Harlequin Desire September 2015 - Box Set 1 of 2: Claimed\Maid for a Magnate\Only on His Terms (25 page)

Will pushed on the door and eased inside. Catalina couldn't resist following him. The musty smell wasn't as bad as she'd expected, but the place was rather dusty. Only a bit of light from outside crept in through the single window, but even that wasn't bright because of the dark cloud covering.

“Careful,” he cautioned when she stepped in. “Some of those boards feel loose.”

There was enough dim light coming in the front window for them to see a few tarps, buckets and one old chair sitting against the wall.

“Looks like someone was working on this and it was forgotten,” Catalina said as she walked around the room. “It's actually quite cozy.”

Will laughed. “If you like the rustic, no-indoor-plumbing feel.”

Crossing her arms over her chest, she turned around. “Some of us don't need to be pampered with amenities. I personally enjoy the basics.”

“This is basic,” he muttered, glancing around.

The sudden sound of rain splattering on the tin roof had Catalina freezing in place. “So much for that forecast.”

Will offered her a wide smile. “Looks like you get to enjoy the basics a bit longer unless you want to run back to the yacht in the rain.”

Crossing the room, Catalina sank down onto the old, sheet-covered chair. “I'm good right here. Will you be able to handle it?”

His aqua eyes raked over her, heating her skin just as effectively as if he'd touched her with his bare hands. “Oh, baby, I can handle it.”

Maybe running back to the yacht was the better option after all. How long would she be stranded in an old shack with Will while waiting out this storm?

Catalina wasn't naïve. She knew full well there were only so many things they could talk about and nearly every topic between them circled back to the sexual tension that had seemed to envelop them and bind them together for the past several weeks.

Her body trembled as she kept her gaze locked onto his.

There was only one way this day would end.

Ten

W
ill stared out the window at the sheets of rain coming down. He didn't need to look, though; the pounding on the roof told him how intense this storm was.

So much for that flawless forecast.

Still, staying across the room from Cat was best for now. He didn't need another invisible push in her direction. He glanced over his shoulder toward the woman he ached for. She sat as casual as you please with her legs crossed, one foot bouncing to a silent beat as her flip-flop dangled off her toes. Those bare legs mocked him. The strings of her bikini top peeking out of her dress mocked him as well. Every damn thing about this entire situation mocked him.

What had he been thinking, inviting her for a day out? Why purposely resurrect all of those old, unresolved feelings? They'd gone four years without bringing up their past, but Will had reached his breaking point. He needed to know if they had a chance at...what? What exactly did he want from her?

He had no clue, but he did know the need for Cat had never lessened. If anything, the emptiness had grown without her in his life. He'd let her go once to save her, but he should've fought for them, fought for what he wanted and found another way to keep her safe. He'd been a coward. As humiliating as that was to admit, there was no sugarcoating the truth of the boy he used to be.

“You might as well have a seat,” she told him, meeting his gaze. “The way you're standing across the room is only making the tension worse. You're making me twitchy.”

Will laughed. Leave it to Cat to call him on his actions, though he didn't think the tension could get worse.

He crossed the room and took a seat on the floor in front of the chair.

“This reminds me of that time James, you and I were playing hide-and-seek when it started raining,” she said. “You guys were home from school on break and I had come in to work with my mum.”

Will smiled as the memory flooded his mind. “We were around eight or nine, weren't we?”

Cat nodded. “James kept trying to hold my hand when we both ran into the garage to hide and get dry.”

Will sat up straighter. “You never told me that.”

“Seriously?” she asked, quirking a brow. “You're going to get grouchy over the actions of a nine-year-old?”

“I'm not grouchy. Surprised, but not grouchy.”

“James was only doing it because he knew I had a thing for you.”

The corner of Will's mouth kicked up. “You had a thing for me when you were that young?”

Cat shrugged, toying with the edge of her dress. “You were an older man. Practically worldly in all of your knowledge.”

“It was the Spanish, wasn't it?” he asked with a grin.

Cat rolled her eyes and laughed. “James was fluent in Spanish as well. You two both had the same hoity-toity schooling.”

Will lifted his knee and rested his arm on it as he returned her smile. “Nah. I was better. We would sometimes swap out in class because the teacher couldn't tell us apart. She just knew a quiet blond boy sat in the back. As long as one of us showed up, she didn't pay much attention to the fact there were really supposed to be two.”

“Sneaky boys. But, I bet if I asked James about the Spanish speaking skills he'd say he was better,” she countered.

“He'd be wrong.”

Cat tipped her head, shifting in her seat, which only brought her bare legs within touching distance. “You tricked your teachers and got away with it. Makes me wonder how many times you two swapped out when it came to women.”

Will shook his head. “I'm not answering that.”

“Well, I know that watch nearly cost James the love of his life,” Cat said, nodding toward the gold timepiece on his wrist.

“It was unfortunate Bella saw you and me kissing. I truly thought we were secluded.” Will sighed and shifted on the wood floor. “She had every right to think James was kissing someone else because she had no clue about the bet.”

The rain beat against the window as the wind kicked up. Cat tensed and her eyes widened.

“Hope this old place holds up,” she said. “Maybe running back to the yacht would have been a better idea.”

“Too late now.” Will reached over, laying his hand on her knee. “We're fine. It's just a pop-up storm. You know these things pass fast.”

With a subtle nod, she settled deeper into the seat and rested her head on the back cushion. Guilt rolled through Will. He'd planned a day for her, and had been hopeful that seduction would be the outcome. Yet here they sat in some abandoned old shack waiting out some freak storm. Even Mother Nature was mocking him.

But there was a reason they were here right now, during this storm, and Will wasn't going to turn this chance away. He planned on taking full advantage and letting Cat know just how much he wanted her.

Shifting closer to her chair, Will took Cat's foot and slid her shoe off. He picked up her other foot and did the same, all while knowing she had those dark, intoxicating eyes focused on his actions. It was her exotic eyes that hypnotized him.

Taking one of her delicate feet between his hands, Will started to massage, stroking his thumb up her arch.

“I'll give you ten minutes to stop that,” she told him with a smile.

The radiant smile on her face was something he hadn't realized he'd missed so much. Right now, all relaxed and calm, even with the storm raging outside, Cat looked like the girl he once knew...the girl he'd wanted something more with.

But they were different people now. They had different goals. Well, he did; her goals were still unclear to him. He suddenly found himself wanting to know about those dreams of hers, and the fact that she'd hinted to James that she wouldn't stay in Alma forever.

But all of those questions could come later. Right now, Cat's comfort and happiness were all that mattered. Tomorrow's worries, issues and questions could be dealt with later. He planned on enjoying Cat for as long as she would allow.

Damn. When had this petite woman taken control over him? When had he allowed it? There wasn't one moment he could pinpoint, but there were several tiny instances where he could see in hindsight the stealthy buildup of her power over him.

Cat laughed as she slid down a bit further in the chair and gazed down at him beneath heavy lids. “If your father could see you on the floor rubbing his maid's feet, you'd lose your prestigious position at Rowling Energy.”

Will froze, holding her gaze. It may have been a lighthearted joke, but there was so much truth to her statement about how angry this would make his father. But Will had already set in motion his plan to freeze his father out of the company.

Besides, right now, Will didn't care about Patrick or Rowling Energy. What he did care about was the woman who was literally turning to putty in his hands. Finally, he was going to show her exactly what they could be together and anticipation had his heart beating faster than ever.

“Does this feel good?” he asked.

Her reply was a throaty moan, sexy enough to have his body responding.

“Then all of the other stuff outside of this cabin doesn't matter.”

Blinking down at him, Cat replied, “Not to me, but I bet if your father made you choose, you'd be singing a different tune.”

Just like last time.

The unspoken words were so deafening, they actually drowned out the beating of the rain and the wind against the small shelter.

Will's best option was to keep any answer to himself. He could deny the fact, but he'd be lying. He'd worked too hard to get where he was to just throw it all away because of hormones.

At the same time, he planned on working equally as hard to win over Cat. There was no reason he had to give up anything.

His hand glided up to her ankle, then her calf. She said nothing as her eyes continued to hold his. He purposely watched her face, waiting for a sign of retreat, but all that was staring back at him was desire.

There was a silent message bouncing between them, that things were about to get very intimate, very fast.

The old cabin creaked and groaned against the wind's force. Cat tensed beneath him.

“You're safe,” he assured her softly, not wanting to break this moment of trust she'd settled into with him. “This place is so old. I know it has withstood hurricanes. This little storm won't harm the cabin or us.”

And there weren't any huge trees around, just thick bushes and flowers, so they weren't at risk for anything falling on them.

Right now, the only thing he needed to be doing was pushing through that line of defense Cat had built up. And from her sultry grin and heavy lids, he'd say he was doing a damn fine job.

* * *

Catalina should tell him to stop. Well, the common sense side of her told her she should. But the female side, the side that hadn't been touched or treasured in more time than she cared to admit, told her common sense to shut up.

Will had quite the touch. She had no idea the nerves in your feet could be so tied into all the girly parts. She certainly knew it now. Every part of her was zipping with ache and need. If he commanded her to strip and dance around the room naked, she would. The power he held over her was all-consuming and she was dying to know when he was going to do more.

She'd walked straight into this with her eyes wide open. So if she was having doubts or regrets already, she had no one to blame but herself. Though Catalina wasn't doubting or regretting. She was aching, on the verge of begging him to take this to the next level.

Catalina's head fell back against the chair as his hands moved to her other calf, quickly traveling up to her knee, then her thigh. She wanted to inch down further and part her legs just a tad, but that would be a silent invitation she wasn't quite brave enough for.

Yet.

“I've wanted to touch you for so long,” he muttered, barely loud enough for her to hear over the storm. “I've watched you for the past four years, wondering if you ever thought of me. Wondering if you ever fantasized about me the way I did you.”

Every. Single. Night.

Which was a confession she wasn't ready to share. The ball was in his court for now and she planned on just waiting to see how this played out.

He massaged her muscles with the tips of his fingers and the room became hotter with each stroke. If the man could have such power over her with something so simple as a foot massage, how would her body react once Will really started showing her affection?

“Do you remember that time your mother caught us making out?” he asked with a half laugh.

At the time, Catalina had been mortified that her mother caught them. But it wasn't until after the breakup that she realized why her mother had been so disappointed.

Patrick Rowling had really done a number on Catalina's mum. And it was those thoughts that could quickly put a bucket of cold water on this encounter, but she refused to allow Patrick to steal one more moment of happiness from her life...he'd already taken enough from her.

Will may not be down on his knees proposing marriage, but he was down on his knees showing her affection. And maybe she hoped that would be a stepping-stone to something more... But right now, that was all she wanted. She'd fought this pull toward him for too long. She hadn't wanted to let herself believe they could be more, but now she couldn't deny herself. She couldn't avoid the inevitable...she was falling for Will all over again.

“She didn't even know we were dating,” Catalina murmured, her euphoric state suddenly overtaking her ability to speak coherently.

“Not many people did. That's when I realized I didn't want to keep us a secret anymore.”

And that had been the start of their spiral toward the heartbreak she'd barely recovered from.

Once they were an “official” item, Patrick had intervened and put a stop to his good son turning to the maid. Shocking, since turning to the staff for pleasure certainly hadn't been below Patrick at one time. Not that what Catalina and Will shared had been anything like that. But the idea that Patrick could act as if he were so far above people was absolutely absurd.

“Don't tense on me now,” Will warned. “You're supposed to be relaxing.”

Catalina blew out a breath. “I'm trying. It's just hard when I'm stuck between the past and whatever is happening to us now.”

Will came up to his knees, easing his way between her parted legs, his hands resting on the tops of her thighs, his fingertips brushing just beneath the hem of her dress.

“It's two different times. We're two different people. There's nothing to compare. Focus on now.”

She stared down at those bright blue eyes, the wide open shirt and something dark against his chest. Was that...

“Do you have a tattoo?” she asked, reaching to pull back the shirt.

He said nothing as she eased the material aside. The glimpse she got wasn't enough. Catalina didn't ask, she merely gripped the shirt and pushed it off his shoulders. Will shifted until it fell to the floor.

Sure enough, black ink swirled over the left side of his chest and over his shoulder. She had no idea what the design was. All she knew was that it was sexy.

Without asking, she reached out and traced a thin line over his heart, then on up. The line thickened as it curled around his shoulder. Taut muscles tensed beneath her featherlight touch.

Catalina brought her gaze up to Will's. The intensity of his stare made her breath catch in her throat and stilled her hand.

“Don't stop,” he whispered through clenched teeth.

“Will...”

His hand came up to cover hers. “Touch me, Cat.”

He'd just handed her the reins.

With just enough pressure, he flattened her hand between his palm and his shoulder. The warmth of his skin penetrated her own, the heat sliding through her entire body.

“I—I want to but—”

She shook her head, killing the rest of her fears before they could be released and never taken back.