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  He stole another covetous glance toward the stilettos. “I have plans for those shoes. You naked…except for the shoes,” he growled. “We’re buying a replacement pair when you mail these.”

  She laughed and wrapped her legs around his hips. “If I wear the shoes we could probably try that chair thing again and this time I could be in control.”

  The shoes still didn’t give her enough leverage but Rhys didn’t seem to mind.

  Chapter Six

  Rhys stood back, watching from across the room as Bella dazzled Griffin Holloway, the oldest board member still serving from his grandfather’s reign as CEO of the Vincent Foundation. Griff probably remembered dancing with someone wearing the midnight blue number from the fifties that Bella wore tonight. It had long scrunchy sleeves and a deep V-neck with an even deeper V-back. Almost everyone else was in red or white, the signature colors for the Vincent Foundation.

  Only Bella’s shoes were red. Sexy red stilettos that he knew he was going to miss when she mailed them off at the end of March.

  She was smiling as if she owned the world or at least her little corner of it. That seemed to be all it took to make her happy. Tonight they were playing dress-up until he could get her home to her cozy little apartment and slide her out of all that slippery blue velvet.

  Undressing her was always an adventure. He never knew what he was going to find. He couldn’t make up his mind whether the white satin tap pants or the matching black lace garters and panties were his favorite. He was imagining them both when he caught a glimpse of Veronica.

  He knew that narrow-eyed look and had expected it after he’d spotted Brian. He was still getting away with looking like a dark, fallen angel in a tailored tux. Rhys didn’t want to have to play referee tonight. If they could just avoid one another until after dinner and the awards ceremony—and thank you whoever was listening to his silent plea because Ronnie, elegant and aloof in a blood-red gown, seemed to be ignoring her estranged husband.

  His relief was temporary. Ronnie’s smile turned cold and predatory and in the blink of an eye she was making a beeline for Bella. He started across the room to intercept her when Brian caught his eye and smiled for the three seconds it took to follow his gaze. His smile faltered and died completely. He watched Brian square his shoulders and head for the eye of the impending storm.

  Neither of them made it before Ronnie planted herself in front of Bella, edging a surprised Griffin out of her way.

  “Ronnie,” Brian barked, before Rhys could reach her.

  Bella whirled around. “Martin?” She glanced between Ronnie and Brian.

  “Is that what he called himself,” Ronnie sneered, “when he used to sneak up your stairs at night?” She glared at Brian as Rhys reached Bella’s side.

  “This isn’t the time or the place, Ronnie,” Brian growled. “And it’s not what you think.”

  “Isn’t it? You have to be screwing somebody and it certainly isn’t me,” she threw back at him.

  Rhys heard a collective gasp from behind him and didn’t bother to turn around. It didn’t matter who’d just heard Ronnie’s accusation, the gossip would spread in a matter of minutes. People halfway across the room were already talking in hushed whispers.

  Bella looked stunned. When he slipped his arm around her he could feel the slight tremor that ran through her body.

  “You weren’t looking for a fedora the night you dragged me into Bella’s shop, were you?” Rhys asked Veronica, already knowing the answer.

  A bitter smile pinched her pale face. “I put the fedora on the list because I knew where it was. You might have outbid me but the result was the same. Fifteen thousand dollars insured that she’d be invited tonight. I should have gone alone though,” she said, glancing over at Bella. “Now you’ve snared this poor son of a bitch too.”

  “That’s enough Ronnie,” Rhys said, just managing to keep his voice even. “You’ve tested the boundaries of my friendship lately but you just went over the line. You can apologize to Bella or you can leave.”

  “She’s leaving,” Brian growled. “Get your things and I’ll get the car.”

  She whirled on him. “Oh now you decide to assert your manhood.”

  Brian blanched beneath his natural olive complexion. “I don’t have much left to assert, but yes. I am.”

  Bella squeezed his arm but Rhys had already noticed that Brian’s quiet statement seemed to grab Veronica’s attention. Brian squared his shoulders and sighed. “I’m sorry Rhys. I’m responsible for this situation getting out of hand because I was a coward. And Bella didn’t deserve any of this. You were nothing but kind,” he said, turning to face Bella. “And I’m sorrier than you’ll ever know.”

  When Ronnie didn’t make any effort to move, Brian gently took her arm and Rhys heard him murmur, “There’s something you need to know,” before he led her away.

  People were still staring and Bella was looking around. She leaned into Rhys and her shoulders were trembling.

  “I’d rather not continue to be this evening’s entertainment,” she whispered.

  “I don’t think there’s any way around it,” Rhys managed with a wry grin that was meant to reassure her.

  “I’m the only one who isn’t involved directly with tonight’s fundraiser. I don’t need to be here to be recognized. If I’m out of the equation you can shift the focus back to what’s important.”

  “If you run, you’ll look guilty,” he said, not wanting to give up his hold on her.

  “If you make this about how I look instead of what this evening is about then you defeat the purpose of your Foundation. Do you really want to make the donors more nervous than they already are? I don’t.”

  Bella glanced anxiously around the room and people were still stealing covert glances at them. Rhys’ arm tightened around her.

  “I can always find more donors,” he said and when she looked up he was smiling down at her. “There isn’t anyone in my life who’s irreplaceable but you.”

  She smiled back because it was either that or burst into tears. “You know, if I wasn’t already in love with you, I would be now.”

  He shrugged, still holding on to her. “I know,” he whispered.

  But Ronnie’s shrill voice echoed from the hallway and the tension in the room escalated.

  Bella shook her head. “This is getting out of hand.”

  A few minutes later she was in a cab. When she was situated Rhys leaned forward, slid his hand behind her head and kissed her hard—a claim that thrilled her to her toes.

  “You’ll need this,” she said, slipping a key into his hand. “I was going to give it to you tonight so you can get in whenever I deadbolt the door.”

  “I’ll be there as soon as I wrap this up. And Bella, I’m starting to know how your mind works and I know you didn’t know he was married.”

  * * * * *

  She stripped out of the blue velvet gown, now crushed and wrinkled and hung it in its garment bag. She hadn’t worn a bra or underwear but she dealt with her garter belt and stockings in one swift motion and stepped beneath the shower spray.

  The water was hot, the soap was fragrant and she was nowhere near relaxed. The evening hadn’t turned out quite the way she’d thought it would. In retrospect, her first ball had been…memorable. Maybe next year they could hire a circus to entertain.

  She turned off the shower and heard the downstairs door rattle, footsteps up the stairs. The third one from the top squeaked and she grabbed a towel. The bathroom door opened and there he stood, disheveled, still in his tux, tie undone and the top button of his shirt open. There was snow in his hair and his eyes were bloodshot.

  How the hell could he be so sexy with bloodshot eyes? Probably because he was looking at her as if he could eat her alive.

  “Are you okay?” she asked, because as much as she wanted him, he did look like absolute hell.

  His gaze roamed over her towel-draped breasts and he smiled and made a humming sound in his throat that curle
d her toes.

  “I am now. Brian sends his apologies—again. He said he should have thanked you for listening to him instead of just disappearing but you became another woman he was disappointing and he was disgusted with himself.” He grimaced and shook his head. “I should have figured it out. I can’t even imagine living with someone I love and not being able to make love to them. I can’t imagine seeing you every day and not being able to make love to you. I thought Ronnie was going to kill him when she found out. She still might.”

  “I don’t blame her. Promise me you’ll never be that stupid.”

  “Trust me. After what I just witnessed, you don’t have anything to worry about. When I left them, she was still calling him a stupid son of a bitch for wasting a year of their lives but she was also promising whatever happened, they’d figure it out.”

  “Well, that’s a step in the right direction. Did everything settle down after I left?”

  He extended one cold finger and snagged her towel. She let it drop and her nipples puckered, hardened. His gaze grew hotter.

  “You were right. After Brian and Ronnie took their argument to another room the focus shifted back to the donors and everyone remembered why we were there. Griff told me that you got a standing ovation by the way—for the fedora contribution.”

  “You didn’t hear it?”

  He frowned. “I was refereeing.” He leaned forward and blew warm air over her distended nipple. “And all I could think about was getting back to you.” He reached for her and she stepped away, the back of her thighs hitting the rolled lip of the tub.

  “You do realize that it’s freezing in here and I took a shower to get warm?”

  He grinned. “Pay attention woman. I’m trying to make you warm.”

  She laughed in spite of the fact that she was starting to sprout goose bumps. “Try harder.”

  He leaned forward, placed his hands on the wall behind her and caged her with his very large body. He was still cold from outside and her nipples weren’t the only part of her body that tingled now.

  “Kiss me,” he whispered against her lips. She leaned forward and he wrapped his cold arms around her and she squealed.

  He shrugged out of his coat and flung it out the door then jerked at his shirt buttons.

  She licked her lips and they curved into an I’m-going-to-rock-your-world smile.

  Oh yeah.

  He toed off his shoes and tripped over them as he slid his pants over his hips. His tie went with his shirt until he was standing in her miniscule bathroom, taking up all the space.

  Hell, his erection took up most of the room. He hoped she wasn’t going to want fierce sex in a room he could barely turn around in. She stepped from the tub and the room got smaller. It ceased to matter when she reached down and wrapped her fingers around his hardening cock.

  “Oh my,” she whispered reverently as she tugged him out of the room toward that crazy, squeaky bed that even if they replaced he was always going to remember.

  She gripped him harder, sliding her hand a fraction of an inch as he followed. He bit his lip when she wrapped her fingers tighter.

  She turned and backed him into the side of the bed then let go of his cock and used her fingertips pressed against his chest to push him. He fell back willingly and waited for her to come down beside him on the cool sheets.

  She was still damp and rosy from her shower and her nipples peaked in the cold air. He could almost feel them draw up against his tongue. Her smile was calculating. Oh yeah, he wanted whatever she was planning.

  His breath seized in his chest as she hovered over him, dragging her plump breasts across his lips, dipping one nipple into his waiting mouth while he drew the other between his fingers. She slid her slick warm pussy against his stomach and flattened his erection between her moist inner lips.

  “Feeling warmer?” he asked when he could finally breathe.

  She leaned back, her breasts lifting as she arched and stretched against his cock. He almost came and he wasn’t inside her yet. That was not going to happen.

  She arched again, stroked against him and her pussy was so hot he nearly went insane. “I’m getting there.” He grabbed her hips but her smile told him she lied. She was already there.

  He palmed her waist and caressed her full, firm hips. Her skin was like warm satin and he watched, mesmerized, while she tore open a condom she’d hidden in her palm.

  She rolled the thin sheath down over his cock and smiled, took all his hard, pulsing flesh in a firm grip and slicked it just inside the entrance of her warm pussy, licking her lips as she slid down over him.

  “Don’t you dare move,” she rasped, poised above him, her rounded belly quivering as she lifted her knees, planted her feet and grabbed the fragile iron headboard.

  He was about two seconds away from coming, just from the feel of her slick inner walls caressing his cock. He stretched his arms and grabbed hold of the sheet beneath him and dug his heels in as she lifted until the head of his cock was all that remained inside her. He hadn’t thought it was possible he could get any harder but his balls stretched as if she were pulling them.

  She sank back down, slowly enveloping him and thrusting her hips forward, stroking his cock with just enough pressure he felt the cum boiling in his balls. Jesus, she was going to torture him to death. He strained but he didn’t thrust, didn’t give in to the urge to drive himself up into all her sweet heat and come so hard his eyes would roll back into his head. And stay there for a week.

  He thought she couldn’t torture him any more until she rose, swiveled her hips and sank down hard. He lifted his hips off the bed and growled deep in his throat. She shook her head.

  “I said you couldn’t move,” she whispered, taking one hand off the headboard and reaching behind her. She lifted slightly and wrapped her hand around his balls, pulling them down before she settled again, scoring his sack lightly with her manicured red nails. Oh yes, oh yes. He could almost see those painted ovals trailing across his sac.

  She shifted once again and gripped the iron bar above his head.

  He dug his heels in deeper and stiffened his hips just in time. Her breasts bounced and he gripped the sheet tighter as she pumped him, up and down, her rhythm relentless.

  She threw her head back, angled her hips and took him deeper. Wailing as if she were lamenting a loss, she came, bucking and writhing. His orgasm ripped through him, punctuated by a roar that should have shattered the windows.

  She collapsed and he slid out from under her and jumped out of bed before he fell into a coma. It took him only a moment to dispose of the condom and stalk back to her.

  Bella looked feral, her dark hair mussed, her crystal blue gaze wary. She’d pulled the sheet up over her breasts and he shook his head.

  “This isn’t finished.” He ripped a condom packet open and threw it on the tiny wicker bedside table.

  “It isn’t?” she asked and her eyes sparkled with an expression of pure mischief.

  “I plan to still be having sex when the sun comes up, Miss Jacienski,” he whispered against her ear as he rolled her beneath him.

  He slid his cock against the soft mound of her stomach and stopped her moan with a kiss. Kissing Bella was an adventure in itself—soft and yielding one moment, demanding the next.

  He broke the kiss and began to nibble a path down her chin, her throat, across the rounded slope of her breasts, latching onto a nipple before sucking it deeply into his mouth. He licked a path down over her ribcage, his tongue making artful designs across her belly.

  All the while, he kept two fingers tweaking her left breast. She curled her pelvis, tilting toward his mouth, sucking in a breath as he pressed open the seam of her pussy with his thumb and held her open with two fingers.

  He explored her pussy as he had her mouth, kissing her with lips and tongue, suckling her clit until she squirmed. She stilled when he slipped two fingers inside her as he continued to suckle and flick.

  Bella grabbed the thin bars
of the headboard and wailed as her body tightened and her orgasm rolled through her. She thrust against his face, his fingers, shuddering as he continued to lap slowly, deliberately. She was still trembling as he kissed and nipped the same path to her lips and took her mouth, delving inside.

  He quickly covered his cock and slid inside her before her tremors subsided then rocked them into a slow, steady rhythm.

  “Are you totally in the moment, Bella?” he asked, softly, kissing her eyelids, her cheek and the corner of her mouth.

  She curled her hips and wrapped her legs around him. Smiled when he sank deeper. “Yes,” she whispered.

  He grabbed the headboard and thrust, slow and deep, filling her, claiming her. “Good, because I want you to remember this night for a long, long time,” he whispered, continuing the steady rhythm. “Do you want more, sweet Bella?”

  “I want everything you have.”

  “All you’ve ever had to do is ask. Hold on,” he warned, right before he lifted her hips with a single thrust and set a rhythm that rattled the windows. The bed beneath them shook and Bella cried out as her orgasm broke in waves, again and again. She shook beneath him. His release was moments away and his roar punctuated the bed’s collapse.

  They were lying in the middle of a mattress that was half on the floor and Bella was laughing.

  “Sex with you is always an adventure,” he remarked when he had enough air in his lungs to manage a few words.

  “I think you broke my beautiful bed,” she accused, still chuckling. “You should have just given your chest a few good thumps.”

  He carefully rose to his elbows and started to laugh. He was always smiling or laughing around this woman. That would always be part of her charm. “I can either buy you another bed or you can share mine for the next fifty years.”

  She blinked and stopped chuckling. “Are you serious?”

  “Yes. And don’t say it’s too soon because we both know it isn’t.”

  “I’d be lying if I didn’t say you were right. It’s not too soon. I think it’s perfect.”