Scandalous (14 page)

Gently, he broke the kiss. His eyes sparkled with a desire only to be surpassed by hers.

“Your place…or mine…?” he groaned.

Vaughn smiled seductively at him. Her finger reached out and traced his full lips. “Since I'm in the neighborhood,” she said in a throaty whisper, “let's try your place on for size.”

“I
've been wrong about so many things,” Vaughn confessed, as she lay on her side next to Justin. Gingerly, she traced the outline of his jaw. “It's just hard for me sometimes to say how I really feel.” She hesitated. Justin caressed her back, encouraging her to continue. In a halting voice, she began again. “I've been conditioned to believe that every man is out to use me. My negative reflexes just kick in whenever someone tries to get close to me.” Her eyes gazed lovingly into his. “What I should have really said is…I'm just not ready to live with you. But,” she qualified with a tremulous smile, “that doesn't mean I'll feel that way forever. I just don't think that now is the right time.”

Justin sighed heavily. “It was hard for me to accept what you said. But hindsight is always twenty-twenty. I know you're right, Vaughn, but I just couldn't handle the idea that you didn't want to be with me—and to hell with your real reasons. But guess what?”

“What?” she grinned.

“I'd rather have you with me on whatever terms than not at all.”

“Oh, Justin.” With a hunger that roared through her with unbelievable force, she pressed her starving body against his. In unison, their lips met, parted, and then enveloped each other.

Spirals of sweet pleasure swirled within her as she allowed Justin's every touch, every moan, every movement, to ignite the passion that she'd held in limbo.

With the gentleness of the most ardent lover, Justin sought out and found each and every needy corner of her body. Vaughn felt her bones liquefy as her body surrendered to the heat. Justin looked deep into her eyes, seeming to peer into the hidden corners of her soul. Her heart quickened. He cupped her face in his hands.

“There's more to your reasons than what you're telling me, isn't there?” he gently probed.

Vaughn swallowed. Could it really be that this man was truly capable of seeing into the dark spaces of her heart? Maybe now was the time to get everything out in the open—cleanse her heart and soul—time to voice her hurt and loss.

To do that would open wounds that should remain sealed. To do that would only resurface a flood of pain that she was sure she couldn't handle. It was a part of her life that she could not share with anyone, not even Justin.

“Whatever it is that you think you see,” she whispered huskily, “we're here—now.” She moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue, a gesture that sent Justin's blood pressure to the roof. “Make me forget it.” Her eyes raked over his face. Her fingers dug into his back, pulling him to her. Her voice was the fire that raced through him.

“Whatever you want,” he groaned deep in her ear, his
tongue flicking across the delicate shell, while Vaughn's nimble fingers played a concerto down his broad chest, reaching the center of his lust.

She enveloped the power of him, feeling him pulse and throb at her touch. The contact served to heighten her own burning need while she stroked him in a slow, steady rhythm.

Justin's long moan filled the torrid air. His mouth covered hers, his tongue delving into the soft sweetness of her mouth, muffling his groans of pleasure.

To her amazement, the yearning that tore through her surpassed everything they'd experienced before. Her need for him was painful in its intensity. She felt herself float away, transported to a plateau of euphoria when Justin instinctively kneaded her throbbing breasts that cried out for his touch.

The pads of his thumbs grazed hungrily across the hardened tips of her breasts, sending lightning bolts of desire shooting to the core of her womanhood—flooding her, preparing her for him.

His strong hands slid down the curves of her body—lower—down her spine—lower across her hips, finding their way into the dark valley between her thighs. Lightly his fingers skimmed the thin ridge of skin that ran across the length of her pelvis. Vaughn's whole body tensed and Justin suspected that it was something she wouldn't want to discuss—a woman thing, he surmised. Instead of the questions that she held her breath against, Justin continued his exploration. The tip of his finger teased the tight bud of her dewy center, sending tremors hurtling through her.

A strangled cry welled up in her throat, her fears momentarily extinguished when Justin placed his weight lightly above her. His eyes bore into hers while his hands
skimmed down her sides, bracing her thighs and raising them to lock around his back.

“I've missed you,” he urgently whispered above her parted lips. “I didn't want to, but I did,” he confessed. His fingers pressed deeper into her thighs. “This,” he lowered his hips, pushing against her pulsing entryway, “is the new beginning for us.” He pushed down further, crossing the rim of her opening.

Her body tightened from the pressure, then relaxed as the full force of him slowly filled her. His eyes squeezed shut as he allowed the first wave of rapture to engulf him. Involuntarily, her muscles contracted and Justin cried out her name, no longer able to hold back. He pulled up, then thrust downward, burying himself to the hilt within her.

Vaughn's body trembled as the total power of their union overtook her. It was sweet bliss, a symphony perfectly orchestrated as two vibrant instruments unified into one exquisite being.

The tempo was slow and pulsing, building to a shuddering crescendo. They played off each other, giving as much as taking equally, enjoying to the utmost the rise and fall of their bodies.

Never before had Justin known such joy as he allowed his body and soul to succumb to Vaughn's magical manipulations of his mind and heart.

Vaughn in hushed whispers told him how magnificent he made her feel, punctuating her words with driving thrusts of her hips—commanding him to take her—all of her—over the plateau and into the valley of release. And he did, masterfully propelling them over the last hurdle into a world of explosive ecstasy.

 

Smoldering in the afterglow, Justin's body still pulsed with need. He couldn't explain it—couldn't understand
what was happening to him. Vaughn was like a sorceress who'd cast a powerful spell over him. He couldn't get through a minute of his day without thinking about her. He couldn't breathe without imagining her erotic scent. He hugged her tighter. She murmured softly in her sleep. Gently he brushed a lock of hair from her face and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. “I love you,” he whispered with all the intensity that burned within him.

Vaughn stirred. Her eyes fluttered open. Her smile was as soft as a halo, illuminating all in its path, Justin thought.

“I know,” she whispered. Her fingertip traced his luscious lips. “As much as I love you.”

 

It was after midnight by the time Justin pulled up in front of Vaughn's townhouse. They were still talking about Justin's meeting with Simone when he parked the car. He walked with her to her door.

“Are you sure you don't want me to stay?” he asked, longing and mischief dancing in his eyes.

She bracketed his jaws in the palms of her hands. “If you stayed here tonight, I wouldn't get a moment's sleep. I have a big day tomorrow.”

“Even if I promised to be good?” he crooned, hugging her snugly around the waist and rocking his hips sensuously against her.

“We both know you're good,” she said, drawing out the last word erotically. She ran her tongue across her lips. “That's not the problem.” She felt his hardness rub enticingly against her inner thighs. For a moment, she reconsidered. The last thing she wanted to do tonight was sleep alone. “Goodnight, Justin,” she breathed raggedly, good judgment overriding the need that was steadily building up within her.

“You're gonna think about me,” he warned, taking a slow step back without releasing her. His eyes crinkled at the corners. “You're gonna wish you'd said yes when you roll over in that big bed of yours and find yourself alone.” He touched his fingertip to her nose. “You'll be sorry.”

“I'm sure I will.” She wondered where she found the strength to resist him.

“Tell you what,” he said, “let's get away for a few days. Away from business, campaigns, and news polls.”

Vaughn's smile widened. “Sounds heavenly.”

“Let me make the arrangements. I want it to be a surprise.” He took two more retreating steps.

“Yes, surprise me.”

“Oh,” he added, “I want you to meet Simone. Tomorrow. For dinner. We can show her the town before she goes back to school.”

“I'd love to. If you let
me
pick the spot.” She heard the eagerness in his voice and silently prayed that he wouldn't be hurt.

He stopped in mid-step and looked at her, his eyes beseeching her to understand. “She's everything I'd expected,” he said wistfully. “I can't explain it, baby,” he said, stepping back up to her, “but she's everything I'd ever dreamed of. I know it sounds crazy, but I just believe she is Samantha.”

“Oh, Justin, sweetheart,” she said gently. “For your sake, I hope that she is. But there's no way you can know for sure.”

“There are ways,” he said firmly. “And I'm going to prove it.”

Her brow knitted. “How?”

“About two years ago, I started an organization called Child-Link…”

Flashes of news clippings dashed through Vaughn's
mind, and the familiar feeling of misgiving that she'd experienced when they first met sprouted anew.

“The organization reunites families, searches out and uncovers sealed records.” He swallowed. “It's about time I used it for my own benefit.”

For some inexplicable reason, her heart was racing. Her stomach twisted. “Well,” she breathed, steadying herself, “I'm sure that if they have you pushing them, they're bound to turn up something.”

“And no matter what happens,” he took her hands in his, “I want you with me.”

She pressed her lips together and nodded. “I will be.”

“I'll call you in the morning,” he said, still reluctant to leave her. “Sleep well, baby. I'll see you in my dreams.”

“I'll be waiting.” She touched her fingers to her lips and then to his.

 

Lucus Stone sat at the head of the conference table at his congressional office in Richmond. His advisers sat on either side. All of them wore somber expressions.

Lucus stared long and hard at each face before he spoke. “What is going wrong?” he thundered suddenly, his deep voice reverberating through the room and sending a note of warning down their spines. He slammed his fist down onto the table, his blue eyes snapping like electric sparks. “I want answers.”

Lucus's chief of public relations, Winston McGee, spoke first. “You've been in this business long enough to know that polls mean nothing this early on,” he cajoled. “We just need to get you out there more, remind the voters about what you've done over the years. Do some more PSAs…”

“Shut up, Winston. If you'd been doing
half
of your job, Vaughn Hamilton would have never received this
much press.” He tossed the stack of newspapers down the length of the table. “Look at them, you idiots. She's in the papers every day! Every day! That's where I should be,” he roared, stabbing his finger at his chest to punctuate his point. Lucus took several deep breaths, ran his hand through his shock of silver hair, and twisted his neck inside his shirt collar as if it had suddenly gotten too tight.

Julius Simpson, Lucus's political strategist, spoke up next. “We're into phase two,” he said cryptically. “I'm confident that everything will be rectified shortly. We'll know more in about a week.”

David Cain sat, as an observer, at the far end of the table in his role as consultant. He knew from the conversation that the issue being discussed was not completely above board and only those included in the execution of the plan were privy to Simpson's ambiguous remarks.

“What about that reporter at the
Weekly Globe?”
Lucus asked Winston.

“Just waiting for the go-ahead from me,” Winston confirmed.

David's eyebrows rose a fraction of an inch in surprise. Lucus was going to use the rags to run Vaughn through the mill. He almost laughed at the irony of it all. The weekly tabloid was probably read and believed by more people than the
Post
and the
Times
combined. If Vaughn Hamilton wanted press coverage, she'd have more than she could handle.

“You're going to have to do better, David,” Lucus stated, snapping David out of his scandalous thoughts. “Time is running out. I need all the ammunition I can get, and quickly.”

David nodded. There was no point trying to defend himself. Lucus wasn't the type of man who listened to
excuses, even valid ones. He had to admit, though, as he continued to listen to the voices drone on around him, that he thought his job was going to be some pain-in-the-butt assignment. But the truth of it was that he was really getting to like Crystal. Unfortunately, that was the last thing he needed. Women who were able to get under your skin were nothing but trouble. Anyway, he concluded, heaving a sigh, after this was over,
they
were over.

But last night, when he was rocking Trini's world, he'd imagined she was Crystal. That spelled trouble. He'd had a devil of a time convincing Trini to see him, and when she did, all he could think about was Crystal. Trini had been madder than a cat in heat that he'd stayed away for so long. But he'd more than made up for his absence and Trini was more than happy to fill him in on Lucus Stone's extracurricular activities, most of which the good congressman would never want anyone to know, especially his wife.

His thoughts easily drifted back to Crystal. If only there were some way he could avoid hurting her, he mused, a slow frown lining his brow. But it was a dirty $50,000 job, and somebody had to do it. He was sure his payment would sufficiently compensate him for any emotional loss.