Exquisite Acquisitions

by Charlene Sands

  She gulped past a lump in her throat and placed her hand in his. His hand closed over hers instantly and he tightened the hold. A warning shone in his hard eyes and then his brow rose in challenge, but Macy didn’t back down. Carter looked ready to devour her whole, but Macy didn’t fear him. Instead, excited shivers tingled up and down her spine. Carter’s wrath could be thrilling. She knew he’d never hurt her physically, so tonight he would be in charge. He would make love to her, and it would be about raw, hot-blooded, unabashed sex.

  He entwined their fingers then led her to the bed. He sat down first, and as she stood above him his gaze bore into her with intense scrutiny. Those steely eyes were not caressing, but rather a pillage of her most private body parts. Her breasts flamed, and below her waist powerful throbbing had her squirming for his touch.

  Spreading his legs wide, he drew her between his thighs and clamped his legs tight so that she was trapped and standing over him. “Undress.”

  Macy didn’t blink. With trembling fingers, she found the hem of her top and she lifted it up for Carter. “Slow it down, Hollywood.”

  Macy took a breath. She thought of the harlot she’d once played onstage in an off-Broadway production. Her character hadn’t undressed, but every movement she’d made on that stage spoke of raw sensual passion. Fortunately for Macy, being with Carter lent itself to sensuality on the highest level, so being a sex kitten for him wasn’t a far stretch. She wanted to please him. She wanted this night to be memorable. For both of them.

  She slowed down her movements, rotating her hips with each tug of material, and once the top was off and her breasts were free, another slight movement had them bouncing on her chest.

  Carter drew in oxygen, and Macy knew a measure of satisfaction.

  “Now, the skirt.”

  As soon as Macy reached behind for the zipper, Carter’s hands met her there and he gripped her hips to swivel her around. The unzipping took a second, and then he pulled the skirt down past her hips. Cool air hit her bare bottom first, and a long few seconds passed. Macy looked over her shoulder and caught Carter admiring her backside. Before she could turn around, he placed both hands over her cheeks and his roughened palms stroked her with such finesse that goose bumps broke out all over her body.

  She’d never done this before. Given a man free rein over her body. She’d never trusted anyone the way she trusted Carter, but it was more than that, and Macy didn’t want to think about what that more was.

  Her nipples hardened. The throbbing between her legs intensified as everything else melted into softness.

  Next, Carter splayed his hands on her hips, the spread of his fingers nearly encircling her entire waist. Then he pulled her down onto his lap. She landed with an unladylike thud. “Oh.”

  Carter kissed away her surprise. It was a long, leisurely kiss that filled her mouth, their tongues peeking out and touching. When Carter was done, Macy blinked from the thoroughness of his kiss. She felt partially devoured.

  He kissed her again and toyed with her breasts, flicking the peaks with his thumb, first one then the other, until she wiggled with tortured delight. It was painfully pleasant, and she was glad Carter hadn’t decided on giving her a quickie before sending her away.

  No, this was far more enjoyable. She was completely at his mercy. Not a bad place to be, Macy thought.

  “Touch me,” he rasped, as if craving her hands on him.

  Macy dug her fingers into the sprinkling of hairs on his chest. He was strong, sturdy, and her explorations grew more and more demanding. She loved stroking his shoulder blades and feeling the power beneath her fingertips. She loved feeling the tight muscles underneath his skin and his flat, tapered torso. She kissed his chest and stroked her tongue over his nipples, moistening them and then blowing them dry until Carter’s mouth twisted with a pleasured groan.

  His erection poked her side from underneath his boxers. Macy’s heart raced, and the warmth in her body started to flame.

  Carter picked up on her need and lowered her in his arms until she was angled back, held by his one arm. Her backside was stretched across his thighs and her legs rested on the bed. Carter watched as her hair dangled onto the bedsheets, the tresses fanning out beneath her. Then the hand that had played her wonderfully above the waist slid down to the center of her womanhood. She jerked when his flattened palm rubbed against her most sensitive spot. A moan slipped through her lips as he continued to rub her back and forth. Her breaths coming in short, uneven bursts, she rotated her body and jerked in his arms. He was relentless and masterful, and when he slipped his finger inside her, she was gone and lost by the erotic thrusts of her body.

  Her release was loud and necessary to her sanity. When she opened her eyes, Carter was there gazing at her with a look of satisfaction and awe. By far, he was the best lover she’d ever had, and she wanted him to think of her in that same way.

  He lifted her off him quickly to undress and returned with a condom. He sat in his place on the bed again and set her back on his lap, this time facing him. With his guidance, she straddled him, her legs curled around both sides of his torso.

  His voice was heavy, urgent as he kissed her throat and whispered, “Do me, Macy. I can’t wait another minute.”

  Macy gave Carter all that she had. She brought her body to his, and their joining was thrilling and beautiful in the way their sensual rhythms matched. Macy gyrated with hips that found their own pace, and he pumped into her with a natural, powerful force. They melded and meshed, frenzied with hot, moist kisses and tender touches that roughened at the height of their release. And then came a long, low groan of completion, a guttural song of satisfaction.

  When it was over and their heartbeats returned to normal, Carter lifted her and kissed the nape of her neck as he set her down beside him on the bed. He whispered, “You amaze me.”

  Macy was spent and exhausted, but his words spoken in awe already began to renew her hunger for him. He remained on the bed, a sheet of sweat coating his bronzed body and his hair askew from Macy’s roaming hands. “You amaze me, too,” she said softly.

  He nodded and stared into her eyes. There would be no basking in the afterglow of lovemaking tonight. No cuddling under the sheets, no hand-holding and sweet words. A deal was a deal, and Carter was still angry with her. She’d come to him tonight for sex. He’d let her inside his room for sex.

  He turned to peer straight ahead to a wall that held no particular interest, his profile set with a stubborn slant of his jaw. He was waiting for her to leave, and Macy got the hint. She kissed his shoulder, licking away a moist bead of perspiration with her tongue, then rose from the bed. “Good night, Carter.”

  She stepped by him and bent to retrieve her clothes on the floor. As she unfolded her body, her garments gripped in her hands, she felt a slight tugging on a lock of her hair. Before she could turn around, Carter was there, pressed against her back. His voice rough, his fingers gently weaved through the strands of her unruly curls. “Where do you think you’re going?”

  “To bed.”

  His breath caressed the sensitive skin behind her ear. “Your bed’s right here.”

  “But, you’re still angry.”

  “Furious.”

  She whirled around. “I think you’re making a mistake.”

  “With you?” He chuckled as he circled his arms around her bare waist and cupped her cheeks. He covered her soft flesh with both hands and fondled her possessively. “If that was a mistake, then sign me up for a thousand more.”

  They were coated with perspiration and carried the scent of lovemaking. “That’s…not what I, uh…mean.” Macy was losing her train of thought.

  Carter kissed away her words. “We’ll have to agree to disagree, Hollywood,” he said. “And not discuss it anymore. Now, come back to bed, sweet darlin’. The night’s far from over.”

  * * *

  There were days when Carter didn’t think about Jocelyn at all. Not that he’d ever forget her betrayal or her c
lever manipulation. It was just a simple fact that Jocelyn Grayson didn’t matter anymore in his life, though the lessons he’d learned from her would last him a lifetime. It wasn’t that far of a stretch for him to give up on the idea of marriage. For one, his parents hadn’t set a good example. His mother had to endure life with his father. And as he’d grown to his teen years, Carter would often ask his uncle why she’d stayed with Riley. His uncle had but one reply—she’d loved him. As if that made all the difference. As if that was the definitive answer.

  For Carter, that hadn’t been a good enough reason. There had to be something better out there that didn’t cause heartache and destruction. Love surely wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.

  Carter had a good thing going with Macy. They’d fallen into a rhythm together, and he couldn’t recall a time in his life when he’d been happier. Because he had smart, loyal employees he trusted, Carter was able to spend time with Macy just about every day. He’d meet her for lunch at the inn and they’d go over her plans and ideas for decorating. The furniture they’d purchased on their venture to Dallas had been picked up and had filled the rooms nicely. Sometimes, when the mood struck, Carter would coax her into an upstairs bedroom to make love. And the mood struck often. He smiled thinking of those stolen few afternoon moments.

  During the past week, they’d made love so many times that he’d lost count. Macy’s giving body and sweet smiles had stamped each one of his memories. Their daytime encounters excited him, but during the night they’d continually found out new things about each other.

  He was smitten with Macy, finding her like an addiction, a drug he couldn’t seem to kick. Ever since that night when she’d come to his bedroom and they’d agreed not to talk about his father, he couldn’t stop thinking about her. He wondered when that would change and when the blazing heat would simmer between them. No one could sustain a raging fire forever.

  Macy’s life was in Hollywood. It’s all she’d ever known. Her dreams were there, whether she wanted to admit that or not. He’d rescued her and given her temporary sanctuary from the glitz and glamour, but he knew she would eventually return.

  But for now, she was his.

  “Excuse me, Carter?”

  He shook those thoughts loose, wondering where his concentration had gone. The annual inventory numbers were in, and he had worked from sunup into the late afternoon today, going over the books with his accountant. He’d postponed a trip to the Dallas office, insisting that his accountant drive out to the ranch instead. He wouldn’t fool himself into thinking it was for any other reason than he wanted to be close to Macy for the time she remained on the ranch.

  “Carter, did you hear what I just said?” Jacob Curtis snapped his briefcase shut and rose from his seat at the desk.

  “Yeah…uh, I did. You’ll be in touch to clarify those few duplicate payments on the books.”

  The hotshot accountant with roots near Wild River had known Carter for a long time and now eyed him carefully. “You’re a little distracted today, Carter. Is everything all right?”

  “Better than all right,” Carter assured him, rising from his seat to shake his hand. “Thanks, Jake. I appreciate you driving out to the ranch today.”

  “It’s what you pay me for. But, if I didn’t know better, I’d think you had a better offer than coming into the city for business.”

  Carter twisted his mouth into a wry smile. “Maybe. You’ve known me a lot of years.”

  Jake gave him a gentle slap on the back. “Whoever she is, have a great time.”

  Carter didn’t even try to deny it. “I plan to. C’mon. I’ll walk you outside.”

  After the accountant took off, Carter climbed into the Jeep and headed toward the inn. The drive over took only minutes, and when he arrived he was disappointed to see that Macy wasn’t alone. Bill Fargo sat with her on the steps of the gazebo. They were shaded by ancient oaks whose branches swayed with the late-afternoon breeze.

  Their snack break was a daily occurrence and something Macy enjoyed. “Hey, you two,” he said, stepping out of the Jeep and approaching. The gazebo was an eyesore, but he’d pretty much given up on the idea of tearing it down. “What did Mara make for you today?”

  Macy slid over on the step, giving him room to sit right next to her, and that gesture made him silly with happiness. He took off his hat before sitting.

  “Red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and fresh-squeezed lemonade. Can you believe it?”

  “Sounds like a celebration,” he said, glancing at her then at Fargo.

  “It’s nothing special,” Bill said with a wave of his hand.

  “It is something special. It’s Bill’s birthday. I wouldn’t have known, because he didn’t say a word to me, but Mara has ways of finding these things out.” She giggled and the engaging sound pulled at something sacred in his heart. “I’ve invited him to dinner tonight. If that’s okay with you?”

  Carter had hoped for some alone time with Macy tonight, but he couldn’t refuse the older man a celebration. He’d become a good friend to Macy and to some of the hands on the ranch. “Sure thing.”

  “It’s not necessary,” Bill said, his face flushing red. “I don’t like a big fuss.”

  “No fuss at all,” Macy replied. “I thought I’d make homemade pasta with all the fixings.”

  “You cook?” Carter asked.

  Macy spoke with confidence. “I have been known to sling together more than a sandwich, you know.”

  “I didn’t know,” Carter said.

  “Pasta’s one of my favorites,” Bill said, “but I’ve got a shift tonight.”

  Macy gave Carter a beckoning glance, and he picked up on her long look. “You’ve got the night off. Consider it a birthday gift,” Carter said, because he liked the guy and because he had to see what homemade pasta with all the fixins tasted like when cooked by a Hollywood starlet.

  * * *

  “The lady can cook.” Carter smiled at her, handing her his empty plate.

  “It was delicious,” Bill said and Macy beamed from the compliments, taking Bill’s plate from his hands, too.

  “I’m glad you enjoyed it.” She set the plates in the sink and turned to the men as she returned to the range top. “There’s a lot more. I can fix you both another plate.”

  She stirred the simmering sauce, proud of herself and what she’d accomplished. Granted, she was rusty in the kitchen, and it had taken her three hours to prepare the meal, but from the satisfied looks and the second helpings the men had requested, she knew her Pasta ala Macy was a big hit.

  Bill rubbed his stomach. “I’ll get a paunch if I eat another bite. I’ve already had enough for a small army.”

  Carter shook his head, too. “I need to swim fifty laps to work off what I just ate.”

  Macy shut off the burner, covered the pot and took a seat with the men. They shared a glass of wine and toasted Bill’s birthday. She enjoyed the rest of the evening and the steady flow of light conversation.

  Carter wasn’t kidding about swimming laps. Shortly after Bill took his leave, Carter tried to coax her into the pool with him, but Macy insisted on cleaning up the kitchen. She didn’t want Mara walking into a mess the following morning. When Carter offered to help, she gave him a playful shove and told him not to sap all his energy in the pool.

  She had plans for him that involved his stamina.

  That comment earned her an earth-shattering kiss that left her completely breathless. “Be ready for me in an hour,” Carter rasped. “I’ve been dying to get you alone all day.”

  Macy was a clean-as-you-go kind of girl, so it didn’t take her long to get the kitchen back in shape. Afterward, she went to her room and took a long, refreshing shower, washing the heat of the day and the slight smattering of spaghetti sauce stains off her body. Fully refreshed and dressed in a pale violet negligee that Carter had given her last night, she took a brush to her hair. Carter had said the nightgown’s color was the perfect match to her eyes, and a
s she looked at herself in the mirror, she had to agree.

  Macy was in a good mood. So good that she picked up the manila envelope that had been collecting dust on the dresser. She weighed it in her hands. It wasn’t really that thick. Maybe the envelope contained only a few copies of the settlements she’d signed. She didn’t think they were that important because her attorney hadn’t called her about them.

  Confident that nothing could possibly mar her contentment, Macy sat down on the bed, crisscrossed her legs and opened the envelope flap. She pulled the papers out, scanning over them briefly. She was right. It was nothing but copies her efficient lawyer wanted her to have in her possession. She closed her eyes and sighed.

  That wasn’t too bad, Macy.

  But her relief was short-lived. Something hit her leg and her eyes snapped open. A small sealed envelope slipped out of the larger envelope on her lap. “What’s this?”

  Stuck on the front of the letter was a large chartreuse Post-it note.

  Macy,

  I found this while going through your mother’s Santa Monica office. It’s sealed and addressed to you from Tina. If you need further legal counsel, don’t hesitate to call.

  Barton Lowenthal

  Macy pulled off the Post-it note and saw her mother’s handwriting beneath. She had the most unique style of writing, with perfectly spaced vertical lettering that could be mistaken for typeset, it was so symmetrical.

  My Sweet Macy

  Macy took a big swallow and stared at the envelope she held in her lap, touching the edges with shaky fingertips. The letter had obviously been mixed up with her mother’s business papers. For all she knew, it was a grocery list or lines in a new script she’d wanted Macy’s opinion on. It could be a receipt for a gift she’d given Macy. It could be a hundred frivolous things, and part of Macy hoped that was the case. But the other part, the one that gave her stomach the trembles and caused her nerves to jump, told her this was something important.