“A friend of Megan’s. She worked with Deena on what she wanted. I think she did a good job.”
“I agree. Everything blends nicely. Even those colors I thought would not. I’m yet to see why you feel any part of your home needs a facelift.”
He chuckled. “I’m just going by what I used to hear Mom and my godmother say a lot. You mainly have to make changes to your house every so often to keep it updated. I’m not talking about structural changes, but things like repainting the walls, swapping out bathroom or kitchen fixtures, or installing modern ceiling lights. Those sorts of things.”
“Okay, now I see.” And she did. She’d done the same thing before she moved into her present home. She figured it looked like it had when Garlan’s granduncle and grandaunt had lived there. She had gone in and done updates and upgrades. Of course, she figured that if she moved to a smaller place and Garlan moved into the house after college, he would make changes more in line with his style.
She pushed the thought from her mind that Garlan might not move there because he might decide not to make California his home. He still hadn’t talked about any problems at school. Whenever she brought up how college was going, he would quickly change the subject. Hopefully, she would find out what was bothering him when he came home for Thanksgiving.
“And this is my bedroom,” Matt said, bringing her attention back to the present as they stood in front of a set of double wooden doors. He was right about his bedroom being on the total opposite side of the house. To get to the other side meant going through an indoor courtyard completely covered in glass, built in such a way that it wasn’t visible to neighbors, unless they had a drone.
The moment Matt opened the door to his bedroom, she caught her breath. Not only was it spacious, but it appeared to be designed for a king. First, she entered a spacious sitting room with a sofa, wingback chairs and what looked like a hundred-inch television. One side of the wall was entirely glass, showing the back of his yard, where a massive pool and a tennis court were located.
Then, on the opposite side of the gigantic bedroom, where she walked up at least three steps, was his bed. It was massive. And it appeared inviting. Not wanting to seem too eager to get anywhere near that bed—although she was—she walked over to the window and glanced out, and said, “I love the shape of your pool. From up here, it resembles a cruise ship.”
He chuckled, and that’s when she realized he had come to stand behind her. He stood so close, she could feel the warmth of his breath near her neck. “It is. Marcello’s first business venture was Saxon Cruise Line. For that reason, the pool was specifically designed that way to celebrate his success. It’s a good thing his first business venture wasn’t a hotel. Can you imagine how the pool would have looked?”
“Yes, I can just imagine,” she said, turning to face him. She met his gaze and saw the intense heat there. He probably saw the same thing in hers.
“What else can you imagine, Iris?” he asked in a husky voice, wrapping his arms around her waist.
She had no problem telling him. “At this precise moment, Matt, I can imagine myself in your bed.”
A smile curved his lips. “I can imagine that as well.” And then, to prove a point, he swept her off her feet and into his arms and moved up the steps to the bed.
Chapter Fifteen
Iris honestly didn’t know what was happening to her. She had enjoyed both Karlton and Warren in the bedroom, but what she was experiencing with Matt could only be described as uniquely different. Totally overwhelming. Off-the-charts mind-boggling. Like this, for instance—the way he’d swept her into his arms. Not just the way he’d done it, but him doing it in the first place. She thought they only did that in the romance novels she used to read eons ago.
Granted, Garlan had done so routinely, but not the two lovers who’d come after, which led her to assume that such a romantic gesture was a thing of the past. If sweeping a woman off her feet had become outdated, Matt was certainly bringing it back in style. She had a feeling that nothing about tonight would be obsolete or feel rushed. Whatever they did, Matt intended to take his time and savor every moment. And she felt certain he would make sure she savored it as well.
He placed her back on her feet beside the bed and took her mouth, kissing her more hungrily than he’d ever done before. It was as if knowing they were in his private sphere, and not on Pam and Dillon’s porch or in The MacArthur’s courtyard, had changed everything. In the privacy of his bedroom, he planned to get downright naughty, and she was all for it.
By the way he was taking her mouth, thrusting his tongue as if tasting her from corner to corner, it seemed he had been wanting to do this again since the last time. He was also touching her backside, using his hands to knead her butt cheeks through the material of her gown.
And he wasn’t leaving her to play catch-up. It was quite obvious he intended for her to keep up by devouring her lips in a way that escalated her passion. He tangled his hand in her hair while keeping their mouths locked. Matt was very proficient at what he was doing, and she didn’t want to think of the years it had taken to perfect such a skill. She was just glad she was the recipient of it. With her arms wrapped around his neck, she tried her darndest to return the kiss with as much eagerness and greediness as he was giving. When her knees were about to give out from passion overload, he broke off the kiss. As she usually did after experiencing a Matt Caulder kiss, she dropped her head to his chest to regain her strength.
The manly scent of him renewed her energy, and she finally lifted her head to look up at him. What she saw in the depths of his dark eyes nearly took her breath away. Then, taking a step back while holding his gaze tight to hers, he slowly began unbuttoning his dress shirt. Her mouth suddenly felt wetter from watching him. Hadn’t she passed the age when a man could make her drool? Obviously not.
The task seemed to take him forever, and with every button that was undone, she ached even more between her legs. He tossed the shirt on a nearby chair. She suddenly felt hot at the sight of his bare chest, broad masculine shoulders and a taut, firm stomach. And what really made her stare was all that thick, curly hair on his chest. It was hair that extended down his stomach and tapered in a path down past the waistband of his slacks. He had the kind of chest hair that would make a woman want to run her fingers through it. And while her gaze followed the line of hair from his chest to his slacks, his hands went to the snap on his pants.
“Did I tell you how good you looked tonight?” she asked, barely able to speak while watching him slowly ease down his zipper.
“Yes, you told me. I’m glad you thought so.”
Ha! It wasn’t just her who had thought so. She’d seen the looks he had gotten from several other women. Especially, the envy in their eyes when the two of them had gone on the dance floor. Candy Sumlar hadn’t been the only barracuda there tonight. However, after that stunt she had pulled, which was probably seen by others, they figured he was taken. Let them continue to think that because, in a way, he was. At least for tonight, he was off-limits.
“Do you want to finish undressing me, Iris?”
His question reclaimed her attention, and she thought about what he’d asked. Did she? Making a decision, she eased onto the bed and said, “No, I’d rather sit here and enjoy the strip show.”
He flashed her a smile that was so sexy, she felt her panties get wet. “Will you reciprocate and strip for me?” he asked.
She had no problem doing that. “I most certainly will, Matt.”
Iris then watched as he proceeded to remove his slacks, treating her to the strip show she wanted. Taking his time, he removed his pants down his legs and was left wearing a pair of black briefs. Both Karlton and Warren, even Garlan, had worn boxers, but the briefs on Matt were appealing. She could clearly see the shape, size and magnitude of his aroused body. And it appeared to be straining against the material.
“Are you tired of watching yet, Iris?”