Fair Game Inc (2010) (13 page)

Warm hands kneaded her shoulders, moving down her back to her hips, cupping her bottom, pressing her against him. She felt the evidence of his arousal, his body primed as readily as hers. For the inevitability of their attraction.

oYouAEre asking an awful lot, Counselor.o

oIAEm worth the risk,o he said, sounding for a second just like his self-assured twin.

Amber would have pulled away from him, but for the pressure of his arms around her.

oTrust me, just this once. I promise, you wonAEt regret it.o

His mouth devoured the rest of her protests.

oThis is an unfair way to win your case.o AmberAEs lips sampled the stubbled line of his jaw, the strong column of his throat.

oIAEm a desperate man.o

oReally, Counselor. IAEd never have guessed.o

oWhen IAEm with youa.o he paused, brushing his lips over the hollow in her throat, her collar bone, dipping lower to taste the dusky shadow of her cleavage. oIAEm reduced to helplessness.o

Amber linked her hands behind his head, drawing him closer. His mouth was fire against her skin. She gasped as he pushed the cloth of her robe aside and kissed the swell of her breast. Her troubles drifted away along with conscious thoughts of her business, Roger, her doubts about Grayson. The dance of their bodies against each other had a rightness to it that rang true. A surety this was meant to be.

And she meant to have Grayson Charles. Whether sheAEd regret it tomorrow, or not.

His breath seared a path from her neck down over the mound of one breast. She gasped as he took the hardened peak into his mouth. Sure sheAEd die as he left and moved to taste the other, Amber arched against him.

Suddenly, the torture of his mouth disappeared. She stumbled forward, and he caught her, taking her with him as he moved toward the cold fireplace. Inside lay one of those pressed-wood logs sheAEd bought at the supermarket. He added some newspaper from the wicker basket by the side of the fireplace. Flame reflected in his dark eyes as the paper caught the match he held out. He watched, satisfied as the flame leapt higher, catching the wood. And then his arms were back around her, crushing her to him, making her forget everything except the dark gleam of his eyes above her.

oI never learned to dance,o he said, so softly she wasnAEt sure sheAEd heard him. His palms pushed her robe lower, exposing her shoulders. His hips moved against hers, his mouth brushed her ribcage, moving lower. oBut you lend me grace, Amber.o

Her hands found the hem of his sweater and tugged, getting it stuck on the barrier of his shoulders. oI want to touch you,o she said desperately.

He chuckled, reaching down to cover her trembling fingers, and pulled it free. Her hands spread over the smooth expanse of his chest, curling in the rough patch of dark hair in the center.

Grayson reached behind him, grasping the thick weight of the duvet folded on the end of the couch. He spread the thick, down-stuffed quilt on the rug before the fire, and pulled her gently down to face him.

He brushed a crimson curl from her shoulder, then his fingers trailed down to loosen the sash of her robe. His actions made her feel suddenly vulnerable, and she moved to cover herself, but he caught her hands.

oLet me see your beauty, Amber,o he whispered, banishing her fears with another feather-soft sweep of his mouth.

Her hands molded to his ribcage, drifting lower to tug at his belt, finally getting it loose. She slipped a slim hand between his pants and his hot skin, feeling the heat of him.

Grayson pushed her backward into the softness of the quilt. His tongue explored the contours of her body, mapping every hill and valley. He savored every inch of her, down past her waist, past the barrier of her robe, to the soft cluster of curls at her very center.

Her hands fumbled with the zipper of his pants, pushing them down past his slim hips, until he grew frustrated as well and kicked them aside.

He settled his muscular weight atop her, kissing her slowly, from head, to her breast, then slithering down to taste the sweetness at her center. She moaned as his tongue found the heart of her desire. Amber tipped her head back, smothering another moan wrenched from her very soul. She felt the warm puff of his laughter at the effect his caress had upon her. oOh God,o she begged, odonAEt stop!o

oRelax,o he said gently, tantalizing her with more of that languid kiss.

Relaxation was the last thing on her mind as she bucked against him, demanding more of his caress. Sweat beaded upon her forehead and trickled between her breasts. She should be embarrassed, perhaps tomorrow she would be, but right now all she felt was the fire that burned in the hearth beside them and the consuming flame inside.

Fulfillment hit like a shower of fireworks. Her fingers curled in his hair, yanking his head closer. He complied willingly. She felt the curve of his smile against her thighs as her passion subsided into rough sobs for breath. His hardness pressed against her as he reached up to kiss her deeply, thoroughly. Tasting herself on his mouth, she parted her thighs.

oI want to feel you.o Dare she ask for what she desperately desired? oInside me,o she finished in a tiny voice.

He stopped, gazing hungrily down at her in agonized desire. oAmber,o he began roughly, oI donAEt have anything with me. I didnAEt plan this, and I want to protect you.o

oWait.o Her voice came out shockingly husky. Slithering out from under him, she raced to the closet and the little basket of green and red condoms her best friend had given her for Christmas. An invitation back into the world of dating, Maureen had said. Only Maureen knew how deeply Eric hurt her. It sat forgotten in her closet for ten months. Amber had almost thrown it out several times.

Grayson raised an eyebrow when she brought the basket back to him and she felt like a complete fool for not discreetly taking out one of the little packets before.

oIt was a gift,o she said a defensively. oFrom my girlfriend. I guess she was trying to tell me to get a life.o

oI like this friend of yours already,o he murmured appreciatively, putting her at ease. oWould you prefer cherry or mint?o

oMint.o She reached for the green slip of latex. He closed his eyes in pleasure as her small hand closed around him. Then he was reaching for her again, pushing her back into the softness of the comforter.

oMerry Christmas,o he whispered.

She felt him poised at her moist opening. Laying back, she wrapped her legs around his hips and took him inside.

oAmber....o He moaned her name. Dark lashes fluttering against her cheek as he savored the depths of her.

oGray--o The rest of his name was smothered against his shoulder, as her hands roved over his shoulders and down the corded length of his back, finally cupping the taut roundness of his buttocks, taking him deeper.

His long slow movements stoked the fire higher, as they moved together in a dance as old as time. Skin touched skin, every muscled inch of him pressed against her, and the beautiful torture of the feel of him inside. Soft hairs of his chest teased the tips of her nipples to hardened nubs, even as his muscular thighs moved erotically between hers. He quickened the pace, driving deeper, faster with gentle, yet purposeful thrusts. Another wave of fulfillment beckoned from the crest of the hill she was scaling. She tipped her hips, rising to meet him, demanding more of this strange sensation of utter rightness.

That thought froze her in stride. What was it Eric had always said? That she was as responsive as a block of ice.

oWhatAEs wrong?o he asked gently. No demand, no disappointment in his voice, only concern for her.

Amber tipped her head back, looking up into the dark depths of his desire. The desire he was willing to put on hold out of compassion. oIAEm not sure that I can ... again ... I mean I usually donAEt--o

His mouth covered hers, hot and demanding, teasing her with flicks of his tongue which mirrored his other movements. oTrust me,o he said, pulling his mouth away to nibble seductively at her lower lip.

Again that word, spoken so softly, so sincerely, she had no choice but to obey. But even as his words coaxed her, his body demanded, and she felt her desire soar despite her reservations. Nothing had ever felt like this, so good, so certain in its promise of ecstasy, so....

The intensity of it stole her breath. Distantly she heard herself moan his name, heard his own hoarse cry. Sparks exploded behind her eyelids, leading her down into darkness and warmth. She sighed deeply against his chest. Grayson shifted away from her long enough to grasp the corner of the duvet draw it up around them.

Warm breath ruffled the top of her curls. Laughter rumbled through his chest. oI take it IAEm forgiven?o

She smiled up at him drowsily, only then becoming aware they were lying wrapped in her quilt on the living room floor. oMostly.o Her daring tone covered her growing embarrassment.

oMostly!o There was real panic in those dark eyes. oWhat do I have to do for an encore?o

The prospect of more sent another rush of scarlet to her cheeks. oIAEm sure youAEll think of something.o

oIAEll give it my undivided attention.o His smile dissolved into seriousness. oLet me into your life Amber--o His thumb traced the line of her heart-shaped face. oI think youAEre wonderful.o

oYouAEre already in my life.o Amber offered him a wan smile. oYou and the rest of your crazy family.o

Grayson fell silent for a moment as if he wasnAEt sure how to handle the mention of the touchy subject of Roger. And then another wave of laughter burst from his throat. oRoger must really have thought you were special. He cut his hair for you. HeAEs been cultivating that famous head of hair since he was a teenager.o

oYouAEre kidding!o

oHonestly. WouldnAEt cut it for his graduation. Not even for DadAEs funeral.o

oShould I be honored?o

He frowned. oFrom Roger thatAEs a backward kind of compliment.o His mouth covered hers, kissing her deeply, thoroughly. oBut I am honored,o he said softly.

This wasnAEt the kind of end to the evening that sheAEd been contemplating. She started with the conviction to murder the Charles twins, especially Roger. Life was strange, Amber reflected, pillowing her head against his shoulder.

oSo,o Grayson said. His deep voice rumbled through his chest, tickling her ear. oShould we try cherry?o

Chapter
EIGHT

oShe fired him!o

Jennifer nodded. A feral grin broke across her face. Triumph gleamed in that expression. oThe ultimatum came down from her boss. I guess word of their entanglement got around. He didnAEt say as much, but it doesnAEt take a genius to figure it out. What a fool. Apparently she didnAEt love him enough to sacrifice her career for him.o

Amber swallowed past the lump in her stomach. oApparently not.o She already knew what was coming next. No need now to exact revenge. Fate had dealt quite effectively with Apartment Four. oI suppose thatAEs why he called in sick on Friday,o she said noncommittally.

oSick with humiliation is more like it. Got himself a large taste of his own medicine.o

oHe got what was coming to him, IAEd say.o

oAnd he calls me for sympathy!o JenniferAEs voice rose in amazement. oCan you believe it?o

oI can.o The way things were going, sheAEd believe almost anything. A UFO could land on her desk and scarcely cause her to blink. oAre you going to take him back?o

oMaybe. When I finish torturing him.o Again that predatory smile. Jennifer looked more like an indignant wolverine than the pixie Amber had first taken her for.

Amber sighed deeply, watching the deluxe package and the companyAEs financial health fly out the proverbial window. CouldnAEt Fate have waited another day to deal Apartment Four the final blow? Surely two lessons would be better than one. For the sake of his soul, of course.

oDoes he know you know about his involvement with his boss?o

oNo.o Jennifer smiled daggers. oIAEm saving that particular morsel of information for future use.o

oBut you donAEt have the proof you wanted.o The proof that was supposed to be the deluxe package and the monthAEs rent.

oNo, but he knows heAEs guilty. If he denies it, heAEs history.o

oI suppose itAEs a good test of his integrity, if nothing else.o Nothing else was exactly it.

oHeAEs going to be jumping through a few hoops in the near future,o Jennifer said. She ran a hand through her short tousled curls. Her brown eyes sparkled with new life. A betrayed woman satisfied that justice had been served. Faith in the world had been restored. Amber knew the signs. She helped give that life back to those who were hurting. It kept her going during the tough times. Like the one coming.

oWhere does that leave us?o Amber asked carefully. There, the question was out, the inevitability already in action.

oCan we leave things as they stand? You can keep the advance. ItAEs worth it, just to see his true ilk.o

Worth it for whom? Amber thrust the self-pitying thought to the back of her mind. The advance wouldnAEt even cover the cost of the photographer and videographer. But she couldnAEt bill Jennifer for work that hadnAEt been done.

Fate was a man, she decided bitterly. Who else would have such abominable timing?