Читать книгу Desire September 2017 Books 1 -4 - Yvonne Lindsay - Страница 20

Eleven

Royce knew he was in trouble the minute Jasmine walked out of the elevator into the foyer in one of those feminine, flowy dresses she wore. Only this one seemed to have a little more oomph—a little extra cleavage, a slit up one side. Or was his overheated brain imagining that?

He felt like someone had flipped a switch inside him, jumpstarted an electrical pulse that shot through him whenever Jasmine was near. It was like the exhilaration of implementing a successful business plan—only a hundred times harder and sharper.

He didn’t want to fight it anymore. Didn’t want to fight her.

Make love, not war. Wasn’t that a phrase from days past? His mother used to say it. Not that it had gotten her far. Her inability to go to war against his father had turned her life into endless days of drudgery—until Royce had stepped in to change that.

Royce opened the door to his penthouse to allow Jasmine inside. Her heels clicked on the glossy black tile. She breathed deep. “Something smells incredible,” she said. Her slight smile intrigued him.

Was she nervous?

When she swallowed, it confirmed his suspicions, though he had to look hard to notice. “You weren’t kidding that you could cook,” she said.

“I just need to finish a few last-minute things. You aren’t averse to any particular seafood, are you?”

She shook her head, bringing his attention to the thick dark hair swinging around her shoulders.

“That’s good, or else this would be a complete disaster,” he said with a laugh that seemed to break the unexpected tension between them. “I’m finishing up some shrimp scampi. The sides and salad are ready. But I wimped out on the dessert.”

“Not you,” Jasmine mocked in her sassy way.

“I’m not a pastry chef. I figured since we didn’t make it to dessert the other day, I’d go by Marco’s and pick up a praline cheesecake.”

The O of her mouth was encouraging—and sexy as hell. “Sounds awesome,” she said. “But I’m surprised you would admit you can’t cook everything.”

“I realized a long time ago that there was no point in pretending to be something I’m not.”

Her delectable body went still for mere seconds, but Royce caught it. He should have expected a question to follow.

“Was it a problem? Early on?”

He waved her farther into the living area as thoughts swirled through his mind. He watched her take in the comfortably luxurious space. Royce had never wanted to live in a showplace. A few designers had tried to convince him otherwise, but eventually he’d found someone who understood his preferences. The magnificent space was in one of Savannah’s formerly dilapidated shipping warehouses, now refurbished for people who could afford the best—although his “best” meant an awesome sound system, overstuffed leather furniture and a magnificent view. Not high-priced works of art and anemic, uncomfortable chairs.

Jasmine seemed to agree. “Wow,” she breathed as she approached the wall of windows looking out toward downtown and the river.

The architect had pushed out the walls so the floor extended all the way to the stone arches that used to frame an old balcony for ship watching. The arches were now fitted with glass panes for an extended view from inside the unusual room.

“This is an incredible blend of old and new,” she said. “I’m very impressed.”

“It’s relaxing when I finally make it home at night.”

The black mirrored tile from the foyer gave way to glossy wood floors in the living areas. Royce walked over to the bar in the far corner. “Having you here gives me a chance to use the bar. I hardly ever have company.”

He fixed the martini she requested while she strolled along the long wall of windows, skirted the corner bar and continued along the shorter wall. “Incredible.”

“Thank you.”

“And thank you for inviting me here.” This time her look was more straightforward, promising.

Royce felt his insides heat up. “Well, thanks to you, I’m learning to mix business with pleasure.”

She lifted the martini glass in salute. “Me, too.”

If he let this go much farther, dinner would be burned beyond recognition. “I’d better finish up the food.”

As he turned away, he heard her footsteps behind him. “Mind if I join you?”

He paused, giving her a chance to catch up. “Please feel free.”

As they walked down a short corridor and into his designer kitchen, he had to chuckle.

“What’s so funny?” she asked.

“I just realized.” He paused, then let a long, slow breath ease out, surprised he was admitting this. “I just realized that, besides my mother and the cleaning lady, you are the first person to ever join me in my kitchen.”

“Wow. Really?”

He watched as her blue gaze roamed over the mahogany cabinets with their black hardware, the cream ceramic appliances and the black tile on the walls. She made a beeline for the stools on the other side of the kitchen island. The large room was designed for social gatherings, but Royce had never used it as such.

“Yes,” he murmured. “Really.”

But what was even odder was how comfortable he felt with her in his space, if comfortable was even the word to describe the electrical connection that continued to surprise him.

But it wasn’t the only thing that surprised him. He was also bemused by how completely at ease they were with each other. They ended up eating at the island in the kitchen, seated across from each other on stools. Her eyes sparkled just as much as her wineglass under the lights. Their conversation flowed naturally from the upcoming masquerade to other events they’d attended.

After exclaiming over the food with genuine enthusiasm, Jasmine took her wineglass and wandered back down the hallway to the living room. Night had taken full hold. The mature trees below and the climbing ivy overflowing the outer walls onto the windowsills gave the impression of being protected by nature as they looked onto the lights spread out before them. Savannah was a city of hard brick and lush greenery. “It really is beautiful, Royce.” She half turned toward him. “I can’t believe your mother loved the manor house more.”

“She did enjoy the view here, but I think Keller House made her think of a time when she was happier, when life had possibilities.”

Jasmine was nice enough to add, “But in the end, she was left with the knowledge that she had raised a fully capable young man who would take care of himself and her.”

He glanced down into his glass, feeling a familiar mixture of sadness and pride. “She didn’t have to worry anymore.”

Suddenly he felt a brush of warmth on his arm. Through his dress shirt, he could feel the outline of Jasmine’s hand. He couldn’t count the number of times recently he had dreamed of how soft her skin would be against his. How those perfectly manicured nails would feel against his back. Or how the curves of her body would feel pressed against his.

She was offering comfort. He needed to remind himself of that.

Then she stepped closer. Any effort at restraint became exponentially harder. He allowed himself a glance, only to find her gaze locked on him. And it wasn’t overflowing with sympathy. With just one look they both knew exactly where this was headed. “Will you stay the night?” he finally asked.

“Do you really need to ask?”

That amused him. “Sweetheart, with you I never assume anything.”

Her smile was a concession to everything they’d been through so far. “Then let me make myself plain. Assume all you want.”

* * *

Royce may have been cautious about getting to a more intimate stage, but when the time came, Jasmine found he was as focused in the bedroom as he was in the boardroom.

One minute they were facing each other, then he took a few purposeful steps to bring her within reach. She barely had time to blink before Royce’s hand was in her hair and his mouth once more covered hers. The heat that she remembered from their first kiss was there, this time underpinned by a purpose that made her insides melt.

He tasted spicy, which ramped up the temperature inside her. There was nothing tentative about his kiss. Instead, he conquered her with smooth glides and strong pulls. There was nothing more for her to do than enjoy.

When he pulled back, she was tempted to beg him not to stop, but she clamped her teeth over her lower lip to keep the words inside. Her body was anxious, aching for the race to be finished. But Jasmine wanted to savor the ride. She glanced up to find his gaze glued to the deep V of her neckline—a design she’d deliberately chosen with him in mind.

Then her own gaze dropped and she glimpsed the edges of his neck tattoo above the open collar of his button-down shirt. Curious, she let her fingers trail over the skin of his neck to push the material aside.

To her surprise, the elegant tendrils she’d often glimpsed above his collar gave way to a solid shield, an old-world symbol emblazoned with a brilliantly colored dragon. It stood for strength. Protection. Not what she’d expected, but somehow very fitting for the man she was coming to know.

Her smile gave him all the permission he needed. His palms slid from the back of her neck down over her collarbones, leaving warm trails that quickly faded. When he finally reached her breasts, she gasped. Her nipples tightened in a quick rush, eager for attention.

He simply held them, each mound a handful. The heat from his hands soaked into her skin through the layers of her clothing. She couldn’t stop her back from arching just a little. Then his thumbs began a dedicated exploration that made her wish her clothes would just disappear.

She had no recollection of ever needing someone to see her, touch her, this badly. It was scary—just as much as it was exhilarating.

After long, long moments of exquisite torture, his devilish hands moved down—tracing her generous curves. His touch wasn’t simple. No. It was magic. The pressure and heat imprinted the feel of him on her skin.

How could a seemingly innocent touch make her knees go weak? Cause her bones to melt until she leaned forward, her hands braced on his shoulders as he knelt before her?

He eased off one of her high-heeled pumps. His thumbs traced the line of her foot before he squeezed hard into the arch, surprising a gasp from her. Maintaining the pressure, he slid his fingers along the silky surface of her thigh-highs. Too soon, he reached underneath her skirt to find the tops of her stockings and roll them down her legs.

Who knew being undressed could be such a sensual dance?

By the time both legs were bare, Jasmine’s entire body throbbed. Royce looked up at her from his crouching position. “Take your dress off for me.”

She knew where every tie was, every clasp. But she kept her movements slow, taking her time, building anticipation. It was worth ignoring her own need to see his eyes widen as she revealed a pale pink, lace-edged slip over matching bra and panties. When the dress finally puddled at her feet, he gripped her silk-covered hips and buried his face against her.

She thought she heard him suck in a deep breath. His hands tightened for a moment. Her tummy quivered beneath his cheek. Her throat went dry while she grew slick between her thighs.

Royce stood, only pulling his hands away at the very last minute. That small concession told her more than anything that he wanted her as much as she wanted him. Then he circled around her to take in the view from every angle. To her surprise, he turned her to face the window. That’s when she realized their reflections stared back as if from an antique mirror. Hazy. Shimmery.

“This,” he said, running a finger along one bra strap, then the lace that edged the top curve of one breast, “is very sexy.” He pulled the straps down off her shoulders. Then he hooked his fingers in the material of her slip and slowly eased it down over her curves. “But it isn’t what I’m most interested in seeing.”

She had only a moment to catch the reflection of herself in the bra and panties before he picked her up and carried her down a longer hallway to the back of the penthouse.

With a quick sweep of her gaze, she took in the dim bedroom with dark furniture and smoky walls before Royce arranged her on the comforter on her knees, facing him as he stood beside the bed. The soft moonlight from the bedroom windows revealed his outline, but the details of his expression were now lost to her. Once more he traced the edges of the clothes she had left before slipping his hands beneath the silk of her panties to cup her rear.

His touch was firm, with just enough concession to her softness. Pulling her close, he rubbed his fully clothed body against her. The fact that he was covered while she was practically naked left her feeling decadent. The pressure of his erection excited her. Her body went wet in anticipation.

Again, that firm grip guided her down until she lay on the bed. His mouth devoured hers, teeth nipping her lips, tongue delving inside to stroke against hers.

She lost herself in the sensations.

Then, somehow, his mouth was sucking at her naked breast, pulling cries from her straining lungs. He worked one nipple, then the other until they were tight and hard. Electrical pulses streaked through her. She lifted her pelvis against him, more than ready for some relief from the driving urges inside her body.

Deftly, Royce rose to his knees. His dress shirt was gone in seconds. He opened his pants to reveal the very thing she needed in this moment. He put on protection quickly, efficiently. Then, with a snap of his wrist, he broke through her panties. All barriers were gone. Finally his body covered hers.

She could feel the rub of his suit pants against the insides of her thighs as his body searched for her opening. His fingers spread her wide, coating her with her own moisture to ease the way. Then they teased her, drawing out her cries of desperation.

Not soon enough, he entered her. She struggled for a moment to accommodate him. The pressure was exquisite. One lift of her hips and he slid inside.

There was no more waiting, no more savoring. They were both too desperate.

She clutched at his ribs as he pistoned into her, demanding her response. Indulging his own. Her cries mingled with his groans in the darkness.

All too soon, she needed more. Needed his utmost. She dug her nails into his buttocks, urging him to give her everything.

Then the exquisite pressure burst. The world turned white in a shower of stars. But the best part of it all was knowing that he followed her.