Kale lingered at the base of Davia’s throat, driving his tongue into the hollow he found there. He cradled the sides of her breasts, the move giving him leave to stimulate her nipples beneath his thumbs.
The quiet room filled with the sounds of Davia’s approving sighs. Kale made his way lower, skimming the rise of her bosom while intermittently dipping into the deep valley between.
Davia’s back curved into a perfect bow and she was needy for the touch of his lips closing over the peaks of her breasts. Kale had other delights on his mind, though. Bypassing Davia’s pert, heaving chest, he slowly kissed his way down to her navel.
Kale tongued the silken, circular dip until Davia squirmed uncontrollably. Setting his forearm to her belly, he quelled her movements and then took possession of her upper thighs. Once they were firmly in his grasp, Kale simply dragged his nose across the waxed triangle of flesh above her sex, inhaling her scent before he went further.
Davia jerked in place when his tongue found its target. As it lapped and suckled at her clit, his hands tightened on her thighs, holding her still for more. She moaned a guttural sound of arousal. She could feel him using his tongue to tease apart the folds of her sex before driving inside. Immediately she was lost in blissful wonder and eagerly arched her hips, squeezing his tongue as it thrust and rotated.
Kale took her vigorously in that manner for several minutes, but stopped short of allowing her to careen into orgasm. While she lay there panting upon the tangled bed sheets and working up curses to scold him for stopping, Kale reached inside a brown leather valise that sat open on the night table. Withdrawing a condom, he used his teeth to tear into the packaging while dragging the PJ bottoms off his hips.
Seamlessly, he put the protection in place and claimed her in the next moment.
Davia’s gasp melded with Kale’s groan as the sensation of taking her all but consumed him. Clutching one of her thighs, he raised the toned limb high near his waist to deepen his penetration and their enjoyment.
Davia bit down on her lip and surrendered herself to his possession. Taking fistfuls of the bed linens, she sighed Kale’s name repeatedly and with mounting rigor. Her hips undulated in a sensuously slow rhythm that brought deeper moans welling up from her throat.
Her moans were practically drowned by the savory groans Kale uttered with every rich stroke. Rising, he braced on his knees and kept his grip on her thighs, tugging and drawing her hips closer as if he couldn’t possess enough of her.
Davia wanted to wrap her legs around his back and squeeze to her content, but Kale wouldn’t allow it. He kept her thighs spread, almost flat to the bed.
His warm gaze sparkled more vibrantly as he followed the casual glide of her fingers across her flawless dark skin. His shaft tightened in the telling fashion that signified he was on the threshold of climax.
Kale’s restraint splintered when he saw Davia outline her navel with her thumbnail before gliding her hands upward to cup her breasts. His need flooded the condom and the sounds of his climax echoed in the room.
Davia followed Kale into bliss seconds later. Together they readily tumbled into a mindless abyss of elation.
* * *
“What?”
“Hmm?” Davia tried and failed to lift her head. She was too mellowed out by the aftermath of what she’d just experienced to motivate herself into doing more.
Kale gave her head a nudge where it rested on his shoulder. “Why’d you say my name?” he asked.
“Mmm...does there have to be a reason? I’ve been saying your name all night.”
“Sounded like you wanted to ask me something just now.”
“And I’ve been asking you things all night, too.” She smiled, feeling his soft chuckle vibrate through his chest and into her cheek.
“Is that what you want to ask me now?”
Soaking up another few moments of the enjoyment she found in his embrace, Davia pushed herself up to sit. “I was about to take us back to an earlier conversation.” She propped on her elbows and fixed him with a sidelong look. “What you said about selling only to me and why you’d do that. You could’ve made a lot more money posing your offer elsewhere and then you wouldn’t have had to deal with someone who had such a low opinion of you.”
“Call it me never being able to resist a challenge,” Kale replied, slurring his words, still feeling deliciously sated.
Davia sat up then, disregarding her nude state. “I’m not such a challenge anymore, though, am I?”
He raised an eyebrow. “You really think that? If anything, you’re even more of one.”
“And how do you figure that?”
Kale pushed up slightly then, too. Rolling over, he covered her beneath him. “You’re in my system now.”
She wound herself around him, arms looped at his neck while her long legs curved around his waist. “Guess we’ll just have to stay here until I’m out of it.”
Kale dropped lazy kisses across Davia’s neck and shoulders. “I’m afraid it’s not that easy.”
“Yeah.” She positioned her mouth into a mock pout. “We do have business to handle, don’t we? But...” She locked her ankles behind his back. “Seeing as how we are Barry and Estelle’s favorite customers, it’d surely be no trouble holding on to our rooms for a little longer.”
Kale nibbled at her earlobe. “I like the sound of that. But how’s it supposed to get you out of my system?”
Some of Davia’s playfulness eased and she regarded her lover more warily. Who said she wanted to get out of his system?
Before she could retort, Kale spoke again. “You asked me a question,” he recalled, settling back as he studied her face intently. “Why sell to you of all people?”
Davia silently ordered herself not to get lost in his chocolate gaze. “Well?” she prompted.
“Would it surprise you to know that I hadn’t made that decision until I got to your office? Selling to you was the obvious choice once I met you.”
“Would I have had to sleep with you to get you to make good on the deal?”
“Not at all, but I couldn’t have gotten what I wanted without making that deal.”
She used her hip to nudge him a bit. “But you’ve already gotten what you wanted.”
“Not quite, Davi. What I want is to stay connected. This property keeps us that way.”
Davia’s wariness increased. She studied him at length, not sure if she wanted to give thought to what it was she suspected.
“You don’t really know me, Kale,” she said at last.
“A very good reason to stay connected, right?”
Davia opened her mouth, not sure if she was about to acknowledge or dispute his reasoning. She had no chance to do either. Kale was kissing her again.
Chapter 11
Davia woke to two surprises that morning. There was a superb-looking breakfast that had been delivered by dumbwaiter and sat ready to be devoured in the bedroom alcove. The bedroom itself was the next surprise. She was still in Kale’s. Not that it was such a surprise given the weakest streams of morning light had been peering through the drapes when she’d drifted into sleep following a fourth round of lovemaking.
She saw that he wasn’t there in the room with her and was about to call out to him when he returned.
“How’d you sleep?” he asked after watching her from the doorway for a moment.
“Briefly,” was her response along with a sly smile.
“Sorry about that.” His style of reply clearly stated that he was anything but. He shifted a look toward the alcove. “Hungry?”
“Very.” Davia sent an interested look to the alcove, as well. “Will I have to leave bed to get it?”
Kale eased his hands into the pockets of his PJ bottoms. “You leaving the bed is half the fun for me, but only if I
get to watch you do it wearing nothing at all.”
“I see. And what’s the other half of the fun?”
He came to the bed at a slow approach and caged her beneath him. “The other half is to sit across from you and watch you eat wearing nothing at all.”
Carefree laughter vibrated from her throat. “Eating in the buff never much appealed to me. Is there something else you’ll settle for besides that?”
Kale helped himself to a sweet, slow peck from her lips and then eased back to search her eyes with his. “Tell me you’ll come to Miami with me when we’re done here.”
“Kale...” Davia’s easy demeanor betrayed her then. She shook her head once. “Are you joking?”
“Do you think I am?”
She searched his extraordinary stare. “No, I... I don’t think you are and I don’t get why.”
“Why what?” His voice carried the edginess of challenge. “Why I’d want you to eat in the nude or why I’d want you to come back with me?” He spoke the last while trailing his mouth down her neck.
“Yeah, that.” She could barely speak the words. “That last one.”
He suckled the sensitive spot below her ear. “Does that mean you’ll do it?”
“We’ve both got work to get back to, remember? Don’t you think it’d be too hard to get the kind of bed time we’d both want once we left?”
“Bed time?” He moved away from suckling her skin. “Is it too far-fetched to believe I could want more than that?”
“Kale? Relax, okay?” A measure of relief had returned to her light eyes. “There’s nothing more you need to prove to me, all right?”
“Is that what you thought I was doing?” His mood was gradually darkening.
“I just don’t want you to think you have to pretend there’s anything more than sex on your mind for us,” she went on, clearly having no idea as to the downward turn of his mood. “I wouldn’t hold it against you,” she added.
Davia gave a languid stretch beneath him. “This was very much needed and appreciated. It’ll definitely be an incentive not to miss any business meetings we might need to have in the future.” She followed the tease with a hard kiss to his mouth and then released a playfully tormented groan.
“That breakfast smells too good.” She wiggled out from his loosened hold and left the bed to eat in the buff just as Kale had wanted.
Sadly, he was in no frame of mind to enjoy the sight. Resting back on the bed, he dug the heels of his hands into his eyes and brooded.
* * *
“Hey, you’re up,” Davia called when Kale arrived in the guest lounge that afternoon. “Barry and Estelle went out to handle some business for the inn. They told me we could help ourselves for lunch,” she explained.
“Have you eaten?” Kale walked into the lounge, dressed in a T-shirt and sweats. A pair of socks was all that adorned his feet.
“Yeah, I ate a little something while going through these clippings.” She motioned to the items set out on the coffee table. “I made you a sandwich, too.” She gestured to the bar console where a fresh pot of fragrant coffee awaited along with the food.
Kale took a half and then grabbed a beer from the mini-fridge beneath the bar. “Anything good in there?” He took a bite of the sandwich and motioned toward the clippings.
“Oh, gosh, yes,” Davia raved, shaking her head in wonder over all she surveyed. “It must’ve taken Barry and Estelle close to forever to put all this together. It’s a lot of really useful and fantastic stuff.” Selecting one of the items, she waved it in Kale’s direction. “Many of these would make great accent pieces for an entryway to the lobby of a theater.”
Davia went on, but Kale’s responses became quieter and gradually drifted into nothing at all. The silence eventually got Davia’s attention.
“Everything all right?” She watched him at the console, dusting his hands free of sandwich crumbs. “Are, um, are we okay?”
Kale turned but maintained his silence as he looked at her.
“You were pretty quiet before I left your room earlier,” she noted.
He leaned against the console. “You’re the thoughtful listener. Did I sound like there was anything wrong?”
“Kale, we—” She turned her eyes back to the clippings and photos without really seeing them. “We just met. We just...slept together...”
“And I just told you I want more than that.”
“I told you I didn’t need or expect that, Kale.”
“Well, maybe I do.”
“Which is a problem for a number of reasons.” Davia sighed.
“Right...” Kale lost his taste for the beer. He put it down and massaged his neck. “Right...there’s distance and we don’t know each other and you don’t trust me.”
“Kale, please.” She shook her head. “I told you this wasn’t about Tella.”
His gaze narrowing, he watched her curiously. “I can see that you believe that. I don’t get why I can’t.”
“I’m sorry about that,” she said, though she didn’t sound eager to make up for the fact.
Nodding as though resolved to accept her response, Kale took the plate with the other half of the massive roast beef and chicken sandwich Davia had prepared for him. He helped himself to the juice that also sat on the console. Balancing the glass on the plate, he stopped by the coffee table and gathered up a few of the clippings folders.
“You done with these?”
Davia only nodded and Kale headed out of the lounge. Alone, she pressed her fingertips to her eyes and groaned.
“What the hell is your problem, Davia?” she asked herself.
* * *
“I’m going to have a platter made for Kale. He’ll hate himself for missing out on one of Luella’s steak and shrimp specials.”
Davia smiled across the table at Estelle. “I’d be careful divulging so many town secrets to outsiders. Especially when they’re secrets this good.” She forked up another decadently tender scallop and closed her eyes while savoring the taste. She dined with the Waverlys at Luella’s Steakhouse that evening. Kale had bowed out for the night.
Davia had remarked on the place being a perfect date-night spot upon arrival. The atmosphere was just right with its candlelit chandeliers and bronzed centerpieces. Hunter-green tablecloths complemented the wine-colored carpeting and seat cushions. Immersed in the serenity of the environment, Davia fixated on her plate of scallop linguine with greater approval.
“You and Kale should stop here for dinner before you leave town,” Estelle was saying as she dipped a morsel of shrimp into a spicy red sauce.
“Well, at least I can go on and mark a visit off my list. So can Kale when he gets the takeout you ordered.”
Estelle turned her gaze toward the ceiling. “I hope he gets it. Barrett’s in the back taking care of it, but he and Luella’s husband Ed are big college basketball fans. Doesn’t matter what time of year it is, they can talk for hours about a previous or upcoming season if they have the chance.”
Laughter followed the insight, but it wasn’t long before Estelle’s expression harbored something serious. “Actually, I meant this would be a great spot for you and Kale to enjoy...as a couple, before you leave town.” Estelle gave a guilty shrug when Davia’s head snapped up.
“Sorry, girl, you’ll have to forgive me. I’m a romantic at heart.” Estelle fidgeted with a tendril of her bobbed hair and looked around the softly lit dining room. “If Barry were out here, right about now he’d be telling me to cool it with the matchmaking, but it’s obvious the two of you are interested in one another.”
Davia sent the woman a sly knowing look. “Because he’s incredibly gorgeous, right?”
Estelle rolled her eyes again. “Well, that’s obvious, but I’m sensing it goes deeper than that.”
“Geez.” Davia regarded her scallop ruefully. “We must be pitifully transparent. We’ve only been here for a couple of days.”
Estelle shrugged. “Speaks of how intense things are between you, I guess. Beyond what’s happening with the theater.”
Davia sat a little straighter, as if the woman’s words had astounded her.
“I’m sorry, Davia.” Honesty gleamed in Estelle’s dark eyes. “Guess that’s another thing my husband’s pegged right about me—I’m unfailingly nosy.”
“No.” Davia shook her head as she laughed. “Me and Kale...well, we’ve got drama between us that no one could help but notice...and for good reason. I misjudged him about something.” She voiced the confession after a lengthy silence. “We just cleared it up a few hours before we got here. I was at fault and I apologized for it. But, Kale... I don’t think he believes I’m done with it.”
“Are you?” Estelle asked.
“I think so.” Davia squeezed her eyes shut quickly. “I mean, I have to be if we’re going to work together, right?”
“Was it about business?”
“Not exactly.”
“Hmm.” Estelle looked as though she had enough information. “So you and Kale had the personal going before the business kicked in.”
Davia breathed out a laugh. “This might all be easier if ‘the personal’ was the fun kind.”
“This would seem like the perfect time and place to change that, you know?”
Davia reciprocated Estelle’s coy smile. “You’ve got a naughty mind, Mrs. Waverly.”
Estelle laughed outright. “A naughty mind makes for a happy marriage.”
“Please!” Davia laughed then, too. “I seriously doubt we’ll be courting our way into marriage. You know, Barry’s right about you. You’re definitely a romantic.”
Silver Screen Romance Page 9
