MrTemptation

by Annabelle Weston

  She came out of the bathroom and flopped down on the bed.

  Preston was tucking his shirt into his waistband.

  “Hey you,” he said, smiling at her, and grabbed her hand.

  “Hey there.” She squeezed his hand in return. They looked at each other as if they shared a secret, which actually they did. Some secrets weren’t so bad.

  “I’ve got to get back to the office,” he said.

  She didn’t try to persuade him to stay. She felt guilty for keeping him this long.

  “Give Auntie Anne my thanks.”

  He smiled. His smiles were caresses. “See you later?” he asked.

  “I’m leaving for New Haven tonight,” she reminded him, “unless you have something else in mind.”

  Preston shrugged on his suit coat. “I was thinking we should have some dinner before you go?”

  She didn’t need any persuading. “I’d love to.”

  His brows furrowed into a devastating scowl. “You could catch a train in the morning, you know.”

  Cadence grasped his arm and gave it a squeeze. “Yeah, I could.”

  He growled. She loved how he could be so serious one second and so playful the next.

  They exited her room and she walked him to the elevator.

  She’d met the most wonderful man, successful, kind and gorgeous beyond belief. She knew they could be good together. She wanted to be part of his life. Was she asking too much?

  They walked slowly, hand in hand, into the elevator. He pressed the button for the lobby.

  “I could go with you,” he said. “I’m good at moving boxes.”

  “I can’t depend on you for everything.”

  “Yes, you can. You’d have much more fun with me helping.”

  “I’d get nothing done with you there.” She laughed.

  “What happens when you get back?” he asked, conceding at last.

  “What’s supposed to happen?”

  He frowned. “I thought you and I could get together.”

  Was he for real? Her brain warned her to be careful but her body had other plans. “We haven’t talked about what comes next.”

  “No, but we should.”

  Her heart skipped a beat.

  “Dinner tonight will be a celebration,” he said.

  “And after dinner?” she asked.

  “That’s up to you.”

  The last couple days had been the happiest in her life thanks to him. She couldn’t have managed without his support. It was a no-brainer that she wanted to be with him again.

  His green eyes and dark lashes held her like an embrace. She’d like to celebrate. She’d like to howl at the moon. Most of all, she’d like to make love until it was time to head back to Connecticut.

  “Dressy or casual?”

  “Let’s do dressy,” he said, his voice smooth. “I want to woo you in style tonight.”

  Her pulse quickened. “I can’t wait,” she said. It wasn’t a lie.

  “Good. I’ll pick you up at eight.” He winked and pulled her in for a hot, wet kiss, which was cut short by the ping of the elevator.

  She stepped back and waited for the doors to open. Not because she’d be embarrassed or cared who would see them but because one kiss was never enough with Preston.

  She loved how her lips tingled after he kissed her. Who was she kidding? Her entire body tingled and the sensation was pure joy.

  The elevator door opened. He put his hand on her arm, sending fire to her sex. He was so hot, so alive, she shuddered.

  Frank was waiting at the curb in a no-parking zone.

  Nothing about Preston surprised her, not even the driver who always seemed to be at his beck and call.

  “I would like us to wait before we tell my mother about us.” He held her hand while he spoke.

  Us. She loved hearing him call what they’d shared “us”.

  “Why would there be a problem?” she asked, totally confused. She didn’t understand the need for secrecy, especially from Auntie Anne. Wouldn’t she be happy for them? Wouldn’t she consider a relationship between her son and the daughter of her best friend a good thing?

  “I’m afraid if we told her that we were involved, she would insist I take myself off the case,” Preston said solemnly, “and I won’t do that.”

  His mouth set into a hard line, his eyes glazing slightly. What he’d said vaguely disturbed her. What did her case have to do with them?

  “Don’t worry. She won’t find out from me.”

  Preston wasn’t fooled. “You’re not okay with keeping a low profile, are you?”

  His handsome, chiseled face, his green eyes, the Armani all worked against her.

  She shook her head. “I don’t want to cause problems. I’m fine about keeping it between us. For now.” She leaned in to lick his bottom lip but he backed away. “Is there a problem?”

  “We’ll talk later.”

  “Okay.” She’d learned to guard her life from prying eyes. She would have to be more careful about guarding her heart.

  They kissed one more time before they said their goodbyes. Preston climbed into his seat in the back.

  Cadence sighed and returned to her room. She felt empty inside and unbearably lonely. She wished Preston didn’t have to go to the office and she didn’t have to leave for New Haven after dinner. She wished their responsibilities and obligations would go away so they could be together.

  For the first time in her life, she was being selfish. She couldn’t help herself. She had never reacted this way to a man before. Preston seemed to have this strange effect on her every time he looked at her. She wanted to rip both their clothes off and make love no matter where they were.

  She smiled, thinking about what they would do next and where.

  She dressed and put on some makeup. She had decisions to make, challenges to meet. There were pieces of the puzzle still missing. Would Preston fill them in or was he as much in the dark as she was?

  We’ll talk later. A ripple of apprehension traveled up her spine. He’d had something important to tell her. Why couldn’t he have just spit it out?

  Would she ever know the complete truth? Up until now, she’d lived a life of pure fiction. The ramifications of what her mother had done, had pretended to be, made her head spin.

  Cadence really hadn’t known her own mother.

  Could she keep her mother’s secrets buried?

  She checked her email on her cell phone. Replied to the congrats from friends and professors on her graduation. Sent thank you notes for the gifts she’d received.

  What would they all think if they found out she wasn’t the mayor’s daughter? What would Victoria think?

  Victoria was entitled to the mayor’s money fair and square since she’d been legally married to him. The money would be all Victoria and the evil twins would inherit. Cadence would let go of her claim to preserve the Burke name but she’d like to tell her stepmom she knew about the affair with the mayor just to see the witch’s reaction.

  Maybe she’d do just that after she returned from New Haven. A niggling voice reminded her, Victoria and the twins would make trouble if they could.

  What if this scandal broke, like a scab coming off a deep wound? The press would eat Victoria alive. Her ambitions would go up in smoke. Cyrus’ career in politics would be officially dead.

  The Burke reputation depended on Cadence’s ability to keep a secret.

  The roller coaster ride continued and it was all she could do to keep herself from crying out in frustration.

  * * * * *

  Preston noticed the subtle change in Cadence. Her cautious nature, her suspicions of a person’s motives had returned with a vengeance. Much as he tried to convince her he was open and honest about his attraction to her, she doubted him.

  He’d loved her from a distance for a lot of years. He’d known no other woman would ever appeal to him the way Cadence did.

  Her family had done a real job on crippling her self-esteem. What could
he do to break down the wall she’d built around herself?

  For sure, he was going to be with her and take care of her. He intended to be the strong shoulder for her to lean on, the person she could depend on.

  He would tell her tonight at dinner.

  He slumped back in his seat. It’d rained and the sidewalks and streets reflected the city lights. He and Cadence would build their life together here in the world’s greatest city.

  He’d been unhappy Mom picked this time to retire but now he saw it as an opportunity. It was time for him to take over Night and Night, International. He and Cadence would continue the work her mother had started, funding the education of single moms. The work would reconnect Cadence to a mother she believed had betrayed her trust. The reconnection was vital, he decided, to build Cadence’s confidence in connecting with him.

  * * * * *

  Jarred into the present by the ringing, Cadence picked up the phone. “Hello?”

  “Miss Burke? You have a guest here in the lobby.”

  “A guest?” For a second, she feared Cyrus had returned.

  “Mr. Preston Night.”

  A rush of happiness swept through her. Preston was already here for their dinner date.

  “Please send him up in five minutes,” she said and hung up. She hoped he hadn’t made reservations for any earlier than eight thirty. She was definitely running late.

  Who could blame her? They were going to celebrate so many changes in her life. Some wonderful. Some not too great.

  All that mattered was she and Preston would be together.

  She’d been daydreaming as she packed. What wonderful dreams. Kind of sappy. Definitely lusty.

  She closed her suitcase and hurried into the bathroom to take care of business, including brushing her teeth.

  Preston Night turned her on. Was it love? At a distance, she could think more clearly—she was out of her mind to believe Preston Night thought of her as anybody but a client. Close up, all bets were off. Her imagination went into overdrive. Blame the man’s sexy body, his mind-blowing kisses and the Armani suit.

  The man was too good to be true.

  She enjoyed the sex. They certainly had chemistry going for them. Just the thought of his touch made her nipples tingle with anticipation.

  Smiling into the mirror, she nodded her approval. Her teeth sparkled. Her hair looked terrific.

  Dinner tonight and then goodbye. She would leave for New Haven on the eleven o’clock train. He didn’t have to hold her hand all the way. He’d been willing, of course. It’d be way too easy to let him.

  She was a big girl. She could take care of herself.

  As soon as she turned off the faucet, she could hear tapping on the door. Her heart took an extra beat.

  She hurried to the door, practicing her best smile. Not the one that told the world she was a perfect daughter. The one that was genuinely felt.

  When she opened the door, the hello lodged in her throat. Her dream hadn’t been an exaggeration or a fantasy. She saw with delight he was immaculately dressed in a light-gray pinstriped suit, a sky-blue shirt and a silky, shiny, blue-and-silver-striped tie. The color set against his tan skin and sandy hair accentuated his natural good looks, and the fitted form of the suit showed off his perfect physique to a capital T.

  The whole package worked against her resolve to make it an early evening.

  He was carrying an armload of white roses.

  “Uh…” Thanks didn’t seem like enough.

  “Do you like them?” he teased her with a wink and a brief kiss on the lips. He handed them over.

  “They’re beautiful.” They smelled heavenly. “Why so formal?” she asked with a flicker of amusement on her lips.

  He smoothed down his tie. “I did say dressy.”

  “Look at me. I’m still in my bathrobe.”

  “At least you have fresh breath.”

  She laughed at his comment. She couldn’t help herself.

  He strode past her. How she loved to watch him walk. The confidence he showed in each step would make any woman with a libido swoon.

  He turned, a James Bond glint of desire in his eyes.

  She sighed. She’d always been so disciplined, so able to keep charming men at arm’s length. He could break down her resistance with one look.

  It wasn’t fair.

  She filled an ice bucket with water from the bathroom sink. When she came out of the bathroom, he was sitting on the bed.

  She ignored him and began arranging the bouquet. “How did you know I love white roses?”

  “I make what you like a priority,” he replied.

  “Really?”

  “Actually, I took a lucky guess.”

  He could’ve brought her a bunch of dandelions and she would’ve been thrilled. This is what falling in love feels like, she mused. He was all she’d dreamt about and so much more.

  And yet the narrative she couldn’t help listening to, the one that kept playing over and over in her head, kept reminding her he was being this way because he wanted something from her.

  We’ll talk later.

  She finished fussing with the flowers. She wouldn’t spoil this evening with her doubts.

  He rose and came to stand inches from her. “How about we give this bed a workout?” He kissed her on the forehead, her cheeks, then the tip of her nose.

  “Hungry?” It was the only thing she could think to say in the heat of the moment.

  He kissed her lips and she parted her mouth to allow him entry. His tongue delved inside to stroke over hers. He tasted sweet like cinnamon candy. He cupped her face with his hands and tilted her head sideways to deepen the kiss.

  She hungrily kissed him back, swiping her tongue against his, nibbling his lips. Their bodies melded together and she swore her toes curled as the heat blew off them in waves.

  “Always,” he replied, sliding his tongue delicately across her lower lip.

  “I’m hungry too. But first we should go eat dinner,” she replied, gasping.

  He kissed the curve of her neck and came to the hollow of her throat. He stopped and she waited with sweet anticipation for him to continue.

  “Go get dressed,” he said, looking at her. “I’ve got a surprise.”

  “I’ve a few surprises of my own,” she replied.

  “This evening is all about having a good time.”

  “I’ll be right back.”

  She ran to her closet and pulled out the sexy black dress they had seen on the model at Sparkle Industries. She’d phoned Barbara, who was able to alter the sample to a size six and send it to her hotel. She hadn’t even tried the dress on, wasn’t even sure she would have the nerve to wear it in public.

  Didn’t Preston deserve to be seen with a hot date?

  “Turn your back,” she said.

  “What?”

  “Do as I ask. This is your first surprise.”

  Preston walked to the window and looked out to the park across the street.

  “I’d rather watch you dress,” he said.

  “I don’t need the pressure,” she replied playfully.

  She shrugged off the bathrobe. She didn’t bother with a bra and panties. The fabric being so thin and clingy would show off any line.

  She slipped the dress over her head and the silky fabric fell into place. The sleek material electrified her skin. The plunging neckline ended at her waist. She adjusted the bodice to give her boobs just the right amount of exposure. The plunge was not gapingly wide but wide enough to cause a stir and more than just a glance. The rest of the dress clung to all the right places.

  Cadence Burke, you’re out of your mind wearing this dress.

  She strangled the little voice that was always ruining her fun.

  Being daring for the first time in her life, she opted to go without pantyhose and she slipped into her high-heeled shoes. She put on her graduation pearls and the pearl earrings the mayor had given her on her twenty-first birthday.

  She retrea
ted to the bathroom to check herself in the mirror. The image reflected wasn’t the Cadence Burke she knew.

  She twisted her hair up and pinned it into an elegant chignon. So it would be Gwyneth tonight and not Lady Gaga. With a small amount of makeup and perfume applied in strategic places, she was ready to go.

  Preston was talking on his cell as she strutted out of the bathroom. She didn’t interrupt but she was disappointed. Did another client need him? Would he be thinking about some far-off business deal all through dinner? Would he have to leave early?

  He finished his call and stowed his phone in the case.

  She cleared her throat loudly.

  He spun around.

  She settled her hand on her hip. “Well?”

  She needn’t have asked. The look on his face was exactly what she had been hoping for. His eyes roved over her, stopping at the plunging neckline.

  His eyes widened and a slow smile crept across his lips. ”Wow.” His voice rasped in his throat and he coughed. “You look gorgeous.” His gaze traveled up to her neck to the place in her throat that he’d kissed with such reckless abandon moments before.

  Cadence shuddered involuntarily. “So do you recognize the dress?” she asked.

  “A Sparkle design?”

  “You know it is. I saw your tongue about fall out of your mouth when we were in the designer’s fitting room.”

  “Looks better on you.”

  “Nice save.”

  His gaze connected with hers. He was ready, willing and able, his expression told her. Boy, was he able. His mouth settled in a slight curve.

  “You are so beautiful, Cadence,” he said, closing the distance between them.

  Her entire body quivered in anticipation of his touch. He took both her hands and held her at arm’s length, raking her with his gaze.

  “I never would have thought I could be so lucky to escort a woman as stunning as you to dinner. I’m sure I’ll be fighting off every man out there.”