“Is that why we spend time together?” he asked, his gaze drifting to her breasts. “Because of our arrangement?”
She smiled and slowly approached. “I like our arrangement, don’t you?”
Kel nodded his head. “Yeah, I like it a lot.”
Darcy reached around for the zipper of her skirt as she walked into the bedroom of Kel’s suite. “This should do,” she said, standing next to the bed. “Why don’t you take your clothes off and I’ll give you that massage you wanted?” Slowly, she pushed her skirt over her hips and let it drop to the floor, allowing him a tempting view of her backside.
From behind, Kel slipped his arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck. “Leave the shoes on,” he murmured.
Darcy turned in his arms and slipped her fingers beneath the waistband of his sweatpants, slowly pushing them down to the floor. As she straightened, Darcy made it a point to brush up against his shaft with her breasts.
“If I could have found a masseuse like you, I’m not sure I ever would have needed shoulder surgery,” he said.
“Umm,” Darcy said, pressing her palms against his chest and gently pushed him toward the bed. He tumbled backwards, taking her along with him. A tiny squeak escaped from her lips before his mouth captured hers. But Darcy scrambled to her knees and straddled his waist, pinning his hands above his head.
“You’re not allowed to touch me,” she said playfully. “If you touch me, I’m going to have to leave.”
Kel left his hands above his head and she slowly ran her palms over his chest. His skin was warm, the muscles hard beneath her fingertips. “I think I need some lotion,” she said. Darcy crawled off the bed and headed to the bathroom. She glanced at herself in the mirror and smiled. It was nice to know she could seduce him so easily.
When she returned, he was still lying on the bed, his hard shaft resting on his belly. Darcy skimmed her fingers along the ridge as she crawled back on top of him. “And how do you like your massage?”
“It doesn’t really matter,” he said with a sleepy grin. “As long as you’re touching me it will have the intended result.”
She continued to rub his chest, allowing her hands to drift down to his belly every now and then. Kel relaxed and closed his eyes and Darcy watched his expression shift between pure pleasure and breathless desire. She bent and kissed his nipple, circling it with her tongue. “Why didn’t you call me today?”
“Amanda said you might need a break,” he murmured.
“You talked to Amanda about me?”
“Uh-huh. I thought maybe absence would make the heart grow fonder.” He opened his eyes. “I know. Stupid idea.” Kel reached out and ran a finger along her shoulder to her hand. “I guess I’m going to have to make it up to you.” His touch sent a tremor through her body. Kel took that as an invitation to touch her again and this time he ran his finger along her bottom lip.
“And how will you do that?” she asked.
He grabbed her waist and rolled her beneath him. “I’ll find a way.”
His mouth came down on hers in a sweet and gentle kiss. Their lovemaking had always had a desperate edge to it, but this was different. As Kel explored her body, he did it slowly and with exquisite tenderness, as if he were trying to memorize every detail.
Nestled between her legs, his arms braced on either side of her head, he studied her face. “What are you thinking?”
An odd feeling of melancholy settled into Darcy’s heart as she realized their time together would end soon. What would she do without this warmth and comfort, this crazy, exhilarating excitement? She’d grown so accustomed to having him close that she couldn’t imagine passing an entire day without seeing him or at least talking to him.
“I’m thinking I want you inside me,” she said.
Kel reached over to the bedside table and retrieved a condom, then handed it to her. “I’m thinking that’s what I want, too.”
She slipped the condom over him and then sighed as he slowly entered her, a tiny bit at a time. Maybe Amanda was right, she mused. Maybe she should admit her feelings to Kel. What did she have to lose? If he shared those feelings, then there might be a future for them. But if he didn’t, then at least she’d know where she stood.
Darcy pressed her lips to his ear. “What else do you want?” she whispered.
Kel moaned softly. “I want you,” he said, pressing into her, his desire burning between them.
Darcy bit her bottom lip. “For how long?” she ventured.
“Forever,” he said as he began to move. “Forever.”
Drawing a deep breath, she swallowed her emotions and let her mind drift. There would never be another man like Kel. For the rest of her life, she’d remember exactly how this felt, the sweet sensation of his body against hers, the slow climb to her release and then the wonderful surrender.
“Forever,” she whispered. If only that could be true.
In the end, as they lay wrapped in each other’s arms, completely sated, Darcy wondered what Kel had meant. Would forever last until the end of the week? Or would it last their entire lives?
5
DARCY WOKE SLOWLY, her face buried in the soft down pillows, blocking the morning light that streamed through the windows. She reached over for Kel but found his half of the bed empty. Pushing up on her elbow, Darcy brushed her hair out of her eyes and glanced at the clock.
It was almost eight. Kel had a tee time for nine that he’d offered to cancel but Darcy had insisted that he go. A night of passion seemed to energize him but for Darcy it brought on a pleasant exhaustion. She yawned, then stretched her arms above her head.
“Two more nights,” she murmured. Kel’s one-week stay would be over the day after tomorrow. Her father was scheduled to arrive tomorrow and she knew whatever time she and Kel had left would be stolen moments between meetings.
Darcy sank back into the pillows and sighed. Just yesterday, she’d been so sure of what she had wanted: a career with her father’s corporation, a house of her own on the lake, a future that she controlled. But lying here, after making love to Kel, all of that seemed so…dull. Right now all she really wanted was another night in bed with Mr. Baseball.
A quick rap sounded at the door and Darcy sat up, pulling the sheet around her naked body. Kel usually left the “Do Not Disturb” sign on the knob. She crawled out of bed, dragging the sheet with her, wondering if Kel had forgotten his key. But when she opened the door, she saw Amanda standing in the hall.
“Good, I found you. I figured you were probably here.”
“What’s wrong?” Darcy said.
“You need to get dressed. Your father’s downstairs and he’s looking for you.”
Darcy gasped. “What?” She glanced around the room, frantically searching for her clothes. “When did he get here?”
“About ten minutes ago. He went to your office and then to your suite and he tried to page you, but you haven’t been carrying your beeper lately. I managed to convince him to have a cup of coffee in the dining room and told him you were dealing with a little squirrel problem out on the golf course.”
“Squirrels?”
“I was improvising and it was all I could think of. I bought you some time to go back to your room and change.”
Darcy frantically gathered her clothes and began to tug them on. “Go back down to the dining room and tell him I’ll join him there in fifteen minutes.” She shoved her shoes on her feet and followed Amanda out the door.
“If you go down the service elevator to the lower level, you can cut past the gym to the east wing of the hotel without having to walk through the lobby,” Amanda suggested.
It took Darcy exactly three minutes to make the trip to her suite, another seven to dress and fix her hair and two more to make it to the lobby. She arrived with two minutes to spare.
Darcy strode into the dining room and glanced around at the breakfast crowd. But she stopped her search the moment her eyes came to rest on her father. “Oh, no,” she muttered. Sa
m Scott was having breakfast-with Kel Martin. She watched them for a long moment. Her father seemed comfortable, relaxed almost, if that was possible. He and Kel were laughing. Darcy couldn’t imagine what they both would find humorous.
She smoothed her skirt, then walked across the room. “Hello, Daddy,” she said, bending down to kiss his cheek. “Hello, Mr. Martin.”
Kel tapped his finger on his cheek, a silent invitation for her to kiss him as well but Darcy sent him a murderous glare. The last thing she needed was Kel making friends with her father. “I’m sorry I’m late, Daddy, but I got caught up with a problem out on the golf course.”
Her father smiled at her, then indicated a chair across from him and right next to Kel. “That’s all right, Darcy. Mr. Martin was keeping me company, telling me how much he’s been enjoying his stay. He said you’ve been particularly attentive to his needs. That’s exactly what I like to hear. A hands-on manager is the key to a successful hotel. Every detail must be attended to, don’t you agree, Darcy?”
Darcy cleared her throat, trying to ignore the feel of Kel’s thigh as it brushed up against hers. “Of course, Daddy. I think you’ll find that our attention to guest service is always our number one priority. I have some figures on return visits that I know you’d like to see. Why don’t we go to my office-”
“Not now,” Sam said. “Kel has asked me to play a round of golf with him this morning. He’s got a tee time at nine.”
“But we’re going to be busy today. I have so many things to go over with you. We have some very important items to discuss.”
“That can wait,” Sam said.
“Yes, that can wait,” Kel said. “How often to I get to play golf with my best girl’s dad?”
“Your what?” Darcy said, her voice rising to a slightly hysterical pitch.
“Kel told me you two have been spending some time together,” Sam said. “I’m glad to hear it. It’s about time you started thinking about your future.”
“Kel and I are not dating and he is not my future,” Darcy insisted. “We barely know each other.” She sent Kel another look, then stomped on his foot beneath the table. What was he doing, dishing out silly stories to her father? “And about my future. I have some good news. I’m going to be buying a house.”
“So, Kel, how have you enjoyed your stay so far?” Sam asked, ignoring Darcy’s revelation.
“It’s been great,” Kel said. “As I said, Darcy has been very attentive. I have had one little problem though.”
“You have more than one,” Darcy muttered.
“Not a problem, a complaint,” he corrected.
“You should take your complaints to guest services,” Darcy said, pasting a smile on her face.
“I could call guest services, but I think you’re better prepared to help me,” Kel said. “You see, I’m having a problem with my shower.”
“Maintenance will take care of that. I’ll send them right up to your room.”
“Maybe you might know how to fix the problem.”
“Is it leaking?”
“Nope. That’s not it.”
“Hasn’t it been cleaned properly?”
“It’s quite clean. But every time I get in the shower I think, this is really huge. It’s just too roomy for one person.”
“You want me to get you a room with a smaller shower?”
“No, I don’t think that’s it. But I’m sure you’ll figure out what’s wrong and get it fixed.”
“Funny,” Sam said. “I never thought the showers were too big. Darcy, maybe you should look into that.”
Darcy felt heat rising in her cheeks. She reached beneath the table and pinched Kel’s thigh as hard as she could.
“Ow!” Kel cried.
Sam frowned. “What is it?”
“Cramp,” Kel said. “I get them all the time when I don’t sleep well.”
“Is there something wrong with your bed?” Sam asked. “Darcy, maybe you ought to check on Kel’s bed, too.”
“There’s nothing wrong with his bed,” Darcy said. The words were out before she realized how they sounded. “Not that I know anything about his bed, personally. Just in general, all our beds are fine.” Darcy stood, her legs bumping up against the table as she rose.
Her father reached out to steady his water goblet, sending her an impatient glare. “Aren’t you going to order some breakfast?”
“I have a lot of work to do. I’ll catch up with you later, Daddy. After your round of golf.” She turned to Kel. “Could I talk to you for a moment? I just want to make sure I get your tee time right.”
Darcy strode out of the restaurant into the lobby and waited for Kel to join her. When he did, she grabbed his hand and dragged him toward her office. “Exactly what do you think you’re doing?”
“Having breakfast with your dad. He’s a great guy. Quite a character. And what a businessman. He gave me some good tips on investing.”
“That’s not what I meant. You told him we’re dating.”
“Well, we are. Kind of. We could be if we didn’t spend every waking moment in bed together.”
“We are not going to date,” Darcy said. “We had an agreement. This was only supposed to last a week. It’s just sex, not a relationship.”
His expression sobered. “Come on, Darcy, you know that’s not true. It’s not just about sex. Maybe it was in the beginning but not anymore.”
“I’m not looking for a relationship, Kel,” Darcy said. “Don’t you see? That’s why it’s so good between us, because we aren’t making plans for our future. We can just be who we are in the present.”
“And what would change if we started making plans?”
“Everything,” she said. “I want you to go back into the restaurant and tell my father you can’t golf with him this morning. And I want you to tell him we aren’t really dating and we’re just friends.”
“Are you sure about that, Darcy? What’s your gripe with your dad?”
“What’s going on between you and me is none of my father’s business. And what goes on between me and my father is none of your business.”
He shook his head. “You’re wrong.”
“If I’m going to have a relationship with a man, I want it to be my idea, not my father’s. He’s been running my life for as long as I can remember. I’ve never been good enough for him, no matter how hard I tried. He wants me to be just like my mother.”
“And you don’t want that?”
“Don’t get me wrong. She’s a lovely woman, but I’m not her. She was satisfied to live in a little corner of my father’s life. She’s never had anything of her own. I want to make something more out of my life, and that doesn’t include marriage and a family.”
“What’s wrong with marriage and a family?” Kel asked.
“Nothing.” She sighed. “I’m just warning you, don’t get too close to my father. Before you know it, he’ll have us married and producing a grandson every few years.” She paused, trying to contain her frustration. “I’m good at my job. I’m really good and I deserve a shot to run this company someday. And I’m going to do whatever it takes to make him see that.”
Darcy turned and walked toward her office. She hadn’t worked so hard these past two years to let a man show up and come between her and her future. Kel Martin would walk out of her life in two more days and she would go on as she had before. But even as she said the words to herself, Darcy’s conviction wavered. Somehow, she sensed that her life would never be the same again.
DARCY STOOD in the tee box of the second hole, staring out at the fairway. “I don’t golf,” she insisted. “I’m not any good at it and I would think that should be clear to you by now. It took me thirty-seven swings to get this far.”
“Strokes,” Kel corrected. He smiled to himself as he watched her struggle with the club. This may not be the relaxing afternoon he’d hoped he and Darcy would enjoy, but at least he’d achieved his goal. After all, he’d tricked Darcy into coming along with him.
Sam Scott had planned to join Kel, but at the last minute had to take a conference call. He’d insisted Darcy accompany Kel in his place and she’d immediately refused. Yet the moment Kel had tried to reschedule the round with her father, Darcy had magically agreed. It was obvious she didn’t want him spending any more time with her father.
“I swear, you’ll learn to love it,” Kel reassured her. “Just keep your eye on the ball, keep your head down and swing. It’s not that hard.”
Darcy groaned. “I’m not athletic. I was always picked last for teams in school. I hate sports.”
Though she’d laughed at her mistakes and generally been a trooper about the whole thing, it was clear Darcy hadn’t had much sleep the night before, through no fault of his own. Her father had kept her busy for most of the day yesterday, then insisted that they all have dinner together. Kel had hoped they’d be able to sneak away to his room once Sam retired, but Darcy’s father had other plans for his daughter. According to Darcy, they’d worked until three a.m.
Kel walked over to Darcy and stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her and covering her hands with his. It felt good to hold her. “Maybe you need to loosen up your hips,” he said, his breath soft against her ear. “They seem a bit tight.”
“How am I supposed to do that?” Darcy asked.
Kel checked her grip, then placed his palms on her waist. “You just shift slightly when your weight moves from one foot to the other.”
She turned to him. “Can’t we try something else? There are so many more interesting things to do than chase this stupid little ball around in the grass.”
“Try one more hole,” Kel suggested.
“Loosen my hips,” she murmured. Darcy wriggled her backside, leaning into him and making direct contact with his groin. “Oh, there!” she said, feigning surprise. “That feels good. I think they’re getting looser now.” She wriggled again. “Oh, that feels good.”
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