Josh's Challenge Read online

  “Because you already know you are, Marguerite, but not as beautiful as your little sister. No offense.” He kissed Missy right at the counter for all to see. Public displays of affection were not something that she was used to and definitely not good for someone with social anxiety. She wanted a hole to open beneath her and swallow her up.

  “Stop it,” Josh whispered in her ear. “If we move forward, you’ll have to get used to me kissing you wherever I feel like it.”

  Marguerite laughed. “That’s the answer I was looking for, Josh. Yes, I would love for you two to pick me up. I’m in for the threesome.”

  Missy put her face in her hands and prayed no one had heard her sister. Her prayers went unanswered, though, as the men wearing King Construction t-shirts sitting at the table behind them began to laugh heartily. She was sure it could be heard from across the street.

  JOSH DROPPED THE girls off at the clinic before heading back to Jason’s place. The men from the diner who’d laughed at Marguerite’s innuendo were part of his brother’s crew and had beaten Josh back to the work site. Jason was back to normal, thank God, except for the moony-eyed grin that stayed on his face day and night. When he called Julie to check up on her for the eighteenth time, Josh swore he could see hearts and flowers coming out of his brother’s ears. It was sickening.

  He couldn’t wait for it to happen to him.

  They’d finished working by suppertime, and Josh was impatient to get home. He broke most of the speed limits on the back roads until he got to town. Seeing her CRV in the driveway, Josh wasted no time getting cleaned up before heading over to her townhouse.

  “Hey,” she said when she opened the door. She’d changed into hip-hugging shorts and a t-shirt that didn’t cover the belly button jewel he’d seen before. His eyes zeroed in on that gem before he caught himself and forced his eyes back to hers.

  “Hey, yourself. How’s our girl?” He could hear Ginger’s unmistakable, stuttering purr coming from the kitchen.

  “She’s much better and glad to be home, I think. How could anyone drug and starve something as sweet as she is?”

  “Monsters don’t care about animals, Melissa,” he said as he scooped up the kitten. Ginger said hello with a raspy meow. Josh nuzzled the sweet kitten before putting her back on the floor so she could finish her dinner.

  “Well, I’ve got half a mind to shoot him when I find him.” Melissa went into the kitchen to add some more kibble to Ginger’s dish, then pulled a plate of chicken breasts out of the fridge and set it on the counter. “Hungry? I was about to fix dinner.”

  “Sure, but first things first.” He took her into his arms and kissed her like he’d been wanting to do all day. Warm and sweet, she tasted like heaven. It wasn’t long before she wrapped her elegant arms around his neck and held on tight. Ten seconds after that, she took over the kiss, and it was him who was being devoured. He let her have her way until the urge to pick her up overtook him. He carried her to the couch and gently laid her down, never breaking the kiss. She was just as hungry for him as he was for her, but oxygen deprivation was affecting his judgment. He refused to make love to her for the first time on her sofa, where her roommate could walk in on them. He’d need a hell of a lot more privacy for what he wanted to do to her, and he definitely needed to put on the brakes without hurting her feelings.

  “I’m sorry, I only meant to kiss you hello,” he whispered.

  “I like the way you say hello,” she answered sweetly.

  Her shy admission surprised—and pleased—him. “I just like you.”

  A flare of awareness sparked in her eyes. “I like you, too, Josh.” She proved it by stealing another kiss. The confidence in her touch nearly consumed him. Good intentions be damned, he wanted her right now, right here on the—

  “Meow.”

  They came up for air to see Ginger sitting on the floor next to the couch, looking up at them with curious eyes. Her stop-starting purr was in high gear as she blinked golden eyes, and her tail swished back and forth as if she were interrupting them on purpose. Josh kissed the tip of Melissa’s nose before sitting up to lift Ginger onto the couch. She happily burrowed between them, eventually settling herself into a ball to sleep. Though he was annoyed, he was thankful for the distraction.

  Melissa followed his lead by sitting up and stroking the kitten’s fur, drawing his attention to her hands. He wanted them on him. Damn, he needed to distance himself from her before he lost control. “Stay here, I’ll go put the chicken on,” he said, trying not to look as if he were escaping. He wanted her to trust him.

  “Oh, you don’t have to do that.” She began to stand, but he stopped her by once again pressing his lips to her sweet mouth. He could not get enough of her.

  “I promise, I’m a much better griller than Jason, so you can sit and relax for a bit,” he smirked. He headed out the sliding door to prep the barbecue before he could change his mind about keeping his libido in check.

  Thankful to be out of her gravitational pull, he stepped onto the small patio off the dining room and started Lauren’s old grill. Once it fired up, he closed the lid and surveyed the tiny plot of dirt filled with weeds. Most tenants planted tomatoes or flowers in this area, but Josh had neglected to do anything with it before he’d rented to Melissa. He felt like a horrible landlord. He made a mental note to hit a home improvement store for weed killer as soon as he had time.

  Satisfied that the ancient barbecue was staying lit, he went back inside to season the chicken and found Melissa fixing a salad. She smiled but said nothing when he returned. Was she back to feeling shy? Or was she relieved that he’d stopped kissing her? She’d physically responded to him, but did she care for him at all? Had she cared for the other men she’d dated? It wasn’t like him to question his abilities to woo a woman. Hell, even his brothers couldn’t touch his charm. But damn, Melissa had always kept him guessing about her feelings, making him feel insecure in ways that he shouldn’t. She’d said that she liked him, but was it more than just physical? More than just jogging in the morning and sharing a kitten? He wanted more, a hell of a lot more. He wanted what his brothers had, and he needed to prove to her that she could trust him enough to give him her heart. He was up for the challenge of earning Melissa’s trust. He’d keep his cool and not let things get too physical tonight. He needed to go slowly. As much as Josh wanted to make love to Melissa, he wasn’t sure if now was the right time. He had to get a leash on his desire before she got the wrong impression of him.

  Ignoring his self-doubt, he grabbed the platter of chicken and headed back out to the grill. Ginger followed him outside and wound herself between his legs while he watched the flames kiss the chicken breasts, careful not to let them burn while they seared. When they’d had enough flame, he moved them up on the shelf and closed the barbecue lid, turning down the heat as he did. If he went back inside, he’d find Melissa and forget about the chicken. He knew that would not be a good idea, so he played with Ginger for a few minutes before he checked on the meat again.

  JOSH WAS AT the grill staring blankly at the flames when Missy set out the salad and place settings. She was feeling more and more comfortable around him, but conversation still didn’t come easy. Physical attraction was the only thing they had in common. Maybe she should just roll with that? She had zero experience with men, other than a few disastrous dates in college, and Harold. Since nothing but a restraining order had occurred there, she didn’t count her psycho professor as dating material.

  If she were being honest with herself, Josh was the only man she’d ever been attracted to. He was handsome, strong, funny—God, he had a great sense of humor. But Missy had observed the types of women Josh had dated over the years, and she was nothing like those bombshells. Marguerite was more to his liking. Even Angelica fit the bill. She looked exactly like every woman she’d known Josh to associate with. Missy was nothing like that—in fact, she was the polar opposite. Josh’s attraction to her made no sense, but the more time she spent
with him, the more she wanted it to make sense, and that had never occurred to her before because she never knew what to say to a man. Making small talk was not her forte.

  When he finally turned around, her heart skipped a beat. His blue eyes caressed her face before drifting down the rest of her body. No man had ever looked at her like that, and she wasn’t sure if she should feel dirty…or bold.

  “I want to kiss you again, but I don’t want to burn the chicken,” he laughed.

  A nasty blush crept up her throat as a boldness she’d never known came over her. Laughing a little, she said, “I don’t mind my chicken crispy.”

  “You don’t know how happy that makes me,” he whispered. He wasn’t laughing anymore.

  Josh removed the chicken from the grill and brought it to the table, giving her time to think. Was she misinterpreting this whole thing? Was she just another conquest to him? Was Angelica correct when she’d said Josh wasn’t sincere about his feelings?

  She considered that for a moment. He’d never been disrespectful to her—in fact, quite the opposite, he’d treated her like no other man had before. He’d been there when she’d found Ginger and seemed just as concerned for the animal as she had. He’d never blinked an eye about the cat living in his townhouse, or that she’d taken on a roommate without prior approval on her lease. He’d expressed his concerned about her mother’s illness. He’d been protective about her safety, and his family had always treated her with kindness.

  And when he said he wanted to kiss her, she felt the sincerity of his words in her heart, no matter what her brain tried to tell her. She couldn’t be that far off, could she? If she was being honest with herself, the only other men who’d ever shown an interest in her had been in college. They’d been aggressive and looking for a good time, not a relationship. She’d seen through them and had had no time for any of that trivial nonsense. She’d assumed that with Josh’s reputation, he’d be the same, but she’d been so wrong. Instead, he was gracious, caring, all characteristics that made her like him more than she’d like to admit. Fine, she’d secretly crushed on him for most of her life. If she wanted to get to know him better—really know him—then she had to take action. Feeling bold, she leaned over to him and kissed his cheek.

  “Thank you for not burning the chicken.” The giggle escaped her when he suddenly grabbed her hips and sat her on his lap.

  “Well, I’ll be damned. You shocked me, Melissa,” he said with a teasing glint in his eye. It was gone in a flash when he took her mouth with his again.

  There was no more laughing after that. She melted, forgetting everything as the kiss deepened and grew. She worried briefly that her inexperience would show, but the way he made her feel overshadowed her doubts about herself, as if she were more to him than just the girl renting the townhouse next door…as if she were more to him.

  His arms tightened around her body before he stood up. “What are you doing?” she whispered against his lips while looking into pretty blue eyes.

  “I’m not hungry for food anymore. I’m taking you to bed,” he said with resignation, making her doubt herself again.

  “Oh.” Still, a denial never occurred to her.

  “Yes, ‘oh.’”

  She swallowed back the confession she knew she should make, not wanting to stop him from what she hoped would happen next. She was older than most women should be for her first time, and the thought made her feel like a loser, like the last person picked for the team. Even if she could voice the words, how would she say it? She hadn’t saved herself on purpose, but she’d always wanted Josh to be her first lover, not because of his reputation around town, but because she’d always liked him. He was sweet and funny, and he cared about people even when he was pulling pranks on them. Rather than make an awkward attempt to warn him that he was about to sleep with a novice, she just smiled and touched her lips to his again, reveling in the masculine taste of him and formally committing the sin of omission.

  She was quickly discovering that kissing was easier than talking anyway. He opened his mouth and her tongue automatically danced with his, sending shivers through her body. He took two steps at a time up the staircase while still holding her in his strong arms, wooing her with his strength. Once he hit the landing, he made a beeline for her bedroom, and not once did she think to stop him.

  He kicked the door shut behind them and went straight for her unmade bed. Oh crap, her room was a complete disaster! The embarrassment of not keeping house vanished quickly when he gently deposited her in the middle of the messy sheets and pressed his body against hers. She felt Josh everywhere. Desire sparked so strong that he became her universe. Shyness fled as she wrapped her arms and legs around his body as if it were natural.

  Ravenous for more, her body took control and she began to writhe. She was overheated though the air conditioner was on, and his subtle cologne drifted through her bedroom, mingling with her bedding. His hands explored her body, touching places that had never been touched before. When he reached her bellybutton, she felt his fingers swirling around her piercing.

  “This little gem has been driving me insane, Melissa.” Josh continued to play with the charm while he kissed her tenderly. “Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?”

  She may have been a virgin, but she wasn’t ignorant about sex. Though his question thrilled her, she also knew that these were the things a man said while making love. She offered no response to his nonsense about her looks, and, not wanting to ruin the moment, she swallowed his white lies like a poisoned pill and enjoyed the vision that was Josh King, in her bed, with sex on his mind.

  Sex with her.

  He would be her first, and she wasn’t about to stop him with an argument over pillow talk. Besides, he’d already removed her t-shirt and was now fingering the front clasp of her bra.

  She held her breath as he leaned down to suckle her neck. Her bra popped open, causing her to jump and exposing her to the suddenly cold room.

  He didn’t touch her breasts, and he kept his vivid blue eyes locked with hers. Suddenly he knelt in the middle of her bed and with a jerk he lifted her up to sit on his legs so that she straddled his lap. She thought he’d say something, but at the last second, he held her cheeks in his big hands to devour her mouth once more. His kisses made her lightheaded.

  Then his hands began to explore again.

  Not wanting to be the only one without a shirt, she boldly fisted his t-shirt and dragged it up over his head. Skin-to-skin contact made her go a little crazy; she couldn’t get close enough.

  “Shh, slow down, baby. We’ve got all night,” he soothed as he laid her back down. He took his time kissing her, slowing the pace but exciting her all at once. He kissed down her neck to her collarbone before trailing his lips to where she wanted them most of all. Just when she thought she couldn’t take anymore, he drifted down her sternum straight for her bellybutton. He tongued the amethyst jewel before clasping it with his teeth and gently tugging, just like he’d done to both of her nipples. She leaned her head back and groaned, not knowing how much more she could take.

  When he unsnapped her shorts, alarm replaced her passion. “Josh,” she whispered, now unsure of her decision. Should I tell him?

  He looked up from where he’d been tormenting her belly. She saw only heat in his eyes and shallow breaths from his mouth. Had she aroused him that much? Would he be able to stop? Did she even want him to?

  “We don’t have to do this,” he said with concern. “You say the word and we stop right now.”

  God, did she want to stop? There would be no turning back once she was naked. Concern, respect, and caring—they were all there in his eyes. “No, I just . . .”

  Climbing back up her body until he was nose to nose with her, he whispered, “Talk to me, Melissa.”

  She’d stopped him from taking the most important thing she could give, and now she wanted to kick herself. “I’m sorry, I don’t want you to stop.”

  “I hear a ‘but’ in th
ere.”

  She giggled at the double entendre but sobered quickly. She wanted it to be Josh. He wasn’t in love with her, but, so help her, it had to be him. “Please make love to me, Josh. I won’t stop you again.”

  “Do you have any idea how long I’ve waited for you to say those very words? Oh, God, Melissa.” He took her mouth again, only this time he was the one moaning. The fire in her blood ignited once more, and this time there was no going back.

  All of Josh’s plans to wait, to prove to her that she could trust him, went straight out the window the moment her sweet request to make love left her sumptuous lips. Damn it, no other woman heated his blood like Melissa Theroux. He kissed his way down her body, taking his time and counting the near-invisible freckles dusting her chest and soft shoulders. He felt her quiver, reveled in the gooseflesh covering her arms and her sporadic, panting breaths. When his tongue found that damn bellybutton ring again, he couldn’t stand it anymore. He ran his finger under her waistband, feeling her suck in a startled breath.

  He closed his eyes and savored the softness of her skin. When he opened them again, her violet eyes shone in the setting sun coming through the blinds, making him wonder what color they’d be at the height of her passion.

  Determined to find out, he dragged his lips from one hipbone to the other before he stripped away her shorts, revealing delicate panties underneath, and grinned. Melissa had an inner vixen and a siren’s call that wouldn’t be denied.

  Staring at the masterpiece he’d unveiled, he vowed to protect her no matter what. God had never created anything more beautiful than Melissa Theroux, inside and out, but when she turned her head to the side and closed her eyes, he stopped.

  “Baby, look at me,” he begged, not recognizing the gruffness in his own voice. He swallowed and prayed he hadn’t lost her. He waited for her to open her eyes, and when she met his, he slowly stood up taking her pretty undies with him. With a wolfish smile, he tossed them to the floor and rid himself of the rest of his own clothes. Her wary eyes drifted down his body until they landed on the part of him that angrily waited to be inside of her. He chuckled when the passion he’d been coaxing out of her turned into surprise. Something began to niggle in the back of his mind, something that he’d suspected but she hadn’t admitted to yet. If he was correct, he’d have to be extra careful with his passion. Not wanting to scare her off, he decided on a little levity.