The toast was met with spirited applause, and Hope was surprised to see tears in Mallory’s eyes.
“I’m not a crier,” she told Hope. “I’m not. It’s just, he doesn’t get sentimental all that often, so when he does I just get a little—”
“It’s sweet,” Hope said and brushed a tear from Mallory’s cheek. “That was a fantastic speech. Your parents love each other very much.”
“Yeah,” Mallory said, smiling. “Sometimes I forget that in the midst of their extra-shiny veneer, but it’s real between them. Makes me wonder if I’ll ever have anything close to that.”
“Never say never,” Hope said sincerely.
“Mayday,” Mallory said, her eyes wide. “Brother number two is on his way over.”
“Number two?”
“Troy. But I prefer to number them.”
“That sounds ominous.”
“Mallory,” the tall, dark, and handsome brother said.
Was everyone in this family good-looking? Screened first for genetic superiority? This guy looked like Prince Charming incarnate.
“Troy.”
“We haven’t seen you at the club.”
Mallory nodded. “Yeah, I’ve been working. Plus, I’m not really a fan of the club.”
He smirked. “You’re saying you don’t work out anymore?”
Wow, the guy made it sound like a cardinal sin.
“I do. I just choose to use a gym closer to where I live.”
“Suit yourself.” And with that, he was gone. No hello to Hope. No show of warmth to his sister. Not even a “see you later.” It had been a really odd exchange. Mallory, while put together and quite formal at first, seemed to come with a depth of character. But it was easy to see how growing up in a world of privilege could have the opposite effect. It just went to show Hope that it didn’t matter if you were raised rich or poor, you could still have total assholes in your family.
“I apologize for him,” Mallory said. “He probably had to go check his stock portfolio or something equally obnoxious.” She held up a sweeping hand in presentation. “So now you’ve met my brothers.”
“Well, just Troy.”
Mallory shook her head. “If you’ve met one, you’ve met them all. They’re the same person at varying heights. It’s kind of impressive if it didn’t also suck times three.”
Hope laughed. “That’s kind of severe.”
“You’d think, but no. I try to minimize interaction with them and stick to my sisters instead.”
Despite Troy being Troy, Mallory was enjoying herself more than she thought possible at a rubbing-elbows gathering. The difference turned out to be the company. It was fun to have someone to navigate the party with, trade whispers here and there.
After a good thirty minutes of small talk, introducing Hope to her parents’ friends and proclaiming the greatness of the party overall, Mallory felt she’d put in her time and could probably now sneak away without recrimination.
She turned to Hope. “Let me get my coat. Then you and I are headed to a real dinner.”
“Cheeseburgers?”
Mallory laughed. “I could do cheeseburgers.”
“And an old-fashioned.”
“That’s specific. I’m guessing you know a place?”
Hope passed her a look. “Of course I do. I know the best place.”
“Give me five minutes to impersonate a ninja and I’m yours.”
“I like the sound of that.”
“Easy, tiger,” Mallory said, placing a hand on Hope’s arm, a touch that sent electricity moving all the way up her body. She steadied herself as the chemistry she had with Hope was beyond even sizzle variety. Shaking herself out of the Hope-induced haze she’d become overly familiar with, she set out on her coat mission. As Hope had not come with a coat herself, the mission was rather simplistic.
However, Mallory had details to tend to. She had learned that when sneaking out of a formal gathering early, it was best not to announce one’s sneaking. Surreptitious was the way to go. She also knew that the best way to bypass the formal coat-retrieval process, which called massive attention to the intended sneaking, was to secure one’s own coat from the coatroom via the connecting door to her father’s study. Ninja indeed, Mallory thought. She then proceeded to make it safely, and undetected, into the oak-adorned office her father used on days he prepared cases from home. She could pick up faint traces of tobacco from the pipe he smoked when he was feeling extra thoughtful. In fact, that sweet aroma took her right back to childhood. She flipped on the light and moved quickly through the space when—holy hell. There against the bookshelves stood her father and Janice, the receptionist from his office, sucking face. What’s worse, the buttons of her blouse were undone and his hand was snaked up the front of her shirt. Mallory closed her eyes to erase the image, but it hadn’t worked, because upon opening them, there they were.
“I apologize,” Mallory said calmly, holding up a cautionary hand. “I thought this room was empty.”
Her father and Janice stared at her, caught and clearly unprepared with any sort of explanation, but really what could they say? She retreated from the study, but at her own pace, as she tried to process what the image actually meant. Her father was screwing his secretary. That’s what that meant, right? And not only that, but he was doing so in their home, not a half hour after delivering a speech about how much he loved his wife. Mallory wasn’t sure, but that seemed unthinkably low. She had a knot in the center of her chest, and strangely, she felt thirsty, like there was sandpaper lining her throat. Better to get out of here first. Find Hope. Leave the damn coat.
But, on second thought, no.
She’d done nothing wrong and was not sacrificing her favorite black trench with the soft pockets in the midst of a rainstorm because her entire perception of her young life had been shattered with one flick of a light switch at the wrong moment. Correction, the right moment, because that flick had illuminated more than just the room.
“Henry, my coat, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course, Ms. Spencer.” And then quieter, “Is everything all right? You look a little pale.”
She shrugged, swallowing the truth and feeling heavier for it. “I’m fine, Henry, but thank you.” But she didn’t feel fine. Her face felt hot, her mind raced, and she wondered absently about what else in her life was a sham. The world felt wildly unsteady, and she placed a hand against the wall.
“Mallory, are you okay?” Hope asked, moving toward her. She nodded and presented her game-face smile, the one she used for killer client presentations. She could present remarkable calm when called upon.
“Just waiting on my coat and we’ll be on our way.”
“Ninja skills failed?”
“Something like that,” she said with a serenity she did not feel.
“Hey, I think we’re about to face some rain,” Hope said, glancing out the picture window on the back wall. Angry raindrops pelted the glass, and an ominous clap of thunder shook the room, causing guests to murmur. It was so ridiculously appropriate to the way she felt right now that Mallory almost laughed.
But she was contending with another sound, the ticking clock in the back of her head, as it was only a matter of time before her father resurfaced and either A, played debonair party host and pretended none of it ever happened or B, wanted to talk to her about what she’d just witnessed. Oh, and wouldn’t you know it, there he was. Her coat hadn’t been fast enough. Seriously, where was Henry? Her gaze moved to her father as he closed the door to the study, a bright smile on his face as he shook hands with the first guest he came to. Option A it was! How exciting! She felt a little sick.
“Here you are, Miss Spencer,” Henry said from behind her. If she ripped the coat from his hands and tossed a “thank you, Henry” over her shoulder as she pulled Hope toward the elevator, it was only because urgency trumped manners in that particular moment. She would try and make it up to him later. He really was a good-hearted guy, if not the fastes
t with coat turn-around.
“You were anxious to get out of there,” Hope said on the elevator as she studied her curiously.
Mallory nodded, not really ready with words to explain away her actions, as the image of her father and his mistress played back in her head like some god-awful movie stuck on repeat. Hope seemed to accept this confirmation, and they rode the rest of the way in silence.
But Hope stayed close to her, passing her little check-in glances that made her feel safe, looked after, on a night when she felt things falling from her control. She filed that fact away for examination later. But they were nice, the check-ins. “You still up for that burger?” Mallory asked as they exited the elevator. She needed a distraction in a big way.
“If you’re coming with me, I’m up for anything.”
Mallory blinked against the words. “Why are you being so nice to me?”
Hope smiled at what probably seemed like a weird question, but Mallory really needed to know. What did Hope see when she looked at Mallory? What was the draw? They had a physical attraction, sure. And maybe that was enough for Hope, but it would be nice to know.
“Because I happen to like you.”
“I like you too.”
When they reached the exit of the building, they were greeted with not just rain, but big wet drops that bounced into predominant puddles along the sidewalk. This was major rain, and for whatever reason, her parents’ doorman was MIA. Hope turned to her. “Stay here and be likable, and I’ll get us a cab.”
“Hope! Wait!”
“What is it?” Hope asked, turning back, just before stepping out into it all.
“You cannot stand out there on the sidewalk in your beautiful dress. We can wait it out. See if it lets up.”
“You don’t know who you’re dealing with here. Who said anything about standing? I’ll have a cab in 2.3 seconds. It’s kind of a gift.” And without another word, she was out the door before Mallory could protest further. And Hope did hail a cab rather quickly, but it took only a few seconds before the storm soaked her through and through.
Mallory, with heels in hand, then made the mad dash to the open door of the waiting cab and found herself laughing by the time she got inside. How was that possible? After what had transpired that evening? But she knew the answer. Something about Hope whisked her away from the world. Perhaps, it was how different she was from most of her friends and family. Whatever the case, she was a valuable escape on a night like this one, and that was so what she needed right now. To forget what she’d just seen and to push the real world far, far away before it crushed her. Mallory was known for her strength, but she was feeling anything but strong.
She turned her face against the backseat of the cab and studied Hope. Concentrate on Hope, she told herself. Don’t think about the rest. Hope pulled her hair out of the knot at the base of her neck, and Mallory watched the release as it fell freely around her shoulders, wet from the storm. Sensual, that was the word for it. The skin across Hope’s chest glistened with droplets, and the black dress clung to her in a whole new way.
“So what happened to 2.3 seconds?” Mallory asked, gesturing with her head to Hope’s condition.
“Flag on the play. We had storm interference.”
“I don’t think you can flag a conversation,” Mallory said, and raised an eyebrow.
“Yes, you can,” Hope said in confidence. “Just did, in fact.”
“You’re kinda cheeky.”
“Cheeky? You sound like Mary Poppins. A very attractive Mary Poppins though, so bonus.”
“No one has ever made that comparison before,” she mused.
“Well, have you ever called them cheeky? Try it. See what you get.” The smile dimmed on Hope’s face. “So are you going to tell me what happened back there? I already know something did, so don’t try to downplay it.”
Discussion was not part of the plan. “If it’s okay with you, I’d rather not. Let’s talk about something else.”
“Like?”
“How your failure at cab hailing has yielded…other rewards.” She let her gaze travel from Hope’s eyes to her lips, down the line of her slender neck, to the dip in her dress. Mallory’s body tightened uncomfortably as a consequence, and she adjusted in her seat out of necessity. Then and there, Mallory made an executive decision and met Hope’s eyes.
“I can do without the cheeseburger if you can.” Yep, this was exactly the kind of distraction she needed. She watched as understanding crossed Hope’s face and her lips parted subtly. It was all Mallory needed. She leaned forward to the cab driver and changed their course.
Her place, it was.
She was in control of her own destiny and it felt good.
Chapter Eleven
While Hope still wasn’t sure what had gone on earlier in the evening to spark a change in Mallory, it was clear now that she was on a mission. It was a sexy mission, which was one of the better kinds, but it did leave her curious.
Mallory hadn’t said much since they exited the cab, and when they arrived at the apartment, her lips were on Hope’s before she even had the door open, stripping her of most of her capacity to think clearly. Hope had to admit, the wet clothes added a certain something, as the red dress Mallory wore was now a shade deeper, and her semi-wet hair framed her face in an intoxicating halo under the sconce light in the hallway. But it was her mouth that had Hope’s attention, all hot and insistent in the best way possible. Mallory pulled away but only to open the damn door that seemed to be in the way of everything good Hope could imagine.
And she wasn’t feeling very patient.
They stumbled into the darkened apartment, finding each other easily and meeting in a sexy exchange of lips, tongues, and touches, both light and firm. “Should we turn on a light?” Hope asked, between kisses.
“No light,” Mallory said easily. Moonlight crisscrossed the loft’s living room and illuminated the path that Mallory led them down to her bedroom, tugging Hope gently by the hand. The room was beautiful, from what she could see of it. The high ceilings of the living room extended into the bedroom. Mallory’s bed faced an expanse of unobstructed windows that invited the twinkling lights of the city to dance in front of them now. But the view a little closer to her was better. She cupped Mallory’s face with her hands. God, she was beautiful.
“Are you sure?” Hope asked.
Her answer was a searing kiss that had Hope forgetting the question and yearning for contact as her heart rate escalated and her arousal skyrocketed. Now. She needed more now. As Mallory kissed her into oblivion, she slipped a hand behind Hope and lowered the zipper to her dress. It fell to the floor, and with an intake of air, Mallory’s eyes roamed her body. She hadn’t worn a bra, and Mallory let out a little gasp at the sight. Mallory’s lips parted and she trailed a hand from Hope’s shoulder down across her breast, to her stomach, and inside the curve of her thigh, nearly bringing Hope to her knees. Hope couldn’t contain the murmur of pleasure that escaped her lips.
“Hope,” Mallory whispered, stepping into her space and kissing her neck, slowly, skillfully.
Mallory did everything well, Hope noted peripherally, and seduction seemed to be no exception. She eased Hope backward until the back of her knees brushed the bed before lowering her down entirely. From where she lay on the bed, Hope looked up at Mallory as the red dress came off, followed by the strapless bra, revealing the perfectly full breasts she longed to touch again. When Mallory lowered herself on top, skin on skin, Hope thought she’d come undone. She pushed up against Mallory and trailed her hands down Mallory’s bare back, enjoying the warmth of her smooth skin. They were moving together already, legs intertwined, as there was no way not to be.
Mallory was lost in the most wonderful sense. She kissed down Hope’s body, amazed at how soft she was, how wonderful she felt beneath her. Mallory was fully in control of the moment, and that’s exactly how she needed it to be tonight. Driven by need, she was shocked at how quickly her body responded to Hope,
who was easily the sexiest human she’d ever come in contact with.
Hope attempted to reverse their positions, but Mallory had a goal and had yet to achieve it. She eased off Hope and ran her fingers up Hope’s inner thighs and lightly across the cotton of her panties between them, eliciting a moan, a hotly erotic sound that Mallory wanted more of. She refocused on her breasts, kissing, licking, sucking, pulling a nipple fully into her mouth and letting her tongue play. She could do this for hours, she realized, moving on to the next breast. She was aware of Hope straining against her, knew how wet she was, but Mallory wasn’t ready yet. Hope whimpered quietly, seeking some sort of release, but Mallory pressed on, tasting, caressing, pushing, and licking. “What do you need?” she finally whispered in Hope’s ear as she continued to massage her breasts and circled her thumb around each nipple.
“You,” she managed, her hips moving against Mallory’s thigh in a rhythm that told Mallory she wouldn’t last much longer.
“Soon,” Mallory assured her and stole a scorching open-mouthed kiss because it was too tempting to pass up. She spent some time on the slender column of Hope’s neck and found it a very sensitive spot for her, as it pulled another moan from Hope’s lips that only encouraged Mallory further.
Hope couldn’t believe the need she experienced. The attention from Mallory was beyond torturous, and she was about to ignite under her thorough touch. The buildup had been nice, but now she craved release in a way she’d never quite known. She was shaking for Mallory, unequipped to handle much more of the throbbing. Mallory kissed down her stomach, pausing at the waistband to her underwear before sliding them down her legs. Good God, the anticipation was excruciating. Mallory parted her thighs gently and placed an open-mouthed kiss on one inner thigh and then the next. “Please,” Hope managed, moving her head against the down comforter as the aching became incessant. “Mallory, please.”
Finally ready to comply, Mallory swiped across Hope’s center with her tongue, the sensation nearly levitating her off the bed. But Mallory held her in place and continued to explore, applying little bits of pressure to where Hope needed it most before pulling it back. It was diabolical, the things Mallory was doing with her mouth, but in the most wonderful way. Liquid heat moved through her veins, and she slid her hands into Mallory’s hair, still moving against her mouth. Mallory gave her what she wanted, but did so on her own schedule. When she pushed inside, Hope saw white. Mallory filled her expertly before retreating and entering her again. Her body, already on fire, erupted. Need tore Hope apart as the pressure rose steadily, climbing higher and higher with each flick of Mallory’s tongue until a powerful release shot through her with a shattering intensity. But Mallory didn’t stop and sent her further into a sweet oblivion before bringing her back down slowly, gently.
Ready or Not Page 18