Secret Passions (13 page)

“Why don’t you move your offices here?” She was busy looking out the large kitchen bay windows that overlooked a large side yard and didn’t quite hear what his reply was. “I’m sorry?” She turned back to see him standing right behind her.

“Hmm? Oh, sorry. It’s easier to meet the needs of our clients in the city. But I suppose there isn’t a reason why we couldn't have a branch somewhere else. We’ve grown big enough. Actually, I’ve been thinking of branching off. Maybe moving out of the city.” He was looking at her and she got the impression his mind was elsewhere.

“Well, how about that tour now?” She grabbed his hand and started pulling him into the next room.

They walked into a large dining area and the huge table reminded her of home. It must have sat between ten and twelve people. The wood shined like new. The chairs needed a little work, maybe some new upholstery, but other than that the room was pleasant.

They walked by a bathroom that was navy blue, that she thought could use some updating. There was a smaller office that was just inside the main hallway off the front door area.

Then they moved into a large living area. The windows overlooked the water and she could see for miles. Here, the furniture was older and out of date with their mauve flowered designs, but the room had potential. As an artist, she could see all that was basically needed was some updated paint, drapes, and furniture. There was a piano that sat in an alcove of windows.

There was a grand staircase—at least that’s what Mitchell called it—that twisted in the middle of the house and went all the way up the three floors. You could see the railing of the stairs and landings if you looked up. All three floors were open. At the top was a frosted, circular window that let all the light float down the large opening. The cool wood railing shined under her hands and the smoothness mesmerized her.

On this level there were four small bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a laundry room. They climbed the stairs again and here there were two larger rooms on the left, each with their own bathroom, and to the right was the master bedroom with a huge bathroom attached.

The place was only half the size of the house she’d grown up in, but she enjoyed the cozy feeling over the open spaces she’d grown up with. She could just imagine a family of eight living here. Kids running up and down the stairs, screaming at each other as they played.

She’d always wanted a lot of children. Maybe because she’d been an only child?

“What are you thinking about?” Mitch asked, taking her hand and walking back down the stairs.

“Kids.” She said easily.

He coughed and almost missed a step.

“Oh, not our kids.” She chuckled, trying to cover her embarrassment. “The kids that had grown up in such a wonderful house.”

He smiled a little. “How about a walk along the beach?”

“That sounds wonderful.” She wanted to see the water. She wanted to paint it, but she would settle for a nice stroll, hand in hand with Mitchell.

M
itchell’s mind was going a million miles an hour as they walked along the shore. He thought Sandi was probably thinking about art, wanting to paint or sketch the scenes she was seeing. Her eyes darted everywhere. He could see she wasn’t missing a thing as they walked slowly along the small sandy beach. There were large dark rocks at either end of the cove, protecting it from adverse weather. They made it to a little inlet and sat on a large piece of driftwood, each of them quietly sitting, looking off into the distance.

“You said there was a lighthouse?” She asked a few minutes later.

“Yes, it’s the other way down the beach.” He pointed to the end of the cove. “It’s a little longer walk. We can take it when we have a little more time.”

“I’ve never seen one. There is so much in life I’ve missed out on. So much I’ve been afraid to do since arriving. I thought that by hiding in a city of eight million, that I’d be safe. I was wrong.”

He could see where the sense of security would come from having people around you. Feeling like there is so much going on that you couldn’t help but blend in. But he also knew that there could be safety or danger everywhere you went.

“What kind of things do you want to do?”

She looked off and watched a boat that was slowly making its way around the cove, heading towards the bay. “Well, I’d like to visit some places I’ve read about. We traveled through some of them when Ethan helped me escape. But we did a lot of traveling at night and I couldn’t see the landscape or experience the people and cultures. I’ve always wanted to see the Great Wall of China, the Grand Canyon, San Francisco, and some other places like those. Have you ever jumped out of a plane?” She turned and looked at him.

He laughed. “No, I’ve never had that desire. I have a healthy fear of heights.”

“Oh,” she turned and looked a little disappointed.

“Do you want to jump out of a plane?”

“No, but I’d love to talk to someone who has. See what it feels like. Ethan said he did, but he wasn’t very easy to talk to.” She frowned.

He laughed. “Ethan can be very hard to talk to at times. Especially when he’s working. That was one of the main reasons for our friendship.”

“I didn’t hear how you two met.” She leaned forward, putting her face into her hands as she leaned on her knees.

Mitch laughed again. “That in itself is another funny story. It seemed we dated the same girl.”

Her eye brows shot up. “What’s so funny about that?”

“Well, we were dating her at the same time.” He chuckled again. “Apparently he’d been in New York for a while on an undercover job. This was when he still worked for the military. He’d been stationed there for over three months and had started dating Krista shortly after arriving. Krista and I had met at a club one night when I was still in school, and I thought we’d hit it off. We’d gone out a few times and I thought things had taken a turn towards the serious. Apparently she’d forgotten and set up a date with the both of us at the same time. Well, when we showed up, flowers in hand at her doorstop, she’d laughed and casually asked us both in. Ethan looked at me. To be honest, I thought of turning and running away as fast as I could, but then he laughed. We both turned and walked away. We ended up talking in the parking lot for an hour and have been friends ever since. I didn’t find out what he did for a living for a few years.”

He stood and stretched his arms over his head. Taking a deep breath. He enjoyed the fresh, salty air here. He watched as birds flew close and thought of bringing some bread next time to toss to them.

“Well?” He turned back towards her, holding out his hand. “Shall we go try and figure out what we’d like for dinner?”

She smiled and when he pulled her up, he took his time and saw her eyes heat as he pulled her close. The mood called for light and playful, but when their mouths touched, he couldn’t hold back the desire that slammed into him when he tasted her.

Her hands went into his hair and he moaned when he felt her clinching him, holding him to her. He could feel her heart beat against his chest as he ran his hands up and down her sides. She’d worn her light jacket and as he unzipped it to get his hands on her, she leaned her head back, exposing her soft neck for his taste.

Taking his time, he ran his mouth over her cooled skin as his hands moved in her coat, under her shirt, until he could feel her skin under his hands. He wanted her, wanted her worse than he’d ever wanted before. He’d been patient since he knew she was inexperienced, but he was at the end of his rope. He knew he had to have her soon. There was no denying the attraction and the desire they both felt when they were around each other.

He traced her ribs as he ran his hands up her sides until finally he cupped her gently, causing a moan to escape from her mouth. He covered it with his own moan as her hands were busy traveling over his shoulders, kneading and pulling him closer.

“Mitch? I don’t know how much longer I can wait.”

“Are you sure? I know you’ve never...”

She covered his mouth with her finger. “It doesn’t matter. Nothing matters anymore, but being with you.”

He smiled down at her and for a minute he could imagine they were the last two people on the face of the earth. No rules to be broken, no taboo marks against them. They could share their passions and not be riddled with guilt or labels. They could be free to live and be with whom they wanted. Each other.

He reached down and took her hand in his and started walking back to the house, quickly.

When they reached the house, he helped her remove her jacket and she shivered at the light touch. He knew he had to make this night perfect. Even if she didn’t know what she wanted, he knew he had to give everything to her.

“Go up, take a hot bath. There’s a jet tub in the master bathroom. I’ll cook us something and bring it up.” He smiled and kissed her gently on the lips. He could see the decision and the relief in her eyes. She nodded and walked out.

He looked around and found a bottle of champagne, putting it in the freezer while he cooked grilled salmon and new potatoes with spicy green beans, one of his favorite and best meals. He found a stockpile of candles, no doubt left there in case of power failure. Piling them on a tray with a bucket of ice and the champagne, he carried them upstairs into the master bedroom. He could hear her in the bathroom, still in the tub as he set the candles around the room and lit them all. Then he turned the lights down low and went back downstairs to get the trays of food.

When he returned, she was sitting on the edge of the bed, dressed in a white silky tank top and see-through lacy underwear. He almost dropped the tray of food when he saw her.

She looked nervous as she sat there, biting her bottom lip, looking at him across the room. He set the trays down on a small table and crossed the floor to her, the food and champagne forgotten as he took her hands and pulled her to her feet. He stood back and just looked at her.

His eyes ran up and down her body. Her perky nipples poked through the light material and he could see dark circles through the soft see-through material. He could see her bruise from the taxi cab incident; it was lighter and less defined.

Then his eyes traveled down her flat stomach, to where the small patch of lace covered the dark triangle of hair that covered her sex. His eyes stayed drawn on her until they almost watered. Then he blinked and looked down, taking in her long, smooth legs. Her skin was dark and seemed to shine in the candle light. He knew she’d be soft if he touched her, but held back, wanting to see everything. When his eyes traveled back to her face, he realized she was waiting nervously for his response.

“Beautiful. I never imagined.” His voice was hoarse as he looked at her face. Her dark eyes glowed in the candlelight. She had a slight smile on her lips and he noticed that she’d found some make-up. At least her lips shined like she had gloss on and her eyes were darker, causing them to stand out more.

Moving slowly, he stepped closer, removing any space between them, her almost-naked body next to his fully clothed one. Her arms went over his shoulders, his hands to her hips, pulling her tight against his desire. He watched her eyes light up and then cloud over. Grinding her hips against his, she closed her eyes and moaned, leaning her head back. He took the opportunity to dip his head and use his mouth on her long, slender neck. She smelled like heaven and tasted even better. Her hair was still wet, falling in light waves down her back. Pushing his hands into it, he marveled at the softness as he gripped it in his fist and feasted on her heated skin.

She pushed his shirt up until he stepped back and quickly disposed of it, tossing it to the ground. He watched as her eyes sparked when she looked at him. Then she stepped closer and ran her hands over his arms and chest.

“Impressive. When I first saw you last week, in just that towel, I knew I wanted my hands on you. I’ve never seen a man or touched him like this.” She ran her fingers over his skin lightly, setting off fires that traveled straight to his groin. He closed his eyes and moaned, knowing he had to stay focused so he could go slowly and give her pleasure.

Reaching up, he took her wrist and moved her hands behind her back. “Let me. I want to show you everything you’ve ever dreamed of. Just let me.” He dipped his head and took her mouth in a gentle kiss. Then he walked her back a step until her knees hit the edge of the bed. Using his hands under her arms, he moved her so that she was lying underneath him on the soft mattress. Her damp hair fanned out on the soft comforter. Looking down at her, he swore something shifted as her eyes showed her soul and all of her emotions. He’d never trusted like this before. He knew he’d never trust like this again.

Slowly, with his eyes on hers, he ran his fingers up her sides, pulling the silk tank-top up with them, until finally, she was exposed to his view. His eyes left hers and traveled over her skin until she arched and his hands cupped her on their own free will. Her dark nipples puckered, begging for his mouth to explore. He dipped his head and when her hands went to his hair, he lapped up every inch of her until she was writhing under him.

He’d wanted to go slow, but hadn’t counted on her reaction to him. When his mouth moved lower to play over the lace that covered her, her legs spread and she gripped his head, holding him closer. Gently, he soaked the lace with his mouth, running his tongue over the heat until he traced her lips through the light material. Then, using one finger, he pulled it aside and set his tongue to her heated skin. She screamed his name as he slid a finger slowly into her.

He couldn’t wait any longer. He’d come prepared. Grabbing a condom from his back pocket, he stood up and had his pants off quickly. Sheathing himself, he stood there looking down into her dark eyes. When he realized she was looking at him, he stood there and let her get her fill. Her eyes traveled over his arms, down his chest and stomach until finally she looked at him, fully ready for her soft body.

“Don’t be afraid.” His voice cracked as he knelt between her legs, using his hands to spread them wider.

“I’m not. I’ve wanted this, wanted you my whole life.” She smiled and he could see the fear leave her eyes. Bending down, he kissed her slowly as he moved and started to slide into her. She was tight and he tried to maintain his slow speed. When he reached her barrier he held still as long as he could, letting her get used to his weight and length. But then she moved her hips, rotating them as her hands came to knead his hips. In one quick move, he took her as she screamed his name.