Let Me Call You Sweetheart: Come Rain or Come Shine by Gwen Hayes Read Free Book Online

her mouth was making him crazy. When she sucked on his tongue, he groaned, egging her on.  
    Pinned to the door, she still managed to writhe against him, her curves making him harder than he’d ever been in his goddamned life. He let his hands roam, skimming over the swells of her body, squeezing reflexively. He moved to her neck, tonguing a path to induce her delicious shivers under his hands. His restless pulse rushed loudly in his ears as he nipped her sensitive skin.
    Charlie’s breath whooshed out, pushed by a moan that made him feel like a king.
    “I want you,” he said against her neck. “I want you so much it’s going to kill me.”
    She whimpered and pushed his coat off his shoulders. He took that as a good sign, and slid his hands under her sweater. Her skin was hot satin, smooth and enticing, luring him to touch her everywhere. And by God he intended to.
    At that moment, Medusa must have woken from her nap and realized Jeeves was home. She gave one low bark and jumped on him, her front paws pushing into his back and shoving him against Charlie.
    “Oof,” he managed as she knocked the wind out of him.
    “Down, Medusa,” Charlie was able to get out, though she was catching her breath too.
    The dog got off him but started barking in a high-pitched excited tone. He met Charlie’s eyes and imagined his must be frustrated. “I’m taking the dog to the pound. Right now.”
    Charlie laughed, but sobered quickly, her eyes going all soft and sweet. “She missed you.”
    They held the gaze for a few seconds, blocking the noise of the dog. All he could hear was his wildly beating heart, and all he could see was Charlie. “I missed her.”
    For once, she was speechless.
    He could beg. He wasn’t above it. “Date me.”
    “No,” she said.
    “My hand is under your sweater right now. Why won’t you go out with me?”
    Charlie pushed him away and straightened her clothes. “I don’t want to date you, Jeeves. We won’t suit.”
    He raked his hands through his hair. “Jesus, Charlie. You are a mess.”
    His words hit their mark and she blinked at him with a startled, wounded expression. He wasn’t even sorry.
    Shit, yes he was.
    “I’m sorry. Mostly. Look, you’ve got me all twisted in knots and I can’t find my way out of this paper bag you’ve put us in. We suit. We suit just dandy. You’re scared of something. What is it?”
    Charlie crossed the room and started gathering Medusa’s things. “I don’t feel like having this conversation.”  
    Her movements were jerky and uncontrolled. Her breath came in little fast puffs of air. He followed her, placing a still hand on her wrist. She just stared at his hand, refusing to look up at him.  
    “I want you. I know you want me. We have a good time and the walk of shame would consist of a quick sprint across the yard. There is nothing about this that won’t work.” He hoped a little brevity would help. He didn’t like the way she was trembling from being tense instead of because he was turning her on. “What is it that you are so afraid of?”
    “Aren’t things working just fine? Why do we have to change anything?” She still didn’t look at him. “I just want to be friends.”
    He eased behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and nuzzling that spot below her ear. The one that made her knees weak. It made him feel insanely macho when he made her knees weak. “We can’t be just friends because you turn me on like a neon light. You’re the first thing I think about in the morning and the last thought on my mind when I drift to sleep.”
    Charlie bent her neck to give him better access, even while telling him she didn’t believe him. “It’s not real. I’m a challenge because I said no. The minute you get me in your bed, you’ll lose interest.”
    “I don’t know who you’ve been having sex with, but I promise you’ll hold my attention for longer than a minute.”
    She elbowed him in the ribs. “I’m serious.”
    Jeeves went