Beyond Bliss (3 page)

She peeled open one eye and peeked at him.

Even in her hungover state, she couldn't help but notice how impossibly handsome he was.

Her heart thumped loudly.

"You should probably take two of these and drink this," he grinned.

She sighed, but she sat up again, this time making sure to pull the cover with her. Shame and guilt overwhelmed her as the previous night came flooding back to her.

Well, most of it, anyway.

"Um, did we—?" she trailed off, not quite wanting to finish the damning question.

He shrugged on a blazer and settled into the armchair adjacent to the bed. Sitting back with a grace that belied his height, he regarded her, his eyes full of amusement.

"I kept trying to convince you to eat last night, but you kept insisting you weren't hungry. We went to the hotel bar to, ah, get you some water. I didn't feel okay letting you go home in a cab like that, so I brought you back to my room."

The way he said it was so nonchalant, she wondered if this was a normal occurrence.

Then words fully sank in, and her face flamed.

"I'm really sorry you felt like you had to take care of me. I promise I'm not a lush," she whispered.

He laughed, but she felt compelled to say something more…since he hadn't. "So, um…did anything—of an, ummm—intimate nature happen between us last night?" Still flushed, she felt so embarrassed, she wouldn't have been surprised if she were sweating.

"Well…you kissed me," he said bluntly.

She could feel herself blushing harder, and her words came out in the barest whisper. "I did?"

He nodded. "Yes. We got into the elevator to come up to my room, and you kissed me right here-" he motioned to his sensual mouth, which was curved into a smirk. She groaned and pulled the cover over her head once more.

"Then?" She hoped he could hear her muffled voice.

Apparently, he did.

"Then we got up to my room, you kicked off your heels, stripped off your jeans and shirt, and crawled into my bed," he said matter-of-factly.

In an instant, she popped out from underneath the covers.  "I did what?" she asked, horror slowly spreading over her face.

"You don't remember?" he frowned.

She shook her head as he raised her eyebrows.

"You really can't handle your alcohol, can you?" he admonished.

She immediately felt defensive.

"I can," she protested, forgetting that she was half-naked and arguing with a veritable stranger. "I—just, ah, well, yesterday was a tough day and I needed some liquid courage, so I had a shot of whiskey before we met. "

He regarded her curiously. "Why?"

"I just needed to, that's all. So we didn't do anything?”

He shook his head. "No, but I have to tell you baby, blue is my favorite color and your thong and bra are my favorite shade."

She wanted to shriek with embarrassment, but it was quickly forgotten when he got up from his chair and started towards her. Her heartbeat pulsed erratically as he peeled the cover away from her body.

He leaned over her, his mouth dangerously close to hers.

Terrified to move, she stayed put until she felt his lips almost touch hers.

"Sophie," he whispered.

She could feel his mouth move against hers as he said her name. Even with her head pounding and shame flooding throughout her body, she felt her pulse quicken. Those enigmatic gray eyes held hers captive as he stroked the side of her face.

"I want to see you again," he murmured, before brushing her lips lightly with his.

He pressed his mouth against hers, his lips coaxing hers to accept him. She resisted for a moment before he demanded her acquiescence in the sweetest way.

He gently took her mouth, lightly nipping her plush bottom lip and gently sucking. It almost felt surreal, and she whimpered as he urged her to open wider. His tongue entwined with hers, stroking, soothing, arousing.

Sophie felt she was on the verge of losing the very small amount of good sense she still had left. She felt cool air, then a rough palm cup her breast, and only then did she realize that he'd drawn the covers down. His thumb lightly brushed over her nipple, and in response, it stood to attention.

He continued to plunder her mouth as he rolled the sensitive tip of her breast between his fingers. She felt her back arch and heard herself sigh in appreciation, then suddenly he tore his mouth from hers and pulled the cover back over her.

She stared at him, confused.

"I have to go back to London, for work," he said roughly, standing up abruptly. He moved to pick up a leather travel bag. "I'd like to see you again," he said once more, turning back to her. "I'll be back in one week."

Huh?

After her shamelessly wanton response to him, not to mention the fact that she'd gotten completely wasted and stripped down to her undies in front of him before crawling into his bed, she wanted nothing more than to never lay eyes on his gorgeous face ever again.

Slightly dazed and still confused, she pulled the covers up even higher. 

His gruff demeanor dissipated in an instant, and he grinned that handsome smile at her once more. He dug into his pocket and pulled out a plastic card.

"Here," he said, handing the card to her. "This is my room key. Feel free to take your time leaving today—unfortunately, I have a plane I need to catch. When I come back on Saturday, I'd like nothing more than to find you in my room."

Mutely, she shook her head once more.

He just winked at her as he headed towards the door.

"Your virtue is safe for now...until Saturday, Sophie," he said huskily.

Chapter Three

She fought to keep her eyes open.

What am I doing here? He probably won't even show.

Excitement and trepidation ran a tumultuous race through her veins. Tired and anxious, she stood up, hoping that movement would delay the fatigue and give her time to think.

She crossed the room into the master bath. It was as immaculate as the rest of the hotel. Pristine hardware fixtures gleamed so hard back at her she could see a mini reflection of herself.

She ran the water in the sink until it was freezing cold before splashing her face in an effort to wake up. Grabbing the soft hand towel, she gently blotted her face to avoid ruining whatever makeup was left on her face. Trying not to frown, she surveyed the results in the mirror.

Huge brown eyes stared back, fringed with thick black lashes. Her face was pale from the freezing water, but her cheeks were still flushed from anticipation. She drew nearer to her reflection, pink lips pursed as she surveyed delicately arched eyebrows.

I should've gone to the threading lady. Damn it.

Stepping back, she ran her hands over the pretty blue negligee. She'd worn her suit skirt and jacket over it, so she could easily change from work, but she'd decided to leave the single strand of pearls around her neck. She shuddered in a deep breath, doubting her outfit for the umpteenth time that night. This was something a woman should wear for a lover, not a one-night stand.

Too late.

It's either this, or I go naked, assuming he even shows up.

She sauntered back into the room. The huge bed looked so warm and inviting. It was already 9 PM. He hadn't given her a time to be in his room when he'd left a week ago, but she couldn't imagine that it would be this late.

Exhausted from the long day at work, she lay down on the covers, picking up the remote and turning the television on. A laugh track played on cue for a late-night talk show host. She continued to flip channels, pausing when the hotel menu came up on one of the channels.

Smirking, she picked up the phone on the nightstand and punched the button for room service. It was the least he owed her, for inviting her to an empty room. She would just have a cocktail and a snack, and then she would leave, she decided.

When the glass of champagne and dish of fresh strawberries arrived, she settled back into the plush pillows and sighed. Changing the channel to an old black and white film, she sipped the bubbly beverage and sighed.

Even if he didn't show, this luxury was amazing.

It was the last thought that crossed her mind before she fell into a deep slumber.

*****

Lucas quietly slipped his key card in and opened the door.

There wasn't any point in being quiet, he surmised grimly. She probably wasn't here, anyway.

Lucas’s flight from London was delayed by three hours. He'd planned on being back in New York by 8 o'clock, but it was almost midnight. No woman would have stayed in an empty hotel room. He wished he'd had her number, but they hadn't gotten around to that. She just wanted a one-night stand anyway, something without any attachments, so he figured giving her his room key with a date and time worked perfectly.

No strings, but now he wished he had at least one…if at least to reach her, and explain.

He hadn't slept on the plane, and as he stripped off his jacket and tossed it on the armchair, he intended on getting some sleep and maybe trying to find her in the morning.

A rustling on the bed caught his attention, and his head turned sharply at the sound.

He realized Sophie was in his bed, and suddenly, sleep was the last thing on his mind.

*****

She was caught somewhere between a dream state and consciousness. Her body hummed. A hand whispered lightly over her, cloaking her body in a silk caress.

Warm, firm lips pressed hotly against her nape. She could feel the strength of a warm, muscular male body enveloping her frame. Her body molded against his as the palm cupped her heavy breast over the silk, thumbing the taut nipple.

She heard a whimper, somewhere, but she ignored it, wanting to stay in the dream.

Hot kisses trailed down her neck and to her shoulder. She felt the pull of a strap against her shoulder, and heard a snap.

"Sophie."

At the guttural groan of her name, she came awake with a start.

"Shhhhh," he whispered against her skin.

Instantly she knew it was
him
and relaxed.

"You came?"

"How could I stay away? Soon, you'll be the one coming," he teased gently.

She could feel his hands slide under the silk, stroking her thighs ever so lightly. She shifted, wanting to face him. Instantly, his hands stilled.

"Stay," he commanded. "Don't move."

"Lucas?" she whispered uncertainly. She knew it was him, but there was a nagging doubt. The Lucas she'd met was handsome, playful, and lighthearted. This...man, who was slowly possessing her body felt anything but lighthearted. His authoritative tone brooked no refusal, and for a moment, a frisson of fear coursed through her body.

Almost as if he knew, he brushed soothing kisses along her bare back, pressing soft but firm lips into her flesh. "It's okay," he assured. "Just feel."

As soon as she heard the words, she felt her entire body go lax as he used his lips and hands to caress her body.

Worshipped. This is how it must feel to be worshipped.

This was bliss.

Long forgotten sensations pulsed through her belly and began to build up. His hands slipped under the silk, following the gentle slope of her breast until he reached her nipple. He strummed it lightly with his fingers, while his other hand slipped under the back of her negligee.

The man above her stifled a groan. His hand slipped between her thighs and as he pressed his forehead to her back he couldn’t seem to stop himself from groaning.

Using his thumb and middle finger, he gently parted her slick folds, leaving her clit exposed to torturous circles he drew with his index fingers.

She gasped and let out a low moan. He increased the pressure against her clit, gently biting her nape and laving the hurt with his tongue.

"Please," she begged.

"Please, what?" he whispered.

"Please...inside me...please" she groaned.

In an instant, he flipped her on her back. She stared back at him, eyes glossy with desire, her mouth in a stunned "o", panting breathlessly.

She felt like she was a work of art as his eyes drank in the sight of her. Her breasts weren't large, but they were modest in size. Her nipples pebbled hard under the silk she wore, and the strand of pearls draped across her neck to the gentle slope of her breasts.

He slipped one hand back between her legs and grasped her pearls with the other.

"Very pretty, little Sophie," he murmured, idly playing with a pearl. In the next second, he teased one aching nipple between two shiny, hard pearls. She let out a strangled cry, arching beneath him.

"Inside…" she gasped, unable to take the attack on her senses.

He slipped a finger inside her she immediately rewarded him with her tight, wet warmth. She closed her eyes.

"Like this?" He continued to slowly slide, in and out.