Momentary Lapse (3 page)

She sat up straighter. “So, is it going to be you?” She kept her voice low, forcing him to edge closer.

The temperature rose to become a warm, suffusion of heat, turning her insides to liquid. Madison gave one last throw of the dice.

“Or is it going to be somebody else?”

Chapter Three

Cole tried to read Madison's expression, but it remained impenetrable. Blood turned to fire in his veins.

She was bluffing about going with someone else tonight. Right?

But what if she wasn't?

Shit…
Cole was no saint. Of course he wanted to tap that.

Which was a bad idea. A very bad idea.

But—and this is where his newly discovered sense of civility really
fucking
sucked—Madison was not in her right mind. Anyone could see that. Even Cole. Which was a scary thought.

She kept flicking back and forth between snooty, rich-girl with a stick up her ass to this hot, guileless sex-bomb hardening his body in all the right places. While Cole might not have the best scruples when it came to women, he didn't want to take advantage of Madison. Especially if she wasn't what he originally thought—a rich daddy's girl. Beautiful and spoiled.

However, the fact remained that if Madison truly wanted to go through with a one-night-stand, he would do it. The way the other men in the bar were looking at her—like she was edible panties—made the hairs on the back of his neck prickle. Cole had heard their comments as she'd walked in and had imagined how he'd feel if they were talking about Jess.

His blood pounded harder. “So what is it you want?” he asked, needing assurance he'd read the situation right.

She leaned in and warm vodka-tinged breath stirred along his cheek.

“I want you to…f-fuck me.”

Her words were a punch to Cole's gut and any good intentions he had slid off the barstool and sauntered out the door.
Shit.
He sat rock-still, too scared to move for fear his cock would burst through the stitching of his jeans.

He barely registered the fact Madison looked just as shocked by her words as he did.

Or was he mistaken in that too? Her eyes drifted downward and a smile of approval touched her lips when she saw his noticeable bulge. The tip of her tongue snuck between her teeth. Cole just about leapt over the bar when her hand flitted to his thigh.

“Let's go then.” Her husky enticement set his pulse pounding at heart attack pace.

And with it came the realization he'd been played.

A pang, half-regret, half-delight, coursed through Cole as the chivalrous qualms holding him back liquefied into hot waves of lust. Madison St. James was no different from all of the other spoiled brats he'd met in his life. And there had been a few. All wanting a taste of the rough stuff. For Cole to take advantage and treat them like a real woman before they ran off to marry the rich, insipid asshats their mothers had picked for them.

Yeah.
He'd take what Madison offered. He'd pleasure her. Show her what a real man could do. In fact, he would devote the next eight hours to every inch of that long, fuckable body. She. Was. His.

Even as the licentious thoughts rolled over him, tightened his body and stiffened his resolve, Cole knew it was the worst idea he'd ever had.

Madison represented everything he despised. The fake, skin-deep beauty, her well-polished damsel in distress act. He already knew what was coming. He'd hate himself in the morning, waking up next to the beautiful, outer shell of a woman. Finding out there was no substance to her, nothing behind the pretty veneer. Hell, she'd probably offer to buy him a thanks-for-fucking-my-brains-out trinket, or invite him along to some party to show him off like a larger version of her toy dog accessory.

He knew all of that.

Yet, like a candy bar Cole knew he shouldn't nibble, he wanted to peel off her silky wrapper and lick at promised perfection. He already imagined running his hands across the smoothness of her belly, molding her flawless breasts. Because her delectable curves would be flawless. And paid for most probably.

Cole held back a growl as he helped Madison off the barstool and tugged her through the door to the sheltered alcove by the elevators. Not giving himself time to think, he pressed against her, swallowing her gasp of surprise as he pushed his tongue into her mouth. Women always liked him to take control.

He tasted sweetness, spice, the tang of alcohol as she opened to him. Stifling a groan, he edged his arms around her, crowding closer. He'd give Madison everything she wanted, he promised to himself.

All night long.

Because the moment their lips had touched, Cole knew neither of them would be saying no.

Madison melted against the wall as the touch of his tongue burst on her lips like fireworks. Her limbs felt heavy, boneless, and she was glad of Cole's arms around her. There was no room for thought. No time for second guesses.

She held fast to his shirt, hips flexing forward. The hard length of his cock nudged her belly and his pleasure-filled groan resonated through her. Her knees went weak at his guttural acknowledgement. Cole wanted her. Badly. She shuddered against him, nipples tightening, aching for more.

Cole hissed in air as she traced the outline of his pecs with one long, painted fingernail. His eyes glinted bright and he fitted his hands around her hips.

This was what she'd been searching for tonight. Lust, pure and primitive. Desire with a sense of abandonment, as if he couldn't control his need for her. Men always wanted her, but it was only for her looks. Cole was devouring her as if she was the very air he breathed. Like he couldn't get enough. Oh, Madison knew he had misgivings about her. He wore his heart on his sleeve. But that was what she found refreshing. There was no pretense. No bullshit. And he did want her.

Or at least who he thought she was.

This…this wasn't her. Flirty. Sexy. Dirty. She nearly pulled back, her subconscious sending out a needling reminder that the person he was attracted to was a lie.

She slid her fingers up the contours of his shoulders and sank them into the softness of his hair. She tugged him closer. For this one night, Madison would give him who he desired. She'd be the person she always wanted to be. Her tongue licked into his mouth and she let out a moan, allowing herself to fall further into the kiss.

When they finally broke apart, she struggled for breath. He did too. He pulled away and looked down at her, his eyes an icy storm, ringed in black. Molten heat. Driving determination.

Madison shuddered, something tightening low in her belly. Unable to meet the intensity of his stare, she burrowed back into him, trying to slide her hands under his shirt. To stroke his skin. Just to touch him.

He stilled. “What are you doing?” Desire, laced with a hint of amusement.

“I want to see if you look as good without this shirt.” Madison concentrated on tugging it free. She wasn't going to allow other thoughts to creep in.

“And if I don't?” he asked wickedly.

“I guess we'll just have to be bad together,” she whispered, finally finding the victory of skin beneath his shirt. A wall of velvety hardness met her touch.

She followed the dips and ridges across his stomach. There wasn't an inch of softness to him. The tickle of hair at his navel petered out as she crept higher, his body tensing as the tips of her fingers brushed below his nipples. Madison took it as an invitation to move closer. Her hip grazed the outline of his cock and he pressed his fingers into her back, holding her there.

“No convincing needed here,” he growled, his mouth opening to hers.

Madison dissolved into the heat of his kiss and Cole shifted his weight, his knee pressing between her thighs to set her clit throbbing. Widening her stance would give him better access. She wanted to rub against him like a pussycat and alleviate the bittersweet ache building inside her.

Instead, she consciously tightened her muscles. Held her tenuous position. She had one night. This one night. Madison didn't want to waste it on a quick-fix orgasm, exploding in some tacky hotel corridor. Not when the feelings coursing through her veins were raw and carnal.

Real
.

From the first touch of Cole's lips, Madison had known tonight would be worth it. She'd never experienced anything like this. Not even with Logan—
especially not with Logan.
She lived life on the surface, never peeling back the layers past skin deep. She didn't want the first authentic liaison to end here. Not like this.

“Seven-oh-four.” Her lips grazed his ear as she forced herself to draw back.

Cole swallowed. Nodded.

“Give me a moment. I didn't come prepared,” she whispered again.

One last, lingering brush against his chest and Madison found the strength to walk away. She even managed to make it to the elevator without stumbling, pushing the button for the seventh floor, hoping he didn't notice the tremble in her fingers.

Now came the hard part. Waiting to see if Cole turned up.

Madison hoped she'd done enough to persuade him she was worth it.

* * * * *

Cole totally missed his hotel room door on the first pass. He grinned, his thoughts full of Madison. Dark, sexy thoughts of her naked and spread before him, hair tumbling to curl about her breasts so only the rosy pink of her nipples showed.
Mmm.
Perfect, plump peaks he could wrap his tongue around and savor with long, lavish licks until her voice broke, begging for more.

His for the night. Right after he raided his boy scout, be-prepared stash of condoms. Cole couldn't believe he'd been
this
close to walking away. Madison had him tied in knots. He thought he'd read her wrong, but in the end her true colors had shown through. She was bored stiff with her rich lifestyle and looking for a rummage-sale fuck. Thank God he'd figured it out before he'd made the mistake of leaving her at the bar.

Cole might detest everything Madison stood for, but he wasn't about to complain. He hadn't been this eager since he was sixteen, finding the magical ticket to third base with Shelly Martin. His fumbling excursion into Shelly's panties was nothing compared to the sparks of sexual excitement nipping just below his skin, urging him up to the seventh floor. And Madison.

Seventh heaven.

His cell phone went off as he pivoted back to his hotel room door and engaged the key card. Cole ignored the call, heading straight for the box of condoms tucked away in the side pocket of his luggage. His plan was to have Madison's clothes off within one minute of being inside her room. Allowing time for a quick exchange of pleasantries. Of course.

So when his phone buzzed again, Cole came close to punting it under the bed. He pulled it from his pocket, intending to switch it off and leave it on the table, when he saw the name.

Jess.

Shit.

Jess.
A stab of self-loathing slashed through the hot waves of lust.
What was he thinking?
Reality caught Cole up and came crashing down to poleaxe his libido.

He'd forgotten about his sister. He swallowed against the hard knot in his throat. One sniff at an expensive skirt and he'd relegated Jess to the sidelines. Just like every other bastard with the Langford name.

He jabbed to connect the call and wiped at his mouth. As if he could brush away the bitter taste on his lips.

“Jess.” He closed his eyes, her name like a cold recrimination on his tongue. Still, he dug up the grin she deserved to hear in his voice. “I'm a very important man, you know. Every minute is worth millions and you're on the clock. Nnnnn-now.”

His teasing elicited a laugh he would never get sick of hearing.

“You'd better put this on my tab with all the other billions I owe you, then.” Jess's voice lit up and he could tell she was smiling.

Cole relaxed further on the bed. Three years ago she hadn't been able to say anything. A car accident had left her in a coma and claimed the life of their mother. A woman Cole had missed every day since.

Back then, he'd lived with the fear he would never hear Jess's voice again. He'd gotten her through the long, painful convalescence. He'd used every scrap of money he could lay his hands on to pay for treatment. Physiotherapy programs. Miracle drugs. Alternative healing. It had all helped. But not enough. Jess would never fully recover, and Cole still braced himself for bad news each time she called.

“How was your day?” His voice was light, but they'd been through the routine enough times to know what he was really asking.

Are you in any pain?

Did you do your exercises?

Any sign of improvement?

“Good.” Jess's words took on a brittle edge. She complained about Cole's over protectiveness—
understatement of the year—
but she couldn't know what he'd gone through after the accident. Living each day with the understanding he might lose her. Knowing every other Langford had turned their backs on her. Because of him.

“Good?” He pressed harder.

Jessica ignored his probing. “What about you?” she chirped. “Did you build anything amazing today?”

Cole rubbed at his face, holding back a rebuke. His sister was stubborn. Just like a Langford.

“Only my resistance to pretty girls,” he continued joking.

Unbidden, his thoughts flicked to Madison. And with it came a sharp pang of disappointment. He dug his fingers into his forehead, hoping to erase the image of her sun-kissed tan—
probably fake—
her waterfall of silky, blonde hair—
out of the bottle with a matching thatch below, no doubt.
Plus, she was too damn thin. Hell, he'd more than likely have snapped her in two.

Except, when he'd held Madison in his arms earlier, she'd been soft and supple. And her smell… Cole shook off the scent of honey-dipped cinnamon that suddenly teased his senses.

“You know me,” he quipped, a rough edge to his voice. “Women just swoon at my feet.”

“So, there's not just one?”

Jessica sounded disappointed and Cole chuckled. His sister would love him to fall in love and turn his attention on someone else. Her attempts to matchmake were as subtle as a freight train. She was the Captain of Obvious. It was never going to happen. Not for Cole. He was too much of a cynic to believe in love.