by Ava McKnight
Which he was.
Hell, even his palms were sweaty. He was seriously worried about Kate.
Wiping his hands down his legs, against the black jeans he wore, helped. Then he unbuttoned the sleeves of his white shirt and rolled them up to his elbows. Propping his body against the edge of the sofa, he leaned over Kate and brushed away another lock of hair.
Her eyelids fluttered, then slowly opened. As she gazed up at him, looking a bit confused and befuddled, Archer’s heart wrenched. He hated the hell she was in right now. Never mind his own personal tragedy and the threat to his company’s reputation. Archer knew Kate was hurting. And it damn-near killed him.
“I’m okay,” she whispered. It seemed to take some effort for her eyes to focus on him. “I haven’t eaten anything since dinner last night and I haven’t slept. I guess it’s all catching up to me.”
He forced a grin, hoped like hell it was a casual one, though he doubted it. He was feeling pretty grim right now.
“You shouldn’t have come, Kate. You should be home in bed.”
A soft laugh escaped her parted lips. “I’m not good at burying my head in the sand, John.”
“I know. And I’m proud of you for wanting to set the record straight. With me, with the public.”
A serious expression crossed her lovely features. “I have to set the record straight with Jenny McDugan, too. She’s a friend. I don’t want her to think… Oh, hell. Of course she thinks I was sleeping with her husband. How could she not?”
Archer’s fingers swept over her cheek, up to her temple. He wished he could brush away the worried look on her beautiful face. “Jenny is a strong woman. When I spoke with her this morning, she said she had family coming in. She’s likely too preoccupied right now to think about the rumors of you and Ken.”
“I hope you’re right.” She closed her eyes and Archer was pretty sure she’d just sent up a silent prayer for Jenny and her brood.
“You’re a good woman, Kate,” he suddenly said.
Her eyes opened. The usually vibrant, green irises were clouded. John’s heart constricted again.
“Kate,” he whispered as he leaned just a little bit closer to her. Unable to stop himself, he said, “Sweetheart, everything is going to be okay. I promise.”
Kate’s gaze dropped to his mouth. Her breathing quickened. “John…?”
“Shh.” His head dipped and his lips brushed hers.
The first thing that registered in Archer’s mind was how soft her lips were. In the next instant, everything about Kate Perry seduced his senses. The entrancing scent of her perfume. The warmth that emitted from her skin. The sound of her shallow breathing. The feel of her lips on his. She overwhelmed him, sending him into sensory overload.
He welcomed the erotic sensations she evoked.
Excitement crept up on him, tempting him. His desire for her unfurled slowly, seeping through his veins until he was fully enrapt.
His passion sparked, Archer suddenly felt an unfamiliar sense of urgency grip him. His mouth pressed more firmly to hers and she let out a soft whimper that spurred him on. When her lips parted, Archer accepted the invitation. His tongue slipped inside her warm depths, sweeping over her tongue.
Tasting her only served to heighten his arousal.
He groaned, deep in his throat. His cock swelled behind the fly of his jeans.
But Archer forced himself to retrain control. Even as Kate’s arms snaked around his neck and she pulled him down to her, until their upper bodies were pressed together, Archer held fast to his composure.
Was this just a moment of weakness on her part? Was she simply in need of some physical contact following the day’s harrowing experience…or was there more to her response to him? Did she want him as much as he wanted her?
He had to know.
Breaking the kiss, though he was reluctant to do so, Archer pulled away slightly and stared down at her. Kate’s eyelids fluttered open and a soft oh escaped her lips, as though their kiss had caught her completely by surprise.
“Kate,” he said in a soft voice, forcing himself to sound calm, though his pulse echoed throughout his body and his heart thundered in his chest. “I shouldn’t have kissed you. But I’m not going to apologize for it. I’ve wanted to kiss you for so long.”
Her eyes searched his for answers to unasked questions. Several moments passed, then she said, “This is wrong, John. But…” She shook her head. “How could that be? It doesn’t feel wrong. In fact, I can’t think of anything else in my life that has ever felt so right.”
Archer’s lips grazed her temple. “It is right, Kate.” His mouth covered hers again and he drew her into another deep, erotic kiss. His hand swept through her hair, to the back of her head. Fumbling with the clip at the nape of her neck, he released her loose curls and twined his fingers in the silky strands. He’d always known her hair would be this soft, this luxurious.
As his tongue tangled with hers, his desire mounting to a nearly unbearable degree, Kate’s body bowed off the sofa and melded to his. Her breasts pressed to his chest, making him painfully aware of the clothing that created a barrier between them. Archer wanted nothing more in life than to feel Kate’s gorgeous body, her silky skin, against his.
The hand that had been resting on her waist began to move upward. Over her ribcage to the full mound of her breast. Archer’s heart thundered in his chest and excitement tore through his body as he palmed her breast.
Kate tore her mouth away from his and gasped. Her breath came in hard pants and her green eyes were wide and questioning.
But it wasn’t his actions she questioned. It was her body’s response to his touch that had her staring inquisitively at him. Of that, he was certain.
Desire shone in her eyes, which glowed vibrantly for the first time since she’d entered his office. Her hands slid from his neck to his biceps, her fingers curling around the muscles. She held him to her as she stared at him.
For the briefest of moments, Archer thought he’d gone too far. But then Kate’s gaze dropped to his mouth once again and he knew what she wanted. Another kiss.
More than happy to oblige, his lips skimmed over hers again, teasing her until his mouth sealed with hers and he kissed her deeply. She responded with equal fervor, which drove Archer half out of his mind with wanting her. With wanting to be inside her.
His hand moved to the line of buttons on her blouse and he worked them quickly. When he leaned back slightly, she came with him, her body still pressed to his. He pushed the white cotton material over her shoulders and down her arms. When she was free of it, he tossed the shirt onto the chair adjacent to them.
Oh, thank God!
Finally, his hands, which itched to touch every inch of Kate’s body, were able to explore her bare flesh. His fingers skated over her skin, tentatively at first, as he gauged her response to his intimate touch. When his fingertips skimmed the lacy cup of her bra, she let out a soft moan. Peeling back the thin material, Archer dipped his head and licked one perfect, pink bud.
“John,” she gasped. Her grip on his biceps tightened. Her chest rose and fell in rapid beats.
Archer was unable to stop, unable to give her but a moment to assimilate to his touch. He had to taste her. Pulling her tight nipple into his mouth, he sucked it gently, eliciting a small cry from her.
Kate’s head fell back on her shoulders as she surrendered to him. Archer seized the opportunity. He licked and sucked her nipple a few moments more, then his mouth sought the tempting column of her long neck. As his lips grazed her skin, his teeth gently nipping at her, his fingers teased her still-damp nipple. First one, then the other. He toyed with the tight peaks until she was panting in his ear and writhing in his arms. Then Archer’s hand slid down her body, over her flat belly to the waist of her jeans. Lower still until his fingers were pressed against the apex of her legs, which she had parted for him.
“Oh, yes,” she whispered. One hand left his bicep and her fingers threaded through his ha
ir. “Touch me, John. Please.”
Archer came just a bit undone. His restraint began to slip.
Applying just a bit more pressure at the heart of her while his mouth continued to explore her neck seemed to spike her arousal. She moaned softly as she arched her back, her body seeking his.
Archer was in desperate need of her, but somehow he found the strength to not tear the rest of her clothes off. Kate had been through a lot over the past twenty-four hours and he was not only mindful of that, he was respectful of it.
Nor did he want to rush this, in the event she suddenly determined it was something she didn’t want.
Lord, how he prayed she wouldn’t change her mind!
But her earlier concerns seemed to have dissipated. It seemed to Archer that she was as enrapt as he was.
“John.” She said his name in a soft voice, but her tone was steady.
He glanced up at her, thankful to still see the desire in her eyes.
Her gaze locked with his. Her hand eased away from his hair and slid over his shoulder and down his arm until it covered the one between her legs. “I’ve loved you since the first day I met you,” she whispered.
Archer’s heart slammed against his ribs. “Oh, God, Kate.”
He was rendered speechless for several seemingly endless moments. How long had he dreamed of hearing those words from her? How long had he waited?
Too long.
Regaining some semblance of composure, he said, “You have no idea how much those words mean to me. To hear you say them…” For Christ’s sake. He was completely blown away. But he knew now was his chance to tell her how he’d always felt about her. “You mean so much to me, sweetheart.”
A soft smile touched her lips, warming Archer’s heart.
“Oh, Christ, Kate. I’ve wanted you for so long. I’ve…loved you…for so long…”
Tears welled in her eyes and slid down her cheeks. “Will anyone ever understand, John? About us?”
“I don’t give a damn about anyone else, Kate.” He knew the look he gave her was sincere and compelling. “The whole Goddamn world can talk about us. It doesn’t matter to me, Kate. All that matters is that you feel the same way.”
“I do,” she said without hesitancy. “I have. For so long. I just…didn’t want my feelings for you to convolute our professional relationship. I didn’t want you to think…”
“I know.” He kissed her softly, then added, “You wanted to make it on your own, without my help. And you did. But now, Kate. Now everything is different. I’m going to see you through this scandal and then we can be together. To hell with what anyone says.”
“John,” she said on a sharp breath. “You’ll be risking so much for me. Especially with this scandal looming over our heads. I could…”
“You’re not,” he said in a firm, steady tone.
“You don’t even know what I was going to say.”
“Yes, I do. You were going to say that you could ruin Archer Enterprises’ reputation. That you could somehow damage mine. But it’s not true, Kate. Especially, when I stand by your side tomorrow at the press conference. Not only will we convince the world that you weren’t having an affair with Ken, but we’ll prove that our united front is real and lasting.”
“You believe this?” she asked in a breathless voice.
“With every fiber of my being, sweetheart.”
Kate smiled suddenly. “I wish we hadn’t waited so long to make these revelations.”
He nodded. “I know. But…maybe, it was necessary. Maybe we both needed to have our feet firmly on the ground before we sought each other out. It’s been a long road for us both, Kate. But you, sweetheart, are worth the wait.”
“Your charm is breathtaking, John Archer.”
“Your beauty is breathtaking, Kate Perry.”
Her eyelids fluttered closed, but the smile lingered on her face. “I can’t believe something so extraordinary has come out of this nightmare I’m embroiled in. But I’m so glad something good has come of all of this.”
“Me, too.” He bent his head to hers and kissed her, long and deep.
When he pulled away, she whispered, “Make love to me, John.”
Chapter Five
Never in a million years would Kate have believed this day—or her reputation—was salvageable. But damned if John Archer wasn’t doing everything in his power to save both.
To save her.
Love swelled in her heart. She loved John. She always had. From the moment he’d approached her at Princeton, she’d been smitten. That infatuation had grown into something deeper and more substantial over the years. It was now a part of her. A strong, lasting emotion she carried with her always.
And now she knew that he felt the same way.
Knowing this changed her entire world.
“I love you,” she whispered again as his mouth descended upon hers.
His kiss was as deeply stirring as all the others had been. But it conveyed so much more than she’d ever dreamed possible. There was reassurance in his kiss. Love. Commitment. Everything Kate had hoped for where John Archer was concerned.
As he kissed her, his fingers still pressed at the heart of her, she knew she belonged to him.
She was his in every way.
“I want to feel you inside me,” she said when he broke the kiss. “I need you, John.”
He let out a low groan. “I need you, too, sweetheart.”
His hand moved up to the waist of her jeans and he unfastened the button. Anticipation mounted in Kate. Her arousal escalated. John moved away from her as he worked the zipper on her jeans. She lifted her hips as he dragged the denim downward. Quickly divesting her of her boots and socks, he pulled her jeans the rest of the way off and tossed them onto the chair where her shirt lay.
His gaze swept over her, hot and bright. His silver-blue eyes deepened to a smoldering gray that excited her all the more. His breathing picked up, as though looking at her spiked his arousal.
The thought made Kate’s heart flutter.
One large hand eased up her calf and over her knee to the middle of her thigh. Kate’s eyelids grew heavy as John’s gaze continued to devour every inch of her.
Night had descended upon the city and his office was now a forest of dark shadows. The lamp on his desk provided a soft yellow glow in the opposite corner of the room, but mostly, the moon offered the only slivers of light as glittery, golden rays filtered in through the picture windows that showcased the bay.
John moved between her legs and Kate’s breath caught. His hands teased the sensitive flesh of her inner thighs, making her stomach quiver and her pulse race. The dull throbbing between her legs intensified the closer he got to that particular part of her. When his fingers skimmed over the lace of her thongs panties, Kate felt the initial stirrings of what would surely turn into the most powerful orgasm of her life.
His hand pressed to her mound as his lips and tongue wreaked havoc on her inner thigh. Then his thumb slid under the scalloped edge of her pale pink panties and Kate lost all touch with reality. A deep moan fell from her lips as John toyed with the sensitive nub between her legs, the pad of his thumb rubbing it in a lazy, circular motion that had her panting within seconds.
Kate’s fingers twined in his thick, soft hair. His head moved slightly and suddenly she felt his hot breath at the heart of her. His thumb moved away, to be replaced by his mouth. His tongue lapped at her, then his lips pressed to hers. Kate let out a soft whimper of need and desire as John licked her. The rough material of her panties, the pressure of his tongue and the warm breath that teased her sent her racing toward a release she desperately needed.
“Oh, yes,” she whispered as he stroked her through her panties.
Then he whisked aside the material with a finger and his mouth was on her, fully. Kate cried out at the erotic sensations that rocketed through her body, all of which culminated at the sensitive juncture between her legs.
As John’s tongue flicked over her
throbbing clit, he eased one finger inside her.
“Oh, God,” she moaned as all the sensations coursing through her intensified to an almost unbearable degree.
Pushing deeper inside her, he drove her right to the edge. His teeth grazed her clit before he sucked gently on it. Kate felt all the exquisite feelings build and converge inside her. When John eased a second finger into her tight pussy, the explosive sensations consumed her.
She cried his name as she came. Her inner walls squeezed his fingers, holding them inside her as she rode the wave of ecstasy. Her back arched off the sofa and her hips thrust upward as she greedily accepted every ounce of pleasure he so generously offered her.
Before the sensations fully ebbed, though, John began to stroke her again. His fingers pumped in and out of her, much faster this time.
Disentangling her fingers from his hair, one hand clutched his rock hard bicep as he worked her pussy with determined strokes. His mouth continued to devour her sensitive, swollen clit. Kate felt her heart slam against her chest as John so skillfully commanded her passion.
“Oh, that’s so good,” she whispered.
Clearly spurred on by her soft moans and writhing body, John used his free hand to spread her legs wider. Then he slipped that hand under her ass and cupped a cheek. He gave it a gentle squeeze before his fingers moved toward the cleft and the pad of one finger covered the small hole.
Kate gasped. As inexperienced as she was, this move startled her. Yet at the same time, combined with all the other sensations that gripped her body, his finger on the entrance of such a forbidden area intensified her arousal more than she’d ever dreamed possible. A subtle, circular rubbing had her ready to scream in pleasure.
Desire tore through her. Kate suddenly wanted him to take her in the most hedonistic, decadent ways. She wanted John to love her in every way possible. However he wanted her. Her body craved his intimate, skillful touch and it was all Kate could do not to beg him to fuck her over and over again.