by Liz Lee
She, the very proper Cordelia Lewis. Teacher of the year. The woman who lived vicariously through action adventure spy novels and tales from Irene, was verbally seducing a dreamy man like Joe Sterling. And she was having fun doing it!
She’d even purposefully scooted the skirt of her dress up a little getting in the SUV, making sure he got a good look at her legs—a trick she’d caught on one of her favorite nighttime dramas. Or was it one of the old movie classics?
Who cared? It worked.
Irene had lied about Joe Sterling. He wasn’t just good looking. He was sexy and charming. He gave her tingles in all the right places.
And he responded to her. She could feel the air crackle between them. This was it. Fantasy man found. Now she just had to figure out what she wanted from the fantasy. And she only had a week to do it.
Who was she kidding? She knew exactly what she wanted.
But the last time she’d taken Irene up on a dare like this, she’d ended up dancing on tables in a pool hall after one Tequila shot too many. She still could remember her first and only hangover.
She didn’t even want to remember how that night had ended. Unfortunately, the tiny heart on the top of her left hip served as a constant reminder. Who was to say Joe Sterling wasn’t every bit as dangerous as the Tequila had been? He was certainly more tempting.
She repressed a delicious shiver at the thought. She’d bet anything that Joe’s brand would be a whole heck of a lot more exhilarating and enduring than that little heart.
If she dared.
That’s what this vacation was all about. No worries. No holding back. This week was about reclaiming life and finding adventure. She could climb back in her shell when she went home.
For now she was the beautiful, alluring, sexy Cordelia Lewis in the tiny red dress with the crimson lipstick and strappy sandals. Complete with the fantasy man beside her.
The car came to a stop and she opened her eyes. The white stucco condominium complex looked as chic as ever. Irene all the way.
The hundred-degree heat that blasted her when she stepped out was nothing compared to the heat of his hand on hers as he helped her out of the SUV.
A lifetime of training kicked in, overriding every bad girl impulse that bombarded her. No kiss, no teasing remark. Not even a look. “Thank you so much for the ride.” The words practically fell from her lips and she could’ve kicked herself.
But Joe didn’t seem to notice as he pulled her close and smiled in answer. For just a moment she wondered if—no hoped he would kiss her right here in the parking lot. She forced herself to stay beside him and not step back as he spoke.
“Not a problem. I guess you’re a little worn out from the trip, hmm?”
She nodded and inhaled softly. He smelled so good. Like pine and citrus and man all rolled into one. She stepped closer as he shut the door behind her, and then, instead of kissing her, instead of even touching her, he let her hand go and moved to the back of the truck to get her luggage.
A little disappointed, she followed close behind him as he swiped his entry card and walked to the elevator entryway before punching the fourth floor button.
Neighbors. She’d see him every day.
Oh good.
“I promised Irene I’d take you around town. Let you see some sights. But tonight, a few of us planned a welcome party if you’re up to it.”
A welcome party. That would keep her far away from the books she’d stuffed in the bottom of one of her suitcases along with the sweats and long skirts. “That sounds interesting…” She let the word hang, fade away with all its silent implications.
Not as interesting as the two of them. Alone. But interesting all the same. Hopefully he heard the same message.
When they reached their floor, Cordelia opened her purse and slid out Irene’s key card. Aware of Joe right behind her, she tried to keep her hands steady.
She was sexy and beautiful. She was alluring and daring. She kept repeating the words to herself as she opened the door. Joe followed her in, placing her suitcases in the entryway.
Cordelia usually would’ve paid attention to the changes in the apartment, checked to make sure she had everything she needed, but not now. Not when her fantasy man was looking at her with those deep brown eyes and those full lips. Not when she felt the soft silk of her fantasy dress brush across her hardened nipples as she looked at him and tried to decide what to say.
Oh lord. She could practically taste anticipation mixed with awareness.
She licked her lips, and he took care of the words for her.
“So you were saying something about stress.” His voice was low and soft and as perfect as every hero’s voice she’d ever imagined as she read her action adventure novels.
But this was better. This was a real life, honest to God, living, breathing fantasy. And he was all hers.
He stepped toward her, and she nodded. “Very stressful flight.”
He took another step forward. “And I was saying I might be able to take care of that later.”
He grinned, and she wondered why he didn’t give up law and go into acting. Every pause was driving her crazy.
“I believe you did say something along those lines.” Her voice was breathless. Not her own at all.
But he didn’t know that. He only knew the fun, flirtatious, wicked woman who wore high heels and painted her nails red to match her lipstick.
And because he didn’t know, she had a chance to live her own action adventure tale. No more boredom. No more lustful looks at the UPS man.
For one week, she could live her ultimate fantasy. If she dared. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Irene.
Cordelia practically held her breath as he took one more step forward, as his hands rested on her shoulders. Dear lord, would he ever get to it?
And then he did.
“Well, then, if you’re not too tired, I’d say this is later.”
When his lips touched hers, all thoughts of fantasies, dares and the real Cordelia Lewis who taught English and wanted to escape the boredom of every day dissolved into nothingness.
All that mattered was here and now and the soft, pliant feel of his mouth on hers. And Cordelia knew she wanted this kiss like nothing before.
Just as she put her arms around his neck, as her hands brushed the ends of his short blonde hair, he pulled his head back and smiled down at her. “Feeling less stressed?” His teasing question seemed to come from afar.
For a single second, Cordelia let disappointment at the short-lived kiss crowd out everything else. And then she decided if this was her fantasy, she wasn’t about to let the first kiss end like that.
Brushing her hands through the back of his hair, she smiled up at him and shook her head. “Not even close.” And then she drew his lips back to hers.
This time, she led, pressing her mouth to his, running her tongue along the edge of his soft bottom lip. He tasted like peppermint and when his tongue touched hers, Cordelia felt a minty shiver flash through her body from head to toe and pool in her center. She pressed closer to him in response.
She’d never appreciated silk so much. His hands ran down her back and cupped her bottom, pulling her even closer and when she heard herself answer his moan with her own, she knew she had a choice. Stop now or follow it through to the end.
The real Cordelia reminded her that making love with a stranger, even a stranger Irene had set her up with, was definitely a bad idea.
Besides what the heck did she know about seduction anyway?
Joe felt her lips leave his and wondered if she knew how that simple kiss left him hard and ready to strip to nothing in ten seconds flat.
“Now that was stress relief.” She laughed as she said the words and closed her eyes as he trailed his hands from her back to the top edge of her hips again. He couldn’t resist pulling her closer one more time. The feel of the silk dress and her hidden skin beneath it left him wanting more. Wanting everything. God this was crazy.
“T
hat was white lightning.” He moved his hands to her shoulders and decided her bare skin was far more enticing than the silk dress. She smelled like vanilla and springtime and he wanted one more taste.
She was a siren and he was Ulysses. His response to her made no sense, but he wasn’t about to fight it.
One taste, that was all. He lowered his lips to her bare shoulder inhaling her scent as he kissed her one last time.
Joe felt her response in the way her pulse sped up, heard it in her soft intake of breath as she closed her eyes and leaned her head back to give him more access. Still it was nothing compared to his own racing heartbeat. He wanted more than anything to make love with this woman.
Instead he stepped back, but he couldn’t move away completely. Couldn’t quit touching her.
Goose bumps erupted in a trail as his fingers skimmed over her shoulders. As her breath caught again, he held his hands back from brushing across her breasts, from feeling her tight nipples under that soft silk.
And with his resistance, she opened her eyes and stepped back. “That was nice.”
“I’d say.” It was nice, but it sure as hell wasn’t stress relief. He couldn’t remember a time he’d been more stressed, more ripe for explosion after so little contact.
Cordelia stood across from him, her arms crossed, her lips swollen and he wanted to touch her more, taste her again, but something about the way she looked stopped him.
She brushed her hair back. “I feel like I should…” She trailed off sounding very different than the tempting seductress of earlier. He thought of a million ways to fill in the blank, but none of his suggestions fit the way she was standing there gazing at him with surprise, with red hot heat. The two didn’t quite fit together, but on her it looked perfect. Like lust-filled innocence.
Without a thought, he reached out and pulled the clip from her hair. It tumbled past her shoulders and over his hands. He brushed his fingers through it. “You have beautiful hair.”
She smiled, and for a second, he thought he saw a glimpse of the shy girl in the pictures scattered throughout Irene’s house, but in a flash it was gone.
“You like it, hmm? Maybe I’ll wear it down tonight.”
“If you do, I’ll have a hard time keeping my hands to myself.”
“Maybe that’s the point.”
Oh yeah. Joe wanted to pull her close and see what she’d do if he pushed the tiny strap off her right shoulder.
He might’ve taken the chance if she hadn’t stepped away before continuing, “But I’m a firm believer in anticipation. If we stop now, who knows what will build up by tonight?”
She knew good and well what was building up in him right then. And quite frankly, he found himself excited like he hadn’t been in years. But if she wanted anticipation, he could definitely do that.
He moved to the door. “Until tonight then.”
She followed him. “I guess I’ll see you later.”
Joe nodded, regretting the party he’d planned. The last thing he wanted tonight was a room full of people, a room full of men. What he wanted was this woman alone, naked and in his bed.
”We’re starting at eight. You can come over earlier if you want.” Her smile hit a hundred watts as he talked, and Joe felt his breath catch. And in the second, he knew he couldn’t walk away. Not yet.
She might be a master at this game of seduction, but he wanted to make damn sure she realized he knew how to play too.
“In the mean time, think about this. Between now and then know I’ll be thinking about you every second. When you’re in the shower, I’ll hear the water and wish I were here. I’ll wonder what your wet skin would taste like and what your bare breasts would feel like in my hands. For the next few hours, I’ll be across the hall thinking about you and me and where this might be heading.”
Color filled her cheeks as he spoke and he knew he’d scored a point or two. He’d certainly turned up his own heat level.
Then she smiled and pushed him out the door. But before she closed it, she worked in her own parting shot.
“Hey Joe, while you’re listening, keep one thing in mind. I know exactly where this is headed. And trust me, you won’t be disappointed.”
Chapter Two
Why had she said that last little bit? She was definitely taking the temptress thing too far. She’d practically promised Joe an entire night of hot sex. Like she knew anything about hot sex.
Ugh! Her only experience with sex so far had been lukewarm at best. Shoot, her best sex had been solo.
And now she was trying to pull off a fantasy of Irene proportions. What was she thinking?
Cordelia chewed on her bottom lip as she looked at the clock. In thirty minutes she’d walk next door and see him again.
Oh Lord.
She grabbed the forest green sarong style skirt from the bed and wrapped it around her waist. The white bikini top showed more of her curves than the red dress had, but no way could she wear the tiny suit bottoms without some sort of cover.
She ran a brush through her hair and closed her eyes as she relived the kiss, the feel of his lips first on her mouth and then on her shoulder.
The minty taste of him, the way he felt pressed against her body. The way he said he’d be imagining himself with her all day.
She’d purposefully taken a long shower for just that reason. And she hoped he’d heard every luxurious second of it.
She reached up and pressed her fingers to her lips in memory. That kiss was the closest she’d come to hot sex. No wonder Irene worked so hard at being bad. It was liberating—so much more fun than being the good girl.
The second hand on the clock moved at excruciatingly slow speed, and Cordelia thought about walking on over, giving them a few minutes alone.
But the daring new her chickened out at the last minute. She didn’t think she could handle the kind of heat Joe dispensed and then sit through a welcome party like it was nothing.
And somehow she wasn’t sure she could continue the sexy fantasy persona in front of a group. She’d spent a lifetime going out of her way to blend in a crowd, to make people happy, to stand out as little as possible. She certainly didn’t flirt outrageously.
But then, she didn’t wear white bikinis with forest green sarongs and glittery pool shoes either. And she never wore her hair down around her shoulders like it was right now.
Her action adventure thriller lay unopened on the bedside table next to her sister’s lipstick marked sign: Bad Girls Have All The Fun, and I’m Not About To Miss Out Now. An Irene style positive affirmation that had left Cordelia even more distracted, so the book still sat unread.
All she could think about was Joe, alone next door, listening to her, wanting her.
No, not her. He wanted this pretend Cordelia. The woman who lived by the same mantra as her sister.
Jeeze, she was a mess.
Fifteen minutes.
Fine. She was done waiting.
Joe heard the knock on his door and smiled. He’d heard everything she’d done all day. And his promise meant to frustrate her had done more to leave him all hot and bothered.
Too bad she’d waited so long to come over.
He ran a hand through his wet hair and shrugged on his shirt leaving it unbuttoned before opening the door to let her in.
When he saw her standing there in the white bikini top and green skirt, one long porcelain leg exposed by the slit up the side, he could only look on in speechless appreciation until she sent him a taunting smile. “You like, hm?” And then she turned around to give him a great view of the rest of the outfit.
What more could he do? He nodded. “Oh yeah. I like.”
She sashayed in, her hips swaying to their own internal beat. A beat he wanted to get to know up close and personal like he’d never wanted anything in his life.
“Good. I picked it out hoping to impress you.”
“It worked.” He swallowed hard and closed the door. “You’re early.”
“Are you
complaining?” Her whiskey slow words teased him even more than the white bikini top that cupped her perfect curves. For a moment he let his imagination run rampant with the possibilities. Oh yeah.
“Oh I don’t think so. I’m just stating a fact.” He tried to clear his head. “Did you get settled in okay?”
She nodded and smiled up at him with that look of innocence so at odds with everything else about her. “I did. Irene left a message. She said she’d call tomorrow, and she told me the party would move to the pool. I hope she was right.”
Good old Irene. “Yeah, she’s right. We meet at least once a month, so planning your welcome fit right in.”
The flirty woman was back in force as she stepped close to him and ran a finger down his shoulder. He might as well have left the shirt off for all the good it did.
“That’s good. I’d hate to be any trouble.” Her slow southern drawl teased him.
From comfortable awareness to hot and hard in seconds. She should write a book. Joe just shook his head. “Oh, I think you’re definitely trouble. But the party was no problem.”
As she stepped away, Joe felt the cool air separate them before she spoke. “I guess everyone will be here soon?”
“In just a few minutes.” Against his better judgment and the ever present screaming internal He-Man gene he’d never been good at ignoring, Joe finished buttoning his shirt. “Would you like a drink? Beer, margarita, soda. You choose.”
She decided on a margarita and Joe took the opportunity to show her around the kitchen as he made her drink.
“Your sister might have mentioned some of the people who will be here tonight. She’s a regular when she’s not working.”
“She’s mentioned a few. I think she thought I might have something in common with your friend Keith since he teaches too.”
For now the flirt was gone, but Joe wasn’t about to let the comment simply pass. “You know, when I was in school they didn’t make teachers like you.”
She laughed. “Where I come from lawyers like you are nothing but myth.”
He handed her the margarita and watched as she took a sip, remembering their earlier kiss and the way it damn near overwhelmed him. “I’m no myth, Cordelia. I’m about as real as they come and right now it’s taking every bit of my will power to stay over here.”
