A Steele for Christmas (10 page)

S
he was kicking him out?

Forget about the fact that less than ten minutes ago he’d made plans to leave on his own anyway, it was the principle of the thing. And the principle, according to the book of Eli, was that he always decided when he left a woman’s place. No female had ever suggested it was time for him to go. Usually, they begged him to stay.

A barely-there smile touched his lips. “You want me to leave?”

“Why would you want to stay?”

Oh, he could give her countless reasons. Pass him a piece of paper so he could make a list. At the top would be the fact that although they weren’t officially lovers, like she’d just said, he’d shared a lot more of himself with her than he had with any other female. Pill or no pill, good health or not, he had made love to her without a condom, releasing his semen inside of her plenty of times over.

He rubbed his hands down his face. Never had he been confused about a woman. Maybe she was right. He should share a glass of wine with her and split.

“Hey, you okay?”

He glanced over at her. “Yes. Let’s share the wine and then I’ll be out of your hair.”

“No rush.”

You could have fooled me.
“I’ll finish dressing.”

He left the kitchen and walked back to the living room. As he slid his shirt over his shoulders, he thought that maybe he ought to take a rain check on that wine since it seemed she wanted him gone. Maybe the sooner the better for her.

“You’re pouting.”

He paused buttoning his shirt to glance over at her. He narrowed his gaze. “I wouldn’t know how to pout, Stacey,” he said matter-of-factly.

A smile touched her lips as she leaned back against the breakfast bar that separated the living room from the dining-room area. He wished he didn’t know she was naked underneath that robe. And he sure as hell wished she wasn’t standing in a position that showed her long, gorgeous legs that way.

“Could have fooled me, Eli. You’re doing a good job of it. And not to offend your sensibilities, I’d love for you to stay the night, but the reason you have to leave is because Cohen is working the night shift. And usually when he does, he drops in for breakfast unannounced on Saturday mornings. I don’t think it will be a good idea for him to find you here in my bed.”

Eli paused. He hadn’t considered that possibility and she was right. He liked Cohen, but her brother had been friends with the Steele brothers long enough to know how they operated and would kill any one of them he thought was taking advantage of his sister. Stacey was an adult but all that wouldn’t matter to Cohen.

Eli tucked his shirt into his pants. “Then I need to thank you for making sure we don’t encounter unnecessary drama.”

“You’re welcome, and I’d love for you to share a glass of wine with me before you left. Honestly,” she said. He then watched as she turned and sashayed back into the kitchen.

Stacey couldn’t help but smile. Eli had been pouting because he thought she was dismissing him like he’d probably dismissed a number of women over the years. And he had looked so cute with his kissable lips sulking. What was really cute was that he hadn’t been aware he was doing it.

She glanced up when he walked into the kitchen looking like the Eli Steele she knew, all neat as a pin in his designer duds. “I’ve already poured you a glass.”

He sat down at the table across from her. He picked up the glass, studied the contents for a while before glancing back at her. “You and Cohen are close.”

She nodded. “Yes. And it’s going to be hard when he leaves for Florida.”

He took a sip of wine and then said, “I’m surprised he didn’t persuade you to go with him.”

She chuckled. “Trust me, he tried but like I told him, I have a life here.”

“But no man to share it with?”

She leaned back in her chair. “No. I’m in no hurry. I tried believing in the forever-after thing and it didn’t work. Now I believe in reality and not fairy tales.”

He shook his head. “Don’t get cynical. Your guy was an ass as well as an idiot. You’re better off without him. Eventually you’ll dust yourself off and get back into the game. Marriage suits a woman like you.”

A woman like her?
“How do you figure that?”

He shrugged. “I can’t explain it but I know. Sorry your ex damaged your beliefs about something like that.”

She was intrigued. “You’re a fine one to talk. You and your brothers are womanizers, yet your parents, from what I understand, have a very happy marriage. Can you explain that?”

He stared down at his wine for a moment and then looked back at her. “Easily. We take after my father who used to chase women before he married my mother.”

He chuckled. “He even got run out of Charlotte in his younger days.”

Stacey’s eyes widened. “You’re kidding, right?”

Eli chuckled. “I kid you not. He had so many fathers and mothers gunning for him that his cousins had to slip him out of town one night. Even now whenever he returns to visit, it’s done very quietly.”

Stacey studied his face and saw he was dead serious. “But he eventually put aside those despicable ways after meeting and falling in love with your mother.”

“Yes, and you’ve seen my mother so I’m sure his decision was understandable and pretty damn smart.” Eli continued to bask in amusement when he added, “And as you know, Galen met and fell in love with Brittany, which is also understandable.”

He paused briefly, took a sip of his wine and then said, “I’m sure it will happen to the rest of us one of these days. At least according to my mother it will. But the remaining five of us are banking on it happening later rather than sooner. We’re having too much fun.”

“Yeah, I bet.”

He didn’t say anything for a moment, but sat there staring into his wine while absently twirling the glass between his fingers. Then he glanced up at her. “I enjoyed making love to you tonight, Stacey. You’re amazing.”

A shiver ran down her spine with his compliment. He had said pretty much that very same thing the last time, and she wondered if he told that to all his women. “And I enjoyed making love to you, too. I think you’re amazing.”

The room got quiet as they sipped their wines each lost in their own individual thoughts. She tried to fight it but on occasion they would look over at each other. It was during those times that she could feel the sexual tension building between them again. It was stroking her skin like an intimate caress.

He glanced at his watch, slowly stood and said, “It’s almost two in the morning. I better go.”

She stood as well. “Okay. I’ll walk you to the door.”

Stacey circled around the table and when she was close to him, he reached out and gently pulled her into his arms. He leaned in closer, pressed her body close to his and lowered his mouth to hers. She felt a rush of heated desire the moment he kissed her. In seconds he began devouring her mouth with a hunger that she actually felt in every part of her body. And when he took hold of her tongue, feasting on it with intense greed, she felt weak in the knees.

He then ended the kiss with the same energetic force with which he’d begun it. Then he reached out and pushed a curl back from her face before leaning back down to brush a kiss across her lips. “I wish I could say this was the last time for us, Stacey, but I have a feeling it’s not.”

She nervously licked her lips. She had a feeling it wasn’t the last time, too.

“E
li, are you listening to anything we’ve said?”

Eli blinked at his brothers, remembering they were even there. They had shown up at his place a few moments ago claiming they’d been worried. They’d known he had returned to town and couldn’t understand why he hadn’t answered their calls.

“I heard you,” he all but said in a snarl. “The four of you assumed someone had done me bodily harm.”

His youngest brother Gannon’s eyes narrowed. “Not just anyone. We were worried that you got gobbled up by that crazy woman you hired as your secretary last year. She’s a stalker and we heard she’s back in town.”

Eli raised his eyes heavenward. Gannon had the ability to get theatrical at times. But still, Eli hadn’t heard Liz was back. However, he wasn’t worried since he’d threatened to slap a restraining order on her ever since she’d made a scene when he’d been on a date with another woman, and had threatened to do horrible things to certain body parts of his. “Well, now you all know that wasn’t the case, so you can all go home and get into your beds so I can get into mine.”

“We’re having breakfast with Galen and Brittany. Besides, it’s eight in the morning on a Saturday. What were you doing all night?” his brother Mercury asked, taking a sip of the coffee he’d helped himself to making.

As far as Eli telling them what he’d been doing all night, his lips were sealed, especially since Tyson was one of those waiting on an answer. “None of your business,” Eli all but growled.

Gannon laughed. “That could only mean one thing.”

“We thought Liz had left a bad taste in your mouth where women are concerned,” Jonas added, rubbing his chin as if he was trying to figure out something. “Evidently, some woman has come along and caught your eye.”

The woman had done more than caught his eye. She was holding it pretty damn steady…among other things. Instead of responding to Jonas’s statement, Eli said, “Look, guys. I know you all missed me last week, but I really need my sleep. I just got in around three this morning,” he said without thinking, and regretted the slip the moment the words had left his mouth.

“How come? Your flight got in around seven.”

He glared at his youngest brother. Eli had to remind himself that with five older brothers and barely out of his twenties, Gannon was still going through growing pains. He felt just about anything his brothers did required scrutiny. Especially if it involved a woman. For some reason, Gannon assumed they were super humans in their sexual escapades.

“None of your business,” Eli said, although he knew being elusive would only give Gannon more ideas.

“So you’ve given up on the idea of running for president of the business council,” Tyson said, as a way to change subjects. It was a move Eli appreciated, although he wished for a different topic of conversation.

“No, I haven’t given up anything.”

Jonas chuckled. “You might as well. I heard Nesbitt has it in the bag.”

“You heard wrong. Nesbitt doesn’t have what it takes to run the council. That position is mine.”

“Well, good luck. He has Farmer’s backing.”

Eli ran his hands over his face. He’d heard it all before from Lex. “Don’t lose any sleep over it. I will be the business council’s next president.” Eli made the statement with a degree of confidence that he refused to let be eroded, regardless of Farmer’s decision not to back him.

A few hours later, after his brothers had left, he slid back between his sheets, wishing they were Stacey’s sheets instead. Hers had smelled good. They’d smelled like her. He wished he was still in her bed. Wallowing in her sheets. Her scent. And still firmly planted inside of her, between those gorgeous legs.

He flipped on his back and stared up at the ceiling. What was he thinking? Why was he obsessing over one particular woman? And now that he’d made love to her, he wasn’t sure he could get enough of her. It was as if he’d become addicted and that wasn’t good.

What was he supposed to do to rectify the situation? He had tried avoiding her and that hadn’t worked. It had only made things worse when he had seen her again. Then he figured once he’d made love to her that would work her out of his system. That hadn’t worked, either. Now it seemed she was even more ingrained into the assembly of his brain waves. He went to sleep thinking of her and he woke up thinking of her. Even now his heart rate was speeding up remembering their goodbye kiss.

She had walked him to the door and instead of giving her a peck on the cheek like he’d intended, he’d given her a blown-out kiss that could have led them straight back into her bedroom. The scent of her had driven him to deepen the kiss, and the way his erection had nestled between her thighs had nearly driven him crazy. He had come close to losing it and coming then and there, which was something that had never happened to him before. No woman had ever made him come close to losing control like she had.

And that, he acknowledged once again, was the crux of his problem. He didn’t like being that vulnerable. He would have to come up with a plan before seeing her again when he returned to the office on Monday.

Stacey entered her shop, turned off the store’s alarm, turned on the lights and eagerly glanced around, releasing a breathless giggle. It was as if she had stepped right into a holiday wonderland. Thanks to Stan Rollins, the building’s electrical technician who’d given up his Sunday afternoon, the special lighting from the colorful bulbs overhead shone down on the holiday display, placing emphasis on the decorations.

With nothing to do after church yesterday, she had come here and decorated her shop. By the time she’d finished, it was close to ten at night, but she had been more than satisfied with her hard work. And now, as she glanced around, she knew her customers would be pleased with the results as well.

She had decided to go with the holiday wonderland theme because it highlighted all her glittering Christmas ornaments. The only thing she hadn’t done was put up the Christmas tree. She preferred having a live one which meant she would have to wait a few weeks before they went on sale.

She didn’t want to think how lonely her Christmas would be this year. At least she’d had Wallace’s company last year…or at least she’d assumed she had. Now she knew why he’d cut short the time he’d spent with her, claiming he hadn’t been feeling well. She never suspected there had been a reason for him to turn down her offer to go home with him and nurse him back to health.

Refusing to let Wallace’s deceit get next to herself, she shifted her thoughts back to Cohen. Just as she’d warned Eli, her brother had popped up at her apartment early Saturday morning, coming straight to her place from the hospital. Since he prepared breakfast, she couldn’t complain too much. However, when she kept yawning through the meal he’d asked why she hadn’t gotten a good night’s sleep. Instead of answering him, she had quickly changed the subject.

After Cohen had left she had gotten back in bed and had slept past noon. She had hung in doing laundry. Later that night she had spoken to Dee. Luckily, her best friend hadn’t brought up her suggestion from the other day. And she figured the less Dee knew about her intimate romps with Eli, the better.

She would eventually get around to telling her one of these days but didn’t intend for it to be anytime soon. What would she say?
Hey, Dee, the girl who used to swear she would never engage in casual sex has now become a bedroom playgirl for the likes of one of those infamous Steele brothers. Probably the biggest womanizer of them all.

And speaking of Eli Steele… She glanced over at the clock. It was only a little past eight, and she couldn’t help wondering now that he was back in town if he would drop in this morning as usual. She had less than an hour to find out.

She was dusting off the countertop when the tinkling of the bell alerted her she had a customer. Too late she remembered that in her excitement to see her decorated shop she hadn’t locked the door behind her.

Her gaze moved toward the entrance and collided with that of Eli.

Eli stood there wondering why hadn’t he been able to keep looking straight ahead when he passed Stacey’s shop. He had seen her car in the parking lot, so he’d known she was there. He could have taken the back entrance, so why hadn’t he? Why was he a glutton for punishment where she was concerned? And why was his heart now thumping out of control in his chest?

He had walked into what appeared to be a Christmas wonderland. The holiday scenery was spectacular, simply breathtaking. But nothing, he thought, was more breathtaking than the woman standing across the room. And what about this yearning he felt, so intense that he couldn’t help the urge to cover the distance separating them and take her here and now? It would be the most satisfying quickie he’d ever experienced. He was more than convinced of it.

He tried controlling his thoughts by glancing around at the decorated shop. There were shiny ornaments and garland; snowflakes that actually seemed to be falling from the sky; toy soldiers and Christmas candles. His mother was big on decorating for the holidays but he had to admit, the atmosphere Stacey had created in her shop was unparalleled.

“Eli, you’re early.”

Had she been so sure he’d show up this morning and had been expecting him? “Am I?”

“Yes. You came for your copy of the
Wall Street Journal
like always, right?”

Even from a distance he could pick up her scent, a luscious jasmine mixed with her own succulent fragrance, and both were bewitching his senses. He hadn’t a clue what she was wearing since she was standing behind the counter. Regardless, they had at least thirty minutes and he planned on taking all of it.

Knowing she was waiting for his response he said, “No, that’s not what I came for.” He quickly turned and locked the door before moving in her direction.

Stacey lost her grip on the dust towel as her gaze held Eli’s. He was moving slowly toward her with a sense of purpose and with a look on his face that said she was his target. Their gazes held and the silent thoughts that communicated between them were understood.

He hadn’t come just for the
Wall Street Journal
. She drew in a deep breath and wished she hadn’t taken in some of his robust scent with it. She knew she had the ability to put a stop to this here and now. She could speak up and say that two encounters with him had been enough. Her confidence was no longer taking a beating thanks to him and his ability to make a woman feel as if she was the most desired and sensual being on earth.

But the nearer he got to her, the more she could concentrate only on those green eyes staring at her…and how much she wanted, needed, to entwine her tongue with his again, to feel the hardness of his muscles beneath his designer suit jacket.

And, if time allowed, to feel the hardness of him inside of her.

She moved from behind the counter and met him in the center of the store. “I suggest we discuss things further in my office, Eli,” she said in a breathless tone.

“Lead the way.”

And she did so, on wobbly legs and with inner thighs that were clenching against an intense throb between them. She could hear his footsteps behind her and knew he was right on her tail. Literally.

She opened the door to her office and when he followed her inside and closed it behind them, she turned around. And before he could open his mouth to say anything, she reached up, grabbed the lapels of his jacket and brought his mouth down to meet hers.

Mercy,
Eli thought. She was hot. He could feel it in her kiss as her tongue blazed a trail inside his mouth before capturing his own tongue, holding it hostage and sucking on it in a way that nearly brought him to his knees.

Not to be outdone by any woman, let alone by any kiss, he quickly took control, deepened the kiss and then showed her what a real kiss was all about. But he didn’t stop there.

She was wearing a dress and with agile fingers and ready hands, he lifted her dress up to the waist while slowly walking her backward. He’d never been in her office before, but all offices had a desk and hers had to be somewhere. He knew he’d found it when she couldn’t go backward anymore.

That’s when he grabbed hold of her hips and lifted her up and placed her on the desk while widening her legs to stand between them. He broke off the kiss and his hands quickly went to his zipper.

“Let me,” she said, brushing his hands away.

It didn’t take her any time to get what she was after and the moment she had him in her hands, gripping her fingers around him, he threw his head back to growl in heated pleasure. He didn’t recall anything much after that until he felt the head of his shaft being placed right there at her wet entrance. Not able to hold back from something so tempting, he moved forward, thrusting hard and deep inside of her.

“Oh, hell.” He thrust hard again. Then again. And when he felt her legs tighten around his waist, locking him in, his control snapped. He kept thrusting inside of her, seemingly going deeper and deeper with each sensuous movement.

He tilted his head, studied her expression and saw the intense pleasure he was giving her with every stroke. He became mesmerized. The passion was undisguised, genuine and as heated as it could get. And he knew the look on his face probably mirrored hers. Only difference, he would throw openly possessive in the mix. At that moment he couldn’t imagine any other man making love to her this way. He refused to even consider it.

When she began screaming his name, he quickly bent low to capture her mouth. And then he soared with her, his body shattering hard in one soul-tantalizing orgasm. He kept coming and coming and coming. And her body took and took and took.

He continued to kiss her as he was dragged farther and farther into the aftermath of the most sensuous and delicious quickie he’d ever known.