“Do you have a passport?”
Was he serious? He certainly looked serious.
“Nope. Oh well…” she gave him a shrug. “Guess you’ll have to go without me,” she added lightly.
“I was being serious, Anne,” his eyes settled on hers in that intense stare that both unnerved and aroused her at the same time.
“I don’t doubt that, Ian. I just can’t up and leave. I’ve got things to work on here and besides, how the hell would I explain that trip? People think we hate each other. I certainly wouldn’t want them speculating on any type of…relations between the two of us. I think it’s best if you stay on your side of the pond and I stay on mine,” she said with finality although the last sentence seemed a bit harsh. It was true, but still…
“That’s the problem. I don’t want to stay away from you,” he placed his mug on the counter before walking the two steps separating them and gently removing her mug from her hands.
“Last night was incredible,” he breathed against her forehead as he pulled her to him.
“Yeah, well, that didn’t go quite the way I had planned it in my head,” she murmured against his neck as he tightened his hold.
“It did for me,” he whispered causing her body to stiffen slightly before she pushed away to look at this face.
“What about the brunette?”
One of his brows rose in confusion.
“The woman you took to lunch and dinner, remember her?”
A small smile played on his lips. “Actually she took me to lunch and dinner,” he stated as he watched for any sign of emotion from her. “She’s an account rep for a marketing firm I was thinking of hiring,” he finally elaborated. “Why? Were you jealous?” he asked with a grin.
“NO!” she stated emphatically.
“Right,” he tipped her chin up to his and molded his lips to hers.
She kissed him back, slightly relieved. Her stomach fluttered as his hands skimmed down her torso and firmly gripped her hips as his tongue tested then eased into her mouth. He tasted like coffee, or maybe that was her…
“I have two hours before the car picks me up,” he whispered as his lips trailed to her neck. It didn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out what he meant by that as his erection was evident against her stomach.
“I…can’t,” she breathed out before quickly continuing, “I mean, there’s no way. I’m so…” sore, she completed in her head.
“So what, love?” He continued to explore the soft skin below her ear before his lips gave a small tug on her ear lobe. Hot fire seemed to shot from that spot to between her legs.
“I’m…I couldn’t even run this morning,” she admitted, thoroughly embarrassed. He pulled away from her, his thumbs brushing the skin on her flushed cheeks.
“I get it. And I apologize. I told you I usually have a bit more finesse, but to have you on my bed with your legs spread for me…” the intensity of his eyes probably matched the degree of color on her cheeks.
“You’re blushing, love,” he whispered. “That’s charming. Do you have any ice?” he asked, pushing away and turning toward the freezer as her confused eyes stared at his back. He opened the freezer door. “Aye, you do,” he said more to himself as he stepped to the side and opened a cabinet filled with glasses.
“What are you doing?” she asked as she watched him grab a handful from the bucket and plop the cubes into the glass before closing the door.
“You’ll see,” he stated before closing the distance between them and grabbing her hand.
“Come with me, Ms. Bennett,” he gave a firm tug as he attempted to lead her from the kitchen.
Her stocking-clad feet held no grip on the hardwood floor as she attempted to stop. Instead, she slid along in a ridiculous fashion as he continued to walk through the living room with her hand firmly grasped by his.
“Wait!” she protested.
“Sorry, love. Two hours. I’m not wasting a minute of it,” he interrupted her. He released her hand and just as quickly turned toward her before she could utter another word. Suddenly, his shoulder was at her waist and her body was hefted up and over as his arm held her tight. He began to climb the stairs with her body draped over him like a sack of potatoes.
“Ian!” she managed to utter as her breath rushed out.
“Anne, you’ll thank me for this later, love. Now be a good girl and shut yer geggy, eh?”
*****
“Mmm…Oh! Geez, I…” she gasped out as her legs clamped on either side of his head.
“Easy, I need this thing,” he laughed out as he pried them apart once again. “Just relax, love,” he looked up at her as a distinct crunching sound could be heard.
The next sweep of his tongue caused her hips to shoot off the mattress.
The sensation was completely foreign but intoxicatingly arousing. Hot and cold, teasing and soothing… and to think, she was protesting only a short while ago. Her hands fisted the sheets tightly before moving to his hair.
“Anne, darlin’. Let go, eh? I’m gonna be bald in about five years anyway, you don’t need to help speed up that process,” he murmured against her before another lick and a soft blow of breath.
“Sorry..ahhh…” she moved her hands back to the sheets before another sensation racked her body. Pressure was building accompanied by tingles causing her hands to clench the fabric like a vice.
“Do you like that?”
“Mmm, you’re very good at this,” she let out on a breath before it caught.
“I have to be. It’s a well-known fact that ugly men are better lovers, we have nothing else to recommend us,” he stated lightly before concentrating his efforts once again.
“You’re not ugly. You’re kidding, right?” Her head rose from the pillow to meet his gaze.
He didn’t look up.
“Are you fishing for compliments?” she added, mesmerized by the look of focus on his face.
“I’m fishing for an orgasm,” he muttered before his eyes shot to hers. “Give us one, eh?” His tongue darted inside and caused an almost instant shattering throughout her body. She yelled out something unintelligible, she was sure. Maybe he would tell her what it was later, but at the moment, she couldn’t have cared less.
*****
“Please, shut up.”
“Was that Swahili for ‘you’re a god’ or something like that?” he asked with a grin. Her hand immediately hid her face in her absolute mortification.
“It’s all right, love, let me see your face. Oh, you’re blushing again. I like that.” He kissed both cheeks before settling his head on his hand as he propped up on the pillow next to her. His other hand swept the hair from her forehead before he settled his palm on her cheek. Even in her embarrassment, she found it impossible to look anywhere else except at the eyes staring intently into hers. His fingers trailed down her neck and looped the neckline of her t-shirt.
“Can we please remove this?” he gave the material a flick before it fell back to her body.
“No,” she answered resolutely.
He let out a frustrated sigh and fixed her with a glare. “Fine,” he uttered before kissing the side of her mouth. “Some day?”
Her only answer was a shrug. He rolled his eyes before settling them on her once again.
“Tell me something about you,” he finally asked in a quiet voice.
Her gaze widened but she quickly masked the alarm that shook her.
“Wha…what do you want to know?”
“That depends. What do you want to tell me?”
Nothing.
“Ah…I like to cook?” she stated the first safe thing that came to mind.
“Noooo,” he breathed out sarcastically, “Right, like I didn’t know that. What else?”
She thought for a moment. “I skipped two grades in school?”
“That doesn’t surprise me; you seem like a rather smart person. Were your parents incredibly proud?” he asked so very casually and yet her body wanted to freeze up
at the mention.
“Ah…sure? So why do you think you’re ugly?” she asked quickly.
“Maybe ugly is too harsh a word. Let’s just say I won’t be winning any awards for this mug and leave it at that,” he stated before settling a soft kiss on her lips.
“You’re not ugly,” her hand lifted and involuntarily traced his jaw over his mouth and settled on the scar that marred his upper lip.
He immediately grabbed her hand, something flashing in his eyes before they were very expertly masked. He kissed her fingertips and settled her hand on her stomach.
“Thank you, but I think that was the orgasm talking. Anyway, back to you. Where did you grow up?” he asked intentionally. Her reactions were interesting to say the least.
“California,” she answered. That seemed safe enough.
“Big family, small family?”
That didn’t.
Her mouth opened before she quickly bit her bottom lip. “Average,” she answered cryptically and continued without giving him a chance to comment. “What about you? Brothers? Sisters? What was your childhood like?” she asked in an almost perturbed tone.
“Average,” he answered. They were playing some type of strange avoidance game, he realized as they continued to look at each other. Her wary expression probably matched his.
He decided to test the waters…
“And your parents?”
She sat up immediately. “You know, we have an hour left,” she stated almost breathlessly as she turned to regard him. “You’re still fully clothed,” she commented as she swept her eyes down his body.
“Well, yes. I wasn’t planning on…”
“I think it’s only fair that I return the favor…” she stated as she pushed him to his back and immediately began to unbutton his jeans.
“I won’t fight you,” he laughed out as he lifted his hips to help her along.
“Good to know,” she stated before her mouth surrounded him. She ran her tongue down the length of him, satisfied when a sharp intake of breath occurred. “Let’s see if you know any Swahili,” she stated and heard the softest laugh come from him. She brought her hands into the mix and his laugh turned to a moan. A satisfied grin formed on her lips before she took him in as far as she possibly could.
*****
“Why does a body this small need this many clothes?” He asked from behind her as she stood in the middle of the overstuffed walk-in closet searching for her robe.
“They seemed like a good idea at the time,” she mumbled absently before her hand found the fluffy white material. She yanked it off the hanger and immediately wrapped it around herself.
“You’re going to be late,” she breathed out as his arms captured her from behind and held her to him.
“I know. This has to be the worst feeling ever,” he stated truthfully in her ear before kissing it. “Come on, you can walk me to your door.” His hand grabbed hers and she followed much more obediently than she did coming up the stairs.
Not a word was spoken as he descended the staircase, or even when he turned to her at the front door. He just gathered her body to his, enveloping her in warmth; rubbing his hands up and down her back. A small groan of frustration rumbled in his throat as he held her. “Last chance to change your mind,” he stated softly before straightening to look at her.
“About what?”
“Coming with me,” he answered with the most sincere expression.
“You know? I honestly think you’re being serious…”
“I am. I’m going to…” he stopped himself before he said ‘miss you’ - too sappy for someone like Anne. Instead, his eyes fixed on hers in a more intense fashion. “Answer your phone, and when I text you, try your best to respond, eh?” he commanded in a forceful tone.
“Yes sir,” she responded lightly as she reached around him and opened the front door.
“I looove it when you say that,” he stated before walking to the threshold. He grabbed her to him, fixing his lips to hers, opening her mouth and kissing her with all the passion he felt before letting her go quickly. If he kissed her any longer, he would be cancelling yet another flight and rebooking. It just wasn’t possible, unfortunately.
“All right, Annie. I’ll just…”
“No. No ‘Annie’, no nicknames,” she admonished with a scowl on her face.
“You can call me Mac,” he answered back nonchalantly.
“Like the first time I met you?” she gave his chest a little push to ease him through the door.
“What? Some people actually do call me Mac. Besides, what’s wrong with Annie? I like it…” It makes you more…mine.
“It conjures up visions of some little girl with a red ‘fro and some creepy old guy…no thanks,” she stated in obvious amusement as she gave him one more little push, causing him to clear the door.
“Little Orphan Annie,” he stated absently with a crooked smile.
He watched the look of amusement drain from her face replaced by something far more serious, almost haunted.
He opened his mouth to say something but her words and the tone of her voice stopped him.
“Goodbye, Ian,” she stated almost woodenly as the door closed with a distinct click in front of him. He studied the wood grain on the door in front of his face for a few moments, debating on whether or not to knock.
That was strange.
She went from teasing to aloof in the space of three words. Unfortunately, he had a plane to catch. He took a step back, still watching the door as if it would suddenly open and she would explain herself.
Who was he kidding?
*****
Did he know?
She rested her stricken body against the hard door, hoping he didn’t knock. Her hand reached next to her, turning the lock with shaking fingers as heat seemed to rise from her neck to her head.
It could have been an innocent comment. It seemed like it. Besides, if he did know, he certainly wouldn’t come anywhere near her…
*****
The car wasn’t there yet, he noticed as he jogged up the drive, minutes later. Or at least, the black town car he ordered wasn’t. A small, easily recognizable compact took up residence near the front of the house, though. His frown of confusion turned up into a smile as he ran the rest of the way up the stairs and through the front door.
*****
“You scared the daylights out of me!” Irene stated almost dropping the phone from her hand.
“Do you always play on your phone while you’re supposed to be cleaning my house?” he answered in mock reprimand, leaning his body against the entry way to his study.
It was then that he noticed the sheen of moisture in her eyes. His smile turned down as concern set in. He pushed from the door immediately and walked across the wide expanse of the room toward her.
“What’s wrong, love?” he asked as he neared her. If this was any normal woman, he might have pulled her into a hug. Irene? Not a hugger…he placed his hands on his hips instead.
“This,” she stated after blowing out a lengthy breath and holding her phone up.
“What?” he asked as his eyes fixed on the object in her hand.
“Another text. That’s it. No phone calls, just her shitty texts. She thinks I’m going to yell at her,” she stated as she looked at the black screen. “Years ago? Yes. Now? I just want to talk to her,” she stated forlornly before wiping a tear from the corner of her eye.
Dawning set in. She was speaking of her daughter, Kelly, he realized. He grabbed one of Irene’s hands and tugged her toward the couch, ignoring the horn that just sounded outside.
“She’ll be back. It’s not like she hasn’t done this before,” he added casually as they sat.
“Not this long. She knows she screwed up. I bet she’s using again. I bet that’s why she doesn’t want to speak to me. She knows I’ll know,” Irene said before stuffing the phone in her pocket. “Enough about that. She just pisses me off. Let’s talk about why you’re here, again,”
she sniffed before swiping the tears from both eyes.
“Work, of course,” he answered. That wasn’t the only reason, but he wouldn’t divulge that to Irene. “Why are you cleaning my house on a Saturday?” he asked, changing the subject.
“I’m booked up all week, now. Economy’s good, everyone has money…besides, Caleb decided he wants to go to college and there isn’t much of George’s money left, so I’m working extra to help him out. I don’t have anything else going on…” she trailed off in a sarcastic tone as the horn sounded again. “What is that?” she asked as her head turned toward the source of the sound.
“My car. I’m flying back today,” he answered, making no attempt to stand up.
“When are you coming back?” she asked.
“No idea,” he answered truthfully. A sense of sadness pricked him thinking of Anne. He would miss her terribly.
“You look sad. Are you all right?” Irene asked, shaking him from his thoughts.
“I’m fine. I’d better get going,” he breathed out as he squeezed the small, weathered hand he still held in his.
“Good. It’s much quicker cleaning this house when no one is actually living in it,” she squeezed back giving him a slight smile. “Now, if we could just get rid of your tenant down the hill…” she stated, causing his eyes to snap to hers.
“Anne? What do you have against…Ms. Bennett?” he changed to a more appropriate name.
“Nothing, other than her mouth. She talks back to me. I don’t like it,” she grumbled.
“That’s because you’re not used to it. You two are very much alike, you know?”
“Pffft,” she snorted.
“She talks back to me, too,” he confided as the horn sounded again.
“So I heard. Well, at least I only have two more months of her…”
“Ms. Bennett can stay as long as she wants,” he stated absently as his eyes lifted toward the front window. He could see the driver walking around the back side of the car, heading toward the front door.
“Wonderful,” he heard her sarcastic reply before he looked down.
“Gotta go, love. You hang in there, all right? I’ll keep in touch, eh?” He planted a kiss on top of her gray head before straightening once again.
Absolute Zero Page 27