They probably oughta talk, because unresolved issues hung between them, but talking wasn’t his strong suit. He always said the wrong thing, which made the situation worse. Or he cracked the wrong joke at the wrong time. When he tried to be serious, no one took him seriously—another drawback from being known as the fun-lovin’ jokester. Everyone expected him to be that way all the time.

He crowded her against the wall, bracing his hands by her head. Then he began the seduction, whispering, “Close your eyes,” into her ear.

“Umm. What happened to us talking?”

“I said we were gonna air out our grievances.” He nibbled on her lobe.

“Without words?”

Tell pressed an openmouthed kiss behind her ear. “Actions speak louder than words, don’t they?”

She shivered.

“The words will come after.”

“After what?”

“After I touch you.” He rubbed his mouth over her skin. “After I taste you. I’m dyin’ for you, Georgia.”

Another shiver, followed by a moan.

“Arch your neck.” He trailed sucking kisses down the cord straining in her neck. Stopping to sweep his lips across her collarbone. “Be honest. Me goin’ caveman on you turns you on.”

No response.

He bit down on the skin between her neck and shoulder.

Georgia’s entire body vibrated.

“Answer me.”

“Yes, you jerk. You know it does.”

“How does knowin’ what you like make me a jerk?”

“Because whenever you use that bossy tone and then put your mouth on me, I lose any rational train of thought. And I’m mad at you.”

“I’m mad at you too. So maybe it’s not my mouth you oughta be worrying about, sweetness, but my hand.”

“What?”

“Remember when I warned you that anything you did to me, I’d do to you? Do you have any idea how many times your hand connected with my ass tonight?”

She immediately stiffened. “No! And even if I did, they shouldn’t count because I was under duress!”

“Duress?” he growled. “Hot lips, I was under duress seein’ you drinkin’ with them wild women, wondering what all you were tellin’ them about us.”

Her eyes locked defiantly to his. “I had four drinks over two hours. And I didn’t tell them anything. What goes on between you and me stays between you and me. I don’t kiss and tell, Tell.” She snickered, but her humor faded when he didn’t laugh. “You still look surprised that I’m not blabbing far and wide, so you really must think the worst of me.”

“Georgia—”

“Why are you here if I’m such an untrustworthy blabbermouth?”

He rubbed his jaw along hers. “You know why.”

“No, I don’t. Especially not after you accused me of taking advantage of your family because we are…whatever this is.”

Looked like it was up to him to define it. “Whatever this is…is a relationship. Although neither of us wanted to name it, that’s what it’s been since day one.” He eased back and peered into her eyes, half-afraid she’d deny it.

“You’re good with that?” she asked carefully.

“Yep. Are you? If we continue to keep it casual?”

Georgia lifted her chin. “Just sex?”

He shook his head. “It’s been about more than just sex for us since day one too. I can admit that now. Can you?”

“Yes.” She briefly closed her eyes and pressed her mouth to his. “I missed you this week. I thought about you a lot. And I’m sorry that I was too unsure about us and this…relationship just to pick up the damn phone and call you.”

This sweetness was one of his favorite things about her. “Same here. For us supposedly bein’ ten years older and wiser, we sure acted like teens a snit, didn’t we?”

She laughed softly. “Let’s not do that anymore. We’ll act like adults. So should we spit on our hands and shake on it? Or will a pinkie promise work better?”

Damn woman made him laugh. “How about if we just seal the deal with a kiss?”

“Deal.” She took his mouth like she owned it. And damn if that didn’t make him hard as a fucking fence post.

Once he caught his breath, he said, “As long as we’re clearing the air, I’m sorry I listened to bullshit speculation from my family before I talked to you. You deserve better from me. I was a dick. It won’t happen again. I promise.”

Georgia seemed taken aback by the apology. She was even more surprised when he murmured, “That said, darlin’, you’re still getting a spanking.” Then he fused his mouth to hers. Kissing her until his cock was hard as concrete and her lithe body bowed into his.

When they came up for air, Tell loved the bee-stung look of her lips after his harsh kisses.

After untying her shirt and freeing her arms, he said, “Turn around.” As soon as she was in position, he nuzzled the back of her head, breathing in her scent. “Since I’m feelin’…generous, I’m gonna let you keep your pants on.”

“So it won’t be your bare hand on my bare ass?”

“You sound disappointed.”

“I’m not.”

“Good thing. Because you earned fourteen pops on this perfect butt of yours.” He kept his mouth by her ear, teasing with his hot breath and hotter words. “How pink you think your ass will be when I get done?”

She squirmed.

“I guarantee we’ll both feel the burn, even through the denim.” He traced the curve at the top of her ear with a fleeting lick of his tongue. “But if you were bare-assed, I’d use my tongue to cool down those flaming cheeks when I finished.” His nose slipped behind her ear, following that section of skin to the hollow below the lobe. “Can’t you just feel my mouth all over your sweet ass?”

He felt her swallow hard.

“Bend over and brace yourself.”

Georgia flattened her palms on the wall, making her body into a ninety-degree angle.

Goddamn she looked beautiful. He ran his hands up her spine and across the compact line of her shoulders. There was just one problem. He slid his hands into her hair and tugged her head up. “Better. Stay like that.”

She glanced over her shoulder at him, not defiantly, but warily. “Why?”

“I’m gonna need to see your face, sweetness. See if you like what I’m doin’ to you.”

“And if I don’t?” she asked softly.

“Then tell me to stop and I will.”

Georgia broke eye contact first.

Tell let his hands roam over her. Never staying too long in one place. Rubbing. Stroking. Petting. Building the tension. He finally gave in and smacked her left butt cheek.

“Oh.” She dropped her chin to her chest and seemed to gather herself. Then she raised her head, ready for the next one.

But Tell had no intention of dragging this out or making her count the strokes. He swatted her ass with hard, fast strokes. By the time he finished, Georgia had been pushing back into him for each spank. Her breathing came in short pants and she whimpered softly. Sexily.

Slapping his hands on the wall above hers, Tell caged her body beneath his.

Georgia cranked her head around to get at his mouth. Kissing him crazily. Hot flashing tongue, lips shifting on his as she tried to swallow him whole.

That buzz of need became louder and louder until Tell had to force himself to stop kissing her. “I gotta know… Are you wet?”

“Yes,” she practically sobbed. “I never knew it could be like that… God. That was nothing like the spankings I got as a kid.”

He released a strangled laugh.

She rolled her spine against his chest, pressing her ass into his groin. “Please. I feel like I’m about to burst.”

After one last nip to her nape, Tell pushed upright. Then he tugged on her shoulders and spun her back into the wall, again trapping her body beneath his. “I want you in my mouth.”

“Yes.”

Another soft pass of his lips over hers. “And I want your mouth on me.”

“Oh.” A pause as his intent became clear, then, “Oh!”

“Lift your arms.” As soon as she did, Tell whisked off the lacy camisole and filled his hands with her breasts. He pressed kisses from her mouth, down her throat, between her cleavage, lowering himself to his knees, continuing his southerly progression, only stopping when he reached the waistband of her jeans. Stopping to marvel that this beautiful woman was sharing so much with him besides her body.

“Tell?”

“Mmm. Sorry. Just takin’ a minute to admire the view.”

“Ah. Could you admire and take my jeans off faster? Because you’ve got me all kinds of worked up.”

Smirking at her, he fingered the button before his thumb flicked it open. Then he worked her zipper down slowly. Such a fucking rush, watching the heated impatience warming those icy-blue eyes.

Georgia lifted a brow. “Remember that whatever you do to me, I do to you—the exact same way.”

He laughed and yanked her pants to her ankles. “Step outta them shoes.” After she kicked them and her jeans aside, he placed his mouth over her mound. Tonguing her clit through the silky fabric. Breathing in the scent of her arousal. Snaking his tongue beneath the elastic to taste her.

“God. Do that about a hundred more times, won’t you?”

“In a minute.” She really got squirmy when her panties were gone and no barriers remained between them. He slid his hands up the inside of the thighs, intending to spread her open for a little kiss, when Georgia clamped her hands around his face and her legs shut.

“Huh-uh. My turn. Stand up so I can strip you.” She smirked. “And play with you a little.” When he was on his feet, she pushed him against the wall.

Jesus.

Georgia attacked the buttons on his shirt. Once it hung open, her hands were everywhere on his chest. The way her nails scraped down his pectorals hardened his nipples and his cock, making it damn hard to swallow. She swirled her finger inside his belly button. She traced each rib. She outlined every cut muscle. With her tongue. Oblivious to the way his body shook, she played with his nipples. Sucking, biting. Twisting with just the tips of her fingers.