by Joanne Rock
“Let go,” she commanded, meeting his gaze one last time before she returned to the kisses he liked so well.
When his release came, she savored it, loving that rare moment of seeing him lose control. Of knowing she’d given him that pleasure.
But when the hot pulses halted and a final groan ripped from his throat, Dempsey reached for her and dragged her back up his body. His golden-brown gaze seared her. As if he’d taken her game as a personal challenge, he settled between her thighs and kissed her.
The sharp jolt of sensual pleasure was like an electric shock, rippling through every part of her. He dipped one shoulder beneath her thigh and then the other, finding just the right angle to slowly drive her to the edge of madness. Each stroke of his tongue sent quivery ribbons of pleasure to her belly. Fingers twisting in the sheets, she held on as he nipped and licked, making her fly apart in hard spasms that went on and on.
She wanted to say something about that, the intensity of the orgasm unlike anything she’d ever felt. But the hungry look still lurked in his eyes as he stretched out over her, kissing her mouth while he found another condom and seated himself deep inside her.
Any words she’d been about to speak dried up in her throat. All she could do was hold on and trust him to take care of her body, which was in the grip of a hunger that seemed bigger than both of them. Tucking her cheek against his chest, she closed her eyes and got lost in the feel of him inside her.
Dempsey. Reynaud.
She felt as if all her life had led to this moment. This joining. This wild heat that shook her to her core. And when at last he found his release, taking her with him yet again, Adelaide kissed him hard in a tangle of tongues and pleasure.
Afterward, she could barely move, but she didn’t need to. Every part of her felt sated. Happy. And—at least in the physical sense—well loved. She knew they’d taken an irreparable step away from friendship toward something potentially more dangerous. But with the heavy feeling in her limbs and Dempsey’s naked body wrapped around hers, she refused to have any regrets tonight. They would come, she guessed, as sure as the sunrise.
For now, however, she was going to squeeze every moment of pleasure she could out of this fake engagement and their time together. There was always a chance Dempsey could learn to care about her as more than a friend before their four weeks were up.
If sex was a way to make that happen, she would just have to sacrifice her body for the greater good.
And if her gamble didn’t pay off? Adelaide would have some incredible memories to keep her warm at night. She told herself it was a good plan. The only plan she had. But a little voice in her head kept reminding her that Dempsey didn’t have affairs without an expiration date. How many times had Adelaide shipped off one of those extravagant tennis bracelets to a former lover?
She ought to know better than anyone. The only reason Dempsey had initiated this unwise relationship was because she was quitting soon. Yet knowing how their affair would end before it happened wasn’t going to make it any easier when Dempsey walked away.
Eight
When Dempsey’s alarm chimed before dawn, he slammed the off button and hoped it hadn’t woken Adelaide. They hadn’t slept much with the fever for each other burning in their blood. He didn’t want to wear her out, but the last time they’d been together had been her idea after they’d headed into the kitchen to refuel after midnight. She’d made crepes from scratch and they’d been amazing. Including the part when she’d taunted him to find the hint of raspberry sauce she’d dabbed on her bare skin while he wasn’t looking.
That game had ended deliciously, but it had required a shower, where he’d gotten to wash her long hair himself. He’d wanted her then, too, when he’d carried her damp, freshly washed body back to his bed. But he hadn’t wanted to exhaust her.
Studying her face in the shadows cast from the bathroom light—they’d fallen asleep without shutting it off—Dempsey wondered what it would be like to work side by side now that they’d shared this incredible night. He’d never touched a woman he did business with. It was a rule he’d kept all through the years as he’d learned about the Reynauds’ shipping empire from his grandfather, unwilling to have anyone draw a comparison between Dempsey’s personal ethics and his parents.
“I can hear you thinking,” Adelaide whispered, her eyes still closed.
“Maybe I’m thinking about how good you taste.” He stroked her hair, still damp in places from their late-night shower. In other spots, strands had turned kinky, a phenomenon he remembered from when they were kids and she’d let it run wild.
He kissed her bare shoulder, breathing in the scent of roses that lingered even now that it mixed with his soap.
“My female intuition suggests there’s more going on in your brain than that.” She captured his hand where he touched her and threaded her fingers between his. “Do you really need to go to work already?”
“No. But I received a text last night from Evan that one of the players I cut in training camp—Marcus Wheelan—was picked up by the cops for getting into a fight in a local bar. I need to talk to him. See if I can get through to him before he heads down a path that he can’t recover from.” Dempsey had been saved from choosing that kind of life by a fluke of birth, a lucky chance. But if Theo Reynaud hadn’t shown up to pluck Dempsey out of his old life, what were the chances that it would be Dempsey who spent the occasional Friday night in jail?
Or worse.
“Won’t that attract the kind of publicity you don’t want around the team?” Adelaide shifted, turning to meet his gaze.
“I’ll get a lawyer to look at the bail situation and pull Marcus out of there so I can speak to him privately.” Dempsey wasn’t clear on the charges yet, but hoped they were no more serious than disorderly conduct or resisting arrest—the kinds of things police leveled at drunken, noisy athletes.
But according to Evan, who kept in touch with a lot of the players who’d been invited to training camp, Marcus had been out with a rough group. He’d taken it hard when he hadn’t made the Hurricanes’ regular-season roster after getting cut by a West Coast team last spring.
“That’s good of you.” She feathered a light touch along his cheek, her expression troubled. “I hope he listens.”
“Me, too.” He kissed her forehead and waged an inner battle not to slide his hands beneath the sheets and lose himself in her one more time. “And I hope you can get some more sleep.”
She ignored his efforts at restraint, sidling over to him and slipping a slender thigh between his.
“I’ll sleep better knowing you left the house happy.” Her whispered words were like a drug, finding their way into his bloodstream and sending a fresh wave of heat through him.
“I could get used to this in a hurry.” He gripped her hips and molded her curves to his, her breasts flattening against his chest.
He needed to be inside her, exploring her heat and hearing her soft moans in his ear. He’d never felt this way about a woman before, when every time with her made him want her even more. Again and again. He’d barely be able to walk by tomorrow at this rate.
But he didn’t even care.
She pressed kisses along his shoulder and skimmed a hand down his chest. Lower.
“Good. Because I want you thinking about me at work today. And I want you to rush home early because you need to be with me all over again.”
They both knew that was exactly what would happen, too. Already he couldn’t imagine spending hours away from her. For a moment, he felt a pang of conscience that he was allowing this kind of relationship to grow unchecked, the kind where they could lose themselves in each other completely. He wondered how he would handle it once that heat finally burned itself out, but far more important, he should be thinking about Adelaide.
What would it do to her?
&
nbsp; Not ready to consider that right now when they were only just beginning to discover all the ways they could drive one another to new heights of pleasure, Dempsey shut down his thoughts. He let the magic of Adelaide’s touch carry him into a sensual world that was all their own.
* * *
Afterward, Adelaide walked along the lakeshore at sunrise as Dempsey showered and prepared to drive into the training facility. The grounds all around the Reynaud homes were breathtaking, the landscaping exotic and a little wild. She’d never gardened much herself, but she knew well how fast things grew in this kind of weather, and that it would take a whole fleet of full-time gardeners to meticulously maintain all of the dense plantings around the low-rock retaining walls and fountains, or the vines crawling up some of the outbuildings.
And, to her way of thinking, the rich greenery and abundance of flowers looked more natural than precisely trimmed boxwoods or well-spaced English gardens. Turning her attention back to her path along the lake, she spied a feminine figure walking toward her.
Princess Erika Mitras was engaged to Dempsey’s older brother, Gervais, and she’d recently moved into his home near Dempsey’s place. Adelaide had met her a few weeks ago when she’d first arrived and been thoroughly dazzled. Refined, royal and incredibly lovely, Erika was the kind of woman who would always draw stares, but there was much more to her than that. She’d served in her country’s military, defying her parents’ wishes to fulfill a call to civic duty.
Smiling, the princess navigated the walking path in glittery gold sandals and a gauzy white sundress. Her cool Nordic looks and platinum blond hair were shielded by a wide-brimmed hat.
“Good morning,” Adelaide greeted her. “Did you happen to see the sunrise?”
Even now, the sky streaked with bright pink light.
“I was awake and waiting for it.” She covered a yawn. “It is the curse of pregnancy that I can only sleep when I do not want to.”
Adelaide turned to walk in the same direction as the other woman. In the distance, she saw a shirtless Gervais running toward them.
“Well, you look fantastic for someone who didn’t sleep well.”
“Maybe it is the pregnancy glow,” Erika said wryly. “Or else just plain happiness. I cannot believe how lucky I am to have Gervais in my life. I told him how beignets settle my stomach in the morning, and now he has fresh, warm beignets for me every day.”
“How thoughtful. And romantic.” Adelaide wondered if Dempsey would do things like that for the mother of his child one day. She paused to pick up a piece of driftwood with an interesting shape, thinking she might find a spot for it in one of the gardens.
“True. Although that is why I have taken to walking in the mornings. I will need the exercise to bear the many, many pounds I plan to gain over the next months.”
Adelaide laughed. “You must have so many plans to make to prepare for your baby.”
“Babies, actually. Did you not hear that I am having twins?” Erika rested a hand on Adelaide’s forearm, a friendly touch that made her realize how few close female friends she had in her life.
Of course, she’d been living and breathing work and football these past four years.
“Oh, Erika.” Adelaide’s chest ached with a longing for the kind of happiness this woman had found. “How incredible. Congratulations.” She hugged her gently. “Please, please let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”
“Gervais already treats me as though I am carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders.” Her good humor was contagious. “I have to tell him I am a healthy, strong woman. I do not need to put my feet up every moment of the day.” She leaned close to lower her voice. “I am telling him that an active sex life will lead to happier babies.”
“Well, it must have worked.” She pointed to where Gervais had paused to do a cycle of push-ups along the path. “He looks as if he’s in training for a marathon.”
“As I said, I am a lucky woman.” Erika winked and shared her plans for decorating a nursery as they walked.
Adelaide listened attentively, all the while wondering what it would be like to be expecting a first child. She had never stopped to think much about babies, since she had never come close to finding a lasting love relationship and, of course, that needed to happen first.
But all the talk of babies and parenting tugged at her heart. She couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if she were to become pregnant. Would Dempsey be excited? More likely he would not be pleased. He’d made it clear their relationship would have boundaries. For years, they had just been friends. Then, she’d been his assistant.
Now she was his lover.
After that? She feared she would be very much alone.
* * *
When Dempsey left the house that morning, he spotted Adelaide down by lake, walking with Gervais’s future wife. For all that Adelaide had resisted getting close with his family, she looked comfortable enough, pausing in her walk to give the other woman a hug.
The sight did something peculiar to his insides. She was so naturally warmhearted and caring. Of course she would befriend the pregnant foreign princess who must be struggling to adjust to life in New Orleans as she prepared to be a mother.
Dempsey crossed the driveway to reach the detached garage when he caught sight of a familiar figure jogging toward him, his only neighbor right now while Henri spent the season in the Garden District house with his wife.
“Gervais.” Dempsey lifted a hand in greeting.
The eldest Reynaud brother, like Dempsey, had walked away from football after college because of injuries. He still ran every day, though, and Dempsey had caught sight of him in the players’ gym after-hours some nights, working out to the point of exhaustion. Dempsey had never fully understood his brother’s demons, since Gervais had always been the heir to a billion-dollar corporation and he’d been born with the innate business sense to run it well. But then, Gervais had always been the most coolly controlled one of them.
“Congratulations on your engagement.” Sweating and shirtless, he slowed his pace to run in place. “Sorry I haven’t been by to welcome Adelaide to the family. It’s been a busy week in the front office while we prepare for the regular season to start.”
“I wouldn’t have chosen the week of our home opener for the engagement announcement if it hadn’t been necessary.” If Addy hadn’t decided to quit on him, that is. Although it was tough to regret her decision now, knowing it had led to the most incredible night of his life.
Gervais raised a brow. “Necessary? As in, I won’t be the only one trying to navigate the challenges of fatherhood next spring?”
“No.” Dempsey hit the remote to raise the door to the farthest right bay in the garage. “You’re on your own with that—double dose. Adelaide and I got engaged for different reasons, but the timing was unavoidable.”
“Spoken like the romantic soul you’ve always been,” Gervais said drily, clapping him on the shoulder. “But at least Adelaide understands you well. You two want to come up to the house for dinner tonight? Erika is used to having her sisters around. I know she would be glad to get to know her future sister-in-law.”
“I’ll check with Adelaide, but given how they seem to be enjoying their conversation on the beach now, I think that’ll be a good plan.” Surprised at the invitation—they’d never extended such invites to one another as bachelors—Dempsey wondered for a split second how family dynamics would change with women around. But then, that wasn’t really a concern for now, since Adelaide wouldn’t be under his roof for long. He would return to his usual role as the Reynaud black sheep then.
“Good. We can sneak away to watch some game film after dessert.” Gervais started jogging again, backward. “You can let me in on the highlights of Sunday’s game plan.”
“Of course.” So it would be a working di
nner. Still, he appreciated the offer. “I’ll text you once I speak to Adelaide.”
Since the four Reynaud brothers had gone off to college, they hadn’t spent much time together outside of family gatherings that their grandfather insisted on. Even now, Leon was the most likely to bring them together. Dempsey hated to think that their grandfather’s decline in health would be the next thing to put Gervais, Dempsey, Henri and Jean-Pierre in the same room together.
Maybe tonight would be a step toward having a stronger relationship with Gervais—they had a working partnership to protect in the Hurricanes if nothing else. The only drawback would be that Dempsey would have to share Adelaide for a few hours, and with their time together limited, he didn’t like the idea of giving up any of it.
They’d been together intimately for less than twenty-four hours and already Adelaide had gotten under his skin deeper than any other woman he’d ever known.
* * *
“I love your earrings.” Erika lifted a hand toward Adelaide’s ear as they sat outside by the pool behind Gervais’s breathtaking home that evening. “May I?”
They were sipping virgin margaritas under a pergola heavy with bright pink bougainvillea. Adelaide had mixed feelings about the evening, since getting closer to Dempsey’s family would only make their breakup more difficult when it happened. But visiting with Gervais’s fiancée this morning and this evening had been surprisingly fun. There was nothing pretentious about this Vikingesque princess who, apparently, was one of five daughters in a family of deposed royalty from a tiny kingdom near Norway.
Their casual outdoor dinner had made Adelaide all the more committed to building a business and a life for herself outside the male-dominated world of football. She craved more girl time.
“Of course.” She scooted closer on the massive side-by-side lounger they shared, since Erika had wanted to put her feet up and insisted Adelaide should, too. “These are a sample from an accessory collection I hope to design for female sports fans.”
