Ray of Love (Lifestyle by Design Book 3) (19 page)

"She's jealous of Alison," Jessa informed Victor.

"Why?"

"Don't worry about it," Faye responded. "Like Jess said, I just need to talk to Ray."

"Okay. Well, I have to go. They're waiting for me. We'll talk later, darling." Victor gave her a kiss and trotted off.

~~~~~~~

"Faye."

Faye jumped at the sound of Ray's voice as he interrupted her hushed conversation with Jessa.

"Hi," she replied warily as she drank in the sight of him leaning against the door frame. She saw him two days ago, and as usual, two days was too long without being with him. She missed him so.

"Victor said you were here. Everything okay?"

Her heart drummed painfully at the remembrance that he had just been enjoying Alison's company.

"Yes," she said unconvincingly.

Ray took long, purposeful steps towards her, all along pinning her with his piercing stare. When he reached her, he took her hand and tugged so she would stand up.

"Excuse us, Jess," he said as he led her out of Jessa's room.

"Sure," Jessa replied.

Faye followed Ray as he led her to his office at end of the corridor, ambling to keep up with his long strides. He kept a tight grip on her hand as they passed three other offices, including Clarise's. Faye gave her startled friend a feeble wave.

Ray locked his office door and drew the blinds of the see-through glass walls. He released her hand to arrange two chairs to face each other. He gently pushed her into one and sat in front of her, pulling the chairs closer together so her legs were between his.

"What's wrong, baby?" he asked softly, lifting her chin up so she would look in his eyes.

Faye knew this was the time for confessions. It wasn't like her to keep something bottled up for this long, and it was draining her of energy.

"I'm worried," she admitted to start things off.

"Worried about what?"

She gulped. "About Alison. About you and her."

"Why?"

"Because I think there's a possibility that … that you loved her a lot when you were together."

"I didn't. Not a lot," Ray said firmly. "But even if I did, why should that bother you? We broke up ages ago."

"Steve bothered you," she countered.

Ray gazed at her for a long moment. "Yeah, but I had good reasons."

"Which are also my reasons." The moment she said it, she realised how ridiculous she sounded and she let out a little giggle.

Ray smiled but he looked utterly confused. "Can you explain that to me?"

"Well, you said you were afraid that my feelings for Steve when we were together were greater than my love for you. You based that on the fact that I was with him for a year, while we've only been going out for a short time. I wondered how you arrived at that conclusion, and it occurred to me it could have been from your own personal experience."

"Is that why you asked me all those questions about my past girlfriends a couple of weeks ago at an ungodly hour?"

"Yes. And also, during the night when Angela arranged that birthday dinner for me and you saw me with Steve, the way you asked if I was breaking up with you was so casual - like you didn't care if I did or not." Her eyes stung with tears at the thought.

"Sweetheart," Ray said as he placed a soft kiss on her lips, "why didn't you tell me about this earlier?"

She gave him a watery smile. "I was more focused on not upsetting our relationship to give you more time, so your feelings for me could develop into something deeper."

Ray cupped her face with his big, warm hands. "Don't you know that I already love you more than I've ever loved anyone?" he asked hoarsely, his voice full of emotion.

"Really?" she breathed, her face breaking into a smile.

"Yes. Did you know that I broke up with Alison so I'd be free to ask you out?"

"Really?" she asked again, her eyes widening.

Ray's lips quirked. "Yes. My relationship with her back then was, at best, plodding along. We weren't fighting but there wasn't much life in it, either. She wanted to keep working at it, but I didn't anymore. I'd already fallen in love with you then. But when I finally had the chance to ask you out, you told me to go away because you had met Steve and you'd rather be with him."

She saw the hurt that touched his eyes at the memory. It strummed an answering distress in her and her eyes flooded. "Oh, Ray."

Ray wiped away the fat tears that streamed down her cheeks as he continued.

"That was an ache I carried with me for more than a year. I tried to forget you. I went out with other women but no else really interested me enough to move on from you. Eventually, I became used to the hole in my heart and I was able to function normally. But when I heard you'd broken up with Steve, all I could think of was that maybe I could have another chance with you." He gave her a crooked smile. "And now here we are."

"Oh, baby, I'm so sorry," she cried as she got up from her seat to settle on his lap. She buried her face in his neck and hugged him tightly.

"I was already interested in you back then but I pushed it away because I thought it wasn't a good idea," she explained.

Ray took a shaky breath.

"But I'm glad you didn't give up on me," she continued, looking up at his arresting blue eyes. "I would have missed out on being with the love of my life. I love you so much, Ray."

Ray groaned and captured her mouth, devouring it like a starving man. In return, she took as much as she gave, raking his hair with her fingers and revelling in the mating of their lips and tongues for long, steamy minutes.

She gasped as Ray nudged her out of his lap and sat her on the edge of his desk while he stood between her legs.

"Do you know how many times I've fantasised about making love to you here in my office? Here on my desk?" he said huskily as he nibbled her neck and snaked his hand underneath her blouse.

She made a small moaning sound as his burning hands roamed her bare back, her belly, the creamy valley between her breasts. He unbuttoned her blouse with swift fingers as his avid mouth went back to hers.

Dying to touch him, her hands got busy loosening his tie when she heard a faint ringing of a telephone, followed by an indistinct, inaudible voice.

She froze. "Honey," she whispered urgently against his lips, "this room is not sound-proofed, is it?"

"We'll be quiet," he said as he sucked her bottom lip.

When she couldn't help her gasp when Ray lightly bit her earlobe, she tried to push him away. "People will hear us," she worried.

"Not if we're quiet." Impatiently, he pushed her garment off her shoulders and arms and unhooked her bra.

She bit her lip to stop herself from moaning out loud as Ray kneaded her full breasts. But when he thumbed her hard nipples while he sucked that sensitive part under her ear, she couldn't hold back the moan that escaped her. She pressed her mouth on his shoulder to muffle the sound.

When Ray's kisses started to travel southward, she clutched his short hair hard to stop him and leaned back. "We can't, Ray. Not when there are people outside."

He gaped at her with eyes darkened from his dilated pupils.

"They
will
hear us," she said in a pleading tone.

He gave her a wicked grin. "Couldn't you be quiet, baby?"

She sighed. "No, not if you do those things that make me scream."

"Damn, woman. Don't put the picture in my head if we're not going to do it." He took a deep breath and pushed himself away from her.

She gave him a sexy smile as she started to put her bra back on.

"Wait." Ray stilled her hands and brought them to his lips. "Can I at least suck your nipples? I've been dreaming about doing that here for so long," he rasped as he sucked her fingers.

Faye's breath hitched and she licked her lips. Her panties were already soaked but she just got wetter. Oh, he was so wickedly tempting. But she had no doubt she would lose all self-control the moment his hot mouth landed on her excited nipple. And she had a feeling he was already so aroused that he was ready to throw caution to the wind.

But she was not at all keen to have Ray's staff, including her three best friends, hear them have sex in his office. She knew damn well how loud and out of control they both got at the height of passion.

She had to be strong for their sake so she shook her head and pulled her hands from his grip. She laughed as he pouted. "We can do it when there's no one else around," she suggested as she slid off his desk.

He perked up. "Okay. We'll have dinner first, then we'll come back here. The cleaners are usually finished with this floor by eight," he said, mollified, as he plopped down in a chair beside her. He watched her with heated eyes as she got dressed.

"You look just as sexy when you're putting your clothes on as when you're taking them off," he said appreciatively. "But of course, I prefer the latter."

She gave him a cute grin and reached down to fix his tie. "I should have messed up your clothes a little bit more. At least you would have something else to do than just stare at me."

"I
have
something else to do. I have to pull my tent down." He glanced down at the still huge bulge in his pants.

"I'd love to help you pull your tent down with my mouth," she said huskily.

He swore under his breath. "You're not helping me, baby. I think you better go have a chat with your friends so I can cool down here."

She ran her hand over his muscular chest before reaching down and stroking his steely erection.

"Oh fuck. Honey …" he groaned softly.

"Can you be quiet?" she breathed in his ear as she knelt between his legs and unbuckled his belt.

"Uh … yeah … maybe …"

He hissed as she made quick work of his zipper and lifted his hips to help her push his pants and boxer briefs down to his ankles. His delicious cock was free and unyielding right in front of her face.

She peered up at him through her long lashes as she pumped him with her hand. "Do you want me to continue, baby?"

"Oh God, yes," he whispered through gritted teeth.

She leaned in and licked the underside of his hardness as she cupped his balls.

His pelvis lifted closer to her mouth.

"Mmmm," she moaned softly as she licked the dew that formed on the head.

He stifled a moan and gripped the arms of the chair tightly.

She put him in her mouth, sheathing her teeth with her lips, and sucked him as deeply as she could. As she pulled him out, she twirled her tongue around the swollen head, making him hiss louder. She kept one hand around the base, tugging as her mouth worked, while the other one caressed his warm balls. She repeated her actions, going harder, going faster. It wasn't long before he was panting hard, his gasps becoming harsher.

"Baby, I'm coming," he rasped. With a choked groan, he erupted in her mouth and she lovingly licked him dry.

"Wow, you can really turn the sound down if you want to," she remarked with a grin.

He pulled her up to his lap and gave her a tight squeeze. "Sure, but half my mind was focused on making sure I kept quiet. I still prefer losing control with you. But … that was still great. You're absolutely amazing. Thank you, baby." He kissed her temple.

"My pleasure," she murmured against his neck.

"Do you want to try being quiet?" he asked as he ran his hand under her skirt, stroked her thigh and skimmed his fingers against her sex.

She fidgeted on his lap. "No. I don't want to take the risk. I'll wait until after dinner."

"Okay. It's a pity, though. I really feel like burying my face between your legs right now."

"Tease," she said with affection as she stood up and straightened her clothes.

"You love being teased," he smirked as he put his boxers and pants back on.

"I'm going to the bathroom," she announced when they were both decent. She walked to the door and silently mouthed, "I love you" before opening it.

"I love you," he called out loud to her with his door wide open.

CHAPTER TWENTY

"I'm so excited! I've been wanting to do this for ages," Faye cried as she threw her arms around Ray, who laughed in delight at her reaction. She sighed contentedly as he held her tightly and buried his face in her hair.

It was three days before Christmas and Ray surprised her with his early Christmas present - a twilight climb of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

"I'm glad you haven't done this before. But even if you had, I thought you'd still want to do it again," he said to her.

"No, this is my first time," she responded.

Her heart thumped harder as Ray stared at her with that look that made her feel so special, so desired, so loved. Even in the requisite shapeless one-piece suit they were made to wear for the climb, he looked so hunky that she couldn't stop herself from reaching up and kissing his soft lips.

"Have you done this before?" she whispered to him.

"Yes, about five or six years ago."

"Did you enjoy it?"

"Yeah, it was a great experience. But I'm sure this one will easily eclipse it. I wasn't with you then."

Faye smiled sweetly at him. He always said things that made her melt. Her brothers had teased Ray about how she had him wrapped around her finger - which he surprisingly agreed with - but she was sure it was the other way around.

"So this is your big surprise for today," she said to him. He'd been acting strange all day, like he had a big secret he wouldn't divulge but could barely keep to himself.

He smiled enigmatically. "One of them."

"You have another one apart from this?" she asked in astonishment.

He twitched and looked unsure. Faye squinted her eyes at him, wondering what he was up to.

Ray exhaled with relief as a loud voice boomed to gather the climbers together.

She listened intently to their guide's safety instructions. After a long preparation, they proceeded to the catwalk below the road-deck of the famous bridge.

This was what she wanted in her life - to share moments like this with Ray. Geez, it seemed she wanted to share every single minute of her life with him.

Officially, they'd only been going out for three months. To some people's minds, that was too short a time to know if you wanted to be with someone for the rest of your life. But ever since Jessa's birthday party, she had become conscious of a need in her that she quickly realised could only be assuaged by Ray alone. That need was now an eternal flame, consuming her and yet, making her feel alive … and whole.