One Night Forever (The Cinderella Chronicles) (3 page)

She wanted to
know.

No. She needed to
know.

This man was most
definitely the makings of the perfect “Red Hot Secrets”.

Chapter Three

Impatiently, Matt led
Lauren through the bar area. He was rock-hard from a mere touch. He
wanted this woman naked and beneath him. Or on top. Actually, both.
Feeling the rage of something raw and electric, he was quite
certain he could fuck her for hours on end. He’d like to explore
every inch of her body. Lick and touch and taste until she screamed
his name over and over. If a dance floor was his only immediate
option allowing him to hold her, so be it.

He’d take what he could
get…for now.

A number of couples
swayed to the music, but he ignored them. His focus was on Lauren,
and only Lauren. He had all but dismissed everyone else.
Possessively, his hands settled on her back as he pulled her close,
thigh to thigh.

His cock throbbed with
the contact.

As her arms slid around
his neck, pressing her breasts into his chest, he slid his hand up
her back. A silent warning went off in his mind. This place held
far too many peers and employees for a public display. Yet, he
couldn’t bear the thought of easing away from her.

Awareness, need, heat,
swirled in the air between them. This was crazy. He wasn’t a man to
be consumed by a woman or even his own need for pleasure. Yet,
there was something about this woman…about Lauren.

For several songs, they
swayed together, bodies pressed close. Electricity pulsated around
them like a live charge. Giving in to the desire to feel more of
her, he lowered his head and nuzzled her neck, feeling the soft
strands of her hair brush his face. He slipped his hand beneath her
hair, giving in to the need to touch her. She looked up at him, her
full lips parted, ready for his kiss. Pools of dark desire seemed
to dance under her long, dark lashes.

She palmed his thigh,
surprising him with the touch, but more so with the intense
reaction it drew. He sucked in a harsh breath, feeling her every
move, every touch, every breath, as if it were magnified ten times.
She smiled, soft and seductive. His body pulsed with response. This
thing between them was too explosive for a place he did business
in.

He leaned down near her
ear. “What if I said I wanted to take you home?”

Her palms pressed against
his chest, as she leaned back to look at him. “I’d say you move
fast.”

Her words rang true, but
it did nothing to lesson the urgency he felt. They both wanted to
be alone. Why not make it happen? In a swift movement, he grabbed
her hand, and led her off the dance floor. He stopped at a divider
column, pressing her back against it, trapping her with his bigger
body.

Despite her aggressive
actions, he still sensed she was relatively inexperienced, even a
bit nervous. It felt vital to get a commitment from her, but to
also reassure her. But whatever happened, he wanted to know she was
completely committed to what a night alone with him
meant.

Because he had no
intentions of holding back. He wanted to know every inch of this
woman. Matt put a hand on each side of her head, leaning down close
to her ear. “I want you, Lauren. Come home with me and let me show
you how much.”

Lauren shut her eyes
tightly and he sensed that she was fighting her own personal
battle. “Say yes, Lauren,” he whispered a bit huskier this time. “I
know this is fast, but we both want this.”

Finally, she opened her
eyes, “Yes,” she whispered.

* * * * *

They walked hand in hand
to an underground parking garage. Matt hit his clicker on his
keychain and the lights on a black sports car. Suddenly, Lauren’s
heart felt as if it dropped to her stomach. What she had expected,
she didn’t know. But to know he had money intimidated. To some that
was a good thing. To her…it wasn’t. It made her feel
self-conscious. As if he might know she was one of the “other”
kind. The poor people. She forced a deep breath. This was a
fantasy. The differences between her and this man shouldn’t matter.
Only the passion. The heat. The exploration of the
night.

He opened the passenger
door and waved her forward. Slipping into the sleek vehicle, she
felt the brush of his hands, strong and masculine, as they touched
her back. And his eyes. They lingered on her legs, making her skin
tingle, and warm. For the briefest of moments, their gazes locked.
The look he gave her was enough to make any woman burn with desire.
Then he gave her a knowing little smile, like he knew what she was
feeling, and he pushed the door shut.

Oh boy.

Everything about this man
turned her on. Her senses hummed with electric charges. She was so
alert, so alive. He had done that to her like no one else ever had.
But then, what good was a fantasy if not so perfect?

They traveled in silence,
but it wasn’t uncomfortable. It was as if they both hated to break
the secret spell wrapped around them. The perfection of the feeling
was warm, and promising. Anticipation literally pulsed through the
darkened car.

Pulling up in front of a
high-rise building, nerves suddenly kicked in, and Lauren’s stomach
fluttered in reaction. The doorman opened her car door and helped
her out. And only moments later, Matt reached for her hand and
tossed the keys to the other man. Darting him an admiring sideways
glance Lauren mentally reinforced her resolve to enjoy her fantasy
night. She would not back out and miss an opportunity to be with
this incredible man. Inhaling, she vowed to become the fantasy. No
insecurities. No fears.

It would be daring and
exciting…just like Tara from “Red Hot Secrets.”

* * * * *

Matt laced his fingers
between Lauren’s as he led her inside his building. He knew she was
nervous. She’d be even more so if she knew how out of character he
was acting. He didn’t take women to his apartment. He’d seen a
shocked look on the face of Fred, the doorman. For some reason,
Lauren made his rulebook taboo. She wrote a new set of
guidelines.

Her expressive face gave
away her emotions. It was a trait he found utterly charming.
Tonight, she was acting out of character. He knew it instinctively.
Felt it in her hesitation to accept his invitation. Saw the flashes
of self-doubt in her eyes.

Whatever had made her go
against her normal character tonight, he felt honored to be with
her. To be the man she chose to be with for the evening. She
touched him deep inside in a way he couldn’t quite understand. He
wanted to see pleasure on her face, to watch her come, and see the
pleasure he gave her. To hear her call his name. To watch her eyes
as he entered her. To know he pleased her beyond her wildest
dreams. And he would.

He’d make damn sure
Lauren went wild with passion.

Chapter Four

Matt’s cock pressed
against his zipper as he urged Lauren into the elevator. Damn, how
he wanted to take her—here, now—but he knew they’d be caught on
camera. It was all that held him in check.

But still, he had to know
how she tasted.

How he’d make it this
long without kissing her, he wasn’t sure. As the doors closed, he
pulled her into his arms, and lowered his head. As much as he
wanted to ravish her, he didn’t want to scare her. Or to rush what
should be savored. So, slowly, he brushed his lips across hers only
allowing himself the briefest contact. But he wanted more. Thirsted
for it.

For several seconds, his
mouth lingered, their breath mingled. Hot and consuming, the
passion between them burned. Pushing him to take more. And he knew
he had to have just one more taste. The touch electrified. Her lips
were soft, and inviting, parting easily to accept what he offered.
But a caress wasn’t enough…

Delving his tongue into
the soft recesses of her mouth, he took her essence with slow
absorption, reveling at the way her body melted against his. Like
honey, sweet and addictive, she drew him deeper into a seductive
spell. And when he felt her shiver, he knew she felt it
too.

God, he loved how
responsive she was to his touch. His hands moved of their own will,
sliding down her slim waist and the curve of her hips. To hell with
the security cameras. The need to touch her was simply too intense
to ignore. Lauren’s soft moan echoed through his body like molten
heat. His hand scooped her ass and he pulled her tight against his
cock.

Like a reality check, a
ping signaled the elevator’s arrival. The doors began to slide
open. Reluctantly, Matt withdrew his lips from Lauren’s. She
blinked at him, a question in her big, green eyes.

“
We’re here,”
he whispered and slowly eased her body from his.

Her teeth found her
bottom lip, drawing his attention and making him want another
taste. Taking her hand in his before he did just that, he led her
into the hallway. Wrapping his arm around her waist, holding her
close to his side, Matt unlocked his front door. Why he was
bringing a woman to his home, he didn’t know. It was against his
rules. Something he simply didn’t do. It meant a morning after for
sure.

The thought did nothing
to deter him. He urged her into his apartment, not bothering with
the light as he kicked the door shut. The here and now motivated
his actions. The drive for satisfaction. He hadn’t even begun to
appease his appetite for her in the elevator. He needed another
taste and he needed it now.

Flinging his keys on the
hall table, he rotated so that he flattened her back against the
door. Moonlight cast seductive shadows throughout and lit her
creamy skin with a soft glow. God, she was beautiful. Provocative
in such an innocent way. He watched as her full bottom lip
trembled. This wasn’t a woman who made a habit of going to strange
men’s homes.

What the hell was this
connection between them?

For long moments, they
stared at one another, the air charged with electricity. With
attraction. Then, he wasn’t sure which one of them moved, maybe
they both did, but suddenly, they were kissing. His lips slanted
over hers, taking what he wanted with a greedy exploration of
tongue against tongue. Lauren’s hands did a slow slide up his arms,
until her hands joined behind his neck.

Sinking into the kiss, he
felt her melt, inch by inch, until her breast pressed against his
chest. With a low growl, Matt merged with her, hip to hip, molding
her softness to his hardness. The fire she evoked was like nothing
he’d ever known. It simply wasn’t possible to get close enough.
Lifting her leg to his waist, his hand flattened on her thigh and
slid her skirt upward. At the same time, he centered his cock into
the V of her body, wishing for no barriers. Ready to strip her
naked and drive deep into the silky recesses of her
body.

In the back of his mind,
the voice of reason called to him. He didn’t want this to end. Slow
down. He had to slow down. To savor and relish. Yet, each moment
drove him closer to the edge. Hell, he’d not even managed to get
her out of her clothes. He damn sure wanted to enjoy that part of
this night.

As if she wanted to test
his resolve, Lauren’s hands slid down Matt’s body leaving a trail
of heat where she touched. When her palms flattened on his thighs,
fingers near his pulsing sex, he barely resisted the urge to seize
her hand and move it to his cock.

Taking a deep breath, he
forced himself to hold back. Lauren was a bit timid and he didn’t
want to scare her. He wanted to let her do this at her own pace.
Something told him Lauren needed that freedom. For once, it might
be nice to let someone else drive. It was an interesting thought.
One that deserved consideration. Yet, deep down he knew he was a
man who took what he wanted. He valued control and his enjoyment
came with more intensity when he had it under his thumb. Still,
with Lauren, he found himself considering…willing to see where this
would go.

Lauren took the lead but
her exploration was tentative. He could tell she held back her
passion. As if she didn’t know what to do with the power he had
silently handed over. A series of gentle caresses. A touch here. A
touch there. When she tugged at his shirt, and lifted her eyes his,
he saw the silent plea in her gaze. And then it hit him. She wasn’t
ready for control. Lauren wanted it but she didn’t know how to take
it.

He needed to push her
over the edge and then hand her back the key.

Momentarily, he let her
leg ease to the floor. Matt stepped backwards and reached for the
front of his shirt, considering the best method of bringing Lauren
out of her shell. He couldn’t believe how much he wanted to pull
her close again. His body raged angrily at the loss of contact.
Yet, at the same time, he enjoyed the building tension. He could
feel the rise of the heat. The burn that signaled an upcoming
explosion. And he knew it would be well worth the wait.

He fingered his buttons,
and Lauren watched each one as he touched it. Amazingly, just
knowing how attentive she was pushed his urgency an extra degree
higher. Somehow, he managed to take his time, wanting the flame he
saw in her eyes to turn to a fire.

The air, thick with
desire, seemed to enclose them, as if it circled their bodies, and
drew them together.