by R. C. Martin
For a moment, neither of them moved. Then something flickered across Judah’s gray eyes—as if he’d made up his mind about something—and he pressed a quick, decisive kiss to her lips before reaching for his wallet.
Theodora’s gaze flicked across the table, wondering who had seen their short exchange. She swallowed hard when she found Annelise studying them apprehensively. Then she remembered what Harper said in the hallway, and she was quick to shift her gaze onto her sister. She found Harper staring at her—as if she was waiting for Theodora’s attention. She mouthed the word hot and rolled her eyes playfully. Theodora fought a grin and stifled a giggle before settling her attention on Judah.
It was quite obvious there were a few differing opinions about her relationship from those around the table, but she only cared about the opinion of one. At the memory of his whispered words in her ear only seconds before, and recalling the declarations he made that morning—with his mouth between her legs—she decided Judah was right. She was his, no matter what anyone thought.
Chapter Thirty-Two
She grazed her fingers along the edges of the plunging neckline of her dress, to ensure for the hundredth time that the tape holding the fabric against her modest cleavage was intact. As she stared at her reflection in the floor length mirror on the back of her bedroom door, she drew in a deep breath and blew it out slowly. Her hair, which she pinned on one side and draped over her opposite shoulder, fell in waves down to her waist. She felt anxious and excited; nervous and confident; vulnerable and sexy. In short, she felt like a tangled mess of contradictions.
It had taken her hours to decide on the dress she intended to wear to the gallery’s first exhibition gala. The black-tie affair was the most sophisticated and anticipated event she’d ever attended. Given the amount of work that went into planning the evening, she wanted to look perfect. Yet, more than that, she wanted to feel beautiful and daring—she wanted to look the way she felt when Judah touched her. It was a desire that felt both foreign and necessary all at once. When she found the dress she thought would suit the occasion, she rented it without second guessing herself.
The gown was actually quite simple. It was black and slimming; it covered her entire back and extended all the way to the floor. The capped sleeves would do little to keep her warm, but they somehow made the dress look classy. It was the neckline of the dress that kept her in front of the mirror, staring at herself. The wide, V-neck cut plunged until just above her waist. The slight swell of her breasts were on display; and while she was quite certain she’d seen to it that the possibility of accidental exposure was slim to none, she also couldn’t help but to imagine how easy it would be for Judah to slip his fingers beneath the fabric of her dress in order to find her nipple and pinch it, as she knew he liked to do.
A loud knock at her front door yanked her from her daydream. Pulling in another breath, Theodora turned from her reflection. She headed to her bed, plucked up the teal clutch she prepared for the evening, and exited her room. Her black, platform stiletto heels announced her approach before she answered the door, and she grinned at the man who stood on the other side.
Geoffrey’s eyes grew wide at the sight of her. As if he wasn’t sure what to do with his hands, he smoothed them down the front of his black tux while his gaze traveled up and down the length of Theodora. She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. She then glanced down at herself before she did a slow turn to give him the full effect.
“Wow,” he muttered in awe. “You look—wow.”
“So do you,” replied Theodora, reaching out to straighten his bowtie.
“I look like every other guy who’s going to be at this thing. You, baby girl, are a showstopper.”
She blushed, dropping her gaze to her feet. She hoped Judah would think the same.
With a shy shrug, she peered into her best friend’s eyes and replied, “It’s a big night.”
“And if you didn’t have a man half as possessive as yours, I’d have you on my arm for the whole of it.”
Theodora stepped over her threshold to join him, then shut and locked her door before she curled her arm around his. “Well, my date will be late to the party—so I’m yours until then.”
“I’ll take what I can get.”
“How’s Andy?” she asked as Geoffrey began to escort her down the stairs.
“A nervous wreck; but the gallery looks amazing. As soon as the guests start pouring in, I think we’ll get our guy back.”
Theodora squeezed Geoffrey’s arm, suddenly more anxious than before to return to the gallery. It was closed all day, yet buzzing with activity as the final arrangements were made for the party. When Theodora left to get ready, the caterers had just arrived. While she was too nervous to feel hungry, she couldn’t wait to see how it all turned out.
“It’s going to be great. I can feel it.”
“Me, too, Freckles. Me, too.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
I flipped my wrist, checking the time once more as I laced my shoes. Traffic coming from Denver was a nightmare, with not one but two accidents which delayed me longer than I anticipated. It was nearly eight by the time I pulled into my driveway. I didn’t even bother easing into the garage. Instead, I jogged inside, stripped for a shower, and made quick work of cleaning myself up for the evening. I took one last look in the mirror at the three-piece, all black tuxedo I chose for the night before my phone alerted me to an incoming text. Without even having to check, I knew it was Teddy—and that was enough to get me out the door.
I grabbed the first parking spot I could find as I approached Old Town, walking briskly through the chilly night as I hurried to the gallery. I heard the festivities half a block away, and I slowed my pace as I approached and caught sight of the activity through the storefront windows. The gallery was full of people milling about, drinking wine, beer, or champagne whilst they picked at hors-d’oeuvres and admired the pieces set up especially for the exhibition. When I finally passed through the front entrance, one look around the room and I imagined the three people responsible for the event must have been proud. The turnout was one indicator of its success.
Homing in my gaze, I began to search the room for one woman in particular. It took me longer to spot her than I would have liked, my search tugging me into the crowd—but it was well worth the effort. Immediately after I spotted her, I stopped dead in my tracks. I shoved my hands into my pockets as my appreciation of her gorgeous body made itself known at my crotch.
She looked beyond exquisite. Staring at her, I knew the only time I’d ever seen her look more beautiful was when she was wearing nothing at all.
Teddy stood in a small group of both men and women, all of whom were focused on one man in particular. I couldn’t hear what he was saying, but I knew the moment he cracked a joke. Seeing Teddy’s amusement as it lit up her whole face only served to remind me how much of a fool I was. I adored her smile. From my vantage point, I had no doubt I was the most fortunate man in the room.
That stunning creature in the black dress is mine.
It wasn’t long before I noticed I wasn’t the only man blatantly staring at the gorgeous redhead. My awareness of that fact pulled me from my trance, and I purposefully made my way toward her. As if she could sense my presence, she looked away from the man who continued to speak and shifted her attention onto me. When our eyes met, Teddy’s smile changed, and the sight made my chest swell. Extracting one of my hands from my pocket, I reached for her, wrapping my arm around her waist as soon as she was close.
With a glass of wine in one hand, she could do little more than circle her free arm around my back as she leaned into me. “Hi,” she whispered.
“Sorry I’m late,” I said as I bent to touch my mouth to hers. She gave me even more of her slight weight before I severed our kiss and explained, “The meeting ran long, and traffic held me up.”
“It’s okay,” she insisted, the truth of her sentiment found in her stare. “You’re here now.”
A hint of a blush caressed her cheeks. “Thank you.” She stared at me for a second and then told me, “I’m so glad you’re here.”
I didn’t hesitate to kiss her a second time, glad to be able to claim the most beautiful woman in the room as mine. Knowing it would be a couple of hours before I could claim her exactly as I wanted to, I forced myself to look about the gallery. “How’s it going?”
“Good. Really good, I think.” She gave my hip a squeeze and murmured, “Do you remember when I told you why Andy decided on photography for tonight?”
I returned my attention to her face, adorned with just enough makeup to befit the evening, and tried to remember the details of one of the many conversations we’d had over the past several weeks about the exhibition.
“It’s not the gallery’s niche,” I replied, plucking the tidbit from some back corner of my mind.
“Exactly. Andy hoped it would draw new interest, and he was right. I knew the artists he’d chosen—I even looked into some of them myself—but I don’t think any of us thought they’d draw this crowd. Also, Jude, I’ve met so many people in the last hour. One photographer in particular…” Her words trailed off as she shook her head at me, like she could hardly think straight from excitement. “Baby, his work is brilliant, and he talked to me about technique for fifteen minutes. It was incredible. I have to show you my favorite of his pieces.”
It was when she called me baby that I knew she was lost in the high which came from being in her element. Her enthusiasm was captivating. Moreover, I saw in her eyes something I knew existed inside of her—something she still didn’t recognize. She was made for nights like the one we were in; not as a receptionist, but as an artist. I was as sure about that as I was sure interior design was what I was made for.
“Do you want to see?” she pressed.
“Yes. Show me.”
With a grin, she pulled away from me only enough to be able to take my hand. She laced her fingers through mine and led me around the group she’d been standing in, toward one of the gala’s grand displays for the evening.
“Oh,” she gasped softly, coming to an abrupt stop. She then pointed at an image of a field, covered by a large storm cloud. “This guy and the way he captures the sky, it’s amazing. This isn’t the artist I was telling you about, but I think these are so beautiful.”
We stopped to admire various artists at least three times before we reached the photograph she wished to show me, but I didn’t mind. In truth, she was a work of art herself, and I was content to indulge her endearing delight. When we arrived at the piece she loved, I hardly saw it—too busy listening to her talk about the way the photographer managed to capture movement and stillness; strength and elegance; light and dark. With her hand still in mine, I pulled her towards me, bending her arm behind her back as I held her and sought out her gaze.
“This could be you, you know,” I told her.
“What?” she asked innocently.
“Your work in a gallery. An exhibition in your honor. You’re good enough.”
“I’m not,” she said on a throw-away laugh.
“You are.”
“So you keep telling me.”
“One day,” I muttered, holding her tighter, “I’ll convince you.”
“Doubtful. But—I love you for saying so.” She pressed up onto her tiptoes and reached for a kiss. I didn’t deny her, all the while thinking of the framed photograph which came in the mail the day before. I found a spot for it on the wall behind my bed. I wished she could see what I saw; wished she trusted my eye—but it was as I had said. I intended to convince her.
“Okay,” she said after our quick kiss. “You’re probably hungry. You won’t fill up here, but you can nibble and have a drink. Also, I’m hogging you. We should mingle.”
“It’s your night, sweetheart. Lead the way.”
She was right. I was hungry, and the bite-sized offerings that were passed around did little to curb my hunger. However, in ways I never anticipated, being the man at Teddy’s side filled me with a yearning far greater than that of food. As the event drew to a close, Andrew thanked Teddy for all she had done. When he insisted I take her home—dinner wasn’t what I was craving. So distracted by what I intended to do with Teddy as soon as we were alone, I didn’t notice her shift in demeanor until I killed the engine of the Mercedes in my garage.
“Hey,” I murmured, reaching over to trace the back of my fingers down the length of her neck. “You tired?”
She turned to look at me as I let my hand continue down across the center of her exposed chest. I wanted to reach for her barely concealed breast and free her from the dress, but she took my hand in hers and brought it to her lips. “No,” she whispered. It was all she said before she let me go and turned to climb out of the SUV.
I followed after her, watching as she came to a stop at the end of the short hallway outside the mudroom. With a hand braced against the wall, she slipped her foot out of one shoe, and then the other, dropping in height before she looked back at me from over her shoulder. Blood raced toward my groin when she caught my eye only to disappear around the corner. Trailing behind her, I started to come out of my tux—shedding my jacket and my vest as I made my way into the bedroom.
With her back turned toward me from where she stood at the foot of the bed, she said, “Tonight meant a lot to me—you being there. I want to say thank you. I just…” She peeked at me from over her shoulder once more. “Do you want me in the dress, or out of it?”
My erection pressed uncomfortably against the seam of my pants as I closed the distance between us. Wrapping one arm around the front of her waist, I held her to me. I wanted her to know how much she turned me on just as she was.
So I could speak tenderly into her ear, I leaned down and muttered, “I’ve wanted you out of this dress since the moment I saw you in it, sweetheart.”
She arched her back, pushing her little ass against my hard-on as she practically moaned, “Unzip me.”
I did as I was told, and she worked the dress off her body until it was pooled around her feet. She turned to face me, pressed a hand on my chest, and encouraged me backwards. My dick grew even more rigid at the sight of her in only a lacey black thong. Then she stepped out of her dress and sank to her knees.
My breathing was ragged before she even got me out of my pants. When she eased my boxer briefs from over my ass, my dick sprang free, and she wasted no time wrapping me in her mouth. As she began to suck, I quickly worked my way out of my shirt and tie. When both were on the floor, I buried my fingers in her hair, groaning in pleasure as she took as much of me as she could. The feel of her, coupled with the sight of her bobbing head, was enough to drive me wild—but I didn’t mean to come down her throat. She caught me off guard when she reached for my balls, and I lost control.
I groaned a curse, bucking my hips as my orgasm shot through me. Teddy hummed in reply, sucking and licking me until I grew still. It was the sexiest sight, and it made me want her all the more. When she looked up at me from where she knelt, I bent down and took hold of her from beneath her arms. She squeaked and giggled as I lifted her up and tossed her onto the bed. The moment I was on my knees—kneeling at the foot of the mattress, my pants still around my ankles and my shoes still laced on my feet—she grew silent. I slid the scrap of her thong out of my way and then pressed my hands to the inside of her thighs, holding her open. She sucked in a breath as I dragged my tongue along her wet seam, and she whimpered when I thrust it inside of her.
After her first orgasm, I was hard again, and anxious to deliver her second. Without preamble, I stood and buried myself inside of her, swallowing her moan as I closed my mouth around hers. She reached up and held either side of my face, kissing me urgently as she wrapped her legs around me. We kissed until neither of us could breathe, and then we fed on each other’s exhales. Teddy arched her back, her legs holding me tighter
as she sank her fingers into my hair and tugged.
“Judah,” she cried, her eyes closed, and her face scrunched in desperation. “Harder. Harder, baby,” she pleaded.
She’d never asked for that before, and it lit a fire inside of me. I swore on a groan, jerking my hips harder, my body growing slick with sweat as I stoked the passion within her. I could tell by her shallow breaths, each accompanied by a whimper, she was close. I could feel the blaze that burned like wildfire within her as she gripped the strands of my hair until my scalp ached. When she came, the room filled with the sound of her long moan, and her sex clamped down so hard around me, there was no resisting it. I came right along with her, bucking my hips sporadically as my pleasure raced up my spine.
“Fuck,” I panted as I collapsed on top of her.
“Yeah,” she breathed.
It was all either of us said as we fought to catch our breath. After a few minutes, I lifted my head in search of her eyes. Her hazel-brown irises danced as she looked at me, and I knew then our night had just begun.
“You hungry?”
“Yeah,” she whispered with a nod.
“Let’s refuel.”
Speaking through a soft chuckle she agreed. “I just have to go to the bathroom really fast.”
Understanding that was my cue, I lifted myself off of her and helped her to her feet. She disappeared from sight as I worked my boxer briefs up over my hips before finally removing my shoes. I had just freed my ankles of my pants when I heard Teddy gasp.
“Jude…”
I looked back toward the opening on either side of the bed, in anticipation of her presence. When she didn’t appear, I headed for the bathroom. I stopped when I found her standing behind the wall, admiring my newest piece of art.
“Like I said,” I began, watching her as she stared. “One day, I’ll convince you.”
She turned to look at me, but she didn’t move. Instead, with her gaze locked with mine, she stated, “I love you.”