Читать книгу Desire Collection: November Books 1 - 4 - Charlene Sands - Страница 21

Eleven

Sofia collapsed onto Eric’s chest, breathing hard. His hand was still pressed between her legs and her stomach was damp where it rested against the waistband of his briefs. The orgasm ricocheted around her body like a bullet fired into a metal tank. She was hot and tight and loose all at the same time and it was wonderful. Simply amazing.

And that was when she realized that she might be completely in love with him. Damn his hide.

Her breathing was ragged and she couldn’t seem to stop shaking. But in a good way. The best way. But it was different, too. She’d loved sex with her husband but that felt like a different life. She hadn’t anticipated how different her body would feel straddling Eric as he brought her to completion. His mouth on hers, his teeth on her breasts?

She shuddered again. It hadn’t been the same. Even that thought felt almost like a betrayal, though. She’d loved David with her whole heart and soul—and body.

But she might be in love with Eric.

God, her head was a mess. And the more those delicious little shivers of satisfaction faded away, the more her brain started to freak out. Good Lord—had she and Eric really just done that?

It’d all happened like a dream unfolding. She’d been asleep and then not quite asleep, Eric’s warm body next to hers. Her body had filled with a languid warmth and the space between her legs had grown heavy and she had wanted. It’d been so long since she’d wanted. Desire and sensuality—they hadn’t been a part of her life since David had died.

If it were anyone else, it wouldn’t have happened. It wouldn’t have gotten even close to happening because she never would’ve stripped down to her panties and climbed into bed with anyone else. But this wasn’t some random stranger spouting stale pickup lines and vague promises he had no intention of keeping. This was Eric.

He’d held her children and made them laugh. He’d kissed her in the car. He’d promised that whatever happened in this bed was separate from them working together. He’d literally seen her at her worst—on multiple occasions—and yet he was still here, giving her a mind-blowing orgasm.

She didn’t just want to get laid in the service of vague sexual frustration. She wanted him. And she could have him. So she had.

Sort of.

His arms came around her and he held her tightly. “God, Sofia,” he said, his chest still heaving from the climax. He sounded happy and...relieved? “I mean...” His voice trailed off and he kissed her head.

No, she didn’t know what he meant. Other than he’d enjoyed it, too—which made her feel good. Although she hadn’t done much.

Just straddled him. Just ground her hips down along his length—his very impressive length. Just cried out his name. Her body quivered, a reaction she couldn’t control.

He shifted, somehow pulling her closer and that, at least, calmed her racing thoughts. She closed her eyes and ducked her chin against his shoulder and tried her hardest just to be in this moment. She hadn’t had sex in so long, but she could still feel that passion, that need. And she could still be satisfied. That was the important thing here.

Not the fact that she had no idea what she was supposed to do next. Compliment him on his skills? Make some saucy comment about how she couldn’t wait to do that and more this evening? Tell him how she felt about him? She and David had always said they loved each other afterward. Every single time.

Her mouth opened as if on automatic, but she snapped it back shut. Even if Eric had made her fall in love with him, she couldn’t very well tell him that. Because he’d promised to take care of her, to have some fun with her. To keep this weekend separate from everything else. Love didn’t figure into any of those things. In fact, it would probably ruin everything.

She didn’t want to remind him that, outside of this room, they didn’t belong together.

When she couldn’t come up with anything reasonable to say, she felt Eric’s arms tighten around her. “Babe? Are you okay?”

She let out a little laugh. No, she wasn’t okay. Not even close. She couldn’t even commit to a friends-with-benefits weekend without overthinking the whole danged thing. “Yeah. Just...”

“Been a while?”

She nodded, grateful to hide behind that half-truth. She was a little rusty, after all. “Now what?”

“I don’t know about you, but I need a shower.” Just then, his watch beeped. “Hang on.” She tried to roll off him, but he put a hand on her lower back to keep her where she was before answering his watch. “Yes?”

“Eric? I’ve managed to get Meryl up and into the shower. She’s arguing with me, so I think she’s fine.”

Sofia stayed very still as Steve spoke. Her face was burning. It wasn’t as if Steve had walked in on them, but it felt like it.

Why couldn’t she have decided to do this whole benefits thing when she wasn’t on a business trip?

But then again, when else was she going to spend time with Eric?

Oh, what a mess.

“Are you guys sure you can make it through the afternoon?” Eric asked, sounding calm and professional and nothing like the man who had just brought her to orgasm with nothing more than his fingers.

“I think so. Give us another forty-five minutes and we should be ready.”

“Sounds good,” Eric agreed, but even as he said it, he lazily traced his fingertips up her bare back.

Then Steve asked, “Do you want me to tell Sofia?”

Eric still sounded perfectly normal when he said, “I’ll let her know. We’ll see you in a few.” He ended the call and let his head fall back against the mattress. “I guess that means we have to get up.”

“I guess it does,” she said. Eric’s calm was contagious, almost. Her heart was slowing down to a steady, reliable beat and she was breathing normally.

But she still had no idea how she was supposed to face the afternoon schedule. Before, it had seemed daunting, but now it felt almost impossible. How was she supposed to handle herself now?

Eric tilted her face up so she had to look at him. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

She tried a confident smile. Given the way he notched an eyebrow at her, she was pretty sure she failed. “I don’t know what to do next. I mean, about us. About this.” She let out a strangled laugh. “And also about having dinner with the lieutenant governor tonight. None of this is normal for me, Eric. I don’t fit in this world.”

He stroked his thumb over her cheek and gave her a smile that, if she’d been standing, would’ve made her knees wobble. “You’re going back to your room to take a shower and get changed. I’m going to do the same here. We’re going to some meetings where Meryl will negotiate until she’s blue in the face, Steve will make friends with everyone and I’ll make grand promises that sound too good to be true, except I’ll have all the numbers to back them up. All you have to do for the rest of the evening is smile and listen. You’re the best listener I’ve ever met. Take notes on what’s being whispered, when people look nervous or whatever. I want to know what’s not being said, okay?”

“Okay.”

He stroked his thumb over her cheek again. “If you feel awkward, compliment someone on their tie or their presentation or whatever. Can’t go wrong with compliments. You do that and we’ll be fine.”

He sounded so damned confident about it, as if he actually believed she could pull this off. Preparing for today’s meetings and tonight’s dinner—that was where all her focus should be. It didn’t matter how easily he thought she could do this—she knew darned good and well that today would be hard and tonight would be harder. She had no experience in high-level meetings, even less experience at high-stakes cocktail parties. Eric could be confident because that sort of thing came naturally to him. He breathed it, lived it every single day.

God, she hoped she didn’t embarrass herself. But more than that, she hoped she didn’t embarrass him. There was a real risk that if she did something wrong, she might cost him this deal.

And if that happened, after what they’d shared?

She’d never be able to look him in the eye again.

But now, there was no escaping the fact that they were still lying in bed together, almost naked, the sweat on her back starting to cool. She wanted him to warm her up all over again. “And after that?”

He held her gaze for a moment before he said in a quiet voice, “That’s up to you. But this is a big bed,” he went on, giving her a playful grin. “Plenty of room.” To emphasize this, he patted around. “I might get lonely. Just saying.”

She should say no. She should walk away while she still could, before they crossed that final line. If she were strong enough, she’d sleep alone tonight.

But just then, Eric cupped her face and brushed a tender kiss over her lips and she knew she wasn’t going to be strong enough. She knew she’d be right back in his arms tonight.

“That would be tragic, wouldn’t it?”

He leaned up to press a hard, quick kiss against her lips before he patted her bottom. “Devastating. But we’ve got a lot to do before then.”

With a sigh, she rolled off him and out of bed. “Then we better get to it.”

* * *

“Well,” Eric said as the elevator doors closed behind them. “I think that went well.”

It took almost everything Sofia had not to slump against the wall of the elevator. And frankly, she didn’t have much left. Who would’ve thought that paying attention to conversations all day long with a smile plastered to her face would be so exhausting?

But that wasn’t the only thing that had left her drained. The effort it took not to watch Eric, not to smile at him—not to show that she was aware of every single thing he did—had taken a lot out of her.

She hadn’t wanted to look like a woman lusting after her boss. She had no idea if she’d made it.

Because she was definitely lusting after Eric.

She barely recognized the woman reflected in the mirrored walls of the elevator. The black-and-white lace patterned dress was working overtime, as was the strapless bra. She almost didn’t look like the mother of twins, which was impressive.

If she threw a suit jacket over this dress, she could wear it to work. But for dinner tonight, she had tucked the pashmina shawl around her shoulders and left her arms bare.

Eric had noticed, too. She’d felt his gaze upon her all night long. Just like it was right now. He shifted closer to her so their shoulders were touching. In the reflection, he smiled at her and Sofia couldn’t help but think, We fit.

Which was ridiculous. Just because his black suit and bright blue tie looked good with this dress absolutely did not mean that she fit with him. But it was enough to pretend for this weekend.

“Can we wait until morning to go over our notes?” Meryl asked, sounding drained.

Sofia startled. Were they supposed to be business professional after eight solid hours of meetings? Before she and Eric could pick up where they’d left off this afternoon?

Even throughout dinner—one of the finer meals she’d ever eaten—she’d been focused on listening. She was used to sleep deprivation. Anyone with small children was. But coloring with the kids required a much lower level of mental engagement than following along with a dinner conversation that encompassed state, federal and city ordinances.

But she hadn’t made a fool of herself. She’d offered up a few compliments and paid attention and managed not to stare at Eric and think of nothing but his body against hers. Nothing tonight had come naturally to her, but she’d made it. It seemed that, for one weekend at least, she could pretend she belonged by Eric’s side.

“Absolutely,” Eric readily agreed. His fingertips brushed and then tangled with Sofia’s. That simple contact went through her like a lightning bolt. Instantly, she was wide awake. “It’s been a long day, but I’m so impressed at the way everyone recovered and I know that tomorrow, we’ll be right back at it.”

“Go, team,” Steve said weakly, which made Meryl laugh.

Sofia managed a chuckle. Tomorrow would be another long day and she wasn’t entirely sure she would be able to fake her way through it.

But tonight?

Tonight she would wrap her arms around Eric and be a little bit selfish. She could take what she needed instead of having to worry about what other people needed. It would be worth it, even if it were awkward tomorrow morning. She wanted to remember that she was Sofia, a woman with desires and needs.

She gave Eric’s fingers a squeeze and felt a ripple of tension move up his arm. Then he let go of her hand as the elevator stopped at their floor. “What time is the first meeting tomorrow?” he asked as they filed out of the elevator and down the hall toward their rooms.

“Nine a.m.” Sofia replied. And since everything had been pushed back today, there was no hoping for an extra hour tomorrow morning.

“Let’s meet in my suite at eight for breakfast.” He still sounded confident and alert, as if he could have lingered at the bar for another few hours.

She didn’t want to linger at the bar. She wanted to linger in his bed, by God.

Meryl and Steve mumbled their agreements as they reached their room. Eric paused and looked back over his shoulder, making eye contact with Sofia. She bobbed her head, agreeing to the question he hadn’t asked—at least not in words.

It didn’t matter. The answer was still yes.

“Good night,” she said to the hallway at large as she went into her room. She took a moment to use the bathroom and freshen up and then, still in her fancy dress, she opened the door on her side of the wall.

His side was already open. Quietly, she stepped into the room. Even that simple act had her pulse beating at a higher rhythm, which was still a new and exciting feeling to her. During that first year after David had passed, when she’d been struggling to care for her newborn twins, her sexuality had been in hibernation. She hadn’t had the energy to miss it then, but when she’d begun to emerge from the fog of depression and sleep deprivation, she’d wondered if she would be capable of sexual desire again. It was almost like she’d forgotten how.

Then, this afternoon, Eric had made her shatter with nothing more than a well-placed touch and some passionate kisses. Which had been wonderful relief. She could still feel. That part of her hadn’t died with David.

But she wanted more. She wanted it all.

She wanted Eric. And thank God, he was here for her.

This was just the weekend. On Monday, they’d go back to normal. She’d go to work and he’d go boating. No more clothes, no more kisses in the back of his car. No more pictures of Eric cuddling her children.

No one would know. Especially not her mother.

Eric came out of his bedroom and, without breaking stride, crossed the room and pulled her into his arms. His mouth came down over hers, a kiss so hot that suddenly she had on far too much clothing. Luckily for her, he was hell-bent on rectifying that situation.

“All night long,” he murmured against the delicate skin of her neck, making her pulse flutter wildly, “I’ve been staring at you in this dress.”

“I like this dress.” The zipper moved down her back one notch at a time as his mouth drifted down her neck to her cleavage at the exact same pace. Luxurious warmth built low in her body and radiated out. For the first time in so long, she was warm. God, she hoped Eric heated her up.

She went on, “It makes me look...”

Well, it made her look like she fit in his world.

“Correction,” he said as he tugged the zipper down the rest of the way. Cool air kissed her back and she shivered, her nipples going hard. “You make the dress look amazing, Sofia.” He took a step back, and the dress gaped at her chest. He ran his fingers under the straps then pulled them off her shoulders. “But you know what’s better than you in this dress?”

“What?”

“You out of this dress.”

The dress puddled at her waist and he stepped into her again, working it over her hips.

“Oh, Sofia,” he breathed as the dress fell to the floor and she was left in nothing but a strapless bra, underwear and her shoes. His eyes warmed as he stepped back to look her over. “I thought I was ready, but I’m not.”