Full Circle (41 page)

“You saw what no one else did,” she
whispered. “That’s what you did to deserve me.”

What she didn’t know was that she did the
same for him. She saw the man no other woman had ever taken the
time to see. The vulnerable man hidden beneath a confident
exterior. The man who’d been hurt, was scarred, and who had
desperately wanted to fall in love again, despite his fears.

That’s why she’d been able to break through
his defenses when no other woman could. Because she was different.
Because she had never viewed him as a trophy or a stepping stone on
her way up the gold digger ladder. His money and social status had
never factored in to her feelings for him. Not once. She’d fallen
in love with him for
him
.

Her hand stroked him up and down, and any
resolve he’d maintained for the past two hours evaporated as a
plaintive moan broke from his throat.

He dropped his hand to hers and linked their
fingers together.

“Come with me.” He snatched their cocktail
napkins from the table then turned and led her away, his pace brisk
and strong.

She had to quicken her steps, but she kept up
as he pushed through the back exit of the ballroom into a service
area. He hurried them away, around a corner, around another corner,
looking, his eyes constantly searching.

“Where are we going?” she said, giggling and
breathless as she took two hasty steps for each one of his.

He loosened his tie, already broaching on
out-of-control. “Somewhere I can fuck you into next week,” he said,
voice gruff but restrained, eyes constantly
searching . . . searching.

Jesus, didn’t this hotel have a back hall or
a service elevator or—

His gaze lit on a heavy metal door. The sign
on the wall indicated it was a stairwell.

It would do. Quite nicely, in fact.

He shoved the door open, pulled her through,
and then slammed it behind them. The lighting was dim, the
stairwell monochromatically grey. Dark, but not too dark.

Before she could even turn around, he was on
her, shoving her against the wall, unbuttoning his jacket,
releasing his tie, his mouth seeking hers as she quickly recovered
and began unfastening his pants.

Their passion fed their urgency, and their
urgency fueled their passion in a vicious cycle of desire. Reason
and logic evaporated as carnal hunger took over.

It was that sexy as hell conference room sex
he’d never forgotten from two summers ago all over again, only more
out of control. More abandoned. Wanton and lusty and shamelessly
liberating. And hot as fuck. The only thing that would have made it
hotter would have been if someone came up the stairs and stopped to
watch. Just the idea that someone stood on the landing below,
peeking over the metal banister, was enough to send his excitement
into the stratosphere.

He tugged the shoulder straps down her arms,
and the dress fell in a heap, leaving her in only her necklace and
her shoes. Her lovely shoes with her dainty toes poking out from
under the strap.

He dropped his pants, shoved his shirt tails
aside, and rolled on the condom he’d pulled from his pocket.

“I’m not going to last long,” he said,
lifting her off the floor.

She threw her arms around his shoulders, her
legs already around his waist. “I won’t, either.”

Then he was inside her, her back slapping the
cold concrete wall as he thrust into her hard and fast.

Within seconds, she came, crying out so that
anyone passing in the hall could have heard her. Jesus! But the
thought sent a shard of lust straight into his balls.

“You want someone to find us, don’t you?” he
said, voice strained, breath coming as hard as his thrusts.

She trembled and shook her head.
“No . . . I . . . oh God, I’m going
to come again.”

“Fuck yes . . . make it loud.”
If someone actually walked in on them while she was coming, he’d
shoot his load. Hard. The fantasy realized.

As her insides tightened for orgasm number
two, he hooked his arms one-by-one under her knees and opened her
legs, splitting her, driving deeper, and deeper still as he pushed
forward and planted his hands on the wall on either side of her
shoulders, hiking her legs upward. She was completely vulnerable,
her legs open and supported on his arms.

And she came again, crying out louder this
time, giving him what he wanted, pushing her boundaries beyond her
comfort zone. For him. No woman had ever sacrificed herself so
completely for his pleasure before. And from the way her eyes
sparkled and the corners of her mouth briefly curled upward, she
liked the new version of herself she was becoming.

“Someone’s watching us,” she whispered,
licking her lips and glancing over his shoulder.

Holy fuck! Holy shit! Yes!

He groaned then grunted, his body taking over
for his brain, jack-hammering his hips like a piston in a
high-powered engine as his thrusts quickened and deepened as if
driven by an outside force.

He was about to come.

“Fuck, fuck…oh
fuck
.” He slammed into
her, pumping hard, coming as he gasped and shuddered.

* * *

Karma’s insides spasmed a third time as his cock
jerked and filled the condom. Then he glanced over his shoulder
toward the empty stairwell.

When he looked back at her, he wore a
confused expression. “I thought you said . . .”

She grinned, still trying to catch her
breath. “I lied.”

His eyebrows lifted in disbelief. “Why?”

“Why do you think?” Her grin widened as she
searched his eyes, which lit with awareness a couple of seconds
later.

“You wanted to heighten the fantasy for
me.”

She nodded. “Did it work?”

A single trail of perspiration broke from his
hairline and trickled down his temple. “Hell, yeah, it worked.
Couldn’t you tell?”

She held up her hand with her thumb and
forefinger a centimeter apart. “Maybe just a bit.”

With her legs still spread eagle and pinned
to the wall, they took another quick moment to catch their breath,
and then Mark helped her down before hastily ripping off the
condom, using one of the cocktail napkins he’d swiped to wipe
himself off and then wrap around the condom, which he then tossed
into the large trash can in the corner.

He pulled up his pants as she secured her
dress back into place, and then she helped him button, tuck, and
tie himself back together.

“How do I look?” he said, brushing his
fingers through his hair, still out of breath.

“Dashingly handsome.” She brushed her thumb
over the layer of perspiration just below his hairline.

“Am I sweating?” He dabbed at his forehead
with the other napkin.

“A little.” She pulled a tissue from her
pocketbook and giggled as she helped wipe away his sweat.

He grinned. “What’s so funny?”

“Did we just do that?” Her legs were still
trembling, and she nearly teetered over.

Mark caught her and laughed as he steadied
her. “We sure did.” Then he tucked his face against the side of her
neck as he always did after sex. By now, it was a trademark move.
“I love you.”

“I certainly hope so after what we just did,”
she said, setting off another round of laughter.

He sighed, kissed her shoulder then pulled
away.

“Do I look okay?” She pressed her palms down
the front of the dress.

Smiling, he nodded. “You’re glowing.”

Heat rushed into her cheeks as she smiled
back at him. “So are you.”

He held out his hand as he ran his other down
his tie. “We should probably get back to the party.”

She gave him a sly look. “Do you think
they’ve missed us?”

“Probably not.” He ushered her through the
door and took her hand, leading her at a more leisurely pace in the
direction they’d come from.

Taking a detour, they came out in the main
hall leading to the grand ballroom. As they entered, he bent and
whispered in her ear, “I’m not finished with you tonight, Miss
Mason.”

She casually plucked a flute of champagne
from a passing tray then met his gaze head-on. “I’d be terribly
disappointed if you were.”

She was more than up for the challenge.
Tonight, she was his equal in every way. She had never felt so
bold, so decadent…so magnificent. And as she sashayed with newfound
confidence alongside him as he greeted old friends and nodded at
others, introducing her at every turn, she didn’t think she could
be any happier.

Nothing could spoil her mood tonight.
Absolutely nothing.

Chapter 27

Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with
the intent of throwing it at someone else. You are the one who gets
burned.

-Buddha

“You’re more beautiful tonight than the night I met
you,” Mark said, brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear. It
must have fallen out during their wicked stairway tryst. “And I was
pretty enchanted by you that night, so that’s saying
something.”

They were seated at one of the round banquet
tables, their chairs so close to each other it was like they were
sharing one seat. The wait staff was still clearing the dishes from
dinner, which they’d barely made it back in time for.

A full jazz ensemble played an easy, romantic
tune made for slow dancing.

She tugged on his tie and kissed him. “Well,
you’re not so bad yourself.” In his tailored black tuxedo, he
looked wicked sexy. Something about Mark in a suit always undid
her. “Wanna dance, handsome?”

“It would be my honor.” He helped her up and
led her to the dance floor, where he turned and pulled her into his
arms and swayed her to the gentle beat.

Two years ago tonight, she’d met Mark here.
At the same charity benefit, in the same hotel. Maybe the dress had
been different—and the shoes—but once again she was Cinderella, and
he was her prince.

Talk about coming full circle. Here they
were, back where it had all started.

Only this time, she wouldn’t flee his room
after he took her upstairs to their suite. She would let him touch
her. Let him push her against the wall, just as he had in the
stairwell. Let him drive his fingers into her hair, crush her mouth
with his, and undress her. She would let him toss her onto the bed,
hold her down, bury himself inside her until she cried his name and
felt him twitch as he slammed his hips into her and came.

She swayed closer, her body melting at what
they would do to each other after the benefit was over.

“I feel so close to you tonight,” he
whispered, bending his head toward hers so his chin kissed her
temple.

“Me, too.” She closed her eyes and drifted on
the music, her palms soaking up the warmth of his chest.

After the song ended, they made the rounds
again then visited with his parents before returning to the dance
floor for another round of slow dancing. Then they stopped by the
bar and ordered a single scotch for him and a glass of champagne
for her.

As they waited for their drinks, he leaned
his elbow against the polished edge of wood and angled toward her,
his hand on the curve of her hip, his thighs bookending her legs,
the front of his body gently pressed against the side of hers.

“One more drink,” he said, “and then I’m
taking you back to the room.”

“You’re going to bail early?” She placed her
fingertips at the base of her neck, feigning shock.

“I’m highly motivated. Besides, I’ve been to
enough of these gigs they no longer hold my interest.”

She laughed. “Is that so?”

“Only one thing interests me right now,
baby.” His eyelids lowered as his gaze fell to her neckline.

She slid her fingers from her neck to between
her breasts, tantalizing him.

The bartender set their drinks in front of
them, and Mark tore his eyes away to pick up her flute of champagne
and hand it to her. “Drink up, Karma. The sooner we finish, the
sooner we—”

“Mark. Karma. Hey.”

She looked over Mark’s shoulder as he turned.
Rob and Holly were walking toward them.

Mark gave her an apologetic smile. “Okay, so
that’ll be a raincheck.”

She giggled and gave his arm a playful push.
“Don’t worry,” she said quietly, “I’ll keep warm for you.”

He narrowed his eyes and smirked, letting out
a quiet growl, then turned just as Rob and Holly joined them.

He and Rob shook hands, and she hugged Holly.
“Good to see you again,” she said.

“Same here.” Holly stepped back and looked
her up and down. “And this dress is incredible.”

“Thanks. Mark made me wear it.” She winked
and gave Mark a sideways glance.

Holly laughed. “It’s sad when a man knows
what looks good on a woman better than the woman does, isn’t
it?”

Karma liked Holly. She was funny and smart
and always seemed to have a smile on her face.

“Where have you two been?” Mark said,
chucking Rob’s arm. “You’re late.”

Rob pointed toward Holly. “Holly’s morning
sickness was pretty bad today. She finally fell asleep this
afternoon, and I didn’t want to wake her, so . . .
we’re running a little behind.”

“But I’m fine now,” Holly added then turned
to Karma. “And I’d love to have you over for lunch tomorrow, if
you’re available.” Holly hugged her hands beseechingly. “Rob’s
being fabulous about everything, but I could really use a woman’s
opinion on the nursery, and I don’t really have any close female
friends to giggle with over baby clothes and things.”

“I’m not sure when we’re leaving.” She looked
inquisitively at Mark.

“There’s plenty of time,” he said. “Go ahead.
You two should make an afternoon of it.” He paused then glanced
toward Rob. “That way Rob and I can catch a few games of hoops at
the gym. Right, Rob?”

Karma frowned. Something in Mark’s tone was
off.

Shaking off the feeling there was something
they weren’t telling her, she returned her attention to Holly.
“Sounds like we’ve got a date.”