The Perfect Plans Series [Box Set] (22 page)

Oh!
“You caught her with someone else?”

“No, she confessed.”

That’s crazy. Why would you tell Alex Tate that you cheated on him?
Scratch that. Why in the world would you cheat on Alex Tate? Is she stupid? Who would be worth cheating on him with?
“Do you know who it was?”

“Does it fucking matter?”

I startle at his venomous tone. “I’m sorry.”

“No, I’m sorry,” he brushes my cheek. “It’s a sore subject. Monogamy is very important to me.”

Wow. Who knew that not all Hollywood actors aren’t whores?

“I’m sorry Julia made that comment, and I’m sorry you heard it. But you have nothing to worry about when it comes to her. She’s nothing more than my publicist. What happened between us is long over. Something I wish to stay locked in the past.”

“I’m sorry,” I whisper again, angry with myself for reminding Alex of a not so great time in his life.

“Don’t be, you had a right to ask. And I should be thanking you . . . for telling me about Liam,” he offers a warm smile. “His loss is my gain.”

“I could say the same about Julia,” I confess, hoping my newfound love for him isn’t clearly reflected in my tone. Leaning forward to gently rest my head against his chest, his arms instantly circle me, and I snuggle into the warmth of his embrace.

I will have to watch out for Julia,
I think to myself. I can read women. She still has a flame burning for Alex. It was evident in the way she greeted him at the door, let alone her tasteless offer of sex.

I realize suddenly that I despise this woman. Not simply because she’s competition, but because she clearly hurt Alex. Someone I’ve come to care deeply about.
Plus, she called me a puppy dog. That bitch.
“So, your friend doesn’t like dogs?” I tease, lifting my head to bat my eyelashes charmingly. “Puppies are cute.”

“Yeah. She’s more of a cat person,” he winks, laughing.

I AWAKEN TO the sun beaming in a vertical line between the curtains of Alex’s bedroom.
Alex’s
bedroom. The thought of him creates a rush of chills as a replay of the night before assails me—the memory of him all over me. His hands. His lips. His tongue.

My relishing thoughts are pleasantly interrupted by the sound of his breathing beside me. Quietly turning, I find him sleeping peacefully.
I could never tire of this morning ritual,
I think to myself, taking in his perfect, perfect face. I’m once again in awe of his strong handsome features enchantingly mixed with his gentle boyish charm.

Slipping out of the sheets, I glance for something to wrap over my naked body. My well cherished naked body. The man has the most amazing stamina. It puts Liam to shame.

I carefully pull a blanket from the bottom of the bed, wrapping it around me like a towel and take a quick glimpse around the room. Not relishing the idea of disturbing him from his peaceful slumber, I search for a distraction from my already aroused desire to jump him. Spying a book on the dresser, I tiptoe to retrieve it and head for the plush chair in the corner by the window.

Curled up in the seat, I have a perfect visual of Alex, partially covered under the cream-colored bed sheets from his hips to his feet. Never could I have imagined the sheer magnitude of this specimen. The man is, simply, perfection.

From this vantage point, I have a magnificent view. Even better than the wonderful close-ups I’ve been treated to these past two mornings waking beside him. From here in the chair, I can take him
all
in. Appreciate him from a short distance.

My eyes make their way across his flawless body, laid partially on his side, devouring the sculpted lines of his chest, his glorious firm pecs splashed with a scattering of dark sexy hair. I take in his strong shoulder and muscled arm, his thick forearm bent slightly, his hand dangling at his hip; his tightly formed abdominal muscles, the happy trail just calling out to be touched . . .

My devouring gaze stills momentarily as he stirs, rolling onto his side before returning to the same position on his back, his arm grazing the sheets that were formally shielding his manhood.

Oh my, is that his?
Like a crane, I strain forward in my chair,
desperate to get a closer look, raising and shifting my head in a movement akin to the sharpening of a telescopic lens.
Like some crazy pervert—
notes
my inner actress in conflict with my inner dreamer’s cheer—
You go girl! Get a good look at what made you soar all night!

Angling for a better view, the book slides off my lap with a thud to the floor. I’m frozen in place, glancing down at the hardcover nuisance, then swiftly up to Alex, his eyes now open.

“Good morning,” he grins.

Unmoving, I summon a smile, trying to act as though I didn’t get busted ogling him. “Good morning,” I manage, bending to retrieve the book from the floor.

Stretching, he sits up in bed, leaning his strong arms around his raised knees. “Enjoyable read?” he asks with flirtatious curiosity.

“Ummm . . . yes,” I reply unconvincingly, standing to replace the book on the dresser.

Maintaining my awkward hold on the blanket shielding my naked vulnerability, I make my way to my side of the bed, beginning to redress the sheets and coverlet amid his amused gaze. Losing my grip in my graceless one-handed efforts, a quick yelp escapes me as it sashays to the floor.

Fully exposed, my startled eyes flash to Alex, a less than subtle combination of amusement and desire gleaming back at me. He consumes every inch of my exposed flesh in the moments it takes to bend and retrieve my shield of wool.

Flushing crimson, I make a fumbling attempt to regain some sense of dignity through distraction, trying to make the damn book the center of attention once more, “It was . . . very enjoyable.”

“As is the view,” he flashes his 1000-watt smile. “Such a shame to cover it up.”

I pretend to ignore his sexy switch of interest, lingering in my clumsy cloud of humiliation, and join him on the bed, leaning up against the pillows.

“I’m glad you enjoyed the book,” he continues, “ . . . it’s a passionate interest of mine.”

A passionate interest?
I didn’t even glance at the cover. I have absolutely no idea what this interest is—and a
passionate
one no less!
I’m such an idiot,
I castigate myself, struggling to find an exit to this inevitably embarrassing book club chat.

His smirk tells me he’s on to me, though I can’t be sure.

“You’ll have to excuse me for a moment. Mother Nature calls,” he murmurs, saving me.

I stare unabashedly as he steps out of bed and heads for the bedroom door.
Now there’s a view
—pipes my inner actress, forgetting her place. And boy is that an understatement. The view of Alex from the front is magnificent . . . the view from behind is equally jaw dropping.

My eyes fill with desire at his incredible form as I thoroughly relish in the view of his broad shoulders, strong and equally wide upper back, thin masculine waist, and finally, that ass.
Holy shit, that ass.
He has the most supple, full, sexy ass I’ve ever seen. Not that I’ve seen a whole lot of naked male ass, I realize in my assessment. Liam had a nice ass—sexy, though a tad small. And though I’ve never seen it bare—
thank the lord
—my dad doesn’t seem to have a bottom
at all,
his pants always a little empty under his back pockets.

Comparatively speaking, women tend to have full, supple bottoms. At least I thought they did, until I saw this incredible creation on display. God must have broken the mold on this one. Alex’s
covered
ass pulled my attention the first time I met him—the way he fills out a pair of pants is absolutely sinful. Getting to take in the view in its raw form is incredible. The image is drool inducing, an intoxicating combination of his amazingly perfect ass set atop his full, strong legs—thick, masculine legs that are walking out of view—triggering my pout at the conclusion of the momentary show. Sighing, I lean back into the pillow, losing myself in the memory of the incredible visual.

His footsteps signal his rather quick return and I sit up a little further, preparing to enjoy the second act . . . his glorious full frontal.
Woo-hoo! Bring it on baby!
Raising my knees, I wrap my arms around them and wait for it.

Sadly, his black boxers are shielding my anticipated presentation.

Damn. He must have found them en-route to the bathroom—
we heatedly discarded them down the hallway, along with the rest of our clothing items, last night.
What a drag,
I pout, stopping him in his tracks, his head tilted in question. Busted again
.
Biting down on my lip, I straighten my legs and attempt to act casual.

His lips curl into his own sexy little pouted grin, emphasizing his annoying ability to see right through me. How does he do that? Am I that transparent?
Of course I am, when it comes to this man. He’s likely very familiar with the transparent reactions of women—a thought that sends a shiver down my spine.

The devilish glimmer in his eyes above his teasing petulant lips quickly replaces the chill. Hopping onto the mattress, he leans up on his arm, flashing a playful, sexy smile. “So, what would you like to do this morning?”

“I’m not sure. What would you normally do on a Sunday morning?”

“With a beautiful naked woman in my bed?” He’s eyeing the blanket I’m wrapped in as though he can see through it and gravity pulls at my bottom lip, prompting his sexy mouth to curl into a responsive smirk.

“No . . . I mean . . . what do you normally do in the mornings when you are . . .
alone?
” I explain in a breathless fluster. The crushing reminder that I may not be the only woman to wake up in his bed repeats my previous jealous shiver.

He moves closer, shifting himself upward on the bed. “Well, if I was
alone
. . . ” his fingertips skim along my leg, pulling the blanket to bunch around my hip, his eyes following the trail of goose bumps they magically create.

“Yes,
alone,
” I reply breathlessly, my negative lingering thoughts effectively depleted by his magical touch.

“Well, given I typically wake up alone, I would hit the gym,” he reassures my silent insecurities, his fuck-me lips quirked in a knowing grin. “However, I rather prefer to point out, I’m
not
alone,” he whispers, his fingers trailing along the inside of my leg, narrowly avoiding my now awakened core.

“That feels . . . ummm . . . sounds good,” I mumble through bated breaths, “ . . . the gym. I would love to join you at the gym.” Tracing my fingers across his bare chest, I return his devouring gaze, my accelerated heartbeat drumming in rhythm with his under my fingertips.

Reaching for my neck, he pulls me down to his lips in a forceful kiss, his tongue taking ownership of my desire. My body loses all sense of control as I give in to him, my tongue dueling his in mimicked want.

Grabbing my torso in a sexy, dominant motion, he pulls me swiftly under him. My arms instinctively wrap around his neck, pulling and clawing at his shoulders in wanton need. I scratch down his back, the visual of his incredibly fine ass
fueling my
urgency to feel him in my hands. His sheer size prevents my reach and I struggle to adjust our position, squirming for a better vantage point beneath his large form. My attempts to maneuver are fruitless as he pins my arms down at my sides.

Pulling his lips from mine, they brush along my jaw and neck, his tongue leaving a tingling wetness on my over-heated skin. My body arches at the sensual feel of him devouring my décolletage, his licks singeing my skin. The wet burning trail continues along my chest, stopping suddenly at the restricted access of the wool blanket wrapped securely around me.

Leaning up on his knees, the feel of his slightly raised ass resting on my ankles, he ponders the obstruction before pushing off to stand at the foot of the bed. Grabbing my hips firmly, he tugs me along the mattress before him, a quick gloating sneer as he stares down at me, his eyes dark with want. He reaches for the edge of my wool shield, tearing it off in one strong fluid motion, absently tossing it to floor.

My heated skin perks against the sudden cool air, my breathless gasp turning his lustful, burning gaze molten as his lips quirk back into a sexy smirk. With a deftness I’ve become quite familiar with, he pulls his boxers down, standing fully nude before me.

Holy shit.
I feel the blush staining my burning cheeks as I’m given the full frontal I was waiting for.

“So what do you think? Isn’t this a better way to work up a sweat?” his husky voice pulls my wanting gaze to his, before he climbs over me to continue where his tongue left off.