"Here it is. What do you think?"
"Wow, your legs look amazing!" My mother said. "All that running is really paying off."
"Thanks Mom, but what about the dress?"
"Hmm. I like it, but...." She walked out into the shop and picked up another dress. "Will you try this one on for me?"
She held up a deep red satin dress. It was floor length and looked a little plain, but I decided to appease her. She was going to be paying after all.
"Well?" I asked when I came back out of the fitting room.
"Oh Caroline, that is absolutely gorgeous," my mother said. "That dress was made for you."
I looked at my reflection in the three way mirror. The front of the dress was quite plain, but it hugged my curves and accentuated my full chest with the cowl neckline that showed just a hint of cleavage. The real beauty was in the back of the dress. Two straps came from my shoulders down to the small of my back, creating a V, but essentially exposing my whole back. The material clung perfectly to my bottom and fell to the floor, with a short train. I felt amazing.
"I love it. It's incredible. It might be a little over the top for a work function. You don't think it's too much?"
She shook her head at me. "No, we're going to a black tie event. If you can't wear something like that then, when can you?"
I hugged her. "Thank you, Mom."
"Don't thank me yet. I have some surprises in store for you."
After we left Clara's, she bought me lunch at my favorite cafe' and then took me to a fancy salon so we could have manicures, pedicures, and get our hair and make-up done. By the time we got home we only had thirty minutes to get our dresses on and accessorize before it was time to leave.
"Let's go ladies!" My dad called from the bottom of the stairs. "We can't be late, I'm the host of this shindig!"
I had to hold the front of my dress up with one hand and tuck my clutch underneath one arm so I could hold the banister and avoid falling over my nude stilettos. My mother was right behind me, carrying her shoes as she navigated the stairs.
"I'm so glad the stylist put your hair up darling, the back of that dress is amazing!" She said.
"Thanks again, Mom. I needed to decompress and I really had a great time today."
"You're welcome honey. You know I love you."
"Well well, don't you two look beautiful!" My dad said as we made it to the kitchen. He kissed my mother on her cheek and whispered something in her ear. She giggled, and placed her hand over the lapel of his tux as she leaned up to kiss him square on the mouth. I smiled at their gestures of love for one another.
"Shall we?" I asked.
"Why don't you ride with us sweetie? Carson can drive you home later," my dad said.
"Sounds good to me. Did Carson go ahead?"
"He said he had to go pick up his date," my dad said.
I raised an eyebrow at him. I hoped it was Lou, and I wondered what had gotten into him. After more than a year of looking for Meg, he sure did take to Lou quickly.
~~~~
When we arrived at the Westin the valet opened the car doors for my mother and me. We walked into the lobby while we waited for my father to get his valet ticket. Then we took the elevator to the second floor ballroom
"Jack, Allison, so great to see you! Caroline, you're looking exquisite, as always!"
"Bill, great to see you! Where's Margaret?" My dad asked, shaking hands with Bill and looking around.
Bill had worked for the company about as long as my dad. They were old high school friends.
"Hi Bill," I said, leaning in as he kissed my cheek. Then I excused myself and headed to look for some of my new customers.
The ballroom was already filling up with guests. Some were mingling by the bar stations, and some in the buffet line. Several waiters made their way through the crowd with trays full of appetizers or champagne. I spied Darren at one of the bars to my left, so I headed to the bar on the other side of the room. After getting a glass of white wine, I turned around to survey the crowd.
I spotted Rob Houston and headed in his direction. He was the owner of the convenience store chain that we were getting ready to launch.
"Mr. Houston! Hi, so nice to see you, I'm Caroline Foster, your new account manager." I smiled extending my hand to him.
"Yes, Ms. Foster. I've loved your work on the project so far, and am looking forward to working with you directly in the future."
"Please, call me Caroline. Have you seen the latest design changes? Ross and I didn't see eye to eye on all the elements, and now that's he's left the company, I took the liberty of making some changes that I think will enhance our efforts." Ross was the previous account manager.
"Yes, I believe my assistant gave me the package this morning. I do like the changes you've made, and would like to discuss some other ideas with you."
"Great! I'll call your office in the morning to set something up for next week." I said. "Thank you for your business, enjoy the party!"
As I turned away from him I caught site of Carson across the room. A slender, dark headed woman had his arm through his and he was smiling down at her and laughing at whatever she was saying. A moment later she turned toward me and my mouth dropped open. It was Lou.
I started to head in their direction when I saw Darren headed in mine. He'd already seen me, so now there was no escaping.
"Mmm mmm mmm. What do we have here?" He said, walking around me in a small circle. "You look simply divine. I could eat you with a spoon."
I cleared my throat. "Darren, how are you this evening?"
"I'm doing really well now that you're here. Would you like to dance?"
"The band hasn't even started yet, Darren."
"Be sure to save a dance for me then. I'd love to get my hands on you in that dress."
Ugh, what a sleaze bag.
"That's not going to happen," I stated firmly. Especially after last week at Deuces!
"Oh oh. Playing hard to get, huh? I like that in a woman."
He was eyeing me like a lion ready to pounce. I was feeling really uncomfortable, but at least there were hundreds of people around. He certainly wouldn't try anything here. As he leaned in to whisper something sexual in my ear I felt the energy in the room shift. I couldn't hear what Darren was saying, I couldn't breathe. A tall, dark, and gorgeously brooding man was heading in my direction. Luke.
My heart slammed in my chest. I immediately knew what my mother had meant by "surprises". She had been plotting this whole time. I pushed Darren away from me as my mother and Luke walked toward me.
"Hey, no need for such hostility," said Darren, coming back in to wrap his arm around my waist.
"Let go of me Darren, or you're going to regret it," I said, noticing the look of rage on Luke's face as he continued in my direction. Despite the expression on his face, he looked gorgeous. His tuxedo was made for him. His biceps bulged beneath the jacket and his cummerbund sat perfectly around his upper hips, accentuating the broadness of his shoulders. He looked edible and my body was already responding to his proximity.
"Come on Caroline, stop trying to resist me. It's getting old," Darren said, grabbing me around the waist and bringing me back to the matter at hand. "One night with me, and you'll finally get that stick out of your ass."
"It's never going to happen Darren, get away from me." I shoved against him again, trying to get out of his grasp.
"I would do what she asks if I were you," Luke's voice boomed, startling Darren. He turned and looked to Luke who was at least a head taller than him.
"Not you again. Who are you? Her bodyguard?" Darren huffed.
"All you need to know is that she is here with me and I don't like seeing your hands on her." Luke looked so angry he could rip Darren into little pieces.
"Hey, whatever man." Darren said, throwing his hands up in a sign of surrender and walking off.
Luke watched Darren go and then turned to me, the look on his face immediately softening.
"Are you
alright?" He asked, his voice laced with concern as he pulled me into his chest.
"I'm fine," I said, steadying my breathing. "I had it under control. What are you doing here anyway?" I demanded, pushing back, and narrowing my eyes at him.
"Your father and I invited him," said my mother as she finally made it to Luke's side.
"Why?" I said, although I already knew the answer.
"Caroline, your father said you've been moping around, you can't focus on anything, and I can see things clearly, even if you can't. I'm just doing what I know is best for you since you won't do it for yourself," she said, turning to Luke. "Don't go easy on her. She's going to be hard to convince. Good luck."
With that, she patted Luke on the arm and walked away.
"I need another drink," I said, unwrapping myself from his embrace and walking to the bar. A moment later I sensed him behind me and my pulse began to race.
He leaned down to my ear and said, "You look ravishing in that dress."
"Luke please. I'm sorry they invited you to come. I didn't know what they were up to."
"I'd love to take you home, slip it over your hips and make you sorry you ever left me," he said into my ear so that only I could hear him.
I swallowed hard, remembering how good he felt inside me. My nipples hardened and strained against the fabric of my dress. "Please stop," I pleaded weakly.
His hands were on my hips now, holding me back against him.
"Miss, what can I get you?" The bartender asked.
"Um..." I couldn't think.
"Another glass of Riesling?" I nodded to him. "And for you sir?" He said, looking at Luke.
"I'll have scotch on the rocks please," Luke answered.
As the bartender made our drinks Luke continued to assault my senses. I could feel his chest against my bare back. The scent of his cologne mixed with his inherent maleness was intoxicating.
"What are you doing here?" I asked him for the second time as the bartender handed over our drinks.
"Walk with me" he said, placing a hand on the small of my back and guiding me toward the second story lobby.
My skin was on fire where his hand touched my exposed back. I could feel warmth beginning to pool low in my belly. I was going to come undone if I didn't put some space between us. I turned and put my hand on his chest, stepping back from him.
"Luke, I'm going to ask you one more time," I said, looking him directly in his gorgeous green eyes. "What are you doing here?"
He breathed out.
"I came to convince you that you belong with me. To tell you that I don't care about anything else except being with you."
"It's not solely up to you Luke!"
"The hell it isn't."
He grabbed me by the waist, forcing me into his arms. Before I could object his mouth was on mine. Even as I tried to pull away I realized it was useless. He was easily ten times stronger than I was, and to top it all off he was a heck of a good kisser.
I kissed him back. The sensations coursing through my body warred with the thoughts running through my head. I knew I should try to stop him. It had been five days since I'd last seen him, but my traitorous body was responding to him as if it'd been years.
When he finally ended the kiss, I tried to catch my breath, looking around to see if anyone had noticed us. There weren't many people still in the lobby, but it didn't seem as if those who were had been paying us any attention. Luke downed his scotch and put his glass down on a tray table. He looked at me and ran his thumb over my lower lip.
"I've missed those lips."
"Luke..." I sucked in a breath as he lowered his hand and cupped the side of my breast. His hand felt warm through the satin of my dress. Then his thumb teased my nipple, which stood at attention for him. I leaned into his touch, thinking about the way he had made me feel a few nights ago.
"Savannah, I am so sorry about my mother. I don't know what came over her, but she was wrong about us, about you. I don't care what she thinks anyway. Nothing else matters except that you belong with me. You feel it too don't you?"
I wanted to deny him. I wanted to slap him. I wanted to kiss him again.
"You know I do, Luke."
Suddenly he ran his hand down my arm to my wrist pulling me across the lobby behind him. When we reached the business center, he threw open the door to one of the private network communications booths and pushed me inside, checking to make sure no one had seen us go in before he followed me and shut the door behind him.
The room was maybe four feet across and five feet deep with a built in desk taking up most of the space. Luke loomed over me, filling what was left with his broad shoulders. I felt cornered and downed my entire glass of wine to try and ease my nerves. I set my glass down on the desk backing into it to put a little distance between us. If that was even possible in here.
He stepped toward me, placing his hands on my hips again, but this time dragging my dress up. "What are you doing?" I gasped, trying to yank it back down.
"I'm going to lift up this sexy as hell dress, pull your panties aside, and have my way with you in this booth."
Holy shit! That was hot! All he needed to do was touch me and I was going to burst into flame. I closed my eyes trying to steady my racing pulse.
My dress was now around my waist. Luke pressed one hand firmly against my shoulder, seating me on the desk. He trailed his hand up my outer leg to my thigh and the rolled it to the inside. I heard him inhale.
"Caroline Foster!" My eyes snapped open and found his. "You are a woman after my own heart. No panties?"
I smiled devilishly. "Not with a dress like this."
He kissed me passionately then, drawing a moan from deep in my chest. I leaned into him as he bent down, securing one arm around my waist and hauling me up against him. He turned and put my back to the wall, pinning me against it. Then he ran his fingers through my folds, feeling the wetness that was pooling there from his touch.
"Christ, Caroline. You are so wet."
I couldn't do anything but whimper as his fingers continued to tease me. A moment later, after undoing his pants and grabbing one of my thighs in each of his hands, he entered me. I cried out at the invasion, but he continued his assault, undaunted.
"At last, exactly where I've wanted to be for the last five days. Have you thought about me Savannah? About how I feel inside you? Have you?" I couldn't answer, so I whimpered in response. "Because I've thought about you every minute since you left. You can't deny that you want me, that you love being with me like this."
As he moved inside me the objections I had meant to voice faded away. I wrapped my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist, bringing him more fully into me. He groaned and moved one of his hands to the top of my dress, tugging it down to expose my breasts. In no time his mouth was teasing first one nipple and then the other, as he continued his rhythmic dance.
Pressure was mounting inside me, threatening to explode. I writhed against him, arching my back and forcing my nipple further into his mouth. He gently bit down, drawing a moan from my lips. As he let go and moved to kiss me again I ran my hands over the muscles of his upper back and shoulders. He pulled me close and picked up the pace as I buried my face in his neck. A moment later, he grabbed my ass, spreading my legs even further apart and driving purposefully. Thick, white hot liquid was rapidly churning inside me, threatening to overflow. I knew any second I would succumb to his assault.
I felt the muscles in his shoulders begin to tense as he pressed me against the wall, a low growl forming deep in his chest as he drove harder and faster, finally sending me over the threshold. I turned my face into his shoulder as I climaxed, trying to muffle my cries as he thrust one last time, spending himself deep inside of me.
After a moment he kissed me thoroughly, and lowered my feet to the ground. He refastened his pants, leaned back against the desk and looked dead at me.
"Damn," he said. "You wreck me."
I tried not to smile, but I couldn't help
it. Then I giggled, and he pulled me back into his arms, hugging me tightly.
"Do I look okay to return to the party?" I asked, straightening out my dress.
"You look sexy as hell and thoroughly ravished. Wanna get out of here?"
He gave me a wicked grin, raising his eyebrows suggestively. I looked up at him.
"Luke, I can't leave yet."
"Fine, we can stay at the party for a while, but then you're going back to my place."
I looked at him with my mouth open.
"I need some space from you Luke. You can't just barge in here, have your way with me, and think you've changed my mind. I need..."
"Okay... I'll give you some space," he interrupted, silencing me.
Luke grabbed my hand and brought the backs of my fingers to his mouth, pressing his lips to them lightly. Then he folded my hand into the crook of his arm, poked his head out of the door to make sure no one was coming, and escorted me back to the ballroom.
Once we entered the room he let go of my hand, excusing himself, and didn't return. I spotted my mother across the room and went to stand next to her.
"Hey Caroline, what happened to Luke?" She asked.
"I told him I needed some space," I said to her as she eyed me critically.
She let her eyes wander around the room, searching for Luke I assumed, before looking back at me.
"Your hair is looking a little disheveled. What happened?"
"Uh, oh, nothing. I, um, stepped out on the balcony for a little bit and it was quite windy." I smiled at her, hoping she wouldn't see through my lie.
She squinted her eyes just a little and seemed to be considering if she should press the issue, just as Bill walked up.
"Caroline, might I interest you in a dance?" He asked, saving me from any continued scrutiny.
"Why, I'd love to Bill!" I gave him a big smile as I hooked my arm through his and followed him onto the dance floor.
"How are things going in the new position?" Bill asked as we started moving around the dance floor.
"So far, so good. Although, it really has only been a couple days."
"Well, I think you've been working at the account manager level for some time now and it's nice to see all your hard work is finally being recognized. Back when I worked as an account manager...."
Awakening Page 17