"You're hardly old or shriveled. And if you are, then my tastes have definitely changed, because everything about you attracts me, Cassidy."
He leaned in closer and inhaled her soft, powdery scent with just the faintest hint of rose. It was sweet and refreshing and turned him on unbelievably. He was killing himself with the attempt to keep from touching her. To run his hands over that satiny skin, and to meld their mouths and taste her.
It would have made it a lot easier if he'd just stayed on the other side of the room, but he hadn't been able to do that, either.
"You see, that's what I don't understand.” She twisted her body in the seat until she faced him, their knees touching. “Nobody's been interested in me...” She closed her eyes tight. “Let's just say in a very long time."
When her eyes opened again they locked onto his and Aiden saw an innocence, a vulnerability buried in there that brought out something he'd never felt before. It was a feeling somewhere between protective and possessive, and it shook him to the core. It was dangerous grounds he was walking on here.
"I guess I'm just wondering why you are.” she said. “Showing an interest, that is. I'm wondering if it's some kind of game or a joke or something."
He'd gotten lost in his own thoughts for a minute, but thought the gist was she didn't find his intentions honorable. Maybe they weren't, but he wasn't sure he had much choice in the matter. He knew the plan for his life, knew it was already written in stone and there wasn't much to be done about it. He'd essentially sold his soul to the devil for the sake of his mother's happiness. For her, he had agreed to make life with his father work, and life in his father's world had very specific rules.
Marriage meant the daughter of one of the family's friends. Someone who'd either taken her career as far as she wanted it, or had been minding the charity circuit, biding her time waiting for the perfect husband to raise a pack of perfect children with. He wasn't at all prepared for feeling anything beyond lust for Cassidy and he had nothing real to offer her even if he did.
"I mean, if it is, that's okay. I can be a good sport and all, but I'd really appreciate if this could be over now.” She hesitated a minute and began studying her lap and her firmly clasped hands resting in it. “I do have feelings after all, and I hate to admit it, but in this area, they're a little raw."
She thinks this is a joke?
He wasn't sure who he was mad at, but anger started to boil deep in his belly until he noticed his hands fisting against his pant legs. “My attraction isn't a joke, Cassidy. And quite frankly, I don't waste my time on juvenile practices on general principle."
He stood and walked to the window. Without turning back to face her, he asked, “Why would you think that? That this was a joke?” He turned to look at her. “That my feelings for you are a joke?"
* * * *
Cassidy wasn't sure how to answer that except with complete and utter honesty. She'd obviously offended him and that hadn't been her intention. But for two days she'd been jumping out of her skin, waiting to see if he'd follow up with what he'd started or not. Finally, she'd come to the conclusion that he'd just been playing with her, but why?
She drew a breath, “Because I couldn't imagine any other reason why you'd proposition me. It was very blatant and left no question as to what you wanted. I just can't figure why you'd want that from me."
He was quiet for a few minutes. Cassidy studied his profile as he looked out the window. A muscle twitched in his jaw the way it had in Mr. Lancaster's the other night. She really hadn't meant to make him angry, but she couldn't go on the way she had been either.
"You make it sound as if I was soliciting you."
She raised one shoulder, touching it to her cheek. “Weren't you?"
"No!"
He turned to face her, and then dropped his head back. A sharp sound of laughter rising to the ceiling before he leveled his gaze on her again and growled, “God, no."
He came back to the sofa and took both her hands in his. “Cassidy, have you ever experienced the pleasures between a man and a woman?"
Her cheeks pinked. “I'm forty-three years old, Mr. Grand. I'm not a virgin!"
He grinned, edged closer, and brushed her cheek with his fingers. She fought hard to suppress the shiver his touch elicited. “I never said you were. I asked if you'd experienced pleasure. I could show you such pleasure, Cassidy."
He reached out to grab a strand of her hair. He rubbed it between two fingers and though she knew hair had no nerve endings, she couldn't help but think she could feel his touch all the same. She swallowed hard. This was one of the most surreal moments of her life. He dropped her hand, stood, and removed his jacket and tie. Cassidy panicked and stood.
"Wh-what are you doing?"
She hated sounding like a naïve school girl at her age. Hated that she was so under experienced and nervous. He didn't answer her, just started unbuttoning his shirt, and Cassidy knew the time to run was upon her, but she couldn't get her damned feet to move even an inch.
"Touch me, Cassidy."
"I ... I..."
She scratched her head and swallowed again, feeling absolutely ridiculous for reacting this way. It was only a man. Only a chest.
One fucking gorgeous chest, muscled with just a hint of dark chest hair and flat brown nipples. In all honesty, she did want to touch him.
"Touch me."
His voice drew her vision from his nipples back to his eyes. She drew a long slow breath. In all honesty, she knew she'd never get another offer like this one. She took a step closer and placed her palm over his nipple, letting the heat of his body sink into hers.
He placed his hand over hers and directed it. In tandem they moved, the coarse bristles of his chest hair against her palm, the play of muscles beneath his skin. She knew she was growing wet and was losing herself to the sensations, the emotions, and she wasn't sure she wanted to stop it.
"No man has ever shown you how truly remarkable it is to be a woman joining with a man, have they?"
She shook her head.
"Let me."
Those two words settled on her hard at first, but as they sunk in she began to wonder if she should or even if she could.
After all, it was what she wanted. What she'd spent months, well, years to be honest, dreaming about. She just wasn't sure she'd ever thought of herself as “the sex without commitment” kind of girl.
While she'd been lost in her own world for a minute, he cupped her face in his palms. His thumb brushed her lower lip again.
"Despite what you think, Cassidy, you are a woman of great passion. I knew it for a fact when you licked me the other day in your home."
She knew she'd be blushing furiously by now. Her cheeks burned, hell, her entire body felt heated to the point of combusting, still, he made her entire body tingle and made her want to be passionate and wild and try things she'd never even dreamt.
His arm had circled around her waist, and he pulled her body tight against his own.
"Can you feel that, Cassidy?” One side of his mouth hitched into a half smile. “My cock is hard and ready to slide inside you. As I told you before, I have a very active sex drive, but I don't get hard for just anyone."
She felt her eyes widen at all he implied. She knew it wasn't an attractive look, but she couldn't seem to stop. She most certainly did feel his erection pressed firmly against her stomach. Quite frankly it felt enormous and so hard she imagined it must be almost painful. She tried to pull from his arms, but he only countered her move by pulling her more firmly against him.
"That's for you. Only you. I got hard almost the instant I first saw you, and it only takes me thinking of you to get that way again. So is this a joke? No. Are my feelings for you real? Absolutely. What would you suggest I do, Cassidy?"
He flexed against her, and she felt a wash of white heat steal over her.
"Ignore it? Go after some other woman in the hope of appeasing it? It wants you.” His fingers reached for the bow on her blouse,
and he pulled it lose. “I want you."
"But it's just sex?"
She watched something flicker in his eyes. It seemed a terminally long time before he answered.
"I'll only be here a few weeks. I travel all over the word. It wouldn't be fair of me to ask for more."
Aiden didn't give her a chance to think let alone respond before his mouth came down on hers. Cassidy's body reflexively stiffened against the assault, but she instantly stopped herself. Instead she melted into his arms, into his kiss. She took the time to explore him. She pushed her tongue into his mouth, twirled her tongue with his. She tasted lemon. Wrapping his arms gently, but more firmly around her, he groaned against her mouth.
"Please, Cassidy. Let me show you. Let me teach you how wonderful it can be."
He sounded so sure. His tone alone nearly had her convinced. She ran her hands along his arms, using them as leverage to pull her own body closer. She wanted this, needed it in a way. Without second guessing herself or her decision, she gave herself up to the myriad of feelings barraging her and once again slid her tongue inside his mouth.
They both groaned at the meeting and mating of wet, slick tongue to wet slick tongue. Cassidy fell against him, suddenly not able to hold her own weight. She brought her hands up around his neck and pushed her fingers through his hair, something she'd wanted to do since that first night.
It was glorious. His hair was thick and wavy, and the sensual slide of her fingers moving through it made her brazen. She arched her body against his, completely lost now to this man and this kiss.
"Cassidy, is that a yes? Because in another minute, anything short of the sprinkler system being activated and dousing us won't cause me to release you before I've taken everything I need and given you everything I know you want."
He pushed her a few steps until her back hit the wall. The jolt rattled the pictures hanging on it. She gasped slightly. She was standing on the edge of the most important question of her life. Should she jump or stay safely on the sidelines wondering?
"Tell me."
The entire situation was insane, but somewhere in his eyes she found her safety.
"Yes."
And she jumped.
The passion ignited in his eyes so fast and furious she was nearly frightened by it. At the same time, the gentleness with which he tilted her head back before pushing his tongue back inside her mouth made her know this was the right choice.
* * * *
She was the most sensual creature Aiden had ever known, despite how she felt about herself, her sensuality was an innate part of who she was and he was determined to make her see it before their time together ended. He took full advantage of her willing spirit and began a sweet possession he knew was going to bring them both more pleasure than they'd ever known. He moved his mouth over hers, discovering her, exploring and experiencing everything she would allow.
She met his every desire without question, and her body made promises of more as it writhed against his. Her hands caressed his neck, shoulders and back. He needed this woman naked, skin to skin, nothing between them.
He tugged open a few buttons, but her tongue swirled around his, and she sucked on it in a movement that shot another blast of heat through his body and straight to his cock. Naked could wait. He needed inside her, now.
His hand slid along her waist to her hip; she was curvy and feminine, her flesh gave beneath his fingers, her body was soft against him, she was real and he loved it. He'd been with enough women that had bought into the Hollywood myth of thin being sexy. Well it wasn't, not to him. He loved Cassidy's curves and softness, every damn inch of it.
He continued reaching downward, running his fingers along her skirt until he found the hem and pushed it up. His fingers glided along what felt like silk. He groaned, not sure exactly where the line between pleasure and pain was, but knowing he was rapidly approaching it. When his fingers hit lace, then the even softer, warm surface of skin, he realized she was wearing thigh highs, not hose.
He almost came right there and then.
"Cassidy.” He growled her name. “This is getting serious. If you're intending to tell me to stop, you better do it now."
He pressed his body against hers, pinning her between the hard surface of the wall and the hard surface of his body. He watched the emotions flicker behind her eyes and prayed she wouldn't tell him to stop now.
"I'm not sure about the ethics of having sex with one's boss in his office, but I suppose I'll have many a lonely night to go over my indiscretion later. And somehow, that seems better than night after lonely night wishing I'd gone for it.” She swallowed and closed her eyes. “I'm not stopping you."
He didn't like thinking of her alone night after night, but he also didn't like the thought of another man with her either. When she flicked her tongue out just long enough to touch her bottom lip, he lost all conscious thought and went back to devouring her lips, throat and the valley of her breasts.
"I'm sort of...” She gasped as his finger ran over her hard nipple for the first time. “I wish I'd spent more time reading those articles I subscribe ... Oh!"
He was listening, but he was also removing her shirt and her bra. He smiled wickedly at her. “Go ahead."
"The magazine articles. Just wish I'd actually read some."
She smiled and blushed furiously. That blush was damn charming, he thought she was the sweetest thing he'd ever seen.
"Those magazines are for lonely women who don't know better."
She rolled her eyes and slumped against the wall. He captured her chin and pulled her gaze back to his.
"Cassidy."
"Yes."
"I'm going to teach you better."
She swallowed. “Good.” And her voice cracked.
"Are you okay?"
He pressed his cock against her again, flattening his entire body against hers.
"Mmm-hmm"
He could tell she wasn't. She was overwhelmed and probably a bit frightened, but he saw the raw passion in her. He intended to take care of her, but he also intended to bring that passion out.
"Good.” His hand ran down her jaw, her neck. She shivered. “Because I'm going to fuck you, Cassidy."
He saw the flicker of uncertainty in the depths of her eyes.
"Right. Fucking. No emotions. Just body parts doing their thing."
He kissed her deeply, sucked her tongue gently into his mouth and loved the soft moan she released as she eased her body beneath his.
"On the contrary, Miss Flint. You would probably prefer I tell you I'd like to make love to you.” He waited a beat. “But making love is for movies and television. It's staged and choreographed and fake. Fucking, is organic and raw and primal. It's real, Cassidy, and it involves a hell of a lot of emotion."
His mouth ravished hers, stealing the breath from her lungs.
"I'm going to fuck you the way a woman should be fucked."
She was breathless, and he knew she was acting impulsively. He brought his mouth back to her so fast she wouldn't have time for second thoughts and later, he'd do everything in his power to make damn sure she never regretted taking this chance with him.
He dropped to his knees in front of her as he had the night they'd met. He slid his hands up her thighs, then tugged her panties down.
He stood back up, wrapping one luscious thigh against his hip, opening her for him. He sunk one finger into her and had to hold himself back once again. She was so hot and wet and tighter than he could have imagined. Just that exchange of wet heat against his skin had him so close, he scared himself. He'd never lost himself before, never even came close, but Cassidy was testing everything he was made off.
"You're so wet.” His voice was thick with passion, but as he couldn't remember another time when he'd been so turned on, it was a miracle his throat worked at all. She sucked in her lower lip, the one that was wet and swollen from his kisses.
"That's good, right?"
Her whisper turned him on more and h
e closed his eyes, dropping his head against her shoulder. “Fuck, honey. That's so much more than good."
He was an idiot. All his great talk about teaching her how it could be, and here he was about to fuck her against his office wall. Between labored breaths he asked, “This isn't right. Do you want to stop? Go to your place, or get a room? Something better than this?"
She looked at him with eyes so dark they were black. Her breathing was patchy, and she shook her head so hard the clasp slipped in her hair, allowing some of it to fall free against her face. “No! I want you to fuck me. Now!"
He laughed, though the potent mix of adrenaline and hormones running through his body made it difficult to even think, he unfastened his pants and freed himself.
"I'm sorry then, baby, but this is going to be over pretty fast this first time.” He looked deep into her eyes making her a solemn vow. “I will make it up to you."
He grabbed a condom, mindlessly ripped it open and sheathed himself. Then he slid his hands under her soft ass and hoisted her off her feet and onto his cock, sliding deep with the first thrust. “Oh, my God.” Her breathy gasp of surprise was so endearing. His only thought was, Heaven.
She was even tighter than he thought so he slowed, allowing her body to adjust to him. He bit the side of his cheek, drawing blood, but he had to do something if he wanted to be all the way inside her before he came.
"Wrap your legs around me, gorgeous."
She did and he slid the rest of the way in. She moaned and shifted, sending white heat all the way to the soles of his feet. He rocked hard against her. The pictures hanging on the wall jostled and banged out a rhythm for them. Within seconds he felt her contract around him. She cried out, and then sunk her teeth into his shoulder. It was all he could take, and he practically exploded, emptying himself into her. The release was longer and more powerful than he expected and for a second he wondered how three weeks with this woman would ever be enough.
He couldn't catch his breath and was seeing stars. All he could think of was how fast he could get her to a bed so they could start round two. One arm supported her incredible ass while the other wrapped around her back, his hand slid under her jacket. Sweat had dampened the silk, and it clung to her skin. He pulled her body as close against his as he could, holding her so tight he wasn't even sure she could still breathe.
The Seduction of Cassidy Flint Page 4
