Undressed by the Boss (Mills & Boon By Request) (35 page)

‘Easily rectified.’

He whipped his T-shirt off in record time and flung it on a nearby chair, his fingers snapping the top button of his jeans undone before she reached out and stilled his hand.

‘On second thoughts, I’ll take care of that.’

Opening the door wider, she stepped aside and gestured him in with a theatrical flourish.

‘What the—?’

‘I know it’s not a guy thing, but you said you’d never taken a bath so I thought now was as good a time as any.’

His jaw dropped as he took in the candles of all shapes and sizes strategically placed around the bathroom to cast an inviting glow, the rose petals floating on the steaming water filling the bath and the topped-up wineglasses within easy reach of the tub.

‘I know it’s probably not your thing but I thought—’

‘It’s great. Really.’

He cupped her cheek for a moment, impressed with the
effort she’d gone to, blown away by how much thought she’d put into this. ‘I take it you got all this stuff from under the vanity?’

‘Uh-huh. I’m sure your folks won’t mind.’

He didn’t care if they did. Right now, all he wanted to do was immerse himself in that tempting body of water, followed by the tempting body of the woman who’d done all this just for him.

‘So are you going to step into the bathroom or stay out there all night?’

Smiling, he let her lead him in by the hand, inhaling sharply as a delicious aroma reminiscent of freshly baked sweet rolls slammed into his senses.

‘Vanilla and cinnamon bath essence,’ she said, reading his mind as he breathed in several lungfuls of the heady fragrance, wondering if the scent would linger on her soft skin after they bathed together, knowing it would tempt him to taste every inch of her all night long.

Reaching out, he snagged his finger into the top of her flirty skirt and tugged. ‘What were you saying a minute ago about me wearing too many clothes?’

‘Patience …’

They’d reached the tub and he forced himself to stand perfectly still, his arms loose by his sides as she stepped closer, her fingers toying with his zip while she stared up at him with a naughty glint in her eyes.

‘You’re killing me,’ he muttered as she slid the zip down centimetre by centimetre, the rasp of the metal teeth drowning out his whoosh of air as she completed her task, slid her hands inside the waistband and gently eased the denim off his hips.

‘You can’t rush a good bath.’

Her sizzling look from beneath lowered lashes would’ve fried him on the spot if he weren’t already near boiling point.

Standing back, she tapped her bottom lip with her finger and stared directly at his crotch. ‘Hmm … still too many clothes.’

However, as she reached for his boxers he grabbed her wrist.

‘Not so fast. Seeing as this is the first time for me, I’m a little nervous. I think I need my hand held in that tub.’

Her lips curved in a provocative smile. ‘Bet that’s not all you need held.’

His chuckles died as she shimmied out of her denim mini and jade halter top in a second, leaving her standing less than two feet away from him in a skimpy lace thong the exact striking colour of her top.

‘Last one in is a rotten pterodactyl egg,’ she said, peeling the lace down her long legs with the panache of someone at total ease with her body before stepping into the bath and sinking below the waterline, ruining his view of the good stuff completely.

Shucking his boxers in record time, he joined her in the bath, his sharp intake of breath having little to do with the hot-water temperature and everything to do with Beth sitting up to make room for him, bringing her nipples to the surface of the water.

‘Turn around,’ he commanded, eager to feel her flush against him, eager to fill his hands with her.

‘Jeez, you’re bossy.’

However, she did exactly as she was told, settling her back against his chest, resting her head on his shoulder as they both lay back and let the soothing water overlap them.

‘Comfortable?’

‘Very,’ she murmured, wriggling her butt against his erection to prove it.

‘Good. I’ve heard it’s important to relax while having a good soak.’

He cupped her breasts as he spoke, savouring their weight in his palms, lightly pinching the nipples till they stood out in two jutting peaks.

She moaned, her head lolling back further as he slid his hands down her stomach in a long, slow caress till his right hand rested on her mound and he slid a finger between her slick folds.

‘Relaxed yet?’

‘Getting there.’ She gasped, her voice barely audible as her pelvis thrust upwards in reaction to the leisurely exploration of his fingers.

Empowered by her soft mewling sounds, he grazed her clitoris repeatedly, touching her with the lightest of pressure, savouring the thrill of how much he turned her on.

‘Aidan …’

Her escalating pants encouraged him to pick up the tempo and in a heartbeat she stiffened and cried out, her head digging into his shoulder as her body thrust upwards out of the water before sinking below the surface on a sigh.

‘I’m really getting the hang of this bath caper,’ he murmured, slanting a lingering kiss across her mouth, knowing he’d never be able to step into this room again without remembering the electrifying sounds she made as she came.

‘This bath was supposed to be all about you.’

She stared at him with wonder in her eyes, large, limpid moss-green pools he could quite happily drown in.

‘You don’t think I’m enjoying it?’

He gave a little upthrust of his hips, leaving her in little doubt as to exactly how much he was enjoying it.

In response, she sat upright and flipped around, straddling him before he could blink. Bracing her hands on his shoulders, she leaned forward till her nipples brushed his chest, her breath the barest whisper against his cheek. ‘I want you.’

With blood pounding through his veins and every cell in his body screaming for release, he forced himself to lean back and intertwine his fingers behind his head, the small part of him wanting to prolong the pleasure vindicated by the hungry glint in her eyes.

Sending her a slow smile designed to tease, he said, ‘Then take me. I’m all yours.’

Beth’s breath caught as Aidan’s erection nudged her entrance and she cursed, darting a frantic glance around in the hope a condom would miraculously appear out of thin air.

‘Ah …’ He held on to her tight as he surged out of the water. ‘I think what you’re after is in the bedroom?’

‘Actually, it’s right here.’

Her hand zeroed in on his erection as she slid down his body to stand dripping on the bathmat. ‘But you’re right, the bedroom is a great idea considering what I’d like to do with this.’

She gave him a gentle squeeze and he groaned, his tortured expression leaving her in little doubt he couldn’t hold out much longer.

‘You like?’

Her voice came out a purr and he growled in response, grabbing the nearest towel and enveloping both their bodies, creating an intimate cocoon of hot flesh and barely restrained desire.

‘You shouldn’t tease a man when he’s on the brink,’ he murmured, backing her towards the bed when she didn’t let up her grip.

‘Who said I’m teasing?’

Chuckling, he whipped off the towel as they tumbled onto the king-size bed, its cushiony softness moulding around their heated bodies.

So he didn’t have satin sheets? It didn’t matter considering the star of her every recent fantasy was propped above her, staring at her as if she were one of his prized artefacts.

‘I’m usually a patient man but I’ve got to tell you right now I’m feeling mighty impatient.’

She sighed, loving the way his eyes lit up when he looked at her, loving the bewitching smile playing about his mouth.

Loving?

Though stunned by the depth of feeling Aidan created within her, she quickly amended her thoughts to liking everything about him.

Loving didn’t enter the equation. Not for her. Not when he’d be out of her life quicker than she could say shoe sale.

‘We’ve got all night to take it slow.’ She reached up to pull his head down towards her. ‘Right now, I think I feel the need for speed.’

‘You’re amazing,’ he whispered against the side of her mouth a second before his lips closed over hers in a heart-stopping kiss that left her panting when he momentarily broke contact to slide the top drawer of the bedside table open, grapple with a condom and sheath himself before picking up where he’d left off.

Her body turned to liquid heat as his hands smoothed over her body, exploring every dip, caressing every curve while kissing her the entire time, deep, hungry, passionate kisses that wiped her mind of all thought bar one: how much she wanted—needed—him inside her this very minute.

As if reading her mind he parted her legs with gentle pressure from his thighs and eased himself into her, inch by exquisite inch, his tongue mimicking exactly what he’d be doing to her for as long as she could hold out.

But she didn’t want this time to be slow. She wanted hard and fast and, wrapping her ankles around his butt, she surged upwards, taking him in to the hilt, expanding around him, throbbing with need.

With a loud groan he gave up the last vestige of restraint and started to move, faster, harder, pounding into her as her body strained upwards to meet him thrust for thrust.

Tension coiled, grew, spread upwards and inwards, driving her wild with the mind-numbing pleasure of it all.

She teetered on the verge, hung there for a heart-stopping second before plunging over the other side into orgasmic oblivion, her cries joining his as he skyrocketed to the moon and back right alongside her.

Sinking back into the bed, she welcomed his weight as he lay on top of her for a moment, cuddling her close.

They didn’t speak.

They didn’t need to, two people in perfect sync.

Oh, yeah, she
liked
a lot of things about Aidan.

As long as she didn’t go getting any crazy ideas about that other L word, she could handle liking him just fine.

B
ETH
had no problems with the morning-after scenario considering they’d already faced that particular situation twenty-four hours earlier.

However, as she padded down the hallway towards the kitchen, following the aromatic trail of sizzling bacon, she knew this was no ordinary morning after.

This was the morning after the night before she’d realised she was in way over her head with this one.

Aidan liked her, as he’d clearly demonstrated with every touch, every intimate smile, every whispered endearment all night.

But did he like her enough to give up life on the digs for a life with her?

‘Yeah, Dad, the museum’s fine, running like clockwork.’

She paused in the doorway, swallowing the lump in her throat at the sight of him wearing nothing but soft cotton boxers the same dove-grey shade as his eyes, cradling a cordless phone between his ear and shoulder while deftly flipping bacon with the other hand.

His back muscles rippled with every movement of his arm, his long legs sending an instant flush of heat through her as
she remembered how they’d felt entwined with hers as he’d slid into her last night … several times …

The sound of his low, harried voice brought her back to the present and she took a step towards the doorway as he spoke.

‘I don’t know what my plans are at this stage.’

She halted in her tracks, knowing she should make him aware of her presence but holding back, surprised by his exasperated tone.

‘Look, I need to get back to South America sooner rather than later so when you know for sure when you’re returning, let me know. Staying indefinitely in Melbourne isn’t on my agenda.’

Her blood chilled and she gripped the doorjamb for support as her knees threatened to buckle.

He wanted to leave asap.

No matter what they’d shared, how special their connection, she obviously wasn’t on his ‘agenda’. How could she be when she couldn’t hope to compete with his precious bloody job?

‘I’ve got a handle on things down here for now, just make the most of what’s left of your recuperating time and I’ll talk to you soon.’

She tried to back away from the doorway before he caught sight of her, but she was a fraction late as he turned to grab a plate from the breakfast bar.

‘Hey, there you are. Hungry?’

The tenderness in his eyes reached out and beckoned, warm and secure, openly accepting of her.

But she couldn’t do this, couldn’t pretend.

Faking a smile, she bounced into the room rather than running out the front door with tears streaming down her face. ‘Starving. Hope the bacon’s crispy.’

‘I remember how you liked it from yesterday morning.’

He slid a plate piled high with poached eggs—yokes runny, just perfect—crispy bacon and hash browns towards her, accompanied by a lingering kiss that had her stiffening.

‘What’s wrong?’

‘Nothing,’ she said, far too quickly as she concentrated on dissecting her food with a knife and fork, wishing they didn’t have to have this conversation, knowing it was inevitable.

‘Beth, look at me.’

Sighing, she placed the cutlery neatly together in the centre of her plate, her appetite vanishing when she raised her gaze to meet his.

‘Was it something about last night? Because if it was—’

‘This isn’t about something you did.’

She dashed a hand across her eyes, shocked by the sudden sting.

She never cried, just as she never set out to fall for a guy who couldn’t settle in one place for long.

Well, well, looked like today was a day for firsts.

‘Then what? I don’t get it.’

He wiped his hands on the tea towel before flinging it on the breakfast bar and stepping around it, coming to an abrupt halt when she shrank away from him, hands held up to ward him off.

‘What the hell is going on?’

Her arms dropped to her sides and she shook her head, wishing there were an easy way to say this, all too aware there wasn’t.

‘This isn’t what I want.’

A frown creased his brow, confusion clouding his face. ‘What, breakfast?’