Lucky 7 Bad Boys Contemporary Romance Boxed Set (52 page)

Drew appreciated her quick mouth. And the sway of her hips. This was going to be fun.

She stopped, the diaphanous fabric of her skirt swirling with the sudden movement. She glanced back and gave him a look of contemplation.

Then she turned and took two steps back toward him. His arms filled with boxes, Drew stood stock still as she took his face in her slender hands and gently pulled his head down. Stunned, he watched as humor vied with curiosity in her stormy gray eyes.

She winked and Drew started to laugh. He’d forgotten that sly, subtle humor of hers. Tasha presented such a cool, sleek shell, it was easy to mistake her for cold.

Then she took his mouth and proved she was pure heat. And his heart stopped.

Her kiss was an inferno. A wild storm, a crazy rollercoaster. Sensation swirled through his mind, his body. Tasha’s lips were hot, wet and luscious as they softly played over his. Tempting, teasing, she used her teeth and tongue to keep the kiss on the razor’s edge of passion. As he teetered there on that precipice, Drew realized he was on the verge of begging. Willingly begging for her to deepen the kiss.

Mindless of the boxes between them, Drew used one arm to pull her closer. His tongue delved into the heavenly warmth of her mouth. She tasted like pure temptation. Hot, sexy woman in a cool, controlled package. The challenge of making her lose that control was overwhelming.

Before he could attempt to rip that control to shreds, she pulled back, drawing in a deep breath through her nose. Then she offered him a cool, friendly smile, patted his cheek and walked away.

Drew stood there, his mind foggy with longing. He could only form a single thought...

Who was chasing whom?

* * *

Four hours later, Drew was ready to find out. He kicked back in the lobby of the Venetian, enjoying the sights. Who needed to pay for a show, he wondered as he watched a woman saunter past him wearing red satin, with a date who clad in pink leather and handcuffs. Nothing said kink like Vegas. He glanced at his watch, wondering if any had rubbed off on Natasha. And how long it’d take before he found out. He spent a few seconds fantasizing about which kind of kink she might like best.

Then, as if drawn by his thoughts—and his hardening body—Natasha stepped through the lobby doors.

Damn, she was gorgeous.

Her appearance screamed understated sex as she walked across the room wearing a ladylike little black dress that bared her sleek shoulders and toned arms. His eyes dropped to her feet and Drew almost moaned out loud. And red stilettos.

He rose slowly, ready to call out to her. Before he could, her gaze landed on him. Her eyes widened and a frown creased her brow.

“What are you doing here?” she asked when he joined her, looking anything but delighted.

“Waiting for you.”

“Why? I’m not staying at the Venetian.”

“Nope, but you’re partying here, right?”

“How would you know that?” she asked slowly, her face narrowed in suspicion.

He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a business card, holding it out for her to see.

“No,” she denied, fury gathering like a storm in her eyes. “You’re not crashing my business event. I don’t know what you’re really doing here, but you’re not ruining this opportunity for me.”

“You say that like I’ve ruined things for you before,” he teased. His smile faded at the look on her face. Frustration, embarrassment and a hint of desire. “What did I ruin, Tasha?”

She opened her mouth, then closed it again and shrugged.

“How’d you find out about the party,” she asked instead.

He wasn’t about to admit that he’d asked around until he’d found out about the guy who’d stopped by her booth. Or that he’d scoured the convention hall until he’d found him and wrangled an invitation.

She didn’t need to know that.

“I have my ways,” he said lightly. Then he tilted his head toward the hall leading toward the elevators. “You ready to party? Or would you rather find someplace private where we can relive a few old times.”

Just in case, he had a room on the eighteenth floor.

For one blessed second, she looked tempted.

Her eyes were brilliant with desire, her lips parted and tempting.

Then she took a breath and shook her head.

“No, I’m here for business.” She headed for the elevators.

“Not pleasure?” he asked, easily keeping step with her.

“Not until my business is done,” she said, punching the button and giving him a long look. He could tell she was still debating if she could handle the pleasure he had to offer.

He wanted to tell her that he knew she could, but figured it’d be more fun for her to find out for herself.

They stepped into the empty elevator and she punched a button. Drew watched her, wondering how much longer he’d be able to keep his hands off her. Damned, she was complicated.

He wasn’t used to investing much more than a smile and a few flirtatious remarks to capture a woman’s interest. Easy does it was Drew’s motto. With life and with women. Watching his father die had taught him that no matter how hard you fought, it always ended the same. Hell, he’d had to fight for one thing or another for most of his life. And all he had to show for it was a pile of debt, responsibility he’d never wanted and a smart-ass sister bent on running wild. He’d never shied away from conflict, but he’d take the sure thing any day. So why was he so damned intent on having Tasha?

“What’s this party all about?” he asked, more to break the silence than any real interest.

“You finagled an invitation to a party without having any idea what it was for?”

“I finagled a chance to spend the evening with you,” he corrected with his most charming smile. The hint of color washing her cheeks told him it worked.

“A potential client invited me and it’s too good an opportunity to miss,” Natasha said, a verbal shrug clear in her cool voice. But Drew caught her faint grimace. Apparently she hadn’t outgrown her distaste for large crowds. “I’m hoping it’s a quick evening.” She gave him a long look and a slow smile. “You know, in, out. Fast and easy.”

Drew grinned at her sexual innuendo.

Screw charm, he had to taste her. Two steps were all it took to put him within touching distance. He swept his hands down her arms, then back up again, enjoying the feel of her silky bare flesh beneath his palms. Even as his body clenched in anticipation, he searched her eyes. The cool gray depths neither invited nor rejected his advance. She simply stared in amused challenge.

“Do you ever think about us, Tasha?” he asked quietly. “Do you ever lie alone in bed at night and remember what it was like when we were together? When we made love?”

“Do you really think I’ve spent the last seven years pining for you, Drew?” she chided. But Drew was watching. He caught the way her fingers clenched.

Careful to keep the triumph off his face, he just shrugged. “Hey, I have to figure you thought of me at least once, considering the heat of that little kiss you surprised me with in the hall earlier.”

“Oh, please, that little kiss?” She dismissed it with a laugh.

“A little kiss?” Little, his ass. It’d damn near set his body on fire. “Is that what you’re calling it?”

“Hmm, good question. I hadn’t given it that much thought.”

Drew’s eyes narrowed. “Why don’t you think about it now?”

“Maybe it was a hello kiss to an old friend. Or maybe you’re right. It could have been a quick trip down memory lane. But,” she said quickly when Drew couldn’t keep the victory smile off his face any longer, “a little peck on the lips for old time’s sake hardly indicates that I’ve been dreaming about you.”

Drew just raised a brow, still grinning. Tasha rolled her eyes and heaved a put-upon sigh.

“Drew, Drew, Drew. If it makes you feel better to think of me lying in my bed at night, my naked body hot against the cool silk of my pristine white sheets, you go right ahead.” She paused as he sucked in a shuddering breath, a tiny smile flittering on her sweet lips. “And if you want to imagine me touching myself, my fingers trailing over my sensitive flesh, soothing and tantalizing at the same time, you do that, too.”

He closed his eyes at the image her words evoked. God, he could see her in his mind, the icy pink tipped fingernails tracing the hard nubs of her breasts while the other hand dipped beneath the sheet to pleasure her waiting flesh. Drew moaned quietly. He wanted her like crazy, needed her like he couldn’t remember needing another woman before. Then her soft laugh caught his attention again.

He opened his eyes and stared into hers. She tilted her head to one side in her cool, regal way and smiled.

“But, Drew? Don’t flatter yourself to think that it’s all about you. That I’ve been pining away all these years, dedicating my orgasms to your memory.”

“Maybe not,” he said. “But I promise I’ll deserve full credit for your next one.”

Drew held her gaze captive as he lowered his mouth to hers. His breath caught at the soft give of her lips. The last thing he saw was a glimmer of feminine triumph sparkle in her eyes before her lashes fluttered closed.

Natasha was the only woman who’d ever had him on pins and needles. Ever had him unsure of where he stood. Dammit, he’d get a reaction from her. Both a verbal confirmation that she wanted him, and credit for the most incredible orgasm she ever felt. He’d make sure of it.

Taking his time, he gently explored her lips. Drew reveled in the sweet slide of his mouth over hers, the endless possibilities. His body clamored for the feel of hers. His fingers itched to touch the silky cloud of silvery blond hair she’d left loose around her shoulders. But he held back. She’d beg him to touch her, dammit.

He nibbled at the corner of her mouth and then traced his tongue along her lower lip. In a smooth, soft move, Drew trailed the tips of his fingers down her arms from shoulder to wrists and gently entwined his fingers in hers.

He felt as much as heard her soft moan of pleasure and grinned inwardly. Then, in a swift move, he swept her arms over her head at the same time he pressed her body against the elevator wall and took her mouth in a frenzy of desire. With a swift thrust of his tongue, he led her on a wild dance of desire as she tossed aside her habitual cloak of coolness and met the passion of his kiss with her own.

Drew groaned as her breasts lightly brushed his chest with every breath she took. He wanted...no, he
needed
to taste them. To run his lips and trace his tongue over her entire body and find out if she tasted as sweet as he remembered.

The elevator bell dinged and the doors slid open behind him with a whoosh.

He slowly, reluctantly, eased his mouth from hers. He forced air into his lungs and watched her face as her mink soft lashes fluttered open and her passion-blurred gaze met his.

Now
that
was a satisfying reaction. Drew grinned and gave her a wink. Her lips quirked but she didn’t say anything.

“That time...,” he assured her as he turned to push the hold button, “...was all about me.”

Natasha let out a breathless laugh and shook her head. “Well, I’ll admit you were front and center in my mind during that kiss. Another one for old time’s sake?”

“No. That one is for new times. The ones we’re going to explore this week,” he promised.

Natasha gave him a long, considering look but didn’t reply.

The elevator dinged again, reminding them that the doors were waiting.

“Party time,” he said quietly. He let go of her hands and watched in fascination as she pulled the cool cloak of composure back around her. Damned if she wasn’t good at that. A quick brush of her fingers and not a hair or thread of fabric hinted at their encounter. Just the slight swelling of her lips.

Then, in a practiced move, she slicked a subdued rose color on her lips, hiding even that little bit of evidence.

“Ready?” she asked as she slipped her lipstick back in her tiny purse.

“Oh, yeah,” Drew said softly. “I’m more than ready.”

Chapter Three

Other than a lust-fogged notion of using him to break her sexual curse, Natasha wasn’t sure why she was bringing Drew to this party with her.

That she didn’t a choice might be one reason, of course.

But another one hit her loud and clear as they approached the suite. The door was open wide, allowing the sound to carry down the hall in a raucous roar. Surreptitiously sliding a little closer to Drew, she acknowledged that she didn’t do raucous well.

When they reached the doors, she decided to screw being surreptitious and angled herself behind him. It was crazy in there. Wall to wall people and flashing lights. A topless woman was even swinging from the ceiling in time with the techno beat of the music. She wasn’t sure the account was worth all of this.

“C’mon,” Drew said grinning at the view. He was clearly in his element. Grabbing her hand, he pushed through the crowd toward the steps on the far side of the room.