She swallowed hard, unsure of where this conversation was heading. She wasn’t about to assume anything at this point. “And you’re here because…?”
A slow, bad-boy smile kicked up the corner of his mouth as he stepped toward her, closing the distance between them. “I came here tonight to collect the other part of my Secret Santa present.”
An electrifying jolt of awareness surged through Amanda, making her feel jittery. Nervous. Uncertain. And good God, even hopeful. Her throat went dry, making speech impossible at the moment.
Lifting a hand, he lazily traced the thin strap of her camisole top, down to the low scoop neck, and she bit her bottom lip to hold in a soft gasp. As he watched, her nipples tightened into hard knots against the cotton material, telling him without words how much she wanted him.
He raised his gaze back up to hers, satisfaction and a deeper, darker desire glimmering in the sapphire depths. “I believe the note you gave me with the present said something about being your lover and using the gift to tie me up so you could do all the things you’ve fantasized about doing to me. That’s what I’m here for, Amanda.”
Desiree chose that moment to make an appearance on her left shoulder. Wow, he certainly has a way with words, doesn’t he?
Oh, yes, he most definitely did. Amanda was already unraveling inside, her body softening, growing warm and damp in feminine places. Still, that cautious, insecure part of her personality wanted to be sure he wasn’t just toying with her. “Are you serious?”
In response, he placed his hands on her hips and moved even closer, forcing her back a few steps until her shoulders came into contact with the wall and his lower body pinned her there, as well. The unmistakable length of his erection pressed against her lower belly, which started another chain reaction of carnal desire to ripple through her.
Their faces were mere inches apart, so close that they shared each breath they took. “Now that you know my answer, how serious were you about the note you wrote to go with the tie?” he murmured. “Or was it all a joke, like you said?”
The air between them was thick and ripe with awareness, and her heart pounded an erratic rhythm in her chest. “No, it wasn’t a joke,” she whispered.
Lifting his hand, he slid his fingers along the side of her neck and used his thumb to tip her face up higher. His gaze searched hers with an unnerving amount of scrutiny. “Why did you write the note, Amanda?”
She’d never expected to have to explain herself or her motives behind the sexy note, and answering his question meant baring a part of her soul, which was something she’d never done with another man. In the past, she’d had physical relationships with the men she’d dated, but the emotional component had always been missing. That visceral connection that went beyond the sexual attraction or the appeal of her last name and everything that came with it.
Despite his reputation as a playboy, she felt that deeper level of intimacy with Christian and refused to spoil the moment by questioning why. There was something about him that made her feel secure, and ultimately, she trusted him with her secrets.
“I wrote you that note because I’ve always been attracted to you,” she admitted, and looked deep into his eyes before finishing. “I wanted to do something bold and sexy that would get your attention.”
“You didn’t need the note or tie for that,” he said as he tenderly caressed the line of her jaw with his thumb, while his other hand slipped beneath the hem of her top and his fingers brushed along the curve of her waist. “I’ve always noticed you.”
She attempted to laugh, certain he was flirting with her, or trying to make her feel good. And she had to admit that the hand stroking her bare skin felt very, very good indeed. “I’m hardly your type,” she pointed out, just to keep things in perspective.
“I know. And that’s why I’m so attracted to you now.” A crooked smile canted the corners of his mouth, right before he lowered his head and gently rubbed his cheek against hers. “I can’t get you, or your note, out of my head,” he whispered raggedly into her ear, the defeat in his voice unmistakable. “I want you so badly, Amanda, that I can’t think straight anymore.”
She closed her eyes and bit her bottom lip to hold in a moan as he touched his mouth to her neck. Despite the tingling sensation unfurling deep in her belly, she thought about how he’d left her high and dry at the office earlier, and his reasons for doing so. Knowing she wouldn’t be able to bear being rejected by him a second time, she had to ask, “What about regrets?”
He lifted his head from hers and both of his hands came up to cradle her face in his palms. She opened her eyes, stared into his, and saw nothing but hunger and pure carnal heat. For her. Her pulse quickened and she suddenly felt breathless.
“No regrets. I swear.” A sinful grin transformed his features, and with a roll of his hips he branded her with the heat and impressive length of his erection confined behind the zipper of his jeans. “Just a whole lot of mutual pleasure. I promise this weekend will stay just between the two of us. But ultimately, it’s up to you.”
He wasn’t offering her any kind of promises, but she knew better than to expect anything beyond this moment from a carefree guy like Christian. This was all about sating long-denied desires between the two of them, nothing more. And after so many years of being a good girl and a dutiful, virtuous daughter, she was ready to break free of those restraints and enjoy this one night with him, guilt-free.
She smoothed her palm down the tie he was still wearing, excited by the thought of fulfilling her fantasy with him. “Yes,” she whispered, and sighed when he dropped his mouth to hers and surprised her with a deep kiss infused with lust and an exciting amount of aggression. A demanding kiss that left no doubt in her mind how badly he wanted her.
Oh, yeah, Desiree cheered gleefully. We are so getting lucky tonight, and it’s about damn time!
Amanda couldn’t help but feel the same way.
After a while, Christian gentled the kiss. “God, you taste good,” he murmured against her lips. “I just want to eat you up.”
The image of him doing something so wicked caused a surge of heat to settle in her stomach like fine cognac, making her feel dizzy and drunk on this man’s brand of seduction. “It’s Ben & Jerry’s chocolate fudge brownie,” she felt compelled to say.
He chuckled, then shook his head. “No, I’m absolutely certain the taste is all you,” he said and resumed the kiss, stealing her breath and what little was left of her sanity.
His hands left her face and moved to her neck, then lower, gliding across her shoulders until his fingers hooked into the straps of her camisole. He dragged the thin straps down both of her arms, to her elbows, effectively causing the front of her top to follow in the same direction. Cool air rushed across her bared skin, making her shiver. Instantly, a large, warm palm cupped one of her breasts, and he gently squeezed the plump flesh as his thumb rasped over the hard, aching tip. Her sensitive nipple stiffened even more, and his appreciative male groan vibrated against their still-fused lips.
She moved restlessly against Christian, rubbing her hips against his in search of a more intimate touch. As if sensing exactly what she craved, he skimmed his free hand along the curve of her waist, then tugged the waistband of her pajama bottoms lower, until he was able to easily slip his hand inside her pants. His long fingers stroked her lower belly, traced the elastic band of her panties down to the apex of her thighs, then finally, finally, dipped beneath the damp silk fabric of her panties.
He wrenched his mouth from hers, buried his face against her neck and growled deep in his throat, the sound raw and primal. “God,” he breathed. “You are so soft here. So hot and wet.”
Those erotic words made her melt even more.
His touch was delicate at first, teasing her with soft, feathery caresses that only built her need and anticipation for more. Then he pushed deeper inside her, filling her exactly where she needed to be filled, and stroking her with his thumb exactly where she needed to
be stroked. And if his expert caresses weren’t enough to send her spinning out of control, he lowered his head and took one of her breasts in his mouth, his tongue licking and swirling over her tight nipple.
She sucked in a quick breath as everything within her clamored for the release he was coaxing from her. She was so aroused, so ready to indulge in the sensual pleasure he was creating with his mouth and fingers. Closing her eyes, she threaded her fingers through his hair, clenched the soft strands in her fist. She let her head fall back against the wall, and knew she was about to surrender her body, maybe even a piece of her heart and soul, to Christian.
Once you cross that line, there will be no going back to the simple, uncomplicated way it was between the two of you. Are you sure that’s what you want?
Jarred out of the sensual fog consuming her, Amanda’s eyes blinked open, and she prayed that she hadn’t just heard Angie’s prim and proper voice in her head. Not now, when her decision about Christian and making love with him was already made.
Shhhh! This forceful hush came from Desiree, confirming that the duo had reappeared to wreak havoc with Amanda’s conscience. You’re so killing the moment for Amanda.
Angie’s chin lifted determinedly. Well, someone has to think sensibly before—
Heaven forbid, she has an orgasm? Desiree cut in, her sarcasm unmistakable. She’s so due, you know!
The feel of Christian’s mouth on her breast, and his fingers working the best kind of magic elsewhere clashed with the bickering, distracting voices in her head. Finally, Amanda just couldn’t take it anymore.
“Oh, stop already!” she muttered firmly. “Please!”
Everything went silent and still. Including Christian. His hot, heavy breathing wafted across the dampness on her breast, and the fingers inside her, along with the pressure and friction of his thumb against her clitoris, immediately stopped.
Oh, God. She couldn’t believe that she’d actually spoken out loud. She waited for Christian’s reaction to the words she’d accidentally blurted out in frustration. Slowly, he lifted his head and looked into her eyes, searching deeply. His own gaze was a dark, smoldering shade of blue, and a concerned frown creased his brows.
“You want me to stop?” he asked gruffly, and judging by the tense set of his muscles, she knew he’d bring the encounter to a halt if that was what she really, truly wanted.
But, the last thing she wanted him to do was stop, and was certain she’d die if he didn’t finish what he’d started. She’d been so, so close, and it wasn’t going to take much more to send her soaring over that edge of release.
“No, I didn’t mean you,” she said and inwardly cringed at the way that sounded, as well as the confusion etching his features. Knowing there were no words to explain what had just happened that didn’t make her seem like a crazy woman, she grabbed the tie hanging from around his neck and tugged his head back down to her breasts.
And just in case there were any last doubts or concerns lingering in his mind, she brazenly whispered her desires in his ear. “Make me come, Christian. Please.”
With a ragged groan, he picked up where he’d abruptly left off as if he’d never stopped. His teeth grazed her nipple, followed by a soothing lap of his tongue, and between her thighs, his hand and fingers moved in a slow, provocative rhythm designed to heighten the tension pulling tighter and tighter within her.
Ahhh, that’s much better, Desiree sighed.
Go away! Refusing to let Desiree and Angie be voyeurs and ruin what was going to possibly be the best sex of her life, Amanda banished them completely from her mind. With the two of them gone, her sole focus became Christian, and her own shameless desires.
The man was a master, and when he’d teased her to the point of exquisite torture, he finally gave her body what it ultimately needed. A slick, deliberate stroke along her flesh. A slow, deep thrust of his fingers. The suction of his mouth on her breast that seemed to spiral all the way down to her sex, then snapped free in a burst of sensation.
The orgasm that swept through her was pure, unadulterated ecstasy, like a full-body climax, touching on every erogenous zone she possessed, and some she didn’t even know existed. Her toes curled in her Jimmy Choos, her blood rushed to her head in a dizzying surge, and she cried out and shuddered against the pulsing sensation buffeting her entire body.
When the incredible pleasure finally ebbed and she came to her senses moments later, Christian was kissing and nuzzling her neck, his breath hot and damp on her skin. He eased his hand out of her pajama pants and lifted the straps of her camisole back up to her shoulders, covering her tender, swollen breasts.
Confusion trickled through her, clearing the passionate fog from her mind. He couldn’t be done—he was still hard as a rock and she was ready and willing to give him just as much sensual satisfaction.
“Christian?” Tangling her fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck, she gently tugged his head back so she could look at his face and search his gaze. “What about you?”
“God, I want you, Amanda,” he said, the heat and unquenched lust in his darkened eyes backing his claim. “I want to know the sexy, uninhibited woman who wrote me such a provocative note and promised to tie me up and have her way with me. All you have to do is say yes if you want this to go any further.”
Emboldened by the strength of her desire for him, and eager to be the bold, brazen woman Christian wanted, her answer didn’t require a whole lot of thought.
“Yes,” she said, and taking his hand in hers, she led him back to her bedroom.
Chapter 4
As Amanda switched on the lamp on the nightstand, Christian took a quick glance around her spacious master bedroom. He smiled to himself, thinking the furnishings and decor reflected just how soft and feminine Amanda was beneath that no-nonsense facade she presented at work.
He liked what he saw. A whole lot. A cream-and-lavender floral comforter and ruffled pillows covered her mattress, and matching curtains framed the windows. The bed frame was a rich antique iron, with bars and scroll accents. The wallpaper in the room was textured, and the dresser and armoire were whitewashed and elegant in design.
As he continued to scan the room, a framed picture on the wall of a man, woman and child caught his attention. It was an older photograph, depicting a much younger version of Douglas Creighton, a woman he assumed was Amanda’s mother and a little girl of about ten who possessed the same features as the beautiful woman Amanda had become. It was a family portrait, obviously taken long ago, and it made him realize how little he really knew about Amanda outside the office, other than the fact that she was an only child.
He wanted to know more. About her family. Her past. Her childhood. And even what she saw for herself when she contemplated her future. That notion startled him, considering how intimate and personal his own thoughts had become when it came to Amanda. It also made him realize how deeply he was into her, despite all the potential complications of getting involved with the boss’s daughter. Yet, even knowing what was at stake, he couldn’t bring himself to turn around and walk away from her, and this night together.
Then his troubling thoughts scattered as she strolled back toward him, a sultry smile on her lips, her gaze bright with seductive intent. He was helpless to resist this sweet, sexy woman who’d sent him such a tantalizing Secret Santa gift. A woman who clearly wanted him as much as he ached for her.
Stopping in front of him, she reached for his tie and pulled it free of its knot. “I’m going to be needing this in just a few minutes,” she murmured huskily and tossed the long scrap of material onto the bed behind him for safekeeping. Then she tugged the hem of his shirt from his pants and pulled it over his head and off.
She ran her hands over his chest, sighing appreciatively as she slowly skimmed her palms downward, touching and caressing her way to the waistband of his jeans. But before she could reach the snap securing his pants, he playfully pushed her hands aside, knowing one firm stroke of her fingers could easily s
et him off, and that would be the end for him.
“Not just yet,” he said and hooked his own fingers into her pajama bottoms. He pushed them down, over the curve of her hips, along her slender thighs, then let the soft cotton pants drop to her ankles.
She tried to step out of the bottoms, but the material got caught around her feet and she laughed a bit self-consciously. “I need to take off my shoes.”
The last thing he wanted was her removing those high heels she was wearing. At least not yet. “I’ll help you out.” Crouching down, he gently eased one foot, then the other, out of the pants while she held on to his shoulders for balance.
Slowly, he stood back up, trailing his fingers along her legs, her hips, her waist, as he took in the entire length of Amanda’s gorgeous body. Finally, he straightened to his full height, as did his cock. There was something so damned erotic about Amanda Creighton standing in front of him, her hair tousled around her face and wearing nothing more than a skimpy camisole top, silky panties and bright red four-inch heels. He’d noticed those shoes earlier, mainly because they were the exact opposite of the prim, conservative pumps she always wore at the office.
She shifted on her feet and bit her bottom lip. “Umm, you forgot to take off my shoes while you were down there.”
He grinned rakishly, thinking of a few other wicked things he could have done while he’d been kneeling in front of her. “Be patient, sweetheart. I’m getting there.” Sitting down on the bed, he patted the mattress between his spread legs. “Put your foot up here for me and I’ll take care of those shoes for you.”
Doing as he asked, she lifted her leg and braced her foot right where he indicated. Her toenails were painted a daring red, he noticed, as he slipped a thin strip of leather through the tiny buckle wrapped around her ankle.
“So, what’s with wearing the dress-up shoes with your pajamas?” he asked, glancing up at her face as he took that high heel off and started in on the other.
He'd Better Watch Out Page 5