Candy's Man

by Jeanette Hornby

  The smooth fabric of Andrew’s jacket reminded her of...too many things. She felt a tightness in her chest and knew she had to stop thinking about her past or she would soon be a blubbering mess.

  After several songs had played, Andrew escorted her back to where their dinner companions had gathered. She wasn’t seated long before she was quickly ushered back to the dance floor by another man. And so it went on, song after song.

  “Sorry, I need a rest,” she apologised to the man in front of her. She had been dancing solidly for nearly two hours and her feet were killing her. She took a long drink of water and let it cool her overheated body.

  From where she sat, she caught sight of ‘the gladiator’. He was dancing cosily with an attractive blonde woman, and Candy felt a little green with envy. He hadn’t even asked her to dance. She couldn’t understand why he kept staring at her if he wasn’t interested.

  She shook her head in disappointment and stifled a yawn. It was midnight. Time for this ‘Cinderella’ to go to bed.

  She had travelled so much in the past few days. It was all catching up with her. Besides, she wasn’t interested in any of the men here, well, there was him but he didn’t look remotely interested in her anymore.

  Her feet seemed to groan as she stood. She couldn’t wait to get these shoes off her feet.

  “Leaving already?” Andrew asked. She heard the regret in his voice.

  “Yes. Time to call it a night.” She picked up her bag. “It was lovely to meet you all.”

  Everyone wished her a good night and Candy sighed in relief as she made her way to the stairs. Being civil was hard work.

  She took a quick glance at the dance floor. He seemed to have disappeared. Oh, well, that was that.

  As she entered the empty elevator, she blew out a breath. Being single at twenty-nine wasn’t what she’d planned.

  When the elevator door opened, she walked out and moved leisurely down the corridor. She had no choice really because her feet were throbbing. As she turned a corner, a door opened further up in the hall and some men made their way toward her.

  It was Sean and his friends! She panicked. She had to get out of there. After the disastrous date, she couldn’t take anymore embarrassment.

  She grabbed the first door handle to her left, and was thankful when the door opened. She quickly entered the dark room and closed the door. She listened for voices and sure enough they seemed to have stopped right outside.

  The room was suddenly flooded with light. She held her breath. The room was occupied!

  Oh, God.

  With eyes widened, she watched as a figure stood in the bathroom doorway. Her heart skipped a beat as the realisation hit her. There was no mistake. His brawny physique was a giveaway. It was him!

  He cleared his throat. “Can I help you?” The rich baritone voice made her shudder.

  “I’m so sorry,” she squeaked, and noticed the small smile on his lips. He wasn’t angry. She tried to catch her breath. “I was...trying to...avoid someone.”

  His eyebrows went up.

  “Your door was unlocked. I didn’t think...”

  As he took a step toward her, her throat went dry. His shirt had been pulled out of his trousers and was open, exposing his large, defined chest. Her senses heightened and she could smell the masculine scent of him. The pulsing in her veins quickened. She should get out of there. She gripped the door handle.

  “You don’t have to leave.” His deep American accent reverberated through her body.

  She swallowed the lump in her throat and stared at him. Her mind was a whirl of confusion. What was he saying? She had to leave. She couldn’t stay in a strange man’s room. Could she? If she stayed that would only mean one thing.

  Her gaze shifted to the door handle but she couldn’t get her hand to move. Her heart was beating hard in her chest and she was very aware of him so close behind her. With every last bit of strength within her, she turned to face him.

  His eyes raked over her and in two long strides he was by her side. She looked up at him and couldn’t move a muscle. A strong arm grasped her waist, pulling her close, and she thought she was going to pass out.

  With their bodies thrust hard against each other, she could feel the heat of him. Pressed against his massive chest, her nipples rubbed against the silk of her dress and grew taut. She could feel the strength of his thighs as they held strong against hers and God, she could feel everything else in between. Why wasn’t she kicking or screaming? What the hell was wrong with her?

  “I’ve been watching you,” he whispered hoarsely against her ear, and she almost jumped out of her skin. His breath was hot as he moved his lips along her jaw.

  His mouth caressed her neck and she heard a strange sound coming from her throat. Like a growl. She had been celibate for far too long but was she was going to let a strange man take advantage of her?

  He nipped her skin with his teeth and she whimpered. His mouth found the hollow of her throat and she almost fell to pieces. “Please,” she breathed.

  When his mouth came down over hers, she knew it was too late. The burning within her turned to fire and she kissed him back with a force she never knew she was capable of. And he responded.

  Oh, God.

  He tasted sweet, like wine, and she was giddy with desire. Her body tingled as his mouth promised her things she had only dreamed about.

  Without warning, he ended the kiss and Candy struggled for breath as he moved a hand across the side of her breast. “Take it off,” he ordered huskily.

  A fire raged within her and she stepped back. Her chest was heaving. She looked toward the door and then returned her gaze to him. His dark-brown eyes were almost black.

  Swallowing the fear in her throat, her fingers trembled as they found the zip at her side, and the red silk dress fell in a heap at her feet.

  As he stared at her, she felt a thrill shoot up her spine. She brazenly stepped forward, whipped off her red lace panties, and stood before him, naked.

  His gaze shot to her extravagant red shoes and his chest expanded before he knelt at her feet.

  ***

  Candy stretched, yawned, and snuggled back into a ball. A faint humming filled the cabin, and she heard water running.

  “Damn!” The masculine voice was loud and clear, and her eyes snapped open.

  Oh, my God!

  She searched the room and her gaze rested on clothes neatly folded over a chair.

  Men’s clothes.

  Under the chair, a pair of shoes sat in an orderly fashion.

  A neat freak.

  She soon discovered that was the least of her problems. She lifted the bed covers. Just as she thought. She was naked in a strange man’s bed. Her stomach clenched.

  I slept with a stranger!

  With the sobriety she lacked the evening before, she shook her head in disbelief. She had never been so reckless in her entire twenty-nine years.

  The bathroom door flew open and a man stood before her in all his natural majesty. Candy flushed and pulled the covers over her head. His deep laugh resonated throughout the room.

  “You’re not shy?” he asked, the amusement evident in his husky American voice.

  Shy? Shameless was a more appropriate word.

  “Come on,” he said playfully, and Candy heard him move closer to the bed. The bed shifted as he sat near her. “You’ve nothing to feel embarrassed about.”

  Embarrassed? Trymortified!

  With forceful hands he grabbed the covers and tried to pull them from her. She refused to give up without a fight.

  “I won’t bite. Well, only if you don’t want me to,” he said with a chuckle.

  “I don’t even know your name,” she croaked.

  “What? I can’t hear you. Will you look at me?” He finally yanked the covers from her.

  She looked into his fiery brown eyes, her chest heaving.

  “Now, what did you say?” he asked as his gaze moved over her.

  She swallowed,
took a deep breath, and covered her breasts with her arms. “I don’t know your name.”

  “Cleve,” he said with a smile.

  “Oh.”

  “And you are?”

  She cleared her throat. “Candy.”

  Laughter rocked his hulking frame. She frowned and balled her hands into fists. “Sorry,” he snorted. “That’s classic.”

  Candy glared daggers at him and pulled the covers back over her. “Do you mind? I’d like some privacy to get dressed.”

  “Where are you going?”

  “To my cabin.”

  “No.”

  “What do you mean, no?” she said between clenched teeth.

  “Um, that didn’t come out right...”

  “Then what did you mean to say?”

  He reached out and caressed her cheek with a warm hand, and the bravado she felt vanished. “I don’t want you to go.” He moved his face closer to hers and his scorching breath heated her skin. “You have the most amazing green eyes,” he whispered as his thumb stroked her cheek bone. He was so close. She stared, transfixed.

  “You’re bleeding,” she stated, resisting the lure of his gaze.

  His hand moved to his jaw. “I cut myself, shaving.” He headed for the bathroom.

  Candy closed her eyes to the returning memory of what they had done last night. As much as she tried to erase it, she couldn't forget how glorious it was. Oh, she had to give him credit. He was extremely talented. She couldn't stop the smile that formed on her lips.

  He appeared in the doorway and watched her.

  A tingling sensation crept up her spine. Couldn’t he put some clothes on? It was pretty unnerving having a man like that stand before you, naked.

  He rubbed the white hand-towel across his jaw. “So, you enjoyed yourself then?”

  The deep timbre of his voice caused a rush of blood to her face. He knew perfectly well she had enjoyed herself. They had been up half the night enjoying, not only themselves, but each other.

  “You’re very quiet this morning,” he said, as he reached behind the bathroom door for his bathrobe. As he shrugged himself into it, someone knocked on the door.

  Her stomach did a somersault. Who can that be?

  “Breakfast,” he said and moved toward the door.

  Candy swore under her breath and covered herself.

  “Thanks,” Cleve said.

  She peeked out from under the covers. Cleve shook his head. It was alright for him. He was a man after all. The more conquests the better.

  He exhaled sharply. “Do you want something to eat?”

  She wanted to tell him just where he could stick breakfast but she was starving. She nodded.

  He sat on the edge of the bed with the tray in his hands. The smell of bacon and eggs wafted from under the covered dish and her stomach growled in unison with his.

  “I guess we’re both hungry.” He smiled as he lifted the metal cover. Candy lowered her eyes and smiled weakly. “Sit back and I’ll put the tray on your lap,” he said.

  She pushed herself against the headboard and tightened the sheet across her chest while Cleve fussed over the tray. Inhaling his scent, she licked her lips. He smelled so good.

  “There you go. Eat up,” he told her.

  “Aren’t you having any? I can’t eat all of this.”

  “I was hoping you'd say that.” He sat beside her on the bed.

  “Oh.” Why was her appetite suddenly gone?

  His body heat emanated through the covers and she allowed her gaze to wander over the length of him. He really was a big man. Tall, wide and with muscle like solid rock.

  “Can I have some now?” he asked.

  Oh, God, why did he have to be so close, so handsome, so...everything? She swallowed the lump in her throat. “Help yourself.”

  He grinned, a sure fire ‘I need a slap’ grin that she ignored.

  She put a forkful of scrambled eggs in her mouth. They were good, cooked to perfection and she shovelled in another mouthful. Her appetite was back.

  Cleve cleared his throat.

  With the fork in mid-air, Candy sighed and held it out to him. He didn’t bother taking the fork but put his mouth over it and quickly swallowed.

  She stared at him, not knowing what to do next. Was she supposed to feed him?

  “Here, let me,” he said, and took the fork from her.

  With more eggs on the fork, he held it out for her to eat. Somehow, she managed to open her mouth and chew.

  And that’s how it went until all the eggs and bacon were gone. He had fed her breakfast. It was such an intimate act and she hardly knew him. This hardly qualifies as ‘meaningless sex’, she thought. She realised she should have left earlier and began to fidget.

  Cleve removed the tray from her lap and placed it on a nearby table.

  Her heart rate rose. What now?

  “Do you want to take a shower?” he asked.

  The perfect solution.

  “Yes,” she said a little too quickly. She ran into the bathroom and shut the door behind her.

  “There’s a clean towel behind the door and another bathrobe!”

  “Thanks!” she yelled back and turned on the shower. No need for undressing.

  The water felt good on her skin. She closed her eyes and let it gently cascade over her weary body. Her thoughts took her to Cleve’s expert hands and she moaned.

  “Are you alright?” he called out.

  Damn! Did she really do that? “Fine,” she answered. No more thinking. She washed herself thoroughly several times in an attempt to avoid the inevitable.

  Finally washed, dried, and clothed in the humongous bathrobe, she wiped the mirror before studying her reflection. Staring back at her were vibrant green eyes, and her peaches-and-cream complexion had an unexpected glow. Unsure what to do next, she took a deep breath, and made her way into the bedroom.

  “God, it’s like a sauna in there,” Cleve said, as steam followed her out.

  She smiled weakly, looking around the room for her clothes. Her heart was pounding.

  Cleve was sprawled on the bed barely covered with the bathrobe and held the remote control in his hand. Their eyes met and he turned off the TV. His stare was penetrating. It forced her to look away quickly. If only she could find her clothes.

  “Come here,” he said gently and patted the bed.

  She fiddled with her damp hair that was styling its own way into curls.

  “Candy.”

  She caught his gaze and was trapped. Her feet took her to the edge of the bed. He smiled and held out his arms. “Come here,” he repeated firmly.

  The drumming of her heart propelled her to him and his arms encircled her. “You smell so good,” he said as his lips tickled her ear. She tried hard not to react, but the touch of his lips on her skin was electrifying, and she moaned.

  “I know you want this,” he said and his mouth travelled over her jawline. “Tell me.”

  She was panting. His mouth was hot. His hands were hotter.

  Oh, God. She wanted to run but something held her there. Something primal. “I want...” she began and closed her eyes as his hand cupped her breast.

  “Open your eyes,” he told her, and she did. Smouldering brown eyes held hers captive and urged her on. “Tell me,” he repeated. The huskiness of his voice was like a bolt of lightning.

  “I want...you to make love to me,” she whispered, hoarsely, “I want to make love to you.”

  A low guttural sound came from his throat as he moved over her. His body was hard, wanting, and his mouth crashed down over hers.

  The kiss consumed her and turned the heat in her belly to fire. The memories of the previous evening assailed her and she wanted him all the more.

  Cleve’s hands roamed over her skin, exploring every angle of her body until she was aflame with need. She longed for him to possess her and let her hands move over his hardened desire.

  “Candy,” he rasped. “Sweet, sweet Candy, you’re a man’s d
ream come true.”

  ***

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