by Linzi Basset
“Lucy, snap out of it and finish one sentence for heaven’s sake,” Bailey prodded her.
“He’s . . . they’re with Daniel Wilson. God, Bailey, do you think he’s one of Gibbs and Hutton?” Her voice broke at the disturbing thought.
This time, Bailey didn’t try to stop herself and her head snapped around. Her gaze got caught by an enigmatic one. Even over the distance.
It was him.
Her Santa Dom.
The shock of the realization caused her to teeter precariously on the edge of an abyss as she tried to breathe deeply. The gorgeous man, walking next to Daniel Wilson, took her breath away. His tall, lean body was encased in an expensive charcoal gray suit that fitted his wide shoulders snuggly. The contrast of the white shirt and silver tie, to his short dark hair that fell negligently over his forehead was striking. So much so that she felt lightheaded. His powerfully built body moved gracefully, like a panther.
His features were striking and manly, the kind of face that stopped women in their tracks. Now she understood why the subs at the club swooned all over him. No woman could resist those high cheekbones or the square jaw. His nose was straight and full lips sported an engaging smile as they came closer. He looked like a modern version of a suave noir hero, from his roguish expression and his neatly kept stubble.
“Bailey, what a surprise,” Daniel Wilson beamed when he noticed her. “And the lovely Lucy. It’s a pity I didn’t notice you earlier. Your company would have lit up our table.”
He turned to the two men standing by his side. “Have you ladies met my companions?”
“No, we haven’t had the pleasure.” Bailey’s voice was icy.
Get your act together, Bailey.
The pep talk didn’t help much. No man had ever made her feel this vulnerable. The look in her eyes turned fierce when she noticed his cocked eyebrow and the upward curve of his lips.
“Ladies, this is Carter Gibbs and Chance Hutton. And these two lovely ladies are Bailey Parker, the owner of Parker Hotel & Spas and Lucy Dillon, her business associate and close friend. I’ve been humbled by these two ladies’ work and professional ethics.”
Neither of them had a choice but to accept the two men’s handshakes but Bailey ripped her hand out of Carter’s after the briefest of touch.
How cruel could fate be? She ended up with the man she abhorred the most.
Carter stared into her eyes for what felt an eternity, before he lowered his gaze. His eyes flashed as they lingered over her heaving breasts. A muscle ticked in his jaw when they lifted back to hers.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Parker,” Carter drawled in a dulcet tone that sent a shiver up her back.
Bailey’s spine went ramrod straight as she raked him with a loathsome look.
She cursed when she felt her perky nipples push up against her dress. The knowing grin on his face told her that her body’s reaction to his gaze hadn’t gone unnoticed.
“I can assure you, Mr. Gibbs, the feeling is not mutual.”
Daniel Wilson looked confused. He’d been watching the heated looks being exchanged between Lucy and Chance, and had missed the tension between the other two.
“Bailey, my dear, don’t take out your frustration on Carter. I told you, it was a business decision,” he tried to pacify her.
“It might have been on your side, Mr. Wilson but the same can’t be said for this . . . this unscrupulous degenerate you’ve associated yourself with.”
Bailey rose regally and would’ve pressed her nose against Carter’s if she had been taller but as it were, the top of her head barely reached his shoulders.
She became conscious of his searing gaze. She gasped at the strong emotions harbored there, which completely confused her.
“Degenerate, am I? That wasn’t what you said four nights ago while—”
Crack!
The silence around them became thick and uncomfortable. Bailey noticed the shocked expression on Lucy’s face. The harsh red stain on Carter’s cheek brought her to her senses and she stormed outside like she was being chased by a Devil’s incarnate.
She had just walked through the door when she was whipped around and pressed against the wall.
Carter’s glare promised retribution as he pressed his face into hers. His voice sounded ominous.
“I don’t usually react in anger, Ms. Parker but at this very moment I am very close to whipping your ass black and blue.”
“Let. Me. Go,” she ground out.
Her eyes shot daggers at him which didn’t seem to have any effect on him, judging by the dark look in his eyes. Without the silly Santa disguise, his towering presence was overpowering and left her feeling small and vulnerable.
Carter didn’t move at first, but instead quietly watched the woman who had been shuddering and trembling in his arms four nights ago. He watched as she pulled herself upright. Her lithe and curvaceous body in the form fitting black cocktail dress momentarily distracted him. The tightening in his loins wasn’t a surprise.
“Not until you explain your actions in there.”
“I don’t have to explain myself to you. I said, let me fucking go,” she ordered with a toss of her hair.
“You like to live dangerously, pussycat. You have a very short and seemingly selective memory. Are you sure you want to challenge me so blatantly?”
His succinct admonishment subdued her querulous behavior instantly.
“I have nothing to say to you. Please, let me go,” she said in a muted tone.
“Not until you explain yourself. You slapped me in full view of an entire restaurant. I want to know why, Bailey.”
“Don’t pretend ignorance, mister high and mighty investor. You know why,” she lamented with flashing eyes.
His eyes narrowed warningly. “I’m not going to repeat myself again, Ms. Parker. Begin talking.”
“You knew I wanted the Sunset Hotels in Milwaukee. That’s why you wanted to keep me and Lucy under your . . . your spell for seven days! To screw up the deal; which you did. Congratulations.” The accusation rushed through thin lips.
The flash in his eyes warned her that he didn’t appreciate her insolent accusation.
“That’s an insult not just to me and Chance but to Daniel Wilson, Bailey. You should know he prides his integrity and honesty. There was no way for us to know who the other interested parties were.”
A small tremor shimmied through Bailey as she felt his eyes blaze over her body.
“Then why did you keep us there—”
“If you hadn’t run off, my pet, you would still have been there. Naked and so fucking sore and raw by now, you wouldn’t be able to walk.”
Bailey felt his eyes rake over her body again. A shiver of embarrassment tingled over her when her nipples became erect under his stare. She sucked in a deep breath when he traced an insolent finger over a budding nipple, pressing eagerly into the touch. She pressed her thighs together to stop the tremor in her loins. No way was she going to give in to the lust he awakened in her. Not again.
Carter smiled at the blush that covered her chest. Bailey glanced up and the icy retort died on her lips.
Focus, Bailey. Don’t let him get the better of you.
“As you noticed, Mr. Carter, we weren’t all that overwhelmed by you and Chance Hutton’s sexual prowess. And I hate deceivers. You knew who we were. That’s why you kept us there.”
“Except, there are two integral facts you are missing, Ms. Parker.”
“Oh, really? And pray tell, what would those be?”
“We had no way of knowing you would be at the club and secondly, pussycat, you bid on us. No one forced you to.”
Bailey glared mutinously at him and clamped her mouth shut.
Asshole. He had to have remembered that, didn’t he?
Carter stepped against her and folded his large hand around her throat. He pressed his face close to hers as he tilted her head back. Bailey whimpered as she was forced on her tiptoes when he tilted her chi
n further back.
He towered over her, exuding so much power she found herself breathlessly waiting for his words.
“And whether you wish to admit it or not, we’re not done yet, Bailey Parker. Not by a very, very long shot.”
She was still trying to still her heart when suddenly, he left her slumped weakly against the wall and walked back inside the restaurant. It took her a couple of minutes to get herself under control.
“You’re wrong, Carter Gibbs. We are done. You are still responsible for my grandparent’s losing everything they had worked so hard for their entire lives. I have no interest in being involved with a traitor such as you.”
Bailey walked back inside. Her steps faltered when her gaze got caught by his searing blue eyes and heat flared. Just like that, in a blink of an eye, he incinerated her resistance and left her floundering.
His eyes flickered to her breasts, narrowed and she watched as his tongue flicked over his lips, almost in a reminder of how her nipples had felt under his tongue.
It caused her body to quake with lust and she had no way to compartmentalize it. Her body began to cave in to the silent demand in his eyes.
“We better get going and leave these lovely ladies to finish their dinner. Besides, my Gertrude might box my ears if I get home too late,” Daniel joked in an attempt to lighten the mood.
“It was a pleasure to see you, Mr. Wilson,” Bailey said sweetly, deliberately omitting the two other men; a message they didn’t miss. The cold look in her eyes delivered the rest. She wasn’t interested.
The amused smile on Carter’s lips bothered her. The unrivaled self-assurance and raw sexuality unsettled her.
As did the promise in his eyes.
“Oh, I won’t be so sure about that, pussycat,” he leaned closer to whisper the last in her ear.
Here we go again! She moaned silently when her pussy tingled and she felt the hot wet heat between her legs.
Holy shitballs. I’m in so much trouble.
Chapter Ten
“Well, ladies, are you ready to party into the New Year?” Rob asked as he guided them into the massive ballroom of the Lakeview Country Club.
Neither Bailey nor Lucy was in the mood for a New Year themed party this year but they’d committed to accompany Rob months ago.
“Why are the two of you so glum? One would think we’re at a funeral, not a celebration.”
“It’s just work, Rob, don’t mind us. We’ll get into the spirit of things soon enough,” Bailey pacified him. “Besides, after that massive meal, my stomach is pulling me down, not gearing up for the tango.”
“Ah, poor baby, Lucy told me about the deal you missed out on. But never fear when Rob is near. I’ll get you another gem if it’s the last thing I do,” he assured with a wide smile.
Rob was a realtor and one of the best in Chicago.
“Thanks, Rob.” Bailey smiled at him. “Is there anywhere we can sit? I should never have worn these damn stilettos. They’re already killing me.”
Rob leered at her; his glance raking up and down her body.
“Well, baby, that outfit needs killer heels and let me tell you, you look hot.”
Bailey glanced down. The intention hadn’t been to draw attention but once again she’d been at Lucy’s mercy who had picked out their outfits for the themed party.
Of all the movie characters, Lucy had to pick the one Bailey hated. Star Wars. To make it worse, she was dressed up in a Princess Leia slave dress with a gold bra and neck chain. Lucy had insisted on pairing it with lace up stiletto sandals and a gold mask with feathers on the side.
“Suffice to say, this was the last year I allow Lucy to pick out my outfits. This one is even skimpier than the one I wore on Christmas Eve,” Bailey complained.
“Oh pish-posh, you look gorgeous, so stop complaining. With your legs and body, it’s a shame to hide them.”
Bailey didn’t bother to respond. It was a fruitless discussion seeing as she was there, half naked and had to grin and bear the leering glances she’d been receiving from the moment they’d walked in. She looked around the ballroom, already filled with people mingling and dancing.
There was something magical about being one of a crowd, a balm for the loneliness within. She suppressed the negative thoughts. The room gave the appearance of Aurora Lights swirling above them as the dancers swayed and twirled underneath an array of blues, greens, pinks and golden lights.
She tilted her head back and enjoyed the buzz of French champagne. No overindulgence tonight. Lucy seemed to be in a morose mood and Bailey needed to keep an eye on her.
“Another?” Rob asked as he took their empty glasses.
“Not at the moment, mate,” a dark voice rumbled from behind, affecting a deafening silence from the two women. Before either of them could turn, they were swept off and onto the dance floor. Hard arms locked around Bailey and held her against a broad chest.
She looked up and froze. “I don’t want to dance with you,” she said in a chilled voice.
“Come now, pussycat. Are you going to make a scene? Show everyone just how much you want me back inside that juicy pussy of yours?”
Bailey felt a flicker of arousal warming her loins as he grazed a finger over the slope of her breast.
“Don’t flatter yourself,” she condemned him with a debilitating look, but it lacked the fire. He looked different. There was a teasing glint in his eyes.
“No? Then why is your blood pulsing a mile a minute?” He taunted with a widening smile, looking at the vein throbbing in her neck.
Good lord. This man is dangerous.
“Look, let’s keep this civil, shall we? I do not want to dance with you,” she reiterated stubbornly but couldn’t prevent her hand from moving higher up his shoulder to circle his neck.
The vibe around them was electric, with everyone dancing gaily.
“You could’ve fooled me,” he taunted before he twirled around to the center of the room.
Carter was an excellent dancer and he led her into a fast Mambo and then a salsa. Her feet followed his moves effortlessly, to the beat like they were one with the music. The sensual moves of her hips were enticing; the gold sequence on her outfit catching the lights that twirled above.
Bailey was still trying to catch her breath when he swiveled her around and she was caught in Chance Hutton’s arms who immediately danced her away from Carter who had taken Lucy in his arms.
Bailey glowered at him. “I don’t suppose I need to say it,” she snapped.
“Yeah, I got the drift. What is it with you and Lucy? Why are you both so adamant in throwing away a chance at the explosive passion and lust we are offering you?”
“Passion and lust, we can get anywhere. We don’t need either of you to give it to us.”
“Ah, but therein lies the secret, doesn’t it? Come now, pussycat. Can you look me in the eye and deny that you’ve been thinking about the Christmas Eve? How you reacted to the things that we did?”
Bailey felt the telltale blush crawling over her cheeks but stubbornly refused to respond.
Chance chuckled as he pivoted them in a quick step circle.
“Can you honestly say that you’ve not been secretly wishing you didn’t run away before we fucked you both ways?” He asked against her ear.
“Is that what this is about? You feel you lost out on a threesome . . . or no, it would be a foursome, right? Do you honestly think we’re that gullible, Chance Hutton? Hah,” she scorned. “You forget. We saw how all those subs hung on to your every word.”
“Maybe, but one thing you should know about Carter and me, is that we don’t leave things halfway. And you and little elf are unfinished business,” he drawled in a deep voice.
“Well, thank you for enlightening me, but no thanks,” she scoffed.
“Did you and Lucy coordinate your responses?” He asked with a rakish smile. Bailey could see why Lucy was so taken with the man. He was just as gorgeously hot as Carter. Her back turned as strai
ght as a broom handle. The amusement in his gaze annoyed her.
“Much like the two of you seducing us, you mean?” she quipped which elicited another bark of laughter.
“Well, Carter, my mate,” Chance said as they joined Carter and Lucy at the doorway leading out of the ballroom. “It seems it’s gonna have to be the hard way.”
Carter’s darkening blue gaze raked over her naked legs and lingered salaciously on her breasts that threatened to spill out of the push-up bra of her costume. He didn’t even bother to calm the sudden hammering of his heart as he drank in her beauty. He silently acknowledged that this woman had an effect on him that overshadowed anyone before her. The solution was plain and simple.
He wanted her.
And he was going to have her.
Carter surprised Bailey when he stepped into her and framed her face with his hands, gazing into her eyes, searching for something she was desperately trying to hide from him.
His hands dropped to caress the curve of her hips as he stared at her, and then nodded at what he saw in her expression.
“Denial is a form of lying, Bailey. Pretend all you like, but remember this, pussycat, your body can never lie to me,” he drawled lazily.
Speechless and in a state of arousal, she shook her head in protest. Her mouth opened but nothing came out. He pressed his fingers against her lips with a predatory look on his face.
His nostrils flared as he deliberately sniffed the air, appreciating the aroma of her enticing arousal in his nostrils. The satisfied glimmer shone brightly in his eyes as he leaned closer. His warm breath tickled her ear.
“Yes, baby, I smell you. Every time your pussy floods with your juices, it spikes my testosterone levels. Who am I to deny it . . . and you?”
Bailey trembled at the promise in his voice. Her defiant side railed against her submissive side.
“Enough talking. Let’s get the hell out of here before I fuck this little elf in view of the city mayor and his lackeys,” Chance growled and with a grunt lifted Lucy over his shoulder.
Bailey was still staring in amazement at the disappearing couple, Lucy loudly protesting and kicking her legs, when she too was upended and landed on Carter’s shoulder with an oomph.