Driven to Temptation, page 10
His gaze shot across the room. “Hang tight. I’ll be right back.” He kissed her again, then gently pulled her straddled form off him.
“I’m not going anywhere.” Delaney scooted up to the top of the bed, grabbing a pillow to prop behind her. She settled in, enjoyed the view of Aidan’s backside as he bent to study the mini-Fort Knox-style bar.
“Damn it,” he muttered.
“What’s wrong?”
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to say that out loud,” he shot over one shoulder. He grunted. “I can’t get this thing open.”
She couldn’t help it. She giggled. “Your engineering prowess doesn’t seem to extend to the minibar.”
“Give me a sec.”
“Want me to try?”
“No. There’s got to be a latch, a cord, a thumbprint detector, something that looks like a way into this stupid…” A whir sounded through the room. “Got it.”
“You know, judging from what they’re charging for water, you’ll probably pay forty dollars for it.”
“I’ll pay a hundred for it right now,” he growled out.
He lifted the glass lid and pulled out the pleasure kit. In half a minute he had the condom extracted and was fully sheathed.
“You always swagger before sex?” she teased.
“We’ll have to do this a few times, then you tell me what you think.”
Delaney grinned at him as she bent her legs and played the fingers of one hand over her open slit. She was so wet, so hot, so ready for him.
His steel-gray eyes darkened, and his face was a serious mask even as he stroked the length of his thick, hard shaft. He looked just as ready as she was.
“You’re staring.”
“So are you.”
“Like what you see?”
Oh, yeah. Still, she squinted at him as he played his hand over the tip of his very large, very erect, very ready cock. “Hmmm…maybe you need to come closer. I can’t tell from—hey!”
He knelt on the bed, grabbed her ankles, and tugged her toward him. “Wiseass.”
She giggled as he lightly swatted her bottom and pressed himself against her thigh. “Can you see it now?” he mock-growled.
In answer she reached between them, grabbed his cock, and squeezed.
Desire darkened his features, his gaze dropping to her mouth. “I want you, Delaney.”
She didn’t have a chance to answer, not with the way he captured her lips, expertly teased them apart before demanding control. A control she was more than happy to give him.
For now.
One of his hands was busy, too, stroking the inside of her thigh, teasing her as he inched up, not touching the part of her that craved him. She pulled her legs farther apart, a blatant invitation to do what she knew he wanted.
As quickly as the kiss started, he broke it off and eased himself down her body. He kissed and licked the side of her neck and down the valley between her full breasts, heavy and aching with want. Pleasure washed over her, through her, made her hunger for more contact. The ultimate contact.
He made her wait, though. His mouth hovering above her, but his gaze fastened onto hers. She bit her lower lip, anticipation zapping through her body as he licked one distended nipple, then blew lightly over it. The move was so intense, so erotic, she moaned. “Aidan.”
Delaney heard the plea in her voice, but didn’t give a damn she was begging. She clasped her hands over the back of his head and ground her hips against his thigh. “Please.”
“Please what?” he whispered before capturing the other nipple. So. Good. It felt so damned good the way his tongue rolled over her tight bud before he gently sucked and pulled. The pleasure intensified, rocketed through her, and Delaney arched off the bed, offered him more.
She clasped the bedsheets in a desperate effort to stay grounded. “I…”
“You?”
A kiss. A nip. A caress as he worked his way down her hypersensitive body.
“Want you,” she ground out. “Now.”
He chuckled. “No problem there.” He parted the soft folds of her center, stroked her. “You’re wet.”
“I’ve been ready for you most of the drive.”
He dipped his head and rewarded her admission. His tongue was rough against her, lapping her up, each stroke lengthening until finally, finally, he captured her clit.
She tilted her head back as a rush of adrenaline blasted through her. He cupped her bottom, and she spread her legs wider. God, he was good, moving his tongue around her bud, first with light strokes, barely-there strokes, then rougher, harder, sucking and gently pulling. It was all she could do not to grind herself against him.
“Sweet,” he whispered reverently. “You taste so sweet, you know that?”
She gasped again, this time with her head against the pillow and her hands desperately gripping the bedsheet. “Goddamn it, Aidan. I need you. Now.”
“Like this?” He slipped a finger inside her wet slit, followed by another. She gasped, while his tongue worked his magic. Each lick, each stroke, each nip built the tension, wound her tight, sent her higher until…
She groaned as a burst of light flashed behind closed eyelids. In slow circles she ground her hips against him. The spasms continued, delicious tingles that made her want even more.
Aidan raised up on his knees and positioned himself between her legs. With one smooth thrust he lodged himself, completely to the hilt, and stilled.
She gasped, her breathing still shallow, her hands gripped tightly on his arms.
It felt so good, so right. Delaney closed her eyes and whimpered.
“Hey? Did I hurt you?”
Her heart melted at the concern in his voice.
She opened her eyes, raised her hands to his face and brought it down to hers. “God, no. You feel so damned good,” she whispered as she canted her hips, taking him deeper. “So…good…”
The kisses started again. Slow and sweet, and in rhythm with his thrusts. She cupped his ass with both hands, holding him to her as she ground into him.
The tension was back, igniting like the last orgasm hadn’t happened.
He stopped, pulled his mouth away. “Wait. I’m not gonna last.”
“Neither am I.” She ground herself against him again. Hard.
His breathing quickened, then he pounded into her, fast and faster still.
“More.” She dug her feet into the bed, arched her back, and clawed at his upper arms. “I want more.”
His tempo increased as he moved his hips, stretching her, the pressure rising even faster and harder than the last time.
Aidan tensed. He gulped in some air, then pounded into her again. And again. And again. Each time more powerful than the last.
She tried to control the tension. Really, she did. But she couldn’t take any more. The pressure was too intense, the crazy-delicious ache too powerful.
Finally, Delaney groaned and followed him over the edge.
Chapter Fifteen
Delaney straightened her skirt and adjusted her cotton blouse underneath her navy jacket. With all the bodies crammed in here, it was amazing it wasn’t a hundred degrees. She needed to be on her A game today. She needed to prove to Aidan she wasn’t the kind of girl who slept her way to the top.
She picked up a stack of brochures from the booth’s display table and faced the passing crowd.
“Hello,” she said to a pleasant, middle-aged man who dared stop briefly and make eye contact. “Would you like a brochure?”
The guy nodded politely and accepted one.
“Let me tell you a bit about Ross and Associates.”
Middle-aged guy gave her a cool once-over. “Not now. I’ll be back.”
Uh-huh. Sure.
“Oh, okay.” Delaney broadened her smile. “We’ll be here.”
Her smile faded the moment he turned his back. The guy was polite. They all were. But so far, no one had given her a chance to provide a brief overview of the computer program she’d developed. The same one she’d shown Aidan last night. Before they’d made love.
She gave herself a mental shake. Sex. Before they had sex. Best to keep that in perspective.
She looked out at the crowd again, swirling around the Ross and Associates booth.
At this rate she wondered if anyone would show up to hear her presentation at the Vendor Spotlight event tomorrow afternoon.
It was bad enough she hadn’t signed any clients, despite the fact that she’d spent most of the last four hours in her kitten heels. Her poor toes felt squashed. At least she hadn’t let the saleslady talk her into pointed ones, no matter how much the woman swore it would visually lengthen her legs.
Really, the shoes were a small price to pay to be here. After all, anybody involved in the design, planning, or execution of construction projects was represented at this trade show. Municipalities. Utility owners. Architects and design firms. All here. Even internationally based ones.
Yeah, somewhere in this crowd were future clients for Ross and Associates. She knew it. She felt it.
She glanced at the simple leather watch strapped to her wrist. There were only a couple of hours left before the hall closed for the day. And if she was going to nail a new client, she needed to get back to work.
Pasting a smile on her face, she stepped away from her side of the booth. Unfortunately, the minutes crawled by not nearly as fast as the men at the conference did.
She studied the passing crowd. They were everywhere. In suits… In jeans… Middle-aged like the last guy, with some older, and a fair amount who were around her age. Her smile brightened at the gentleman who approached, a thousand-watt smile on his face.
She tapped the corner of a brochure against the palm of her free hand. Another live one.
“Well, hello,” he said, offering her his hand.
Now this was more like it. She glanced at his name tag. Ray Pierce. Pierce Engineering.
Holy hell. She fought to keep the smile from fading, fought to keep the fear of failing at bay. He was the principal of one of the largest architectural firms in the Pacific Northwest.
The same one Harold had been courting for the past couple of years. And the same account she’d sworn to Aidan she’d nail this week. The one that would get her a partnership at Ross and Associates.
Her heart thumped a wild beat, and she forced in a slow, steady breath.
“Thank you for stopping by.” Her voice was strong, sure. Thank God. She shook his hand, wishing she could surreptitiously wipe her clammy hands first.
“I expected Harold White to be here.”
“He had a last-minute change in plans.” She handed him a brochure. “But let me tell you what Ross and Associates can do for you.”
She launched into her short spiel, turning her attention to the brief presentation slides that continuously scrolled behind her. It was good. Very good. She’d designed it so potential clients could study the slides and ask for more information. Which was the whole point of them being there, wasn’t it?
While Ray politely glanced her way, and then at the slides, and then at the brochure in her hand, she pretty much saw his eyes wander. Not a good sign.
“Looks promising.” Ray scratched his head as he stared at the screen for several long moments.
Ohmigod. Delaney’s heart thumped. She might just do it. She might just nail the Pierce account. “I’m giving a more formal presentation tomorrow, but I’d be happy to give you a preview right now.”
“You’ve got other potential clients to meet right now.” The man flashed a broad smile. “I’ll wait.”
She deliberately straightened her back. “Okay, then.”
And before she could think of some way to convince him to listen to more of her presentation, he was already walking toward Aidan.
Sigh.
Aidan, for his part, looked about as comfortable as a snowman in July.
He glanced at her and she widened her smile, then pointed at it. Really, how many times had she told him this morning that potential clients didn’t want to deal with someone who looked grouchy and unapproachable?
She inched closer.
“I was in the army, too. Airborne,” Ray said a few minutes later.
Okay. The army connection. This was good. Didn’t military guys stick together? At least, she was pretty sure she’d heard that somewhere.
And after some pleasant chitchat she had to strain to overhear, he shook Aidan’s hand. “Thanks for serving your country.”
Ask for a follow-up. Ask for a follow-up. Ask. For. A. Follow-up.
Delaney tried her best to transmit the message in Aidan’s direction, but it appeared the guy was a lousy mind reader, too. Damn.
Ray turned around and walked away.
That did it.
Aidan straightened a pile of brochures and arranged pens in a coffee cup so that the company’s name and logo were visible to anyone who stopped by.
She tossed her stack of brochures on top of the pile.
“Hey.” He immediately grabbed them up. “What are you doing?”
She should lecture him about the smile thing. And about the follow-up thing. But, God, hadn’t she hounded him enough about that already?
“I need a break.”
He stared at her, an amused smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Gotta go again?”
She glared. “I’ll be right back.”
It was kinda strange how they’d settled back into their old routine. Like last night had never happened. Like it was some anomaly best forgotten or something. And, really, it was just sex, wasn’t it? Great sex. Phenomenal sex. Nothing to get all mushy over or anything.
Because the sex was just a distraction—a pleasant one, but still a distraction.
She needed to shine, needed to prove to Aidan she was worthy of some sort of a promotion. So far, all she’d managed to do was agitate him and sleep with him. In that order.
Delaney sighed again, tucking her hair behind her ears.
Trade shows sucked. Big time.
…
Aidan set the controls on the treadmill to run the advanced course, sure he might need another round before he finished his workout. Thank God the hotel had a gym. He sure as fuck needed it tonight. Frustration surged through him faster than the treadmill could start.
If Harold hadn’t eaten the damned sushi and gotten himself sick, the two of them would be comparing notes over a damned beer right now. They’d come up with a damned strategy, some way to make the most of the next couple of days.
Instead, there was a pretty good chance Aidan would need to lift weights on top of the run, too. Or pound a punching bag. Hard.
Sweat poured down his face, blinding him briefly. He blinked, grabbed the towel off his shoulder, and swiped it over his eyes.
The worst part of the day wasn’t the lack of clients so far, but the dejected look on Delaney’s face when she’d left the trade show floor that afternoon. Like she’d taken their lack of sales personally.
A strange warmth flowed through him, and it had nothing to do with how hard he was pounding the treadmill. Fact was, until Delaney, he’d never had anyone who seemed to care about Ross and Associates the way he did.
Oh, sure, Harold was his second-in-command, and Aidan depended on him to keep the day-to-day operations rocking. But the guy kept normal work hours, leaving at five each day he could.
Delaney, on the other hand… Aidan knew there was no way she could’ve handled the workload Harold had heaped on her as well as developed the brilliant software program she’d shown him last night. Not without putting in some serious overtime hours.
Was it just last night? The same night he’d succumbed to his base instincts and taken what she’d offered? He wasn’t the kind of guy who’d force himself on a woman. God knew he didn’t need to. When she’d lifted her face to his, he couldn’t stop himself.
He adjusted the speed of the treadmill, ramping it up to outrun the memories he’d managed to keep back throughout the day. Then again, he had a knack for compartmentalizing. A knack for segregating the parts and pieces of his life so they didn’t bleed together, didn’t get ugly-messy the way he knew they could.
And yet the thought of Delaney’s sweet body and desperate demands slammed forward now. Her pleas for more, for giving pleasure as well as getting what he’d been more than willing to give her. She was smart and sexy, with energy she could barely contain, and she’d exploded when she was in his arms.
He couldn’t get enough of her. Even in the oversize outfit she’d worn today, it’d been hard to keep himself from reaching for her, pulling her toward him, stealing a kiss.
He swiped sweat out of his eyes. What was it with her and the baggy clothes?
Not that Aidan minded. Not now that he knew what was hidden underneath them. Hell, he’d just as soon not have to fight off other guys.
Wait. What the fuck?
He slowed, the treadmill reminding him a split second later of his mistake. He picked up speed again.
What the hell was he thinking? He didn’t care about Delaney like that. Sure, they had a great time last night. While he didn’t think it was a mistake, he also knew it wouldn’t be smart to repeat it.
He needed to get his head back in the game, needed to stay focused. Tomorrow they were scheduled to give their fifteen-minute presentation after lunch. Tomorrow, she’d show the attendees just how much working with Ross and Associates could benefit their businesses. Tomorrow, she’d be in her prime. It’d all work out.
It had to.
Chapter Sixteen
Thirty minutes later, he stepped off the treadmill and swiped a towel over his face. As he slugged down a gulp of water, he scanned the hotel gym and the handful of people taking advantage of the available equipment.
“Hey.”
Aidan turned, recognized a couple of the guys from Raleigh, a large city in southern Oregon. Trying to get Ross and Associates on their short list as a preferred vendor was almost as hard as nailing the Pierce Engineering account. Just this afternoon, Ray Pierce had been kind, but firm. As he’d been the last time they’d met.
