by Cathryn Fox
Audrey waved to someone on the other side of the room. “Well, I must go, I’m being summoned.” Before she left, she said, “I’m staying in the city this month. Do come by for dinner. I’ll have all your favorites prepared.”
“I will,” he promised and dropped a kiss onto her cheek before she stepped away. Less than five minutes after she disappeared into the crowd the music started playing. The waiter made another round and as Cole placed his empty glass on the tray, he worked to pull himself together.
As he watched Gemma’s date guide her to the dance floor, tension grew in his body. Everything about the way she moved triggered a craving like he’d never before experienced. With lust overshadowing sensibility, every reason he had for staying away from her suddenly seemed insignificant. Before he even realized what he was doing, he cut through the throngs of people and tapped Douglas Washington on the shoulder.
“I’m cutting in,” he said, the bite in his tone letting the other man know he wasn’t asking.
Chapter Four
“What do you think you’re doing?” Gemma asked as Cole moved in to take Douglas’s place.
Strong hands circled her hips. The roughness of his palms felt erotic as he pulled her into a tight embrace, anchoring her body firmly to his. When his warm, familiar scent curled around her, a shiver raced down her spine. She shifted but there was nothing she could do to conceal the telltale hardening of her nipples as they pressed against his even harder chest. Dark eyes met hers unflinchingly. The intensity in his gaze frightened her as much as it excited her.
“Maybe I should be the one asking you that question.”
Feeling slightly breathless as their bodies swayed together, not to mention the way his firmness meshed against her softness, she jutted her chin out and asked, “I have no idea what you mean.”
“You know full well what I mean,” he bit out, appearing more pained with each passing second.
“I’m afraid you’ll have to elaborate. The only thing I’m doing is trying to raise funds—”
“That’s not all you’re raising,” he groaned.
“What do you mean?” she asked, feigning innocence.
“Stop leaving your curtains open.”
She blinked. “My curtains?” His hand trailed lower on her back, and when his big fingers splayed over her sensitive flesh, the air instantly charged. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” As a wave of heated anticipation prowled through her bloodstream, she realized there was nothing impersonal in the way he was touching her.
“And stop parading around in nothing but slinky underwear,” he added, clearly not buying her story.
She wet her lips, and gave a casual shrug. “I didn’t think it would bother you, considering…”
His nostrils flared and between clenched teeth he said, “You were a kid, Gems.”
“Well I’m not a kid anymore now, am I?” she challenged, her pulse leaping with renewed excitement. She had the sneaking suspicion her devious plan had actually worked, and that she’d somehow gotten under Cole’s skin.
A strange, strangled noise sounded in his throat as he drew in a ragged breath. “Maybe not.” He fingered the silky material on her dress. “But underneath this façade, this life you built for yourself, you’re still that same wild child, aren’t you?”
Her heart sank. She must have misread him. She steeled herself, waiting for the lecture. “Cole, I…” she began, wanting to make it perfectly clear to him she didn’t need his protection.
“I never said I didn’t like that side of you, Gems.”
Everything in the way his voice softened when he said her name had her realizing she hadn’t misinterpreted him at all. A slow lick of flame moved over her flesh and liquid desire settled deep between her thighs. “Well if you must know, I’ll probably always have a wild side, but believe me I’m not a child anymore.”
His nostrils flared, like he was waging some sort of internal war. He clenched his teeth harder, the muscles along his jaw rippling. Her glance went back to his and when she saw the desire reflecting there, a shudder moved through her body.
Arousal thickened his voice and volatile heat backlit dark eyes full of raw lust when he whispered, “What are we doing?”
Her heart missed a beat. Everything from the tortured way he was looking at her, to the way his body was pressed against hers—one part in particular—spoke volumes. Cole Sullivan, the same guy she’d been lusting after for ten long years, was finally seeing her as something more than his friend’s rebellious kid sister. She’d be damned if she wasn’t going to do something about it.
Her nipples scraped against his chest and she murmured, “We’re doing what we should have done a long time ago.”
He frowned and gave a hard shake of his head. He rested his hands on her hips as if he was having second thoughts. “I need to get out of here.”
He continued to press against her, his body telling an entirely different story—he wanted her in his bed as much as she wanted to be there.
She wasn’t sure about the demons that haunted him or why he’d want to deny himself what his body craved. But now that she had him right where she’d always wanted him, the rebellion from her youth had turned into fierce determination and she wasn’t about to let him flee again.
With her body beckoning his touch, she pushed her hips into him. In a voice full of invitation she said, “If you need to go somewhere I have a room upstairs.”
He exhaled slowly. “I’m pretty sure that’s not going to help me cool off.”
“You can take a cold shower.” She ran her hands through his hair, went up on her toes and purposely put her mouth to his ear when she added, “Or a hot one.”
“Gems,” he murmured, his hands circling her hips. Once again sexual tension hung heavy. “We shouldn’t be doing this.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. I want you.” She ran her hands over his lapels. Even though the tough soldier cleaned up nicely and looked rather dashing in his suit, underneath the clothes he was still that same rough and rugged, fiercely protective guy who hung out at her family’s ranch. “I’ve always wanted you.”
“Gemma—”
She molded her body against his, aware of the explosive heat arcing between them. “Why don’t you sneak me to my room like you used to do when we were younger, and instead of lecturing me, I think you should strip me naked and spend the rest of the night in my bed, inside me.”
She felt a tremble move through him. “Jesus, you can’t say something like that to me.”
“Why?”
“Because it makes me want to fuck you, that’s why.”
“Then what’s stopping you?”
He frowned, and she could almost hear the wheels turning. “Are you forgetting who you’re talking to? I know you better than you know yourself and I know you want the big house with the white picket fence.” His fingers bit into her flesh and conflicting emotions passed over his eyes when he added, “I’m not the guy who can give that to you.” He opened his mouth like he wanted to say more but stopped himself.
“I’m not asking you for any of that, Cole. All I’m asking for is one night.”
His deep growl reverberated through her body. “If I give you what you want, will you close your curtains and stop torturing me?”
“What I want?” she challenged, pushing her pelvis against him harder and taking note of the impressive bulge pressing against her midriff. “Are you telling me you don’t want it too?”
“Hell yeah, I want it too.” He shackled her wrists, removed them from his shoulders and placed them by her sides. His gaze shifted, scanning the room. It occurred to Gemma that the man who was always in control, always so careful and calculated in his every decision, was coming completely unglued—because of her. Damned if that didn’t excite her all the more. He leaned into her and put his mouth close to her ear. “You’ve got five minutes to excuse yourself,” he said in whispered words. “I’ll be waiting for you near the elevators.”
Keeping to the shadows, she watched him exit the room and a shiver moved through her. She’d never seen him so edgy, so intense before. After he left she stood there, barely able to breathe, let alone comprehend what had just happened. Douglas came back to her and his voice interrupted her thoughts.
“Is everything okay, Gemma?”
“I…uh…you’re going to have to excuse me, Douglas. Something has come up.” Okay, it wasn’t entirely true, but it wasn’t a lie, either.
“Is there anything I can do?”
“Please tell your folks I enjoyed speaking with them tonight and I appreciate all their support, but I have to run and will catch up with them again later.” He nodded and she excused herself. She grabbed her clutch off the table and forced her legs to carry her out the door. She left the ballroom and when she rounded the corner, she found an agitated Cole waiting for her. Her heart leaped and she wondered how she’d ever keep this thing between them casual. Dark eyes locked on hers and her entire body quivered, coming alive with anticipation. She drew a breath to center herself, determined to simply enjoy the physical pleasures between them. Cole had made it perfectly clear he had nothing more to offer.
They moved toward each other and he put his hand on the small of her back to usher her to the elevator. He jabbed the button and then his hand captured hers. As his large, rough palm swallowed hers whole, the sheer strength of his grip and the powerfulness behind it didn’t go unnoticed. The second the doors opened he guided her in. She stole a glance at his face and resisted the urge to pinch herself. Was this really happening? Excited by the prospect and eager to finally experience his brand of lovemaking, her blood began pulsing, wet heat flooding her sex.
“Which floor?”
“Nine,” she managed to get out, trying not to sound as breathless as she felt.
He pressed the button as her phone started ringing. When she reached for her clutch, Cole stopped her.
“Ignore it,” he said, the impatience in his voice filling her with a new kind of excitement.
A few seconds later the elevator stopped and Cole held his hand out. “Give me your key.”
She dug into her purse and handed him the keycard. He looked at the room number and glanced up and down the hall to gather his bearings. With determined steps he guided her down the passageway. Once they reached her door, he slid the key into the lock, stepped inside and dragged her in with him.
The sound of the lock clicking into place sent shivers of need racing through her. Catching her by surprise, Cole backed her up against the door. He pressed his hands on either side of her head, caging her in place. Dark, intense eyes stared down at her and she was sure she was going to climax just from the hungry way he was looking at her.
“Cole…” Her heart thumped wildly as she waited for him to say something, to do something. He looked at her mouth. She parted her lips, aching for him to kiss her. When he didn’t, she wondered what he was thinking, what was going on inside that head of his.
Before she could ask, he eased away. Silence hung heavy as he put a measure of distance between them. His chest rose and fell erratically, his gaze never leaving hers as he drew in a ragged breath and continued to inch toward the bed until the back of his legs hit the mattress.
At the foot of the bed she noticed a complimentary bottle of champagne chilling in a stainless steel bucket, and a bowl of strawberries next to it.
“It’s just sex, right?” he asked, his tight voice drawing her attention back to him. “A onetime thing?”
“Two people scratching an itch,” she assured him. “No promises, no regrets.”
Heat moved into his eyes and his nostrils flared. “Then come here.”
Her nipples tightened painfully as she dropped her purse and took three steps across the room, until she stood before him. Her body ached with the need to feel his hands on her flesh, his lips on her mouth, his cock deep inside of her. He slipped his hands around her waist and her skin came alive. She arched into him, the heat from his hard body fueling the need inside her.
“You look beautiful in this dress.” As he fingered the material, his hands scraping her skin, his hot touch sent shockwaves rocketing through her. “But I bet you look even more beautiful out of it.” She caught the raw ache of lust in his glance as skilled fingers gripped the zipper at the top back of her dress. He slowly drew it down her spine until he reached the small of her back. “Take if off. Now.”
He stepped back as her dress fell off one shoulder. When he grabbed a strawberry and popped it between his teeth, the juice wetting his mouth, her chest heaved and her entire body went up in a burst of flames. Good God, she’d never been so aroused before, so hot for it. Then again, she’d never been with a guy like Cole before.
Excitement coiled through her as she shimmied out of her dress and watched the way his throat worked when she removed her shoes. She unhooked her bra and he licked the strawberry juice from his lips as she released her breasts, freeing them from their confines. With her nipples puckered, eager to feel his hot, wet mouth wrapped around them, she reached for her panties. The slow shake of his head stopped her.
There was a dangerous gleam in his eyes as he grabbed another strawberry and moved closer. He brushed the berry over her lips, then ran it over her throat and between her breasts, going lower and lower until he reached her pelvis. With his other hand, he gripped the thin lace of her panties. His mouth crashed down on hers in a kiss fueled by dark passion as he curled the band through his fingers. A quick tug later, he tore the scrap of material from her hips. His mouth swallowed her gasp of surprise.
He stuffed them into his pocket like they were some sort of souvenir. Perhaps they were a token to remember this night because not only would it be their first, it would also be their last. With his attention back on her, he popped the strawberry into her mouth. He pushed the blankets to the foot of the bed, then gathered her into his arms before he gently tossed her onto the mattress.
“Open your legs and show me how hot you are for it.”
She swallowed the sweet berry and a whimper escaped her lips as she inched her legs open. The light from the night stand lamp glistening on her nether lips, letting him know how much she wanted him. His nostrils flared and he gripped her thighs to urge them farther apart. He spent a long time looking at her nakedness, his eyes savoring the sight of her. She quivered beneath the intensity of his glare, needing him on top of her, inside her, more than she needed her next breath.
“Cole,” she said, surprised to find her voice still functioning. She arched her hips, her body conveying what she wanted as she reached for him.
“What?”
“Please,” she said, not above begging.
His hand went to his jacket and he shrugged it off his shoulders. “Is this what you want, Gems?”
“Yes,” she murmured. “I want you naked.”
He kicked off his shoes and the next thing to go was the tie and shirt. He folded them neatly and placed them on the bureau. Gemma took that time to admire his body. Even though he had been hard and built in his youth, his young body was nothing compared to the man standing before her today. Her skin moistened all over, her fingers itching to stroke his rippling muscles as he turned back to her.
She pointed to his pants. “Keep going,” she managed.
His eyes flared hot at her boldness. “You really are a bad girl at heart, aren’t you?”
Her body pulsed, the heat between them tremendous as his hands went to his zipper. Ten seconds later he stood before her stark naked, save for his dog tags. She began trembling from head to toe, never having seen such a perfect male specimen before. Lacking modesty, he moved closer and sexual energy leapt between them, threatening to burn everything standing in their path.
A low growl of longing sounded in his throat as he knelt on the mattress and climbed up her body. He settled on top of her and she relished the weight of his hardness pressing her into the soft mattress. His mouth closed over hers, and when she
tasted the sweet flavor of champagne and strawberries on his tongue, she whimpered in erotic delight. The sound seemed to urge him on. He deepened the kiss, his tongue slashing urgently against hers.
Their tongues tangled, their lips moving with purpose, everything in their kisses deep, sensual, hungry. A long while later, her bruised lips thoroughly kissed, he abandoned her mouth. His hands trailed her contours as he urgently acquainted himself with her body. He stroked her, gauging her reactions to his caresses. Everything in his touch was intensely intimate and highly erotic as he physically introduced himself to her.
Her sex moistened and as the scent of her arousal saturated the room, he slid lower. He buried his face in the sensitive crook of her neck before traveling to her breasts. He pulled one nipple into his mouth. She cried out in pure ecstasy as he nipped and nibbled, then swiped the soft blade of his tongue over her engorged bud to ease the delicious sting left behind.
Thorough lover that he was, he paid homage to her other breast before beginning a downward descent. His lips trailed over her quivering flesh. Everywhere he touched he left a trail of fire that threatened to burn her from the inside out.
When he reached the apex of her legs, he gripped her thighs. As she lay there, completely exposed to him, her breath came quicker, and she became completely aware of the dangerous storm building inside her.
“Gemma,” he growled, his heat reaching out to her and firing her senses in ways that almost frightened her. “You’re fucking beautiful.” She slid her fingers through his hair. When he lifted his eyes to see her, something potent passed between them, something that instantly brought them to a deeper, more meaningful level of intimacy.
Her body shuddered and she became completely pliable in his arms when he dropped his gaze back to her sex. He ran the soft blade of his tongue over one thigh. His hot breath scorched her skin and the air ripped from her lungs as his mouth came perilously close to the hungry little spot that needed him most.
He brushed his thumb over her quivering sex and his voice sounded broken, fractured when he said, “You’re so wet, baby, and I haven’t even touched you.”