by Cadence Vonn
“Where do you live?”
She frowned. He arched his brow. Finally, she rattled off her address to the driver and leaned back into the soft leather. He smiled to himself at gaining that piece of information.
He fought the urge to pull Tess onto his lap and kiss the hell out of her. She wore the same lavender scent she did the last time they were together. It drifted up to his nose, and he closed his eyes for a moment, entranced by the memory of her lying across the window seat in the tower room, all breathless and flushed.
Taking what she had offered that day seemed like an enjoyable challenge, one he never thought would lead to a growing obsession to learn every inch of her body. He glanced at her. Creamy, flawless skin peeked out the top of her dress, aglow from the streetlights. The soft mounds of her breasts rose and fell with her steady breathing. They moved faster. He glanced up at her eyes and froze.
The icy-blue beauties captured his, and heat rose up his face and singed every nerve along its path to his scalp. He ran his hand through his hair like a schoolboy caught spying on the girls’ locker room. Thank goodness the car stopped in front of her apartment. He pushed open the door before his driver could get around the vehicle. He stepped out and inhaled a large gulp of the cool night air.
“Gerald, I won’t need you anymore tonight. I’ll find my own way home from here.” The driver nodded, closed the back door, and left the two of them to stroll inside her building.
“Do you live far from here?” she asked as she pressed the button in the elevator.
“My apartment is walkable from here, but probably not smart late at night. I’ll call a cab. No sense in keeping Gerald up any later than necessary. His wife worries about him.”
“That’s very thoughtful of you.” Surprise laced her words.
“You make it sound like I don’t care about other people.”
“Sorry. Seems like we keep misjudging each other.” She unlocked her apartment door and turned on the lamp in the corner of the living space. The warm light bathed the chintz-covered furniture in a soft glow.
“This is charming. I’ve never been in one of these older apartments surrounding the park. You have an amazing amount of space. I thought these buildings were all condos.”
“They are.” She unbuckled her heels and kicked them under the coffee table in front of the couch. She wanted to change the subject. “Would you like something to drink? I have red or white wine, scotch…and I think there’s still a bottle of champagne in the cooler from my birthday celebration.”
“How old are you?”
“I turned twenty-seven a few months ago. And you?”
“I’m thirty-four.”
“No wonder your mother is getting antsy to find you a wife. She probably feels you’ve sown all the wild oats you need to, and it’s time to settle down. Did you decide on a drink?”
“Scotch. My mother has been looking for a wife for me for a few years.”
“In all that time she hasn’t found the perfect woman to wash, cook, and clean for you?” Tess laughed as she pulled out the bottle of scotch. “On the rocks or neat?”
He looked at the label and nodded his appreciation. “I’ll have it with a little ice.” He paced along the perimeter of the room, perusing her framed dress sketches. “This is quite a place for a costume designer. How many bedrooms?”
“It had three, but I took the wall out between the two small rooms and turned it into one large room I use as a workroom. There’s a bathroom attached to that room as well as one in the master suite. As you can see I have a dining area, living area, and kitchen. But the best thing is I have access to a rooftop sitting area that’s all mine.” She could tell he calculated the cost but didn’t pursue it further. Maybe he thought she once had a sugar daddy.
“Amazing. Why don’t we take our drinks to the roof and look at the stars?”
“All right. Let me put on a pair of slippers. Get comfortable. Take off your coat and tie.” She scooted into her bedroom and reemerged with a pair of black feather slippers on her feet. The sight of Max removing his coat drew her toward his body, and before she thought, she pulled the end of his bow tie.
He captured her fingers and brought them to his lips. He placed a kiss on each fingertip, lingering on the index finger when she bent it in to caress the corner of his mouth. His other arm wrapped around her waist and eased her body against his.
She trembled and dropped her hand, letting him engulf her with both arms. She lowered her head and rested it against his chest. A deep breath helped collect her scattered thoughts. He reached down and lifted her chin. Their gazes locked. His swept to her lips, and he bent to place a soft kiss against their puffy center. She responded by nipping his lower lip. A groan rumbled in his chest. The vibration traveled through her body and she deepened the kiss, standing on her toes to gain better access to his mouth. She belonged in his arms. Any doubt disappeared when his tongue found hers, and he lifted her off her feet until her soft breasts pressed against his chest.
It took all Max’s control to finally break the kiss and set Tess down on the floor. Her flushed face and bruised lips ignited every nerve in his body. What would she do if he reached around and unzipped her dress? His hands stroked the bare skin of her upper back and played at the edge of the leather.
“There is definitely chemistry between us,” he said, hoping she’d agree.
“Mm, chemistry.” Tess played with the button at the neck of his shirt until she released it, letting her fingers rest against his warm skin.
“What should we do about it?” Max rested his hand over hers, not wanting her to move away from the spot she scorched with her touch.
“Oh, Max.”
Her sad sigh filled him with dread. He didn’t want her to send him away, yet their future together rested in her hands.
“Max, my head is screaming at me to send you home, and my body is aching to take you to bed. Either way, I’ll be filled with regret. If we make love, I’ll hate the thought of you leaving later when we’re finished. Will you at least spend the night?”
His stance changed and his arms tightened around her. “You do understand if I spend the night we’ll make love more than once.”
“Is that a statement or a question?” She tilted her head waiting for his response.
“A promise.”
“As long as you have condoms for every time.”
He stiffened, and her eyes widened.
“You don’t have condoms with you?” she teased. “I thought that was rule one in the man’s seduction manual.”
“Where is the closest all-night drug store?”
She chuckled. “Actually, I have an unopened box in the bathroom. If they haven’t expired, we can use them.”
“Never opened?” He raised his eyebrow at her.
“My other lovers supplied their own.” She wiggled out of his grasp and walked into her bedroom, her long gown swayed with the movement of her hips. He followed close behind, his fingers crossed he didn’t have to waste time searching for an open store.
Tess emerged from the bathroom, a box triumphantly raised in her hand. “You’re in luck, Mr. Westfield! There’s still a year before they expire.”
“Then prepare to have your world rocked, Ms. Medici.”
“Wow.” She laughed. “I hope you can live up to that conceited comment.”
Max reached behind her and lowered her zipper. “I’ve already shown you my finger skills. Wait until you see how I use my tongue.” He stepped away from her, letting her dress fall around her ankles in a pool of shimmering fabric. “Exquisite.” He held her at arm’s length, and scanned her body. His memory hadn’t done her breasts justice. A pair of silver bikini panties were the only piece of clothing she wore.
Would just one night get her out of his system? They would make love a few times, and he would leave, ready to move on and accept a wife of his mother’s choosing. He took a deep breath and pushed the thought from his mind. He’d enjoy Tess.
He scooped her up in his arms and carried her toward the bed. When he set her down by the edge, she held onto the front of his shirt and started to unbutton the studs. Within seconds she had the shirt open and pushed it down off his shoulders.
“Such skilled fingers. How many tuxedo shirts have you unbuttoned in the past?”
“Hundreds.” She batted her eyelashes, and he inhaled a breath like he’d been punched in the stomach.
“Max, I’m a costume designer. A tux is a mainstay in many of the period plays I’ve worked on. Your question should have been how many lover’s shirts have I unbuttoned?”
Relief washed over him, and he chuckled. “How many?”
“I never kiss and tell. Tonight you are my only lover, that’s all that matters.”
He hesitated. Maybe her other lover—or lovers—paid for this apartment. He closed his eyes as her finger traced the line of dark hair down his chest to the edge of his pants. A low rumble escaped his lips when she unbuckled his belt and unzipped his trousers. How far would she go if he didn’t stop her? Her talented fingers grazed his hips, inching down his pants and briefs before she hesitated. He looked down to see why she stopped.
“I have a feeling you’re not sure if you want to go through with this.” She eyed him from under her thick lashes. “Is there something wrong?”
He looked into her eyes, took hold of her hands, and brought them up to his chest. How could he ask her if he was one of many lovers that paraded through her apartment?
“Just spit it out.” She pulled her hands away and grabbed her silk robe off the bedpost. “You look like a man who’s been given a life sentence in prison.” She yanked her hair out of the material, wrapped the sash around her waist and tied it into a bow.
She squared her shoulders and said, “I’m sorry I’m not like the other women you sleep with. I don’t have blonde hair, and I’m not tall and thin.” She stuck out her chest and messed with her hair. Tears hovered at the edges of her lashes. “Affanculo,” she cursed in Italian.
Max moved toward her, trying to figure out what to say, knowing he was losing control of the situation. “You are more beautiful than the other women I’ve dated.”
“Too late. Obviously, the chemistry wasn’t strong.” She stooped down to retrieve his shirt off the floor and jammed it at his abdomen.
“Your coat is in the living room. I think you can find your way out.” She brushed past him and headed toward her bathroom.
It took him a second to realize she wanted him to leave. Hell, no way was he going anywhere tonight. He pivoted, grabbed the collar of her silk robe, and stopped her in her tracks.
“Tess, I’d like to start over. Your comment about lovers made me uncomfortable. Please forgive me.”
Her eyes narrowed, and she took a step back so she could look at his face better. “Maximilian, are you jealous?”
A slight twitch pulsed along his clenched jaw. He’d concede that one emotion if it kept her from dismissing him. She stepped toward him and rested her hands on his chest.
“Max, how many lovers have you had?”
A slight blush colored his cheeks. “Touché.”
“I won’t pretend I’m a virgin, but there hasn’t been someone in my life for a while now. Does that make you feel better?”
Relief washed over him, and he pulled her into his arms. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me.”
“I guess you’re so used to looking for a female virgin to be your wife, you forgot I’m not on the list.” She tugged at the hair on his chest.
He winced at the tweak.
“It’s only tonight. Forget tomorrow or the next day. I want you to pretend I’m a lover you can’t leave. You did say you were going to rock my world.”
Max laughed and swept her up in his arms. He placed her in the middle of the bed and followed her down, capturing her lips with a scorching kiss. His fingers found the tie of her robe and pulled it. The silk slipped off her body, and she squirmed under him. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen such perfectly sized breasts. They beckoned to be squeezed and sucked.
His tongue circled her hard nipple before he captured the tip between his teeth and nipped it.
Tess gasped.
He held the other one in his hand while he kissed and sucked the one closest to him. She shivered, her enjoyment evident in her fast breathing and whimpers as he teased her. He traced the curve of her waist and found the edge of her panties. She raised her hips, and he slipped the unnecessary garment down her legs until she kicked them away.
She pushed his pants down his hips, showing her eagerness to have him naked against her body. He scrambled out of the pieces of clothes and tucked her body under his, finding her skin as smooth and soft as her discarded silk robe.
“Tess.”
She caressed his cheek. He kissed the palm of her hand, twirling his tongue in an erotic motion. He grasped her wrists in his one hand and slid lower, stopping to enjoy each breast before moving down her abdomen. Her fingers played with his hair, making him move her hands higher so he could continue lower. Her dark, short curls beckoned, and he buried his nose, inhaling her essence. Her hands forgotten, he slipped his body between her legs.
“You smell divine.”
Before she could respond, his tongue lashed out and stroked her delicate flesh, sending shivers through her body. A moan left her lips, and she arched, trying to get closer to his mouth.
“In order to rock your world, I need to take my time. Tease you. I’m going to enjoy every whimper and cry you make. I might even make you beg before I let you find your release. Since I owe you a spanking, this might even be a better punishment.” He couldn’t tell if she sagged against the mattress from relief or frustration that he wouldn’t spank her.
The idea of bending her over his lap made his cock pulse. “On second thought.” He sat up and pulled her over his bare thighs. “Maybe you would rather have a spanking.” He caressed her bottom, and she caught her breath. One more stroke made her moan.
“You wouldn’t dare.” She turned her head, to look at him.
“You have a beautiful ass. Have you ever been spanked?”
“No. Let me up, Max.”
“I’ve never spanked a woman, but for some reason, your ass calls to me. I would love to see it pink. People say it makes a woman’s orgasm more explosive. Wouldn’t you like to find out?”
Tess stilled. The thought had her sopping wet. He stroked between her legs and his groan intensified her longing for his touch.
“Oh, Tess, you’re so hot you can’t deny you’re curious about how it will feel.” And with that, he raised his hand, and his swat connected with her soft flesh.
Sparks of electricity danced over the spot he smacked. Her fantasy about being spanked blazed to life. There’d never been another man who measured up to the task. Tess had no idea how to handle the sensation and before she could figure out what to do, another slap landed on her other cheek. Rainbows of neon colors flashed in her head. She groaned as his cool hand caressed the place on fire from his sexy hit.
Everything she read, or thought might happen didn’t come close to the burst of pleasure that ignited her body. She held still, hoping he wasn’t finished with only two spanks. The idea of more made her take a deep breath and press her breasts against his thighs.
“Oh babe, you are so wet.” He stroked over her clit. She wiggled closer, the coarse hair on his thighs teased her taut nipples.
“Tell me to stop if you don’t like it.”
She couldn’t form the simple word stop. Her body wanted more. It craved the climb to the peak of her orgasm she knew wasn’t very far away. Max would take her there, and nothing would make her say stop as the tingle of pain and pleasure merged and pulsed through her body.
“Put your hands behind you.” Max’s voice held a note of command. Tess placed her hands on her lower back, making her sink farther forward, so he had a better angle to connect with her flesh. He took hold of her
wrists with his large hand, and a moment later, the other one released another smack right below the first hit.
Her moan echoed off the bedroom walls, and his erection dug into her side. Another swat followed closely after the last one, and she wanted to scream for him to pound into her and take away the rising ache. Smack after smack drove her higher. An erotic cry caught in her throat and with the next whack, she begged. “Now, Max.”
He released her hands, stood up, and lifted her body against his broad chest. Her hand rested on his flushed skin, damp from the excitement. He claimed a savage kiss, and she clutched his neck, not wanting to break the connection as his tongue dominated hers. When he shifted her in his arms, her heart slammed into her ribcage at the thought of him inside her. He draped her over the plush love seat near her bed.
“Don’t move.”
She could hear him tear open the condom; the sound made her fist her hands in the soft cushion, anticipating his plunge. He pushed her legs open with his feet, positioned himself, and smacked her one more time. She gasped, and he slammed into her. His prowess magnified her overwhelming need for him. Every muscle in his powerful thighs pressed against hers. He held her firmly against the back of the sofa so she wouldn’t collapse. His legs shook next to her legs, the idea she had this effect on him made her counter his thrusts, driving him deeper.
“Oh, Max.”
She clenched her muscles, and a rush of heat filled her body. He gripped her hips, his strong hands kneaded her hot flesh as he slowed his movement. She held back her groan, hoping he would resume his pounding, but he only teased her more. He pulled out inch by inch, the tortuous movement, drove her to the edge, but wouldn’t let her soar. Excitement shook her knees, and the sensation caused her to whimper.
His devilish chuckle made her slam back against him.
A momentary victory over his tactics gave her a shot of euphoria. Her deep ache heated to volcanic proportions and she teetered on the edge.
He gripped her hips tighter. “Are you ready to fly?” His voice sounded gritty.
