Momentary Lapse

by Toni J Strawn

  “I need to know you’re mine.” His voice rumbled against her mouth, ragged words that set her heart beating faster. He pushed her against the door.

  Madison was desperate for his touch. “Only you.” Guiding his hand beneath her skirt she let him feel what he did to her, groaning loudly as he stroked her wetness.

  Fingers slipped under her panties and she didn’t protest, knowing Cole needed this as much as she did. The tightness of her skirt was constricting and she rucked it past her hips, widening her legs to give him better access.

  “Ahh. Yes.” He slid one finger inside her. Two.

  Rubbing his cock through his jeans wasn’t enough. Madison unzipped and released him, loving the feel of his hard swollen shaft filling her palm. She nudged his fingers out of the way, pushing her hand against her pussy to coat it with creamy moisture. She wrapped her fist around his cock, creating a delicious friction that had him grunting softly.

  “Oh. Fuck. Yes.” His hips moved in time to his fingers as they thrust in and out of her, never breaking their kiss as they worked each other hard.

  The orgasm hit low and fast, his mouth deadening the sound of her moans. He speared his fingers inside her, thumb pressing her clit as she rode it out. Cole’s pace stuttered, his breath a delicious rasp in her ear as he held her through waves of pleasure. The base of his cock thickened, the head slick and hard and ready. Madison sank to her knees, laying a series of short licks around the bulb. Cole groaned deeply, his movements jerky. One hand settled in her hair, the other on the door, bracing himself.

  “I’m going to fuck your mouth,” he rasped. Rocking forward, he pushed the head of his cock past her lips. “Ah God. Yes.” He released a sharp hiss of air. “Mine.”

  Madison wrapped her arms around his waist, molding her hands to his ass. She let him set the pace, gripping the base of his cock to pump him as he pistoned in and out of her mouth, along her tongue, hitting the back of her throat. Cole’s fingers twisted in her hair, pulling her head back so he could look down on her swallowing his cock. His eyes were burning, hot heat, lips parted, teeth gritted.

  His hips shot forward one last time, his eyes closing as come spurted over her tongue, filling her with his sweet taste. The tremble in his legs quieted and his hands were sure and steady as he pulled her up.

  Suddenly conscious of where she was—in the stairwell at work—Madison shoved her skirt back over her hips. Her cheeks filled with heat.

  God, what would her mother say?

  “I’d ask if there were any regrets…but…” Cole tucked his shirt back in.

  “No. No regrets.” Madison slid from his hold, confused. Was he saying he did? Her heart twisted with a bitter ache and she wrapped her arms around her middle.

  He caught her to him and kissed her. Hard.

  “Madison, I—”

  “I-I better get back.” She stumbled away from him. “I’ll see you…later.”

  He threw a sharp look her way, but opened the door and let her duck past. Run away.

  Madison grimaced at the bathroom mirror as she cleaned up. She could barely face herself, scared of what she might find. Scared to think about what she’d come so close to losing today. Acknowledging how much it would hurt when Cole did say goodbye.

  “I need to know you’re mine.”

  He’d said the words, but they both knew his possession was fleeting.

  Madison rinsed her hands and took one last, candid look in the mirror. Clear brown eyes stared back and for a moment she let the true Madison shine through. The spark in the depths was lust, the frown on her lips, confusion. She trailed fingers down her cheek, checking off the emotions that spoke to her as clearly as if she’d spoken them out loud. Hurt. Anger. Sadness. Hope.

  She slipped her mask back in place and walked out.

  Logan didn’t acknowledge what had happened with Cole when Madison crept back to her desk. He fell back into his easy, flirty patter, acting like nothing was wrong. Or almost nothing. Madison pretended too.

  Nervousness only started to build as she took the elevator down to the ground floor and prepared to go home.

  Would Cole even be there?

  He hadn’t bothered hiding his distrust. How could he have thought she would go back to Logan’s bed? Bitterness stung like a dull ache in her chest. Madison wanted to be whatever it was Cole needed. But how could she eradicate his suspicions of her? Of the people in her life?

  And could she blame him for what he thought? She used to be the very person Cole accused her of being. She’d strengthened relationships with the biggest gain, playing up to the crowd that netted the most worth. Would he ever believe she was different now? She sure as hell felt different.

  For now, she was stuck in a kind of flux, caught between two worlds and two lives. Worlds that were on a collision course to disaster.

  That didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy every minute of reality Cole offered her. Even today, when he’d been furious and jealous as hell, he’d been nothing but honest about his feelings.

  She drew to a stop out front of Crovens.

  “You’re here.” Madison couldn’t help herself. A stupid grin split her face and she closed the gap to wrap her arms around Cole’s waist, feeling lightheaded. Almost giddy.

  He swung her around to tuck her into his shoulder.

  “I thought you might like a ride home.” Cole landed a kiss in her hair and her belly tingled with pleasure. “I called Jess. She’s out until late.”

  His car was parked at the curb. Rolls of plans and a wodge of bound documents littered the front seat. Cole gathered them up and transferred them to the back.

  “So, we could get a bite to eat? Or do something else if you’d like?” He leaned in as Madison slipped into her seat. His brow hiked up suggestively.

  “Something else?”

  Excitement danced in hot waves along Madison’s spine. The door snicked shut and she drew a wobbly breath. Yes. She wanted to do something else—several something elses, in fact. But after what had happened today, maybe it would be prudent to take time out and talk. She needed to know Cole was okay about her job at Crovens. His opinion mattered.

  “What about your mall project?” she asked as he got in beside her.

  “What about it?” He cast her a sideways look.

  Madison frowned. “I was just curious about where it was, that’s all. I’ve heard Noah talk about it.”

  The mall project was the hot topic at work. It was the biggest construction program on their books. They all thought Cole was some kind of entrepreneurial genius—or certifiably crazy, depending on who you talked to.

  Cole stared through the windshield for a beat. Then shrugged. “There’s nothing there at the moment. It’s just a lump of dirt.”

  “I’d still like to see it. You can show me your plans. Sell me your vision.” Now she’d had the idea, Madison was surprisingly eager to see the development as Cole saw it.

  The realization hit. She barely knew him. This was an opportunity to unveil yet a different side to the intriguing man she was fast coming to admire.

  Another long look and Cole nodded. “Sure. Let’s go see the nonexistent mall. I’ll buy you a make-believe fur coat and a pretend diamond ring.” He grinned, but something sat behind it. Some inner sadness or worry that caught at Madison’s chest.

  “Then, I’ll treat you to an imaginary ice-cream.” She linked fingers with him, flashing him a smile.

  “Oh no. You’ll buy me a real ice-cream.” Cole managed a laugh. “After all, you’re a working woman now.”

  She buckled in and they drove to the outskirts of Wellsford, to the proposed site of the new industrial park. Excavators and heavy moving equipment sat slumbering in silence at the end of the day’s work. In the center of all the machinery lay an empty lot. Stones and dirt were heaped into mounds at the edges, but inside was speckled
with grass and small pockets of scrubby wild flowers.

  When Madison jumped out and took a few steps forward, her heels sank into the soft earth.

  “Don’t you want to see the plans?” Cole stood by the car, watching her with interest.

  “No thanks.” She grinned back at him. “I’ve tried reading them already. They may as well be written in Russian for all the sense they made.”

  She went back and took off her shoes. No way was she ruining a three hundred dollar pair in the dirt. Besides, the ground was warm from the sun, and it felt nice against her bare feet.

  “Why don’t you give me the grand tour?” She swept her arms in front of her. “Is this the main entrance?”

  Cole laughed as he came around the car to join her. “Ah. No. This here is where the electrical transformer goes. It will feed the mall with power.”

  “Ah. The service entrance then.” She nodded sagely as if she knew what she was talking about. “Where…um…services go.”

  “Yes.” Cole’s eyes sparkled with humor.

  “Perfect,” Madison declared. “Let’s go in.”

  As Cole stepped Madison through the proposed shopping center, he couldn’t help but sneak looks at her.

  Was she playing up to him?

  Madison seemed genuinely interested. She was asking questions, exclaiming over his description of the entrance foyer, adding her own little tweaks to his planned light and water fountain. Whereas Cole knew her idea of a mall was probably gold-plated designer shops with a platinum card entrance fee.

  This was just dirt and dreams. A dream which might never be realized if Russell and Thomas Langford got their way. Cole lost hold of the bitter thought when Madison tugged on his arm to ask where the escalators would be.

  He hadn’t expected her to act like this. But then, he hadn’t expected to find her cozied up with that fucker, Logan, either. It’d been a shock to the system.

  And his first reaction hadn’t been anger.

  Cole shoved his hands into his pockets. She’d looked fantastic—a consummate professional with her hair sleek and glossy, knotted at her nape, a knee-high skirt above long, bare legs. He’d nearly lost it right then at Crovens. A part of him had screamed she was his…and a part of him had been proud at the vision she created. He’d caught a glimpse of the Madison she was on her way to becoming. And it had cut deep to realize he wasn’t a part of it.

  The knowledge still pricked at Cole’s ego, knowing she’d gone running off to Logan as soon as she’d needed something, but birds of a feather flocked, and all that…

  Although that wasn’t necessarily true either, was it? Cole sneaked another sideways glance as Madison gestured to where she’d like to see Tiffany’s and Michael Kors. Right next to Lululemon. How many other rich women would dance about an empty lot in bare feet? Strike that. How many women, rich or not, would do that? Cole shook his head. Madison was the ultimate contradiction.

  He wanted to learn more about her, was beginning to wonder if she held the key to him having someone more permanent in his life. His heart beat louder just contemplating what that might mean. And that was when Cole realized, he wanted to trust her. He wanted her to be the one.

  Which was dangerous. Because he still hadn’t worked out how good her game face was…or if she even had a game face. He was either one of the luckiest men alive or the stupidest. Right now Cole was beginning to think it might just be the former.

  “So, what do you think?” She turned to him, excitement a wide, open grin on her face.

  The ache in his throat eased. “I think you missed your calling.” He twined his fingers in hers. “Maybe you should be an interior decorator.”

  Madison surprised him by laughing. “So just because I used to be a beauty queen, I’m supposed to have impeccable taste?” She grinned. “Not me. I have terrible fashion sense.”

  “No.” Cole refused to believe it. “What about your apartment?”

  “Mother picked everything.”

  “What about what you’re wearing now?” He looked her up and down appreciatively. “That looks pretty nice.”

  “Pretty nice cost at least twelve hundred dollars, I’ll have you know. But alas, it was put together by my mother. She coordinates all of my clothing, so I won’t mess up. It’s all preassembled.” She laughed at Cole’s dumbfounded expression.

  “Okay then, Cinderella,” he challenged. “It’s the night of your prom and you can pick anything in my mall.” He swung open the imaginary doors. “What would you like to wear?”

  Madison smile faltered and her brow furrowed. “I’m not sure. I never went to my prom.”

  This did shock Cole. He had visions of Madison swathed in silky gold, her hair bundled on top of her head, gliding across the dancefloor like a glittering swan amongst the rest of the high school ducklings. His jaw tightened. She would have been dripping with jewels and senior boys.

  “Why not?” He shoved the thought down deep into the dim recesses of his mind.

  “I was probably at some beauty pageant or other.” She shrugged as if it didn’t really matter.

  But Cole could tell it did. He frowned. “I bet you had heaps of guys lining up for a date, though?”

  Madison glanced away. “Not really. Most of them were too frightened to ask. My mother scared away the rest.” She laughed depreciatively. “No one was good enough for me.”

  Cole wanted to say, “So what?” At least she’d been at school. Unlike Jess, who’d never gotten to her prom either. But looking at Madison now, so beautiful and open and tinged with sadness…he couldn’t help feeling pity too. It can’t have been much of a life. No freedom. No choices.

  He rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand. “I would have asked,” he said, knowing he would have, even if it had have been for the wrong reasons.

  Madison snorted. “My mother would have thrown a blue fit.”

  Cole lifted a brow. “But would you have said yes?”

  “Yes. I do believe I would have.”

  And that was all that really mattered, Cole decided. Madison would have given him a chance. Shit, she was giving him a chance right now, wasn’t she? She hadn’t gone running back to her mother. She was trying to build herself a life, doing things she never dreamed of. At least Cole’s dream had a plan and a team of professionals who knew what they were doing. Madison was tackling everything on her own.

  Or nearly on her own.

  “Come on.” Cole tugged on her hand, drawing her back to the car.

  “Where are we going?” Madison squeaked in protest.

  He grinned. “You promised me an ice cream.” And eating an ice cream with Madison was exactly what Cole felt like doing right now.

  What he didn’t feel like doing was answering his phone. It flashed and beeped at him as he got in the car. He fished it out of the middle console, intending to turn it off. Three missed calls. All from Marcus. All in the last five minutes.

  “Let me just take this.” He apologized as he thumbed the icon to return the call. Madison smiled uncertainly. “I won’t be long.”

  His gut tightened as he took a few steps away from the car. It had to be bad news. And if it was, now was the perfect time. In his current mood, with Madison beside him, Cole thought he could cope with anything.

  He should have remembered karma.

  “Where the fuck have you been?” Marcus answered abruptly.

  Cole blinked. “I’m out at the site.”

  “Well, you better get your ass over here.”

  “I’ve got Madison with me.” Cole threw a glance sideways then checked his watch. “We can be there in fifteen—”

  “No.” Marcus cut him off. “There’s something you need to see. Alone.”

  “Okay. I’ll be there as soon as I can—”

  “Good.” Marcus’s breath huffed down the line. “Whatever
you do, don’t bring Madison.” He hung up.

  Cole frowned at his phone.

  “Everything okay?” Madison sent him a worried look.

  Cole gave a half-laugh, half-shrug. “Yeah. I’m sure everything’s fine. Marcus is overreacting.” Marcus. Cool, calm, levelheaded Marcus. Cole swallowed. “I’ll take a rain check on the ice-cream and drop you home. It looks like I have business to attend to.”

  * * * * *

  Marcus had been right to warn him.

  Cole stared at the computer screen, reading and re-reading the name sticking out like dogs balls among the list of Salamond Directors.

  Russell Langford

  Ernest Dunvall

  Patricia St. James

  Each time he saw the letters that made up Madison’s mother’s name, it was like taking a punch to the gut.

  “St. James is a patron of the historical preservation society,” Marcus had explained. “Which gives Salamond Holdings a lot more credence than just a group of pissed-off businessmen.”

  “Her involvement means this claim will be taken seriously.” Cole’s voice rang hollow in his ears as all of the pieces of the puzzle clicked together in his mind.

  “Yeah. She’s razor-sharp and lethal,” Marcus cautioned. He threw Cole an apologetic look. “Its six o’clock and I have to meet Abby. Why don’t you take some time to get your head in order, then we’ll come up with a plan.”

  “Yeah. Sure.” Cole said the words but his mind was reeling. He waved Marcus away. “Go ahead. I’m fine. Honestly.”

  He was anything but fine. As soon as Marcus left, Cole lowered his head into his hands, the fight draining out of him. Madison. Was she involved with her mother?

  If so, he’d just been taken on the biggest ride of his life.

  If?

  Hell, the evidence stared him straight in the face. Her interest in seeing the mall today… The fact she was working for Logan, giving her access to his plans. She admitted she’d read them.

  Cole didn’t want it to be true.

  But everything pointed to her involvement.