by K Ayers
“Mmm. Your panties are damp. Wet. For me.” His finger circled across the cotton.
“Yes.” Her breathing grew shallow as their eyes locked.
Watching her, he took ahold of her panties in both hands and slowly slid them down her legs. “You have beautiful legs. I can’t wait to be between them.”
Alex blew a soft stream of air across the lower portion of her body and her breath caught. His fingers followed, gliding through her flesh, circling, but never touching the tiny bud that was rapidly becoming engorged.
When Alex slid two fingers deep inside her, Cassidy almost fainted. Her body was as tight as a bowstring. Her nipples were hard and aching beneath her dress.
His thumb brushed lightly against the most sensitive peak of flesh sending bolts of pleasure through her like an electrical surge. All the while, his eyes never left her face. It was incredibly erotic. Intimate.
Cassidy suddenly felt exposed. “Shouldn’t we dim the lights?” She heard the nervous edge to her voice and cringed.
A chuckle came from deep inside his chest. That circling motion he was making with his thumb became more pronounced. “No, Cassidy. We should not. What are you afraid of?
You. She wanted to say. I’m afraid of falling in love with you.
The lower part of Cassidy’s body curved towards Alex as his fingers thrust gently inside her.
“I’m pleased to see I was right. The carpet matches the drapes. I wondered,” he said in a seductive voice.
“Isn’t that rather juvenile for Alejandro Vega, CEO—” She bucked slightly and gasped as he curled his fingers inside her.
“I am only Alex with you.” Then his tongue licked down the length of her.
“Oh, God.” Cassidy’s hands grabbed at the comforter.
“No,” she heard the laughter in his voice, “just Alex.”
Then he tasted her with his tongue, dancing over the painfully swollen flesh as she reached down to touch his hair. His hair was so soft, like silk threading through her fingers.
His mouth moved over her. Sucking. Teasing. Not allowing her any relief. Alex seemed to sense when she was close and would immediately retreat. He was relentless, torturing her until Cassidy begged for release.
Alex lifted one of her legs over his shoulder and spread her apart with his other hand drawing all of her into his mouth. His fingers curled again inside her.
Cassidy’s orgasm slammed into her hard, shaking her entire body. She cried out as the ecstasy peaked so sharply for a moment she couldn’t breathe. Her release was almost painful as she writhed beneath his mouth. His tongue continued to flick against her with purpose until the second orgasm hammered her body, shocking Cassidy with nearly the same intensity as the first.
After the last of the pleasure abated, Cassidy lay sprawled on the bed. For the longest time her mind was blank as her body throbbed with the force of her climax. She looked up at the ceiling and listened to the thumping of her heart as the blood settled in her body and her breathing returned to normal.
Alex stood, but stayed between her legs. He was watching her intently, his eyes so dark they looked almost black.
Grinning like an idiot she whispered, “That was—” She sighed. “Amazing.”
“I am not just good at finding oil, Cassidy.” He was smiling now. “I have other skills.”
Cassidy propped up on her elbows. “Yes, you do. Please tell me there’s more.”
“Take off your dress.”
“Bossy.”
“A flaw. We’ve already addressed this issue.” A predatory glint lit his face as if he meant to gobble her up.
“Are you sure we can’t turn off the lights?” Her body wasn’t perfect, and she suspected his was.
“Positive. You could have three belly buttons or an unformed twin beneath that dress and I would still want to make love to you.”
He pulled the shirt up and over his head.
Alejandro Vega was one fucking gorgeous man. And he knew it. He undressed in a lazy manner, allowing her to see all of him. The chest beneath the broad shoulders was sculpted and muscled, the lines of his arms taut and defined. Dark nipples poked out through a dusting of fine, black hair. The hair trailed down from his navel, disappearing into his pants where she could see the outline of his erection. His stomach was flat, but there was no six-pack. It kept him from being too perfect.
Cassidy smiled. He likes pasta too much.
The pants came next. And they came off slowly. He watched her the entire time. A knowing smile crossed his handsome face as if he stripped for women on a regular basis. Alex wasn’t self-conscious in the least.
“Are you teasing me again?” She couldn’t wait to have him naked next to her.
“Maybe a little. But I think you like it.”
The nipples of her breasts tightened as Alex came towards her, stopping only to fling off the expensive Rolex from his wrist. His cock, hard and jutting sprang from a dark nest of hair. If Cassidy could whistle, she would have.
“You are a beautiful man, Alejandro Vega.”
“Alex, mi amor. I am happy you approve. The dress, Cassidy. It needs to come off.”
“You have a tattoo on your wrist.” Some sort of writing but she couldn’t see what it said.
“Cassidy,” he shot her dress a pointed look.
She stood, her legs still shaky. Pulling the dress up and over her head, she tossed it to the floor.
◆◆◆
Alejandro wondered if Cassidy ever wore a bra. Not that he would object unless some other man took notice. The thought caused an unaccustomed surge of jealously.
Her hair, glowing like a beacon, cascaded over her shoulders and curled around her breasts. The perfect breasts he’d thought about almost non-stop since yesterday. Cassidy was pale and delicate next to his larger form. He wanted to devour her.
She touched his chest, placing a small white hand on the darker skin of his stomach. Such a beautiful little hand.
Her hand moved lower, the fingers touched the hard length, before closing around him. A tentative stroke and then another. She moved closer so that the tip of him brushed against her skin.
He took a handful of her hair and pulled her to him. His lips met hers in a rough kiss. Then he pushed her back on the bed to loom over her on all fours.
Cassidy twisted seductively, her body begging for his hands and mouth. Her nipples were tiny pale peaks. A small whimper came from her.
“I want you, Cassidy.”
“Yes. Please.”
Lacing his hands through hers, he pinned her to the bed. His tongue flicked out to touch the tip of one nipple. “What do you want?” Sucking the peak into his mouth, he circled the engorged peak with his tongue and teeth until she panted beneath him.
“You. Inside me.”
Cassidy made the most delicious noises as his mouth moved over her breasts.
He released her hands, and she immediately wrapped her arms around his neck, pushing her smaller body up to his.
With one thrust he seated himself deep inside her. God, she felt good.
Cassidy lifted her hips to meet his with a soft sigh. Copper hair spilled out around her head like a halo. She looked so beautiful lying beneath him, all golden skin and soft sounds.
Alejandro finally understood, really understood, the difference between sex and making love. He knew he was a good lover, but he’d never before taken such care with a woman. He didn’t understand why Cassidy was different. She just was.
“Alex.” Her hips thrust up, the beautiful lines of her face blissful, as her body tightened around him.
Alejandro groaned. He lapsed into Spanish, telling Cassidy how much he wanted her. How beautiful she was to him. The things he wished to do to her. His strokes became harder as her body gripped his. He heard her whimper his name as her entire body tightened around his as she climaxed. Alejandro’s breath caught and he let go. The most powerful orgasm he’d ever experienced sliced through him. He was sure his heart stopped.
<
br /> Dios.
He buried his face in her neck, careful not to crush her. Alejandro’s blood pumped furiously through his body as he tried to slow his breathing. Reluctantly he rolled to the side but kept himself inside her, not ready to leave her warmth.
Cassidy brushed the hair back from his face. Her fingers absently stroked his scalp. She pressed a kiss to his shoulder and gave him a satisfied smile.
For the first time in his adult life he’d forgotten to wear a condom, and he didn’t care.
I don’t want to be without Cassidy.
Alejandro acknowledged the thought but didn’t bother to try to rationalize it. He wasn’t ready to process what the last twenty-four hours meant. He acknowledged that this woman was important to him. And he wasn’t about to let her leave his life. He was by nature logical and his mind was already planning what the next steps would need to be. Was it only a coincidence he met Cassidy just as he was moving Vega Petrol to Houston? Or fate?
He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “All right, querida?”
“Mmmm.” She pressed a soft kiss to his lips. “Better than all right. But I suspect you already know that, Alejandro Vega, master pasta maker and seducer of women.” She giggled before taking his wrist. After examining the writing there for several moments, she traced the tattoo with her fingertip before kissing him. Understanding lit the hazel eyes.
“She thought it was a silly thing to do,” he said. “To put her signature on my wrist. I had it done the day before she died. She and I both knew her time was near.”
“It’s a beautiful way to remember your mother.”
“No one notices. I keep it covered with my watch, or a long-sleeved shirt.” He closed his eyes.
“No one else needs to see it or understand it. The tattoo is for you, and you alone.”
So are you Cassidy.
For the first time since he was a child, Alejandro was happy. Peaceful. Fate was an odd thing. A relationship had been the last thing on his mind, especially with the move to Houston in process. Had his brother not cajoled him into renting his house, Alejandro would not have realized that his life was missing something. Something he didn’t even know he needed.
Cassidy.
EIGHT
Alejandro awoke to sun streaming through the windows. Glancing at the clock, he saw it was after ten. He hadn’t slept this late in years. And he wasn’t thinking about Vega Petrol. Or the move to Houston. Instead, he was thinking about Cassidy. Moving the pillow, he tried not to disturb the small woman nestled against him.
His little professor.
A tiny snore erupted from Cassidy. She wiggled her butt against him and sighed.
He ran fingers through her hair, marveling at the way the strands glittered in the sunlight like liquid copper. She had a constellation of freckles along the back of her neck and Alejandro pressed his lips to each one. Last night he was certain he’d stroked and kissed every part of Cassidy. But he’d missed the back of her neck.
Cassidy stirred and stretched like a small cat. Rolling over she immediately hid her face in his chest. “I’m not at my best.” Her voice was muffled. “I’m not a morning person.”
“Are you telling that to my chest or to me?” After last night that Cassidy was still even remotely self-conscious was ridiculously cute.
“Your chest.”
“Did you know I am up by 5AM most mornings? I can’t remember the last time I slept so late.”
“Please don’t tell me you’re one of those annoying people who get up to work out before the sun even comes up. I thought you were just bossy, but I knew there had to be something more. Something horrible. I wish I had known about this flaw before I let you seduce me. Morning people are annoying.”
“I hope I did not annoy you too much last night.”
“Not terribly. Three times was as much annoyance as I could tolerate.”
Laughter bubbled out of him and he kissed the top of her head. “What a relief. Do you want a shower or coffee first?”
Cassidy pulled her head away from his chest. Her mascara had smudged making her look like a sleepy raccoon. The auburn curls poked up at the crown of her head. “I am not a morning person,” she said again with conviction.
No, his little professor was definitely not a morning person. But he still found her to be the sexiest, most adorable woman he’d ever seen. “A shower will wake you up.”
“Is the shower with you?” She was burrowing herself against his chest.
Thinking of Cassidy wet and naked, with soap suds coursing over her body gave him an immediate erection.
“Yes, the shower is most definitely with me.”
It was the longest, most enjoyable shower of Alejandro’s life.
NINE
“Why didn’t I bring more clothes?”
Cassidy frowned at the contents of her carry-on, spilled across her bed at the small boutique hotel she was staying at. Except for the black dress she wore to dinner last night there really wasn’t anything appropriate for spending the day with a billionaire.
Oh God. I spent the night with Alejandro Vega. And it was amazing.
When Alex walked her to the door this morning and squeezed her hand, Cassidy honestly thought he would ask for her number and promise to call, knowing he wouldn’t. He would go back to his jet set executive lifestyle and Cassidy would go back to Houston. Telling herself again that billionaire oil CEO’s don’t date doctoral students, she’d blinked in surprise when he asked to spend the day with her. She fully expected to never see him again, let alone spend the day with him in San Miguel.
Cassidy had promised to meet him at a small café a couple blocks away she’d spotted on wanderings yesterday. She was late.
Grabbing a pair of jeans and a blouse, the only thing Alex hadn’t seen her in yet, Cassidy dressed and pulled her hair back in a ponytail. At least she didn’t have to shower. Alex had made very sure she was clean. Just the thought of the shower they shared earlier made her blush.
Cassidy’s phone dinged, reminding her to check in for her flight back to Houston. It was tomorrow. Early. Alex hadn’t asked when she was leaving San Miguel and Cassidy hadn’t brought it up. If today went well, she would just change her flight.
At least Miriam wouldn’t fire her when she got back to Houston. Cassidy sent Alex the rental agreement electronically and he’d agreed to sign it. For her. He said one of his employees would take photos and email those to her later that day. The camera was a loss, but it had been old. She’d buy Miriam another.
I could stay another night or two.
Cassidy wanted to. She told herself that Alex was nothing like Chad. Chad was a spoiled child compared to Alex.
Cassidy sank down onto the bed. Even if Alex wanted to continue this relationship, an impossibility since he lived in Mexico and she lived in Houston, what about her career? And that was if she could get through her dissertation. She’d worked so hard for her doctorate. Not that he’d asked her to give anything up. Or even to see her again after she left San Miguel.
“Shit.” She was late. Alex was all discipline and control. Being late would bother him. She would put money on it.
Grabbing her purse, she headed out of her small, boutique hotel and made her way down the street. It was only a couple blocks to the café and even though she was late, San Miguel was so charming and the weather so wonderful, she didn’t rush.
Cassidy turned the corner and walked towards the café, not surprised to see Alex already at a table with an espresso. He was reading a newspaper and checking his watch. She drew closer and saw he had on a Foo Fighters T-shirt and jeans with tennis shoes. Very un-CEO like. Except for the Rolex on his wrist and the Prada sunglasses, he looked like everyone else. Cassidy shook her head. Alex would never look like everyone else. Sitting there with the sun gleaming on his dark hair, he could be a model in a men’s clothing ad.
“Hello, querida.”
Just the sound of his voice sent quivers down Cassidy’s spine. Suddenly al
l she could think about was touching him.
“I’m sorry I took so long,” she apologized. “I couldn’t find anything to wear. I only packed for a couple days.”
“You are beautiful.” He stood and greeted her with a brush of his lips.
Cassidy wanted to groan. She could still see him naked, in the shower.
“If you continue to look at me like that Cassidy, we will not see San Miguel. Although, after roaming around these dusty streets today, you will probably need another shower.” The heat in his eyes was unmistakable.
“I’ve never been so clean, Mr. Vega.”
Alex laughed, a wonderful sound that ran over Cassidy’s skin like warm chocolate. “Then I hope you get very dirty today, Ms. Davidson.” He leered at her before catching her around the waist.
A plump man, an apron tied neatly around his waist, waddled over to Alex. They chatted casually in Spanish and seemed to know each other. The man gave Cassidy an odd, curious look, before nodding to Alex and turning back to the inside of the café.
“Do you know him?”
A dark brow lifted. “Who? Jose? Oh, yes. I’ve known him for years.” He pulled back her chair, nuzzling her neck as she sat down.
The tingle through her body was delicious.
Jose came back, bustling around the table. He brought Alex another espresso and a coffee for her.
“So what will you do with your P.H.D, Cassidy? Teach?”
“Eventually. But for now I’d like to get out into the real world. I’ve put feelers out at the Houston Historical society. They’ve purchased several buildings that desperately need restoration and asked me for a plan.”
“What kind of plan?”
“One in which I present my blueprints for the restoration along with how I expect to pay for the work, whether through fundraising efforts or private donors.” Cassidy looked away. She didn’t want Alex to think she would ask him for a donation. “I didn’t mean—”