The Secret Ingredient Read online

  The rage that burned through him shocked him. “Did he rape you?” he finally asked, hearing the roughness in his voice.

  She shook her head vehemently. “No. Nothing like that.” She raked shaking fingers through her thick waves. “He just really screwed with my head, you know? Ridiculed me.”

  Eli brought her fingers to his lips for a quick kiss. “I’m sorry about that, Becca. But I’m not him. I think you’re beautiful. Always have.”

  Doubt skittered across her face. Eli turned her chin to him and dipped his head. He wanted to crush her against him, but was afraid he would spook her. So he kissed her softly, tasting her. Her hands crept up his chest. Eli deepened the kiss, threading his fingers through her hair.

  She was amazing. Instant hard-on. He resisted the urge to lean into her and let her feel his reaction. When she broke contact, he was afraid he had spooked her, but she didn’t pull away. Instead, she rested her cheek against his shoulder, her breath shuddering.

  “Becca.”

  * * * *

  She met Eli’s dark gaze and wondered if it had always been as warm as hot fudge. She wasn’t any virginal teenager any more. She’d kissed her share of guys and gone to bed with a few, but she’d never experienced a kiss like that one. It rocked her...and he hadn’t even tried to give her any tongue. “More, Eli,” she whispered softly. “Kiss me again.”

  His eyes narrowed ever so slightly at the corners. This time he pulled her into the cradle of his hips. Becca’s eyes widened as she felt the hard length of him press against her, and she jerked her head up to look at him.

  His fingers stroked her hair back from her face. “Yes, I want you so much it hurts like hell. But it’s what you want that matters, Becca.”

  She ran her palms up the firm muscles of his chest and looped her hands around the back of his neck beneath his thick cascade of curls. “Kiss me again.”

  This time her senses went through the roof. Becca was positive that if she’d been a cartoon character steam would have blown out her ears when he slipped his tongue inside to explore her mouth. He pressed one hand against the small of her back, urging her closer. But she hardly needed that. She had already arched against him, pressing the swell of her breasts and the softness of her belly along the front of him.

  In an instant, the tenor of his kiss changed. His hands slid down to cup her bottom, pulling her into the slowly grinding motion of his hips.

  “God. Becca. Baby.”

  His mouth was ravenous. The rough, slightly out of control feel of him didn’t frighten her. It turned her on. She slid her fingers into his long hair and kissed him back. When his fingers kneaded the flesh of her butt cheeks, an instant flow of wet warmth flooded between her thighs.

  Eli broke the kiss, grasping her shoulders and setting her away from his body. His breathing was ragged, and Becca felt just the faintest tremor in his hands. She’d already felt the rest of his body’s response.

  “You’re even better than I imagined all those years. Your brothers were right to keep me away.”

  “Keep you away?” Becca shook her head as she stared at him.

  Eli laughed shortly. As he raked a hand back through his hair, he moved farther away. “Shit. Yeah. First Caleb and Noah...and I told you about Jake. All three of them made the no trespassing signs pretty damn clear.”

  Becca moved back toward him. “I’m not fourteen anymore, Eli, and my brothers don’t control what I do or who I do it with.”

  “Is that what we’re doing? Taking this beyond friends and business partners?”

  She dropped her gaze to the front of his jeans. “Aren’t we?”

  He groaned, but she saw hesitation mixed with desire. Taking pity on him and herself, she turned away with a sigh. Maybe they were rushing it a bit.

  “Why don’t I make coffee? We’ll take it downstairs, and you can taste test some of the desserts.”

  She glanced over her shoulder and saw a gleam in his eyes that made her laugh. “Ah, so you have an appetite for more than just me?”

  He shoved his hands into his pockets. “Okay, I admit. I have a monstrous sweet tooth. You just can’t imagine what torture it was to turn my nose up at that fruit and brownie concoction.”

  Becca laughed, absurdly pleased by his admission. She was pumped enough that he seemed to find her sexy, but he liked her baking too? Definite turn-on. While she measured the grounds and made the coffee, she watched him wander around her loft.

  He stopped in front of Noah’s photograph. Becca loved her brother’s photography and this picture, in particular. It depicted the weathered face of a moonshiner proofing some of his shine. The man didn’t care that what he did was illegal. He took pride in the product he produced, and it showed.

  “What’s Noah up to now?” Eli glanced over at her and then back to the photographs surrounding that one.

  “Working with one of those charitable medical foundations that travels all over the world. Last time I heard, he was in Central America.”

  “I talk to Caleb every now and then. He’s come to the Outer Banks a couple of times to go fishing with me.” Eli turned to look at her. “And he still manages to get a warning in to keep my hands off you.”

  Becca put her fists on her hips. “You know, this is really starting to piss me off. I wonder how many dates I missed over the years because of my helpful older brothers.”

  Eli’s dark eyes raked her from head to foot. “Probably more than you want to know.”

  “I went all through high school thinking nobody wanted to date me because I was a fat klutz.”

  “Fat?” Eli strode back to where she stood and framed her face with his hands. “You’re not fat. You’ve got a body just made for a man to...” He stopped and swallowed, his cheeks flushing. “Jesus, Becca. You were probably the star attraction in more than one high school kid’s fantasies. God knows I spent plenty of time jerking...” he paused, flushing even more. “Well, shit.”

  Becca stared at him and started laughing. “Eli...I have four older brothers. If you think I don’t know guys are as attached to their penises as salt is to pepper, then you are not the man I think you are.”

  Eli tugged the hair at the back of his head. “Yeah. Well. You don’t normally talk about jerking off with the woman you’re having dinner with.”

  Becca poured two cups of coffee. “How do you like it?”

  His eyes widened. “Excuse me?”

  She smirked. “Your coffee.”

  “Oh. Black. No sugar.”

  “Mm. I like that in a man.” She handed him a mug. “Come on downstairs. We’ll raid the desserts.”

  Chapter 4

  Becca didn’t turn on the lights. Instead, she lit a candle at a back table. After setting her cup down and waving Eli to a nearby chair, she surveyed the cooler where slices of cakes and tortes nestled inside on china plates. She pulled out a serving of bread pudding as well as an éclair. Balancing those in one hand, she grabbed a bowl of fresh whipped cream and a spoon.

  “Here. We’ll start with these.”

  Eli’s brows arched as she sat next to him. “Start?”

  “You have a sweet tooth, and I have plenty of sweets. Here. Bite this.”

  She held out a forkful of bread pudding with a dollop of cream on top. Dutifully, Eli leaned forward and took it off the fork. She watched his eyes close in apparent bliss.

  “You like it?”

  “Anymore and my taste buds will orgasm.”

  Becca sniggered. “Mm. Take a sip of your coffee and try this.” She picked up the éclair and held it up to his lips. His eyes never left hers as he took a bite, his tongue sneaking out to lap up more of the crème filling. Her eyes were glued to his mouth. There was just a drop of the sugary confection at the corner of his mouth. Impulsively, she leaned forward and stuck out her tongue to flick it away. At the last minute, he turned his head and kissed her, delving inside her mouth with a tongue that tasted of chocolate and Bavarian cream.

  “Can we try the
whipped cream on some other things?” he murmured.

  “Like what?” Becca whispered.

  “Whatever you can think of.”

  She grinned at him. “Hang on.”

  She went to the refrigerator, then popped something in the microwave for a few seconds. When she returned to the table, she looked at Eli and ordered laughingly, “Close your eyes and stick out your tongue.”

  He tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. “No chocolate covered ants or anything nasty, right?”

  “I swear.”

  He sat back in his chair, closed his eyes and stuck out his tongue.

  “Now, no doing anything until I tell you.”

  “Okay.”

  She giggled, then quickly deposited on his tongue a dollop of whipped cream, a drizzle of warm melted fudge and topped it with a maraschino cherry.

  “Your own Sundae. Eat up.”

  Eli opened his eyes, looked down cross-eyed at what she’d done, and pulled in his tongue. Becca giggled while she watched him.

  “Mmm.” There was a wicked gleam in in his eyes right before he opened his mouth and stuck out his tongue. The cherry stem was tied in a knot.

  “Oh. My,” she breathed.

  He plucked the stem off his tongue and set it on the plate.

  “Would you like to see what else I can do with my tongue?”

  “Yes.” Her voice was thready.

  He tugged her onto his lap, his gaze steady and searching. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes.” This time her voice cracked. She knew what he was asking. Their truce was new. This would be a step into unknown territory. They had the long acquaintance of friendship, of a sort. True, Eli had been friends with Caleb and Noah, but he’d always included her in a casual affection he’d extended to the whole family. They were about to change that.

  Becca wasn’t sure exactly how it happened, but in a matter of seconds he’d slid her sundress and her bra off her shoulders. Somehow, he’d turned her so she straddled his lap, the skirt of her dress pushed up to reveal the long length of her thighs.

  * * * *

  “Beautiful,” he murmured. “So amazing.”

  All he could think about was getting inside her. His cock strained against his jeans. Not yet. Not yet. He wanted to make sure she was good and ready before he unzipped, before she saw...Maybe they shouldn’t take things quite that far. Maybe they could just kiss and touch. Eli pulled her mouth down to his, kissing her with a hunger he could no longer hide or even temper. When she answered him back with a desire to match his, he growled deep in his throat.

  This was where he wanted to be, where he’d dreamed of being for years. Kissing Becca was great, but he wanted more. His fingers tweaked her already hard nipples. He broke their kiss to trail his mouth down the column of her throat to the creamy breasts he’d fantasized about since high school. Reality was so much better.

  Eli leaned back, his fingers drifting down over her bunched up skirt. Their eyes met for a long, heated moment as he paused where her thigh met the hot center of her. Becca’s lips parted on a soft sob. The slight vulnerability she couldn’t hide humbled him.

  “Please. More,” she begged.

  Impatient with the scrap of silk still separating them, Eli growled deep in his throat, snatched it in both hands, and ripped it in two. Sweat broke out on his forehead. They should probably slow down, probably wait...

  Becca’s hands worked frantically down the buttons on the front of his shirt, baring his chest to her eyes and her touch. Her fingers found the hard nubs of his flat nipples. Eli groaned and slipped two fingers deep inside her. All thoughts of waiting fled. His thumb caressed the small bud of flesh above her opening. When she threw back her head and cried out with a first, fierce climax, Eli smiled.

  “That’s it. Come for me, baby. Just like that.”

  His fingers continued to work her while his cock throbbed for release. Her fingers slid down feverishly to the snap of his jeans.

  “Not yet,” Eli ordered. “Come for me again.”

  Oh there was so much more to this than his desire to make her fly once more. His fingers pumped and rubbed until she sobbed with pleasure.

  “I need you,” she begged. The desperation in her voice made him forget his fears.

  Eli unsnapped his jeans and released the zipper. The ache in his cock eased somewhat as his erection broke free. Heart pounding, he captured Becca’s mouth with his lips, her hands against his chest. He wanted a few, greedy seconds more in which she was all heat and eagerness in his embrace. He didn’t want to see the ardor leave her eyes.

  “Becca.” His voice compelled and she met his dark gaze. “Baby. I want you so much. I want nothing more than to slide inside you, but...”

  “No buts, Eli. Please.” She wiggled against him. His breath caught.

  “Becca. Look at me. If it’s too much...”

  Her hands stilled. He couldn’t watch her, knowing she was getting her first real look at him. More than one woman had flat out refused to make love to him. Heather had put him off as much as possible. He felt Becca’s weight shift. Not her too. He could take rejection from almost anyone but her. He swallowed against the tight knot in his throat, and then felt her hand circle as much of his shaft as she could before she began to slowly caress his thick length.

  “Look at me, Eli,” she commanded.

  He forced his eyes open, lifted his gaze to hers.

  “I want you. Now. Here.” She smiled at him. “I don’t have a condom to fit you.”

  Thank. God. She wanted him. She wasn’t scared of him. “Wallet, back pocket. I have a couple. I wish I had a gross.”

  She brought her lips close to his as she reached around to fish out his wallet with one hand and stroked him with the other. “One at a time will do.”

  She tore open the wrapper and covered him. Eli grasped her wrists. “Straddle me. Guide me into you. As much as you want.”

  Another hot kiss. “I want all of you.”

  He stroked her hair. “Easy. Slowly. I don’t want to hurt you.”

  Their eyes held as she raised up and eased him between her slick folds. As she sank down, taking him deep inside, it was Eli who gasped. She gloved him so tightly, so hotly. His hands bracketed her hips, helping and guiding as she rode him.

  In the darkness and flickering candlelight at the back of her shop, their shadows moved in a ballet of light and dark on the brick walls, quivering and trembling, but always moving in unison. Eli watched in wonder, marveled at Becca’s earthiness. It was too intense, more than he had ever expected. His head arched back, his hips jacked forward, and he roared in pleasure. Becca was right behind him, collapsing against his broad chest. He wrapped her in his arms, wanting her to feel secure, wanting her to know how special she was.

  As they panted and whispered to each other, Eli thought he heard a noise outside, but when he glanced at the large picture windows on either side of the door, all he saw was the streetlights dimly illuminating the square.

  They gathered their clothing and their dishes and moved it upstairs. The second time was slower, more thorough. Eli left no part of her untouched by either his fingers or his tongue. When Becca returned the favor, he thought he would pass out.

  So many years dreaming of her, and the reality was infinitely better. He watched her riding him in the tangle of sheets on her bed, her body curvy and womanly. With a growl of passion, he flipped her onto her hands and knees and pushed back into her from behind. He looked down, watching where they joined and the easy way she took him, as if she were made specifically for him. His hands smoothed over her butt cheeks, and his fingers trailed along her spine. He grinned when she shuddered in pleasure.

  “You like that?”

  “Yes.”

  He did it again, amazed when she climaxed. He grasped her hips at the waist and increased his tempo.

  “I can’t hold off any longer.”

  “Do it, Eli.”

  The bed shook with the force of his lovemaking, an
d Becca stayed with him every second of the way until his body rushed into a powerful climax. He’d swear it erupted from the top of his head, leaving him mindless.

  They curled together, stroking each other’s bodies while their hair tangled on the pillows. His last thought before he fell asleep was mine. She felt more right than anyone ever had.

  * * * *

  The soft beep, beep penetrated Becca’s sleep. She fumbled for the clock on her nightstand, disoriented and wondering what the weight was that trapped her.

  “Shit.” A masculine groan followed. “Damn. Becca. It’s the middle of the night.”

  Eli. He was still here. Her heart thrummed and a sleepy smile formed on her face.

  “Your night. My morning.”

  “This is when you get up?” his voice rose slightly in incredulity from its gravelly morning timbre.

  “Baker. Fresh bread. Duh.”

  He turned over, spooning her backside so his erection rubbed against her butt.

  “How much of a hurry are you in?”

  Becca rolled over and hugged him. “Too much. I’m sorry. You can sleep in if you want.”

  “Mm. As tempting as that might be...no. I wouldn’t want to shock any early morning customers by parading down your stairs. Can I shower with you? Then I’ll go.”

  Becca’ mind and body fluttered. There was something so inherently intimate about having him in the shower with her, but she wanted that intimacy with him. Only with Eli. When he stepped behind her into the warm spray, she trembled.

  Their hands slicked over each other’s bodies. Sighs mixed with the spicy aroma of her soap. They came together fluid and relaxed. Each time different. A revelation. And this was a benediction on their entire night.

  “Beautiful.” He whispered.

  Becca stroked his cheek, her fingers trailing down to rest against the hard line of his jaw.

  “Thank you.”

  Laughter returned as they hurried to dry each other off. When Eli threatened her with his rolled up towel, she retaliated by aiming the blow dryer at him. They were still laughing as they pounded down the stairs like a couple of kids, only to come to a skidding halt when she spied Luke and Jared standing at the door.