Confidence was something Sierra prided herself on, yet when it came to men, Luke McCoy in particular, she wondered how much she could pretend. Being led around by her overactive libido for the last few days, Sierra had conjured up some pretty steamy images, with Luke playing the lead role, but when it came down to it, she was going on sheer determination alone.
Instead of hiding out in her hotel room like she had contemplated, she walked alongside Luke, feeling her fortitude return in small measures.
He might be a mystery, but Sierra was pretty sure she understood what drove him. She recognized the hunger in his eyes because it consumed her. She knew the determination he felt when he touched her because she desired it.
She admired his confidence, the respect his mere presence demanded, and the graceful way he moved as though he owned the place. In fact, there wasn’t a single thing about the man that she didn’t want to know more about.
The silence that lingered between them wasn’t as awkward as she anticipated as they ventured through the casino to the main doors that would lead them out on to the strip. She was grateful for the short walk that did wonders in driving down some of the hunger that had been lodged in her belly since the limo ride.
This roller coaster she was riding on was a series of dips and valleys based on sexual highs and lows and it required concentration just to take one step at a time when she wanted nothing more than to grab Luke’s hand and run, not walk, back to the hotel room where she could explore him with more than her hands.
Just when her mind was wandering dangerously close to the gutter again, Sierra was distracted by Cole, who fell into step beside them.
For the second time that day, she damn near ran right into Luke, this time having to put her hands out to keep from plowing into him. Ok, so his abrupt stops were beginning to irritate her.
“Cole Ackerley, this is Sierra Sellers. She’s Xavier Thomas’ admin’s daughter, here on business. Sierra meet Cole. He’s a representative of CISS, Corporate Investigative Security Services. Here to attend the conference as well.”
Sierra hadn’t expected such an in depth introduction, especially coming from the one word responder, so she tried to hide her astonishment. When Cole held out his hand, acting as though they hadn’t already been introduced days before by Samantha, she reached for his in turn and watched the way her fingers disappeared into his large palm.
Just like the first time they touched, Sierra felt the heat spiral low, swirling insistently in her belly. Her eyes were riveted to his long, tan, muscular arm, the light dusting of golden hair covering the ridges of muscle that flexed with each movement.
A spark jolted from her fingertips to her nipples, and she hoped her blush wasn’t evident. Turning her face up to meet his, their gazes collided, and Sierra felt her skin grow warmer.
The man was masculine beauty personified, attractive from a distance, but a true masterpiece up close.
She would’ve described Luke as being ruggedly handsome which was the polar opposite to Cole’s perfection. He was a big man, nearly the same height as Luke, but his body was thicker; the muscles in his shoulders starkly defined beneath the soft, navy blue button down he wore. His chest was broader, all hard angles and planes that she suspected no amount of clothing would disguise.
“Nice to meet you, Sierra.” The rich timbre of Cole’s voice wrapped her in sexual awareness.
She was in so much trouble here.
“Nice to meet you.” Sierra managed to get out when Luke cleared his throat.
She flipped her gaze over to Luke and was surprised by the devilish grin on his face. Here she was, visually ogling the man she had just been introduced to and he was smiling about it.
When Luke took her hand in his, – did he actually pull her closer? – Sierra tried to ignore the fact that she was now surrounded by two of the most sexually arousing males she’d ever come into contact with.
Damn this was going to be a long day.
Chapter Nine
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~
Six miserably long hours later, Sierra found herself sitting in a corner of the large banquet room, cursing her shoes and wanting nothing more than to slide into a hot bath. For a man she had somehow been convinced didn’t like to talk, Luke had taken to introducing her to anyone and everyone he came into contact with, and somehow she had managed to keep up with him all day, which is where the miserable came into play. Her feet ached, her calves were on fire, and her back had long since gone on strike.
Her mother had instructed her to network, and that’s exactly what she had done. All day.
Despite the fact that Luke was not employed by XTX, or CISS for that matter, no one would have been the wiser based on the way he spoke of the two companies in such high regard as he easily greeted each and every person they came into contact with.
He introduced Sierra to people from all around, many of whom resided in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. And all of the information he’d garnered about her had been during their walk over that morning, when he had asked for a brief rundown of the types of services her company provided.
She’d given him the high level details, and apparently Luke had memorized every word based on the way he offered her name and a brief description of her services to everyone she met.
Being an entrepreneur himself, Luke was well versed in the ways of public relations. He knew how to market without making people feel overwhelmed or as though they were speaking to a sales person. Sierra was also well versed, and she had easily picked up the conversation from Luke as though the two of them had been doing the same thing for years.
By the end of the first day, she had already scheduled two appointments to meet and show her portfolio to a couple of big wigs in the Dallas area.
Sitting up straight in her chair, Sierra watched as Cole and Luke closed in on her, making their way from across the room where they had been talking to Xavier Thomas, the man she had been introduced to earlier in the day by Veronica.
It dawned on her that she’d often referred to those she generally associated with as being big, but she realized as she watched the two men that she had been speaking in relative terms. At four feet, ten and three quarter inches – yes, she tacked on every fraction – she often felt inadequate.
However, seeing these two predatory males as they approached, both of them standing well over six feet tall, with broad shoulders and wide chests, carried by powerfully thick thighs, Sierra realized she hadn’t known what big actually meant. These men took up some serious real estate with their massive forms.
The smile Cole threw her way sent a warm shiver straight down her spine, and she immediately felt some of the strain of the day wear off. Secretly, she had wished that Luke would smile at her similarly, but he looked distracted and intent.
“Are you two nearly finished?” She asked, rising from her chair.
With both men so close, sitting was not an option. Though she was a full foot and some change shorter than either of them, standing was the only way to bring herself to a more even playing field. Never having been intimidated by those who were larger than she was, there was something about them that made her feel much smaller and vastly more feminine than she ever had before.
“I need to take care of a few things, so why don’t you and Cole have dinner and meet me back at the casino in two hours.” Luke offered, moving in close to her.
Standing beside him, she had to look up to see his face, the warmth of his body and the spicy, sexy scent of his cologne an all too familiar feeling at this point. A surge of disappointment came over her at his inability to join them for dinner, but when Sierra looked up at Cole, the disappointment faded.
“I made reservations for two at the steakhouse in the hotel under Cole’s name. I’ll try and get away as soon as possible.” Luke stated as he leaned down and planted a gentle kiss on her lips.
Unable to hide her surprise, Sierra was forced to hold herself upright. His kiss was tender and familiar. Like they had s
hared that same kiss every day for as long as she could remember. Keeping in mind where they were, and who was still hanging around, Sierra pulled back quickly, giving Luke a flashy smile.
Before she had a chance to say anything, Luke was walking away and Sierra was left staring after him. When Cole cleared his throat, she darted her eyes to him, seeing the sexy smile that eased some of the tension she had felt moments earlier.
“Shall we?” He asked, holding out his arm so she could hook her hand inside the crook of his elbow.
“Absolutely.” Without hesitation, Sierra took hold of his arm, feeling the play of his well-toned muscles beneath her fingers as he led her through the banquet hall, back through the casino and out onto the strip.
The wonders of Vegas were upon her when she stepped outside to find it was already dark, and the lights of the strip filled every crook and crevice of the buildings around them. Snaking through the throngs of people, she stayed close to Cole as they made their way across the pedestrian bridge.
“How did you meet Luke?” Sierra asked when they had to stop to let a large group of people go by.
“At the club.” He offered, glancing down at her when he spoke.
His uniquely masculine scent was equally as arousing as Luke’s but in an entirely different way. Sierra found that she liked being close to Cole, and she was strangely attracted to him despite the fact that she found herself overwhelmingly attracted to another man at the same time. Maybe it was the vibe she got from both Luke and Cole.
If the rumors were true, then there might be something more going on between the two men than met the eye, but deep down, Sierra got the feeling that they weren’t looking to be exclusive. The club was all about threesomes, and though she had never experienced one of her own, she definitely wasn’t opposed to the idea. Especially not one that involved men like Luke and Cole.
“Are you a member?” She asked as they descended the outdoor escalator that would take them to the sidewalk on Las Vegas Blvd.
“I am.”
“Does that mean you’re active in the lifestyle?” Sierra knew the answer to the question before he answered, but she was trying to make small talk.
Cole glanced over at her, one golden eyebrow lifted as though trying to read her. “Yes.” He said solemnly, followed immediately by, “Does that bother you?”
Sierra hadn’t had a chance to talk to Cole much throughout the day, having seen him only briefly, but she already felt comfortable with him. She could read his hesitancy; feel the way his arm tensed briefly as he anticipated her answer.
“Not at all.” She stopped walking so that she could look up at him. “I’m not aware of the dynamic between you and Luke, but I want to get to know you better. If I overstep my boundaries, feel free to let me know.”
When Cole stepped closer, placing his hands on her hips, Sierra struggled to maintain her composure, her hands instinctively going to his chest.
“I’d like that more than you know.” He whispered.
When his eyes moved to her mouth, Sierra fought the urge to reach up and kiss him. And where the hell had that come from? How could she even consider kissing Cole after what she had done with Luke earlier that morning? There was just something… something familiar about him that made her want to get closer.
Cole was a stocky man, muscular and tall, intense, but he didn’t emit the illusion of danger that she felt from Luke. Cole made her feel safe somehow, and standing so intimately close to him now, wanting to feel his lips on hers, was a little disconcerting… all things considered.
“I’m not sure what’s happening here.” Sierra whispered softly.
“I’m not either, but whatever it is, I like where this is going.” Cole slid one finger down the side of her cheek in a gesture so tender, Sierra felt tears prick behind her eyelids.
Had a man ever touched her so sweetly, while still making her feel desired?
When he lowered his hand, he took hers and twined their fingers together before turning toward their hotel.
“Hungry?” He asked as they stepped inside their hotel’s casino, the bright lights, the sounds of slot machines, and the overpowering smell of cigarette smoke assaulting her senses all at once.
“Starving. Have you ever been to this restaurant before?” Sierra asked as they walked down the aisles that intersected the casino floor, the bright red carpet and gold accents giving it an elegant, upscale feel.
“No. Vegas isn’t my thing. I’ve come out a couple of times, but I don’t frequent it enough to have tried many of the restaurants. How about you?”
“Once. I wasn’t disappointed, I know that much. My friends and I made it a goal to try a different restaurant each time we came. Needless to say, we’ve had both good and bad.”
Cole approached the hostess desk and offered his name. The girl glanced down at a book in front of her and then beamed a smile back at them. “Right this way.”
With Cole’s hand on her back, Sierra followed the woman through the dimly lit restaurant to a table in the back. Before she could do it herself, Cole pulled out her chair and waited for her to take her seat. Once he was seated, and their drink orders were taken, Sierra gave him her full attention.
“Tell me what you do for a living.” Sierra started the conversation, hoping she could get him to share some information about himself.
He didn’t seem to be any more forthcoming with information than Luke was, but Sierra figured there was a time and place for everything. With nothing else to do, hopefully Cole would find talking easier than staring blankly at one another.
“It’s complicated.” Cole said.
Sierra got the sense that Cole had some hidden insecurities, though based on what she had heard throughout the day, he was exceptionally sharp and communicated easily with the type of people they had been in contact with.
“I’m intelligent. I think I can handle an explanation.” Sierra grinned, then sat back in her chair as a waiter placed two wine glasses on their table, then filled them.
“Technically, I’m self-employed.” Cole took a sip of the wine, then nodded at the waiter with his approval. “Give us a few minutes.” He instructed the man hovering over them.
“What is it that you do?” Sierra asked when they were alone again.
“I contract out my services.”
Sierra’s eyes went wide. Was he saying…?
Cole laughed, a deep, thunderous rumble that went straight to her core, lighting up all of her nerve endings along the way. Unlike Luke, this man had a laugh that came out easily.
“Not those services, naughty girl.” He clarified. “Lets order and I’ll tell you anything you want to know.”
Glancing down at the menu in front of her, Sierra tried to focus on the words. She smiled despite herself. The way he called her naughty, thrilled her.
“You like steak?” He asked, interrupting her thoughts.
“I do.”
“My kind of woman.” And with that, they were silent for a few minutes while they both scanned the menu, placing their orders when the waiter returned.
“Back to what you do, you know, the services you contract out.”
“Aside from living off of my trust fund,” Cole began, watching her for her reaction, “I do various odd jobs. Sort of like a handyman might contract his services, I do the same, although not manual labor. For example, this conference, I’m filling in for Alex McDermott, the owner of CISS. I’ve got a head for business, and I enjoy the political aspect.”
“A public relation’s front man?” She asked.
“Exactly. I go in, learn what I need to know about a company, and then attend various events in their place.”
Sierra didn’t question Cole about his trust fund, though the way he had gauged her reaction told her that he expected her to. She wasn’t interested in the man’s money. She was interested in the man and Cole’s profession stimulated the intellectual side of her brain.
Sierra got the impression that Cole wasn’t much on o
ffering personal information, appearing to be just as private as Luke. How the two of them managed to engage in the types of relationships they did, namely threesomes, was beyond her. Those seemed a bit personal in her opinion, but what did she know.
“Are you from Dallas originally?” She asked, resting her arms on the table, her fingers twined around the stem of her wine glass as she gave Cole her attention.
“No, I was born and raised in Oklahoma.” He responded to her question, and she saw the glint of shyness shining in his beautiful eyes.
“What made you move to Dallas?” Sierra detected the hesitance in Cole’s eyes, and she wondered if she was asking too many personal questions.
“I needed a change. I earned a degree from OU and then moved south, not sure what I was looking for. Somehow I ended up in Dallas, and I’ve built my business from there. It wasn’t until about seven years ago that I became involved with the club. Although seven years ago, it was named Destined Hearts, and it wasn’t nearly what it is today.”
“Destined Hearts?” Sierra laughed. “That sounds more like a singles website.”
“That’s what Luke thought, so he changed the name to Club Destiny when he and Logan bought it five years ago, figuring he wasn’t changing it entirely, just giving it a facelift per se.”
“Well, I’m not sure I would have named it Club Destiny, but it’s a definite improvement. And you said you met Luke at the club?”
“I did.” The hesitation in Cole’s answer was evident.
“I’d like to know more about the lifestyle. Luke mentioned the club isn’t exclusive to married couples, so I’m assuming you aren’t married.”
“Not married. Never have been.” Cole stated, watching her carefully. “And no, Club Destiny isn’t limited to married couples. I’ve been a member of Luke’s club since inception. And as for my lifestyle… What is it that you want to know?”
Temptation (Club Destiny) Page 7