“What am I supposed to deal with?’ she came right back, just as furious now.
“The fact that we’re in this together!” he pointed out, a calm voice now. “That we’ll never be over one another.”
“I finished with you months ago.”
“Really?” he asked, his voice going soft again. His eyes dipped lower, touching on her lips. “So if I were to touch you like this,” he asked, his hand moving to her neck, holding her in place. “And if I were to kiss you like this,” he said, his lips brushing against hers, back and forth. Back and forth. Then he lifted his head again. “You aren’t tempted in any way?”
Her eyes popped open again. She realized too late what he was doing, furious that she’d fallen into his trap.
Pulling away, she slumped into the leather seat, crossing her arms over her chest as she glared straight ahead. “Leave me alone, Mike.”
“Can’t do that. I’m in love with you and you love me. We’re in this forever.”
With those words hanging in the air between them, he took her hand in his and relaxed for the rest of the drive to…wherever they were going. She started to pull her hand away, but he tightened his hold. And since she liked the touch anyway, she decided to just…savor it for tonight. Tomorrow, she’d start the journey back to being without him.
She was like an addict, she thought. Mike was her drug.
Thankfully, the driver pulled smoothly to the curb of the elegant hotel where the event was happening. Beautifully dressed people were already walking inside, their designer dresses and sparkly jewelry making Andrea feel drab by comparison.
As soon as they stepped through the doors of the ballroom that night, fawning people surrounded Mike. In the Denver business world, Mike was one of the biggest. Good grief, that was such an understatement. In the international business world, Mike was one of the biggest. He just happened to have settled his headquarters here in Denver instead of New York City or London.
Despite their argument, the night was much more amusing than she’d anticipated. As the people circled through the ballroom, trying to gain his attention or ask him questions, advice, or whatever, Mike would lean down and whisper something in her ear. Sometimes, it was a silly name for the person approaching. Sometimes, it was a comment on the appetizer being passed around by the various serving personnel. She had to smother her laughter several times, hiding her surprise when he revealed something outrageous about whoever came towards them. One time, it was two couples who Mike whispered swapped partners. When Andrea looked up, it was to find a couple in their mid-eighties coming towards Mike to congratulate him on his latest business acquisition and right next to them was a celebrity couple that Andrea had seen on a movie at some point in the past year. It took all of her concentration not to burst out laughing at such an outrageous lie. But when the four of them had finally departed, Mike turned to look down at her, lifting his eyebrows as if to say, “Don’t believe me? Then why are they walking away together?”
She snorted her laughter, covering up the social faux pas by taking a sip of her champagne. “You’re incorrigible.”
“Ah, but that’s one of the things you love about me.” It wasn’t a question and she didn’t argue with him. He was right. His sexual prowess was definitely one of the things she lo…appreciated about him. But his outrageous sense of humor was another huge point in his favor.
Throughout the evening, they moved around the ballroom, talking and laughing with the other guests until it was time for dinner to be served. At that point, Mike pulled her off to the side. While everyone else moved towards the food, he led her out into the hallway.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“I needed to do this,” he told her and pulled her into his arms, kissing her until she melted against him. Without thought, her body pressed closer, her breasts plastered against the hard muscles of his chest, her legs shifting, needing more, needing…him! Being in his arms like this was like…like coming home.
“Mike!” she gasped when his mouth moved to her neck. He knew exactly how to drive her wild. “We can’t keep doing this!”
But he kissed her again and she didn’t have the willpower to stop him. In fact, she grabbed his head and pulled him closer still, needing more of him. Unfortunately, the more she got, the more she needed. “I’m going to explode if we don’t stop!”
He lifted her higher, his thigh pressing between her legs. Because she wore a dress that came down to below her knees, it was awkward, but Mike was nothing if not inventive. He shifted around so that a stack of tables hid them from the view of others. A moment later, he hiked her skirt higher still, so that his fingers could slide up along her thighs. Fingers teasing, shifting and she gasped, unable to focus when his fingers were doing that to her. She wasn’t aware of the people that might walk by. All she could focus on was him and the way his fingers moved expertly against her. Talented fingers. Amazing fingers that knew where to touch, how hard to touch. He slid one finger inside of her heat while his thumb rubbed against that nub, circling it, then coming back to a different pattern. All the while, he kissed her, his other arm held her captive. But she was willing. Desperate even. When she was close, her fingers tightened around his neck, her head fell back and she…
“Mike!” she keened softly as his fingers expertly stroked her to a climax that had her almost collapsing onto the floor. She didn’t, but only because his strong arms held her securely against him, her body throbbing as his fingers slowed and then stopped.
When she opened her eyes, he was watching her, still holding her gently.
“Mike,” she whispered, her whole body singing happily.
“That was beautiful,” he groaned.
Andrea felt his arousal against her stomach but she wasn’t sure what to do. No way could she reciprocate, even though her hands itched to do the same thing to him that he’d done to her. Even as she thought it, her hands moved down his arms, his stomach, and lower still.
He chuckled, grabbing her hands before she realized what she was doing.
“Not here, love.” He lifted her hands to his lips, kissing them softly. “Later.”
With that, he tucked her hand onto his arm and led her back into the ballroom, acting as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred only moments ago. Like she hadn’t just climaxed in his arms in a public space. In a hallway! What in the world had she been thinking?!
The food might have been good or she might have eaten sawdust for all the attention she paid to the meal. Mike talked with several people at their table and it was possible that she conversed with them as well. In fact, she vaguely remembered saying something and everyone laughing, but if asked seconds later, Andrea couldn’t have repeated the joke. Couldn’t even have mentioned the topic of conversation.
It didn’t help that Mike kept her hand on his rock hard thigh. Her fingers and palm were much more aware of his thigh flexing under her hand than she was of the rest of the world.
“Let’s dance,” he commented and stood up, taking her hand and leading her onto the dance floor. The music was slow and dreamy and she stepped into his arms as if they’d never separated. But it was hard for her not to lean in and lay her head against his chest as she’d done so many times in the past. Andrea wanted to move closer, to shut her eyes and savor being in his arms.
“Trying to keep your distance?” he teased, then moved so that she swung around and he could pull her closer.
Andrea stepped back again, shaking her head. “Mike, this isn’t right. I want you but we want different things for the future.”
“That’s not true. We discussed this earlier.”
“No, you stated your theories on our relationship. I never confirmed anything.”
“You don’t have to, Andrea. You are in love with me and you ran away because that scares you. But you would never give your body to me so completely if you didn’t love me. And what’s more?” he asked spinning her around so that she had to lean into him. “I love you. And you
know it. That’s why you ran, because you don’t trust me.”
“Yeah, you keep on saying that. But I do trust you.”
“You trust me with your body. And you trust me with your reputation or you never would have given yourself over to that beautiful orgasm earlier.” He paused, watching her cheeks turn red as he chuckled softly, even as his shoulders shifted to protect her from the view of others on the dance floor. “So, you trust me to protect you, but you don’t trust me to protect your heart. And that’s what I’m going to prove to you.”
She wasn’t going to argue with him. She couldn’t. What he said resonated with her so completely.
So she accepted his word. For now. She’d have to mull over this conversation later, when she was alone and she could concentrate more thoroughly.
With her silence, Mike’s hands tightened on hers slightly and she allowed him to pull her closer, ignoring the rest of the world as she danced in his arms and breathed in his intoxicating scent. And right now, she suspected that he’d never left her heart either.
By the time they left, she wasn’t sure what to think. And after an almost sleepless night the night before, she was exhausted. So tired, that she allowed herself to be pulled into his arms as the limousine glided smoothly through the now-quiet streets of Denver, taking her back to her condo. Nor did she fight the urge to lean her head against his shoulder. A moment later, she was sound asleep.
Chapter 5
Andrea frantically scribbled notes and questions. She’d reserved the main conference room of the law firm, mostly because it was the biggest and most luxurious. And intimidating. The leather chairs and long, polished wooden table showed that this firm was a powerhouse.
The information Jerry, the law firm’s investigator, had discovered from her investigations over the past few days was invaluable. There were pictures of Ms. Litener walking into several boutique stores and more of her coming out with her arms loaded with packages. She didn’t seem to have a job, although on her social media pages, she listed herself as a website developer. Andrea suspected that her real income was suing people. When the woman had time to work, Andrea hadn’t figured out. So far, Jerry hadn’t discovered another man in Ms. Litener’s life, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t one. The woman lived in a secure building and, to date, Jerry hadn’t gotten into the building.
But even so, there was plenty of ammunition for this deposition. Andrea wrote additional questions, forcing herself to concentrate instead of dwelling on Mike and the time they’d spent together several nights ago. She couldn’t face that right now, needing some time and personal space to contemplate what he’d said.
But even as she told herself to focus, questions continuously slipped through her mind. Did she love him? Yes. That much was true. And he might love her. She couldn’t see inside of his heart and mind, so it was possible that he loved her. But it wouldn’t last. That’s the issue. Andrea believed that her father had sincerely loved all of his wives and girlfriends. And yet, he’d moved on, hurting every one of them along the way.
Andrea didn’t want to be one of them. She didn’t want to be the woman left behind, sobbing out her heart as the man she’d promised to love forever moved on to another woman who would promise him the same thing.
Sighing, she rubbed her forehead and glanced at her watch. It was time.
Just as she thought that, the doors to the conference room opened and Mary stepped in, leading Mike down to the end where the camera was set up to record the deposition.
“Good morning, Mike,” she said, thinking that she couldn’t address him by his last name under the circumstances. The man had given her a mind-blowing climax less than seventy-two hours ago. Referring to him formally seemed…wrong.
The look in his eyes told her that he was thinking the same thing, daring her to use his last name. He extended his hand, shaking hers as he stared down at her.
“You look good,” he said softly so that Mary couldn’t hear. Mary was at the other end of the conference room, grabbing a platter of pastries and coffee from a rolling cart.
“Thank you,” Andrea replied, feeling the rush of warmth at his compliment. But then she shook off the sensation and focused on the more pressing issue of trying to find out what was going on with the woman in question. “This is going to be a long morning. I don’t know if you’ve ever been in depositions before, but they tend to take a while. The lawyers jockey for position and Ms. Litener’s attorney will most likely object to several of the questions, debates will be had, the camera occasionally has technical problems, and…”
She stopped rambling when he put a hand to her arm. “It’s okay, Andrea. I canceled all of my meetings. I want to hear what she says and…”
“You can’t talk, Mike,” Andrea warned. “You can’t say anything!” She looked up at him intently, trying to convey the importance of her words. “I have a strategy. I know what I’m doing, but you won’t always understand my questions. They’ll seem irrelevant and pointless, but they aren’t.”
He smiled at her emphatic instructions, enjoying the sparkle that came to her eyes whenever she felt impassioned about something.
“I get it, honey,” he replied softly. He slid his hands into his pockets because the urge to reach out and touch her was powerful. This was her place of work though and he didn’t want her co-workers, and especially not her boss, to see him touching her in any way. Not even impersonally.
Besides, the way he felt right now, there was nothing impersonal about his feelings.
“They are here,” Mary announced. He twisted around to look at the entrance to the conference room, wiping all expression from his features. Mary nodded towards the entrance to the lobby. “I’ll bring them back here in a few moments.”
Mike nodded and put several feet of space between himself and Andrea, thinking that even proximity could imply more than he was willing anyone to know about how he felt towards her.
Andrea waved to the guy who entered next, wearing a rough sweater vest, his shirt partially untucked. He mindlessly pulled up loose, khaki pants, which had definitely seen better days.
“Mr. Mancuso, this is Howard Postem. He’s the brilliant tech person who will be running the cameras and other equipment. Howard, this is Mr. Mike Mancuso.”
Howard might look like a mess, but he smiled confidently and moved forward, professionally extending his hand in greeting. “It’s a pleasure to work with you, Mr. Mancuso. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Thank you. And I appreciate your help with this mess today.”
Howard grinned and pushed his thick glasses higher on his nose. “This isn’t going to be a mess for very long,” he promised. “If anyone can deal with this, it’s Andrea. She’s amazing.”
Andrea beamed. She always tried to get Howard on her team when she needed technical assistance. “Thanks Howard.”
She’d been about to say something more, but Mary stepped into the conference room with two women. One woman, Andrea assumed Ms. Litener’s lawyer, had grey hair and a cheap suit decorated with brass buttons that seemed to be straining at the seams. Ms. Sylvia Litener, on the other hand, wore leggings and a pair of thigh high, suede boots with a loose-fitting shirt. While her clothes were relaxed, Ms. Litener was absolutely stunning! Her dark brown hair curled around a heart-shaped face with makeup expertly applied to enhance big, brown eyes and full, red lips that were highly glossed. Big hoop earrings dangled from her ears and she extended a hand tipped with long, manicured fingernails painted bright, fire engine red.
“Ms. Litener?” Andrea greeted.
“That’s me,” she replied, popping her gum as she smiled brightly. She turned and put all of her charm into a smile. “Hi there, Mike. How are you? Long time, right?”
Mike’s eyes narrowed as he tried to place her. She looked vaguely familiar, but…he wasn’t sure where he’d seen her, but yes, he had met her at some point. Although if that had been in the past week or the past year, he couldn’t be sure.
&nbs
p; “Ms. Litener. Good afternoon,” he replied, shaking her hand formally before stepping back. He barely acknowledged the other woman. Instead, he walked over to the conference room table, pulling out one of the leather chairs and sitting down. It was a sign of disrespect, but he didn’t give a damn. This woman was trying to extort money from him and that put her in enemy territory.
“Shall we get started?” Andrea offered. “The sooner we get these questions answered, the sooner we can get out of here.”
“Excellent,” Marsha, Ms. Litener’s attorney, agreed. “I have a hungry dog at home who doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”
Mike glanced over at Andrea, impressed that she didn’t react. He remembered taking a walk with her in the park one afternoon, noticing the longing in her eyes as she’d stared at the dogs running around. That afternoon, he’d discovered that Andrea was a massive dog lover, but refused to get a pet because she worked long hours and didn’t want to leave an animal alone during the day. She was quite passionate about giving pets the attention that they needed, especially since dogs needed a “pack” to feel good.
But she was good. Turning to Howard, she explained the process and asked if he was ready to record. Turning to the Litener woman, she asked, “Are you ready? Do you need to freshen up?”
The woman waved her hand dismissively. “I’m fine!” she replied.
Mike noticed her lawyer put a hand on the younger woman’s hand, but didn’t understand the gesture. Yet. Body language was important, he knew. Assessing others’ body language had helped him understand where he stood at the negotiating table on many occasions. What people said with their body was more important than what they said with their words.
Whatever those two had silently communicated, Mike wasn’t sure. But he was going to find out. Andrea started with the usual, “Please state your name, and date of birth for the record.” She went through a few more procedural comments and questions, then started in on the more important questions. Mike tuned out the words, watching the two women. There was a small thunk under the table, as if one of them had kicked the other. At that point, Sylvia Litener jerked slightly, but apparently the message was received. About thirty seconds later, the woman sank down in the leather chair a bit. She started patting her cheeks for some reason.
Craving Him (Sinful Nights Book 6) Page 4