Undeniable Attraction

by Kayla Perrin

  With that, Aaron turned and made his way into the crowd, and Melissa saw him almost immediately hug another athlete—no doubt another soccer player.

  “Hello.”

  Melissa turned to look at the woman who’d sidled up beside her. She was beautiful, with an olive complexion, her dark hair styled in an elegant chignon. She had bright eyes and a big smile.

  “Hello,” Melissa returned.

  “I’m Olivia Rivera,” she said, and extended a hand.

  “Melissa Conwell.” She shook the woman’s hand.

  “You’re here with Aaron Burke.”

  Obviously, the woman was stating a fact, not asking a question. But Melissa responded anyway. “Yes.”

  “It’s nice to see Aaron dating again.”

  “Oh, we’re not dating. We’re friends. We go way back.”

  “Hmm.” Olivia’s eyes narrowed slightly, as though she was confused by Melissa’s answer. “Well, it’s nice to see Aaron out regardless. After things fell apart with Ella, we didn’t see him for a while.”

  “I guess you’re one of the soccer wives,” Melissa surmised.

  “Yes. I’m married to Antonio Rivera. He and Aaron played for the LA Galaxy for a couple of years before Aaron went off to Europe. We were all very happy for Aaron’s success.”

  Melissa nodded. “This is a great event.”

  “Yes. Lovely venue, and I’m sure a lot of money will be raised for the Nunez family.”

  Once again, Melissa couldn’t help thinking that her judgment had been way off regarding the people who would be here tonight. When she’d first walked into this ballroom on Aaron’s arm, she’d assumed that everyone would be stuck-up and accustomed to adoration. Instead, Melissa had found down-to-earth people who cared about the cause.

  Seeing the slideshow of the young girl at the start of the night and hearing about the family’s terrible struggles had really touched Melissa. She checked out many of the other items up for bids but found herself wandering back to the painting by Felix Virgo. She didn’t know why, but looking at this picture made her feel good.

  She lifted the pen and scrawled her bid onto the paper. It was a hefty amount, but it was for a good cause.

  She hoped her bid would be enough to secure the painting.

  * * *

  Aaron watched Melissa from across the room. Two men were talking to her, and they looked enthralled.

  Aaron couldn’t blame them. Melissa was utterly ravishing.

  And he couldn’t wait a minute longer. He needed to get her out of this room. Now.

  Aaron had a suite booked upstairs. And that’s where he wanted to be with Melissa. Holding her, kissing her, making sweet love to her.

  He crossed the room toward her. As if sensing him, she turned, and a smile lit up her face.

  God, she was radiant. And in the outfit she was wearing, she was easily the most beautiful woman in the room.

  “Aaron,” she said. The two men standing with her parted, allowing Aaron to close the distance between him and Melissa. He bit down on his bottom lip as he looked at her. What he really wanted to be doing was biting down on her lips. He wanted to take her in his arms in front of this crowd and kiss her senseless. Kiss her until she begged him to make love to her.

  He slipped an arm around her waist, pulled her close and whispered in her ear, “Let’s get out of here.”

  “We’re not going to wait until they announce the winners of the auction?”

  “They’ll let us know if we won anything.” He tightened his grip on her. “I need to take you upstairs. Now.”

  Melissa’s eyelids fluttered. She looked up at him with those beautiful doe eyes. Beneath that wide-eyed gaze, he could see her passion. And he could also sense her hesitation. The same hesitation that he’d gotten from her when he’d shown up at her place of work.

  Their connection was fiery, and Aaron wasn’t afraid of it. He didn’t want Melissa to be afraid of it, either.

  He wanted to brand her, make her his. He wanted to give her all of him.

  “You’re sure?” Melissa asked.

  “Do you know how absolutely irresistible you are?” he asked.

  “People are probably staring,” Melissa whispered.

  “All the more reason to get out of here now.”

  He took her by the hand and looked into her eyes, where he saw no more hesitation.

  “Okay,” she said softly.

  Aaron whisked her out of the ballroom.

  * * *

  Melissa felt a rush of excitement as Aaron led her to the elevator. They were a respectable couple as they waited for the elevator to arrive, but once they were inside, and alone, Aaron swept her into his arms and planted his lips on hers.

  His lips moved over hers hungrily, and his hands roamed over her back. His tongue tangling with hers, their heavy breaths filled the enclosed space until the ping of the elevator sounded. They came apart quickly, and Melissa was relieved to see that they were on Aaron’s floor.

  Still, that didn’t mean that no one was about to enter the elevator.

  But when the doors opened, no one was there. Aaron quickly took Melissa’s hand and led her down the hallway. She giggled as she had to jog to keep up with Aaron’s fast pace.

  The electricity between them sizzled. She loved the way she felt when he looked into her eyes—the thrill of excitement that came from knowing just how much he wanted her.

  Aaron opened the door, and Melissa entered the suite first. He quickly followed her inside, flicking the light switch on.

  He pulled her into his arms, his lips coming down on hers before he’d even closed the door. Melissa sighed as his tongue delved into her mouth.

  A lingering groan rumbled in Aaron’s chest, and a sexual charge shot through Melissa. Knowing that he was turned on so much that he couldn’t even wait until the end of the event to get her upstairs excited her even more. She looped her arms around his neck and held on, her legs growing weak as she succumbed to his sensual assault on her lips.

  “Baby,” Aaron whispered, and he brought a hand to her face. Softly, he stroked her skin, then cupped her cheek. All the while he was moving with her, walking her backward into the living room of the suite. Several seconds later, her legs ran into the sofa, and she stumbled. Aaron held her and gently guided her down onto the chaise lounge, then went down on top of her, holding his strong frame above her so that he didn’t hurt her. Melissa straightened her body out on the sofa, and Aaron stretched his strong, masculine body over hers.

  He kissed her jawline, then dipped his mouth beneath her jaw, to her neck. He skimmed her flesh with those beautiful, full lips of his, causing a ripple of delicious sensations to swirl through her.

  Then his head went lower, and he planted soft kisses on her collarbone before trailing his lips to the area above her breasts. Melissa caressed his head as he softly suckled the flesh of her cleavage. Her internal body temperature was rising rapidly.

  Aaron lifted his head and looked into her eyes. “Every time I touch you, I go crazy.”

  His words made her shudder. The way he was stroking her skin, the way he was gazing at her... Melissa felt like the only woman in the world. “Every time you touch me, you make me crazy,” she told him, her voice but a whisper.

  “Tell me you were thinking about this the moment you saw me today. Tell me you wanted to make love to me as badly as I wanted to make love to you...”

  His voice held a pleading tone, as if it would crush him to hear anything other than that Melissa desired and wanted him as much as he did her.

  “Yes,” she rasped, meaning it. “I couldn’t help thinking about you kissing me again. Making love to me again...”

  “Oh, baby...” Aaron moaned. He kissed her deeply, his tongue tangling with hers. Melissa snaked her foot around the back of Aaron’s thigh as much
as her skirt would allow.

  “As beautiful as this dress is, I need to get you out of it.”

  He got to his feet and pulled her to a standing position. Melissa immediately reached for the zipper beneath her right arm and pulled it down. She shimmied out of the dress and stood before Aaron in only her strapless bra and lacy underwear.

  “Take it all off for me, baby,” he rasped. “Except for the shoes. I love those shoes.”

  Turned on by his words, Melissa quickly undid her bra and tossed it onto the floor. Then she pushed her underwear over her hips and down her thighs and kicked them aside.

  Fully undressed, she met Aaron’s gaze. His eyes were darkened with lust.

  His gaze was like a caress, sweeping over her from head to toe. He expelled an audible breath. “Oh, baby.”

  Melissa swallowed. She was a little self-conscious standing in front of Aaron like this, fully exposed, totally vulnerable. But as he stepped toward her, the obvious desire in his eyes melted away her insecurity. She was no longer thinking about her body’s flaws.

  “You’re perfect,” Aaron told her.

  He spoke as though he was seeing her naked for the first time. As though they hadn’t been naked and getting it on just last week. Those lips had already explored every inch of her body.

  He pulled her into his arms and brought his lips down on hers. This time, the kiss was slow and hot, causing every inch of her body to tingle. Her hands encircling his neck, she sighed against his lips.

  “I don’t ever want you to stop talking to me again,” Aaron whispered.

  Why would he say that at a moment like this?

  “You were avoiding me,” he went on, answering her unspoken question. “But I can’t live without touching you.” He smoothed his palms down her bare back. “Without kissing you.”

  “Aaron...”

  “I don’t want you to fight this anymore, that’s what I’m saying. Why fight something we both want?”

  Melissa pressed her body closer to his. “I’m not fighting...”

  With a primal sound rumbling in his chest, he kissed her again, ravaging her mouth with his. He slid his hands down and over her behind and pulled her against him forcefully. Melissa could feel the rock-hard evidence of his desire for her pressing against her pelvis.

  She dug her fingernails into his shoulders and raised one leg high around his thigh. Aaron secured his hands on her behind and lifted her, and Melissa wrapped both legs around his waist.

  “Yes, baby...”

  Aaron’s mouth widened, and he deepened the kiss, their tongues mating at fever pitch now. He moved with her swiftly down the hallway, and Melissa slipped a hand between their bodies. She tried unsuccessfully to undo the buttons of Aaron’s shirt. Her concentration wasn’t what it should be, not with his tongue assaulting her senses and making her body weak.

  Aaron took over, and with one strong pull ripped his shirt apart. It was a shocking action, and one that stoked Melissa’s inner fire even more.

  Aaron lowered her onto the bed, his tongue still twisting hungrily with hers. Melissa pulled and pushed the fabric of Aaron’s shirt off his shoulders, reveling in the feel of his smooth skin underneath her fingertips, and of his muscular chest pressed against her breasts. As the weight of his body settled on hers, he moved his lips from her mouth to her earlobe, suckling the flesh, and Melissa gripped his upper arms as the sweetest sensations flooded her.

  Her earlobes were an erogenous zone, something she hadn’t known before her night with Aaron after the wedding.

  Aaron covered both of her breasts with his hands. He took her nipples between his thumb and forefinger at the same time, tugging on them both. They hardened instantly at his touch.

  “My God, Melissa. Everything about you is driving me wild.”

  Aaron moved his mouth from her earlobe and brought it down on her breast. His whole mouth covered her nipple, and his tongue twirled around and around the tip. Melissa gripped his shoulders as her body was lost in a sea of intense feelings. Then he began to suckle softly, making her even crazier with need. She felt the heat and wetness pool between her thighs. She was ready for him. Ready for him to take her to that magical place once again.

  He moved his mouth to her other breast and twirled the tip of his tongue over the nipple before taking it deep into his mouth and sucking hard.

  “Oh, Aaron...” Melissa tightened her legs around his hips, urging him to be even closer to her. She needed his clothes gone and him deep inside her.

  He eased himself downward and spread her legs apart. “I need to taste your sweetness.”

  Melissa’s breath caught when Aaron dipped his tongue into her navel. Then his lips moved lightly over her belly as his fingers caressed her inner thighs. His touch was exquisite.

  Aaron’s lips followed the path his fingers had taken, kissing her inner thigh, close to her knee. Far from where Melissa wanted his mouth to be.

  Slowly, his lips moved over her thigh, going lower. Melissa held her breath, and when his tongue gently flicked over her sensitive flesh, she expelled that breath in a rush.

  “Baby!” she rasped.

  Aaron’s tongue worked magic until Melissa was panting and gripping the bedsheets. “Aaron...oh, baby. I need you inside me!”

  Aaron eased backward and quickly pulled at his belt, then the hurriedly got out of his pants and shirt. Her body weak, her breathing heavy, she watched him strip out of his briefs from heavy-lidded eyes. The last time they’d been together, the room had been dark and she hadn’t fully seen him. But now...wow. Her center throbbed at the sight of those washboard abs, his muscular biceps, his perfect thighs...

  And his arousal—it was large and impressive.

  Aaron Burke was the perfect specimen of a man. And he was going to rock her world again.

  He lowered himself onto her and settled between her thighs. And the next instant, he was filling her. Melissa gripped his back as the sweetest sensations thrilled her body. Aaron groaned as he thrust into her, slowly and deeply. And then he went still, his eyes connecting with hers.

  Melissa stared back unabashedly, her chest rising and falling with ragged breaths, something stirring in her soul. She wanted this to be about satisfying a sexual need, the most base of human desires, but she was feeling something else. Something that injected fear into this world of excitement.

  She liked Aaron. As much as she didn’t want to care about him at all, she liked him. And she knew in her heart that it would be easy to spend more time with him, make love to him over and over again.

  And then what? He would destroy her again?

  If he was the kind of man who kept his true feelings bottled up, it would always cause problems in a relationship.

  Aaron lowered his head and captured her mouth with his. And as he thrust deeply inside her while moving his lips slowly over hers, Melissa stopped thinking negatively. She stopped thinking about anything other than the here and now, and how incredible she felt in Aaron’s arms.

  Each of his gentle thrusts was punctuated by soft sighs falling from Melissa’s lips. She looped her arms around his neck and pulled him close, opening her mouth wide for him. She flicked the tip of her tongue over his, again and again, before locking her lips with his and kissing him deeply.

  Aaron’s hands tightened on her hips and he plunged into her swiftly, burrowing his shaft inside her. Melissa cried out, gripping him tighter. His body inside hers felt so good, so right. Aaron’s body fit with hers perfectly, as though they were made for each other.

  She pushed her hips up against his, urging him to go faster. He did. Together, the tempo of their lovemaking increased, until Melissa was crying out his name on a stream of erratic breaths. He kissed her jaw, her cheek, her earlobe, all of those actions adding to the exquisite sensations her body was experiencing.

  Slowing the pace, Aaron eased his h
ead back to look at her, and again, Melissa felt a charge. A sexual charge, yes, but something else, too. Something deeper.

  It was as though the feelings she’d had for him, which had been buried for so long, were starting to escape the locked box in her heart.

  “I’ve been thinking about this every day since I last saw you,” Aaron whispered. “Of you and me, naked like this. All night.”

  “All night?” Melissa asked breathlessly.

  “And all day. That’s how much I love making love to you. For as long as we both need it. But I don’t think I can ever get enough of this.”

  His words turned her on. Made her feel more desired than she’d ever felt.

  Melissa wrapped her legs around him, holding him tightly against her. Oh, how easily she could make love to Aaron all day and all night. How much she wanted to.

  And then he was kissing her again, his deep thrusts pushing her closer and closer to the edge. He trailed his fingers against the side of her breast, swept his tongue deeply into her mouth and burrowed himself inside her. The sweetest sensations began to build in her, and each stroke of his member, each taste of his tongue stoked not only her physical desire but something deeper.

  Something emotional.

  “Look at me, baby,” Aaron said.

  She did. Stared into his eyes and laid her soul bare. He held her gaze, and in that moment, she believed that there was something deeper between her and Aaron than just the physical act of making love.

  She climaxed then, vaulting into that sweet abyss. Aaron kissed her as raw pleasure consumed her body and warmth filled her heart.

  Chapter 20

  Melissa’s eyelids popped open. The room was dark, but she knew immediately that it was unfamiliar.

  As was the arm draped across her naked torso.

  Everything came back to her in an instant. The Waldorf Astoria. Aaron. Making love as if their lives depended on it.

  They had barely been able to get enough of each other, sheer exhaustion the only thing forcing them to finally get some sleep.

  A smile crept onto Melissa’s face. The night had been incredible.