Veiled Seduction (13 page)

“What did I say?” the man protested.

Leyla wiped the corner of Ash’s mouth. “Never mind that. You have been deliberately avoiding my brother.”

Ahhh. So this was the ringleader of the great picnic escapade. Yeah, he’d do well to avoid Sasha.

He rubbed the back of his neck. “Christ, Leyla. Can you blame me?”

“Not at all,” Maira said, before she could think.

Kieran threw back his head and laughed. “You must be his lady.”

She straightened up. This was Sasha’s friend—at least until Sasha murdered him—and she didn’t want him to think she was some awkward, shy thing. She was more than that. “I am his…lady.” Wow. Did that sound as silly as it felt to say?

Silly or not, it brought an odd sort of satisfaction. Why yes, she was Sasha Karimi’s lady. What of it?

Still grinning, he dropped down to the blanket and stuck out his hand. “I’m Kieran. I work with Sash.”

“Maira.” She took his hand gingerly, bemused when his big paw swallowed hers. Surreptitiously she flexed her fingers after he released her. Look at that, they were still intact.

Something tickled her memory. She rarely forgot anything, particularly names. Where did…? Oh. “Ah, yes.” Uncaring now of his awesome physical presence, she narrowed her eyes at the man. “You’re also the one who helped Sasha leave the hospital.”

A grin spread across Kieran’s face, revealing even white teeth, warming his bright green eyes. It surprised Maira, because the pure sweetness of the smile contrasted sharply with the tough, bunny-murderer vibe he had going on. “Yes, ma’am.”

“I hope you don’t make a habit of helping people disregard medical advice, Mr. Harrison.”

He ducked his head. “No, ma’am.”

Maira frowned. “Physicians generally have a good reason for insisting a patient remain in the hospital—”

Sasha cut her off as he sat down next to her. “Stop scaring the man, Maira.”

“I am not scaring him.”

“I’m actually a little terrified,” Kieran said seriously.

She glanced at the other man sharply. His face was sober, but the dancing mischief in his eyes prompted a reluctant smile to tug at her lips.

“You’re terrified of the wrong person,” Sasha said, his tone deceptively mild.

Uh-oh. Maira’s amusement vanished. “Sasha, let’s keep calm here…”

“What the hell were you thinking?”

Kieran held up his hands in supplication. “Okay, I admit it, I’m guilty. I swear, I had a really good reason to help plan all of this.”

Leyla narrowed her eyes at the other man while Sasha scowled. Even baby Ash folded her tiny arms over her chest and pouted. Mentally, Maira rolled her eyes. It was clear that deep emotions ran through the Karimi family.

You might spend a lot of time being the reasonable one. The thought wasn’t abhorrent…she actually kind of liked the idea of a regular role in this family. “I’d like to hear the reason.”

Kieran gave her a relieved smile, and she tried to broadcast her encouragement. She hoped the extenuating circumstances really were valid, or Kieran was going to have to deal with a lot of grudge-holding from his friend. Surprisingly, she kind of liked the big guy.

“The school was planning an assembly. Full press coverage and everything. The captain was going to pretty much order Sasha to show up. Since Sasha has too much respect for the man to ignore a direct order, he would have had to go and then get up and make a speech of acceptance at a podium. Here, there’s no press, no microphone, and he’s got friendly faces. I thought this was better.”

Baby Ash chortled in her mother’s arms and stretched toward her uncle. Sasha absentmindedly took her, smoothing her pink-striped sundress as he studied his friend. His anger was gone, replaced by pensiveness. “How did you know…?”

“Man, I’m not stupid. We’ve been working together for years, and I saw you freeze up when I drove you home and those reporters started freaking out in your driveway.” Kieran hesitated. “It’s no big deal. Hell, I like my privacy too.”

Maira made up her mind quickly. The other man may not know exactly what Sasha’s issue was, but the important thing was that he’d been sensitive enough to know there was a problem, and he’d done his best to mitigate the negative. That was the mark of a real friend. “I think this was a very nice thing for Kieran to do.”

Sasha cocked his brow at her. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” She flushed when Sasha wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her neck. His sister was right there, for crying out loud.

Leyla didn’t look at all upset about the PDA, though. If anything, her expression was stamped with satisfaction. “I think Maira’s right. This is far better than a news conference, isn’t it?”

“Immeasurably. Though it would have been nice, Kieran, to get at least some warning about it.”

“You wouldn’t have come,” he said simply.

Sasha considered that. “Probably not.”

“Not,” his niece agreed solemnly.

Leyla’s face lit up as she retrieved the toddler from her uncle. “She’s never said that word before!”

“My genius is rubbing off on her,” Sasha said, very solemnly.

“So am I forgiven?” Kieran gave his friend an entreating look that somehow did not manage to look ridiculous on his tough face.

Sasha pretended to consider the matter until Maira elbowed him sharply in the side. “Oof. Yeah, yeah. You’re forgiven. But if you pull another stunt like this, I’ll…”

“Sure, sure, you’ll kill me. Now come on, the guys want to play some soccer. You in?”

Sasha glanced at Maira. “You okay here?”

“Absolutely. Go.”

“I’ll keep her company,” Leyla said.

They watched as the men jogged away toward the field. Maira smiled as Sasha fully loosened up in the midst of his usual group of friends.

“It’s been a fun day, hasn’t it?” Leyla asked. “Even though it seems to have tuckered Ash out.”

Maira smiled at the baby, who had left her mother’s lap to curl up in the shade on the blanket. As she watched, the little girl’s droopy eyelids shut. “Very fun.” Surprisingly so. The day could officially be called a success. Sure, it had taken a couple hundred folks, but it appeared as though Sasha finally believed people couldn’t care less what he said or how he said it. As the crowd had thinned, he’d even relaxed enough to mingle a little without her. As for herself, she’d actually had fun being forced out of her comfort zone.

“Maira…shoot, there’s no way to say this without sounding sappy, but after watching you with Sasha, I just have to tell you how happy I am to see you and my brother together. The two of you are perfect.”

The warmth in the other woman’s eyes couldn’t be feigned. Maira smiled. “Thank you. The sappiness is entirely appreciated.”

They were silent for a moment, watching the shenanigans on the field. Leyla’s voice was very quiet as she continued. “I worried, you know, that Sasha would never find someone. When the shooting happened…” Leyla shuddered, and Maira felt goose bumps launch on her own skin. Even after more than a month, it was still difficult to think of the danger he had been in. “I couldn’t stop thinking that he couldn’t die without knowing the kind of love and happiness I’ve found with Mason.”

Sincerity and pain rang in Leyla’s words. Maybe it was too much, too soon, but Maira wanted to ease the shadows she saw in Leyla. “I love him,” she said.

The other woman closed her eyes. When she opened them again, they were shiny. “I know. You don’t know how happy that makes me.”

They shared a look of feminine camaraderie before Leyla leaned back on her hands. “He’s treating you right then? I know all the secrets to whip that boy into shape.”

The question was light, so Maira answered it similarly. “Of course. Everything’s going great.” Except for the fact that your brother thinks that we shouldn’t go past first base. That isn’t so great.

Yeah, she wouldn’t be telling Leyla about that little problem. Not only would it be awkward, it sounded stupid. By all appearances, yes, Sasha was treating her wonderfully. It was a proper courtship. Their conversations were intimate. He brought her flowers, they’d gone out to dinner, lunch. Last night, when she’d been tired, they’d curled up in front of his TV, with her head on his lap. She’d fallen asleep there, waking up in the early hours to find him asleep as well, his head resting against the couch.

“You don’t sound sure,” Leyla murmured.

She plucked at a strand of grass. “I feel ungrateful,” she blurted out.

“Why?”

Oh, Christ, she shouldn’t have said anything. How could she tell Sasha’s sister that she felt like an idiot for being irritated that the man wasn’t trying to get her into bed? “Never mind.”

“Honey, tell me. Maybe I can help.”

“No, no…it’s nothing.” She shifted, about to stand up and run away.

“Did Sasha tell you how poorly he behaved when he found out me and Mason were having sex?”

The words and topic were so unexpected, Maira’s butt stayed planted on the ground. “What?”

Leyla smiled. “He punched Mason in the face.”

“Oh…wow.”

“Do you know why he did it?” Leyla didn’t wait for her to answer, but waved a hand. “Oh, I can imagine that most brothers don’t want their friends sleeping with their sisters, on principle alone. But, see, in Sasha’s mind, I was standing on a pedestal, and angels don’t sully themselves with a crazy torrid affair. It didn’t matter that I was with a man he would die for. My brother has a history of being a blind, stubborn, loveable idiot. Once that boy gets an idea in his head, it is completely impossible to knock it loose, unless you dynamite it out of there.”

Maira stared at Leyla. Light bulb.

She didn’t know how Leyla had figured out that something was up, but she wasn’t going to question it. Her insight into Sasha’s personality made everything click together.

I’m not messing this up, Maira.

She’d known from the minute she’d admitted her inexperience that Sasha had interpreted it to mean she was some sweet, innocent thing. He’d written off her aggressiveness as being spurred by her distraught state of mind over the shooting. Emotional and psychological trauma. Her. Ass.

Yes, she was young and inexperienced, but by God, she was a woman who knew what she wanted. Today had proved that she could be bold and in charge. She’d waited long enough, hadn’t she? For a man in general and for Sasha in particular. Why the hell had she laid down and meekly followed his lead?

What if he’s not ready for sex?

Well then, the man should just say so instead of couching it in terms that made it all about her. The anger that she’d tamped down for the past week as she told herself again and again how sweet and kind Sasha was being broke free. She welcomed it, allowed it to warm herself. If he thought she would just sit by and wait for him to decide the milestones in their relationship, he had another think coming.

“Do you think anyone would mind if Sasha and I cut out a little early?”

For a second, she thought she saw pure satisfaction on Leyla’s face, but then it was gone, leaving innocence in its place. “That would be fine. It’s clearing out anyway.”

Maira’s brain was racing almost as much as her heart as she stood, her eyes on Sasha where he now stood talking to some women. “Great. See you later. Thanks so much.” Leyla couldn’t know how much Maira appreciated this talk.

“You’re too obvious of a meddler, sweetheart. I need to teach you a thing or two about subtlety.”

Leyla gave him a smile as Mason dropped down next to her. “You heard?”

“Enough.” He nodded toward Sasha and Maira as they walked to the parking lot. “They make a nice couple. What did I tell you?”

“You called it, all right.”

“So what was up with the big talk? It sounded like girl code to me.”

“Mmm. When I talked to Sasha a couple of days ago, I asked him how things were going with him and Maira.”

“You’re so nosy.”

“Please. Anyway, he let it slip that things were going according to his plan. Of course that set off my warning bells.”

He played with a piece of grass and stared at his wife’s sweet, expectant face. Even after knowing her for a lifetime and being married to her for a few years, he still had trouble figuring out how her brain worked. “Because…why?”

She let out a rough sigh, as if he were a simpleton incapable of capturing the simplest of concepts. “Ma-son. He said things were going exactly according to his plan. You know how ridiculous my brother is. When you told me what really happened between Maira and Sasha when they had their fight—”

Mason winced at that. Sasha would kill him if he found that out. How his best friend hadn’t yet discovered how difficult it was for him to keep secrets from his wife, he didn’t know. Nobody should tell him anything if they didn’t want Leyla to hear about it shortly.

“—I realized how absolutely crazy for him Maira was. When I asked him what his plan entailed, all he would say was that it was none of my business but I’d approve because he was being very cautious and considerate of Maira. If he conducts this relationship with the idea that she’s some precious little girl who can’t be touched, he’s going to lose her.”

As she caught her breath, Mason continued to stare at her. He chewed on his blade of grass and stared some more. Then he shrugged. “’Kay.”

She smiled smugly. “You think I’m crazy. Maira confirmed everything. Trust me, I fixed things.”

“If you say so. Hey, want to see if Junie can watch Ash for a little bit while she sleeps? We can go make out somewhere.”

“Mason!”

“You’re no fun since we got caught last week,” he grumbled. “And that janitor’s closet was totally your idea to start with.”

Maira was ready to seduce her man.

And this time, she meant it.

There was no time for hours of getting ready. After the day outside in the hot sun, her plain cotton shirt stuck to her skin. The underwear she had on underneath was serviceable at best. The makeup she’d put on hours ago had faded.

She sat quietly while they drove to her house, responding to his small talk with an occasional murmur. She didn’t bother to let doubt enter her mind or rehearse what she would say to him.

Actions spoke louder than words. Hadn’t she learned that?

He parked directly behind her car and turned to her. She cut him off before he could say anything, or worse, kiss her good night. “Come inside.” She didn’t phrase it as a request, and she didn’t wait for his agreement. She simply got out of the car and started walking to the door.

He spoke from behind her as she fit the key into the lock and turned it. “Did you want to watch some TV for a while?”

“No.”

“No?”

“I don’t feel like it.”

Even though he stood behind her, she could sense his slight surprise at her flat statement as she opened the door and stepped inside the cool foyer. He followed her in. She shut the door and locked it, the click ominously loud.

“What do you want to do?”

She looked up at him slowly, not shying away from meeting his gaze. “Take off your clothes.”

He blinked and gave a short laugh. It took him a moment to realize she wasn’t joining in on the joke. “You— What?”

“Take. Off. Your. Clothes.” She enunciated each word.

“Um…are you feeling okay, Maira?”

She walked forward, slightly amused he took a step backward every time. “I’m feeling great. Wonderful.” She kicked off her shoes, uncaring of where they went sailing.

“What are you doing?”

“If I need to tell you…” she undid the button on the waistband of her jeans and then the zipper, “…I don’t think I’m doing it right.”

“Sweetheart, did something bad happen today? Is that why you’re acting like this?” Sasha butted up against the back of her chintz floral sofa. He appeared, she noted, more than a little trapped and desperate. It looked good on him.

“Nope. I’m setting some dynamite.”

“I don’t get it.”

“I know. Why aren’t you taking off your clothes again?” She allowed the waistband of her jeans to gape open.

His gaze slid over her, and when he looked back up, she was thrilled to see all of the passion and excitement she’d been the object of back in his kitchen when she’d attacked him. He banked it quickly, but by God it was there. It was hers. She thought she heard him mumble something about a number three.

“Tell me something, Sasha,” she said conversationally as she did a quick hip bump to skim the pants down her legs and then kicked the clothing aside. His hands clenched the sofa behind him, his eyes burning a path of fire down her bare legs. Her shirt covered her top half, the panties hid the important bits, but even this much nudity was more than she’d ever done with any guy.

No reservations this time. No hiding.

“Tell me, why is it that you won’t sleep with me? Is it me? Do I not appeal to you?”

The answer was in his eyes, and she took heart from that, as well as the swift shake of his head.

“Is it that you’re not ready to have sex with me?”

His half-snort of laughter was both pained and embarrassed. “Are you kidding me?”

“Then it’s me you think isn’t ready?”

He gave a brief sigh. “I told you I’d give you time. I don’t want to…”

“Mess this up,” she finished. “You won’t.”

“I’m not good at relationships, Maira. That’s why I almost lost you before. That’s why I came up with this plan. That’s why I’m going to control myself and stick to it.”

“Even if I don’t want your control?” she yelled, startling them both. She took a deep breath and grabbed for some calm. “Sasha. It’s sweet, really. And any other time I’d be so thrilled, so flattered. But…not now. I’ve had time. I’ve known for two years that I love you, that I—”

“What?” He blinked. “What did you say?”

“I love you, you big blind idiot. I’ve waited for you long enough, and—mmph.”

She didn’t even see him move, but before she could blink, he was crushing her body against his. His mouth came down over hers with such force her teeth rattled. Oh, yes. This was what she wanted, what she needed. She closed her eyes and opened her mouth to him, to his demanding lips and tongue and teeth.

It was a shock when he pulled away to rest his forehead against hers, his heavy breaths gusting over her lips. “You are…so important to me. I didn’t realize how much until I thought I didn’t have you anymore. I don’t want to screw this up.”

Her heart caught. “You won’t. Honestly, if the events of the last few weeks hadn’t happened, I’d say let’s take it slow. But when you got shot…” She held up her hand to forestall him. “Don’t tell me that I shouldn’t let my emotional response color our relationship. It happened. It’s the way I feel. I—I don’t want to waste any more time, Sasha.”

Worry darkened his eyes. “But it’s barely been a month.”

She gave a half-laugh. “We’ve been going to movies and dinner and bowling for two years, Sash. How much more time do you need to get to know me?”

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely. And one more thing…”

“What?”

“Don’t treat me like some breakable little doll. I want you really badly. I want you to show me how badly you want me.” She licked her lips. “You can use dirty words.”

He grinned, slow and confident. He suddenly looked younger than he had in the entire past month, the same carefree Sasha she had fallen in love with. “Can I?”

“Yes.”

“And can I…” he put his lips next to her ear, “…do dirty things to you?”

Graphic images ran through her brain. “Oh my, yes.”

“Good.” His hands went to the buttons of her shirt. “I love all your buttons. Whenever I see them, I just think about ripping them off.”

“Okay.”

He laughed at her eagerness and spread her shirt open. “Next time.” With a reverent touch, he traced over the wide scalloped strap of the bra. The undergarment felt almost too tight against her flesh. Particularly when he idly tugged at the material so her nipples popped free and then arranged it so her breasts were propped up. Already hard, they rested over the confining fabric as if they were being offered to him.

He dropped his hand and began unbuttoning his shirt. She swallowed. “Do you want to go to the bedroom?”

He glanced up, his eyes hot. “I thought you wanted to get dirty?”

She licked her lips. “Here will do.” For dirty, she’d gladly sacrifice a bed.

She was like a goddess come to life. A really hot goddess.

The shirt hung open on either side of her. Her perfect breasts were framed by simple, serviceable white cotton. He’d always thought of himself as a black satin kind of man, but Maira wore mundane really well. Especially when her little brown nipples rested on the shelf of her bra, as if they were in the middle of a particularly tasty confection.

Dirty. He could do dirty. He could also do crazy with lust over her.

How could he have misread his woman so badly?

Sasha pushed those thoughts to the side. Later would be soon enough to castigate himself. Right now, he just wanted to make Maira’s first time as dirty and raunchy and…well, loving, as she deserved.

The panties she wore were as plain and simple as the bra, a white bikini. His gaze kept ping-ponging between the three triangles that kept her from his touch. He couldn’t decide which he liked more, the intriguing delta between her thighs or the nipples that were so lewdly popped out of her bra, waiting for his mouth.

“You’re not touching me.”

Somehow he managed to glance up at her purring voice. Hell, who knew Maira could even sound like that. He left his shirt hanging open. If he undressed, he wouldn’t be able to keep from bending her over the couch and fucking her right here. “I’m trying to figure out what I want to touch first.”

“Start somewhere.” Her tone was impatient. She traced a finger along the strap of her bra.

Utilitarian cotton and seductive gestures. His lady was a study in contrasts. “Being dirty doesn’t mean we have to rush.”

She frowned, clearly more than ready to dive into bed. He was equally aroused and flattered. “C’mere.” He caught her hand and turned her so she was backed up against the couch. He had no plan in mind anymore. He simply wanted her as ready for him as he could make her.

While he did that, he could have a little bit of fun.

He caught the sides of her shirt between his thumb and forefinger. “I haven’t been with a woman for a while.” Gently, as if he were unveiling something precious, he pushed the shirt off her shoulders. “About three years.”

Her body went still.

He continued on, as if he didn’t notice, tossing her shirt to the side. “I know that’s not a very macho thing to admit. But it seemed like everyone around me was finding their soul mates and I kind of lost my desire for sleeping with anyone.” He ran his thumb along the edge of the bra, stopping just a hairsbreadth away from her nipple. He looked into her dark eyes. “And then I met you. I don’t think I realized it, but I think, all this time, I was waiting for you.”

A shimmer rose in her eyes. “I think we’ve both been waiting long enough, don’t you?”

Hell yes. Something broke inside of him. His voice didn’t sound very much like him at all. “I’d planned on being gentle.”

“I just want you. However I can get you.”

The beast within him howled in happiness. The time for talk was done.