He pointed his fork at her. “I know what you’re doing.”
“What am I doing?” She seemed bewildered by his accusation.
“You’re being such a good listener that I’m doing all the talking.” He laid down his fork, reached across the table and took her hand. “I want to know about you.”
Annabelle swallowed hard. “There’s not much to tell.” She seemed apologetic. “I’m not that interesting.”
“You are to me.” Mike released her hand and sat back to study her for a moment. He knew that she believed what she said, and he could only shake his head in wonder. “I want to know all about you. Your hopes. Your dreams.” His voice lowered. “Your fantasies.”
Annabelle suddenly seemed fascinated by the food left on her plate. She moved the spaghetti around with her fork, but didn’t scoop up any to eat. This was interesting. Had she indulged in fantasies about him? She’d certainly played a leading role in all the ones he’d had for the past few months. The trick would be getting past her natural reserve to the passionate woman underneath.
The thought of being the man on the receiving end of her natural sensuality aroused him and made his pants way too snug for comfort. “Annabelle, look at me.” He waited until her gaze met his. “Anything we say to each other stays between us. No one else will ever know.”
Annabelle hesitantly nodded, squared her shoulders and opened her mouth to speak, when the waiter suddenly appeared. Mike wanted to bang his head on the table in frustration, but refrained, knowing that Annabelle would think he’d lost his mind. And maybe he had, because all he could think about was having this woman in his life. In his bed.
Mike hung on to his patience while the waiter cleared the table and brought them coffee. Neither one of them wanted dessert. Annabelle added sugar to her coffee and stir it endlessly. He cleared his voice. “Annabelle?”
Annabelle gave him a wry smile. “You don’t give up, do you?”
“Not when it’s something I want. And I really want you.” He watched her absorb his statement. He could tell she wasn’t quite sure if she could believe him or not. Finally, after some internal debate, she seemed to come to a decision.
“I was an only child to older parents. I was quiet, did well in school and went away to college.” When Mike nodded encouragingly she continued. “I had one relationship in college, but my father died just after I graduated, and then my mother got ill. I went back home to take care of her, and after she died I wanted a new start. I started looking for jobs and found this one,” Annabelle finished in a rush.
He owed this moment to chance. He was grateful she’d found this job, otherwise he might never have had the opportunity to know her. That would have been tragic. Then what she’d said really sunk in. “You’ve only been with one man.”
Were all the men she’d known crazy? Suddenly, he was glad they’d all missed the gem hiding in their midst. A feeling of possessiveness welled up within him. He’d found her and he was darn well going to keep her.
Annabelle’s cheeks turned a light pink after he made his rather blunt statement, but her gaze was calm and steady. “Yes. And I wasn’t very good at it.”
Mike could only stare, completely dumbfounded by her admission. She was one of the most naturally sensual women he’d ever met. The way she’d responded to his kisses. Her little moans. The way she unconsciously rubbed herself against him. His cock flexed to life and he shifted in his seat to find a more comfortable position. If she were any sexier, he’d have burned to cinder.
She’d glanced away from him and was now fidgeting with the spoon she’d used to stir her coffee. She looked so lost and unsure, his heart ached for her. It was his job to let her know how sexy she was, and he had a feeling that just telling her wouldn’t work. He had to show her.
She gave him a startled look when he shifted his chair, angling it so they were much closer. He reached under the long tablecloth and touched her leg. Gathering the material in his hand, he pushed up her dress until he had access to the naked skin beneath. Mike trailed his fingers up the inside of her thigh as he gave silent thanks to the Lord and the weatherman that it was too hot for her to wear pantyhose.
Annabelle froze at the first contact, but gradually relaxed and parted her legs a small amount to give him better access. Encouraged, Mike continued to stroke his fingers over her skin. He ran them up and down the inside of her thigh, skimming close to the top but not quite touching her underwear.
Her skin was smooth and soft, and Mike entertained himself with thoughts of rubbing his face over those amazing legs before he finally buried his face between them. He wanted to taste her, to lick and suck on her clitoris until she screamed her release. Her breathing grew heavier and her legs opened wider. Mike gently fondled the crotch of her panties.
As if she couldn’t stop herself, Annabelle’s hips undulated, pushing her more firmly against his fingers. His erection strained against the zipper of his dress pants, but he didn’t care. The secluded darkness of the corner, and the long tablecloth, shielded them from prying eyes. He was so aroused he hurt, but there was no way he was going to stop yet.
The expression on Annabelle’s face was one of a woman in the throes of passion. She’d tilted her head back slightly and closed her eyes. Her skin had a rosy glow and her lips parted on a low moan.
He could feel the dampness of her arousal through her cotton panties. She was so wet, so ready. His own body clenched and his testicles drew tight to his body. He hadn’t been this close to losing control since he was a teenager. And they were in a restaurant, a public place.
That thought brought his advances to a screeching halt. He knew she’d be embarrassed if someone glanced their way and suspected what they were doing. He’d only wanted to make a point, not drive them both over the edge. He carefully pulled his hand away.
Annabelle shuddered and gradually opened her eyes. They were unfocused and he could tell she wasn’t really seeing him. She was still lost in the sensual enjoyment he’d given her. He loved that he’d made her lose all her inhibitions.
Then the sleepy pleasure in her gaze disappeared, replaced by disbelief and not a little concern. Hot color shot up her cheeks, but he refused to let her be ashamed of herself.
“You’re the sexiest woman I’ve ever met.” He brought the fingers he’d used to caress her to his nose and sniffed. “You smell sexy.” He flicked his tongue out to lick the top of his finger. “You taste hot.”
Mike could tell she was partly horrified by what they had done, but she was also very aroused as well. That was all the opening he needed. “We’d be so very good together, Annabelle. Think about it. We could do whatever you wanted, whenever you wanted.”
He barely swallowed a groan when her tongue slipped out to lick at her lips. He wanted to haul her over his shoulder and drag her out of the restaurant. He wanted to keep her in his bed for at least a week, maybe two, before he even considered letting her out for a break. Instead, he forced himself to sit there and wait for her to decide.
Annabelle opened her mouth to speak. Closed it. Took a sip of coffee and pushed her glasses up her nose before she tried again. “I want to sleep with you. I have things I want to do, to try.” She held up her hand to stop him before he could speak. “But I have conditions.”
“Whatever you want,” he promised her. At this point he’d agree to just about anything. They could always renegotiate at a later date.
“I don’t want anyone else to know about us. That way, when we end our relationship, it’s nobody’s business but ours.” She nervously chewed on her bottom lip, as if afraid he wouldn’t agree to her terms.
Stunned by her demand, Mike sat back in his chair and studied her expression. She was aroused, but she was also deadly serious. She’d certainly shocked him, something he hadn’t thought possible. Annoyance began to simmer inside him. “Let me get this straight. You want to have sex with me, but you don’t want to have a real relationship.” And wasn’t that a kick in the balls.
Most men would be thanking their lucky stars. After all, what man wouldn’t want hot sex with a gorgeous woman, no strings attached? But he wasn’t most men and this was Annabelle. What he wanted from her went beyond the physical.
He felt like his head might explode when she smiled and nodded. The muscles in his arms were straining as he resisted the temptation to pull her to her feet and shake her until she came to her senses. The fact that she looked relieved only served to heighten his anger. “Why the hell not?”
Annabelle reared back in her seat and frowned, clearly taken aback by his angry outburst. Her eyes widened and she shifted nervously in her seat. So she should, he thought. How dare she try to cheapen what they had together? Not that she had any idea where he wanted their relationship to go. Obviously they weren’t on the same page at all when it came to what they both wanted.
Their role reversal was almost laughable, but Mike seemed to have momentarily misplaced his sense of humor. She wanted nothing more than hot sex while he wanted a whole hell of a lot more.
“Well.” Annabelle glanced around to make sure the waiter wasn’t nearby. She chewed on her bottom lip, something he’d noticed was a nervous habit. Watching her teeth play over her lip, Mike had the sudden urge to nibble on that luscious mouth himself. He would need hours to properly explore it.
“If people know about us, then when you don’t want me anymore, people will pity me and talk about me. I know this isn’t about marriage, I like my job, and the town . . .” Annabelle trailed off into silence, suddenly becoming very interested in the tablecloth.
Holy hell. Mike wouldn’t have been more stunned if someone had hit him up the side of his head with a two-by-four. This wasn’t about him at all. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to be with him. It was that she didn’t think he’d want anything permanent.
This was about Annabelle’s insecurities as a woman.
What kind of an idiot had her college boyfriend been that she felt a man would only want her for a short while? Mike had the sudden urge to find the loser and beat him senseless for the harm he’d obviously wreaked on Annabelle’s self-esteem. Just the thought was enough to make his blood pressure soar. And what about the men she’d dated since?
He took a deep cleansing breath to calm his tumultuous emotions. The object of his anger was nowhere in sight and a show of temper was the last thing that Annabelle needed.
The only sign of Annabelle’s agitation was a slight tremble of her hand as she sipped her now cold coffee. At that small betraying tremor, Mike felt his heart turn over. She still hadn’t looked him straight in the face since she’d finished her little speech.
A sense of certainty settled over Mike the longer he studied her. He knew she wouldn’t believe him if he told her he was thinking long-term, that the idea of marriage had even crossed his mind. She’d certainly think he was handing her a line.
And maybe she’d be right. There was no way of knowing where their relationship might go. All he knew was that he wanted to seriously date Annabelle with an eye to a future together.
He’d have to show her instead. His actions would prove to her how desirable she was as a woman and a partner. He wanted her to know her power as a woman and then choose him.
The silence between them had lasted several minutes. It was not a comfortable silence. The very air around them almost crackled with the growing tension. Mike decided that the first step in his plan would be to make her at ease around him once again. So he would agree to her terms, let her have control of the situation, let her take the lead. He didn’t mind. He was confident now that he would eventually get what he wanted—Annabelle, forever.
“If that’s the way you want it, then that’s the way we’ll play it.” As a reward for his agreement, she gave him a shy smile, full of promise. Her lips tilted up at the corners until the smile lit her face with a beauty that almost took his breath away. When she nodded, he felt compelled to add, “For now.”
Annabelle didn’t seem to take exception at this addition. He could tell that she was feeling more confident and in control of the situation. Now that all the terms had been settled to her satisfaction, she looked happy.
Anticipation swelled inside him. Life was looking very promising for the days and weeks ahead. He intended to fulfill every fantasy she’d ever had and, hopefully, satisfy a few of his own in the process. His entire body clenched in anticipation as he watched her relax even more.
Once she was comfortable with the idea of them as a couple, he’d renegotiate the terms, preferably in bed. He’d wait until he had her mindless with pleasure and then lay out a few demands of his own. He was looking forward to the challenge.
Annabelle began to chat about work. It was only then that he understood just how uptight she’d been during dinner. Now that she was totally relaxed, he was seeing a different side of Annabelle, and this woman was even more entrancing. She entertained him with a story about her catching two young twelve-year-old boys ogling naked women in a book on women’s health.
“They turned so red when I asked if I could help them with their research.” She grinned and gave a small laugh. The candlelight reflected off the wire rims of her glasses. “They ran off when I tried to give them a book specifically geared toward questions young boys have about their sexuality.” Her eyes sparkled with humor as she continued. “Honestly, I was just trying to help them become better informed.” She paused for a breath. “They were so cute.”
Mike laughed at her story. It was easy to picture the boys sneaking down a library aisle and getting the courage to open the book to take a peek. With parental controls on computers, it was one of the few ways to check out a naked woman without anyone knowing . . . provided you didn’t get caught.
Having once been a twelve-year-old himself, he understood their fascination on that very subject and sympathized as well. What Annabelle didn’t seem to understand was that it was something a man never seemed to outgrow. And his own body was making him very aware of the consequences of thinking about such things.
It was time to leave. Mike raised his hand and signaled the waiter.
When the bill was presented, he paid and escorted Annabelle from the restaurant. He nodded at a few people he knew, but Annabelle kept her head down and went straight for the exit. He didn’t know if she was purposely trying to hide or if she was simply in a hurry to get to the next portion of their evening. Either way, he didn’t stop to speak to anyone. He was just as anxious to leave as she was.
The silence continued as Mike guided her across the parking lot. He rested his palm just above her behind, being sure to keep things respectable while they were in public. Instead of leaving it in one spot, he rubbed small circles on her lower back as they walked. She leaned into his hand instead of pulling away. Taking advantage of her slight encouragement, he slid his hand around her side and gave her a quick squeeze as they reached the vehicle.
Mike settled her into the passenger seat of his truck, making sure her dress was in no danger of being caught when he closed the door. His hand accidentally grazed her leg.
Annabelle gave a small cry, more a sweet moan than a gasp. Her leg twitched and moved restlessly. He hastily pulled the seat belt across her and clicked it into place. When his palm brushed her breast, it was on purpose. He felt her nipple, taut and puckered, through the thin fabric of her dress. She moved sensuously against his fingers and her breath quickened.
Mike swore under his breath, closed the door, and took a deep breath of evening air before he walked around and climbed in on the driver’s side. He put the keys in the ignition but didn’t start the engine.
He turned slightly in his seat and reached out to cup Annabelle’s chin in his hand. “Do you want to go to your place or mine?”
She licked her lips nervously, but spoke without any hesitation. “Yours. It’s closer.”
Mike reached over and dropped a quick kiss on her lips. “My place it is. Relax and enjoy. It won’t take long.” He started the truck, p
ut the vehicle in gear, and pulled out of the parking lot and into the night.
Mike was fiercely glad that she had chosen his house over hers. It was a primitive response, he knew, but he wanted her in his home. He wanted her to get used to being there, because if he had his way, she would never want to leave.
Chapter Five
Annabelle was quiet on the drive to Mike’s home. She was committed to making love with him, but she was nervous, excited but nervous. Her hands clutched at the purse in her lap, giving her something solid to hold on to.
“Almost there.” Mike’s voice was soft, as if he was afraid he would spook her and she would jump out of the car and run away.
She needed to say something. Anything. She cleared her voice. “It’s a nice night, isn’t it?”
Had she really said that? God, what was wrong with her? Her anxiety was turning her into an inarticulate idiot.
“Yes, you really did say that and it is a beautiful evening.”
Annabelle groaned and buried her face in her hands. This was getting more awkward by the second. She hadn’t been aware of speaking that concern aloud. She felt the light brush of his hand on the top of her head. The small caress sent a shiver down her spine.
“Are you cold or just nervous?” Mike’s hand never lost contact with her as he spoke.
She hated that she was suddenly tongue-tied and self-conscious. But hiding her face wasn’t going to change anything. She was a grown woman. She could do this.
She straightened in her seat and turned to look at him. His features were shrouded in the dark interior, but every time they passed a streetlight she caught a glimpse of him. He was big, solid and gorgeous. And she wanted him.
“I’m nervous, but excited too.” Best to be totally honest. Annabelle reached out and placed her hand on his thigh. It was rock-hard. She was encouraged when Mike suddenly placed both hands on the wheel and gripped it tight.
Uncovering Annabelle Page 5
