“Was that the only time?” The cold pain of his devastation was warmed by the realization he trusted her. His jealousy could only mean she wasn’t alone in investing emotions into this relationship.
“That a woman used me? No. Just the last time I let anyone rub my nose in it.”
“And that’s what you thought I was doing tonight? Trawling in front of your face?”
“Weren’t you?”
With a groan Lauren wrenched her arms behind her, unzipping the dress and shrugging it off. When it hit her feet she stepped out and kicked it at his face. Clad only in pantyhose and heels, she squared her shoulders and stared at him.
“That dress is obviously too much for us to handle right now. I wore that dress because I wanted your attention. Instead, I got the attention of a bunch of personality deficient schmucks, and you on the verge of accusing me of something we both know I’m not doing.”
She reached for his cheek and he closed his eyes when she touched his skin. “We don’t know where this is going, so we think outrageous things to try and protect ourselves. I wear designer dresses to try to fit in with the other wives and show you we can be more than temporary, and you think because some twits in your past traded up I will too.”
“Don’t make excuses for me. The urge to stop myself from being hurt is so strong, it’s primal. I don’t want to hurt you because of it.”
“There is only once choice I can see.” She slid her hands around his neck, slipping down beside him on the bed. “Indulge your primal urges with me.”
Fourteen
Cameron loved New York. The exciting buzz of the city, theaters he never had time to go to, and restaurants he chose based on clients’ requests. But New York City did not have super centers in every neighborhood. Places where a guy could buy a Christmas tree, tree stand, twinkle lights, a tablecloth, an espresso machine, and an ice cream maker with one swipe of a credit card.
Even better, the staff had found his rushed shopping spree so amusing they helped him collect the ingredients for chocolate ice cream and tied the tree to the top of the mammoth SUV. Really, he needed to trade that in on a hybrid model.
Cameron parked by the kitchen door, deciding to set up the tree in the den rather than the living room. He pushed all the furniture to the side of the room and set up the tree in the middle, so they could see both the fireplace and the tree if they laid on the floor. His and hers fantasies at their best.
He set up the tree exactly as they’d told him at the store, trying not to get tangled in the tiny lights as he wound them around. He draped the tablecloth around the base to cover it up and brought in the food and appliances in the oversized gift bags he’d purchased. Setting them at the base of the tree he felt like Santa Claus. Well, Santa minus thirty years.
He dashed up the stairs for a quick shower, and found Lauren asleep on his bed. She’d stretched out on top of the white comforter, her makeup washed off and her pale red hair around her shoulders. A paperback lay open next to her hand.
The vision of Lauren on his bed in sage-green silk shorts trimmed in lace and a matching sheer lace camisole exposing her taut belly gave him pause. This must be part of the lingerie collection she promised. He’d need to be more creative with his gifts to keep up with presents like this.
He didn’t want to wake her before his shower, but curiosity about what she read had him gently lifting the book from the bed. He closed the door on the bathroom before turning on the light and flipping through the pages. From what he skimmed about tropical locations and hot sticky skin, he knew it was romance. But the scene with the warmed honey had him deciding on a very cold shower, and praying she’d gotten that far in the book.
After drying off and changing into a pair of boxers he set the book on the nightstand and sat on the bed beside her. His finger against the skin of her arm elicited a smile.
“Did you like what you read?” She spoke without opening her eyes.
“You’re not asleep?”
“I’m drifting in and out. Did you read the bit about eating pasta off his chest? I’m not doing that.”
One would hope not. “Did you read the part about the honey?”
“No.” She sat up and looked around, her gaze catching the book on the nightstand. “Would you read it to me?”
“Like a bedtime story?”
“Yes please.” She sat up on her knees. “I’ll even promise to buy honey.”
“Okay.” He wondered how comfortable he’d be reading the suggestive words aloud. But then it was Lauren, and if it upped his odds of having her lick warm honey off his dick, he was game. He shifted as the mental picture came into focus. “But first I have something downstairs for you.”
“I told you, I stole condoms from Christa.” Lauren leaned across the bed, pulling open the drawer to showcase her pilfered display of colorful packages.
“It’s better than condoms.” He stood, tugging her to her feet.
“Just in case,” she said as she snagged a black packet.
He shook his head as he led her down the stairs, ignoring her questions of where he’d gone and protests about buying her things. Down the dark hallway he pulled her behind him, flipping the switch in the den that turned on the lights for the tree.
She gasped and clutched his hand tighter, her other hand on her chest. “My tree!”
He gave her hand a squeeze, then released it, crossing the room to flip the switch that lit the gas fireplace. The room had a soft warm glow, flickering with the firelight and the festive scent of pine.
The only things in the room he could throw on the ground were the white chenille throws from the white couches. Lauren and her bursts of color hadn’t made it into this room yet. He spread the blankets between the tree and the fireplace and sat, reaching for the gift bags.
“I asked Diego where to buy what you wanted, but he said I needed to let you order them for yourself.” He looked up at her, glassy eyed and still standing by the entryway. “Come on, prove him wrong.”
She stepped to the edge of the blankets and kneeled down, tucking her strawberry blonde hair behind her ears. “You and Diego talked about me?”
“A little.” He nudged the bag closer. “He said you’d want industrial sized machines that you had to order from catalogs for parties. But this is for now.”
She squealed when she lifted the ice cream maker from the bag, so he slid her the heavier bag. A peal of laughter rang through the room as she ripped away the side of the bag to see the espresso machine. He passed her the third bag, which did not have the same effect.
She put her gifts aside and closed her eyes, a teardrop squeezing out of each eye. “I can’t do this.”
His heart stalled in his chest, tightening until he remembered to breathe.
“I’m breaking the rules. I know I promised you I could do this, just be physical and have no strings, but I can’t. Especially when you do things like this.”
She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and continued. “I thought I could, that I was too restless for commitment, too independent for a relationship. But I can’t pretend I’m not crossing the line and it’s just an intellectual fascination or a physical attraction anymore. I haven’t had to fake any of it, even though I know it isn’t real.”
“It’s real to me.” He scooted closer to her, taking her trembling hand in his. “I think we’ve caught up to where people assumed we were from the beginning.”
“Really?” She wiped her eyes again and sniffed, letting out a long slow breath.
“I never thought I’d find someone strong enough to support me without dragging me down. A person who cared about me and not my income potential.” She wiped at her eyes again. “Please stop crying. It makes me want to do something to make you feel better.”
“So, make me feel better.” Lauren reached for him, touching him differently than before. With more need and less hunger. His skin was so soft and strong beneath her hands as she reached around him, caressing his shoulders and bac
k. She rubbed her hands down his sides, to the elastic band keeping his boxers on.
His lips tantalized her as they began to kiss, his tongue stoking the fire inside of her. She hungered for his long fingered caress, the completeness of having him inside of her.
He pulled away and framed her face in his hands, staring into her eyes. At the sight of his hypnotic gaze she wanted to say it. I love you. Wanted to say the words from her soul and not as a conciliation or replacement for goodbye over the telephone. For once she knew the power of the words.
But they caught in her throat. She’d pushed him so far already tonight. Yesterday their game had still been on for him. Best not to rock the boat until he had his sea legs under him.
“Look at me,” he whispered, the vulnerability in his voice melting her.
“I am.”
His head shook slightly. “You’re zoning out. I want to look at you.”
Her breath quickening, she gave herself over to his request. When he looked at her that way, she thought he could see her soul. Let him see the truth there, then her love for him wouldn’t come as a surprise later.
Energy surged between them, the emotions flowing from one to the other and back again until they felt the same thing. Lauren felt them merging, though they barely touched, her body tingling with the desire in his. The notes of a simply melody danced across her skin, a song she knew he played in his head.
A thrilling rush of adrenaline shot through her, piquing all her senses. She looked deep into his beautiful soul, saw the tears there that had left him broken and lonely. She saw what needed healing and knew she could.
She also saw confirmation of what she’d felt earlier at his confession. He’d learned from his mistakes. She looked deeper, seeing the man who protected others at his own expense, who wanted to use his position to save the world from itself. Altruistic capitalism.
What he tried to hide as his eyelids grew heavy rocked her to the core. She felt his love for her. Maybe it was hopeful, or her own affection mirrored back to her in his eyes. But she didn’t doubt it, let it in and flow through her with a powerful gush. And then the power left her in a turbulent pull. Her eyes widened at the shock, her body pulsing as vibrant colors danced around them.
She fell forward against him, her sex clenching in tiny spasms. Her heart thundered in her chest, her body taut as a live wire.
“I’ve read about that,” he whispered against her hair, his hand rubbing slow circles on her back. “That night on the piano, I thought we might be able to, and it scared me.”
“What is it?”
“Tantric. Minds connecting.” His lips dropped down to meet hers in a soft kiss. He pulled her body closer to his, then broke the kiss to lift the chemise over her head.
He laid her down beside him and she gave herself permission to enjoy him without worries of sexual equality or tomorrow. His hot lips stroked her collarbone, pressing sweet kisses against the dip at her neck. Warm hands massaged her skin, making a path for his mouth to follow. The rasp of his tongue on her breast, the tug of his lips against her nipple made her arch into him, slick and ready and more than willing to do anything but wait to have him inside her body as deep as she felt him in her soul.
She slid her hands down his back, her fingers slipping over the silk of his boxers, gripping at his firm butt and remembering the power those muscles held to pound pleasure into her flesh. She palmed the condom from where she’d tucked it into her waistband, then pushed her shorts over her hips and kicked them off the rest of the way to show him she was ready. Then peeled his boxers down his firm thighs.
He took the condom, rigid cock pressing against her as he shifted to the side and continued his glorious attentions to her breasts, pushing them together so he could alternate his attentions and rapidly drive her insane.
Two could play this frustrating game. Now that she could think again, she reached for him, giving his cock a rough squeeze that made him groan, vibrating her nipple in his mouth. She stroked him appreciatively, wondering how much of this he could take. She was nearly out of her mind, and she’d come once already to take the edge off. Still, she’d never felt such a deep aching desire before.
She pumped him quick and hard, stroking up and down. She knew she’d won the battle when he pulled her fingers off him and pinned her arms over her head.
“Be good,” he ground out as he sat up and rolled on the condom.
“But it is so much more fun to be bad.” She winked and tried to get up, but he lowered himself over her.
Her mind whirling, her body on sensual overload, she nearly exploded when he slipped his hand between her legs, opening her so he could slide into her with one smooth thrust. She arched and screamed at the sensation, at once too much and not enough. Before she caught her breath his body began to undulate and rub against hers, his tempo increasing.
She stared up at the twinkling lights of the tree, her heart full of the loving act of bringing her fantasy to life. Moans echoed through the room until he covered her mouth with his, muffling the sounds while kissing her with a passion so wild and potent she felt proud to have elicited it from a man so controlled.
He possessed her body in a way he hadn’t before, taking and giving at the same time. More alive than she’d ever felt, she wanted to touch every part of him. His lips on hers, their joining below, and her hands traveling every inch of his skin within reach. Slick with sweat, she slipped her fingers over his back, down to his buttocks, thrusting satisfaction into her body with fury.
She tightened around him and gave into the climax building deep within. Wrapping her legs around his back, she pulled him closer and surrendered to the pleasure he delivered.
She purred and panted as her body quaked around him, her head rolling from side to side. Her entire body shook, her inner muscles gripping him with each crest. She rode the waves of orgasm, her body slamming against his until he found his release.
The weight of his body was a comfort as he nuzzled against her neck. He slipped to the side, his breathing slowing until it kept pace with hers. Lauren smiled, enjoying every ripples of ecstasy still coursing through her body.
She turned, looking at his peaceful face, lost in obvious slumber. With a smile she leaned in and kissed the tip of his nose. When that got no response she stretched next to him, knowing sleep would come easy since the fire warmed the room. She tucked her body around his and dared to say what she’d wanted to all night, for a week really.
“I love you,” she whispered as she drifted off to sleep.
She loved him. Had said so every night this week while she’d thought he slept. But she hadn’t mentioned it any other time. Not that they had much time together for a serious conversation. She was busy planning to expand her business and he was trying like hell to do the same.
With half of his investments in place, he needed to begin heavy fund-raising. Anders usually handled most of the procurement of investors. But for Cameron to prove he could run the firm on his own, he needed to do it without help.
He had calls in to all of his targets, but he needed to nail down their interest. He was on track for the fund, but he wanted more time with Lauren before she opened her new store. Right now his workload would slow just as hers doubled.
His email dinged, catching his attention. The name under the from label sent his pulse racing. Clive Braden was one of the richest men in the country, an impulsive investor known for seeking out long-shots and making billions on them. He hated to be solicited, and so wasn’t even on Cameron’s wish list of possible investors. Until he opened the email.
With a six-hour layover between a flight from Tokyo and a flight to Chicago tomorrow night, Braden wanted to discuss the alternative energy fund. He’d heard the buzz from an investment banker who’d passed along the prospectus. He gave the times of his flights and the email of his assistant to arrange a meeting.
Cameron leaned back in his chair. Just having Braden interested in his fund spoke volumes about its promise. If he
convinced Braden to invest, he’d need half the number of backers.
His mind spun as he attacked his computer, polishing the prospectus with the latest details of the investments. He’d present the information casually, Lauren would work her magic making Braden feel comfortable, and his fund would be off and running at record speed. He might even be able to find two weeks to break away before she opened her new store.
“You need to blink more.” Lauren sauntered into his office, a vision in her plush velvet equestrian jacket so long it covered half of her jean covered thighs and a white buttoned shirt she’d forgotten to button half way up. She had the best clothes he’d ever seen.
“You look good.”
“Why, thank you.” She fluffed her gorgeous hair and gifted him with a spectacular smile. “Don’t freak out.”
Nothing good ever came after someone said those words. “What?”
“I was busy with the contractors, and didn’t load my truck. So, I didn’t bring your turkey.”
He eyed the white box that usually held his lunch. “What is it?”
“A chicken and spinach salad wrap. It’s good, with bacon and apple and goat cheese.”
“Goat cheese?” She had him until she wanted him to eat something that came from a goat.
“You’ll like it. It’s like cream cheese with flavor. There’s a cantaloupe strawberry salad and a new potato and pea salad. Apple cake too.”
He warily unpacked, looking at the salads through the clear plastic containers. “Why are there onions in the fruit salad?”
“Don’t be difficult today. You’ll like it, I promise. The cucumber and the melon are light and fresh, the strawberries sweet, the onion adds depth and the dressing tartness. It’s a flavor explosion, I swear.” She collapsed into the chair on the other side of his desk.
She looked so tired he decided the least he could do was try to eat his lunch without getting it all over his clothes. Maybe his good news would cheer her up.
Cooking Up A Seduction Page 17
