Unfinished Business (14 page)

 
The moment Alex entered her apartment and closed the door behind him, Christy could feel the mounting tension in the air. She had tried talking him out of walking her to the door, and when that failed she had told him there was no need for him to come inside, since they had said enough already.

But he had ignored her words, taking the key from her hand and opening the door. Now he stood in the middle of her living room, with his eyes glued on her and looking so elementally male that she felt flames, hot and intense, stirring up her insides.

“We need to talk.”

Christy’s brows rose upon her hearing he was back to that again. “We have nothing to talk about, Alex.”

“Oh, I think we do.”

She watched, one heartbeat at a time, as he crossed the room. And when he stopped in front of her, his gaze moved all over her. The heat of that gaze burned her senses and caused a cascade of sensations to flood through her. “Do you want to tell me what this shocking blue dress was about tonight?” he asked in a deep, husky, sensuous tone.

Trying to hold on to her sanity, Christy narrowed her eyes at him. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

His eyes held hers in a penetrating stare and didn’t even blink when he said, “I believe that you do. You’ve done your best to get me hot and bothered, and you have succeeded.”

He took a step closer and she saw the edginess in his gaze, felt the ravenousness in the heat he was generating. “Now my question to you is what you plan to do about it.”

His question pulled at her nerve endings, made her feel suddenly light-headed to the point where she had to pull in her next breath. He was right. She had deliberately baited him tonight with the full intent of breaking through his control. But now every muscle in her body felt tense at the thought that he’d known what she was up to, had been privy to her every move. Deciding to play it safe, she said, “You indicated we won’t make love until I fall back in love with you. Since I don’t see that happening, I don’t plan on doing anything about it.”

For a little while neither said anything, but Christy could feel the tension between them mounting even more, almost consuming them, making the electrified air they were breathing almost unbearable. “I care to differ,” Alex said with seemingly calm remoteness.

She lifted a brow. “You can differ all you like, since there’s nothing you can do about it.”

Alex smiled. “Oh, there’s plenty I can do about it. I can get you as hot and bothered as you’ve gotten me.”

With that simple statement she saw the intent in his eyes and took a step back. Her mind raced as she tried figuring a way out of the mess she had gotten herself into. “I want you to leave, Alex.”

His eyes held hers in deep concentration, entrenched penetration. “No. I don’t think that you do.”

Glaring, she glanced up at him. “Oh, you’re into mind reading these days?” She tried to ignore his manly scent, which was gripping her senses, escalating her desires.

“No, I can’t read your mind, but I can read your heat. I can feel it radiating all through me and I’ve felt it all evening,” he said, removing his jacket. “You’re a little annoyed with me right now, but you don’t want me to leave until . . .”

She lifted a brow. “Until what?”

“Until I make it possible for both of us to sleep tonight. I doubt that we’d get a good night’s rest in our present state.”

His words made her acutely aware of just what that present state was, and it was getting more defined with every second he stood in front of her. Sensations she’d tried holding at bay slipped through her and made her skin tingle. A part of her wanted to believe her desire for him was sheer madness, but she knew no matter how insane it might be, he was right. She wouldn’t get much sleep tonight without thoughts of him invading her unconsciousness. The big question of the hour was what he had in mind when his options were limited.

She hadn’t broken his control like she had wanted, and although he said he was hot and bothered, he was doing a good job of holding himself in check. Even now it was evident that his emotions were smoothly controlled, and the magnitude of everything male about him was disturbingly underscored by the way he was standing there, towering over her, looking at her like he was a hungry cat and she was a bowl of cream that he intended to lick all over.

Summoning up all the composure she could muster, she made a move to walk past him, and he reached out and touched her arm. She drew in a deep, sharp breath the same exact moment he did. The contact reverberated through their bodies simultaneously with the ferocity of a hot, powerful storm and she looked up at him as he looked down at her. Sound suddenly ceased to exist. Even the breath they expelled died a sudden death the moment it left their lips. Both individuals were locked in an exchange of mesmerizing gazes.

The moment stretched, and when Alex slowly lifted his hand and let his fingertips slide across her jaw Christy found her eyes caught, held, in a sharp and penetrating stare.

Trying hard not to cave in, she lifted her chin and continued to hold his gaze, determinedly fighting the emotions rolling around inside of her. But when he moved his fingertips from her chin to frame her face with his hand, she knew she couldn’t fight him tonight if she wanted to. She had set out to bait him, yet she had been the one captured, ensnared in her own trap.

When he slowly lowered his head she readily offered him her lips. He took them, hungrily, greedily, as desire racked their bodies, ravenously stole their minds, leaving them totally aware of nothing but each other.

Alex’s arms tightened around Christy and she inched closer, returning the kiss with the same ardent participation that he was. Tongues mingled and mated, intimately, unhurriedly. Senses reeled, passion ignited, groans became moans as they vigorously contributed to this intimate exchange, both determined to get what they wanted and needed.

But it wasn’t enough and they both knew it.

Raising his head, he swept her into his arms and crossed the room to the sofa, sat down, and cradled her in his lap. He kissed her again deeply, hungrily, stealing the very sigh she moaned from her lips. Moments later when he broke the kiss, he stared down at her, noted the way her hair flowed across his arms, saw the glazed look in her eyes from beneath long lashes, and watched her slowly draw in shuddering breaths.

He waited patiently until her eyes held his again, and then in a voice that was drenched in the deep desire he felt while his fingertips boldly slid beneath the neckline of her clothing he said, “Now about this dress . . .”

Christy’s eyes locked with Alex’s as every part of her came to full awareness. Heat burned through her as his fingers slowly caressed her bare skin beneath the neckline of her dress, making it difficult for her to breathe. And the hard, firm, muscular thighs beneath her body made her acknowledge that he was a man with a whole lot of experience. Definitely more than she had.

She would have given an in-depth analysis to that reflection if he hadn’t slid his fingers farther into her bodice to brush against her bare breasts. She wasn’t wearing a bra and knew the exact moment he had verified that fact.

Immediately he captured her mouth with his, slow, deliberate, like a magnet, drawing her tongue into his mouth, sucking on it, claiming it, at the same time his fingertips inched even lower beneath her neckline, caressing one breast and then the other. She arched in his lap, automatically responding to the intimate touch.

He pulled back and traced the lining of her lips with his tongue before asking in a husky voice, “Why did you wear this dress tonight?”

Christy sighed, unable to do anything but tell him the truth. “I wanted to make you lose it.”

He lifted a brow. “Lose what?”

“Control. You’re always cool and calm, and for once I wanted to see you not hold back.”

He frowned. Years of training had taught him how to maintain control of his emotions, which was something he’d always prided himself on. However, she would never know just how hard it was for him to maintain that control around her. If he ever let her push him completely over the edge, that would be the end of it, because he wanted her just that much. “I have to stay in control,” he said quietly.

“Why?”

“Because it’s a part of who I am,” he said, deciding that was all he would tell her.

“Well, I don’t like it,” she said, glaring at him.

“Then maybe I should give you something you’d like.” He then leaned down and kissed her as his hand resumed stroking her breasts.

Christy moaned as Alex kissed her deeply, angling his mouth in various ways for better contact.

He slowly lifted his head and met her gaze. “I want to see your breasts. May I?”

Just the thought of him asking sent hot, molten liquid flowing through her. Her pulse began racing and her heartbeat increased. She met his gaze. “Yes,” she said softly, barely able to get out the single word. “You can see my breasts if you let me see your bare chest.”

Thoughts of everything fled from her mind when he shifted his body to slowly ease his shirt from the waistband of his pants and began unbuttoning it. Turning in his arms, she watched, mesmerized, as each button slowly slipped free. The moment she saw his bare chest, she reached out and let her fingers trace the firm, hard planes of his muscles. Her fingers, of their own accord, slowly caressed the flat nipples on his chest, and the instant she did so she heard his sharp intake of breath. She couldn’t help but marvel at the fact that she was responsible for the forced way he was breathing, the increase of his heart rate beneath her hand, and the look of heated desire in his eyes. She found herself drawn into a bevy of emotions that booked no barriers and had little tolerance for restraints. She may not have the ability to make him lose control, but even he had admitted that she could turn him on.

“It’s my time to see you,” he whispered in a voice that increased the passion simmering between them. He shifted her on her back in his lap and slowly eased the dress from her shoulders, baring her nakedness to the waist. She felt the cool air touch her skin, but the heat of his gaze soothed it, making the puckered darkened tips throb with a need she didn’t understand.

Evidently Alex understood, and he lowered his head and drew a firm tip into his mouth. She gasped at the sensations that suddenly ravaged her body when his tongue licked, sucked, tortured, claiming one breast thoroughly before moving to the other. She closed her eyes and surrendered to the sensuous thrill his mouth was stirring as his hand cupped her breast, holding it hostage while his mouth feasted.

“Alex.”

His name was whispered from her lips in first an indrawn breath, followed by an uncontrollable gasp. She felt intense heat settle in her midsection at a degree that threatened to burn her to a cinder, and she felt herself being pushed over the edge where the only thing awaiting her was satisfying, earth-shattering sensations destined to explode in a million pieces.

Bur Alex refused to let it happen just yet. She had tortured him all evening, and now it was time to show her that payback wasn’t a bitch but was a man with very strong and deliberate intentions.

He pulled back and stood with her in his arms, then placed her on her feet. She’d said she hadn’t remembered him removing her panty hose that night she’d been under the influence; well, there was no way she wouldn’t remember it this time.

He knelt down in front of her and removed the high-heeled shoes from her feet. He knew she watched him as he reached beneath her short shocking blue dress and began skimming her panty hose down her legs, deliberately caressing the curves of her hips and the inner parts of her thighs while he did so. He tossed the panty hose aside.

Then when she stood bare legged in front of him, in a very bold move he pushed her short dress up to her waist, leaving her completely bare except for the black lace thong she was wearing. Then in one smooth motion he slid his fingers beneath the skimpy material and tugged the thong down her hips as well.

Still on his knees before her, he raised his head and met her gaze at the same moment his hands tightened about her hips. “Enjoy,” he whispered, just seconds before his mouth latched on to the most intimate part of her.

Christy’s heart stopped when in smooth and easy motions Alex’s tongue swept into her while his hands curved about her hips, holding her in place. Of their own accord, her thighs parted as he intimately stroked her time and time again, refusing to let up or let go.

She trembled and moaned out words whose meaning she didn’t know, but he pressed on, making heat flare through every part of her body and enticing the type of throbbing passion she’d only heard others whisper about. Now she was experiencing for herself such an intimate personal caress as his tongue went deeper and deeper still. Her senses raged out of control; nothing mattered but the way he was making her feel.

“Alex!”

Then it happened; pleasure streaked through her, made her shiver uncontrollably. She struggled to breathe and found it difficult when he increased the pressure of his mouth on her and expanded the deep stroking of his tongue. She felt the shudder that rocked through her, and would have sunk down to the carpeted floor had he not held her immobile, refusing to let her tumble into anything other than pleasure.

It was only when Christy’s shudders subsided that Alex pulled back. He got to his feet and wrapped his arms tightly around her, just as overwhelmed by what had taken place as she was. Even now the passion between them still simmered, and he knew of only one way to put out the flame. But it was a way they would not share until she admitted to loving him.