If You Dare (11 page)

Pushing a stray black curl away from her cheek, she crooked her foot up against wall and bit her bottom lip. “Well here we are again.”

Oh yeah. He moved right up next to her, close enough to smell her scent but not so close that they were touching. He wanted to see if she’d make the first move. “Here we are.”

She ran a long fingered hand down the front of his shirt, flicking the top button open, never taking her bottomless green eyes from his. “I’m thinking we need to do something different this time. Something spontaneous. Fun. Daring.”

Damn she was hot. “What do you have in mind, darlin’?”

She flicked open another button and smiled a secret smile, the same one she’d had on her face when he’d walked in on her in the bathroom last night. What had he done to deserve this woman?

“I’m thinking you might be willing to get a little closer.” She grabbed his hand and pulled him close enough that their bodies touched, close enough that he felt the hardened peaks of her nipples through the cotton of his shirt. Close enough that she had to feel his erection through the soft material of her dress.

For the first time in his life, he was absolutely speechless. Had he actually been thinking about talking only a few minutes before?

He might not be able to talk, but he sure as hell could move. Stepping even closer, he watched as her eyes widened when he shifted so her skirt fell over his pants leg, so his clothed knee fit perfectly against her hot center.

That certainly had her attention.
 

With one tiny push he was back in control. Her eyes closed and she bit her lip and he couldn’t help but laugh. “Something like this, darlin?” He shifted again, and her only response was a gasp.

“I’m not going to touch you, Cordelia.” He placed his hands on either side of her head so he didn’t change his mind. “I’m not going to do another thing except talk.”

Her glazed eyes met his and Joe hoped he’d make it to their room without slipping into the desire to take her right here against the elevator wall where anyone might come in.

“I’m going to talk and I’m going to do this,” He shifted yet again. This time her eyes remained on his as she bit her bottom lip in an effort not to reply.

“The minute we get in the room I’m going to lift this short skirt of yours and touch you where you ask me to. I’m going to take you with my mouth, and after you come I’m going to sink deep inside you again and again.”
 

The skin on her face had changed to a soft rose color. He couldn’t believe the power she had over him. He wanted to hear her voice. But she wasn’t talking.

He dropped his leg, and she whimpered in response. Joe simply shook his head. “In a couple more minutes you and I will be in that room. When we get there darlin’, you’re going to tell me exactly what you want. And then I’m going to do exactly what you say. You got that?”

She nodded and he smiled.

“We might not get around to talking for quite some time. You okay with that?”

She nodded again and he brushed her bottom lip with his thumb. The moisture seared into his skin as he lifted his hand to his mouth and touched his lips to the same spot. He’d never felt this kind of heat, never felt this kind of sexual intensity.
 

Incredible. Maybe it was her sexual freedom, or her assault on his senses. Maybe it was the fact that she knew exactly what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to go after it. Or maybe it was just the knowledge that she was only here for the weekend.
 

Whatever the cause, Cordelia Lewis had taken over a part of his soul. He wanted her with an almost insane need. She held a power over him that left him a little nervous and a hell of a lot excited.

And in a couple minutes, she’d realize the power that gave her.

He wanted her completely at his will first.

The bell on the elevator rang and he stepped out as the doors opened.

When Cordelia followed he grabbed her and pulled her to the small chaise lounge sitting against the wallpapered wall.

She didn’t fight him and her willingness to follow fed his hunger.

God she practically controlled him without saying a word, without even trying.

He forgot all about the room, all about anticipation.

“I want you now.”

Her cheeks were flushed. Her eyes sparkled. And still she said nothing, simply nodded.

He’d never felt like this. Never acted so rashly. But he couldn’t wait. He had to have her.

Hiking her skirt up he let it fall as he settled her on his lap. She didn’t say a word as he pressed against her back.
 

He buried his head in her hair, nipped at the back of her neck as he tried to extract a condom from his pocket.
 

Finally, finally she showed some sense of the same urgency he felt.

Reaching into her purse she pressed a foil packet into his hand with one word. “Hurry.”

And then, “Oh God, hurry.”

He slipped the condom over his erection, praying that simple action didn’t make him come and then he slowly, slowly settled her over him.

And as he sank deep in her depths he could barely think. Nothing had prepared him for this.
 

She whimpered as he pressed into her again and again, and he could only pray no one walked up because there was no way he could stop. No way.

He lifted his hips and let the intensity of her hot wetness spread over him. “You like this, hmmm?”
 

He whispered the words against her hair and she gasped in response. “Oh yes.”

Hearing her voice while he was deep inside her made him even harder. Made him feel every bit of intensity times ten thousand. “Are you going to come?”

Apparently unable to speak, she simply nodded.

Joe thrust against her and listened as she gasped again, felt her slick folds tightening. “Tell me what you feel, Cordelia. Tell me.”

She shook her head as she took him deep inside again. She gasped her answer. “I can’t.”

He pushed against her again, stunned at the sheer intensity of the feelings rushing through him. “You can.”

He listened as she whimpered again. “I feel…I feel hot.”

“And…”

“And wet, and,” he pressed even higher and her head fell against his shoulders. “Oh God, Joe. Oh…”

She felt tight and he could feel her pulse throbbing in time to his. He pushed one last time and felt her contracting orgasm, heard the breath whoosh from her body, felt his own release.

For a few seconds they sat there, completely quiet, the whir and rings of the elevator the only noise.
 

They’d made love in a public place. Right out in the open where anyone could’ve walked up and seen them. Good Lord, the woman was absolutely insatiable.

With shaking hands, he helped her stand and then moved to rezip his pants. The sound of a zipper would never be the same.

Cordelia rubbed her hands down her arms and Joe wondered what she was thinking. What she was feeling. If she was feeling anything even remotely similar to his own disbelief.
 

Whatever her thoughts were, she was keeping them closely guarded. She had yet to look at him.

They had an entire night ahead of them. No way was he going to let this vibrantly sexual woman be a little embarrassed over what had just happened.

“So, I guess now’s a good time to tell you I’m glad you didn’t wear panties.”

He thought he heard her laugh—good sign.

“And I’m thinking that was the hottest thing I’ve ever done in my life. And if you want a repeat, give me a few minutes and I’m all in.”

This time he knew he heard a laugh—better sign.

“But if you don’t look at me, we’ll be forced to assume the same position, and darlin’ as nice as that was, I’m thinking it might get a little old over time.” As if that would ever get old. But his words did get the response he was looking for.

She turned toward him, the corners of her mouth tilted in a perfect smile. He wanted to keep that smile there the rest of the night.

“I’m a little stunned right now.”

He laughed. “Oh good. I’m not alone in the rock my socks off world.”

She shook her head. “Definitely not alone.”

“So now…” He let the words trail off, ready to let her take the drivers seat. But he prayed she didn’t want to go back downstairs. Regardless of how they’d spent the last few minutes, or maybe because of it, he wanted her. Wanted to taste her. Wanted to spend the night with her in his arms. Wanted to…

“So now, I think you’re talking too much again. What do you say?”

Joe could only laugh as he took her hand and led her down the hall to their room. “Spoken like a woman after my heart.”

Cordelia heard his words and bit back a sigh. As if she could ever really be this woman. The woman who’d just had sex in a public hallway. Oh-my-God-incredible, mind blowing, up-all-night worthy bad girl sex.

It was the most liberating moment of her life.

And it scared the heck out of her. How could she morph from this passionate, fearless stranger into her old self in less than a week?

Would she ever respond this way again?

It drove her crazy to even think about five days from this perfect moment, but she had to.
 

She had to remind herself this was all just one big fantasy.
 

And then she followed Joe into their room and wanted to just go ahead and die. Good Lord Almighty! She didn’t even realize rooms like this existed.
 

She allowed the door to close behind her. “We’re standing in a foyer, Joe. I’m in a hotel room with a foyer.”

Joe just laughed at her and Cordelia wished she could zap the words back. For a second, she sounded like the small town girl she was instead of the sophisticated woman she was pretending to be.

Intent on remembering that persona, she moved forward trying not to look like she’d never seen a palatial room before.

She made it through living area with its fresh flowers and ornate furniture with no problem. A quick glance at the kitchen. And even though her mouth hit the floor when she saw the hot tub right there between the living and bedrooms, she figured she covered the shock pretty well.

But she’d never in her entire life seen anything like the bedroom and there was no holding back the small town girl in her.

The bed was king sized at least and right out of every fantasy she’d imagined. Sheer purple drapes hung from the four posters and canopy.
 

She kicked her shoes off and let her bare feet sink into the plush carpet before turning to see if Joe felt any of the amazement she did. “I’m going to have to jump to get in that bed. This is just incredible.”

Joe’s laugh sent shivers down her spine and then she caught the wicked glint in his eyes and felt her stomach plunge in instant awareness.

Again.

Oh man.

Taking a step toward the bed Joe raised an eyebrow even as he kept his hands to himself. “I could help you up right now, and we could see how much fun it is inside.”

She didn’t hesitate a second just grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the bed. God she was truly the most sexual, sensual woman he’d ever met in his life.

And he was definitely a man who loved sex. But after their hallway tryst he wasn’t sure he could make good on his promise.

Delay was the word of the day. “Or we could go on back to that foyer you were so impressed with. Maybe christen it.”

That stopped her. She actually looked over his shoulder in the direction of the hall and Joe couldn’t stop himself from laughing. He was sleeping with a sex connoisseur. He wondered how outrageous he could get and still see a spark of interest in her eyes.
 

But he didn’t want outrageous right now. He wanted fun. “You know I can’t help but think you’re looking a little tense.”

She pulled her hand from his in question. “Tense?”

He nodded, trying to keep a straight face. “Yeah. I’m thinking you need to relax a little.”

She bit her bottom lip in that sexy way he already knew meant she was worried. God, sometimes she wasn’t only incredibly sexy, she was cute. He hadn’t been turned on by cute since he was a freaking toddler, but that lip thing just about undid him every time.

He pulled her away from the bedroom and tried not to concentrate on the way her pink toenails sank into the soft white carpet. God. Who would’ve thought pink polish would drive a man insane?

Reaching behind her he flipped a switch and watched her face light up as the jets started on the hot tub.
 

With careful fingers he snapped the lone hook holding the neckline of her dress up and watched as it puddled around her feet. God she was incredible. So self-assured. So comfortable in her skin.

And she looked pretty damn hot standing there naked, enveloped by the hot tub’s rising steam. Maybe he didn’t want to stretch this out after all.
 

But he did. He wanted this to be different. Special.

He felt like he was in some sort of competition and it drove him a little crazy. The way she drove him a little crazy.

God he really needed to quit thinking.

“Get in.” He pointed and she looked over her shoulder at the water.

With her black hair falling in tendrils and the steam and her incredible body she looked almost like Wonder Woman. He’d had a real thing for Wonder Woman once upon a time. Maybe that’s why he seemed to suffer from terminal hard on when Cordelia was around.

She turned back to face him and Joe cold only shake his head. Hell, Wonder Woman didn’t have anything on Cordelia Lewis.

“Last time I was anywhere near water and you started giving orders, you never joined me.”

Her reminder of last night sent a jolt straight through his system. “You complaining?”

She shook her head. “No. I just don’t want to go it alone tonight.”

“You didn’t stay alone for long.”

She reached over and undid the buttons on his shirt. “I know. But I just want you to know that if anyone’s giving orders tonight, it’s going to be me.”

Ah hell. And here he thought he was going to be in control.