So Much Trouble When She Walked In (13 page)

Silken
lay like that for several minutes, watching the movie but then not watching, so
aware of Max’s hand on her hair and the warmth of his legs beneath her cheek
that she was having a hard time following the love story.

And
then when his hand slid lower she was lost.  It wasn’t that he was doing
anything blatantly seductive.  All he’d done was slide his hand from her head
down to her nape where his fingers kneaded gently then stroked and caressed,
driving her to utter distraction.

On
the big screen television the actors were speaking, lips moving, but Silken was
hearing not a word.  With nothing more than the stroke of his fingers Max had
wiped her mind clean and all she could think of was the way his hands made her
whole body tingle.  No matter that he was lounging on the sofa, seeming totally
relaxed and comfortable, she was like a live wire, electrified, every inch of
her aware of him.  Even her nipples had gone hard in her bra.

Trying
her best to relax, Silken drew in a slow, deep breath then let it out in a soft
sigh.  It didn’t work.  How could it, when right then his hand was leaving its
safe place at her nape and sliding into the collar of her shirt?  His warm palm
caressed her shoulder and she had to fight to swallow a moan.

It
was a gentle caress, and he wasn’t touching the intimate parts of her body, but
God it was so sensual, so…

Silken
sucked in her breath and bit down on her lip.  Oh, no.  She was growing
damp…and he hadn’t done a thing except stroke her neck and shoulder.  What was
it about this man that made her respond to his simple touch?

Not
good.  Not when she was so used to being in control.

And
then his hand slid over to cup her shoulder and a warm, softly-tingling
sensation radiated from his palm, flowing through her body, making her
tremble.  This time she moaned.  She couldn’t help it.

How
she wished he would stop this teasing, this sliding of his hand over her skin,
showing so much restraint.  How did he do it?  Right at that moment all she
wanted was for him to strip her bare and make sweet, hot love to her…right
there in the den, right now.

But
he was holding back…and she knew why.  As sure as he was of himself, he still
wasn’t sure what she wanted, and he wasn’t going to push.  She would have to be
the one to make the move.  That had to be it.

And
if taking that first step was what it would take for her to get what she wanted,
then she would do it.

Eyes
closed, Silken shifted her head on Max’s lap, rubbing her lips along the smooth
fabric covering his legs, moving closer into him until his hand, the one
smoothing her shoulder stilled.  Satisfied that she’d got his attention, she
raised her head then slowly, almost seductively, she slid off him and got up,
forcing him to release her and let his hand fall to his side.

He
was watching her now, intently, his dark eyes blazing.  But he said nothing. 
His eyes told the story.  He would let her have her way.

Silken
gave him a tiny smile, knowing what she had in store for him.  Maybe she would
shock him, maybe she would shock even herself, but tonight was the night that
she felt like being daring.

Silken
sank back down onto Max’s lap – she loved his lap, strong and firm and muscled
– but this time, instead of her cheek it was her bottom that settled there. 
And it felt so good.

And
now she was in the perfect position to do what she wanted.  Sliding her hand
up, Silken ran her palm across Max’s cotton-covered chest then moved her hand
higher still to caress the deliciously rough skin just below his chin.  Then
slowly, deliberately, she slid her hand around to tickle the hair at his nape,
just like he’d done to her.  His groan of pleasure was all the reward she
needed.  But she didn’t plan to take it slow, not like he’d been doing. 
Tonight was the night to indulge her inner diva – she would take what she
wanted when she wanted.  And that ‘when’ was now.

Sliding
her fingers up and into the smooth thickness of his hair, Silken gained hold on
the back of Max’s head and, applying pressure, forced his head down toward
hers.

She
didn’t let up until his lips, those wonderfully firm lips, were touching hers. 
Then she took command.

She
claimed possession of his lips, kissing him like he’d probably never been
kissed by any woman before.  Tilting his head to the perfect angle, she molded
her mouth to his then, before he could even respond, she tickled his lower lip
with her tongue then sucked it into her mouth.

Max
drew in his breath but he did not resist.  He let her have her way, nipping and
teasing until a groan escaped his lips.

Emboldened
by his response Silken’s exploration grew more intimate.  Releasing his lips,
she slipped her tongue in to taste him, to feel as one with the man whose touch
made her body sing.

She
knew she was doing something right when he moaned again and his arms went round
her, pressing her against his chest.  She deepened the kiss, taking from him
all that she desired, feeding her hunger with the kiss.

His
hand slid up as if he wanted to cup her head, probably take control, but Silken
was having none of that.  Just as he drew her closer she broke the kiss.

Max
looked surprised then disappointment filled his eyes.

Silken
smiled.  She loved that.  She’d made him want her and by the time she was done
with him there would be no turning back.

Pulling
back, she reached down and began to undo the buttons on his shirt and even when
he fixed her with a questioning look she did not stop.  When the shirt fell
wide open she slid her hands up and shoved it off his shoulders, leaving his
body bare to her gaze.

Still
smiling, feeling as wicked as a witch, she lowered her head to capture a taut
nipple between her teeth and then she began the torture she knew he loved.  She
worried the nipple, sucking then nipping the stiff bud till Max threw back his
head and groaned.  The other nipple suffered the same fate until she took pity
and released him…for the moment.

Max
must have thought her momentary pause was her signal for him to take over
because his hands, which had clutched the comfy cushions, now reached for her. 
She slapped them away.  “Don’t move,” she growled, “not until I say you can.”

Immediately,
he dropped his hands. 
Good boy
.

She
reached up and cupped his chin in her hand then kissed him forcefully, almost
savagely on the lips then before he could recover she pulled away, leaving him
wanting more.  She could see the desire in those eyes that bored into her but
she said nothing.  Let him stew in the broth of his passion for just a while
longer.  Then he’d really be ready for her.

She’d
almost chuckled at that thought.  If the hardness pressed against her hip was
anything to go by, he was way past ready.

The
perfect time to move in for the kill.

She
slipped off his lap.  “Lie down,” she ordered, jerking her head to indicate
that he should stretch out on the sofa.  As tall as he was, his feet would hang
over the edge but there was nothing she could do about that.  To move to stage
two she needed him flat on his back.

Max
obeyed, his look full of anticipation.  The confusion gone, all she could see
in him was want.  Plain and simple.

This
time when she attacked his belt she did not stop until it hung loose at his
waist and in one smooth move the zipper was down.  For a quick second she felt
a flash of apprehension.  Was she ready for this?  What must he think of her?  But
as fast as the thought flew into her head she quashed it.  Silken McCullen was
no wimp and there was no way she would chicken out now.

Straddling
Max’s legs, Silken leaned forward and kissed the skin just above his navel.  He
jumped then settled back with a sigh.  Sliding her lips lower, she tickled the
soft hairs, trailing a path from his navel to the top of his shorts.  The sound
of Max’s breathing grew louder, his nostrils flaring, his breath quickening as
she moved lower and lower still.

She
was teasing the hell out of this man, going so close but not quite there, and
she was having the time of her life. 
Oh, Max, you have no idea what a crazy
woman you hooked up with
.   

She
slipped her thumbs under the waistband of his shorts and slid them down, ever
so slightly, just enough to expose the smooth skin of his hips.  There, she
lowered her lips to feather soft kisses across that sensitive spot, drawing guttural
groans from deep within his throat.

And
then he moved.  “Enough.”  One word, hoarse but firm, and then he was getting
up off the sofa with Silken in his arms.

“Hey,”
she squealed as he lifted her even higher and began to stride toward the door. 
“I didn’t tell you to move.”

“You
can boss me around all you want,” he grunted, “but we’ll do it somewhere
comfortable. The den is not it.”  Silken shut up then.  He was taking her to
his bedroom.  Things were moving exactly in the direction she’d hoped.  But now
that it was time, her already agitated heart began to pound.

She’d
been acting like the big bad wolf and now it was time to deliver on her bold
promise.

And
even though she was scared witless she was determined to do just that.

CHAPTER
THIRTEEN

When
Max got to the landing, Silken in his arms, he walked down the hallway,
straight to his master bedroom where he pushed the door open with his foot.  He
didn’t know what had come over Silken, changing from calm to almost aloof to a
hot-blooded vixen all in one night, but it was a change that suited him
fine…because, God knew he’d been wanting her all night.

Gently,
he laid her in the middle of the king-sized bed and as he did so he looked up
into her eyes.  For one brief moment he thought he saw a look of uncertainty
there but then, in a flash, it was gone.

Before
he could ask if she was all right – he wanted to be sure she was ready for this
– the audacious fire returned to her eyes and she reached up and snaked her arm
around his neck, pulling him down so she could kiss him on the lips.  Then just
as quickly, she released him.

“Lie
down,” she ordered, her mouth curving into a mischievous smile.  When he didn’t
move right away she hopped off the bed and gave him a shove, sending him
tumbling back into the pillows.

Amused,
Max lay there staring up at her.  What the heck was Silken up to?  Shy girl
turned dominatrix?  He liked that.

As
sexy as that idea was, he had no time to dwell on that further because Silken
dropped to her knees, slid his shoes and socks off his feet and began to tug at
the cuffs of his pants.  The girl meant business.

He
raised his hips to help her out and soon she’d pulled his trousers off and
dropped them to the floor, leaving him in nothing but boxer shorts.  And the
sad thing was, they didn’t do a damn thing to hide his arousal.  He was as
stiff as a pole and the tent in the front of shorts was a very visible
testament to that.

Trooper
that Silken was, she didn’t seem the least bit perturbed.  When he’d seen that
flash of uncertainty in her eyes he’d wondered if things were moving too fast
for her but now, her eyes focused on him, her bottom lip caught by her perfect
white teeth, all he could see was curiosity, determination and burning desire.

Max
lay there, staring up at Silken in eager anticipation, waiting for her to make
her next move.  He didn’t want to steal her thunder.  As much as he wanted to
reach up and pull her down on top of him, he didn’t want to scare her.  The
last thing he wanted was for her to have second thoughts.

He
waited a moment longer but when she still didn’t move he frowned.  Was she
having second thoughts after all, even without his help?  “Silken,” he began
but then his words died away as he watched her eyes scan the room.  What the
devil was she looking for?

Then
her face lit up.  “Perfect,” she said and set off toward the bathroom. 

Curious,
Max turned his head to follow her with his eyes.  When she walked over to the
chair by the bathroom and snatched up his tie that hung from the back of it, he
frowned.

He’d
begun to rise up on his elbows when she whipped around.  “Stay there,” she
ordered as she strode back toward the bed, tie in hand.  “Don’t move until I
tell you to.”

That
made him lift his eyebrows.  It looked like Silken had decided to be the boss
tonight and she was taking her role very seriously.  Her face looking flushed
and eager, a mischievous gleam in her eyes, she looked ready for battle.

And
the way things were looking, Max didn’t know if he should be excited…or
worried. 

***

Now
that she’d decided to be daring Silken was ready to go all the way.  If she was
going to make love to this man – which, of course, was her plan – why go for
vanilla sex? She’d never believed in taking the regular, boring route for
anything and she wasn’t going to start now.

She
grasped both ends of the tie, held it high and snapped it, making Max jump. 
When his eyebrows rose and he gave her a questioning look, she smiled.  “Just
lie back,” she said softly, “and close your eyes.”

He
frowned.  “What are you going to do with that?”

“Worried?”
she asked in a silky-smooth whisper.  “You should be.”

When
the furrow between his brows grew even deeper she laughed softly.  It was so
much fun to put some scare in a man.  Slowly, seductively, she sashayed over to
the bed then climbed on.  “Hands above your head.”

Max
eyed her suspiciously but her no-nonsense tone must have convinced him that she
was serious because he moved his arms from his sides and slid them up, as
ordered.

Quickly
and skillfully she bound his wrists together with a figure eight knot then
secured his trapped hands to the railing at the head of the bed.  Even when he
tugged at it there was no give.