Читать книгу In a Bind - Stephanie Bond - Страница 12

ZOE STARED AT THE ROW of four lavatory doors, her heart in her throat. Which one was he in?

Two of them read Vacant, so she knocked lightly and tried those first, but they were both empty. She approached the first door that read Occupied, and after a bolstering breath, rapped lightly. The sign clicked to Vacant, meaning the door had been unlocked. Zoe swallowed hard and glanced all around to make sure no one saw her going inside. And she told herself that she could still change her mind.

But even through the door she could feel his pull on her and was almost powerless to resist him. She had to find out why this man could entice her into doing things that she wouldn’t have considered mere hours ago.

She twisted the handle, pushed open the door and slipped inside.

The space was generous by airplane facilities’ standards—it was twice as big as lavatories on domestic flights. But Colin Cannon’s big body took up most of it. He leaned against the side wall studying her with those incredible green eyes. Did he wonder what kind of a woman would do this?

A woman like her, she realized. She stood rigid, holding her bag with a white-knuckled grip as she waited for him to move, to talk, to breathe. The space felt insular with the hum of the plane vibrating all around them.

He straightened and reached past her to lock the door, then took the bag and set it on a shelf, out of the way.

“I’ve never done anything like this before,” she said.

“Neither have I,” he said, then lifted his hand to her cheek. “You’re beautiful.” His voice had turned low and husky. “I didn’t know if you’d come.”

“I didn’t know, either,” she admitted. “I’m still not sure why I did.”

“Then we’re equally puzzled by one another.” He lifted her chin and lowered his mouth to hers.

Zoe waited for the shock to her system, having another man’s mouth on hers, but the only shock she had was how good it felt, how sensual. He kissed her thoroughly, cupping her face with both hands and delving deep with his strong tongue. She heard a moaning sound and realized it was her. Her hands, too, seemed disembodied. They slid up his chest, across the crisp fabric of his dress shirt, unfastening any buttons they encountered.

He smoothed his hands down her back and pulled her pelvis against his. The burn of his erection through the thin fabric of their clothes flipped some kind of carnal switch in Zoe. Heat flooded her body, she became feverish. Her breasts ached for his touch, her sex throbbed. She wanted his body sliding against hers…inside her.

Her sweater and bra went first, then his tie and shirt, then her panty hose and panties, then his belt. She released his bulging sex and sucked in an appreciative breath at the size of him. When she clasped the length of him, his eyes closed and he groaned with pleasure. He fumbled in his back pocket for a wallet and pulled out a condom.

“It’s the only one I have,” he murmured. “Let’s make it last.”

Zoe rolled it on and felt her body readying itself for him…warming, opening, expanding. He kissed her again, hungrily, nipping and licking. When he caught one nipple between his teeth and clamped down, she let him know she enjoyed the flash of pleasure-pain by squeezing his cock. “Now,” she whispered.

He turned her around to face the mirror and kissed her neck while watching her reaction in the mirror. Then he removed the pins holding her hair and loosened it to lay in waves around her shoulders. “Look at you,” he said near her ear, then tugged the lobe with his teeth.

Zoe almost didn’t recognize herself. Her cheeks were flushed, her mouth bruised and open. Her eyes were nearly closed. She looked wanton, sexy…and thoroughly aroused.

He cupped her heavy breasts, brown fingers against the pale globes, and twisted the tips until they were distended. Lust like she’d never experienced coursed through her body. She thought she might faint from wanting him. She undulated her hips against his erection, and wanted her skirt to be gone. But when she reached for her hem, he clasped her hands and held them over her head.

“Soon,” he murmured, “but not yet.”

Holding both her hands with one of his, he wrapped his silk tie around her wrists again and again, then fashioned a loose knot. She could’ve gotten away if she wanted to, she thought distantly, but she didn’t want to. As he held her hands against the coolness of the mirror, he worked magic on her body with the other hand, lifting her skirt and reaching around to stroke her slick folds and massage her clit. Zoe moaned and writhed against him, urging him with her body to take her. But he seemed determined to torture her with pleasure.

He worked her clit and kissed her neck, watching her all the while. His eyes, his hands, his body…God, she thought she might explode. A vibration deep in her womb was wending its way to the surface, but too slowly. She ground herself against his fingers to hasten the release and at last, a fierce orgasm claimed her. He kissed her, absorbing her cries.

Zoe was vaguely glad that one of them had the presence of mind to keep from drawing attention to their cubicle. She seemed unable to think at the moment, unable to do anything but feel…feel the numbing in her hands from the constriction of the tie, feel the edge of the sink as it cut into the front of her thighs, feel the pressure of his big body against hers. She knew the length of him would stretch her limits. She was weak with wanting him inside her.

And despite his promise to make her wait, she could tell by the clench of his hands and the set of his jaw that he, too, was nearing his breaking point. She spread her legs wider and thrust back against him, impaling herself on the head of his cock. A guttural noise escaped him, and on their next breath, he filled her completely.

Zoe’s knees buckled from the sensory overload, but she leaned into the mirror and concentrated on keeping her eyes open. She wanted to see his face while he made love to her.

He was a beautiful man. His arms were long and muscular, his chest broad and covered with light hair. His face was ruggedly handsome and surprisingly expressive. From the pleasure playing over his face, he was enjoying the sex at least half as much as she was. Pure feminine satisfaction flooded her body as she met his long strokes, contracting her internal muscles around him. Not being able to use her hands helped her focus on other parts of her body—her nipples seemed ultrasensitive, and in this position, he seemed to be hitting a sweet spot…

Zoe came again, this orgasm more sudden and more intense. He put his arm in front of her mouth and she bit down to smother her cries. He buried his face in her hair, then climaxed with a powerful contraction of his hips. His muffled groan reverberated in her ear. In that moment, she felt utterly sated.

He pulsed inside her for a long minute, allowing them both to recover. Then he gently unwound his tie from her wrists and helped to retrieve stray pieces of clothing. Zoe covered her breasts with her sweater and combed her hair back from her face with her hand. “I’d like to stay and freshen up.”

He nodded and shrugged into his dress shirt, buttoning it and tucking it in with practiced ease. “Sure thing. By the way, that was amazing,” he said matter-of-factly as he threaded his belt through the loops of his slacks.

She was staggered at how relaxed they both were, and conceded that not nearly enough oxygen had fully returned to her brain. The incident certainly qualified as mind-blowing.

He looped the wrinkled tie around his neck and fashioned a loose Windsor knot. “Can I see you again?”

Zoe blinked in surprise—she hadn’t seen that coming. She’d just assumed that he was a traveling businessman looking for a quickie. In fact, she hadn’t believed him when he’d said he’d never done this before. But no matter what his motivation or his circumstances, she couldn’t ignore her own. “No, that’s not possible. I’m—” she held up her left hand and her diamond engagement ring twinkled back “—I’m getting married in a month.”

“Ah, I see,” he said with a little smile that hinted of disappointment.

“I don’t regret what happened,” she said. “I wanted it, too. But I’m sure you understand why it has to end here.”

“I do,” he said, then winked. “I guess that’s the groom’s line, though, isn’t it?”

She winced, then nodded. Her mind flashed to the black velvet ring box in Colin’s jacket pocket, but she didn’t mention it—she wasn’t even supposed to know it was there.

“Too bad,” he said, washing his hands in the sink and taking a minute to splash water on his face. For some reason, watching him wash up somehow seemed more intimate than what they had just shared. “It would’ve been a good time,” he said, tossing the paper towels in the trash. He stopped, his hand on the doorknob, his green eyes lit with renewed cheer. “Good luck, Zoe.”

“Thank you,” she said, feeling awkward for the first time since their encounter.

He started to say something, then changed his mind. His white upper teeth sank into his lower lip. “He’s a lucky bloke,” he said finally, then left and closed the door behind him.

Zoe locked the door, then leaned into the sink to face herself in the mirror. She looked as if she’d been ridden hard…and had enjoyed it. Shame mixed with remorse started a slow drip as Kevin, whose face she could barely visualize before, now seemed branded on her mind. He would feel so betrayed if he knew what she’d done…and how good it had felt.

So she would never tell him. She’d had her little fling with a man who made her knees weak and had even gotten a taste of light bondage. It was over…done. Now she could move forward with the life she and Kevin had planned together and wouldn’t have to wonder what she’d missed out on.

Can I see you again?

Moving quickly lest someone became suspicious of how long the bathroom had been occupied, she ran water in the sink and freshened up, then changed out of her uniform and into clothes that would travel well to the resort where she was staying in Sydney. Finally she rewound her hair into a thick knot at the nape of her neck.

Can I see you again?

When she emerged from the lavatory, passengers were beginning to rouse from their sleep. Light seeped into the cabin from windows that had been raised a few inches. She felt self-conscious as she made her way back to her seat, but no one seemed to know that she’d just had slam sex in the bathroom with a stranger.

Can I see you again?

Erica was awake and frowned at Zoe’s new outfit. They rarely changed clothes before leaving the plane. Zoe gave Erica a little wave that she hoped came off as casual before reclaiming her seat. But once she was settled, her gaze kept straying to the curtain that divided coach from first class.

Can I see you again?

“It wouldn’t work,” she murmured.

“Did you say something?” the funky black-haired woman sitting next to her asked.

Zoe turned. The woman’s eyes were indeed violet. How strange. Perhaps they were contact lenses. “No. I…was talking to myself.”

“Helpful habit,” the woman said with a smile. “It’s amazing what you can talk yourself into.”

“Or out of,” Zoe added ruefully.

“Careful with that one,” the woman said. “There are always plenty of people around who are more than happy to talk you out of doing things. Don’t jump on the bandwagon.”

Zoe smiled. “I’m Zoe. Is this your first trip to Australia?”

“I’m Lillian, and yes, it is. I can’t wait to experience everything. You’ve probably been here dozens of times.”

“Several,” Zoe admitted. “This is my last trip, though. I’m transferring to a domestic route so that I can be home more. I’m getting married soon.”

“Oh, how lovely.”

“Yes,” Zoe said, hoping she sounded more excited to the woman than she sounded to herself.

“So this is your last hurrah as a single woman?” her companion teased.

“Something like that,” Zoe admitted.

“And afterward, maybe you can have that reunion with your old friend who wrote the letter.”

Zoe nodded and smiled politely, but she knew that married Zoe would have to say goodbye forever to the Zoe who had written about her fantasies. Still, the letter had been the catalyst to indulging in the tryst in the lavatory. She had good memories to take home, something exciting to think about when she closed her eyes…

She did manage to doze off for a little while, and then they were landing.

“Why did you change clothes?” Erica asked when they met at the gate inside the terminal.

“I spilled red wine on my sweater,” Zoe lied, rolling her suitcase toward customs and the exit. With their airline identification, they breezed through. She didn’t see Colin Cannon, but then being a native, he would’ve gone through a different line. As they walked by baggage claim, she couldn’t resist glancing over to see if she could spot him one last time.

“Who are you looking for?” Erica asked suspiciously.

“Er…the woman who sat next to me was so nice, I thought I’d wave goodbye if I saw her.”

“Hurry, let’s get a taxi. I can’t wait to check out the resort.”

Zoe followed her friend, feeling wistful as the taxi pulled away from the curb, leaving the airport behind. She would likely never see Colin again.

Which was just as well. She sat back in her seat and chewed on her thumbnail.

Erica nodded to the binder peeking out of Zoe’s bag. “I hope you’re not going to worry about the wedding the entire time you’re here.”

“I won’t, I promise. I just need to send a few e-mails to tie up loose ends.”

“As long as you don’t change your mind about the bridesmaids’ dresses. Because I’m so looking forward to wearing what you’ve picked out. Did you say that strange color is apricot?”

Zoe winced apologetically. “My mother’s idea.”

“It’s okay. I have one of those, too. I remember how she was when I planned my wedding.”

Zoe nodded. It was as if her mother was determined that her daughter would have the wedding that she herself had always wanted. Satin and bows, lace and frippery. Which now seemed totally incongruous. Because after her encounter with Colin Cannon, all she could think about was leather and metal.

She gave herself a mental shake. Getting back into the details of the wedding would help to get her mind back where it belonged—on her groom.

Can I see you again?

Zoe forced the images of Colin from her head and concentrated on the view outside the taxi window. To her, Sydney was a cross between New York and San Francisco—bustling with people and cars, but hemmed by a breathtaking blue-and-white harbor. The resort was settled a few blocks from the epicenter of the city, in an older part of town. Its spalike atmosphere was a favorite destination for flight attendants, but the steep rates had always been a little pricey for Zoe. This was her first visit. Erica would be staying for two nights before returning to the States, but Zoe had used all her accumulated credit card points and splurged for ten days.

The lobby was soaring and lush with green plants and water features. The check-in process was smooth and quiet, their bags whisked away by white-suited bellmen.

“I’m going to need a nap before we do anything,” Erica said, yawning.

“You go ahead,” Zoe said. “The signal on my cell phone is strong. I’m going to try to reach Kevin and check e-mail. I’ll be right up.”

Erica nodded, her eyes drooping, then walked toward the elevator. Zoe moved to a quiet corner and pulled up her e-mail on her phone. She winced. Six messages from her mother, and from the subject lines, all of them had something to do with changes to the reception dinner seating chart, which Zoe was supposed to be working on.

Postponing reading them until later, she switched to phone mode and punched in Kevin’s number. She desperately needed to talk to him, but considering it was almost midnight in Atlanta, she didn’t expect him to answer. He usually went to bed early so he’d be rested for his morning workouts. When his voice-mail service kicked on, she felt a pang at the warm familiarity of his voice.

“Hi, it’s me,” she said brightly. “The flight was—” traitorous “—fine. I’m—” a big, fat cheater “—fine.” Zoe pressed her lips together, telling herself she needed to act as if everything was normal. As if she wasn’t still tender in places from being with another man, as if she wasn’t still besieged by images of them together. “I’ll call you later. Bye.” It was only after she hung up that she realized she hadn’t said that she loved him.

And the guilt that she’d been expecting finally swamped her body with the force of a flash flood. She closed her eyes against the physical pain until it ebbed, then told herself that there was nothing left to do but to live with it.

She turned to face the expansive white lobby, enjoying the peaceful chiming sounds of Aboriginal music playing overhead. Sun poured in on the gleaming floor tile and polished brass fixtures. Overhead fans stirred the branches of potted fig trees. She inhaled deeply and exhaled, feeling instantly calmer. This soothing ambience was exactly what she needed to relax and to rid her mind of one Colin Cannon.

“This is a nice surprise.”

Zoe pivoted to see the man himself standing at the check-in desk, a duffel in one hand, a briefcase in the other. His leather duster nearly touched the ground. Her mouth opened and closed as alarms sounded in her head. When the shock subsided, disbelief and anger set in.

She strode up to him, her heart racing double-time. “Mr. Cannon,” she said, trying to keep her voice calm, “what happened on the plane was a one-time thing. You had no right to follow me here.”

He looked confused, then smiled. “I didn’t follow you here, Zoe. This is purely a coincidence.”

That was possible, she conceded. “Th-then you’ll have to go to another hotel.”

“That would be rather difficult,” he said.

Zoe crossed her arms. “Why?”

Colin was interrupted by a reservations employee who handed him a flat wooden box over the counter. “Your keys, Mr. Cannon. I’ll ring the bellman.”

He thanked the woman, then turned back to Zoe, taking in her belligerent stance with an amused expression. “Because…I happen to own this place.”