The Hungry Heart

by Brenda Gayle

  Chapter 17

  Hunter stared incredulously as Nora walked away. It was Libby’s party all over again. He was going to kill his cousin.

  “I see you’re making progress. At least she’s learned how to dress.”

  Hunter stiffened as an arm looped through his, and he felt Taylor sidle up against him. He kept his gaze on Nora as she threaded her way through the crowd. “I didn’t see you on the guest list, Taylor.” He had looked, too. “Are you crashing the party? Should I call security?”

  She laughed and snuggled in closer. “When Cal told me where he was going tonight, I thought it would be fun to tag along. You don’t mind do you, Hunter? It looks to me like your little playmate has flown the coop and left you all alone.”

  He finally turned to look at her. She was staring at him with an expression that told him she was willing to step in for Nora—not only at the party, but afterward, too.

  “Knock it off, Taylor or I will have you thrown out.” He extricated his arm from her grip and stepped back. He looked around the room for any excuse to get away.

  “Okay, I’ll behave for now.” She sighed dramatically. “But when you’re finished with your community service project give me a call.”

  Across the room he saw Carmelina Hawke. She was stunning in a yellow gown that, despite its conservative cut, looked incredibly sexy. She had an anxious expression on her face. He continued to scan the crowd, but couldn’t see her husband anywhere. Misery loves company, he thought and headed to her.

  “You and Anna did an amazing job on the decorations,” Hunter said. “I’d swear we were in Mumbai.”

  Carmelina and Anna had arrived just before noon and, with a team of workers, had totally transformed his restaurant from its usual Spanish-Pueblo decor into an India-themed design. It was in honor of Sanjay Ramesh, this year’s Nobel Peace Prize winner, the guest speaker for tonight’s event.

  While they had been working on the dining area, Hunter had been in the kitchen with his staff preparing a selection of traditional Indian dishes. He had flown in New York City’s top Indian chef to help with the preparation. The vegetarian menu posed an interesting challenge for both him and his staff, and he was curious to see what the carnivorous Santa Feans would think.

  “Thank you. I’m happy with how it came out,” Carmelina said. “Anna said you, ah, talked to her about Callum Hart.”

  “Yeah, she wasn’t very forthcoming, though.”

  “Do you see now why I’m concerned?”

  Hunter looked across the room. Cal was easy to spot. He was the only person here who could match Hunter in height. He and Anna were talking to the guest speaker and a couple of the foundation’s largest donors. He saw Anna turn to smile at something Cal said. She seemed genuinely happy.

  “He’s not such a bad guy. A little stiff, too focused on business, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad match.” Hunter said.

  “But is she in love with him?”

  “I don’t know. Does it matter? If he can give her what makes her most happy what difference does love make?”

  “I can’t believe you are so cynical,” Carmelina glared at him. “Of course it matters. Without love how can a relationship survive all the problems that come up? A bunch of cows and some land aren’t going to make her happy. They aren’t going to comfort her when she feels alone and vulnerable. Honestly Hunter, I can’t believe how shallow you are.” She stormed away.

  “Oh my, that’s the second woman who’s walked away from you this evening. You must be losing your touch.”

  “Good evening, Nan.” Hunter turned and kissed his grandmother’s cheek. “Have you been spying on me?”

  “I find you very entertaining.”

  “I’m sure.”

  From the microphone at the head table Anna was asking people to take their seats. Hunter looked around for Nora and was relieved to see her coming toward him. She greeted Libby before turning to him, her lovely dark eyes bright with excitement.

  “Hunter, would you mind terribly if I didn’t sit with you at dinner?” She was breathless. “The Wilkinsons want to set up a scholarship in memory of their son, and we’re talking about administering it though CAN. This is huge for us.”

  “Can’t you talk to them tomorrow? It’s the head table, Nora.”

  “I know. And I’m sorry. But they’re leaving on a cruise tomorrow, and if we can work out the details—well, it has to be tonight.” She reached out and touched his shoulder, the gesture seemed to be asking permission, but he could tell from her eyes she had already made up her mind. “I’m sorry,” she said again and walked away.

  Hunter fought the urge to go after her. How dare she leave me like this? I brought her to this party. She’s supposed to be my date for the evening.

  This had never happened to him before. Women didn’t walk away from Hunter Graham.

  He felt his grandmother’s hand on his arm and he turned to look down at her. Concern was evident in her eyes. He shook off his astonishment and smiled. “Would you care to join me for dinner, Nan?”

  “I thought you’d never ask.” She smiled and allowed him to lead her to the front of the room, and seat her at the head table.

  Anna raised her brows inquisitively as Hunter approached the table with Libby on his arm. He scowled back at her, but it didn’t have the intended result. She broke into laughter, which further darkened his mood.

  After introductions were made, Hunter held out the chair for his grandmother to sit between the guest of honor and himself. Anna sat on the other side of Ramesh with Cal finishing out the row.

  “I’m glad to see you took my advice,” Libby said, taking a bite of her pakora vegetable fritter.

  “What advice?”

  “About the challenging Miss Cross. You’ve been seeing her—such an improvement over Buffy and Muffy.”

  “At least Brigitte or Melanie would be sitting up here with me, not down in the cheap seats closing some deal.” Hunter didn’t care that he sounded churlish. “It’s supposed to be a party.”

  “It’s a reception and a dinner. And for pretty much everyone here, except you and me, it’s a networking opportunity. Don’t criticize Nora for being herself. What did you expect, Hunter? Do you really think that sleeping with you is a life-altering experience?”

  He stared at her. She was goading him, trying to pick a fight to make a point. She didn’t care that they were at the head table with the whole room watching them. Since Stewart’s death, she didn’t have to hold up appearances and it didn’t matter to her what people thought of her.

  He leaned back in his chair and gave his grandmother a leering smile. “You’re damned right it is.”

  Libby laughed so hard she started to choke, and both Hunter and Ramesh began pounding on her back until she convinced them she could breathe on her own. There was a flutter throughout the room as people craned their necks to see what was happening at the front of the room, but they quickly returned to their own conversations when they saw that all was well.

  Hunter glanced down at the table closest to the stage. His father was talking to his uncle. Both his aunts were there, too. Despite their wealth and influence, none of them was truly comfortable among the Santa Fe elite. And yet they had come to support the foundation that his mother had started. They had come to support Anna. And, in many ways, to support him, too. His father turned, looked up at him and winked.

  He wished he could be more like his grandmother. He wished he didn’t care what his family thought of him. But he did.

  Just before the main course was served, Hunter welcomed the crowd and introduced the head table. After dinner Anna spoke about the recent work of the Graham Foundation, and then invited Sanjay Ramesh to speak.

  Hunter didn’t pay much attention to the speech. He was watching Nora, who was staring up at Ramesh in rapt attention and drinking in every word the Nobel laureate was orating.

  He imagined her staring at him that way—enthralled by him and him alone. He’d have to do
something about that, find some way to make sure that the next time he took her out she wouldn’t even contemplate leaving his side—regardless of how much money was thrown her way.

  Applause roused him from the pleasant fantasy of all the things he could do to enslave her. Fortunately, Anna was the one who had to get up to thank Ramesh and wrap up the event.

  It took another forty-five minutes before the last of the guests left and the housekeeping staff had finished its preliminary clean-up. The rest would wait until early morning.

  Hunter flicked off the restaurant’s main lights, leaving only the dim glow from the two always-illuminated emergency strips that ran the length of the room.

  Nora was still sitting at one of the tables furiously tapping on her damned cell phone, her face a blue haze from the device’s screen. She didn’t look up as he tossed his tie on the table and sat down across from her.

  “I can’t believe what happened here tonight. This is fantastic.” She didn’t seem to notice that the only response was the clicking sound of her own fingers on the tiny keyboard. “I’m meeting with my board this week and this will blow them away.” A few more keystrokes and she looked up. “Thank you so much for bringing me, Hunter. Tonight was—”

  Finally, she seemed to notice his expression.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked.

  “You tell me.”

  “Are you upset that I didn’t sit with you?” She sounded surprised. “Hunter, this scholarship is a very big deal. You have no idea how much we struggle for funding and—”

  He held up his hand to stop her, but before he could speak her eyes narrowed and he could see an angry flush creeping up from her neck to stain her cheeks. “Why, exactly, did you bring me?” Her words were measured.

  “I brought you as my date.” He tried to keep his irritation under control. Maybe she really didn’t understand.

  “Your date? Or your whore? Because date, to me, implies equal whereas the other would just be some simpering eye-candy, hanging onto your every word. Do you think that because I allowed you to buy my dress for tonight that you bought and paid for me this evening?”

  The word “whore” threw him and for the first time he was uncertain of the soundness of his position. She was glaring at him, expecting a response.

  “I said ‘date,’” he replied.

  Her eyes softened. If it had been anyone else he would have sworn the smile she was giving him was seductive, but this was Nora. She didn’t do things like that. Nevertheless, his mind flashed to his earlier fantasies and he felt himself grow hard.

  “I think I understand the problem,” she said, pushing her phone away. “It’s all my fault.”

  Finally, she’s seeing things my way.

  “I agreed to let you take charge that first night and, well, that’s never changed.” She stood and came around to stand beside him. “I think the trouble is you’ve gotten too used to being in control.” He swallowed hard as she ran her hand up his arm and around his neck to grip the back of his head. “That changes tonight.” She leaned down and kissed him slowly, her lips firm and controlling.

  His response was immediate and he reached up to her, urgently wanting to pull her onto his lap, bring her closer. She quickly backed away, a devilish gleam in her eyes.

  “No, no, no. We had a deal. You got to be in charge in the bedroom, but I don’t see a bed anywhere. And while this isn’t quite a boardroom, I’ll bet there were enough deals going on tonight that it could almost qualify as one.” She leaned in. He shivered as her lips brushed his ear, and he heard her repeat his own words from their first night together. “So please, Hunter, let me be in charge tonight. I know this will be difficult for you, but I promise I’ll make it worth your while.”

  He inhaled deeply and his body shuddered in anticipation. What did she have in mind? He looked up. She was waiting for his response. He nodded.

  “Good.” She walked behind him and bent over his shoulder. He felt a gentle pulling sensation on his earlobe as her lips caressed it before her tongue explored the hollow where his ear connected with his neck. Her arms reached over his shoulders and she slowly unbuttoned his shirt. “You always smell so good,” she said and nipped the edge of his jaw.

  His shirt was loosened now, and she rubbed her fingers up and down his chest. Then she stopped and began pinching and squeezing his nipples.

  He was so hard he felt he was going to explode. He needed her, all of her. Now. He reached around to grab her.

  She jumped back. “Slow learner,” she said.

  “Nora, please, you’re killing me,” he said, turning in his chair to look at her. She was enjoying tormenting him.

  “Look, Hunter, if you’re not going to play by the rules, I’ll have to use that tie of yours to bind your hands.”

  He glanced at the tie, innocently bunched on the table, and then back at Nora. She was serious. It was very tempting...but it would be much more interesting if she was bound while he ravished her. “Okay, I’ll behave, but after—”

  “Don’t worry about after. We’ll deal with ‘after’ later. If you’re up to it.”

  He turned back in the chair, took a firm hold of its legs and waited.

  She stepped in front of him. God, she was beautiful, and she had no idea. He’d have to find some way to thank Becca for helping to select the dress. And those shoes...his gaze traveled past her hips and down her thighs and shapely calves to her stiletto heels.

  It was difficult to believe that after a week together she could still get him this turned on. He couldn’t wait for the restaurant to close every night so he could go back to his suite where she’d be waiting for him.

  He didn’t want to think about her returning to her own apartment, and had been delaying contacting the security company as he’d promised to do. She hadn’t said anything about it, and he hoped it was because she was as reluctant as he was for this interlude to end.

  She pushed his shirt and jacket over his shoulders, bunching them in a heap at the small of his back. Then she knelt between his knees and slid her arms around his waist to untie the cummerbund. She slipped it off and held it up, appearing to consider its possibilities before tossing it aside.

  Her face shone with excitement, and he was doing his best to control his breathing and focus on sitting very still. It was difficult, especially with her unbuttoning his pants. He lifted his hips to allow her to slide them, and his boxers, down to his ankles.

  Free from its encumbrance, his cock sprang to attention, straining toward her, pleading for her touch, but she ignored it.

  She rose and kissed him passionately. Then she began to move slowly down his body, tracing the line of his cheek to his jaw, to the hollow of his neck, his collarbone, his chest. She paused on his nipples, taking each one in turn, suckling and nibbling, before proceeding lower still. His abdomen quivered uncontrollably. Only her mouth touched him and he arched forward, wanting more contact.

  Dimly he recognized it was those damned heels that gave her the extra height that allowed her body to stay away from his while her lips ravished him.

  His whole body was rigid. It ached with a need he’d never felt before. He closed his eyes as she came close to his member. The anticipation of her touch was a slow death.

  He felt her kneel again, and opened his eyes to watch her dark head hover above his cock. He strained his hips up, and still she waited.

  He wanted to speak, to yell at her, and command her: take me now. He could feel the blood pounding in his temples. He was losing control. His hands kneaded the metal legs of the chair—his grip so powerful he was certain the legs would bend at any minute.

  Dammit, I can’t wait any longer. I have to have her.

  Her touch, when it finally came, was no more than a gentle kiss on the tip, but he felt himself thrash and buck as if she had touched it with a red-hot brand.

  Her lips and tongue slid along the length of the shaft and her hands—finally her hands—cupped his balls.

  As if
sensing he couldn’t last much longer, she released him and stood. He closed his eyes in ecstasy as she unrolled the condom along his shaft. Where the hell had she gotten that? Then she straddled him—he loved dresses with long side slits—and lowered herself very slowly down onto him.

  She was wet and hot, and he slid into her easily. Her hands dug into his shoulders, holding tightly as the familiar rhythm of their hips grew more frantic. Her hair formed a curtain around their faces, and her dark eyes were staring directly into his, their look bold and dominant. She wanted this, she wanted him, and she was going to get what she wanted.

  He exploded into her with a force that should have sent them both flying from the chair, but he hung to those legs as his body thrashed.

  When it subsided, he wrapped his arms around Nora and drew her close. He could feel her quivering along his cock, and he sighed, pleased that she had climaxed, too.

  She snuggled in closer, and he tried not to squirm as her movement caused a not entirely unpleasant painful sensation in his member. His stirring, however, shifted her hips to slide it out, nonetheless.

  She was amazing. He had no idea how she’d managed to slay him so completely. Sex was his area of expertise.

  He gazed down at her head, nestled against his shoulder. He remembered the look in her eyes: driven and determined. Ironically, the same things he also found so infuriating about her.

  He smiled to himself. Maybe there was something to be said for a woman who knows her own mind.

  He couldn’t let his grandmother know that she may have been right. She’d be insufferable.

  His hand slid down to cup Nora’s bottom. The dress had ridden up and his fingers caressed the soft smoothness of her bare skin. Funny, he didn’t remember her removing her underwear. He thought about the smooth flow of the dress, and how it clung to her hips. Had she possibly not worn any panties tonight?

  Incredibly, his cock sprang to attention.

  She raised her head and eyed him quizzically. “Already?”