Читать книгу Fortunes' Women: Mistress of Fortune - Heidi Betts, Kathie DeNosky - Страница 10

Blake didn’t move a muscle as he tried to wrap his mind around the fact that Sasha had been telling the truth. She’d never been with Creed, or for that matter, any other man.

“You’re a virgin,” he repeated, still unable to believe he was the first man to sink himself into her soft body.

“Was,” she said, wincing as her tight body resisted the invasion of his. “I don’t think that’s the case anymore.”

“You should have told me.”

Moisture filled her pretty green eyes and he wasn’t sure if it was from the physical pain he’d caused her or the harsh accusation in the tone of his voice. Either way, he could have kicked his own ass for being the reason she cried.

“It’s all right, Sasha.” He gently wiped a tear from the corner of her eye then, brushing her trembling lips with his, added, “Just a little more and the discomfort will start to ease.”

It ripped him apart to see another tear slide down the side of her cheek as he pushed forward and completely buried himself in her moist heat. His reflexes urged him to move, to thrust into her and complete the act of loving her, but he remained perfectly still. Her body needed time to adjust to his and he wasn’t about to hurt her any more than he already had.

Gathering her close, he kissed away her tears. “No more pain, sweetheart. I promise.”

“It’s not really that bad,” she said, taking a shuddering breath.

“I just wish that you’d let me know.” He nuzzled the soft, wispy curls at her temple. “I might have been able to do something to make my entry a little less painful.”

“You were so gentle, I don’t see how you could have made it any easier,” she murmured shyly. “And I did try to tell you.”

He frowned. “When?”

Her watery smile did strange things to his insides. “Just before you assured me our lovemaking was not going to be a one-night stand.”

He vaguely remembered her telling him there was something that she’d never done, but he’d thought she was going to tell him she’d never been one to engage in casual sex. That was when he’d jumped the gun and interrupted her to voice his assurance that wasn’t what he wanted from her. Apparently, he’d made assumptions that were completely off the mark.

But as he continued to stare down at her lovely face, Blake knew as surely as he knew his own name that he meant what he’d said. His seduction of Sasha Kilgore might have started out as an attempt to even a score with his brother, but within the past thirty-six hours his focus had changed and he had no intention of limiting their lovemaking to this one night.

As he felt her begin to relax and accept him as part of her, the strain of holding himself in check became almost unbearable. He needed to love her, to bring her pleasure and find his own in the softness of her sweet body.

“I’m going to make love to you now, Sasha,” he said, kissing her slightly parted lips.

He slowly pulled back, then eased forward as he watched for any sign that he might be causing her discomfort. When he found none, he set an easy pace and in no time he felt her begin to respond, to tentatively move in unison with him.

But all too soon, he felt her tighten around him and he knew she was close to finding the release they both sought. Deepening his strokes, Blake had to grit his teeth to keep himself from unleashing the full force of his need. He was determined to insure Sasha’s pleasure ahead of his own, even if it killed him. And as urgent as his need was, it just might.

When Sasha cried his name and he felt her tiny feminine muscles cling to him, then begin to rhythmically contract, he gave in to the demands of his body and thrust into her one final time. His body stiffened and the white-hot light of completion clouded his mind as he gave up his essence and emptied himself deep inside of her.

Drained of every ounce of energy he possessed, he collapsed on top of her and buried his face in the soft cloud of her auburn hair. “Are you all right, sweetheart?”

“That was … the most incredible experience … of my life,” she said breathlessly.

Finally summoning enough strength to move to her side, Blake gathered her to him and held her close. “You were incredible.”

“Is making love always like that?” she whispered, her breath soft against his heated skin.

He hesitated as he tried to put into words what he didn’t fully understand himself. He’d found his pleasure with more women than he cared to admit—all of them light-years ahead of her in experience. But nothing could have prepared him for the degree of satisfaction he’d found with Sasha.

Unwilling to admit, even to himself, that what they’d shared was significant and unlike anything that had ever happened to him, he ignored her question in favor of one of his own. “After all this time of waiting to give your virginity to a man, why did you choose me, Sasha?”

“It’s absolutely insane and you probably wouldn’t believe me anyway,” she answered, placing her warm palm on his bare chest.

He liked the way her touch felt on his skin and he covered her hand with his to hold it there. “Why don’t you tell me and see if I believe you.”

Her sigh feathered over his shoulder and sent an awakening wave of heat straight to his groin. “They weren’t you.”

She spoke so softly that he wasn’t entirely certain he hadn’t imagined her confession. “You saved yourself for me?” he asked incredulously.

Raising her head, she met his questioning gaze directly. “It wasn’t a conscious decision to wait for you, but I think I fell in love with you the first time I saw you back in high school. Since then, I’ve compared every one of my boyfriends to you and found them lacking in one way or another.”

“Even Creed?”

“How many times do I have to tell you? Creed and I are just good friends.” When she started to get out of bed, he held her to him. “Creed asked me to accompany him to social functions in order to discourage some the more persistent women looking for a great catch. There was never anything more to it than that.”

Blake knew all too well the lengths some women would go to in their quest to catch a man with money and social status. “So you were helping him fend off the gold diggers?”

“Yes.”

“And you never entertained the thought of becoming romantically involved with him?” Blake asked, needing to know.

She shook her head. “He wasn’t you.”

The clarity in her guileless green eyes verified her claim and rendered him absolutely speechless. From the moment he was born, he’d been compared to his older brothers and always seemed to fall just short of everyone’s expectations. Even his father, the high and mighty Nash Fortune, had held him up to Case and Creed’s achievements, both personally and professionally. But for the first time in his life, someone had compared him to one of his older brothers and Blake hadn’t come up second-best.

As he continued to gaze at Sasha, a feeling like nothing he’d ever known filled his chest. For reasons he didn’t dare contemplate, he never wanted to let her down, never wanted her to find him lacking in any way. Nor did he ever want another man touching her.

The sudden desire to brand her with his kiss became an undeniable need and Blake didn’t think twice about pulling her beneath him to once again claim her sweet body for his own. She was his now and he had no intention of ever letting her forget it.

When Sasha went into work on Monday afternoon, she wasn’t at all surprised to find Creed standing in her doorway less than five minutes after her arrival. To anyone else his demeanor would probably appear casual and unperturbed. But in the past year, Sasha had come to know him too well. He definitely had something on his mind and unless he’d undergone a radical personality change in the past few days, he was there to let her know exactly what it was.

“Did you enjoy your weekend in Deadwood?” he asked, walking over to ease himself down into the chair in front of her desk. His question was innocent enough and his tone casual, but she knew it was Creed’s way of diplomatically bringing up the subject of her time with Blake.

“It was nice to get away for a while,” she said, careful to keep her own tone as neutral as possible. Aside from the fact that she didn’t feel like listening to Creed’s repeated warnings about Blake, it was none of his concern what she did or with whom. “I especially liked visiting some of the museums and learning more about the town’s colorful history. It really is fascinating.”

He stared at her for several long seconds before his eyes narrowed and he shook his head. “You fell into his trap, didn’t you?”

“I don’t have the slightest notion what you’re talking about,” she lied, averting her gaze.

“Damn.” Creed rose to his feet and began to pace the length of her office. “I knew I should have gone with you to keep that bastard from pulling a fast one.” Stopping suddenly, he turned to face her. “Did you sleep with him?”

Angry with Creed for prying, as well as with herself for being so transparent, Sasha shook her head. “What I do on my own time is none of your business, Creed. And I don’t appreciate being treated to the third degree. If you want to keep our friendship intact, you’ll drop this right here and now.”

He let loose with a creative curse. “You don’t know him like I do, Sasha. He’s just like his mother—selfish, opportunistic and trouble from the word go.” He released a frustrated breath as he shook his head. “The son of a bitch will only end up hurting you and if it’s within my power to prevent it from happening, I will.”

Sighing, she leaned back in her chair as she continued to stare at her friend. “I appreciate your concern, Creed. But I’m a grown woman and perfectly capable of making my own decisions. I can take care of myself.”

As if cognizant of the line he was about to cross with their friendship, he walked to the door, then turned back to face her. “I realize you think you know what you’re doing. But becoming involved with Blake Fortune would be a huge mistake.”

“That may be,” she said, careful to keep her voice as even as her emotions would allow. “But it’s my mistake to make, Creed. Not yours.”

He looked as if he’d like to argue the point further, then giving her a short nod, he warned as he walked out, “Just be sure to watch yourself around him, Sasha.”

Long after Creed had left her office, she continued to stare at the open doorway. She was having a difficult time believing that they’d been talking about the same man.

She’d spent the weekend with Blake and found him to be nothing like the man Creed described. If Blake was selfish, she hadn’t seen it. With her, he’d been kind, caring and extremely attentive. Her body heated in a very interesting way as she remembered just how much attention he’d given her.

After learning that she’d come to his bed a virgin, he couldn’t have been more gentle or understanding. He’d not only been sensitive to the tenderness of her body and her lack of experience, he’d assured her pleasure before his own. That certainly negated Creed’s claim that Blake was self-centered.

And after watching him interact with his employees and guests, it was easy to see why he’d been so successful with his venture into the gaming industry. Although he demanded his employees give one hundred and ten percent to their jobs, he’d earned their loyalty and respect by asking nothing more of them than he was willing to give himself. That didn’t sound like a man who took advantage of others.

As she sat there contemplating why Creed felt the way he did about his brother, Blake entered her office and closed the door. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of him and she couldn’t believe how much she’d missed being with him in such a short time. After flying back to Sioux Falls together on his private jet that morning, they’d parted ways at the airport. And while she’d returned to work, Blake had gone to his family’s estate to visit his sister, Skylar.

But something about his expression warned her that things might not have gone well. “Was everything all right at home?”

“I’m not sure.” He walked around the desk, pulled her to her feet and kissed her until they both gasped for breath. Then sitting in her chair, he settled her on his lap. “I missed you.”

“I missed you, too,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck.

They sat in contented silence for several long moments and she could tell he was troubled by something. “What happened?”

He shrugged one broad shoulder. “As usual, Dad and Patricia were off somewhere doing whatever retired couples do.”

Nash Fortune had handed over the reins of his thriving enterprise to his oldest sons, Creed and Case, a couple of years before Sasha had come to work at Dakota Fortune. But she’d met the elder Fortune and his third wife on several occasions and marveled at how devoted they were to each other.

“They certainly seem to be making the most of his retirement,” she agreed. “But what about Skylar? Wasn’t she at home?”

Blake looked pensive as he nodded. “Yeah, but only in body.”

“Excuse me?”

“She was there, but her mind was clearly somewhere else,” he said, frowning. “I’ve never seen her so quiet.”

Knowing Skylar Fortune from the social and family events she’d attended with Creed, Sasha found it hard to believe that the youngest of the Fortune siblings could be even more reserved than usual. “Do you think she might be ill?”

“I don’t think so,” he said thoughtfully. He chuckled. “If her appetite is any indication, she’s as healthy as one of her horses. She’s gained so much weight lately that you never see her in anything but baggy sweaters or sweatshirts.”

“Do you know if she’s been seeing someone?” Sasha asked.

He looked confused. “What does that have to do with anything?”

She smiled. Like most men, Blake didn’t have the slightest clue the effect a failed relationship could have on a woman. Or what it sometimes compelled her to do.

“Skylar might be nursing a broken heart.” She kissed his lean cheek. “Nina in accounting told me that after her breakup with her fiancé, she gained twenty pounds in a month because she went home every night after work and ate a pint of double-fudge chocolate-chunk ice cream.”

He was silent a moment before an understanding expression crossed his handsome features. “I do remember seeing Skylar and Zach Manning at Case’s wedding reception a few months back. At the time, I didn’t think much of it, but I think there was something going on between them.”

“Isn’t he from New Zealand?”

Blake nodded. “He and our cousin, Max, have partnered up to start a horse-breeding operation in Australia and they’ve been over here a couple of times to check out Skylar’s program.” He gave her a smile that caused an exciting little tingle to traverse the length of her body. “But I don’t want to discuss Zach Manning, his plans to breed horses or the sorry state of my little sister’s love life.”

A spark of heat ignited deep in the pit of her belly as Sasha stared at the man she’d fallen in love with. “What do you want to discuss?” She feigned thoughtfulness. “World affairs? The state of the economy? The price of tea in China?”

“None of the above,” he said. “In fact—” he brushed his lips over hers “—I prefer action over words.”

When his mouth settled on hers, Sasha decided that she did, too. They could talk on the phone after he returned to Deadwood sometime tomorrow. Right now, she was in Blake’s arms and from the promise in his heated kiss, having a conversation was the last thing either of them wanted.

“Let’s go to your place,” he suggested, pulling back to capture her gaze with his.

“I just got here,” she said, feeling as if the temperature in the room had risen a good ten degrees. She could feel his rapidly changing body against her thigh and it was creating an answering heat in the most feminine part of her. “And I really should tie up some loose ends on a project from last week.”

Groaning, he took a deep breath as he rested his forehead against hers. “I’ve always admired a strong work ethic, but right now, I’d have to say I think it’s a pain.”

She smiled, then gave him a quick kiss and rose to her feet. “I said I had a few things to take care of. I didn’t say that it would take me the rest of the afternoon.” Tugging on his hand, she urged him out of her chair. “I should be ready to leave in about an hour. Do you think you can find something to occupy your time until then?”

“I can’t hang out here in your office with you?” he asked as he stood up and wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her to him.

She shook her head. “You’re too much of a distraction.”

“But I thought you liked the way I distract you,” he teased.

Shivers of sheer delight skipped up her spine when he leaned close and whispered the many ways he’d distracted her over the weekend. “I—I do like the d-diversion.” She paused and took a deep breath in an effort to steady her voice. “And the sooner you let me get back to work, the sooner we’ll be able to leave and you can divert my attention again.”

He gave her a quick kiss, then released her and walked to the door. “I’ll be back in an hour. And sweetheart, when we get to your apartment, I’m going to show you just how much of a distraction I can be.”

When Blake left Sasha’s office, he headed straight for the empty conference room at the end of the hall. Holding her soft body against him, kissing her sweet lips and talking about various ways he intended to make love to her when they got to her place had him harder than the Rock of Gibraltar. And unless he found a place to cool off, and damned quick, he’d be the subject of office gossip for days.

Besides, after discussing the possible source of his sister’s despondent mood with Sasha, he had an overseas phone call to make. He knew it was probably the middle of the night in New Zealand, but he didn’t care. Zach Manning could haul his sorry butt out of bed and explain what was going on between himself and Skylar. And it had better be good.

Closing the door behind him, Blake walked straight to the telephone on the mahogany credenza at the back of the conference room and dialed the Dakota Fortune operator. After instructing the woman to place his call, he waited for the connection to go through.

A few moments later, a sleepy male voice answered after several rings. “What!?”

“Zach? Blake Fortune here.”

“Do you know what time it is here?” Zach demanded, his New Zealand accent thickened by sleep.

“Since you’re half a world away, it’s probably the middle of the night,” Blake said, not at all concerned by the man’s obvious displeasure at being awakened from a sound sleep.

A guttural curse crackled over the long-distance line. “I assume this isn’t a social call. What do you want, Fortune?”

“An explanation.” Never one to mince words, Blake couldn’t see any reason to do so now. “What happened between you and Skylar when you were here in February for Case’s wedding?”

Dead silence reigned for several long seconds and Blake knew he’d discovered the reason behind his sister’s withdrawal.

“Why do you ask?” Zach finally responded, sidestepping an explanation.

“She hasn’t been herself for the past couple of months and I want to know the reason why.”

“Is she all right?”

The concern Blake detected in the man’s voice was genuine enough, but that did little to appease his building anger. “Something is bothering her and it’s my guess that you’re behind it. I also figure you know what that something is and will be able to rectify the situation.”

“I’ll speak with her,” Zach assured him without hesitation.

“Consider yourself warned, Manning. I don’t like seeing my sister hurt.”

“I’ll set things right with Skylar immediately,” Zach promised. To his credit the man didn’t sound nearly as irritated as when he’d first answered Blake’s call. In fact, Zach sounded rather enthusiastic about getting in touch with her.

“See that you do,” Blake said, hanging up the phone without bidding the man farewell.

With the matter of his sister’s broken heart resolved, Blake smiled as he checked his watch. Sasha’s hour was almost up and he had every intention of taking her to her apartment and distracting her until they both collapsed from exhaustion.