by Lexi C. Foss
“And I . . .” I had no idea how to respond to that. “I’m an idiot.”
“No, we’re both at fault here. I should have been more up front with you. Maybe then my proposal would have gone a little better.”
“Your proposal? How exactly? By reminding me about our contract?”
“Well, yeah. I thought it would make you smile, but it seemed to have the opposite effect.” He ran his hand through his hair and gave me a look. “You did not react at all how I expected.”
“You were reminding me that I had to reject your proposal, like you thought I’d renege on our agreement or something. I know I didn’t stay until the end to say no properly, but it pissed me off that you had the nerve to doubt me. You were mad that I didn’t have faith in you, so I’m sure you know how that felt.”
“Wait, you thought I was telling you to say no?”
“Isn’t that what you were doing?”
“No. I was trying to be cute, which clearly failed.” He combed his fingers through his hair and smiled sadly. “Did you even hear what I was saying when you rejected me?”
“Uh, I started to tune you out after you reminded me that you mean what you say.” Our catchphrase that I thought he was using to mock me.
“Then let me tell you where I was. I’d just said, ‘I’ve fallen in love with you, Sarah. I know it’s not what we agreed upon, but . . .’ and you cut me off to say, ‘I can’t.’ ”
38
Red Lace
“I thought you chose the money over me, Sarah.” His quiet words suffocated me. My mouth was stuck in the open position and refused to close. He loves me? “I realized how I felt while we were in Iceland, which is why I suggested Thailand. When you suggested we stop seeing each other, I shut off my emotions and decided on an alternative plan to propose. I knew it was a gamble, but I thought you felt the same way, until you ran off. Then you showed up and asked me about the money.”
I gaped at him. “No, you accused me of being there about the money, and I answered sarcastically that I was.”
He didn’t say anything for a long moment. “More misconceptions.”
“No shit. I’ve never cared about the money. Okay, well, I did at first. It was my primary motivator for saying yes to our agreement, but I also stayed because I liked you. And that like grew into something foreign and scary, and—”
He pushed off the couch and was on me before I could finish. His lips captured mine, silencing anything else I would have said. I spread my knees to bring him closer, but he pulled me into his lap instead. I straddled him on the couch and grabbed his shoulders. God, I missed this.
The hand in my hair slid down to my neck as he devoured my mouth. Heat swam through my veins, touching each nerve and lighting my skin on fire. His tongue twisted with mine, reminding me that he was a master of seduction. It wouldn’t take much to get my clothes off tonight. Seven weeks without his touch left me craving anything he would be willing to give me, but there were things left unsaid between us. Why now?
I tore my mouth from his and narrowed my eyes. “If you love me, then why wait to come after me?”
He nipped my lower lip. “I thought you wanted my money, not me.”
“Yeah, but wasn’t it obvious when I didn’t take any of the funds?”
“No, I left my finance guy in charge of it, and he failed to mention that you weren’t using the money. And before you ask, I didn’t oversee the funds, because I didn’t want to think about you. Proposing and meaning it was hard enough. Having you reject me? It sucked, Sarah. Needless to say, I was pissed afterward.” Some of that anger still swirled in the depth of his eyes.
“Okay, so why now?”
“Will.” It was a short answer that had my eyebrows meeting my hairline. “He called me a week ago and asked if I was aware that you were working three jobs and living with Rachel. I was in Japan for work, so it took me a few days to get in touch with my finance guy. When he told me you weren’t returning his calls, I flew to Chicago.”
“When you showed up tonight, I thought you were upset that your investment wasn’t going anywhere.”
“The money had nothing to do with it. I was upset to see you not following your dreams, Sarah. As hurt as I was that you rejected me, I contented myself with knowing you were happy and pursuing your dream career. When I found out you weren’t, I dropped everything to figure out why.”
That was sweet in a way. He cared. Because he loves me. I cradled his face between my palms and kissed him. His tongue traced my lower lip before delving into the crevice of my mouth. His fingers tightened against my neck, holding me to him as he took control. Residual anger and passion made him rougher than usual, but it suited my mood. I was furious at him and myself for our poor communication. So many misunderstandings . . . They cost us seven weeks together. I should have told him how I felt, but he should have told me, too. We were both idiots.
He cursed when the doorbell to his suite rang. “That would be dinner.”
“If we ignore them, will they go away?”
“Not likely.”
“Damn.” I climbed off his lap and admired his ass as he sauntered over to the foyer. He came back with a guy holding a thick pizza box and another pushing a cart with a sundae bar. “Holy crap, Mershano.” The logo on the box was from a local Chicago vendor I knew was closed at this hour.
“Hey, when in Chicago, one must eat pizza. This is the number one chain here, right?”
I licked my lips. “Oh yeah.”
“Good.” He tipped the delivery boys and told them we could take it from here. I eyed the box of cheesy deliciousness.
“You realize this is the kind of pizza you have, like, one slice of and are full all day afterward, right?”
“Yep.”
“Then why did you get a large?”
He grabbed a plate from the cart, put a slice on it, and handed it to me. Then he fixed one for himself and collapsed onto the couch beside me. “I figure this should feed us for at least two days while we figure out what the hell is going on between us. Because neither of us is walking out that door until we come to a mutual agreement.”
I choked on the bite of pizza I’d just shoved in my mouth. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me.” He flashed those sinful dimples and dug into his slice. It was smothered in pepperoni, cheese, and sauce, in that order. Good Chicago pizza had the sauce on top.
“What about work?”
He shrugged. “I took the week off.”
“Okay, what about my work?”
“That’ll be part of our negotiation, Miss Summers.” He took another bite while I gaped at him. “I suggest you eat that, sweetheart. You’re going to need your energy in thirty minutes when I take you to bed.”
My heart skipped a beat. His gaze was filled with intent as he said those last few words. I took a bite of my pizza in response, because what else was there to say? I couldn’t deny the man any more than he could deny himself.
“I haven’t been with anyone else,” he added, warming me inside. I loved when his voice dropped to that low murmur. It was sexy and filled with dark promise. “In case you were wondering.”
“I haven’t either.” Sex with anyone other than him hadn’t crossed my mind. Evan was all I thought about. I set my half-eaten slice down. “I don’t need energy.” I needed him. I crawled into his lap as he set his plate aside, and trailed kisses up to his ear. “I love you, Evan Mershano.” Butterflies fluttered through my lower abdomen. I couldn’t believe I was here, in his arms, and saying those three famous words. And he didn’t run away.
“I love you too, Sarah Summers.” I smiled against his neck and luxuriated in the heat his words inspired. He picked me up and carried me down the hallway into a bedroom with an oversized bed. A marble bathroom, with a shower built for five and a Jacuzzi tub, was adjacent to it. I eyed both with interest, and he noticed. “Hmm, yes, I’ve missed seeing you wet and glistening.”
My body slid against his as he set me down
in front of him. His hands went to my hips and then to the hem of my tank top to pull it over my head. My lacy red bra winked up at him, making him grin. “I’ve missed these as well.”
“Yeah?” I returned the favor by removing his shirt and dragging my nails down his muscular abdomen. “Well, I missed this. Because . . . abs.”
He chuckled, his eyes glinting with wicked intent. He popped open the button on my jeans and slid the zipper down to reveal my matching panties. He ran his thumb over the lacy top. “Hmm, I approve.”
I toyed with his belt buckle and unfastened his jeans. Black boxer briefs. “I approve, too.” I pushed them down to expose the well-endowed part of him and palmed his cock. His resulting hiss heightened my lust, making my thighs clench. “Definitely approve.”
He tore off my jeans and kicked off his own, leaving me in lingerie and him gloriously naked. The city’s lights poured in from the floor-to-ceiling windows of the room, painting him in a majestic glow. Gorgeous didn’t begin to cover it. I stroked his engorged shaft and wrapped my other hand around the back of his neck to pull him down for a kiss. He grasped my hips and yanked me to him as he took control with his mouth. His tongue sparred with mine, dominating each move. He backed me up toward the bed. I collapsed backward as my knees hit the mattress, and he paused to admire me sprawled out before him.
“Beautiful.” He trailed his fingers down to my knees, pulled me to the edge of the bed, and spread me wider for his perusal. The act left me aching and wet. Even in the dim lighting, I was sure he could see my damp panties. The way he licked his lips told me I was right. He went to his knees, placed a tender kiss on my inner thigh, and draped my legs over his shoulders. Goosebumps scattered down my arms as he licked his way upward, tasting every inch of my bare skin.
My hands fisted in the comforter as he traced the red lace with his tongue. Sensation swirled through my lower abdomen, making me tremble with desire. I fought the urge to thread my fingers through his thick hair and force his mouth to where I wanted it. This was his show, and I wanted him to take the lead. He nibbled my hip bone.
“How close are you?” His deep tenor was a heated caress that left me hot inside and out.
“Close.” It wouldn’t take much to send me over the edge. My hormones were starved without his touch. Nothing else would satisfy me. Only him. Always him.
Evan caught the red lace in his mouth and dragged the panties down my thighs to where his hands were waiting to remove them the rest of the way. Hot air hit my damp flesh, eliciting a moan from deep in my throat. My limbs shook with uncontrollable need. His namerolled off my tongue on a raspy note that made him smile up at me. “Oh, I missed that, too. But you know what I missed most?”
I had an idea. “Show me.”
His mouth closed over my sensitive bundle of nerves. That was all it took to throw me into the realm of ecstasy. It consumed me from head to toe, leaving me light-headed and exposed. He lapped at my core, drawing out my orgasm and making it go on and on and on. I was still shaking when he crawled over me. His hands went to my hips to move me into the center of the bed and then to my chest to remove my bra. He took one of my nipples into his mouth and sucked hard.
“Evan . . .” There was nothing kind or gentle about it, telling me his need was as violent as mine. He gave my other breast the same treatment, making me arch into him. I wrapped my legs around his waist and hugged him to me. “Now.”
Arousal curled in my lower belly, bringing me close to orgasm again. This man incited a passion in me like none other. I loved him. Body, heart, and soul, he was mine, and I was his. His mouth captured mine in a kiss that melted my insides. I was a quaking mess when he finished his sensual assault. He nipped my lower lip and settled his hips between my thighs. His erection nudged my entrance.
“I love you, Sarah.” His dark gaze held a mixture of fervor and adoration as he stared down at me. He cradled my face between his palms and placed a sweet kiss on my lips. “I’m never letting you go again.”
“Good, because I have no intention of going anywhere.” I nipped his chin in protest when he entered me part of the way and stopped. “I love you, too.” It was a whisper against his cheek, which forced him to finish his thrust. We both shuddered at the carnal impact. I clawed at his back as he started to move. There was no finesse or rhythm to it, just an unbridled passion both of our bodies understood. His mouth possessed mine, swallowing my moans as we reacquainted ourselves in the most intimate of ways.
Pleasure hit me hard and fast, bowing my back off the bed. My inner walls hugged his shaft, and fire licked through my veins. This orgasm was more intense than the first, shooting violent spasms down my thighs. They intensified with each thrust, elongating my gratification. His breath was hot and harsh against my neck, my name a prayer in the air, as my climax sent him over the edge. He groaned and convulsed over me, creating aftershocks deep inside of me.
“Shower?” He placed an open-mouthed kiss against my throat. “Or stay in bed?”
“Depends on what you have in mind.” My legs were spent, but I couldn’t unwind them from his waist. I didn’t want to break our intimate connection.
“Talking and sex, sweetheart.” His lips brushed my nose and then my mouth. He grinned. “I told you—I have the week off, and we’re not leaving this room until we’re both satisfied with the results.”
“I have work on Monday.”
“Then we better start talking.”
39
A New Contract
“Chocolate or vanilla?” Evan asked as he wheeled the sundae cart into the bedroom. He stood beside it, naked. His question sparked all sorts of sordid images that had nothing to do with talking or sundaes. I wanted to drizzle chocolate over his defined abs, lick it off, and then continue down that happy trail to the most delectable part of him. His gorgeous cock was meant to be dipped in whipped cream and licked clean.
“Keep looking at me like that, sweetheart, and you’ll miss work Monday.”
I swallowed. Fair enough. “Is the ice cream still solid?” The hotel staff delivered it over an hour ago.
“Yep.” He showed me a chocolate scoop before plopping it into his bowl. “It was in a cooler with dry ice.”
“Ah, that would do it.” I eyed all the available toppings and considered making Evan into a human sundae. My creativity spiked with ideas. We would need to keep this cart around for after our negotiation. “Vanilla, hot fudge if it’s still hot, whipped cream, nuts, sprinkles, and a cherry.” I didn’t eat enough pizza, and our lovemaking left me famished.
His eyes crinkled with his knowing grin. “In a bowl or on me?”
“Both, please.”
“That sounds sticky.”
“And delectable.” I went to my knees on the mattress and placed my hands on his shoulders. “Tell me you don’t want to decorate me in a few of those toppings.”
He set down the bowl and wrapped an arm around my waist to tug me closer. His lips went to my ear. “Why do you think I ordered a sundae bar?”
I shivered. “You better start talking, Mershano. Or I’m going to get distracted by daydreams of you licking caramel off my nipples.”
He nipped my bottom lip. “I plan to alternate between ice cream and hot fudge, Summers. All night. But I want to eat some of it, too.” He tapped me on the ass and went back to fixing the sundaes.
“Tease.”
“Not a tease if I plan to follow through.”
I shook my head and collapsed into the pillows at the headboard. “Now that I’m all hot and bothered, where do you want to start this negotiation?”
He finished adding the toppings to my bowl and handed it over. “Well, I think we need to talk about your career aspirations first. I want to help you with the marketing firm—not because of our previous deal, but because I think you’re good at what you do. I called Stern and Associates, and they sent me your portfolio. If you can produce that kind of work for your less passionate projects, then I can’t wait to see what you’l
l do for organizations you care about.”
I pulled the spoon from my mouth and stared at him. “Stern and Associates sent you my portfolio?” That was privileged information in the eyes of my former employer. I wasn’t allowed to use any of my prior work as samples in interviews.
“It took some coaxing, but money talks.”
“So you bought my portfolio.”
“More or less.” I noticed his sundae was twice the size of mine as he climbed into bed beside me. “But that’s irrelevant. The point is, I want to invest in your work. So let’s start there. What exactly do you need to do your job?”
“Clients.”
“Those come with word of mouth and won’t be an issue with the work you produce. I’m talking about logistics. Do you need an office?”
I licked my spoon and considered. “Maybe. For meetings with potential clients and any staff I might need, but most of my work can be done from a computer. I specialize in web design more than anything else, but I’ve dabbled in print, too. So I would need access to a printing distributor of some kind.”
“Which can be found anywhere.”
“Yes.” I took another bite before continuing. “But yeah, I mostly need a computer and internet. The company I interned with in college gave me a part-time position after the, uh, show.” I swallowed. “Anyway, I don’t have a desk or office with them, but they issued me a company laptop.”
“Did you go back to Stern and Associates to ask for your job back?”
I laughed. “No, I didn’t. They wouldn’t have taken me back even if I begged, and the truth is, I didn’t want to go back. If I learned anything over the last few months, it’s that I want to make a difference with my work even if it means having to bartend and do other odd jobs to pay rent.”
“Because your dream is to run your own marketing firm and pick the projects that matter.”
“Yes.”