Whose Bed Is It Anyway? (9 page)

‘Very bad thoughts.'

‘Tell me some.'

‘You wouldn't understand.' She lifted her chin provocatively. ‘You can't really be bad. It's not in you.'

‘And you think you're the expert?'

‘Rumour has it.'

‘We both know you can't believe everything you read.' He pulled her towards him, his voice dropping. ‘Tell me what you're thinking.'

Only a breath away from him, she couldn't resist. ‘I'm thinking, everyone thinks I'm bad. Why not
be
bad?' She was tired of fighting it. Tired of trying to hold her head up in public. She wanted something for herself. Something fun. Something that felt good. And James Wolfe felt good. No one would ever know. He'd be as adamant on that as she. And she could live with that.

His hand slid across her shoulder, the tips of his fingers seeking her collarbone. They were gentle, but firm. Hot. She tensed, trying to stop herself flaring out of control.

‘Maybe it's not so bad if the world thinks I'm bad,' she added. ‘Then I can get away with anything because people are already going to think the worst.'

‘What's the “anything” you want to get away with?' His fingers moved south, tracing the neckline of her dress. Down towards the curves of her breasts.

She breathed quicker. Her lashes lifted. ‘Corrupting. Claiming innocence. Taking someone over to the dark side.'

His eyes widened, then a small laugh escaped him. He shook his head slightly. ‘You really think I'm good?'

‘You better be.'

‘Truth is, I can be very, very bad.' His fingers slipped beneath the fabric, delving towards her cleavage.

‘So we should be bad together,' she whispered, placing her hand over his, pressing him closer. She ached to feel more of his skin. Less tease, more touch.

‘Or good.' His finger traced the lace edge of her bra.

‘In this instance?' she muttered. ‘Same thing.'

He bent forward and nipped her lower lip. ‘Let's both be very, very good at being very, very bad.'

SIX

Caitlin melted into
his arms—his kiss came quick and hard and she was so ready. Right here, right now. Just
right
. She groaned as James swept his tongue across her upper lip. She wanted him to go deeper but, to her stunned outrage, he pulled back and picked up his phone.

‘You have an important call to make—
now
?' She scowled.

Amusement flashed on his face as he took another step back from her. ‘Very important text.'

What? How could the guy even think? How could his hands even be steady enough to be able to tap out a text? She was wobbly all over. Needy. Hell, she had been for hours. She put her hands on her hips to hide it and tapped her foot to express her annoyance even more obviously. ‘How is a text more important than...?'

‘I'm ensuring no builders turn up here in an hour.' He grinned. ‘In fact, I'm insisting no builders or workers of any kind enter the condo at all today.'

Oh. ‘So you're putting up the “do not disturb” sign?' she clarified with a tilt of her chin.

‘Absolutely.'

Well, for that the man might be rewarded. In a minute. ‘Hmm.' She lifted her shoulders and let them fall in a careless shrug. ‘You do your admin, then,' she taunted. ‘I'm going upstairs to find my own...comfort.'

She walked oh-so-easily across the floor, head high, shoulders back...heart
thundering
.

But she heard his low laughter, heard the sound of confident, controlled movements. Footsteps fell heavy on the stairs only a few paces behind hers.

As she entered the immaculate bedroom he ran a hand from her shoulder down the length of her arm to her wrist. His fingers made a circle—a cuff—around her bones and then he tugged.

‘Don't think you can turn your back on me now.' He spun her round and pushed her gently with his other hand, just below her ribs. ‘It's my job to provide the comfort here.'

She fell back on the bed. He fell with her, his lips connecting with hers. She closed her eyes as she savoured the glorious weight of him. His tongue stroked deeper this time, seeking knowledge. She let him find it—opening up to let him explore completely. She lifted her hands, exploring the breadth of his back, feeling the strength of his lean muscles. Oh, yeah, the guy was fit. Taut. Hot.

But then he drew back, one hand pressed on the mattress beside her head as he levered away enough to look down at her. Caitlin stared at him through narrowed eyes. He damn well better not put the brakes on again. She'd do him an injury.

He stared down at her, a smile slowly crossing his lips. ‘Tell me what you want.'

She let her hand fall. She was sprawled on a bed beneath him. Wasn't it obvious?

‘Talented as I am, I don't do telepathy,' he said with a self-mocking grin. ‘I don't read minds. And I don't like to make mistakes.'

‘You've made mistakes with women before?'

‘Some.' He nodded. ‘So I think it's a good idea to clarify exactly where we're going with this. I like my private life to remain exactly that. Private.' A vaguely uncomfortable expression flitted across his face. ‘I'm a wealthy guy. I'm a little known. So I'm always going to get verbal consent. I'm always going to wear a condom.'

What, he thought she'd try to
trap
him? ‘You want me to sign a contract and everything?'

He moved, his weight falling heavier on her so she couldn't escape and pretended to think about it for a moment, amusement lighting his eyes. ‘It has possibilities.'

‘You don't trust me.' Wasn't that a surprise?

He smiled, getting her annoyance and soothing it as he stroked the back of his fingers lightly down her neck. ‘Actually, I'd trust you on many things. But I always ask that a woman doesn't kiss and tell.'

She rolled her eyes. ‘You know you're okay with me there.'

‘True.'

‘I don't trust anyone about anything,' she said. She'd never have unprotected sex. Truthfully she'd not had sex in a long time. Which had made Dominic's accusations all the more hurtful.

‘You want
me
to sign a contract?' he asked.

She stared at the wickedness lurking in his eyes. She understood he had little to give her. Only the one thing she wanted. ‘I can handle a verbal.'

‘What are your terms?' He lifted a hand, traced her features with a light, sensual finger.

Caitlin drew a breath at the sparks such a small touch ignited. And she went for it. ‘Sex. Unlimited. No one else knows.'

‘Unlimited?' His eyes kindled—darker, magnetic.

‘As often, as much, as you like while you're in New York.'

She felt his muscles tighten, his erection pressed harder against her.

‘What if you can't keep up?' he asked.

She didn't think that was likely. She'd never been so hot for a man.

‘You're the one who has to keep up,' she answered back. ‘I can just lie here if necessary.'

‘You won't be just lying here.' His hungry gaze roamed over her features. ‘Do you know what I haven't had in a really, really long time?' he asked.

She shook her head.

‘Fun,' he answered. ‘Simple, uncomplicated fun. Free and easy and filled with laughter.' He bent and brushed his lips over hers. ‘Have you had that recently?'

‘Hell no.' She half smiled. ‘I don't want tortured and emotional,' she whispered. ‘I don't want pretend promises. I just want fun, too. I want to explore and enjoy and taste and then let go.'

He lifted away again to watch her expression. ‘Is “letting go” going to be a problem?'

‘You think it would be?' she asked. ‘What, you're worried I'm going to start pestering you for a relationship?'

He laughed at her horrified tone. ‘Sometimes women like to look into the future. I'm more a one day at a time person.'

‘I'm thinking one hour at a time,' she said baldly. ‘No interest in thinking beyond that. So don't worry, no wedding-bell fantasies going on in this head. I don't want anything other than...' She hesitated.

‘Sex.'

She nodded. ‘I want an orgasm.' Several in fact. Enough to last her the year. She hadn't had an orgasm in ages.

He laughed.

‘I'm serious,' she said. ‘I'm still hot and bothered by that article.
Seven
times in one night? Was that for real?'

‘You want to find out?' He shrugged. ‘You want to use me?'

‘Just for now.' She nodded, then looked at him slyly. ‘You're not going to hurt
your
heart, are you?'

He shook his head.

Of course not. She smiled at him. This was good. The negotiations were done. Agreement reached. Now she could just enjoy. ‘So we're having a holiday fling.'

‘We are.' He smiled back.

She drew in a breath and released it slowly, luxuriating in the feeling of his body pressing against hers. But she didn't want to just feel it. She wanted to see it—taste, touch and hear his passion too.

In short, she wanted it all.

And if this was a holiday fling, if this was just their deal—with no one else knowing—then there was no reason to hold back from asking for everything that she wanted.

‘It's been so long since I've openly looked at a guy's body and just appreciated it,' she confessed.

‘You want to appreciate my body?' His brows lifted.

‘Yes, please,' she said bluntly. ‘I'd like to look at it. All of it. I want to sightsee.' She licked her lips as he suddenly rolled from her and then stood up on the mattress.

He towered above her, like a magnificent, living statue. ‘You want to reveal it yourself, or want me to strip for you?'

‘I'm quite liking the you stripping idea.' She coyly looked up at him and shimmied back to sit in a huddle on the pillows and give him space to move. ‘How are your bad-boy stripper moves?'

‘Have you ever been to a strip bar?'

She shook her head.

‘But women like eye candy.' His smile was so devastating, so naughty. Who'd have thought he could do playboy so well?

She laughed. Then drew a breath as he took a step back and lifted one side of his T-shirt, teasing her with a flash of flesh. Anticipation surged through her.

He paused, angling his head in a total stud-man pose. ‘If I do this for you, there'll be payback.'

Excitement burned deeper. ‘What kind of payback?'

‘Really bad behaviour,' he promised. ‘Demands.'

He lifted his T-shirt again. She watched, unwilling and unable to speak. He pulled the thing over his head and carelessly tossed it to the side. Yeah, that was what she'd wanted, a chance to look her fill, freely and with all the time in the world. His chest was broad, sculpted,
real
. She could see the sheen of heat glistening on him, see the individual muscles flex and remain tense—strong.

Slowly she looked from his face, to his shoulders and then down to where muscles tapered to slim hips and the trousers slung low. The front of his combats was taut. His hands went to his waistband, undoing the button with a teasingly slow hand. Caitlin tensed. He was getting to the good bit. He unfastened the next button, then rolled down the waistband—exposing skin.

Oh my
.

Caitlin was entranced.

And then he was naked. Commando man. Beautiful. A half-smile crossed his lips as he watched her avidly study him.

‘You better get ready,' she murmured, rising to a seated position, so ready to pounce.

‘Yes, ma'am.' He dropped to his knees and with a long hand he retrieved something from under the bed.

Oh my. She stifled a squirm as she watched him tear the wrapper.

‘Brand-new box?' she asked, husky.

‘Bought specially,' he confirmed, glancing up to send her a searing look. ‘Don't think badly of me.'

‘So long as you got more of that chocolate as well,' she drawled, ‘I think you're a genius.'

He winked. ‘Life's little essentials.'

He rolled the condom down, looking up to watch her face as he finished. ‘You want me to touch you now?'

Oh, hell yes
. ‘I'm wondering what's taking you so long.' She
just
managed to maintain her totally fake air of sophisticated ease.

‘Well, I was thinking we should take this slow.' Effortlessly he out-drawled her.

‘Slow?' She gaped, with a start. She so didn't want slow. She wanted to rut right about now. She wanted every last inch of him to be locked inside her. He was
beautiful
—all male strength and humour and edge and she was finally going to get some pleasure. Something just for her. Something nice when she'd not had anything nice in months. So the last thing she wanted was slow. He was hers to look at, hers to ride...right?

‘We have all day, all night and half the morning.' He laughed, roughly. ‘I slide inside now and it'll be all over. It's been too long for me to hold on. I can't make it that good for you. Better to go slow now, so I can be sure you're satisfied before I—'

‘You want to make sure I'm satisfied?' She flushed as heat poured through her. Did he not get she was a whisper away from orgasm?

‘Uh-huh.' He nodded. ‘I want to watch you come. Want to make you. Quick, hard, many, many times over.'

Oh, mercy. Even at his words she was rocking her hips, wanting to be naked
now
. Grinning, he put his hands on her shoulders and pushed again so she fell back on the bed. Too slowly he unbuttoned her dress—every little button—until he spread the halves wide and stared down at her. She quivered as she saw the appreciation and intent in his eyes. Thank heavens she'd put on her matching lace and silk. His fingers fisted in the fabric of her dress. She lifted her hips, so he could pull it out from underneath her. Clad in only her bra and knickers, she waited as he looked again—and she watched the signs of appreciation—excitement—affect his body. Tighten. Tighten more.

‘You're even more gorgeous than I imagined.' He ran his fingers up the inside of her thigh and bent to press a kiss along the path. ‘When we kissed this morning, I nearly came.' His breath was hot on her skin, his words hotter. ‘Hadn't done anything. You had me so loaded I had to stop before I embarrassed myself.'

‘That was why you stopped?' She barely breathed.

Pleasure swamped her as he nodded, a sheepish look crossing his face.

‘I wouldn't have minded.' She arched as his fingers teased nearer the leg line of her knickers. ‘I'd have enjoyed it.'

‘You'll enjoy this more.'

‘My hero,' she cooed.

‘You're going to pay for that.' He bent close, blew a small jet of warm air across her sex. She shivered, her inner muscles clenching.

Slowly he inched her briefs from her body. His fingers caressing still, his lips teasing every so often.

Not often enough.

Caitlin arched, uncontrollably seeking more.

‘The thing I love most about the female body is its mystery.' He swept his hands back up her leg and then higher, across her belly and up to her breasts. ‘All secret curves and damp spaces.' He licked his lips as he undid her bra strap and released her full, tight breasts.

‘Mystery?' Caitlin was struggling to keep up with the conversation as he touched her with those too light, too teasing strokes—everywhere and yet not exactly where she needed. ‘Are you telling me you have no clue?'

‘What do you think?' His fingers slid right where she wanted them to go. His mouth followed.

With a muffled groan she closed her eyes, arching her neck, her spine, her feet, as excitement washed over her in a tight spasm. A delicious precursor to the release she knew could be so close.

Okay, he knew what he was doing.

He raised his head and switched up the rhythm. ‘I mean I like to explore. It's a never-ending fascination. How best to arouse you... How else...and for how long...'