A Taste of Passion ; Ambitious Seduction

by Chloe Blake

  In record time he’d sheathed himself and had her lying flat on her back with her legs spread wide. He held himself at her entrance. “This is our first time in a bed.”

  “You obviously need assignments when it comes to keeping your mouth occupied.” Their lips collided as he slid into her. Their lovemaking was unhurried as he savored her. Her tight warm heat engulfing him. The way she met him with every thrust. The tenderness in her eyes as she gazed up at him.

  He could’ve stayed inside her forever.

  “Please.” She whispered and he knew just what she needed as she raked her nails down his back. Together they set a faster rhythm, bringing them both closer to the edge.

  “Oh my...” she breathed out when she came. He grabbed her hips and thrust hard into her until he followed her into the heavens.

  * * *

  Kamilla placed the now empty tray room service had delivered onto the table in Leonardo’s room. The server didn’t bat an eye when he dropped off the meal at three in the morning. Neither of them had thought to buy food to keep in the refrigerator or cabinets of the designer kitchen.

  “I changed my mind about scrapping the agenda for tomorrow.”

  Leonardo groaned in misery even as he tracked her movements. She put a little extra swing into her hips as she made her way back to the bed.

  As soon as she bounced onto the mattress, he pulled her onto her back and rested his leg over hers. Who knew he’d be such a cuddly man?

  He kissed her temple and rested his head on her chest. “We could just stay in and make love for the rest of the day. And night. Until we have to leave.”

  The offer held appeal. If the real world didn’t intrude on them, maybe they could enjoy this fantasy for a little longer. She had to be real. “Remember we have work to do?”

  He lifted his head and looked into her eyes. “I could give a damn about the firm and the need to keep the Singletons as clients. I care about you and building what we’ve started.”

  Unable to decipher if he wanted to continue having sex or start a relationship, she focused on the part about the firm. “If we don’t reacquire the Singletons, then we lose our jobs.”

  “Would it be such a bad thing?”

  Jaw dropping to her chest, she pushed his leg off her and sat up. “Weren’t you listening when I told you about my past?”

  He sat to face her. “I heard every word, but there’s more than this firm. More than making partner.”

  “Puh. This coming from my main competitor. Are you telling me you’ve given up on becoming partner?”

  “All I’m saying is that law consists of more than Peterson, Benton, Monroe and Lanner.”

  Was this the same man? “Where is this coming from? I’ve worked my ass off for them. I deserve to be partner. You know if I made a lateral move to another firm, it could be years before I’m considered. Years of having no life and never seeing the only people in the world I consider family. All the work I’ve done proving myself would have been for nothing.”

  He touched a hand to her knee, creating tingles that both distracted and calmed. Did he know the effect he had on her?

  “You graduated top of your law school class. I heard about your reputation all the way in London. What makes you think others haven’t heard about you, too, and would do anything to have you on their team?” He placed the fingers of his other hand over her mouth before she could argue. “Trust me, you’ll always have a job. You found the stability you’ve been seeking all your life the moment you graduated college and law school, and passed the bar exam. No one can take that away from you.”

  She sighed in defeat. Of course he was right, but making partner would be irrevocable. Mostly. The partners could let go of a junior partner, but if they ever decided to make that mistake, she’d go down fighting. She set her lips in a deep pout. “You never answered my question. What’s going on with you?”

  Sighing, he lay back on the bed. His scar caught her eye. Without thinking, she reached out and traced her finger down the center of his chest, along the raised area. As a boy he’d had his chest cut wide open. His heart exposed so it could be fixed. He could’ve died. She leaned over, kissed the scar and rested her head on it. His heart beat strong and sure.

  After minutes of lying there, he changed their positions so they faced each other. “Would you believe me if I told you I’ve fallen in love with you?”

  The honesty shone in his eyes for her to see. He never said what he didn’t mean, so she had no reason not to believe him. She nodded and placed her hand back on his chest, not knowing what else to say. If she told him she loved him, would it mean giving up her dream?

  He fell onto his back and wrapped an arm around her. “My sister got married and had a baby last year. The most adorable creature I’ve ever seen in my life. I’m not the biggest fan of children, but when she smiles, my heart squeezes. Her husband has a niece. Vanessa fought cancer when she was younger and won. She’s the second liveliest nonrelative I’ve ever met. Full of life and willing to learn. Because of our shared histories, we clicked right away.”

  Kamilla didn’t understand where he was headed, but enjoyed learning more about the people in his life. “Who’s the first?”

  “I’ll give you a hint. She’s gorgeous, intelligent, never backs down from a fight, is not easily intimidated, has worked more jobs than my friends in high school combined and is lying in my arms, asking me questions when I haven’t answered the one she initially asked.”

  She laughed and settled against his firm chest. “It better have been me.”

  “Miguel got engaged. It shocked the hell out of everyone in the family. She’s good for him. My parents are still young, but they’re getting older. We have get-togethers and dinners but I only attend half of them, if that. When I did show up, I was never fully present. Making partner had become my obsession.”

  She still failed to see the direction of his story.

  “About four months ago, I felt a burning in my chest, so I rushed to my cardiologist.”

  She snapped her head up. She hadn’t seen anything wrong with him. But then again other than when they’d worked together on a project, they hadn’t spent a lot of time in each other’s presence. “What was it?”

  “After a slew of tests, they diagnosed me with indigestion.”

  She let out the air she’d been holding and tapped his chest. “So it wasn’t your heart?”

  “No, but it could’ve been. Or I could get run over by a car. Be shot by a stray bullet or caught in a terrorist attack. This might sound corny, but life isn’t guaranteed.”

  He’d just preached to the choir. “It’s realistic,” she contributed. “Most people don’t live their lives understanding that.” Over the past five years, she’d been one of them. Yes her goal was important, but so was, well, everything else. Now she understood the path of his thoughts.

  “It was like lightning hit me with the realization that at any moment I could die and I had yet to start living. I just didn’t know how. Until that night in my office when we set the furniture on fire.”

  She giggled. “I do vaguely recall.”

  He rolled over, sprawling her out beneath him. “Funny. I took a risk that night and felt free.” He nipped the side of her neck. “Definitely satisfying, but also confusing because my life had been all about setting and meeting objectives, forsaking everything else to make it happen.”

  Were they really in bed together, talking about his life? She reached up and stroked his cheek. The bristly hair abraded her palm. The conversation as real as the solidness of his body pressing her into the mattress. “I haven’t noticed a change in the past two months. You’re still driven.”

  “Change takes time. I’m working on it bit by bit. With you, my family and even my concept of the partnership.”

  She nodded in understanding. “It’s important, but not the be-all
and end-all of life.”

  The brightness of his smile seeped into her. She pulled him down and kissed, loved and cherished him until they fell asleep in a tangle of limbs.

  Chapter 21

  Kamilla stretched the kinks out of her muscles as she woke up. Reaching across the bed, she found Leonardo gone. She recalled his quick kiss and an invitation to go to the gym earlier in the morning. She’d waved him off and curled up under the covers, considering their night as enough of a workout to last her the rest of the week.

  She still couldn’t believe the talk they’d had. He loves me. Although she hadn’t admitted it out loud, she’d fallen in love with him. How long had this feeling been lingering inside of her? She’d fought and cloaked it as antagonism, but even her best friend had realized it. Could they really be together as a couple? She had her doubts. And hopes.

  Leonardo’s door opened and he strode in sweaty, hot and sexy. “You’re still in bed?”

  “Great to see you haven’t lost your powers of observation.”

  When he leaned over to kiss her, she turned her head. “I haven’t brushed my teeth.”

  He placed his hand on her chin and turned her in his direction. Staring into her eyes, he touched his lips to hers before rubbing their noses together and standing up. “Sweetheart, if the crust in the corners of your eyes didn’t turn me off, your breath won’t either.”

  She reached up to wipe her eyes and found nothing. She grabbed a pillow and tossed it at his retreating back as he headed toward the bathroom. She loved this playful aspect of him. Life is to be lived. She reminded herself of his resolve.

  After hopping out of bed, she ran to her room. He wouldn’t catch her unprepared for one of his heart-melting kisses again.

  Forty-five minutes later they sat in the dining room, eating breakfast.

  “Let’s go ice-skating instead of using the skimobiles.” He wiggled his brows. “I want a chance to hold you for everyone to see that you’re mine.”

  She paused mid-chew at the shock his words brought. Did he really want her? He did profess his love. What would it be like dating him? Never dull.

  His hand waving in front of her face brought her back. “Did you hear me or did your fear of skating paralyze you.”

  Anxiety formed a tight knot in her belly. “I’m not afraid of skating. I just don’t like it.”

  He shook his head. “I’m an attorney, remember. I heard the distress when you said you fell a lot. I expected you to slide down the hill more on your behind than on your skis the other day, but you were steady for most of the runs. I figure you lied about being bad at skating.”

  Kamilla cut her sausage as she tried to play it cool with a shrug. Why didn’t she just tell him what had happened? A previous experience had tranquilized her with terror when it came to ice-skating. Because she was screwed either way. Whether she told him or not, he’d made up his mind. For Leonardo, fear needed to be overcome, not entertained.

  Normally she would’ve agreed with him, but this time she wished he’d just back off. Which of course he wouldn’t.

  “Good.” He pointed the prongs of his fork in her direction when she didn’t reply. “We’re going to the rink after breakfast.”

  She tilted her head and smiled at him, hoping she looked at least a little sexy. “Wouldn’t you rather stay in and...” she finished the sentence with a lick of her lips.

  His eyes widened for a moment and she thought he’d nix the new plans he’d come up with. “Nice try, vixen, but we’re still going skating.”

  “Great,” she said with the same amount of enthusiasm she’d placed on the word when she’d first learned she’d be paired up with Leonardo for a project.

  * * *

  “The trick to ice-skating is balance.” Leonardo attempted to coax Kamilla onto the rink after displaying his own skill by skating once around the rink. The boarding school he’d attended had taught him how to do almost everything he’d need to enjoy a full life. They’d had lessons from cooking to mechanics to dancing. He and his buddies had always joked that the school’s main aim was to train them to be some sort of male Geishas. The institution excelled at creating well-rounded young men.

  He stepped off the rink and sat beside her on the bench. Her gloved hands twisting together didn’t bode well. Had he ever seen her so nervous?

  He grabbed her hands to steady them. “What are you so afraid of?”

  “Falling.”

  The non-snide remark caught him off guard. “But you fell on the ski slopes.”

  “Yeah, but no one can cut off your fingers with skis.”

  Confused, he backtracked. “Tell me what happened when you went ice-skating the first—”

  “And only.”

  “—time.”

  He wrapped her in his arms when she trembled. “You’re safe, sweetheart.” He planted a kiss on her exposed temple and she leaned into him. He sank into the role he’d wanted to play in her life for so long. Her staunchest supporter. The strength she could tap from. He’d more than willingly give her anything she needed.

  “It was horrible.” She gripped his jacket. “In the sixth grade, we went on a class trip to a skating rink. It looked so beautiful on television and we were all excited, ready to do spins and fly through the air. When we got there, we were given a little lesson, but I hardly paid attention. Rather than cling to the side rail like the other kids, I glided onto the ice as if I owned it.”

  She looked up at him. “I was really good, too. I didn’t wobble or fall once.”

  He smiled at her gloating. If she could be paid for excelling at the things she tried, she’d have been able to buy their law firm five times over. “I can imagine.”

  “My foster brother at the time, Tim, was a mean bastard. A bully in the house and at school.”

  He squeezed her. “What did he do?”

  “The punk shoved me and I fell. When I got up, he looped around and pushed me again.”

  “That doesn’t sound too bad.”

  “It wouldn’t have been, but that’s not the awful part. He left me alone for a little while and I got up, determined not to let Tim land me on my ass again.” Still tucked into Leonardo’s side, she angled her head up. She’d never looked more endearing. Almost innocent. Until she opened her mouth. “If you haven’t noticed, I’m fantastic at everything I try.”

  He chuckled. “And modest about it, too.” He prodded her with a jiggle. “What happened?”

  She rested her head back on his shoulder and growled. “Andre Burton.”

  He waited for her to expound.

  “I was minding my own business, gliding around with my best friend Casey, when he came up from behind and tripped me. I caught my balance before I plowed into the ice with my face, but unfortunately I overcompensated and went backward. I hit the ground so hard, I got the wind knocked out of me and had difficulty breathing.” She balled her gloved hands. “One of the rules they taught us was to curl our hands into fists if we fell. I was too busy struggling to inhale to remember it. And then Casey screamed at me to watch out. I looked up and saw Tim barreling in my direction. I tried to pull my hand closer, but it was too late.”

  With the drama of a master storyteller, Kamilla paused, pulled off her glove and presented her hand as she swiped the air with her opposite arm. “There was blood everywhere.”

  He analyzed the appendage. “What am I supposed to be seeing?”

  She pointed to the tip of her middle finger, not as rounded as the others. She gazed at it with regret. “He sliced the skin-tip clean off. My glove was ruined. Which I didn’t mind so much because they were gigantic men’s hand-me-downs.”

  He stifled his laughter at her lament for something he barely noticed. The situation must’ve been traumatic at the time, but she’d gotten off with little more than a scratch. “It could’ve been worse. At least he didn’t cut th
rough bone.”

  “It’s bad enough. That boy ruined any chances I had of being a hand model.”

  Leonardo pulled away and studied her guileless eyes. “Is this a true story?”

  “Of course it is. I didn’t say I wanted to be a hand model, but the opportunity was ripped from me.”

  This time he laughed loud enough to draw attention from the few people enjoying the ice.

  She swatted her glove at him and shimmied her rear across the bench. “It’s not funny. I had to go to the emergency room because I was bleeding so much.”

  He gave her a poignant look. The kind he gave to clients to determine if they were lying.

  “Okay, so it was their first-aid room, but still I had to get medical treatment.”

  He tried to sober up from the laughter—he really did—but failed. After a full minute of being doubled over, his stomach hurt. Kamilla sat pouting with her arms crossed.

  “I’m sorry. It’s just that you were so theatrical about it.” A chuckle escaped. “How about if I look up Andre Burton and this Tim guy and sue the hell out of them?”

  That brought a slow, contemplative smile to her lips. “I already got my revenge.”

  Of course she did. Who would be fool enough to cross her without suffering the consequences? “What did you do?”

  “Since the statute of limitations is over, I can tell you. I mentioned Tim was a bully.”

  Leonardo nodded, wanting her back in his arms. He kept himself still, knowing the moment had passed and she might fight it. Besides, a niggling fear careened down his spine about her next story. He’d seen her come up with some ingenious ways on how to phrase a clause in a contract so that it became ironclad. He’d never been prouder of her, but he’d had to convey it through sarcasm or perhaps an insult. If she hadn’t been such a strong woman and took no offence at his mean-ass ways, he wouldn’t have respected her as much. Even though he’d been completely in the wrong the whole time.

  “I gathered everyone Tim and Andre had tormented the most.” She bunched her lips to the side as if lost in the memory. “You have no idea how hard it is to get people who are afraid of someone to band together. Anyway, after a whole week of persuasion, then another one of planning, we got him.” Kamilla tapped her chest. “I wanted to cut off his finger.”