She held up a finger, tossing her head, flicking her fiery hair over her shoulder. “Don’t say anything. Me first, because I don’t want to waste even a single second here.”
Ohhh-kay. That would give him more time to gauge her mood.
She flung aside her oversize gold purse.
Thud.
She peeled her T-shirt up and off.
Whoosh.
What the hell? He damn near choked on his tongue. Bella sent the wisp of cotton sailing in a fluttery white flight across the room to land on his computer.
Apparently she wasn’t here about the latest in the news. He’d been biding his time when it came to her no-sex request, waiting—painfully at times—for her to come to him. He just hadn’t expected her turn around to be quite so dramatic.
One hip jutting, she stood across from him in a red strapless bra and the glittering ruby necklace, her low-rise jeans displaying her diamond belly-button ring and a mouth-drying expanse of creamy skin. “So Sam Garrison, has anyone ever told you you’re a tease?”
He scrubbed a hand over his jaw to keep his shock from showing. “Run that by me again?”
She strutted forward, her wild hair and curves and do-me heels spiking his heart rate through the roof. She slid a hand into her pocket, pulled it back out and slapped it on his desk, leaving behind…
A condom packet.
“Okay, big guy, it’s time to put up or shut up.”
Ten
Bella bolstered her nerve, determined to see this through with Sam, to live in the moment. She’d certainly succeeded in shocking him silent.
She planted her heels deeper in the lush carpet, the rest of the office, however, was sparse. He’d obviously set this up as a temporary operating post with a large mahogany desk, a media center in the corner and one long leather couch—presumably for naps.
A lone banker’s lamp rested on the corner of his desk beside newspapers. He’d replaced the on/off chain with the small bell she’d finally given him one evening after supper with Lillian.
His sentimental gesture filled her with reassurance she was doing the right thing by coming here. By seducing him.
His steely eyes narrowed sensually. “I take that to mean the no-sex rule is now null and void.”
“You would be right.” She tapped him on the chest right over his red silk tie, nudging him backward until he reached his large, leather office chair. Empowerment surged through her. There was something to be said for living in the moment. “But I’m the one in charge today.”
With a gentle two-handed shove on his shoulders, she urged him to sit. He could have stopped this at any time. No question who held the physical strength edge here. Yet for some reason he seemed to be through with his tease-and-tempt games.
Was it really as simple as he’d been waiting for her to make the first move all this time? Her pulse quickened at the thought he truly wanted her that much. That perhaps going out together wasn’t just about scaring off matchmaking mamas in search of a wealthy son-in-law.
Sam had a lot more going for him than his bank balance. Not the least of which was the searing look he gave her that made her knees weak and her breath catch. Pulse fluttering wildly, Bella toyed with the clasp between her breasts and freed her bra. Cool air whispered over her, her nipples tightening in response, tingling in oversensitive need for a firmer caress.
He whistled low and long. “Woman, you are driving—”
“Shh.” She leaned forward, pressing a finger to his lips and bringing her breasts closer to him. Sam’s tangy aftershave mixed with the scent of freshly painted walls.
His hands crept up and she clamped his wrists, denying herself for the moment. But for a moment only.
“This is my show, Sam Garrison. Unless you have an objection.”
He shook his head slowly, his gaze locked steadfastly on her. “None that come to mind.”
“I’m glad to hear that, because I believe we’ve both had enough of this waiting game. You have to know how frustrating it’s been denying myself these past weeks when you were doing your damnedest to charm me…then walk away. No more walking. No more waiting.”
She lowered his hands back to the armrests on his oversize office chair. His eyes stroked her instead, his knuckles turning white with restraint. Good. She’d planned every moment of this on her drive over to his office, hoping she’d see the same fierce hunger in his expression that she’d been feeling for weeks.
Now, she shimmied out of her jeans, thumbing her panties down as well, the fabric teasing her skin already hungry for contact. She kicked the clothing free until she stood before him in only red spike heels and a ruby necklace.
Desire burned in his eyes, encouraging her to continue. One slow, sultry step at a time she closed the distance between them. Bella straddled his lap, her knees on either side of his legs, and cupped his face in her hands.
Sealing her mouth to his, she kissed, nipped, tasted while brushing her breasts against his crisp white shirt. The starched fabric rubbed arousing friction against her needy nipples, the silky tie caressing sensually between her breasts, until she rocked her hips against him in desperation to ease the deeper ache. She unbuckled his belt, opened his pants and freed him to her soft and stroking touch.
His grip on the wooden armrests tightened until his biceps bulged. “Things are moving mighty fast here.”
“That’s only a problem if you’re a one-shot kinda guy, and I happen to know from past experience with you that’s not the case. So what do you say we make it fast this time to take off the edge then take things slower the next time on your desk…” She kissed the side of his mouth, breathing in his breath, locking gazes. “And on your sofa.”
He pressed warm kisses down her neck that fired a trail of sweet sensation through her restless body. The chair rocked as their kisses grew more frenzied, wheeling backward until it lodged against the wall.
Drawing slightly away, she reached behind her for the condom she’d brought along, praying he had more stashed away somewhere because she actually hadn’t thought further than this one time. She tore open the packet with frantic, shaking fingers until finally, after weeks of waiting, she could sheathe him with slow deliberation.
Rising up on her knees, she then eased herself onto him, taking him into her body deeper and deeper until she settled on his lap, her knees tight against his hips. Delicious shivers of pleasure prickled along her nerves.
“Enough,” he growled, standing, holding her in place.
She locked her legs around his waist and looped her arms around his neck. Her desire spiked at his bold move and she dug her nails deeper into back.
Sam swept an arm over his desk in a clearing swoop to the side before lowering her onto the slick mahogany. Standing between her legs, he moved, thrust, drove them both higher with pleasure.
His hands freed and her ability to speak scattered with her thoughts, he played his fingers over her body, her breasts as she held on to furniture this time, anchoring herself in the moment, the muscle-melting sensations rising at such a rapid rate already she…
Flew apart.
Pleasure pulsed through her as she thrashed her head from side to side, biting her lip to keep from crying out. Still, he thrust, belying her words of a quick finish until he’d taken her to completion a second time. This time she couldn’t control the moans of ecstasy from slipping past her lips as she arched upward and he quickly sealed his mouth to hers. He clasped her to his chest until he finished pulsing inside her, his face tight against her cheek, his growl strained between his clenched teeth.
His arms slackened and Bella collapsed back onto his desk with a gusty sigh.
“Wow, Sam, that was…Wow.” She focused on the shimmering after-tingles, her heart not even close to slowing down its frantic pace.
“I agree.” Bracing one hand on the desk, he smoothed her hair back from her face as he drew in ragged gasps.
She centered herself in this moment for as long as she could, drawing it out to avoid a return to rational, painful reality. Or maybe things would be all right after all. She and Sam could move into a new stage of their bizarre courtship/friendship. They could start a full-out affair that might truly lead to something more.
She turned her head to the side to kiss his wrist, then frowned. She eased up onto an elbow and reached for the discarded newspaper featuring a photo of Sam…embracing a woman she’d never seen before.
The headline blared: Garrison Cheats on Hudson, with Fiancée?
Sam buttoned his pants, pronto. Given the horror in Bella’s eyes as she stared at the newspaper headline, he needed to enact damage control without delay. “I was just going to talk to you about that before we got sidetracked.”
Bella scrambled off the mahogany desk and gathered her clothes at lightning speed. She yanked on her panties and jeans. “I can’t believe I didn’t see this coming.” She whipped her strapless bra off the floor and back in place, her voice dripping with disillusionment. “I am such an idiot.” She tugged her shirt over her head. “Thanks for your help this month but I’m outta here.”
The burn at her quick acceptance of the worst and speedy rejection blindsided him.
“Hold on.” He grabbed her wrist before she could bolt out the door. “Simmer down and let’s discuss this rationally.”