Essence of Desire (13 page)

In all actuality, unknowingly, he had done her a favor since she hadn’t wanted to be paired up with him any more than he’d wanted to be paired with her. However, the thought that he’d had the audacity to complain about it really grated on her last nerve. As far as she was concerned, being a sports celebrity had gone to his head. And if that was the case, then she was just the person to bring him down a notch or two, and she would take great pleasure in doing so.

***

“So how do you like being married?” Trask asked Clayton in an attempt to draw his attention away from the refreshment table and the woman standing beside it.

“I can’t imagine my life any other way now. There’s never a dull moment with Syneda. She’s all the woman I’ll ever need,” Clayton said, shaking his head. He was still in awe at the depth of his love for a woman with whom he rarely agreed on anything, but she was a woman he couldn’t imagine ever being without.

“If anyone would have told me how much I’d enjoy being a married man, I would not have believed them,” Clayton added.

He looked up at Trask and smiled. “Maybe you should try it.”

“No, thanks. I’ll pass,” Trask replied in a deceptively controlled voice. “I’m still recovering from the fact that Trevor has tied the knot, too,” he said, thinking of his other childhood friend, Trevor Grant, who had also gotten married recently. “I hope there’s nothing wrong with the air in this city since it seems that bachelors are dropping like flies around here.”

Taking Trask’s ribbing in stride, Clayton sipped his wine before responding with a grin, “I don’t know if there’s something in the air, Trask, but I’ve heard there’s a possibility something’s in the soil. So if I were you, I wouldn’t go out tumbling around in the dirt, not even to play a friendly game of football,” Clayton said, chuckling. “I would hate for this thing they call love to get under your skin. And take it from a man who knows, once love gets to you, there’s nothing you can do about it. So beware of Houston’s dirt.”

Trask was barely listening to his best friend’s words. His attention was once again drawn to Felicia. A guy had approached her at the refreshment table and appeared to be coming on to her. If the man had any sense, Trask thought sympathetically, he would leave the irritating, infuriating, smart-mouth Felicia Madaris alone.

***

The kitchen was crowded with caterers busy at work replenishing the food supply. Felicia acknowledged them as she passed through on her way to the patio. She needed to get a breath of fresh air. The man who had approached her at the refreshment table had nearly talked her ears off. How he had managed to converse nonstop between a mouthful of food had totally amazed her.

Once she reached the patio she took a deep breath. There was nothing like good Texas air to clear your mind and get the blood circulating. It was nearing the end of November already. It was hard to believe that Thanksgiving was next week, which meant Christmas wasn’t far behind. She smiled when she thought about the approaching holidays. Her four-year-old son, Austin, was eager to begin working on the Christmas list that he would be sending to Santa.

“So this is where you ran off to.”

Felicia whipped around. She was surprised Trask had followed her outside. He had caught her off guard, and she hated being caught off guard by Trask Maxwell.

“So what’s it to you?” she asked flippantly. He stood leaning against the patio wall with his hands crossed over his chest, eyeing her speculatively. Felicia hated it when he studied her that way, as if she was some type of bug under his microscope.

Trask shook his head. Felicia was still full of lip and as feisty as ever. Nothing had changed. “I came to make sure you’re all right,” he said smoothly, as he continued to look at her. “The man you were talking to a few minutes ago is Lewis Hunter and he’s loaded. I know how anxious you get when it comes to rich men, so I was curious as to why you let Hunter get away. Even from across the room I could tell he was interested in you.”

Felicia’s gaze darkened. She was trying hard not to let Trask get on her nerves any more than usual. “The only thing Mr. Hunter was interested in was getting a closer look at my breasts. His eyes were glued to them the entire time he was talking to me.”

“Hunter must have poor eyesight. With that outfit you’re wearing you don’t need a close-up view. I could see all I wanted to from across the room,” Trask said coolly.

Felicia had to smile, although it wasn’t a friendly one. “No kidding. You were able to see that much?”

When Trask nodded, she said, “In that case, you should be able to tell me my bra size.”

Trask’s gaze traveled downward from her face and locked in on her chest. “You don’t wear bras.”

Felicia wrinkled her nose at the accuracy of his response. He of all people should know since all through high school she used to complain constantly about having to wear them. She had sworn up and down that when she moved out on her own she would never wear a bra again. And she hadn’t.

Trask took a step toward her, coming fully into the patio’s lighting. “So am I right?”

Felicia looked up at him, suddenly wishing he’d stayed back in the dark. His chiseled features were now clearly visible. She hated admitting it but Trask Elgin Maxwell was a good-looking man. He was dark on dark in dark. Everything about him was dark, and she couldn’t help wondering about the old saying “the darker the berry, the sweeter the juice.”

His skin was a shade of deep, dark chocolate, and his short hair was curly black. His eyes, his most striking feature, were as dark as black ink. He was tall, way over six feet, and his shoulders were massive, and his body was sculptured, well defined, and built. Unfortunately, it exuded virility and for some unknown reason Felicia felt her entire body responding to it.

“I asked if I was right,” Trask repeated.

Felicia frowned, not understanding the attraction she suddenly felt and definitely did not like. She totally and outright refused to even consider any interest in Trask on a personal level. She never had any and she never would have any. Her sudden attraction had to be the result of those sweet rolls she had eaten tonight. All that sugar was turning her brain to mush.

“If anybody ought to know it’s you and Clayton. How many times did the two of you hear me complain about wearing a bra?”

“Too many. In fact I still have the first bra your mother bought you. You couldn’t wait to get to school that day to take it off. You gave it to me to get rid of.”

Felicia couldn’t help but remember that day. Nor could she help smiling at the memory. “And you didn’t get rid of it?”

“No, I kept it. I figured that one day you’d ask for it back.”

She smiled sweetly up at him. “Hardly.”

Trask came a step closer. “In fact, Felicia, while packing to move back here, I came across something else of yours that I have.”

Felicia raised a curious brow. “What?”

He smiled wickedly. “I still have a pair of your panties.”

She gave him a cutting look. “A pair of my panties? I don’t think so.”

Trask chuckled. “I know so.”

Felicia frowned and searched her memory for the slim chance that she had given him a pair of her undergarments at one time or another. She, Clayton, and Trask had done a lot of crazy things as teenagers growing up, but…

When she was convinced she had never given him a pair of her undies, she glared at him. “How did you get them? I don’t recall ever giving them to you.”

“You didn’t. I acquired them during one of those famous panty raids at Texas Southern. It was during our freshman year.” He chuckled softly. “I didn’t know girls’ underwear came in so many shapes, sizes, and colors.”

“And you think you snatched a pair of mine?”

“I know I did.”

Felicia’s gaze narrowed at him. “I hate to be the one to burst your bubble after all these years, but you didn’t get a pair of mine.”

“How can you be so sure of that?”

“Because just like the bra, I never got the hang of wearing panties either.”

Felicia watched as Trask’s gaze shifted from her face and slowly moved downward to zero in on the middle part of her body. The heat of his gaze was so hot, she actually felt her pelvic muscles burn with its intensity. She blinked and stared at him, wondering what on earth was happening to her and why Trask was looking at her that way. Was he searching for proof of what she had just said? If that was the case, then she would oblige him. She took a full turn around slowly; to show him just how clingy and smooth the dress fit her body.

“See, Trask, no panty lines.” She saw his jaw drop slightly and she smiled. The thought that she had shocked him kept her smiling.

“You’re kidding about not wearing undergarments, aren’t you?” Trask finally found his voice to ask. The tone of his voice was considerably low.

Felicia waited a few seconds before answering his question. If his gaze hadn’t heated her up moments earlier, the huskiness of his voice sure did. She felt her heart pounding as she became aware of another side of Trask. A very desirable side.

“Maybe. Maybe not. Only my body knows for sure,” Felicia said glaring. She didn’t like the sexual awareness she was experiencing from being around him.

Unknown to Felicia, Trask was also experiencing a similar episode of sexual awareness. And he didn’t like it any more than she did. He suddenly noticed how the patio lights danced across her features. Her smooth skin was a rich creamy shade of cocoa, and her eyes, which were a deep, dark brown, openly revealed whatever mood she was in. During his day, he had seen them go from naughty to nice…but mostly naughty. Her hair, which for years had been hidden under her Chicago Cubs baseball cap, was a rich, glossy black; it touched her shoulders in a very chic style. His breathing wavered slightly when he noticed just how sexy her lips looked when she was angry. And the thought that there was a possibility that she didn’t have a stitch of clothing on under her dress…

“You enjoy being a tease, don’t you, Felicia?” Before she could answer he added, “Just look at the way you’re dressed.” He spoke curtly, trying to retain control of his mind and body.

Anger flared in Felicia’s eyes. Under no circumstances would she take insults from Trask. “So I like a little razzle-dazzle and flash in my wardrobe. What’s it to you, Trask Maxwell?”

“It means nothing to me. What you do is your business.”

“I’m glad you know that. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have other, more important things to do with my time than spend it out here with you.”

“Like looking around for husband number three?”

“Why? Are you interested? I know for a fact you’re loaded. With all those endorsements you’re doing, and with your new job as a sports commentator, you probably have megabucks rolling in. Should I add your name to my list of prospects?” she asked angrily.

Felicia saw the anger darkening his cheekbones and was giddy about it. It filled her with joy to know she had ticked Trask off yet again.

“It’s women like you that I’m determined to stay away from,” he said coolly.

“Smart move,” Felicia responded with a deceptively sweet smile. “Now if you’ll excuse me I’m going back inside.”

When she made a move to walk past him he touched her arm to stop her. The contact was hot, quick, electrifying. She knew he had felt it, too, when they both jerked back at the same time. They stared at each other, astonished, amazed, and momentarily at a loss for words.

It was Trask who finally broke the silence. He tried to ignore the sizzling current that had flashed between them, although an indescribable heat had gathered in the lower part of his body. He took a closer step toward her. “Aren’t you going to welcome me back home, Felicia?”

“In your dreams,” she replied, recovering enough to get the words out and taking a step back. She didn’t like the idea of his big body being to close to hers, especially now that the nipples of her breast had suddenly become taut and achingly hard. She crossed her arms over her chest so that he wouldn’t notice that fact.

“To be quite honest with you,” she continued, trying desperately not to forget that the two of them didn’t get along, “I’m not sure there’s room enough in Houston for the both of us now.”

“We’ll make room.”

“In other words, you’ll stay out of my way, and I’m to stay out of yours.”

His smile was slow, sexy. “That’s a deal, sweetheart.”

Felicia tipped her head back, looked him straight in the eyes, and tried to keep a lid on her temper. “That’s fine with me.”

She had no intentions of doing the customary thing and shaking hands with him to seal their agreement. The mere thought of touching Trask again heated her in too many places…especially one very intimate place. Knowing she had to get away from him as soon as possible, she quickly turned and went back inside, where the party was still in full swing.

Trask was left alone on the patio to ponder two questions. The first one of which was, what in the world had passed between him and Felicia tonight? And the second was, did she or did she not wear undergarments under her clothing?

Felicia felt an overwhelming sense of relief when she opened the door to her home less than an hour later. She was totally disgusted with her inability to defuse the feelings of sexual desire that Trask had effortlessly ignited within her tonight.