HIGHER (The Indigo Lounge Series) (14 page)

“I can’t step away from my life.
Or my job. As much as the sound of Bora Bora thrills me.”

“So what do you suggest?” he
asked before he could think better of it.

She turned and plucked a towel
from the heated rail. Watching her cover her incredible body made him swallow
hard and fight to keep from ripping away the piece of cloth.

“We agreed on a question a day in
Marrakech. I want that back on the table.”

His chest burned but he nodded.
“Okay.”

A sheen of tears filmed her eyes.
“Thank you.” She turned away.

When she reached for the
doorknob, he jerked upright and crossed to her. Once again that feeling of
unraveling assailed him. His heart pounded with despair and desperation.

Catching her wrist, he stopped
her from leaving the bathroom. “Baby?” His hands slid up her arms to cup her
shoulders.

“Hmm?”

He breathed in then exhaled
noisily. “Don’t let the love die. When the time comes, when I earn it, I want
to hear you say you love me like you did in Marrakech. If it’s not too much,
can you promise me that?”

“Yes. I promise.”

His breath shuddered out and he
trailed his mouth down her neck. “Thank you.” He stepped closer and heard her
breath catch. “God…thank you.”

He slid one arm around her
shoulders and pulled her back into him. She smelled heavenly of soap and warm,
alluring woman. His cock jerked against her ass and she gasped.

“Jesus, Zach, how can you be hard
even now?”

He laughed against her smooth
throat. “You have no fucking clue how hot you are if you don’t know that I
can’t help it around you.”

Chapter Sixteen

They worked through lunch and
ended up ordering from the executive Michelin starred chef who came as part of
the building’s concierge services.

He picked through Bethany’s
initial plans, firing questions at her as they ploughed their way through a
double-grilled steak with fries and salad and a chilled glass of Chablis.

He tried to keep things
business-like but the knowledge that she wasn’t wearing any panties beneath the
suit dress she’d insisted on wearing again, played havoc with his thought
processes every time he allowed himself to dwell on it. Which was every three
seconds.

“Zach?”

He fought to refocus. “Hmm?”

“I asked what you thought of
Romania for the second trip.”

“Not at this time of year.”

“Okay. How about Rio?” she
ventured.

“How about Reykjavik?” he said.

“How about Rome?”

He grinned. “Do names beginning
with R turn you on, Peaches? Or do you just like the idea of getting down and
dirty in the Holy City?”

A cute little blush reddened her
cheeks. “Stay on point, Zach. Besides, there won’t be any down and dirtying
since I’ll be right here in New York.”

“Ah, I hate to burst your bubble
but you’re coming on the trip.”

Her eyes widened. “I’m what?”

He struggled not to lean forward
and kiss the surprised O from her swollen mouth. “Part of the contract terms
stated one member of Neon had to be present on the trip. I asked for you.”

She stared at him in silence. His
nape began to prickle. “And where will you be during this time?” she asked
quietly.

He noted a hopeful wariness in
her eyes and dared to think she wanted him to answer one way only. “I’ll be
right there with you.”

Her breath shuddered out. His
heart soared.

“Does that please you, baby?”

She wrinkled her nose but he was
happy to see the shadows retreating. “Technically, it shouldn’t. Business and
pleasure. Bad idea.”

“Fuck technical. And don’t
pigeonhole us. We’re unique.”

She laughed and he raised a brow.
“It’s the second time I’ve been called that this week,” she supplied.

“Really.”

“Don’t give me that look. I’m a
unique little snowflake.”

A dark feeling rushed through his
gut. He plucked his reading glasses from his face and tossed them onto the
table.

“Who called you unique?” he
asked, struggling to keep his voice even. He must have succeeded because she
smiled, popped a fry in her mouth and chewed.

“The guest list coordinator at
Shades
.”

“Right.”

She slowly stopped chewing.
“You’re jealous? For fuck’s sake, Zach, he was gay.” He started to relax. “I
think.”

His stomach clenched hard.
“Christ. If this were the Middle Ages I’d keep you chained in my tower so no
other man could see you,” he half joked.

She laughed. The sound filled him
with a joy that knocked the breath out of him. “So you think you can tame me?
Maybe I’d be the one to keep you chained up. And naked for my use whenever the
urge takes me.”

God, why did that idea make him
so damned hard?

He shifted to adjust his crotch
and laughed under his breath at the futility of trying to control his body
around her. “I like the idea of you as a marauding warrior princess. I like the
idea of being exclusively yours even better,” he added.

Laughter slowly faded from her
eyes. The atmosphere thickened with hope and pain and sex and desperation.

Christ.

She glanced down at the papers
spread on the table and cleared her throat. “So Rome gets your approval?”

“Throw in a quick stop to the
Amalfi Coast and it’s a go. I have a place there. We can stop in for lunch.”

She nodded and made quick notes,
studiously avoiding his eyes. “Okay. Next stop…how about Kenya? Your guests can
watch heartless predators rip their prey to shreds. We’ll call it nature at its
worst or the circle of life tour or something?” Her voice was dark with
anguish.

“Bethany.”

“Sorry, bad joke.” She chewed on
her lower lip for several seconds. “I still think Kenya would be awesome.”

“Okay. If you like.” His
shoulders moved restlessly.

She started to argue but pressed
her lips together and made some more notes.

“Or we can do Thailand instead?”

“The islands or Bangkok?” he
asked, hoping she would look at him.

She kept her gaze on her notes.
“I’ll work on both, the guests may prefer bright lights to laid back,
especially since the tour is abbreviated.”

He thought for a moment. “Source
out events for both. We’ll let the guests decide which they prefer.”

“Great. It’s settled then. Are
you sure you don’t want me to work on the other trips?”

“I’m sure. It’s already taken
care of.” Whether Bethany would like what he had planned for them on those
remaining trips was something he didn’t want to think about just yet.

“I’ll liaise with our contacts in
Italy to get a few venues sorted out.” She positioned her laptop on her thighs
and fired it up. “Kenya and Thailand I’ll have to plan from the ground up.”

He picked up his glass and
drained the last mouthful of wine, grimacing at the suddenly sour taste. He
knew very well the taste wasn’t the problem. The wine had tasted exquisite only
minutes ago, when his blood buzzed with contentment at just being with her and
trading jokes.

That his body was
psychosomatically reacting to Bethany was no surprise. She was under his skin.
In his blood. Embedded in his mind in a way that made him reel inwardly
thinking about it.

“Bethany,” he found himself
saying her name just to feel that intense connection again.

“Just a second. I’m checking to
see if Sheena has sent the list of guests.”

“Bethany,” he murmured again.

“Zach, please. Just…let me do my
work.” The husky plea shredded him.

He forced himself to stay silent
but his gaze didn’t stray from her. After several minutes, she lowered the
laptop shut. “Thirty-six guests have accepted the invitation. We need to narrow
it down to the required twelve. I’ve sent the details to your tablet.”

Setting his glass down he rose.
“I’ll take a look tonight.” He held out his hand. “Right now, we’re taking a
break.”

Ten minutes later, after she’d
brushed her hair and against his protests, pulled on her underwear, he met her
in the hallway, ushered her into the elevator and hit the RT button.

She glanced from the lit button
to his face. “We’re going up? I thought yours was the Penthouse?”

He smiled. “It is.”

“So…”

He kissed her as the elevator
stopped and the doors slid open. In the mid-afternoon sunshine, the helicopter
gleamed black and indigo.

Bethany jerked to a stop. “You
have a private chopper at your beck and call?”

“You should know by now that I
love my toys, Peaches.”

She rolled her eyes and he
threaded his fingers through hers, insanely pleased that she was once again
looking at him.

They would work through this. As
long as she stayed with him, he had to believe they would succeed.

He helped her into the back of
the chopper, and secured her seatbelt as she looked around the plush, cream
interior. Her eyes flashed with excitement and he found himself grinning.

“You like what you see?”

“What’s not to like?” She
caressed the soft leather next to her thigh and he mock frowned.

After securing his own belt, he
picked up her hand and put it on his thigh. “You know, we can see the pilot but
he can’t see us. Wanna make out?”

Her immediate blush made his
senses leap. “You’re really determined not to stop until you get us both
arrested, aren’t you?”

He leaned in close as the rotors
began to whir, and whispered in her ear, “You’ve already had me in handcuffs,
Peaches. It’s a downward slope from here on in.”

She shook her head with another
alluring laugh. “Tell me where we’re going.”

“To Newark, to tour the new
plane. Then I’m taking you out to dinner.”

***

Bethany tried not to stare in awe
at her surrounding and the view below her window but she failed at both.

And with Zach so close and so
mesmerizing, it was a futile task anyway. Every time she turned, his gaze met
hers and he smiled that heart-stopping smile she was sure was specifically
designed to batter her resistance to pieces.

And damn, if it wasn’t working.
Her insides shook every time she met his eyes. Her heart swelled every time he
smiled at her. She may very well have patted herself on the shoulder for
refusing to say she loved him and even believed her reasons for saying so, but
she knew the feelings were there, alive and stronger than ever. Especially
after that revelation in his bathroom this morning.

Recalling his anguish, her chest
tightened. Whatever had happened between him and Farrah, Bethany was beginning
to believe deep in her heart that there had been exigent circumstances. The man
next to her bore many flaws but her instincts were fairly set on believing he
wasn’t a heartless predator with pre-meditative intentions.

The chopper banked around Ellis
Island and she glanced at him again. She followed his chiseled profile to his
strong neck and broad shoulders masked by his long-sleeved indigo T-shirt. Just
like he liked his favorite color on her, she loved seeing him in indigo. His
mouth-watering chest rose and fell in an even breath and her gaze travelled
lower, past his ripped abs to the legs encased in Armani casuals.

Her belly heated as her gaze
became trapped at his crotch. Even soft, his bulge was impressive and extremely
noteworthy. He shifted and she glanced up, met his electric gaze. In silence,
he curved his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his body.

Resting her head on his chest,
she slid her arms around his waist.

The sound-proof interior meant
they could chat easily but they fell into a comfortable silence she was content
to keep for the moment.

She had no doubt there would be
even more turbulent times ahead; times when they violently disagreed, or times
when his arrogance and blatant disregard for propriety made her see red. And
yes, there would be times when she would refuse to let the secrets of his past
remain dark and distant.

But for now, she let herself be
content.

Chapter Seventeen

The latest Indigo Lounge aircraft
was the last word in aviation perfection. Even to her untrained eye, the plane
had been built to a stunning specification that made her want to caress it.

“Wow.” A sense of déjà vu washed
over her as she stared up at the indigo-trimmed plane. Was it really a mere
three weeks ago since she’d arrived here and placed herself in Zach’s intense
sphere?

“What are you thinking?” he
rasped in her ear.

She turned to face him in the
cavernous private hangar. Even in the large space, she felt a sharp connection
with him. The crew who were working on readying the plane studiously avoided
them, hurrying about their duties.

He stared down at her with a
mixture of possessiveness, blatant sexual interest and that touch of anxiety
she felt deep within her own soul.

“I’m checking out your plane. And
reliving the moment we met three weeks ago.”

His fingers curled over her nape,
and she settled her hands on his chest. His heartbeat was just as erratic as
hers.

“Do you have any regrets about
that day?” The anxiety had risen a notch.

Before the incident in his
bathroom this morning when she’d witnessed a different Zach, she would’ve been
torn about her answer. “No,” she replied. “No regrets.”

She realized he’d been holding
his breath when he exhaled noisily. Tugging her closer, he touched his forehead
to hers, his eyes dark and turbulent with intense feelings. “You don’t know how
happy I am to hear that.”

Unable to resist, she pressed her
mouth to his. “I think I can probably guess.”

He deepened the kiss for a few
seconds before he lifted his head. “Time for your tour.” He tugged her to the
bottom of the steps and motioned her ahead of him. “After you.”

She raised a brow. “Are you
sure?”

“Am I sure I’ll survive watching
your sexy ass bounce in front of me? Probably not. But I can’t think of a
better way to die.”

She laughed and took the first
step. Looking over her shoulder, she took the next step with an exaggerated
sway of her hips.

His dark laugh followed a groan.
“Revel in your power, Peaches. You’ve more than earned it.”

The moment she stepped onto the
plane a different kind of pleasure permeated her senses. If she’d thought the
previous Indigo Lounge plane was breath taking, the vision spread before her
took that concept to a whole new level.

The reception area was much
larger than before, but with the same indigo theme that stamped its authority
and brand over the space.

Stylish, strategically placed LED
and chrome lights shone from the towering ceiling, casting subtle light and
shade over the luxurious silk and leather seats and gleaming surfaces. Even
though it was large enough to hold fifty people, the area had an intimate
ambience that immediately set a guest at ease.

The central suspended glass
staircase leading to the upper floor had a glassed off area, over which a solid
see-through glass bar had been set.

She reached the top of the
stairs, turned around and gasped. On both sides of the bar, balconies with
short poles protruded from the walls from which hung restraining hooks and
leather-studded cuffs.

With a hand in her back, Zach
guided her forward to one of the hooks. She reached out and traced a finger
over one cuff.

She felt Zach’s breath on her ear
before he spoke. “For those with a voyeuristic bent. Which rules us out. I’d
maim anyone who attempted to see you naked.”

She shivered at his dark tone but
couldn’t pull her gaze from the hooks and leather. The idea that people wanted
to be seen fucking both repulsed and excited her at the same time. She didn’t
think she would ever be brave enough to even contemplate it for a second.

“What are you thinking?” he
asked.

“That human sexuality is an
intriguing thing. It’s amazing how a bunch of chemicals can cause such a strong
reaction.”

She heard his breath catch but
when she looked up, his face was expressionless. “Or it could be as simple as
being in the right place at the right time to find your right person.”

“People spend lifetimes trying to
find the right person. Most people fail or end up with the wrong person.”

“I’m not going to dwell on the
intrigue or delve into the human psyche, baby. I think we both know I have
enough demons in my closet. I’ve found my right person. The rest is just white
noise.”

There was a hard bite to his tone
that made Bethany frown. “Something wrong?”

“No. Come on, I’ll show you the
rest.” His hand slid around her waist and they moved from the balcony, through
a short arch into another open space.

This was a chill out lounge area
like nothing she’d ever seen. It was like something from the set of a Tim
Burton movie, with six bright colored
chaise
longues
, and each seat had an indigo place card with a ribbon tied around
it. Through the ribbon had been threaded two rings, one for a larger male
finger and one for a smaller feminine one.

She picked up the nearest card.
“What are these for?”

“They’re…parlor games, if you
like.”

Her eyes widened. “How does it
work?”

“A question is asked. Everyone
involved in the game is given the opportunity to answer their own way. The
person who poses the question get to pick which answer he or she likes the
most. And things take off from there.”

“So…like a swing party but framed
like a quiz show?”

He laughed and the last of his
puzzling tension evaporated. “I guess.”

“And the rings?”

“They have tiny digital timers on
them with a minimum time guests are allowed to play before leaving the lounge.”
He touched a panel and shaded screens dropped from the ceiling over one seat,
blocking it completely from view.

She slowly set the card and rings
down and stared at the gold and indigo screen. It was beautifully etched with
intricate swirls that together formed sensual images. “Wow.”

He lifted a brow. “Did I just
impress you, baby?”

She glanced up. “No, but I’d love
to have your designer on speed dial.”

That earned her a sharp smack on
her ass before he motioned her forward. The sky lounge was like the one on the
first plane but since they were grounded, the view beyond the wide windows
wasn’t as impressive. But she recalled Zach’s husky suggestion to fuck her as
they raced for the stars and a blush crept up her neck.

“Naughty thoughts, Peaches?”

“Considering where I am, I think
I’ll give myself a free pass,” she answered.

“Hmm.” He tugged on their linked
fingers, bringing her flush against his hard, warm body. “Just so we’re clear,
during the trip, I’ll be with you each time you leave our suite. And if anyone
so much as looks at you sideways they will be shoved out the nearest airlock
without a parachute.”

“God, you’re such a Neanderthal!”

“I like that you smile when you
say that.” He laughed when she punched him in the arm.

They left the sky lounge through
a side door and went down another hallway. Bethany’s mind was beginning to
boggle at the sheer vastness of the place. But she’d studied the layout Jeff
had given Neon and knew Zach’s designers had used every available space to make
the Indigo Lounge a stunning experience.

They reached a black door and Zach
stopped. A different kind of excitement leapt off him in a way that intrigued
her.

He entered a code and the door
slid back with a sigh. At first the room was dark. Zach passed a hand over a
wall panel and indigo and bright lights beamed over the space.

A single, huge throne-like
armchair faced away from the door. That was intriguing enough but it was the
other central feature that held her attention.

A pole, strong and sturdy, rose
from a staged platform. Tiny, spotlights ringed the two short steps to the
platform, drawing the eye to the silver pole.

Zach’s keep stare swung from the
pole to her and Bethany found herself drawn like a magnet towards the platform
in the middle of the room.

She jumped as a loud ring smashed
through the thick atmosphere. Zach barely flinched but his nostrils flared in
annoyance. The phone continued to ring as he walked beside her to the middle of
the room.

“Any reason you’re not answering
your phone?”

“Yes. I don’t want us to be
interrupted.”

It rang a few more times then
stopped. Seconds later, it rang again. Zach cursed.

“Take it. I really don’t mind.”

With an impatient huff, he drew
the phone from his pocket. “Savage,” he barked.

She smiled to herself and wished
the person at the end of the line well as she walked towards the pole. Stepping
up onto the platform, she grasped the cool steel and felt its sturdy strength
beneath her fingers. After making sure her heels weren’t scuffing the surface
of the platform, she walked slowly round the pole, conscious of Zach’s eyes on
her as he spoke on the phone.

Taking a firmer hold with both
hands, she swung off her feet in a perfect three-sixty, before landing back
down with her legs in a scissored walk back around the pole. She repeated the
move, then went one better and twined her legs round the pole.

Zach made a hoarse sound, then
with a brusque, “I’ll have to call you back,” he ended the call.

Poised three feet above the
ground, she read the naked intent in his eyes and her core blazed with desire.

She slid slowly back down, her
hands a sensual slide that he followed with avid attention.

Her gaze flicked to the oval
windows, conscious of the workers outside.

“Privacy windows,” he rasped
without taking his eyes off her. “Sound proof room.”

The implication that any pending
frenzied screams of pleasure wouldn’t go beyond this room made her blush.
Thankfully the lights were too low for him to see, although his avid gaze had
probably picked up her soaring pulse rate.

When she began to walk around the
pole again, he stalked closer. Without stopping her sure stride, she reached
behind her and took her time to lower her zipper. She stopped long enough to
kick her dress away and looked up to find him narrow-eyed, his chest expanding
on an uneven breath.

His eyes raked her semi-nude
state. “You wouldn’t have made it this far if I knew you were braless
underneath that dress.”

She turned so her back was braced
against the pole, its cool steel sliding between her crack. Her only
accessories were her earrings and shoes. And she’ never felt sexier in her
life. “There was a reason I kept that to myself.”

Fevered eyes raking her body, his
hands went for his belt. Freeing it, he undid his button and lowered his
zipper.

“Ready to see how flexible I can
be?”

“Fuck. More than ready. Dance for
me, baby.” He reefed his shirt over his head and flung it away. Walking
backward, he sank into the seat and leaned forward, elbows on his knees.

A spurt of trepidation pierced
her composure. Zach loved her body, she knew that. But when she’d performed in
his ballroom in Marrakech she hadn’t been aware he was watching. And this sort
of dancing was a whole world of difference from what she’d been trained to do.

She bit her lip.

Zach stared at her. Then he
slowly reached to the right side of the chair and pressed a button.

A slow, seductive slide of a
violin string pierced the air, followed by a few more. Music throbbed through
the room, infusing her body. The tempo increased with a steady beat of a drum
until the loud cacophony sent vibrations through her feet. Keeping her legs
closed and her hands gripping the steel, she slid down the pole and back up,
twirling her hips to the music. She performed the action again to ground
herself, then turned to face the pole.

She swung herself high and
around, then abruptly ended her momentum with her legs crossed. Her thighs
screamed at the vice-like hold on the steel as she let go with her hands. Her
loose hair formed a seductive curtain around her, sliding over her breasts as
she leaned forward. Her cleavage touched the warming steel and her nipples
immediately puckered.

She flung her head back, and
gripped the pole with one hand. Slowly, she arched her back and rocked her hips
against the pole, still suspended high.

“Fuck!”

She looked over, her thighs
beginning to burn from supporting most of her weight but the look on Zach’s
face was worth the discomfort. Arching her back even further until her body was
curved in a perfect C, she reached for the base of the pole and executed a
perfect scissored landing.

Gliding her hands back up, she
jumped and kicked her legs apart, then twined them around the pole as they came
together. She laid her cheek against the steel, her heart racing as she looked
over to see Zach’s reaction.

His tongue rested against his
lower lip and his eyes burned with volcanic heat.

Power roared through her veins,
lending her insane confidence to perform a series of risqué moves that had him
jerked to his feet and striding toward her.

The moment she landed, he grabbed
her around the waist and slammed her into his body.

“Jesus, how is it that just when
I think you can’t be more incredible, you prove me wrong?” he asked hoarsely.

She stared up at his breathtaking
face, feeling flushed and so turned on, she could barely breathe. “I take it
you liked my dancing?”

He barked out a strained laugh
and his hands slid up to cup her breasts. He tweaked her nipples hard, and her
knees turned to jelly.

“God, baby, I’m going to fuck you
so hard.”

The idea that had been budding in
her mind bloomed to undeniable life. She forced herself to speak before her
mind turned to oatmeal.