Candy's Man (4 page)

“There you go.
 
Eat up,” he told her.

“Aren’t you having any? I can’t eat all of
this.”

“I was hoping you'd say that.”
 
He
sat beside her on the bed.

“Oh.”
 
Why was her appetite suddenly gone?

His body heat emanated through the covers and she allowed her gaze to
wander over the length of him.
 
He really
was a big man.
 
Tall, wide and with
muscle like solid rock.

“Can I have some now?” he asked.

Oh, God,
why did he have to be so close, so handsome,
so...everything?
 
She swallowed the lump
in her throat.
 
“Help yourself.”

He grinned, a sure fire
‘I need a slap’
grin that she ignored
.
 

She put a forkful of scrambled eggs in her mouth.
 
They were good, cooked to perfection and she
shovelled in another mouthful.
 
Her
appetite was back.

Cleve cleared his throat.

With the fork in mid-air, Candy sighed and
held it out to him.
 
He didn’t bother
taking the fork but put his mouth over it and quickly swallowed.
 

She stared at him, not knowing what to do
next.
 
Was she supposed to feed him?

“Here, let me,” he said, and took the fork
from her.

With more eggs on the fork, he held it out for
her to eat.
 
Somehow, she managed to open
her mouth and chew.

And that’s how it went until all the eggs and
bacon
were
gone.
 
He had fed her breakfast.
 
It was
such an intimate act and she hardly knew him.
 
This hardly qualifies as
‘meaningless sex’
, she thought.
 
She realised
she should have left earlier and began to fidget.

Cleve removed the tray from her lap and placed
it on a nearby table.

Her heart rate rose
.
 
What now?

“Do you want to take a shower?” he asked.

The perfect solution
.
 

“Yes,” she said a little too quickly
.
 
She ran into the bathroom and shut the door
behind her.

“There’s a clean towel behind the door and
another bathrobe!”

“Thanks!” she yelled back and turned on the
shower.
 
No need for undressing.

The water felt good on her skin.
 
She closed her eyes and let it gently cascade
over her weary body.
 
Her thoughts took
her to Cleve’s expert hands and she moaned.

“Are you alright?” he called out.

Damn!
 
Did
she really do that?
 
“Fine,” she
answered.
 
No more thinking.
 
She washed herself thoroughly several times
in an attempt to avoid the inevitable.

Finally washed, dried, and clothed in the
humongous bathrobe, she wiped the mirror before studying her reflection.
 
Staring back at her were vibrant green eyes,
and her peaches-and-cream complexion had an unexpected glow.
  
Unsure what to do next, she took a deep
breath, and made her way into the bedroom.

“God, it’s like a sauna in there,” Cleve said,
as steam followed her out.

She smiled weakly, looking around the room for
her clothes.
 
Her heart was pounding.

Cleve was sprawled on the bed barely covered
with the bathrobe and held the remote control in his hand.
 
Their eyes met and he turned off the TV.
 
His stare was penetrating.
 
It forced her to look away quickly.
 
If only she could find her clothes.

“Come here,” he said gently and patted the bed.

She fiddled with her damp hair that was
styling its own way into curls.

“Candy.”

She caught his gaze and was trapped.
 
Her feet took her to the edge of the
bed.
 
He smiled and held out his
arms.
 
“Come here,” he repeated firmly.

The drumming of her heart propelled her to him
and his arms encircled her.
 
“You smell
so good,” he said as his lips tickled her ear.
 
She tried hard not to react, but the touch of his lips on her skin was
electrifying, and she moaned.

“I know you want this,” he said and his
mouth travelled over her jawline.
 
“Tell
me.”

She was panting.
 
His mouth was hot.
 
His hands were hotter.
 

Oh, God.
 
She
wanted to run but something held her there
.
 
Something primal.
 
“I
want...” she began and closed her eyes as his hand cupped her breast.

“Open your eyes,” he told her, and she
did.
 
Smouldering brown eyes held hers
captive and urged her on.
 
“Tell me,” he
repeated.
 
The huskiness of his voice was
like a bolt of lightning.

“I want...you to make love to me,” she
whispered, hoarsely, “I want to make love to you.”

A low guttural sound came from his throat
as he moved over her.
 
His body was hard,
wanting, and his mouth crashed down over hers.

The kiss consumed her and turned the heat
in her belly to fire.
 
The memories of
the previous evening assailed her and she wanted him all the more.

Cleve’s hands roamed over her skin, exploring
every angle of her body until she was aflame with need.
 
She longed for him to possess her and let her
hands move over his hardened desire.

“Candy,” he rasped.
 
“Sweet, sweet Candy, you’re a man’s dream
come true.”

***

Read more of
Candy’s
Man
by Jeanette Hornby on Amazon.

Jeanette Hornby’s Website:
www.jeanettehornby.com.au

Jeanette Hornby’s Blog:
www.jeanettehornbybooks.blogspot.com.au