“If this is your version of dancing,” Elizabeth murmured. “What’s your version of a sloppy kiss and a phone number?”
My eyes slid open and I untucked my head from above hers. She gazed up at me with a hungry, yet hesitant, expression.
I smiled.
“My version of a phone number is a farewell wish.”
“And your kiss?”
Heat gathered in my groin. Despite that, I found myself wanting to hold her just a bit longer.
Don’t be dumb.
“My kiss is a fuck that leaves you breathless,” I told her. “The only sloppiness you can expect will be when we’re both so lost in the pursuit of pleasure that our lips start to wander.”
Her cheeks flushed with blood, but she didn’t say a word. I began to wonder if Elizabeth was having second thoughts. Maybe I read her wrong and came on too strong.
I reached over to cup her chin in my hand. “Elizabeth,” I said. “If you don’t want me, you can leave right now.”
“And what if I do?” she whispered.
“Then you have a decision to make,” I smiled.
I don’t know what I would have done if she’d rejected me. I couldn’t break my rules, not even for her. Especially not for her.
“Leave or stay?”
I chuckled, shaking my head ever so slightly. “No.” I ran my thumb along her lower lip. “Leave or kiss me.”
She seemed to deliberate on it, eyes glancing around the room again. “It’s so open up here.”
“Would you like me to close it?”
“What?” She frowned. “You can do that?”
So innocent. So sweet.
“Of course.” I dropped my hand from her face. “Just say the word.”
I didn’t like the hesitance in her eyes. I wanted to hear from her lips that she wanted this. That she knew what she would be getting into if I had the bouncers close the VIP area. I wanted her to submit to her desires. And mine.
“Yes,” she said finally. “I think a little privacy would be… wise.”
I turned quickly, hiding a grin that I was sure rivaled that of the Cheshire Cat.
Even as I walked over to the bouncer, though, there was a niggling thought at the back of my mind telling me this wasn’t a good idea. There was a reason I didn’t take home girls like Elizabeth.
Nice girls. Sweet girls.
I’d already made her harder to forget than the others. And for my own good, they would all need to be forgotten some time or another.
But I couldn’t have stayed away from Elizabeth if I tried. Even just the thought of cutting the night short sent a wave of frustration over me. She’d tempted me with that sweet body, and I was going to have to take it.
It was one night. What was the worst that could happen?
5
Elizabeth
I pictured looking back on this night when I was eighty years old, the memory warming me as the chill of death began to spill in under my door. That night when I was twenty-five and beautiful and crazy, and I had sex with some random guy in the VIP area of a prestigious club without even exchanging last names.
And the memory would start here, with Oliver strolling back across the room toward me, the bass pulsing through the floor and running over my skin like a caress.
My heart hammered in my chest. I watched each step he took toward me.
He was so sure of himself, although I understood why. He commanded attention in a way that Cressida could only dream of. Every nerve in my body sat up and took notice as he slid back down onto the couch.
I worried about how we would progress from here. I’d never done something like this before. But Oliver took control.
“Come here,” he murmured, pulling me across his lap.
I gasped at how easily he was able to move me, like I weighed nothing. He turned me to straddle him, our lips mere inches apart.
He was even beautiful up close. Long dark lashes lined his eyes, but even they couldn’t stifle the intensity and raw masculinity of his gaze. I had the feeling I’d fallen down into the wolf’s den.
And I couldn’t wait to be devoured.
He grabbed my hips and pulled me closer until our chests were flush, then crushed his lips against mine. Heat seared through my veins at the intensity of the kiss. His lips were ruthless and demanding, his tongue darting between my teeth. I moaned in surprise.
I was no virgin. I’d had sex more times than I could count. But I’d never had a first kiss like this. There was no sweetness, no hesitation. He took control of my body, and my mind just tumbled in somewhere along the way.
Oliver’s lips claimed me. He nipped at my lower lip and I sucked in a breath. I shifted on top of him, trying to ease some of the ache building up between my thighs. I was rewarded with a primal growl. He was hard against me already.
His lips dropped to my neck, kissing and sucking as his hands pulled at the top of my dress. The already plunging neckline dipped lower, revealing the top of my bra. He continued downward, pulling me up against him so that he could trail his mouth down to my exposed cleavage.
My dress rode up around my thighs and my butt was probably exposed for the whole world to see, but I didn’t care. I was heady with lust and had the feeling that we were the only two people in this club. In the world. The only two that mattered, anyway.
I’d never done something so spontaneous and daring as this before, never even imagined it, and yet now that I was about to, I couldn’t imagine stopping.
He settled me back on his lap, shifting his hands until they grappled at my breasts. I arched back, lost in the sensation. My skin burned, the only relief I received was where his mouth touched me. But I needed more.
I locked eyes with him. The intensity I found there no longer scared me. I matched it.
“Tell me what you want, kitten,” he commanded, trailing fingers from my breasts to my exposed thigh.
For all my feigned confidence, I couldn’t stifle a gasp as those same fingers inched their way under my skirt.
“Kitten,” he prompted. His voice was stern and sexy. Commanding an answer. Demanding it.
“I want you to touch me,” I breathed.
His eyes lit up and the fire in my belly coiled tighter. I felt sexy and powerful. This was nothing like the awkward first trysts I’d had with boyfriends and lovers over the years.
Oliver captured my mouth again and kissed me fiercely. His rough fingers slid higher under my skirt, finally slipping beneath my panties to stroke my hot core. A shiver of pure pleasure wracked my body as his thumb circled my clit, creating fire just as much as he quenched it.
I still needed more. Would anything ever be enough with him? I wanted to disappear inside his kiss.
He pressed down on my clit and worked a finger inside of me. I arched against him and tipped my head back, urging him forward with my body. He used his free hand to brush my hair from my shoulders before tangling up in it near my skull and gripping tightly.
He owned my body and I loved it.
Teeth bit into the sensitive skin on my neck, skilled fingers continued to slowly thrust inside of me. I admired his restraint. My ass was resting on the physical proof that his desire matched mine, but so far he wasn’t getting any release of his own. It was time to fix that.
I ground down on him, succeeding both in pressing his finger further into me and rubbing myself against his rock hard bulge. His breath came hot against my neck.
“And what do you want?” I whispered in his ear, surprising myself at the grin that spread across my face at the mere thought of what I was about to do.
He nibbled on my earlobe. “I want to fuck you until you scream.”
The involuntary moan that escaped my lips when I heard those words must have pushed him past the point of restraint, because in a few quick movements he shifted me back a little and released his cock from his pants. My mouth was dry with desire at the sight. It jutted up, long and proud, and for a moment I wondered how I was supposed to get it a
ll inside of me.
Oliver produced a foil package from his pocket and sheathed himself as I watched with barely a breath. He placed his hands on my hips and lifted, hovering me over top of him. The head of his cock probed my entrance, already stretching my lips. I wanted more. Needed it. I couldn’t wait any longer.
Taking the initiative, I pushed down along his hot shaft, inch by inch until our hips met again. He groaned in response, so I rolled my hips to take him further, proving that I could meet his lust with the fire of my own.
We moved together now. His hands pulled me up and I pushed back down, creating a rhythm that sent us both into a feverish frenzy. Our kiss was breathless and clumsy, both of us lost in the moment. I had never felt so wild. I had never felt so filled.
My body sizzled with electricity. The coil in my belly tightened further, pushing me closer and closer to release. I struggled toward it, sweat sticking the hair to the back of my neck. My exposed breasts rose and fell with our movements, and Oliver sucked on them again.
I rose and rose, curling my toes tightly in my shoes. I was nearly there. So goddamn close.
Oliver bit down on my skin again and an orgasm finally crashed through me. I couldn’t help it; I screamed.
My body forgot how to move. I became a ragdoll with the force of my release, falling limp against him as he continued to drive up into me. I kissed everywhere I could, so thankful for the pleasure he’d given me. My lips traced his jaw, his lips, his neck. Anywhere I could reach without moving.
Then Oliver groaned, holding me against him. His fingers bit down into the flesh of my hips and I gasped, falling further against his shoulder.
His heavy breaths buffeted my neck, a rhythmic pattern that helped return me back down to earth. Only as that happened did I realize how exposed I was. What I’d just done.
It still felt so unlike me, but it didn’t bother me as much as I thought it might. There was still nobody in the lounge, and I doubted anyone from the dance floor could see me at this angle.
And hell, it was worth it.
Our eyes met. Oliver smiled.
“Kitten,” he said. “You’re full of surprises.”
If my face wasn’t already flushed from sex, I’m sure it would have reddened. I turned away, making a show of looking for my phone in the clutch I’d discarded next to us. I don’t know why I felt so suddenly awkward again, but something about the rawness of the moment scared me. Sex had never been that good.
Was it simply the forbiddance of the encounter, or something more?
“I’ve got to go,” I said, reading the texts on my screen. “Cressida’s looking for me.”
Apparently, things had not gone as well for Cressida as they had for me. She was waiting for me outside.
Oliver nodded, releasing me from his grip. I stood and rearranged myself, turning away while he did the same. What was I supposed to say now?
Lovely to meet you and thanks for the dick? See you around?
Oliver saved me the embarrassment. He pulled me into his arms and gave me one last kiss. I could taste the finality of it on his lips, the way he held me against him like he’d never see me again. And he wouldn’t, in all likelihood. Probably for the best. Guys like him were the reason I’d stuck to the safe side of the dating line. Only someone who can bring you up so high can drop you with enough force to break you.
“Lovely to meet you, Elizabeth,” Oliver whispered in my ear.
I pulled away and smiled at him. “Yeah. Thanks for the sex.”
I turned from him so he wouldn’t see me grit my teeth and screw my eyes shut in embarrassment.
One of these days I’d meet someone and not make a complete ass of myself.
6
Oliver
“Mr. Bentley,” Todd called into my study. “The interior designer is here.”
I looked up from the paperwork in front of me. “I’ll be out in a minute,” I replied.
“We’ll be in the library.”
I listened to his footsteps receding before taking off my reading glasses, rubbing the bridge of my nose between thumb and forefinger. I’d forgotten that the interior designer was coming today. While I wasn’t used to forgetting anything, it had started becoming the norm.
I tossed my glasses down and they skittered across the wood.
Damn it all to hell.
How could I still be distracted by the thought of that girl from Repeat? I never got distracted by any woman, so why wasn’t I able to forget about this one?
It wasn’t her beauty, although she was breathtaking. But beauty alone hardly made her stand out from the crowd of my sexual past. More likely it was her innocence, combined with the smoldering sexuality underneath it all. Something about those contrasting qualities drew me to the idea of her and how different she was than any other woman I’d ever met.
Truth be told, it was probably also just the thrill of the moment. An adrenaline memory that would take time to fade. Still, it wasn’t worth fixating on anymore. I’d never see her again, so what was the point? I needed to move on.
I rose from my desk and rolled down my sleeves, buttoning them again at the wrist. It was for the best that our paths never cross again, I reminded myself. A woman like her was exactly the type I needed to stay as far away from as possible. Even if I wanted to see her again, I couldn’t.
Not without losing everything.
I tugged my blazer back on and rubbed out the creases, forcing my head back into the moment. I liked to make a strong first impression. So much in a relationship depended on the first encounter, both personally and professionally. I needed to show this designer that I was the boss here, and that I meant business. Making her wait for me was an easy enough first step toward that, but I’d stalled long enough.
My shoes clicked off the hardwood, announcing my arrival to Todd and whomever he’d hired for the project. I had conceded to my friend and trusted advisor that the place needed renovations, but I wasn’t anxious for the change. The old mansion still reminded me of my grandfather, stately and classic. If this designer woman thought to tear it all down in place of some modern monstrosity, she thought wrong. I accepted that the place had to change, but they had to be the right changes.
I rounded the corner to the library and strode in, hands thrust in my pockets. The back of the auburn head sitting at Todd’s desk looked familiar, but I didn’t quite place it until she turned around.
Holy shit.
“Mr. Bentley, this is Elizabeth Paulson,” Todd introduced.
I didn’t so much as hitch my stride. I’d had a lot of practice at masking my emotions over the years. She, on the other hand, clearly did not.
“Oh.” Her mouth dropped open. She slammed it shut a second later, turning back to Todd. She probably didn’t want me to see the blush rising on her cheeks. Too late.
As I rounded the desk, a sliver of pleasure ran up my spine at seeing her. I just hadn’t yet decided if it was welcome or not.
I was of two minds about how to handle this unexpected situation.
Part of me wanted to kick Todd out and have my way with her again, right over the desk. But then I’d be breaking my biggest rule. And what was I supposed to do after that? Either she’d quit or I’d have to fire her. Giving into that baser part of me would only end negatively for both of us.
Which left option two. Pretend nothing was wrong.
But that didn’t mean I couldn’t have a little fun with the situation.
“Lovely to meet you, Ms. Paulson,” I said, leaning against the bookshelf behind Todd’s chair. “Todd seemed to be very impressed by your ideas. I look forward to working with you. Is it true you want to essentially strip the library bare?”
“Uh, yes,” she said, trying to recover her composure.
“It’s important to me that the person in charge of the renovations isn’t averse to getting their hands dirty,” I continued, stone-faced. “I know some designers prefer to be more passive, but I’m hoping you’ll really dig your teet
h in. I want someone with desire for my big… project. Someone unafraid at letting loose, but still able to take direction.”
Elizabeth’s face was now as red as a delicious cherry.
“I’m sure I’ll leave you satisfied,” she said. Too late, she only realized what she’d said when my eyes lit up.
“Oh, I have no doubt about that.” A sly smile spread across my face, and somehow hers turned an even deeper shade of red. There was that sexual innocence again. She hadn’t meant to do it, but my head filled with dirty thoughts. Was she even aware of what she was doing to me?
Todd shot a questioning glance my way, but I ignored it.
As fun as teasing her was, this really did throw a wrench in my plans. I couldn’t be as involved as I had wanted to be. My desire for her clearly hadn’t waned, which meant it was as dangerous as ever. I could fire her, but that wouldn’t be fair to her. Not that I would normally let that stop me, but the truth was I didn’t want her to leave.
But that meant I needed to stay away.
“I’ll be in my study working, but Todd will show you around so you can get a sense of the place before starting on the design.”
“Thank you,” she said. She was choosing her words more carefully now. Adorable.
I smiled graciously at her and strolled out of the library, carefully controlling my composure so that my expression wouldn’t betray how my mind was racing at the endless possibilities and pitfalls that her appearance meant to my life.
It was customary for Todd to let me know before he left, but the knock on my study door hours later still startled me. I knew Elizabeth had gone home much earlier, but somehow I still thought it might be her.
Or hoped?
“I’m heading home now,” my aide said, peaking just his head in.
“Thanks, Todd.” I looked up from my laptop. “I appreciate your help with the designer.”
He pressed his lips together in thought. He wanted to ask about the awkward exchange in the library but didn’t know whether he should. I could see it all over his face.
Billionaire's Bombshell Page 3
