Crave (Splendor Book 2) (48 page)

Ian glanced up in surprise as she plucked the margarita glass from his hand and set it down on the low, glass-topped table between their lounges. She straddled him, looping her arms around his neck, and gave a satisfied little smile when his gaze automatically flicked down to the ample cleavage bared by her yellow bikini top.

She leaned down to whisper in his ear, “You know how sometimes I really, really like giving you carte blanche over me in bed?”

He ran his hands up the side of her ribcage, stopping just below the swell of her breasts. He swallowed with some difficulty before nodding. “I, ah, do know, yes.”

She licked the side of his neck. “Well, I think I’m going to be in a very giving mood tonight.”

***

Tessa could almost feel the barely leashed tension emanating from Ian’s body as he tugged her along by the hand, forcing her to quicken her step to keep up with him. The flimsy flip flops she’d worn to the pool were sadly lacking in any semblance of support, and certainly didn’t help a bit as she was propelled along in her very determined lover’s wake. He’d wasted little time in taking her up on her enticing offer of sexual carte blanche tonight, bolting down the rest of his margarita before grabbing her hand and pulling her to her feet.

The butler assigned to the owner’s suite was hovering about as usual, and rushed to open the door for them, even though Tessa could sense Ian’s impatience and knew he would have preferred to do it himself. And even though this was the third business trip she’d accompanied him on, she still wasn’t quite used to the opulence of their accommodations, or the way she was waited on practically hand and foot. Unlike Ian, who seemed to take such things for granted, to easily accept them as part of his normal, everyday lifestyle.

Which, she realized with a little sigh as she walked inside the suite, was right on the mark. Ian had been born into all this extravagance, had been brought up as one of the privileged heirs to the preeminent luxury hotel chain in the world, had lived with servants and designer clothing and five star hotel accommodations his entire life.

And then, as the door to the suite was shut and firmly locked, she wasn’t given the opportunity to dwell any further on the matter. Instead, her lusty, insatiable lover was pinning her up against the closest wall, ripping away his towel, pulling off his T-shirt, and pressing his fully aroused body against her own scantily clad form.

“Take this off.” He tugged at her sleeve.

Tessa complied instantly, catching the hem of her gauzy white swimsuit cover-up and pulling it over her head. She gasped as Ian deftly unfastened her yellow bikini top and tossed it aside, his big hands taking possession of her full, round breasts.

“You were a very naughty girl out there by the pool,” he murmured close to her ear. His teeth nipped at her earlobe while he pinched her nipples between his thumbs and forefingers. He squeezed her breasts roughly as his mouth pressed hot, arousing kisses along the side of her neck. “Tempting me with the sight of these gorgeous tits right before telling me you wanted to give me control over you tonight.” His hand slid around to cup her buttocks, holding her still as he ground his rock hard cock against her cleft.

Tessa groaned, already tremendously aroused. “I - I wanted to make sure you knew - ah, God, that’s
sooo
good - how much you mean to me, Ian, how much -”

“I do know, love.” Ian bent his head, his tongue circling her nipple before sucking it into his mouth.

Her eyes closed, her head falling back against the wall in ecstasy as he continued to stimulate her very sensitive breasts. She clutched his head to her, threading her fingers through the thick locks of his hair that were still damp from his swim. God, he was so good at this, she thought wildly, so incredibly skilled in the art of arousal.

Her eyes flew open in surprise as Ian sunk to his knees, tugging the bikini bottoms off, and then promptly burying his face between her thighs.

“Oh, God,” she breathed unevenly, her hands tangling in his hair again as he ran his tongue along the most folds of her inner labia before plunging deep inside her creamy wet slit. He lavished attention on her - licking, sucking, nibbling - using his lips, tongue, teeth, fingers, to stimulate and excite her, unselfishly seeing to her pleasure and making sure that he brought her to an exquisite, consuming climax.

“Mmm.”

She moaned rapturously as he stood and claimed her mouth in a deep kiss, tasting her own musky flavor on his lips and tongue. Her arms felt weightless as they twined about his neck, and she made a sound of pleasure as the erect, highly stimulated tips of her breasts rubbed against the hot skin of his bare chest. He was grasping her by the hips, holding her in place as he rubbed his erection against the cleft of her thighs, in a place where she was still quivering from his earlier ministrations. But as she slid a hand down his chest and attempted to delve beneath the waistband of his swim trunks, he clamped his fingers firmly around her wrist, halting her progress.

“No. My way,” he rasped. “After all, I’m in charge tonight.”

She nodded. “Yes, your way. Whatever you like, Ian.’

He took her hand. “Then come with me, and I’ll show you exactly what I like.”

What he liked was to take her in the shower - her breasts crushed up against the smooth, gray granite wall, his chest pressed flush against her back as he fucked her with deep, rapid thrusts. She could feel the urgency of his possession, could tell by the harshness of his breath that this wouldn’t take very long, and she exalted in the knowledge that she could make him lose control this way. Still, he had just enough control left to make sure she found her pleasure again, his thumb rasping over her clit and catapulting her into another delicious climax. Ian braced his palms against the shower wall as he followed her moments later, his hips bucking frantically as he emitted a long, low bellow that she could still hear very clearly above the noise of the shower.

Afterwards, he turned playful, washing her body and even her hair in a teasingly seductive manner and urging her to return the favor. Not surprisingly, his cock was back at full attention by the time they were finished with their shower, but he gave a brief shake of his head as she started to reach for him.

“Regretfully, love, we don’t have time for another round right now,” he told her with a soft kiss. “I’d love nothing better than to cancel this damned dinner with Vincent and his wife, but it’s likely too late for that now. Besides,” he added in a low, purring voice, “you know how much better it is when you have to wait for it a bit, how excited you get. Just think of how good it will be after a few hours of denial.”

Tessa had to stifle a groan, knowing he was right, but at the same time longing to spend the rest of this night in his arms rather than have to make polite dinner conversation with the hotel manager and his wife. But she also knew how firmly Ian could stick to his guns at times, even if it meant denying himself that which he craved beyond anything else.

She emitted a little huff as she began to towel off. “Fine. But when you see what I’ve picked out to wear tonight - especially my lacy bits as you love to call them - I think
you’re
going to be the one squirming in his seat.”

He laughed heartily, hugging her back against him as he placed a loud, smacking kiss on her cheek. “Darling, I’m
always
in some state of anticipation when you’re nearby. Or even when I’m just thinking of you. So this evening will be business as usual as far as I’m concerned.”

But she couldn’t deny the sense of satisfaction she felt when he saw her clothed - just barely - in the nearly nonexistent scraps of lingerie. The thong of hot pink lace was about as substantial as a square of tissue, while the specially designed halter bra bared more than it concealed.

Ian cleared his throat but his voice was still hoarse. “Ah, what exactly is that?”

Tessa blew him a saucy, flirty kiss. “Everything will make sense when you see the dress. I bought it last week when Julia and I went shopping.”

Julia had insisted the dress could have been made for her, and that there was no way she was letting Tessa walk out the door of Barney’s without it in her clutches. Tessa had somewhat reluctantly brought it along on this trip, not sure she’d actually have the nerve to wear it, especially given Ian’s preference that she dress rather modestly when they were at one of his hotels on business. But then Mrs. C. had surprised her this afternoon by suggesting that she wear something with a bit of “oomph” to dinner.

Tessa had stared at her old boss. “I’m not sure I heard you correctly. Are you really suggesting I wear something a little more, ah, revealing?”

Mrs. C. had given her a rare smile. “Yes, I realize it might be difficult for you to believe, but that is exactly what I’m suggesting, young miss.”

Tessa had worried her bottom lip uncertainly. “Um, well, Ian usually doesn’t like me to wear anything too flashy. Or tight. Or low cut.”

“Pah.” Mrs. C. had waved a hand in dismissal. “I told you not to let him control you, Tessa, and I meant it. I can see how bedazzled you are by him, and how you’d happily do anything he told you. Fortunately, Ian is the most decent man I’ve ever known and he would never take advantage of your fascination with him. But you need to be more independent at times, young lady, and not allow him to dictate to you round the clock. No matter how good his intentions might be.”

“But there’s an image to uphold. I wouldn’t dream of embarrassing Ian.”

Mrs. C. had given her a scathing look. “As if that could ever be possible. And believe me, under normal circumstances, I certainly wouldn’t condone you showing off too much, ah, décolletage, either. But your dining companion this evening - Vincent’s wife Dinora - well, let’s just say she’ll be showing as much bare skin as she can get away with in public. Oh, and flirting madly with every attractive man in the vicinity. And since your Ian is definitely the best looking man around these parts, you can bet your life the little hussy is going to be batting her false eyelashes at him all night long. Therefore, my dear, it’s your mission to make sure she doesn’t have the nerve to try.”

Mrs. C., whose dislike of this Dinora was very obvious, had gone on to tell Tessa how Vincent chose to turn a blind eye to his admittedly beautiful, sexy wife’s persistent flirting. Dinora Saldivar was a TV talk show host on one of the local Spanish language stations, and something of a minor celebrity around town. And, according to Mrs. C., Vincent was a complete and utter ass for being so besotted by his sultry wife that he put up with her behavior for fear of losing her otherwise.

Tessa had shaken her head. “That’s sad. And, well, rather pathetic, too. I couldn’t ever imagine flirting with another man, and especially if Ian was standing right there.”

Mrs. C. had smirked. “Young Ian wouldn’t stand for such a thing, my girl, and you know it. And you wouldn’t dare try. Not that you’d want to, of course, as crazy as you are about him. But trust me - that little hoyden Dinora will be salivating when she sees your Ian for the first time. So pull out all the stops, young lady, and keep that she-cat away from your man.”

Tessa hadn’t shared that conversation with Ian just yet, feeling a little shy about admitting how jealous she was at the very thought of another woman trying to flirt with him. She’d already had to do her damnedest to dissuade those woman out by the pool this afternoon, the ones who’d been eyeing her man up and down as though they wanted to devour him.

Recalling how annoyed she’d been at the way they had ogled Ian, she resolved that Vincent’s flirty wife wouldn’t get the opportunity to do anything more than shake his hand tonight. Because Tessa was not only going to stick to his side like glue, but make very, very sure that
his
eyes stayed glued on
her.

She very intentionally didn’t put her dress on while doing her makeup and blow drying her hair. Ian strolled back into the dressing area, already wearing the beige linen Armani suit he’d chosen for this evening, his crisp white shirt open at the neck sans tie. He seemed taken aback to find her still in her underwear, and she watched his reflection in the mirror as he swallowed with some difficulty.

“You’re, ah, not dressed yet,” he said a bit unsteadily.

Tessa smiled at him as she finished applying bright pink lip gloss. “I know,” she replied sweetly. “I didn’t want to get wrinkled. But I’ll be ready soon.”

She gasped as he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her back against his chest as he nuzzled her neck.

“No need to rush on my account, love,” he rasped. “Especially since I’m very much enjoying the view.”

One of his big hands ran up and down her hip before sliding around to cup her bared buttock. She met his gaze in the mirror as his long fingers slipped beneath the front panel of her tiny thong.

“Tell me, love,” he murmured seductively in her ear. “If I were to touch you right now, would you be wet?”

She whimpered as his fingers merely brushed ever so lightly over her clit before retracting. “Yes,” she breathed. “That’s what being near you does to me.”

Ian made a low sound in his throat as he bracketed her hips, pressing his erection against her ass. “And you can certainly feel what being near you does to me, my love. Christ, if we didn’t have to attend this bothersome dinner, I’d take you right here and now. You like to be fucked in front of the mirror, don’t you, darling?”

Tessa was panting now as she tried to grind her buttocks against his throbbing cock but couldn’t while his hands continued to hold her immobile. “Yes,” she whispered. “I do like that. A lot. Please. Can we - ?”

He groaned and dropped a kiss on her bare shoulder. “Jesus, how you tempt me. But if I make love to you now, darling, I won’t be able to stop. Not for hours and hours. Especially since you’ve surrendered yourself to me tonight.” He stepped away from her slowly, his gaze still lingering lustfully on her nearly nude body. “Now, be a very good girl and put some clothes on, hmm? I’d better wait for you in the living room, otherwise we
will
be very, very late for dinner.”