He plastered his face to her Brazilian strip of blond hair, tickling it with the tip of his tongue, then followed it lower. Her tight little pussy glistened with excitement, her swollen lips in desperate need of his dick. Her feminine scent invaded his senses, and that’s when he knew he couldn’t be gentle.
He cupped her ass cheeks, then lifted her to his face. His tongue unleashed—sweeping over her soft flesh. She tried to wiggle free of his grasp, but he growled in protest, locking her in place. As rabid as any Alpha protecting what was his, Ramsey didn’t hold back, and couldn’t if he wanted to. He’d strip Madison of all her inhibitions, then punish her with multiple orgasms for fucking with his mind, intentional or not.
Her orgasm came in one violent wave, her shrill scream of gratification filled his bedroom. If she thought that earned her another rest, the girl didn’t know what she’d gotten herself into by agreeing to go home with him. He released her and crawled up her body, finding her fuck-me mouth. That’s right, Madison, you belong to me tonight…
She framed his face between both hands. “I’ve never…”
“Felt like this before?” he finished for her, knowing exactly what she meant.
She nodded.
“I told you to never be ashamed of sex, it’s instinctual.” He silenced her with his tongue, breaching her core at the same time.
And for the first time in his life, the moment her inner muscles clenched around his cock, he nearly lost it. Ramsey went rigid.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Nothing,” he lied. Their bodies fit so perfectly together. He swallowed and took a deep breath. “I just can’t seem to get enough of you.”
Minutes later powerful tremors ripped through Ramsey, but he refused to stop. Blessed with the ability to come and still maintain an erection, he sought release again. Madison melted underneath him, meeting his hips stroke-for-stroke. With a little training, she’d make the perfect lover.
BRIGHT SUNLIGHT BATHED the kitchen in hues of orange and gold. Ramsey usually slept in on the weekend, but for some unknown reason, he opened his eyes at seven sharp and couldn’t fall back asleep. His housekeeper had weekends off, so he went to the kitchen to brew a pot of coffee. It had been a long time since he’d watched the sunrise from here. As always, it reminded him why he chose this condominium. The view of the lake was spectacular. A couple sailboats passed by, and he wondered if Madison enjoyed the water as much as he did.
The machine flashed, alerting him the coffee was done. He grabbed a mug from the counter and filled it. Moments like this were rare, and he didn’t regret letting his beautiful guest spend the night. She’d given him something to remember, and in exchange for her selfless performance, she deserved breakfast in bed. Another deviation from his stringent rules. But Ramsey didn’t give a shit, he’d fucked a girl wearing fuzzy socks all night. That meant something.
He scrambled some eggs and buttered toast, then mixed fresh blueberries with Greek yogurt before setting it all up on a tray. Two cups of fresh coffee completed the feast and he tracked upstairs to picnic on the bed with Madison. With her still napping, he set the tray on the nightstand, then sat on the edge of the bed. He tucked a few stray hears behind her ear before calling to her.
“Sweet Madison,” he said. “Time to wake up.”
She shifted, then her eyes fluttered open. Emerald eyes met his gaze and he smiled, pleased she looked good enough to eat in the AM. She sniffed the air.
“I smell coffee.”
“Indeed you do.” He offered her a mug. “Good morning.”
She took a sip before answering. “Good morning, I think. What time is it?”
“Almost eight.”
Madison Tucked her knees under her chin, holding the hot cup with both hands. “Thanks for letting me spend the night. I’m pretty sure I was too tired to take a cab home.”
If she knew how many times he wanted to wake her, she might not be so grateful. “Are you hungry?” Ramsey reached for the tray, then placed it between them on the mattress. “I’m not a practiced cook, so this is all you get.” He picked up a fork and shoveled some eggs into his mouth.
She tilted her head. “Not a practiced cook? After what you told me at the club last night … even offered references?”
He snorted. “Breakfast wasn’t on the agenda.” It sounded more arrogant than he’d intended. “Last night was a pleasant surprise, Madison. That kind of chemistry is rare. And I know how hard you work.”
She didn’t look convinced. “You mean Anzio told you about me?”
Ramsey set the fork on his plate, then folded his hands. “Yes. I promised to take care of you.”
She rolled her eyes. “Anzio is a family friend, guess I should have disclosed that before you offered to talk to him.”
“It wouldn’t have dissuaded me, Madison. I was determined to have you.”
Her cheeks flushed instantly. “Are you always so direct?”
He raked his fingers through his hair. “Of course.”
“It’s unsettling.”
“Like this?” Ramsey leaned forward and traced her delicate jaw line.
She closed her eyes and let her head recline against his hand.
He growled with approval. “See how responsive your body is to my touch?”
“It’s purely subconscious,” she tried to explain it away.
“Is it? Look at me, Madison.”
She opened her eyes.
“Do you really believe that, or are you searching for an excuse because you need to find a way to make yourself feel better about sleeping with a stranger?”
She averted her eyes as if in deep thought, then her head snapped up. “I already told you I’ve never had a one-night-stand. It really does go against everything I believe in. But there’s something about you. And if we’re being brutally honest, I admit that you aren’t really a stranger.”
Ramsey withdrew his hand. What did she mean exactly? He knew how to read people. Body language revealed more than the average person knew. That’s what gave him the edge over most cops. He had a natural gift for identifying the slightest inconsistencies in people’s stories or detecting a hint of change in someone’s tone. It all came down to emotions. And what was Madison feeling?
“Care to explain?”
“Well…” She shifted, her pupils dilated. “There’s a reason why I landed the job at the museum.”
Ramsey didn’t see a correlation between her last statement and her day job. “I assume you were the most qualified candidate. Anzio told me how dedicated you are.”
“Yes and yes,” she said. “But I feel compelled to elaborate.”
“Please do.” He watched her closely, not detecting any dishonesty.
“In order to even be considered for the assistant curator position, my graduate thesis had to feature local history.”
Ramsey waved his hand. “Kentucky is filled with intriguing history.”
“Yes, very intriguing,” she agreed, intently focused on his face. “My undergraduate focus was medieval Europe. So it only seemed natural to transition into specializing in Opposition City genealogy. There’s only a handful of families linked to 11th century Europe between here and Lexington.”
“Including mine.” The pieces of the puzzle were starting to fit together now.
She swallowed nervously. “And there’s only one family prestigious enough to earn a permanent exhibit at the museum.”
“The De Wolfes,” he said dispassionately, always quick to cut off anyone obsessed with his roots. He’d had his share of fan-girl stalkers over the years.
“The subject of my thesis…”
“My family.” The sound of disappointment in his own voice surprised Ramsey. Somehow he mistakenly thought this girl was different. Different enough to deserve his respect and time. He was going to ask her to dinner tonight before her strange confession. Ramsey wasn’t even sure she’d done anything wrong yet, but he didn’t like where the conversation was going.
“Why?”
“Lord knows I couldn’t stop staring when you sat down at the table near the stage.” She sighed. “Then you asked me to have a drink. I’ve been formulating for weeks how I was going to ask you for an interview. I have so many questions. And you’ve evaded top journalists for years.”
“I’ve heard enough.” Ramsey stood, ready to take her home. “So you’re interest in me is purely professional. You thought sleeping with me would solve your problem. Well done, Ms. Blake, I didn’t see that one coming.”
“No,” she denied. “Please don’t think that way. At first maybe, but once we started to talk, I felt something I still can’t explain. A connection.”
“It’s called lust,” he said with intentional callousness. “And to think Anzio was concerned with your welfare. I’m the one he should have safeguarded.”
“Wait.” Madison shot up from the bed, still naked.
He might resent her premeditated seduction, but the sight of her sleek form did things to him—made him ready to fuck her again. “You can take a shower and eat your breakfast in peace. Please be ready to go by nine.” With a last look at her luscious breasts, he left his bedroom.
Chapter Six
NO. NO. NO. Ramsey didn’t give Madison a chance to really explain. She stared at the closed bedroom door for what seemed forever, worry and disappointment swirling inside her belly. Everything turned into a cluster the minute she opened her mouth. But she also blamed Ramsey for spinning her words. In no way was her interest in him just purely professional. She didn’t get a chance to tell him how much she admired his family. Or him. She looked back at the bed—the expensive comforter and sheets twisted up and half laying on the floor.
Her cheeks burned with shame. She deprived her body for so long because all of her energy went to her education, and now her job. She’d given up singing for three years, and the only reason she pursued it now was to make financial ends meet. Establishing herself as a serious professional in Opposition City meant everything to her. But those dreams were clearly in jeopardy now. Having the premiere De Wolfe pissed at her, wouldn’t help.
What if he contacted her boss at the museum? Worse yet, what if Ramsey told Anzio they’d slept together? And what if he passed along that information to her brother? Her heart skipped a couple beats as she searched for her clothes on the floor. She scooped up her skirt and shirt, then found her bra and panties a few feet away. As for her socks, she stared down at her feet and wiggled her toes. Last night Ramsey liked them.
The hot shower lasted ten minutes and she toweled dry in a hurry. The sooner she got out of here, the better. Maybe if she pretended she’d never met Ramsey and focused on his parents or one of his brothers, she’d be able to live with her mistake. Someone must know something about the family curse. Though first-born males were rumored to be the ones most affected by it. Of course Ramsey didn’t know that her second specialty was ancient legends and curses. And though she’d travelled to Europe three times in the last five years to do extensive research, the answers she sought could only be found here in Kentucky.
The line of De Wolfes born through the illegitimate son of Jonathan relocated to America in the early eighteenth century, along with much of their documented history. So somewhere in that spectacular mansion on a hill that the De Wolfe clan called home, were the secrets to their family.
A few minutes later, Ramsey pounded on the bedroom door. “Are you ready to go?” he called.
“Just a minute,” she replied, checking her hair and lipstick a last time. She might be on his shit list, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t look good. She tracked to the door and took a deep breath before she opened it. “I can take a cab.”
Dressed in khakis and a midnight blue button up shirt that did nothing to hide his muscles, Madison had to force herself to concentrate.
“Nonsense,” he said. “I’m responsible for you, Ms. Blake. I’d prefer to see you safely home.”
She shrugged, not in the mood to argue. She retreated into the bedroom and grabbed her backpack. “I only live ten minutes from here.”
“What’s the address?” he asked.
“The Burgess Apartments.”
“On Davenport Avenue?” His eyebrows hiked.
“Yes.” Why did he look so concerned all of a sudden?
“Do you know how many calls we respond to at that place? Fucking crime central and you choose to live in the middle of it.” He gripped her elbow and steered her down the stairs slowly.
“Not all of us are trust fund babies,” she said.
“Trust fund?” Ramsey stopped on the landing and spun her around. “Is that what you think? My ancestors made their money the old fashioned way, Madison. Invested in land before the Revolutionary War, and worked their bloody fingers to the bone. Gentlemen farmers for lack of a better term. Then when the south seceded, they suffered ridicule and isolation because they refused to support slavery. Do I need to give you a history lesson on what life was like in Kentucky during the Civil War? Brother against brother. Confederate rebels slipped over the border and slaughtered Union supporters in the middle of the night in their beds. The women and children in my family were relocated to Pennsylvania and New York while the men fought for the Union. Imagine being displaced for a decade, not knowing if you’d ever see your beloved home again.”
“I didn’t mean to offend you.”
He chuckled. “Everything about the last twelve hours offends me, Ms. Blake.”
He held the front door open for her. She brisked by, careful not to make contact with him. So the man took his family history very seriously. That’s what she’d hoped and prayed for. Not just for professional reasons; she cared about the contributions the De Wolfes had made to this state. Even today, the museum benefitted from an annual endowment and they often appeared at charity events.
She climbed into the passenger seat of his Porsche and buckled up. He slammed the driver’s door shut. “So I guess there’s no chance at an interview?” Why did she ask that? Stupid.
He blew out a frustrated breath and turned her direction. “What happened to the little church mouse that sang in the choir?”
“Oh she’s in here somewhere,” she assured him. “But if you’re going to cast me in such a negative light, I might as well own it. Right?”
His features relaxed a little. “And if you could ask me just one question, Ms. Blake, what would it be?”
She tangled her fingers in her hair, feeling anxious all of a sudden. “Do you promise to answer?”
“There’s no guarantees.”
She puzzled over it. One question. One chance to get inside his brilliant mind. After last night, her interests had shifted tremendously. She didn’t want to part on such bad terms. Hell, she didn’t want to give him up. That lovemaking or sex, whatever he wanted to call it, had left her feeling incomplete.
He started the car and jammed the gear stick into reverse. His tires spun and he backed out of his driveway, then shifted into drive, gunning the gas.
“I’m waiting, Ms. Blake.”
Okay. She knew what to ask. Blame her choice on avowed dedication to her research. “Is there a way to break your family curse?”
He slowed down, turned on his directional, and pulled off the two lane street, stopping on the gravel shoulder. “What did you say?”
She met his gaze. “Is there a way to break your family curse?”
He rubbed his stubbled chin. “You have balls, Madison. I’ll give you that.”
He said nothing afterward.
“I gave you what you wanted, now play fair. Answer the question. Please.”
“Don’t you think if we knew the answer, we’d do everything within our power to change our futures? You’re the expert. Tell me what you know about my brothers.”
“Jordan has two sons with an ex-fiancé. Braden fathered a little girl three years ago. James recently broke up with
his girlfriend who is now pregnant. And your youngest brother, Chancellor, is still in high school.”
His eyes swept over her, leaving gooseflesh in their wake. “I’m exceedingly impressed. Seems like you keep up with the gossip. Bastards beget bastards, Ms. Blake. Marriage for us is unattainable.”
How could he speak so nonchalant about something so heart wrenching? “But your father…”
“Step father,” he corrected. “Lars De Wolfe, my biological father, popped in and out of my mother’s life. Call it instinct—men are blindly driven by the need to reproduce. And my father found a willing partner in my mother. But every time she got pregnant, he disappeared. My step father was there to pick up the pieces—every time.”
Yes. Lars and Claire De Wolfe had never been officially married, common law only. But she used his name, even though she married his step father seventeen years ago. “I’m sorry.”
“Are you?” He slammed his palms on the steering wheel. “For me, or yourself?”
“You.” That much she knew.
“Well don’t be. We’ve adapted.”
He merged with traffic again, the conversation over. Fifteen minutes later, he pulled into her apartment complex parking lot.
“What building?” he asked.
Madison disconnected her seatbelt and grabbed her bag from the floorboard. “I’ll hop out here.” She twisted in the seat, hoping to get a last look at his handsome face. “Should I say thank you or just goodbye?” A pebble-sized cluster of hope floated just near the surface. She wanted him to kiss her and tell her everything was going to be all right. That he forgave her for not telling him the truth last night.
“Goodbye will suffice.”
She shook her head, deeply embarrassed and hurt. “Goodbye then.” She hopped out of his car, closed the door, and watched him drive away.
Chapter Seven
BY MONDAY MORNING at work, Ramsey still couldn’t get Madison out of his head. Even though he considered her an opportunist, the erotic memories were too hot to forget. He hadn’t even changed the sheets on his bed yet, her delicate scent deep in his pillows and blanket. And as he often did whenever something knocked him off his axis, he reached for the stack of wedding invitations in his desk drawer.
Romancing the de Wolfe Collection: Contemporary Romance Bundle Page 12
