She made a mental note of the few residents she’d talked to. Relief loosened her shoulders. She trusted them, and all would be good. “I will. Do we have a deal?”
“Yes. Maybe we should celebrate it over a juice box.”
She smiled. “Actually, I have wine.”
“An adult vending machine? Really?” Nikki said when he went into detail about where he’d started off as businessman.
Cole had a sip of wine then sat his glass on the coffee table. “Yeah. We started with condoms, lubes, then added some toys.”
“Interesting. Not the type you find in grocery stores, huh?” Damn it, they should place one of those at Great Escape. The residents’ families would be horrified, but she bet the contents of the machine would be gone overnight.
“No. We targeted clubs, liquor stores, couples only hotels, that kind of stuff.”
“I wouldn’t have pegged you for such a visionary,” she said, wondering if this was one of the reasons his father didn’t approve of him. Surely, even the conservative old timers had to value the profit from out-of-the-box business models, right?
“Sex sells and from early on I wanted to make my own money. Bring home the bacon.”
“And where is home to you?” she asked after he poured the third glass of Pinot Grigio for her. She’d regret this in the morning, but now… how bad was it to chat with an adult from the opposite sex about a subject that wasn’t children or work?
For the past hour, they’d talked about current events and she’d enjoyed talking with him to dispel the tension. Maybe this was a good way to establish a new milestone for their professional relationship. To erase the contempt and keep things friendly.
“Los Angeles, though I also have a place in New York City and sometimes alternate between the two for work-related stuff.”
She bit back a smile. “Of course you do.”
“Do I detect a hint of smart assery?”
She glanced at him over the rim of her glass. “A little bit. Well, what kind of successful beefcake would you be if you didn’t have a bicoastal lifestyle?”
He chuckled. “You make me sound like a snobby douche.”
“I had to goad you for an apology, in all fairness.”
He ran his fingers through his hair. “You’re right. I’m not good at a lot of things.” A measure of regret clung to his words, and the air around them thickened.
She scooted closer to him, touching his knee and prompting him to look at her. She shouldn’t get close to him, physically or emotionally, but a voice inside her dared her to ask, “Why is this job so important to you? I mean, yes, you mentioned your father, but—”
“When I was a kid, I had a brother, Keith. We did everything together. We loved swimming in the pool, but always with supervision. Anyway. One summer night, I said let’s go for a swim when the nanny was asleep. I was grabbing more towels when I heard him. He drowned.”
Moisture evaporated from her throat. “You couldn’t save him?”
He looked away. “No.”
“I’m sorry. But this was an incredibly unfortunate event. Does your father blame you for this?” she said, her voice raw. She stared at him, and the flicker of regret in his eyes answered her before he spoke. Her stomach sank to the floor, and she bit the inside of her cheek. What kind of father would hurt his son that way for a lifetime? Her parents had been absent and selfish but his dad seemed mean and heartless in comparison.
He rubbed the back of his neck, like alleviating kinks from a lifelong struggle. “This and other things.”
She tapped his knee. How would he react if she hugged him? She didn’t want him to think she pitied him, and they hadn’t known each other long. Still… a mix of pain and other dark emotions she couldn’t detect darkened his eyes to a forest green, and at that moment, fuck it, she felt close to him. When had been the last time she shared a meaningful conversation with the opposite sex? “You were a kid.”
“Are you suddenly in my corner?” A glint of amusement touched his eyes, and she wondered if he was trying really hard not to break down in front of her.
“I’m in my corner, carefully waving at you.” Wishing I could do more.
“Enough of me.” He turned to face her, dangerously near. “Now I get to ask a question too.”
She attempted to compose herself, shuffling to a better position where she could square her shoulders, but she only slid farther onto the couch. “Shoot.”
“Why did you bolt that night? When we kissed?”
“I freaked out. I hadn’t been with someone in a while, and wasn’t ready.” Legs not shaved, but she chose to omit this nugget of information to preserve her dignity. Besides, she hadn’t been ready, period.
“Okay. For a moment, I wondered if you didn’t like our kiss.”
“Oh, no. I liked it. I—”
She swallowed. She’d more than liked it, and the regret for not having finished it haunted her like a stubborn ghost. What if he was what she needed to bloom again and rediscover herself as a woman? She’d been so content with no dating and no sex for so long. Maybe she needed him to trigger that part of her. She could almost hear the voices of Lara and Brit chanting behind her shoulder, “Go for it.”
She slid yet closer to him, shortening the gap between them until her limbs touched his. The raw desire in his eyes fueled her own.
Her heart thumped in her ears, and she inched her head close to his, tension building in her chest. “You know, maybe we can pretend we haven’t had this conversation. I’m still fired and we’re not working together.”
“That’s one of the best ideas I’ve heard in a long time,” he said in a growly voice, and it took her a beat or two to register his words.
He pulled her into his arms, and when he lowered his lips on hers, she wrapped her hands around his neck, eager for the contact with his warm, salty flesh. A hot tingle slid down her body, whispering over her skin until it settled between her legs. She parted her lips, granting him all the access he needed, and his tongue plunged inside. Exploring. Claiming. Conquering.
Her clit throbbed, her folds swelling in anticipation. She ran her fingers up and down the column of his neck, and he glided his hands down her back, heating her inch by inch. She squirmed, plastering herself against him, and he leaned back, taking her with him. The sinful position brought them to a perfect mold. His cock poked her, hard and powerful, which upped her arousal several notches.
When he nibbled on her lower lip, taking his time as he grazed his teeth on her sensitive flesh, she let out a moan. He groaned in response, like her sound turned him on, his cock throbbing against her belly. She arched herself on top of him, encouraging him to keep touching her and driving her wild for more.
He gripped her ass, lowering her sweatpants and underwear without much resistance, until a cold draft whispered over her naked butt. He nipped her lip a bit harder, and she moaned louder, blood pounding in her veins. What the hell was happening? Her whole life, she had never been lost in such erotic haze. He squeezed her ass, kneading it, teasing. She had to take control.
She wrapped her arms tighter around his neck, kissing him with more urgency, even if she put her lungs to the test. In retaliation, he flipped her on the sofa and covered her with his body, sandwiching her between the fabric of the couch and his large frame.
“You’re so fucking hot,” he said, in a low voice that left no doubt.
A strand of female empowerment surged through her. God, how she wanted this man. He caressed her neck, then glided his hands down her chest, cupping her breasts over the fabric of the cotton shirt. Then, he dove his hand lower, until he cupped her sex, his fingers parting her folds. She arched herself into his hand, loving how he knew how she liked to be touched down there.
“Cole.”
He rolled his index over her clit, and tingles spread from there to her entire body. Hmmm. Yeah. She shuffled on the sofa, lifting her ass into the air to give him more access. The contact with his palm weakened her knees and
left her inner thighs trembling and sticky. She wouldn’t have it any other way.
He pressed his thumb on her clit, the hood becoming more swollen and throbbing against his finger.
She drew a long breath, sweat slicking her forehead and neck. “Aren’t you glad we’ve bent the rules?”
“Trust me, there’ll be a lot of bending tonight.”
5
Cole peppered her face with little kisses until he reached her earlobe. Groaning, he licked the outer shell of her ear, then ran the tip of his tongue from one end to the other. Hot need pumped in his veins, thickening his blood.
A sane man would put a stop to this, even if her rationale had made sense. A sane man would say no. Tonight, there wasn’t a bone in his body able to resist this insanity. Able to resist her.
“More,” she pleaded. “I need more.”
Me too. He always feared the moment he’d need to fuck someone more than they him. And now… excitement radiated from his chest, fast-tracking all his cells. Now, he feared what would happen if he didn’t fuck her. Because there was no way in hell she needed him more than he needed her.
He kissed the graceful column of her neck, licking all the way down the base of her throat. He pulled up the sweatshirt, and a pair of nice, compact tits came into view. Sighing, he picked one of them and licked the taut nipple. Encouraged by the moans escaping her lips, he continued his exploration of her pussy.
Drenching-wet folds met his fingers, and he began to thrust his digits in and out of her sex. She squirmed under him, and he grazed his teeth over her nipple, intensifying the plunges into her hot pussy.
“Yes,” she hissed.
“You’re close, aren’t you, baby?”
The feminine, musky scent of her arousal swirled into his nostrils. A longing to taste her stabbed him, like he needed the fix of the drug he’d already tried and got hooked on. Except he had never tried it. Time to change things.
He lowered himself on her, kissing her belly button on the way to her sex. Positioning himself between her thighs, he inhaled the spicy scent, anticipating how delicious she’d feel in his mouth. She let out a small growl, and he hooked his hand under her hips, lifting her so he could enjoy her pussy.
He stopped touching her, and buried his tongue deep into her, wasting no time. She mewled, the approval he needed, and he sucked her clit, the delicate and swollen bud throbbing on his tongue.
He shifted his focus to the sweet, tangy cream slicking her folds, and licked it off, reveling in the exquisite taste. Savoring her. She touched his head, kneading his scalp, and a bolt of awareness almost brought him undone in his pants. Her encouragement fueled him to move his tongue up and down quicker, adding fingers to match the rhythm and take her over the edge.
Soon, she undulated her hips, restless, and murmuring incomprehensible words. He increased the intensity, furiously, passionately, and maddeningly. His own body darted signals at him, his blood pressure rising more than ever before. A new batch of her cream flooded past his lips, and he swallowed it, every last bit. Her moans sliced the air, the sexy sound echoing in his bloodstream.
When her legs stopped trembling and her body relaxed, he lifted himself on top of her.
“God, this was amazing.”
“You are amazing,” he said, outlining her cheek with his finger.
His gaze searched hers, and they collided. Her pupils were still dilated, flecks of silver glittering her irises. The post-orgasm glow spread across her cheeks, and a strange urge to hold her, to protect her, to encapsulate her into his arms and never let her go scared him.
Nonsense. Fuck her, and it’ll all be over. He captured her mouth with his, kissing her and hoping that hunger replaced the void in his heart. She matched each stroke of his tongue, and for a moment, he wondered if she experienced the same hunger and shared the same void.
A doorbell yanked him from his thoughts, and she jumped from the couch, startled. Another ring, and she gathered herself, pulling up her sweatpants and smoothing her hands down her shirt. Lost between disappointment and confusion, he rubbed his throbbing temples. Maybe one of her friends visiting, or a noisy neighbor. Someone who would say their piece and leave quickly, so they could go back to where they stopped.
He willed himself to get up and pulled up his jeans, zipping them up without looking at her. A tingle from their intimate moment still whispered beneath his skin, warning him that despite this setback, every inch of him was ready for more.
“Waiting for someone?” he said, when they were both clothed. A stain of red still covered her cheeks as she finger-combed her hair.
“No.”
“All right.”
“I better go check.” She marched to the entry and opened the door without delay. When she opened it, a couple of squeals filled the air.
“Mommy, we missed you,” said a boy, about five or six, with eyes that he definitely got from his mother.
“They changed their minds about sleeping over at my place,” said a male voice behind them. “They don’t like the smell of fresh paint on the walls.”
“It stank, Mommy,” the other boy said, giving her a hug.
Two boys. When she mentioning having kids, he never dwelled on it much. He’d made a point not to study the frames or the pictures hanging on her wall leading up to the second floor, not to read much into them. Now curiosity made him take the last step to emerge from the background and make his presence known. “Hi,” he said, looking at the other adult male in the entryway.
Her ex was a few inches shorter than Cole, with round, kind eyes and a slim frame. “Hi?” He squinted. “Are you Nikki’s friend?”
Nikki, next to him, tilted her head, pointing at him. “Yes,” she said quickly, her voice edgy. “Of course. Cole is a good friend. Meet my ex-husband Luke. And these are my children, David and Henry.”
The boys turned to him. About the same height, one had a more modern haircut than the other. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Cole,” they said in unison.
They. Two identical twin boys, like him and Keith.
“Nice to meet you all,” Cole said, his stomach turning like he’d eaten bad gas station food.
Nikki exchanged a couple of pleasantries with her ex, but her words barely registered. His heart beat staccato, blood thrumming in his ears. The man who talked to her had been strong enough to marry her, to have kids with her—even if he made the colossal mistake of leaving her? What man in his right mind would divorce a caring, loyal, warm woman like Nikki?
I would. A chili sensation rolled down his spine. He wouldn’t commit to her, to begin with, and her two lovely boys… Cole took an intake of breath. He could never be a father figure or even a stepfather for them, because he hadn’t saved his brother. A pair of twin boys would be a daily reminder he’d failed Keith, and could fail them also. Hell, even his father, his blood, had a hard time connecting with him.
“I’ll get going,” Luke said. “See you around.” He gave Cole a glance, then turned away from them.
Nikki closed the door, and her two boys jumped up and down, excited.
“Mom, can I show your friend my toys?” one of them shouted.
Nikki cleared her throat, a guarded expression washing over her face. “David, I’m not sure—”
Damn it. He peered at the boy’s eyes and a suffocating sensation pierced him. Get out, a voice inside him pleaded. Get out while you can. Clearing his throat, he stepped forward. His feet should feel light and resolute, but his weight seemed to have doubled as he steered away from the lovely trio. “I’m sorry, but I have to go. I just remembered I need to—”
“Go,” Nikki said, gesturing at him. She lifted her chin, and even though her expression was neutral, the pulse at the base of her throat visibly jumped. “You’re a very busy man. I’d hate to keep you.”
His gaze darted between her and the boys, then returned to her. He flashed her what he hoped was an apologetic smile, the one a weak man hid behind. He used that smile like a last-minute shelte
r from a raging thunderstorm. But he couldn’t hurt her and those kids by staying and being friendly.
By pretending that this could be the start of something more serious.
His heart squeezed in his chest, and he left without looking back. He chastised himself with every step he took toward his car, but didn’t dare turn around and go back to her. Best to hurt her now than later.
“Your father called,” Brian said, as soon as Cole walked into his office. “He must have gotten that email about another location for Great Escapes you sent overnight.”
“Ah. Okay. I’ll talk to him.”
Cole tossed his briefcase on the table and removed his jacket. He had a busy day ahead, so why not get the inconvenient phone call out of the way? His father would hate the change, as he did with most suggestions Cole threw at him. However, he had given Nikki his word and made a deal—and it’d keep him honest to tell the board he was looking into different sites.
“Hi. You called me, Dad?” He could have laughed at the “dad” reference. Father seemed too distant, even if it suited their relationship better. And calling him by his first name would make the man more upset.
“Yes. What impulsive idea is this to consider other sites? You presented the plan to the board of investors. A lucrative idea which we all agreed on.”
“I’m not changing sites right now, I just wanted you and the board to know I’ll search for other places to make sure we aren’t overlooking a potentially better deal. After I relocated here, I noticed our ground crew disregarded some good options.”
Craig Myler snorted. “It’s a waste of time. You’re spending more time and resources on a topic already discussed and agreed upon. Also, going back makes us look weak—like you don’t know what the hell you’re doing.”
“I understand, but disagree. Sometimes you need to really bounce ideas back and forth to make sure the end result is a good one. Besides, no one asked the residents’ opinion before, and if a large number of them decide to leave the program, that won’t bode well with PR either.”
Bad Intentions Page 5