Chapter 9
He took the time to settle by going into his suite and taking a shower. The early morning lovemaking had turned into two and left them both wrung out. So, instead of staying and taking a shower with her as he had yearned to do, he decided it was prudent to escape to his own quarters.
He also needed time to evaluate and examine this, these emotions tumbling through him at an alarming rate.
The warm water did nothing to alleviate the tension pulsing through him or tamp down the desire.
Switching to cold water only had him swearing profusely at the difference in temperature.
While it did something for his physical need, it was useless against the thoughts rioting through his head.
Okay, so he was stuck. Grabbing two towels, he dried his body and hair vigorously as he stood there in front of the double mirrors. There were red welts on his chest, and he could feel some on his back as well. The lovemaking had taken a vigorous turn. He had left marks on her as well.
Christ! He had all but devoured her breasts, her stomach, her bloody neck, sucking on her skin as if he were a vampire in search of blood. Another fun fact, he thought grimly as he continued to scrub at his skin with more force than necessary. He had never felt this way before.
This madness had never presented itself. He had always been in control and a little aloof when it came to lovemaking. That was in the past. Not even with a woman he fancied himself in love with.
Perhaps it was different and more intense because Ingrid was voluptuous. He had almost put in the black issues, but he had been with black women before. So that wasn't it. He had never been with a woman of her size and shape before.
That ought to be it. All those curves and she was tall. He nodded as if that settled the problem. It was a novelty being with someone like her. Not to mention the fact that she was super smart and outspoken.
He had also never been with a woman who wasn't afraid to speak her mind. And her wit was razor sharp. She also happened to like action flicks, the kind he preferred, and could argue a point until midnight.
Satisfied with his reasoning for the madness between them, he set about getting dressed.
Even as he tugged on his clothes, he couldn't help but replay every moment in his mind, each touch and gasp etched into his memory.
The ache inside him wasn't just physical.
It was the kind of longing that left him restless, searching for answers he couldn't quite articulate.
The way she looked at him lingered, a challenge and a promise all at once, making him wonder what might happen the next time they collided.
But his careful deductions and analyses were shot to hell when he stepped into the kitchen half an hour later. She had gone for turquoise this morning. The dress was cashmere and clung to every enticing curve. She had on knee high tan leather boots that matched the jacket she teamed with the dress.
Her hair, the mass of coils tipped with red, were loose and her complexion was flawless as usual. This did not look like a woman who had been up almost half the night, engaging in some very steamy lovemaking. This one looked powerful and ready to take on the world.
And he yearned. Christ Jesus! This was getting ridiculous.
"Hey."
"Hey." Deliberately sidestepping her, he went towards the coffee pot. "Thanks for making coffee."
"Welcome."
He jolted when she came over and brushed by him. "I figure go cups. We're running late."
He stepped back and let her deal with it. Her scent was all over him, inside him, around him. He couldn't get away from her.
"We need to talk."
She came back with the go cups and put them on the counter.
"Now?"
"Hmm. But first..." She took him completely by surprise as she stepped forward and into him. With the boots she had on, they were eye to eye, and he was drowning in hers when she wrapped herself around him. The touch of her lips had him going under and he did not mind.
After a beat, he banded his hands around her waist and devoured the mouth she willingly offered. Everything he had told himself while inside his suite went to hell.
He took them deeper, the taste of her seeping into every cell, every vein and major arteries. She swamped him. His hands wandered up and down her back as he molded her body against his. Leaving her lips, he cruised against her cheek and then down to the side of her neck. "We should go back to bed."
"No. We have to stop."
"Can't." His mouth came back to hers to sip and nibble, sending her tumbling. "You started it. I was prepared to ignore you."
"What? Oh God. McCreary, Kyle." Her fingers clutched at his shoulders as he pulled her bottom lip between his teeth. Heat seared and simmered through her body, sending off flames.
He backed her up against the counter, one hand sliding her dress up. The feel of nylon almost sent him spinning. "I need you."
"Wait." She slapped a hand on his chest and managed to push him an inch. Her eyes were blurry, her heart doing triple time. "Just let me... God!" She blew out a breath and the look on her face had him feeling a whole lot better.
Her lips were swollen, and her glorious eyes were bright with passion.
"Just let me get this out, while I still have some brain cells left.
We go on as before when we get to the office.
I don't want the 'rents to think they have scored a major point and get smug.
We pretend we're still hating each other. "
"For how long?"
"I don't know. I can't think."
"What's the name of the scent you're wearing?" He almost grinned at the look of confusion on her lovely face.
"What?"
"Your perfume. What's it called?"
"Romano's Seduction. What does that have to do with anything?"
"It's doing the job."
She blinked and shook her head when he leaned in. "We have to go. Oh hell." Grabbing the lapel of his jacket, she hauled him in and sent his pulse scrambling with a kiss that curled his toes. Tearing her mouth from his, she burrowed against him and took several deep breaths. "This is crazy."
"I concur." His hands trailed up and down her back.
"Okay. Okay." She took several deep breaths before lifting her head to look at him.
"Here's the deal. Obviously, we're gone on each other.
I have no idea what the hell that means, but we have something.
A lot of something. So..." She took another deep breath.
"I'm going to get territorial and say something I would never normally say. "
"Like?"
"If I find that you're seeing that actress, even having tea in a public restaurant with her, I'm going to go batshit crazy and probably do something I won't regret, like, like going a round with her.
And then I'm going a round with you, possibly doing bodily damage snipping off some much-needed appendage.
" She showed her teeth when he grinned. "I mean it, McCreary.
I never asked for this and here we are. So we're officially married.
For better or worse and I'm not sharing. "
"Do I get any say in all of it?" He was delighted to have her set out the rules, because he had no intention of being with anyone else.
"None."
"Somehow, that doesn't seem fair. What if I find out you're locking lips and looks with Brad from accounting?"
She stared at him in surprise.
"You don't think I noticed he takes every opportunity to touch you? Rumors are you two were a thing."
"For one night. We were working late on some financing and we... there was a moment. Oh stop looking at me like that!"
"In the office?"
"Yes. So?"
He grinned at her belligerent tone. "So I expect him to keep his bloody distance."
"We happen to work together."
"From a distance. Same rules apply, McCreary."
She bristled, but that was just for show, and she loved that he called her by her married name.
"Okay. Fine. We have to go."
"One more."
"No."
"Yes." Clamping his hand around her throat, he bent his head and closed his mouth over hers. When he withdrew, she had to grab hold of the counter to steady herself.
"I need a minute."
"Take it." His tone was smug as he went to grab their cups.
"Same car?"
"Nope. I have some rounds to make."
"I'll grab our jackets."
He watched her as she moved away, her silhouette sharp against the morning light streaming in from the window.
The air between them vibrated with everything unspoken, an electric charge that neither one wanted to break just yet.
In the thick moments of quiet, both knew that what happened here, this intensity, would have to be carefully concealed once they stepped outside.
*****
It was weird going back to work as a married woman. She had left not less than a week ago, not having any idea that her life was about to be altered. A lot had happened during those days. She had strained against the decision to the arranged marriage and had been determined to continue hating Kyle.
A couple of days later, that had changed, drastically. Now she was pretty sure she was on the way of falling head over heels in love with a man she had previously held in contempt.
And she still had her misgivings. He was gorgeous and she could never be sure of a man who was better looking than she was. He had been a playboy in the past, skipping from one woman to the next. She had always avoided those. Her confidence had been battered by her mother since she was a child.
It had taken years for her not to care about her appearance or come to accept that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. Besides which, Romano's carried a plus-sized wardrobe that was second to none. Clothes designed to flatter her curves.
She knew she looked damn good. But Kyle McCreary was mouthwateringly handsome and downright sexy. And he had previously been involved with a stunning actress. No matter how confident she had become, there was still a twinge. And now her damn heart was involved.