by Romes, Jan
“We have two more prizes to give away and then the rest of the night will be about dancing.” Maggie laughed. “I promise.”
Stella took the few minutes that Trish was gone to organize her thoughts. The night wasn’t going as planned. The anger she started with was long gone and she couldn’t wait to be in Alex’s arms again. She exhaled lightly. She was one pathetic revenge-seeker.
Trish hurried back with an espresso machine. “I’ve wanted one of these babies.”
“Does it do the frothy thing?” Stella asked, trying to appear interested.
Trish elbowed her. “Stella.”
“Hmm?”
“They called your name.”
Stella brushed it off. “No they didn’t.”
“Stella Matson,” Maggie repeated loudly. “Get your butt up here before I send one of these goons down to get you.”
Stella blushed and waved Maggie away. “Call someone else’s name.”
Maggie was determined. “It’s the last one. Come up and get it, so we can get on with the dancing.”
Stella hissed between clenched teeth, but nodded like an obedient slug.
When she got to the stage, Alex’s violet eyes sparkled with mischief and his mouth twitched with amusement. She shuttered her eyes with suspicion, which made him laugh. She tucked the box under her arm and hurried away.
Trish yanked the package away from Stella and read the front of the package. “Oooo La La!”
“What?”
Trish turned the package so Stella could read the front.
“Massager: personal and convenient with more than 5000 vibrations per minute.” The heat of embarrassment crept up Stella’s neck and into her face. “It says it’s for sore muscles. But look how it’s shaped.” This had been a set-up. She tried to act ticked, but she couldn’t pull it off. She and Trish laughed until they were blotting tears.
“I’ll trade you,” Trish said.
Stella shook her head. “I wonder whose idea this was.”
The warm hand that landed on her back made her grin.
“Maggie’s the culprit. I tried to talk her out of it.”
“Uh-huh. Sure you did.”
The lights lowered. Alex took the package and sat it on a table. “Dance with me.”
Stella practically fell into Alex’s arms. He whirled her onto the dance floor. Right away he surprised her with soft, warm kisses on her neck, just like he did at the bar.
Desire shot hot and rampant through her bloodstream. “Alex,” she whispered.
“Stella,” he said in reply.
Be mad. You’re supposed to be mad, she told herself. But she wasn’t mad, not even a little.
Trish and Steve danced over to them. “Do you have to help clean up?” Steve asked.
Alex smiled. “Nope. Maggie has a separate cleaning committee.”
Steve raised his eyebrows up and down. “Excellent. How about making this a private party, elsewhere?”
Stella stiffened with resistance. At the banquet hall she was safe. Relatively safe. Argh. Not the least bit safe.
Alex’s violet eyes sparkled while he waited for her approval.
“Don’t think, Stella,” Trish insisted. “It’ll be okay.”
Stella told herself to stay put, all the way to the taxi.
Chapter Sixteen
Stella took a sip of the contraband champagne Steve borrowed from the party, while she checked out a wall-grouping of black and white sketches hanging above Alex’s couch. “These are incredible.”
Alex’s warm breath on her neck was more intoxicating than the champagne could ever hope to be.
“My sister, Kelly, painted those. She went through a dark-phase. Now she’s in love so everything is bright colors.”
“She’s very talented.” Stella tried to edge away from him, but Alex held her in place by putting his chin on her shoulder.
“She’s a keeper,” he said.
So are you, she thought, still trying to wiggle some distance between them.
Steve and Trish cuddled up on Alex’s couch. “Now that we’re here, what should we do?”
Stella almost suggested they leave before it was too late.
Alex proposed watching TV or listening to music.
Steve clicked his tongue. “How about strip-poker?”
Trish hooted her consent but withdrew it when Stella frowned. “Spoil sport.”
Alex brought Stella’s hand to his lips and planted a soft, warm kiss on the palm. “Sorry, buddy. I have to vote no too.” His voice was thick with possession.
Stella’s heart did a solid thud against her chest while her pulse did an exotic dance through her veins.
“Dang, Stella. My only opportunity to see you naked and he tries to hog you.” Steve howled when Trish elbowed him in the ribs. “I was kidding, honey.”
“Sure you were,” Trish cackled.
Stella wandered to the couch to sit beside them. She downed the last of her champagne and Alex was right there to refill her glass. She meant to stop him, but her reflexes weren’t working quite like they should be.
She eyed the full glass. Whew. She was still cognizant of what she was doing, but she was becoming more lightheaded with every sip. Alex turned to say something to Steve and she thrilled his ficus plant with its first taste of alcohol
“Music it is.” Alex fiddled with his CD player until the words to a well-known slow song began. He extended his hand and pulled Stella from the couch.
This was so not real. She wasn’t in Alex Clay’s arms, being swept away by his charm and the gentle rhythm of the music, her heart beating against his. Any second now she was going to wake up in her bed with a monumental hangover.
Steve followed Alex’s lead and pulled Trish up too.
In the tiny living room, they danced.
After the second song ended, Alex embraced her more intimately, more possessively, his hands engaging in a daring exploration. Gently, his fingers kneaded her shoulders. With calculated slowness they moved down her back. Everywhere they touched left a trail of fire and they manipulated a soft moan from her.
“We…they…I don’t think I…” Stella tried to pull free.
“Shh.” Alex crushed her closer. “Steve and Trish left us a couple of minutes ago.” Alex pressed his mouth to hers. His kiss was light at first; tasting, teasing, deepening her awareness. What followed was blissful madness. His tongue became the pleasure-express. Softly tracing the outline of her lips, coaxing her mouth open with tantalizing pressure. With hungry, insistent thrusts he darted his tongue in and out, drawing a series of quiet moans.
Alex surprised her by moving from her mouth to her chin where he devoured it with as much gusto as he did her lips. Gentle nips with his teeth made her eyes go wide…and yearn for more.
He trailed his tongue to the tender skin below her chin where his lips suckled and his tongue fine-tuned the ecstasy.
It was a complex assault. His mouth worked its magic and so did his hands. Spasms of delight rocked Stella in a way she’d never before experienced.
At that moment, realization dawned. Alex was the fire she’d been longing for – the one who stoked desire to unimaginable heights – the one who made feeling uninhibited as natural as the air she breathed.
When she pressed closer, she made intimate contact with his arousal. She’d expected it, but it still surprised her.
Alex brushed a few strands of hair from her face and tilted her chin so they were eye to eye. “I’m compelled to tell you I’m normally not in a constant state of stimulation.” His eyes sparkled with honesty. “You’ve awakened the beast.”
Stella felt wickedly empowered. “You have a commanding effect on me too, which I couldn’t hide if I tried.” She stepped on her tip-toes and kissed him full on the mouth.
Alex took her mouth again with fiery ownership. His tongue plundered and tasted until she trembled. The need building inside her had reached the point of no return. “I need you so much,” she said.
Passion blazed in Alex’s eyes. Stella tugged him to the sofa and pushed him down.
Alex’s face was tight with restraint. “Not here, sweetheart.” He scooped her in his arms, and Stella laid her head against his shoulder while he carried her down the hall to his bedroom. She wanted this so much. Wanted him so much. Nothing else mattered, even though she knew she had to come down to earth sometime and face reality. At the moment, her ache for him far outweighed the consequences.
Alex put Stella down beside his bed and took her face in his hands. His stare was deep and hungry. “I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anyone or anything.” He brushed his lips softly across hers.
Stella put her hands on his cheeks to hold his mouth to hers. Between a series of fast kisses, she said, “Take. Me. Now.”
Alex’s mouth captured hers in a slow, mind-boggling kiss while his hands became an onslaught of touches. Cupping her breasts, moving to her bottom, roping her in his arms. He was everywhere all at once.
Gentle fingers found the nape of her neck, stroking her skin, blazing a fiery trail to her chest. Over her dress, his expert touch made her breasts bud beneath the fabric.
Stella gasped and leaned into his hand. Passion devoured her and triggered the heat of love.
Deft fingers traced the outline of her strapless bra before moving to the back to unzip her dress. Inch by inch Alex eased it down until he reached the hooks of her bra. With a quick snap the bra fell away. He eased the straps of both the dress and bra down her shoulders.
Scorching palms sought what had once been held by the bra. “Oh, Stella.” He cupped them and dragged his thumb across the nipple until she moaned.
His hands left to remove his shirt and Stella thought she would die. He practically ripped off his pants. With a sumptuous look, Alex removed his boxers and gave them a toss. Stella gasped at seeing him completely and beautifully naked. She gasped again when he dropped to his knees. His tongue traced the outside of her black lacy-thong and his hands massaged the curve of her bottom. With a cocky smile, he tossed the thong over his shoulder.
Alex’s warm violet eyes roamed over her, and Stella instinctively covered herself.
“Let me see,” he said.
His gravelly voice was a velvety embrace and her heart leapt with indescribable joy, slowly she lowered her hands.
Stella knew in that moment that she was in love with Alex and could give him her body and soul, and anything else he wanted.
“Beautiful,” he whispered against the softness of her belly, stealthily making his way to her breasts.
Stella was on fire. “Alex. Please. Hurry.”
Alex torched his way to her mouth. He kissed her with dominance and promise.
Without breaking the fevered ravishment of her mouth, he guided them to the bed and moved over her.
The intimate contact of warm flesh against warm flesh was almost more than Stella could handle. Heat burst spasmodically through her.
Alex combed her body with his hands, turning every part into an erogenous zone; including weird places like her elbows and the heels of her feet.
Stella thrashed with delight, her breathing becoming labored gulps of air. Powerful sensations took a hold of her until she pinnacled onto a velvety cloud of bliss.
Their eyes met. “We didn’t…we haven’t even…,” she said.
Alex buried his face between her breasts for a few moments and then raised his head. He looked pleased.
I love you was close to her lips.
Alex positioned himself over Stella and parted her thighs. His face was heavy with restraint and passion. “Every breath I take is for you, Stella.” He skillfully slipped on a condom and in the breadth of a heartbeat, they joined.
Blissful shock stilled them.
When Stella finally smiled, Alex followed suit. He began to move slowly and Stella closed her eyes.
“Please, sweetheart, open your eyes.”
Stella slowly opened them and leaned up to kiss him. A small part of her was completely terrified by their intimacy. She was giving him her body and her heart, because she didn’t give one without the other.
Alex loved how the green of Stella’s eyes deepened as he made love to her, and how she vocalized her pleasure and matched him movement for movement. She was an amazing woman. When he touched her, her whole body responded. When she touched him her hands were eager, but gentle. Any lingering clouds of doubt gave way to blue skies when her eyes said everything he needed to hear – that he could touch her heart as well as her body, and that she was as excited to please him as he was her.
They made love slowly and carefully at first until they became one thrashing, wild flood of emotion and adventure. They kissed and caressed, throbbed and stroked their way to joy. Stella reached fulfillment first, Alex followed close behind.
Stella blinked sweetly up at him and Alex ran his index finger along her jaw-line while he studied her. He found contentment laced with confusion, but nowhere in the depth of those emeralds did he see regret, and his heart soared.
“Who would’ve thought?” Stella pointed to him and then to her. “You and I.”
Alex anchored himself on his elbow. “Pretty good match, don’t you think?”
Stella nipped at her kiss-swollen bottom lip. “First-rate,” she said almost shyly.
Alex knew what her shyness meant. “Don’t, Stella. You can rationalize this all you want tomorrow. For now, let’s enjoy the moment.” His mouth descended slowly on hers, and with extreme gentleness brushed her lips with his. “Sleep well, sweetheart.”
Stella laid her head against his chest and her contented sigh made him smile.
He closed his eyes, but couldn’t fall asleep. His mind replayed every incredible moment of loving her. It was quite possibly the best night of his life, in some ways it was the worst. There were some things that had the possibility of shattering everything they just shared; at some point he would have to address them.
Chapter Seventeen
“Heaven only comes in two varieties – regular and decaf,” Stella explained, and pointed to several stacks of foam cups. “Would you like that in gargantuan size? The filler-up cup? Or the I-need-to-make-this-last-until-lunchtime cup?” Stella smacked her lips for effect, and laughed at the noise. She didn’t need to make sound effects to sell coffee. The aroma alone was enough to…
Her subconscious poked her. It’s a dream, Stella.
Stella bolted upright. She wasn’t working behind the counter at her favorite coffee shop. She was in bed…naked…with an olive and gold colored comforter tucked around her.
The memory of what took place in that bed the night before came rushing back and produced a myriad of emotions. She didn’t know whether to sigh with contentment or blush with embarrassment. What a night!
When she yawned and stretched, the satiny fabric of the comforter brushed across her nipples, a giant dose of reality.
She yielded to a moment of panic. With lightning speed she was out of bed and into the rumpled pink cocktail dress, which felt a little strange to be wearing at eight-thirty in the morning. She went in search of the scant piece of material that was seriously a poor excuse for underwear.
Alex’s shirt, trousers and socks lay in a heap at the end of the bed. With her foot, she moved the clothing around in hopes of finding the lacy thong. She dropped to her knees and peeked under the bed. No thong.
The smell of coffee brewing permeated the closed door. Stella’s mouth watered. But she was not leaving the room without her underwear. Absolutely no way. She made the mistake of looking in the mirror.
Gone was the much-fussed-over hair and meticulous makeup from the evening before. In its place was a severe case of bed-head and smudges of mascara were plastered beneath each eye. “Egad.”
Stella opened the first of two doors. The first door led to a walk-in closet filled with all kinds of man stuff. The second door produced a bathroom. Thank the Lord!
In a flash she shimmied out of the bedraggled d
ress and stepped into a shower and tub combo big enough for four people; a quick reminder that Steve, Trish and Alex were just beyond the bedroom door.
What would they think? Actually, what were they all thinking when they agreed to stay the night? They’d had too much to drink, so the cab had been a good choice, but it could’ve taken them home just as easily as it had taken them to Alex’s. Although, she was keenly aware it had been a premeditated plan concocted by the guys to get their half-drunken floozies into the sack. To their credit, the plan went off without a hitch.
Stella sat down on the shower seat and let the hot water pour over her. Where had her plan gone? The one where she looked like a million bucks and made Alex eat his heart out? It’d been a foolish undertaking, destined to fail from the moment of inception since it was hard to get-even with someone you were head over heels for.
What now? Plaster a smile on her face, thank him for a great evening and move to Des Moines?
“Stella. Where are you?” Trish stumbled into the bathroom dressed in Steve’s once-crisp white shirt, the bulk of her long, auburn hair pulled high into a pony tail. She slid open the shower door.
Stella threw her hands over her breasts. “Do you mind? I can see you through the door and I can hear you too.”
“I come bearing gifts.” Trish held out one of two mega-size cups of coffee. “Alex is making breakfast, so hurry up.”
“I’m not hungry,” she said. “Close the door you little voyeur.”
“You have to eat something to soak up all the alcohol from last night.” Trish put her hand to her forehead. “We got hammered.”
Stella winced. “Yeah. No kidding.”
Trish’s mouth became a giant O. “Ruh-roh. I do believe you have a…hickey.”
Stella’s hands flew to her neck. “Tell me you’re yanking my chain.”
“I wish I could.” Trish grinned over her coffee cup.
Stella cursed under her breath. She hadn’t had a hickey since ninth grade when Charlie Stone thought it would be fun to mark his territory. “Argh!”
“Relax. A little makeup and no one will ever see it.”
