Satisfaction: The Collection

by Tori Scott

  Gray propped himself on an elbow and tipped her chin up. "You’re doing it again."

  "Doing what?" It was a rhetorical question. She knew exactly what he was talking about.

  "Thinking too much. Don’t do it, Cara. Don’t pull away from me on the pretext that I’m probably going to dump you anyway. I’m not. You’re going to have to trust me on this."

  But could she, really? She wouldn’t have believed he’d dump her back in high school, but he did. Well, not exactly. She’d done her share of pulling away, too. But her experience with men, beginning with her father, was that they didn’t stick around. And though she knew there were plenty of successful, long-term relationships out there, her mind could only think of the ones that hadn’t lasted.

  Gray could feel her retreating already. Her eyes were unfocused, looking over his shoulder instead of at him. He had to find a way to shut off that brain of hers, before he lost her for good. He only knew of one way to do that. Before she had time to think of a new reason why this hadn’t been a good idea, he had to give her a reason to remember why it was. "Cara, I'm not going anywhere. I've waited years to get you back again, and I'm not letting you go."

  She looked into his eyes. He could only hope the truth of his feelings were reflected there.

  He moved up and over her in one fluid movement. He took her mouth and her body simultaneously. It was too soon to tell her he loved her, but he could damn well show her. He poured every ounce of emotion into his lovemaking, telling her with his mouth, his hands, his eyes just how much he cared. He held himself tightly in check, giving her time to reach the same level of passion before he took them both over the edge.

  ***

  By the time they woke up the second time, Cara was starving. They’d burned a lot of calories the night before and earlier that morning. They could eat the leftover fruit and vegetables, or they could order in room service. She opted for the latter. She’d never been real big on fruits and vegetables anyway.

  While she waited for room service, she showered, wrapped herself in the fluffy bathrobe and picked up their clothes, tidied the bathroom, and started packing away some of the leftover food into the boxes she’d stored in the closet. She’d take it to the office later.

  She could feel Gray watching her, but she refused to look at him. She still didn’t know how she felt about all of this. Or how he felt. She kept busy, packing away the CD’s and movies, wrapping the now-expended candles, but when she started to take down the fairy lights, Gray stopped her.

  "Leave them. I’ll help you take them down after we eat."

  Was that hurt she detected in his voice? She finally turned to look at him. He patted the mattress beside him. "Come sit down, Cara. I have something for you."

  She sat beside him, not quite touching since he was naked and she wasn’t sure she wanted to get that way just yet.

  Gray opened his wallet. "It took me forever to come up with a gift I could sneak in here without you seeing it. Do you remember what we used to talk about doing when we graduated?"

  Cara thought back. They’d talked about a lot of things, made a lot of plans back then. "After graduation? Well, we talked about taking a cruise, going to Ireland, having sex for hours on end, and getting away from our parents. Is that what you mean?"

  Gray smiled and handed her an envelope. "Yeah, that about covers it."

  Confusion furrowed her brow as she opened the envelope. She pulled out a single sheet of paper. More confused than ever, she unfolded it and started to read. Then she gasped. "Oh. My. God. Gray, you didn’t! You did!" She threw her arms around his neck. "I can’t believe you did this."

  The sheet of paper was the itinerary for a cruise to France, Ireland, Iceland, and Newfoundland before reaching their final destination in Boston. They would fly to England to board the ship for a two week trip.

  "I’ve wanted to do this for you ever since you came back from California. I almost did it a few years ago, but then Dickass showed up on the scene."

  For once, Cara let the name mangling pass. She returned to her spot on the bed beside him. With one trembling hand over her mouth, Cara kept reading, but the hand holding the letter was shaking so badly she had trouble reading the words. The tears in her eyes didn’t help much either.

  "We can have it all, Cara. The trip, the non-stop sex, and be away from everyone. Just you and me. Will you go with me?"

  Go with him? Did he even have to ask? "God, yes. This is the most wonderful thing anyone has ever done for me." She looked around the partially dismantled seduction scene. "Starting with the most romantic night I’ve ever had. Thank you, Gray."

  He picked her up and set her on his lap, wrapping his arms around her. "You deserve this, and more. If you’ll keep that raging imagination in check, I’d like the chance to show you that I have staying power. I’m not going to leave you, Cara. You are my heart."

  He kissed her, and in that kiss she felt the promise of a lifetime together. Why had she ever doubted him? And then he showed her just how much staying power he had while their breakfast sat cooling outside the door.

  ###

  Read on for the sequel, Perfectly Satisfied

  PERFECTLY SATISFIED

  by

  TORI SCOTT

  Book Two in the Satisfaction Series

  (Reggie and Sam)

  CHAPTER ONE

  Regina Baker was going to strangle Sam Hyatt.

  She swiped the back of her hand across her sweaty face, leaving a streak of dirt on her cheek. He'd promised to be home by the time she finished today, and here it was after six p.m. and no Sam. It looked like she wouldn't get paid today like he'd promised. And darn it, she needed that check.

  Someone like Sam didn't understand the concept of living paycheck to paycheck. He'd never experienced an overdrawn checking account, the frustration of overdue bills. All he had to do was snap his fingers and money appeared like magic.

  Reggie gathered up her tools--shovels, rakes, hammers, stakes, water hoses--and loaded her pickup. She took her time, stalling, hoping Sam would show up before she finished. But no, she was ready to leave and still no Sam. He wasn't answering his cell phone, either. She'd left him three messages already. Which meant she would have to face the intimidating George and ask if Sam had left a check for her.

  Reggie smoothed her unruly hair into a semblance of a pony tail, scrubbed her face with the corner of her shirt, and dusted her hands on her blue jeans. Not that it would do a bit of good. Sam's butler would still look at her like she was a cockroach trying to find a way into the pristine Hyatt mansion.

  Reggie took a deep breath and rang the bell.

  The butler opened the door and looked down at her. He didn't say a word, just waited for her to state her business.

  "Hi, George." Reggie straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin with an air of false bravado. "Did Sam leave a check for me?"

  George shook his head. "Not that he mentioned, Miss."

  Darn. "Well, do you know where I might find him?"

  "I'm not at liberty to divulge Mr. Hyatt's schedule."

  "Come on, George. You can drop the act with me. You know darned good and well Sam and I have been friends since he was still in short pants. I need the check for this job or they're going to repossess my truck."

  Did the corner of his mouth just twitch? She'd never thought George might actually have a sense of humor.

  "Well, you didn't hear this from me, Miss Baker. But you might try to catch him at the club."

  He started to close the door, but Reggie stuck her foot inside. "Wait! Which one?"

  His eyebrows arched. "Why, the Manor Country Club, of course."

  Reggie stared at the elaborately carved door. Of course. Like it was the only club in existence. Sheesh.

  She drove across town, fighting the horrific rush hour traffic, afraid Sam would be gone by the time she arrived. Her gas tank was dangerously close to empty, she had no cash on her, and her bank account was as empty as her tank. If Sa
m wasn't there, she was sunk.

  The reality of what she was about to do sank in as she pulled into the drive behind a stream of new Mercedes, BMWs, Corvettes and Hummers. Her ten year old truck let everyone know she didn't belong there.

  Maybe she should have looked for a servant's entrance.

  The cars ahead of her pulled to the front and valets hurried to help the passengers out. No way could she afford valet parking. She waited in line until the driveway was clear ahead of her and drove right past the valets without making eye contact.

  She just might kill Sam after all.

  She found a parking place at the far end of the lot and pulled in, locking the truck behind her before heading to the main building. Like someone would break into her old truck with all these luxury cars around. She chuckled at the foolishness of her actions. She stuck out like a gardener at a dress ball, which from the look of the people going in the door was exactly what she was.

  She looked down at her dirty jeans, sweat-stained tee shirt, and mud-caked boots. No way they were going to let her inside these hallowed walls. How was she supposed to find Sam if she couldn't get inside?

  The valets moved so fast she couldn't catch one to ask them what she should do, either. She waited until they were all occupied and snuck around the side of the building. She had no idea what she was doing or where she was going, but if anyone stopped her, she'd tell them she was there to bid on some work on the golf course. At least she was dressed appropriately for that.

  She'd only walked a couple of hundred feet when she saw Sam at a table on a terrace, gazing deeply into the eyes of a platinum blonde. The woman's manicure alone probably cost more than Reggie made in a day. She looked at her own ragged, dirty nails and sighed. No wonder Sam never looked at her like that. Compared to the pedigreed blonde, Reggie was a mangy mutt.

  What was she doing here? She couldn't approach Sam like this. It would embarrass him and he'd never speak to her again. She turned to go, then heard him call her name. When she looked back, everyone on the terrace was staring at her. Sam stood and the blonde put her hand on his arm and shook her head. He shook her hand off and vaulted the terrace wall, making his way to where Reggie stood.

  "Hey, what are you doing here?" Sam put his hand on her back and urged her back toward the parking lot.

  "Don't you ever answer your damned phone?" Reggie picked up her pace, in a hurry to get away from all those people still watching them.

  "I turned the phone off. Beebe gets a little annoyed when my phone rings during dinner."

  They rounded the corner of the building and Reggie stopped, turning to face him. "I'm sorry. I know how embarrassing this must be for you. But believe me, it's a hundred times worse for me."

  Sam looked down at her. "I know you wouldn't have come here dressed like that without a good reason. Has something happened? Is someone hurt?"

  Reggie shook her head. "Only my pride. I waited for you at your house, but you never showed up. I hate to ask, but I really need that check."

  Sam smacked his forehead with one head. "I totally forgot. I'm so sorry. How much do I owe you?" He pulled his billfold from his back pocket.

  "Three thousand," she told him. "But if you don't have that much with you…"

  Sam slid a handful of hundreds from his wallet and counted out twenty-five hundred. He handed the bills to Reggie. "That's all I have in cash, but if you want to walk to my car with me, I can write you a check for the rest."

  The humiliation finally became too much for Reggie. She shook her head and backed away. "No, it can wait. This will hold me until Monday. I'm sorry. Thank you." She was babbling like a fool. She had to get out of there before she started to cry. "Thanks, Sam." She turned and ran to her truck. Her hands shook so badly she could barely get the key in the lock.

  She finally got the door open and climbed inside. She looked back to where she'd left Sam. He still stood in the same spot, watching her. She started the truck, shoved the gear shift into reverse, and backed out of the parking space. Then she peeled out of the parking lot.

  ***

  "God, Cara, I have never been so embarrassed in my life." Reggie leaned against the bar in Caramia Kensington's kitchen, picking grapes out of a bowl on the counter and popping them into her mouth. She was starving, but instead of stopping for food, she'd driven straight to her best friend's apartment for sympathy. "There I was, looking like something the cat dragged in, and Sam was with this perfectly-groomed blonde in red silk and stilettos. If he needed proof that I would never fit into his lifestyle, he got it in spades today."

  "Aw sweetie, I'm so sorry." Cara stopped stirring the spaghetti sauce on the stove and rounded the bar to give Reggie a hug. "I don't know how Sam can be so blind. You're the perfect woman for him. He just doesn't know it yet."

  "Yeah, well I don't think there's any chance now. I thought, maybe, after that night at the diner that he was at least a little bit attracted, but I guess that was just wishful thinking."

  "Maybe he's just seen you as a friend for so long that he's stopped seeing you as a woman." Cara returned to the stove. "I think we need to come up with a plan, some way for the two of you to spend some quality time together that doesn't involve you planting trees in his yard."

  Reggie laughed. "Yeah, well, good luck with that. Sam spends every waking minute either at the office or with one of his blonde bimbos. We'd have to kidnap him to get him to take any time off."

  "Maybe we can figure out something. Like what Sam did for us. All Gray and I needed was some time together, to remember what we once had."

  "But Sam and I've never really had anything going. It's all been one sided. Even if he knew I was in love with him, I don't think it would make a difference. " They'd been friends since the third grade and he hadn't realized it yet. Reggie had known for years that Sam was the only man for her, but his parents had drilled into his head that his social standing in the community meant he had to marry well to uphold the family name. And to them, marrying well meant a woman with an impeccable ancestry who could manage a foundation as well as she could host a fundraiser for two thousand people or a dinner for two hundred. She had to look the part and come with a trust fund that matched his.

  A poor preacher's daughter didn't stand a chance.

  ***

  "You need a vacation, Sam. You work too hard." Gray Montgomery sat in the burgundy leather chair on the other side of Sam's desk, trying to figure out how to do what Cara wanted him to. How was he supposed to get Sam and Reggie together? He'd had a hard enough time getting Cara to be still long enough to seduce her.

  "Not possible. Too much to do. Besides, there's no place I really want to go that I haven't already been."

  "Seriously? Most of your trips have been for business. Did you ever take time off to see the sights? Play the tourist? There's a lot more to the world than the inside of a board room."

  "Yeah, well, work doesn't leave much time for sight-seeing. "

  That gave Gray the idea he'd been searching for. "Why don't you come on the cruise with us? You'd have to relax there. I don't think the ship even has a board room." Oh boy. Cara was going to shoot him. He'd promised her two weeks of non-stop sex and the chance to be alone, just the two of them. But if they could get Sam and Reggie on that ship, they'd have no choice but to spend time together.

  Sam chuckled. "I don't think Cara would appreciate me tagging along. Nothing like being the odd man out."

  Gray pretended to have a sudden inspiration. "You could bring Reggie. Then you'd have someone to do things with when Cara and I are, uh, busy."

  "Reggie? What makes you think she'd want to go anywhere with me?"

  Oh boy. "Well, maybe not with you, exactly, but I know she'd love the cruise and Cara would love having her along. We haven't done much together these last few years. It would be fun."

  "Maybe. But what happens if you two suddenly decide this whole relationship is a mistake? We'd all be stuck on a ship together with no way off."

  "N
ot going to happen. I love Cara, and she loves me. And if you promise not to tell a soul, I'll let you in on a little secret." Gray pulled a small blue box from his pocket and opened it up, displaying a beautiful diamond ring. "I’m going to ask Cara to marry me while we're underway."

  Sam pulled up his calendar and looked it over. "Congratulations. I hope she accepts."

  "She will. And it would be really nice for her to have her friends along. I might even invite her mother and sister to join us. Then we could really celebrate the engagement."

  "Okay, you've convinced me. Summer is a slow time anyway, since so many people travel. Most everything is scheduled for the fall and spring seasons. With a little creative juggling, it might work. And I'll pay for Reggie's ticket if she wants to tag along."

  Gray nodded solemnly, then grinned. "I was hoping you would say that."

  They'd been friends so long, Sam didn't take offense. From the time they'd first met in elementary school, Gray had never had ulterior motives where Sam's money was concerned. Sam knew that if he went bankrupt tomorrow, nothing about their friendship would change. And what good was having money if you couldn't help out a friend now and then? Gray would do the same if their situations were reversed.

  Not that Gray was broke. Far from it. He just didn't have the millions Sam had at his disposal.

  "Well, I need to go give Cara the good news." Gray turned to go, then turned back. "Hey, we're going bowling tonight. Want to join us?"

  "I can't. It sounds like fun, but I have a date." It really did sound like a lot more fun than another rubber chicken dinner, but he'd already committed to attending tonight's fundraiser.

  "Another date with Barbie?"

  "Beebe."

  "Whatever." Gray shoved his hands in his pockets. "Do those women make you happy, Sam? Cara and I worry about you. Reggie, too. They just seem too perfect to be real."