His Convenient Affair

by Tricia Jones

  It was too late to worry about it now. Even so, Chloe felt the unmistakable and mortifying stab of tears. It was her own reckless fault, and all she could do now was try to salvage some small corner of her heart that Nathan had yet to touch. When his hand stroked over her thigh, she already knew there was no such corner. He had stolen all of it for himself. Every last piece.

  That might be so, but she was a big girl. Independent, focused, and it wasn’t as if she were a stranger to loss. She’d dealt with it, as she would deal with this.

  From the tiny window opening came the unmistakable whiz and zip of the firework display from across the bay, a signal the charity ball was drawing to a close.

  “What the hell was that?” Nathan’s muffled query coincided with a particularly loud rocket being launched.

  “Fireworks.”

  Her formal, stiff tone seemed lost on Nathan, who pressed a kiss to her breast. “Certainly was.”

  Chloe stared at the ceiling. She felt the slight graze of his jaw as he turned, aiming those lazy dark eyes at her. Hiking himself on one elbow, he looked down at her. His hair was tousled and she resisted the urge to slip her fingers through it.

  He gave a low, appreciative moan as his hand moved over her thigh, and with one deft move unhooked the garter. It was only the erotic snap of it that made her realise she still had her belt and stockings on. She’d lost one shoe somehow, but the other was still in place. She jerked her leg, knocking his hand away.

  One side of his mouth quirked up wickedly. “I want them off now. This time I want you completely naked.”

  Before she could think, she had one hand on his chest, trying not to be distracted by the damp coils of dark hair arrowing down its centre. Chloe caught the question on his face before his brows pulled together. “I should go,” she said, bracing her hand when he leaned down. “I’ve had a lovely evening, but I—”

  “Don’t do that, Chloe.” He leaned closer, pushing her hand away. “This slipped way beyond a ‘lovely evening’ the moment I was inside you, and we both know it. You were with me every step of the way.”

  All she saw in his eyes now was a glimmer of temper and a sort of grim determination. He looked at her mouth, cupping her cheek when she would have looked away, then turning her head to align it with his.

  “Don’t,” she pleaded as he brushed her lips with his.

  “Don’t?” He brushed them again. “I think we already did.”

  There was just enough dark in his tone to keep the panic from edging around her senses. She couldn’t give in to him. Not again. She had to stay focused this time, had to get him back behind that protective barrier she was so desperately trying to rebuild.

  He nipped at her lower lip, slid his hand across her stomach. Her muscles tightened beneath his touch. “What’s wrong?” He cupped her chin between his thumb and forefinger, holding firm when she tried to shake him off. “Did I do something you didn’t like?”

  “No. I just think I should go.”

  “This isn’t doing my ego much good, you wanting to be out of my bed so soon after taking me to heaven and back. A man likes to feel he has the same affect on a woman.”

  If anyone had been to heaven, it was she. That was the whole problem. Especially when she feared she would never make the journey again with any man but him.

  Her gaze skimmed over his face as she reached up and pushed the wayward strands of hair from his forehead. Distracted, resigned, she traced her finger along the length of his scar. “Where did you get this?”

  “Fishing accident, when I was ten.” He did some tracing of his own, down her throat, over the curve of her collarbone, around her breast. “A friend of mine tried to use me as bait.”

  “He could have taken your eye out.”

  “No chance. I was too quick for him.”

  Chloe laughed. She could almost see the ten-year-old boy in the smug expression and the bravado. “You’re ridiculous.” She let out a huge sigh and ran her finger along the scar again. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with you.”

  He gave her that lazy grin, the one that set the creases winking in his cheeks and made her insides melt. “Well—” he circled a thumb around her nipple, “—I can suggest a few things to get you started.”

  She was already way beyond started. Didn’t need to look to know her nipple was a tight, red bud of evidence to the fact. Chloe didn’t try to stop him as he lowered his head to take that evidence into his mouth. Closing her eyes, she let go. It was all she could do. Let go and let him take her wherever she needed to go. Just once more.

  Nathan made light work of her stockings, peeling them slowly down her legs while he kept his eyes on hers. Then he unhooked the garter belt and threw it on the floor.

  “Stay the night,” he said, shifting himself between her legs. “I’ll cook you breakfast.”

  He slipped inside her, and the naturalness of it, the rightness of it, turned her muscles to mush.

  “I’m not sure I can refuse.” She arched against him. “If you’re intent on wearing me out, I’ll need sustenance.”

  It was easy to sink into the slow, easy rhythm he set up. Easy to let herself drift on a cloud of pleasure. His mouth slid over her throat then down her neck, nipping here, sucking there, until she could hardly bear it.

  She blocked the warnings her heart wanted to send. She knew this was transitory, that Nathan would soon be moving on. For him she was just a pleasant distraction, a woman he’d pursued for the thrill of it because he liked a challenge. Well, he’d had her now. Mission accomplished. End of story.

  For him.

  For her, it was only the beginning. The start of coping with another loss in her life, another rupture for her bruised heart.

  She wouldn’t go there. Not tonight. Tonight she had Nathan. Tonight she was his and he hers. Tonight he could have everything she was. Body, heart and soul.

  It wasn’t unusual to have the new day heralded by the call of seagulls swooping overhead, but today felt different, Nathan realized as he leant against the railing and sipped his coffee. Today he had no real urge to watch the birds dip and dive, or to follow the trail of clouds out on the horizon, or even to take his boat out. All he wanted was to get his coffee shot then head back upstairs to the woman in his bed.

  He had no words for what they’d shared, and truth was he didn’t quite know how he felt about it. All he did know was that Chloe brought things out in him he didn’t realize were inside. She tugged at places that left him raw and disorientated.

  She hadn’t given herself to him easily, not by a long shot, and maybe that was why it felt like it meant more than perhaps it should. The way she fought against him, tried to hold back her feelings, was more of a turn on than just about anything he’d experienced.

  Last night he’d wanted to make things special for her. To make her laugh. Make her smile. He’d never known anyone quite as self-contained as she was, so terrified of her feelings. Maybe that was why she pulled at him.

  Strangely enough, she’d been right all along. He did see her as a challenge, although not in the way she’d accused him of seeing her. Of course he wanted her in his bed, he wouldn’t even begin to deny that. He was no hypocrite. Yet it was more than that.

  She challenged him on many levels, some of which he couldn’t even get his head around. She irritated the hell out of him, made his temper flash more often than he liked, tugged at a protective part of him that made him feel like a modern-day knight on the proverbial white charger, and fired him up like one of those beacons out on that rock.

  She was a challenge all right, and somehow, whether she liked it or not, he was going to knock down that wall of hers.

  Brick by bloody brick.

  Chloe fought the dazzle of light across her closed eyelids even as she stretched her deliciously relaxed body. She felt wonderful. Used in the best way a woman should feel used.

  Her eyes fluttered open as her arm stretched across the bed and found an empty space where Nathan
had slept. She stretched again, her hands making contact with the metal rungs of the bedhead. She curled her fingers around them, held on, as memories of last night—no, make that early this morning—came flooding in. Heavens, but she felt good. Nathan was a perfect lover. Generous, patient and—inventive.

  Chloe’s smug smile widened as the smell of bacon and fresh coffee wafted up to her. If she had any sense at all, she wouldn’t allow herself to feel this way. She would just get dressed and make her way home before Nathan got the chance to start the “well, it’s been great, but…” speech.

  She was hunting for her underwear when he appeared at the doorway. “Morning. Going somewhere?”

  “Morning. Yes, I err…” She clutched her dress to her body in a ridiculous attempt to cover herself from him. Stupid. He’d already seen everything there was to see.

  He strode silently across the bedroom, stopping to pull a shirt from his wardrobe. “Here.”

  “You want me to wear your shirt?” Her body gave one long shiver at the thought of wearing something of his. She camouflaged the sensation with an accusing, “Heavens, that’s so clichéd.”

  Nathan arched a brow. “But sexy.”

  He held out the shirt for her to slip her arms through. “I like seeing a woman in a man’s shirt.”

  Turning her around to face him, he started buttoning the shirt. She watched him, assailed by a sudden stab of jealousy. She bit the inside of her mouth to stop herself from asking if it was a common occurrence for him to see a woman wearing his shirt.

  “You’ve missed some,” Chloe admonished. Nathan had only fastened the buttons below her waist, leaving the edges of her breasts exposed.

  “Time management,” he drawled. “I’ve got plans and don’t want to waste any.”

  What those plans were was more than evident from the flash of lust in his charcoal eyes, the tightening of his arms around her waist and the lush mouth heading for hers. Panic spiralled down her back and she caught her breath. She had to get away from him. Last night had been bad enough, but at least she had some excuse—it had been so magical. First the charity ball, then that wonderful scene at the rocks, precious moments spent in his arms, in his bed. A woman could be forgiven for allowing herself to let go.

  In the cold light of morning, she had no excuse. If she allowed herself to give in now, she deserved everything she got.

  “In retrospect, I like you better out of my shirt.” Nathan slipped his hand inside before she could stop him.

  “No,” she said, curling her fingers around his wrist and tugging his hand from her breast. “Last night was a one-off.”

  His mouth curved, wicked and slick. “I believe you mean a three-off, and damned if we’re not going to make it an even four.”

  Chloe had both palms clamped against his shoulders, for what good it did. He felt like granite. “I can’t stay. I have to get—”

  “The damage is done now, Chloe. We might as well just enjoy the rest of it.”

  The damage was done all right. With every touch, look and kiss, she sank deeper into the gaping wound that instinct told her would take forever to heal.

  While for him she was just another in a long line of women who wore his shirt.

  “I have to go.” She wiggled out of his arms and snatched up her dress. “In case you’ve forgotten, I run on Sunday mornings.” Her attempt at sounding frivolous failed miserably, and she drew in a shocked breath as Nathan tugged her back against him.

  “If it’s exercise you’re after, maybe I can help.”

  “Please, Nathan. I can’t stay.” His chest felt warm against her back. “Don’t make this difficult.”

  His breath brushed her ear. “I’m not the one making it difficult. Just why are you hell-bent on pushing me away?”

  “You go too fast.” It was all she could think of to say right then, and it was true in a way. Everything was going too fast. A few weeks ago she didn’t even know he existed, and now here she was mourning his loss along with every other loss in her life. “You push me too hard.”

  He whipped her around to face him, anger sharpening the shards of blue in his eyes. “Okay, but if I push, it’s because you’re so damn—”

  “What?” she demanded, struggling into her dress. “I’m so damn what? Rational? Sensible? Perhaps you think I’m just cold. Not like your other women.”

  He cut her off with an oath. “There’s nothing cold about you, Chloe.” The way he said it didn’t sound like a compliment, and the heat in her cheeks intensified. “What’s this thing you have about my ‘other women’, anyway? Just how many other women do you think I’ve had?”

  Intent on ignoring that, Chloe tugged at the shoulder straps of her dress.

  Nathan had other ideas. He folded his arms. “Well?”

  She looked at him, unnerved by the tight pull of skin over his cheekbones, the hard jaw, the hot spike in his eyes. “I meant that you’re used to more experienced women,” she offered, her heart picking up as he took a step toward her. “While it’s been fun, it’s time for me to go.”

  “Fun?” He snapped it out while his eyes stayed murderous. “You think this is fun?”

  She was feeling decidedly uneasy with his big body looming over her. “Well, isn’t it?” She made herself look at him, even though she wanted more than anything to look away. “You’ve conquered me, so now you can move on to your next…victim.”

  Her breath cut off as he yanked her up against him. Hard. His fingers clamped around her upper arms. He brought his mouth inches from hers, but Chloe had no expectations of being kissed.

  “If I weren’t so damn mad, I’d laugh. I’ve ‘conquered’ you? What the hell does that mean?”

  His grip on her arms was grinding bone, and she shoved away from him. “You chased me, pursued me from the start. Because I wouldn’t succumb, it made the chase even more exciting for you, didn’t it?” She grabbed her wrap as she pushed past him, her own anger propelling her forward. “Now I have, so we don’t have to worry about a nice cozy breakfast or… Get out of my way.” She dodged to the left, then the right. He wouldn’t budge from the doorway.

  “You think this is all a game to me?” He planted his feet and rolled back his shoulders. “What’s worse, you think you can throw insults at me and it won’t mean anything. I like to think I’m a gentleman, so I won’t say what’s on my mind right now.”

  “A gentleman would let me pass.” Let me escape before I make a complete fool of myself. She had gone too far, she realized, and offended him—deeply.

  “A gentleman,” he continued, undaunted, “would not comment on the fact that he’d just had the best sex of his life, with a woman he could never hope to conquer, if that was indeed his intention, in this lifetime—or several others, come to that.”

  Heat scorched her cheeks again and she looked away. Again, she tried ducking around him, but he merely countered her move. She swallowed, refusing to let the pleasure of his words make her head swim. The best sex of his life?

  “Nothing to say?” He angled his head so she had to look at him, following when she kept turning away. She bit her bottom lip and tried not to laugh. He was infuriating. “Okay—” he took her hand, “—in that case, let’s have breakfast. It’ll give you time to dream up some other reason why you can’t spend the day with me, and give me the chance to say something to annoy you. At least then you’ll have a full stomach when you jump down my throat.”

  It had the desired effect and Chloe laughed. He dropped an easy kiss on her mouth, lingered there for several seconds, then led her downstairs.

  He didn’t, in fact, say anything to annoy her over breakfast, and Chloe found it difficult to even think about leaving. He was wonderful company, making her relax and teasing her relentlessly.

  She was on her second cup of coffee when the phone rang. Nathan picked up the wall phone in the kitchen. “Beth. How are things?”

  Chloe sipped her coffee, sneaking a glance at Nathan whenever she felt it was safe to do so. H
e spoke in the same easy, almost tender, tone he used with his mother.

  “Can’t right now… Yes, I am, as it happens.” He glanced over at Chloe. “No, I’ll not tell you that.” With his gaze on Chloe, he listened attentively to his sister. “You might. We’ll see.”

  Shifting around, he lowered his voice. “Look, we need to get moving pretty quick. I’ve smoothed things out on this end, but you might have to sort the paperwork with the Surrey investors.” He lowered his voice another notch, and had Chloe straining to hear. “My instincts were correct regarding the location, so I’m moving things forward as we discussed. As far as the other matter is concerned, I’ve changed my mind. No. I can’t talk right now. I’ll call you in the morning. Let me know what day you’ll be arriving and I’ll arrange a car to pick you up.”

  He replaced the receiver and strolled back to the table.

  Chloe shifted uncomfortably. The way he’d lowered his voice and turned away so she wouldn’t hear bothered her. People didn’t do that unless what they were talking about was incredibly private, or concerned you. He’d said something about having changed his mind. Did he mean about buying the cottage? Perhaps even the sole agency agreement?

  Chloe’s stomach dipped as Nathan topped off their coffee. “Beth would like us all to meet up for dinner next week.”

  “Why?” She hated the sneaky twinge of suspicion, but she had this awful feeling the bottom was about to fall out of her careful business planning.

  He tucked his tee shirt into his jeans. “As I told you before, she and my mother would like nothing better than to know I’m involved with a beautiful, interesting woman. They’ll consider it their sworn duty to find out everything about you.”

  He said it with such warm humor and tenderness for the two women he obviously adored, that Chloe realized she wanted to be a part of that inner sanctum. To be part of something loving and real. But right now she needed to focus on her business.