Sleeping With The Enemy (A Stranger's Touch) (3 page)

“Shh,” he whispered against her lips as his hands slid across the edges of her breasts down to the curve of her hips. He cupped her bottom, bringing her closer his arousal. “It’s okay. I’ll go slowly. Let yourself relax, Kate. Let me show you how beautiful you are.”

“Alex.” She wasn’t even aware of saying his name. Her hands flattened into submission against his chest before slipping upwards. Alex bit back the harsh growl at her gentle touch. He closed his eyes for the moment. He wanted to do this right.

Slowly, he lifted her up above him, then let her body slide tantalizing down the length of his taut frame, his lips consuming hers. Instinctively her legs circled his waist. With
a throaty groan, he carried her to the bedroom, lowering her back against the bed, their bodies joined, her legs still wrapped around him, his lips caressing hers.

Talk to her. Tell her the truth. You’ll be sorry if you make love to her like this.

Alex pushed aside his conscience for the moment. With fingers that shook visibly, he lifted her shirt above her head. She wasn’t wearing a bra. His fingers stroked across her heated skin for the first time and she trembled against his touch.

Kate possessed the most amazingly responsive body. Perfect for loving. She made him want to understand all of her hidden mysteries.

“You’re so damn beautiful,” he whispered looking down at her, his eyes sliding over her half-naked body. “God, you have no idea how much I want you.”

Kate shivered again in reaction to his words. Alex’s lips drank in her sweetness before drifting slowly across her throat and down to kiss each of her breasts to arousal. She sucked in a ragged breath, bringing his gaze back to hers.

He smiled slowly down at her. He’d seen her expression many times before in other women, but it never felt so powerful before or made him this aroused. His fingers skillfully unbuttoned her skirt, sliding it away from her body.

Right or wrong, it was much too late for talking now. He was way beyond stopping this thing between them. She closed her eyes as he removed the last of her clothing.

His lips trailed kisses along her ribcage and down to her navel, dipping inside. A shudder of uncontrolled desire pulsed through her body. Her responses were honest. Instinctual. Inexperienced. And he couldn’t get enough of them. His hands tightened around her body possessively. It thrilled him to be the one to school her in the art of love.

When his lips drifted lower, her shocked reaction told him she’d never been touched this way before.

“No, Alex,” Kate forced the words out. Her body grew restless beneath his. She was suddenly shy again. He smiled and tried his best to reassure her.

“It’s okay, baby. Just relax. Let me love you.” His mouth caress
ed her inner thigh for a moment until he felt her relax a little bit more, then he moved upward until his lips rested again her warm entrance. For a moment, she tried to pull away but he didn’t let her go. He continued to kiss and caress her until she moaned with pleasure.

When his tongue parted her folds and slipped inside, Kate’s body arched against his lips. Waves of pleasure rocketed through her.

Alex stilled his touch, waiting until the moment of climax passed before he stood and quickly undressed, his eyes never leaving hers.

When he came back to her, his lips took hers once again. She opened willing up to his caresses. His tongue explored the innermost parts of her, gliding along the walls of her mouth and tangling with her tongue. She shuddered, then met his kisses with a hunger that surprised them both. Her hand slipped between their bodies, stroking his full arousal.

“No.” The word came out sounding angry, but in truth, he was barely hanging on as it was. Her gentle touch threatened to shatter his control.

Alex took her hands and held them above her head. “I want to go slow. Show you all the many ways there are to experience pleasure.”

He took his time kissing her, his mouth bringing her pleasure and learning the pleasure points of her body until she begged him to take her. He moved between her legs his hands parting her urging her thighs further apart.

“Are you okay?” He could feel her tension. She nodded, but he knew she was afraid. Seth hurt her in more ways than emotional.

“It’s okay, I’ll be gentle,” he told her in a tight voice.

Slowly, Alex slid deep inside her in a single movement and then waited, searching her expression for any sign of pain. He wanted to be careful with her. He knew she wasn’t experienced. But it was almost impossible to fight his own body’s need. It made him want to devour her.

Kate responsive body came close to climaxing again, at their first joining. Not that he was holding out much better. Alex went still for a moment. His breathing came hard. He was trying to hold out.

“Are you okay?” he asked again. Time froze. Their hands joined. Their eyes locked. He waited for her to accept him. Her only answer was a tiny nod, but it was enough.

With each thrust, he became more deeply encased in her velvety warmth as her muscles relaxed a little bit more. He watched her come close again. Just before she reached the edge, Alex slowed the rhythm of his body prolonging her pleasure and her agony.

“Alex, please...” Her cry sounded weak and wanton—urging him on. He drove harder, faster, until Kate’s orgasm exploded around his shaft, tightening then releasing
again and again.

He held on until that moment and then with one final shuddering plunge, he let go, releasing within her, losing himself inside her softness with a force he’d never experienced more completely.

He collapsed against her, his heart racing in time with hers as the world around them splintered then spun out of control.

Slowly Alex eased his body away from her, but he didn’t release her as he rolled over onto his back taking her with him. She lay weak and exhausted on top of him. She was crying softly. He wanted to be sure he hadn’t hurt her.

“Are you okay?” He brushed his thumb across her wet cheeks in wonder.

She shook her head, “Thank you, Alex,” she said through the ragged sobs before abandoning talk altogether. It didn’t matter. He understood. He felt the same way.

Alex’s breath left his body in one sharp sigh before he switched off the bedside lamp and wrapped her in his arms, letting her cry.

“It’s okay. We don’t have to talk about it now. There will be plenty of time for talking. We have all the time in the world.”

* * * *

Kate’s breath came in labored gulps. There was so much she wanted to say to him right now. She’d never felt this way before. He made it special for her. Alex made her believe in romance again. But she couldn’t manage even a single word. For the first time in years—since Seth’s betrayal, Kate cried.

Alex’s hand moved over her breast, stroking it slowly. She caught her moan, but couldn’t stop her body from reacting. Her nipple hardened beneath his expert touch.

“It’s okay, Kate.” She couldn’t possibly answer him. She couldn’t breathe over the pounding of her heart. It slammed against her chest from sheer reaction to him. Her last coherent thought disappeared the moment his lips replaced his hands upon her breast.

“It’s okay...” he whispered once more, and then Alex stopped trying to comfort her with words. His lips found Kate’s once more. For one second she hesitated, and then she was struggling to touch him as well. To be closer to him. She couldn’t get close enough to him.

Alex made love to her in the same controlled way as before. It drove her wild with desire.

They slept very little. Kate awakened many times throughout the night to the feel of Alex’s skillful touch.

He pulled her back against his body, his arms circling her waist. His hands moved over her familiarly, igniting buried desires and longings inside of her, his lips touched the hollow beneath her ear, feeling her awaken to his touch before he whispered gently against her ear.

“Wake up, sleeping beauty...I need you again.” She thrilled in response to his lips, his caresses, his words. His body took possession of hers once more and Kate gave herself to the pleasure she knew she could never find again in another’s arms.

Chapter Three

When Kate awoke the following morning, she was alone in bed. Alex was gone. He left her a note promising to call soon. But he never did.

At first, Kate thought maybe his work had taken him out of town suddenly. Alex told her he was a corporate attorney, and at times, the job required extensive travel. But when several days passed still without any word, Kate forced herself to accept the truth. He’d lied just as Seth lied. Alex seemed too good to be true. Perfect in almost every way. She was almost certain he had to be hiding something major. Apparently, it had been the fact that he was a creep as well.

Kate had tried to keep from getting her hopes up again as she did with Seth. She couldn’t believe she’d actually begged Alex to make love to her. God, she cringed just thinking about how pathetic she must have seemed to him. He was probably married or worse and just out for a little fun. She was such an idiot for trusting him.

Kate desperately needed to talk to someone about Alex, but she couldn’t bear to
have Brandy disappointed by her out-of-character behavior.

When
her college pal Ronnie called a few days later to catch up, Kate found herself telling her friend everything.

“I knew he was too good to be true,” Kate added once she’d finished with the whole sordid affair.

“He wasn’t different at all. I was a fool to trust him, Ronnie. What’s the matter with me anyway? Am I wearing some invisible sign somewhere announcing to the male population how naïve I am? I was right—all men are the same. They’re all creeps. They just come disguised in different clothing.”

“Kate, you don’t know that. He might just be busy like you thought.”

“Oh, give me a break. He’s just like Seth. He got what he wanted so he moved on. I am so through with men. You can have them all—Alex included. They’re all the same.”

“
You don’t mean that. Don’t give up on him so easily. Maybe he just needs some time.”

“Oh please! It was just a game for him. I must have seemed very amusing to him. I can’t believe I fell for his lies.” Kate tried to control the tears. She couldn’t believe she was actually crying over a man who didn’t deserve her tears. “From now on, I’m concentrating on work and work alone. If I need any male companionship, I’ll spend more time with Earl.”

* * * *

What was wrong with him anyway? Why wasn’t he happy? Two weeks ago, he would have been thrilled by the outcome. He had her and her father exactly where he wanted them. But after one night in Kate arms, everything changed.

So why couldn’t he just go to her—tell her the truth about their past connection? He’d make her understand somehow.

Alex knew the right thing to do would be to leave her alone. End this thing now before it got any further out of his control. But he couldn’t do the right thing by her no matter how much he wanted to. Kate was different. Hell, he was different. He no longer cared about hurting her father.

Alex wrestled with his conscience for days before finally accepting the truth. Kate had gotten under his skin the way no other woman had. He wanted more from her than just sexual satisfaction. He wanted all of her. But first, he needed some guarantees she wouldn’t tell him to go to hell the moment she learned the truth. To get those guarantees, he was willing to do just about anything—including marrying her.

He bought an engagement ring; then, knowing how much she loved the bookstore, he’d bought it for Kate as a wedding present. Once they were married, he’d find a way to tell her their families’ connection. He’d make her understand somehow.

Alex stood just outside the bookstore for a long time just looking at her. The second he saw her through the window, he knew he loved her. As crazy as it sounded for someone as analytical as he’d once prided himself as being, he loved Kate Edwards. The daughter of the man he’d once swore to be his enemy.

“
Hello, Kate.” She turned at the sound of her name. Her expression said it all. He’d hurt her terribly.

“What are you doing here,” she asked at last without one little bit of welcome in her eyes.

“I came to talk. To explain.”

“There’s nothing to talk about
.” She turned away, gathering her things. She was ready to write him out of her life completely.

She
clicked off the lights and walked to the door, resisting his attempts to touch her.

“I think you said it all in your silence, don’t you?” She blinked then looked away. She was going to cry. “It’s late and I’m tired, so please go.”

“There is, Kate. There’s plenty to say. I want to—” There was so much he wanted to say to her.
I love you. I’m sorry I hurt you. Please forgive me.

“What? What do you want, Alex.” She faced him again. Her hand still rested on the door. Her unshed tears held all her uncertainties.

“I want you to marry me, Kate.”

For a moment, he thought she hadn’t heard him. She stood staring back at him as if he’d lost him mind, speechless.

“I, beg your pardon?”

“I want you to marry me, Kate. Right now—tonight. I came here to ask you to marry me. I don’t want to waste another minute.”

“Don’t.” She turned away. She didn’t believe him.

“Kate, just listen to me.” He blocked her way, standing before her still arguing with his heart.

“Kate, I love you.”

He saw her waver for a second, then she shook her head.

“You don’t love me. You don’t even know me.”

“I know I’ve been miserable without you.” He watched as each of those words registered. Her eyes filled with tears, but she wasn’t ready to trust him yet. “I know I can’t get you or the night we spent together out of my mind.” Alex took a step closer. She didn’t move. “I know the thought of never seeing you again scares the hell out of me.” His trembling fingers reached out to cup her face as a single tear slipped from her eye.

“Alex, this is crazy. We can’t get married. We barely know each other,” she said, but there was a tiny smile forming, wiping the doubt from her eyes.

“
That’s love. It’s crazy, its unexpected, its causes you to lose control and do stupid things.” He stopped fighting with his heart and gave into it. Alex took her in his arms, touching his finger to her lips when she tried to protest. “It’s wonderful, isn’t it?”

“No...Yes.”

“Then come away with me now—tonight. I don’t want to wait any longer.”

“But the bookstore
.”

“
Surely your assistant can take care of it.”

“My father.”

“We’ll both tell him when we get back on Monday. Stop fighting it, Kate. Stop resisting. It’s useless, you know. I love you and you love me. Let’s just go with what we feel for once in our lives.”

“You are so crazy, Alex Bradshaw,” she whispered just before she started to laugh. “This is so crazy!”

“No, baby. This is love.”

* * * *

Kate would remember their honeymoon for the rest of her life. Alex arranged for them to have the hunting lodge at the top of Mount Charleston all to themselves. They stayed in one of the lodge’s two honeymoon suites.

“This room is perfect. I love the view,” she told him when they were
finally alone.

Alex stood close behind her. Too close. Kate closed her eyes and started counting. One, two, three... Everything was happing too quickly. She needed to slow things down for a moment so she could think rationally.

Why did she suddenly feel so anxious? This wasn’t new to her. She and Alex made love so many times that night at her apartment. But this was different. She still had doubts then.