Crave (Splendor Book 2)

by Janet Nissenson

  She smiled at him lovingly. “No, not in the least. And whatever it does or doesn’t make you, it makes me very, very happy to hear all this.”

  Ian hugged her tightly, his lips brushing against her bare shoulder. “I’m glad I could put your mind at ease, darling. You are the only one for me, Tessa, the only woman I’ve ever loved this way. So please stop worrying about other women because they don’t even exist so far as I’m concerned.”

  She gave his darkly stubbled chin a soft caress. “One other thing. You’ve made it very clear that upholding the company and family images are important. But yet I’m here with you, and we’re not even attempting to hide the fact that we’re together.”

  “That’s different.” He took her hand and kissed her palm. “There’s a huge difference - in my mind, at least - between indulging in a series of one-night stands with random women, and having the woman I’m head over heels in love with traveling with me. The woman who is most assuredly the love of my life.”

  Tears shimmered in her eyes at his passionately spoken words. “Oh, God, Ian. That’s - you make me want to weep with joy when you say such lovely things. Or swoon. Maybe both.”

  He smiled before giving her a lingering kiss on the cheek. “No swooning allowed. And definitely no weeping. Now, darling, if I’ve hopefully managed to reassure you sufficiently, I suppose we ought to go. After all, the sooner we get this bloody dinner over with the sooner I can take this sexy dress off of you.”

  He set her on her feet before standing, then pulled her close into his big body, one strong arm banding around her waist as his gaze dropped to her very generous amount of exposed cleavage. “Though every time I look at you tonight I’m going to be hard pressed not to do this.”

  “Ohhh.”

  She moaned as he slid his hand inside the deeply plunging neckline of the dress until his clever fingers found her nipple. His lips caressed the side of her throat as he blatantly fondled her breast, plucking the nipple until she was squirming in arousal.

  “Easy, love,” he soothed, slowly removing his hand. “Regrettably, we don’t have the time right now. But you and I will definitely have a great deal to think about during dinner, won’t we? The anticipation is going to drive both of us wild.”

  Tessa swayed against him, grateful for the support of his arm around her waist. “I think I’m already there,” she whispered.

  He squeezed her waist. “Well, then, this should be an extremely interesting evening, shouldn’t it?”

  ***

  Tessa couldn’t help the smile of satisfaction that lit up her face as the waiter served them coffee and dessert. On her right, her very attentive lover, under cover of the table, of course, was busily gliding his hand up and down her bare thigh in a slow, deliberate caress, inching a bit closer each time to the soaking wet crotch of her thong. Ian had been more than true to his word, acting as though she was the only woman in the world during the entire meal. His displays of affection, though discreet, had been frequent and continual since they’d sat down at the table. She’d lost count of the number of times he’d interlaced their fingers together, or pressed a soft kiss to her temple, or wrapped an arm around her shoulders, his long fingers caressing her bare skin.

  Meanwhile, just across the table, Dinora Saldivar was not so silently fuming, her lushly full mouth fixed in a sulky pout. From the moment Vincent had introduced his beautiful, vivacious wife to Ian, she’d been doing her damnedest to get his attention. But, to his credit, Ian had smoothly and coolly thwarted every single one of her increasingly obvious efforts.

  Having anticipated that Dinora would likely offer her cheek up for a kiss upon introductions, Ian had not given her the opportunity and merely extended his hand instead for a brief, impersonal shake. He’d kept his replies to her boldly flirtatious questions as formal and detached as possible, assuming what Tessa had always thought of as his standoffish, if not prim, Regional Director persona.

  Except with her, of course. With Tessa he’d been warm and affectionate, and she was both thrilled and deeply touched at his attentions. As his hand moved to her nape, giving her a sensuous little massage, she couldn’t help giving Dinora a rather triumphant little smile.

  The beautiful brunette gave her a tight, unpleasant smile in return, but her dark eyes resembled those of a spitting cat’s. There was no denying that Dinora was an extremely sexy, stunningly attractive woman with her masses of gleaming dark brown hair, big dark eyes, and lushly full, red-glossed mouth. She was a few inches shorter than Tessa, with a voluptuous figure showcased by the dark green, wrap-front dress she wore that exposed a considerable amount of cleavage. But Tessa sensed that those full breasts weren’t natural, given their near perfect shape and firmness. Dinora’s gleaming white smile seemed to be the result of very expensive veneers, while Mrs. C. had been right on the money about those rather ridiculously long eyelashes being false.

  Undeterred by the sight of Ian’s open affection towards Tessa, Dinora batted those lashes coquettishly at him, and smiled very suggestively.

  “You must have to work out every single day to stay in such fantastic shape, Ian,” she told him in a husky voice. “I should get you to give Vincent here some tips. I’ve been telling him for months now that he’s too skinny and should start bulking up.”

  Vincent looked a bit embarrassed, as he’d done for most of the evening while tolerating his wife’s bold behavior. “That would be great, Ian, if you could spare the time. Though you’ve admittedly got a good six inches and probably thirty to forty pounds of muscle on me, so I’m not sure any of your fitness strategies would do me much good.”

  Ian shrugged and took a sip of his tea before taking Tessa’s hand in his. “My fitness strategy, as you put it, Vincent, is fairly simple - eating a healthy diet, taking vitamins, getting enough sleep, and exercising five to six days a week. After all,” he added with a wink, as he brought Tessa’s hand to his lips, “I’ve got to keep up with Tessa somehow. She, ah, tends to wear me out. Don’t you, love?”

  Tessa was well aware that both Vincent and Dinora were gaping at Ian, but she only had eyes for her man. She smiled at him gratefully, caressing his darkly stubbled cheek. “I’m not sure if that’s really possible, but I do admit to trying very, very hard.”

  Dinora looked both defeated and subdued, and made no further attempt to flirt with Ian for the rest of the meal. A meal that Ian was evidently very anxious to bring to an end.

  “Damn Vincent for asking for more coffee,” Ian muttered in Tessa’s ear. “Doesn’t he realize that you and I have a very important date to keep in front of our dressing room mirror?”

  Tessa couldn’t suppress a giggle, a sound that quickly morphed into a gasp as Ian once again slid a hand up her bare thigh. This time, however, he kept on going until his long, elegant fingers reached the very damp crotch of her all but nonexistent underwear. She had to bite down on her bottom lip as he deftly brushed aside the lacy fabric and slid two fingers deep inside of her tight, wet slit. As his thumb rubbed little circles around her clit, she brought her cup to her lips and took several sips of tea in an attempt to muffle the low moan that would have otherwise escaped.

  Ian bent his head to hers again, nuzzling the side of her neck as he whispered, “Mmm, I can see you’re very, very anxious to keep that date I mentioned. But since you know how I feel about other men seeing the look you get on your face right after you’ve come, we’ll have to continue this later.”

  Her entire body was suffused with heat, and she couldn’t help quivering in arousal as he reluctantly slid his hand out from beneath her dress.

  “Not too much later, I hope,” she whispered back urgently.

  “Shh,” he urged her in hushed tones. “I promise that it will be very, very soon now, love. And don’t plan on getting much sleep tonight, because the way I’m feeling right now I’m fairly certain I can go all night long.”

  ***

  Tessa’s head fell back helplessly against the mound of pillows that I
an had very carefully arranged behind her. She was half reclining, half sitting up in the enormous bed, another pillow wedged beneath her buttocks. Her legs were splayed open, bent up at the knees. This position allowed her lover to kneel between her thighs as he slid his insatiable cock in and out of her quivering body with slow, deliberate precision.

  “Watch.”

  At Ian’s hoarsely uttered command, she lifted her head up weakly and obeyed, watching with half-shut eyes as he slid out nearly to the tip before he gradually, inch by delicious inch, worked his thick, hard penis back in until he was fully sheathed. He repeated this action more times than she could keep track of, and she was utterly helpless to do anything but observe the erotic joining of their bodies. Anything, that is, except to whimper with pleasure, especially when he bent his dark head to her breast, sucking a reddened nipple into his mouth.

  “Ah, God,” she sobbed, her hips bucking off the pillow as she silently willed him to go faster, to bring her to yet another stunning orgasm. She clutched the pillows for leverage as she begged. “Ian, please. I can’t – I need -”

  “I know what you need, Tessa,” he crooned as he slowly began to quicken the tempo of his thrusts. “Don’t forget how well I know this beautiful body - better than you do, love.” He lifted her nearly boneless legs to wrap around his waist, then braced his hands on either side of her hips. He claimed her lips for what felt like the hundredth time that night in a searing, devouring kiss, eating out the inside of her mouth with his ravenous tongue.

  “And what you need,” he growled as he finally lifted his mouth from hers, “is to be fucked. Hard. Just like this.”

  Tessa’s mouth fell open in a silent scream as he did just that, plundering her body like a rampaging pirate. He slid his hands beneath her buttocks, angling her pelvis up so that he could reach even deeper inside her, could fuck her even harder. It was then that she shattered, the orgasm so intense that she feared she might lose consciousness for a time. She was barely aware when Ian followed her moments later, his dark, sweat-dampened head thrown back as he emitted a long, low sound that caused the bed to vibrate.

  They were both shaking, their bodies sweaty and hot as they clung to each other, neither of them able to speak or think. Tessa was finally able to turn her head and brush her lips against his bare shoulder.

  “God, Ian, that was - amazing. You’re amazing, the most wonderful lover I could ever imagine.”

  He threaded a hand into her damp hair and held her head still for his kiss. “So long as I’m the only lover you’re imagining.”

  “Mmm.” She sighed with pleasure beneath his kiss. “You know you’ve ruined me for any other man. Especially after tonight. You might have to carry me on board the plane tomorrow.”

  Ian chuckled, rubbing slow circles around her still-quivering belly. “Just say the word, darling. I’m always happy to oblige.” He sobered then, brushing strands of hair off her neck. “I was too rough, wasn’t I? Too demanding.”

  “No.” She clutched his arm. “Never. I love it, love when you’re wild and hungry, as though you can’t ever have enough of me.”

  He groaned, pulling her into his arms. “That’s because I can’t. You’re my obsession, you know that. No matter how many times I have you, it’s never enough. Even now I want you again.”

  She gave a little whimper as she felt the evidence of his words, as his semi-hard penis began to lengthen and harden against her thigh. “Oh, I, um, don’t know if I can,” she confessed reluctantly. “At least not yet. I’m sorry.”

  “Hush, love.” He kissed her tenderly. “And there’s nothing to be sorry about. God, far from it. I told you that morning in Lake Tahoe that you need to tell me if you don’t feel like making love.”

  She caressed his cheek. “It’s not that I don’t want to, Ian. I’m just, ah, a little tender is all. I mean, you’ve ravished me not once but twice in less than an hour. I think I just need a little time to recover.” She winced as she lifted herself off the pillow and tossed it aside. “And maybe a hot bath, too.”

  He cursed softly beneath his breath, wrapping her up gently in his embrace. “I knew it was too much,” he groaned. “But when I’m inside you and you’re making those little sounds, I just lose all control. All I can think about is taking you as hard as I can, marking you, making sure you know you’re mine.”

  “Ian.” She brushed her lips against his forehead. “You know I am. And I love it when you’re rough, when you lose control, when you make me lose control. I never knew I could feel so much. You’re so amazing, so skillful. It makes me -” Her voice trailed off, unwilling to confess her renewed jealousies and insecurities.

  But Ian wasn’t so easily deterred. “What, love?”

  She shook her head. “Nothing really. Just me being silly again.”

  He propped himself up on an elbow as he gazed down at her, an expression of mock sternness on his gorgeous face. “Tessa, you know I’ll get the truth out of you one way or the other, so why don’t you just save us both some time and tell me?” He cupped her breast, rubbing his thumb almost absently over her nipple until it was fully erect.

  “Ohh, that’s so good,” she breathed. “Is, ah, this how you plan on getting the truth out of me?”

  Ian grinned. “No, love. This is just because I’m a horny bastard and can’t keep my hands off of you for even a minute. But you will tell me, so best get on with it.”

  She sighed, half in resignation and half in pleasure as he began to pluck at her nipple. “It’s just - I can’t stop thinking about how - well, how experienced you are. In bed, I mean. And, well, that makes me wonder about the other women and I drive myself a little crazy with jealousy. It’s been a day for that, after all, what with those women at the pool all lusting after your body, and Dinora trying to flirt with you all during dinner, and well, like I said, you’re such an amazing lover that I don’t like to think about how you got so good. And then I start -”

  Whatever she was about to say next was cut off by the pressure of his lips against hers, kissing her with exquisite tenderness. As he lifted his head, his hand softly cupping her cheek, she wanted to weep with joy at the way he was gazing at her.

  “I love you, Tessa,” he told her fiercely. “Like I’ve never loved anyone before. I didn’t know what it felt like to love a woman until you came into my life.”

  “I know.” She turned her face into his palm, her lips brushing against his skin. “It’s the same for me.”

  His long fingers trailed down the side of her neck to her collarbone, and eventually back down between her breasts to circle around her nipple. “I’ve told you that there have been very few women in my life, and that is the unvarnished truth. And as for this supposed sexual prowess that you’re convinced I have - I’ve got to confess to always having been rather, ah, boring in that regard. At least until I met you, darling.”

  Tessa’s bewilderment grew. “What does that mean?”

  Ian grinned. “I mean that you’ve inspired me, love. You’re my, ah, sexual muse, so to speak. The things we do together - the positions, the enhancements, and most certainly the frequency - it’s all largely been the first time I’ve done any of those things, too. Before you, I more or less stuck to what you’d call the basics.”

  Astonished, she pushed herself up to one elbow, too, so that they were now laying on their sides facing each other. “But how can that be? I mean, how could you have just thought some of it up? Like tonight, with the pillows just now. And before, in the dressing room, the mirror -”

  His grin deepened as his fingers continued to tweak her nipple. “Well, it’s not from watching dirty movies or reading books on the subject. I, ah, just recalled some of my brother’s escapades, stories about his numerous and frequent sexual encounters that I was unfortunately regaled with far too often over the years.”

  She gaped at him in disbelief. “Your brother? The younger one, I assume?”

  “Colin, yes.” Ian shook his head in exasperation. “Before
he met and married his wife, I swear he slept his way through half of London and a good part of Europe, too. There was always some lurid story or photo of him in the tabloids, and the PR department at headquarters was constantly doing damage control.”

  “And he, um, shared all the juicy details with you?”

  Ian wrinkled his aristocratic nose in distaste. “In far, far too much detail for my liking. You see, Colin lived with me in London for a couple of years. My mother practically begged me to let him room with me once he graduated from university. I suppose she hoped I’d be a good influence on him.”

  She reached over and gave him a quick kiss, grinning at him impishly. “I can understand that. After all, you’ve been a very, very good influence on me.”

  His hand squeezed her breast as he nuzzled the side of her neck. “Or a very, very bad one, depending on your point of view.”

  Tessa sighed with pleasure as he tumbled her back onto the pillows, his tongue licking a circle around her sore, reddened nipple. “Mmm, no, it’s all been good. Sooo good. Now, ah, oh, yes, what about – ohh – your brother?”

  Ian lifted his head reluctantly from her breast, replacing his lips with the pad of his thumb. “Nearly every morning over breakfast or on the drive to the office I’d be treated - very reluctantly, by the way - to a full replay of his previous evening’s action. Details that I have no intention of repeating to your tender ears, by the way. Trust me, some of Colin’s tales made me blush. Let’s just say he was extremely adventurous, and I doubt if he knew the meaning of the word taboo.”

  She ran her fingers through his damp, disheveled hair. “So what you’re trying to tell me is that you’ve been stealing his moves, so to speak. Would that, ah, upset him if he knew?”

  He gave a hoot of laughter. “God, no! My brother would be over the moon right now to learn I’d finally let my hair down. Colin used to rib me all the time about how formal and by the book I was. He used to call me rather unflattering nicknames as well. Like “Old Man” or “Professor Prude.”” He ran a hand up her thigh to her hip and then slid around to squeeze her ass cheek. “But when he meets you for the first time, he’s going to eat his words. Colin will take one look at this hot body of yours and know that I can’t keep my hands off of it.”