The Tycoon's Proposal (10 page)

His full lips were tilted up in a smile that seemed to be hiding some kind of a secret. His intense green eyes were looking at her as if she was his next conquest and she found the idea wasn’t unpleasant. She saw his hand lifting towards her mask and quickly took a step backwards.

“I’m wonderful and yourself?” she finally managed to answer him, with what she hoped was the proper amount of mystery.

“I’m much better now that I’ve managed to find you. Have we met before?” he asked. She couldn’t figure out what he was playing at but she found she was intrigued. She knew he had no doubts about who she was but for some reason, he wanted to play a game. She was willing to play along for a while, especially after her glass of champagne. She also had added confidence from her clothes and expertly applied make-up.

“I believe I’d remember meeting you but isn’t the whole point of a masquerade to remain a mystery?” she asked him. She was surprised by the quivering in her stomach, which didn’t seem to be subsiding. She had to admit she was still attracted to Ryan and his admiration was stroking her ego.

“Ah yes, a masquerade is full of mystery but I’m finding I really want to see what’s behind your mask,” he said, putting his full amount of charm behind the words. The longer they played their game, the more aroused he was getting. He couldn’t ever remember wanting a woman as much as he wanted her. He forgot his cousins were even in the room and completely forgot about all the other party goers. He had eyes for only Nicole.

“Haven’t you heard you don’t always get what you want?” she said with a full smile. She knew she needed to make an excuse and get away from him but she found she was enjoying the flirting. What could it harm, anyway? She could put all their problems behind her for one night. He wouldn’t try anything at the party and she could go back to being distant when the bell chimed midnight but for now she felt like Cinderella, which made her daring and bold.

“Actually, no one has told me ‘no’ for about twelve years,” he answered. He watched her eyes widen as she realized he was serious and she’d been the last person to tell him no. He found it unbelievably erotic she wasn’t afraid to stand up to him. He loved her spark and he loved that she wasn’t willing to cower at his feet. It was never fun to chase someone when they weren’t willing to run.

“Well then I think it’s about time you were told you can’t have something you want,” she said with a seductive smile. She then turned and started to walk away. Ryan was so stunned he almost let her go. He felt the grin spread across his features and was shocked to find he was suddenly having a very good time. He quickly caught up to her at the edge of the dance floor and without saying a word he pulled her into his arms.

Nicole had turned down many dates in her life and the men seemed to crawl away with their tale between their legs. She’d never walked away before and had the guy chase her. She found she was incredibly turned on by his boldness. That worried her more than anything else. The game was suddenly starting to scare her. She should’ve known she could never compete with a man like Ryan. He was far out of her league. She kept her body stiff, as his hand pushed on her lower back, pulling her into his strength.

“I don’t recall you asking me to dance and I certainly didn’t say I would,” she finally said to him as she stood stock still in his arms.

“I didn’t ask,” he said with confidence, as he looked down into her eyes. “We’re starting to make a scene so unless you like to be the center of attention I suggest you simply go with the dance because I’m not letting go.”

Nicole thought about stomping on his foot with the high heel of her shoe but she noticed several heads were turned their way and didn’t want anyone to notice her. If anyone really took a look at her, they would realize quickly she didn’t belong in their world. She glared up at him as she allowed him to maneuver her around the dance floor. He kept pulling her tightly against his body and she kept pushing away from it. It was a game they played for the next several minutes.

Ryan was walking a thin line and he knew it. The feel of her pressed against his body was both agony and ecstasy. Her hips were well rounded and he swept his hand lower, while she reached around and pushed his hand back up. It was a game of cat and mouse and he knew he’d become the victor. She may be glaring at him but he could also feel the accelerated pulse in her wrist. He saw her eyes darken with desire and he could feel her breath coming out in pants against his neck. She was as turned on as him but she was fighting it. He would break her down, or he would die trying.

“I’m a little too warm, I need to step outside,” she said. She was frustrated with herself at the breathless quality to her tone. How was she going to convince Ryan she didn’t want him when she couldn’t control her own desire, which contradicted her words? She knew they had an agreement but that didn’t mean she had to be so easy.

“I could use a cooling off, myself,” he said between clenched teeth. He wasn’t sure which one of them was more worked up at that point. He knew no one around them would be able to tell how he felt, as he was a master of hiding his emotions but he was one step away from embarrassing himself, as if he was a teenager, instead of a mature man.

Nicole said nothing else, as she pulled away from him and started walking towards the balcony doors. She tried to pull her hand free but he refused to let go. She couldn’t pull free of his touch without attracting attention so she once again let him have his way. She was going to give him a piece of her mind if he didn’t back off, though.

They stepped through the doorway, onto the dark balcony. Ryan looked over his shoulder before closing the door and was relieved to find no one had noticed their departure. He released Nicole’s hand and she quickly went to the far end of the balcony, trying to get as far from him as possible. He smiled to himself. It was never any fun if you caught your prey too soon.

He quietly grabbed a deck chair and pushed it under the doorknob. He didn’t want anyone coming out and interrupting his time with her. It had been too long since he’d been deep inside her body and no one was going to stop him that night.

Nicole leaned against the railing and tried to get her body back under control. She was playing a game with a man who could eat her for lunch. He’d been the one in control from the moment she made that phone call and he was once again letting her know it. She could feel her breathing slowly get back under control and her heart return beating at a normal rate. She continued to stare out at the nearly black sky.

In Seattle a clear night was a rare thing and that night was no exception. It was unusually warm but the cloud cover made the deck completely sealed off from the rest of the world. She would gain control over her raging hormones and slip back inside and away from the party she should’ve never attended in the first place. She should be helping her sister, not flirting with the man who was making her into something she despised.

As Nicole was getting ready to turn back around, she felt Ryan come up behind her, his hands wrapping around her body. Her pulse skyrocketed and her breathing exercises went out the window. One touch from him and she felt like a bowl of jello, with zero control over her own body.

His hands were splayed across her stomach and his body was pressed along the length of her back. She could feel his hot breath on her neck and couldn’t stop the shiver running down her spine. He said nothing, as he stood there and rubbed circles on her quivering stomach.

“I really need to get back and check on Patsy,” she said, barely above a whisper.

“She has round the clock care, so what’s your hurry?” he asked, before she felt the press of his lips on her neck. She was barely able to contain the groan wanting to escape her throat. His mouth felt so good touching her skin. He was kissing along the length of her neck and she could feel the swipe of his tongue along her beating pulse point. She would stop him in just a moment. He’d asked her a question but for the life of her, she couldn’t remember what it was.

His hands continued to caress her stomach, causing her body to shake with need. She was quickly losing her resolve to walk away. What would it hurt to have one night of recklessness? She’d always been the good girl, the responsible one, the one who could be counted on. She’d always walked away to make a better choice. Their making love again was inevitable, so why keep fighting it.

“Tell me you want me,” he demanded of her. His hands were skimming higher and she could feel the brush of them on the underside of her breasts, which were swollen and aching to feel his masculine hands grip them. Her nipples were straining against her bra and the lace was irritating her sensitive skin. She’d never wanted her clothing off so badly. She’d never wanted a man to touch her more than she wanted her next breath of oxygen.

“No,” she finally managed to choke out. He seemed to tense for a moment, before he growled low in his throat and bit the side of her neck. She felt a slight sting and then unbelievable pleasure as he ran his tongue over the spot and then sucked it into his mouth.

His hands finally pushed over the mounds of her breasts and she gasped as his thumbs rubbed over her tightened nipples. He rubbed his hips into her backside and she could feel his erection pushing into her. She couldn’t stop herself from pressing her body back into his. His growl of pleasure gave her a boldness she didn’t know she possessed.

He quickly turned her around molding his mouth to hers and all other thoughts were wiped from her mind. When his tongue slipped inside, she saw an explosion of light behind her eyelids.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him, as his hands roamed all over her body. She didn’t know how or when it happened but suddenly she felt the warm breeze on her naked breasts a few seconds before she felt his mouth break from hers, only to take her swollen bud into his mouth.

She threw her head back as he lavished her aching breasts. He took his time on one, before switching to the other, to give it equal attention. She could feel the heat pooling in her core and wanted nothing more than for him to fill the void inside her.

His hands were rubbing along her thighs and she wanted more. She needed him in a way she’d never needed a man before. He was turning her into an addict for his body. The things he did to her were almost worth the guilt when it was over.

Ryan pulled her dress up and groaned aloud at the wisp of fabric covering her core. She was suddenly grateful Jasmine had made her purchase the sexy lingerie.

His hand brushed over the fabric and he lost all sense of control when he felt the wetness soaking the thin material. She was the most responsive woman he’d ever been with and there was nothing fake about her. She was all woman and she was writhing in pleasure beneath his touch. It was quickly sending him over the edge. He grabbed the side of her thong and it easily ripped in his hand and left her uncovered for his pleasure. He’d never wanted light more in his life than at that moment. He could barely see her body and he wanted to take in every inch of her.

He grabbed her in his arms and laid her down in one of the loungers on the deck. He buried his head in the juncture between her thighs and as her sweet scent hit him, he felt his body pulse in painful desire. She was so beautiful and the groans coming from her were making him realize he wasn’t going to last long. He wanted to draw it out but there would be next time for that.

Nicole jerked in pleasure at the first swipe of his tongue against her aroused flesh. She’d never felt so out of control and couldn’t stop moving under his masterful administrations to her sensitive body. He swiped his tongue along her moist folds and took the sensitized bud into his mouth gently sucking it. That was all it took to send her flying over a cliff, which seemed to have no bottom. Her body jerked in a powerful orgasm as wave after wave of ecstasy washed through her. She was shaking as the pleasure rushed through her in what seemed like an endless storm.

She felt his finger dip inside of her heat and wanted to shake her head no. She couldn’t take any more lovemaking. Her body was spent and she could barely breathe as it was. His tongue traveled the length of her body upwards, until his lips fastened onto her still sensitive nipples once again. She felt a stirring in her stomach, as he took the still hardened peaks into his mouth and sucked them deep inside. When he gently bit down on her, her back arched off the lounger and she felt the stirrings of pleasure start to rise again.

She’d heard about women who could have more than one orgasm but she’d never thought she could be so sexual. Her eyes widened in shock, as she felt the heat building to an unbearable pitch again. His fingers were still inside her, slowly pumping in and out of her heated folds and she once again started to wiggle beneath his administering. He moved his body upwards and suddenly his lips were fastened onto hers.

He thrust his tongue inside of her mouth, giving as much as he took. He moved his hand from her body and she cried out at the empty feeling. She needed more but she didn’t even know what that need was. “Please,” she cried out not knowing what she was crying out for.