by Dorie Graham
“Sunshine, you don’t have to apologize—”
“Yes I do. I never should have blamed you for nearly losing that account. It was my decision to play hooky with you that day. Besides…”
He waited patiently while her gaze dropped and she fidgeted with the strap of her purse. Her cell phone rang from somewhere in its recesses. She fished it out, then to his surprise, instead of answering the call she turned the phone off.
“I’ve come to realize that due to certain events in my life, I may have lost sight of my priorities for a while,” she said.
“You mean you’re giving up your workaholic ways?”
She nodded. “Not that I’m giving up work, but I’m trusting now that the world won’t come crashing down if I let up a little to concentrate on other areas of my life.”
A shiver of hope shot through him. “Such as?”
“Hearth and home.” She smiled shyly and he wanted nothing more than to drag her into his arms at that moment, but he held back.
“I should have told you about Rusty.”
“It’s okay. You meant well.”
“And the whole secret-admirer thing. I should have come clean the minute I realized what you were thinking.”
“Actually, it all worked out. I thought Mark was interested in Kamira, so I convinced her he’d be a good catch. She called before I headed over here to say they were on their first date.”
“That’s great.”
She nodded.
“I remembered about your dad last night, and how he kept his illness from you. I wanted to kick myself. I don’t know how you’re ever going to trust us males again.”
“I think I can find a way.”
“There’s something else I’ve been keeping from you. That brother of yours pointed it out.”
Her eyebrows arched. “What?”
“I love you. In the deepest, most romantic way a man can love a woman. I know I don’t have the class or foresight to send you fancy gifts, but the feeling’s here.” He pressed his hand to his chest.
Her throat worked and her eyes glistened. “I love you, too.”
Relief and joy burst through him. “Really?”
“Yes, but if this is going to work, you have to be willing to compromise.”
“What kind of compromise?”
“Well, in a compromise we each adapt a little to meet somewhere in the middle, right?”
He nodded.
She reached into her purse and pulled out a small card, which she handed to him. “I joined your tennis club today. Here’s my membership card, proof that I’m ready to work smart, not hard.”
Warmth filled him. “Sunshine—”
“Wait. Let me finish. So you know I’m not blowing smoke, I got a call a little earlier. We got that big lingerie account.”
“That’s wonderful.”
“I’ve turned the entire thing over to Elliot. Budget and all. It’s his baby.”
He was speechless for a moment as the enormity of her statement sank in.
“Oh, and there’s one more thing.” She pulled a drawing from her purse. “It’s a wolf. I’ve decided you won’t be the only one in this relationship with a tattoo on your ass.”
His throat tightened as he stared at the picture. His goddess had truly quit running.
She folded her arms across her fine bosom. “I won’t be a stay-at-home mom, though, Adam. At least, not after the first month or so.”
“You mean you’re thinking you might want to be some kind of mom someday?”
Her eyes misted. “As long as we do it together, I think I’m up for the challenge. Not anytime soon, but sometime in the not-so-distant future.”
“If you can do all that, then I can wait as long as you need, and I can handle you working, as long as you keep reasonable hours.”
She nodded. “I will. From now on.”
He swept her up and kissed her then, delving into the richness of her sweet mouth. Her tongue stroked his as she ran her hands along his back. When at last she pulled away, they both gasped for air. He feasted his eyes on her flushed cheeks and bright eyes.
“I know you’re not ready to have kids right away,” he said, “but that’s such a big step, I think we should lead up to it. Get in as much practice time as we can so we’ll be really set for when the time’s right to impregnate you.”
“That sounds like a good plan. And this time I’m ready to make all your fantasies come true.” She reached into her purse again, and pulled out the silk scarf she’d tied around his wrists that night by the fire. “I brought an extra.” She held up a second scarf. “In case you want to tie me to the bed.”
His heart beat fast and his groin tightened uncomfortably. “Sunshine, are you sure?”
Lauren nodded. She’d never been more sure about anything. She loved and trusted Adam. This day would see them off into a beautiful future together. “I’ve been thinking about it all morning.”
Desire raced through her as he lifted her from the stool, saying, “We’re doing this in the bedroom, then.”
He laid her gently on the bed, then slowly began unbuttoning her blouse. She made a move to help him, but he stopped her with the arch of his eyebrows.
Laughing, she spread her arms wide. “I’m yours. Do with me as you will.”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
“I’m expecting you to get naked, too. Rules are rules, after all.”
“That’s not a problem.” He spread her blouse open, then pulled back to yank his own shirt off over his head.
She wriggled out of the blouse, but he caught her before she unhooked her bra. “Let me savor this,” he said.
He slipped his finger inside the lacy cup, then traced the swell of her breast, idling over her nipple. Her breath rushed out on a sigh. She reached for him, then stopped at his warning look.
“We should finish undressing you so I can tie you up.”
“Guess you’d better. It’s so hard for me to resist touching you.”
His gaze warmed. “Just indulge me this one fantasy, and I’ll let you touch me as much as you want.”
“Deal.”
He unhooked her bra. Before she had a chance to change her mind, she slipped off the bra, then presented her wrists to him. “Tie me now.”
His fingers threaded through the silk scarf. “Are you sure? We can try it again without the scarf. Or we don’t have to tie you to the bed. We can tie you the way you tied me.”
“I’m sure. But do it now. You’re taking too long to undress me and my hands want to wander.”
“Tell me if it’s too tight.” He knotted the scarves loosely around her wrists. “You can get out of this if you want.”
“Now, to the bed.” She leaned back, stretching her arms toward the two top bedposts.
“Let me know if you change your mind, or feel uncomfortable in any way,” he said as he secured her, tugging the scarves to give her plenty of slack.
She pulled on the silken cords and found she could rest her arms comfortably. Her breath caught as he moved around in front of her. The muscles across his chest rippled as he drew a deep breath, his eyes shone with desire, and his erection strained the confines of his jeans. Confidence welled up inside her. She shook her hair, so it spilled across the pillow, and arched her back, until her breasts jutted up in welcome.
She smiled wantonly. “So, you just going to look?”
He swallowed. “No, ma’am. Not on your life.”
He shed the rest of his clothes then. The bulge in his jeans must have become almost painful. As soon as he was through, he stripped her pants and panties from her in all haste, his long fingers gliding down her hips, then thighs.
“So, where to start?” He crawled up beside her, tracing his finger around her nipple.
“Anywhere you want. I won’t make you stop this time.”
“Sunshine.” He brushed his mouth over hers, and dipped his tongue inside to stroke hers. She returned each thrust in kind, the hunger risin
g in her as she undulated against him.
“Okay…” He pulled back, his breath already heavy. “This time, I really am going to kiss you all over.”
As before, he started with her face, dropping kisses to her forehead, eyelids, then nose. He kissed around her cheek to her jaw, but stalled around her ear, tracing the delicate shell with his tongue, before continuing down her neck.
When he reached her collarbone, he slipped his hand over her breast, kneading her, sending spirals of desire tripping through her. He had the perfect touch, not too light, not too hard. He kissed a path along one full curve before centering on her taut nipple. He tasted her without mercy, drawing small whimpers from her throat with the pointed tip of his tongue. He favored her other breast in like fashion, then suckled her until she sighed and bucked beneath him.
“Please, Adam, touch me. I’m so turned on.”
Still tonguing her nipple, he slipped his hand low over her belly, through her patch of curls, to her swollen sex. His fingers dipped into her warm wetness, slipping deep into her heated passage. He caressed her as he left her breast to move down her body.
Lauren moaned softly. She should have known it would be like this. Why had it been so difficult for her to give in to this pleasure before? She shifted her legs to give him full access when he nestled between her thighs.
Her heart thrummed as she lay before him, vulnerable and exposed and so turned on she nearly cried out in need. Then he touched her, put his mouth on her and the pleasure washed over her, tilting her hips and drawing tiny gasps from her.
“Oh…Adam…Adam.” His name was a litany on her lips.
He took his time exploring her once again, pressing his fingers deep inside her, while his tongue coaxed her into a heated frenzy. For long moments, she spun out in a sexual haze, the tension inside now one of exquisite wanting. He drew her closer and closer to the brink.
His tongue worked magic on her clit as his fingers stretched and caressed her passage. Her hips rocked. She pulled against her silken restraints as her body convulsed. His name tore from her lips one last time as the orgasm gripped her.
She drew deep breaths as he held her, stroking her back with his fingers. “That’s my girl.”
When she could bring herself to speak, she said, “I know it’s your turn, but I’m a little spent.”
“Ah, but who said I was finished with you?”
“There’s more?”
“Much more. You game?”
She closed her eyes, trying to calm her pounding heart. “I feel a little limp.”
“You don’t have to do much. Just roll over.”
“Roll over?”
“I did say I wanted to kiss you all over. We’re only half through.”
“Oh.” She blinked. “I don’t think I can.”
He chuckled softly, then hurried to untie her. “I think we can cut you loose for this.”
She arched her eyebrows. Being tied hadn’t been so bad. In fact, it had been rather…erotic. “You sure you don’t want to tie me?”
His eyes sparkled with laughter. “You’ll still be somewhat limited on your stomach.”
“I see.” She rolled over. “Like this?”
He smoothed his hand down her length. “You don’t have a bad angle on you.”
“Thanks. I get to try this with you, right? I want to kiss your tattoo.”
“I’m counting on it.”
His fingers brushed the nape of her neck as he pulled aside her hair. “This is a good place to start.”
She wiggled as he kissed her there. “That tickles.”
“And here?” He brushed his lips over her shoulder blade.
“That’s nice.”
“Here?” His mouth touched the small of her back.
“Tickles again.”
The next kiss came at the base of her spine, his breath warm and heavy against her skin. Erotic shivers passed through her. “I’ve never been kissed there before.”
“How about here?” His tongue drew a lazy circle around her buttock.
“Oh, no. You’re the first to claim that spot, too.”
“Does it tickle?”
“Ah, not really. It feels…good.”
He chuckled softly, then grew silent as he kissed her in earnest, traversing her derriere with an intimate joining of his mouth to her flesh.
Heat spiraled through her and to her surprise, a low moan escaped her. At his urging, she drew her knees beneath her and levered up on her elbows. He trailed his mouth under one curved cheek to that part of her that still pulsed from his earlier attentions. She arched her back, raising her bottom to better accommodate him.
With tongue and teeth, he explored every swollen inch of her, tracing down one side of her cleft, then up the other. He dipped his tongue inside her, laving the elixir of their loving with an enthusiastic growl. She moaned, bracing her forehead on her hand as she pressed back into him, new shivers of arousal racing over her. He spent long moments, thrusting his tongue inside her, drinking of the liquid heat he evoked. Her arousal grew with each caress of his tongue.
When his mouth moved over her clitoris, the sensation was almost too much. “Adam, I need you inside me. Right now.”
He hesitated so long, she feared he’d stopped, then she glanced over her shoulder as he rolled on a condom. Christ, she’d forgotten. Relief flowed over her as he pressed up behind her.
Entering her with one smooth stroke, he gripped her hips and pulled her onto him. Pleasure shot through her as he filled her, stretched her. They stayed locked that way for the briefest moment, then he glided back out, then thrust back in. She closed her eyes and gave in to the sensations.
The world seemed to contract around them until only the two of them remained in this timeless rhythm of coming together. She gripped the sheet and pressed back into him, meeting him thrust for thrust, while desire coiled through her.
“Faster,” she urged and he accommodated, picking up the rhythm, until she moaned his name, again taking up the litany. He made her feel things she’d never known a woman could feel.
Sounds of satisfaction rumbled from deep in his chest, growing louder and more frequent as their loving peaked. He reached his hand around to her swollen nub and another orgasm hit her at his touch. She cried out, not even trying to hold back the sound.
And her Beast roared.
They collapsed in a heap, the room filled with the sound of their breathing. Long moments later, Adam finally stirred. He chuckled softly. “Well, we seem to have rid you of all your inhibitions.”
She laughed. “Well, after all the food sex, how much more could there be?”
“Now that you mention it, I have worked up an appetite.”
“Well, I still need to flip you over and try that with you. I’ve been wanting to get my hands on your backside and that tattoo forever.”
“By all means, I’m yours to toy with as you see fit.” His stomach growled.
“Good, but first I’d better feed you.”
His eyebrows arched suggestively. “I could draw the blinds and we could cook in the buff. You game?”
“I think so, but I want to try something different this time.”
An intrigued look crossed his face.
“Let’s be naughty and have our dessert first.”
He grinned as he ran an appreciative hand along her arm. “Sounds decadent. You, dear, know how to tempt a man.”
She looped her arms around his neck. “And I plan to spend forever tempting you, dear Adam.”
ISBN: 978-1-4268-8120-6
TEMPTING ADAM
Copyright © 2002 by Dorene Graham.
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