Love's Deception (13 page)

F
or the next two weeks, Nathan and Carissa spent every evening together, whether it was enjoying a movie or talking well into the morning at the hospital’s cafeteria. However, at the beginning of each date, Carissa had every intention of telling Nathan the truth, and each time she chickened out. Just as she had again tonight.

“I want to take a picture of you.”

“Excuse me?” Carissa jerked her gaze up and drowned in the dark pools of his eyes. Their intensity was so direct, she felt vulnerable beneath them.

Nathan’s hand traced her jawline and something blissfully erotic stirred at her core.

“I bet a face like yours could make love to the
camera for hours.” His voice lowered to a husky timbre.

It took everything she had to remain standing and not to swoon in the man’s arms like a lovesick teenager. Everything about him played havoc with her senses and preoccupied her mind with visions of making love to him in some interesting position.

She licked her parched lips and witnessed how his gaze followed the movement as if in a trance. For one brief moment, she was aware of her own power, and she reveled in it.

“Are you interested?”

“In what?” She blinked, confused by the question.

“Posing for me. I don’t think that I’ll ever forgive myself if I don’t get you in front of the camera. I’d do you in black and white with very little lighting, but with enough to catch that subtle glimmer in your eyes.”

Carissa wasn’t sure whether she was breathing as she hung on his every word and basked in the scent of his cologne.

“I’m fascinated by that spark. It’s as if it holds a secret.”

“What kind of secret?” She couldn’t help but ask.

“You tell me.”

She straightened. The insinuation struck too close to home. Her guilt tried again to convince her to come clean, but his earlier speech about honesty trapped her confession in her throat.

Nathan covered her hand and her gaze returned to his.

“Do you want to know what I think the secret is?”

She couldn’t bring herself to answer.

“I think there’s more to you than what meets the eye. I don’t think the real you is this well-polished, overly independent woman you try to portray.”

“Oh, really?” Carissa bit back her laughter. “I think you’re definitely barking up the wrong tree on that one.”

He gave her that familiar sly grin, the one she was beginning to love. “I don’t think so.” He reached up and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “I love your hair down.”

She heard a snap and realized he’d opened the hair clip at the nape of her neck. Her hair tumbled free and she was shocked at how exposed she felt.

“You have beautiful hair,” he whispered as he leaned closer.

His warm breath caressed her cheek and she had the distinct feeling that he was going to kiss her, and she was helpless to do anything about it. It would be so easy to submit to him. The notion eased into her thoughts and excited every fiber of her being. She wanted him.

Nathan needed her, more than he needed the air he breathed. He couldn’t remember ever needing anything or anyone this much. At this moment, he could neither remember anything about life before her nor imagine life without her. His hand settled on the back of her head, and gently, he pulled her forward, hoping against hope that she wouldn’t resist.

She didn’t.

The moment their lips met, a jolt of electricity surged throughout his body, and he pressed her closer. Her firm breasts crushed against his chest and his control shattered.

Drunk with desire, his mouth ravished hers as he sought to satisfy a hunger he couldn’t name or control. Her wine-flavored lips were sweet, yet intoxicating with an unbridled passion. Her nails dug into his back, wrenching a guttural moan from deep within his soul. He’d never known a pain he’d loved half as much.

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get close enough. It wasn’t enough to simply be with her. Her arms promised something more.

Their lips tore apart. The sudden rush of air burned his lungs. It was then he tasted her salty tears.

“Did I hurt you?” He was surprised at the deep rasp of his voice and even the higher note of tenderness it held.

She shook her head. “I don’t believe that you can ever hurt me.” She wiped at her tears, then nestled her head between his shoulder and neck.

He held her, not knowing what to say or do. However, one thing remained clear—he wanted to make love to her.

Carissa tried to calm the frantic beating of her heart, wondering where she’d lost control, and how on earth she was going to reclaim it. Those thoughts didn’t last long. She was distracted by his heart’s
irregular heartbeats. Was he feeling what she was at that moment?

God, she hoped so.

“Stay with me tonight.”

The proposal sucked the wind out of her and the room became excruciatingly quiet. Slowly, she pushed back from his chest, sure that her surprise somehow mirrored in her eyes.

“I dare you to say yes.”

Her brows arched and a smile brightened her face. “You know how I feel about dares.”

“That’s what I’m banking on.”

She shook her head. “You’re impossible.”

“True, but the challenge still stands.” Nathan leaned down and his lips brushed teasingly across hers, and she knew that there was no way she was going to turn down this challenge.

“We are just talking about pictures, right?”

“There is that.”

She smiled wickedly. “And what else?”

His broad grin sobered as he tilted up her chin. “Why don’t we wing this one? There’re no rules or guidelines—let’s just be impetuous together.”

A shiver of excitement slithered down her spine. She had never been presented with a better offer.

“So what do you say?” he asked with a knowing smile.

“Show me that camera.” She accepted his challenge and immediately loved the liquid rush of excitement coursing throughout her body. She turned from
his stunned yet covetous eyes and sauntered back toward his self-made studio. His sure footing came quickly behind her.

Once in the room, Carissa’s heart skipped a beat, but she was more than determined to rise to the challenge of this dare. She inhaled a deep cleansing breath, then forced her trembling fingers to work the tiny buttons of her blouse.

“Hold on a sec.”

His voice jumped out at her, causing another moment of hesitation to fester. Nathan scrambled to the surrounding lighting equipment that at first blinded her but then were covered with thin films of red and blue filters. The ambience created by the drastic lighting armed her with the confidence she needed. She transformed into an actress preparing for the role of a lifetime.

He flipped a switch and jazz filtered into the room from speakers somewhere above her. When he reached for a camera, she saw him in his natural element—and it turned her on.

“I’m ready when you are.”

His husky voice slid over her like a thin caress, and her fingers resumed unbuttoning. Her breath entered and escaped in thin wisps, but her body had already begun to sway gently to the music.

Nathan thought he’d died and gone to heaven. He had never waited with such eager anticipation to peek at a model before—or to peek at any woman.

The last button undone, Carissa peeled back her
blouse and revealed a beautiful, royal-blue bra. The delicate lacing accentuated her ample breasts and confirmed what he suspected all along: she was a woman with many secrets. Almost as an afterthought, he snapped the picture.

Carissa smiled. But it was different from the ones he had seen before; it held an unusual cockiness—as if she knew she had his undivided attention and that
she
was in complete control of everything.

She was right.

A wayward curl tumbled in front of her face, and the urge to run his fingers through her thick mane quickened his pulse. His chest muscles tightened at the sight of the slow decline of her hand. It pulled at the button tucked at the side of her hip, then unzipped the figure-hugging material. The skirt pooled at her feet.

Nathan grew hard. He stared at a pair of curvaceous legs arched on narrow pumps that seemed to go on forever. He doubted that he’d ever seen such perfection.

Her matching panties, with their low V-cut, drew and held his attention. He took another snapshot. She turned and stepped out from the circle of clothes, then kicked them out of view, but most important displayed the narrow string of her thong.

The camera clicked.

The next track on the stereo picked up the tempo and her body accommodated its rhythm.

Nathan’s brows stretched in surprise. “I see I have a dancer on my hands,” he teased, moving closer.

“Among other things.” She shimmied her shoulders and winked provocatively at him.

The pictures snapped in rapid succession as both parties enjoyed their game.

For Carissa, her exhilaration became addictive. She loved the feelings she was experiencing and didn’t want to think about stopping. She gave him her back, her body still gyrating in sync with the music.

She dared herself to go further.

Pinching the delicate material between her breasts, she unhooked her bra, then performed a dramatic turn as she peeled the undergarment from her body.

Nathan stopped.

Carissa soared.

At that moment in time, she was everything he wanted and she knew it. She moved toward him with the grace of a cat, then knelt down to meet his gaze. “I think it’s my turn to operate the camera,” she said.

The comment won a few notes of laughter. “I don’t think so.”

“Chicken?” she baited.

“No. You’re just a hard act to follow.”

She took the camera. “Dancing isn’t a requirement.”

Nathan’s eyes lowered and once again became fascinated by her body. “You’re so beautiful.” He inhaled the soft floral fragrance of her hair and felt a primal yearning take root.

She tilted her head up; her breasts brushed against him and sent a surge of heat through him. Carissa
snapped his picture, then slowly crawled backward with a command. “Follow me.”

As Carissa slithered backward, Nathan crawled forward much like a game of cat and mouse.

“I don’t think you know what you’re getting yourself into.” His eyes glittered as a warning.

“I’m willing to take my chances,” she baited back with a wink. “That’s if you’re game.”

“Careful. I just might have to see how far you’re willing to go.”

Carissa stopped in the center of the tarp and pulled up onto her knees while fumbling with the camera.

“You don’t even know how to work that thing.” His face lit with amusement.

The camera clicked and she rewarded him with a look of triumph. “Strike a pose,” she directed.

Nathan willed his grinning features to sober while he tried to transmit his energy, hunger and desire through his eyes. He wanted her to feel how much he wanted her.

Maxwell’s smooth, angelic voice floated from the surrounding speakers and Carissa’s light bantering ceased. The room tilted and she couldn’t seem to moisten her lips or control her erratic heartbeat.

He continued to edge closer, forcing Carissa to bend backward until she adjusted her body to lie flat on her back while he hovered above her. “Now, this is more like it,” he said, taking the camera from her hands.

Speech eluded Carissa as he vision blurred. Yet she
saw Nathan with startling clarity. She reached beneath his turtleneck and glided her hands along hard, corded muscles.

“Do you know how long I’ve waited for this?”

His whispered words caressed the shell of her ear and her eyes drifted closed as she shook her head in response.

“All my life,” he admitted truthfully. If there were such a thing as a soul mate, it was the woman in front of him. “I want to make love to you.”

Carissa’s heart performed a somersault as any reasoning she had left vanished. Her eyes lowered to his mouth and her body quaked in anticipation.

“Do you want me?”

The question caught her off guard and forced her eyes to meet his steady gaze. She nodded.

“Let me hear you say it.”

Her heart squeezed. “I want you.”

His lips curved triumphantly as his body lowered to cover hers.

At the feel of his hard arousal pressed wantonly against the thin material of her panties, Carissa arched insistently against him as her soft moans blended with the beguiling music embracing them.

Beauty, peace and freedom gripped her, and she rode their repetitive waves with abandon, exhilarated by her newfound freedom. She wanted and needed him and she made sure that she spent the rest of the night showing him just how much.

S
omewhere between midnight and dawn, a lazy smile of satisfaction eased across Carissa’s face. It was the best she’d felt in years. She inhaled Nathan’s masculine scent and her body tingled in response. She moaned and edged closer.

“Whatcha thinking about?” Nathan’s warm and inviting voice drifted in the dark.

Her eyes fluttered open. “You’re awake?”

“I’m not sure. Seeing you lying next to me must mean I’m still dreaming.”

She emitted a low laugh. “There you go saying the right things at the right time.”

“Is that right?”

His smile gleamed in the moonlight and stole her
breath. While her vision adjusted to the dim lighting, she allowed herself the luxury of etching more details of his features into her memory.

His head lowered until their foreheads met. “I can come up with a few things you do right at the right time, too.”

The darkness hid her blush. “You’re impossible.” She punched playfully at his chest.

“Maybe. But you’re changing the subject—as usual.”

His heavy arms appeared suddenly and pulled her forward. She melted beneath the warm caress of his breath and she found herself wishing that this night would never end.

“Now, tell me what you were thinking about earlier.”

“That’s easy. The same thing I’m thinking about now—you.”

His body stiffened and the slight movement pleased her.

Idly, he twirled a lock of her hair around his finger. “What took you so long to come into my life, Risa?”

His serious tone sobered her flirtatious thoughts and even brought tears to her eyes. “I could ask you the same thing.”

“Ah, but I think I have an answer.” He shifted slightly and pressed a feathery kiss against her lips. “I think for a long time, I was afraid of you—or rather the thought of you.”

“Why would you be afraid of me?”

“You represent so much—commitment, loyalty, everything that would cause any sane man to break out into a cold sweat.”

Her brows heightened. “Don’t be so cocky. That list scares the hell out of me, too.”

“Oh, really?” He laughed. “I guess I had you pegged wrong.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time.”

“A point well-made. I had you figured out to be a woman who’s committed to having the best in life—to being the best in whatever you choose to do. I see so much fire and determination in your eyes that I have no doubts that you’re loyal and you expect loyalty from those around you.”

At her long silence, he asked, “How am I doing?”

She peeked beneath the sheets. “I’m half expecting you to pull out a crystal ball.”

He guided her hands away as he laughed. “Tell me your secrets.”

Her smile faltered. “A real woman never tells.”

“And you’re definitely that. But surely you can tell me something. This is developing into a one-sided relationship.”

“That’s not true. I’ve told you plenty of things I’ve never told anyone.”

“Yeah, yeah. But I want to hear about the juicy stuff. Ex-boyfriends, one-night stands, or threesomes—”

“What?”

“Come on, don’t act coy.” His firm body pressed against her. “I know you have some dirty little secrets locked in a closet somewhere.”

“You’re right on both counts.”

Nathan tickled her sides. “Come on, tell me.”

Carissa screamed with laughter and tried desperately to pull away, but his hovering body jailed her.

“Okay, okay. I’ll talk,” she shouted. Tears trailed from her eyes.

“You promise?”

“Yes!”

He stopped. “Now tell me a secret.”

“This has been blown out of proportion,” she said, wiping her eyes. “I don’t know what you want me to say.”

“How about telling me something that turns you on. Can you handle that?”

She closed her eyes and shook her head. “I can’t believe we’re doing this.”

“Hey, you promised.” His hands descended.

“All right, all right. If you must know, I have this thing about blindfolds.”

“Oh, really?” He rolled onto his side, still facing her.

Despite the room’s darkness, Carissa sensed that he could see her embarrassment clearly. “How about you?” She tried to ease out of the spotlight.

“You know me. I’m your typical voyeur.”

She laughed. “I knew you would say that.”

“What else?”

“What do you mean ‘what else’? That’s enough, don’t you think?”

“We can steer clear of turn-ons if you want to, though I don’t know why. It was just starting to get good. We definitely have to try that blindfold thing.”

“You won’t get any objections from me,” she teased, loving their jovial foreplay.

Nathan’s voice once again penetrated her thoughts. “You claim to have been such a rebel as a teenager. Were there any hot, forbidden romances that had your father threatening to lock you in your room and throw away the key?”

“Are you kidding? He threatened to do that daily.” She laughed at the memory. “There is something I haven’t told you. I was engaged once.”

“I thought you said that you’ve never been in love before.”

“I haven’t. Hence, I broke it off.”

Nathan propped on his elbows and stared down at the outline of her face. “You’re not about to tell me that you really were engaged to my father, are you?”

“Not likely.” She laughed at the absurd thought.

His head dropped back onto the pillow. “You scared me there for a moment. I’d hate to think that someone won your heart before me,” he added.

“You’re awfully sure of yourself.”

Gently, his finger traced the lining of her lips. “I’m sure about a lot of things lately.”

So am I
.

“Now finish telling me about this fiancée.”

Hell, she could barely remember to think, much less talk. “Let’s see. I think it went something like—I hit thirty, thought that I heard my biological clock banging in my ears, so I panicked and proposed to the first man that was brave enough to ask me out more than once.”

“
You
proposed to him?”

“I know, I know. But you don’t see me in my other life. I see what I want and I go after it.” She didn’t mean for her voice to sharpen, but it had and she turned her face in embarrassment.

“Said in that light, it doesn’t sound like you’re a very nice person in this other life of yours.”

She shook her head, amazed at the web of deception she’d tangled herself in.

“You’re real good at this pillow talk,” he complimented.

“Is that what this is?”

“It’s either that or foreplay.”

“I like the sound of both of those,” she teased, then placed a quick kiss against his lips. “A girl could definitely get used to this kind of thing.”

“Does that mean we have another date for tomorrow night?”

“Only if you play your cards right.”

“Is that right? Come here, you big tease.”

When his mouth covered hers, she gave into the blissful pleasure of his lips and enjoyed more than their erotic taste, their passionate promises, or lustful yearnings—she simply enjoyed being with him.

Later that morning, sunlight crept through the clouds and illuminated the exhausted couple. Nathan lay propped on his side enjoying the ethereal beauty lying at his side. The intensity of last night haunted and excited him. He’d never experienced such passion. He wondered at its source and whether it would always be this way with her.

He brushed his fingers along the side of her face, trying to envision just that. He could get used to this, he thought. There were a lot of things he could get used to involving Carissa Carnes.

Carissa stretched languorously in the early morning sunlight with a spreading grin and a tranquillity she’d never known. Bits and pieces of last night’s episode filtered into her thoughts. She laughed at her boldness and edged closer to him.

“Good morning.”

Her eyes fluttered open. “Is it?” She smiled.

“Well, if I had to judge, I’d say this is the best morning I’ve ever had.” He peered deep into her eyes as he shifted closer. “What about you?”

“I’d have to review my mental Rolodex, but I feel confident in agreeing with you.” She wiggled her brows, still feeling flirtatious.

He pulled her beneath him and covered her mouth with a kiss.

Her arms encircled him, pulling him closer as her world spun blissfully out of control. When he drew back, she blinked several times before focusing.

“I’m in the mood for breakfast in bed.” His husky whisper drifted across her ear.

She moaned. “That means that one of us will have to get out of bed.”

He shook his head. “I’m not referring to food.” He lowered to take in an erect nipple and savored her instant gasp of pleasure.

Carissa’s body came alive at the intimate touch of his hands and behaved in such ways that she no longer recognized it as her own. But how wickedly erotic it all felt.

At noon, they were finally hungry enough to get out of bed. Nathan slid into a pair of black and white pajama pants, while she draped on the matching top. Minutes later, she sat perched on a barstool, clapping while he showed her his way of making flapjacks.

Everything was perfect—he was perfect.

“How would you like your eggs, Ms. Carnes?”

Her smile froze as she lowered her hands to the counter. Whenever he called her by her fake last name, it was like a splash of cold water.

“Are you all right?” he asked. His concern instantly marred his features.

She waved absently in the air. “Oh, nothing. I was just thinking about something—it’s nothing important.”

“You sure?” His gaze lingered on her.

“Positive. Scrambled, if you don’t mind.”

When he returned his attention to cooking, Carissa’s guilty conscience took over.
How can you
say you love this man when he doesn’t even know your name?
She closed her eyes against the war raging within her. And she knew for the first time she had to come clean—and soon.

She shook her head as she stood and walked away, then feigned interest in the apartment’s decor. “You have an eye for art,” she complimented absently.

“And an eye for beautiful women.”

She rewarded him with a smile. “This one is a hungry woman.”

“I got the hint. Give me a few more minutes.”

She nodded, then returned her attention to assessing the apartment. Her gaze instantly swept across a nearby bookcase, then swung back when a familiar face leaped out at her. She moved closer. “Well, I’ll be damned.”

“Breakfast is served,” Nathan announced proudly.

Carissa jumped.

He frowned. “What is it?”

Opening her mouth to dispel the notion that anything was wrong, she thought better of it and decided to have her curiosity sated. “This picture,” she said, pointing. “Who’s this man you’re posing with in the picture?”

Nathan’s gaze went to the silver-framed picture before a broad smile covered his face. “Ah, that would be the most important man in my life. My stepfather, Smokey.”

Carissa’s heart sank as she turned back to stare openly at the image of her vice president, Colin Hunter.