Momentary Lapse

by Toni J Strawn

  Cole hissed in air as she traced the outline of his pecs with one long, painted fingernail. His eyes glinted bright and he fitted his hands around her hips.

  This was what she’d been searching for tonight. Lust, pure and primitive. Desire with a sense of abandonment, as if he couldn’t control his need for her. Men always wanted her, but it was only for her looks. Cole was devouring her as if she was the very air he breathed. Like he couldn’t get enough. Oh, Madison knew he had misgivings about her. He wore his heart on his sleeve. But that was what she found refreshing. There was no pretense. No bullshit. And he did want her.

  Or at least who he thought she was.

  This…this wasn’t her. Flirty. Sexy. Dirty. She nearly pulled back, her subconscious sending out a needling reminder that the person he was attracted to was a lie.

  She slid her fingers up the contours of his shoulders and sank them into the softness of his hair. She tugged him closer. For this one night, Madison would give him who he desired. She’d be the person she always wanted to be. Her tongue licked into his mouth and she let out a moan, allowing herself to fall further into the kiss.

  When they finally broke apart, she struggled for breath. He did too. He pulled away and looked down at her, his eyes an icy storm, ringed in black. Molten heat. Driving determination.

  Madison shuddered, something tightening low in her belly. Unable to meet the intensity of his stare, she burrowed back into him, trying to slide her hands under his shirt. To stroke his skin. Just to touch him.

  He stilled. “What are you doing?” Desire, laced with a hint of amusement.

  “I want to see if you look as good without this shirt.” Madison concentrated on tugging it free. She wasn’t going to allow other thoughts to creep in.

  “And if I don’t?” he asked wickedly.

  “I guess we’ll just have to be bad together,” she whispered, finally finding the victory of skin beneath his shirt. A wall of velvety hardness met her touch.

  She followed the dips and ridges across his stomach. There wasn’t an inch of softness to him. The tickle of hair at his navel petered out as she crept higher, his body tensing as the tips of her fingers brushed below his nipples. Madison took it as an invitation to move closer. Her hip grazed the outline of his cock and he pressed his fingers into her back, holding her there.

  “No convincing needed here,” he growled, his mouth opening to hers.

  Madison dissolved into the heat of his kiss and Cole shifted his weight, his knee pressing between her thighs to set her clit throbbing. Widening her stance would give him better access. She wanted to rub against him like a pussycat and alleviate the bittersweet ache building inside her.

  Instead, she consciously tightened her muscles. Held her tenuous position. She had one night. This one night. Madison didn’t want to waste it on a quick-fix orgasm, exploding in some tacky hotel corridor. Not when the feelings coursing through her veins were raw and carnal.

  Real.

  From the first touch of Cole’s lips, Madison had known tonight would be worth it. She’d never experienced anything like this. Not even with Logan—especially not with Logan. She lived life on the surface, never peeling back the layers past skin deep. She didn’t want the first authentic liaison to end here. Not like this.

  “Seven-oh-four.” Her lips grazed his ear as she forced herself to draw back.

  Cole swallowed. Nodded.

  “Give me a moment. I didn’t come prepared,” she whispered again.

  One last, lingering brush against his chest and Madison found the strength to walk away. She even managed to make it to the elevator without stumbling, pushing the button for the seventh floor, hoping he didn’t notice the tremble in her fingers.

  Now came the hard part. Waiting to see if Cole turned up.

  Madison hoped she’d done enough to persuade him she was worth it.

  * * * * *

  Cole totally missed his hotel room door on the first pass. He grinned, his thoughts full of Madison. Dark, sexy thoughts of her naked and spread before him, hair tumbling to curl about her breasts so only the rosy pink of her nipples showed. Mmm. Perfect, plump peaks he could wrap his tongue around and savor with long, lavish licks until her voice broke, begging for more.

  His for the night. Right after he raided his boy scout, be-prepared stash of condoms. Cole couldn’t believe he’d been this close to walking away. Madison had him tied in knots. He thought he’d read her wrong, but in the end her true colors had shown through. She was bored stiff with her rich lifestyle and looking for a rummage-sale fuck. Thank God he’d figured it out before he’d made the mistake of leaving her at the bar.

  Cole might detest everything Madison stood for, but he wasn’t about to complain. He hadn’t been this eager since he was sixteen, finding the magical ticket to third base with Shelly Martin. His fumbling excursion into Shelly’s panties was nothing compared to the sparks of sexual excitement nipping just below his skin, urging him up to the seventh floor. And Madison.

  Seventh heaven.

  His cell phone went off as he pivoted back to his hotel room door and engaged the key card. Cole ignored the call, heading straight for the box of condoms tucked away in the side pocket of his luggage. His plan was to have Madison’s clothes off within one minute of being inside her room. Allowing time for a quick exchange of pleasantries. Of course.

  So when his phone buzzed again, Cole came close to punting it under the bed. He pulled it from his pocket, intending to switch it off and leave it on the table, when he saw the name.

  Jess.

  Shit.

  Jess. A stab of self-loathing slashed through the hot waves of lust. What was he thinking? Reality caught Cole up and came crashing down to poleaxe his libido.

  He’d forgotten about his sister. He swallowed against the hard knot in his throat. One sniff at an expensive skirt and he’d relegated Jess to the sidelines. Just like every other bastard with the Langford name.

  He jabbed to connect the call and wiped at his mouth. As if he could brush away the bitter taste on his lips.

  “Jess.” He closed his eyes, her name like a cold recrimination on his tongue. Still, he dug up the grin she deserved to hear in his voice. “I’m a very important man, you know. Every minute is worth millions and you’re on the clock. Nnnnn-now.”

  His teasing elicited a laugh he would never get sick of hearing.

  “You’d better put this on my tab with all the other billions I owe you, then.” Jess’s voice lit up and he could tell she was smiling.

  Cole relaxed further on the bed. Three years ago she hadn’t been able to say anything. A car accident had left her in a coma and claimed the life of their mother. A woman Cole had missed every day since.

  Back then, he’d lived with the fear he would never hear Jess’s voice again. He’d gotten her through the long, painful convalescence. He’d used every scrap of money he could lay his hands on to pay for treatment. Physiotherapy programs. Miracle drugs. Alternative healing. It had all helped. But not enough. Jess would never fully recover, and Cole still braced himself for bad news each time she called.

  “How was your day?” His voice was light, but they’d been through the routine enough times to know what he was really asking.

  Are you in any pain?

  Did you do your exercises?

  Any sign of improvement?

  “Good.” Jess’s words took on a brittle edge. She complained about Cole’s over protectiveness—understatement of the year—but she couldn’t know what he’d gone through after the accident. Living each day with the understanding he might lose her. Knowing every other Langford had turned their backs on her. Because of him.

  “Good?” He pressed harder.

  Jessica ignored his probing. “What about you?” she chirped. “Did you build anything amazing today?”

  Cole rubbed at his fa
ce, holding back a rebuke. His sister was stubborn. Just like a Langford.

  “Only my resistance to pretty girls,” he continued joking.

  Unbidden, his thoughts flicked to Madison. And with it came a sharp pang of disappointment. He dug his fingers into his forehead, hoping to erase the image of her sun-kissed tan—probably fake—her waterfall of silky, blonde hair—out of the bottle with a matching thatch below, no doubt. Plus, she was too damn thin. Hell, he’d more than likely have snapped her in two.

  Except, when he’d held Madison in his arms earlier, she’d been soft and supple. And her smell… Cole shook off the scent of honey-dipped cinnamon that suddenly teased his senses.

  “You know me,” he quipped, a rough edge to his voice. “Women just swoon at my feet.”

  “So, there’s not just one?”

  Jessica sounded disappointed and Cole chuckled. His sister would love him to fall in love and turn his attention on someone else. Her attempts to matchmake were as subtle as a freight train. She was the Captain of Obvious. It was never going to happen. Not for Cole. He was too much of a cynic to believe in love.

  “I’m too much man for just one girl.” He trotted out his usual comeback. “It wouldn’t be fair—”

  “To all the other women,” Jess finished with a dry laugh. “Yeah, yeah. I’ve heard it before.” There was a pause. “So, you’re in Wellsford tomorrow?”

  Cole smiled, sensing she was coming around. “Yeah, I thought I’d take my favorite sister out for dinner. Only she isn’t available, so I guess you’ll do.”

  Jess snorted. “I wish I did have another sister. Maybe then you’d give me some peace.” Her tone lightened, but Cole could read the edge of truth behind her words. He shrugged it off. She was young. And still coming to grips with a life-changing injury.

  “Why would I want to leave you in peace?” he drawled. “Your life is filled with young, naked college women hungry for a good time. Maybe looking for a bit o’ Cole.”

  “Eww.” Jess shrieked, laughing. “Stay away from my friends, you old perv’. God, I’d never live it down. They pant over you already…which is another good reason for me to move off campus and get my own apartment.” She added another not so subtle dig.

  And just like that, Cole’s good humor faded. “Let’s not talk about it now,” he cajoled. Her breath hissed down the line, tickling his eardrums and he closed his eyes as tiredness rolled over him. “We’ll talk about it tomorrow. Over dinner.” Her excited gasp depressed him further. She’d expected a flat-out no. Which is what the answer was always going to be while he paid for her expenses. “But first, tell me how you went at physio today?” he inserted smoothly. “Did you do all of your exercises?”

  Jessica hesitated, then gave in over the possibility Cole might finally hear her out. “Fine. I walked around the track at lunchtime…”

  Cole listened to her litany of physical activities, allowing himself to relax as the list continued in her bored, annoyed tone. He still paid attention. Jess deserved the attention of at least one Langford.

  A surge of hatred oozed through Cole like an open wound. He’d fucked up as a teen. He hadn’t been true to himself and he’d sullied his name with the Langford family, but Cole still didn’t understand how they could’ve ignored his pleas for help after Jess’s accident. They hated him—sure, he could live with that—but sweet, innocent Jess? To see her go through so much pain, hiding those vivid, red scars behind long skirts and manage the limp she’d never be free of…

  He gritted his teeth against the raw burn of festering anger, knowing it was too late. All the money in the world couldn’t buy Jess the one thing Cole would give up everything for. Complete recovery.

  By the time Jess hung up, the scent of self-disgust clung to Cole like a sour note.

  That he’d even considered Madison as a potential fuck-partner tonight…

  He sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing his hands through his hair as if trying to erase the memory of those delicate fingers skating over his skin, the coy smile she’d thrown over her shoulder, hinting at innocence, but promising pleasure. He felt a damn sight older than his twenty-eight years.

  What the fuck was wrong with him?

  Cole pushed off the bed, mentally packing up his cock and sending it on a trip to the Bahamas. He paced the floor of the small hotel room. Back and forth. Back and forth.

  Finally he made for the door. He’d never sleep like this. Heading upstairs to tell Madison exactly why he no longer wanted to participate in her Paris Hilton pity-party was just the kind of therapy he needed. He was better than her. He deserved more. He was over banging rich bitches who were only attractive on the outside, and only then because Daddy had bought the total, glittering package.

  Cole pulled the half-used box of condoms out of his luggage and slam-dunked them in the trash can by his door.

  Chapter Four

  Cole’s pissed-off mood hadn’t improved any by the time he arrived on the top floor. Luxury suites.

  Of course.

  He scowled at the plush carpet that deadened the sound of his stomping, his resolve hardening into tempered steel as he knocked at 704. One of only five doors on the exclusive level.

  It wasn’t like Cole couldn’t afford to stay up here himself. These days his construction company took on work faster than he could keep up. He simply chose not to parade his money like a Caribbean tan in winter.

  His frown deepened when there was no answer from the suite. Where the fuck was she? Cole knocked louder and put his ear to the wood paneling, craning to hear any hints of sound from inside. Nothing. There wasn’t even a tiny telltale strip of light beneath the door.

  His chest tightened, a slow smolder of anger flaring to life. Seething anger. Had Madison given up waiting and headed downstairs to find someone else? His pride pricked with irrational outrage, that she could disregard him so easily after that kiss.

  Like hell.

  Cole spun from the door and strode back to the elevator.

  If he dared find her with anyone else…

  Images sprang to mind of him twining her hair in his fist and dragging her back to his room. Caveman style. The primal urge did nothing to ease the pounding of his heart. Didn’t she know there were men out there who could hurt her? Cole had a good idea what those assholes downstairs were capable of. He’d heard the whispers as she’d entered the bar. Blood iced his veins and a cold sweat rolled over him, effectively killing his rage and filling him with unease.

  He jabbed his finger at the call button, seconds stretching by with excruciating slowness. Finally the doors opened and he hurried inside…only to come face-to-face with Madison.

  On her own.

  Looking pleased with herself.

  “Where the hell have you been?” Cole lunged forward, wanting to reach out and shake her until her teeth rattled. Then kiss the living fuck out of that mouth.

  She took one look at his expression and alarm stripped the smile from her face. Cole pulled up fast, his anger draining at her scared look. Then a flush rose to stain her cheeks. Embarrassment? Guilt? Surprise? He struggled to read her conflicted emotions. So he stuck with the one he did know. Guilt.

  “What have you done?” His eyes narrowed and he looked further into the elevator, almost expecting to see one of the dickwads from downstairs hiding behind her.

  “Nothing.” She’d gotten over her fright quickly enough to glare back at him.

  Ironically, that made Cole feel better. He hadn’t liked seeing her afraid—not of him. His attention dropped to the unmarked shopping bag clutched in her fist. Madison followed his gaze and grimaced, thrusting the bag behind her back.

  Her chin lifted. “Just getting a few things.” Her cheeks grew redder with each tersely uttered word.

  Cole threw up his hands. “What things?” She’d gone shopping for shoes and tiaras at a time like this? H
e stretched forward and snatched the bag from her hands, ignoring her sharp intake of breath. And the fact she flinched again.

  Air whooshed from his lungs in one long breath when he opened it and discovered the mega box of condoms. Extra-large. His gaze rose, taking in the defiant stance, the proud little smile that flitted across her mouth. It lit her face for a moment and changed Madison from the gorgeous woman she already was, to something…more. Mischievous. Sexy. Vulnerable.

  The cleverly hidden fragility caught at Cole’s chest. He stood, transfixed, unable to look at anything but her, watching as the scowl crawled back over her face, her eyes narrowing, a mix of anger and hurt. Yeah. He’d seen that look. And the longer his eyes drank in her confused emotions, the less Cole could recall the reason he’d come up here.

  Hadn’t he wanted to tell her something?

  Warmth filled his groin, his pulse quickening as his mouth curved into a smile.

  “You’re an optimist?” He couldn’t help but smirk and shake his head.

  And as if he’d just whispered a magic-filled spell, Madison transformed in front of him. Doubt melted away to be replaced by the sultry kitten who’d unsheathed her claws earlier. She stepped closer, her eyes flicking to his crotch. His breath caught as her gaze met his.

  “Realist,” she mouthed.

  Caught in her sexy, brown stare, Cole couldn’t look away. He felt rather than saw her fingers interlock with his and the gentle tug on his hand. Drawing a shuddering breath, he allowed Madison to lead him back to her room.

  Madison took a moment to remove her coat and hang it inside the closet. She smoothed out the soft woolen material, steadying her breath.

  Her insides were trembling with anticipation. Something had happened to Cole after she’d left him downstairs. He been angry when he’d seen her, but more than that, Madison had caught his concern for her too. He’d been worried. While his initial reaction had given her a fright, she loved seeing the raw emotion he allowed to roam freely over his face. He threw every inch of his body into it, so there was no mistaking his feelings.