7 Minutes in Heaven (Are You Game?)

by Cahill, Rhian

  Each time he’d been powerless to stop—a shudder ran through him—helpless in the face of his want for her. She was like lightning. Cracking hard and fast across his nerves. Sending his heart rate into overdrive and his mind blank in a flash of spine-bending need. He’d never felt anything like it, and he couldn’t bring himself to walk away from her. He knew they were bound to get burned. The flames between them were too hot to do anything else. And still he wouldn’t take the cautious path. For once in his life, Luc was walking into something without knowing all the possible outcomes.

  Shaking his head, he headed back to the van and got to work. He’d promised to be at her beck and call for twenty-four hours and he would be. Even if he had to sit with a bunch of six-year-old girls for most of the day. With any luck, Cassie would let him hang back and not get too close to the birthday girl or her guests. Somehow he didn’t think he’d be that fortunate.

  He worked up a sweat. The air inside the warehouse was still and as the sun heated the metal walls, the temperature rose to a stifling level. He’d rolled up his sleeves, undone the top four buttons on his shirt, but neither gave him much relief. They’d have to make a detour to his house on the way to the party. There was no way he wanted to spend the rest of the day in yesterday’s clothes. Not to mention he was commando since he refused to wear his boxers for a second time.

  Luc climbed out of the van with the last box and was headed over to the racks when Cassie came through from the kitchen. She carried a tub that almost blocked her view. With a skill that spoke of numerous trips of a similar nature, she navigated around shelving and came towards him. He couldn’t help but return the smile she aimed his way. Waiting where he was, he watched her as she sailed past and slid the tub onto the van floor.

  “Oh good, you’re almost done.” She aimed that smile his way again and his knees actually went weak. “We’re ahead of schedule so we can grab something to eat on the way to the party unless you’d prefer cupcakes.”

  This time her grin grabbed him by the balls. He wanted to see her smile like that all the time. It wasn’t just a curve of her lips. Her whole face lit up. Her eyes sparkled and the little creases beside them told him she did it often in spite of the fact she’d never graced him with one this genuine. But it was the dimples that did him in. God, they were so deep. How had he not noticed them before? The urge to kiss them—lick them—pierced him and he leaned forward and took a step before he stopped himself.

  She breezed past, a light fragrance that reminded him of sunshine and rain trailing in her wake. He drew in a deep breath, sucked in as much as he could before the enticing smell vanished. Like a dog on the scent of a bone, he followed her. It wasn’t until she looked at him, eyebrow raised, that he realised he’d been so mesmerised by her that he’d walked into the wrong aisle. Shrugging, he turned around and headed for the end row to put away the last box of equipment.

  He took a moment to clear his head before he went back to Cassie. She’d already pulled three large plastic tubs from shelves when he returned. The rainbow of colours showing through the sides made him stop. Closer inspection confirmed his fears. Beads. Hundreds of beads. He’d been here before. The one and only time he’d babysat his nieces overnight they’d been eight and ten, and they’d insisted he help them make their mum and grandma jewellery. Luc’s palms began to sweat as he thought about those tiny things and the even tinier elastic he was supposed to thread them on.

  “Please tell me you don’t expect me to help make those—” he waved a hand at the box, “—things.”

  Cassie burst out laughing.

  Luc narrowed his eyes and stepped towards her.

  “Oh my God.” She spoke between giggles. “The look on your face.” More laughter followed.

  He failed to share her amusement. Crossing his arms over his chest, he waited for her to regain her composure. Only she didn’t seem to be calming down. Every time she glanced at him she sank further into the hilarity he didn’t see. With a growl, he lunged forward, grabbed her head and held her still so he could silence her the only way he could think of.

  Her breath whooshed out as his mouth connected with hers. He drove his tongue between her parted lips and plundered. She froze against him and he was on the verge of pulling away when she tunnelled her fingers through his hair and yanked him closer. The kiss exploded. Luc backed her up until she met the rack behind her. His body ached to feel hers, but his height made it impossible to get close enough to satisfy the need. Tearing his mouth from hers, he gasped for air as he moved his hands to her waist.

  “Wrap your legs around me.” His demand was spoken on a ragged breath as he picked her up.

  She didn’t hesitate. Her slender limbs surrounded him, her thighs squeezing tight when she hooked her ankles at his lower back.

  Face-to-face, their gazes locked and Luc watched as Cassie’s pupils dilated until only a thin rim of brown remained. He wanted to dispense with their clothes. Wanted to feel her skin on his. Tugging at her shirt, he slipped his hands underneath the soft fabric and palmed her back. Heated silk moved against his fingertips and he groaned, closing his eyes as he absorbed the pure joy of touching Cassie.

  “Lucas.” She gripped his shoulders, digging her fingers in.

  He opened his eyes. Saw the raging fever he felt sweeping through both of them flash through her gaze. “God, I want you.”

  Her eyes widened, her hips flexing as her thighs clenched around him. Heat exploded where her sex was pressed against him. Did she like sex talk?

  Luc leaned forward, nipped her lower lip before whispering, “I want to strip you bare. Drag every piece of clothing from your body and take you hard and fast.”

  She gasped into his mouth and he licked his tongue out to taste her.

  “And when I’m done, I’m gonna start all over again. Only this time I’ll go slow. I’ll touch—taste—every inch of you before I drive my cock deep in your pussy.”

  “Oh God.” She rocked her hips against him. Her sex rubbed on his straining flesh, their clothes doing nothing to mask the heat they generated.

  He thrust forward, driving them both out of their minds and closer to release. Their breaths mingled as they nibbled at each other. The rock and roll of their hips grew faster, their urgency increasing with every surge of sex on sex. His cock throbbed, his balls tucking up as he dry humped the woman in his arms.

  “Lucas.” Cassie’s cry urged him on. “Oh God, I’m gonna…”

  She clawed at his back, digging her heels into him as she tried to pull him closer. He picked up the pace, shifted his hips and stroked his cock harder against her. She threw her head back and moaned. The arch of her neck drew his mouth and he suckled the pulse fluttering at hyper speed at the base of her throat. It beat against his tongue, the fast beat finding a similar rhythm inside him.

  He moved his hands lower, squeezed her arse and ground their bodies together. Cassie’s whole body jerked, her hips thrashing as she rode him. Her strength amazed him. Leg muscles tightened as she used them to grind herself to release. Luc watched as she took what she wanted. What she needed. And when she went over—exploded in his arms—like a flash of lightning, he did something he hadn’t done even as a hormone-driven teenager. He thrust against her and came in his pants.

  Cassie collapsed forward, resting her forehead on Lucas’s shoulder as she struggled to catch her breath. Heat and pleasure still rippled through her as the final waves of her orgasm ebbed away. He’d blown her mind. Again. They seemed to find themselves in this position every few hours, and each time they came together it was hotter. More intense. His breath rasped in her ear and she couldn’t help smiling. Lucas seemed just as affected by her release as she was. She unhooked her ankles and tried to slip her legs from around him, but he held her tight.

  “Not yet,” he panted. “Just need a minute before I let you go.”

  She knew she should be embarrassed by her actions, or at least a little ashamed for using him the way she had, but with all the
endorphins flooding her system, she could only feel gloriously satisfied. He shifted, turned around until he leaned against the racks instead of her. Still wrapped around him, she tilted her head back and met his gaze.

  “Wow.” She licked her lips. “Guess I got carried away.”

  Lucas grinned. “Yeah, guess you did.”

  “Should I say sorry?”

  “Not unless you’re expecting me to say it too.”

  For a second, she didn’t get his meaning, but when a flush rose up his neck and filled his cheeks the light bulb went on. She glanced down, leaned back farther and caught sight of the damp patch on the front of his pants. “Oh.”

  “Yeah, oh.” He smiled. “Understatement of the year.”

  Cassie brought her gaze back to his. “You know, I don’t feel sorry at all. In fact, I’m feeling rather pleased with myself.” She grinned.

  He laughed. A deep, rolling rumble that vibrated through his abdomen into hers. “Keep hold of that thought, because now we’re definitely stopping by my place for a change of clothes before we head out to work.”

  “I think we can manage that.” She untangled her arms and legs and waited for Lucas to put her down. “We better get everything packed quickly then. The cakes are almost done. I was going to ice them here but I can wait and do them at the party. That might be better anyway. With the temperature predicted to be high they’d be melting before we got them on the table if I did them here.”

  “You know we really have to stop doing this.” He gestured between them. “As much as I’d like to keep at it and go further, you’re going to have to restrain yourself for the rest of the day.”

  “Me?” She gave his shoulder a shove. “I didn’t start that.”

  “No.” He gripped her chin. “But it’s your fault for looking so goddamn edible.”

  He kissed her hard and fast. She was just leaning in when he pulled back and grinned at her. Spinning her around, he slapped her arse and said, “C’mon, let’s get going. I want out of these pants.”

  Cassie laughed at his unintentional double entendre. “Hey, don’t let me stop you from stripping.”

  A growl rumbled behind her, and before he could grab her, she darted down the aisle and headed to the kitchen. She was pretty sure the cupcakes would be ready to come out of the oven. Hopefully, she hadn’t missed the timer going off while she’d been going off. Grinning, she raced through the swinging door as the oven buzzer rang. Perfect timing.

  Her timing wasn’t the only thing that was perfect. The chemistry between her and Lucas was a thing of beauty. Of course, they blazed so hot it was possible they’d incinerate each other when they finally managed to get into bed. Then again, they’d more than coped without a bed so far. She bent to open the oven door and her slacks rubbed along her wet slit. Sensation fired, her flesh so recently satisfied oversensitive to the texture of her panties—the press of her pants.

  Taking a deep breath, she willed her body back under control. The last thing she needed was to get excited again. There was no time to indulge in another hot and heavy session with Lucas no matter how much she wanted to. She glanced at the clock on the wall. Eight hours. It was at least that long before she could throw all thoughts of work out the door and concentrate on Lucas and the amazing sex they were going to have.

  Chapter Eight

  Cassie couldn’t take her eyes off Lucas. The last few hours had been mindboggling. From the minute they arrived, the birthday girl had commandeered him to play the role of Prince Charming. She had to hand it to him. After his initial panic, Lucas had proven to be an excellent prince—crown and all. And it wasn’t just the princesses he’d charmed either. There wasn’t one mother present who hadn’t at one stage or other found a reason to talk to him. She’d never really dealt with the green-eyed monster when it came to a man. But Cassie couldn’t deny that right now she wanted to go over there and stake her claim on Prince Charming.

  “I can’t believe how good he is with Prissy,” Margo said as she stepped beside Cassie.

  “Mmm.” Cassie dragged her eyes away from Lucas and looked at the birthday girl’s mother. “That crown does seem to fit him well.”

  “And I did notice there’s no wedding ring on his finger. Is he available do you know?”

  Cassie looked away and rolled her eyes. Divorced from husband number three barely six months and Margo Fernwig Rothers Bennett was on the prowl for groom number four. She’d seen it before, or at least Margo’s type, and while she had no claim on Lucas, Cassie wasn’t about to give this woman a clear field. “He’s seeing someone.”

  “Shame. Still, without a ring I’d say he’s fair game wouldn’t you?” Margo headed in the direction of her daughter and her latest prey without waiting for Cassie to reply.

  Staring after the other woman, Cassie struggled not to follow. Lucas wasn’t hers. She had no right to go charging over and drag him away from the female piranha no matter how much the voice in her head yelled at her to go get her man. She watched as Margo leaned over to talk to Prissy, pressing her surgically enhanced cleavage into Lucas as she did. He shifted sideways. Margo followed. The frown on his face told Cassie that he wasn’t any more impressed by the woman than she was. Smiling, she turned back to the food table and continued to top up the bowls of lollies.

  “Oh my God. I can’t believe that woman.”

  Cassie jumped us Lucas brushed against her. She glanced up and almost laughed at the scowl on his face. “What woman?”

  “The mother. She just propositioned me in front of her daughter.”

  “Ah, yes, well, she is without her usual accessory at the moment.”

  “What?” He arched one thick, dark eyebrow.

  “She ditched husband number three. She’s on the prowl for number four.”

  “Good God. And she’s looking at me?” He looked over his shoulder as though he expected the woman to be right there, claws ready to sink into him.

  Cassie laughed. “Relax. We’re out of here in another hour or so. Besides—” she placed her hand on his chest, patting him twice, “—you’re a big boy. You can handle her. After all, it’ll take more than some little woman to scare you.”

  “That’s not a woman, it’s a damn shark.” He stepped closer. “And there’s only one woman I want to be handling at the moment.”

  She gasped when he dropped his head and planted a hard kiss on her mouth. “Lucas.”

  “Relax.” He grinned. “I’m just making sure you both know where my interests lie.”

  With that, he headed back to the row of tables where twenty-four six-year-olds were plying their skills as master jewellers. He squeezed his six-foot-five-inch frame into a child’s chair and immediately helped the girl next to him thread her beads on the thin elastic. Cassie’s stomach flipped and her chest warmed. If someone had told her Lucas Wilhelm could hold his own in a group of tutu-wearing princesses she’d have laughed and called them a liar. Except now she knew firsthand that Lucas was capable of handling any situation.

  Margo caught Cassie’s attention as she headed back towards her. This would be interesting. From the look on the woman’s face she was not happy about something. “I don’t think that man should be sitting so close to all those little girls.” She put just enough inflection in her voice to have any one who overheard questioning Lucas’s intentions.

  A burst of laughter came from behind Cassie and she turned to see several of the other mothers within hearing distance. The pretty blonde that had laughed stepped closer. “Why, Margo, are you jealous?”

  Margo stiffened. “I have no idea what you’re implying, Sonia.”

  “I’m not implying anything. I’m stating a fact. Prince Charming just shot you down and then made it perfectly clear who his princess is.” Sonia tilted her head in Cassie’s direction. “Getting desperate if you’re going after the hired help, aren’t you, Margo?”

  “Well, I never.” Nose in the air, Margo flounced off.

  Sonia put her hand on Cassie’s arm. �
��Sorry you and Prince Charming had to be subjected to that.”

  “Oh, don’t worry. I’m finding the whole thing rather amusing.” Cassie turned to check on Lucas before turning back to Sonia and the other women gathered around. “And Lucas is a big boy. He can take care of himself.”

  The redhead on Sonia’s left spoke, “Oh my, yes. He’s definitely a big boy.” Her grin was downright wolfish.

  En masse, they laughed and Cassie couldn’t help joining in. She shouldn’t be laughing at the situation, not with Lucas looking all offended and Margo stalking off. Still, from her position, having her temporary employee sexually harassed at a child’s party wasn’t something she ever expected to occur. Now if it had been last night… Cassie glanced back at Lucas to find him engrossed with the beads as deeply as the six-year-olds. Another thing that made her smile. He was so cute sitting there surrounded by pink princesses. She slipped her phone out of her pocket and quickly snapped a couple of shots of Lucas.

  Grinning, Cassie put her phone away and went back to work. They’d had the birthday cupcakes and presents earlier, and she’d packed up the remaining cakes in little bags for each of the princesses to take one home. The party bags were lined up beside them ready to hand out, and other than the supplies being used she had nothing else to clear away once the party was over. She glanced at her watch. And that would be in approximately forty-five minutes.

  Luc pocketed the bracelet he’d made for Cassie. He planned to give it to her later. Right now he had to pack everything away. The girls were pitching in to help close lids and stack boxes now the fun was over. Surprisingly, he’d had fun too. A lot of fun. He’d never own up to it, of course. But he had to admit, if only to himself, that little girls were unexpectedly amusing. They’d squealed with delight when the coloured beads were plunked down in front of them. There was more screeching when they managed to thread a few glass balls on the thin elastic to make a necklace or bracelet, and there were even more shrieks of joy when he’d helped them tie off their masterpieces and put them on.