Love By Design (10 page)

“That kiss—”

“Is not why I’m here. I meant the entertainment center.”

“Oh.” Her feminine ego took a momentary hit. But she mentally shook it off. She should be giving him points for coming back to complete his project; instead she took them away for listening in on her conversation with Neil. Not to mention he’d frightened her by creeping down the hall. It had absolutely nothing do with the fact he wasn’t here to kiss her senseless. Russ caught her talking about him, just like he did at the meeting. “Eavesdropping, again?”

“Just wanted to hear if you said anything bad about me.”

He didn’t even try to deny it. But she didn’t buy his reasoning for it for a second. She folded her arms across her waist. “No, you were waiting to hear something good.”

Russ shrugged his shoulders. “I did discover you were plotting against me.”

“What, I am not—” His deadly smile stopped her denial.

“I heard you. You’re planning to jump me.”

“That was Neil’s idea. Not mine.”

He took a step closer. “Too bad, it was a good idea.”

“It was?”

Victoria bravely stood her ground as his hand reached out to caress her cheek. She wanted to run but didn’t want him to think she was afraid of what he could do to her body. To her heart. She tried to rationalize the quickened pace of its beat. The skip as his fingers traced down her neck, then to the plane of her collarbone, and then along the curve of the scoop neck of the t-shirt she wore. Anticipation. Excitement. That was all. How long had it been since a man touched her? And so gently, like she was a dream that might shatter into oblivion. So unlike the all or nothing kiss they shared earlier.

“Yes, but I have an even better plan.”

“You do?” she choked out. What was she doing? She should back away and stop what was about to happen. But instead Victoria took a step closer as his head bent.

“It starts out like this.”

The huskiness in his voice fired a blaze in her core.

He kissed her lightly, tracing the outline of her lips with his tongue until she parted her own and their tongues swirled together. A bonfire of conflicting feelings arose. Victoria’s body melted to his touch as her mind rang multiple fire alarms trying to extinguish the flames before she combusted into a pile of ashes at his feet.

He’s a co-worker.

Who kisses really, really good.

He’s not my type.

Type? Hot body. Check. Ten inches. Check.

This is wrong.

Why?

This is not my house.

So?

His mouth located the exact spot on her neck that if sucked on just right could send her into a mini orgasm. As if he read her mind his lips tighten and his tongue swirled. Russ tugged at her shirt until his hand slid up and cupped her breast. An involuntary moan escaped her, which didn’t sound very sexy, even to her own ears. But Russ didn’t seem to notice and continued to nibble and suck.

Her legs hit the back of the couch and he began to maneuver her down. As much as Russ made her mindless, she couldn’t forget the piece of custom made furniture that cost the show five grand.

“Not on the couch.”

“Bathroom?”

They shouldn’t be doing this. It was unprofessional. What if someone found out? “This is wrong. This someone’s home.” Her breathless protest sounded weak.

“Your place?” He went right back to kissing her.

Oh man, he kissed so good that she wanted to be so bad. She broke away. “Too far,” she said before pulling open the light jacket he wore.

“Will the floor do?”

Said floor was covered with a blue drop cloth; underneath it lay the new area rug. When they were done they could roll up the covering—kind of like rolling up a dead body and getting rid of the evidence. No one would know and with Neil’s mother on the mend, he’d be back and Russ would be gone. No harm, no foul. His mouth found that spot again and she yanked the jacket off, nearly tearing off his arms in the process.

“Victoria, is that a yes?” he growled against her neck.

Oh man, the way her name sounded coming out of his throat in a desperate plea. “Yes.” The floor, up against the wall, hell, if he were Spiderman then on the ceiling. She didn’t care. If he made love as well as he kissed she wouldn’t know where she was anyway.

Russ didn’t waste any time guiding her down onto the floor. They kneeled facing each other. “By the way, the couch looks great in here,” he said, lifting her top over her head and tossing it into the same corner as his jacket.

“And the paint color?” she asked playfully as she returned the favor with his shirt. She ran a finger along down the middle of his chest.
Hmmmmm, oil?
She didn’t remember him having it on earlier during the shoot. And she would have remembered.

“Great, didn’t know what I was thinking.”

Oil forgotten she said, “Wow, you really are desperate to get laid.”

“Desperate for you.” He leaned forward, nudging her to lay back.

She reveled in the edge in his voice.

He straddled her body. Her hands slid up the slick hard ridges of his abs. Hmmm … there was no scent to the oil. Still, it felt deliciously naughty. She delved lower to the band of his jeans. The bulge of his erection promised what Ava predicted. A snap closure. How convenient. She’d ponder the oil later. She gave a slight tug with two fingers and it opened with ease, while the other hand continued to explore. Before she could reach for the other buttons, Russ grabbed her hands, pulling her arms above her head.

He was stretched out on top of her. Eye to eye. His slick body felt deliciously wicked against her own.

“Me, first.”

“I was trying to do you first.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“But I—”

“But nothing. I want to taste you all over.”

“All over?”

“Yes.” After another passionate kiss he added, “Let me know if I miss a spot.”

Before she could answer him, Russ’s mouth continued on its journey, rendering her speechless. Leisurely, kissing her all over like he was on pleasure cruise and her body was the ocean. Or maybe he was the ocean, lapping up against her? Upon reaching her swollen clit, he took several tentative licks. “You taste better than that cupcake.” His tongue swirled. “Remember how you licked the icing off? Teasing me?”

“I wasn’t—” He stopped his tongue. “Yes, yes, I remember.” Victoria was ashamed that it came out as a strangled cry.

“Good, because I’m going to return the favor.” He settled himself into a comfortable position between her legs. Looking up, he met her confused gaze. “Feel free to scream my name.”

“I don’t scream.” She bit down on her lip to keep from doing so.

“You will now, luv.”

Like a GPS loaded with a road map of her body, Russ licked each point of interest without straying off course.

Victoria was the one who was lost. Lost in sensations his tongue created. She was so close. Her hips greedily pushed into his mouth. His pace quickened. So very close. Afraid he would stop or slow down, she grasp his head with one hand and pulled him closer. The nails of her other hand dug into his shoulder. Russ let out muffled growl, sending her over the edge into a realm of pleasure she never visited before. The only thought in her mind as she drifted back to reality was that she’d needed to sign up for frequent flyer miles.

“For the record, you did scream.”

Russ stretched his body over hers, his elbows bent on either side of Victoria supporting his weight. She opened her eyes to see him gazing down at her with a smile that could’ve killed Medusa. Victoria was beyond caring about her pride. Russ was amazing. Plain and simple. “I believe a bit of scratching, too.”

He rubbed the stubble on his chin. “A bit? I might be scarred for life.”

“Wimp.”

Russ pulled himself up to his knees, sitting astride her waist. He tugged on the buttons of his jeans and pulled out the thickest cock Victoria had ever seen. Never mind the ten inches. Victoria hoped to God that he was fully erect because any bigger would border on freakish. She finally looked up.

Russ raised one eyebrow and in his sarcastic laced tone that she was coming to know so well, “You were saying?”

What was I saying?

He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. After taking out a condom, he tossed the wallet behind him. He ripped the foil and handed her the packet. “Want to do the honors?”

Yes, yes she did.

His hand pulled his hair back off his face and watched as she rolled the condom onto his shaft. Smiling when she stretched the material to its breaking point, his gaze met hers. Victoria thought he was quite possibly the sexiest man that ever walked the planet. At any other time the satisfied smirk on his face would’ve pissed her off, but it was well deserved. “You’re full of yourself, you know.”

Russ shrugged. “You’re about to be full of me too.”

He really needed to be taken down a peg or two, but it could wait. With his knee he parted her legs and placed his cock at her opening. He hesitated. “You’re so small.”

“I believe I said I can handle you.”

He smirked at the reference to her claim from—was it only a yesterday? This was fast, even for her. But she didn’t care.

Despite her claim, he entered her slowly. The void inside her filled like the Universe’s Big Bang.

“Are you okay?”

“Hmmmmm … you?”

“About to die,” he said through clenched teeth.

“Good, that would solve everything,” she teased. She expected a laugh but instead he pulled out and pushed back in with the full force of his body. Pleasure shot through her.

“No, it won’t because I’m taking you with me.”

Playtime was over and Russ went to work, pumping in and out with hard, steady stokes. Too steady. She needed it faster. She needed him wild. Out of control.

“Faster.” She moved her hips frantically.

“Bossy in bed too,” he growled against her neck. But he took the control, instead of losing it, grabbing her hips so she couldn’t move, while his cock stroked in and out. Again and again, faster and faster. “Like that, cupcake?”

Oh, no she was starting to like his nickname for her. It almost sounded like a term of endearment. Victoria desperately tried to move with him but his grasp was too strong. “I—.” Then her insides coiled with pleasure, wrapping tighter and tighter until springing gloriously loose all at once. “Russ!”

Russ let out a beastly roar of release.

Her nails raked down his muscled back. Then dug in as she rode out aftershocks of both their climaxes, practically sobbing into his neck.

Russ rolled off of her and onto his back in an exhausted flop. “So have you killed a man yet?”

Victoria smiled to herself, but resisted the urge to snuggle up next to him. “No.” She turned on her side, leaning on her forearm, and examined his incredibly sculpted body. She wondered how long his recovery time was. “Not yet.”

A piece of her usually well-coifed hair fell in her face and she swept it back with her hand. She rubbed her oily fingers together. With the immediate glow of great sex worn off, what once felt naughty now felt slightly grimy.

So why the oil? Why did he leave in the first place?

And why didn’t she ask before she jumped him? Because you knew he’d be amazing.
Oh, he was amazing.
You didn’t want to know the answer.
I still don’t.

“Um … Russ, what’s up with the oil?”

Chapter 14

I
f only he’d taken more time washing off but with a line of guys waiting to use the showers at the theater he did a rush job. Never in his life had Russ wanted to lie more than he did right now. But women knew when he wasn’t telling the truth. He didn’t know what gave him away, but he gave up lying to girls in his teens. It always got him into more trouble than the crime.

Besides, as Victoria gazed down at him, her delicate breast grazing his chest, he knew he could never outright lie to her, even if by omission. She asked a question, she deserved an answer. It really wasn’t a big deal.
But she won’t see it that way, will she?
Perhaps if he were economical with the truth?

“I was doing a favor for a friend.”

Victoria’s finger swept across his abs while she question him further, “What kind of favor involves oil?”

Her interrogation tactics bordered on torture as her touch lightly played along his cock.

Still he’d try one more time. “I’m filling in at this job.”

She poked at his chest. “Stop being shady and tell me the truth.”

Oh man, it was clear she couldn’t handle the truth. “You’re going to be mad.”

“I’m already halfway there,” she said tightly as she sat up.