No Reservations (20 page)

He toed off his oh-so-formal black wingtips before she told him to, and she had to
smile when he stepped out of his pants to stand before her in only his boxers and
socks.

“I think I might like this look on you.” She looked up at him with a deliberately
sexy gleam in her eye and watched him return her smile.

“And I think you’re wearing way too many clothes.”

“Ah, but you need some sleep.”

“I didn’t come here to sleep.”

No, he’d come here to have sex with her. Although having sex with him had become so
much more than that for her.

“I know that, Tyler. Humor me. Lie down for a little while. I can see how tired you
are.”

“Only if you lie with me.”

“I plan to.”

“Naked.”

She heard the command in his voice but refused to give in to it. “If we’re both naked,
you know what’s going to happen.” His smile made her thighs clench, but she wasn’t
going to be deterred just yet. “Just lie down. I’m not going anywhere.”

His gaze searched hers for several seconds before he nodded and moved to her bed.
When he lay on his back with his arms crossed under his head, watching her, she had
the almost undeniable urge to do a striptease for him. But then she’d ruin her own
good intentions because she wouldn’t be able to justify riling him up then not coming
through.

And she’d be just as turned on.

Instead, she pulled her sweatshirt over her head and shoved her yoga pants to the
floor seconds before crawling into bed next to him in her panties and camisole.

She pressed against his side, his body fitting against hers like they belonged together.

If they were going to continue this relationship, she really needed to think about
getting a bigger bed.

Beneath her cheek, she felt his chest rise and fall on a sigh and his body relaxed
almost instantly. She swore he was asleep in seconds, although his arms never lost
their grip on her.

She didn’t mind. She didn’t plan on going anywhere.

**

Tyler came awake with a start.

He knew exactly where he was. And where Kate’s mouth was.

On his cock.

He groaned, his hands finding her head and sinking into the silky strands trailing
along his thighs. “Jesus, Kate.”

One of her hands stroked between his thighs, teasing the sensitive skin before running
her nails along his balls. Her lips ringed his cockhead, the tip of her tongue swirling
around it like it was a lollipop she couldn’t get enough of.

After a long, deep suck, she let him slip from her mouth to run her lips down his
length.

His head kicked back into the pillow, his hands tightening in her hair. He couldn’t
let her go, couldn’t loosen his grip, and she didn’t seem to mind at all.

God, he wanted to be back in her mouth.

His eyes opened, but the room was totally dark. He couldn’t make out anything.

He could only feel.

Her teeth nipping at the base of his cock. One hand gripping his thigh, the other
wrapped around his balls, massaging them.

He tried not to move as her lips slid back up his shaft just before she sucked him
deep. The head nudged at the back of her throat and she swallowed, her throat tightening
around him, encouraging him to come.

Not yet. Hell, no. He wanted so much more.

But Kate seemed determined to break his control. Her lips and mouth worked to rile
him to a point that he had to give in.

It became a battle of wills. One he was determined to win.

On her next slide up his shaft, he was ready for her. He pulled her hair just hard
enough to keep her from descending once again. She tugged, but he held on.

“Are you feeling more rested?”

Her tone held a note of teasing that made him want to smile.

“I think you’re going to be surprised how much energy I have now, sweetheart. But
first . . .”

He sat up without warning, eliciting a yelp from Kate. Before she could get oriented,
he had her splayed over his lap.

He was going to take her at her word and not ask for permission this time. If they
were going to continue this relationship then she truly needed to know what she’d
be getting with him. He needed to know she could handle everything about him before
he let himself move forward and she decided she couldn’t take certain aspects of his
personality.

And Saturday night, maybe . . .

Well, he’d worry about that later.

Right now, he had her right where he wanted her.

He ran his hand from her waist to her thigh, stroking her soft skin, making her squirm.

Right before he smacked her ass with a stinging slap.

He expected another yelp. Instead, she moaned.

“Tyler. What—”

He smacked her again, the slight jolt traveling up his arm and straight to his cock.

Already stiff as a board, it ached to sink deep in her pussy.

And he couldn’t wait any longer.

Twisting her around again, he set her on her knees on the bed then got behind her
and pushed on her back until her chest lay on the bed with her ass raised high.

She started when he put one hand on her hip but didn’t move. He felt her tremble,
but she didn’t tell him to stop. Or shy away from him.

She waited, breathing so hard he could hear her.

Instead of putting his knees between hers, he put one on the outside then put his
bent leg on the side.

Leverage. It was all about leverage.

He dipped his fingers between her legs, making sure she was wet enough to take him,
and found her slick and hot. He fucked her with his fingers for several seconds, stroking
her sex high inside, making her writhe and clench around him.

When she moaned out his name a second time, he couldn’t wait any longer.

He grabbed his cock in one hand—

And realized he didn’t have a condom.

“Kate. I need—”

With a groan, she reached for the bedside table, opened the drawer, and fumbled around
for a few minutes before practically throwing a little foil square at him.

They were exchanging medical info as soon as possible. He was growing to hate condoms.

Once he had it in place, he guided his cock to her entrance and slammed home in one,
smooth motion.

God damn, she was so fucking tight like this. His cock pulsed a warning and he froze,
not wanting to move and set off his orgasm.

But Kate couldn’t stay still. She pressed back against him.

So he spanked her again. The way she clenched around him made him bite back another
groan.

Bending over her, he let his cheek rest against her back, felt the wild pattern of
her breathing.

“Move, God damn it.”

Her demand made him want to spank her again, so he did. Twice.

Then he fucked her. Hard and fast and with everything he had.

And she let him.

He realized his eyes had grown accustomed to the darkness and he could see her hands
clenched in the sheets, holding on as she pressed her ass against him with his every
thrust.

His rhythm increased, dragging her along with him, their mating a primitive force
that unleashed his usually suppressed wildness.

He fucked her with brute force until he felt her tighten around him, her moan signaling
her release. Seconds later, he came so hard, he swore he saw stars behind his eyelids.

With a groan, he took them both to their sides, his cock still deep in her body, her
pussy still clenching around him.

She was breathing so fast, he was almost worried she was hyperventilating until she
finally began to calm down.

He had his arms wrapped so tight around her, he had to make a conscious effort to
loosen them. Which she didn’t seem to like, because her fingernails dug into his forearms,
stopping him.

“I want you to come back to Haven with me tomorrow,” he said. “Call in sick. I’ve
got a meeting I must attend and then I want you to join me at the Salon.”

He felt her breathing hitch as she shook her head. “I can’t call in sick, and I have
a meeting I can’t reschedule Saturday morning. But I’ll be there as early as I can
Saturday.”

It was on the tip of his tongue to demand she drop everything for him but he knew
that’d be a major mistake.

Still, the frustration wanted to eat away at him.

“Is there something special going on at the Salon?”

She sounded curious but tentative and he knew if he said yes, he wanted to fuck her
while another man watched, she’d be shocked.

He wanted her to agree to it.
Needed
her to agree to it until it was a gnawing ache in his gut.

And he wanted her to want it as much as he did.

So just tell her what you want.

She’d been game for everything else he’d asked her to do. Why would this be different?

Because he’d be bringing another man into the mix. And he was pretty damn sure she’d
never done anything like that before.

For all of Mia’s instinctual reserve, the voyeuristic aspect of their sexual relationship
had excited her. She’d become a different person while having sex with him in front
of another man. Almost as if she had permission to be someone different.

But, as he had reminded himself many times before, Kate wasn’t Mia.

“No. Only Greg will be there to watch.”

She lay still for several seconds before turning in his arms to look at him. She stared
at him for several seconds, her cheeks flushing a bright pink. “Are you expecting
me to have sex with him?”

Her voice sounded steady and she continued to hold his gaze. He couldn’t tell if she
was angry, shocked, appalled . . .

Or turned on.

“I don’t expect you to. Do you
want
to have sex with Greg?”

It wouldn’t be the first time he and Greg shared a woman, though Greg had never had
sex with Mia. But with Kate . . .

After almost a half-minute silence, Kate finally said, “I’m not sure.”

She hadn’t said no, but it wasn’t a definite yes either. Would this be the point at
which she said stop?

She took a deep breath. “I can be there around eight, depending on traffic into the
city.”

Yes.
Instead of grunting out his triumph, he kissed her. Hard. Probably harder than he
should have. But she didn’t push him away. She let him push up onto his elbows and
loom over her.

His cock began to rouse again, brushing against her thigh. Bending her knee, she used
that thigh to rub her soft skin against his, winding him up again.

Her tongue slid into his mouth, playing and teasing. Drowning out the tiny seed of
doubt that he was pushing her too far, too fast.

Fourteen

“So I’m going to Haven again Saturday.”

Kate and Annabelle sat in a quiet corner in the antiques shop around noon on Friday.
Kate had needed to talk and Annabelle had been tied up with customers, so Kate had
brought lunch to her.

The customers had finally left, purchases loaded into the back of their van, a few
minutes ago.

Kate had so far been able to keep from blurting out the fact that Tyler wanted her
to have sex with him while another man watched—and possibly joined in—but she knew
she wouldn’t be able to for long.

“And?” Annabelle raised a brow at her. “What does Tyler have planned?”

Kate blushed. She couldn’t help it. But not all of it was embarrassment. A lot of
it was heat.

She wasn’t a prude. And she wasn’t worried about what Annabelle would think.

Annabelle had told her about her experiences at the Salon and the few times she’d
spent with Jared and his friend, Dane.

Sure, she’d been shocked, at first. But her shock had quickly turned to curiosity.

And wonder. What would she do if she found herself in the same situation?

“He wants us to make use of the Salon.”

Annabelle’s eyes widened as she put her sandwich down without taking a bite. “Oh really.
And what use does he want to make of the Salon?”

“He wants to have sex with me in front of another man.”

Annabelle didn’t look surprised. Only curious. “And what did you say?”

“I said yes.”

Annabelle nodded, as if she’d expected her to. “And are you sure it’s something you
want to do?”

“I wouldn’t have said yes if it wasn’t.”

“
Are
you sure, Kate?”

It was on the tip of her tongue to say yes immediately but she took a bite of her
sandwich before she did. And thought, really thought, about her answer. Annabelle
didn’t push her to respond and they sat in silence for several seconds.

“Can I ask you a really personal question?”

Annabelle wrinkled her nose at her. “Of course you can. You know that. Anything you
want to know.”

“Do you think I’m rushing into a relationship with Tyler too soon after breaking up
with Arnie?”

Annabelle began to shake her head even before she’d finished asking her question.
“No. Because you didn’t really love Arnie. You know that.”

“I know that I strung along a nice guy I knew I didn’t love for years before I came
to my senses.”

Scowling, Annabelle waved her sandwich at her. “Now you’re just being too hard on
yourself. I know you cared for Arnie. But I also know you think you’re at fault for
everything that was wrong with your relationship. But you’re not. Do you think Arnie
didn’t know you didn’t love him the same way he loved you? And do you really think
if he loved you more than life itself, he wouldn’t have fought harder to keep you?”

Kate’s mouth dropped open for a second before she snapped it shut. She’d never looked
at it like that before.

“Seriously, Kate, the only problem you’re going to have is getting addicted to how
much fun you can have at the Salon.”

“So wanting to have sex in front of another man doesn’t make me a pervert?”

Annabelle rolled her eyes. “If it does, then welcome to the club. I’m going to be
a charter member soon.”

“So Jared . . . and Dane . . .”

Annabelle’s smile told a story of its own. “Do you want details? I’ve actually been
dying to talk to you about everything but you’ve been so preoccupied, I didn’t want
to burden you. Or make you think I’m sex-crazed.”

Kate sighed in relief. “God, it’s so good to know I have someone to talk to about
this. Someone I trust.”

“I would’ve brought up the subject sooner but you’ve had so much going on and I had
so much going on and . . .” Annabelle grimaced. “Alright, maybe I was a little afraid
you’d think I’d gone off the deep end. I mean, sure, my parents were in a three-way
relationship. But, oh my
God
, Kate. The sex is . . . amazing. And I love Jared more than I thought I’d ever love
anyone. And I can’t imagine ever losing him. But when Dane joins us . . . Or we’re
at one of the Salon’s game nights . . . I’ve never felt anything like it in my life.
But it’s not just the sex. I can’t imagine sharing the rest of my life with anyone
other than Jared. We complement each other. Do you know what I mean?”

Sighing, Kate nodded. Yes, she knew exactly what Annabelle meant. “So I shouldn’t
be so uptight about Saturday?”

“Oh, no. That’s not what I’m saying. If you don’t feel comfortable doing something,
you shouldn’t do it.”

And that totally wasn’t the problem. “But it doesn’t make me a slut to want it?”

“Stop that right now.” Annabelle’s tone brooked no defiance, and Kate’s lips twisted
in a wry smile. “Stop calling yourself names like that. Enjoying sex isn’t anything
to be ashamed of. And just because we’re enjoying it with more people than our boyfriends
doesn’t make us sluts.”

“You sound like you’ve had this conversation with yourself a few times.”

“I have.” Annabelle nodded, her gaze dead serious. “And I refuse to let other people
label me. And what your dad doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”

Kate shuddered. “I can’t even let myself think about what my dad would say if he ever
found out.”

“And he never has to. Your dad isn’t entitled to run your life. You’re an adult. You’ve
been doing pretty damn well for yourself, if you ask me. You’ve finally taken back
your life after being off course for a while.”

Off course.
That definitely sounded better than
screwed
up
.

And left her feeling much better about Saturday night.

She hoped the feeling stayed with her.

**

“The stipulations left behind by your grandfather are pretty clear, Tyler. If a Golden
heir is not sitting in the chairman’s seat on the board then another stockholder can
purchase a majority share of the company.”

Tyler’s jaw felt ready to crack as he listened to the GoldenStar board’s legal counsel
explain exactly how screwed he was.

And it all boiled down to this—if he didn’t step up and into the chairman seat’s his
father wanted to vacate, Mark Vasser’s company would eat it up and spit out the parts.

When the lawyer finally stopped droning on, Tyler let it all filter through. The information
wasn’t anything he hadn’t known. He’d studied the contracts and legal provisions of
the GoldenStar chain as part of his master’s thesis.

He’d never suspected his father would want to step down any time soon. The man was
only in his fifties.

“Wes, could you give us the room? My son and I need to discuss a few things.”

His father’s voice drew his attention back to the present. And the weight bearing
down on his chest.

He barely noticed the door closing behind the lawyer, more focused on not revealing
any of the turmoil in his head.

His father was a master at playing on those feelings.

“So.” His dad sat in the chair opposite him at the table and Tyler forced himself
to meet Glen’s eyes. “Kind of a shock, wasn’t it?”

Tyler just waited, knowing his dad was working up to something. He had to be.

There was no way he wasn’t orchestrating some deal behind the scenes, some way to
either bring Tyler to heel or to bring Haven into the GoldenStar line.

Something—

“Your mother and I are planning to take a trip.” The non sequitur practically made
Tyler’s head spin. It wasn’t at all what he’d been expecting, and it threw him off
balance. Which is probably exactly what his father had intended.

So he waited for his dad to continue. Waited for the other shoe to drop.

“It’s been a long time since we traveled together,” his dad continued. “For years,
she wanted nothing to do with me. I foolishly thought other women would fill the void.
And I suppose they did. For a while.”

Tyler blinked, unable to believe his dad wanted to talk about being unfaithful to
his wife. To Tyler’s mother.

“But I never stopped loving your mother, not even after she told me she’d never be
able to give me what I wanted and I should find someone else to fulfill my needs after
she’d had you and your brother.”

“She was sick.” The words came out almost in a growl, surprising him with their vehemence.

Jed had always been the one who hated their dad, who’d wanted nothing to do with the
man. Tyler . . .

Well, maybe he had some latent hostility. He thought he’d understood. His parents’
marriage had always been a sham. The joining of two old Philadelphia families. He’d
never understood why his grandparents, who he’d always idolized, had thought the wedding
was a good idea.

“Yes, I knew that,” Glen continued, watching him with a clear gaze. “I just didn’t
know how severe or what was wrong with her. And I didn’t care at the time. But funny
things can happen when you’re married as long as your mother and I have been. Love’s
a strange thing. I told your brother this a few months ago. He gave me the same look
you are.”

Still trying to get a grip on the conversation, Tyler shook his head. “Is there a
point to all of this?”

“Your mom and I thought we’d take a few months, travel, maybe take a few cruises.
We’ve both traveled, but never together. And we can’t do that if I’m tied to the company.”

It sounded so rational, so . . . not manipulative that Tyler knew there had to be
a catch. An ulterior motive.

“Why now?”

His dad smiled, though it didn’t hold much amusement. “Because neither of us is getting
any younger. And none of us know how long we’ll have.”

A cold chill ran up Tyler’s back. “Is something wrong with Mom?”

“No. Nothing beyond the issues she’s been dealing with for years.”

Tyler was fast losing his control on his temper. “Jesus, Dad, then forgive me if I
find your timing a little suspect. Jed and I are finally expanding, something we’ve
been waiting to do for years. And now you drop this on us?”

No longer able to sit still, Tyler pushed off the chair and began to pace. His dad
just sat there, watching him.

“How the hell do you expect me to run both companies without giving up my life?”

“Good question, isn’t it? And if I’m being totally honest with you, the GoldenStar
chain is more than a forty-hour-a-week commitment. At first, it’ll be more like fifty
or sixty. So where does that leave Haven and your new venture?”

Tyler stopped pacing to stare at his dad. “You want to sell, don’t you? You want to
get rid of the chain?”

“Son, I’m stepping down no matter what. I know now there’s more to life than making
money. The only question is, do you?”

**

“Hello, sweetheart. I haven’t seen you for days! You’re always so busy. You work too
hard.”

Tyler leaned down to kiss Beatrice Golden’s cheek late Friday afternoon, not bothering
to hide his twinge of regret. “I’m sorry I haven’t been by to see you lately, Nana.
I’ve got a lot going on right now and—”

“Now, now, that wasn’t a criticism.” She waved aside his apology with one graceful
hand. “I know you’ve got responsibilities. I’m just so glad to see you now. Would
you like a drink?”

Yeah, he would, but not the iced tea or soda he knew she meant. “Sure. How about a
Coke?”

Nana raised an eyebrow at him as she moved to the bar along the wall. “And maybe a
little rum to go with it? You look like you could use it.”

With a sigh, he sank into a chair facing the wall of windows. From here, he could
see the city spread out before him. Including the flagship GoldenStar hotel blocks
away.

“Nana, did Granddad ever consider selling the chain?”

When his grandmother didn’t answer right away, he turned to find her smiling at him.
“You talked to your dad, I assume.”

Shock had his eyes widening. “You know what’s going on?”

“Of course.” She finished pouring a healthy amount of rum into his glass then waved
the soda bottle over it until the liquid became a slightly darker color. “He can’t
sell without my okay. I thought you knew that.”

Yeah, he did. “I guess I just never considered that you’d go along with a sale.”

Handing him the glass, Beatrice sat on the couch opposite him then sipped her own
drink. “The hotel was your grandfather’s baby, not mine. He enjoyed building things
from the ground up and, after the first hotel was finished, well . . . He just kept
going. Your dad . . . He wasn’t a builder. He only wanted to maintain. Actually, what
he really wanted to do was design.”

“Design what?”

“Cars.”

Tyler barked out a laugh. “Seriously? Dad wanted to design cars?”

“Oh, yes. You know how much he loves to collect them. Has an entire garage filled
with them. And for most of his teenage years, all he did was design them.”

Tyler felt like he’d been struck with a two-by-four. His father had wanted to design
cars. He’d never thought of his father wanting to do anything other than run the hotels.
And he’d made it seem so effortless. Almost as if he didn’t care.