by Kira Archer
“You can’t blame me for that,” she said. “Had I known you were coming, I’d have made sure I had clothes on. You seem to have a real knack for showing up when I’m naked.”
“Hmm.” He brushed her hair out of her face and kissed her softly. “Maybe I have built-in radar.”
“I wouldn’t doubt it. Sounds like something you’d come up with. Actually,” she said, her forehead creasing, “it’s probably something Mr. Larson would come up with.”
Cole laughed at that. “You’re probably right. Although I’d rather not think of him at this particular moment.”
“Did you leave them back at the cottage?”
“Yes.”
She laughed. “I’m surprised they aren’t beating down our door yet.”
Cole sighed and rolled onto his back, bringing her with him so she lay snuggled up to his chest. “I doubt they’ll wake up until early next week.”
“I’m sure they’ll track you down eventually. I rented out this whole place, by the way. I didn’t really plan on torturing you for the whole trip.”
“Maybe I don’t want them to find me.”
Kiersten leaned up on her elbow. “You mean that?”
Surprisingly, yes, he did. He’d like nothing more than to spend the weekend alone with her. Preferably in bed. In fact…he sat up. “Let’s go.”
She frowned at him. “Let’s go where?”
He opened his mouth to tell her what he had in mind, but then shut it again. “It’s a surprise. Come on,” he said, giving her a quick kiss.
He climbed out of bed and went to grab his clothes from the front room. “Are your things in the closet?” he asked, pulling his clothes on.
“Yes, but why won’t you tell me where we’re going?”
“I told you, I want it to be a surprise. Let me have a little fun, will you?”
She smiled. “Fine.”
“Bring everything, though you won’t need much. I don’t plan on letting you out of my bed for most of the weekend.”
Her cheeks blushed red at that, though there was nothing shy about the smile she gave him.
“Get packing. I have to make a few phone calls.” He stopped short. “Do you have a charger?”
She laughed and pointed to the wall where it was plugged in. He came to the bed and kissed her. Then kissed her again. He finally tore himself away with a groan. “Pack quickly.” He plugged in his phone and started dialing, then looked back up.
“And don’t forget the condoms.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Kiersten tried not to get too tongue-tied when Cole ushered her onto a private plane that was nicer than her apartment.
He left her for a moment to talk to the captain, and she took the time to geek out without losing her cool in front of him. It was smaller than any plane she’d ever been in before, which made her a little nervous, but it really was spectacular. Cream-colored leather covered large captain’s chairs that faced each other in groups of four on one side of the plane. She sat in one of these and buckled up.
The other side held a couch that was larger than the one at home. While that looked like it might be more comfortable, she wasn’t sure how she felt hurtling into the air, riding sideways. She liked the secure feeling of the more enclosed seat. A large, flat panel television was set into one wall for their in-flight entertainment, she assumed, and all the blond wooden features and gold fixtures gleamed with polish.
Cole came back and sat in the chair beside her. She wasn’t going to say anything. Act totally nonchalant. After all, she’d known he had a private jet. He used it every time he had to fly anywhere. She just hadn’t had the chance to go on it yet. In the end, though, she couldn’t keep it to herself.
“Okay, this thing is incredible.”
Cole chuckled. “I’m glad you like it. Unfortunately, there’s no bedroom like there is on mine. But once we’re in the air, we can lay the chairs back and kick the feet up.”
“This isn’t your jet?” she asked.
“No. Mine is back in New York. This belongs to a friend. He’s letting me borrow it for the weekend.”
“Nice friend.”
“When it suits him.”
“Speaking of friends, you think yours are surviving?”
He laughed again. “They’ll be fine. The vacation will do them good.”
The flight attendant came through and made sure they were comfortable and buckled in.
“We’re fine for now, thanks,” Cole said.
She nodded, going back into the galley and closing the door.
Kiersten looked at him, eyebrow raised in question.
“She won’t bother us again unless I ask for her.”
Before Kiersten knew it, they were taxiing out. Cole leaned over and slipped his hand past the waistband of her skirt. She gasped and grabbed his hand, meaning to pull it away. Instead, she pushed him closer, her eyes fluttering closed when his fingers slipped inside her. He played with her while they picked up momentum. She could feel the speed better in the small plane than she’d been able to on the larger planes she’d ridden on. It was hard to focus on anything other than Cole’s fingers caressing her, though.
By the time they hit the end of the runway, she was ready to whip off her seat belt and join him in his seat. The man was a genius with his fingers. The plane launched into the air, the jump pressing her back in the seat. Cole pressed in hard and deep at the exact same moment, and she cried out. He leaned over to capture her lips, his tongue mimicking the movement of his fingers. She nearly sobbed with need for him, grabbing his hand to keep him captive. He grinned against her lips.
“Come on, baby. Come for me.”
She convulsed against his hand, her face pressed against his neck as she climaxed. Cole pulled a condom out of his pocket and unzipped his pants just enough to free himself and roll it on.
“Come here,” he said, undoing her seat belt.
She didn’t hesitate. He pulled her to him, seating her on his lap with her back to his chest, her legs straddling his. He moved aside her panties and pulled her back until he was seated deep inside her. The plane leveled off with a bump, jolting her back against him. She threw her head back at the sensation, and he held her tight. His hands roamed up and under her shirt, pushing aside her bra so he could massage her aching breasts.
She angled her head so she could capture his lips, her arm wrapping around his head to keep him molded to her. Their lips devoured each other as she moved on him. The combination of the plane hurtling through the air while he rocked into her built an excruciatingly amazing pressure she almost couldn’t stand.
She gripped the armrests and pushed herself back against him as far as she could, riding him until the pressure reached its peak and burst in wave after wave of sheer pleasure. His hands gripped her waist and he drove himself into her, over and over again, until he tensed beneath her. He pulsed deep inside her, his head resting against her back while they both came down from their high.
She laughed, breathless, and looked back at him.
“Did I just join the mile-high club?” she asked.
He grinned at her. “I think we both did.”
“You mean that’s the first time you’ve…” She couldn’t quite bring herself to say it, which was probably ridiculous because he was still inside her.
“Yes,” he said, pulling her back so he could kiss her. “And it was fucking amazing.” He kissed her again.
Hell yes, it was. She eased herself off his lap, and he pointed toward the back. “There’s a bathroom back there if you want.”
“Thanks,” she said, heading back to clean up and straighten everything up again.
When she came out, Cole was spreading blankets out on the couch. He dropped a pillow at the head and held out his hand.
“We’ve got about seven hours in the air. You might as well get some sleep.”
She sat on the couch and kicked off her shoes. “What about you?”
“I’ve got a little work I need to do. Then I�
��ll kick back in one of the chairs. They fully recline.”
She frowned. “We could both fit on here.”
He knelt beside her and gave her a soft kiss. “Not comfortably. No worries. Once we get to our destination, you won’t be able to peel me from your side. For now, I’d rather you be comfortable.”
He kissed her again, and she lay down. The couch was surprisingly comfy, and despite everything that had just happened, or maybe because of it, it wasn’t long before her eyes drifted shut.
Almost immediately, or at least that’s what it felt like, she blinked her eyes in the rising sun. Cole was smiling down at her.
“We’re starting our descent. Time to buckle up again.”
“Oh, wow.” She tried to smooth her hair with her hands. “Did I sleep the whole time?”
He chuckled and kissed her forehead. “Yes. All that plotting must have been exhausting.”
She playfully shoved him and stood up to stretch.
“You’ve got time to use the bathroom quick if you need to.”
She nodded and headed back to the ridiculously ornate bathroom. After using the toilet, which had a heated seat, she went through the drawers and found a hairbrush and several unused, still-in-the-package toothbrushes. She freshened up as quickly as she could and went back out to a smiling Cole.
It was going to take some time to get used to seeing him like that. He seemed lighter somehow. Happy. The thought that she might have had something to do with that warmed her heart.
“So, can I know where we’re going now that we’re here?”
“You can know part of it.” He gestured to the window, and Kiersten looked out.
She gasped and plopped into her seat, her face almost pressed up against the window. A bustling city sprawled beneath them, and off to the left, the Eiffel Tower sat overlooking it all.
“We’re in Paris?”
Cole grinned at her. “Oui, madam. Though, it’s not our final destination, so don’t get your heart set on any romps up the Tower.”
He refused to say anything else about their final destination no matter how much she begged, pleaded, or bribed. When the plane landed, he escorted her into a waiting limo, which took them directly to a helipad. The scenery spread out below them as they flew over the French countryside took her breath away. Then, in the distance, a literal, honest-to-goodness castle appeared nestled among some rolling hills, right on the banks of a small river.
She grabbed Cole’s arm. “Is that where we’re going?”
He picked up her hand and kissed it. “Do you like it?”
“Like it?”
She had to blink back the tears that threatened. “Okay, don’t mock me, but with last night and then…on the plane, and now you’re taking me to a real-life fairy-tale castle…I just… I know it sounds stupid, but I feel like a princess.”
His smile widened, and he leaned forward to kiss her. “Good,” he said, kissing her again. “That’s exactly what I was going for.”
Her heart nearly beat from her chest when the helicopter landed and Cole led her up the manicured lawns and through the ancient doors into the castle itself. Or chateau, she supposed it was called. It was as if they’d stepped back in time. He took her on a quick tour through the great hall where she could absolutely imagine a duke holding court for all his vassals, through drawing rooms filled with tapestries and suits of armor, past a library that was straight out of Beauty and the Beast and made her want to cry all over again, and finally up the grand staircase and into a suite that was fit for a queen.
The massive four-poster wooden bed was carved with roses and cherubs and covered in luxurious down comforters and pillows. A fire crackled in the ancient stone fireplace, and the iron-paned windows looked out over the river and gardens into a fairy-tale wonderland. Cole came to stand behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.
She leaned back against him. “Thank you for bringing me here.” She turned so she could wrap her arms around him. “This place is amazing, beautiful. I can’t believe it’s real.”
He cupped her cheek. “I could say the same about you.”
She looked into those storm-gray eyes of his, so overwhelmed with the crash of emotions within her she couldn’t speak, so she didn’t even try. Instead, she rose on her toes and pressed a kiss against his lips. He wrapped his arms tighter about her, drawing her in closer, and deepened the kiss.
This time, there was no hurried frenzy of out of control passion. No frantic grasping or animal hormones taking over. There was just the two of them in the peace and quiet of their own little kingdom.
He slowly undressed her, worshiping every inch of her body that he uncovered with such heartrending tenderness that each caress, each kiss, was burned into her memory forever. He stood and let her do the same to him. She took her time, learning every line and plane of his body. He picked her up, cradled her against him, and gently laid her on the bed, where he continued to stoke the slow burning flame within her until her body raged with it.
She had so misjudged him. Yes, he was tough. Driven. He demanded perfection of everyone around him. But she hadn’t noticed before that he demanded the same of himself. And it wasn’t because he was a jerk who liked to inflict misery on his employees. It was because he cared so much.
She reached out, her body begging for him. And this time when they joined, she knew she was lost. She may have started out on a mission for revenge before she walked away forever, but it had backfired. She’d never be free of him now. Even if she climbed out of that bed and walked away for good, she’d never be free of him. The gentle touch of his hands, the intensity of those hauntingly beautiful eyes that stared down into hers while he moved over her, in her, branded her as his. No matter what happened now, a little piece of her would belong to him forever. He’d shattered her world and rebuilt it, one kiss, one touch, one stroke at a time. She was changed, irrevocably. And she’d never felt such all-consuming joy.
This time, when the pleasure crashed over her, he was right there with her, his voice mingling with hers. They lay together for a long time, wrapped around each other while they slowly came back to earth.
“Would you have any objection if we stayed in bed and did that again a few dozen times?” she asked.
He chuckled and kissed her neck. “Your wish is my command. Though there is a great big tub in the next room, should you care to go for a swim. And a picnic lunch all packed and waiting for us in the kitchen.”
“You’ve thought of everything, haven’t you?”
“I try,” he said, his tone matter-of-fact, though his smile betrayed how pleased he was that she was happy.
“Thank you, Cole. It really is perfect.”
He pulled her closer and kissed her until her head swam. “Only because you’re here.”
She snuggled against him, perfectly content for the first time in her life. Oh, there’d be a lot to iron out when they got home. The whole work situation, for one. This weekend effectively put an end to her campaign to make him miserable, but she also wasn’t going to keep working for him. She needed to tell him about the whole lotto thing, as well.
His lips moved lower, and other thoughts invaded her mind. She pushed everything else away for the moment. If she only got to live in a fantasy world for one day, she was going to enjoy every second of it.
She’d worry about the real world later.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Cole leaned over and kissed Kiersten’s forehead. It was the perfect morning. He didn’t think he’d ever had one before, but right then, with them basking in the light of the morning sun after an amazing weekend together, he couldn’t think of anything better.
He’d have loved to stay at the chateau forever. That wasn’t a realistic possibility, but he could certainly buy something similar as a vacation home. They could get away to it whenever possible. He’d have to look into it when he got back to the office—if he ever made it back. Right at that moment, he’d very happily stay in bed wrapped around Ki
ersten for the rest of his life.
“Good morning,” she said, smiling up at him. “What’s all this?”
She sat up a little and looked at the tray he’d laid at the end of the bed.
“I made you breakfast.”
Her mouth opened in a little O. “You made me breakfast in bed?” She bit her lip, her eyes suspiciously bright. “No one has ever done that for me before.”
“Then it’s about time someone did.” He handed her a strawberry and brushed a soft kiss across her lips. “You lie there and relax. I’ll take care of everything.”
He pulled the tray closer, and she leaned forward and captured his lips, kissing him until he was ready to shove the tray away and devour her whole. He pulled away while he still had the willpower to do so. “Eat,” he said with a laugh. “You’re going to need your strength.”
She grinned. “Promises, promises.”
She ate far less than he would have liked, but he finally put the tray aside when he couldn’t coax another bite into her mouth. His phone rang, and he flopped back against the pillows with a groan he hadn’t used since his schoolboy days when his mom had to haul him out of bed for school.
Kiersten leaned over and kissed his chest. “Let it go to voicemail,” she said, trailing her lips along his skin. Her teeth lightly scraped over his nipple, and he jerked slightly. Then captured the back of her head to keep her right where she was. He could feel her smiling against him. He let it go to voicemail and kissed her again
She sighed and snuggled against him. “Hmm, a girl could really get used to this.”
“To what? Waking up to me in her bed?” He nuzzled at her neck, and she laughed like it tickled and playfully pushed him away, though she kept a hand on him so she could pull him back again.
“Well, that goes without saying,” she said, pulling him down for a kiss. Then she flopped over on her back. “But I meant all this. Luxury suites. Room service. Soft sheets,” she said, feeling the material beneath them with a smile. “Castles. If I’d known all of this was up for grabs, I’d have made a move on you a long time ago.”
He frowned, and she glanced up, catching his expression. Her forehead wrinkled in concern. “Is something wrong? You know I’m just kidding, right?”
