by Clarissa Yip
Joy expanded in his chest. He wasn’t the only one doing the pining. If she could remember that, he had hope. Cupping her cheek, he drew her to face him. “I went to your house to ask you out the next day, but you were packing your bags to run off with Steve, and you threw me out.”
“I didn’t throw you out.” She pursed her lips. “I was angry. At my mother. But you—wait a minute.” She leaned back, tense. “You were going to ask me out?”
He smiled, trying to gauge the emotions in her eyes. Shock and caution shone in her expression. He tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear and repeated the same words she’d spoken last night, after denying her fault for giving him the black eye. “You know, I don’t remember really.”
Her eyes narrowed. “How can you not remem—?”
With a laugh, he kissed her. After a second of struggling, Lia relaxed and twined her arms around his neck. He cradled her against him, touching her and memorizing the contours of her body. Sliding his fingers down her neck to her breast, he growled when he touched her hardened nipple. And she wasn’t wearing a bra. He pinched the hard nub lightly. Lia nibbled on his lower lip, before tangling her tongue with his. She tugged at the hair at his nape and moaned. He loved her softness, loved the feel of her against him.
He glided his palm over her stomach and then her lap, easing the material of her dress upward. His fingers grazed her inner thigh, until he found her center. Teasing her, he moved the patch of lace aside and stroked her slit. He toyed with her clit, circling it before pushing a finger into her tight sheath. Lia let out moan, shifting on his lap, each motion rubbing her hip against his cock. Her heat wrapped around his finger as her arousal scented the air. The need to taste her filled him. With one smooth movement, he set her on the seat and settled between her legs.
She looked at him in confusion as he reached under and drew her black lace panties down her legs. “Max?”
“Let me take care of you.”
She shook her head and started to reach for him, but he pressed a kiss to her ankle. The rhinestones of her shoes blinked at him. He realized she had freckles gracing the delicate skin above her knee. Trailing his lips up her calf to her thigh, he drew her to the edge of the seat and nuzzled the curls, then slid his tongue across her cleft, parting the delicate folds.
Her hips shot up as he suckled on her clit. His tongue danced around the bundle of nerves, stroking, teasing, tasting. Lia latched onto his hair, adjusting him to where she needed him. Her body tensed under his touch, and she finally cried out at her release. With a swipe of his tongue, he drew one last shiver from her before she went limp. He wanted nothing more than to bury himself in her, but the look of bliss on her face gave him satisfaction—almost as much satisfaction as if he’d achieved his own release.
He slid her panties back in place and readjusted her dress before settling back in his seat and drawing her back onto his lap. She curled against him with a soft sigh.
They watched the passing streetlights in silence. No words were needed. He contented himself to just holding her, waiting for his own desire to subside.
“I left the city because I wanted a new start.” She drew in a deep breath. “Mindy was my best friend…until I caught her in bed with Steve.”
Anger broke his good mood. “That piece of—”
Lia clamped her hand over his mouth. “Let it go. I’m okay. I’m just not ready to face them yet. Mindy has been calling me but I’ve been dodging her.”
He took a hold of her fingers and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “I swear I better not see that guy or I’m going to—”
“What? We could probably just send our grandmothers after him. They’re far more dangerous than we are.”
He eased up and laughed before resting his forehead against hers. “You know I’m not going to let you go after tonight, right?”
Lia curled a hand around his nape and nibbled on his lower lip. “You talk too much.”
…
Lia couldn’t help the awe she felt as Max charmed the crowd. His charisma and confidence drew people to him. She was on her best behavior even when other women flirted with him, though she wanted nothing more than to tell them all to back off.
Anticipation and excitement made her wish they could leave already. The fact that he’d admitted to wanting to ask her out after the first time they’d kissed had soothed some of the hurt she’d carried for years, but what did it really mean for him now? He played at pretending to like her for their grandmothers’ sake a little too well—but could he deny the true attraction between them? She wanted this time with him more than anything, before their pact ended and her life returned to focusing on work.
“Are you bored?” His breath brushed against her ear, and she swallowed hard at the slight tremor that ran down her spine. He slid an arm around her waist as she looked up at him and shook her head. His gaze dropped to her mouth. “We don’t have to stay here the whole evening.”
She ran her tongue across her bottom lip. A warmth spread through her, reminding her what he’d done to her in the limo. Her skin still tingled from his touch. “What are you suggesting, Mr. Sheraton?”
Max drew her close to his side. “Let’s stay for a bit longer, then ditch this place. I think we’ve been here long enough.”
Sam Hawkins, one of the guys Max had introduced her to earlier, approached them with a grin. “Stop hogging your date. Didn’t you know it’s taboo to fawn over a woman in public?”
Max looked at his friend and laughed, hugging her even tighter to his side. “Guess it’s time to dance then.” He led her toward the dance floor. Once they found an empty spot on the hardwood floor, he slid his arms around her. “I love holding you.”
“I like it when you do.” She liked it too much.
He nuzzled her ear. “We can go back to your place after.”
A flush rose to her cheeks. “What did you have in mind?”
He shot her a grin. “Well, I’ve been wanting to take this dress off of you since you opened your door.”
“Really?”
“There’s this freckle on your thigh, right above your knee, that I want a closer look at. Are they all over?”
Desire roiled in her belly and she moved in closer. His eyes darkened and her breath hitched. “You’re really good at this seduction stuff.”
“Only with you.” His smile melted her insides.
She wanted to hate his suaveness, but she couldn’t stop herself from falling under his spell. Yet before she could respond…she heard a voice she’d dreaded for months.
“Excuse me, may I cut in?”
Lia glanced to the man behind Max. Her insides turned numb. The walls around her heart forged upward, locking it away. “Steve.”
Her ex smiled at Max, who openly glared. Steve’s blond hair shone under the ballroom lights, dimples deepened in his cheeks, and his head angled high. She couldn’t remember why she’d been attracted to him. Because you couldn’t have Max, silly. In a tuxedo like all the other men in the room, he looked small standing next to her date. She settled a hand on Max’s chest and nodded at Max. His muscles tightened under her palm, and fury blazed from his eyes. The grim set of his lips told her he wasn’t happy to see Steve. Neither was she.
“I’ll be fine,” she said.
“You sure?”
Lia nodded. She wasn’t ready for this encounter, but knowing Max was by her side gave her courage. Admitting the truth to him in the car had lifted a weight off her shoulders. It had been seven months since she’d seen her ex-fiancé. But what the hell was he doing here, of all places?
“It’s just a dance.” Steve crossed his arms over his tux as if challenging Max, who met his stare with the same fierceness.
“Let’s just go,” Max said.
She shook her head, giving him a small smile even though her insides churned at the thought of Max leaving her with Steve. Max gave one last glare and stalked off the dance floor. Stifling the wince as her ex’s arms wrapped around her, s
he held herself still.
“What are you doing here?”
“Lia, baby, I miss you.”
His endearment drew a twinge of distaste. Once she’d been so sure Steve was the man for her, even going as far as leaving town with him to pursue his dreams. What a silly girl she’d been. She waited for the pain to cripple her as it had months before, but Steve hadn’t been the one who’d done the worst damage. “Where’s Mindy?”
He smiled. “She’s here. We both needed to see you.”
She eyed him warily. “How did you get invited to this?”
“Mindy had connections to the sponsor, for all the ad work she’s done for some clients.”
Lia wasn’t surprised. Her ex-best friend was an advertising manager at a well-known marketing firm. Mindy could con her way through anything…like she’d conned Lia into a friendship. She threw a glance toward the bar, where Max watched them intently, and drew her attention back to Steve.
His hair, even though combed down, seemed messy and unkempt. He didn’t look right in his tuxedo, like a child playing dress-up. “Steve, just state what you came for and leave me alone.”
Pain etched his features. “Don’t be like this. Don’t be mad at us. I know we parted on bad terms, but we can be friends.”
A bubble of laughter surged to her throat, but she suppressed it, aware of the curious glances thrown their way. She couldn’t afford to make a scene in front of these people. Nothing was going to get to her again. Especially not the people she’d trusted with her life, who would only stab her a million times in the heart.
“I’m not mad,” she said through gritted teeth.
“Don’t lie, Lia. I know you well enough.”
Why did people keep saying that? Why did they think they knew her when she couldn’t even figure herself out? Even her mother’s changes had confused her. The only thing she’d been sure of since her return was Max, but even he had surprised her many times.
“What do you want, Steve?”
He drew in a deep breath. “Mindy and I are…we’re getting married.”
She pasted on a smile. “I know. I received your invitation. Congratulations.”
Letting out a sigh of relief, he returned the smile. “We want you to be at the wedding. Everyone’s asking what happened between you and I, and I just want us all to be on good terms. Our friends in the city stopped talking to us, and even my family is mad because…” He shoved his hand through his hair. “Let’s wipe the past clean and start new. Mindy and I would love for you to forgive us and come show your support at the wedding.”
Lia drew back a step. He was concerned with their reputations, with how everyone perceived what they’d done. They weren’t worried about her. The nerve.
She didn’t think. Her elbow pulled back and her fist slammed into Steve’s face.
He fell to the ground as loud gasps surrounded them. Looking down at him cupping his left eye, she flexed her fingers. “I guess you’re right,” she said. “I am still pissed.”
She stalked off toward the French doors.
Chapter Eight
Max’s mouth fell open. Only moments ago, he’d been worried about the dirtbag wanting a reconciliation, but triumph surged through him as he elbowed his way to the French doors. He couldn’t believe it. Relief mixed with pride, making him move faster. For once, he was glad he hadn’t been the one to anger Lia.
Once he reached the doors, he spotted her by the terracotta banister, staring up at the night sky. The moon’s glow cast a white light into the garden. His gaze trailed over her silhouette as her hands gripped the rail. She took his breath away.
“Lia,” he said softly.
She turned slightly toward him. Eyes bright, she gave him a small smile. Her lips quivered. “Hi.”
At her shiver, he closed the distance. He slid off his jacket and whipped it around her shoulder before pulling her into his arms. She trembled against him and laid her head on his chest. He rubbed her back as she snuggled closer. “How’s your hand?”
She stiffened for the barest second, then lifted her arm, showing him the back of her reddened knuckles. “I curled my thumb in like you taught me.”
He bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. Even through all their arguments and bickering, she’d always been stubborn and determined to do the opposite of what he’d suggest. He studied her face, drawing a curl behind her ear. “I could teach you other fighting moves, but then I might be the one on the floor like Steve.”
Lia chuckled. “Maybe.”
“I have to say, you’re a hit tonight.”
A gasp ripped past her lips, quickly turning into a long groan. “Crap. We’re never going to hear the end of this.”
He drew her against him, laughing. She never ceased to amaze him. Instead of anger or hurt over the dirtbag on the dance floor, she was more worried about the talk she’d generated tonight. “Let’s get out of here.”
“We should probably hurry. I don’t want the sponsors to come after us and ban you from these events.” She tugged him toward the French doors.
“Why would they ban me?”
She scrunched her nose. “You brought me, remember?”
He laughed. “I’ll know better next time.”
Lia frowned. “Okay.”
He stopped and pulled her toward him, staring down at her intently. He couldn’t imagine going to another of these functions without her. “I’m just joking.”
Her lips parted as he drew her closer. “Oh.”
Leaning down, he wrapped a hand around her waist, bringing her right up against him. “I believe we have some work to do.”
She slid a hand over his chest. “What kind of work?”
“Some freckles I wanted to inspect.”
…
Once they were in the limo, they couldn’t keep their hands off each other. Lia straddled his lap and covered his lips, jerking his jacket off his shoulders. He groaned as she deepened the kiss and tore at his bowtie. “Honey, tell me you want this.”
“I want this.” She ripped at the buttons of his shirt, and he laughed at her eagerness. She squirmed in his lap. His cock hardened further as his palms roamed all over her back. Her hands lifted, and she undid the strings that held the halter top together. The material dropped in front of him and he gasped.
“God, you’re beautiful.” His fingers trailed over her smooth stomach. He curled a palm around one breast and circled her nipple with his thumb. The skin pebbled and the bud tightened.
She moaned as she leaned in and caught his lips. Her tongue, tasting sweet and decadent, sought his as her palms ran over his chest to his stomach. The clink of metal reached his ears as she undid his belt, then the zipper. He worked his hands under her dress and stifled a groan when he found the patch of lace covering her. She was wet. For him. The knowledge made his hips jerk closer. He slid a finger under the soft material and stroked her folds. Lia moaned again.
He needed to feel her all over—he needed to be in her. As if she knew, Lia freed his erection, wrapping her palm around him. He almost doubled over. Her forefinger and thumb circled the head, giving him a soft stroke.
“Have you ever made love in a limo?” she asked, trailing her lips over his jaw. His head fell back against the cushions. He couldn’t think. His mind wasn’t functioning, only aware of the woman straddling him. “Because I haven’t.”
The knowledge spurred him to move. Determination made him settle his hands firmly on her hips and pull her closer to his cock. “Then I guess we’ll change that.”
Lia giggled and bit his ear. “Why, you want to be my first?”
He drew back so he could see her face, his heart tightening. “I want to be your first everything from now on.”
Her laughter left her as seriousness overtook over her features. “Oh, Max.”
He gave her a hard kiss and lifted her a few inches off his lap as he dug into his back pocket for the condom in his wallet. He tore the packet open and quickly sheathed hims
elf before latching on to her hips again. “Let me inside.”
She settled one hand on his shoulder, bracing herself. Trust shone in her eyes as she guided his shaft to her delicate folds. She rubbed his cock against her and gave him a wicked smile.
“Don’t play,” he warned.
Lia bit his chin, then sank onto him. The first inch left him breathless. Gently he pressed her downward, reveling in the way his shaft stretched her. She then wrapped her palm around his nape and drew his mouth to her breasts. He didn’t need another invitation. His tongue swirled around the nipple.
She moaned as she took more of his length, tugging at his hair. The urge to surge upward so he’d fill her completely gripped him, but he held still. It was her show. He wanted her to remember every feel, every touch, every cry and moan. And it was with him. No one else.
He lavished the same attention to her other breast even though his hands itched to stop her teasing and push her down. He paused to glance at her face. Eyes closed, head thrown back, lips parted…she was beautiful. Air rushed past her lips as she lowered herself more, as if she was savoring the feel. He drew circles around her nipple and nipped at the swell of her breast, leaving his mark. He couldn’t get enough of her. He wanted to be the only one for her.
Her eyes opened as she settled her other hand on his shoulder. She looked down at him through her thick lashes. “You’re so big.”
He stilled, and then a rumble of laughter burst past his lips. He should be pleased, but coming from Lia, he found the words endearing. She smiled back at him and rocked against him as she slid all the way down. His laughter died. She fit perfectly around him.
Leaning back, he cupped her hips. Lia shifted until her shins rested against the leather of the seats, giving her more leverage. She lifted then sank back down. Torture, along with pain, enveloped him as she took her time moving over him. He tried to be patient. Her unsteady rhythm drove him nuts. He wanted to thrust upward until he filled her, but Lia only took half of him. He need more, needed it faster, harder. Damn it, he wanted to mark her as his.
His control snapped. Grasping her bottom, he fell over her and onto the floor. Lia gasped as he surged into her. She held onto him tighter, her legs wrapping around him as he thrust into her. Each pull and slide threw him for a spin. Desire racked every nerve.