MrTemptation (7 page)

“I’d like a bottle of champagne sent to my room. The good
kind, from France.”

Melody looked relieved. “Celebrating?”

“Yes.”

“Would you like some lunch as well?”

“No, just champagne.” She’d no appetite but champagne
sounded right.

She headed for the elevator, feeling frisky despite her
headache. The elevator opened, dark and dated, and she punched the button for
her floor.

An hour ago her bank account had been too anemic for her to
afford necessities. Now she was ordering champagne in the middle of the day.
She was rich. Being rich was definitely better than being strapped for cash.

She found her room card in her cavernous handbag. The
elevator stopped with a ping and she headed out, thinking about how wonderful
it was that she could splurge on a glass of champagne, take a nice, long bath
and maybe even a nap.

For the first time in a long time, she would spend the
afternoon relaxing, followed by a scrumptious dinner with a very attractive
man.

She sighed as she looked about her room, which had already
been made up. There’d be no interruptions or delays. Standing in the large
sitting room, she took off her blouse and skirt and haphazardly threw them on
the Italian loveseat covered in gold velvet. She went into the bathroom and
turned on the water to fill the large, tantalizing Jacuzzi tub.

A sharp knock on the door drew her attention away from the
tub. She grabbed a robe from the hook on the bathroom door and slipped into it.

She opened the door. A college-aged guy cradled a bottle of
bubbly in a silver cooler filled with crushed ice.

“Perfect,” she said and asked him to open the bottle.

He eased the cork out. “Is there anything else?”

She shook her head. “Not just now.” She found her wallet and
fished out a tip. She could afford to be generous.

The guy’s grin confirmed it.

She poured herself a glass and took a sip. The bubbles
tickled her throat.

Cadence emptied the glass and put it down next to the
bottle. Her headache started to subside. All the weird stuff she’d learned this
morning felt as if it’d happened to someone else.

The Jacuzzi tub was calling her name. She sashayed, just as
Preston’s receptionist had done, into the bathroom and turned off the tap. All
the muscles in her body ached for the warmth of the inviting, hot water.

Stripping off her bathrobe, she sang an Elton John hit as
she stepped into the bath and sank down under the water.

“Tiny dancer…” She exhaled and closed her eyes.

She hadn’t realized how much she needed a break. The past
forty-eight hours had been such a drag. She needed relaxation. She needed
pampering. She needed more champagne.

The tightness in her muscles eased and her headache
disappeared. A smile crept onto her face as the pain and the stress melted
away. She’d become a lady of leisure. It was about time.

She reran the conversation she’d had with Preston. She’d
gone on and on about her issues and he’d listened. What a luxury to have
someone she could confide in completely.

The
someone
was a deliciously hot man. Of course,
she’d been forward, asking him to dinner, and she hadn’t meant a business
dinner. He’d only accepted because she was a client and he would do what she
asked. She poked a bubble and it burst.

Preston was an exceptional attorney. What he’d told her
hadn’t been easy. He’d gotten all serious when explaining and when she got all
emotional, his expression softened. She’d bet even money that beneath his
professional exterior he hid a heart of gold.

Enough thinking about the mess her so-called family had made
of their lives and how she intended to spend all that money—she wanted to dream
about that body in that Armani suit.

She had been attracted to men before, lots of men. She’d had
a few relationships but nothing serious. The mayor had made sure her dates were
fully vetted and from the right kind of families. He’d insisted she be
accompanied by a bodyguard. No misspent youth for her.

Preston reminded her of what she was missing. She’d never
experienced such an intense pull like this, especially toward someone she’d
just met. He exuded this vibe that played havoc with her body. He was raw
sexuality. And not even the Armani could keep her from thinking of him naked,
hard cock jutting from his middle.

It wasn’t like he was a stranger. Anne Night had been
Mother’s friend and confidante. After their session this morning, Cadence was
certain Preston had her best interests in mind.

She sank lower in the water and blew bubbles. She was
doubting herself again. She always seemed to second-guess her decisions and her
choices. Why couldn’t she enjoy the company of an attractive man?

She’d made a date tonight with a man who could fulfill her
every fantasy.

Would she be bold enough to go the next step? Were there too
many obstacles to keep them from enjoying each other? If only for a night?

Maybe she should ease into the physical relationship. She
wondered if he liked to jog. She loved jogging. Jogging in Central Park with a
partner, with him specifically, would be so much fun. She could watch his
muscles bulge as they worked out side by side.

Her body tingled, growing hot and aching just thinking about
his taut muscles as he pulled her toward him. The slick, moist heat of his
skin. His long, hard cock, rigid and pulsing against her.

She pressed her hand to the tender folds between her thighs,
begging to be touched. She imagined him removing her tee and grasping an aching
breast. Him rubbing the hardened nipple until she moaned. His hand plunging
into her shorts, his thick fingers pushing in and out of her. She mimicked the
movements beneath the water, all the while imagining it was Preston taking her
body to paradise.

Her fingers delved inside tight, hot, wet flesh. She was so
wet with only thoughts of Preston. How wet would she be when he did touch her,
kiss her?

It didn’t take long before shots of pleasure ran through
her. She pinched her nipple, palmed her breasts, sending frissons of need and
bliss from her breasts to her pussy.

Oh, God
… She brushed a thumb over her clit, gasped at
the spark of feeling it elicited.
I should have taken a cold shower instead.

But it was too late, she was already hot, heavy with wanting,
panting from the need to feel her release. She stroked her thumb faster over
her clit, her fingers still thrusting inside her pussy. In and out, round and
round. She imagined it was Preston doing these things to her body. Preston
thrusting his thick fingers inside her channel. Preston palming her breasts,
rolling her nipples between his fingers. The warm water lapped at her breasts
as her hips rolled in the water. It was heady. Hot.

And then, when she thought she’d die from the pressure
building within her, an orgasm ripped from her center outward. Her pussy
clenched and fluttered around her fingers. She moaned aloud, her head rolling
from side to side. In her mind, Preston smiled with satisfaction.

If she could come like that just thinking of him, what would
it be like to actually be with him?

Cadence leaned her head back on the tub. She may have
orgasmed but her intense hunger for him still thrived. She’d waited a long time
to meet a man like Preston. She wouldn’t deny herself the pleasure a second longer.

What was she getting into? Caution raised its ugly head as
she stared at the ceiling tiles. She hardly knew the man. His likes and
dislikes. His taste in women, for example. Maybe she wasn’t his type. Maybe he
treated all his clients as if they were the most important person in the world.
Maybe she was setting herself up for a big disappointment.

She snorted, sending a bubble skidding across the water.
What did all that matter? Preston Night obviously liked what he’d seen and was
free this evening. They’d have a few laughs, which would take her mind off
family matters. If they ended up in bed, she was aware it would be a one-night
stand only.

What she knew about him was sufficient. He was an ambitious
international business lawyer with offices all over the world, he was probably
a workaholic and he’d no time for a social life.

That he kept damn good care of his body and she wanted him
to take care of hers.

She leaned back against the tub. She would be leaving as
soon as this whole mess with secret trusts was dealt with. She intended to live
in another country…start fresh…

Preston had offices in Europe. They could hook up from time
to time. No, it wouldn’t work. She was going to be busy traveling and writing.
He had a company to grow.

Maybe dinner wasn’t such a good idea. She didn’t want to
ruin a perfectly good working relationship.

She had gone out on a limb, asking him because she was so
attracted to him and, to be honest, lonely. She wanted to spend an evening not
thinking about the train wreck her life had become in the past few days. She
hadn’t thought rationally, latching on to the first hunk who walked directly in
her path.

What was she thinking? His mother had taken on an estate
case years ago and now he was saddled with her until he could get her out of
his hair. He’d said yes because that was his job.

Poor guy, I bulldozed him. I have to call him, I have to
cancel. He’ll be relieved
, she thought,
but he won’t let on
. He’d
been considerate, even caring. She’d misinterpreted his response to her anger
and grief.

She climbed out of the tub and wrapped a towel around her
body. She took a peek in the mirror and rolled her eyes at the dark circles
underneath her eyelids. She hadn’t slept well and it showed. She looked haggard
and worn, which was the truth but it wasn’t the face a man wanted to look at
across the table.

Cadence made a face in the mirror and went to find the Night
and Night business card. She’d had it with her at the appointment this morning.
Digging in her purse, she found the card.

Whipping off the towel, she sat on the side of her bed,
ignoring her dripping hair and how she didn’t have a stitch on.

She dialed the office number and waited for his receptionist
to answer. One ring, two, three…

“Hello?” A cultured feminine voice answered instead.

Cadence checked the card, certain she’d punched the correct
number. “Um, yes, I’m sorry, I think I have called the wrong number,” she
stammered.

“May I ask whom you are trying to contact?”

Cadence repeated the number.

“You’ve reached Preston’s cell phone,” the woman said. The
beautiful voice reached out with its sensuous sound and scratched at her heart.

Cadence had a vision of the stunning woman on the other end.
Preston’s arm around her shoulder as she talked on the phone, him pressing
kisses to her neck.

“May I talk to him?” It took all of her strength to not
crush the phone in her hand and to speak through unclenched teeth.

“Hold on, let me get him for you. May I ask who’s calling?”

“Cadence Burke, thank you,” she replied. She picked up the
towel and tied it tight around her.

She knew he was too good to be true. He had a girlfriend or
maybe even a wife. She should hang up now. Tomorrow she could go to his office,
sign whatever papers he required and get on with her life.

She sighed deeply, trying to ignore the feelings of regret,
shame and humiliation at what she’d been thinking all afternoon. How tonight
would be special.

Except she hadn’t imagined the steamy look he had given her
in the car. He had shown her just as much interest as she had given him. She
certainly hadn’t imagined
that
.

If he was married or even seeing someone, she didn’t want
anything to do with him. Shaking her head, she started to put the receiver back
in the cradle when she heard his deep voice on the other end.

“Hello, Cadence.”

Her heart dropped to her stomach and it took her a moment to
regain her voice.

“Hi, Mr. Night, I’m calling about this evening. I
appreciate—”

“Ah, yes, I made reservations for seven thirty at my
favorite restaurant. I hope you like sushi.”

“I’m sorry, Preston, I just don’t think dinner tonight is a
good idea.”

“You don’t like sushi?”

“No, I do like sushi, but you, I, I just think maybe it
would be better for…”

“Hold on just a second, sorry.”

She could hear his muffled voice.

“Thanks, Elise. That’ll be all.”

The word sent a rush of relief over her like a tsunami.

“Sorry about that, Elise has been helping me with a software
problem. So you were saying? You want me to change the reservation?”

“Oh, um, no.” This was awkward. “I just wondered if we could
make it later?”

“Of course, I’ll make the reservation for eight o’clock.”

Eight o’clock? She would be sure to run into Cyrus.

“You’d better keep the reservation. I know how difficult
reservations are to get.”

“You sure you’re okay with sushi?”

“Yes, of course. Sorry, I’m a bit frazzled.”

“No need to apologize. So I’ll see you around seven?”

“Yes, I’ll be in the lobby.” The smile on her face could
have cracked her skin if she stretched it any farther.

“Okay then.” His voice was so deep and masculine it sent a
chill of expectation up her spine.

“Okay then,” she said, whisper-soft, and hung up.

Flopping back on the bed, she covered her face with her
hands. That could’ve gone better. He must think she was a total idiot. He
wouldn’t be far off the mark.

It didn’t matter. The attraction to him was so strong it was
making her crazy. She was being more reckless than she’d ever been. She had
asked him out. And he was taking her to his favorite restaurant. He either was
trying to cheer her up and impress her or he wanted to get laid. Either way it
was okay with her.