Dream Man (Executive Women in Love Book 1) (15 page)

He ordered a couple of wines. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, Felice.” He idly picked at the nuts on the table.
Time to fess up.
“When we were in San Diego I wanted you so bad. Every bit of you. Your body and your heart. The very essence of your being.”

“And now?” Felicity leaned in so close he could smell her sweet musky rose aroma and man did it turn him on!

He shook his head to keep it clear. “Of course I still do. I always will.” He took her hand and kissed it. “It’s just I have doubted my ability to give you all of me. To give you the stability you deserve.”

“I think the bachelor rep is a façade you put up for the press. It’s not really you. You’re different than the so-called commitment-phobes or confirmed bachelors out there who I don’t think have a true respect for women. They use women like the tools in their sheds. When they wear out they replace them.”

Now that had to be one of the most intelligent summations he had ever heard. And she was totally right. “Why do you think so?”

She sipped her Cabernet and looked off a moment seeming to search for the perfect words. “You display amazing respect for me and every woman I’ve seen you interact with. You give of yourself effortlessly and never expect anything in return. With Melania, with your playhouse . . . with me.”

“That’s part of my problem.”

“You’re going to have to explain that one.”

“I’m afraid to take love. To have a woman depend on me for moral and spiritual support because I’ve turned my back on my family. It’s left me emotionally bankrupt. And I knew until I faced my family, attempted to fix my wrong doings, I’d never recover. And continue to live the loveless existence I’ve lived, for years.”

“So you went to the Outer Banks?”

“I did. And, initially, I wasn’t welcomed. But, as they say, blood is thicker than water. I’m still my mother’s son and a sibling to my brother and sister.”

“What happened?” Felicity shifted and gazed deeply into Max’s eyes.

He saw nothing but pure love, pure concern. And in that moment he knew he deserved her. “My mother still lives in our childhood home. Once a beautiful, spacious place on the waterfront with the state-of-the art finery. But when I got there, it was in shambles. All of the money I’ve sent has stocked her liquor cabinet instead of her refrigerator. She was in worse condition than the house.”

“But what of your siblings? Weren’t they around to care?”

“An alcoholic doesn’t care about anyone but themselves. My mother’s pretty much isolated herself from everyone and refused company. She wouldn’t even see her own grandchildren. About the only people that she sees are the fellows at the American Legion.”

“What did she do that was so terrible to have caused to you turn your back?”

“My mother was a Class-A prostitute and that is how she supported us. She entertained only the affluent in town and in more sordid, disgusting ways than I care to comment on. It’s odd how wealth brings depravity with it. But it was my mother who allowed herself to be abused, and when she didn’t look as glamorous as she did in her earlier day they cast her aside.”

“It’s so sad. But, I still don’t understand—”

“I found out about what she did for a living when I was twenty years old. She was such an expert she even hid it from her eldest son. I literally believed the party planning and event coordination was her line of business. When I discovered what she was doing, I approached her and begged her to stop. I was still a sophomore in community college at the time, but I could have helped her. She explicitly told me to mind my own business or get out.”

Felicity shook her head. “My God, that had to be hard.”

“It was the vile hatred she spewed which really set me off. She rambled off in a drunken haze about how I was my father, a good-for-nothing deserter and I might as well continue with my destiny as such. Something snapped in me. I broke it off with my fiancé, Tracey, breaking her heart and took off. And didn’t look back since. I concluded I was like my father. And I feared I, too, would do the same he did to someone else. So I closed myself off to any intimate connections. I was thoroughly convinced I inherited my father’s traits.”

“That’s ridiculous. You don’t inherit personality, morals, values—those are things you learn and develop on your own. Much like me, you had to teach yourself those things, as we both lost our parents at a young age. Your mother to her lifestyle and father to his abandonment. But everything I’ve seen so far exhibits you have high values very similar to mine.”

“I don’t want to hurt you, Felice. But I want . . . I need you.”

“I feel the same way.” Felice put her cheek against his and the warmth radiated through to his soul.

He crushed her to him, as much as he could sitting on the tiny seats. He cast any care away and attached his mouth her sensual, juicy lips forcing her them open, delving into them with his tongue as far as he could reach. She matched his passion and before they stopped, he was fully hard and huskily whispered in her ear, “I’m not going to be able to sustain myself much longer.”

“Why do it then?” She batted her eyes, pupils wide with passion.

“Do what?”

“Don’t hold back. Give yourself to me.”

“Ah, Felice . . .” He took her mouth, possessed it. “I know it at the bottom of my soul. I want you to belong to me.”

“I do.” She smiled warmly.

“Let me pay this tab. Then, I want you in my bed.”

“Gladly.”

And, finally, he knew it was the right time.

Felicity stood, shakily, from the cocktail table at the Marquis. Max steadied her. His fiery, passion-filled kisses got her quite wet between the legs.

Was this finally going to happen?

She was still on birth control even though there hadn’t been anyone else since . . . No, she would not allow herself to sully this amazing mood by thinking of anyone but this wonderful, gorgeous creature asked her to his bed.

It was about time.

She could tell Max was incapable of keeping his hands off her in the long elevator ride up to the penthouse suite. Luckily, they had caught an empty elevator car all the way.

His hands boldly fondled her breasts, under her top, and she wanted him to rip her clothes off and take her against the mirrored wall of the elevator . . . but still she had to wait.

Inside the hotel room, with the door locked behind them, Max literally lifted her like a bride over a threshold. Never in her life had any man done that!

He carried her to the bed and in what seemed like a matter of seconds he had her top, bra, skirt, and panties off. She must have helped but couldn’t exactly remember unclothing him except when she fumbled with his belt and it wouldn’t unhinge. He did it for her. Now fully naked they laid on the bed. He caressed her cheek and trailed a long wet kiss down her neck. He drove her insane until she screamed, “Now, now, I can’t wait anymore.”

Ah, the sounds of her pleading for him to take her drove Max wild . . . to the brink of his losing all control and taking her fast. But, no, this lady would be ravished inch by inch before he took such pleasure. She smelled exquisite, musky and sweet at the same time. Her skin tasted like sugar. As he trailed down her tight abdomen with his lips. He arrived to her center, the crown of her essence. He spread her legs and drank in her very core. Before he could even fully taste her, he felt a first orgasm beat against his tongue and sound out in the deep-moan from her throat. He continued, kissing her deeper, stabbing the length of his index finger and then a second finger into her opening over and over while tasting her sweet nectar as she moaned and threw her head back experiencing countless orgasms. Yes,
that’s
what he wanted. To cherish this exquisite goddess. His goddess.

After the last orgasm, she arched her back and screamed in a passion-filled plea, “Now, now, I mean it, Max. Take me!”

He took in her beautiful eyes, shades of the deepest green he’d ever seen, as she hungered for him. He wanted to remember her, take a snapshot in his mind of her like this. He would remember this moment for the rest of his life. And finally he plunged all his length deep into her and rode her. They rode each other in an exquisite ride of passion only a man and women who love each with all their hearts could do.

Yet it seemed too short of a time before he gave way and brought her home with him. Sleep evaded the two of them as they rode out the passions numerous times that night. Exhausted and temporarily sated, he fell asleep in her arms. In the morning hour, as the sun painted her sweet, sleeping face, he rubbed his nose into her neck, relishing the smell of their lovemaking. She stirred and gave him a playful kitten-like purr, pulling him on top of her for another go.

Afterward, he held her in the crook of her arm, “Will you be so ravenous every morning? I may not have the energy to get to work.”

“You’ll have to get up your stamina because now that I have you I will never get my full.”

“I’d say my stamina will not be a problem, my love.”

For a moment, Felicity froze in time on that amazing Tuesday morning after Max and she had made love. Did he actually call her love? For a split second, she’d been disappointed he didn’t say he loved her yet.

But, she knew he was on his way.

“You’re right, there is nothing lacking there. I’m famished, are you?”

“Do you like Eggs Benedict?”

Felicity felt a stab of panic, and noted it was close to ten in the morning as she read the end table clock.

“Shit, shit, I’m toast. I was supposed to be on location. No, wait, the filming . . .” She’d been completely disoriented.

Max pulled her into his arms and kissed her forehead. “You forget, darling, we go in together. I know the schedule. We’re not due to meet Charlotte at The Buddha until four this afternoon.”

“Right, right. Ah, that’s so good.”

“I wouldn’t jeopardize your work. Especially not after all this effort.” He pinched her cheek. “Now, for breakfast.”

“Right, Eggs Benedict will be fine. And coffee, lots of coffee, juice, fresh fruit . . .” Felicity got out of the bed, in the nude, happy to feel comfortable and open, at last, in front of her man. “. . . and whole wheat toast, no butter. I’m going to take a shower. Oh, but my clothes . . .”

“You can get them later.”

“Right. I’ll just put on the hotel bath robe.”

Felicity enjoyed the nice hot shower pulsating from multiple showerheads in the walk in shower.

She could get used to this. This man. Every day forever.

Was there truth to any of her fears? Would he tire of her? Tire of the monotony?

Not exactly the time to think such thoughts in the afterglow of what clearly was the most passion-filled night and morning she could ever remember having.

Over breakfast, they chatted aimlessly. About the show. His next movie, which would start filming on location back in LA in a couple of weeks.

Thank God.

And then came the real whammy.

“Now that we’ve dispensed with my deep dark secrets, and established our very real physical and emotional connection I see no reason to delay.”

Delay what? Was he going to ask me to move in with him?

Ah, another live-in boyfriend. Poor Jenny will have to come along.

“We should start our preparations immediately. Maybe make it part of the show. For if any woman is an example of a fine director it definitely is you.”

The show? Preparations? “You mean of our moving in together, Max?”

“Yes, I suppose. But aren’t you going to want to film, feature and prepare Hollywood’s best wedding to the A Number One Confirmed Bachelor of the town?”

“What?” Felicity’s heart pounded against her rib cage.

He kissed her on the lips. “Okay, so this isn’t the real deal. We’ll have to do it up a lot better.” He got up from their breakfast table and down on bended knee. “But this will have to do. Will you marry me, Felice Burgess?”

Marry him? Her heart threatened to jump out of her chest. He actually asked me. Now. OMG!

“Yes. Yes of course I will.” She was shocked but, hell, there’d be no way she’d let this opportunity go by.

He kissed her hand pulled her up from her seat and ravished her lips. “Now there’s just enough time. I want you to put on the nicest outfit you have with you. We have some shopping to do.”

“Shopping?”

“For the ring, silly. I’m so thrilled we’re in New York because it means we can pick the perfect ring and have it sized in no time at Tiffany’s.

Was this really happening? Tiffany’s?

Yesterday she wasn’t sure how Max would react to her showing up unannounced and today he’s buying her a Tiffany diamond ring.

But, Felicity knew she deserved him. They deserved each other. They’d both had a hard haul behind them and now through the struggle and pain they’d come to find each other. Finally.

The next thought would be who to ask to be in the wedding. Jenny, would be the obvious maid-of-honor, Margo, Shantae, of course and,
my God, was this really happening?
And there was nothing else in the world that Felicity would need from this day forward. She finally had her Dream Man. Max.