Читать книгу Finding Julia - Desiree Holt - Страница 6

“I’d like to take a minute to freshen up, if you don’t mind.” Julia paused in the hotel lobby.

And take a few minutes to gather her wits about her.

“Take your time.” Luke smiled. “I’ll get us a table in the cocktail lounge while you run up to your room. I thought we’d have a drink before heading into the restaurant.”

“All right. Sounds good.”

In her room, she dropped her briefcase and portfolio, leaned against the closed door, and put her hands to her heated face. Her entire body felt flushed, her bones shook, and the oddest sensation coursed through her. What was the matter with her? She didn’t even know the man. This was crazy.

There was no mistaking the unspoken message in Luke’s dark eyes when he looked at her, no matter how circumspect his behavior. And even three floors away from him, she still felt his powerful presence surrounding her.

What she needed was a cold shower. Maybe the stinging spray would bring her to her senses. She glanced at her watch. Could she do it quickly? She stripped off her clothes, fully aware if she exchanged her business uniform for something more casual, she was acknowledging this was more than a business date. She was equally nervous and aroused. A dangerous combination. Why couldn’t she just get on with it? Allow herself to sample life a little?

She hurried through the shower, drying herself quickly, rubbing cream into her skin, spraying perfume on her pulse points, and pulling on the soft slacks and cashmere sweater she’d brought to travel home in. Gold hoops at her ears. She brushed her hair until it shown and swayed with a natural rhythm. And all the while the image of Luke Buchanan burned itself into her vision. Unexpectedly, she wondered what he looked like without any clothes on such a powerful body. Wondered what fantastic things he would do to her. With her.

Oh, my God! Crazy, crazy, crazy.

She sensed she was on the verge of doing the most daring thing she’d ever done in her life, but Luke Buchanan mesmerized her. She couldn’t help herself. Maybe it was her lack of experience with anyone but Charles. Maybe it was the need curling inside her to discover what real passion was. Maybe it was a response to having a man look at her as if she was a desirable woman. Whatever it was, it was blossoming inside her like a flower seed buried too long under snow.

When she entered the cocktail lounge, Luke rose from the booth he’d commandeered, his eyes taking in every inch of her body. When he took her arm as she slid onto the bench seat, the same instant shock of electricity she’d felt during the afternoon crackled through her.

“I’d have ordered for you but I neglected to ask what you drink.” His deep voice was like a liquid caress.

“Amaretto, please. On the rocks. Thank you.”

“Very nice.” His gaze took in every inch of her. “I like the outfit. The color brings out the blue in your eyes.”

“Thank you.” She searched for something else to say, but her tongue seemed immobilized. Compliments were rare in her life with Charles.

She was grateful when the waiter brought her drink, not for the alcohol but for something to do with her hands.

“You’re clutching your glass like a lifeline.” Amusement edged Luke’s tone and his eyes crinkled at the corners. “You aren’t an alcoholic by any chance, are you?”

“No. Not at all.” She picked up the drink and sipped at it, feeling the warmth slide through her system, praying her hands wouldn’t shake. “Just…winding down.” Or winding tighter.

Luke studied her face, hot gaze stroking her skin. “Tell me about yourself, Julia Patterson. I know everything there is to know about your agency and absolutely nothing about you.”

“You’ll find I’m a very boring person, Mr. Buchanan.”

“Luke, please.” There was that smile again, melting her bones. “And I don’t believe anyone who comes up with the creative ideas you do can be boring at all.”

“You’d be surprised.” She lowered her eyes. His piercing gaze unnerved her, as if he could see beneath her skin.

“Where are you from?” he asked. “What do you like to do?” He grinned. “What’s your most secret fantasy?”

Fantasy? Should she tell him she’d been having unbelievable fantasies about him in the quick shower she’d taken to cool herself off?

“Julia?” His amused voice broke into her mental wanderings. “This isn’t a test, just nosy interest on my part.”

“I’m sorry. I guess my mind drifted.” She took another sip of amaretto. “There isn’t much to tell. I’m a small town girl living in the big city, with two great kids and a wonderful business.”

How could she possibly tell him the truth? She’d rushed into a youthful marriage, propelled by two sets of parents and the social expectations of friends. Now, if not for her agency and her children, she’d be little more than a cipher in limbo. And her sex life wouldn’t even be the envy of a nun.

No, she wouldn’t tell him that little tidbit.

“Tell me more about your kids,” he urged.

“My kids?” She stared.

“Yes. What are they like? Kids tell a lot about the kind of people their parents are.”

She laughed nervously. “I don’t want to bore you to death.”

He gave her a crooked smile. “Nothing about you could bore me.”

Her children were an area where she could go on for hours. She forgot to be tense and anxious, forgot about everything as she talked about Andy and Beth. As she talked, she sipped on the wonderful amaretto, its velvety texture soft against her tongue. Wrapped in the growing feeling of relaxation, she barely noticed when a full glass replaced an empty one.. Every so often, she’d catch something dark flashing in Luke’s eyes, like a shadow of sadness. She wondered what was in this man’s life to cause such hidden melancholy.

* * * *

Luke watched the woman across from him, posture relaxed, careful to betray nothing of his real interest through either movement or facial expression. The cashmere sweater draped softly across her breasts, and when she leaned forward, he could see the rosy skin exposed by the wide neckline. The muted lights of the cocktail lounge caught the golden highlights in her hair and the glint of green in her eyes. Her translucent skin was slightly flushed, and he wondered if it was the alcohol or his presence. He hoped the latter.

The energy he’d felt the instant he met her stunned him, affecting him more strongly than any woman in recent memory. These days, in fact, he’d wondered if he’d burned himself out these past years trying to erase the damage his wife had caused. He’d been hard-pressed to conceal his arousal back in the conference room. The moment he looked into Julia’s eyes, he’d wanted nothing more than to take her to bed and fuck her senseless.

He could almost feel the silkiness of her skin beneath his hands, the lushness of her body as he explored it, and taste the sweet essence uniquely hers. He didn’t ever remember wanting a woman this badly. From the moment he’d walked into the conference room and saw her standing there, his cock had been so hard he’d had to sit down immediately to conceal it.

And what was that about, anyway? He wasn’t a teenager with raging hormones. Or a young man who’d thought he was marrying a princess who turned out to be a witch—a promiscuous one to boot. He’d certainly enjoyed more than enough sex before and after his marriage, yet no woman ever reached deep inside him the way Julia Patterson did just by…being.

She was nervous, and he didn’t know if it was him or the situation. He wanted her to relax and be at ease, so he could see if this…thing…sizzling between them sparked to life or was nothing more than a hopeful figment of his imagination.

He could tell as much about her from what she omitted as from what she told him. Why no comments about her husband? No enthusiastic description of her marriage? What sort of man claimed Julia Patterson as his wife, but lived with her in a relationship devoid of detail? He saw a woman of great warmth, personal charm, and unbelievable sexual attraction. The man must be a eunuch or a cheat.

His own marriage had been less than desirable, followed by a bitter divorce. The resentment of it all still clung to him and he wished he’d found Julia before someone else had. And before his own life had disintegrated so badly.

* * * *

“You’re staring,” she told him. “Is my makeup smeared?”

“Your makeup is fine. You’re fine.” He smiled. “I enjoy looking at you, listening to you. I love the sound of your voice.”

She laughed a nervous sound. The longer they sat in the booth, the more overpowering his presence. Could they simply stay here forever? “You must have pretty empty conversations if mine excites you.”

“Not at all. By the way, your proposal is excellent. I asked someone to bring me their copy during lunch so I could study it before the afternoon session.”

“So you’ve already seen it?” She was surprised. She’d expected to wait the usual week or so before it made its way to the decision-maker.

He nodded. “If the numbers add up the way they look like they should, we definitely have a deal.” He lifted his glass in a toast. “Shall we have another drink to seal the agreement?”

Julia nodded, the almond liqueur soothing her nerves and melting her tension. Luke leaned forward, talking to her in a low, deep voice. She couldn’t draw herself away from his eyes, so mesmerizing they locked her in place. Vaguely, she heard soft music somewhere and turned her head.

“They bring in a little duo in the evening.” He motioned to the postage stamp dance floor. “What about it?” At her hesitation, he added, “It’s nothing more than a dance, Julia. Between colleagues.”

A dance. Right.

A shiver skittered over her spine.

What was she doing here? Losing her mind?

Proper, obedient Julia was going to color outside the lines. But she was tempted by the possibility of forbidden pleasure. Of something she’d barely dreamt about. Unknown sensuality she’d heard her friends talk about and silently longed for.

Wordlessly, almost as if her body was on automatic pilot, she slid from the booth and put her hand in his. His fingers closed around hers with a gentle assurance that sent a surge of warmth through her. Despite what he said, she sensed he knew as well as she did things weren’t quite as simple as a dance. On the tiny floor, he drew her against him and their bodies fit as if poured from matching molds. They moved in a slow rhythm, his strong arm encircling her, his warm hand holding hers in close to his chest.

She inhaled the scent of him, spicy and musky, mixed with an incredible male essence. Dangerous. The word came back to her again.

She wasn’t stupid. She knew what was happening here. Forget more drinks. Forget dinner. She should break away and go to bed. Alone. But she knew she’d already made a choice, and her body began to tingle in anticipation. This was the most daring thing she’d ever done, and she felt powerless to stop herself.

They barely moved from the one spot on the dance floor as the music flowed around them, thighs pressed to thighs, the heat of his body melting into hers. The flexing of the muscles in those thighs as they moved to their own rhythm made hers quiver. Her breasts, pressed against the hard planes of his chest, felt suddenly full and heavy. She wanted to purr and rub herself all over him like a cat. When the song ended and he led her back to the table, she had to blink her eyes to remember where she was.

“You dance well.”

“Oh!” The compliment startled her. “Thank you. You make it easy.”

His voice melted her. There was a richness to it, like fresh coffee or warm chocolate pouring over her, through her, and around her. She thought she could listen to him talk forever.

When the waiter brought fresh drinks, he smiled at her and they clinked glasses.

Julia lost track of time as they sat in the lounge, sipped drinks, and danced again. They chatted about everything and nothing at all. Luke’s natural warmth and charm continued to put her at ease, but sexual tension so intense it was almost palpable electrified the air between them. As inexperienced as she was, Julia still knew she’d have to be dead not to feel it. And wasn’t that pathetic; a thirty-year-old woman whose sexual experience wouldn’t fill two pages in a book.

At some point, Luke took off his jacket and stuffed his tie in the pocket. Each time he led her to the dance floor, their bodies clung closer together. His arms held her with confidence and assurance, almost possession. Without the extra layer of the jacket between them, she could feel the heat of his body through his shirt. The fine cotton was like a silk caress against her cheek, and thin enough she could feel the hard buds of his nipples. When he moved his head, she could feel the tickle of his breath in her ear and shivered at the tiny fingers of sensation it brought.

His cock pressed against the softness of her through the fabric of his slacks. Her body responded with an unfamiliar intensity, tiny nerves sparking everywhere, the feel of his arousal electrifying her. Her breasts ached with the need to be touched, and her panties were so wet she was sure he could smell her scent. So this was what it was like. This was what other people reveled in and she’d never tasted. She was sure if she went to bed with him, she’d die of pleasure.

If she went to bed with him? Wasn’t it already, in her mind, a foregone conclusion?

“I can feel every one of your muscles move against me.” His voice was a low hum in her ear. “You have such a graceful body. Soft and warm.”

Warm was an understatement. Overheated might be more accurate.

“Do I offend you with my comments?” he asked, his hands tightening on her almost imperceptibly.

“No.” She could hardly get the word out. “No, you don’t.”

“Good. Because I like telling you. Do you know how beautiful you are?” he asked as they shifted their feet almost in place in a corner of the floor.

His words were soft in her ear, a whisper tickling her skin, sending delicious shivers through her.

“Thank you,” was the only thing she could think of to say, feeling like a tongue-tied idiot.

“I can feel your heart beating hard against mine,” he told her. “Are you nervous?”

“Mmm, I’d say a little…unsure?” She was definitely swimming out of her depth here. “Am I making sense?”

“We don’t have to dance any more if you don’t want to.”

It was way more than dancing. She was sure they both knew it.

The heat of his breath at her ear sent a shiver racing through her. She knew he was slowly seducing her, letting her fall into it in slow increments, giving her plenty of opportunities to change her mind. Pull away.

“You know what I mean, Luke.” She took a deep breath. “We’re talking about a lot more than dancing.”

There. She’d said it. Pulled it out into the open. They might as well stop…well…dancing around it. She lifted her head slightly now and could almost see the message written in his eyes.

“It’s about whatever we want it to be.” He tilted her head back against his chest. “Right?”

His voice was warm syrup slowly wrapping her in a sensual cocoon.

Did she know what she was doing? Hell, no, but she wanted to do it anyway. Oh, my God. Was this her?

“I don’t know how to do this,” she finally answered, their bodies almost still, her cheek pressed against his shoulder. “I have no experience.”

The squeeze of his hand told her he knew exactly what she meant.

“You don’t need experience, Julia. You just go with the flow.”

The combination of the music and the drinks flooded her system with erotic sensations, transporting her into an almost hypnotic state. But his next words both thrilled and shocked her, not because she hadn’t been expected them but because she had.

“I want you, Julia.”

The words, spoken so quietly she almost missed them, made her body contract, her heartbeat kick into triple time, and her pulse race madly.

“I want to feel your naked body next to mine,” he went on. “Touch you everywhere with my hands.”

She shivered, heat flooding her, the walls of her cunt fluttering, and her nipples throbbing. She could almost feel his hands on her naked skin. So many conflicting emotions roiled inside her. “I’ll bet you say that to all the girls.” She attempted to lighten the mood.

His grip on her tightened almost painfully. “Now there’s where you’re dead wrong. I actually say it to no one these days. And haven’t for a long time.”

And suddenly, curled against Luke’s hard, lean body, she couldn’t remember why she’d thought even for a minute this might be a bad idea. She was nearly a free woman and the most exciting man she’d ever met actually wanted her. Wanted her! And with an intensity she’d never found with Charles. She was practically jumping into this with both feet, without any hesitation at all.

And somehow she felt a rightness to this, a powerful something pulling her and Luke together.

When the duo announced they were taking a break, Luke led her back to the table, still holding one of her hands. “Are you very hungry?”

“No.” She was aware of what he asked. “Are you?”

“Not for food,” he told her.

Immediate heat flashed through her body again and the pulse beating in her womb reverberated everywhere inside her. One last alarm bell clanged in her brain. If she didn’t stop now, it would be too late. But she could have more easily stopped a runaway train.

“This is more than a whim, you know.” His gaze was intense. “I want to be totally clear about this.”

“Yes.” She could barely get the word out.

He paid their bill with efficient speed and guided her to the elevator. As the car glided smoothly up three floors, he held both of her hands, kissing her lightly as if knowing she needed reassurance.

“It will be fine, Julia.” Luke moved his lips to her forehead. “Trust me.”

What else could she do?