An Ambitious Engagement, page 14
“I was being considerate,” he said in a low voice, stroking a finger over the rapidly beating pulse point on her neck. “Letting you sleep a little longer. I definitely wasn’t planning on meeting Bentley without you. Are you kidding? He’d think I was scum if I left my fiancée behind for all the planned festivities.”
“We need to—” She sucked in a breath as he pinched her nipple.
“We really do.” He carried her to the long bench conveniently placed in the back of the shower stall and sat down with her straddling him. He gazed deep into her blue eyes, which had darkened and dilated, then lifted her up, slid halfway in, and held her there. “Say when.”
“When,” she whispered.
He dropped her onto him, taking her fully in one deep thrust. She cried out, and he nearly did the same. Sweet glory, she felt like heaven, hot and clasping him tightly. He lifted her again, and she whimpered. He dropped her, letting gravity sink him in deep. He groaned as she clenched around him. He felt like he was going to explode. She started to lift herself, wanting more, but he stopped her, grabbing her by the hips and holding her there, his cock halfway in. She went wild, trying to move, grabbing him everywhere. He waited her out, watched her struggle with her need and his want, and then she gave him what he most wanted.
“When,” she said softly.
He dropped her onto him, giving them both what they needed. She keened, and he felt the pleasure ripple through her. He dropped her again, and she screamed. He covered her mouth with his to keep her from bringing too much attention to their morning activities. She thrust her fingers in his hair, returning the kiss passionately. He stroked her center and guided her slowly up and down the length of him, gripping her firmly by the hip. She mewled for more, but he held her to his pace, wanting to let it build, wanting to watch her break hard, uncontrollably. He felt himself grow thicker just thinking about it. He gripped both of her hips and lifted her, pushing her nipple to the roof of his mouth, sucking hard and then letting his teeth scrape over her as he released her. She panted. He did the same to the other breast. She moved restlessly against him. He slowly lowered her onto him as she clenched and unclenched around him. She was close; he could feel it.
“Don’t come until I tell you to,” he rasped near her ear. He wanted it as badly as she did, but he also wanted her crazed. A full body shudder racked her.
“Please,” she said softly.
The soft voice, the plea, made him want to give her more. He gripped her hair and claimed her mouth in a hard kiss while his other hand moved her up and down on him, faster and faster. She was hot, mewling with need, clenching around him every time he ground her down. She tore her mouth from his. “Luke!” she cried.
“Not yet,” he told her, and angled her so he could stroke her on the inside. She screamed, and he muffled her with another kiss. He kept going, slowing things down so he’d last longer, so he could prolong it for her.
She threw her head back in total surrender, exposing her throat. He sucked on the cord of her throat as he pumped. She clamped down on him. He made her take more. She mewled and trembled and keened, waiting for his command, making him thicker and harder.
He thrust again, one long stroke. “Now.” She broke violently, her body racked with pleasure, which set him off. He pumped once, and she gasped. Twice, and she spasmed around him, still riding that wave, and the third time he let go. He came so hard his ears rang. When he landed back in reality, Kennedy was collapsed on him, her head resting on his chest, her arms loosely around his waist, still seated fully on him.
He kissed her temple. “I don’t think I could ever get enough of you.”
She looked up at him with a satisfied smile. “I hope you do.”
He stroked her cheek and cupped her jaw. “What does that mean? You want me to finish with you?”
“I want you to take everything you want from me,” she said simply.
His cock pulsed inside her. He placed a kiss on the side of her neck and scraped his teeth lightly over her. She shuddered.
“I can’t believe I want you again,” he growled in her ear.
“Take what you want,” she said softly.
His fingers curled into her hips. The soft voice, the open surrender made him want her more than he’d ever wanted anyone. Even after everything they just did.
He really couldn’t get enough of her. And his only thought was, how could he get more time with her?
But they didn’t have time. They had to meet Bentley and Candy. They had to finish this business deal. And then they’d be finished.
She bit his lower lip, the movement giving him a nice stroking. “If you have the stamina, Grand—”
He swatted her bottom. “Don’t you dare.” She was not going to get away with calling him Grandpa. Not after he’d showed her his much-longer-than-ten-minutes prowess.
She lifted her chin. He kissed that defiant little chin tenderly. Then he set her off him, stood, and grabbed one of the handheld shower nozzles. “Guess who’s about to get really clean?”
She grabbed for the other nozzle but he caught her wrist in a firm grip. Her breath came harder and her eyes dilated. He grinned and began a thorough soaking that had her first sputtering and then pleading and finally calling his name like a fucking halleluiah.
As she should be.
~ ~ ~
Kennedy had a mani-pedi with Candy, who she discovered was surprisingly astute when it came to Bentley’s business dealings. Was she, in fact, the one making decisions? Was that why she was at all of his business meetings? She didn’t know how to ask, but Candy had successfully run a luxury spa in Manhattan, where she’d started as a masseuse, built up her wealthy clientele, and then took over when the former owner retired. Candy had been toying with the idea of expanding the spa to other cities, but since getting married, her focus had been on Bentley.
“Don’t you want to go back to work?” Kennedy asked as they walked outside and down the path to the pool to meet the men.
“I’m still thinking about it,” Candy replied. “Marrying Bentley gave me different options. Right now I’m just having a good time.”
“I think I’d still need to work.”
“I’ve been working since I was five years old. I grew up on a farm in upstate New York. Chores before dawn, chores after school, chores all summer long.” She shook her head. “All that work and we were still dirt poor. I appreciate what I have now even more.”
Kennedy could relate to that. Her chores were different, but there had been many both before and after school. Not assigned chores, but work, nonetheless, that she took on at an early age in her quest to be wanted and needed by her family.
“There’s my beautiful wife,” Bentley called, heading for them.
Candy tossed a smile to Kennedy before rushing into his arms. They hugged and kissed like they hadn’t seen each other in days instead of just hours. Luke lay stretched out in a chaise lounge in his country-club attire—polo shirt, pressed shorts, and designer sandals. He raised a hand and gestured for her to join him.
She made a return gesture for him to come over to her.
He let out a sigh and made a big deal out of getting out of his chaise lounge that made her laugh. He crossed to her and stood in front of her. “Happy? You got me at your beck and call.”
She grinned. “Better than the other way around.”
“Did you get hot pink like I told you?”
She held up her hand to show him. “Pale lavender.”
“Toes?” he asked, scooping her up and cradling her in his arms to check for himself.
“Luke! Put me down!”
He checked out her toes. “Just clear, huh?”
“I don’t take toenail polish orders,” she said.
“No?” he asked with a devilish grin before tossing her over his shoulder. Her cheeks burned. What must Candy and Bentley think seeing her tossed around like a doll? At least she was wearing shorts and not the sundress. She smacked his back to no effect. “How about fingernail polish orders?”
“Put that poor girl down,” Candy called. “Her face is bright red.”
Luke walked with her back to the pool area, flipped her back to her feet, and grinned, looking mighty pleased with himself.
“Don’t do that again,” Kennedy said, giving his chest a shove.
He staggered back like she was extremely powerful, which gave her an idea. She gave him another shove. “Ever,” she added.
He staggered back again. One more step, and she’d have him where she wanted him.
“Uh, Luke,” Bentley started.
Luke turned. “What?”
Kennedy gave one final shove when he was distracted, and he toppled into the deep end fully clothed. He came up sputtering.
“Guess who’s coming in with me?” he asked.
“Not me,” she said, backing away.
“Run!” Candy hollered.
Luke swam toward the side of the pool and Kennedy took off for the house. He caught her around the waist, halfway to her destination, his soaking-wet clothes soaking her.
“Gotcha!” he said.
She fought like crazy and his arms just gripped her tighter. She went limp, strangely relaxed. “Luke, come on. I was just getting you back.”
“What’ll you give me?” he asked, his voice a suggestive rumble in her ear.
She turned in his arms to face him. “What do you want?”
“Information.”
“What kind of information?”
“Did you and Candy talk about Bentley’s financial future?”
She glanced back toward the pool area. Bentley and Candy were snuggled together on a chaise lounge, Candy sitting between Bentley’s legs. They seemed to be out of hearing range. “No.”
“Learn anything?”
“She’s a smart lady.”
He leaned down to her ear and whispered, “What else?”
“That’s it. What’d you and Bentley talk about?”
He pulled back and met her eyes. “We talked about his favorite things—Candy, sailing, and parties.”
“Anything on the financial front?”
He stroked her cheek. “Nope. He doesn’t want to talk about that.”
She took a deep breath. “Tomorrow we have to pin him down.”
“But today’s for fun,” he said with a grin before scooping her up in his arms and heading back to the pool.
Halfway there, she got a bad feeling. “Don’t you dare toss me in that pool, Reynolds!”
He grinned devilishly. “What’s it worth to ya, Ward?”
She lowered her voice. “I’ll let you tie me up.”
“Ha! You were going to let me do that anyway.”
“No, I wasn’t.”
He stopped abruptly. “Why not? You said you trusted me.”
“I do.”
He smiled at her tenderly. “Good.” He kept walking and stopped by the edge of the pool. “You a good swimmer?”
“Don’t!” She started a wild struggle, but he just held her tight.
“So feisty,” he said and jumped into the deep end with her in his arms. She came up sputtering and dunked him. Bentley and Candy laughed at their antics and jumped in with them fully clothed.
“Look what you started!” Luke accused her.
“Me!”
“You pushed me in first.”
She grinned and splashed him in the face. He splashed her back before lifting her and tossing her further into the pool. She swam under water and pinched his butt on her swim by, making him jump and whirl. She popped up on his other side for air, and he grabbed her, hauling her in and kissing her, before they both sank. For a moment the world was only the hot press of his mouth on hers. No sight, no sound, just a floating moment tethered to him.
They came up for air, swam over to the side of the pool, and hung on.
“When’s the happy day?” Bentley asked from where he and Candy were hanging out on the steps of the shallow end, not seeming to mind sitting there in dripping wet clothes.
“It is a good day,” Kennedy replied.
Luke lifted her by the waist and set her on the side of the pool. “He means our wedding day,” he said quietly before joining her.
Kennedy’s heart pounded. She’d almost forgotten her stupid lie. The entire reason she’d been invited for the weekend. “Oh. We haven’t set a date yet.”
“June is nice,” Candy said.
“You could have it here if you want,” Bentley offered with a smile. “Good memories of your stay with us, and we have plenty of space.”
Guilt stabbed at her. Here they were pulling the wool over these nice people’s eyes to score a business deal.
Luke stepped in. “That’s a very nice offer, but a church wedding is important to us.”
Kennedy nodded mutely. Luke stood, peeled off his shirt and wrung it out. She couldn’t even appreciate the view because she was racked with guilt. She stood too. They needed to make an excuse to leave before the lies got too thick.
“What about the reception?” Candy asked. “Did you like any of the brochures I showed you in my scrapbook? Ooh! You could tour Stone Haven if you don’t want it here. Remember that place?”
“It has to be inexpensive,” Kennedy blurted.
Candy and Bentley exchanged a puzzled look.
Luke dropped an arm over her shoulders and grinned. “She wants to blow a wad of cash on the honeymoon.”
“Ah, that makes sense,” Candy said. “Our honeymoon was fabulous!”
“I barely let her leave the hotel room,” Bentley added before they started sucking face.
Luke gripped her hand. “We’re going to change. Meet you back here for that sail.”
Candy waved over her shoulder while she continued kissing her billionaire husband.
Kennedy waited until they were nearly at the house before saying quietly to Luke, “We should tell them the truth.”
“The truth will only hurt them,” he said in a low voice.
“But they think we’re all friends.”
“We are friends.”
“But if they find out…” It wasn’t just losing the business. It was hurting two people who’d been nothing but generous to them.
He stopped and looked at her. “It doesn’t matter. They only have to believe until the end of the weekend. Then the deal is done.”
And so are we. The unspoken words hung in the air and a chill settled over her. She crossed her arms, hugging herself.
Luke’s mouth formed a grim line. “You’re getting a chill from those wet things. Let’s get you inside.”
“You don’t have to take care of me.”
“I’m not. I’m being practical. I want out of these wet things too. You’re the wench who tossed me in the pool first.” He tickled her, but she couldn’t laugh. An overwhelming sadness crashed over her. He lifted her chin and kissed her gently. “We still have two more days and one very naughty night.”
“You’re not tying me up.”
His hand squeezed hers. “Kennedy, by the end of tonight you’ll be begging me to do exactly that.”
“You wish.”
His dark blue eyes danced merrily. “I know.”
She found herself smiling. Why did his arrogant confidence make her happy? She should be irritated. But underneath all that, he was playing with her, and she’d had precious little playtime in her life.
Just enjoy this last bit, she reminded herself. Don’t think about the end.
He held up her hand. “You ruined your nails.”
The color was a little chipped. She put her arms around his neck and angled her body in a silent request to carry her again cradled in his arms. “You should see my toes.”
He scooped her up and carried her inside. “Just as bad, I’m afraid. Though you have to admit it’s all your fault.”
They argued back and forth happily all the way inside.
~ ~ ~
Luke refused to think of the end of his time with Kennedy. They still had two days before she’d want nothing to do with him. Two days where he could enjoy her and pretend she was his. Maybe it was exactly that time limit that made him feel so much for her. If he thought he was stuck with her for real, he’d probably be dying to cut ties. He’d always been that way. Always started to feel boxed in and needing his freedom.
They boarded Bentley’s sailboat and put on the requisite life vests. Bit of a disappointment because it covered Kennedy’s black bikini. They’d found their swimsuits freshly laundered and waiting for them when they got back to their room. Bentley was quite the sailor and they sped along, the sleek white boat leaning nearly vertically on the side where they all sat.
Kennedy gripped his arm tightly. “Are we supposed to be dipping this far into the water?” she hollered.
Bentley grinned and adjusted a rope on the sail. “It’s a racing sailboat. Don’t worry! The Sweetcakes is stable!”
“It’s named after me!” Candy added. She scooted closer to Bentley, who launched into a long explanation of which rope they should work to take advantage of the wind.
Kennedy white-knuckled the boat and him. Besides the fact they were about to get dunked in the Sound, it was a gorgeous breezy day out on the water.
“You do know how to swim?” he teased.
“Why? Am I going to fall in?”
He leaned his head back. “We’re practically dipping our heads in the water.” And going at a good clip too.
“I know!” she hollered, eyes wide.
He gave her a wicked grin. “I should tie you to the boat so you don’t fall overboard.”
She huffed, immediately onto his teasing about tying her up.
Of course, that just encouraged him. “It’s knot going to be easy to survive this. Get it, knot?”
“Ha-ha.”
He slid a hand over, gripping both her wrists in his. “We’ll be all tangled up. Don’t worry I know all the best knots to tie and untie.”
