Passion Tempted (Masquerade Part II) (2 page)

Heather writhed on the sofa and reached out her hands to touch his beautiful hard cock with soft, loving touches. Ryan’s heavy male groan tipped her arousal beyond limits. She leaned further forward and licked his hard shaft, up and down, tasting the intimate flavor of his ski
n, smelling his maleness. Pre-cu
m flowed from the hard knob at the top. She dipped her finger in it, spreading the thick liquid around the head.

Ryan lost control. He pressed her into the sofa and buried his head between her legs. He licked the inside of her thighs, across her outer labia, then inside her. Finding her tight clit, he sucked delicately knowing how sensitive it was right then. He looked up momentarily seeing that Heather’s eyes were closed, her fists pushing into the sofa cushion underneath her.

He put his tongue inside her
,
causing her to writhe in response but pulled it out before she could come. She gasped. He opened her inner lips and sweetly kissed her little clit, then blew on it lightly. Heather whimpered. The first wave of orgasm was threatening. She wanted to be taken.

Ryan reached up toward her breasts and pinched her nipples. She emitted a very feminine sound, the sound of a woman in the throes of ecstasy. He continued to rub the nipples, his warm mouth over her clit. He began to expertly lick her cleft and around her clit, gradually faster and faster. His cock had become so hard, it pained him. He instinctively rubbed it against the side of the sofa as he licked and pleasured Heather.

He breathed in her sweet smell and tasted the cream dripping out of her. With renewed vigor he licked her, faster and faster, then sucked in just the right way over her clit, knowing she was sliding into convulsive waves.

Heather was panting, pushing her head back,
arching
her back, tightening her muscles. A hard, violent orgasm rolled through her. She shouted, loudly. The pleasure gripped her and wouldn’t let go. She bounced her hips up and down. The orgasm lessened, allowing a calmer feeling to flood her body. She continued moving her hips, her hands in Ryan’s hair. For what seemed like minutes, she softly moaned.

Ryan raised himself over her, relishing the flush of her checks and the orgasmic state she still reveled in. His hard cock demanded attention. He’d nearly come just witnessing Heather roll uncontrollably through her waves of orgasm. He reached to his pants pocket and grabbed out the condom in a rush to get it on before he sprayed his hot cum all over her.

She spread her legs wider, begging him to enter her. The hard shaft slid into her, filling her full. He moaned, grabbing her hands and holding them down. He was nearly afraid to move, not wanting to
come just yet. Heather moved her hips up and down helping Ryan penetrate her fully. His hugeness excited her. She wanted him in her as deep as he could go. She felt down to the bottom of his shaft and grabbed his hot balls in her hand. “God, Heather!” He gasped.

She reached behind grabbing his ass in her hands. It was so hard. She felt the muscles tensing. Her clit had never fully relaxed. Now, her insides seemed to tighten, he
r whole vagina craving release.

Ryan tensed and she tensed with him. “You’re so beautiful,” he said, looking into her eyes at just the last second. Then, his moan became louder and didn’t stop. He came hard and long with her, as her sheath tightened around him, clutching ever harder. Her orgasm started inside her vagina, fully engaging her sex. She stiffened and came completely. Ryan collapsed but held his weight on his elbows, his head bowed down. She leaned up to kiss the top of his
head, lingering there to inhale
the
sweet
smell of love.

Ryan was lat
e to a meeting. It seemed recently
that his investment business consumed as much time as his acting career. He hated leaving Heather. She’d seemed emotionally okay when he left but he couldn’t be sure. His heart warmed, thinking of coming in her arms.

They kissed goodbye, long and passionately. Heather had watched until Ryan’s Escalade was out of sight, not sure when she’d see him again. He’d promised to call.

She took a long, hot shower, still subdued with the effects of her wild, erotic sex with Ryan. She dreamily reflected on it and became aroused. She was his and she knew it. No other man had ever made her feel the way he did. He seemed to know her body and knew precisely how to please her. She wasn’t going to give that up.

Once she dried off, she threw on her paint
ing
clothes and hustled
down
to her studio. She wanted to make significant progress on Ryan’s painting, especially now. Her brush flew on the canvas, the passion for the painting fueled with her erotic thoughts of Ryan.

Yet, something still nagged at her. The memories of sex with Ryan washed over her body as if they were a part of her. The distraction was welcome. It felt so good after the many months it had taken her to recover from her broken heart. She feared she was heading toward another one, not yet strong enough to deal with it.

Christina plagued her thoughts. She recognized jealousy mixed with her erotic memories. Ryan had dated Christina
Levain
, after all. He must have been attracted to her, maybe still was. Christina was labeled “The Most Beautiful Woman” in a recent entertainment mag
azine
. Heather wasn’t sure it was right
to replace Christina as Ryan’s lover. And, s
he didn’t know if that’s all she was. They hadn’t talked about more.

It was evident that Heather
was drawn to him, any resistance melting in his presence. She was so angry, partly at herself for blindly falling into Ryan’s arms at the least provocation. Whether it could last was uncertain.

She was a painter, an artist, but not a celebrity. In Ryan’s world, everything’s larger than life. Privacy is not part of the package. The article about the rumored engagement was evidence of that.

That’s what bothered her. How did the tabloids get that idea? True, they exaggerate. But rarely do they make up stories out of thin air. There was more to the story. She’d have to get to the bottom of it.

Her avid work left her thirsty. She went upstairs, making her way to the kitchen. On the hardwood floor, in front of the door was a small yellow envelope. She not
ed her name, Heather Lawson,
written in perfect script across the back. There was no return address.

Inside, the note was brief
,
yet potent. It read:  “Stay away from Ryan.”
Signed simply, “Christina.”

She couldn’t imagine what prompted such a reaction. She and Ryan weren’t in the columns. For all anyone knew, they hadn’t even met. Not only did Christina know
,
she had Heather’s home address.

Heather already knew she couldn’t continue this way. She didn’t want her name splashed about in connection with the Ryan and Christina relationship. She cringed to think. Who would hire her to paint after her name was dragged through the mud. And that was the least of it – emotionally, she didn’t think she’d survive it. She fell into a nearby chair, covering her face with her hands.

An hour must have passed before she was able to follow through on what she knew she had to do. Her hand shook
as she inked out a short note:

“Dear Ryan, I won’t pretend to hide how I feel about you. I’ve been all too clear about that already. But due to the circumstances, I feel it’s best to decline the commission for your painting. I’ve become too emotionally involved. I’ll provide a list of other competent artists. I’m sure you will find someone suitable. Personally, I cannot find it in my heart to regret being with you. But I know I don’t fit in your world. I’ll never be good for your image. Not like Christina. Please don’t call. Heather”

She called Jenna, asking her to drop by and deliver the note to Blake Enterprises, Ryan’s investment company. She knew he had a meeting there today and wanted him to read it as soon as he was free, before he called her.

She went back to her studio. Losing herself in her work would be the best thing. But Ryan’s painting sitting on the easel reminded her of the immense loss of the man that meant more to her than she cared to admit.

She slumped to the floor, tears filling her eyes.

“You had me followed?” Ryan spoke incredulously into the phone. “Christina, I would have thought that below, even you.  Publicity is one thing but this is going too far. I don’t care what you or my agent think is good for my image.”

“Ryan,” she purred through the phone. “Let’s not be this way with each other. I know you care for me, darling.”

Darling! “No, Christina. Stop this. I cannot allow you to continue this charade. We dated and that was hot news in the entertainment world. But marriage, even I don’t see how the journalists got that idea. It’s ludicrous.” Ryan was standing at his desk now, striding back and forth in front of the window, his cell phone pressed hard to his ear.

“It m
ay
be premature, Ryan darling, but not unexpected. I know we are right for each other. You can see that too. I know you do. Please don’t shout at me. You know how emotional I can get.” Her silky voice intended to sooth Ryan
,
but only made him angrier.

“Don’t call me Darling! I’m not your darling. You are out of line
,
Christina. I don’t wish you ill but we aren’t engaged. We won’t be getting married now or any other time. I hope that’s clear enough for you.” He exhaled heavily. This woman was pushing the limits.

“Heather Ann Lawson, is that who you are sweet on? I can’t believe that, a painter. When you could have any actress you want, a woman other men would weep to have. You can’t possibly choose her over me, be serious.”

“Christina, you think you understand more than you do. I had hoped we’d end on good terms. I expect we will work on films together again. I can only hope we can be professional about that. But you’re wasting your money having me followed. And I’m especially chagrined that you violated Heather’s privacy when you had me followed to her apartment. It ends here, all of it. Tell me you understand that.” Ryan waited.

The seconds ticked by. There was only sil
ence. Ryan looked at the phone and saw that the
call
had been ended
.
There’s something to be said for desk phones, at least you could slam the thing down to hang up. Women!

Ryan took one last look at the text he’d received during his meeting “Heather isn’t the woman for you.” Geez, Christina could be infuriating.  Yet, he wasn’t sure calling her had resolved anything.

Ryan only wished his world would allow him to change. He was sick of pretences. Christina was only a product of the industry they both worked in. Her vanity was her trademark. Most men wouldn’t care but it wasn’t Ryan’s style.

He watched the Escalade pull up and he climbed in the back, not waiting for Daniel to open the door. He clutched a note in his hand that had been personally delivered to his office. He’d stalled opening it, still trying to cool off from his heated phone conversation.

“Hey Ryan.” Daniel turned to smile politely. “Where are we headed?”

“The studio, I have to meet with the director about casting the female lead for the new movie.” Ryan’s whole body was tense.

“Got something on your mind?” Daniel nodded toward Ryan, offering him a chance to spill his guts, which he often did with his long-time friend and chauffer.

“Women are exasperating,” Ryan blurted out. “You won’t believe this but Christina was having me followed. I don’t believe it myself. It’s like she thinks she owns me but I can’t imagine how she got that impression. We dated, that’s all.

I ended it months ago. I guess Christina isn’t used to being dumped. She even got this outrageous idea that we’d be engaged. No, actually, that we
are
engaged.

Funny, how I could be engaged and not even know it. I read it in the tabloids like everyone else. At the time, I shrugged it off. Rumors fly in Hollywood. But now I think she purposely leaked that to the reporters.

She wants us to be engaged. I told her it’s just not going to happen, ever.” Ryan’s shoulders slumped with the weight of his troubles.

Daniel thought there were worse problems than having beautiful women after y
ou. But then, Christina was hot-
tempered and emotional. She was known for it. Even directors had to deal with her moods.

“It’s clear, she’s out of line,” Daniel confirmed.

“Well, I’ve told her to leave me alone. We’re through. Imagine her nerve. She leaves me a text saying Heather isn’t right for me.
How in the Hell would she know?

And that’s what is making me crazy. She doesn’t know. I thought she was going for publicity but I got the feeling when I just talked to her that it goes beyond that. She has her claws in me, or thinks she does anyway.

Join the club. I’m tired of the game, tired of doing what’s good for my reputation, my career. I’m my own man. Nobody owns me but they sure try.”