Private Pleasures (20 page)

She'd seen it often enough in other men's faces, most recently Alan's, and as she braced herself to look at Drew she felt her own familiar resentment building. Not at work, not even at Cooper. She enjoyed her work and had a duty to her clients, and on the thankfully rare occasions when she screwed up, fixing it was her top priority. Above everything, including the sexy, funny, gorgeous man whose stare she could feel like a weight on the top of her head.

No, the resentment was at the fact that she was supposed to feel guilty, that she'd chosen a career that was intense and competitive, and no one could seem to cut her a break and understand that at this point in her career, it was going to take a toll on her personal life.

But to her shock, Drew said, "Wow, that was almost as bad as the time our chairman called me a snot nosed punk in front of the board and told me I was going to run the company into the ground if I didn't get my head out of my ass." He pulled her to him and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.  "Let's get you set up in the office."

Wendy quickly retrieved her computer from the kitchen.

"You're not mad that I have to work?" Wendy said as he took her hand and led her across the great room.

He looked down at her and either he was doing a great job faking it, or he really wasn't in the least bit annoyed that she was going to have to use a few of their last few precious hours to work.

Maybe because the hours aren't nearly as precious to him as they are to you, said a mean little voice in her head.

"Look, I'm not going to pretend I'm not bummed that you're going to spend the next few hours cooped up in here," he said as though reading her thoughts. He opened the door to a small room off the great room she hadn't noticed before and ushered her inside. "Believe me," he said, his voice going low and rough the way it did when he was turned on, "I had plans for that shower and fully expect a raincheck."

Wendy put her computer down and curved her hand around his neck, pulling his mouth to hers. "You can count on it."

He licked into her mouth and gave her a long, hungry kiss that immediately had her body buzzing. He released her with a low, regretful sound and stepped back. "I better get out of here or I'm going to get you into more trouble.

"You sure you're not mad?" Wendy said, searching his face, unable to believe that Drew, who was used to having everything go exactly the way he wanted, wasn't even the slightest bit peeved at the wrench thrown in his day.

"Look, if anyone understands not being able to clock out at five on Friday and call it good, it's me. And after my last trip to Boston, I'm lucky my own phone isn't blowing up—I think they're saving everything up to give it to me in person. I'm perfectly capable of keeping myself busy and entertained for a few hours while you get yourself back on Cooper's good side."

"I don't think he has one," Wendy said, settling into the chair and opening up her laptop. She tilted her head up to accept Drew's soft kiss and his promise to check in with her in a few hours.

Though small, the office was fully equipped, with a beautiful wooden desk and a comfy leather desk chair. A combination printer-fax sat on one corner, and her computer was already hooked up with the wireless connection.

The office also had the perk of facing the lake, offering up an incredible view of dark blue water and the harsh mountains in the distance. Talk about an inspiring work environment, she thought. Then felt a little pinch at the thought that this was the last and only time she was likely to get to work in Drew's house.

As she pulled up the documents on her computer she couldn't stop marveling at the thought that Drew genuinely wasn't pissed. He totally understood her situation and was supportive of her need to work, even though it took away from their time together.

He poked his head in to let her know he was going out and to see if she wanted anything. After about an hour she heard the sound of the garage door opening as he returned.

As she pored over the contract, she vaguely heard the sounds of him moving around the house; his heavy footsteps in the hall, the sound of cabinets opening and closing in the kitchen, the sound of the TV going on for a bit.

Far from distracting her, the sounds were almost comforting, little reminders of what was waiting for her when she was finished. Drew, with his sexy, knowing smile ready to pull her into his arms. And there wouldn't be a trace of disappointment or reproach or a snide comment about putting work first.

For a few moments, she let her mind drift into what if territory. Spun a little fantasy world where she and Drew were really together, one where he supported her and she supported him and he put up with her crazy work schedule because he understood how important it was to her.

A world where they escaped to this beautiful mountain retreat for weekends full of gorgeous, heart pounding hikes and even more heart pounding sex.

A world where they built a life together full of laughter, hard work, and really, really great sex. A world where she woke up every morning to Drew's lusty good morning kiss and his eyes full of love as he smiled down at her.

Her thoughts skidded to a stop, and she put a ruthless end to her daydream. Yes, at this moment, on this particular day, Drew was great. These past few weeks with him had been great. But that didn't mean she should go telling herself stories about the life they weren't going to have together. There was no reason for her to get carried away, thinking this could ever become something lasting.

She knew Drew, knew his MO. And though it made her sick to her stomach, hurt her more than she would ever admit out loud, she knew that no matter how understanding and attentive Drew was right now, he wasn't one to bet on for the long term. Sooner or later Drew would grow as bored with her as with all the other women he'd left behind.

Not to mention, he'd already proven himself to be too much of a distraction for her. Drew was risky. She'd known that from the start. And it was just as well he was exiting her life before he endangered everything she'd worked so hard and so long for.

Even telling herself that couldn't stop the thrill of pure joy that coursed through her when he poked his head in the office and asked if she was close to finished. She couldn't ignore the sinking feeling she'd had a lot lately—that if she was this thrilled seeing his face after only a few hours her feelings for him weren't nearly as casual as she tried to tell herself they were.

She shoved the thought aside, determined to live in the here and now, savor these last days together. He made it easy, coming up behind her and settling his hands over her shoulders to give them a gentle massage.  "Yep, I just sent the draft off," she said with a smile.

Her eyes drifted closed as his hands slid down her shoulders to cover her breasts, cupping them and giving them a firm squeeze as his mouth came down on her neck in a spot he knew would make her shiver.

"So am I going to be lucky enough to get that shower?"

Chapter 14

With no more work emergencies—Cooper had reviewed the updated contract and replied to her email with a terse "this is acceptable"—the rest of the weekend passed in a pleasured haze. Sunday evening came all too soon and as Drew locked up the house, the heavy sound of the deadbolt hit her like a punch to the stomach.

They drove back to San Francisco in their separate cars, and though Wendy wasn't usually into signs, she couldn't help feel like it was symbolic of their pending separation.

Drew followed her to her place, and they barely got through the door before they were tearing each other’s clothes off, going at each other with an intensity that bordered on desperation.

When Drew got up and started gathering up his clothes, Wendy stopped him with a hand on his arm. "You can stay if you want."

Drew didn't say anything,  but there was a smolder that turned his eyes almost silver in the dim light. He dropped his clothes and climbed back into bed.

The alarm went off way too early, and though Wendy needed to get into work, she couldn't resist when Drew joined her in the shower, took the soap from her hands and slicked his big, callused hands over her body.

Forty-five minutes later, hair still damp and her body still throbbing with the aftershocks of pleasure, Wendy kissed him good bye. "Will I see you tonight?" She asked, wanting to kick herself for the pleading tone in her voice. When he didn't answer right away, she rushed on, desperate to fill the silence. "It's okay if you're too busy. I know you have tons of things to take care of before you go—"

He cupped the back of her head and pulled her in for a kiss, silencing her with the almost rough pressure of his mouth.

"I don't care how much I have to get done," he said roughly. "If I had my way I wouldn't let you out of bed today."

With one last kiss that made her feel like her heart was flipping over in her chest, Wendy got in her car and drove to work. Though she had plenty to keep her busy, today nothing could seem to distract her from the one thought that was pounding through her head like a drum: Drew was leaving tomorrow. Tonight was the last night she was going to taste his kiss, feel his touch. Feel the strength of him driving so deep inside her.

The hours crawled by, and finally at around seven she gave up, promising herself she'd make up for it tomorrow. After all, she thought, her heart pinching, after tomorrow, there would be no reason to rush home.

Drew met her at her place and they grabbed each other as though it had been weeks, not hours, since they'd last been together. Wendy led him into the bedroom and they quickly stripped. She stretched out on the bed, pulling him down over her, her body throbbing, desperate to have him inside of her, as though it knew this was the last night they were going to spend together.

But as she reached for his cock to guide him inside, he stilled her hand. "Not yet," he murmured against her mouth. "I want to make this last. I want to make this something you'll remember."

Wendy wanted to tell him that there was nothing he could do to make this more memorable, that despite all of her efforts to tell herself differently, she was afraid that Drew and the memory of his touch would be seared into her soul for the rest of her life.

But the words died in her throat as he closed his mouth over her nipple, drawing hard as he closed his hand over her other breast. As his hands and mouth moved in slow, deliberate strokes she could feel the sweat slicking his skin, the quiver in his muscles as he struggled to hold himself back.

She remembered back to that first night they'd spent together/  How greedy she'd been, eager to have him take her hard and fast. How he'd trembled then too, hanging on to his control by a thread, to the point where he'd had to tie her up so she couldn't touch him and push him over the edge.

There had been passion in his touch then, so fierce it was almost palpable. Tonight was no different, yet there was something different in his touch. Almost reverent. Almost... loving, she thought, before pushing the word out of her head.

That first night, she'd been helpless under his touch, unable to do anything but pant and moan until her desire grew so fierce it was almost painful. That night had been about power and control, and by the time he finally sank inside of her she'd been convinced sex could never get better than that.

Each and every time they'd been together since, he'd proven her wrong. Though it seemed impossible, every time she had sex with him it was better than the last.

And tonight, which was likely the last time they'd ever be together, he was proving her wrong yet again. It wasn't just his skilled hands and lips as they explored, tasting and stroking every square inch of her body.

It was the
way
he touched her, almost reverent, like he was savoring, no—
cherishing—
every part of her, searing her into his memory as he was seared into hers.

By the time he finally donned a condom and slipped inside her she was drenched with desire, her entire body shaking with the force of her need. Her orgasm started before he even got halfway inside, her pussy squeezing around him, pulling him deeper, her body as desperate to hold on to him as her heart.

He kissed her and started a slow, steady rhythm that would have seemed lazy had she not felt the trembling of his muscles underneath his skin. Long, heavy thrusts drew a second and a third climax from her body, until little sparks of pleasure tingled through her and left her limp and exhausted underneath him.

She could tell he was close, could hear it in the hitch of his breath, feel it in the way his fingers tightened on her hips and his cock swelled even bigger inside her. She slid her hands down to his ass, cupped the hard muscles in her hands and urged him faster, harder.

He froze then convulsed against her. "Wendy," he said, equal parts anguished and ecstatic. And in that single world she imagined she heard a depth of affection so intense it made her eyes sting.

He kissed her then, and if he tasted the tear that managed to escape the corner of her eye he didn't say anything.

Drew made a quick trip to the bathroom to dispose of the condom then returned to the bed. Wendy curled up against his side, settled her head against his chest and closed her eyes as if that could somehow block out the harsh reality staring her in the face.

They were silent several minutes, Drew stroking her hair, content to savor the quiet closeness. Yet the fact that he was leaving tomorrow hung over her bedroom like a heavy black cloud. And as much as Wendy didn't want tomorrow to come, she'd known from the moment they started this thing that it had a hard and fast expiration date.

No matter that it stung a hell of a lot more than she ever thought it would, she had to deal with it like a big girl and get over it already. Still, she couldn't keep the catch from her voice when she asked, "Are you all packed?"

"Just about," Drew replied, and she felt his reply rumble through her cheek and all the way through her body. "Movers come tomorrow, and the plan is to get it on the market by the end of the month."