A Silken Thread (3 page)

At that moment he couldn’t imagine his life without her. He wondered how he’d made it before he’d met her, and knew it didn’t matter now. She was here, in his life, in his arms, sharing his body while he rocked within her, and he knew at that moment August couldn’t come fast enough to suit him.

He took her mouth again and she gasped the moment he did so, causing a firestorm of emotions to erupt within him. He thrust deeper, harder, and when she screamed his name, his senses shattered and his erection exploded. The hot release that shot from him into her, mixing with her juices, made him pull back his mouth to suck in a deep satisfying breath. He inhaled the scent of sex—raw, primitive and edgy.

One hell of an orgasm ripped through them, wrapped them in a cocoon of sensations, enveloped them in something so deep and absolute he knew she was an element in his life that he needed just as much as he needed his next breath.

And as they slowly began drifting back down to earth, he knew they would rest up a bit and then do this all over again. He was looking forward to it.

Chapter Two

“E
rica isn’t answering her phone, Wilson. I think I’ll call Griffin and ask that he go over there and check on her,” Karen Sanders said, tossing the words to her husband who stood on the other side of the living room about to pour a glass of scotch. For years this particular room served as the place the two of them would retire after dinner.

Lately, however, she couldn’t help noticing their paths crossed increasingly infrequently, especially since Erica had moved out. There was less conversation between her and Wilson these days, although she would be the first to admit during the thirty years of their marriage there had never been much dialogue anyway.

Their marriage had not been one of love, but over the years they’d put up a good front and tried to make the best of it. Now without Erica there to motivate the pretense, such a charade was no longer needed…at least not in private. It was as it was. He’d been born a Sanders and she a Delbert. Their parents had planned their futures and they’d had no say in the matter. That’s the way things had been and she fully understood the importance of preserving one’s family heritage, especially when it was a distinguished one such as theirs.

Instead of hanging up the phone she immediately began dialing the number of the man she’d always assumed would one day be her son-in-law. As far as she was concerned, engaged or not, there was still hope that Erica would come to her senses.

“I wish you wouldn’t do that, Karen.”

She glanced across the room again and met Wilson’s tired gaze. He had been working a lot of hours at the office lately, doing more business traveling in his role as CEO of a multimillion-dollar corporation, one that had been in the Sanders family for generations. He had good people working for him and, though he was turning sixty in November, he wouldn’t hear of retiring.

“Excuse me, but why wouldn’t you want me to call Griffin to go over and check on Erica?” she asked him. “He lives only a few miles from her so it shouldn’t be a problem.”

He frowned. “That has nothing to do with it and you know it. You think I don’t know what you’re doing? You’re deliberately putting Griffin in Erica’s face every chance you get. When are you going to accept the fact that our daughter has fallen in love and it isn’t with the man you picked out?”

That statement hit a nerve that was completely raw. “She would have listened to me, possibly even considered my position, if you had backed me up on the matter, Wilson.”

He all but slammed his tumbler down on the coffee table. “When are you going to realize it’s not about you, Karen? Our daughter has fallen in love. That in itself should make you happy.”

She waved off his words with an elegant hand. “Happy? The very thought makes me want to have a stiff drink. Spare me the spiel about love, Wilson. It has nothing to do with our daughter. We raised her to expect the finer things in life. Love won’t keep those expectations coming her way. My ancestors, yours and the Hayes’s have established their places in Ohio’s history. We aren’t regular people and everyone in this town knows it. They go out of their way to give us the respect we deserve. The respect our forefathers always intended for us to get. The notion of Erica leaving Hattersville is bad enough, but she plans to get a professional job, for crying out loud.”

“A little hard work never killed anyone. That little glamour job as librarian you made sure was dropped in her lap is a joke and she knows it. She’s always resented it and only took it to keep peace between you two.”

She stared at him for a moment and then said, “A person born of both Sanders and Delbert blood should not have to work. There are enough people in the lower classes capable of handling the manual labor.”

Wilson pressed his lips together to keep from coming right out and calling his wife a snob. She would probably take it as a compliment, anyway. Over the years he’d been tempted more than once to deliberately plunge the company into bank ruptcy so that she could see how it felt to be one of those less fortunate souls, those same people she looked down her nose at. He knew she went to bed each night thinking she’d done her Christian duties by giving her time to make life just a little better for those she considered inferior.

“Whether you think I should call Griffin or not, Wilson, our daughter is missing.”

He rolled his eyes. “Cut the drama, Karen. Erica is not missing. She probably went out for the evening. I talked to her earlier today and she mentioned April was in town. The two of them are probably together somewhere.”

He saw in his wife’s eyes the frown she couldn’t hide. Erica’s friendship with April North was another thorn in her side, something she’d always considered an evil. He’d always been proud of Erica for standing up to her mother on that particular issue, refusing to let Karen choose her friends, just as he was proud of Erica for refusing to let Karen manipulate her into marrying Griffin.

“Well, either we let Griffin verify she’s all right or I’m calling Bob.”

Bob Denison was the chief of police in Hattersville. Wilson was well aware that his wife had practically bankrolled the man’s last couple of reelection campaigns, which put him in Karen’ back pocket pretty damn deep.

“Don’t involve Bob,” he said, reaching for his jacket. “I’ll go check on Erica myself.”

He didn’t add that he needed a reason to get out of the house, a reason to dismiss himself from her presence. Little did she know that, although she would badger him on occasion about the hours he put in at the firm, the main reason he did so was because he’d rather be there than here.

There was no need to pretend that he was in love with his wife, because he wasn’t. And the sad thing about it was that he never had been. But then, she hadn’t ever loved him, either, so any absence of emotions on his part didn’t warrant a guilt trip. Their marriage had started off from day one as a business arrangement. At least that’s how their parents had explained it to them. Now, thirty years later, nothing had changed other than their ages and the fact that during one of those rare times they’d made love they had produced a daughter.

He wondered if Karen had ever considered getting out of their farce of a marriage. Had she ever thought about wanting more or mulled over how it would be to really fall in love? Had she asked him for a divorce he would have gladly given her one. But she’d never asked, which meant she was satisfied with how things were between them. He was not. Never had been. And lately he was beginning to realize just how dissatisfied he was.

“When you find Erica, please let me know she’s all right.”

He worked the jacket over his shoulders. “Erica’s not lost, Karen. When are you going to realize and accept she’s a grown woman and not a child?”

Of course her response was one he didn’t want to hear, and a weary sigh flowed from his lips as he left the room.

“Close your eyes and open your mouth, sweetheart.”

Erica smiled and did what Brian asked. The moment she felt the spoon enter her mouth and tasted the chocolate concoction on her tongue she couldn’t help but moan.

She opened her eyes. “It’s delicious, Brian. Where did you get the recipe?”

They were standing in her kitchen. He was barefoot and shirtless and his jeans hung low on his hips. She was wearing his dress shirt and nothing else. After making love a second time he had dragged her out of bed and into the kitchen. They had ordered pizza and he had taken over her kitchen to make his favorite sweet treat. Brownies. And to top them off he’d made a mouthwatering chocolate sauce.

“It’s one of Mom’s. She uses it in her cake batter sometimes to make it moister.”

She nodded as she licked her lips. She’d been serious when she’d said the sauce was delicious and she couldn’t wait until the brownies cooled so they could layer it on top of them. The coffee had been brewing and she was anxious to pour a cup to go along with them.

“And how is your mom?” she asked.

He smiled as he turned back to the stove. “She’s great. Her contract with the Hastings Corporation was renewed, which means even more international travels for her. But she loves it.”

Erica leaned against the kitchen counter. She had met Brian’s mother months ago, the first time she’d visited him in Dallas. At first she’d found it hard to believe that the woman was old enough to have given birth to him. She looked to be in her early forties instead of fifty-two. And upon their introduction, Erica had immediately felt a genuine warmth emanating from her. She hadn’t known what to expect, since she’d figured out early in their relationship that Brian and his mother were rather close.

“Is she looking forward to the engagement party my parents are planning for us?” she decided to ask.

“Of course.”

Erica’s brows lifted in surprise. “She is?”

Brian chuckled. “Yes.”

At her doubtful look, he leaned over and brushed a kiss across her lips. His eyes were gentle and held a depth of understanding that she couldn’t help but appreciate. “I told you not to worry, Erica. Everything will be fine. Mom knows your mother doesn’t think I’m good enough for you.”

Hearing him put her mother’s very thoughts into words made her shiver. “And knowing all of that, she hasn’t talked you out of marrying me?”

His laughter filled the room and he pulled her into his arms. “Baby, no one can talk me out of marrying you. Besides, Mom wouldn’t think of doing so anyway. She’s gotten to know you and thinks I’m a lucky man, and I can’t help but agree.”

Erica shook her head. There were times when she felt she’d somehow found favor with the man upstairs. Surely no woman could be this lucky. Months before meeting Brian she’d been reading articles about how hard it was for women to find good men. And as far as she was concerned the cream of the crop had been dropped into her lap when she had least expected it.

She had needed to get away from her home for the summer and April suggested her place on the beach in South Carolina. Erica didn’t hesitate to take her friend up on her offer. April was to join her for at least half of the time but an unexpected modeling gig had kept her in Paris longer than either of them anticipated.

The thought of spending her time alone did not bother Erica. She had packed up enough books to read and DVDs to watch. But loneliness was never an issue. She had met Brian during her first week there.

“I hope you know that I won’t let what your mother thinks influence me in any way. You’re her daughter, so she wants the best for you.” A smile curved the corners of his lips when he added, “It’s just taking her a little time to figure out what’s best for you is me.”

“Oh, you,” she said, laughing, gently punching him in the arm and giving him a playful shove. “You’re beginning to sound conceited.”

“Am I?”

“A little.”

Whatever else she was about to say died in her throat when he took a step closer, recovering the distance between them. Her gaze met his before it lowered slightly to his mouth. There lay the crux of a lot of their problems whenever they were alone. If she concentrated on his mouth for too long she would start remembering all the naughty things he could do with it.

She watched the corners of that same mouth curve into a seductive smile. “What are you thinking about, sweetheart?”

Like she really had to tell him.
He already knew the answer, so why had he bothered to ask? But since he had she might as well respond. “Your taste.” It couldn’t get any plainer than that.

“Why think about it when you can sample it? Again.” He said the words in a deep rumbling voice with the casual ease of a man who was not only sure of himself but also of the woman he was with.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and melted against him. “Good question. Why should I waste my time thinking about it?”

She saw the intense look of desire in his eyes just moments before she leaned up on tiptoes and brought her mouth to his. His kisses were the foundation that pleasure was built on. A feeling of something totally right filled every part of her when he captured her tongue with his to give her the taste she wanted.

She closed her eyes and became lost in the intensity of the emotions flooding her. When he suddenly pulled back, breaking off the kiss, she opened her eyes and watched a smile touch his lips.

“Sounds like our pizza has arrived,” he said.

When she just stared at him with a questioning look on her face, he added, “The doorbell sounded. Didn’t you hear it?”

She shook her head and managed her own smile. She hadn’t heard anything for feeling so deeply. “No. I think you’d better answer the door. I’m not dressed to be seen.”

His gaze roamed the length of her. His shirt stopped above the knee and showed a generous amount of thigh. More thigh than she wanted anyone else to see.

“I agree. You can take the brownies out of the oven. They should be done now.”

Brian couldn’t help but smile as he walked out of the kitchen and headed toward the front door. They had ordered pizza from this particular restaurant before while he’d been in town and he knew their pizzas were totally delicious. But nothing, he thought, was as delicious as the kiss he’d just shared with Erica.

After pizza and brownies they would head back to bed. He was definitely looking forward to more time beneath the covers with her. He had spent his days in Dallas working hard and his nights missing her like crazy. Their nightly phone calls had helped, except for those times when she would intentionally add a little steam into the mix. Then he would go to bed with a longing and a hard-on that couldn’t be assuaged.