She swallowed, wondering how she could allow her mind to think that when it came to Tyson. A man whose favorite pastime was bedding women. All thoughts fled her mind when he began thrusting into her in long, hard strokes. The intensity of them shook her to the core. She understood why he told her to grab his shoulders when he began pounding into her at the same time he eased her back on the desk, nearly covering her body with his. Luckily, she had a big desk because they needed the space.
Suddenly Hunter’s body jerked from what seemed like an electrical shock that traveled through her body straight to her nerve endings. It was all she needed to push her over the edge. And Tyson joined her. She released a guttural scream mere seconds before he leaned in and took her mouth with a greedy kiss that swallowed up her cry. Just when she came down to earth, he moved against her again and she was hurled into yet another orgasm. Why had she ever claimed to be over this man?
* * *
“Glad we’re in agreement about that week.”
Hunter glanced over at Tyson as she slid back into her dress. He had gotten dressed and was leaning against her desk watching her do the same. No, they weren’t in agreement since she hadn’t agreed to anything. “We had tonight, Tyson. That’s the best I can do.”
“I want a week.”
“You got tonight.”
“I want a week, Hunter.”
He was persistent. After smoothing her dress down her body she stared at him. “Why, Tyson? What will a week do for you?”
“I’m convinced I’m a man possessed.”
Hunter raised a brow. “Possessed?”
“Yes, possessed by passion. Yours.”
Now she’d heard everything. She barely knew all the things to do in the bedroom so how could an experienced man like him get obsessed with her? It didn’t make much sense. She opened her mouth to ask the question but his words stopped her.
“Please don’t ask me to explain it, Hunter, because I can’t. All I know is that you’re the only woman I want and I need to know what we just did won’t be the last time. I need that week. I’ll even let you call the shots and set the grounds rules during that week if that’s what it takes. But I’ve got to get you out of my system for good.”
She hated to ask but she had to. “But what if that one week doesn’t work?”
He stared at her without saying anything, and she realized that in his mind it was simply not an option. “We’ll think positive. It has to work.”
She didn’t say anything for a minute as she remembered what they’d just done on her desk. A week of Tyson wouldn’t kill her. Besides, if she was honest with herself, she would admit that a part of her wanted him just as badly. She had craved his touch, had dreamed of him inside her. However, she wouldn’t go so far as to say she was possessed. She just hoped the week gave him what he wanted. Freedom from her once and for all.
“Fine. You’ll get your week, Tyson, but I’m setting the ground rules. If you think you’re going to keep me on my back 24/7 then you’re wrong. We will do other things.”
He arched his brow. “Other things like what?”
“I’ll think of something.”
“Yes, you do that, Hunter. In the meantime...”
He crossed the room to her, leaned forward and captured her lips with his.
Chapter 15
There had to be a reason he couldn’t get enough of Hunter, Tyson thought, recalling how after making love to her on her desk, they had gotten dressed only to end up making love a second time on the sofa in her office.
And how could he have almost forgotten to use a condom that first time? That was something he’d never done before with any woman. He had truly acted like a man possessed and he needed to get his life back on track. If he didn’t know better he would think Hunter was a witch. A beautiful, delicious and sensuous witch who was wreaking havoc on his brain cells to the point where he couldn’t think straight. Hell, he wasn’t thinking at all. When had he ever wanted to go a full week with any woman? But with him it hadn’t been an option. It had been about survival. And that’s what bothered him more than anything. When had he ever admitted to a woman that she was in his system like he was some kind of sex addict or something? Why hadn’t he been able to let go and walk away like he’d done with all the others? For the umpteenth time he had to ask himself, what made Hunter so different?
“You’re quiet tonight, Tyson.”
He glanced down the dinner table. Of course it had to be Mercury who noticed. “Don’t have anything to say.”
He had arrived late at his parents’ house for dinner. He knew his mother assumed he’d gotten detained at the hospital, but that was far from the truth. He had arrived in time to see the photos Galen and Brittany had been passing around of the twins, which had, luckily, deflected any questions about why he’d been late.
He noted these Thursday dinners were getting rather large with three of his brothers now married. And for the first time the grandkids were present, which had to be the reason his mother was smiling all over the place. Not to mention the growing family had given her an excuse to buy a new dining room table, one that seated fourteen people. Tyson could do the math. It was quite apparent that Eden Tyson Steele was counting on her three bachelor sons producing wives to fill the vacant seats at the table one day.
“Oh, you’re in one of those moods,” Gannon said, grinning. “That’s what happens when you prepare dinner for a woman.”
That got everyone’s attention. “You prepared dinner?” Galen asked, surprised. Anyone who knew him knew he didn’t cook for himself, much less for anyone else.
“I ordered take-out. No big deal.”
“You actually fed a woman?” Jonas asked, staring at him with disbelief.
He glared at his brother. “Like I said, Jonas, no big deal.” Usually he didn’t get agitated easily, especially with his siblings, but for some reason tonight he was. He should be overjoyed Hunter had granted him another week, but there was that risk that it wouldn’t be enough. Then where would he be?
“I ran into Ingrid McKay today at the grocery store,” his mother said, eyeing him speculatively. “You didn’t mention that Hunter McKay had moved back to town.”
He stared at his mother, wondering why she would bring that up...especially now. And as far as mentioning it to her, he hadn’t known she even knew Hunter. Had she kept a log of every girl he’d hit on in high school? “I didn’t mention it because I didn’t think it was a big deal. I didn’t even know you knew Hunter.”
“Of course I know Hunter. She was Reverend McKay’s granddaughter. She sang in the choir and had an awesome voice. I also recall she was a beautiful girl with impeccable manners. How could I not know her when we attended the same church?”
But so did four hundred other people, Tyson thought, taking a sip of his iced tea.
According to his mother Hunter had a nice voice. He’d heard Hunter scream a lot of times but never sing. Nor could he recall her singing whenever he attended church back in the day. Must have been those Sundays when he’d dozed off during the service.
“Hunter McKay,” Jonas said, smiling. “I remember her from high school. We graduated together. Isn’t she the one who dumped you, Tyson?”
Tyson glared at Jonas for the second time that night. “She didn’t dump me.”
“That’s not the way I heard it,” Galen said, grinning.
“Well, you heard wrong.”
Brittany, who seemed to have acquired the role of peacemaker since marrying Galen, spoke up and changed the subject. “I forgot to mention that Jonas wants to use the twins in his next marketing campaign. Isn’t that wonderful?”
Tyson gave Brittany an appreciative smile. Everyone at the table got so caught up with her announcement that any further conversation about Tyson and Hunter was abruptly forgotten.
He took a sip of his tea and glanced across the table at Eli, who was looking at him with a grin on his face. Eli was the only one who’d known of his plan to pursue Hunter.
He was grateful Eli was the brother who knew how to keep his mouth shut, although he liked giving his opinion much too often to suit Tyson. He couldn’t help wondering what Eli found amusing since he still had that silly-looking grin on his face. Then Tyson remembered. Eli had warned him about getting possessed by passion. Damn. For once he wished he’d taken his brother’s warning to heart. Now he had a feeling he was way over his head where Hunter was concerned.
* * *
Hunter began drying off her body with the huge towel. She much preferred taking showers, but tonight a good hot soak had done wonders for her body, a body that had gone through intense lovemaking with Tyson Steele.
She hadn’t counted on him taking her on her desk and her sofa, all in the same afternoon. In all honesty, she hadn’t counted on being taken at all.
And now she had agreed to spend a week with him. Because of that decision she could see herself taking even more baths. But like she’d told him, their week would be filled with more than just lovemaking. One sure way to get her out of his system, if she was as deeply embedded into it as he claimed, was to come up with activities he didn’t do with women. The thought made her smile. In the end he would thank her.
His admission still baffled her. Personally, if she felt possessed by any man he would certainly be the last one to know it. But Tyson had pretty much placed his cards on the table without any care as to how she played them. Just as long as he got his week with her. That was the craziest thing she’d ever heard.
Still, she couldn’t discount the changes making love with Tyson had done to her and for her. Thanks to him she now knew firsthand just what an ass Carter had been, especially in the bedroom. And thanks to Tyson she had discovered a lot about her own sexuality. He’d opened a door to sensual exploration and adventure for her. With Tyson nothing was taboo, nothing was off-limits or forbidden. He wouldn’t be the only one using this week to his advantage. She would, too, but for different reasons. For her it would be a week of sexual journeys and sensuous excursions. But the big question for her was how to keep her emotions out of the equation. For Tyson this was about sex and nothing more and she had to remember that. More than once she’d felt a pull at her heart whenever they made love. She had to fight hard not to get lust mixed up with love.
Hunter had slid into her nightgown and was about to grab a magazine off her coffee table to read in bed when the sound of her doorbell startled her. She could think of only one person showing up at her place tonight. Hadn’t they made love twice already today? He’d warned her that he was a greedy ass. Now she was beginning to believe him.
Dismissing the rush of desire moving up her spine, she put down the magazine and went to her door. A quick look out the peephole confirmed her suspicions. It was Tyson.
She fought back the sensations she felt just knowing he was on the other side of that door. The thought that she was beginning to be just as insatiable as he didn’t sit well with her. Releasing a deep sigh mixed with frustration and desire, she opened the door.
He stood there and held her gaze. Although she didn’t want to, her body felt heated from his deep, penetrating stare. Blood was rushing to every part of her body and she knew there was no way to stop it. Instead of saying anything, she moved aside for him to enter. And when he walked past her she inhaled his rich, masculine scent. The same one she’d washed off her skin less than an hour ago.
He paused in the middle of her living room. Hunter was surprised he hadn’t just headed straight for the bedroom. Tyson was arrogant enough to do so. He turned and she felt the heat of his gaze as it moved up and down her baby-doll nightgown.
“Believe it or not, Hunter, this isn’t a booty call,” he finally said, breaking the silence.
She leaned back against her closed door. “Is there a new name for it now?” She wouldn’t be surprised if he’d coined his own term.
“I didn’t come here to make love to you...although I have no qualms about doing so if you want.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and ignored how his gaze moved to her breasts. She felt her nipples harden. “Then why are you here?”
A smile touched the corners of his lips, so adorable she had to blink to make sure it was real. “I decided to drop by tonight, Hunter, because I want to hear you sing.”
* * *
Tyson loved Hunter’s facial expressions whenever he caught her off guard. He’d shocked her again. Without waiting for an invitation he took a seat on her sofa.
“Sing?” she asked. “What makes you think I can sing?”
“My mother. She mentioned it over dinner.” At another shocked look, he smiled. They just kept on coming.
“Why would your mother bring up my name at dinner?” she asked, leaving her place at the door to sit down in the wingback chair in the living room.
“She ran into your mother at the grocery store and found out you’d moved back to town. She wanted to know why I hadn’t mentioned it to her. I told her I didn’t even know she knew you. That’s when she said you used to be in the choir at church and had a nice voice.”
Hunter smiled. “That was kind of her to think so. I’m surprised she remembered. That was years ago.”
Tyson chuckled. “My mother rarely forgets anything, trust me. So are you going to sing for me?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Other than humming occasionally when I take a shower, I haven’t sung in years.”
“So? I’d like to hear you sing.”
“Why?”
Tyson wasn’t sure. All he knew was that when he left his parents’ home he had wanted to come straight here and get her to sing for him. “I just want to hear you, that’s all.”
She stared at him for a minute and he knew she was trying to figure him out. He wanted to tell her not to waste her time, when lately even he hadn’t been able to figure out his actions, at least not when it came to her.
“Fine,” she finally said. “Is there a particular song you want to hear?”
“Anything by Whitney Houston.”
He saw the smile that spread across her lips and it stirred his insides. “Throw me a real challenge, will you? But okay, I got this. Lucky for you I happen to love all her songs.” Easing from her chair, she grinned. “I really feel silly doing this, but you asked for it. Here goes.”
And then while he watched she threw her head back, closed her eyes and began belting out “The Greatest Love of All.”
Tyson sat there spellbound, mesmerized and totally captivated. His mother was right. Hunter had an awesome voice and listening to her sing touched him deeply. There were so many facets of Hunter McKay and he wondered if her husband had appreciated every single one. Apparently not.
He couldn’t take his eyes off her, standing there in the middle of her living room, singing for him and him alone. She appeared shrouded in sensuality and his pulse throbbed at the effect she was having on him. It was crazy. It didn’t make much sense. Yet it was happening. Hunter McKay was drawing everything out of him and without very much effort.
Moments later when she finished and opened her eyes, she stared across the room at him, a tentative smile touching her lips. “Okay. I’m done.”
Tyson knew in all honesty, so was he. Hunter had done him in. He felt his heart pounding in his chest. She looked beautiful standing there in her short lacy nightgown that showed off a pair of beautiful legs. It sounded crazy but he was beginning to think this entire thing with Hunter was more than her being deeply embedded in his system. It was more than him being possessed by her passion. And he needed this week to figure it out.
Standing, he clapped his hands. “Bravo. You were excellent. Superb. If you ever quit your day job you can—”
“Become a backup singer for Prince? That was my childhood dream for the longest time.”
He chuckled. “Was it?”
“Yes.”
“If you didn’t make it, then it was his loss.” He crossed the room to her. “Thanks for singing for me.
Mom was right. I had no idea. You have a beautiful voice.”
She shrugged. “Carter never thought so. He claimed I always sang off-key.”
Tyson shook his head. “The more I hear about your ex-husband, the more I believe you were right.”
She raised a brow. “About what?”
“About him being a bastard.” He then leaned down and placed a light kiss on her lips. “Walk me to the door.”
Another shocked look appeared on her face. “You’re leaving?”
“Yes.” He took her hand as he headed toward the door. “I have surgeries in the morning, but call me tomorrow afternoon to let me know of your plans for our weekend. I have the entire weekend off.”
“All right.”
Before he opened the door he couldn’t resist taking her into his arms and devouring her mouth. He knew leaving her alone tonight would be hard but it was something he had to do. Hunter was a puzzle he had to piece together for his peace of mind.
When he released her mouth, he whispered against her moist lips. “Good night.”
“Good night, Tyson.”
And then he opened the door and walked out.
Chapter 16
“This is Dr. Steele. May I help you?”
Hunter loved the sexy sound of Tyson’s voice. “Yes, Dr. Steele, this is Hunter and you can definitely help me.”
She heard the richness of his chuckle and wished it didn’t make her pulse rate increase. “And what can I do for you, Ms. McKay?”
“I thought we’d take in a movie tonight. Anything you prefer seeing?”
There was silence on his end and Hunter knew why. Rumor had it that if Tyson Steele took a woman out, his bedroom was as far as they got. This week wouldn’t be status quo for him. He’d said she could set the ground rules and she had.
“Doesn’t matter,” he finally said. “Anything you want to see will be fine with me. I’ll pick you up at seven. Is that a good time for dinner and a movie?”
She was surprised at his suggestion of dinner. “Yes, seven is fine. I’ll see you then.”
Possessed by Passion Page 14