One to Hold (2 page)

“I have a key to the conference room,” he said quietly. “There’s a small, outdoor patio just off the side. It’s very private.”

“Why do you have a key?”

“So I can set up in the morning.” With that, he straightened up and placed two bills on the bar beside his drink. “Let me show you the desert sky.”

“That sounds like it might be dangerous.”

His hand touched my arm. “I’ll keep you safe.”

Safe
. It was a word almost erotic to my ears. My eyes traveled from his waist up his torso to his broad shoulders to his lips, past that perfect nose to his darkening eyes. The temperature in my body rose with my gaze.

“You’re not safe,” I whispered.

“And you’re not sweet.” His low voice caused my tongue to press against my teeth. I was dying to kiss him. “I’ll only do what you let me.”

As he said it, I already believed him. His tone was calm, and his eyes said he wasn’t lying. Somewhere in my head, the voice of reason was telling me to slow down, but either the cava or the anticipation of what might happen had me floating up, out of my body as I watched him take the slim glass from my hand and help me off my stool. I followed him from the bar, past the dancing girls, and out the narrow exit. Against everything I knew to be prudent, I was doing this.

Desert heat was still hot. Everyone called it “a dry heat,” but it was like opening an oven and getting that first blast right in the face. I’d thought about it when we’d arrived in Arizona earlier today, but now all I was thinking about was the fiery heat blazing through my thighs as Derek held me against the secluded outside wall.

He lifted me as if I weighed no more than a doll, and the hem of my skirt rose all the way up as my legs straddled his waist. His full lips were as soft as they appeared, and they contrasted pleasingly with the scuff of his beard against my skin.

Our mouths opened together, his tongue gently curling with mine, and my hands fumbled to his collar, my fingers threading into his thick hair. Soft and rough forged a fiery trail from my cheek down my jaw to my neck. Little moans rose in my throat with every kiss, and I gasped as my hazy eyes opened to the black sky behind him dotted with thousands of stars. It was a gorgeous view, but I didn’t linger on it. The outside patio was secluded—we were completely alone—and my attention was focused on the progress of his mouth as he explored every part of my neck and shoulders with his lips and tongue.

He unzipped the back of my dress, allowing the sleeves to fall down around my elbows as his mouth covered the swell of my breasts. My nipples tingled for his touch, and the only sounds were my rapid panting punctuated by little noises of pleasure. Electricity flew through my body, warming the space between my legs, and I was surrounded by the woodsy scent of his cologne mingled with the growing smell of sex.

His mouth returned to mine, and my fingers dug into his flesh. He was firm and tight, and the way he rocked me against the wall, the swell in his jeans massaging my clit, had me on the brink of orgasm. I wanted him inside me. Desperately.

“Take off your shirt.” My voice was a hoarse whisper I didn’t recognize. It sounded almost animal.

He lowered me to the ground, his blue eyes now dark navy, as he quickly grabbed the back of his shirt and whipped it over his head. Energy flooded my core then surged low into my pelvis. His smooth skin was the color of coffee with cream, and a whisper of hair covered the top of his chest. I reached out to run my fingers slowly down the cut, muscular lines on his stomach, and he shuddered slightly before catching my hips and pulling me up against him again.

My legs went back around his waist. I was still in my black push-up bra, but I wanted everything off. I wanted my bare breasts pressed against that gorgeous chest. I quickly reached around and unhooked it, slipping my arms from the straps as his mouth covered one hard nipple. Low noises came from his throat as he kissed and gently bit. It was a tense, almost primitive demand, his hands tightening their hold on my ass. A trembling moan ached from my throat. The coarse fabric of the balcony curtain was against my bare back, and his musky scent almost pushed me over the edge.

“I’m clean, but I’ll use protection,” he said in a rough voice.

It was a foregone conclusion—we were having sex. Only my thong stood between me and what was coming. His mouth traveled back to mine, but I placed my palms lightly on his cheeks, holding his dark eyes for a moment.

“Why me?” I gasped. I had to ask. I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t.

His hands squeezed my bare bottom. “I love long dark curls and blue eyes.”

It was enough. Our mouths crashed together again, and his fingers slid inside me. Two thick digits pressed in and out, exploring what was wet with need. My mouth broke from his and I moaned against his shoulder, gripping his waist with my thighs as his fingers left me and quickly worked below his waist. The sharp metallic clang of a belt buckle was quickly followed by the sound of a wrapper tearing.

I held my breath, my heartbeat, everything. My mouth opened, and he slid into me with a loud groan.

“Oh my god,” I gasped. He was huge. I’d never been so full. It was amazing and erotic, and I was about to come. High whimpers gasped from my throat as my orgasm grew stronger, his enormous shaft stretched and massaged every erogenous zone between my legs.

I lay my head back against the wall and let go, savoring the sensation. I was weightless in his arms. He lifted me up and down against him in perfect rhythm, and the tightness in my belly grew stronger. Stronger. More high-pitched whimpers came from me, now joined by his low groans. Every muscle in my body tightened, and then… exploded. He bucked me hard as I cried out loud. My legs shuddered with the intensity of my orgasm.

Two more deep thrusts and he was still, gasping, his face pressed into the crook of my neck. We stayed that way several moments. I didn’t want him to pull out. The spasms of my orgasm were still tightening the muscles inside me, and with every movement, residual flickers of delicious energy touched me. I held him with my eyes closed. I’d never been fucked like that in my life. I was actually wondering if I’d ever fucked at all after that.

His hips thrust up slowly, gently, and I whimpered again. “I love that sound,” he murmured against my neck. “So fucking hot.”

His lips pressed more burning kisses against my shoulder, and my nipples tingled at the light brush of his chest hair. All of my senses were heightened as he wrapped huge arms around my waist in an embrace. Slowly rocking his hips again, I tightened my thighs. My orgasm was still fading, and I pressed my face against his neck. Every time my inner muscles would spasm around his cock he’d give me another, gentle thrust and I’d make a little noise, until at last my body seemed satiated. The trembling subsided, and I could think again.

He lifted me and slid out, lowering me to my shaky legs. “Thank you,” he whispered. My forehead rested against his cheek, and I felt almost as if it were a dream.

“Thank you,” I repeated, stepping back carefully. I located my bra and put it on before pulling the sleeves of my dress back over my shoulders. I slid the zipper up slowly as I watched him restore his pants, fasten his buckle.

I couldn’t take my eyes off him. I’d never done anything like this in my life, and I was at a total loss—what now? Did we shake hands and walk away? We’d already thanked each other, another thing I’d never done—thanked a man for sex. Of course, this guy had completely earned it.

He stopped before putting on his shirt and took a step toward me, blue gaze catching mine. “We’ll both be here all week?” he said, and the intoxicating scent of his woodsy cologne flooded my senses.

I nodded, knowing what he was getting at.

“I’ll be tied up with meetings and networking during the day,” he said. “But every night, I’ll go to that bar.”

I studied him. A one-night stand was one thing, but a one-week stand? With him? After that? It felt like a recipe for disaster. It was going to be hard enough to move past what just happened between us, but adding five more days on top of it? I might never recover.

“I’ll be on some regimen at the spa, I guess,” I said, my eyes never leaving his.

He put one palm on the wall beside my face and lowered his. Our mouths were a breath apart. “I hope I’ll see you again.”

I almost melted on the spot. My eyes blinked slowly. “It’s a nice bar. And I like cava.”

That small grin lifted the side of his mouth, and he kissed me lightly before straightening up and slipping the shirt back over his head. His hair was now in messy waves, and I wanted to run my fingers through them again. Instead, I stepped into my wedge stacks and took the hand he offered as he led me through the dark room and out the side door. He paused to lock it and then turned to face me.

“Shall I escort you back to your room?” he asked.

I shook my head no. I didn’t want him knowing my room number yet, although he could easily ask the front desk for it, I supposed.

“Then
adieu
,” he said, lifting my hand and kissing it. “Til tomorrow night.”

I watched until he released me, then I turned and walked as steadily as possible to the exit, to the spa side of the resort where we were staying.

Chapter 2 – Not Available in Any Way

The tenderness in my thigh muscles combined with a feeling of calm satisfaction deep inside me were the first indicators what happened last night was not a dream. The next was the scent of his woodsy cologne in my long, dark hair. I lifted a lock and pressed it to my nose, closing my eyes and enjoying his warm scent. It triggered a damp flicker of memory between my legs.

For several long moments, I lay in the soft hotel bed, replaying how last night even happened. Elaine and I had gone to the bar straight from checking in and dropping our bags in our room. We were tired after a long two-days of travel that started with me in Maryland and her in North Carolina. Our first night was spent in Atlanta, where we’d shared a room and stayed awake almost all night talking and catching up. Then we’d flown cross-country to Arizona, and even though it felt early, the day of switching airplanes, running through airports, and hauling bags after our late night had us both tired. I was doubly weighed-down by the problems I’d left at home. One drink, and Elaine wanted to sleep. But I’d wanted to have another. I needed the alcohol to deaden the nonstop pain of my shattered life.

And then he’d appeared.

Images of me pressed against the patio wall, his huge cock thrusting into me, both of us groaning loudly as we came flashed across my memory, and my eyes flew wide. I blinked at the ceiling, thinking about how insane that was. How stupid and potentially dangerous. Clearly the last year hadn’t only left me depressed, it also left me engaging in out-of-character and unbelievably risky behavior.

A shiver of longing moved through me at the memory of being held against his firm chest. I sighed. Risky, yes, but how incredibly hot and amazing he was. And he didn’t hurt me. He was actually very attentive. He held me all the way to the end, and he even thanked me. My nose wrinkled as a sneaky grin passed over my lips. I thanked him back. What was
that
about?

Then I thought about tonight. Him at the bar waiting. Would I go back? My immediate answer was
yes
, but was that smart? I had a hot memory of the most incredible sex of my life. Maybe it was best to preserve it and not tempt fate with something I’d only leave behind in one short week.

“What time did you get in last night?” Elaine stepped out of the bathroom interrupting my thoughts. She wore one of the thick, white terry robes, and she patted her damp, blonde hair with an equally plush towel.

“I don’t remember,” I said, rolling onto my stomach. “It wasn’t too late. Are we hitting the spa today?”

“I’ve got us scheduled for massages at eleven, then we’ll have lunch in the quiet room, then we can hang around the deck pool. I’ve heard the waiters there are panty-dropping hot.”

I smiled, thinking they’d have to be off the charts to top what I’d had last night. “Sound like the perfect, relaxing day.”

Elaine sat on the edge of the bed, drawing her brows together. “You look pretty relaxed right now. What’d you do after I left?”

“Just had another drink. People-watched.”

She pressed her lips together in disbelief, but she didn’t pursue it. “You’d better get moving if you’re going to shower first.”

“Don’t they just cover us in oil anyway?” I pushed myself to a sitting position.

“That’s part of the detoxification.”

“Then I’ll just do a quick rinse and shower after.” I hated the residue of oil on my skin all day, although in the desert, it would probably be a welcome relief from the dryness.

Elaine’s tone grew serious. “Have you heard anything?”

My troubles at home came threatening back, and I looked down at my hands as I shook my head. “I emailed everyone that we were out of town for the week. Taking a mental health break. It should be enough.”

She exhaled and patted the top of my hands. “You’re doing the right thing.”

My eyes flickered to hers, and tears threatened. She was the first person to voice support for me since the ordeal began, and it meant everything. I scooted forward to hug her, and she hugged me with a deep inhale. Instantly she jerked and pulled back, studying my face with narrowed eyes.