Sexy Hart (Sexy Series) (13 page)

“Holy fuck,” he mumbles against my lips, kissing me again, immediately after. “I want you, I want you all the time, Clare.”

“Uh huh,” I moan, high pitched and desperate, continuing to explore his mouth with urgent need. I can feel him getting… ‘
aroused’ against me as I move up and down to satisfy my body’s deep desire to feel every inch of him against me.

I open my eyes slightly, something some people may find bizarre during such a moment, and I can only hope he doesn’t open his eyes and catch me, - but there’s something about watching a man… the man you want more than anything
.. something about watching him kiss you, watching his face moving to please you…seeing him enjoying the pleasure just as much as you are.

His dark stubble runs just below his chiseled cheek bone and feels perfect against my skin; not so short it burns but not so long that it’s like kissing
astroturf . It’s so masculine, so sexy… I run my fingers through it as I close my eyes again and feel myself sink back into that blissful delirium where nobody else exists.

He squeezes my buttock making me yelp, I want more, I want so much more. “Darling…” he manages, “Darling… we’re in the hallway…”

“Uh huh…” I moan, continuing to kiss him slowly, stroking the back of his neck with my fingertips.

“Come on… let’s go to my room,” he says, pulling away slightly but not taking his eyes off mine. He places another single kiss on my lips and speaks again, “Come with me…”

I close my eyes and take a long, deep breath, composing myself. I step back a little and he clings onto the sides of my coverall with his fists. “I need to get ready… I would really
love
to come to your room with you now… but if I’m meeting you in an hour or so, I really need to get back to my room to get ready and order a sandwich. I’m sorry - I got a little carried away.”

He blows a puff of air from his mouth and presses his head back against the wall, smiling. “Oh, don’t be… I was enjoying it possibly more than you. I’m going to be wanting you all night.”

The butterflies in my belly have invited their mates over for a whopping, great, rave party. He makes me feel sixteen again; excited, besotted, infatuated… helpless. “Oh my enjoyment levels were up there, I can assure you. But I’d… I’d better go…”
I don't want to.

“I don’t want you to.”

I smile. “Me neither, but I have to, unless you want to skip the shopping?”

“Oh god, that’s sorely tempting, but I don’t want to miss out on some special Vegas time for just you and I, and I want to get you something for your birthday and there’s only one Wynn Esplanade. We can have bedroom time anywhere in the world.”

“What a nice thought,” I respond with a smile, taking a risk initiating a ‘forward’ comment.

“It absolutely is.” He lets go of my dress and stands up straight, “You go and do what you do… I’m going to take a cold shower. I will see you in an hour, gorgeous girl.”

“See you then,” I say, stepping backwards and away from him. It’s difficult; a magnetic force seems to be drawing me back towards his body and I have to really pull myself away, mentally, before I can turn and begin my walk along the long hallway to my room at the end.

His sexy smile and that gorgeous wink goodbye is an image I shall remember, probably for the rest of my life. He is one perfect man.

CHAPTER SEVEN

TUESDAY 18TH JUNE (CONT.)

Exactly an hour after I step into my room, Oliver knocks at my door to collect me. I
double check myself in the mirror to make sure I am one hundred percent perfect for my BFF.

I’m wearing a dress I bought in LA; a purple shade of navy - fitted ‘Elizabeth and James’ dress, the elbow length sleeves are snug to my arms and the slight slits at the shoulder seams make it really rather unusual. It has a deep, slightly flared panel at the bottom that sways when I walk, making the whole dress just a few inches above the knee. It fits like it was made for me. The neckline is modest, to allow for the shorter hem.

I am teaming it with a pair of black suede stilettos covered in tiny gold studs, matching my black and gold clutch. My hair - which is usually styled in a thick, flicky ponytail with some kind of detail or ribbon to give it that sixties look - is down this evening.

It’s not often I wear it down, generally because I have so much hair, I always feel more comfortable with it away from my face, and I happen to be lucky enough to suit ‘up dos’ - but tonight, I feel like being a little more ladylike… maybe for my BFF… maybe just because I don’t often get to feel as fancy as I do tonight… maybe just because it's my birthday. One of those is the real reason… I’ll leave it open.

I brush my dress down with my fingers and collect my clutch as I walk to the door. I’m so excited about seeing Oliver, and that’s down right crazy. I’ve seen him almost every day for years and I’ve never felt like this. Not since I first met him and fell truly, madly, deeply.

He comes into the Cakery all the time during his
work day to see Bea and have a chat and a cuppa with a slice of cake. Yes, I’ve always enjoyed it and looked forward to his visits, but I’ve never felt butterflies or a sudden need to jump up and down with a huge grin on my face, just to get the excitement out of my system. What the hell is wrong with me? I need to get this under control before I have some personal disaster when I realise we’re still just Oliver and Clare; BFFs, no true love, no marriage, no babies.
Oh, his babies… ugh, they’d be so unbearably gorgeous…

I try (unsuccessfully) to suppress my huge smile as I open the door to find an outstandingly handsome Oliver waiting for me in the hallway with a beautiful pink rose in his hand. I tilt my head to the side and press my hand to my heart when I see it, unable to hide how affected I am by his sweetness. “Oh, Oliver! That’s so lovely of you…” I say, stepping out into the hallway and resting a hand on his shoulder to lean in and kiss his cheek.

He places his hand on my waist and raises his eyebrows before speaking, “Clare… oh, wow, Clare you look… stunning. Just… wow.”

I giggle, “Well, thank you, Oliver, you look wonderful, too.” And he really does, his smart jeans are fitted to his deliciously toned thighs, perfectly, and the crisp white shirt and dinner jacket
complement his male elegance impeccably.

“Please,” he says, offering me his arm, “shall we?”

I giggle again as I place my arm in his. “Yes, let’s. Thank you.”

He looks at me as we walk. “You really are… beautiful, Clare. Your hair looks pretty and I like this dress on you, too.”

“Thank you,” I whisper, looking down.

He stops and places a finger under my chin, lifting my face. “Don’t be shy.” He slowly bends slightly and puts a soft kiss on my lips. My skin prickles and that
same rush of ‘giddy-happy’ flows through my veins.

“I feel lucky to be able to spend this time with you, alone, and have people downstairs think I’m one lucky bloke to have you all to myself.”

Oh golly gosh, Oliver, you’re killing me.
“Um…” I look down again and he brings my face back up with his finger.

“No shyness, this is me. I compliment you all the time.”

“I know, and I get embarrassed every time, you know that…but this is also different, isn’t it.”

“Yeah, it is a bit, but I mean it all, so it still counts. Just know I mean it… okay?”

I smile and nod.

“Good. One more kiss before we start moving again?”

I giggle and lean forward to kiss his mouth. Oliver’s mouth. Like it’s mine, like I own it, like he’s all mine, forever and always.
Sighs…

When we reach the ground floor, we step out of the lift and stroll, hand in hand towards the Esplanade, quietly chatting about the beautiful interior of this impressive hotel. This would be the ‘normal’ us… minus the
hand holding. I’m starting to forget what ‘normal’ us is, even though this ‘other’ us only started last night… but I don’t want to forget, because it’ll hurt when I’m forced back into it when we’re home, living the old life again.

“So how’s the Cakery? Have you called to check up on them?”

“Bea called this morning, they’re doing really well, no problems at all, all orders out on time and no unhappy clients. Jessica has really stepped up, she’s running the place like clockwork and has only called me twice since we came here, and that was just about a messed up dairy delivery that she managed to rectify herself. I’m really impressed; first Aspen and now this trip - it’s such a huge weight off our shoulders to know that we can leave the shop in very capable hands now, and enjoy some fun things like this - together.”

“It’s a fantastic business, you two have something to be very proud of, but you already know I think that. I bet you’re looking forward to getting back in there, though, aren’t you?”

I smile, our Cakery is my baby. “I have to admit I’m looking forward to putting my pinny back on, but I’m not sure I want this holiday to end, it has been amazing.”

“It definitely has been that. But I’m missing my chocolate cake… the day I’m back to work, I’ll be in the shop for my
cuppa and cake.”

I laugh, “Okay, I’ll make sure we have your
favourites fresh out of the oven.”

“As always.”

“How’s your business? Coping without you?”

“Yeah, the guys have got it all pretty much under control, the jobs I left behind are nearing completion so everything is on target. Nathan’s pretty good at over-seeing everything to make sure the wheels keep turning while I’m away anyway.”

“That’s good. Nothing like having your own business.” I smile, I adore mine.

“Absolutely nothing. Seeing it grow from that very first job to what it is now is probably the most satisfying feeling a person can experience.”

I love that he knows what I’m talking about - that we can share our thoughts and questions on all the things that arise from having your own business, from staff to tax situations and everything between. He helped us a lot with all of that stuff when we first started out. I bet their parents are so proud; both children running their own businesses and doing so well out of it, too.

“Wow, look at
this…” he says as we arrive at the Esplanade. It’s beautiful, spotlessly clean and the shops are fabulous.

“Oh, wow… Louis Vuitton!” I cry and then gasp loudly, “Alexander McQueen! Dior!”

Oliver chuckles heartily at my excitement, “Yes, darling, and plenty more. Where would you like to look first?”

My smile is huge, I don’t care if I buy anything or not, just
window shopping here would be enough for me. “Oh, I really don’t mind, Oliver…”

“Really, Clare, you go wild, I’ll go wherever you want to.”

“Thank you…” I say, distracted as I walk over to peer inside Alexander McQueen.

He takes my hand back and tugs me inside. “Come on… you can’t see anything from outside, get in here and have a good look.”

~~~~~~~

Well. I had a ball. It was so plush and perfect in the Esplanade, every shop was just as exciting as the last,
they even have a Ferrari dealership! I told Oliver not to worry; I didn’t fancy getting one of those today.

While we were in Chanel, though, he really surprised me. I was off looking at something or other while he was talking to the shop assistant in great depths about - what I assumed was - watches. He called me over to look at something the assistant was holding, and when I did, and saw the beautiful, elegant, entwined ‘CC’ trademark stud earrings made of the tiniest, purest little pearls, I was in love, immediately.

I then found out that he had chosen them, himself, and asked for them to be taken out for us to look at. I mean, he’s a man… a
man
… who picked the one thing in the whole shop that I would have chosen for myself. Not only that… he wanted to buy them for me for my birthday.

We had a long, ‘yes/no’ conversation about whether or not I’d let him spend so much on me for my birthday and of course, as always, Oliver won. So now, I am the proud owner and wearer of the most stunning little earrings I have ever owned in my life. I adore them, and him for finding and buying me a gift that I love.
And for knowing.

“Oliver, honestly, I can’t thank you enough, I love, love, love them…” I gush, clinging onto his arm with one hand and brushing my fingers over my ear with the other as we walk towards the Tower Suite Bar to meet the others. “They are so me, I couldn’t have picked any better. Thank you.”

I reach up and kiss his cheek, inhaling deeply as I do in order to smell his amazingness.

“Darling, stop. It’s
fine, you’re absolutely more than welcome. I’m glad that you like them. I obviously know you better than you thought.”

“You do. I don’t know why that surprises me, you’ve always picked good stuff for me whenever we’ve shopped - not that we do it that often.”

“Well, shopping isn’t at the top of my list of fun things to do… but that - that was a lot of fun.”

“It really was. Thank you.”

“Shh. Stop.”

We meet everyone at the beautiful bar and have one drink before making our way out to the front of the hotel, where Daniel (being Daniel) has arranged a car for us.