Splendor (Inevitable #2) (21 page)

And her head was definitely still spinning from the swiftness and ease with which Ian had arranged for everything – the clothing and salon treatments at Neiman Marcus, reserving the private dining room at Le Mistral. He was sweeping her off her feet and spinning her around in circles, and she wasn’t sure if she wanted to get off the ride or have it continue without end.

Tessa knew that simply agreeing to see his house didn’t necessarily mean she’d consented to sleeping with him. Instinctively, she knew Ian would never dream of forcing or coercing her – he was too gallant, too much a gentleman to do such a thing. He was also so incredibly handsome and overwhelmingly male that he would never need to sweet talk a woman into his bed – they would line up eagerly for the privilege. So why was she even thinking about refusing him?

She turned her face into his broad shoulder, liking the feel of his fine wool overcoat against her cheek. His clean, masculine scent filled her senses, and she couldn’t resist nuzzling her nose against the warm skin of his throat.

Ian slid his hand to the back of her head, tilting it back for his kiss. Tessa gave a little “mmm” of pleasure as his tongue swept through her mouth, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, urging his head even closer towards hers. He gave a low growl and hauled her onto his lap. He tasted of brandy and chocolate, and Tessa was quickly losing herself in his devouring kisses as they continued for long minutes.

“God, what you do to me,” he whispered in a raw voice. “You make me forget my own name with just a kiss.”

“It’s the same for me,” she whispered back.

Ian kissed her again, but this time quickly, gently, and then he reluctantly eased her back onto the seat.

“Not here, darling,” he murmured in a low voice. “If this car had a privacy panel it would be a very different matter. But we don’t want to shock poor Simon, or give him a show.”

Under cover of the dark interior of the car, he slid his hand up beneath her coat and dress until he reached the lacy top of her stocking. She gasped as he caressed her thigh, and then realized belatedly just how aroused she was. She squirmed restlessly beneath his hand, longing for him to slide it further up her leg until he was cupping her aching sex.

Instead, he slowly withdrew his hand, his voice low against her ear. “Shh. I have no intention of making you moan when we have an audience, even one as discreet as Simon. Your pleasure is going to be for my eyes and ears only. We’ll be at my home very soon now.”

Tessa was trembling in arousal as he stayed a safe distance away, merely linking their hands together casually. To distract herself from the growing need for physical release, she forced herself to look out the window, trying to determine where they were headed. It was obvious from the size and elegance of the houses they drove by that they were in a very affluent neighborhood, and Tessa was fairly certain from the street names that it was the exclusive Pacific Heights area.

Two blocks later, Simon was pulling through a set of wrought iron gates that he’d used a remote control to open and parking on the side of a stately red brick mansion. Because it was so dark and cloudy outside, Tessa couldn’t make out too many exterior details, but there was little doubt that Ian’s home was a multimillion dollar residence.

Ian helped her out of the car, then went around to the driver’s side to speak to Simon briefly. Then he was taking Tessa by the hand and leading her up to the wide front door. He drew out his phone and punched in a code, explaining that he was disengaging the alarm system. He unlocked the door and ushered her inside, and Tessa could only stare in stunned disbelief.

The foyer of his home was nearly as large as her entire apartment, and she swiftly took in as many details as possible – from the high ceilings to the polished oak floors to the wide staircase that led to the upper and lower floors of the grand house. There was beautiful artwork on the walls and a plush Persian carpet covering part of the floor. She had never been inside such a magnificent, elegant home before, and she had barely begun to see any of it.

“Let me take your coat, Tessa,” offered Ian, as his hands went to her shoulders. As she unbuttoned it and he helped her remove it, he added teasingly, “I promise to return it to you, despite my jealousy.”

She gave a nervous little laugh as he opened an entryway closet and hung both of their coats inside. She left her purse on a long, low table that held a fabulous floral arrangement inside a porcelain bowl with an Oriental design.

She had feared she’d feel cold without her coat, but Ian’s home was blissfully warm and cozy, a far cry from her old, drafty apartment. To save money on her heating bill, she usually kept the heater turned off these days, choosing instead to bundle up in multiple layers to keep warm.

“Here, we’ll give you the grand tour,” said Ian as he took her hand and began to lead her from room to room.

His house reflected his vibrant, charismatic personality in each and every room – from the living room with its dark furniture and huge stone fireplace, to the more intimate library with more books than a person could ever hope to read in one lifetime, to the enormous kitchen with its state of the art appliances, brick wall oven and black granite countertops. There were windows everywhere, and Tessa imagined on a sunny day that the house would be flooded with natural light.

“The views from the back terrace are incredible, even at night, but since it’s just begun to rain I’ll have to show you the exterior another time,” he told her regretfully.

“I’ll look forward to it,” she told him, trying not to sound giddy with excitement that he was already talking about having her visit again. In fact, nearly everything he had said about their budding relationship thus far seemed to indicate that he intended for it to be a long-term thing and not just a brief affair. But Tessa forced herself not to get too hopeful, especially once Ian fully realized just how naïve and inexperienced she really was. Once he did, it was entirely possible that he’d regret seeking her out and that her lack of sophistication would prove an embarrassment to him.

“Let’s go see the other floors,” he urged, and led her down the long, winding staircase to the lower level.

“Do you have live-in help?” she inquired. “I mean, this just seems like a really big place for only one person.”

Ian shook his head. “I have a housekeeper here about three days a week, and a gardener as needed but no one lives here but myself. It is a very large house for just me, but I happen to value my privacy a great deal. And I have to travel so much for business that I’m simply not here all that often.”

“It’s a beautiful home,” she told him sincerely. “And it still feels warm and intimate despite how grand it is.”

He seemed pleased at her compliment. “That’s the exact effect I was striving for. Of course, I worked with a decorator when I first bought the place, but I had very definite ideas about what I wanted. Plus, I’ve collected a great deal of artwork and other items during all my years of traveling and so now they have a permanent place to be displayed.”

The lower level of the house was clearly the pleasure center of the home, for it consisted of an immense wine cellar, a home theater, a fitness room, and a billiard/card room complete with its own bar. Tessa was in stunned disbelief that one home could really boast so much luxury and space, never having imagined that people actually lived this way. It made her feel uneasy, for seeing up close what an opulent, privileged lifestyle Ian enjoyed only served to emphasize the vast cultural and economic gaps between the two of them. His world of moneyed extravagance was completely foreign to her, and she feared she could never fit in or feel entirely comfortable with such a lavish way of life.

But she struggled to hide her various insecurities and doubts as he led her back upstairs, and then continued to the upper level of the house.

There were a total of five bedrooms on this level, each with their own attached bath, and each one larger and more beautifully decorated than the last. The final bedroom was located at the end of the hallway, and featured a set of wide double doors at the entrance.

“This is my room,” Ian told her quietly, and then opened the doors wide.

Tessa walked inside the enormous room slowly as he flicked on a lamp somewhere. Ian’s master suite was easily larger than her entire apartment, kitchen and bath included, and every bit as lavish as the rest of the house. She imagined the view from the bank of windows set against the far end of the room would be breathtaking, and she could envision herself curling up on the wide, padded window seat sipping tea and watching the sun rise. The furniture in here was all dark, polished woods and clean, simple lines, large pieces that nonetheless didn’t dwarf the room. Like the rest of the house, there was nothing the least bit fussy or overdone, and it was very obvious that this was a man’s room.

Tessa’s gaze fell to the imposing four poster bed, easily the largest of its kind she’d ever seen. It was covered in a thick duvet of a pale mocha shade, both luxurious and simple at the same time. She couldn’t resist running her hand over it lightly, the fabric soft and almost velvety to the touch.

“Do you like it, Tessa?”

She whirled to face Ian, who was standing just behind her. He’d removed his suit jacket and tie as she’d been inspecting the room, and her breath caught at the splendid sight of his white shirt stretching across the broad expanse of his chest and shoulders.

Aware that he was waiting for her reply, she nodded and then glanced away abruptly. “It’s wonderful, Ian. This is – way beyond anything I could have ever imagined. I’ve never seen so much – well, I suppose splendor is a good word for it.”

Tessa shivered in reaction as he came up behind her, pressing his body against hers and lightly running his fingertips up and down her bare arms.

“I’ve wanted you here in my house – my room – my bed for so long now, darling,” he murmured in her ear, his lips caressing the side of her throat. At the same time, his arms circled her waist, one hand splayed over her belly as he pulled her in closer. “I never imagined it would actually happen, though. Seeing you here now like this – tell me I’m not dreaming again, Tessa.”

The pleading tone of his voice startled her, for he sounded almost desperate. She was quick to reassure him.

“You aren’t dreaming. I’m really here. But I’m the one who feels like she’s in some fantastic dream world,” she confessed.

His tongue began to trace erotic little patterns around her ear before he gently nibbled on the lobe. “If you aren’t ready for this, I promise I’ll understand. I won’t ever pressure you, Tessa. So tell me – should I drive you home or will you stay here with me?”

Tessa closed her eyes as her head fell back onto his shoulder, one of his hands now stroking her hip and then up the side of her rib cage. “What – what happens if I stay?”

Ian’s voice grew huskier, and was filled with so much raw passion that she felt she might swoon. “Then I do what I’ve dreamed about doing since the first time I met you – undress you slowly, lay you out on my bed, and then taste and touch every inch of this beautiful body.” His hand slid up her abdomen to cup her breast, his thumb brushing masterfully over her erect nipple. “After that I’ll slide inside of you, all the way in, and stay there for a long time. Hours, maybe days. After all, I’ve got two years of unfulfilled fantasies to satisfy.”

“Ah, that’s so good,” she whispered roughly, as his hand squeezed her breast, his fingers plucking the nipple through the fabric of her dress. “Please, Ian.”

“Tell me first, Tessa,” he demanded. “Will you stay – or should I take you home?”

Tessa cried out as one of his hands slid down to cup her sex. “Oh, God! S-stay! I want to stay here with you.”

“Thank Christ,” muttered Ian as he kept one arm banded about her waist, while grasping her chin with his other hand. He titled her head back to meet his blistering kiss, his tongue ravaging her mouth. This kiss had none of the finesse of his previous ones; this particular kiss was all raw hunger, all fevered possession, and Tessa groaned as her arousal built quickly to the boiling point. She tried to turn so that she could touch him, wind her arms about his neck, but his grip around her waist was immovable.

“Let me see you now, love,” he whispered unevenly, and it gave her a thrill to hear how hard he was breathing, to know that he was as turned on as she was.

Tessa’s eyelids fluttered shut as he began to slowly unzip her dress. She let her arms fall to the sides as he eased the fabric off her shoulders and then down past her hips. Ian gripped one of her arms to steady her as she stepped out of the dress, and she felt his gaze on her nearly nude body like it was a burning thing. Though she kept her eyes closed she could sense his presence strongly, felt him circle around her once, twice, and her cheeks burned to realize how closely he must be inspecting her body.

But she was completely unprepared for what happened next, and her eyes flew open in shocked surprise as Ian knelt at her feet, wrapping his arms around her legs and resting his forehead on her thighs. His dark head was bent, and she was startled to see how much he was struggling for control.

“My God, you are so beautiful, Tessa,” he rasped in an almost incoherent voice. “God knows I wanted so badly to take this first time slowly, to savor every second, but now I don’t think I’m capable of that. I’ve wanted you too badly for too long to control myself that way. This first time – I just need to have you, love.”

She gasped as his hands gripped her hips and he lifted his head to nuzzle at the dampened crotch of her lacy blue panties. A cry of surprise escaped from her throat as he wrenched the fragile underwear farther down her thighs, and then thrust two long fingers deep inside of her core.

Ian swore softly. “Christ, you’re so wet, Tessa. And so damned tight. God, as hard as I am right now I don’t know how much longer I can hold back. But I don’t want to hurt you, either.”

“I don’t care,” she choked out, her hips moving instinctively with the thrust of his fingers. “I can’t wait, either. It’s too good, too – ahh!”