Here I am spinning another story. Truth needed here. David was no stray. He was powerful and sexy. Why did he want to celebrate one of the most important occasions of his life with her? Her need to understand shook her to her core.
The rose-scented candles she’d lit earlier had burned out on the glass coffee table, but their fragrance still hung in the air, and the CD of Patsy Cline’s greatest hits was ending with her plaintive wail of walking after midnight.
David had thrown his leather jacket over the back of the hunter green tweed side chair and opened one bottle of champagne. He stood waiting for her, his blue shirt open at the throat and his dark hair wavy, like he’d run his fingers through it.
She placed the ice bucket on the table and he handed her a glass of champagne. His eyes were clear and vulnerable. “To a new beginning tonight?”
Afraid to face her feelings, she tried to make it light. “Deal.” She curled up on the couch, burying her bare feet deep into the pillows, and patted the cushion beside her. “Now come here, Grandpa, and tell me all about it.”
Joy flooded back into David’s face, bringing her a rush of warm pleasure.
He threw himself down beside her in such a natural way, as if they’d shared this couch before and he knew exactly how close to sit. Knew how to snuggle into the plush softness and stuff a small green velvet pillow behind his head for comfort. Anticipation melted through her.
He turned his head to look at her, his eyes bright, yet lazy in a sexy, sleepy kind of way. It was the kind of look that reminded her she wasn’t wearing any underwear.
Feeling sexy despite her best intentions, she snuggled down deeper beside him. The tail end of her self- preservation warned her not to focus on how it would feel for David to kiss her. She slammed the door on her common sense for the night. It was like the spell he cast that day in the office. She just wanted to wallow in this pool of sensual delight a little while longer.
“So tell me everything,” she said, watching his face only inches away.
“The night of the cook-off I took the jet to the coast for meetings about WBS. I didn’t get any time to see my son Ryan and his wife, Jasmine, in Pasadena until last night.”
He smiled, and she knew he was remembering that moment of happiness.
“As soon as I arrived they told me she’s going to have twins in the spring.”
Rebecca sat up straighter. “My God, no wonder you’re so excited. Twins! Double the pleasure.”
“Often double the trouble with Ryan and Michael.” He said it with such love in his voice she got goose bumps. “Your glass is empty, Rebecca. I’ll get more champagne.”
A sense of loss, for his warmth, for him next to her on the couch, made her watch him carefully. His almost-swagger. The way his strong hands grasped the ice bucket to carry the champagne back to the coffee table. His slow, confident smile. It all seemed so right for this moment.
Want became desire. Desire. Such an important ingredient of survival flavored life in so many delicious ways, she’d learned. Considering who he was, the kind of desire she felt for David needed to be portioned out carefully.
Surely one taste can’t hurt me.
He settled back down and handed her another chilled glass of champagne. They were so close their thighs touched.
She raised her glass. “To the new twins.”
“To the new twins and hoping their mother finds me a more satisfactory grandfather than she does father-in-law.” He blinked as if startled. “I can’t believe I admitted that to you. I haven’t even discussed it with Ryan.”
Rebecca refrained from asking why Jasmine didn’t care for him. A few weeks ago she could have thought of several reasons, and she didn’t even know the dear girl. Tonight she couldn’t think of one.
“Don’t worry about confessing. You’d be surprised what people have told me. Remember, it used to be my job to get people to tell me their deepest, darkest secrets.”
He winced. “Ouch!”
“No. No. I didn’t mean it that way.” She didn’t want to think about the Daily Mail. She didn’t want to remember she’d once thought of him as the-evil-boss-from-hell. She didn’t want to remember she’d once planned to do whatever it took to get back her job. Tonight she wanted it to be just Rebecca and David, with no expectations. No promises. Just the honesty of the desire beating between them.
She touched his thigh and their eyes met. She shifted closer, reacting to the invitation on his face. “Let’s agree, David. Tonight nothing about the Daily Mail will taint the twins’ celebration.”
He laughed. “Daily Mail? Never heard of it.” He poured them both another glass of champagne. “You didn’t happen to give any advice to those other poor souls spilling their guts, did you?”
Sipping, she relaxed back onto the pillows. “As a matter of fact, I love giving advice. For your information, I wrote an advice column for my college newspaper. ‘Ask Becky.’ I was quite a hit, if I do say so myself.”
He tried to look impressed but his dimple gave him away. “Why didn’t Becky come to Chicago?”
“Becky did come to Chicago, eager to share her young wisdom with the world. But, alas, the world wasn’t interested. In Chicago the only advice column that mattered belonged to Ann Landers. So I became Rebecca Covington.”
Forbidden topic. She drained her champagne glass.
He immediately refilled it. “I’m interested. Can Ask Becky help me win over Jasmine?”
“Luckily for you, Becky still loves to practice giving advice as often as possible. Ask Becky needs to know how you reacted to the delightful twinner news.”
“I took Jasmine’s hand, like this.” David picked up Rebecca’s hand and held it firmly. “And I looked into her eyes, like this.”
My God, his eyes really are the color of priceless sapphires.
“And I said, I’m very happy.” His voice was deep, compelling, and so very sensual.
Why is it so hot in here?
Feeling incredibly flushed, like her skin was burning, she pulled her hand free to unzip her hoodie to the top of her breasts, where the cleavage started, and took another swallow of cold champagne. “Mistake, David. You should have kissed Jasmine’s cheek. Then what happened?”
Really, she was trying to concentrate on his problem, but she found the way his hair fell across his forehead so utterly fascinating, she couldn’t think of anything but running her fingers through it. It looked silky, and at the temples there was the slightest hint of beautiful silver.
“They’re both veterinarians, so we discussed her absence from the clinic they run. And Ryan and I discussed the trust funds I’ll set up for the children.”
“Aha! Another problem. Of course the trust funds are a marvelous idea. But what are you doing for Jasmine? She’s the one who’s going to have morning sickness and swollen feet and gain twenty-five pounds. She needs a little TLC.”
“What does Becky suggest I do?” He grinned and poured more champagne into her glass.
Ignoring the little buzz in her head, she took another sip. “Find out what flowers are Jasmine’s favorite and have them delivered weekly. And a massage! Yes, definitely. A masseur to the house once a week to give her a ninety-minute massage. I believe such generous gestures will help her see you in a new light.”
Like I do.
The idea of massaging David’s shoulders and back held such appeal she had to tightly grip the stem of her flute to keep from touching him.
“Done. Thanks, Becky.” He relaxed back beside her, leaned in, and kissed her. His mouth was warm and inviting, and it tasted of champagne. Her favorite.
Call me a glutton, I want more.
She touched her throbbing lower lip with the tip of her tongue and stared into his intent face. “I liked that. I’m going to kiss you back.” The slow smile that broke over his face dangerously elevated her temperature even higher.
“It’s my greatest hope.” He removed the champagne glass from her hand and began to gently nuzzle the na
pe of her neck. “Do you like this, too?”
How did he know? She drew a short breath, shivers tickling every nerve ending. “One of my favorite erogenous zones.”
“I plan to find every last one of them,” he whispered, his voice husky. He slid his hands under her hoodie, his fingers making gentle circles on the aching sides of her breasts. “Like this.”
Ribbons of desire pulled her insides so tight it frightened her, and she fought for freedom. “I’m highly competitive. I want to find your erogenous zones first.”
She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him, fully, deeply, touching his tongue again and again.
She shuddered as he slid the cashmere hoodie down her arms. Her skin felt chilled and overheated in the same instant. “You’re cheating.”
“You’re overdressed.” He nipped at her throat. She gasped when his mouth moved to the sides of her breasts, where they were so tender. Every brush of his lips tightened the desire wrapping them closer and closer.
“You’re overdressed, too,” she whispered. In spite of the heat rising in her abdomen, she forced herself to shift away from his wonderful, sensual mouth.
She slipped the top button of his shirt free to lick his warm, hard chest, and moved lower, opening button after button.
He stopped her at the fifth one, his taut stomach trembling beneath her lips. “You’re getting ahead of me.” His laugh was shaky.
“You’re not the only one in control here.” Slowly, loving his instant reaction, she rubbed her hot, tingling breasts against his lightly furred chest, making her way back to his mouth.
He groaned. “Becky, you’re not playing fair.”
“What do you plan to do about it?” she whispered before biting his earlobe.
“Where’s the bedroom?” He stood, pulling her up and into his arms.
“David, we’re not twenty anymore. I’m heavier than I look!” she warned, wrapping her arms around his neck.
He laughed and walked purposefully and without difficulty down the hallway to her open bedroom door.
She couldn’t take her eyes off his face as he laid her on the down comforter and stood to shed his clothes. His body was lightly tanned except for a wide band of pale skin around his groin. His erection was taut and beautiful, and she wanted him.
“Safety?” she whispered.
“Always.” He slipped on a condom before stretching out beside her.
“Do you like this?” He kissed her navel, and his mouth followed the trail of his hands stripping off her cashmere sweatpants.
Pleasure tremors racking her body, she gasped. “You’re getting ahead of me.”
“I know.” He nipped playfully at the inside of her knee and then, slowly, his mouth warm and moist, he nuzzled along her inner thigh. Her muscles tightened in anticipation.
Desperate to let herself go, she tangled her fingers in his hair, urging him up over her body, loving his weight pressing down on her. “I’ll relinquish control if you will,” she whispered against his mouth.
“God, yes!” He kissed her so long and deeply her breathing changed, coming out in short gasps.
She closed her eyes, lost to everything except David finding and touching every delicious spot on her body, which throbbed to be stroked or caressed into pleasure by his hands and lips. The ache at her center expanded out in such hot waves she couldn’t bear it another instant. Trembling, she arched up, demanding he cradle her hips with his palms and push himself deeper inside her.
“I want more.” She bit her lip, frightened that she’d spoken her desire but unable to stop.
His eyes locked with hers as he moved deeper and deeper and faster until the spasms built.
Yes, this is what I wanted.
She held him tight, moving with him, their rhythm perfect, like this wasn’t the first time. She knew what he wanted, just as he knew for her. Knew when to kiss, caress, thrust with her lips, tongue, and body until there was nothing but his taste in her mouth and him hot and throbbing inside her.
Shuddering waves of pleasure broke over her and she cried out, falling over the edge, lost to everything but swirling, scalding sensation beating between them.
They stayed tangled together, their breathing slowing to become more even, yet not quite normal.
“You’re exquisite, Becky,” he whispered into her damp throat. Kissing her shoulder, he shifted to gently pull her closer so she could rest comfortably beside him, her head on his chest.
It had been a very long time since she was like Becky. Free. Trusting enough to fearlessly go with her feelings.
Too long. By morning the spell would be broken. Time enough then to be Rebecca again.
Chapter 14
David opened his eyes, his senses filled with Rebecca. Her taste in his mouth, her breath warm on his throat, her soft body curled against him.
He stared into the darkness, blaming himself for letting things between them go this far.
Nothing had played out like he planned. Or had he planned this all along, since the first night he looked across the room and their eyes met? He rested his cheek against her hair. It smelled like almonds.
Contentment settled over him and he pulled her closer, being careful not to wake her. She sighed, shivering.
Afraid she was cold, he pulled the comforter up, tucking it around her bare shoulders.
Tired, he closed his eyes. He was falling asleep, and as he drifted off, he saw himself holding a woman’s hand, looking into her eyes, twirling her around. They were both laughing, full of joy. It was the old dream from when his life had been whole with Ellen.
The dream fragmented into hundreds of pieces and slowly fit itself back together, jagged edge to jagged edge. He saw the woman’s face again, but this time it was Rebecca’s.
He tried to yell out that this was wrong, but his voice was blown away by the wind stirring the curls around Rebecca’s small ears. Then she began to slowly fade into the light from the blazing sun in the blue sky above them. Only then did David let himself fall into a deep, dreamless sleep.
Rebecca opened her eyes to the weak October dawn light speckling the wood floor through her half-closed cream drapes. David’s even breaths felt warm on her cheek. Sometime during the night he must have drawn the comforter over them for warmth like a cocoon.
She slowly sat up, watching him sleep. With his wavy hair messed up and the shadowy scruffiness along his jaw, he looked vulnerable and adorable.
My God, what have I done? My first one-night stand. And with my boss. Insane, but worth it.
Remembering, her body tingled with pleasure. The spell wasn’t broken yet.
Maybe I’ll wake him up to do it again.
Seizing what was left of her self-control, she opened the door and welcomed back her common sense. Get up and get dressed. This is not part of my plan.
Determined to be smart, she slid to the side of the bed. She glanced back. He looked so sweet sleeping, she couldn’t resist pressing one last farewell kiss on his warm, scratchy cheek.
Half an hour later, swaddled in a heavy terry cloth robe and a towel wrapped around her wet hair, she walked back into the bedroom. David was sitting up, stretching, the muscles in his back and chest rippling.
Yes, he obviously works out.
Since last night, the little spark of excitement he’d engendered on first sight had become a roaring blaze. She dampened it down with a healthy dose of cheerfulness, as if it was perfectly normal to find David naked in her bed.
God forbid there be an awkward moment. I’ll make this light.
“Good morning, David. There are disposable toiletries in the guest bathroom down the hall, and it has the best shower. Help yourself.”
His eyes were watchful as she moved around the bedroom, picking up their clothes, discarded in abandonment. “Natural beauty takes me about thirty minutes. Then I’ll meet you in the kitchen. But you’ll have to make your own coffee.”
“Thank you, Becky,” he finally responded in a husky I-just-woke
-up-after-sex voice.
She fled into the bathroom, trying to focus on her goals. Her immediate objective was to get him out the door with as much grace and humor as possible. The other goals, to figure out exactly what last night meant to both of them, if anything, and her ultimate, gold standard goal, of changing his mind about the future of the Daily Mail, would have to wait.
The minute she walked into the kitchen and found David, showered and dressed, and brewing two cups of tea, she knew he wasn’t going to make an awkward scene.
He looked very much at home. He used the strainer like a pro and handed her a steaming cup. “I noticed you like your tea weak.”
She watched him pour himself a stronger brew. “You drink tea?”
“Sometimes. I developed a taste for it when I spent several months in London and Edinburgh putting together a deal.” He leaned against the counter, watching her. She sensed he was waiting to take his cue from her.
Keep it light. Make him comfortable. We are two consenting adults. No drama needed here.
“About the Becky thing.” She peered at him over her cup and tried to sound nonchalant. “I understand last night was part of the twinner celebration. An enchanted evening. Now time to get back to work. You know, the real world.”
He stared at her for too long, like he’d held her hand. His face was guarded, like she tried to make her own. Their armor was firmly in place.
I wish I knew what he was feeling. Is he as confused as I am?
He placed his cup carefully on the counter. “I’ll see myself out.”
“No, don’t be silly. I’ll see you out.” Holding her cup to her chest, she led him to the front door and opened it.
If she was still young and naive like Becky had been, she’d tell him the truth. I’ve just had the best sex of my life with you, but I know it didn’t mean anything, so let’s be urbane and sophisticated about it. But if it did mean something, what should we do about it?
Talk of the Town Page 13