As she continued to look at him, something in his expression seemed familiar. She ran through her memory, trying to place where she thought she’d seen him before, but nothing came to her. However, something else struck her. Daniel said her last name. She didn’t remember telling him that earlier in the evening.
Rejoining the small talk, she sipped her drink, and, looking at the liquid, decided the alcohol was playing with her memory. She must have said it when she introduced herself and it slipped her mind. Clearly she had enough of the powerful little drinks. She needed to be careful if she was going to let him seduce her.
She blinked, startled. A blush warmed her cheeks, which she hoped no one would notice, since it didn’t match the current conversation topic of creating and selling art in difficult economic times. When did she decide to go to bed with him? She smiled secretly. It didn’t matter. She was going to take Michelle’s advice—along with the condoms her friend sneaked into her purse as they were leaving the office—and if he was interested, she planned to have a night of pleasure with the man behind these vibrant pictures. For once she wasn’t going to think out every aspect of a situation. She was going be carried away because, as her friend pointed out, she deserved it.
However, she was going to slow down on the drinks and find something to eat. Drunk sex was never good sex, and she wanted to enjoy whatever Daniel chose to do to her and all she found herself hungry to do to him. If his passion in bed was anything close to what he created artistically, he would be amazing.
She ached to be naked with him and melt into his arms like the woman in the last picture they viewed. To be ravaged as she cried out. To give in to hunger. To taste and be tasted.
“And what do you do?” Alice asked Lena, changing the focus of the conversation.
Startled out of the erotic pictures fluttering through her mind, she needed a moment before answering. “I’m a principal at Crane and Fulton. We do corporate image, marketing and advertising.”
“So you’re a kind of artist too.”
Kind of, Lena thought. “My work is more creative than artistic,” she said and hoped for a quick topic change for the second time that day.
“Well, most of my clients don’t understand the importance of marketing. Maybe I should give you a call and see what you could come up with to help some talented artists become less starving.”
Lena had the impression this woman was always working. “It depends on what you’re looking for, but we’d love to have the opportunity to help.”
“Sounds terrific. Here, let me give you my card and I’ll grab yours so we can keep in touch. After the efforts from this opening calm down, along with the paperwork from the sales, I’ll give you a call and we can arrange a meeting.” Lena exchanged cards with Alice before she knew what she was doing.
When the first couple moved on, Alice brought in more admirers to talk to Daniel, and Lena snagged a few hors d’oeuvres as she continued to listen to him discuss his work. She might have considered moving on, but in addition to her attraction to him, his hand remained almost constantly on her back, telling her wordlessly he wanted her to stay. He occasionally stroked his fingers along her spine, hinting at his interest. Alice was like a traffic cop, directing people either to Daniel or to the exhibit. When Daniel’s finger began to tap on her back, Lena took it as a cue.
“Daniel,” she said, breaking into conversation when it was only the three of them. From the way Alice was scanning the crowd she knew it wasn’t going to last long. “There are many of your pieces I haven’t seen yet.”
“It’s true. We’d only started when we were interrupted.” Lena sensed a double meaning in his words. “Alice, I’d like to show Lena more of the show. It will help her get a better idea of my work if you want her to come up with some marketing ideas. Give me a few minutes, then I’ll find you and let you introduce me around more.”
Alice looked at Lena as if trying to decide whether Lena posed a threat to the business she hoped to do this evening. Two could play at that, Lena thought, and she gave the woman her most charming hook-the-client smile. “I’m always scouting for new looks and inspiration,” she said. “Perhaps Daniel has pieces which will work for our fashion industry projects. Fantasy is the name of the game with them, after all.” She didn’t see the need to mention C&F didn’t have any clients in fashion.
It worked. “Okay,” Alice agreed, “but don’t make me come after you.”
“Of course not,” Daniel said. “Wouldn’t dream of it.” Alice clicked away on her stilettos and Daniel turned to Lena. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Being gracious while Alice was here with potential buyers as well as being the excuse I used to get rid of her.”
“I think she’ll be back.”
”I know she will, but I have a reprieve for now.”
“Why didn’t you tell me these were your paintings?”
He looked a touch embarrassed, which she thought sweet. Most of the men she met either socially or professionally had an arrogance she found off-putting. “I’m not sure. I was going to, but I couldn’t find a way to slip it into our conversation without sounding egotistical or as though I were fishing for a compliment. Besides, I enjoyed seeing your responses and hearing your thoughts without knowing who I was. Receiving honest feedback is refreshing and encouraging—and rare. It means a lot to me. I hope you don’t mind.”
“I don’t, but you were taking a risk. What if I didn’t like your work?”
“It seemed like a worthwhile gamble. Besides, I’ve learned sometimes you have to take a chance to have what you really want.”
Lena said nothing, simply let the words sink in. They were a match for her earlier thoughts of indulging her desires. He smiled warmly and she responded, she hoped, with a flirty look of her own. She was completely out of practice. Michelle was right again. Fortunately, Daniel didn’t notice.
“So, my kind accomplice, you definitely earned your reward,” he said. “What would you like?”
“You make it sound very tempting.”
“Good, that was my intention.”
“And it’s my choice?”
“Completely.”
Lena couldn’t take her eyes off his mouth. He had great lips, full and inviting. She sipped her drink and decided for once she was going to ask for what she desired. “I want you to kiss me breathless.”
Daniel lost the ability to speak when she voiced her request. They were the words of his most vivid fantasies and for a second he wondered if he imagined them. Once he was certain he heard her right, he didn’t give her a chance to think. As he leaned forward to tell her where they could go, she placed a hand on his chest as if to stop him. “You’re not going to kiss me here, are you?”
“No, this is an exhibit, not an exhibition. Come with me, and I will do my best to give you exactly what you asked for.”
Not caring that the event was for him and his art, he took her by the hand and tried not to make eye contact with anyone as they moved smoothly through the crowd. The sooner he could get her alone, the sooner he could capture the lips he’d dreamed of tasting for years. He ushered her through a door marked “Staff Only” and into the darkened foyer of a suite of offices. “Just so I’m clear, would you mind saying that again?”
In the glow of the light coming in through the door’s frosted windows he could see her beautiful smile and the excitement in her eyes. “Kiss me.”
“With great pleasure.”
Pressing her against the wall, he leaned forward and gently covered her mouth with his. She was warm and receptive, which he was expecting since it was her request, but when her hands came up his chest and moved behind his head, deepening the embrace, he was fairly certain he was the one breathless first. He cupped her face, caressing her cheeks and stroking her neck with his pinky. When she moaned, he opened her mouth with his tongue.
She tasted of the sweet drink she’d been sipping and a heat more tempting than anything he imagined.
He’d kissed enough women to know when it was wrong—and when it was right. This was definitely right. Her mouth fit against his perfectly, and he loved how she molded herself to him. Their tongues flirted and explored, each learning the other while trying to show what felt good. She gave a sigh when his fingers trailed down below her collar and he longed to taste the skin there.
One of her hands slid into his hair, sending shivers from his scalp through his body while the other played with the opening of his shirt. Her touch on his bare flesh created a fire that shot straight to his groin, and he wasn’t certain how he found the strength to move his hands to her back and not lift her dress to explore more of her.
He moved his hands up and traced the curve of her neckline, enjoying the shiver that passed through her and the goose bumps he could feel on her skin. It wasn’t until her hand slipped inside his shirt that he noticed she opened a button.
“Minx,” he said.
“Perhaps,” she replied and he felt her smile beneath his lips. “I think I enjoy feeling you so close to me.”
He pressed against her and she surprised him by slowly lifting her leg, bending it at the knee and placing the sole of her shoe on the wall. The feeling of being cradled between her was almost too much. He couldn’t stop picturing the leather couch in the director’s office and Lena with her legs wrapped around him.
A shadow passed by the window followed by another, each time plunging them into darkness and reminding him of their situation. “Lena, I’m sure you can tell I want to continue kissing you, but with all the people on the other side of the door we are going to get caught, and I wouldn’t want to put you in a compromising position.”
“What position would you like me in?”
He gave a throaty laugh, unable to do more. She was incredible and her boldness excited him. “I’d settle for being alone.”
“I’m not in the mood to settle tonight.”
“Then you should know I live on the other side of the Dartmouth Street bridge in the South End.”
“This is your show. It’s probably not a good idea for you to leave early.”
He shrugged. “Perhaps the elusive artist would be a good image to cultivate. We can be at my apartment in less than twenty minutes if we walk quickly.”
“Are you willing to wait thirty since my heels are pretty high?”
He looked at her legs and reached down to caress her thigh through her dress. “Let’s get a cab.”
“I need to get my coat,” she said.
“I’ll meet you outside in five minutes.”
She leaned forward and took his face in her hands, kissing him softly at first, and then more passionately. “I’ll be waiting, even if it takes you ten.”
“At this rate, I’m going to have almost as much trouble walking as you, and my shoes are flat,” he said. Her sexy laughter rang in his ears as she stepped out the door and disappeared into the crowd.
He leaned his head against the wall where she had been standing, needing a few deep breaths. He could still feel the warmth of her lips against his, which kept him from believing he was hallucinating. Adjusting his painful erection, he grabbed his coat from the director’s office where he’d left it earlier, and walked out into the gallery. Scanning the room, he determined the fastest route out and bolted for the door.
Chapter Three
What position would you like me in? Lena heard the words come out of her mouth, yet couldn’t believe she said them. I’m not in the mood to settle. Even if they were what she was thinking and feeling, they were shocking and empowering to say out loud and sounded more like something Michelle would say. She couldn’t remember being this bold with a man. Had she really lifted her leg to bring him closer? And now she was planning to take Michelle’s outrageous suggestion and go to his home. What had gotten into her? It had to be because he was a stranger.
That, and the incredible way he kissed. His mouth felt unbelievably wonderful and sent a hot pool of liquid between her thighs. There was no faking in a kiss, and his rocked her from the moment they touched.
She wanted, in a deep, almost painful way, as she never had before. She wanted to give to him and take from him. And she wanted him to take her. To touch her, taste her. The desire was a hunger running through her blood and there was only one way to satisfy it. Her heart beat faster as she waited for him, hoping he wasn’t stopped by Alice or anyone who wanted to talk to him. She shouldn’t be taking him away from his exhibit, but then again, she probably shouldn’t be considering a fling with a man she just met.
Shouldn’t be damned. She was attracted to him and he clearly felt the same way. She was going to enjoy every minute of this. There was nothing on the line here. No need to worry in a one-night stand what the other person thought. She could relax and simply enjoy.
“I wasn’t too long, was I?” he asked from behind her.
She looked over her shoulder. “Right on time.”
“Good, come with me.” Hand in hand they walked rapidly across Newbury Street. As soon as they turned onto Boylston Street, he slowed his pace. “I don’t want you to turn an ankle in those heels, but I did want us to get a safe distance from the gallery.”
“I understand.” The night was chilly, but his hand was warm and dwarfed hers. The Copley area was busy on a Friday night, but he easily maneuvered them around groups and couples. “You’re one of those pedestrians who give Boston a bad name, aren’t you?” she asked after they crossed against a second light.
“Usually I’m more conscientious, but tonight I think my desires come before any of theirs.” He lifted their connected hands and kissed hers.
She smiled and enjoyed the tingles spreading through her, liking that he couldn’t wait to be alone with her. When was the last time she experienced this? She couldn’t remember. After tonight, she’d have her answer.
He flagged an oncoming cab and held the door for her. The driver was clearly annoyed it would be a small fare, but he didn’t have a choice so he gunned the engine, throwing them back in their seats. Knowing she shouldn’t jump on him where they could be seen, Lena settled for leaning gently against him and looking out the window as he traced tantalizing patterns in her palm.
Once on the other side of the Dartmouth Street Bridge, the city changed. The hustle of Copley Square disappeared as the streets became quieter and tree-lined. There were rows of beautifully restored bow-front brownstones and almost no businesses except for small corner convenience stores. It was like stepping into another world, a sensation appropriate for the evening.
Lena lost track of the turns, but it wasn’t long before Daniel was paying the cab driver, giving him a generous tip, and escorting her to the flight-high stoop and into the vestibule of his building. “Each floor is a condo,” he explained, “and I’m on the top floor. Hope you don’t mind the climb.”
“I think I can manage,” she said as he allowed her to step in before taking her hand and leading her upstairs. She was glad they took a cab. She and her heels were done with climbing by the time they made it to his door.
As he crossed into his apartment and flipped on the light, she could see why he chose it. Spacious, well laid out and, if the number of windows were any indication, well lit. All important to an artist. It would have been fun to look around, but Daniel kissed her on the neck and she forgot everything but the sensations he was creating.
“I’d give you a tour, but I’d rather save it for later. There’s only one room I want to show you.” He bent slightly and scooped her into his arms.
“I can still walk,” she said, although she enjoyed the romantic gesture.
“Wouldn’t want to wear out those sexy shoes or tire the sexy legs that are in them.”
In quick strides he carried her to his bedroom, turned the switch of a torch lamp bathing the room in a soft light, and brought her to his bed. She had a moment to notice the padded leather headboard, which struck her as erotic, and the simply furnished room before he placed her in the center of the lar
ge mattress and brought his mouth down on hers.
If she feared her earlier attraction to him was heightened by being in a nearly public place or the possibility of being caught, she needn’t have worried. Completely alone, she wanted him more. Here he was hers, and she could give in to every sensation. It was a heady—and wonderful—realization.
As his hand ran up her leg, he found the lace band at the top of the thigh-high stockings she wore. His moan of pleasure sent a rush of heat through her. During the work day she worried about them falling and feared she was crazy to wear them but she was glad she took the risk. He traced the edge of the thin material and Lena was surprised she was so responsive there. Her mind raced at the thought of what was yet to come.
Daniel slid his hand behind her shoulders and raised her to a kneeling position, allowing him to reach behind her and find the zipper on her dress. The sound of it sliding down and the cooler air on her overheated skin made her shiver.
“Cold?” he asked.
“Excited,” she said and slipped her arms out of the dress, allowing him to continue removing it from her. She was grateful the bra that looked best with this dress was also one of her sexiest. Daniel pulled the dress to her knees and leaned forward to kiss her skin, working his way down from her collarbone to the top of the black demi-cups, which offered her breasts to him. He tongued the lace edge of the material, teasing her skin and raising goose bumps. She placed her hands on his shoulders, digging in with her nails, and tried not to melt into the bedding.
“Your skin is amazing,” he said in a hushed voice. “Soft, warm, yielding.”
She bent forward slightly, needing to be closer to him. Sliding her hands down his back, she brought her mouth to the base of his neck and breathed in the heady, masculine scent of him. Deciding he deserved to be touched as much as she did, her hands moved farther down his back until she reached the waist of his pants. She pulled on the material of his shirt until it came free then ran her fingers along the skin she exposed.
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