Seduction on the Cards

by Kris Pearson

  Kerri put two cards aside. He dealt her two more. Her eyebrows shot up, and she sent him a cheeky grin.

  “I’ve got you, Alex.” Her face lit with pleasure—the same brilliant illumination his mother’s used to take on when the cards had fallen well for her, or a chosen horse had won. The past and the present collided horribly.

  “I bet you can’t beat this,” she crowed, laying down her hand—all diamonds.

  He tossed his on top—all hearts.

  She stared at him in disbelief, eyes wide, mouth open.

  Alex reached across and ran a finger along her soft bottom lip. “Winner chooses, Kerri. I choose. I choose this.”

  He cupped her astounded face in his hands, then stroked her cheeks, her neck, the curl of her ear. He sifted her dark red-streaked hair through his fingers and let it fall in a tumbled cloud. He’d needed to touch her from the moment they’d met, despite her frustrating irresponsibility. She was as blithe as a butterfly, flitting from flower to flower, crisis to crisis.

  “Such a pretty face,” he said. “Such a beautiful girl. Come here to me.”

  He pulled her to straddle him, her knees cushioned outside his thighs, snugly cradling him. Two thin layers of fabric slipped and slid between them.

  “Such temptation,” he whispered as his hands cupped her breasts, caressing the silky skin that had invaded his mind all week.

  He took her lower lip between his own in a soft kiss that was slow and rich, loaded with the sensual slide of damp flesh over damp flesh. He pulled away, repeated the possessive caress with her upper lip, and then plummeted into mindless bliss as she responded.

  Her tongue danced with his; her fingers stroked and kneaded his shoulders; his weighed and pleasured her breasts; and all the time she moved her hips against him in slow chafing provocation.

  And we’ve still a layer to go.

  He came up for air and held her away from him. She let loose a most gratifying moan of frustration.

  “Wait, Kerri, wait. Let’s get naked. Get condoms. And get these squabs onto the floor—the back ones as well. I wouldn’t feel quite right using Felice and Gaston’s bed, but we can make a nice big nest here.”

  He kissed her again, hard and possessively this time, imagining sinking into her wet heat, over and over until she sobbed with pleasure. Until the blood pounded in his ears. Until there was only white-hot sensation between them.

  CHAPTER TEN

  I want him. I want him like I’ve never wanted any man before. I want to be back in his arms.

  The hunger grew. It clawed at her gut and flooded her womb with flames. Frantic with need, she reached out as he rose from the seating. Her fingers snagged his boxers and tugged. They slid down to mid-thigh.

  Her eyes flicked all over him. Down the stripe of hair that bisected his lean torso until it thickened into a dense thatch low on his belly. At his dark jutting shaft which reared up hot and impatient. At his big heavy testicles, swinging in their soft pouch.

  God—he looked so potent, so powerful!

  He pulled her up, and she quaked as he dropped to his haunches beside her and hooked his thumbs into her G-string.

  He drew it down slowly, following with soft kisses along her thigh.

  Why didn’t I do something nice like that for him?

  “Lift your foot, cherie.”

  She obeyed.

  “And the other one.”

  She quailed as he sat back on his heels and surveyed her. It was so light in the boat the sun lit up every detail. She was sure he’d think she was too short, or her belly-button was an ugly shape, or her breasts were too heavy. How could she measure up to Parisian showgirls?

  “Perfection,” he murmured, eyes everywhere. “Total perfection.”

  Relief washed over her, banishing her misgivings.

  He likes my body.

  She revolved in a slow circle, taunting him with her nudity, reveling in his admiration.

  “Well, that’s the ‘naked’ bit done,” she said, courage returning. “If you get the condoms, I’ll do the cushions.”

  Suddenly all of her senses came alert again. The strange trancelike anticipation was over, and everything shone sharp, and strong and clear.

  Sylvie rocked at anchor, and ripples slapped against the hull in the breeze. Seabirds wheeled through the sky as they followed a school of fish far below. They screamed their excitement, and Kerri’s spirits soared every bit as high and elated as the gulls.

  While Alex sheathed himself, she pulled all the big squabs down and made an impromptu bed on the floor. But she couldn’t resist looking as he stood—tall, dark and gorgeous—making himself safe for her.

  As she’d imagined, he had dynamite legs. She watched as he balanced against the slight chop of the ocean, his muscles and sinews flexing under skin that was sprinkled with dark hair and lit by bars of sunlight.

  His butt was far too cute for a full-grown man. Those two tight creamy cheeks needed a good smacking. Or a nice stroking. Or a little nip.

  He glanced over and caught her looking.

  “Do I measure up?”

  “More than,” she said. “Come here.”

  He took the few steps toward her.

  Just for today she’d be the total centre of this man’s attention. This handsome and successful man. A man who excited her more than any other she’d ever met or imagined.

  And sadly, a man who was leaving the next day and not planning to return. She clamped her teeth down on her bottom lip to squeeze that thought away.

  Bet it won’t take more than a few weeks to get him out of my mind.

  She punched the final cushion into place, drew a brave breath, and suddenly a wisp of floating fluff caught in her throat.

  She coughed. And coughed and coughed. And coughed some more. Alex dropped to his knees beside her, warm hand circling around and around on her back, before he burst into helpless laughter.

  “Is this the effect I have on you, cherie? You go breathless with anticipation? When you first meet me? When you first make love with me?”

  Kerri added giggles to her coughing routine as he vaulted to his feet. He returned seconds later with a bottle of chilled mineral water, and she nodded her thanks as she continued to splutter and fight for air.

  “God!” she gasped, before tipping the bottle up. “What ridiculous timing.”

  She took a cautious mouthful and swallowed. The coughing eased a little. She drank again, and cleared her throat. Getting better. She gulped the water twice more until the embarrassing little fit had passed. Alex lowered himself down to kneel beside her. He watched her closely, gaze blue and intense.

  “Oui?” he asked, once she was quiet again.

  She nodded. Yes, she was ready for him. Desperate for him.

  He reached across and stroked his thumbs beneath her eyes, smoothing away the moisture her frantic coughing had released, the gesture so tender and unexpected that her lips parted on a small gasp. Alex cradled her face in both hands and drew her slowly closer. He kissed the sensitive skin he’d just stroked, and Kerri’s eyelids fluttered closed. His mouth dragged softly down to the corner of hers, kissed her there, lifted, kissed the other corner.

  She waited, breathless, for his lips to take hers, but instead his hands slid down her neck, over her collarbones to cup her breasts, and his warm mouth travelled the same path, drifting first to gently bite one peaked nipple, then the other. She opened her eyes, and watched as he held her breasts like treasure and rubbed his face against them.

  So much better than in the bus shelter.

  Now she dared to touch in return. She threaded her fingers into his inky hair, ran them down his neck and out over his broad shoulders, scraping lightly with her nails.

  Skin like suede, warm as sunshine, honey-gold, total turn-on…

  Alex gave a husky growl of appreciation. “Lie down,” he urged, and Kerri dreamily did.

  He kissed a leisurely circle around each nipple until they beaded super-tight, begging to be
suckled.

  “Please…” she murmured.

  He moved lower, glancing up toward her face with a devilish grin.

  “Later, impatient woman. I have another destination in mind first.”

  Kerri’s breath hitched as his lips began to trace a determined path over her belly, around her navel, down toward her dark curls.

  “It’s too bright in here,” she said, trying to wriggle away.

  “Too bright for me to see what I’ve already touched and now want to taste?”

  She gasped, shocked he’d say it out loud.

  His hands pressed her thighs apart, lifted her knees a little, stroked and teased until she relaxed with a groan of acquiescence. She’d never done this; never gotten serious enough with a man for anything beyond vigorous thrusting followed by ecstatic swearing from him and breathless relief it was over from her.

  But now…the anticipation was thrilling.

  She waited, eyes tightly closed, knowing he must be bending closer and lower, feeling the soft caress of his lips and his warm breath on her knee.

  Further, further…finally the slippery touch of his tongue licking delicately between her folds, so she jerked in surprise and gave a cry of delight. Then his hands again. Sure this time of her co-operation, pinning her out flat so he had total access to her, sweeping his tongue around in dizzying hot licks.

  Kerri’s hips lifted up in a helpless surrender. She gulped a shocked and thrilled breath, let it out in a long trembling sigh as his fingers opened her, sliding easily and deliciously into her now-slick body. His slow-moving hands and warm lips caressed even warmer flesh.

  “Alex…” She opened her eyes at last, courage returning, reaching down to stroke his hair. He looked up to her, lips wet, eyes heavy-lidded, sensual, deepest blue.

  “C’est bon?” The same wicked grin flickered briefly before he lowered his face again and seconds later ripped a gasp of disbelief from her as she started to clench around his fingers in uncontrollable spasms of deep dark pleasure.

  She gasped and panted and growled, totally enslaved by the sensations he’d conjured. Better and deeper than the orgasm he’d given her in his office. Better and deeper than anything ever in her life, so intense she could barely stay still.

  Alex rose over her, supreme masculine triumph in his smile. Then he slid slowly home—gazing into her eyes as he invaded, deep and sure, again and again.

  She felt amazing. Sleepy, yet so wide awake. Sated, but ravenous for more. She stretched luxuriously, and yawned as finger-bones popped and her spine found its way back into place.

  Beside her, Alex half-opened his eyes. A slow satisfied smile greeted her.

  “So I have not quite killed you, cherie?” He smoothed a hand around her waist as she relaxed back against him.

  “Close, but not quite. I thought I’d died and gone to heaven for a while, but I seem to be making a successful recovery.”

  She reached out for the bottle of water and slanted it to check if any remained.

  “We can do better than that,” he said, rising up on one elbow. “Gaston’s packed a very nice wine with lunch.” He captured her hand, brought it to his lips, and nipped one of her fingers. “I’ll just have you for lunch, I think. You, and a glass of wine.”

  Kerri stretched again, enjoying Alex’s eyes on her, and thinking how nice it was being admired instead of criticized.

  Yes, she should get her life in better order. But who would she be making the effort for? There was only herself to impress, and she’d never been very impressed with herself.

  She watched as Alex rose, pulled his boxers up his long strong legs, and sauntered to the galley counter where he’d set the chilly-bin. “More water?” he asked, peering inside the bin. “Or wine this time?”

  “More you,” Kerri said. “Why have you covered up? Stop being so proper, Alex. Relax and have fun. You’re such a control-freak.”

  “You think I’d be the man I am today if all I wanted was ‘fun’?”

  Kerri bristled at the slight sneer, the note of censure.

  “Oh, just lighten up!” she snapped, fearing the prospect of losing him so soon was starting to get to her. “Life doesn’t need planning in every tiny detail. And it’s not like this is going to lead to anything. It’s one nice irresponsible day—surely you can manage that?”

  Alex dug around in the chilly-bin and retrieved its contents. He appeared to be making a great effort to hold his tongue.

  “You could have a slice of Frittata,” he said with forced politeness. “Walnut flat-bread and babaganoush? Lemon tart? Grapes? Gaston has been his usual generous self.”

  Kerri gave a conciliatory grunt and pushed herself up off the cushions. She hadn’t meant to be so abrupt, but his covering-up had annoyed her out of all proportion to the action. If she had only one day of him, she wanted all of him. She crept over and leaned against his back, arms around his waist.

  “Sorry,” she muttered, smoothing her cheek over him, drawing in his scent. Clean and sexy. Male and dangerous, and such a turn-on.

  She drew away a little and brushed her breasts to and fro against him, enjoying the slide of skin over skin, and then the even more pleasurable slide of erect nipples over skin. Hell—it took only a few seconds of being close to him to turn her on. What sort of effect was she having on him? Anything at all?

  She let her hands drop lower—slowly enough so he could think it accidental if he wished. And there, beneath the fabric, she felt the evidence she’d hoped for. He was every bit as aroused as she was.

  It took the merest fraction of time to push her fingers past his waistband and plunge down and grab him.

  “Not such a control-freak after all,” she teased. “Not able to keep him under tight control anyway. What a giveaway you’ve got in these pants, Alex. What a lunch-time treat for a girl...”

  She tugged his boxers down with her free hand while Alex remained motionless facing the counter. Motionless except for the thrilling tension in his big body. It vibrated off him in electric waves of annoyance and control. Kerri thrilled as she felt him trying to retain his cool. She pushed the fabric lower, one side at a time, inching it down, and following with her lips. His long spine was the perfect place to drop first one hot open-mouthed kiss, then another, then another.

  The elastic stretched and the boxers descended. Her other hand held him captive. Hard, hot, pulsing and captive. Those big pulses didn’t seem to be voluntary. Alex’s breath faltered every time he flexed in her fingers. And still he stayed silent—not forbidding her, not encouraging her.

  Kerri bent down behind him. She pressed a kiss low on his spine as she finally pushed the boxers past his butt. Surely Alex gave the slightest of grunts? She repeated the warm wet kiss. No grunt—but his hands definitely now grasped the edge of the counter with whitened knuckles. She smiled with sweet triumph. He felt every teasing move she made, even if he wasn’t willing to admit it.

  She stroked over one creamy cheek with her fingers and began to massage his cock slowly with the other hand. He felt so long. So smooth and delectable.

  She licked him, right over his tailbone, again and again. He liked that. His breath caught, his butt tensed, his cock jumped every time.

  She took her lips for a slow cruise down one cheek until there was enough flesh to bite.

  “Merde!” he protested as her teeth nipped.

  She bit again, more softly this time, and followed it immediately with a tender kiss.

  “Turn around,” she begged.

  She heard him sigh, watched his ribs rise and fall, caught her breath as the sun slid over him. He leaned back against the counter, totally visible, totally strange and male and tempting.

  She’d never done this before—not been interested enough to explore either of the men she’d slept with in the past. Now she was so spellbound by this one she couldn’t help herself.

  “Alex,” she breathed, running tender fingers over him, stroking, rubbing, admiring. She squeezed experimentally.<
br />
  “Does that hurt?”

  “Compared to you when you’re coming, and all your muscles are grabbing around me? You must be joking, cherie.”

  “So does it hurt you when I come?”

  “Did you hear me yelling ‘ouch, stop it Kerri’?”

  She let loose a little puff of laughter.

  “It’s the best feeling in the world,” he murmured, caressing her hair. “Having you milk me. Surrounding me with your wet heat and those fantastic contractions. Knowing I’ve taken you to the point of no return.”

  “Wet heat,” she whispered, dropping to her knees and rocking forward to touch him with her tongue. She licked him from base to tip as though he was a gigantic ice-cream, and noted he enjoyed it better the higher she licked. She held him steady and did some more high licking, and then opened her mouth and took him in so she could suck. He was so silky-smooth against her tongue, so magically hard under that soft outer skin.

  And then Alex’s hands were holding her head, drawing her face in against his warm belly, playing in her hair.

  She inhaled deeply, taking his special musky scent deep into her lungs. Above her, Alex breathed harder.

  Then his hands eased her head away and tipped it back so she had to look up into his eyes.

  “Enough Kerri.”

  “Bet I can make you come in two minutes flat,” she said.

  He heaved a huge sigh and compressed his lips.

  “Is there nothing you won’t bet on, you terrible girl?” His face was mock-sombre, but his tone was teasing. Then he broke into a broad grin. “Why would I choose two minutes when I can have twenty? Why would you want to go fast on your own when we can go slowly together, hmmm?”

  Going slowly together sounded so good that Kerri made no objection when he drew her up and cradled her against his chest.

  “Wasn’t I doing it well enough?”

  His only answer to that was an amused groan and a long demanding kiss.