Blackmailed by the Billionaire Brewer (10 page)

He shrugged with relief when he realized she was joking. “Shit, was I that good?”

“Ballistic, nuclear, amazing.”

“So no hard feelings?”

“Regarding Stan? No way, but I wasn’t being paranoid about bumping into him, see?”

“Perhaps I need to talk to some people about that.”

“Um, no, just leave it alone for now. It’s over and he’s a coward.”

He scratched his chin and looked serious. “Okay, if that’s what you want, but maybe
you shouldn’t go back to your place tonight. I’m guessing he’s been there before?”

“I’ll be fine and promise not to answer the doors to strangers once you’ve dropped
me off.”

“We can go now if you like.”

He seemed genuinely concerned, which softened the brittle way she’d been feeling during
the Stanley incident. “My nemesis has left the building, so let’s do what we came
here to do. And I’ve only seen one painting, for goodness’ sake.”

“And I think you’ve only had one drink, half of which that bonehead spilled all over
you.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry, I’ll get it cleaned first thing.”

“Nobody but you is ever going to wear that outfit, so if you want to wear it again,
I’ll pick up the dry cleaning bill. And if the stain doesn’t come out, I’ll get you
a replacement.”

“It’s the most fabulous outfit I’ve ever worn,” she said quietly. “I hope it’s not
ruined with that Champagne stain. I was going to ask you if I could keep it after
the official PCB No.68 launch, you know, when we go our separate ways.”

“Why would you need to ask that? I’m not going to try and squeeze into it.” They both
laughed as he pointed ironically to the breadth of his chest and the length of his
legs compared to hers. “And no other woman could ever do it justice after you, Piper.
Those heels are just…they’re just wow.”

“Thank you,” she murmured, remembering how Stanley would sulk if she wore high heels
because it made him look short. “Thank you for the compliment and for buying them
for me.”

“Don’t thank me, it was all part of the deal.” He snapped his gaze away from her.
“I blackmailed you into it, remember?”

She had almost forgotten that small but pertinent detail, almost forgotten that she
should be resenting every moment she spent with Matt DeLeo, but somewhere along the
line she had slipped into wanting to be with him. It was a dangerous place to be.
She had no long-term place in his life and no hope of ever achieving that—he’d made
that absolutely clear and she’d been singing from the same hymn sheet ever since they’d
met in Sanibel.

Perhaps it was the sudden, in-your-face contrast between Stanley and Matt that was
unsettling her. Matt was the tall, dark, handsome hero versus the self-interested
cheat who had made such a fool of her over the years. Her heart had been stamped on
enough. She should take an immediate emotional step backward before she got terminally
stung as well.

“I could do with another drink, that’s for sure,” she said, and he handed her a long,
tall glass of something rose-colored and bubbly. She held the flute up to the light
and squinted at it. “Perilously close to pink there, DeLeo, but I’ll take it. Networking
is thirsty work.”

“Made any good contacts yet?”

“One very good one, a lady named Fiona Potts. She seems very interested in my jewelry.”

“Ah, yes, Fiona, one of Passion Creek’s most generous patrons, along with her husband.
But they like to keep their philanthropy as private as possible. They do it for the
right reasons, not just to look good.”

“Mmm, this is nice,” Piper said with raised eyebrows. “Raspberries, ginger…it doesn’t
taste like alcohol at all. What is it?”

Matt smirked and snatched up a canapé from the table. “Try it with some of this duck
liver pate.”

Both her hands were full, one with the glass, the other with her purse so she had
no choice but to let him feed her the dainty piece of toasted bread and its savory
topping. She chewed slowly and nodded her approval. “Yum, that works well,” she said
after swallowing. “I could eat and drink a whole boatload of this.”

He smiled and took a mouthful of the pink fizz himself. “I like it with mascarpone
cheese or mussels in garlic.”

She thrust her purse into his free hand. “Hold this while I find a plate. I’m absolutely
starving, and I blame you entirely for your wine pairing expertise.”

“It’s not wine.”

“Then… Oh no, you’re kidding me? It can’t be.”

He twisted the stem of his wine glass to reveal a logo etched into the glass. “PCB
No. 68 also goes very well with prune, cherry, and apricot tarts, according to the
market research done so far. You are going to have an absolute blast at the launch.
Don’t have lunch that day.”

“Pink beer. I just don’t believe you got me to drink pink beer. I hate beer. But this
doesn’t taste like beer.”

“Brewed in the same way, but with a secret blend of fruit and botanicals. Different,
isn’t it?”

She held the glass up to the light and stared at it. “And it’s more of a blush rose
color. Coral, fuchsia, or salmon, not nasty old
pink
.”

“Where were you when I was brainstorming a name, Miss Piper? I feel the urge for an
emergency rebranding exercise.”

“Not on my account,” she said and smiled as she spotted a pile of china plates stacked
up a few yards away at the end of the table. “I’ll be back in five and then you can
do the same.”

“Don’t rush,” he said and tucked her purse under his armpit. “There’s someone I need
to speak to quickly.”

Three hours flew by in a whirlwind of food, drink, and swapping business cards as
the entire gallery buzzed with laughter and excitement. “I can’t believe I never noticed
the PCB logo all over the place until you made me drink my first evil glass of beer,”
Piper said happily. “And you should have told me beforehand that you were the official
sponsor of the evening.”

“I didn’t want to make you nervous.”

“Who said I’d be nervous?”

“You might have been. I didn’t want to put unnecessary pressure on you. And as for
the evil beer, you didn’t need to drink a few pints of it for my sake. I’d have understood.”

He gave her one those bone-melting looks and she couldn’t stop a stupid smile spreading
across her face. It was the beer, just the beer, nothing else at all. “I think it’s
time I went home before I let myself down and get another refill. It’s addictive.”

“It’s Passion Creek’s very own love elixir,” he whispered in her ear. “If you believe
in that kind of thing.”

She snorted. “I absolutely do not.”

She watched as he caught the eye of the security guard standing by the exit and tapped
an imaginary watch on his wrist. “Let’s get out of here,” he murmured. “Don’t want
to be here until dawn touching flesh and smiling sweetly.”

“All for a good cause though,” she said kindly. “For charity.”

“Sure, but there’s only a handful of people here tonight who aren’t here because of
self-interest.” He shrugged. “Not that I care. As long as my foundation to expand
access to educational opportunities is a few hundred thousand dollars better off,
they can do what they like.”

“Educational opportunities?”

“Scholarships for high-achieving minority students, poor students, computers in libraries
so everyone can get on the grid. Everyone.”

“Nice. Emptying the pockets of the rich to give to the poor. I like it.”

“I want to put something back, give some of those city kids opportunities I never
had. Make them less dependent on the incomes of their parents. Give them half a chance
at least.”

“A latter day Robin Hood?”

“That guy had more morals than I do.” He indicated that she should head for the door
and she felt the warmth of his hand guiding her between her shoulder blades. “And
I haven’t worn tights to work so far.”

“Maybe you should try it.” She giggled. “My lips would be sealed.”

“Let’s get out of here,” he whispered into her neck as they made their way through
the chattering crowds. “I want to kiss you.”

Chapter Ten

I want to kiss you.

Those words thrilled her, but also left her speechless because she could hardly wait
for him to follow through. She wanted his lips on hers, his strong arms pulling her
into him and up against the hardness of his muscled torso. She wanted to sink into
him and into sensual oblivion.

The exit door swung closed behind them and, without speaking, they rushed into the
waiting elevator. It was empty: just them, the mirrored walls, and the sound of their
breathing as the door slid shut. Piper lost herself in the sight of him for a moment
and then tugged off the black sliver of silk around his neck. She stopped breathing
for a second as he jabbed his fingers at the elevator control panel and the metal
box lurched to a halt with a squeal. The interior lights stuttered, but to her relief
they weren’t plunged into darkness. “What the hell are you doing?”

“I said I wanted to kiss you.”

“But what if someone thinks the elevator has broken down and they catch us—”

“Catch us?” The shock of the elevator grinding to a halt and the sudden, treacherous
heat building between her thighs stole any words of reply. Her heart raced with excitement
as his hand inched toward her face and delicately traced the contour of her cheekbone.
His fingers threaded through her hair and bunched together firmly, gripping the back
of her head as his lips slanted down over hers. “Then we should do this quickly.”

She closed her eyes and tilted back her chin to bare her mouth and throat to his hovering
lips. Her voice was husky. “You mean…in here? Elevator sex?”

“You started the list in Sanibel, remember?” he murmured and bit lightly at the soft
skin of her throat. “Fantasy places to have sex. This is one of mine.”

She pressed her body closer as his lips moved up to her ear, letting him nip gently
while his free hand slid inside the light silk of her jacket to curve around her breast.
Every part of her became sensitized as she felt him stiffen against her stomach. He
pushed her gently back against the cool walls. She wound her arms tightly around his
neck, dizzy with arousal, needing to feel and taste his skin. They both knew she was
saying yes and his lips found hers, easing them effortlessly apart with his tongue.

He tasted like heaven and she moaned into him, fumbling with his shirt buttons, desperate
to feel his hot, bare skin beneath her fingertips. It was like being back in Sanibel
all over again where physical sensation overrode all sense of caution or restraint.
Except this time it was even better because she knew what hard-muscled strength and
sensuality lay beneath the fine fabric of his clothes. It was impossible to hide her
eagerness when he squeezed her breast through her thin top and his hand moved from
her hair to find the hem of her camisole. “Quickly,” she muttered and helped him lift
it over her chest.

She heard his breath catch. “Front-fastening bra…” His heartbeat was strong beneath
her palm and she felt a rush of sensual power at being able to arouse such a powerful
and attractive man with so little effort. “It’s almost as if you planned this yourself.”

Her voice was tight and breathy. “Did you plan this all along?”

His answer was another kiss, a stronger one as he undid the clasp of her bra and her
breasts broke free of their lacy confines. His quick fingers dealt with the side button
and zipper of her pants, which slithered like melting ice cream onto the elevator
floor. She was beyond caring about the world outside her erotic prison already and
trembled with anticipation as her silk panties were eased aside.

“God…” She groaned, her voice laced with lust as his fingers slid smoothly in. She
arched and flexed, wordlessly encouraging him with her body to go harder, deeper,
and higher.

“More?” His tone was forceful and wicked, matching the movement of his fingers, and
she cried out as his other hand found her nipple and squeezed.

She could smell the gallery event clinging to his skin—alcohol, perfume, paint, and
new carpet as her muscles clenched tightly around him. “Yes,” she gasped, sensation
zinging through her body at the intense pleasure he was inflicting. And then his hand
fell away, his mouth closing over her tight red peak to suck and lick gently. He was
prolonging her agonizing arousal and it was like riding an erotic wave, knowing that
she would eventually crash but he was keeping her on the crest with his skillful touch.
It was heaven letting him take control, but she wouldn’t let his sweet punishment
make her come before she wanted to. Not yet. This was too good and she was feeling
greedy.

His hot fingers slipped out and upward over her sensitized bud, pausing for a second
to swirl his fingertip over the most intimate part of her body. He ran that fingertip
over her lipstick-smeared bottom lip, from left to right. “Taste how good you are,”
he whispered hoarsely, and she felt his erection kick into her belly. She flicked
out her tongue to test the tip of his middle finger, his words having sent another
intense surge of arousal coursing through her body. Rioting endorphins heightened
her senses to the point that she could feel tingling in her toes and she went to kick
off her red shoes.

“No, keep them on.” He pushed away the hand trying to ease them off, neatly gripping
her wrist and folding her hand behind her neck. She threw back her head and relished
the feel of the cold glass on her knuckles as he shifted to press his thick erection
between her thighs. The smooth material of his trousers with the rock hard promise
of release underneath was sheer torture as her sex throbbed with intense need. She
ached to unleash him, but he held her firm, turning his mouth to her breasts once
again.

“Please,” she panted as his fingers joined forces with his mouth, expertly manipulating
each engorged bead until she was on the edge. She squeezed her eyes shut. “I want
you to—”

He eased back, but she could still feel his warm breath on her skin. “Keep your eyes
shut and touch your breasts for me.” She followed his direction and her jaw dropped
open to let out soft, eager breaths, knowing that he was watching her. “That’s good.”
She heard rustling and the sound of his zipper being lowered. She was ready to come
right there and then as she teased her own flesh, but she wanted the ultimate prize.
“Come on, Matt,” she insisted. “Please.”

His body connected with hers in seconds, pushing hot and hard against her and gripping
both her arms above her head as her kissed her fiercely. She was so ready for this
and relished the feel of the cold, rough edge of his zipper on the skin of her thighs
and stomach. They chafed like small teeth
as he maneuvered himself and she hoped they would leave a mark on her pale skin, like
a love bite, a possessive branding all his own.

“Open your eyes now,” he said in a low voice. Her eyelids flickered open and took
a moment to adjust to the bright light of the elevator, reflected in mirrors all around
them, above and below.

“For God’s sake,” she uttered at the sight of him reflected in profile to her right.
How had she blanked out the memory of how hot he was? He was going to make her come
so fast and hard… “Don’t make me wait—”

Her head fell back against the cold glass, like ice and snow against her hot flesh,
and she opened herself wider, willing him to take her. One of his hands fell, leaving
the other to bind her against the glass and steel, and his fingers parted her honey-wet
lips with ease. She felt the hot tip of him between her thighs, hard and intense,
and tried to wriggle herself onto it. But he held her steady, teasing her with butterfly
kisses of sensation.

“You want?” he whispered and lifted one of her legs to wrap it around his body. She
nodded silently as his arousal pushed at her hot entrance and a dart of erotic shock
zipped through her as she felt how wet she already was. She wrapped the other leg
around his hips as he slid easily into her, panting eagerly as his girth stretched
and invaded her completely.

“I so need this,” she moaned and threw her head back to find she had a perfect view
of their coupling from the ceiling mirror above. She let out a sharp cry as he thrust
into her roughly, but the sensation and the startled look on her own face in the mirror
was the most erotic sensation she had ever experienced. It was like being a virgin
all over again, but this time it felt good. This time she knew she would have an orgasm
that would blow her mind.

“I’m sorry,” he muttered. “I didn’t mean to—”

“Sh.” She tipped her pelvis into him and clenched around his hard flesh. “Don’t stop.”
Her voice was hoarse and desperate sounding. “Do it.”

He eased back slowly before plunging back in, burying himself to the hilt, and she
responded to him greedily, sucking him in further with each powerful, narcotic thrust.
He moved faster and their eyes met before he threw his head back and caught their
reflection in the mirror as well. Both their mouths were full and red, their eyes
wide like hidden voyeurs pleasuring themselves at the forbidden scene unfolding before
them. “Bad girl,” he said and increased his speed, tight balls pummeling against her
as he drove harder into her.

“Yes.” She bucked violently against him, the base of her spine feeling the punishment
of the glass like her shoulders and wrists. “Bad girl.”

“Let go,” he grunted, his rigid length driving in and out. The feel of him swelling
to even greater proportions, the tension of his muscles and the unmistakable knowledge
that they had gone beyond the point of no return tipped her over into climax, ripping
into her nervous system with waves of ecstasy and sweet erotic poison that had her
screaming out his name like a mad woman.

Matt collapsed against her, spent and shaking, as the intercom crackled into life:
the receptionist asking in sugary tones if everything was okay. Piper felt his grip
loosen on her hands and her muscles clenched him firmly in defiance because she wasn’t
ready to let the best ride of her life go just yet.

“Everything is perfect,” he said and took a long slow breath toward recovery. “A mechanical
hitch, that’s all,” he said and shot Piper a devilish grin.