One Night Forever (The Cinderella Chronicles) (21 page)

“
What are
you—” She never finished the sentence. Matt stepped inside the
apartment, kicked the door shut, and kissed her. It all happened in
a split instant. Strong arms pulled her close, and the warm
seduction of his mouth slanted over hers. Lauren melted, plain and
simple. He felt like coming home. Like everything she had always
wanted and never had.

And she had missed
him.

Echoing her thoughts, he
pulled his mouth from hers and looked down at her. “I really missed
you, Lauren.”

In his eyes, she saw the
sincerity of his words. Inside she felt them. Her hands moved down
his shoulders, absorbing the muscles. Needing him. Wishing there
were no complications to overcome. “I really missed you,
too.”

“
Show me.” His
words were husky, his hands scorching as they traced her waist and
then her hips. “Show me how much you missed me.”

“
There’s no
time,” she said in a hoarse voice as his lips brushed the sensitive
skin on her neck.

He was backing her toward
the kitchen. “We’ll make time. We started something here we never
finished.” A second later he lifted her up on the counter, holding
her gaze as he eased her dress up her legs. She helped with the
effort, and sighed as he gently spread her thighs, and stepped
between them.

“
Okay but no
strawberry syrup,” Lauren said, wrapping arms around his neck, and
feathering kisses along his jaw. She drew in a breath. “I love your
smell.” She tugged at his shirt. “Please take this off.”

He laughed softly and did
as she asked. She drew a circle around his dark, flat nipples. Matt
made a low sound in his throat as he bent his head and kissed her.
His hands slid up her thighs and didn’t stop until both his thumbs
touched the lace of her panties. He pushed the material aside and
stroked her, making her moan into his mouth.

Lauren reached for his
pants, tugging at the button, as she pulled her mouth from his.
“Now, Matt. No more foreplay needed, as I’m sure you’ve
noticed.”

He slid her panties aside
and dipped a finger inside her and began stroking. “Now that’s
sexy. Knowing you’re wet for me drives me crazy.” Lauren leaned
back on her hands, and shut her eyes. “I like red. Did you wear
them for me?”

“
Yes,” she
whispered, not looking at him. She couldn’t. It was crazy but she
thought she might just come before he ever got inside
her.

His thumb rubbed her
clit. “And there’s a bra to match?”

She nodded, her teeth
going into her bottom lip. “Matt—”

“
I can’t wait
to see it.”

“
Later,” she
said, opening her eyes and reaching for his pants. “I want you.” A
pause. “Now.”

“
How?” he
asked leaning toward her, slipping another finger inside her as he
pressed his upper body against hers. “How do you want
me?”

She grabbed his neck and
pulled his mouth to hers. “Inside me.”

He reached inside his
pants pocket and pulled out a condom. “I came prepared.”

If she hadn’t felt so
damn urgent, she would have laughed. “Good. Use it.”

His brow inched upward.
“Whatever you say.” He worked his pants down his hips and tore open
the wrapper.

Lauren reached for the
condom. “I’ll do it.”

For a moment their eyes
locked. The heat between them scorched. The emotion that passed
between them was no less intense. Potent and alive its presence
changed what could have been simple sex to so much more. Slowly,
Lauren’s eyes drifted down his chest, to her hand. His cock jerked
as she touched the tip with the condom. Lauren wrapped the width
with her hand, holding him steady while she rolled the protection
into place.

She looked at him as she
guided him inside her. Together they moaned as he sunk deep. His
hands went to the side of her face. “You feel so damn good, baby.”
And then, he kissed her, lapping at her with hungry strokes of his
tongue.

He slid his cock in and
out of her body with a slow, sultry rhythm. But it wasn’t enough.
She needed more. Lauren’s hips arched to meet him, pressing up to
take him. To get closer. Wanting all he was. A part of her cried
out to him, knowing he would be gone soon. Knowing this wouldn’t be
forever. He felt so good. So right. She hooked her legs around his
calves in an effort to get more of him.

He responded by thrusting
hard. Once. Twice. Over and over. “Yes,” she whispered but she
wasn’t sure the words actually made it from her mouth.

He increased the rhythm,
fast and furious, and she felt his need as if it were her own.
Emotional unrest seemed to spread into their bodies. It was a
battle of mind and body. Matt’s hand slid beneath her ass as he
lifted her just enough to drive deeper. The minute he hit her core,
Lauren felt the first ripple of orgasm. Like a sharp jolt of
pleasure, it shocked her. She cried out his name, stiffening from
the intensity of the spasms.

Matt rode her to
completion, sliding his thick length to all the right spots. And
just as she eased down the waterfall into complete satisfaction,
his gorgeous upper body arched, and he threw his head back, moaning
with a thrust and release. The shudders of his orgasm, the power of
his physique, the absolute male perfection of his body, took her by
storm.

Would she ever get enough
of Matt Monroe?

As if answering her
question, he pulled her close, hugging her, and pressing his cheek
to hers. The tenderness of the act stole her breath away. And
Lauren knew in that moment, with all her heart and soul, she loved
Matt. She’d hidden from it until now. Probably would again later.
But right in that moment, she embraced what her heart
said.

And no, she would never
get enough of Matt Monroe.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Lauren arrived to the
party fashionably late, at fifteen minutes past the hour. Her dress
was a bit wrinkled but considering all, she thought it looked
pretty damn good. No one would guess she’d just had it hiked up to
her waist while she had sex on her kitchen counter.

She hardly believed it
herself.

All her anxiety about the
party had been lifted. Working the room, making small talk, she hid
a secret smile. One Matt had given her. Her one regret was that
they had no time to talk. He’d changed clothes at her apartment and
with no time to spare.

Lauren accepted a glass
of champagne from one of the waiters as she glanced up. Matt was
standing several feet away, and their eyes locked. Dressed in a
dark suit that fit him perfectly, he epitomized tall, dark, and
handsome. But it was the look in his eyes, primal, hot, and
possessive, that made it hard to breathe.

He stood next to another
man, maybe twenty-five at best, with brown hair and a GQ flair to
his attire. If this was the BG contact, he was nothing as she
expected. In her mind he was bald, fat, and about twenty years
older. Matt said something to his companion and then waved her
forward. Lauren hesitated. She had made love to Matt less than an
hour before. Could she look at him and not have it show?

She sighed in
resignation. It wasn’t like she had an option. Lauren walked toward
Matt, aware both men watched her approach. The GQ-looking man held
out his hand. “Hi Lauren, I’m Bret Weaver from BG Clothing. I hear
you’re the brains behind Carlson’s new campaign.”

Lauren’s cheeks warmed
with surprise. “Oh, well, I had an idea that the team has run with,
yes.”

“
Don’t be so
shy about it. Matt says it was all you.”

Lauren eyed Matt. He
winked at her. She quickly diverted her gaze. “It was all Lauren,”
Matt said. “She has a great mind for advertising.”

“
Obviously.”
Bret smiled. “I’m opening an office here in New York. I might have
to try and steal you away from Matt. I need someone to coordinate
our marketing efforts between both locations.”

Lauren liked that idea.
And she liked Bret. Working with him might solve some issues. “Make
me an offer I can’t refuse.”

Bret chuckled and elbowed
Matt. “We’ll talk later.”

Lauren didn’t look at
Matt, but she could feel his eyes on her.

Bret touched her arm.
“Dance with me. It’s my birthday so I should get your first dance
of the night.”

Lauren smiled as she
glanced at the already full dance floor. “Okay.” She let Bret lead
her through the crowd, depositing her champagne on a nearby table.
He held her in a gentlemanly fashion, his moves graceful and
practiced. “Did you know Matt and I have known each other for quite
a number of years?”

“
No,” Lauren
said sincerely surprised. “I mean, well, I assumed you knew each
other before now from things I’ve heard.”

“
Did you know
we’re friends outside of work?” He let that linger in the air a few
moments.

Lauren had a bad feeling
Bret knew things he shouldn’t. “No. I didn’t.”

He tilted his head and
gave her a curious look. “How long have you been seeing
him?”

Lauren stiffened.
“What?”

“
Don’t worry.
I won’t tell. And no, he didn’t tell me. In all the years I’ve
known Matt, I have never seen him look at a woman like he looks at
you.” He smiled down at her. “And you look at him the same
way.”

Lauren swallowed. “It’s
that obvious?”

He nodded. “That’s why I
offered you that job, which I am serious about, by the way. If
working together is a problem, which I get the feeling it is, then
that solves that. Matt raves about you, and he’s not one to do so
just because he likes how you look.” Lauren started to object to
that comment but Bret held up a hand to stop her. “I love your
work. It’s a perfect fix.”

She could hardly believe
her ears. Bret seemed to get how stunned she felt. He continued to
talk, offering details about his New York plans, and giving her
time to absorb and process. After a few more minutes, and a little
probing on Bret’s part, Lauren found herself confiding in him. For
some strange reason, he felt safe and familiar.

“
You’re so
close to Matt. Working with you might be a problem. I don’t know
if—” Her words were lost when a hand settled on her back. Matt’s.
No doubt about it. The sizzle that ran across her skin said
so.

“
May I cut
in?”

Lauren turned to look to
him, silently asking him if he was crazy. What would the staff
think? “I want to dance with you.” His voice was low but
insistent.

Bret released her,
drawing her gaze. “Think about what I said,” he told her and then
turned to walk away.

Matt pulled her into his
arms. Too close. “Bret’s a ladies’ man.”

Lauren frowned. “He’s a
nice guy, and you know it. You’re friends.”

Matt laughed. “One that
runs his mouth too much. If I left you with him much longer no
telling what skeletons he’d expose.”

“
You have
skeletons?” she asked, frowning.

He grinned and nodded. “I
have, admittedly, had some wild bachelor days.” Bending close to
her ear, he whispered, “I’m much tamer now.”

The warmth of his breath
tickled her neck and formed goose bumps on her arms. She should
push him away. They were way too close. Yet…she couldn’t. “I would
hardly call you tame,” she found herself saying instead.

Had they somehow gotten
closer, because their thighs were rubbing, his muscles flexing
deliciously against her own. “Matt—”

“
I can’t wait
to see that red bra,” he said, giving her a daring look.

What was he thinking?
What if someone heard them? “Behave, damn it,” she said through
clenched teeth.

“
I can’t,” he
said spreading his fingers on her back. “You’re in my
arms.”

Why didn’t she just walk
away? “Matt, please, stop.”

“
It’s crowded.
No one can see or hear.” His hands moved up and down her sides. “I
reserved our room.”

She shut her eyes. “You
did?”

“
Yes.” A
pause. “Does that make you happy?”

She nodded, but she
stopped dancing and fixed him in a warning stare. “Behave until
later.”

He laughed. “Until later?
Later I can misbehave?”

She made a face. “Yes.”
Then she flipped her hair over her shoulder and turned away, eager
to get some distance from him. To her distaste she bumped smack
into Greg. His hands closed down on her shoulders. “Come dance with
me, Lauren.”

“
No,
Greg.”

“
Why? You
danced with Matt. Mighty friendly there, I might add. You were
right, by the way. Someone could hear. I heard. I was dancing right
by you. What room, Lauren?”

Lauren’s stomach lurched
as she took a step backwards and out of his reach. This couldn’t be
happening. “Go away Greg.”

“
Your secret’s
safe with me.” He moved closer again and he took her arm in his
hand. “But why don’t we go check out that room
together?”

“
You asshole,”
she said jerking her arm free as discreetly as possible but he held
on tight. Then Bret was there, his eyes locking with Greg’s. “Let
her go.”