She moved her arm from over her eyes. Her expression still held that after-sex sated satisfaction. He smiled, knowing he’d brought that look to her face. She pushed up on her elbows as she reached for him. She didn’t cover or hide herself. There was no timid approach. She was comfortable in her own skin. He liked that, and from that point forward, he’d have to insist she go topless in their alone time. He loved that idea, too, and let his smile spread at the thought. “You may be the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
“That’s not true.” She titled her head as she glanced up at him. “I wanna use a condom and I don’t have any.”
At least she had her wits about her. He dug for his wallet and produced a single package. A condom he carried there regularly. Only then did he remember how she’d reacted to the empty box and paused, his gaze sliding to hers.
“Of course you’d be ready.” He gauged those words and wasn’t sure what she meant. He quickly abandoned the idea of her undressing him, remembering how spooked she’d become last night. Quickly, he dropped his jeans and underwear, letting them fall to the floor. Her eyes landed on his hard cock and his body hummed with anticipation. He reached low and gave himself a solid tug as he crawled back on the bed between her still parted thighs. He lay down to the side of her.
“I like to be prepared. It’s not like me to go without a condom.” He bent his elbow, anchoring his head on his hand, and began trailing his fingertips toward her breast.
“You did earlier.” She was so sweet. Her hand began a gentle caress of its own as she traveled the length of his arm until her fingers slid down over his. She cupped his hand, moving his palm to cover one mound. Her actions instructed him to pick up the pace, not just the finger play he’d started with.
“You throw me off my game,” he whispered honestly. He cast his eyes down and took his fill of her exquisite body—long, lean, and gorgeous. She was thin, no doubt about that with the way her stomach curved slightly in. Her breasts were what his dreams were made of, and that small little cluster of hair between her parted thighs made his mouth water. His eyes stayed focused on that seductive patch between her thighs.
“Touch me?” he asked.
She turned to her side and started at his shoulders. She was thorough in her exploration as her small hand caressed down his chest. She rose and he instinctively rolled to his back. Oh Lord, she must be the torturous kind. Anticipation built as he tracked her movements. She explored each of his pecs with her fingers, rolling the small beads of his sensitive nipples. He fisted his hands in the bedspread to keep from moving her along a little faster.
Then her tongue followed, licking and lavishing each nipple until she finally went lower. That seemed to set her pattern. Her fingers first skimmed his abdominal muscles and then her tongue followed. She touched and licked her way lower until her fingers grazed the tip of his cock. His length punched out at her, pre-come glistening at his tip. He groaned, involuntarily rolling his hips to help get a better touch. Her gradual descent made him lift his head to watch as she rose to her knees and finally put him out of his misery. She stroked her palm down his rigid length until her fingers nestled around his sac. A new misery began.
“It feels good,” he whispered and closed his eyes, dropping his head backward as she fisted his dick. Lara gave him a long, slow tug. “Shit.”
His eyes were too tightly closed, and he missed the visual of her mouth as it covered around his broad head, but the sensation sent lightning throughout his body.
“Fuckin’ shit,” he growled, lifting his hands to her hair, threading his fingers through the thick strands. He watched as she opened her mouth wider, swallowing him about halfway down.
Her moves were timid, but her tongue was sinful.
Lara’s lips slid up his dick as she withdrew and then licked around his tip where he was absolutely certain pre-come beaded. She kissed the broad head, slipping her tongue inside his slit. She rose for a better angle, licking her tongue around her own lips, before she took him farther inside her mouth. Her palm moved with the rhythm of her mouth as her hand reached lower, tenderly massaging his sac with her palm. That might have been one of the most erotic moments of his life. It took everything inside him to stay still, but he forced himself to let her continue at her own pace. The reward came when Lara seemed to have no gag reflex. Fucking hell, she was perfect after all.
He carefully moved his hips, slowly feeding her more of him. She opened and took what he offered. He willed his orgasm away as his eyes stayed riveted on her lips. He slid his fingers over her jaw, caressing her lovely face. “Loosen your jaw, baby. I bet you can take more of me.”
Her eyes darted up, their gazes colliding. He had no idea what she saw, but she did as he instructed and he slid a little farther in. A deep hiss escaped as he gently drove himself forward. He dropped his head back, rode the wave of her slipping him almost out, only to slide him all the way back in until she did that same move and pinched his balls. The sensations all became too much to bear.
“I wanna come inside you,” he growled. He wouldn’t have necessarily called his next move a tackle, but she was spread out underneath him and he was driving home. He buried himself in the snug warm confines of Lara’s body. On the second thrust, he lifted her leg, draping it over his arm as he slammed forward again. She reached up, hands splayed against the headboard, helping to hold her in place as he thrust forward again. On the next thrust, his angel rolled her hips, taking him to the root, and he just about lost his mind.
The sensation was too much. Reed fell forward on his elbows and threaded his fingers through her hair. He buried his face in the crook of her neck and concentrated on breathing. Something in the back of his mind needled at him, but she released a sensual little moan against his ear and all was forgotten.
Her intoxicating scent filled him as he pistoned in and out of her body. His hips snapped, his knees dug into the mattress as he slammed forward, gripping onto her shoulders to keep her in place. She placed both feet on the bed, her knees bent, and she arched her hips every time he moved out, only to draw him snugly back into her core. It didn’t take long. The world ceased to exist as the familiar heat built at the base of his spine. His release shot forward, taking his breath and stealing his thought. He filled her as Lara greedily milked every last drop out of him.
Several long minutes passed before the world settled back into him. Coherent thought eluded him, but it didn’t take much to know he had to be crushing her. Reed stayed very still, listening to her breathe. He managed to kiss her temple, before gathering her in his arms and rolling her with him to his back. She held on just as tightly to him. “You make me lose my mind.”
She gave a throaty chuckle. Somehow, he found the strength to lift his head and look down at her beautiful face. Her eyes were closed, her full lips parted, and her face was flushed. “You’re tired.”
“I am,” she whispered. He couldn’t find any harm in staying a little while longer. He forced himself up and reached across the bed, drawing the side of the bedspread over them. She followed each of his moves, never untangling herself from the hold she had on his body. Once settled, she quickly fell asleep. He lay there, strumming his fingers down her back as he fought his own need to sleep. He looked over at the time and saw the condom packet lying on the nightstand untouched. His head fell back to the pillow and he closed his eyes on a groan. Shit, that wasn’t safe for either of them. He’d have to do better next time.
~~~
Reed startled awake, confused by his surroundings. Lara’s scent filled him and the weight of her sleeping body draped across his comforted him. He wrapped his arms tighter around her and listened for what had woken him. There was movement outside the room. He supposed Kade had made it home. He tracked the sounds until he heard another door shut. Then silence.
He continued to lie there, content to hold Lara. That was a first. He leisurely stroked his fingertips down her back and then up again until he found himself gently caressing her hair. She slept like
a baby, never waking. She had to be exhausted. They’d been on one hell of an emotional roller coaster since the moment they’d met.
He looked around for a clock and found one on the desk across the room. With as heavily as Lara slept, he wondered if she’d placed it there strategically to force herself awake with the alarm. He needed to remember to ask that question. He was surprised to see it read four forty-five in the morning. He’d slept for hours. As much as he wanted to close his eyes and go back to sleep, he began the process of disentangling himself from the beauty in his arms. She stirred. He stopped moving until the soft snores were back and he finished extricating himself. He scooted to the end of the bed, ran a hand through his hair, and went in search of his clothes. There wasn’t much to them. Jeans on the floor, Sperry’s by the door, and the T-shirt was across a chair on the other side of the bed. It didn’t take long to dress.
He grabbed the condom on the nightstand and shoved it in his pocket before he went in search of something to write on. He found that on her desk. He quickly penned a note and laid it on the bed beside her. After a minute more of just staring at his newfound angel, he went for the door, quietly pulling it open. He didn’t shut it all the way for fear of alerting Kade. He tiptoed to the front door. Ever so slowly he inched it open, thankful there was no squeak. He locked the bottom lock behind him as he left. That caused a little louder click as the door sealed shut, but that was unavoidable. He figured the cop would be up and out the door, looking for whatever created that sound. He scanned the hallway for a stairwell to make a quick escape and found one by the elevator. He took the stairs down to the first floor.
Kade was going to be a problem, he felt it in his bones. As much as he needed to focus on Lara, he also had Kade to contend with. He’d have to make things right between them if he ever hoped to continue this with Lara.
He hit the lobby and walked out the building with the hint of the morning sun just beginning in the distance. He’d made his escape without Kade catching him. Good. The duck and cover delayed the inevitable one more time. Looking up and down the street, Reed took off across the deserted road. He jogged to his building with a grin in place as security opened the front doors.
“Good morning, Mr. Prescott.” Reed looked over at the young man that had worked there since he’d bought the building. He reached out and patted his arm as he walked by. The shocked reaction was pretty priceless. He’d have to do better at getting to know his staff if they were surprised to see him respond in a friendly manner.
He had a pretty solid pep in his step. He ate up the distance across the lobby until he took a back door to his entrance. He’d had four, almost five hours of sleep, and he lifted the shirt sleeve on his arm close enough to his face to breathe the smell of Lara deeper into his soul. She was still all over him, and he didn’t see a need to change that quite yet. He felt good. Damn good. He enjoyed their sex and she hadn’t fought him too long to get to where they were now. He took the elevator up and decided he’d take the situation day by day. Not get too caught up in what it all meant. He knew himself too well. He would freak and fuck it all up instead of just letting this play out. Eventually, he’d get his fill no matter how he felt about her today. It might cost him some money in the end, but that was okay, she’d earn it—he was certain of that.
Chapter 14
The alarm on her cell rang, jarring Lara awake. She kept her eyes closed and reached for the phone. She hit nothing but bed. She reached a little farther, still not hitting the nightstand. With a groan, she forced her eyes open. The annoying ringtone silenced on its own as she looked around, confused. She was lying in the middle of her bed with no clothes on. That had her bolting straight up, looking around for Reed. Her eyes darted in every direction, but she was all alone in the room.
Disappointment filled her even as a sigh of relief slipped free. This was exactly what he did to her. Conflicting emotions battling inside her heart. He was making her a complete mess. She dropped back down on the pillow as the alarm started again. This time she got up and went in search of her phone. She found the device still plugged in to the charger. She went through the motions of clearing the alarm, knowing Kade had to wake up each time the dumb thing went off. He slept so light.
She wondered when Reed had left. She didn’t remember waking. Why hadn’t he woken her? Refusing to overthink what that all meant, she went for her robe and stepped on a piece of paper on the floor. Retrieving the page, she saw Reed’s name first, then started from the top.
I didn’t want to wake you. You’re beautiful when you’re sleeping. Have dinner with me tonight? It’s technically a dinner meeting, but I have a plus one I can exercise. Say yes. Call me when you wake so I know you got this.
Reed
BTW, get on the pill. I can’t seem to remember the rules when you’re within five feet of me. I’m sorry about that – I’m clean, I promise.
She re-read the whole note a second time. Somehow, this one little message made waking up alone all right. Lara folded the paper carefully and stuck it in a drawer to save. Yes, it was a total girl move, but she couldn’t remember ever having a guy write her a note before. Reed was a first on so many levels. First flowers, first true orgasm, first handwritten note. He was too good. She had no power where he was concerned.
Moving to the bathroom mirror, she saw a smile plastered across her face. She studied her reflection. She felt different. This was the same face that stared back at her each and every day, but today she was happy, maybe content, and decided not to overthink. Nothing would ruin this faster than her analyzing the situation to death. Bottom line, she couldn’t stay away from him—she’d tried—so now she needed to play this out.
She took a quick shower, dried her hair, and went for the ponytail look. She added the cosmetics Reed liked best in case she saw him today and dressed in one of the new dresses. She was out the front door within the hour, that smile never leaving her face.
It was odd, but this morning seemed brighter somehow. What a difference twenty-four hours made. She was thirty minutes early for work and didn’t even have to rush. If it were possible, she decided great sex with a wonderful man made everything right in the world. Who knew? Maybe she was growing up, becoming a little worldlier, and that thought felt good too. Did Reed just set the bar too high for any other man who might follow? Probably. But that was overthinking and she refused to go there.
Heartache was coming. All these positive, warm emotions had a name, and for God’s sake, Reed certainly didn’t need to know she was on the verge of tumbling head over heels. No, she had to keep that to herself. Revealing her emotions would run him off that much quicker.
Friday marked the end of her first whirlwind week, and she was finally beginning to recognize faces from her office. She smiled at every person she noticed and got some smiles in return. Even though no one engaged in any conversation, things were better than yesterday, so maybe it was a new start?
Good sex apparently made her hungry. Before she ever made it to her office, she made a pit stop by the break room and poured a cup of coffee and grabbed two pastries. She grabbed an extra Danish just in case.
“Good morning to you,” Jonathon said. He was already on the go, but halted to open her office door, staring at her like she’d grown a third arm.
“What?” she asked confused. She looked down to see if she had spilled something on her clothes.
“You look happy this morning. I think someone had a good night!” He waggled his eyebrows and waved a file in front of her face. “I’ve got to get this upstairs.”
The accuracy of his insinuation had her laughing as he walked down the hall. Lara placed the plate on her desk and walked to her windows to jerk open the shades. The early morning sunshine poured inside. Somehow it seemed reflective of her mood. When she took her seat, she felt a soreness between her legs. Not necessarily uncomfortable, just well used after such a long dry spell.
The computer booted up, and she took a sip of her hot coffee, taking
another bite of a kolache. Lord, those things were good. Lara quickly logged into the server and pulled up the public relations nightmare from hell or so she’d dubbed the Asian acquisition. The stakes were high because, at this point, the Beijing Press International venture was a one hundred percent loss and that just made no sense. All the components were in place to have this skyrocketing, but they fought them tooth and nail at every turn.
Before she let herself get too absorbed in work, she did a quick Google search of after-five cocktail dinner dresses to get some idea what to wear tonight. Lunch would have to be spent shopping. The cloud over her otherwise sunny day came to mind, forming a small pit in her stomach. She had no idea how to tell Kade that she’d caved. He’d been so proud of her for standing strong last night. Luckily, tonight Kade would be at work when Reed picked her up. Okay, the situation stressed her out. Kade didn’t like Reed at all. He’d be a complication to her happy few weeks and she’d need him there for when things dissolved between her and Reed. Before her musings turned too dismal, she forced herself to stop overthinking. She’d take the whole situation step by step; her heart wouldn’t let her doing anything different than that.
~~~
Multi-tasking was an art form Reed mastered years ago. He listened to a web conference, added his two cents when needed, and read the latest updated proposal for a mega shopping center complex that had grown over budget and rapidly fallen off schedule. They blamed it on the weather. Reed placed the blame on incompetence.
As he worked, he remembered the most important task he had today and quickly pulled up instant messenger. He typed a quick note to Margaret, asking her to change tonight’s dinner reservations to include another guest. He picked back up the report and listened a little closer as the call shifted to discuss the latest sales earnings. As he jotted down a few quick notes on those numbers, his inner office messenger popped open on his screen.
Chasing Happy (Texas Desires #1) Page 19
