by Rachel Lacey
“Yeah, that would be great. I haven’t been there in a while either.”
Even at this hour, New York was a busy creature, glittering beneath the dark sky as they crossed the George Washington bridge. He parked his rented Dodge Caliber and turned to her. “Before I forget, I made something for you.”
Her eyebrows drew together. “You did?”
“A playlist,” he said quickly. “On Spotify. It’s Spanish guitar. You said you liked Latin music, but you didn’t mention flamenco. Give it a listen and see what you think.”
She pulled back to stare at him, and his stomach plummeted. What kind of idiot gave music to a woman like Katherine Hayes? He wanted to beat his head against the steering wheel. And then the strangest thing happened. Her face lit, and she kissed him as if he’d given her a three-carat diamond.
8
Kate scrolled through the playlist on her phone. Of all the expensive things men had given her over the years, this was by far the sweetest and most meaningful. She sent it to her sound system and turned up the volume. “I’ve never listened to flamenco.”
“I think you’ll like it.” Josh’s smile was hesitant, as if afraid she wouldn’t.
She wrapped her arms around him, closing her eyes as the first strums of the guitar flowed over them. It was sultry and romantic, punctuated by the clacking of castanets and the percussion of bongo drums. “This is amazing.”
“Oh no, don’t you dare try to dance with me.”
Without realizing it, her hips were already moving to the beat. “You can’t possibly stand still while you’re listening to this music.”
“No way. I have two left feet, and you—”
“Shhh.” She pressed a finger against his lips. The rhythm of the guitar was like water trickling over stones in an exotic stream, someplace where palm trees swayed and sangria flowed freely. The music slowed, and she settled closer against him. His arms were warm and strong around her. He spun her out and twirled her, then drew her close again in his arms. All the while, his feet moved to the beat.
Her eyes widened. “You know this dance!”
He shrugged. “I’ve taken a few lessons.”
“Well, why didn’t you say so? Go on, show me.”
He shook his head. “I’m not that good, and you practically dance for a living.”
Her heart melted at the insecurity in his eyes. “I’ve never danced flamenco before, and you are that good. Show me.”
“Well, it goes like this.” He drew her against him, her back to his front. His left arm wrapped around her waist, guiding her as they stepped to the beat. He held her right hand in his, arched above their heads, swaying to the direction of the guitar. His hips moved hers, his body firm and warm against her back. She closed her eyes and lost herself in the sensation.
It was incredibly erotic.
Seduction by dance might be her new favorite form of foreplay. The next song began, picking up the pace. Josh hooked his arm around her waist and stepped her in a circle, his feet punctuating each slap of the drum. She followed his lead, matching his steps, her hand in his. They circled each other like matadors stalking a bull, each step bringing their bodies closer together. Josh was in control, and he’d never looked sexier.
“Like this…” He lifted her right arm above her head, and her fingers swirled to the strumming of the guitar. His eyes gleamed in the dim light, sending warm shivers down her spine. He dipped her, then spun her into his arms. Her leg hooked around his hip as he drew her in for a kiss that all but drowned out the music.
He kissed her with all the intensity of the guitar filling the air around them, devouring her mouth as their bodies moved to the music. A delicious throb had begun deep inside her, growing stronger and more urgent with each stroke of his tongue against hers.
She lifted her head, saw the hunger on his face. The same need clawed inside her. She kept dancing, as intoxicated by the music as she was with the man who held her. His hands rested on her butt, holding her so that each sway of her hips brought her against the hard ridge of his erection.
On and on they danced, as the music provided the rhythm of their seduction. Her body begged. Her knees shook. Josh’s grip tightened until all that was left was the movement of her hips against his.
She leaned forward to capture his mouth, and he groaned. The sound vibrated through her, teasing her already sensitive nerve endings. The throb inside her became an ache, warm and liquid and demanding.
He stepped her backward, bracing her against the wall, and she wrapped her legs around his waist so that the hard bulge in his jeans pressed firmly between her legs.
“My God, Kate.” His voice was hoarse, his eyes hot as they blazed into hers. His chest heaved, and sweat beaded on his brow. The music poured over them, steady and seductive.
His hands were inside her tank top. With a single jerk, he yanked it over her head, then fumbled with the clasp of her bra. She pulled his T-shirt from the waistband of his jeans and tossed it to the floor. He leaned closer, and the feel of his bare chest against her breasts nearly broke her apart. She couldn’t wait another moment to have him naked, and yet, she couldn’t seem to separate her body from his long enough to remove his jeans.
Josh looked ready to beg for mercy, but he didn’t put her down. He held her against him, her back to the wall, ravaging her with his mouth while the fire between them became an inferno. With a tortured growl, he pulled back just enough to allow her feet to slide to the floor. She threaded her fingers in his and led him up the stairs to her bedroom.
His eyes gleamed like liquid gold as he reached for her. He slid his hands over her bare breasts to her waist before unzipping her jeans and pushing them down. She kicked them off, naked but for a purple silk thong.
She reached for his jeans, but he grasped her hands, holding her at arm’s length. His gaze traveled over her, bringing heat to her cheeks. He groaned deep in his throat, then swept her into his arms and rolled with her onto the bed.
She landed on top of him, her body sprawled over his. His cock pressed against her belly, hard and insistent. His arms tightened around her, and his lips never left hers. She lost herself in the heat of his kiss, the strength of his arms, the warm, clean scent of his aftershave. His body brushed against hers, hot and hard with desire. She ran her fingers through the tangle of hair on his chest. It was time to get him out of those jeans.
Instead, he pushed down her panties.
“You’re so beautiful.” His voice was low and rough, and his words lodged somewhere deep in her chest. He lowered his head, kissing his way down her neck and over her breasts. Pleasure rippled through her. She gasped, falling back onto the bed.
Josh kissed and caressed, exploring every inch of her body until she was limp and panting. She dug her fingers into the cool silk sheet beneath her and surrendered to his touch. When he raised his eyes, her heart tumbled. Josh looked at her as if she were a goddess, as if he could feast on her forever and never be satisfied.
The way he touched her…gentle yet demanding, lingering yet urgent. She’d never experienced anything like it. Desire dripped through her like wax from a candle heated to liquid. She felt shaken to the core, and he hadn’t even taken his pants off yet.
She reached again for the button of his jeans.
His hand closed over hers. “Just so you know, it’s been a while for me.”
She glimpsed something in his eyes, something raw and vulnerable. “How long?”
“Two years.”
“That’s a long time.” So Josh had demons of his own. Something painful had happened to him two years ago, and he still bore the scars. The knowledge that she was the first woman he’d shared himself with since filled her with an unwanted feeling of warmth.
“I didn’t realize how long until last Thursday. I want you, Kate.” His voice thickened, and her heart thumped against her ribs.
“Then have me.” She unbuttoned his jeans and slid them down his legs, revealing his cock straining against the f
ront of his boxer briefs. She closed her fingers over him, stroking him through the thin fabric. His eyes closed, his hips thrusting into her touch.
He scrambled out of his boxers, and their naked bodies pressed together. Finally. He brushed a hand over her cheek, and she felt it somewhere deep inside. She shook her head to clear away the inappropriate feelings. This is just sex.
He rolled her beneath him, his cock pressed between her legs. She shifted her hips restlessly, desperate to have him inside her. His breath caught with a strangled gasp.
“Condom.” He pulled away, reaching for his pants where they had dropped on the floor by her bed.
She tugged him back. “Don’t worry. I’ve got it covered.”
That was true, but she couldn’t explain her own words. Usually, she preferred to use a condom as well, to keep that barrier between her and the man she was with. If she knew what was good for herself, she should keep that layer of separation between her and Josh too.
Because they only had two weeks, and then she’d have to say goodbye.
“Are you sure?” He wrapped her in his arms, so close she could feel his heart galloping in his chest. “I mean, I’m clean. I’ve been tested.”
“Positive.” She nodded. Their eyes met. “I trust you, and I’m clean too.”
Josh claimed her with another kiss, a final pretense before their bodies came together. He rolled her to her back, his body covering hers, warm and strong and trembling with need. He positioned the head of his cock against her, then paused and lifted his head to meet her eyes. The look on his face made her heart quiver.
This man…
She wrapped her legs around his hips, drawing him closer. With one long, slow stroke, he pushed inside, and oh God…yes. A deep groan tore from his throat, and his body jerked against hers. They stayed that way for several long seconds, Josh holding himself still as his body filled hers. Her nerves tingled, and her body cried for more.
He brought his mouth to hers, kissing her as their bodies burned. Then he withdrew and thrust again, and again, filling her more perfectly each time. She moved with him as they found their rhythm, then flung her arms around him and held on for the ride. Everything faded away but the feel of his body in hers and the pleasure building white-hot inside her.
Her orgasm slammed into her in pulsing waves of release. She arched into him with a moan. Josh swore under his breath, thrusting harder and faster. He tensed, his hips jerking as he came inside her in a series of hot spurts.
She flung her head back against the pillow, limp and tingling with pleasure. Josh lay against her, eyes closed as he gasped for breath. After a minute, he lifted his head, sliding a hand over her cheek. “Did I mention you’re beautiful?”
“You did.” She nuzzled closer against his chest. He was still inside her, and she kept her hips flush with his, not wanting to break the contact. “But you can say it again.”
“You’re beautiful.” He stroked his hand through her hair, a tender gesture that stirred longing in her heart.
He looked away, and something distant flickered in his expression. She saw so many things there, vulnerability and pain mixed with the bliss they’d just shared. This was a big deal for him. He’d gone without for two years. And now he’d shared himself with her. This bordered on territory, and feelings, she had no idea how to handle.
She didn’t have the words, so she would show him instead. Lifting her head, she kissed him as her hands explored his chest. She took her time, working her way down to the firm rounded curve of his ass. She paused there, then dug her fingers into his flesh.
Josh stirred inside her. His tongue tangled with hers as they rocked together, slow and steady as if they had all the time in the world. From downstairs, faint strains of music reached them, the strumming of the guitar once again matching the rhythm of their desire.
He stroked leisurely inside her as they kissed and caressed in the pale glow of the window. She’d lost all track of time. They might have been here for hours, and yet it still wasn’t enough. Josh was hard again inside her. The same need built with increasing strength within her.
He kept the pace slow, drawing out each movement of their bodies until she was ready to beg. His muscles bunched, his body slick with sweat as he fought for control. Pressure built inside her, tighter and stronger with each stroke of his body into hers. She rolled him onto his back, and the change in position sent her right over the edge. Josh groaned as her body tightened and exploded around him. He bucked beneath her, surging into her as he too found release.
They collapsed, breathless and exhausted onto the bed. She lay there for a long time, one leg thrown over his body, her arm across his chest. His right arm was wrapped around her, holding her close.
His heart beat against her ear, steady and rhythmic. Fatigue crashed over her in a numbing wave. Lying in his arms, she felt as if she could sleep long and deep with no threat of nightmares.
Whoa. Dangerous thoughts.
Josh flung an arm across his eyes. “That was amazing.”
“I don’t think amazing quite captures it, really.”
He grinned. “You’re the songwriter. You tell me.”
“Words have failed me.” She rested her head against the pillow.
“You, at a loss for words?”
“It rarely happens, I know.”
They stared at each other for a moment as the ramifications of their words sank in. He sat up. “It’s late. I should go.”
She nodded. Maybe he’d expected her to ask him to stay, but she didn’t. She couldn’t. No man had ever witnessed her nightmares, and none would.
He made all the usual promises before he left, only with Josh, she suspected he actually meant them. He was different…so different. They had created magic here tonight, and her brain was tripping over the implications. For just a moment, she’d wanted him to stay, to rest her head on his shoulder and sleep.
Don’t be stupid, Kate.
There was just this thing between them, this chemistry, magnetism, something she couldn’t describe, and it was too strong to resist. He’d gotten into her system, and the only thing she could do was to drown herself in him until the flame burned out. Then run, before anyone got hurt.
She could only hope it wasn’t already too late.
* * *
Kate woke the next morning, blissfully rested and nightmare free. Josh bubbled in her blood like the happiest drug. She rolled over and clutched the pillow to her chest. A tiny voice inside her wondered if maybe she’d been offered something more, a chance to have the things other people enjoyed, love and companionship, a life filled with laughter and happiness. Things she’d never had or dared to wish for.
Which was ridiculous, because she’d be leaving New York in less than two weeks. She’d be touring the world for the next year and a half, one of many reasons she’d never had a long-term relationship: she simply didn’t have time. Still, as she rolled out of bed and padded downstairs to let the boys out, she wanted to call Josh. Despite spending the whole day together yesterday, she wanted to see him again. Already, she wanted so much more with him than she could ever have.
Her cell phone showed a missed message. A photo filled the screen, two scuffed sneakers propped in front of the TV. She laughed, only it was more of a giggle. She clapped a hand over her mouth.
It started as a joke. A few days ago, she’d been sitting on their rock in Central Park and snapped a photo of her view, her feet in the grass and the trees and sunbathers beyond. She’d sent it to let him know she was thinking about him. He’d sent one back of his black loafers propped up on the desk in his office.
Since then, it had become a thing between them. Random photos that captured their day, using their feet as a prop. It was so silly, so unlike her.
It was harmless, though. She was too wary of her public status to send racy photos or sexy texts that could be hacked and published online. But who would ever know those were her toes in the grass?
She shook off the u
rge to call him and instead changed into a sports bra and athletic shorts in preparation for a scheduled workout with her trainer. She put in a solid hour and a half of cardio and strength training in the gym upstairs, much needed after all the party food and beer she’d consumed at the cookout.
She showered and dressed for the day and was halfway down the stairs when the intercom buzzed from the hallway below. It was a few minutes past ten. A slow smile spread across her face. She wasn’t expecting anyone, which left few possibilities for her visitor. Harry and Jenn always came straight up. She’d asked the doorman to add Josh to that list as well, but maybe Marv wasn’t in this morning and his backup hadn’t gotten the memo.
She walked to the security panel with a bounce in her step. Maybe she and Josh could take a paddle boat out on the pond in Central Park or rent a car and leave the city—and all its prying eyes—behind for a few hours. She clicked on the intercom’s video screen, illuminating Marv standing in the security booth.
“Hi there, Miss Katherine,” he said. “Sorry to bother you, but I’ve got a lady here who says she’s your mother.”
Kate’s eyes locked on the woman standing behind him, and her happiness drained right out through the bottoms of her shoes. Terror bolted through her, sharp and painful. She jerked her hand back from the intercom and pressed it over her mouth.
Her mother stepped up beside Marv, peering into the camera. “Kate, are you there?”
Her voice hadn’t changed in the twelve years since they’d last spoken, and it cut through Kate like a sword—a clean slice straight to the heart.
“You lying little whore. You ruined my life.”
She gulped air, forcing the memories back into the little box in the back of her mind where she stored them. “What are you doing here, Mom?” Because Harry had set up a meeting for them on Tuesday morning. She wasn’t prepared to face her mother like this.
Not today. Not alone.
