The Laws of Seduction: A French Kiss Novel (10 page)

Rex slid a black metal card across the counter. The man stared at it, eyes widened in awe. “I’ve heard of these,” he murmured, pinching it off the wood. He held it reverently between his fingers. “Though I never actually saw one.”

“Is there something wrong?” Rex said.

“Oh no!” the man said, alarmed. “Everything’s perfect. Please—it’ll just take a minute.”

“Show-off,” Charlotte said to Rex.

He arched a brow. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“No, I expect you don’t,” she said, rising from the chair where she’d been waiting. “I don’t suppose it’s often you float down to earth and mix with the little people.”

“I’ll have you know I used to be one of those little people,” he said, turning toward her.

He could see the bare outline of her nipples beneath her dress, the fabric shifting tantalizingly as she came up to him. “And how many eons ago was that?”

“I was born into them,” he said, Charlotte drawing him out again. She could make him tell her things he’d never said to anyone, and he had to be careful of that. So he tossed a wrench as he usually did when someone got too close. He traced his finger over the hem of her bodice. “Back then my car seat had to suffer the indignity of a Benz instead of a Bentley.”

Charlotte squinted at him, properly thrown, before she caught the joke. “Oh, how horrible for you. I’ll bet you had to go from a golden spoon right down to silver.”

“You know me so well,” he said, his finger trailing up to her chin. “Why don’t we duck over there into that dressing room again, so I can get to know you a bit better?”

“Your card, sir,” the shop owner said, his smile ready to crack the plaster off the walls. “Would you like some assistance carrying your purchases to the car?”

Rex asked him if they could be held while he did a bit more shopping, and the man readily agreed, though he seemed puzzled why any more shopping was actually necessary. As did Charlotte as they walked out the door.

“What else?” She smiled suggestively. “Besides éclairs, I mean.”

“I need to get a phone,” he said as they stood on the sidewalk.

“There’s a Verizon right over there,” she said, pointing down the block. “See?”

“I’m looking for the throwaway kind. Is there a convenience store around here?”

“Now I get the black AmEx. What are you really, a drug lord?”

“
Non
, just a businessman, remember?”

“How could I forget.”

“But now I’m also a cautious one.”

She looked to the other end of the block. “There’s a store down there.” She slipped her arm in hers. “Come on, Bentley. After we’re through there, I know a place where we can hook up with some black ops.”

Rex pulled her close, whispering in her ear, “
Ma chérie—tu es complètement givrée
.”

T
HE FIRST THING
Rex did when he got back to the house was call Marcel. This time he picked up on the first ring. “
Allo?
”

“Turning adventurous, are you?” Rex said. “You didn’t even wait to make sure it was me.”

“Who the fuck else could it be, calling precisely two hours later?” Marcel said. “Okay, are you ready?”

“Go ahead,” Rex said pen poised over a Chinese take-out menu.

“A black Lincoln will be parked in Caesar’s garage, fourth floor, slot 450. It’s keyless entry and the code is 58292. There will be a fob under the passenger side mat once you get in.”

“You said
will be
,” Rex said. “When is that?”

Marcel sighed. “Well, that’s the thing. You wanted untraceable so we ordered one with diplomat plates.”

Rex couldn’t help being impressed. “No shit. Where’d you get that—
non
, don’t tell me. I don’t want to know.”

“Don’t worry, it’s legal. I just called in a favor. The thing is, it won’t be there until five tomorrow morning.”

That’d cut into his time in Washington, but then again . . . it would give him a whole night with Charlotte. “I think I can manage that.”

“Work it into your schedule. Because if you don’t pick it up by five-fifteen we’ll assume you’re not coming, and it’ll be gone. And one more thing,” Marcel said. “You’ll only have it for twenty-four hours. Seems someone’s on holiday, and they’ll be back to claim it. And you don’t get it back to the same spot by five the next morning it’ll be reported stolen, and I won’t be able to help you.”

“I thought you said it was legal?”

“It
is
legal, but shades of gray,
mon ami
. Just get it back to the same spot at Caesar’s by five Thursday morning and all will be right with the world. Can I reach you at this number?”

“
Oui
. It’s my new thirty-dollar phone. At least until I get my old one back.”

“So, do you have a plan?”

“Of course I do.”
Liar
.

“Well, good luck with that. Keep in touch.
Ciao
.” He rang off.

Rex glanced at the time: 6:02.
A plan
. Eleven hours to think about what the hell that was and what he was going to do once he got to Washington.
A plan
. And four hours more after that once he was in motion.

Out in the living room, Charlotte was trying to remain unobtrusive, on the sofa with her legs crossed, scrolling through her phone. Should he tell her it wasn’t working? That he was almost more aware of her than he was of his own hands? He flexed his fingers, imagining smoothing them down her naked body, her skin rippling under his trace.

“Charlotte?” he said, heading toward her, the Chinese take-out menu in his hand. He looked to it, then to her.

For this, he most definitely had a plan.

He heard a soft thud as she set the phone down atop a glass table. “What?”

Rex sat down next to her, angling himself so he could gauge her reaction. Should he tell her?
Need-to-know basis
. For now, he’d play it safe. “I’ll be leaving tomorrow morning very early for Washington.”

She stared at him a moment before saying, “You know how I feel about that.”

“I do, but I have to go.” He took her hand. “I’ll only have twenty-four hours to do what I have to do, so I’ll be up and back before you’ll even know I’m gone. The thing is, I’ll need you to cover for me. Will you?”

She slipped her hand from his. “I don’t really have a choice, do I? I’m supposed to be responsible for you.” Then she shot him a look a warning. “But remember, if you get caught I go down, too.”

The prospect was unthinkable. “I’m fully aware of the consequences. But I’d turn myself in before I’d let that happen.”

“What would you say?” She pushed herself up. “That you snuck out while I was sleeping?”

He caught her hand before she could walk away. “That’s one lie I couldn’t tell,” he said, rising to pull her into his arms. “Especially since you’ll be spending the night under me.”

He kissed her, hard and without mercy.
Mais oui
, he most
definitely
had a plan . . .

Chapter Ten

Hors D’oeuvres

“K
EEP THE CHANGE
and thanks,” Charlotte said, exchanging a fifty-dollar bill for one heavy bag of Chinese takeout.

The delivery man smiled wide. “Thank
you
,” he said and she closed the door, carrying the food into the kitchen. She grabbed a roll of paper towels and from the refrigerator, a liter of Evian, and . . . She considered the three-quarters full bottle of Pinot Noir. Would a California red go with Chinese food, especially when served with a side of Frenchman? She wasn’t sure, but she grabbed it anyway, dropping two paper cups into the bag.

What the hell was she doing?

Oh right, she could be so cavalier about it now. After what she had done—correction—what she had done
to her
just a little while ago. But as wonderful and insane as it had been, it was only a precursor to the Main Event coming up next. Was she ready for that? Would she ever be? Because really, this was Rex she was referring to.
Rex
. All six-foot-two of dark-haired, inky-eyed Frenchman, he of the five-thousand-dollar cuff links, black AmEx, and private jet, who nearly made her swoon each time he had kissed her.

Who would be the first man she’d been with in over two years.

So why’d she have to pick one who was setting them both up to get thrown in jail?

Charlotte set the food down and took a quick swig of Pinot, before taking all of it upstairs to her bedroom.

Along the way she passed the bathroom and the sound of Rex just turning on the shower, the silhouette of his ripped torso visible through the curtain. She had just come from perching on the sink, filing her nails as he shaved, entranced as she watched him scrape his razor up his oh-so-angular jaw. It wasn’t even a question whether he had wanted her there or not. She just shoved aside a few bottles and climbed up, Rex kissing her before he bent to splash his face and slather his cheeks with shaving foam. But as innocent as it looked it was really pretty darn bad, as he, an accused felon, and she, his attorney, flouted nearly every rule of professional propriety. And it was about to get much worse.

And
oh boy
, Charlotte shivered as she set the bag and bottles on her night table,
did bad ever feel as good?

Especially as she recalled what had happened just before that. When she had taken him upstairs to show him the rest of the house. When he had stopped her at the threshold of the bedroom.

“What’s this?” he asked.

“Where I sleep,” she answered.

He slipped his arm around her waist, caressing her cheek, “Is it anything else?”

She wanted him, so badly she ached in her bones. Which would probably blow to hell every shred of advice she ever had given to her clients—
Don’t set yourself up! Watch the sexual innuendo! Be professional at all times! If you want to be equal, treat everyone equally!
—but at this moment, with Rex just a heartbeat away, she was far from caring. He said he wanted her, and goddamnit—he was about to get her.

“It’s where you’re going to have sex with me,” she said.

He kissed her, laughing against her mouth. “My God, the mademoiselle has the second sight.” Then he lifted her into his arms, and took her to the bed.

He set her at the foot of it and leaning over her, kissed her with an intensity she’d never known before, and with a tenderness that surprised her. As she propped her arms back and arched her neck, he trailed kisses down the curve of it to her collarbone, sliding the strap of her dress over her shoulder, then kissing the spot where it had been.

“This is for you—this is all for you,” he whispered, kissing a trail to the slope of her breast. “You have a beautiful body, and I want to make you more aware of it than you’ve ever been.”

“Oh yeah?” she said, Rex slowly leaning her back against the bed. “How’re you going to do that? I mean, should I do . . .” She took a deep breath, smiling shyly. “I guess I’m just not very good at this. Men have always—”

“
Tais-toi
,” he said, silencing her with a kiss. He braced himself on his elbows above her. “I know you’re nervous, Charlotte, but I don’t want you to be, not with me anyway.” He kissed her again, light and quick. “Forget all those
enculés
you’ve been with before.”

“Believe me I have, but it’s not only that. I think I’ve just forgotten how to . . . Or maybe I’ve never known in the first place. Or . . .” She felt like crawling under the bed.

“Has it been a long time? Is that it?” he said, smoothing her unruly hair.

“Oh God, does it show?” Maybe she
would
crawl under the bed. “Men haven’t exactly been my friends lately.”

“I’m not surprised.” And when she gasped, he kissed her again. “Strong women repel weak men. Only strong men understand them. And you,
ma belle
, are a strong woman.”

“Who’s attracting an equally strong man, I suppose?” she said. “A little backdoor self-adulation, Rex?”

He laughed, teeth and eyes gleaming, sliding down to growl against her breasts. She whooped, grabbing him by his hair. “Stop!”

“You’re adorable, you know that?” he said, nipping her breast through the fabric as he slipped even further to the floor. He got down on his knees, his hands just under her dress on either side of her thighs. “But you have too much going on here, impeding my progress. We’re going to have to do something about that.”

“Oh yeah?” she said, wriggling against him. “What?”

His dark hair was mussed from her tousling, his chin alluringly shaded. She could catch a glimpse of his chest from the three opened buttons of his shirt, hardly able to wait before she could strip it from him. But for now it seemed all about her as he slid her dress up, Charlotte lifting her behind, and in one swift motion, it was off.

“The Great Unveiling,” he said, openly admiring her bra and panties. “
C’est magnifique
. And I don’t only mean this beautiful body. You’re a work of art, Charlotte. And if any of those men couldn’t see that, they didn’t deserve you, the fucking assholes.” He tossed her dress in the air, biting her belly.

She whooped again, feeling every neuron inside her come alive, wondering whether another man’s touch had ever felt like this. But with Rex’s lips suddenly on hers and opening them, with his tongue searching every cavernous corner of her mouth,
thinking
suddenly became an impossibility. She gave herself over to the sensual, letting the electric force of this man bring her body back to life.

His hand fell to her breast as hers trailed to the small of his back. He slid his palm over a nipple, lightly circling it until it rose, stiffly peaking under her bra. She groaned.

“Save your groaning,” he said. “You’ll need your breath for what’s yet to come.” He pulled back, his dark eyes gleaming wickedly. “Which of course, will be you.”

“Will I?” she said, hooking two fingers into the front of his shirt. “Won’t you join me?” She yanked, pulling him to her.

“Later,” he said, pinching the clasp at the center of her bra. “Right now I’ve something else to attend to.” With one swift flick he unsnapped it, her breasts tumbling into his waiting hands.

“
Merde—tu as des seins magnifiques
. . .” he whispered, his hand lightly brushing its heavy underside. He traced a finger around her areola, leaving her skin pebbling in its wake. He lowered his mouth to her.

“Oh!” Charlotte squeaked, arching into him, electricity jolting through her. She clasped onto him, her arms sliding down his back.

“Gorgeous breasts . . .” he murmured, licking, sucking, his hand kneading the other, its nipple peaking into stiffness. “You’re so beautiful, I . . .” He circled her areola with his tongue, until she squeaked again, his mouth exploring and nipping and pulling hard, leaving a trail of marks. “
Tu me donnes envie de
. . .”

“
Quoi
?
” she murmured. “What do you want to do?”

“Everything,” he said. “Everything and more until I can’t move and you’re begging me not to stop.” He moved to her other breast, his tongue circling and exploring every inch, leaving more intimate brands before he slid up to capture her mouth. His lips claimed hers so thoroughly she felt his kiss right down to her toes.

“Oh God—
Rex
. . .” she purred, curling toward him, “it’s not fair. I want to see you, too. I want to feel your skin against me.”

“Not yet,” he said, his hand falling to her hip, his thumb slipping under the elastic of her panties. “I promise your chance,” he said, “but not now.”

“No,” she said, her hand on his. “I’m afraid I must insist. Before you go any further . . .” Her knee glanced the obvious evidence of his arousal. “I’d like to see a bit more of what fills your beautiful shirts so extraordinarily.” She flicked open another button. “May I?”

He smiled. “Well, when you put it that way . . .” He pushed up. “Go ahead.”

So she did, opening each button in quick succession, the dark hairs of his chest slowly coming into view. She reached the waistband of his trousers and slowly pulled his shirt from them, glancing up to see him following her movements. When she unbuttoned the last one she reached up and pushed his shirt back, Rex falling back on his heels to finish the job for her. As he did Charlotte got exactly what she asked for, The Great Unveiling of a man formed to perfection. She raised her hand, grazing it over him.

“What are you d-doing,” he said with a flinch.

Charlotte ignored him, skimming her fingers down the hard planes of his chest to his rippled abs, lingering there a bit before she trailed to the buckle of his belt.

He snatched her hand. “Now I’m saying it—
no
.”

“But why?” she said, her finger looping inside the leather strap to pull it from the metal.

He grabbed both her hands and pulled her arms above her head, the soft hairs of his chest lightly brushing her breasts. “Because I’m the one who’s supposed to be driving you insane, not the other way around.” Then he kissed her hard and slid down to his knees, bringing her legs together before he latched hold of her panties and slipped them from her.

“Jesus,” he whispered, his gaze fixed.

“Oh no,” she said, clamping hold of the coverlet, bunching it between her fingers. With her dress off, her bra dangling off her shoulders, and now her underpants gone, she stiffened with a sudden attack of self-consciousness. No doubt brought on by the vision of perfection above her. “Seems I’m a bit exposed,” she murmured.

“You’re lovely,” he said hoarsely. His finger glided up the expertly manicured strip of blonde coils centered atop her pussy. “Christ, you’re sure a curly little thing,
n’est-ce pas?
” He smoothed where she’d been waxed. “So hot, your
chatte rasée
.”

Charlotte shuddered from his touch, her eyes fluttering. “I s-swim a lot.”

“Kind of like a landing strip,” he said, his thumb ruffling the curly patch.

She bucked, the slight pressure jolting her. “Don’t tease me—please. I’m sure you’ve seen it before.”

“Oh Charlotte,” he murmured, spreading her legs as he slid his hand between them, “teasing you is all I want to do.” He kissed her belly, and slipped a finger inside.

“Ohh-ohh . . .” she whimpered, nearly sliding off the bed.

“
Ta chatte est tellement mouillée
. . .” he whispered, kissing his way across her belly to her thigh. He slid his finger in and out, his thumb flicking her rock-hard clit. Charlotte squirmed, writhing against his hand, tiny sparks shooting behind her eyes. His tongue went from hot to cool as he blew against her wet skin, her forehead breaking out in a sweat when his trailing slipped to the inside of her thigh.

“Oh Rex . . . Rex . . .” she moaned, twisting atop the coverlet as his tongue trailed closer and closer to her most sensitive spot. Her hips swiveled with the cadence of his finger thrusting in and out, pleasure tremors beginning to rumble deep inside. She threw back her head, reveling in this slow, steady bliss, waiting for that easy roll of release. That is until his finger withdrew and his tongue suddenly stopped trailing, just above her clit.

“Rex . . . ?” she said, lifting her head.

He grasped her hips, and dove in.

“
Rex!
” she yelped, his tongue savaging her, licking, sucking, devouring, his finger stroking her mercilessly. Her hips lifted as she bucked against his mouth, Rex palming her belly to keep her steady. Within seconds she felt herself rising, but it was no ordinary roll of release. It was lightning fast and deliciously violent, a hard, wickedly jolting explosion of pleasure that sent Charlotte clutching Rex’s back, her head thrown back in a silent scream so relentless she nearly lost her breath.

Rex slid up her body to capture her mouth, his finger still circling her clit. “That’s it
belle
—come for me. Come as hard for me as I’ll come for you.” He kissed her, biting her lip as she was still coming, still gasping for breath when he cupped his hands under her
derrière
, gathered her into his arms.

“Oh Rex . . .” She sighed, kissing his neck. “That was wonderful—
you
were wonderful.”

“Then will you do something for me?” he said. “Just a little thing?”

“What’s that?” she said, the backs of her fingers smoothing his cheek.

A few moments passed before he spoke again, his eyes visibly tracing her, as if taking a scan for memory. “I would like to see you. I would like to see
all
of you.” Then he looked at her with trepidation, as uneasily as she’d ever seen him. “Would you do that for me?”

She was mystified. “But can’t you see me now? Or do you . . .” All at once she couldn’t speak. Because all at once she knew exactly what he was asking for. And it thrilled her.

She kicked off her shoes and got up, Rex sliding past her to sit on the edge of the bed, Charlotte rolling her shoulders until her bra slid down her arms and off. Now fully naked she reached back, plucking the clips from her hair until her wild, wiry curls fell down her back, Rex watching in silent fascination as she tousled it.