by Lynda Chance
She leaned toward him and softly kissed him on the lips. “Only enough to be dangerous,” she whispered, smiling.
His hand left her breast and sank into her hair. “You are dangerous,” he said with a hint of something indeterminable in his voice. “Do you want to go with me?”
Her pulse accelerated. “Are you serious?”
“Sure. We can leave whenever,” he answered with a hint of satisfaction in his tone.
She licked her lips and took a deep breath. “Okay … can I ask you something?”
His eyes narrowed, a diabolical smile lifting the corners of his mouth. “What’s that?”
“Does that door have a lock on it?”
His eyes reflected heat. “Yeah.”
“And can I lock it?” she asked softly, holding her breath.
Chapter Ten
Could she lock it? Garrett’s cock came to immediate, screaming attention. “Yeah,” he got out gruffly. She slid away from him and walked across the room with a grace that he knew she didn’t even realize she had. As she flipped the deadbolt into place, he stood to his feet and waited as she came back to him.
When she did nothing but stand in front of him, his dick engorged as his hands fell to her shoulders. “What do have in mind?” Fuck, he’d agree to anything.
“I think you have a beautiful view,” she said softly as her eyes went to the window behind him.
“Yeah,” he bit out, not taking the time to look away from her.
“Can you sit in your chair?”
He didn’t need to be asked twice. He fell back into the seat, his blood pulsing hot and hard through his veins at her possible intentions.
When she fell to her knees in front of him, he almost had a coronary. Just breathe, Rule. Her hands went to the fastening of his slacks, and as she began fumbling inexpertly, a blush covered her cheeks and his cock jerked in response. Did she have a clue? Did she understand that she held a charm that was like an uncontrollable force reeling him in? Did she know that her softness mesmerized him to such a degree that it had become a craving, a need he couldn’t resist?
Unable to wait much longer, he helped her to release his zipper, and then he made an adjustment, getting himself ready for what she wanted.
She stared at his cock, making it jerk and throb for attention, but he knew that, this time, he’d need more than her mouth on him, and he wanted to be ready. “Just a minute, baby.”
She glanced up at him, a flush on her face, and he pointed to the skirt she was wearing. “Panties. Off.”
She licked her lips and he felt the immediate reaction in his guts. “This isn’t about me, Garrett.”
“No? I disagree. This is always about you. Take them off.”
As if she had a mind to drive him crazy, she turned away and lifted her skirt, and then, slowly, exquisitely, she slid her panties down her hips and stepped out of them. She performed the maneuver gracefully and modestly, and the fact that she’d done it without showing him anything was about to make him pop his wad.
He reached out and grabbed her hand, and then brought her to her knees. “You sure you want this?”
Her eyes flared in reaction and in answer to his question, she lowered her head. She wrapped her hand around the base of his cock, and her lips enclosed the tip. She took a tentative taste and lust surged through his bloodstream, landing with a force in his guts that almost brought him out of his seat. He hardened even more, and with a small moan in response to his reaction, she took him inside her mouth and began sucking.
His hands found the arms of his chair and he braced himself. He watched the dark fall of her hair covering his lap, felt the wet heat of her mouth where he’d dreamed of it more times than he could fucking count, and he knew that his life, in that moment, was as damn near to perfect as it would ever get.
He let her have her way for maybe thirty more seconds, because that was all he could take without coming. He’d have it that way one day soon … but for now, he needed to sink inside of her wet heat, wanting to feel her come even more than he wanted his own satisfaction.
He was nearly at the end of his control, but he took about five more seconds for himself, thrusting his hands into her hair and directing her movements, holding her there, pushing her down over him, and when he knew he couldn’t trust himself anymore, he moved his hands to her upper arms and pulled her up.
An almost-drugged look of desire lit her eyes when she opened them. “What?” she whispered, her mouth shiny and swollen, trying to wriggle away from his tight hold, trying to go back down on him.
He groaned and lifted her, jerked her skirt up to her waist, pushed her thighs apart until she was straddling him. He pushed his fingers into her hair, and with her eyes on his, told her what he wanted. “Fuck me, baby.”
He felt her thighs quiver, and he held a hand at her back as he adjusted her to the place where he wanted her. He felt her tight opening catch on the head of his cock; she was so hot, so wet, so clearly ready for him. “That’s it, baby. I want you to come on me—I want you to fuck me.”
Her eyes flared as she began to slide onto him. It felt like magic, like heaven on earth, and he knew in that split second he wasn’t going to be able to give her up any time soon, if ever. He saw his life flash before his eyes, and in every frame, she was there, exactly where he wanted her to be. Contentment bled with fierce arousal, and he gripped her harder. She was over him all the way now, he was seated within her to the hilt. Lust ripped through his insides. His arms wrapped around her and he was unable to control his voice. “Ride me.”
She let out a tiny mewl and lifted herself, sending a stroke of anticipation down his spine. She slid back down and ecstasy hit his brain cells. He found her hips and began jerking her up and down, gritting his teeth and dragging oxygen in and out of his lungs. “That’s it,” he panted. “That’s perfect.”
“Yes, perfect.” she moaned.
His hand slid back into her hair and he pulled her head back until she was looking straight into his eyes. “Never again. Just me. Only me. You fuck me and only me, nobody else will ever touch you again for as long as I live, you understand me?”
He felt her breath catch in her throat and then her eyes closed as euphoria engulfed them both.
****
Later that evening, they were sitting at a table in a restaurant overlooking the river. They’d finished their entrees, and Maria was absently picking at a chocolate dessert she’d been unable to resist, but now, under Garrett’s relentless observation, she found she couldn’t eat much of it. A bottle of wine sat between them, but they’d barely touched it.
He picked up her free hand, and twirled her fingers through his. “So, I was thinking … “ he trailed off and Maria’s stomach tensed. She kept her eyes firmly on her plate, her messed-up feelings causing an imbalance that was sending darts of apprehension down her spine.
As she stared down, slowly moving the chocolate around, avoiding his eyes, he began again, his fingers trailing over the hand he still held caught in his. “Why don’t you stay here … with me?”
Her fork fell from her fingers with a clatter as she glanced up. “I’m sorry … what?”
“It would be good—there’s plenty of room for both of us at the lake house.”
“You want me to move in with you?” No way. Well, sure, maybe, if he loved her. But the ‘L’ word hadn’t come up between them, and she wasn’t about to throw it out there first. What did she want from him, exactly? Surely it was too soon to expect a declaration—but without one, she needed to get home, back to the hotel.
“Why not?” He shrugged, and a look came over his features as if the conversation meant little to him. His dispassionate reaction gave her no confidence.
“Because I live in Miami,” she said. “And run your hotel there, that’s why.” Give me something definitive to build on, please.
“Shit changes, Maria. Nothing ever stays the same. We can get somebody else to run the hotel.”
Shit chan
ges? That was hardly the declaration of love she was only now admitting to herself she was looking for, although she had to give him points for using the ‘we’ pronoun, as if the hotel belonged to them both. “I can’t just pick up and move here, Garrett.”
“Why not?” he asked again, his expression set in stone.
“I think a better question would be … why?” Please, please, please. Just say it, say something.
“Why?” He repeated as he released her hand and crossed his arms over his chest. “Because distance sucks, that’s why.”
God, that was romantic. “That’s why airplanes were made,” she said defensively.
“I don’t want to get on a goddamn plane every time—” He stopped himself as if he was about to say something that was too crude.
Maria held his eyes for as long as she could before looking away. She swore to God, she wasn’t going to let a single tear fall. Wasn’t going to happen. She steeled her spine and composed herself, and then looked at him once more. “Well, I don’t see any other way. You could move to Florida, I guess.” Right. Like that was going to happen.
“I can’t move to Florida, Maria,” he said sharply.
“Well, I can’t move to St. Louis, Garrett.”
A sudden rush of anger sent a flush of heat over his face. “You could if you fucking wanted to,” he accused.
“That’s undoubtedly true. If I had a good enough reason—but I don’t think hot sex is a good enough reason, you know?” There. Take that.
He stared at her but had no comeback. He began drumming his fingers on the table as if pissed, and when the waiter passed by, he raised his hand and signaled for the check, making her stomach plummet in disappointment.
****
Two weeks later
Maria walked through the lobby on her way to her office. Why in the hell couldn’t she get her mind off of Garrett and back on her job where it belonged? Could it possibly be because every day since she’d boarded the plane that had brought her back to Miami, she’d received a text from him? A text that read the same thing, day after day. Nobody touches.
Always short and succinct. She’d never bothered responding. He knew where he could find her if he wanted to see her, but she had to admit, just that one small form of communication from him every day was reassuring.
“Maria,” Beth whispered and caught her arm as she rounded the corner of the reception desk.
“What’s up?” Maria stalled in her tracks at the flushed look on Beth’s face.
“You know Garrett just arrived?” the girl whispered, looking around as if they were telling top secrets.
A whole mess of crap emotions exploded in Maria’s head. “When?”
“About fifteen minutes ago. I texted you,” Beth said, frowning, letting her know she hadn’t bothered answering.
That was sort of true. Maria hadn’t bothered looking at her phone. “Is he upstairs? Or in the offices?”
“Upstairs,” Beth answered. “There’s another thing,” the girl went on, whispering again. “That man is waiting for you in your office.”
Maria stalled in her tracks again. “What man?”
Beth looked as if she’d seen a flesh-eating zombie. “That guy from the Keys. Maximo Villareal.”
“He’s here? Now?” Maria asked, dumbstruck. Two arrogant men in one day? Great. Lucky her.
“Yes,” Beth hissed in a whisper, jerking her head toward the back offices.
“How long has he been here?”
“Maybe three minutes.” Beth answered, still in a whisper. “I sent you a text,” Beth said again, accusingly.
Maria ignored that. “Did he ask for Garrett?” she asked uneasily.
In answer, Beth began shaking her head, her eyes wide.
“He asked for me?” Maria heard herself all but screech.
“Yes,” the other woman said firmly.
“Why?” she asked, although Maria knew the other woman probably wouldn’t have the answer.
Beth bit her lip and shrugged her shoulders, a perplexed look on her face.
“Okay.” Maria said, taking a breath. “No time like the present, I guess. Look, if we’re still in there in ten minutes, knock on the door and make up an excuse to get me out of there, okay?”
“You got it.” Beth agreed, her eyes lighting with a fire that told Maria the girl would protect her if she could.
“Thanks.” Maria turned away and ran her hands down her skirt, smoothing a wrinkle as she walked to her meeting on low-heeled shoes. As she glanced inside her office, the office Garrett had used, she saw the man sprawled in one of the chairs that faced the desk.
“Hello,” she announced as cheerfully as possible as she entered the room, leaving the door wide open.
Maximo Villareal stood to his feet and a smile appeared on the hard planes of his face. But for whatever reason, the smile didn’t seem to touch his eyes and Maria felt her stomach drop in reaction. “Miss Alvarez,” he said, inclining his head.
Maria stopped to shake his hand and felt a slight trepidation run down her spine. When he released her, she sat behind her desk and asked, “How may I help you, Mr. Villareal?”
“Max, please.”
She inclined her head infinitesimally. “Max,” she agreed, lifting her hand to indicate he should take his seat.
When he walked around her desk and leaned against it, not a foot away from where she sat, Maria felt her heckles rise. “The chair is uncomfortable?” she asked in challenge.
“No, it’s fine,” he said as his gaze raked over her.
Even though his face was couched into a smile, his eyes were cold and distant, and Maria got the unwavering impression that whatever he was feeling, whatever he was doing here, it had little to do with her. “Might I suggest you take your seat then?” she asked with a saccharine smile.
In answer, he lifted himself from his indolent position and sauntered a couple of feet away, but remained standing. Turning to face her, he announced, “I’m sure there’s no need for me to beat around the bush—I’d like for you to come work for me.”
Surprise and an arrow of disbelief had her wondering about his machinations. “You hardly know me.”
“Yes, but what I do know of, I appreciate,” he answered precisely. “Good employees are most difficult to come by, I’m sure you’re aware.”
“Yes, I am.” She stared straight at him without blinking. “I sincerely appreciate it, but I like my position here—I’m content.”
He studied her, almost knowingly. “You seem very loyal to the Rule Corporation.”
There was something in his tone that was sending a chill down her spine. “I’d say I’m loyal to the hotel, although the Rules seem like a lovely family, from what little I’ve seen.”
It was as if an arctic blast hit his features. “Yes, three brothers who are quite close, I believe.”
Christ, he was making her antsy. How soon could she get rid of him? “Yes, and a mother and younger sister whom they love very much, as well.”
He seemed to freeze where he stood. “A younger sister?”
The question that should have been innocuous somehow sounded threatening, coming from him. Damn, she should have told Beth five minutes, instead of ten. Taking a deep breath, she stood to her feet, preparing to usher him out. “Thank you so much for your kind offer—”
Her words were cut off when he reached out and took her hand. “I assure you that I’d pay you quite well—I think you should hear me out.” As he smiled down at her, Maria heard a sound at the door, but he continued, “I’d really love to take you to the Keys with me.”
Silently thanking God that Beth hadn’t listened to her and had interrupted early, Maria relaxed slightly, about to turn him down once again, rising from her chair to dismiss her unwanted visitor.
She never got the chance.
In two seconds flat, a masculine, brawny arm wrapped around her from behind, pulling her away from Villareal. Maria recognized the touch and scent instantly, even thoug
h she hadn’t seen his face. Garrett yanked her back and placed her behind him and confronted Max. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
From her position, Maria recognized the look of malice on the man’s face as Garrett confronted him. His spine seemed to stiffen and his muscles tensed. Shit. These two definitely weren’t friends. “Putting a proposal to Miss Alvarez,” Villareal enunciated clearly, his words deliberately taunting.
Garrett’s shoulders seemed to grow a mile wide. “I told you to stay away from her, motherfucker—”
A look of loathing directed at Garrett came over the other man’s face and Maria was more than alarmed by it. “I don’t want to sleep with her, Rule. I want her to come work for me.”
“Work for you? Bullshit. Get the fuck out before I break every bone in your goddamn body.”
Villareal raised a single eyebrow as he stared Garrett down. Maria held her breath, expecting violence at any moment. And then finally, to her relief, the other man glanced at her, and with a small hint of respect in his eyes that hadn’t been there when he’d looked at Garrett, he dipped his head in her direction, turned and walked out of the room.
Maria let out a ragged breath and sank into the closest chair, one that faced her desk. Feeling lightheaded, she dropped her head down and began breathing slowly and evenly.
Garrett strode to the door and flipped the lock and then came back to her, going down on his haunches in front of her. “Are you all right?”
“I think so.”
“Did he hit up on you? Tell me the truth … I want to kill the motherfucker—just give me a reason.”
Still hanging her head low, she shook it. “I didn’t—”
“Didn’t what?”
“I didn’t feel any sexual interest coming from him … I think he honestly just wanted me to come to work for him.”
“There’s nothing honest about that guy.”
“I didn’t get the feeling that any of it was about me,” she elaborated. “It almost seemed as if he wanted to inconvenience you by taking me away from the hotel.” She lifted her head and looked into Garrett’s eyes. “He hates you.”