Seduction on the Cards

by Kris Pearson

  It could be swapped for twenty French Pacific Francs—free money to gamble with! Kerri’s resistance was nil.

  Of course Alex wouldn’t approve, but Alex wasn’t here. She showered and dressed at top speed and was out of the hotel minutes later.

  She knew from the accompanying brochure only the slot machines would be operating at this time of day. Well, they were better than nothing. There was no chance Alex would take her to a casino that evening in her beautiful new red-and-black tiger dress to enjoy the baccarat, roulette and blackjack tables. She’d have to make the most of things as they were.

  The map guided her on a short walk through sun-baked streets. The casino was close, and she arrived soon after one o’clock, voucher and wallet at the ready.

  By one-fifteen she’d cashed up and chosen her machine. She fed her first money in, and the lights issued their seductive invitation to play. She pushed the buttons, and it felt so good. Just right. The flashes...the colors…the noise...the brain-numbing attraction. No way could she get up and leave because the very next person might turn up all the aces and claim the cash that should have been hers.

  She fed more money in, loving the perky beep as the machine swallowed it.

  “Come on, come on,” she whispered. “Make me rich.”

  By one-twenty she’d lost her ‘free’ twenty French Pacific Francs. But that was nothing, she assured herself. She hadn’t even touched her own money yet.

  She pushed another handful in, silently encouraging the dealer to be kind. Surely, on a fantastic day like this, her luck would be in? The lights flashed, the machine swallowed, the tinny music pounded in her ears. She fed it and fed it, sure her luck would change

  Soon she’d lost all of Sarah’s perfume money. Well, that was okay—she’d pay Sarah back out of the spending money she’d allowed herself for the boutiques. Bummer though...what a shame to go home with very little that was new and French and gorgeous.

  At one thirty-five the machine went wild—lights blinking as though a maniac had jiggled the switch. The total beeped, and coins rattled and clanked into the tray until Kerri had a whole beautiful hundred and sixty-two dollars more than when she’d started. She relaxed, and fizzed with righteous triumph. She so deserved that money!

  At one-fifty, buoyed up by her huge ‘profit’, she moved on to machines with bigger payouts. In minutes she’d lost not only Sarah’s perfume money all over again, but the whole remaining four hundred dollars she’d drawn against the balance of her credit card.

  Kerri gnawed on her thumb-nail, not feeling it shred between her teeth because her heart pounded with fury and her gut churned with sick resentment. Her eyes narrowed, and if she could have shot bullets from them, they would have pulverized the stupid cheating machine into a pulpy heap of worthless scraps.

  Much like her optimistic mood had been shot to pieces.

  This wasn’t fair! Why did it always happen to her? Why wouldn’t her luck turn around when she was willing to bet more money? She’d needed only one good streak and things would have been so different.

  She scuttled down the casino steps, burning with shame and disappointment. Now she had no chance to buy Sarah the perfume she’d promised. Nothing available on her credit card again. No cash left to treat herself to anything from the chic French boutiques. Not even enough to buy a thank-you gift for Alex.

  Alex! Oh God—she couldn’t let him know how stupid and undisciplined she’d been. She flopped down onto one of the beach-side benches and glared at the people having fun in the clear turquoise water.

  Bet you can’t get out of this one, Kerri Lush.

  Alex spotted her from the balcony, and focused intently. He’d hurried through his obligatory business lunch, and sped back to enjoy her bubbly company.

  Kerri looked the picture of dejection, slowly rising from the seat, dragging her feet across the road, shoulders slumped, head down, not apparently giving a damn about the busy traffic. What the hell had happened to her?

  He shot into the corridor just as someone stepped out of one of the elevators. He rode it down, and strode across the luxurious lobby as she came skulking in though the big automatic doors.

  “What’s wrong, cherie?”

  “Nothing. Why should anything be wrong?” she snapped.

  Her furious eyes told a different story, even though she suddenly pasted a bright smile on her pretty lips and squared her shoulders.

  “You looked so sad.”

  “Me? Of course not. It’s lovely here.”

  Her empty stomach gave a loud rumble, all-too-audible in the hushed atmosphere.

  “A drink?” Alex asked. “And maybe something to go with it? Did you not eat?”

  “I went for a walk. I was going to call at a little bakery and I ran out of...time.”

  They moved across to the hotel’s café. Flaky mille-feuilles and lemon-flavored madeleines sat under glass. The scent of good coffee hung heavy in the air. Kerri’s tummy rumbled again.

  “No sugar for me—I’m sweet enough.” She said this with such a droll expression that Alex relaxed and returned her grin. Perhaps she was fine after all? Just hungry.

  “What would you like to do until this evening?” he asked once they’d settled with coffees, and Kerri attacked a mille-feuille oozing with cream and custard. “I’ve booked a sunset cruise on one of the local yachts. The water’s magic late in the day—and then dinner at a special restaurant. You feel like shopping?”

  Kerri wrinkled her nose.

  “Sightseeing, then?”

  “Yes, take me for a drive, Alex. Then maybe a swim. I want to see everything I can with you. It’s such a short time.”

  Somewhere near dawn, she woke to feel his arm heavy and possessive across her waist. He was still deeply asleep, turned towards her as if to claim ownership, even through the dark hours of night.

  Kerri loved that thought. It was the first time she’d spent a whole night in a man’s bed. It felt so intimate, so private, so peaceful. She snuggled a little closer, careful not to wake him. In the half-light his eyelashes lay sooty against his sun-kissed skin. His dark hair stuck up in feathery peaks against the snowy pillowcase, and she itched to run her fingers through it and smooth it down again.

  She watched his chest rising and falling with every deep slow breath. Just for this little time she had someone all of her own. Someone who’d chosen to be only with her.

  Her heart gave a wrenching squeeze. Yes, someone who’d chosen to be with her for two magic days, but someone who would desert her all too soon after that.

  Everyone left her. Everyone went away and left her alone.

  Her father had gone first.

  And because of him, her mother had followed.

  Even Granny and Grandpa had disappeared—long before they should have—causing Kerri to put on a too-brave face while she disintegrated inside...assuring people she was fine when she was ripped to shreds, adrift with no oars...brazening her way through the last few years as though she hadn’t a care in the world.

  The truth was a long way from that, but she’d been desperate to hide the hurt and avoid the pity. It seemed she’d succeeded. People treated her as though she was fun to be with, good for a laugh, always on for a bet.

  If only they knew how she ached from acting her part.

  She sighed, and blinked as sudden tears threatened, moving one hand cautiously to wipe a finger under her eyes.

  At least she had last night with Alex to remember for the rest of her life—way beyond anything she’d ever experienced. Their sunset cruise had been glorious. Sitting pressed to his warm side as the sails strained, and the darkening sea rushed by beneath them, it seemed they were flying together to the fiery edge of the world.

  Later, her dress had looked every bit as special as she’d hoped; Alex had hardly taken his eyes off her all evening. His fingers had roamed over her shoulders and down her partly bared back as he escorted her into the intimate and expensive restaurant.

  Dinner poss
ibly outdid even Gaston’s wonderful meal. And the slow dancing had been vertical love-making—followed by the horizontal version once they’d returned hand-in-hand to their suite.

  Now they had less than a day before she had to leave for Tontouta airport again. He’d be half a world away for the rest of her life.

  Alex felt the lift and fall of her breasts against him as she sighed. He opened his eyes. Hair tousled and skin bare of make-up, she looked sinfully young in the half-light—a naughty school-girl who’d fallen asleep in a grown man’s bed. The fantasy caused him to harden even more.

  Then he registered the slight glitter in her almost-closed eyes and felt her slim hand sliding ever so slowly over his belly. Not asleep any longer then—and no innocent school-girl, either...

  He breathed out, gave a sleepy murmur and a slight stretch—and let his body relax again so there was a little more space between them for her hand. He feigned sleep, but every nerve ending blazed with sensation, and through the tiny gap under his lashes he watched Kerri’s tongue as it slid out to moisten her lower lip. A slight smile curved the corners of her pretty mouth. Her wet lip shone. Something sparked near his heart.

  Her hand crept stealthily lower. Her nails brushed light as feathers across his thatch of hair. Then her thumb came to rest on the swollen end of his rock-hard cock, and her fingers fluttered down its shaft.

  He grunted, and tried to hold still; why give away the fact he was awake? He was enjoying her exploration and wondered what she had in mind. They had all day, not that Kerri knew that. Sooner or later he’d have to confess he’d changed her flight home, but for now he was hers to play with for as long as she liked.

  Her thumb moved, gliding to and fro, letting him know he was already lubricating. His groin tightened at the thought of being so ready so soon. Her thumb returned for more moisture and circled sensuously, then dipped down to even more sensitive territory.

  This time he couldn’t hold back his hoarse exclamation of satisfaction.

  “I’m wet, too,” she whispered. “You can’t imagine how wet I am or how much I want you.”

  And suddenly playtime was over.

  Alex opened his eyes and stared straight into hers, only inches away. Lust roared through him and he reared up over her, pinning her down onto the luxurious bed-linen. She was in his blood and in his brain now—her scent as sweet as sugar, her skin as soft and smooth as velvet, the timbre of her voice as familiar as any lifetime friend.

  He hated wanting her this much, but a hot sensual mist swamped him and his resistance to her was non-existent.

  He knew she was impossible.

  Knew she was not for him.

  And knew that nothing would stop him from taking her as she lay beneath him, pupils huge and black with desire, lips and legs both parted in invitation.

  “Kerri,” he growled as he bent to kiss her neck. “How can I possibly hold back when you’re so beautiful and so tempting?” He nibbled along the edge of her jaw until he was a heartbeat away from her mouth. Then her fingers tightened around him and positioned him—just before her smooth thighs slid up around his waist and pulled him home.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  After they’d showered, he toweled her dry, making a game of stroking the soft cloth over her gorgeous but still tender breasts. He held out one of the hotel’s luxurious white robes so she could slip her arms down the sleeves, then bent and dropped a kiss below her ear before he cinched the sash around her waist.

  “Breakfast,” he said, opening the compendium to the room service menu and holding it so they could both read. “Coffee and croissants, or something more substantial to build up your energy again?”

  “Am I going to need it?” She sent him a naughty grin. “I’m starved Alex, but maybe I’d better just have croissants and orange juice?”

  “And me too, because I’m going to suggest a change in our plans, cherie. I hope this won’t get you into trouble?”

  She raised an eyebrow. “Trouble?”

  He shook his head and tried to look mysterious. “Shall we sit on the balcony once I’ve ordered?”

  “What are you hiding?”

  “Only what’s under this.” He smiled and turned away to the telephone—and Kerri launched herself at him and yanked off the big white towel he’d bound low around his hips.

  She clicked her tongue in mock disapproval. “Trouble? That looks terribly dangerous.” She batted at his stiff cock like a playful kitten. “I bet it could get you into trouble.”

  Alex’s grin grew wider, and he reclaimed his towel. “Go out and sit.”

  Kerri gave him a final affectionate tweak and padded across the room to draw the curtains aside. She opened the tall glass doors to the sunlit morning. Outside, the fronds of the palm trees stirred in the slight breeze. Across the road, small glittering waves slid up the sandy beach and retreated. The sky stretched cloudless blue to the horizon.

  He ordered breakfast and joined Kerri.

  “I have a small confession to make,” he said, glancing toward her as he sank into the other deeply padded outdoor chair. “Can Sarah cover for you for one day? Tell your boss you’ve come down with the ‘flu or something?”

  Kerri sent him a narrow-eyed glance. “It’s been known to happen. Why?”

  “I was invited somewhere I thought you might enjoy. I’m flying home later tomorrow, and I’ve rebooked your flight so we can have one more day together.”

  Her suspicious expression melted away, her pretty mouth fell open, and her dark brown eyes grew round with delight.

  “Another day? Truly? So where are we going?”

  Alex leaned back in his chair, pleased with her reaction.

  “To visit friends for Sunday lunch.”

  “Here in Noumea?”

  “Up the hill behind us. Not too far away.”

  “Are they French?”

  “Of course they are, cherie. I knew them in Paris, and I try to meet up with them whenever I can. I saw Alain here last year on one of my business trips.” He reached out for Kerri’s hand and smiled. “His wife is Mathilde, and she runs a lingerie boutique.”

  “Do they speak English?” Kerri asked dubiously. “I’m amazed how useless my school French is.”

  “You’ll be fine. They both have quite good English, and I can always translate.”

  “Sunday lunch? So it’s just as well I didn’t go for the ham and eggs and hash browns and sausages?”

  Alex shuddered at her suggestion. “You couldn’t eat all that at this time of day? After last night’s dinner?”

  “After last night’s exercise!”

  He tried to stifle a grin. Yes, they’d certainly burned a few calories.

  He watched as she cocked her head. A church bell pealed in the distance. Its melodious chime shivered through the nearly still air.

  “Sunday,” she murmured. “I always loved the church-bells close to my grandparents’ house.”

  “You’d enjoy standing on my balcony in Paris on a fine Sunday morning.”

  “Like that’s really going to happen.”

  Alex watched her nostalgic expression fade to one of resignation.

  “Sorry, wrong thing to say,” he agreed. “But the bells are still amazing.”

  “Well,” Kerri said, pointedly ignoring his half-hearted apology, “as you’ve re-arranged things I’d better email Sarah and let her know I won’t be back until tomorrow. Can I borrow your BlackBerry?”

  He rose from his chair. She twisted toward him as he returned, and he popped off a quick photo. “Tres jolie,” he said. “Send that to Sarah with your message.” He bent to show her the image on the screen; a very relaxed-looking Kerri sitting in slanting sunshine.

  “That’ll really make her jealous. How do I work this thing, anyway? I’ve only got a cheapie pre-pay phone.”

  Alex pressed buttons. “What’s her address?”

  “Sarah dot bee at estat. But can I do it? I’ve never tried one of these.”

  He handed it
over, watching with amusement as she bit down on her lower lip and assumed an expression of ferocious concentration.

  “So is this right?” she asked a minute or so later. “I press that to send?”

  Kerri settled back into her chair and stretched her legs out in front of her until her toes quivered.

  The good news is I get another day with him.

  The bad news is he’s made it even harder to say goodbye.

  She was in really deep water now. Deep water over gloopy mud, with sharks circling ever closer. And she’d have to struggle out of it all on her own.

  Alex had told her she was a bit of fun, a girl for a good time, and disposable. Well, he hadn’t put it so cruelly, but she could still hear his words from their cruise on Sylvie. ‘Only today—it’s all I can offer.’

  And ‘today’had stretched to a magic extra weekend, and now another day again. Plenty long enough for her to fall under his spell. To imagine standing on his balcony with coffee and a croissant while the bells made music across his far-off city. To feel him wrapping his arms around her, his softly accented voice murmuring endearments, his lips sliding down her neck in an incendiary caress.

  A knock from Room Service interrupted her churning thoughts. Alex turned and grabbed the other white robe and headed across the room. He shrugged it on, stealing her view of his long tanned back and beautiful shoulders.

  Tomorrow he’d disappear from her life just as fast. She closed her eyes in a fruitless attempt to block out the inevitable pain of their separation.

  The silver convertible growled up the steep corkscrew roads above Anse Vata Beach. Views of the huge lagoon flashed between trees and houses as they climbed towards the sun. Brilliant purple and red Bougainvillea vines scrambled over fences and terrace walls. Vivid Portulacas and aromatic Rosemary dripped out of pots and planter-boxes. Above everything, feathery palm fronds dipped and swayed.

  Kerri’s head turned frantically left, then right, then left again, trying to take everything in and file it away in her memory. Noumea was so exotic, so different from anywhere she’d been before. She wanted to be able to picture Alex here forever.