He grabbed their suitcases from where the bellhop set them inside the door, and set them near the dresser as bait. Leaning against the doorframe, he waited for her to remember her dress inside hers and hurry to hang it up. She'd been babbling about wrinkles through their entire flight.
When she did exactly as he expected, he caught her around the waist, and tackled her into the bed, tickling her, until she begged him to quit. Laughing, he rolled her onto her back, and gazed down into her sparkling green eyes. “Whatcha think, darlin'—is it romantic enough for you?"
"God, Riley, it's incredible.” She glanced around again.
He smirked. “Is the tub big enough for both of us?"
"You have a one-track mind, Riley Jennings,” she chided with a laugh.
Dropping his head to catch her in a quick kiss, he gave her bottom a playful pinch. “What can I say? I like water."
She laughed a little harder. “And beds, and sofas, occasionally the floor, and, as I recall, once the wall."
He gave her an insincere frown and poked her in the side. “The wall was your fault."
With a playful smile, she trailed her fingernail across his lips and down his throat. “Take me to dinner, and we can see how these hold up in comparison."
A little surprised, he blinked. “You liked the wall?"
Maddie's cheeks pinkened as she admitted, “Sometimes I really like it when you can't control yourself."
"Hm.” He nuzzled her nose with his. “I thought you liked it when I took my time with you. Gave you multiple orgasms."
"I do,” she hurried to answer. “I love that. But every once in a while, it's nice to know you get so turned on you can't think about anything but coming."
Damn. The peculiar way his cock stood at attention any time the word come fell off her lips fascinated him. It was such an un-Maddie word.
He kissed his way closer to her ear and tugged on her dangling earring with his teeth before he whispered, “Angel, you just need to touch me, and I can't think of anything except coming."
She shivered beneath him. “That's not true, Riley,” she lectured. “If I touch you when you're with the horses, you're a thousand miles away."
The glimmer in her eyes said she wasn't offended. He gave in to a light laugh. “Guilty."
Her fingers slid through his hair, sending a delightful chill to the base of his spine. Dropping his head, he pressed his lips into the valley between her breasts. Beneath her light blue shirt, her nipples hardened, and he checked a groan. No bra—again. Damn her. Ever since she'd figured out it drove him crazy when she occasionally left it off, she forgot it more and more. The same for her panties, although, he didn't dare check to see if she'd neglected to put them on or not. He'd never let her leave the bed if she had.
"Dinner or sex?” he asked through a teasing grin.
"I thought we just discussed this?"
He peered at her, confused.
She bopped him lightly over the head with the pillow. “The wall, loss of control, testing out new ones. Hello? Are you in there, Riley?"
With another chuckle, he gave his hips a little shove against hers. “Yes,” he murmured against her mouth. “But I'd much rather be in you."
"Take me to dinner, and you can have your wicked way with me all night long."
Giving her a protesting groan, he rolled off her and let her up. She went straight for her suitcase, pulled out her floor-length gown for the charity ball and rushed it to the closet. Next she yanked out another one, this one shorter, far more casual, blue and flimsy ... He hadn't seen this one before.
"What's that?” he asked as he sat up.
"My dinner dress."
He eyed the thin, criss-crossing spaghetti straps across the back, and the low neckline. “Maddie, that looks dangerous."
She giggled and held it up against her body. The dark blue made her eyes stand out, and it was far, far, too low across her breasts. The skirt too ... Damn, it looked more like a sheer scarf than anything else.
"Where'd you find that?” He wanted more of them. Especially one in green.
"Honey, I have lots of surprises for you this week."
His cock bounced a little with the images that popped into his head. He gave his lap a perturbed frown, which only made Maddie laugh harder.
"Like this.” She rummaged through her suitcase and pulled out a short, mint-green negligee that didn't have a bit of decoration to it but made his mouth water all the same. “And this.” In her other hand, she held up a red lace bra. He knew there were panties to match in there somewhere and curbed the urge to rifle through her clothes and see what other little trinkets she packed.
"And there's one very special thing inside that bag I'm saving for later."
"Show me?"
"It's a surprise."
He pouted a little but quickly sucked in his lower lip when she wriggled out of her jeans and gave him the most enticing view of her dainty ass. She hadn't forgotten her underwear, but the bright yellow thong made him swallow with effort. Her shirt came next, joining the jeans on the floor Although he could have looked in the mirror and appreciated her breasts, he stared at her slender back. He loved her back, and he so rarely got to see it. Firm and muscular, it tapered in to a tiny waist set above hips that made him weak. His heart beat a little faster, and his cock rose to answer.
When she stuffed her thumbs into those panties and tugged them off her hips, he had to check his groan. Damned if she didn't know how to torture him, and the worst part was, right now, she had no idea what she was doing to his system.
The dress came over her head, floated down around her, and settled into her curves like a glove. Loose, light, and sinfully seductive, the filmy number set his blood on fire. The intricately crossed straps across her back, tantalized his fingers.
It occurred to him, Maddie knew him better than he thought. She paid attention. That dress complimented everything he loved most. She didn't buy it for herself, like most women would, she bought it exclusively for his enjoyment. She had plenty of her favorite things to wear and indulged herself frequently, like her ball gown. But this particular dress ... His heart swelled a little. Such a precious woman. How'd he ever manage to get lucky enough to find her?
"Are you going to get dressed?"
Her question jerked his gaze to her face, and he pulled his thoughts back to dinner. He shed his jeans and shirt, quickly donning a pair of casual black pants and a beige cable-knit sweater.
As she took his hand and led him from the room, Riley let his eyes fasten on the hypnotizing sway of her hips. Try as he might, he couldn't tamp down his desire, and she hadn't even really touched him. Just knowing that beneath that scarf like dress she was utterly bare, short-circuited his brain.
At the elevator, she pushed the button for the lobby, and Riley caught her wrist, spinning her about to claim her with a kiss. He let his hunger settle into her, delving his tongue deep inside the velvety heat of her mouth.
When she let out a little squeak of surprise, he let her go and fastened his heated gaze on her eyes. “I need you. Now."
Her eyes widened slightly.
"Now,” he repeated.
Before she could protest, he pushed open the stairwell door, and backed her up against the wall, devouring her once more. Maddie responded like fire set to kindling, sliding her hands down his abdomen to work the button at his waist. The trousers gave, and her fingers plied at the tiny button over the crotch of his shorts, setting his erection free.
Yet, Riley didn't want the wall. He wanted her stretched out beneath him, those beautiful breasts where he could watch them rise and fall. He gathered her close, stepped down the nearest stair, and pulled her to the floor, bending her back atop the landing.
Kneeling in front of her, he ran his hands along the back of her calf, around her knee, and as he leaned down to kiss her once again, they slid up her thigh, pushing the skirt away. His cock pressed against her slick folds, and she brought her feet up flat upon the stair w
ith a soft groan.
"The things you do to me,” he whispered against her throat as he pushed himself inside her.
He couldn't kiss her in this position and leaned back. Exactly as he'd imagined, with each gasp she took, her chest rose and fell, and the only reason he didn't give in and caress her straining nipples was for fear he'd mar her dress. The inability to touch fueled his desire, and Riley plunged into her, losing himself to the feel of her soft tissues, gasping as it clenched around him.
She arched into him, meeting his thrusts with her own demanding pushes, coaxing him into utter fulfillment. He felt the pressure rise in his balls, bit down upon his lower lip to tamp down a groan, and slid his hands beneath her bottom, lifting her higher, taking her deeper.
"Come for me, Maddie,” he whispered as her flesh began to quiver around his hard length.
His words pushed her over the brink, and she bit down on the back of her hand. God, how he loved to watch her let go, cherished the softness in her face. It sent a rush of fire coursing through his veins. Fastening his hands about her waist, he brought her down hard against him, as he slammed into her. His thoughts exploded, the pleasure pumping through his veins as he gave in to the ecstasy of filling her full of him.
He didn't want to move, felt like if he did he might crumble, and lay still, his cock pulsing deep inside her sheath with the remnants of his release. “My angel,” he murmured at the base of her throat. “I've been thinking about this since we got on the damn plane."
She lifted her head a little, giving him a sated smile.
Wanting to linger, yet knowing they couldn't, he eased himself out of her warmth, lowered her skirt and righted his pants. He felt her wetness on his boxers, the evidence of their loving strangely erotic. Perhaps because it couldn't wait. Perhaps because of their deep intimacy. He didn't know. He didn't care. He just liked the feel of her lingering against his flesh.
"Can we eat now?” she asked with an impish grin. If it had been any other woman, he'd have been offended. But Maddie made him laugh. The look in her limpid green eyes was enough to tell him how she felt. What he read there, the blatant love glimmering in her bright expression, had his gut twisting and his heart pounding in response.
"Yes, darlin', I'll feed you now. Come, she-wolf."
She giggled again, slid her hand into his, and followed him to the elevator.
* * * *
After what was one of the most satisfying meals he'd shared with her, Riley led Maddie into their suite and followed her to the bedroom, unbuttoning his clothes as he walked. Funny how one official date could teach him so much about her.
When confronted with a crowd, they talked about things they didn't think of at home. He now knew her favorite color was hunter green, like his stable colors. He knew all about her crush on her junior prom date, who confessed to being gay in the middle of the big event. He knew she wore a size four jean.
The one thing that intrigued him most was that Maddie never rode her race horses. She kept an Arabian gelding for when she wanted to ride but had never once raced a Thoroughbred down a dirt track and felt the sting of wind in her eyes. How he had gone two weeks and not known that, he couldn't fathom. But he had, and discovering it tonight left him feeling like he'd accomplished some world-saving quest.
Beyond that, Riley fought off something far deeper. The need to tell her his feelings for her collided with his physical inability to do so, and as he stretched out in the bed, he felt overwhelmed. Strained to the point that if someone stuck a pin in him, he'd likely pop.
Wearing that fascinating green negligee, she climbed beneath the covers, and curled up against his chest.
"Could I just hold you for a while, angel?” he asked through the tightness in his throat.
She blinked at him, surprised, and tipped her head to the side. “Of course. What makes you think you need to ask?"
He shook his head. “I'm just a little ... Maddie, I'm crazy about you."
The look she gave him accused him of being slightly off his rocker, but she pressed a kiss against his cheek and snuggled back into his embrace.
I love you, Maddie. The thought screamed inside his head.
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CHAPTER THIRTY
Maddie flicked off the television in their sitting room and rolled upright on the couch. Her headache was finally ebbing. Thank, God.
Several owners had attended last night's cocktail party, and amidst all the hors d'oeuvres, good-natured bragging, and general racing chatter, she discreetly drank too much Chardonnay. Her first foray into the world of racing socializing as Riley's official lover had gotten the best of her, and she'd turned to wine to ease her nerves and make the jests about Riley's prowess a little easier to stomach. He'd come to her rescue as often as he could, but Riley couldn't be everywhere at one time. As the owner of the favored contender, his company was in high demand.
She stretched and tugged her terrycloth robe around her tight. A bath would do wonders. Then, she'd break down and call the desk to find out how to turn up the heat. It was damn chilly and almost two in the afternoon.
She made her way to the tub, glancing at the bed with a fond remembrance of what coming home last night had been like and flipped the faucets on, taking a seat on the edge of the tub to wait.
She'd already been to the track to check on her horse—that had been the first thing Riley wanted to do this morning before he disappeared for a few holes of golf. Riley golfing. She wasn't sure which made her giggle more, the fact he was at the charity tournament actually golfing, or how much complaining he'd done all last week about Dirk Bettans signing him up for it. Evidently it was one of the few things Riley didn't do well.
Her cell phone chirruped as she turned the water off and stuck one foot in the tub. With a mutter she hurried to the bedroom, fished through her purse and glanced at the caller ID.
She smiled and headed back to the bathroom.
"Hello, handsome."
"Hey. How are you feeling?” Riley's voice hummed into her ear.
"Better. Taking a bath. Do you know how to turn up the heat in here, it's freezing in this room."
His chuckle sent a ripple of goose bumps down her arms. It sounded so masculine through the phone. “Well I know how, but it's a little difficult from a golf course."
"Riley,” she scolded with a laugh. “I'm serious."
"No, angel, I don't."
Easing herself down into the water, she leaned back, letting it engulf her.
"I can't talk long; I'm about to tee-off. I just wanted to see how you were feeling. I...” He trailed away into silence a moment then added, “Was just thinking about you."
The way he lowered his voice as if the confession were something far more intimate, made her belly flutter. “Okay. Good luck."
She could almost see his grin. “Sure. I'll be home soon, angel."
"Riley, I...” She stopped herself before the words slipped out.
"Hm?"
"I'll be thinking about you."
"Me too, darlin'."
He clicked off, and she closed her eyes. Damn, it felt so natural to tell him she loved him. Holding it in only made her miserable; however, since he hadn't so much as hinted any sort of response to her confessions of her heart, she didn't feel like facing that embarrassment any time soon.
Glancing at her phone she took only a minute to debate calling Sybil, then punched out the number. They'd smoothed things over almost immediately after returning to Kentucky, but her virtual move to Riley's had limited the amount of time they'd spent together. Now would be a good time to catch up.
"Maddie! How's New York?"
"Cold,” she replied with a laugh. “What are you up to?"
"Shopping. I leave with Mark for Cancun Thursday. We'll be watching your race from sunny paradise."
Mark was her current toy. One of few men to catch her interest longer than one or two nights. Maddie couldn't remember much else about him.
"Syb, can I
ask you a question?"
"Sure. You know that. You okay?"
"No. Yes. Hell, I don't know.” Maddie splashed a frustrated foot into the water.
"What's wrong?"
"It's Riley..."
"Uh oh. I told you not to go so fast. Are you tired of him already?"
Maddie sat up in the tub, sloshing water over the edge as she exclaimed, “No!” She took a deep breath and said more calmly, “No, Syb, I'm not tired of him. I'm in love with him."
Sybil let out a low whistle.
"And he...” Maddie dipped her hand into the water and watched the drops plink back into the tub. “He's essentially asked me to move in. He wants to make a tradition out of Christmas in Tahiti. Syb, he's talking long-term permanent here."
"Maddie, that's wonderful. What seems to be the problem? It's what you want, isn't it?"
"It is. But Syb, I told him how I felt about him, and he hasn't done a thing to acknowledge he heard it. It's driving me crazy. I'm second-guessing everything now."
"You need to talk to him. Put it all on the line. If I had to take a guess, I'd say he isn't even aware and just taking it for granted that you know he feels the same. Particularly if he's talking about those things as seriously as you say."
"You think?"
"Best guess I can make."
"I don't know if I have the guts to talk to him about it."
Sybil snorted in her ear. “You've got the guts to do things with his sinful body that gals like me only dream about. Find some balls, Maddie. The man's obviously crazy about you. These are words. They aren't nearly as impacting."
Some things were, but Sybil wouldn't understand that. “Okay. I'll try. I'll let you get back to shopping."
"Call me if you need anything."
Maddie hung up and set her phone aside. Sybil wasn't much help. But she was right—she needed to talk to Riley if it was eating her up this badly. She'd set the mood ... add in a little seduction ... relax him ... then dump the whole thing in his lap. The night of the ball would be perfect. They'd both already be a little heated after dancing all evening and likely a little relaxed with some champagne.
That's exactly what she would do. Until then, she'd suck it up and deal with it. She could wait two more days.
Seduction's Stakes Page 22