Angela patted her arm in a comforting gesture. “I know.”
“Well here you two lovely ladies are,” Shane said, walking into the room. He reached out an arm to pull Angela closer to his side and she eased into his welcome frame. “I hope you aren’t talking about me.”
They all laughed. “No,” Angela replied. “I was wishing your mother a happy birthday. The party tonight sounds like fun.”
“It will be,” Valerie exclaimed. “But there’s tons of work left to be done. I’d better go and check up on the preparations. I hired a caterer from a barbeque place in town but I still need to keep my finger on things. Maybe you can both go for a walk around the farm away from all the noisy commotion. I’m sure Angela would love seeing the baby ducks down at the pond,” Valerie suggested with a sweet smile to both Shane and Angela.
Once she turned the corner Angela self-consciously tried to draw away from Shane’s hold.
He pulled her tighter. “I’m sorry for dinner being so awkward last night. They’ll be more comfortable around you once they get to know you better. Are you holding up okay?” Shane asked, his hand gripping her chin and tipping her gaze up to meet his.
Angela didn’t know what she was feeling. Emotionally, the whole arrangement was beginning to take a heavy toll on her. She sighed heavily. “I guess I’m fine. How do you think things are going so far?”
He smiled. “My dad adores you already. He made a point of telling me so. And Mom seems to like you too. So I guess it’s fair to say you’re a big hit; like I knew you would be.”
“Mission accomplished then?” she said, hating the thought of their arrangement soon coming to an end.
“Almost. We still have the birthday party to get through. I have a good feeling about things though.” He took her hand in his. “Let’s go see those baby ducks.”
****
The birthday party went much better than expected. Everyone seemed more comfortable around Angela which meant she could finally relax and enjoy the festivities too. Valerie had hired a bluegrass band for the evening and after dinner several couples in the crowd tried their hand at square-dancing on the grass lawn. Angela shyly held back until Lloyd insisted on quickly teaching her a few clogging steps before pulling her onto the grass as his dance partner.
Occasionally, she’d catch Shane’s eyes watching her as they promenaded around the crowd. After a couple of dances, he stepped from the sidelines and tapped his dad on the shoulder.
“I’m cutting in, old timer,” he said, deftly tugging Angela away from his father and into his arms.
“Thought you didn’t dance,” Angela murmured, loving the feel of his warm body pressed close to hers.
“I don’t. Not modern hip-hop kind of dancing. This is different. I grew up square-dancing.” He expertly took her hand and twirled her under his arm. “Besides, this gives me a good excuse to get my hands on you.”
She laughed, thoroughly enjoying herself and trying not to think about tomorrow. If only the night never had to end...
Chapter Ten
––––––––
"Where did you say you're again?" Sasha asked with awe mixed with glee that her elder sister secretly couldn't reciprocate.
"We’re at Shane’s parent’s house up in the Smokies," Angela replied, smiling despite herself. "We’ll be back in Nashville this evening."
"Wow. You're really living it up," teased Sasha, "While I work my butt off at my new job."
"Hey, I'm working too you know. I told you, this is just a..."
"A project. Yeah, I remember that part," Sasha said with a shrewd tone. "What are you, his personal assistant or something? Because the gossip rags are making you sound like his new squeeze. Dad was up yesterday and somehow got a hold of one of those celebrity mags. Thankfully I took it off him before he got to the page with you on Shane Davis's arm at some swanky party."
Angela sighed deeply. Only yesterday she'd managed to speak to her father on the phone and it lifted her spirit though it made her feel sad, too. He assured her he loved the new health facility and that he was getting much better. Angela could tell that for herself; her father hadn't sounded so strong in weeks.
"Just keep him in the dark about my um...shenanigans until this project is over."
"So when will that be?"
"Soon. In a week, tops. That's when this assignment comes to a close."
“What are you going to do then?” Sasha asked. “Any plans?”
“I don’t know,” Angela replied, her heart heavy. “I have no idea what I’m going to do.”
****
Shane tried to read Angela's expression but couldn't. She was getting incredibly good at concealing her feelings. There was a time he could tell what she was thinking simply by looking into the deep brown pools of her beautiful eyes.
Now even her smile was all but lost to him.
He couldn't let things end this way between them.
Now that the stipulated time had come to a close, he was duty-bound to let her go. He had no choice. Only last night, they'd driven back here to Nashville. She had seemed so genuinely happy the night of the party and now so sad.
Things needed to change in the way he'd mapped out his life for the future. And there was one more thing he had to do.
Angela still had the blank look on her face as she waited for him to speak. He’d asked her to meet him in the study to discuss their arrangement.
"I'm aware that tomorrow marks the end of our agreement," he told her lightly as he poured out drinks for them. He offered her a glass and she accepted with thanks, her eyes expectant.
"In the weeks to follow, my social calendar is proving to be somewhat full. Dinner parties, fund raisers, the usual. Some events are in other states. My suggestion is that we extend our original arrangement I'm thinking three more months and then we see how it goes from there."
He had to have imagined the flare of hope in her eyes before it drizzled to something akin to anger. "Three months? I'm sorry, but I can't possibly sign up another three months of my time. No matter the price," she added quickly before he could speak. Then she sighed heavily. "Look, it's been great and sort of an easy way to make a truck load of cash. And I appreciate everything you've done but no...I can't continue to go on playing your fake girlfriend, Shane."
"Wouldn't you even consider it?"
She shook her head firmly. "You should know my agent called me a few days ago about a few auditions coming up. One is for a crime series and another for a sitcom. These are roles I've only ever dreamed of and I need to at least take a shot at them. I mean its all fine and dandy playing at being a millionaire's girlfriend but now I need to focus on building my career. I'm sorry I can't be of more help."
Shane was sorry too. He should have known this wouldn’t work. He had to think of another way to keep her with him. He knew no matter how much he offered, she'd stand her ground. Damn, he was such an idiot to believe he could tie her down further. What on earth would make her want to spend even more time around him? She was probably sick to death of looking at his ugly face every day.
Despite his new-found confidence, Shane still felt conscious of what he looked like in the mirror. He couldn't expect Angela to want to keep on dealing with that. And for that reason he couldn't come right out and say what he longed to say. That he wanted her to stay for him, no other reason.
The fact was, she deserved better than him; a one-time playboy now scarred into looking like something most women would wince at. No matter how he wished she was different, he couldn't ask her for more than she had to give. It was over. Time to let her go.
"I'm happy for you," he said at last, on clearing his throat. "I wish you the best with the auditions. I have no doubt of your success. You deserve it."
Angela laughed nervously. His gut twisted. "Thank you," she said, "but I hear a couple of big time actresses are trying out for the crime series role too. I'm hoping the producers will be more interested in going for a lesser known actress which
I happen to be."
"You should stay positive," he said with a smile, happy to see the bright lights in her eyes again.
"Yeah. You too," she said softly, and to his surprise she walked right up to him and lifted her gaze to his face. Angela was the one person he could bear to look at him so directly. He wished she knew what she did for him - to him. How the depth of her personality, her sass and yes her grace, warmed him in places he'd believed were buried in ice.
"For what it's worth...," she began, "I think you've come a long way in such short time. It's great that you've decided to live life to the fullest again. And hopefully maybe start working on a real relationship that doesn't come with a contract."
Shane should have felt angered by her softly spoken words but strangely, he wasn't. He knew it was coming from a good place. She meant him well.
"Maybe I will," he murmured, staring deep into her eyes.
****
Angela released the breath she'd been holding. She was glad Shane didn't take offense from her words which she realised now were quite audacious. What right had she to tell him how to lead his life?
His next words surprised her even more.
"Thank you, Angela. In more ways than you know. And especially for that first night in my parent’s home."
He must have seen the look of shock on her face, and he added drily, "Funny how the one time I could get you in my arms, I was too deep in sleep to really take advantage."
"You remembered! I didn't realize..."
He smiled. "When I found you lying next to me the next morning, I got a vague recollection of what happened. I haven't had one of those spells in a long time. Usually something specific triggers nightmares of the wreck and the fire. Maybe it was being around my family again. I don’t know. Anyway, it was nice of you and I don't think I'll ever forget how it felt to wake up with you snuggled in my arms. I didn’t move for thirty minutes even though my arm was asleep because I didn’t want to wake you."
His teasing smile sobered to something indefinably tender yet smouldering. Angela's heart skipped a beat as she felt a familiar tingle up her spine.
The look he gave her right then scared and thrilled her all at once. She instinctively backed away but he took her wrist in an unexpected grip that was gentle yet compelling.
Angela’s heart skipped, and she asked hoarsely, “What do you want, Shane?”
Her expression was resistant but deep inside, her core melted. She knew what he wanted. It was clear as day in his light grey eyes. Those eyes. They slayed her with promise of dark and wondrous things.
“You. All I want is you. One taste...one night. I can’t let you go, knowing you slipped from my fingers without getting to know what your touch, your heat could give me. One night is all I’m asking.”
Shane’s harsh, rasped words did crazy things to her insides. She couldn’t walk away not knowing either. Just the magic of experiencing the power of Shane’s passion was paramount. It had teased and taunted her senses for weeks, coloring the air around them every moment they’d danced around it.
But before she even had time to realize what he intended, he’d pulled her to him and swooped his mouth over hers.
****
Angela acted merely on instinct and opened her mouth for the sweet invasion that was Shane’s tongue.
Her arms slipped around his neck and he groaned, tugging her more strongly up against him with his hands gripping her hips.
That deep sound of pleasure from his throat made Angela’s toes curl, her knees weakening when he picked that moment to tangle his tongue with hers before sucking hard on her bottom lip. Damn but this guy knew his way around a kiss, thought Angela even as her nipples hardened to pebbles beneath her blouse. They fairly jabbed Shane in the chest with each extended inch and in response, his shaft seemed to thicken and throb against her stomach with a force that made her whimper into his mouth.
Licking back at his tongue now laced moistly with hers, Angela’s brain faintly registered the sensation of his hands busy stroking her bare waist beneath the hem of her top. His firm, hungry touch made her so hot; her panties virtually crackling with the sizzle of smoking, lust-filled lava.
Shane deepened the kiss with a growl and practically lifted her off her feet as his arms closed around her hips, robbing her of breath. Their kiss became wildly erotic; fevered and untamed. Shane let her down slowly, making sure her body slid down the length of him so that she could feel every hard, strong ridge he possessed.
Angela forced her groggy lids open and stared up at Shane, wonderingly. His eyes held the mirror of every emotion surging through her every nerve cell. She couldn’t deny it if she tried; everything she could have said or wished had to be spread over her face.
“Bedroom,” he rasped, his gaze darker than midnight now.
Angela gulped, her arms tightening around his neck. “Yours or mine?” Her boldness staggered her.
“Fuck,” Shane groaned, shaking his head as if to ward off a mist over his brain as he seemed to struggle with choice. She couldn’t blame him; her mind was in such a daze she’d probably not remember her own name if she was asked.
“Whichever’s closer,” Shane finally said, already swinging her into his arms.
“Yours then,” Angela breathed, feeling like a feather as he carried her straight through the halls before entering his room.
He set her down right inside the door and they started kissing again. Angela plunged her tongue in his mouth, exploring and devouring with just as much passion as he exhibited. Her breasts rubbed against his chest, making her shudder at the friction her sensitive nipples felt even with the layers of clothes between them.
Angela didn’t stop kissing him until she heard him rumble, his arousal now a mast of steel prodding insistently into her mid-section. Deep inside her sheathe, her walls contracted and dripped. Breathless, she broke the kiss to stare at him almost bewilderedly. “You know this is crazy right?”
“Insane,” Shane agreed thickly. “More than a month’s worth of brain-numbing mania from the want of you. You made me want so damned much, Angela.”
The swollen buds of flesh centred on her heaving breasts told Angela she wanted him too. This wasn’t anything emotional she told herself; Shane wasn’t offering any promises. No expectations, no commitment. Most importantly, definitely no contract. Just them; their powerful craving for each other. Angela wanted nothing more than Shane to take her hard – on any available surface. She wanted him to carry her round the bedroom, with her impaled and writhing on his cock. Her legs wrapped around his waist and her fingers raking up and down his bare back. Oh she wanted him. This night. All night.
Angela couldn’t hold back her moan of delight as he pushed her against the wall and began to kiss her hungrily, roughly, his hands wrapped lightly around her throat as he mastered her with his passion. Hell yes, this was just what she needed, thought Angela. A man’s deep desire; his strong hands...his dominance. She wanted Shane to hold nothing back with her.
His hands slipped from her neck and he grabbed hold of her full, firm breasts as Angela kissed him back, her mouth spilling with soft mewls of pleasure.
Shane broke the kiss to track his warm lips down the smooth flesh of her neck. Ravenous for him, Angela licked at his ear and heard his responsive groan. Hmm, he liked that, she thought with glee. Only to gasp when she felt his fingers draw circles around her nipples through her clothes.
Moaning helplessly Angela’s head flung back to rest against the wall, her senses reeling. She didn’t even notice her shirt was halfway unbuttoned or that he’d bared her breasts in their nude mesh cups, until Shane bent his head and locked his lips around one nipple through her bra.
“Beautiful. So hot and sexy,” Shane groaned, nibbling hungrily at one nipple before shifting to the other, unwilling to let either nub feel neglected.
Angela was floating on a separate cloud of being. Having Shane’s hands and lips teasing her breasts even through her underwear was the most
sensually thrilling thing ever, just as much so as if she was naked.
Angela let out a loud gasp, her fingers clutching his hair tightly. The scalding pressure on her breasts eased and she opened her eyes, lifting her head to find he was looking straight at her.
“I’ve dreamed this so long that now I don’t even know where to start,” were his hoarse-sounding words. “You make me wish I had ten hands to touch and pleasure you with. I don’t want to miss an inch.” So saying, he nuzzled at the curve of her neck, his mouth parting over her soft flesh to suck moistly with just the right force to make her moan.
“The things I want to do to you...in some counties they might actually be considered illegal,” he warned her gruffly. Angela thought, oh shit. The things he said to her. They brought images to her mind that made it almost impossible to breathe...Such as Shane, taking her from behind, holding her breasts as they hung down into his palms and swung with each pounding stroke of his dick in her aching pussy. Other pictures of carnality featuring Shane fucking her brains out filled her mind and caused her to quiver unstoppably.
His hands reached up to fondle a breast, his fingers pinching the stiff and erect nipple through the fabric of her bra. Angela’s eyes squeezed tight as she groaned and arched her back, conscious of his other hand sliding up her inner thigh, beneath her skirt to stroke on her mound. Angela sobbed his name, which saw him swiftly pushing aside the damp and filmy lace of her panties before he plunged a finger straight past her folds.
Angela’s whole body went rigid, a soundless gasp escaping her widely parted mouth. Her hips began to buck against his finger, her knees no stronger than jelly.
“Very wet...and very juicy. Just how I like it,” rasped Shane, pushing another finger into her slick entrance. Angela’s teeth sank into her bottom lip as she stared at him, her chest panting at the fullness already evident from those two fingers sliding in and out of her greedy, hot pussy.
Tangled: A New Adult Romance Boxed Set (12 Book Bundle of Billionaires, Bad Boys, and Royalty) Page 49