Bound By His Desire (17 page)

A feathery touch trickled down Pam’s spine. She arched her back into it. Wanting more than a light touch. Lips replaced the fingers and she moaned in delight.

‘Good morning,’ Nick murmured against her skin, as he kissed his way up to her neck. Pushing her hair aside, he nipped at it before leaning over to gently suck her earlobe. His heat encompassed her, making her feel cherished and safe.

‘I could get used to wake up calls like this.’

Immediately she said the words she wished them back. Even though in her mind she was ready to take their relationship further, she knew Nick wasn’t. The stiffening of his body and then the coolness brushing her skin as he moved away confirmed she’d said the entirely wrong thing. But how to salvage the situation without making a fool out of herself? How to make light of the words she’d spoken in carelessness?

‘I’m going to take a shower.’ The words were fired at her as Nick thrust back the covers and got out of bed. As he stalked towards the bathroom, Pam admired the clean lines of his back and his taut butt, all the while mentally kicking herself.

With the closing of the door she rolled over and grabbed a pillow, hugging it close to her. It was still warm and Nick’s scent wafted up to her. She had to fix this somehow. Had to make him understand she knew the ground rules, even though she was breaking them. He didn’t have to know what she was feeling. As the sound of rushing water reached out to her, an idea formed in her mind. Dumping the pillow on the bed, she got up and made her way to the bathroom. She’d read in many books that shower sex was pretty awesome; she was going to find out if it was true, or just pretty words.

Quietly, she opened the bathroom door. Steam greeted her but she could see Nick, in all his naked glory, standing under the stream of water. His face lifted into the spray as his hands slicked back his hair. Her body loosened in desire. Taking a deep breath, she walked over to the stall. She opened it before she thought too much more about it and chickened out. She plastered herself against Nick’s body, wrapping her arms around him. In seconds, her hair flattened against her scalp from the cascade of warm water.

‘Pam?’

‘You were expecting someone else?’

‘No, just surprised.’ He turned in her arms so they were chest-to-chest, hip-to-hip. There was no denying Nick didn’t mind her crashing his shower. The evidence of his happiness was nudging at her belly.

‘Good surprise or bad surprise?’ She ran her hands down his back until she cupped the butt she had been admiring not so long ago, squeezing the firm flesh. He felt so good, and right at this moment he was all hers.

Pam lifted her head and looked into his eyes. They were dark with want for her. ‘Good morning, Nick.’ She rose up on tiptoes and kissed him. His arms tightened his hold on her. She gave herself over to the kiss and to being back in Nick’s arms. Nothing mattered except living in the moment, and she was going to live one hundred percent in the moment right now.

Nick’s body was still humming from the shower sex he’d had with Pam. If he didn’t have the issue with the contract for the deal to sort out, he would have blown off work and stayed in bed all day with Pam. She was so giving in her responses to him. Her body came to life under his touch and, if he was truthful with himself, his body responded likewise.

But it wasn’t only in bed that they were compatible. He thought about the day they’d spent looking around the city. The conversation had flowed easily between them. No awkward silences. Nothing. Just a peacefulness and completeness he’d never felt with any other woman in his life.

Normally his relationships lasted a couple of months at most. Recently, he’d been steering clear of women. Having to fight them off at the office had made the idea of cultivating a relationship with another woman unpleasant. With Pam, it wasn’t like he had to try hard. She liked even the simplest of things. While they’d waited for a cab this morning, she’d spent the time talking to Rob the doorman, asking after his family. She’d laughed when Rob had told her a funny story. He couldn’t imagine any of the women he’d dated previously taking the time to talk to his doorman. Usually they were too busy on their phones to give Rob more than a cursory hello.

Yes, Pam was different, and it was those differences that were troubling him. Her words when they’d first woken had freaked him out. He didn’t want her to get ideas that this arrangement between them was permanent. But he couldn’t deny he enjoyed having her with him. Enjoyed the ease with which they lived together. The fireworks they sparked off each other in bed was an added bonus.

‘Nick.’ Her soft voice sounded around the office and he smiled. He could hear a slight hesitation in how she’d said his name.

‘Yes, swee — , Pam.’ He couldn’t believe he’d almost called her ‘sweetheart’ in the office. What if a staff member was standing beside her and heard him over the loudspeaker? He only hoped she’d lifted the handset when she’d buzzed through to him.

‘Ethan’s here to see you.’

‘Right, send him in.’ Hearing that it was Ethan, he doubly hoped she’d lifted the handset and hadn’t had him on loudspeaker.

As his door opened, Nick looked up and scrutinised the man walking in. His face impassive, showing no signs that he’d heard Nick’s almost faux pas. Relief coursed though him, but also caution. He couldn’t let what was happening between him and Pam affect his business. He’d worked too long and too hard to let a woman derail him. He wasn’t going to let a woman ruin his life, like his father had.

Two hours later, Nick closed the door on Ethan triumphantly. He’d finally got him to buckle under and withdraw his outrageous demands. At last the deal had been sorted out and he had to give credit to Pam for digging through the previous negotiations and finding that the people Ethan was representing had been favourable to the terms of the contract when it had been initially presented to them. Nick knew Ethan had been deliberately stalling negotiations with petty little things and once he had the proof, Ethan backed down. Now the deal was all signed off and Nick could move onto the next acquisition for the Morelli Corporation.

The corporation had many branches. They had resorts, investment banks, property development deals. Nick was sure there was more they could look into, but he’d have to speak to Luc to see what avenue he wanted to take the company down now.

The thought troubled him. With Luc settled with Jasmine and expecting to become a father soon, he may not want to expand the company further. It wasn’t like they really needed to. They both had more wealth than they could possibly use in a lifetime. But Nick didn’t want to get stagnant. He lived for the drive of acquiring struggling businesses and turning them around. Had Luc lost the drive for it, now his personal life was becoming his number one priority? There was only one way to find out.

He got up and strode to the door and opened it, only to stop when he saw Pam sitting at her desk. She was busy typing up the notes from the meeting and hadn’t noticed him. He took the time to watch as her fingers flew over the keyboard. Those same fingers had flown over his body too. Bringing him pleasure and pain. The desire to pull her into his arms and kiss her was strong. He wanted to push those papers on her desk aside and lower her to the hard surface, before sinking deeply into her. But he held back. They were at the office; any member of staff could come across them.

‘Did you want something, Nick?’

So caught up in his thoughts of kissing and making love to her, he hadn’t noticed that she’d stopped what she was doing and was looking at him expectantly. What would she do if he did lean over and kiss her? The faint dinging of the elevator reminded him it wouldn’t be the best idea.

‘Can you call the pilot and get a flight plan lodged to go back to Perth tomorrow, please?’

‘We’re going back?’ Her shock was visible. He could see the flash of disappointment dull the normally bright green eyes.

‘Yes, the deal is done. Your efficiency in getting the mess my previous assistant left behind sorted out, and finding that information about our initial negotiations, helped seal the deal. You really are worth your weight in gold.’

‘Great. That’s great, and of course I’ll call the pilot. I’ll do it right now.’

He heard the forced enthusiasm in her voice and it hit him, why she sounded so disappointed. This wasn’t his first trip to New York, but it was Pam’s. She enjoyed being in a place that was new and exciting.

He leaned down and whispered in her ear. ‘Wear that nice white dress tonight, I’m taking you out on the town.’

He dropped a quick kiss on her neck and then turned back to his office. He had a night to plan for. He was going to make Pam’s last evening in New York one to remember.

Pam smoothed down the white dress. She knew she looked good in it. And obviously Nick liked it. A shiver brushed down her spine as she recalled his whispered words in her ear, requesting she wear the dress.

‘Pam, sweetheart, are you ready?’ His words were muffled from behind the door. She wondered if he suspected that if he walked into the room, they wouldn’t leave. He had kissed her senseless on the drive home from the office, and even though she’d wanted to continue with the kissing when they arrived home, Nick had pushed her towards her room and told her to get ready.

Then she’d received an email from the debt collectors again. The last thing she wanted to do was think about what was going to greet her when she returned to Perth. She had hoped she’d be able to tell them that in thirty days the sale on her house would be finalised and she’d be able to pay them out. Now she was back to avoiding their calls and trying to work out how to sort out the mess that was the financial part of her life.

But she wasn’t going to think about that. Tonight was her last night in New York and she was spending it with the most handsome man she’d ever met. The fact he found her attractive was still something she couldn’t comprehend.

Pam couldn’t wait for what was going to happen tonight. She hoped they were going dancing. To be held in Nick’s arms again while they moved to music was sensual foreplay. Giving herself another look, pleased with how the dress looked, she picked her purse up from the bed, along with her wrap, and opened the door.

Her resolve to not drag Nick into her room was severely tested with the sight that greeted her. He was lounging by the side of her room, looking sexy in black trousers and a black shirt. His matching jacket was folded over his arm.

‘Going for the opposite of what I’m wearing, huh?’ she commented on a laugh.

Shrugging his shoulder negligently, he took hold of her hand, raising it to his lips to place a gentle kiss on top. ‘I’m dressed so you can shine tonight.’

Pam was glad Nick had hold of her hand, as she was positive if he hadn’t she’d have fallen in a puddle at his feet. He couldn’t have said anything nicer to her. In that moment she felt like she was his one and only. So special, and he was happy to take a backseat to her.

‘Thank you, Nick, but I like to think we complement each other.’

His response was to lean forward and give her a quick kiss on her lips. ‘Let’s go, shall we?’

‘Where are we going?’

‘It’s a surprise, but trust me, sweetheart. You’re going to enjoy every minute of it.’

They made their way through the apartment. As they went, Pam took note of everything so she could remember her time in this fabulous city. The time she spent it in the most amazing apartment with views others only dream about.

When they got downstairs, she gave the doorman a wide smile as he opened the door for them to pass through.

‘You’re looking extra lovely this evening, Pam,’ Rob said as he tipped his hat to her. ‘Going somewhere special?’

‘Thank you. And I have no idea where we’re going. Nick’s going to surprise me.’

‘Have a pleasant evening.’

‘We will,’ Nick replied as he slipped the man some money. The action of tipping Rob was still a concept she found mind-boggling. But she knew most of the people worked for minimum wages, so tips helped them with their everyday needs.

A black limousine waited at the curb for them, the engine purring quietly. This was another luxury Pam would miss once they returned to Perth. There was nothing quite like being driven around in the back of a car with blacked-out windows and feeling like a superstar.

She got herself settled and waited while Nick spoke quietly to the driver. Anticipation of where they were going hummed through her.

‘All set?’ Nick asked, as he took hold of her hand and rested it on his leg.

‘Sure am, I can’t wait. Now are you going to tell me where we’re going?’

‘No, but you’ll find out soon enough.’

‘You don’t play fair.’ She stuck her lip out, acting like a spoiled child, but all the while trying not to laugh.

His eyes twinkled, like shining stars, in amusement at her antics. ‘You know you’ll stay like that if the wind changes.’

This time she couldn’t stop the laughter from erupting from her. She sidled closer to Nick and lay her head on his shoulder. His hand came up and stroked her hair sweetly.

‘Thank you,’ she murmured after a moment.

‘My pleasure.’

They sat in companionable silence while the car made its way through the New York traffic. Pam could look out the window but there’d be no point. Even after almost two weeks in the city she couldn’t tell which direction they were heading. She trusted that Nick would keep her safe.

Soon the car pulled to a stop. The driver killed the engine and got out to get the door for Nick. When he was out, Nick bent forward and held out his hand.

‘Are you ready, sweetheart?’

Pam had no hesitation in putting her hand in his. The realisation that she was falling in love with him had hit her as they sat quietly in the car. Nick could’ve taken her anywhere. Could’ve done anything, but she knew he’d planned out a night to remember, just for her. To give her a wonderful memory of her time in New York. Those actions spoke of a man who had to care for her a little bit.

But she wasn’t going to risk spoiling the evening by blurting out the feelings of love, which were taking root in her heart and spreading out their joyous arms until they captured her whole soul.