Ultimate Love (4 page)

To her surprise he was full of ideas and information as he outlined to her a recently completed development in a small town in New Zealand's southern alps, normally known only for its involvement with the ski industry. He made it sound as if he had enabled a summer tourism industry to flourish when there had not been one before. She had heard about the development, and what she had heard was very good indeed. She was surprised to find out Jared Knight and Knight Developments had been behind it. A small feeling of unease fluttered through her mind. What if she had been wrong about him? What if he was not a completely ruthless developer, only in for a fast buck? She stopped that thought before it could gain traction in her mind with a reminder of the letter still sitting inside her handbag. The letter clearly cancelled her lease, and if her lease was cancelled her business had no-where to go and she had nowhere to go. Dinah reminded herself sharply that she had to use this opportunity to change his mind.

Jared replied to her questions with an increasing respect for her business acumen. Here was a woman not afraid to go full steam ahead with her ideas, and her business ideas were worth more than all his highly paid business managers currently at his disposal. He let her outline to him her ideas on how a development at Devon Bay could be more than he had originally envisaged, and how it could be more profitable than he had originally hoped.

By the time dessert arrived he had an increased regard for Dinah Luxford. She obviously had a keen business sense and her passion seemed to infect the space around her. He enjoyed the play of emotions on her face and could not help his mind wander to how her face would flush with desire underneath the caress of his hands. With his earlier decision to see her naked and splayed out before him before the night was done, Jared could relax and enjoy the building sexual tension between them. Once he made a decision he always followed through with it, and watching Dinah's full lips outline her business ideas he knew he was very much going to enjoy seeing this decision to fruition. Even better that she had a brain to keep him interested before he took her to bed.

Jared felt sure he was not letting his physical reaction to her cloud his judgment. He had a considerable investment in land at Devon Bay and development of it was at the core of his company's progress. Still, she had bought up some interesting ideas which warranted further consideration.

What harm was there in allowing her a feeling of success? Surely that would make it easier to get her into his bed at the end of the night? After all, this was all it was, just pure lust. He felt it keenly as he watched her answer his questions. She was a woman who knew what she wanted and at that moment he knew he wanted her to want him!

"You speak about Devon Bay with a great deal of passion," he said to her. "You have some very good ideas. I'm thinking… I'm thinking that perhaps I could use some of these ideas. Maybe you're right, the leaseholders may be able to be shuffled about rather than moved out for a few months."

Dinah allowed herself a glimmer of hope. "It's the only way. Business in Devon Bay outside of the summer months is slow. We've had several businesses close over the last year and it's really hard to get a new business up and started there. If you push them out over the summer months you may find you have no tenants for your new premises when they're ready. You'd lose too much money," Dinah knew how to appeal to this man. Money was his language.

"You have a good point," he said. Jared was not too proud to acknowledge a good idea from someone else. It was part of the reason why he was so successful. Admitting mistakes and learning from them, along with learning from the experience and knowledge of others had earned him a justifiably strong reputation as a successful businessman. "I think I'll have to look again at the development schedule," he continued. "We were planning to complete most of the development over this summer due to better weather, but we may be able to push it out towards the autumn." He capitulated and it gave him great pleasure to see a warm glow flow over Dinah's skin.

She turned such a brilliant smile on him that he was momentarily floored. This woman really was something else! He gave himself a mental kick in the pants. He had made a decision to bed her tonight, and it looked like that plan would turn out nicely. But it did not mean he had to let his heart become involved. That was something he never did, ever. There was no room in his life for a permanent addition in the form of a woman, any woman. They were just too much trouble. Brief interludes with beautiful women he allowed himself, after all he had needs, but his heart was carefully guarded.

He watched her as he ate his dessert, and wondered what would drive her to be as passionate beneath his hands as she was passionate discussing business. He suddenly realised that he wanted her in his bed more than he had ever wanted any other woman, with the delicate curve of her neck and soft mouth underneath his gaze warming to his touch. A growing sense of anticipation was building inside him. Jared found himself very much looking forward to the end of the evening.

He curved one arm around her waist, letting his hand rest lightly on her hip as he guided her from the restaurant out to the car. He could feel her heated skin beneath the silky fabric of her dress. His eyes were drawn to the thrust of her breasts beneath the taught fabric and he noticed her nipples hardened and pushed forward. His hand clasped her waist a little more strongly and he felt her hip sway and touch his own as they walked intimately together toward the car the valet held waiting for them. Jared held the door open for her and was given a glimpse of her lacy bra holding up her breasts as she settled into her seat. He held the seat belt down for her, and leaned in slightly to breathe in her scent.

"Buckle up!" he said and smiled, turning on all his charm and good looks.

Dinah blushed and saw his gaze drop to her breasts. She glanced briefly at him and realised how obvious her arousal was, nipples thrusting against the thin fabric of her dress. She realised with embarrassment that the front of the wrap dress had become a little loose and a generous amount of cleavage was showing with a glimpse of her lacy bra beneath. Quickly she pulled the sides of her dress together, but not before she saw Jared's eyes grow darker and a slight flush creep over his cheekbones.

"Thank you," she said softly.

Dinah was aware of his interest as he drove. She wished her body would not respond so eagerly to his presence in the small confines of the car. Her mind was in a whirl of desire as his calm features turned upon her.

"The theater we're visiting tonight was developed recently by my company," he explained. "This area had no outlet for theatrical arts when The Regency fell into disrepair. My company refurbished it and this has allowed the local creative talent an opportunity to be profitable again."

It all sounded so plausible to Dinah that again she wondered if she had been too quick to judge him. But his close presence made it difficult to think clearly, and she was finding it hard to stop imagining him with his jacket off and his shirt undone to reveal the strong masculine frame she could discern beneath.

Once the play was underway Dinah managed to allow herself to be drawn into the story unfolding on the stage before her. She was temporarily transported into another set of lives. The passion of the performers swept her imagination into another world, a world full of drama and promise.

As they left the theatre the cool evening air bought her back to reality. The magic of the play dissolved around her as she realised that she was in the centre of Auckland with its most eligible bachelor, Jared Knight.

Jared's hand on her elbow steered her discreetly to his car, which waited for them at the curb.

"I thought we could enjoy a quiet drink at the Library Bar at the Viaduct. We could discuss the play and wind down after so much drama," said Jared. His smooth voice overcame her initial reluctance. Surely there was no danger in having a quiet drink at the end of such a wonderful evening? Dinah allowed herself to relax despite her better instincts.

Ensconced in the Library Bar, in a low comfortable couch with a refreshing drink in front of her, Dinah reminded herself that she had to use this opportunity to ensure he would not cancel her lease. She had a strong attention to detail and she had learned the hard way in business that a deal was not done until it was signed. Although he had made positive comments to her ideas over dinner, nothing had been formally decided. She wanted to get a promise from him before the night was over. But Jared Knight had other ideas.

"About the lease on the shops in Devon Bay," she started to say.

"It's far too late in the evening to be discussing business, don't you think?" he said, enjoying her initial surprise at this idea.

Dinah tried to reply with some commonsense business objective, but his direct gaze temporarily dispelled her business mind. All she could think about was Jared's hands upon her sensitised flesh, Jared's hand in her hair, and Jared's mouth upon her own.

He leaned over her to pick up her drink and bring it to her lips. She felt the warmth emanating from his virile masculine frame, and willed her reluctant body to come under her control again. But it was no use. He was too close for rational thought.

"Did you enjoy the play?" he asked.

"Yes, of course," breathlessly she answered. "It transported me to another world, for a while."

Briefly he wondered what world she normally lived in and why she might enjoy being transported from it, before returning to the matter at hand which was was transporting Dinah Luxford into his bed for the evening.

"The Theatre has had some resounding successes recently, but I think that this current play may be the best of them all. All of the actors and the director are local and this play should improve their profile within Auckland," he said.

All she could think about was his taut hard thigh resting next to hers. As they discussed the play further she could not help tracing the outlines of his masculine torso beneath his shirt.

"I enjoyed the tension between the two characters," she said.

"I'm enjoying the tension between us," he said as he leaned closer to her. "I'm enjoying your company very much Dinah. You're a wonderful dinner companion."

"Thank you," said Dinah. She had been taught the best reply to a compliment was always a gracious and simple thank you, and so her reply was automatic. So was the response of her body to his. Jared was now reaching his arm out on the seat behind her. He was so close and she could feel his breath on her neck. He smelled of clean linen and raw masculinity. She could feel herself becoming languid and soft, while a tension built within her abdomen. Dinah shifted uncomfortably in her seat, her panties becoming wet. She was aware her arousal was becoming obvious to him.

"I like how your skin flushes when I get close to you," he continued. His breath came closer to her neck. He leaned lower, letting one hand trail up over her arm and towards her neck. "You have beautiful breasts Dinah. I'm looking forward to seeing them uncovered, feeling their ripe heaviness in my hands, kissing your hard nipples and sucking them with my tongue."

Dinah gasped. They were in public! In a bar! Had he really just said what she heard him say?

As his hand moved towards her throat and slowly moved a little lower, to skim the edge of her dress, pulling it away and outwards slightly, she could feel herself stiffen in mild shock and increased desire. The temperature between them seemed to have become increased to the level of a furnace. She shifted again subtly, unconsciously making the sides of her dress gape a little wider while the movement of the fabric on her skin caused her nipples to harden further. They were very obviously pushing out against the front of her dress now. She risked a brief glance at Jared's face and saw her desire mirrored there. His cheeks were flushed, his lips full and dark, his eyes staring back into her own with a challenge. He leaned in very close now, close enough to kiss her.

"I can smell you. You smell good enough to eat. I want to kiss you Dinah," he said and he did. He kissed her neck softly, breathing her scent in deeply. A shudder moved through his long frame. He turned his head, his lips hovered above hers, before he brought her drink up to her lips and tilted the glass.

Dinah was instantly disappointed. She had been so sure he was going to kiss her, right here in a crowded bar. And it wasn't a chaste kiss she was looking forward to. When it didn't come she felt unsatisfied.

"Soon my beautiful Dinah. We have all night," he said and smiled confidently. She was ripe and his for the picking.

They finished their drinks and Jared reached out a hand to her. She felt herself being guided outside into the cool air of a spring evening. Dinah breathed in gulps of fresh air, filling her lungs deeply. A limousine quickly appeared at the curb and she found herself settled within the warm interior. She wondered briefly what had happened to the Mercedes he had driven her here in, but quickly realised that men of Jared's standing had a fleet of vehicles at their disposal. Relaxing into the soft leather she watched beneath a veil of lashes as Jared sat himself next to her. She could feel the hard muscle of his thigh pressed against hers as the limo pulled away from the curb and Jared gave curt orders for the driver to take them back to his apartment. As the privacy partition glided upwards to shield them from the driver he turned to her and cupped her chin.

His lips descended oh so slowly upon hers and she felt a small sigh escape her mouth. Wasn't this what she had imagined all evening? His kiss was soft at first, but became harder and more insistent. His hand cupped the back of her head, angling her towards his hungry exploration of her mouth. His tongue entwined with her own and she felt herself responding with wanton abandon. All conscious thought fled as her body responded to his hard masculinity pressed against her. She wanted this, oh so much! It had been so long since she had dated a man, let alone had one kiss her! And a man as sexy as Jared Knight had not come into her life before!