I folded my arms across my chest, and then a brilliant idea popped into my head. Adam studied me with a wary look on his face. As he should. “What?”
I gave an exaggerated shrug. “Sadly, I’m not even sure I’ll be able to get freaky with you.” For effect, I sighed dramatically. “At least not until my mind is alleviated of the burden of worrying about when I’m getting married.”
His eyes narrowed. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
My devious grin widened. “Probably.”
“I feel the need to warn you that I do have legendary willpower.”
I laughed. And laughed. And snorted. And then laughed some more. That may have been the case once, but it hadn’t been the case for quite a while now. Nowadays, he had the willpower of a frat boy on viagra.
He frowned. “It wasn’t that funny.”
The car pulled into the loading zone outside the terminal. I spotted William and Jenna standing on the curb beside their baggage, holding hands and waiting. They both looked utterly exhausted. After a fifteen-hour trip, I couldn’t blame them.
I turned back to Adam. “I can’t wait to test that legendary willpower.” And with that, I reached under my skirt and yanked off my panties. Then I tucked them into a ball and leaned forward to stuff them in the front pocket of his khakis. “Here, hold these for me, will you?”
I saw his eyes widen just I hopped out of the limo. Immediately, I gave William a hug—after warning him first—noticing Adam was slow to get of the car. “Here are our world travelers!”
“How are you?” Adam slapped his cousin on the arm while I moved to hug Jenna.
“Hungry and tired,” she said. “Neither of us could sleep on the plane.”
“We have dinner ready for you at our house, and a guest room made up if you want to stay. Or the driver can take you home after we eat. We weren’t sure what you wanted to do.”
“Dinner would be awesome,” said Jenna.
“William, how was Sarajevo?” I asked.
“Busy,” he said. “Beautiful. Old. And crowded.”
Once the driver had loaded the luggage, we all piled into the back of the limo. I smooshed in next to Adam even though it was completely unnecessary. There was a ton of room back here, but my seduction plans were in play. I’d have to press my body up against his as much as possible. Not that that was really a chore. The man was too damn sexy for his own good.
William sat facing us on the opposite seat with his arm around Jenna. I was thrilled to see them so happy after having seen them both positively miserable when they were apart from each other. And I couldn’t help being proud of William for taking the risk to travel halfway around the world when he hadn’t even known how she’d receive him. That had taken major balls. Good on him.
However, my efforts at seducing Adam on the way home were hampered because the two of them could see every move I made. The panties had been just the opening salvo. But as we all talked during the hour-long drive from LAX to our house in Newport Beach, I laced my fingers between his, resting both our hands atop my lap—very close to where the panties would have been. I was also trying to figure out a way to flash him some boob when the other two weren’t looking.
Adam, of course, was not taking this lying down. While his hand rested on my lap, his fingers ever so subtly traced circles on my upper thigh, and as usual, his fingers evoked tingles and raised the perceived air temperature in the car. He knew damn well that there was only one thin layer between his hand and the goal. This was war.
Challenge accepted.
“We got you Licitar!” Jenna was saying.
Adam and I looked at each other. “What’s that?”
“Gingerbread,” William replied. “And not the kind you actually eat. It’s too beautiful to eat.” A few days after arriving in Sarajevo, William had called Adam to let him know he had found Jenna and that he would be staying for a month. Adam, who was his boss as well his cousin, had to remind William of his current unfinished project. But given the circumstances and the fact that William hardly ever took a day off or a vacation, he couldn’t say much—project or no project. So instead, Adam had Fedexed him a special computer to use, and William had been able to get some work done between touring the city and spending time with Jenna.
But I imagined that a month away from the familiar and the routine would be hard for anyone—and for William, even harder. My eyes zeroed in on the way he held her, sweetly caressing her shoulder. And the way he looked at her. Like she was his everything.
Jenna reached into her carry-on and pulled out a box. “I didn’t want it to get crushed in the luggage. But look! We got your names written on them.”
“But we had to leave your wedding date blank because I had no idea what it was.” William shot an accusatory look at his cousin. “Adam never told me before I left.”
“That makes two of us, William.” I smirked. “He hasn’t told me the date, either.”
Jenna produced two beautiful heart-shaped cookies that were, as William said, exquisitely decorated in brilliant colors and patterns. They were definitely much too gorgeous to eat. “It’s a Croatian art form,” he explained. “We purchased these during our trip to Zagreb.”
We were then treated to a detailed description and history of the art of Licitar in Croatia. All the while, I tried to sneak my hand further and further up Adam’s thigh without them noticing. It’s not an easy business, this stealth seduction. Adam may have been CIA material, but I most certainly was not.
Luckily, I was wearing my best push-up bra and made sure to lean in every chance I got—under the guise of admiring his gingerbread. “Adam likes cookies,” I said, nodding. “A lot.”
He laughed and looked out the window. Jenna was digging through her carry-on for something and wasn’t listening. William carried on, having completely missed the innuendo.
The limo dropped us off at end of the bridge that led to the little island on the Back Bay where we lived. Adam instructed the driver to hang out until William and Jenna were ready to go home afterward. William had said he was anxious to sleep in his own bed again. Apparently, Jenna hadn’t yet decided whether or not she was going to move in with him, but they had agreed to try it out for the next few days at his house.
Walking across Bay Island to our house, the two of us fell into step behind William and Jenna. I cozied up to my prey, ready to take on a new role—Emilia the Huntress. “If you play your cards right, you can eat some cookie for dessert.”
Adam promptly slid his hand around to my ass, copping a feel. “You’re sounding very confident. Maybe I need to prove that I can outlast you.”
Ha! I ran my hand quickly down his crotch, cupping him, and he sucked in his breath before sidestepping out of reach. “Evasive action!” he said as we made it to the door and unlocked it to go inside.
We had a nice, pleasant dinner. Chef stayed to serve us appetizers and the main course, leaving once the meal was underway. She’d already given us instructions for dessert, which she’d put in the fridge.
Adam and I continued playing host together, dipping into the kitchen for more wine or to clear plates after the main course. Each time we passed, we took the opportunity to torture one another just a little bit more. I grabbed his ass with my free hand, carrying a wine bottle in the other. He brushed a hand across my breast when he made his way to the sink with the dirty dishes.
I spooned the chilled vanilla mouse into fancy dessert cups and lined the four of them up on the counter, waiting for Adam to come back in the kitchen.
Still in stealth-seduction mode, I unbuttoned my blouse and pulled my bra down to expose and also push my breasts up, providing him a perfect view. Then I propped myself against the counter, posing like an erotic model, as I waited for him to round the corner.
Unfortunately, the person stepping into the kitchen was not Adam—thankfully, it wasn’t William either. Jenna stopped cold as I, mortified, scrambled to pull my blouse together and cover myself up.
Jenna
openly laughed at me. “I didn’t know you cared for me like that, Mia.”
“Shut up,” I snapped, buttoning up my shirt again.
She walked up to the counter. “I offered to help with dessert and Adam was fine with it. I’m going to assume he’ll be upset when he finds out what he missed.”
“Damn it! I’m trying to get the wedding date out of him. I want to get him all horny and then tell him I’m not putting out ‘til he gives me the date.”
Jenna snickered and grabbed two dessert cups. “Try going commando,” she said as she took off around the corner again.
I picked up the other two desserts and glared at her back. “Uh, thanks. Good idea.” That I already thought of two hours ago.
Once I sat down next to Adam, however, another idea sparked. When he wasn’t looking, I dropped a small spoonful of mousse on his pant leg. Jenna saw what I did and had to cover her mouth to keep from exposing my nefarious plan.
“Oops! Sorry. I spilled some of that…” I grabbed Adam’s hand and used his finger to pick up the glob of mousse. He looked at me like I was a freak, apparently too surprised by my action to anticipate what I would do next. Bringing his hand to my mouth, I sucked the mousse right off his finger, not hesitating to get my tongue in on the action.
Then, as the pièce de résistance, I gazed deeply into his beautiful eyes as I finished my tongue flourish. I was rewarded by that unmistakable glow of arousal deep in those shining black eyes.
Thank God. I was beginning to think I was getting rusty in the art of stealth seduction.
Jenna was full-on laughing her ass off across the table. As I pulled Adam’s finger free, I kicked her under the table.
“Hey!” she whined.
William just watched the scene while enthusiastically spooning his vanilla mousse into his mouth as if it might disappear if he didn't move fast enough.
Fifteen minutes later, Adam drove the pair in the golf cart back to the bridge, where the limo was waiting to take them to William’s house. When Adam reentered the house, I was at the sink rinsing off the dishes while mulling over my next plan of attack.
My hands were sopping wet, the sink water running, when he came up behind me and grabbed my hips, pulling my butt flush against his obvious erection. “Shameless vixen,” he muttered against my neck as I shivered.
“Mmm. Is that a lightsaber in your pocket or are you happy to see me?”
He devoured me with his lips, teeth and tongue. Tingles shot all the way down to my toes. At this rate, he was going to get me to give in without spilling the info, the fucker. I couldn’t let him get away with that—irresistibly sexy as hell or not.
I leaned my head back to rest on his shoulder at the same time I felt his hands slip under my skirt and skate up the back of my thighs. “No fair. You’re too good at this,” I choked out.
“You’ve never complained about me being ‘too good’ before. I’ll take it.”
I turned off the faucet, but couldn’t reach the dishtowel to dry my hands, and there was no way I was moving out of his reach. Giving one last halfhearted attempt to get my way before conceding defeat, I wiggled my ass right against his crotch. He rewarded me with a husky groan while his maddening mouth wrapped around my earlobe. His hands slipped around to my front, holding me against him.
I licked his neck. “Do you want me enough to tell me when we’re getting married?”
“I might. But you ought to know by now, I never, ever like to lose.”
His fingers slipped lower and my breath stuttered. I arched against his solid chest. “Oh, I guarantee you, Mr. Drake, this is definitely a win-win for both of us.”
“Mmm,” he breathed against my ear, one hand pulling away for few seconds. The next thing I heard was his zipper and the crackle of a condom wrapper. I bit my lip. He’d come prepared.
“Brace yourself, Ms. Strong—or should I say, the future Mrs. Drake?”
A jolt of elation instead of what normally was fear. “I like the sound of that. If only I knew when.” I turned my head to kiss him, and his mouth claimed mine with strong, possessive lips, followed by fierce strokes of his tongue.
God, I loved this man.
Even when he was driving me bonkers. And not just with his maddening tongue.
“So when will that be? Tomorrow? Next week? I need a dress, at least.”
“You could wear rags and still be the most beautiful bride on the planet. Because you’ll be my bride.”
“Mmm. You’re getting better at that flattery thing.” His hands were rubbing now, in all the right places. I shifted against him. “And you’re still pretty damn good at the hands thing.”
“So, let’s call this a draw, then?” I could feel him pressing at my entrance, and my grip tightened on the edge of the counter.
“I think I could do that.”
Just before he entered me, he leaned forward and whispered a date in my ear. After that, it was a mad, passionate blur of ferocious kitchen sex. We hadn’t done that in a while. And by the end, I wasn’t quite sure I remembered the date right, so I had to ask him again.
Meh, so I’d had to seduce it out of him, but damned if hadn’t been fun.
That was just how Mr. Drake and I rolled. Win-win.
But, of course, being a man—and being Adam—he had to ruin the moment just as I was gloating that I’d gotten the intel from him.
“Sure, you know when…but I didn’t tell you where, now did I?”
Men.
The Gaming The System series continues in Worth Any Cost, featuring Adam and Mia’s wedding, coming later in 2016 (click for details).
Afterword
Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed For The One. I am writing the next book in the series, Worth Any Cost, featuring Adam and Mia’s wedding.
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The Gaming The System series
At Any Price (Adam and Mia part 1) (click to download)
At Any Turn (Adam and Mia part 2) (click to purchase)
At Any Moment (Adam and Mia part 3) (click to purchase)
For The Win (Jordan and April) (click to purchase)
For The One (William and Jenna) (this book)
Worth Any Cost (Adam and Mia part 4) (forthcoming in 2016)
For The Taking (Katya and ?)(forthcoming)
The Gaming The System series continues in Worth Any Cost, Adam and Mia’s wedding, later in 2016. Details forthcoming on my website and newsletter.
Acknowledgements
It takes a village to write a book. It truly does. And my village is full of super smart, helpful and caring people whom I am fortunate enough to know or make the acquaintance of during the process of writing it.
Huge thanks to my earliest readers, Kate McKinley and Sabrina Darby who kick my butt daily (because I ask them to!) and make the book so much better.
This book required more research than any other that I've written. Aside from reading and viewing lots of material, I've also had
the benefit of consulting experts. Thank you hugely to: Peter McGonigle, Olivia Devon, Elizabeth Varlet (and her mister), Aleksandra Adamovic, Adnan Nurkanovic, Carey Baldwin, Laney Jordan, Lyra Marlowe, Cindy Kinnard, Sabyna Aydon, and Temple Grandin (who is definitely an expert deserving of thanks even though I didn't directly consult her!).
To my production team, who take the lump of clay and make it into a shiny, pretty story: S.G. Thomas, Eliza Dee, Sarah Hansen, Lindee Robinson.
The invaluable moral support department: Tessa Dare, Kate McKinley, Sabrina Darby, Natasha Boyd, Bria Quinlan, Cora Seton, Julia Kent, Bev Kendall, Zoe York. The Novel Spot Lounge on Facebook. Members of my own reader group, Brenna Aubrey Books on Facebook. The Selfpub Warriors, the Chatzy authors, Romance Divas forum and Romance Writers of America.
Major gratitude for all of you who blog, review, post, share and chat about my books. You make it possible for me to bring you these stories. To all my amazing readers: thank you for your reviews, your messages, your posts, your tweets, your shares and your squees. Thanks for loving these characters and stories so much.
That brings us to the last but most: Those dear sweet people who share my daily life. I love you more than words can say (and I'm an author, so that's saying a lot!), to the moon and back again, to the second star to the right, to infinity and beyond. I know it's not easy living with a writer--not by a long shot. But thank you for making it possible for me to do what I do and live with the insanity and love me anyway. xoxo
Copyright ©2016 by Brenna Aubrey
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Trademarked names appear throughout this book. Rather than use a trademark symbol with every occurrence of a trademarked name, names are used in an editorial fashion, with no intention of infringement of the respective owner’s trademark.
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