by Pamela Stone
His hands caressed upward and began the tedious task of unbuttoning the front of her dress. She leaned back against his chest and tried to stay calm. His body was hard and so very masculine. There was no grasping to fondle her breasts or touch her skin as his hands continued methodically, button to button.
The night air chilled her breasts, then her belly. His hands moved lower and his palm pressed against her flesh as he struggled to free the buttons closest to her crotch. Her knees wobbled as he tugged the dress higher and continued to work the buttons free.
He released the last button and the dress hung loose. Aaron pushed her away, slipped his hands beneath the thin dress straps, and slid them down her arms, dropping the garment to the floor.
Charlotte tried not to whimper, standing frighteningly vulnerable in only her panties.
Pulling her back into place, his lips tickled her left ear as one hand covered her right breast. Her breathing hitched as he slid his other hand across her belly, down her abdomen, and inside her panties.
Breathe, Charlotte. Breathe, in and out.
He palmed her at first, rubbing and stimulating her senses. Could he feel the steam his feathery touch released? She didn’t wait for him to tell her to open her legs. She didn’t even consciously do it. They simply opened to his magic. His finger slipped inside her and began to slide in and out, slow and methodic, working her into a heated frenzy.
“Tell me what you want, Charlie,” he whispered. “Let me make you feel good.” His other hand left the warmth of her breast and pushed her panties down, granting his fingers easier admittance. His hand pumped faster. “Do you want to lie down on the bed?” Harder, his fingers kept up their ceaseless pulsating probing.
“You want to bend over the bed? Against the wall?” His tongue traced the curve of her ear before he leaned forward, turned her head, and kissed her full on the mouth. “You want it gentle? Rough? Talk to me.”
Her mind reeled. She had a choice. She couldn’t think beyond breathing and he wanted her to make a choice?
Spinning her around to face him, his free hand pushed down his shorts. She tried not to stare at his naked body, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away.
Holding her hips, he dropped down on the edge of the bed and pulled her forward to straddle him. “Bend your knees and wrap them around me.”
She did as instructed, her body on fire. “Oh,” she panted, not able to conjure up words. She’d never wanted to be with anyone like she wanted to be with Aaron. She’d never been in this position, straddling a man. She smoldered as he sucked one breast into his hot mouth, running his tongue around her nipple. Her body shuddered and she broke out in a sweat anticipating his next move.
“Aaron, are you here?” A feminine voice from somewhere far off interrupted Charlotte’s euphoric haze.
One second she was in bliss, the next she found herself lifted away from his warmth and deposited on the bed.
“Grab the sheet, sweetheart. This’ll just take a second.”
He donned his shorts and climbed topside.
Charlotte didn’t recognize the woman’s husky voice, but she could only assume it was one of his ex-lovers, or current lovers. She had to get out of here.
She searched for her panties and dress. What had she been thinking coming here? This was a mistake. How could she have convinced herself that it made any kind of sense to have sex with the playboy of the Keys?
She was still fumbling with the buttons on the blasted dress when she met Aaron on the stairs.
“Where are you going?”
The man wasn’t stupid. He should be able to figure it out. “Home.”
“Why? She’s gone.”
Okay, so he was a moron. “Sorry, I changed my mind. I’m not going to become another notch on your scuba belt.”
She started to move away, but he caught her arm. “How many women do you think I’ve slept with?”
“How should I know? Even that lady at the bank couldn’t say enough nice things about you.”
“I haven’t slept with anyone since we got married, not even my wife. For the first time in my life I have a wife and I can’t get her into bed.” He raised one dark eyebrow and pointed out the one thing she wanted desperately to ignore. “You burn in my arms, Charlie.”
“Me and half the women on this island.” She practically ran off the boat.
CHARLOTTE INCREASED HER SPEED on the treadmill and tried to pretend it was a normal morning. Except Aaron was asleep in the next room. Last night had changed things. Changed her. Feelings buried deep inside had exploded. It was only a matter of time before her body betrayed her again.
Who had she been kidding thinking going to Aaron was a logical decision? It had been lust, pure and simple. She’d never be able to face him.
Aaron had followed her to the bungalow and slept beside her, but they had avoided conversation like a curse. She hadn’t moved a muscle all night for fear of waking him and what he might do. Or worse, how she might respond.
But he hadn’t been the one doing the seducing. That dubious honor had been hers. She stomped through her morning routine, trying to work out her frustration.
Who was that woman on the boat? Was he sleeping with her? He said he wasn’t, but all men lied about their affairs, didn’t they? Perry certainly had. Her father. Rumor was, even Edward had kept a mistress when he was younger.
She dabbed at the sweat on her temples. None of this should matter. This wasn’t a real marriage. In a few months they’d be divorced and he’d be back to his old life and she’d be back to—to what?
Slowing her pace, Charlotte tried to picture her future. If she lost the resort, if she upset her grandfather, there was nothing. No career, no financial security—no identity.
There were other hotels, but all her life she’d worked toward owning this resort. Now that it was finally within her grasp, she’d do whatever it took to keep it. She would not let Perry Thurman win. She was a Harrington and no matter what cunning tricks Perry orchestrated, he wasn’t.
She resumed her speed on the treadmill. When the resort was hers, the first order of business would be to fire Perry. She’d ease back into a routine, with no one to hassle her. Not Edward and his desire for her to settle down with a family. Not Perry and his subtle attempts to discredit her and take control of the resort. And most of all, not Aaron Brody and his sexual games. Life would be simple again.
She stepped off and grabbed a towel. Gee, that sounded exciting. Schedule romantic getaways for other couples all day, and then come home to an empty house at night.
Wonderful, completely euphoric!
Aaron’s footsteps, muffled by the plush carpet, stopped beside the treadmill.
“Don’t.”
“Don’t what?” he asked, his husky voice sounding so sexy she wanted to scream.
“Don’t make it worse by talking about it. Last night didn’t happen,” she insisted, praying he’d understand her humiliation and drop the subject. Her well-organized, controlled life had erupted into a monumental disaster.
She blotted the perspiration off her neck.
“It did, you know,” Aaron whispered.
She closed her eyes. “What?”
“Happen.”
CHARLOTTE AND PERRY HAD FINISHED a quick sandwich at her desk and were going over staff responsibilities when Aaron opened the door.
Charlotte turned to Perry. “Give us a minute.”
He stood and met Aaron at the door, sizing him up as he would a dangerous animal. “Afternoon, Brody.”
Narrowing his eyes, Aaron watched Perry leave. Strolling into the office wearing a clean pair of shorts and a dusty-green T-shirt, Aaron glanced at the two empty plates. “Guess I’m too late to invite you to lunch.”
Thank God. “Did you get the engine out?”
He shook his head. “Can’t get an engine lift until four.”
They might as well be talking about the weather, but Charlotte would discuss anything to avoid the awkward silence. �
��I saw they were refinishing the outside.”
“Yeah, they’re scraping barnacles and polishing the hull.” He glanced toward the window. “I may be late tonight.” This was not the typical smart-mouthed Aaron.
Aaron left Charlie’s office and made his way out of the resort. He was beginning to suspect she regretted her rash decision to marry him instead of Thurman. Why should he care? Just concentrate on the boat, Brody. Charlie could take care of herself.
As he started around the outside cabana bar, he heard a familiar voice. “It’s only temporary.”
Thurman? Aaron stopped just in time to keep from being seen. He stepped back behind the thatch wall. Thurman continued to spout off into his cell phone.
“Charlotte will never stay married to this lowlife. She only did it to fool the old man.”
Aaron peered around the cabana to see if Thurman looked as cocky as he sounded. “The doctor in Monte Carlo told Harrington that with his heart, if he didn’t get out from under this stress he’d be dead within a year. I don’t see him slowing down and I intend to be in place when he drops.”
He turned and Aaron ducked back behind the cabana. So, Thurman was banking on Harrington’s heart condition. “I don’t have to do much. She and Brody are already fighting. This guy’s used to bedding hookers and Charlotte doesn’t know how to do anything but lie there and tolerate it,” he sneered. “He’s after her money.”
Aaron clenched his fist to keep from yanking the phone out of Thurman’s hand and shoving it down his throat. All in good time. Thurman would pay.
CHARLOTTE’S FEET ACHED and all she wanted was to go home and crash. It was past eleven and she reached for her purse to leave.
Perry sauntered into her office. “Doesn’t Aaron worry when you’re late?”
Over the past week since the boat escapade, Charlotte had barely seen Aaron. She pretended to be asleep when he came in, usually sometime after midnight, and he was still sleeping when she left the next morning. In a way, it worked.
“My marriage is not your concern.”
He thumbed through the stack of mail in her tray. “I scheduled one more clerk on the morning shift. We have another large tour checking out early. I don’t know how you managed to run this place before I got here. In Monte Carlo, I never had these problems.”
Charlotte flinched. Every corner she turned, Perry was there, waiting for her to slip up. He lurked in the shadows like a spy. Oh, he put on a good show of being helpful. But the less she involved him, the less opportunity for him to sabotage her. Still, he didn’t miss a single opportunity to mention that he hadn’t seen Aaron around. Her excuses were beginning to wear thin. At least Edward had left.
Charlotte glimpsed a parchment envelope as Perry flipped through the mail. Her lawyer’s stationery? She yanked the mail out of his hands. “Maybe that explains why you can’t deal with them here.”
Catching a slight movement from the corner of her eye, she found Aaron leaning against her door. In a pair of faded jeans and a white T-shirt, he was a flawless picture of classic masculinity. It was sinful for a man to look that good.
“Brody.” Perry tore his gaze away from the mail in her hand, and then headed out the door.
“Thurman.”
Aaron studied Charlotte. She looked exhausted. Worried. For the first time in a week, he saw a nick in the emotionless businesswoman and a glimpse of the vulnerable girl he’d almost made love to. Subconsciously she squeezed the back of her neck. The memory of her heated flesh haunted him. He could still feel her thighs bracketing his. Still see the desire smoldering in her eyes.
He’d given her space, waiting for her to come to him again, but she’d retreated behind her cool, workaholic demeanor.
Something was going on, something more than placating her eccentric grandfather. “You okay?”
Leaning her head against the back of her chair, she sighed. “It’s been a rough day.”
Wanting to touch her, curious how she’d respond, Aaron stepped behind her desk and began massaging her neck and shoulders. The tension had her muscles bunched so tight he was amazed she could turn her neck. “You look done in. Relax.”
She rolled her head back and forth, groaning. “Mmm.” Her stomach growled.
“You haven’t eaten?”
Closing her eyes, she whispered, “A salad. Zelda brought me a salad for lunch.”
He took her hand and pulled her to her feet. “Come on. I’ll scramble you some eggs.”
Shaking her head, she picked up her purse and locked her desk. “Not in my kitchen you won’t. We’d be lucky to find coffee. Let’s raid the restaurant leftovers.”
Aaron waited while she locked up. “Guess there are some perks to this business.”
She led the way into the kitchen. Her steps didn’t have their usual assurance. While he waited for her to get the food, he lit the candle on the corner table.
She backed through the swinging doors with a tray of goodies. “Nice touch,” she offered, heading toward the candlelight.
He helped her unload a bowl of boiled shrimp and a bottle of cocktail sauce from the tray. There were leftover artichoke hearts and lemon sauce, two rolls and a couple beers.
She went after plates and silverware.
“Better than scrambled eggs.” Aaron popped a shrimp into his mouth.
She stood staring at the table, holding two napkin-wrapped sets of silverware and two plates.
“Sit down, Charlie.” He grabbed the plates and held out her chair.
She dropped into her seat and reached for one of the beers. “You’ve been working hard, too.”
Aaron grinned watching Charlie swig her beer straight out of the bottle. “No kidding. Got to get my boat back in the water. I’m booked solid for Spring Break.”
“That’s great, but you sound exhausted.”
“Yeah, but it’s done. The engine’s in. The hull’s refinished. Official launch party, Wednesday afternoon. You should come,” he said with an enthusiasm that surprised him. Why did it suddenly seem so important that she see what he’d accomplished with her money?
“Good idea. We need to spend time together. I’m running out of excuses for Perry.”
Great. The only reason she’d consider coming was to promote the pretense and win her precious resort. “Guess I haven’t been focused on Thurman.”
She scrubbed her hands across her eyes. “That’s not what I meant.”
He dipped a bite of artichoke in lemon sauce.
“Aaron, I’d love to be there, if I can get away. It’s just that Perry has managed to stick his nose into every aspect of the hotel, trying to impress Edward.”
“Just take off. Good food, drinks, company.” He leaned back. “I’d like you to be there.”
“Okay,” she agreed, taking him by surprise.
One thing you could count on with Charlie. She was direct. “It’s a date.” Reaching across the table, he took her hand in his and whispered, “Don’t turn around, but we’ve got an audience.”
Chapter Eight
Except for the single candle and the filtered light from the kitchen, shadows blanketed the dining room. Was Perry actually watching?
Charlotte couldn’t take her eyes off Aaron as he came around the table and tugged her up and into his arms. Not only his scorching lips, but everything about him sizzled.
He spread his legs and held her close, swaying to some imaginary tune. “Let’s make Percy pant.” Taking her hands, he guided them around his neck and then framed her face with his palms. His lips were gentle as they made a slow exploration of her eyelids, nose and cheeks, coming frustratingly close, but never quite tasting her lips. The clean masculine scent of soap intoxicated her.
One hand dropped to the small of her back. The other eased behind her neck, removed the clasp from her hair, and angled her face for a penetrating kiss.
“Don’t panic, just play along.” He slipped his hands beneath her bottom and hoisted her onto the table.
Sliding he
r skirt up to her waist, he pressed himself close. She gasped at the hard pressure of his denim-covered erection through her panties. If this was for effect, he was certainly getting into his role.
He unbuttoned her blouse and spread it open to his hungry gaze. Instinctively, her body leaned in to cover her lack of cleavage.
“I’m taking off your blouse.”
“Aaron, I don’t think this is a good idea.”
She shivered as he finished unbuttoning it and slid his hands inside. His fingers felt hot against her skin as the silk blouse rustled and tickled her skin. She heard a moan, and then realized the sound came from her.
He didn’t seem to mind her lack of curves. His mouth trailed hot kisses over the exposed cleavage, but when he hooked his thumbs beneath her bra straps, she grabbed his wrists. “Slow down.”
The room exploded into light. Her heart stopped. Once the spell was broken, she was mortified to find Perry staring at her. She clutched the front of her blouse together.
Aaron held her against his chest and turned a casual glance toward the door. “Evening, Percy.”
“You two aren’t worried about a customer catching you?” She felt the chill of his unnerving eyes. “Poor judgment, Charlotte.”
“He’s lonely,” Aaron whispered loud enough for Perry to hear.
She trembled, but Aaron held her tight, cradling her face against his shoulder. “Hey, Percy, when you call Edward, let him know we’re working on that great-grandson, will ya?”
“The name’s Perry. Got that? Perry, not Percy.”
Winking at Perry, Aaron nuzzled Charlotte’s right ear. “Perry, would you mind catching the lights on your way out?”
Perry turned, hit the light switch, and slammed the door behind him.
Aaron tossed his head back and laughed. “I’d have left the lights on. No doubt he’s headed for a cold shower.”
“Oh, God.” She hugged Aaron and giggled. She’d missed him. “Maybe he’ll at least leave me alone on that front.”