Blackmailed Into Bed (14 page)

So her jaw nearly dropped when he turned into an upscale housing development and stopped in the driveway of a gorgeous, sprawling two-story brick home.

“ This is your house?” she asked as he cut the engine, not bothering to hide her awe.

He sat back in his seat, offering a wry smile. “ Yeah, why? Did you think I lived at some cheap hotel? Or maybe sleep at my desk at work?”

She flushed at just how close his guess was to what she’ d been thinking and was glad it was too dark for him to see.

“ No,” she denied, “ I just didn’ t realize you owned your own house. It’ s gorgeous.”

“ Thank you. Though it’ s not quite the mansion you grew up in, I know.”

He opened his door and stepped out and she followed suit.

“ Yes, well, even I admit Pop went a bit overboard when he built it. He was the first member of his family to really make something of himself, and I think he confused the house from Gone with the Wind with the average American dream.”

That earned her a chuckle and she joined in as he led her up the moonlit path to the front door. Reaching around the jamb, he flipped a switch. Light flooded the foyer and part of the front yard from a massive chandelier hanging in the center of the ceiling where dozens of crystal teardrops twinkled brightly.

“ Would you like a tour?”

She nodded eagerly, already fascinated by the little she’ d seen.

He showed her the den, kitchen and family room, and stood in front of a set of wide French doors at the back of the house as he described the patio and lawn that she couldn’ t see much of in the muted illumination from the house. There was also an indoor pool and workout room, two things even her father’ s sizeable estate couldn’ t boast.

Then he led her upstairs and pointed out several beautifully decorated guest rooms, as well as a central restroom that didn’ t look as though it was used very often.

At the end of the hall stood the master bedroom, easily twice as large as any of the others, and done in dark, masculine tones. The bed was a giant four poster made of mahogany and covered with a comforter of forest green and navy blue swirls. On either side of the bed stood two-drawer nightstands carved of the same wood and with the same design as the bedposts, and holding matching wrought iron lamps. A doorway to the right of the bed led to the master bath, with a sunken whirlpool tub, a separate shower and two sinks set into a long marble countertop.

As though she wasn’ t impressed enough already, he informed her that he’ d overseen both the design and decoration of the entire house. The man had great taste, she admitted, more than a little surprised by just how luxurious and tasteful his home was.

It was a shame, though, that he lived there alone. Such a large place seemed wasted on only one person.

“ So,” he murmured, “ would you like a glass of wine, or something else to drink?”

They were still standing in the middle of the bedroom, but while she had felt completely comfortable a moment ago, she was suddenly faced with an attack of nerves. Her reason for being in his home, alone with him, this late at night flashed back to her and her heart gave a tiny flip.

“ No, thank you,” she said softly with a shake of her head. She’ d had two glasses of chardonnay at his parents’ house. Any more and her head might start to get fuzzy.

Her fingers worked distractedly on the strap of her purse as she added, “ I should call my sister, though. Let her know I’ m going to be late.”

He nodded, then pointed to the cordless phone charging on one of the nightstands. “ Help yourself.”

Striding to the walk-in closet at the far side of the room, he shrugged out of his suit jacket and hung it in the jungle of other suit jackets.

“ If you’ d like,” he said as she was dialing, “ you can tell her I’ ll bring you home in the morning.” Cocking his head in her direction, he shot her a glance filled with sultry and seductive meaning. “ That is, if you’ d like to stay the night.”

Ten

E lena inhaled deeply and stretched, her toes curling into the soft Egyptian cotton sheets, her arms reaching over her head until her fingers bumped the mahogany headboard.

She couldn’ t remember the last time she’ d slept so well. Of course, she and Chase had worn themselves out pretty well before finally drifting off sometime after midnight.

At the sound of movement in the room, she opened her eyes and sat up, clutching the covers to her chest. Chase wasn’ t beside her in the gigantic four poster bed, but already up and dressed. With a tray in his hands, he crossed the carpeted floor in bare feet, well-worn jeans and a casual white button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows.

The tray held a plate piled high with what looked like French toast and scrambled eggs, two glasses of orange juice and a tall, narrow vase with a single bright purple tulip in full bloom.

“ Good morning,” he said, his low drawl dripping down her spine like warm honey.

“ Good morning,” she returned as he rounded the bed and crawled onto the mattress from his side, setting the tray carefully between them. It looked and smelled delicious.

“ What time is it?” she asked, turning her head toward the clock on the bedside table.

Before she could see for herself, he said, “ A little after nine.”

“ Nine?” Shock and fear rolled through her as she realized she was late for work. She was never late for work.

She threw back the covers, ready to jump out of bed and dress as quickly as possible. If she hurried, maybe she could get to the office before her boss realized she was late, even if it meant showing up in the same outfit two days in a row.

She would rather put up with gossip about her personal life than gain the reputation of shirking her duties. And if she called Alandra from her cell phone on the way, she might even be able to get her sister to meet her there with a change of clothes.

“ Relax,” Chase told her, reaching out to grab her wrist before she’ d leapt completely off the mattress. “ I phoned your sister and asked her to call you in sick from work.”

For a moment, Elena wasn’ t sure she understood what he was telling her. Then, as it began to sink in, she raised a curious brow.

“ Although, if you’ d like to leave the covers off and eat in the buff,” he added with a devilish wink, “ I’ m all for it.”

She looked down and saw that she was, indeed, naked, the sheet tossed off to her ankles. With a gasp, she grabbed the sheet and yanked it back up to her chin.

He chuckled at the blush that filled her cheeks. “ Do you really think there’ s any part of you I haven’ t already seen?” he asked, and then added, “ And explored quite thoroughly?”

It was true. He was a very thorough man.

“ I don’ t make a habit of sitting around, eating breakfast in the nude,” she replied primly, turning her nose up just a little.

Which only earned her another deep laugh.

“ And what do you mean you asked my sister to call me in sick to work?” she demanded, pretending to be more annoyed than she really was.

In all honestly, she was relieved. Yes, it was high-handed of him, but then, this was Chase. Chase was nothing if not forceful and commanding.

He shrugged one broad shoulder. “ I kept you up pretty late last night, so I figured you’ d appreciate a morning to sleep in. I also thought we could spend the day together, since I called and let my secretary know I wouldn’ t be in, either.”

Now, that surprised her. She didn’ t think Chase Ramsey ever took a day off work, or would know what to do with himself if he did.

Since it seemed like a moot point now, she gave up on worrying about her job and reached for a fork and the plate of French toast.

“ What did you have in mind?” she asked.

“ Hey, that’ s for both of us,” he complained when she dug in.

“ I’ ll let you have whatever I can’ t finish,” she shot back with a wicked tip to her lips.

He snorted, but let her go. Then he said, “ We can do anything you like. Sit by the pool sipping umbrella drinks, or on the back patio doing the same. We can even pack a picnic lunch and go over to my brother’ s to see if he’ ll let us take a couple of his horses out for a few hours.”

For a man who professed to need her only as his mistress, he seemed awfully accommodating all of a sudden. A picnic lunch? Sipping umbrella drinks by the pool?

She took a bite of French toast and chewed slowly, then washed it down with a sip of juice.

As much as she enjoyed horseback riding, the thought of staying here and spending the day only with Chase held much more appeal. After all, she didn’ t know how much longer they would have together before he decided he didn’ t need a mistress anymore… or at least didn’ t need her as his mistress.

“ A dip in the pool sounds like fun,” she said slowly. “ I don’ t have a suit, though.”

“ That’ s all right.” He reached out and snagged a slice of French toast from the plate she was holding and lifted it directly to his mouth. “ You don’ t need one.”

“ You expect me to swim naked?” she asked, somewhat startled.

“ Why not?” He took another bite, chewing thoughtfully. “ I’ ll be naked, too, and even if you did wear a suit, I’ d have you out of it in no time, anyway.”

She paused with the fork almost to her mouth, her throat closing suddenly as a jolt of arousal flushed through her system. Lowering her hand, she replaced the fork on the plate and set it all aside. Chase didn’ t miss a beat in picking it up himself and digging in.

“ What do you say?” he asked, mouth half-full of food. “ Do you still want to swim?”

The vision of frolicking in the water with him, making love with him there, flashed through her head, and the muscles in her body went lax. She swallowed hard, licked her dry lips and barely managed a breathless, “ Okay.”

Hours later, Elena was glad she hadn’ t had to go to work that day. She wasn’ t sure she’ d have the energy to even go in tomorrow.

Chase was stretched out on a lounge chair a few feet from the pool, eyes closed, chest rising and falling with his breathing. She was draped along his side, her head on his shoulder, her palm resting on the flat of his abdomen. And they were both entirely, blissfully naked.

Two colorful drinks, complete with the umbrellas he’ d promised, sat on a small glass table beside the chair, practically untouched, and soft music played over the sound system that was piped through the entire house.

“ I’ ve got a party to attend tomorrow night,” he said, startling her out of her drowsy reverie.

Rolling her head back slightly, she realized his eyes were still closed, but he obviously wasn’ t asleep as she’ d first thought.

“ You wanna go with me?”

“ Do I have a choice?” she asked, shifting slightly to redistribute her weight along his chest and thigh.

“ You always have a choice. We all do,” he replied calmly. Lifting his arm, he thread his fingers through the damp hair at her temple. “ But I’ m asking you. It’ s a business gathering, but you don’ t have to go if you don’ t want to. I can make it through one black-tie party on my own, I think,” he added with a chuckle.

She felt his laughter vibrate through his body, and nearly sighed at the tender, relaxing sensation he was creating along her scalp.

“ I’ d like you with me, though, if you’ d like to go.”

Swallowing hard, she tried not to let her emotions tense her muscles or hasten her breathing, but her mind was spinning.

Was this a turning point in their relationship? Was he beginning to see her more as a lover, a girlfriend, than simply a mistress by business arrangement?

She didn’ t want to get her hopes up, didn’ t want to read too much into his one small comment, his one tiny shift in attitude. But her heart swelled with the possibilities.

“ I would like to,” she said softly, relieved when her voice came out steady and self-assured.

“ Good. I’ ll pick you up at eight.”

Then, without warning, he rolled over, twisting her beneath him, catching her just before she fell off the edge of the chaise. She gave a little yelp, her eyes going wide in startlement.

“ Wear something slinky and sexy that shows off your great breasts and bottom.”

He pinched her there and she made a sound that was half-gasp, half-laugh.

“ You think I have a nice bottom?” she asked when she’ d regained her breath.

“ Stellar. Classic. Greek statues weep in envy.”

She grinned, letting her head fall back as he nuzzled her throat. His unshaven cheek scratched along her tender flesh, likely leaving a mark that she would later have to explain to her family and co-workers, but she didn’ t care. Her back arched in pleasure, her hips bumping into his obvious arousal.

His hands slid higher as his mouth moved to her ear. “ And make sure it’ s backless. Something that leaves your smooth, gorgeous back bare to the room. Every other woman there will want to scratch your eyes out,” he murmured. “ And every man will want you.”

“ Including you?” she asked, finally getting into the flow of his building passion. She lifted her arms around his neck, her legs around his waist and licked the line of his jaw.