“I can’t believe Lottie would do this. I can’t believe my father would go along. He’s over sixty. He’s a minister.”
“He’s a man smitten, darling,” Ryan said. “Trust me, being a minister doesn’t mean he isn’t still a man in love.”
Sunny let out an aggravated sigh. “He can’t be. He’s been around Lottie twice. That’s not love, that’s pure lust.”
Ryan turned his car into the parking deck under his building. “Well, I can’t speak for your dad, but Lottie’s never acted like this before. She’s ready to give up her Victorian cottage for a house on a churchyard by the river.”
That left Sunny speechless. Lottie as a minister’s wife?
The car came to a stop and Ryan slid out and opened Sunny’s door. “Come on, darling, let’s raid the icebox.”
Sunny was in the elevator when she realized what she was doing. “Wait. What are we doing here?”
“I’m going to feed you,” Ryan said.
The elevator opened to his foyer.
“But I’m not hungry,” Sunny glanced at her watch. What on earth was wrong with her? Instead of concentrating on her future she was worrying about her father. And putting herself in a risky situation in the meantime. “Can we just…talk?”
“Talk? Yes. I think we can find something to talk about,” he said, opening the door and drawing Sunny inside and into his arms. He pulled her close and fitted his body into all the places it was meant to fit. “Later.”
“Ryan…” She forgot what she intended to say. She forgot her story. She forgot Lord Sin. In the space of a moment her heart was in her throat, tight from wanting this man. She’d known this had to happen, she just hadn’t expected it so soon. She was through fooling herself; she wanted him—whatever the cost. She touched his face, his hair, pulling him down so that she could kiss him. Lord Sin could wait. “There’s no future to this,” she said, licking her lips. “We both understand that.”
“I know you’re just interested in today. That’s what you told me when we first met. I’m the one who does the long-range planning. You’re just interested in the now. Well, now, Sunny Clary. I’ve told you every way I know how that I’m…I’m interested in you. What do you say? Tell the truth, Miss Sunny Clary of WTRU News.”
“I say, where’s the bedroom, Malone? I want to see your sheets.”
Ryan let out a small silent thank-you. Then he kissed her, lifted her into his arms and made his way through the half-dark room, down the corridor and into the bedroom. He only turned on a small light by the bed. More light could spook her. Then he let her down, kissing her over and over again as he undressed her.
“Look at me, Sunny,” he finally said.
“No. For the first time in my life, I don’t want anything to be real,” she protested. “With my eyes closed, it’s a dream.”
“This isn’t one of Lord Sin’s fantasies, dammit, Sunny. This is real. Besides, you can see my sheets,” he said.
“Sheets?” Sunny opened her eyes. They were in Ryan’s bedroom, standing beside a bed as big as a putting green. He’d pulled back the comforter, exposing white satin sheets. Her breath caught. “Satin sheets? Sinful, yes. But they don’t seem like you, Malone.”
“They aren’t me. They’re for you, Sunny. This is the way I saw you in my imagination that first night, totally nude with your hair tousled across white satin sheets.”
“Then you’re in big trouble.”
His forehead furrowed. “Trouble?”
“Yes. You’ve taken off all my clothes and you’re still wearing yours.”
“We can take care of that,” he said. Slowly and deliberately, he discarded his shirt and trousers, his eyes planted fiercely on her. He continued to talk as if he were afraid she’d turn and run away if he hushed.
“Why? Why me?” Her voice was hoarse and so low that she could barely hear it. “I know there have been other women.”
“You’re the first one who mattered.”
Sunny didn’t know what to say. Until now she’d only looked at his face, at hungry eyes that churned like a black ocean in a storm. Now she allowed her gaze to wander lower, across his chest, firm, muscular and sprinkled with silky dark hair. He stood, his legs apart, his lower body gloriously nude. He made no apology for his erection and she had no words to describe the thrumming of her pulse at the sight of it.
Finally, she raised her eyes to his, managed a quick grin and whispered, “No underwear?”
“I had hopes. Let me love you, Sunny?”
She gave him the only answer she could. “Yes.”
He scooped her up and fell into bed, supporting himself with his elbows as he covered her. “I’ve wanted this from the first moment I saw you. You’ve driven me crazy with your taunts.”
“Taunts?” Her voice was one of disbelief.
“You told Lord Sin that you couldn’t be seduced just by a voice and you challenged him to do better than that. You seemed so taken with him. I’ll admit it, I was jealous.”
“He’s very good at seduction, Ryan, but it isn’t Lord Sin whose lips set me on fire, Ryan Malone. It’s you.”
This time when he kissed her, she held nothing back. For the first time in her life she gave as much as she got, touching, tasting, feeling the warm contact of their skin that felt like velvet against velvet. She unleashed all the passion that had been building up since that first night, letting the emotion fuel her body and her heart. Everything hurt so good, so good that she never wanted it to end.
She was in his arms, then he was over her, pressing against her, moving so slowly that she wanted to scream, “Hurry! Hurry!”
“Not yet,” he answered and she hadn’t known that she’d spoken aloud.
His mouth was all over her. She could feel his hot breath, hear the ragged inhaling and exhaling as he seemed intent on driving her slowly mad. There was nothing shy about her as she caught his head between her hands and forced him upward, forced him to kiss her, forced him on top. Spreading her legs she let go of his thick dark hair and caught his body, holding it so that he was rubbing against the pool of slick moisture that suddenly allowed him inside.
“Oh!” he moaned, and plunged deeper. Then jerked back, pulling himself out. “Dammit, Sunny, I haven’t—stop!”
She reached between them and took him into her hand. “I’m here in your bed and I want you to make love to me, Malone. Isn’t this what you wanted?”
He pushed her hand away while he fumbled beneath the pillow, opened the packet and pulled its contents over his own throbbing need.
“It is, my lady of green fire,” he murmured as he took in a deep calming breath. “I won’t walk away this time, Sunny.”
“I don’t want you to, Ryan.”
But he wasn’t ready yet. Carefully pressing himself against her, he caught her legs and pressed them together. “Don’t move.” He slid his hands upward, across her sides to her breasts, splaying his fingers to cover her nipples, that now hurt with need. Thin, long and tapered, his fingertips were as tan as her own sun-kissed color. She looked at those hands and smiled. They felt right, as if she’d always known them. Then he began to move against her once more. Slowly, slipping inside the sanctuary anxious to be filled, then out again, teasing her, promising, driving her even wilder. As he moved, she felt the hair on his chest skim her nipples. She groaned.
At that moment he plunged inside her and she felt the earth turn and her release overwhelmed her. And then, as he shuddered she knew. This wasn’t sex. This was a binding of two souls, two lovers who belonged together.
After the last ultimate ripple subsided, they lay together, still joined. His face was buried in her neck, his hot, ragged breath slowing. He let go of her hips, moving his hands to catch her own and lacing his fingers through hers. She nuzzled his hair with her chin and felt a wave of dizziness sweep over her. She wanted to laugh. To cry. To open the penthouse window and fly through the night sky. She wanted to do this every night for the rest of her life and longer.
>
And then he raised his head and the look in his eyes pierced her very being. There was happiness and pain and uncertainty. The great Ryan Malone was as vulnerable now as she was and they both understood that she knew it.
“Sunny…I—”
“It’s all right, Ryan,” she whispered. “I know we’re in your bed. You can’t come up with some kind of business deal that demands your leaving. So you already have my excuse. I have to leave.”
He stretched up, kissed her gently. “I’m not going anywhere and neither are you.”
“Don’t make me any promises you don’t intend to keep, Ryan.”
“I won’t.”
He covered her mouth with his own and with little persuasion she gave herself to him. For most of the night, they made love, slept, then made love again. Long after Sunny fell into sated sleep, he lay and watched her. He’d never understood about love before, never considered what it meant. But now he did. Loving meant being close, caring about what a person felt and needed. Wanting always to be with them.
It was almost dawn when Ryan touched Sunny on her shoulder and wakened her. “I think we’d better get you home, darling. I mean if it were up to me, I’d never let you go but I don’t want your father to have me arrested.”
Sunny came awake. “Oh, Ryan, you shouldn’t have let me sleep. I wanted to talk to you.”
But Ryan was already dressed. He’d gathered up Sunny’s clothing and stood back while she tugged them on. A rough brushing of her hair and she was on her way, her Prince Charming bent on protecting her reputation, a reputation she’d smeared long ago. He put his arm around her and kissed her again.
Accept the gifts you are given, she told herself all the way home. They may only come once. Lord Sin might be her future, but Ryan Malone was her glorious present.
“I want to talk to you, Sunny,” Ryan said as they pulled up in the drive. “But not now. Sometimes a good thing is ruined when you talk about it. Let’s wait.”
Sunny nodded, too happy to argue. At the top of the stairs she pushed open the door and paused, waiting to hear her father’s voice. After a few moments, she realized that she was only hearing silence. “Pop?”
Nothing.
She switched on the light. The couch was empty. The bed was empty. “He isn’t home,” Sunny said. “My father has stayed out all night with a woman.”
“Don’t worry,” Ryan said, “Lottie will make an honest man of him, or she’ll answer to me.”
11
BYRON CLARY HAD CALLED and left a message on her answering machine. “Don’t wait up, Sara Frances. Lottie and I are having so much fun we’ve decided to stay over. We’ll be home tomorrow.”
“Be home tomorrow? My father leaves me a message that he’s having so much fun he’s not coming home? I don’t believe it.”
Ryan didn’t know what to say. If he had Lottie here, he’d personally strangle her. For most of his life, he’d loved all her wild Auntie Mame notions but Byron Clary wouldn’t have a clue how to deal with her. For all he knew, they could be halfway to Maui. And Sunny was obviously worried.
“What are they doing, to have so much fun?” Sunny asked.
Ryan smothered a smile. “I don’t think I want to answer that,” he said. “But if it would make you feel any better, I’ll give Lottie’s friend at the restaurant a call.”
“Will you?” She didn’t know what that would tell her, but at least it was something.
Ryan glanced at his watch. “It might be a bit early, or late, depending on how you look at it. Why don’t we get some breakfast and give him time to get up, then I’ll call? Sunny?” He caught her hand and pulled her close. “Don’t worry. Your father can take care of himself. Trust me, darling. They’ll be fine.”
Darling. She allowed herself to lean against him. First her mother had died. Then, her father had gone to jail. Though she was an adult when that happened, she’d missed him so badly. Now he was finding a new life for himself and she was jealous. Suddenly, she felt foolish. For the first time in so long, she had someone strong enough for her to lean on. It felt good. Ryan was right. But it was happening too fast. “I do trust you. And for me, last night was very special but I need to get ready to go to work now, Ryan. You go home and call Lottie’s friend, then call me later at the station.”
She let Ryan kiss her, held him tight for a moment, then watched as he drove away, a frown of concern marring his strong face. It was too early for work. They both knew it, but she needed space, time to think, time to gather herself. She needed a shower and a clear head, not swirling with memories of the night before. Everything had changed.
And she didn’t know where she was headed.
Finally, she dressed, arriving at the station long before the day crew. If she could find Lord Sin, one of her problems would be solved. Work had always been the answer when she’d been troubled and she fell back on that to keep from thinking about Ryan. She’d tried to contact Isabella without success, so now she turned to the archives for information about Lord Sin. After an hour of searching in vain, she stopped for coffee and a sweet roll from the machine, then headed back to her desk. It was amazing that the man could have been so successful and remained a mystery. But he had.
Without an immediate assignment to carry out, her mind flew back to Ryan Malone. She forced herself to focus on the man, not the lover. It seemed ironic that the moment Lord Sin retired from performing, Ryan began his meteoric rise to riches. He joined the Chamber of Commerce and bought his first office building. In the five years since, that building had become the flagship, the basis for the real estate holdings he’d amassed. She saw picture after picture of him, always with a beautiful woman at his elbow, rarely the same one.
Temporary was all she could expect. She’d known that from the beginning. It hadn’t mattered before but all that had changed now. He told her this relationship was different, that she’d have to trust him. But it was hard. She was falling in love with Ryan Malone and she didn’t know what she’d do when he left her.
Her phone rang.
“Newsroom, Sunny Clary speaking.”
“Get ready to write your story, Sunny. I think I have something.”
It was Edward Hinton. “What? Tell me.”
“I have a high school yearbook with a picture. One of the dancers had it. I think she was a little in love with your boy. Held on to it all this time. You’re going to be a happy camper.”
Her heart began to race. “Bring it over,” she said.
“No. You meet me for lunch.” He sounded smug. “You’re buying.”
“Where?”
“At Aggie’s Diner. It’s in the next block, toward town. I’ll be waiting.”
The next call was from Ryan. “They stayed at the Chattanooga Choo Choo.” There was a long pause. “Separate rooms, Sunny. They left about an hour ago. Should be home about lunchtime. I told you they’d be all right.”
“I know you did. Thank you.”
“Want me to pick you up, take you and your dad to lunch?”
“No. I have an assignment.”
“Anything important?”
She should tell him about Hinton. It would be the smart thing to do, but this was her work, her future and something made her hold back. “No. Just routine.”
She hung up the phone, picked up her purse and left. But her heart wasn’t racing anymore; it felt tight and full. Her father would be back soon. Ryan Malone was hers for another ten days, give or take a couple—she wasn’t fooling herself about that—and she was on the verge of her big story, the story that would earn her the credibility she needed. It all depended on how well she handled Edward Hinton.
He’d taken a booth in the corner. As she entered the diner he looked up and signaled with a nod of his head. “Sit down,” he said. “You want to order?”
“Just bring me a glass of iced tea,” she said to the waitress, dismissing her quickly and turning to Edward. “Show me.”
He twisted the book lying on the table be
tween them, the North Atlanta High School annual, The Messenger. “You know I could do this by myself,” he said.
“I know. But you won’t. We have a deal. You and I will write this story, together. We both need this, Edward. Don’t mess it up.”
He nodded, still suspicious, but willing to go along for the moment. “You think Ted will go for this?”
She nodded, hoping she was right. “Now show me.”
He opened the yearbook and pointed. “This is Lord Sin.”
The man—no, the boy—in the colored portrait was a tawny-haired stallion, dramatic, classically beautiful. She stared at him for a long time, then raised her eyes in question.
“Yep,” Edward said. “He’s the guy.”
She let her gaze fall lower to the name, Jackson Lewis “Jack” Ivy. Sunny studied the picture. There was something vaguely familiar about him but she didn’t recognize the face.
Edward gave her a smirking look. “You don’t recognize that name, Jackson Lewis? Old Atlanta money. Politician. Never married, but fathered a child that ended up in an ugly paternity suit. The girl was an intern in his father’s office at the capital. She was studying law, had big plans until Jackson promised her the moon, then deserted her—in public. That was before DNA testing. She sued him and lost, but according to my source Jackson was your boy’s father and the family couldn’t stop her from calling her son by his father’s given name.”
“Where’d the Ivy come from?”
“Ivy was apparently her name.”
“Where is Jackson Lewis now?”
“Dead. Killed himself in a car wreck when little Jack was only three years old. Don’t know how our Jack came to work for one of Ho’s clubs when he was just a kid. But the dancers adopted him and eventually he took the name Lord Sin and Jack Ivy went underground.”
Sunny frowned. “So why hasn’t the yearbook turned up before now? I don’t know. This just seems a little too convenient. We need to identify Lord Sin and you turn up not only a face but a name.”
“Hey, I do good work,” Edward said. “Is it enough for a story? The old broad I got this from wouldn’t agree to an interview. She told me to talk to the mystery man’s manager, a woman named—”
Baring It All (Mills & Boon Temptation) Page 17