voice breathless.

  Interest at this statement shone in his eyes. “Really? You talk about me with Riley and Elle?”

  “Oh yeah. Girls talk about everything.”

  He pushed against her and she realized that he was just as aroused as she was. “Everything?”

  She bit her lip. “Well, almost everything.”

  He grinned. “Then, let’s give them something to really discuss next time you’re together.”

  “What did you have in mind?”

  He leaned in and nuzzled the side of her neck. “How about some of this?” He sucked her earlobe into his mouth, sending shivers down her spine.

  “Yeah, that’s, uh, good.” He was scrambling her thoughts again. Any hope of stopping this evaporated.

  “Maybe some of this,” he said as his hand made its way up her side, grazing her breast.

  Then she realized there was no reason to stop this. Why end something that felt so right?

  “We could try some of this, too.” She moved his hand so that it firmly settled over her breast.

  “What a great idea. You are very wise.” He cupped her breast, rubbing his thumb over her straining nipple.

  Her head fell back as a moan sounded. “Jasp, maybe we should move this inside?”

  “Why?” He kissed her again. “You have this nice big lot, protected by trees on either side and that fence over there.”

  “Jasp, we can’t.” But even as she said it, she was reaching for the waistband of his pants. She ran her fingers along his skin there, enjoying the way he sucked in a breath.

  “When did you lose your sense of adventure? Remember that time on the football field?” He winked before he returned to her neck, sending delightful tremors down her spine. “I think Chicago took that bold, fearless girl away.”

  He was goading her and she knew it. Still, she fell for it. “Oh yeah?” With one fell swoop, she had his pants undone and yanked his shirt up and over his head.

  “Impressive,” he said on a strangled laugh.

  So was he. Damn, she thought. Jasper was all grown up. The tall, lanky boy had definitely filled out. He was still in excellent shape but there was just more of him now. Just to make sure he was real and not some fictional daydream, she ran her hands over his chest, his broad shoulders, down his lean torso. She smiled when he jumped. “Still ticklish, I see.”

  “Shh, that’s our secret.”

  “Yeah, mine and all the other women you’ve been with.” Until the words escaped, she hadn’t realized how much that thought bothered her. She frowned.

  “Hey.” He tilted her head up with one long finger. “You’re the only one here with me now. Only you. The most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.” He kissed her deeply.

  He still made her feel special. Even after everything she’d told him tonight. She stepped back and removed her shirt and then her lacy blue bra. His appreciative look made her feel feminine and powerful.

  Before she could blink, he’d come to her and was everywhere. His fingers, his lips, his tongue. He ravished every part of her he could reach. When his mouth settled over her breast, she wound her fingers into his hair and hung on for dear life, even as the sensations threatened to break her.

  After some time of being feasted on, she reached into his boxer briefs and cupped him. He groaned and then pressed his mouth to hers again. Slowly, she moved her hand over his length, listening to his accelerated breathing.

  “Car, I...we need to...”

  She got the message. Removing her hand, she pushed the briefs all the way off. He quickly reached down for his pants and removed a small foil packet. After that was taken care of, she plastered herself to him again.

  They continued kissing and touching as they headed toward a lounge chair. In the process, they finished shedding all of their clothing.

  She pushed him back and quickly straddled him. Rising above him, she took a moment to enjoy the look of pure lust in his eyes. She could only imagine that her own face would mirror the same expression of desire.

  With another long kiss, she lifted her hips and took him in. They let out matching moans as she adjusted to the feel and size of him. Then he gripped her hips, urging her to move but accepting that she would set the pace. All while never taking his eyes off hers.

  The moment was massively erotic. Being outside, with the wind cooling off their overheated skin, the sounds of the water lapping against the beach and the fading sunset illuminating their joined bodies, Carissa had never felt so turned on.

  She began to move, slowly at first. But it wasn’t long before she started needing more and more. Jasper complied b
y pumping his hips up to meet her beat for beat. Before she knew it, she was rising higher and higher, her moans and gasps mixing with Jasper’s. She felt him tensing just as she fell off the cliff of desire. And he joined her right after.

  Sated, she collapsed onto him. His arms circled her body protectively. Turning her head, she brushed a kiss over his mouth. Overwhelmed with his generosity throughout the whole night, she could think of nothing to say but “thank you.”

  He answered by staring deeply into her eyes for a long time. Then he kissed her and they finally rested. No more words needed.

  Chapter Nine

  Carissa woke first. As the sun streamed into her bedroom, she took a moment to gather her thoughts and take inventory of her body.

  She quickly found that she felt amazing. Sated and content, she wanted to stretch her arms high over her head and purr like a cat. But the masculine arm draped over her side stopped her.

  Slowly, she shifted so she could take in Jasper. Even in sleep, he wore a tranquil smile. His blond hair was mussed, stubble shadowed his jaw, and the sheet had draped low so his full chest with its smattering of appealing hair lay bare. In other words, he looked like sin on a stick, she thought, stifling a giggle.

  He’d been amazing last night, and she wasn’t even thinking about his moves in bed. Although those were quite improved from high school, and that was saying something.

  Coming over here to check on her, when really, it should have been her to reach out to him. Then he’d listened so intently, without judgment, to her story.

  Excluding Aunt Val, it had been the first time she’d ever fully shared her thoughts on her parents. This morning, she had that amazing sensation of the proverbial weight being lifted from her shoulders.

  He mumbled something in his sleep and that too made her smile. She wanted to do something nice for him so she quietly slipped from the bed. After a quick stop in the bathroom to freshen up—and okay, put on a quick coat of lip gloss—she entered the kitchen and started a pot of coffee.

  As she waited for it to brew, she decided she was buying Aunt Val a Keurig for Christmas. But since she had a minute, she peeled an orange, arranging it on a plate. When the coffee was ready, she added mugs and the general coffee accessories to a tray and made her way back to the bedroom.

  When she entered, she was greeted by Jasper’s full-wattage smile. “Good morning, gorgeous,” he called from the bed.

  “Good morning to you.”

  “I thought maybe you were ashamed of me and ran out in an embarrassed huff.”

  She brought the tray to the bed. “I considered it. But in the end, I thought caffeine was a better and more mature option.”

  She handed him a mug and took her own. His eyes closed in contentment at his first sip. “This is from The Brewside,” he said with certainty.

  “You were right about their coffee. I’m quite addicted already.”

  They enjoyed the coffee and orange. Carissa ran to the door and grabbed the newspaper, which they read together in bed. It was all very comfortable and normal, until the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. Over the rim of her mug, she saw that he was watching her intently. Only, he wore an expression that she couldn’t quite identify on his handsome face.

  “What are you thinking?” she wondered aloud.

  Without hesitation he said, “I was just thinking about how we’ve never done this before.” He patted the bed.

  She could feel her eyes widening in surprise. He’d clearly lost his mind. “Um, Jasp, we’ve kinda done this,” she said, pointing toward the bed, “many, many times.”

  He shook his head. “I know we’ve slept together. I only meant we’ve never slept together. You know, woken up in each other’s arms before.” He ran a hand over her cheek. “I’ve never seen you first thing in the morning.”

  That statement shocked her into silence. My God, he was right. They’d been horny, hormone-driven teenagers. They’d hooked up all over Bayside in every sense of the term hook up. But of course, at the end of every night, they’d had to return to their respective houses.

  The idea of making love, falling asleep in each other’s arms, only to wake together as well, had simply never been in the cards.

  This morning had been a first. A first that clearly meant the world to Jasper, if the way he was looking at her now meant anything. And it meant the world to her, too, only she found it hard to say that out loud. So she did something else.

  First she placed her mug on the nightstand and then Jasper’s. She pushed the newspaper off the bed and took complete advantage of his mouth. The morning make-out session was better than the coffee at waking her up.

  After a long round of kissing and caressing, Jasper said, “Spend time with me.”

  She wiggled her hips and ran her leg up and down his. “I kinda think we’re spending some time together right now.”

  He kissed her nose and trailed his hand up and down her arm. “And I like this kind of time. Trust me. I love it. But I was thinking about something else.”

  “Oh yeah?”

  “Spend the day with me,” he whispered against her mouth.

  “I don’t know, Jasp.”

  “Afraid people will talk about you?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Not anymore. People are already talking about me. I was thinking that I should go over some recipes and think about my events for the next week. Try to drum up more business.”

  “There’s this thing called a weekend. People who work usually enjoy them. Even CEOs. Trust me, I know.”

  She gazed into his eyes, realizing her mistake a moment too late. There was no way she could say no now. That blue gaze was a potent weapon.

  “Fine,” she relented. “I’ll spend the day with you.” She started untangling herself from him, but Jasper pulled her back and flipped her so he was towering over her. “What are you doing?” she asked.

  “I forgot to tell you. Our day together starts right here in this bed.”

  She reached down and felt exactly how ready he was for the day. She grinned. “What a start.”

  * * *

  True to Jasper’s word, they started the day in bed. And then in the shower.

  Once they finally left the house, with a quick stop for Jasper to grab clean clothes at his loft, they made their way to a local restaurant near the bay. They sat outside and enjoyed a long and luxurious brunch with decadent Belgian waffles, fresh fruit and sinfully rich coffee.

  Then Jasper led her to the bay and his sailboat. She couldn’t miss the name of the boat. Determination.

  Coming around the dock, he noticed she was staring at the name. “I, uh, bought this little thing right after college. Spent a lot of time fixing it up myself. Took a lot of determination to get it in working order.”

  She had a feeling that wasn’t the only meaning of determination in Jasper’s life. Once again, she felt ashamed at the things she’d said to him back when she’d broken up with him. She suppressed the urge to grab his face in her hands and demand that he realize how sorry she was. Instead, Carissa offered an encouraging smile. “It’s a good name.”

  The awkwardness didn’t linger once they were out on the water. It had been some time since she’d been in a boat, with the wind in her hair, the salty crispness of the water around her. She loved tilting her face to the sun and feeling its warm rays shower down on her. There wouldn’t be too many more days like this. In a couple weeks, the weather would start to cool off, the leaves would begin to change colors, and summer would be nothing but a memory.

  But for right now, she was enjoying watching Jasper in his element. After a couple hours, he pulled up to an older part of town. As she’d said to Jasper previously, there really weren’t seedy parts of Bayside. However, this definitely wasn’t a spot to send the tourists.

  A large s
tructure sat right on the water. She noticed a couple signs. Looked like a clothing boutique and a liquor store, and the rest of the doors appeared to be out of business.

  Hand in hand, they walked up the dock.

  “What is this place? Doesn’t look too good,” she said.

  “Dumont Incorporated actually owns this property.”

  Surprised, she eyed him. “I’m shocked that you would allow such disrepair in the Dumont portfolio.”

  He laughed. “One step at a time. We’ve had a lot of offers on this place. The most persistent one from an adult entertainment store.”

  “A what?”

  “You know, a place that sells videos and toys. Plus, you can get racy lingerie and, ahem, accessories for active adults.” He accented the word accessories.

  Whoa. “By active, I’m assuming you don’t mean hiking and running.”

  He chuckled. “More like active in bed.”

  Ah, she got it now. She scrunched up her nose. “I’m not judging. To each their own. Isn’t there a place like that out on the highway, right before the exit ramp?”

  Jasper nodded. “There used to be. It closed not long after you left. That’s the thing. The closest adult store is fifty miles from here. There’s a market.”

  “How does the town feel about that?”

  “I’m sure some of them are ecstatic on the inside. But in public, not that happy, as you can imagine. I’ll admit, their bid is high. A lot higher than the others, in fact.”

  She meant what she’d said to Jasper. She truly wasn’t judging. Besides, Carissa wasn’t an idiot. Plenty of people frequented that kind of establishment.

  Jasper continued. “Should I sell to one person? Should I renovate and then lease out space again? There’s another possible idea, but it’s out of the norm and therefore might not sit well with the board.”

  He looked tired just talking about it, like it was something that had been keeping him up at night. She touched his arm. “This is important to you.”

  “All of the deals are, but this one...let’s just say that I want to make my mark with this one.”