State of Play: Book Two; The Candidate

by Lee Taylor

  Before she knew what he was doing, he slipped the ankle cuffs over her knees, then fastened them to the ties securing her hands above her head. To her horror, by tightening the straps, he’d managed not only to pull her knees up to her chest but also to spread them wide open. At her infuriated threats, he drawled, “If only you were a good girl and did what you were told, I wouldn’t have to bind you like this. However, I’ll confess I don’t know when I’ve seen a more erotic sight than the one you are displaying to me at the moment.” Running his fingers from the top of her mons, then along her swollen labia, he stopped at the rosebud of her ass. Circling the sensitive pucker with an intruding finger, he ignored her angry shrieks and taunted her. “Ah yes, naughty girl. Now see what you’ve done. You’ve made it possible not only for me to explore your pussy but to expand my exploration.” He chuckled and added, “And to position you in what I can only say is one of the most lascivious positions you can imagine. In fact, love, the sight is so intriguing, it would be a shame for you not to see what I see.”

  He positioned the mirror at the end of the bed and tilted it slightly. Untying the blindfold, he stepped back, allowing her to glimpse the erotic sight that had his dick beating against his zipper like a fucking drumstick.

  When she met his laughing gaze, her infuriated cries intensified. “Goddamn you, Logan, untie me now. Or so help me God . . . ”

  He crawled up on the bed next to her and stroked the inside of one thigh, then the other. “You’ll do what, Gia? You’ll press your legs together so that I can’t see the astonishing sight you’re showing me now? But that’s right, you can’t press your legs together, can you? In fact, you can’t do anything but give in to the extraordinary things I’m going to do to you.” At her barrage of curses, he pressed his fingers against her lips and shook his head. “Of course, you can try to fight me, scream and cry, insist that I let you go. Or you can give in to me and, sweetheart, give in to yourself. Give into all those wicked explorations your body and psyche has always wanted to experience.” Pressing her knees wider apart, he crawled up over her and began invading her in ways and places he was sure she’d never imagined were possible, even in her most erotic imaginings.

  Long after he untied her and entered her, bringing them both to a roaring climax that shook him to his foundations, he found he wasn’t done. Flipping her over onto her stomach, he brought her to her hands and knees. His voice a throaty growl, he murmured, “Damn, Gia, I can’t stop. At least not until I’ve taken you like this. I want your beautiful ass high in the air, where I can feast on it while entering you from behind.” When he thrust into her, he was stunned to feel the beginning waves of an orgasm flooding her. Not believing that she was having yet another climax after the four he’d already wrung from her, he gave in to an orgasm so intense he lost his breath and swore his fucking eyes rolled back in his head.

  When his heart finally began beating out of heart-attack range, he made it to the bathroom and filled a basin with warm water. Carrying it over to the bedside stand, he stood back to admire his exhausted lover. He wasn’t surprised at the tears caught in her lavish eyelashes. Along with her rosy cheeks, they confirmed that she was as undone as he was from their remarkable lovemaking. Carefully rubbing her wrists and ankles to erase any remnants of the cuffs he’d used to bind her, he began to wash off the scintillating juices on her flushed body. Gently sponging her swollen nipples, he moved to the treasure trove between her legs. At her whimpers confirming how sore she was in those delicate places, he knew he should be ashamed of the way he’d taken her. But remembering her emotions that ranged from fury to her begging him to take her deeper, harder, he forgave himself for the marauding pirate he’d been. When he’d finished cleaning her tender places, he crawled in beside her and allowed himself to drift off into a much-needed sleep, his arms securely wrapped around the woman who’d changed his life forever.

  Chapter 7

  Pausing in the doorway, he shook his head. “Don’t even think about it, princess. If ever a woman deserves to have breakfast in bed, it is you.” Putting the tray beside the bed, he grinned at Gia, who was just now waking from their remarkable night. Her disheveled hair and flushed cheeks only reinforced her inherent sexiness. It didn’t help that her naked body was marked with a tapestry of marks worthy of a hard night in a tattoo parlor. Or to be more accurate, a night in the arms and thrall of an accomplished and highly motivated lover. At her obvious embarrassment and futile attempt to cover her nakedness, he shook his head.

  “Okay, sweetheart, I’ll let you get out of bed long enough to go to the bathroom. I might even let you put on this robe in that it comes as close to being transparent as anything I’ve given you. But when you are finished with the necessary morning rituals, I want you back here in this bed next to your demanding lover, who is as hungry as you have to be.” His smile widening, he added, “Who also happens to be a heck of a good short order cook, if I do say so myself.”

  Holding out the gossamer cloud of luminous nothingness, he pulled back the covers and reached for her hand. “While it is a sin of the most venal kind to hide any of your beautiful body, at least this robe does a piss-poor job of shielding your loveliness.” Grinning at her futile attempt to cover her nakedness, he slipped the robe over her shoulders, then turned her toward the bathroom. Lightly smacking her bottom, he grinned at her flinch. “Remember, sweetheart, there’s lots more where that came from if I think you are dawdling, postponing our review of the erotic night two amazing lovers spent in this bed.”

  Gia stared at her reflection in the mirrored walls of the opulent bathroom. She was surprised at her reflection. Given the way she felt, she was surprised to see that the wide-eyed woman in the mirror looked surprisingly beautiful. Yes, her hair was disheveled, make that a curly mess. But her cheeks were flushed, lending a lush rosiness to what should have been a pale, tortured expression. And amazingly, her eyes were shining. After she peed and brushed her teeth, she wondered if she should take a shower. It was then that she remembered Logan sponging off her overwrought body. She’d fallen into a blessed sleep following his touching ministrations. Allowing herself to remember the erotic phantasmagoria she’d experienced at the hands, mouth, and, yes, extraordinary penis of her lover, even saying the word was frightening. Yes, Logan was an accomplished sexual conqueror, but the word lover, Gia admitted, was a bridge too far. At least if it implied that love rather than lust had been at the core of their extraordinary experience. Determined to get control of her rioting emotions, she decided she’d rather face him than the confused woman she saw in the mirror.

  She almost changed her mind when she saw the tall man leaning against the bedroom door, obviously waiting for her. If she’d ever felt like a prisoner in his upscale abode it was now. Hesitating, she swallowed against the grapefruit-sized lump in her throat, trying to decide her best escape route.

  He crossed the room and pulled her into his arms. “Hang in there, princess. I’m here.”

  Unable to keep from leaning into his muscular strength, she fought to keep the tears threatening to flood her cheeks from falling. His soft murmur was comforting. It was as if he understood her ricocheting emotions.

  “Hey there, how about you stop trying to figure out what the hell we did last night, and what it means in the grand scheme of things, and agree that we’re both starving.” He added with a chuckle, “For food, sweetheart.”

  She nodded and allowed him to lead her over to the huge bed. Before she could stop him, he lifted her up and settled her against the raft of pillows on the headboard. Tucking the duvet comforter around her legs, he murmured as he crawled in beside her, “I trust you don’t mind if we indulge in this sumptuous food together. After all, if anyone deserves a multi-thousand calorie breakfast, we do.” He added softly, “Given the extraordinary night we shared.”

  Reaching for the tray he’d put beside the bed, he placed it in front of them. One by one, he removed the cloche domes, revealing a sumptuous array of mouthwatering
food.

  When she put up her hands, not knowing where to start, her growling stomach gave away her hunger. She was dismayed when he shook his head as she reached for her fork.

  “Surely, princess, you can’t believe that after what I did to you last night, I’d allow you to feed yourself?”

  Shocked at his blatant attempt to rile her, she struggled for equanimity. “I admit I was foolish enough to think that you made all of this because you knew I was hungry. But apparently, you are merely trying to tempt me, to demonstrate once again that you’re the master of the universe.” She added disparagingly, “My universe.”

  He laughed. “Sorry, sweetheart, you are so easy to tease, it’s hard to resist. But no, you can climb down off your high horse and eat your breakfast like a good little girl.” When she frowned, not sure if he was teasing her, he said, “So what will it be, love, pancakes or scrambled eggs, bacon or sausage, or, better yet, all of the above?”

  At her mumbled, “All of the above,” he grinned. “Is the master of the universe allowed to put butter and syrup on your pancakes?” When she nodded, fighting her tears, he reached over and lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. “Just so you know, Gia, what I really want to do is wrap you in my arms and tell you that you are the most extraordinary woman I’ve ever known and that I will relive the night we spent together for the rest of my life.” Wiping off her tears, he held her face between his hands, then bent down and kissed one cheek and then the other. “But in lieu of my doing all of that, at least for the moment, how about you take a bite of these pancakes, or I will have to feed you.”

  She allowed him to raise the fork to her lips. Taking it from his hand, she was stunned that she was able to swallow the tasty morsel past the gargantuan lump in her throat. When he took back the fork and speared another mouthful, she snatched the fork and said accusingly, “You said I could feed myself.”

  He shrugged, then nodded. “So I did, sweetheart. But do know that I didn’t slave over a hot stove so that you could pick at your breakfast. I expect you to eat every bit of this, or I will be forced to feed you.”

  When she’d literally cleaned her plate, she glanced up at him. Seeing the amusement in his eyes, she blew out an embarrassed sigh. “I . . . I know you think I’m a . . . a glutton—”

  He pressed his fingers against her lips, stopping the words. Removing the tray, he put it on the floor beside the bed, then captured her in his arms. “No, Gia, I do not think you are a glutton. I think . . . I know . . . you are an astonishing woman with extraordinary appetites. Appetites that I dare say you are only beginning to acknowledge.” Holding her chin, he insisted she meet his gaze. “Lucky for you, princess, you’ve hooked up with a man with appetites even more ‘gluttonous’ than yours. But as trying as it is, we need to turn from our passionate night to the challenges of our crazy lives.” When she shook her head and tried to pull away, he tightened his hold. “That doesn’t mean that we aren’t going to discuss what happened last night, because we are. But before we do, I want to turn to the issues literally about to break down our doors if the rabid press has anything to say about it.”

  Gia was startled. “Are you saying that the reporters know I’m here?”

  “No, they don’t know, which only makes your whereabouts more intriguing. According to Ben, it was almost impossible for the team to get through the melee in front of the headquarters to go to work today. He did the best he could to hold them off. He indicated that you were in the process of setting up an interview schedule and he’d be posting it by the end of the day. Needless to say, that didn’t satisfy the newshounds. You are simply the hottest item since Durant strained his calf and his participation in the finals is uncertain. They want to talk to you and aren’t going to be put off for long.”

  “Where . . . where did Ben say that I am?”

  “He followed the script I gave him last night.” His lips quirked up in a grin. “The script you would have contributed to if you’d agreed to participate in the strategy session rather than storm off in a temper-driven huff.”

  Shoving at his arms, Gia was angry. “Dammit, Logan, I’m tired of you suggesting that I’m a bad-tempered prima donna rather than an accomplished political operator.” Trying to climb over him and get out of the bed, she was surprised when he agreed.

  “You’re correct, Gia. This is an important conversation, and I admit, I’m more than a little distracted by your semi-naked body lying next to me.” Getting out of the bed, he reached for her and stood her beside him. “How about we continue this discussion on the patio over a pot of my Brazilian La Crema Santos coffee?” Glancing at her virtually transparent robe, he winked at her. “And not that I require business attire when we are working on the campaign, but given a particularly rowdy part of my anatomy, perhaps you should put on something a tad more opaque.”

  Gia snorted. “I won’t remind you that you are the one who insisted that I wear this. But don’t worry. I know how easily men are aroused and unable to contain their urges and that it is up to women not to tempt them.” She added over her shoulder as she headed for the dressing room, “Which, by the way, I consider remarkably insulting, both to men and women.”

  He caught her as she stormed by and dragged her up next to him. Murmuring in her ear, his voice was low, saturated with intent. “Under ordinary circumstances, I agree with your contemptuous view of men’s ability to control their sexual responses. But let’s not generalize. For better or worse, all bets are off when you and I are involved, princess. Your provocative scent alone brings my prodigious prick to attention, a fact that I’m only too well aware of. And you’re correct. It wouldn’t matter if you were wearing a full-body flak suit—the memory alone of your extraordinary body is enough to enflame my lascivious intentions.” He chuckled as he released her, smacking her bottom as he headed for the door. “So, sweetheart, put on anything you damn well please. But know that whatever it is, I can see beneath it to the erotic woman who came apart in my arms last night and blew my fucking mind.”

  When the door closed behind him, Gia stared at it helplessly, knowing that he was correct. The sexual pheromones raging between them were practically visible, they were so powerful. A fact that seemingly made it impossible for her to resist him. She acknowledged it was going to be hard as hell to keep other people from wondering what was between them. Until now, she was sure that anyone who saw them together would assume that he was supporting her candidacy. But Logan Fowler was as much of a media superstar as she was. It wouldn’t take enterprising reporters long to decide their professional relationship was worthy of inspection. The kind of inspection that could resound negatively on her campaign. And, not incidentally, would quirk the interest of the retinue of eager women who more than had Logan Fowler in their sights. A situation that she knew Logan enjoyed as much as the clamoring women out to capture him did. His opening salvo in their “political” discussion confirmed that she and Logan were on the same track. Unfortunately, he also made it clear that their relationship was problematic and needed to be dealt with.

  A smile lit his eyes when she walked out on the patio to join him. She admitted that she had gone a little overboard with her choice of clothes while aiming for the flak jacket he’d alluded to. Her jeans and bulky sweatshirt were intentionally casual, and on anyone’s body other than hers would have sent a “hands off” vibe. Unfortunately, her low-rise skinny jeans couldn’t mask her curvy ass, and no sweatshirt, no matter how causal, could hide the swell of her breasts.

  His grin confirmed he understood her intentions. But his bland quip said it all. “Well, princess, I can see that at least you tried to do the impossible. Guess it’s up to me to keep the beast restrained.”

  Motioning for her to sit on the sofa, then leaning back against the railing, he put their upcoming discussion in context. “Shall we turn to the elephant in the room, Gia? That being the question that a rabid media will soon be asking, if they aren’t already? Specifically, what is the relationship betwee
n the political superstar and the tech magnate who is a bit of a media sensation in his own right? For better or worse, it’s not only the rapacious media that is interested. Everyone who is anyone in the political arena, most especially your competition, will be interested in the answer. Particularly if they can use it to their advantage. In addition, my investors and, shall we say, other interested hanger-ons will insist on knowing if my status has changed. You can be sure that second group will demand answers.”

  Chapter 8

  Gia managed to suck in enough air to confirm that her lungs were working and, now able to breathe, asked the question she already knew the answer to. “Would that second group, the hanger-ons, be Savannah Phillips and her multiple blonde-haired iterations? The ritzy women who are convinced that a second-class citizen of questionable reputation couldn’t possibly interest the inimitable Logan Fowler? At least for more than a quick roll in the hay behind the barn.”

  Logan laughed. “That sounds wonderfully salacious, Gia. We should try it sometime—that is if in our jaunts we can find a barn and an inviting haystack.”

  Gia bit down hard on her lip to keep it from trembling. “That wasn’t intended as a joke, Logan, although I’m confident much of this situation we find ourselves in is amusing—to you.”

  Replacing his smile with a narrow-eyed frown, Logan pressed his lips together in a hard line, then said quietly, “Oh no you don’t, princess.”

  Rearing back against the sofa, she raised her chin. “Don’t what? Don’t say what you’re thinking? That our relationship, whatever the hell it is, is problematic on many levels? Not the least damaging your reputation as an inveterate womanizer and what it says to that bevy of lovelies waiting for their turn at the trough.”