Brooke, Leah - Crescendo [The Leah Brooke Collection] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Leah Brooke

  He forced one of his hard thighs between her legs in a way that kept her from closing them, and she couldn’t stop rubbing her clit against it. When he lifted his head, she blinked up at him, hardly able to believe the sounds that filled the elevator came from her.

  Staring up at him in anticipation, it took her several seconds to realize he’d released her hands. Still shaking, she licked her suddenly dry lips, unsurprised to find them sensitive, swollen, and tasting of him. Needing more, she licked them again.

  She’d never in her life felt so connected to another man, so acquiescent to give him everything.

  And he’d done it with just a kiss.

  Be careful what you wish for.

  She’d gotten a taste of the kind of lovemaking she’d always searched for and found herself terrified of taking the next step, knowing that making love with Nick fully would be something she may never recover from.

  The ring of his cell phone, although low, sounded obscenely loud in the tense silence. Pulling it out of his pocket, he answered, his eyes never leaving hers. “Morietti. No. We’re fine. I stopped the elevator to get a taste of our Julianna.”

  Our Julianna? Oh, God!

  Wide-eyed, Julianna released Nick’s shirtfront, only now realizing she no longer held her clipboard.

  He smiled, running his thumb over her bottom lip. His soft chuckle sent little pinpricks of apprehension down her spine. “Yes, she’s absolutely delicious.”

  Lowering her eyes, she saw her clipboard on the floor of the elevator. She moved to pick it up, but Nick stopped her, crowding her and keeping her in place with his big body.

  “Yes, our little Julianna is even more passionate than I’d expected. We’re heading upstairs.” He disconnected, sticking the phone back in his pocket, his eyes sharp on hers. “If you try, for even a second, to pretend that didn’t happen, or that you didn’t want it to happen, I’m going to pull those pants down, rip your panties from you, turn you over my knee, and heat your tight, round ass.”

  Gripping her chin, he dropped another quick kiss on her lips and reached out to restart the elevator. “And what just happened between us has nothing to do with your job.” He reached down to retrieve her clipboard, holding it out to her.

  Too flustered to speak, and amazed that his low threat aroused the hell out of her, Julianna numbly accepted the clipboard, holding it tightly against her chest. Looking anywhere but at him, she nodded, not saying a word. Anything she said now would sound ridiculous anyway, especially when she knew the words would come out breathless and needy. Oh, God. She ached so badly she could hardly stand it and couldn’t get her knees to stop shaking.

  Locking them, she stared up at the numbers, waiting in strained silence to reach the top floor. Aware of his stare, she pressed herself against the wall in an effort to stop shaking and get herself together before the doors opened again. Once they did, she hurried out without a word, turning toward where she knew the plumbers would be working.

  Nick caught her easily, wrapping his strong arms around her and pulling her against his chest. He held her there for several long seconds, his eyes moving possessively over her face. “Be good. I’ll see you later.” Dropping a quick kiss on her swollen lips, he turned and started toward his makeshift office in the corner of the room.

  She stared after him, too stunned to move. His low, deep request that she “be good” made her yearn to be bad, crave feeling his arms tighten around her again as he forced her to do his bidding.

  Nick turned just then, his lips curving.

  Embarrassed to have been caught staring, she turned away and headed in the direction she knew the plumbers would be working. She took the long way around, critically eyeing the work that had already been done, but also to give herself a chance to gather her wits about her once again. She felt something in the back pocket of her jeans and paused to dig it out, shocked to pull out the barrette that Nick had removed.

  With a start, she realized her hair was still loose and hurriedly secured it again before moving on.

  Damn it, how could he frazzle her so much, and with such apparent ease?

  Finally working her way to what would be the master bathroom, she pictured it as it would look once it had been completed. It took very little imagination to picture Nick standing there in the large shower, water running down his magnificent body. She yearned to see how those dark eyes would look as he reached for her. She would go to him willingly, eager to feel his body pressed against hers. Her eyes closed as a moan escaped before she could prevent it.

  Still aroused from the ride in the elevator, picturing herself naked with Nick had been a bad idea. Damn it. This job was far too important for her to get distracted by hormones.

  If Nick planned to distract her this way during working hours, she would be a mess by the end of the week.

  “Miss Lovette, are you okay?”

  Julianna snapped back to the present, inwardly wincing at the confusion and worry in the plumber’s voice. She’d worked with Pete many times before and had never been this preoccupied around him. Meeting his look of concern, she smiled and looked down at her clipboard, not seeing a word of what she’d written there. “Yes, of course. I just want to make sure you’re going to be finished on schedule. The tiles are being delivered Monday, and I’m counting on you and your men to stay ahead of them.”

  The older man rushed to reassure her, the look of relief on his face making her wonder just how frazzled she’d looked. “Yes, ma’am. I promise you, Miss Lovette, we won’t hold up your schedule. My guys are plenty thankful for the work.”

  Julianna smiled at the older man. “Thanks, Pete. You and your men have always done first-rate work for me in the past. I’m glad you’re on this job.”

  He grinned, holding his arms out. “We’ve never had anything on this scale before. I had to hire more guys.” At her worried frown, he rushed to reassure her. “Don’t worry. They’ll be constantly supervised. They consider it a feather in their caps to work on the Crescendo.”

  Julianna returned his smile, eyeing the surrounding area critically. “It is a big job, and Mr. Morietti and Mr. Vanguard want only the best. Everything has to be perfect. If you’re going to be the least bit behind schedule or if something that comes in is damaged even the tiniest bit, I need to know about it.”

  “Absolutely. I’m double- and triple-checking everything.”

  Julianna nodded, eyeing the men who currently worked on the water lines to connect a new tub, and raised her voice a notch. “So am I. No mistakes on this one, Pete. Anyone not up to par or who wastes time has to go.”

  After finishing up with Pete, she found the general contractor, who looked up from his plans and sighed. “You must be the decorator.”

  Used to dealing with men who looked down on decorators, she didn’t let his tone faze her. She extended her hand, keeping her eyes cool. “I am. Julianna Lovette.”

  He straightened, looking a little disconcerted to find she stood several inches taller than he did. “Les Wilson.”

  As she expected, he squeezed her hand just a little harder than necessary, as though to prove his masculinity. Keeping her expression blank, she squeezed back, inwardly crowing at the surprise on his face.

  “We done with the pissing contest now?”

  Satisfied at his look of embarrassment, she got straight to business, keeping her tone cool. “I need your schedule, and I need to know if you’re going to fall behind.”

  “I never fall behind.”

  Julianna already knew this contractor’s reputation and that he was one of the best, so she could forgive the arrogance. “Good to know. But I’ve got a job to do, too, and my schedule depends on yours.” She licked her lips, tasting Nick again, and struggled to remember what she’d been about to say.

  Les moved away, something a lot of men did, uncomfortable standing close to a woman who happened to be taller than they were. “Yeah, I’ll let you know. Now if there’s nothing else, I’ve got work to do.”

/>   Julianna nodded, forcing a smile, her mind still stuck on what had happened in the elevator. “I’ll expect it on my desk today. I need to take some measurements and I’ll be out of your way.” Unsnapping the tape measure from her belt, she got busy taking and jotting down measurements, aware of several pairs of eyes on her as she worked.

  Once she took all the measurements she needed, she inspected their work, unsurprised to find it faultless.

  Nick and Steve wouldn’t hire anyone second-rate.

  Still feeling their stares, she walked away, a warmth spreading through her that Nick and Steve trusted her enough to hire her, but with it, a smidgeon of fear. She’d done a lot of jobs, but never one on this scale and never with such irresistible distractions.

  Knowing that if she could handle this job, she could handle just about anything renewed her determination to make this the best hotel possible.

  She got back in the elevator and pushed the button for the first floor, trying not to think about the ride up here. She took a deep breath and would swear she could still smell Nick.

  He’d kissed her. So what?

  Damn. Stop thinking about it and do your fucking job!

  They obviously had no trouble mixing business with pleasure, and she could do no less.

  But she found it hard to stop thinking about either one of them, couldn’t stop imagining them naked and aroused.

  She had trouble coming to grips with the fact that she apparently had no defenses against Nick. His dominance was as gentle as it was absolute, the kind she’d never before experienced. God, he excited her so much. That rigid control and dark sexuality was an irresistible combination. She feared, though, that when they finally had sex, she wouldn’t be able to connect enough to lower her guard and trust him, really trust him, the way she’d been unable to trust David.

  Being drawn just as strongly to Steve, she no longer even trusted herself.

  Hell, she couldn’t dwell on it now. She had a job to do.

  She checked her notes again, satisfied that the supplies should be arriving as needed, but finding it harder to concentrate than normal. Nick’s kiss made her believe in her own sexuality again, gave her a kind of hope she hadn’t experienced in a long time.

  God, she could still taste him.

  Reminding herself that it had only been a kiss, she mentally shrugged. She could walk away now with no hard feelings between them. They’d just ignore each other, hell, they probably wouldn’t be around much anyway.

  Damn it.

  She’d never get any work done at this rate. Once back in her office, she gathered her notes and decided that now would be a good time to go check on the furniture. It would get her out of the hotel for a little while and give her a chance to calm down. One kiss and she still trembled an hour later. Amazing.

  Looking at the clock, she opened the drawer for her purse and started out, only to come to an abrupt halt when she saw Steve leaning against the doorframe of her office. Dressed as casually as Nick, he looked absolutely mouthwatering. His worn jeans molded his thighs, and it took an iron will not to even glance at the bulge beneath his zipper. She wouldn’t fall into that trap again.

  Where Nick’s T-shirt had been black, Steve wore blue, the deep color emphasizing his incredible eyes.

  In them shone a look of intent that had her taking a step back before she could stop herself, reminded suddenly that he knew about what had happened with Nick in the elevator.

  Steve’s eyes narrowed as they raked over her, lingering on her still-swollen lips. “Where are you going?”

  Julianna moved forward, expecting him to move aside so she could pass, but he didn’t budge. “I’m going to check on the furniture and accessory order. Excuse me.”

  Steve shifted his body just the slightest bit, effectively blocking her, a brow going up when she stepped back. He closed the door and leaned back against it. “I missed you like crazy and I don’t even get a ‘hello’ when I get back?” He stood with his arms crossed over his chest and appeared to have no intention of budging.

  Jeez, he scared the hell out of her. She couldn’t decipher the look in his eyes, which could be anger that she’d kissed Nick, or I want to fuck you right here and now on your desk.

  Or anything in between.

  She smiled faintly to hide her nervousness. She’d gone to a Dom’s apartment, for God’s sake, and it hadn’t scared her half as much as these two scared her. “Hello. I hope you had a nice trip. You couldn’t have missed me. We hardly know each other, remember?”

  Steve smiled and took a step closer, drawing her attention to the bulge pressing against his zipper, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t stop glancing there. “I think we’re beginning to know each other very well. Are you trying to tell me that you didn’t think about me while I was away?”

  Julianna gestured toward the paperwork, samples, and clipboards covering her desk. “I’ve been busy. Now, I really have to go.” Licking her suddenly dry lips, she nearly groaned when she tasted Nick again and found them swollen and sensitive, and probably red.

  Hell, that’s what Pete and Les were looking at.

  Furious with herself, and with Nick for putting her in that predicament, she held her ground when Steve took another step toward her.

  Mesmerized by the shift of powerful muscle as he moved closer, she didn’t react fast enough when he advanced. She started to step back, but it was too late.

  He whipped out an arm, wrapping it around her to pull her against him.

  “It looks like I’ll have to make sure that the next time I get called away, you’ll miss me.” He lowered himself into the chair in front of her desk, tumbling her effortlessly onto his lap.

  Julianna dropped her purse, pushing against his shoulder instead of leaning into him the way she wanted to. Amused at his antics, she laughed softly before she could prevent it. “Damn you, Steve. I thought you said we would keep business and personal separate.”

  Steve leaned her back over his arm, catching her flailing hands in one of his and raising them over her head. “You’re on break. I want a kiss.”

  When she opened her mouth to answer back, he covered it with his, the sweep of his tongue igniting an inferno inside her. He didn’t cajole or control the way Nick did. He dove right in, taking her mouth demandingly, exploring it with his and claiming it as his own.

  Feeling the bunch and shift of hard muscle beneath her back, and secure in his arms, she had nothing to distract her from the raw sexuality of his kiss and the power it had over her senses.

  It sucked her into a vortex of heat, the power of it making her head spin. He held her against his chest, the bulge in his jeans poking insistently at her hip, filling her mind with all sorts of lascivious thoughts. Her pussy clenched as her need to feel the hard thickness of his cock inside her burned like wildfire, while the press of his hard, muscular chest against her nipples threatened to drive her insane.

  He freed her wrists, his hand going to her hair. A quick flick of his fingers unclipped her barrette, letting her hair loose, and he wasted no time sinking his fingers into it, cradling the back of her head while the other hand stroked her hip and stomach. He worked his hand upward, letting the back of it brush against the underside of her breast, but didn’t tease the way Nick had at all. With a groan, he covered her breast with his big hand, moving his palm back and forth over her nipple.

  Chuckling at her moan, he ate at her mouth hungrily, tilting her head back and deepening his kiss. His tongue swept her mouth repeatedly, pausing only to nibble at her lips, before sinking into her again, the passion and heat in his kiss bringing every erogenous zone to life.

  She tried to turn toward him, but he prevented it, sliding his hand under her top, and, with another of those quick movements, unsnapped the front of her bra. She grabbed on to his shoulders and all but melted into him when his hand covered her naked breast, jolting in his arms when he shoved the shirt over her breasts, baring them.

  His hand felt hot and
hard on her bare skin, his palm slightly roughened as it moved with sure, smooth precision over her nipple.

  Still reeling from Nick’s kiss, she couldn’t wrap her brain around losing herself in another man’s lovemaking, even though her body demanded satisfaction. Grabbing a handful of his hair, she pulled hard until he lifted his head, a puzzled look on his face. Breathing heavily, she forced the words out. “I can’t do this. I kissed Nick. I can’t do this to him, or to you. I want to. I want him. I want you.”

  She tried to cover her breasts again, but he slapped her hand away and pinched her nipple in retaliation. She gasped and covered her burning face with her hand. “I don’t know what the hell I want. Oh, God. I can’t breathe. I’m sorry. I know what you said, but I—”

  Steve nuzzled her jaw, nipping it sharply and effectively cutting off her words. “Did you think I didn’t know you’d kissed Nick? I’m the one who called him in the elevator, remember? Are you afraid Nick will be upset if he knows that I kissed you?”

  Willing her mind to function, Julianna stared up at him, blinking. “I don’t know what I think. I want both of you, but I don’t like feeling as though I’m doing anything behind his back. Or yours.”

  Steve grinned. “If you want to know if it bothers Nick, why don’t you ask him?” He smiled and looked over her head toward the office door.

  Following Steve’s gaze, she saw Nick straighten from where he’d been leaning back against her closed door, and advance toward her.

  “Is there something you wanted to ask me?”

  He moved to the other side of her and very gently reached out to stroke a nipple. “I admire your loyalty, and I think it should be rewarded. At the same time, I think it’s important to make it very clear that you aren’t cheating on either one of us.”

  He shot a look at Steve. “Continue what you were doing. I’m going to help myself to a more intimate taste of our Julianna.”

  Steve’s eyes flared before grinning. Turning to stare down at her, he pinched her nipple again, smiling at her gasp. “You’re in for a real treat, honey.”

  Nick unfastened her jeans and jerked them and her panties to her knees. “So am I. Well, well, well. Would you look at that? Our little Julianna’s waxed.”