by V. K. Sykes
Taking as much of him as she could, she sucked on him until she felt his cock twitch and his balls tighten with his impending orgasm. His hands tightened on her head and she stopped, responding to the subtle command. Pulling himself from her mouth, he reached down and hauled her into a standing position.
He gave her a bone-melting kiss and propped her against the wall of the shower.
“Wait here,” he growled.
She stared at him, too dazed and weak with passion to formulate a coherent answer. Where the heck did he think she would go? She wanted him so much she could barely keep her legs from collapsing under her.
Julian stepped out of the shower and yanked a drawer in the bathroom vanity. He ripped open a condom and rolled it down over his cock, dripping puddles all the way back to the shower. As he stepped back in, he reached behind her, clasped her bottom and lifted.
Eagerly, shaking now with the force of her need, Torrey wrapped her legs around his waist. He backed her up until her butt gently bumped the shower wall, simultaneously thrusting himself inside her slick pussy.
She bit back a shriek as her muscles clenched around him. Powerful sensations pushed her to the edge of overload, driving her to the breaking point—the cascading water streaming over their joined bodies, the stubble of Julian’s chin as he lavished kisses on her neck and face, the way she felt stretched, aching with pleasure as he pounded into her. Julian was all strength now—brute, dominating strength—as he took her hard, responding to her pleas with powerful, lunging strokes. She urged him on, breathless and crazed with her need for him. With her every gasping plea, he drove into her again, as driven and urgent as she was.
Involuntarily she dug her fingernails into his shoulders as pleasure built in a long, fiery spiral. He splayed one hand under her ass to keep her steady, even as he used the other hand to thread his fingers through her hair, pulling her head back so he could look into her eyes. Torrey met his gaze, stunned by the raw sexuality in his dark eyes, so predatory that it sent a tremor of warning snaking up her spine. But in the next second all thought was blasted away as he pushed her up against the wall, thrusting into her with one last powerful surge. She cried out, coming apart in his arms as a blinding ecstasy flooded all her senses. At the sound of her cry, Julian finally let himself go, groaning his release into her shoulder. As she convulsed around him, he nipped the slope of her breast, and the feel of his teeth on her skin was so erotic that it spun her into another climax.
Finally, after long, panting seconds, he let her down gently until her feet touched the tiles, still holding her tightly. As she steadied herself, he shut off the water then gave her a tender kiss.
“That was a nice surprise,” he murmured, stroking her back.
Nice? She was totally wrung out, but Julian clearly had more control than she did.
“Uh, thanks, I think. I’m glad you didn’t mind.”
He laughed. “Hardly. It was a great way to start the evening, and I think it’s going to get even better.”
“I believe you may be right,” she answered, mustering up the strength to push him toward the door. “Now get out of here, you animal, so I can take a real shower.”
Chapter 11
Man, Julian had never expected something like that from Torrey. What a transformation she’d made in just two days—from reluctant and nervous all the way to exuberant and confident. When she’d arrived at his door he’d reluctantly decided to give her some space and not make a move before dinner, even though his dick had stood to attention as soon as he saw her.
Then she’d barged into his shower and turned him inside out. He couldn’t remember having hotter sex. But it was best not to even think about their little interlude, or they’d never make it out of the suite. He had big plans for tonight, including taking Torrey on a moonlight drive into the canyons after dinner. She deserved an evening to remember, and he was determined to make sure she got one.
The faint whirr of the hair dryer told him she’d be a few minutes yet, so he called the restaurant to let them know they’d be late for their reservation. He’d just poured himself a scotch when Torrey emerged from the bathroom.
“Hi, and bye,” she sang, dashing through the living room to the second bedroom. A thick white towel swaddled her, demure but low enough for him to get a good look at some enticing cleavage. Noticing he was already fully dressed, she apologized. “Sorry, Julian. I’ll just be a few more minutes. Ten at most, I promise.”
“Take your time,” he said to the door as she closed it behind her. He raised his voice so she’d hear him. “I backed up our reservation, so there’s no rush at all.”
“Okay,” she shouted back.
He stared after her, trying to wrestle his burgeoning libido under control. God, it would be so easy to open the door, free the knot on that towel and take that delicious little body all over again. Flopping onto the thick cushions of the sofa, he ordered himself to stop being a sex-crazed idiot. Screwing her brains out all night would hardly constitute a special treat for Torrey, however much she might enjoy his immediate attentions. No, they’d do it the way he’d planned.
Ten minutes later he heard the bedroom door swing open. He rose as she turned the corner into the living room. His usual ironclad discipline surrendered to the dazzling beauty in front of him. He knew his face must have reflected his reaction as Torrey raised her eyebrows and broke into a playful smile.
“Well, well. I think you must like it.” She laughed.
Like it? How about staggered by it?
The dynamite yellow dress couldn’t possibly have been more perfect. Sexy and fun, it made the most of her considerable assets, starting with her high, firm breasts showcased by the wrapped top. The light yellow shade complemented her tanned skin. She did a quick pirouette, the breezy skirt becoming airborne as she spun, giving him a glimpse of her smooth, tempting thighs.
“You look totally mouth-watering,” Julian said, meaning every word.
She batted her long eyelashes. “Mmm…same goes for you, sir. I love that suit.” She went up on her tiptoes and gave him a tender kiss. As his arms cradled her, she snuggled against him, her full breasts nuzzling softly into his chest.
“We’d better not get started again,” he groaned, releasing her, “or we’ll never get out of here. You ready to go?”
“Absolutely. Is the limo taking us?”
“No, I rented a car. I thought we could take a drive after dinner—maybe head outside the city and take in the stars. How does that sound?”
Her face lit up. “Fabulous. In fact, I can only think of one thing I’d like better.”
“And you’ll get that too tonight, my dear, I assure you,” he said in a mock-solemn voice. “Assuming we’re on the same wavelength.”
“Oh, we are,” she murmured. “We definitely are.”
* * *
Aureole blew Torrey away. Although she’d peered into the haute cuisine restaurant once or twice before when she shopped at the Mandalay Bay complex, she’d never envisioned actually dining there. For Julian though it was clearly like going home. It seemed that every host, waiter and wine steward knew him and even remembered his wine preferences.
Just taking in the centerpiece of Aureole—its amazing forty-two foot high wine tower—was enough of a highlight for her, never mind the gourmet food. As she gazed at the wine stewards traveling up and down the tower on hoists, plucking bottles from the fully stocked racks and delivering them to the tables, Torrey had to tell herself to stop staring or Julian would think her a total rube.
The setting or the food couldn’t compete, though, with the excitement of being with Julian. Sophisticated and funny, he’d lavished attention on her all evening. Though she was aware of how much his business dealings weighed on him and the importance of his meetings in New York tomorrow, he focused the conversation continually on her—asking dozens of questions but never crossing the line into intrusiveness. He seemed genuinely interested in everything about her, even though she thou
ght of her life as boring and small compared to his.
Finally, she decided she’d try to turn the conversation toward him.
“Julian, we’ve spent so much time talking about me and my life. So come on, what’s that expression—turnaround is fair play?”
He shook his head, giving her a wry smile. “I’m just a businessman. I don’t think you’d find what I do all that interesting, much less exciting.”
“Businessmen who make a billion dollars by the time they’re thirty can’t exactly be dull,” she scoffed.
“I didn’t say I was dull. I said what I do is dull. I spend my life in meetings and on the phone and email—pretty much twenty-four-seven except for the odd R and R outing like this week.”
“So all you do is work.”
“I don’t know how you can run a successful company any other way. Besides, it’s the way I was brought up. I got it in my mother’s milk. Or on my father’s knee, whatever the expression is. Both, in my case.” He grimaced.
“From what you said yesterday, it sounded like your mom and dad were both pretty driven.”
“I don’t want to make it sound as if they didn’t love me to death, because they did. But their careers came first—they didn’t make any bones about that, not to me or anybody else. And they expected exactly the same from me.”
“You told me your dad was working harder than ever now.”
The wine steward returned with a bottle of California Cabernet and held it out for Julian’s inspection. Julian gave Torrey a warm smile and held up his index finger, silently letting her know he’d answer her in a moment.
“Perfect,” he said, nodding his approval to the steward.
As the steward began to uncork the wine, Julian continued. “They’re going to carry Dad out of his office in a pine box someday,” he said in a tone of voice that conveyed his affection for his father. “You know why?”
“No, I can’t even guess,” she admitted. “Isn’t there a point where you’re supposed to kick back and just enjoy what you’ve accomplished?”
“Sure, for some people. But most really successful businessmen never quit, because they need to always be at the very top of their world. It’s not good enough to just get there. You have to stay there.”
“Does all that leave you any time for a personal life?” She didn’t mean to pry, but she had to know if he would ever have room for a woman in his life.
“Do I have any time for relationships? That’s what you’re getting at, right?” he asked.
She clamped her lips shut, knowing it was a rhetorical question.
The steward poured an ounce into Julian’s glass. Swirling the wine first, Julian tasted it and then gave it the okay. When the steward filled her own glass, Torrey’s growing nervousness made her almost gulp down a healthy swallow. And when Julian didn’t say anything to her for a few more moments, the silence grew awkward. She was just about to babble out an apology when he finally spoke.
“The short answer is no, I suppose. There’s not a lot of me left over to give, and women can’t handle that. Some have said they could, but they didn’t know what they were talking about. So they always ended up getting hurt, which made me feel lousy, too.” He grimaced slightly before lifting his wine glass to his mouth.
Torrey’s heart lurched at his answer. If he really was that absorbed by his work, she could understand how hard that would be for a woman to accept. Sure, a gold-digger would be happy to accommodate him, but she knew Julian would never let someone like that get past first base. It sounded like his heart was packed away for good.
She forced herself to dredge up a wry smile. “Is this where the woman you’re with tells you it’s that way because you haven’t found the right someone yet?”
He gave a little snort. “You must have seen the movie.”
She gave what she hoped was a breezy shrug. “It’s a dumb movie. That’s why I’d never say those words.”
“Good girl.” He seemed to want to end the discussion.
She toyed with her wine glass, trying to figure out a way back into the conversation. There was something she wanted to say, though she dreaded wrecking such a wonderful evening. But today had been all about finding her courage. Julian was leaving tomorrow, and she might never see him again. If she had something to spit out, she only had tonight to do it.
“Julian, remember when we talked last night about my dad’s death? How I sank into a funk that took years to overcome?”
“Of course.”
“Well, back then I convinced myself that everybody had abandoned me. But what I didn’t understand—not until my psychologist finally helped me see it—was that I’d shut myself completely down. I thought nobody cared, but in fact no one could get past all the defenses and barriers I’d put up.”
His mouth flattened into a grim line. “So, you’re implying I’ve shut myself down? What’s that supposed to mean, Torrey? That I should sacrifice my career to have a relationship?”
Torrey hesitated, studying his eyes. Despite the testy tone of his words, his dark eyes seemed calm—more interested than angry. She decided to press ahead.
“I don’t know—maybe you’ve locked yourself into a pattern of thinking. You’re convinced that no woman could ever fit into your world, so of course no one ever can.” His eyes flared, and she held up her hands. “I’m not trying to play amateur psychologist,” she said. “I’m just sharing my own experience—my own feelings—for whatever they’re worth.”
She pressed her lips shut, hoping she hadn’t sent this wonderful day into the tank. Fortunately a hint of a smile lightened his expression.
“They’re worth a lot, Torrey, because they come from you. I know you went through hell and back. So I’m willing, if a little grudgingly, to think about what you’ve said.” He laced his fingers through hers, then drew her hand up and kissed it. “But not tonight. Tonight’s about you and having a good time. It’s been a great day.”
“I’ll drink to that,” Torrey said, almost breathless with relief. She took a large gulp of wine and changed the subject.
* * *
The Corvette flew down I-15, leaving behind the explosion of neon that lightened the Nevada sky for miles in every direction. After a few miles, they turned west to follow a snaking, two-lane desert road into the low mountains ahead. Julian had first suggested they take a drive into nearby Red Rock Canyon after dinner, but Red Rock closed to traffic at dusk. Fortunately Torrey knew an even better spot for moonlight stargazing.
“Slow down now, okay?” She peered ahead into the pitch black of the canyon road. “I’m sure the turn is coming right up.” Seconds later, she spotted it. “There—see it?”
“Got it,” Julian confirmed, swinging the Corvette onto a dusty dirt road that branched off to the right.
“This goat track climbs for about ten minutes or so,” she explained. “Then there’s a flat spot where we can park and get a great view across the canyons. You can’t see the city, except for the big light wash. They can probably see that on Mars.”
Julian slowed the growling Corvette to under twenty as he picked his way over the rutted track. “So, this is where the cool guys at your high school took their chicks to make out?”
Torrey gave him a coy smile, enjoying his teasing. “Uh-huh. But that’s all the information you’re going to get out of me on that subject.”
“We’ll see about that.” He rested his hand on the inside of her thigh. The slight roughness of his calloused palm sent prickles dancing along her skin. She couldn’t believe how much she wanted him again, especially since they’d just had wild sex a few hours ago.
“Now that we’ve slowed down,” she purred, “I think it’s safe to do this.” She turned, reaching over the console to cup his groin. His cock responded the instant she touched it, lengthening into an erection that grew rock hard under her fingers. She stroked the full length, revelling in the way a simple touch could so rapidly stoke his desire.
“Mmmm,” he rumbled
, “I’m not sure it’s ever safe to do that, but we’ve got our seat belts on, so what the hell.”
Torrey laughed softly, drawing her hand away. “That was just the first bite of the appetizer, darling.”
Did she just call him darling? Torrey struggled to wrap a mental tether around her emotions. No way was this for keeps—there was only what happened tonight. For now, that was enough.
She pointed ahead, higher and to the left. “We’re almost there. See that big boulder up there on the left? You pull off just past that.”
“Roger that. I hope you’ve got the rest of the appetizer on a warming tray.”
“Don’t worry.” She grinned. “It’s already hot, and I’m pretty sure you’ll find it delicious.”
Julian pulled the Corvette off the bumpy track as she directed him toward a flat area, bare except for a smattering of cholla cactus and rabbitbrush. The car rocked over a series of small rocks.
“Stop pretty soon, unless you want the experience of driving off a cliff,” she instructed.
He jammed on the brakes, lurching the Corvette into a hard stop. “Jesus, Torrey!”
“I said pretty soon—not instantly. But here’s fine.” She reached for the door handle. “You’re going to love this view.”
“Stay there a minute,” Julian said, jumping out and striding around to her side. Pulling the heavy door open, he reached in to take her hand and help her to her feet.
“Thank you, sir,” she said, touched by the old-fashioned courtesy. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her, his tongue claiming hers in a hungry rush.