Читать книгу Tempting Adam - Dorie Graham, Dorie Graham - Страница 9

THE CLOCK STRUCK eleven that evening as Lauren tossed the last flyer onto the stack heaped at one end of her sofa. Her stomach rumbled. Not only had she turned down Adam’s dinner proposition in favor of working some overtime, she’d skipped the meal entirely.

After staying late at the office, she’d brought home the file on one of their new clients to complete her marketing analysis. Then she’d gone on to ready Bennett’s flyers for the morning mail. She’d meant to keep her mind too busy to jump to conclusions about her latest gift.

The plan had failed miserably.

Was Adam her secret admirer? Goose bumps prickled up her arms. She eyed the rose-covered corner of the cookbook peering from beneath the avalanche of flyers. With a shake of her head, she slid the book free.

The phone on the end table rang. Who was calling at this hour? Her heart skipped a beat as she picked up the handset. “Hello?”

“Hi, sweetie,” Delores Bryant’s voice greeted her.

“Hi, Mom. What’s up?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Not much. Just wanted to say hello, see how you were doing.”

Lauren sighed. Her mother’s voice held a note of strain. “Come on. Claire giving you a hard time about paying the bills again?” Delores had some trouble getting her housemate to cover her share of the costs.

“No, when she postdated her check for the electric bill then went out and bought a new stereo, I stood up to her like you suggested.”

“Good for you.”

“She returned the stereo and wrote me a new check.”

“Great. So what’s the problem?”

“We’ve got a new district manager.” She managed a children’s clothing store in a local mall.

“Oh? What happened to old Bernie?”

“He got transferred.”

“So, you don’t like the new guy?”

“He just rubs me the wrong way. He doesn’t like the way we do anything. So we’ve got to redo everything—the way we place orders, the way we handle customers, the way we count down the drawer.”

“Don’t you have company policies on all those things?”

“He’s not changing the policies, just the way we follow each procedure, the nitpicky stuff. He’s got his own procedures within the procedures. He’s making everyone crazy.”

“Well, at least you don’t have to deal with him on a daily basis, right?”

“I don’t know. Now that the North Point store is picking up so much business, he’s talking about setting up his office here, letting this be his home base. He thinks we have the most potential and wants to help us ‘come into our own.’”

“Well, I’m sure you’ll win him over.”

“I’m not so sure I want to. Anyway, enough about me. Why are you home on a Friday night?”

“Mom, don’t start. Besides, I could ask you the same question.”

“Let me guess. You brought work home over the weekend.”

Lauren drew a deep breath. “It’d be really nice if you, at least, would support my decision to make something of myself.”

“Honey, I do. I wish Entice Advertising great success. You know that. I just don’t want you forgetting there’s more to life.”

“Believe me, between you and Adam, I’m not likely to forget.”

“So, how’s my number-two son?”

Lauren paused, considering keeping silent about Adam’s new direction in life. “He’s been acting…different lately.”

“Really? How so?”

She frowned. “He’s talking about settling down.”

A short silence hummed across the line, then Delores said excitedly, “Oh, this is wonderful! It’s about time. I was wondering when he’d come around. He’s always kept his word and I knew he wouldn’t let us down this time. What have you two planned?”

“I don’t know what he was supposed to keep his word on, but the plan is for us to find him a wife, pretty much the same way we found his house and furniture.”

“What do you mean, find him a wife?”

“Well, a serious relationship, anyway. He’s prepared to wait awhile before jumping into marriage.”

“He wants you to help him find a woman?”

Lauren’s gaze fell to the cookbook. “You know how he values my opinion. He likes consulting with me on most of his major decisions. Even when some of those are spur-of-the-moment.”

“Yes, dear, that’s why I always thought… Goodness, I can’t believe I’ve been wrong all along. Tell me, has your relationship changed since he decided all this?”

“Changed?” Lauren closed her eyes and dropped her head back against the sofa. She’d certainly changed. Seemed suddenly she got all hot and bothered whenever Adam was around.

“Has he indicated in any way that he might like to share this new experience with…well, with you?”

Lauren opened her mouth to protest, but Adam’s words echoed through her mind. And you think I’ve never thought of you in that way?

She sat forward. Was it possible Kamira, Elliot, and now her mother were right? “Mom, why do you ask?”

“You remember shortly before your father died. I had stayed the night at the hospital and Adam brought you and Rusty by that morning. You had that bunch of azalea blossoms and Rusty went with you to put them in water.”

“The vase I’d brought was leaking, so I had to track down a new one.”

“That’s right. While you were gone, your dad had one of his lucid moments and grasped Adam’s hand. He really recognized him for the first time in a long time. Dad was so happy about that. He told Adam how he’d always loved him like a son. I think we were all teary at that point. Anyway, that’s when Adam made that promise.”

The old ache of losing her father thudded dully in Lauren’s chest. “What promise?”

“He promised to look after you and care for you. He promised you’d never want for anything.”

Tenderness welled up inside her. Adam had been all of sixteen at the time. She swallowed past a lump in her throat.

“That’s incredibly sweet,” she said. “I wish I’d known that, but he has looked after me. We’ve always looked after each other. That’s what friends do.”

“I don’t know. Something about the way he said it…I took it to mean he intended for your relationship to one day grow into something more. Your father thought so, too. One of the last things he said was that he was sorry he’d miss seeing Adam become an official member of the family. You know, Rusty has always looked up to him, too. I think we’ve all felt that way.”

“Oh, Mom…I know how much you all love Adam. I can’t imagine how my life would have been without him. I just think that maybe you were jumping to conclusions about this.”

“But you think it may be possible?” Hope colored her mother’s voice.

It also stirred in Lauren’s heart. Could it be she wanted Adam to want her that way? “I’m not sure. Maybe…”

“Has he said anything that might insinuate he’s interested? Maybe he isn’t sure how to go about it with you.”

“It…it’s possible he’s been trying to tell me, but I’ve been afraid to listen.”

Lauren smoothed her hand across the cookbook. Her throat tightened. Surely, he didn’t mean for her to fill the role of wife and mother? If only he’d accept there was more than one kind of wife.

“Well, listen up, darling girl! You’ve got to give him a chance. I’ve always hoped the two of you would get together. I just never said anything because I wasn’t sure how you’d take it.”

“I’ll tell you what. I’ll start paying closer attention. If it looks like Adam’s interested, I’ll keep myself open to the possibility.”

“You do that, dear. I know you won’t be sorry.”

Lauren’s stomach gave a loud rumble. “I’ll talk to you soon, Mom.”

“Keep me posted, and tell Adam he should give an old woman a call every now and then.”

After hanging up, Lauren headed toward the kitchen, cookbook in hand. Was it possible? Could Adam be interested in taking their friendship to the next level? She stood for a long moment, staring at the heart-shaped pastries on the cover before opening the cookbook.

The book presented two kinds of recipes. The first were for the actual food, which contained an abundance of sauces and creams. The other recipes, which incorporated the first, displayed titles like “Sunday Morning Bubble Bath,” or “Moonlit Picnic for Two,” included explicit instructions on how best to serve each meal. Body parts tended to replace dishes, and fingers silverware.

Colored photographs showing couples “dishing up” the meals accompanied a number of the entries. Warmth filled her. Had Adam sent the book? Was this the level he wanted to take her to? She closed her eyes and imagined the two of them replacing one of the pictured couples.

With a lazy motion, Adam drizzled a honey glaze over her breasts, while she offered him a morsel of chicken. He accepted the bite from her fingertips, then bent to lick the glaze from her nipples.

Her body tensed, as sensual heat filled her. Her nipples tightened and her sex pulsed. If they became lovers, would they remain friends? Could she make love with him, risk losing his friendship forever?

A kaleidoscope of memories danced over her: a twelve-year-old Adam helping her set up her very first business, a dog-walking service; Adam standing and cheering wildly when she placed fifth in a local teen pageant; and finally, Adam holding her and keeping the world at bay after her father had died and she thought she’d break into a million pieces. He’d kept her together through it all.

Her heart swelled as realization dawned. All she had to do was convince him that he could be every bit as happy without overcomplicating his life. She could lose him to another woman, or risk losing his friendship, but if she gathered her courage she stood to gain so much more.

She was ready for the next step. She stood motionless as the possibility shimmered before her. Then she straightened, drawing her shoulders back and lifting her chin.

“There’s just one thing to do, then.”

She hugged the book to her front. The future stretched ahead of her, her path crystal clear. Since Adam seemed bent on remaining anonymous, she’d have to let him know of her interest.

She’d seduce her best friend.

ADAM’S STOMACH RUMBLED the following morning as he peered hopefully into his refrigerator. He peeled back the cover of a plastic container. “Hmm, what have we here?”

A fine covering of green coated the remains of some forgotten meal. Wrinkling his nose, he dumped the entire container into the trash.

Too bad he hadn’t talked Lauren into dinner last night. He’d settled for Chinese takeout, which had done the trick, but hadn’t stuck to his ribs the way one of her hearty meals would have. His stomach continued its protest as he scavenged his pantry to no avail.

He shoved an old can of anchovies back onto a shelf and straightened. There was only one thing to do. He’d go out for breakfast, and he’d drag Lauren along with him. Frustrating woman had probably skipped dinner last night.

Shaking his head, he grabbed his car keys. She worked way too hard. If he didn’t intervene, she’d probably waste away to nothing.

A scant fifteen minutes later, he pulled into her driveway. The maple tree in front scattered its golden leaves as he strode up her walk. He inhaled the early-morning air, crisp with the promise of fall. Bypassing the front door, he headed through a little gate to the backyard. The fountain he’d installed bubbled quietly at the center of a small flower garden. The curtains in Lauren’s bedroom window remained drawn.

“Stayed up late working, sleepyhead?” he murmured to himself as he searched the ground for a couple of pebbles.

With a practiced aim, he tossed the pebbles at her upstairs window. After the fifth throw, the curtains moved, then the window slid upward and she peered blearily down at him. “I’m sleeping.”

The sun caught her tousled hair, turning it a dazzling gold. She looked warm and rumpled and utterly attractive. A soft breeze rustled the thin fabric of her oversize T-shirt, skimming it across the swells of her breasts. He stood rooted in place, those generous curves holding him entranced, until he tore his gaze away.

“You worked late into the night, didn’t you?” He forced a note of accusation into his voice.

She spread her arms in a long, languorous stretch, again drawing his gaze to her breasts as they thrust forward in a most enticing way. The open neckline shifted, teasing him with a glimpse of her creamy shoulder.

His throat tightened. In spite of his long history of taming his libido around her, Lauren’s womanly nature proved impossible to ignore this morning. He couldn’t take his gaze from the clear outline of her erect nipples.

“Quit nagging.” She gathered the cotton shirt in her hand, pulling it up to reveal the soft curve of her belly. She rubbed it, running small circles around her navel. “Hmm…my stomach’s empty. If I don’t eat right now, I think I’ll drop. Let’s make breakfast, then you can tell me why you rousted me from my bed.”

Her bed. He stood speechless. Didn’t she realize her words, not to mention that little gesture, set his mind on a track he made a habit of avoiding? As her hand made another pass, he imagined his tongue following in its wake.

That he was having this fantasy about Lauren made it all the more intense. Forbidden.

What would it be like to make love to a woman he actually cared about? Not that he hadn’t cared for any of his previous partners, but he’d never felt the depth of attachment he felt for Lauren with any of them.

The idea invoked a strange warmth in his chest.

“Well, if we’re not going to eat, then I’m going back to sleep.” Her lower lip rounded in the sexiest pout he’d ever had the honor of witnessing.

“Uh, no. Breakfast, I mean, that’s why I came—I’m here…to take you to breakfast.”

“I don’t feel like going out.” She motioned him toward the back door. “I’ll meet you in the kitchen. We’ll see what we can cook up.”

Was he imagining that challenge in her gaze? His mind raced with the possibilities. She had been intrigued by the idea of them being more than friends. He hadn’t imagined the awareness in her eyes the other night.

He stood dazed, staring at the assortment of potted plants gathered by her back door. Then dropping to one knee, he lifted half a dozen of them before finding her door key.

Seconds later, he stood in her kitchen. His gaze fell on the table where they’d eaten so recently. It suddenly seemed small, intimate. Her footsteps padded down the carpeted stairs. His pulse raced.

He turned to face her as she entered, still wearing the oversize T-shirt. Rather than conceal her, its loose fit accented her curves with every movement. His gaze traveled below the hemline, down the tantalizing length of her legs. Apparently, she wasn’t wearing much else.

He’d seen her in various states of undress before, but he’d never reacted like this, not even when they’d gone swimming at their hideout by the lake and she’d worn that skimpy bikini of hers. What was different now?

She moved toward him, a smile playing across her lips. Her gaze drifted over him, sending his hormones tripping. She was different. He hadn’t been imagining it the other night. One thing he’d become very adept at over the years was reading the signals. As she closed in on him this morning, she was throwing out all kinds of signals.

Open-armed, she stood before him. “I need a hug. You’re right. I stayed up too late.”

She slid into his embrace, as she had done throughout the years, but her arms slipped tighter around his neck and she lingered long enough to imprint her body on his. A bolt of lust pierced him. Then she breezed away as though nothing unusual had passed between them.

He exhaled as she moved to the refrigerator. Maybe he was imagining it all. Without taking his gaze from her, he settled at the table. He’d follow her lead. What he’d do if she took him down the same path as his wayward mind he wasn’t sure, but the temptation of her forbidden fruit might prove more than he could resist.

“How about eggs Benedict?” She glanced back at him as she bent low over the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. The T-shirt rode up the back of her legs. Satiny, cream-colored panties teased him, hinting at the treasure guarded by her thighs.

A small groan escaped him.

Her eyebrows furrowed. She rubbed one hand over her hip, further exposing the sight of her covered mons for his view. “No? Maybe French toast, then?”

Somehow, he managed to move his gaze to her face. “Whatever you want, Lauren.”

The glow in her eyes intensified. “Eggs Benedict, then. I have a taste for something familiar but new.”

His throat constricted, so he nodded his agreement, then closed his eyes as she finished rummaging through the fridge. He drew deep breaths and tried to relax the tightening in his groin. This was Lauren, familiar, yes, but definitely new and exciting this morning.

Once he had his libido under control, he stirred himself to make coffee. Perhaps the task would busy his mind. She stood at the counter, whisking sauce in a bowl, and he leaned around her to reach the filters she kept in an overhead cabinet. He took advantage of the moment, fumbling with the filters, while he inhaled her warm scent. She smelled clean and earthy, without the trace of perfumes or soap.

“Excuse me,” he said as he pulled a filter from the stack and bumped against her.

“No problem.” Her gaze traveled over him again, and that same intriguing smile played at her lips.

Once he got the coffee brewing he took his seat, trying to relax as she prepared their meal, her gaze drifting to him on occasion. She hummed softly to herself, and he savored the sight of her hips’ gentle sway. Mouthwatering scents filled the air as the coffee gurgled and Canadian bacon sizzled on the stove.

“Taste.” She scooped sauce from a ladle with her finger, then held it to his lips.

He met her gaze, his throat tightening. By the glint in her eyes, they were definitely charting new territory here. His rational side reeled from surprise, but his adventurous side refused to quell its curiosity.

He drew her finger into his mouth, laving the sauce from her skin. She withdrew her finger, then dipped it again into the ladle.

This time, she took it into her own mouth, closing her eyes as she slowly withdrew it. “Mmm, it’s hollandaise, with a twist. I put a secret something in it, something I got from my new recipe book.”

“It’s decadent.”

Her eyes sparkled. “According to the recipe, the real secret is in how you eat the meal.”

With deft movements, she spooned the sauce over one plate, covering the layers of English muffin, Canadian bacon and eggs. Her teeth worried her bottom lip as she returned with the dish to his side, but her eyes remained bright. “You see, in this particular cookbook, they recommend sharing.”

“I like to share.”

Blood rushed through his ears. Was this really happening? She stood so close that he couldn’t resist the urge to slide his hand along the back of her thigh.

Her eyes widened slightly, and her breath stirred her lovely bosom, but she made no attempt to pull away. “Well, then, it says we should start like this.”

Lauren drew a deep breath. Excitement flowed through her. Balancing the plate, she straddled his lap. She’d dreamed of this last night. The dream still clung to her as she faced this flesh-and-blood Adam, his eyes brimming with interest.

She hadn’t been mistaken. He wanted her. Adam was her secret admirer.

“This is all rather sudden, but so far I heartily approve of this new cookbook.”

“Of course you do.” She gave him a pointed look.

“Silverware seems to be an option,” she murmured, pinching off a bite of the eggs. After setting the plate aside, she faced him again. Cupping her other hand to catch the dripping sauce, she held the morsel to his lips.

His gaze never left hers as he took the bite, then chewed slowly. “Eggs Benedict has never tasted this good.”

Lifting her hand to her own mouth, he urged, “Taste.”

She drew her fingers into her mouth, savoring the creamy taste and the shiver of awareness passing between them. Spatters of the sauce dotted her other hand, as well. “I forgot napkins.”

Before she could move away he took her hand, bringing it to his lips. “Allow me.” With deft strokes, he licked the drips of hollandaise from her palm.

Her heart quickened with each stroke of his tongue, filling her with confidence. “And you have a bit of sauce…”

Every nerve in her body stood alert as she leaned forward to skim her lips along the corner of his mouth. She flicked her tongue over the dab of hollandaise.

He angled his head. For one heart-rending moment, their breaths mingled, expectation hovering over them. Then he pressed his mouth to hers. Time stood still as he opened to her. The tang of the sauce melted from his tongue to hers.

Her breasts pressed against his chest. She shifted on his lap, stirring that part of him that had filled her dream with pleasure. Heat spiraled through her. He skimmed his hands up her sides as his tongue stroked hers with an intensity that sparked a hunger she had never known.

She broke the kiss, pulling back to gaze at him as she drew deep breaths. His pupils had dilated and his eyes glowed with sexual hunger. His lips beckoned, lush and inviting.

With a small groan, she leaned back into him, mating her mouth once more to his. She shifted again, giving him better access as his hands slid up over her rib cage. Desire burned in her as his thumbs traced the lower swells of her breasts, then found their taut buds. He teased them until she squirmed against him, pressing her cleft to his hardness.

She drew back, her breasts heaving. Then her gaze fell on the clock mounted on the wall behind him. Alarm raced up her spine. “Oh my God.”

He cupped her bottom and pressed her closer. “I know. Why haven’t we done this before? It’s incredible.”

All that work on those flyers, and she was already behind schedule. “Yes, no, I mean…it’s eleven-thirty. I have to go.”

“Go?”

Her gaze swerved back to him. “The post office closes in half an hour. I should have mailed those flyers yesterday.”

“Flyers?”

“I’ve got to get dressed. I’m so sorry.”

She pressed a quick peck to his cheek, scrambled off of him, then dashed toward the stairs. If she skipped her shower, she might make it in time.

“Wait!” His chair scraped the floor as he bolted after her.

A wave of guilt stopped her on the bottom stair. She pivoted to face him. “Adam—”

“Do I have an overactive imagination, or did we just get hot and heavy in there?” He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.

Her traitorous body melted against him. “Um, yes, we got hot and heavy in there.”

His eyes rounded in disbelief. “And…you’re leaving?”

Frustration billowed inside her. “I have to.”

“No, you don’t.”

“I do. We’ve planned this whole campaign to tie in with the TV ads. Timing is everything. They should have gone out yesterday.”

“Okay. I’ll drive you. We’ll pop those in the mail, then come back here and…pick up where we left off.”

She cupped his cheek. “I wish we could, but I promised Kamira I’d help at the clinic today. She’s probably leaving Greg’s now to come get me.”

His eyebrows drew together. “You’re not running away because you regret that we—”

“No.” She traced her finger along his lower lip. “No. I had hoped we would…you know.”

He tipped up her chin. “Are you sure?”

She nodded and he ran his lips lightly across hers. “Then we will. Tonight.”

“Yes.” Her heart thudded. “Tonight.”

“I’ll see what I can rustle up at the grocery store, then I’ll pick you up from the clinic.”

Anticipation thrummed in her veins. “Yes.”

“Now, go take care of all your distractions. Tonight you’re all mine.”

“Yes.” She gasped. “Ohmygosh, I have to hurry.” She turned, then fled up the stairs.

“Oh, and Lauren,” Adam called. “Don’t forget that cookbook.”