She was experiencing a seductive power she’d never felt before, mainly because she’d never given herself the opportunity to feel it. But now she had the time and definitely the desire. Would he take her up on her invitation?
“Yes, Adele, I would love to join you.”
She watched him slide his masculine body into the chair across from her, without breaking eye contact. “Are you American?” she asked, figuring he probably was, but deciding to pretend she wasn’t sure.
“Yes. And you’re French, right?”
Now came the lie. It was her lie, and she intended to stick to it. Nodding, she said, “I guess my accent gives me away.”
“Yes, but you speak pretty good English,” he said.
“Thanks. So, what brings you to Paris, Cort?”
He leaned back in his chair. “A celebration. I just finished law school and passed the bar exam. I’m here to celebrate with my two best friends. However, they won’t arrive for a few days. I decided to fly in early since I’m the only one of the three of us who hasn’t been to Paris before.”
She smiled over at him. “You’re going to love it here.”
“I already do.”
There was something in the way he’d said those words that made her think she had something to do with it, but she wasn’t sure. All she knew was that his assertion caused heat to spread through her.
At that moment, the waitress came to take his order. He glanced over at her glass. “What are you drinking?”
“Peach wine.”
He nodded and glanced up at their waitress. “Please bring me a glass of the same. In fact, bring a bottle.”
The waitress nodded and then walked off. Cort turned back to her and asked, “Have you ever been to the United States?”
“Yes, years ago, with my parents.” Another lie.
“What part?”
“Florida. Disney World.”
His chuckle was rich and seductive. “I should have known. That’s a very popular tourist spot in my country.”
The waitress returned with his glass and the bottle of wine. When the woman left, Cort refilled Victoria’s glass, which was almost empty. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” He took a sip of his wine while looking at her over the rim of his glass. “I don’t know my way around your city. How would you like to show me around? There’s a lot to see and do here.”
“Yes, there is,” she agreed. Was a day all he wanted? How would he feel when he realized she wanted more? She’d need a night with him, too, to get what she needed done accomplished. But a day was a start. She’d just have to make sure he wanted more. “I’d love to be your personal tour guide.”
And it had been just that easy. She and Cort had spent the day walking around the city, and sometimes taking the bus. They visited the Louvre Museum, several of the cathedrals, and the Palace of Versailles. When he mentioned something about seeing the botanical gardens, she suggested that he put it off for another day. She couldn’t risk going to the place she worked and have someone recognize her.
They saved the Eiffel Tower for last, since she’d told him how exciting it was to see Paris at night. Once they got up to the top and looked out, he agreed it was beautiful, but gently stroked the side of her face as he said it. The hand that had touched her, the same hand that at some point had begun holding her hand as they went from one sight-seeing attraction to another, felt strong and warm. And every time he touched her, she felt her heart beat wildly in her chest.
He suggested dinner at 58 Tour Eiffel Restaurant, which offered them a breathtaking view of Paris at night. She was giddy with desire by that point, and would have agreed to just about anything.
Dinner was delicious and they topped it off with white wine. Everything was perfect…the time they’d spent sightseeing and now dinner. She loved how thoughtful he was, and how attentive. And although they’d just met, she felt safe with him. He was a man a woman could fall hard for, if she wasn’t careful.
When her phone rang, she knew who was calling. Sebrina had texted her several times that day and she hadn’t responded. She figured her cousin was worried about her, which was why she’d decided to call now.
“Your boyfriend calling?”
She shook her head. “I don’t have a boyfriend.”
“I find that hard to believe.”
“Why? Because you have a girlfriend?” she asked, deciding to fish since he was.
“No, I don’t. Haven’t had one of those in quite some time.”
One of those? It sounded as if thought a girlfriend was a nuisance. Her phone stopped ringing. “It was my cousin. She hasn’t heard from me all day and is probably wondering where I am. She’ll call back, trust me.” No sooner had she said that, her phone began ringing again.
“I better get it this time, or she’ll send the police to look for me.” Then she added, “She doesn’t speak English every well, so I’ll need to speak in French.”
He nodded. “I understand.”
She was glad at that moment that Sebrina’s French was just as fluent as hers. Cort had told her he didn’t speak a lick of French, although he did know some Spanish. She clicked on the phone. “Bonjour.”
“Don’t ‘Bonjour’ me, Victoria Adele Bennett. Why haven’t you answered my texts? Where are you? Did you and that guy hook up? Why haven’t you sent me a picture of him just to be safe?”
Sebrina was throwing too many questions out there and Victoria wasn’t really in the position to answer them all. So instead, she responded in French, “I am fine. Don’t worry. Everything is going according to plan. I will call with details tomorrow.” She then ended the call in a happy tone saying, “Au revoir.”
“I hope you assured her that you were okay.”
She glanced over at Cort. “Yes, I did.” Now would be a good time to tell him that her cousin wanted her to take a picture of him, just in case. So why was she putting her phone away in her backpack?
The waiter came to their table, and Cort took care of their dinner bill. “Thanks.”
“You are welcome, Adele.” He didn’t say anything for a minute, then added, “It’s still early. Would you like to join me somewhere?” he asked after they’d left the restaurant. They were holding hands and she could barely think straight. But it had been that way since meeting him. Her body was receptive to everything about him. Even now, she was caught up in his scent. He smelled so darn good.
She swallowed the lump in her throat. She knew what he was suggesting — a totally physical, emotion-free affair. One night. That’s all she needed. Not to seem anxious, she played coy and asked, “Join you where, Cort?”
“Someplace private, where we can really get to know each other.” He paused for a moment, then added. “My hotel room.”
He’d invited her to the very place she wanted to go. Yet for some reason, she suddenly felt unsure of not only herself, but of the situation. Although they’d spent a lot of time together today, they had avoided sharing any personal information. He thought she was a student — which she was — but she hadn’t corrected him when, more than once, he’d mentioned her attending the University of Paris. She wanted to believe he’d been truthful when he’d said he’d just finished law school and was there, waiting for his friends, to start celebrating. But what if he hadn’t been? Knowing what she wanted from him, did it matter?
No, it didn’t. Although she’d never been any guy’s one-night stand before, she desperately wanted to be his. “I’d like to join you in your hotel room, Cort.”
At that moment, the look in his eyes all but set her entire body ablaze. “Do you think your cousin will worry if you’re gone for a couple of days?”
She lifted a brow. “A couple of days?” How did a one-night stand move to a two-day one?
He reached out and took her hand, slowly running his fingers along her wrist and making her skin sizzle. “Yes. I want more than just one night with you, Adele.”
More than one night. She licked her lips, wond
ering what made him ask for more than tonight. But there was no need to pretend she didn’t want to spend as much time with him as she could. Still…
“Tell me exactly what you want, Cort.”
“Three nights.”
She swallowed. “That’s an entire weekend.”
He nodded as a broad smile touched his lips. “Yes, it is. So, will you spend the entire weekend with me, Adele?”
Three nights with him… The thought of being in his bed for three nights was more than she’d intended. All she’d wanted to do was lose her virginity, not have her mind blown in the process. And she had no doubt that would be the result.
Victoria had heard her cousins talk about sex and knew what to expect, but she had a feeling Cort would go beyond those expectations. He would test the limits of her endurance, push buttons she didn’t think she had. Yet, for some strange reason, she was more than a little tempted. Wasn’t it time for her to take a walk on the wild side? To swim in uncharted waters? To partake of forbidden fruit?
“The entire weekend? Are you sure?” she asked. That meant she’d be with him Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights, saying goodbye on Monday morning.
That was the day he’d mentioned that his friends would be arriving. Did he only want her as entertainment while waiting for them to get here? So, what if he did? It wasn’t as if she was in love with him or vice versa. All it would be was a weekend fling — something she wanted as much as he did.
“I’m positive, Adele.”
She nibbled on her bottom lip as she saw the flash of passion in his eyes. She was feeling lightheaded just from the way he was looking at her. It was as if nobody else in the world existed but them. Never had she felt such primal attraction for any man… That was how she knew he was the one.
She’d spent the last five years at the university, first getting a bachelor’s degree and now working on her master’s. She could use a night to let loose, as well as a way to rid herself of her virginity. If she was going to take it as far as a one-night stand, why not enjoy Cort a few days longer?
It sounded simple, but she knew there was more to it. Cort was a man few women would be able to resist. And she wanted him, desperately. Already sexual excitement was curling her stomach. If he wanted three nights, why not?
Still, she was used to being in control of any situation — especially when it came to men. Thanks to her father and grandfather, she knew better than to give her heart away.
She would let him assume he was calling the shots, when in fact, she’d be doing it. “Yes, Cort. I will give you an entire weekend.”
CORTEZ MASTERS STEPPED ASIDE, letting Adele enter his hotel room. After closing the door behind them, he leaned back against it, allowing his gaze to roam all over her. That was something he hadn’t been able to stop doing all day. And he had been unable to keep his hands off of her, even if it was just to hold her hand. Luckily, she didn’t seem to mind.
She looked good in shorts and a blouse. She had a gorgeous pair of legs on her. His gaze slid up to her face. She was a beautiful woman, and he’d felt an intense, immediate attraction to her. He’d never before invited a woman to his hotel room; especially one he’d met just that day. But there was something about Adele that was different.
And he had asked her to spend the entire weekend with him.
That had been odd, as well. He and his brothers, Cobra and Colton, were triplets, and out of the three of them, it was Cobra who considered himself the ladies’ man, the one who lived for one-night stands and meaningless affairs. Colton, not so much. And Cortez, not at all. He’d stopped having a steady girlfriend when he’d left for college because he’d been determined to focus on his studies and not get seriously involved with a woman. He had too many dreams to be sidetracked by a pretty face.
That didn’t mean he hadn’t dated now and then, especially after learning about the master’s high testosterone levels. However, he usually had Dahlia to take care of those needs. He and Dahlia Fulmer had met his sophomore year at Harvard. Like him, she’d intended to continue on to law school. And like him, she had big plans that didn’t include getting seriously involved with anyone in the near future.
They had become good friends, and within months of meeting had transitioned into being friends with benefits. The arrangement had worked for both of them. She was his go-to girl and he was her go-to guy. People assumed they were a couple, which kept other interested parties away. And because they both planned to become attorneys, they’d had a lot of classes together.
Their friends-with-benefits relationship had lasted until their last year of law school. Then, on a summer trip with her parents to Toronto, she had met someone. She’d fallen for the guy the moment she’d seen him, and the feelings had been mutual.
Ending their relationship had been necessary, but they hadn’t ended their friendship. Dahlia had gotten married just weeks ago, and she and her physician husband seemed to be extremely happy. And he was happy for her.
“You have a nice hotel room, Cort.”
Adele’s words brought him back to the present and turned his attention solely on her. He immediately picked up on her nervousness, and that was the last thing he wanted. The first thing he wanted was her. On the way to his hotel, he wondered if he’d been too bold in asking her to come here with him. But he’d quickly realized their attraction was mutual. He saw the way she looked at him when she thought he wasn’t looking…and when she knew he was. She wanted him as much as he wanted her. His male pride swelled.
“Can I get you anything? The room has a mini-bar.”
She shook her head, and he liked the way the thick, silky strands of her hair cascaded around her shoulders. “No, I’m fine.”
He nodded. “Do you want to talk?” He’d rather they didn’t, but he didn’t want to rush her. They would be spending three nights together. Maybe they should get to know each other better first.
She removed her purse from her shoulder and placed it on the nightstand. “What I’d like is for you to kiss me.”
He smiled, pleased that she was a woman who knew what she wanted and didn’t have a problem asking for it. There would be no game-playing between them. Just pleasure and satisfaction. He would see to it.
He crossed the room and gently pulled her into his arms. The moment their bodies touched, he drew in a deep breath. Touching her this way was so much more intense than just holding her hand. Needing the kiss as much as she did, he lowered his mouth to hers.
When their mouths connected, he felt an electrical charge pass through him. He hadn’t been involved with another woman since Dahlia, and that had been fine with him. Passing the bar had been his top priority. But now he wondered if going without sex for so long had made him needy. Then he mentally took a step back. His sexual drought might have played a small part in how he was feeling, but he knew it was the woman in his arms who was the game-changer.
There was just something about the feel of her chest pressed against his, the way he could decipher the tightness of her nipples against the fabric of her blouse against his own shirt that drove him crazy. And he couldn’t help but enjoy the enthusiastic way she returned his kiss, swirling her tongue around his and letting him know she was enjoying it as much as he was.
He slowly pulled away, and they both drew in deep, long breaths. A long, silence fell between them and he just held her, loving the feel of having her in his arms. He’d never been a man who would take advantage of a woman. His parents had raised him and his brothers better than that. So before they went any farther, he needed to make sure she hadn’t changed her mind about being here with him.
“Are you sure about this, Adele?” he asked, leaning in close enough to see the look in her eyes when she answered.
She stared up at him, and from her expression he could tell she was mulling over his question. Good. He wanted to know, for sure, that this was something she wanted. “Yes, I’m absolutely sure.”
He hadn’t realized he’d been holding his breath un
til she spoke. And she had given him the answer he’d been hoping for. Her desire for him came through in the way she looked at him — as if she couldn’t wait to have her way with him.
“So, tell me, Cort,” she said, reaching up to put her arms around his neck. “Are you going to give me what I want?”
The chuckle from his throat was edgy, and unmistakably rough. “I’ll give you anything you want, Adele. And then some.”
Victoria seriously doubted Cort knew how much courage she’d had to conjure up to play the part of the vixen — a woman who knew what she was doing and what she wanted. She was sure he had no idea that she’d never done anything like this before.
However, what she was used to was being in control. And that was what was driving her now. She knew what she wanted from him, and she intended to have it. A part of her wished she could level with him about why she was there, but she didn’t dare, in case he showed her the door. She’d read enough to know that most men had a problem with taking a woman’s virginity.
But then he was kissing her again, and she could barely stand upright for the emotions flooding through her. She’d been kissed a number of times, but never like this. His first kiss had been greedy but gentle. But not anymore. Now he was devouring her mouth in a scandalous sort of way. This kiss was making her dizzy with desire. She was trying to keep up with him, but wasn’t doing a great job of it. What if he discovered she wasn’t as experienced as he thought she was?
But with the way he was kissing her, she couldn’t bring herself to care. She’d worry about that when and if that time came. Right now, she couldn’t get enough of him.
When he suddenly released her mouth, she stared into his eyes and saw desire in their dark depths.
“Are you ready to take things to the next level?”
She was unsure what the next level was exactly, although she did have an idea. “Yes,” she said in a voice that didn’t quite sound like her own.
THE BENNETTS' WEDDING (The Bennett Family and the Masters Family Book 5) Page 16