So she loved him. Someday she’d get over it. ‘The answer’s still no. I won’t come back to the bar.’ She inhaled deeply. ‘Or you.’
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
You find it difficult to talk about your feelings
HE FROZE. Sound finally emerged, half strangled. ‘I need you, Lucy.’
‘You need me like you need a hole in the head. Come on, Daniel. Aside from sex we have nothing in common.’
‘That’s not true. We both can’t get to sleep at night. Not without each other.’
‘We have nothing in common in the things that really matter, Daniel.’ She pushed him away. ‘You’re so much more…worthy than I am. You’re living this life where you’re going to make a difference. You’re an achiever. Someone who’ll make the world a better place. You should be with someone similar. Someone like Sarah—who has beauty and brains to match yours.’
‘Your belief in me is flattering, Lucy, but I’m just another lawyer—there are thousands of us graduating every year.’
‘That’s not true, Daniel. You’re special and you know it. Why else are they all clamouring for you? Daniel—be a partner! Daniel—be a professor! Daniel—be the Chief Justice!’
‘So?’
‘So you can’t be with someone like me. A guy who’s maybe going to be a judge one day can’t have a barmaid for a girlfriend.’
‘Why not? And I don’t want you for my girlfriend. I want you for my wife.’
‘Daniel.’ Pleading for him to stop offering her the moon when she couldn’t accept it. She loved him but she wasn’t what was best for him.
‘Lucy. You have talents too. You have amazing talents.’
‘Like what? Playing second violin? Come on. I’m nowhere near your league and you know it.’
‘I know that no one runs that bar better than you. I know that you get those bar staff working and happy. You get punters coming back in those doors time and time again. Since you started there the sales have gone way up. You know how to entertain people, Lucy. You make an environment that people can relax in. That’s just as important as winning someone’s case for them.’
He read her ‘yeah right’ expression.
‘It is, Lucy. What’s life without pleasure? It can’t all be hard work. I love my work—you know I do. But I need to relax too—I understand that now. And I need you to help me relax.’
‘It’s the sex again. That’ll fade. You’ll get bored soon enough.’
‘I will not. And it’s not just the sex—we’re better than bed mates. You challenge me. You pull my head in when it’s sticking out too far. You make me laugh. You point out the fun things when I’m too busy with my head in books. You make my life real, Lucy.’
The shakes were back and worse this time. Daniel was in winning-lawyer mode and his arguments were wearing her last shred of resistance down.
‘Daniel…’
‘Look, on the one hand you’re crediting me with a brain and the next you’re saying you know what’s best for me. I know what’s best for me. And that’s you.’ He paled. ‘I cannot go through another week like this, Lucy. I cannot be without you. Anyway. I’m not going to be a judge. I don’t want to be a judge. Never have.’
‘What are you going to do?’
His arms were around her again, smoothing down her back; she knew he could feel her shaking, knew he was being gentle to calm her.
‘They’re offering me a position at the university—lecturing with guaranteed time for research. I want to study, Lucy. It’s where my heart lies. I’ve never been able to leave that university. You’ll be pleased—I’m teaching evidence and ethics.’
She leant into him. ‘I feel sorry for your first-years.’
‘Why?’
‘They’ll all fall in love with you.’
He shook his head. ‘Not everyone sees me the same way you do.’
She didn’t quite believe that.
His hands kept smoothing her ruffled skin, her rocky emotions. ‘My office door will always be open. I’m going to be the coolest professor on campus with a wife who runs the coolest bar in the city.’
She stood rigid for a second longer. Then with a soft sigh she slipped her arms around his waist. Held him back. His ability to always have the right answer was going to drive her crazy. But how she loved him for it. They stood together—relaxed, relieved—for the ten seconds until the tension rose to the surface again. He pulled back, his hand running down her arm to take her hand. ‘We’re taking my car. It’s much more reliable.’
He held her hand tightly and marched ahead. She almost skipped beside him. Feeling like the most over-excited kid. But still trying to play it cool. Just a little.
Then they got to where she’d parked her car. She stared at the car behind it—that he’d just unlocked. ‘Daniel. Your suits are black, your shirts are white and your car is grey.’
‘So?’ He flipped her a fabulous grin that had her insides softening further. ‘You provide the colour in my life, Lucy. More than enough colour.’
She slipped into the front passenger seat, shoving her cowgirl boots to the floor.
‘You’re putting those on for me later.’
She had to stop thinking about that. It would be at least an hour and a half until they were back in Wellington, back in his bed.
But he didn’t turn the car and head for the main road back to the city. Instead he took a side road, roaring along and turning into the driveway of one of the more exclusive vineyards.
She looked at him. ‘Wanting to stock up?’
‘We’re staying here.’
‘Here? You booked this already?’
‘I have a secretary and I’ve got to make the most of her before I hit the university and under-funding. She booked it half an hour ago once I figured out where you were heading.’
He pulled the car up in front of the main building, disappeared for a few minutes and then came out again, walking quickly. It registered that he looked more dishevelled than she’d ever seen him. His shirt unbuttoned, the tails flapping free of his trousers, a wild look in his eye. And she knew they wouldn’t be waiting more than another—oh, five minutes?
He got in the car again and the shingle crunched as he sped down the lane between the vines to the far end of the property. To the sheltered hedge-hidden farm worker’s cottage that stood there. He got out of the car, grasped her hand and together they ran.
The cottage was almost decrepit-looking from the outside, but the overflowing well-tended flowerpots gave away its secret within—the care and work that had gone into refurbishing it into luxury accommodation. Warm muted colours, clean lines, a single bedroom with a giant bed. That was really all she noticed.
‘There’s a bath outdoors apparently, hidden by the hedges. We’ll check it out later, right?’
‘Oh, yes.’
He walked towards her. Eyes burning. ‘I haven’t slept in days.’
‘Nor have I.’
‘Think we should catch up a little now?’
‘Definitely.’
The kiss was full and deep and after a mere moment he pulled back and started yanking his clothes off. She followed suit. It was faster to do her own. But she couldn’t resist teasing him as they stripped. ‘Peanut M&M’s or plain?’
‘Plain.’
‘Mayo or vinaigrette?’
‘Mayo.’
‘Sunny-side up or over easy?’ She mock slapped his arm as the look on his face turned wicked. ‘Skip that one. Surf or ski field?’
‘Ski field.’
‘Cork or screw cap?’
‘Cork.’
‘Let’s face it. We’re totally incompatible.’
‘Totally.’
‘Fast or slow?’ She answered before he could. ‘I want fast.’
‘I want slow.’
‘Tell you what, you go slow and make me go fast.’
‘Get you across the finish line and you can go round in a victory lap again?’
She nodded. ‘Something
like that.’
‘Sure.’ Smiling, he ran his hands down her torso. ‘See? We agree on the things that matter.’
‘There has to be more than sex, Daniel.’
‘There is more than sex. You know that, Lucy. You have from day one.’
‘Day one?’
‘OK, maybe week one.’ He grinned at her. ‘We’re good for each other. You slow me down at work. I speed you up.’
‘Well, thanks very much.’ By now they were naked. She pushed and he fell back on the bed with a shout that soon became laughter. She launched herself after him. He wrapped his arms around her and rolled, trapping her beneath him. Then he set about making her go fast—taking his time to enjoy her in ways that pushed her to the limit. He caressed her from top to toe, stroking her everywhere and then right there, while he kissed her slow and deep. He worked her, taking her higher. Moving from her mouth to her breast. She felt him smile, then heard his chuckle as she writhed under him, wanting him to give her the release so badly. But he was in control and delighting in drawing it out for her. Part of her loved it. Part of her was being driven to madness. His fingers rhythmically teased; his mouth nuzzled her breasts. She moaned, on the brink.
He lifted a millimetre away from her and muttered, ‘You’ll manage the bar.’
‘Yes.’ She was rewarded with a faster stroke.
‘You’ll marry me.’
Her throat constricted. ‘Yes.’ Even faster, so she was even closer.
‘Because you love me.’
She expelled a huge breath. ‘Daniel, is there going to be some sort of interrogation every time we make love?’
‘So you’ll admit we’re making love.’
With other-world strength she pushed at him so he rolled off her and over onto his back. She quickly straddled him, taking charge. He grinned up at her, utterly unabashed. She stared down, eyes narrowing at the devilry in his gaze. Two could play at this game.
She leant forward and twirled her tongue around his nipple, trying to ignore his hands as they ran over her hips with sensual slowness. She traced her fingers down his hard-muscled chest, feeling it harden more as she did so. His abs clenched into even more defined beauty as she traced over them and then lower. She curled both hands around him, then inched her body down his strong thighs a fraction lower so she could take him in her mouth. She smiled inside as the groan came from deep within him, loving it as his hands rose and he weaved his fingers into her hair.
‘Lucy…’
She stroked him and felt him strain up to her. She lifted her head. ‘Repeat after me…Lucy can play country music any time she wants.’
He panted—half-laugh, half-gasp. ‘Never.’
She grasped him firmer, took him in deeper and then out again before back in another time. His fingers knotted in her hair. She instructed him again. ‘Repeat. After. Me…Lucy…’ Her hands kept rubbing in an ever-increasing rhythm.
‘Lucy…ah…I love you.’
Her fingers squeezed. ‘It’s about time you said so,’ she whispered, all humour gone.
He sat up sharply. He lifted her face up in his hands so he could read her expression before kissing her hotter and harder than ever before. He pulled his mouth a moment away and the words came out on a harsh wind. ‘Don’t you know already? I’ve been so obvious.’
‘Daniel!’ she squealed. ‘You’re harder to read than a Russian fighter-jet manual—in Russian!’
‘I can’t keep my hands off you. I can’t stay away from you. I’ve bought that club for you—what more do you want?’
‘Same as you. The words.’
It was his turn to force her back, coming to lie over her, his eyes not leaving hers, his fingers back in her hair, combing it from her face, his thumb caressing her forehead. ‘I’ll give you more than words, Trouble. Every action, every decision I take now is with you uppermost in mind. I care about you more than anything. More than my job, even.’
‘Your job makes you who you are, Daniel. Your drive, your passion for it is part of what excites me about you. Giving that up would mean losing part of you—I never want you to do that.’
He smiled at her. ‘Sometimes I work crazy hours.’
She smiled back, turned her head to kiss the inside of his wrist. ‘So do I.’
‘We can make it work.’
She knew he was thinking of his parents, of their failure to stick together through the stresses of his father’s career. ‘We will. When I’m too old and ugly to run a club I’ll open a diner and serve bacon and bananas.’
His gaze slid from hers to her mouth and she watched in fascination as the gold flecks burned brighter, the brown darkening. His thighs rested on hers, his erection pushing at her. She parted her legs, letting him closer, then she wrapped them around him completely and flexed her hips up at him.
‘I’m not wearing a condom.’
‘I couldn’t care less.’ She wrinkled her nose. ‘Actually I could, but I just want you.’
He hesitated and she smiled. ‘I’m on the pill, Daniel. Have been the whole time.’
He looked solemn. ‘I never thought I’d want kids. But if I can have one of each with green eyes and crazy hair then OK. In about five years.’
She smoothed away the crease in his brow. ‘We’ll need to add another two to lessen the burden of parental expectation and not for at least six years.’
He sparked with appreciation. ‘We’ll hammer out the fine details later. Right now I just want to feel you, just you and nothing but.’
She nodded. ‘Everything, Daniel. For ever. I trust you.’
The moment of connection was more sublime that she’d ever thought possible. Her breath came in on a high cry. Their eyes met, sharing the intimacy with intensity. Fearlessly revealing feelings, reading reactions.
She let go completely. ‘I love you.’ It wasn’t a whisper, wasn’t breathy, but a strong declaration that she meant with entirety.
He tensed, colour slashing his cheekbones. ‘Say it again.’
Her eyes widened as she saw the need in his, finally understanding that she had the power to make him happy—or otherwise—as he could her. The last of her cool façade shattered in the heat of him, in the need to show him her love. She wrapped her arms around him as tight as she could, drawing him in deeper with her hips. She passionately kissed her way across his jaw until she could take his mouth with her own. ‘I love you, I love you, I love you.’
It was then that he lost it. His body clenched hard, his fingers digging into her rounded flesh, holding her close as he thrust in, deeper and harder and faster and shouting out her name. The joy she felt in her heart at his unrestrained reaction radiated out to her body, tipping her over the edge, into exploding light, shaking heat and finally darkness.
Entwined they lay dozing—fitfully, but dozing nevertheless. She stirred, her mind not letting her body give in to sleep.
‘You’ve really bought the club?’
‘Mmm hmm.’
‘Because you believe in me.’
He opened his eyes, revealing his ever-alert self. ‘I would never have given you the job in the first place if I didn’t think you could do it.’
‘I thought you gave it to me because you had the hots for me.’
‘I told you at the time, you’re not my type.’
‘You’re still not mine.’
He swept his hand from her hip to breast and teased with his fingers so her nipple budded into life. ‘I know.’
Her mind leapt to another amusing possibility. ‘Are we going to have the reception at the club?’
‘Hell, no, Corey will break all the glasses.’
She giggled and then sighed as his fingers continued their teasing touches. ‘Is that outdoor bath big enough for two?’
‘So the owner tells me. Warm and wet.’
‘How about hot?’
He raised an eyebrow; she saw the twitch at the corner of his mouth.
She spoke again with studied ambivalence. ‘Sounds like it mig
ht be worth checking out.’
He caught her hand as he slipped from the bed, taking her with him. ‘Trouble, we’ve finally found something we agree on.’
ISBN: 978-1-4268-2969-7
MISTRESS UNDER CONTRACT
First North American Publication 2009.
Copyright © 2008 by Natalie Anderson.
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
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