Taming the Tycoon

chapter Seven


Two hours later, with the last guest gone and the cleaning-up taken care of, Addie collapsed back on the bed fully clothed. The room spun pleasantly and she shut her eyes on a happy sigh. “That was a bloody great party,” she announced.

Nathaniel’s chuckle settled around her and she opened her eyes to his, “I think you had too much elderberry wine.”

“That’s some bloody great wine,” she said pointing at him. “No wonder it wins the blue ribbon every year.”

He laughed again and she joined him. “And you have a great laugh,” she said. “You should do it more often.”

“I’m too—”

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” Addie interrupted, propping herself up onto her elbows to locate him. He was standing by one of the wing chairs, his foot up on the arm, undoing his shoelaces. “You’re too busy”—she bugged her eyes at him—“to laugh.”

Nathaniel laughed again as he kicked off his shoes, and it went straight to internal muscles that were really getting a workout this weekend.

Who needed Pilates?

“I was going to say—”

“Important?” she suggested as he reached for the buttons of his very sexy open necked shirt that he’d rolled up to his elbow. “Rich?”

He grinned. “No.”

“Jaded?”

He made deft work of the buttons as he said, “You’re not very good for my ego, are you?”

Addie watched as he shrugged out of the shirt and his broad shoulders and magnificent chest came into view. She figured his ego could stand a little heat.

She dropped back to the mattress as Nathaniel reached for his belt buckle, shutting her eyes again. Some things were better off left unseen after three glasses of elderberry wine had loosened her tongue and hijacked her inhibitions.

She listened to his rustling as he got changed. The bed was soft and snug around her and seemed to rock her gently. The feeling from last night of being an old married couple returned and she smiled to herself.

“Are you going to bed like that?”

Addie opened her eyes to find him over his side of the bed in his briefs and black T-shirt. Way, way over. Which was just as well, because if she thought he’d looked good—indecently good—last night, he’d exceeded that tenfold through her wine goggles.

He was everything and more from last night.

Last night upsized.

Dipped in chocolate and rolled in sprinkles.

With a cherry on top.

“Nope,” she said. “Any minute now I’m going to take this dress off and sleep in my underwear. Can you handle that?”

He chuckled again and she practically purred under his lazy blue gaze. “As long as you stay on your side of the bed.”

Addie smiled as she recalled his earlier threat should they again find themselves in the same predicament they had this morning. She shivered at the possibilities, her nipples tightening in response. His gaze drifting to the hard points felt like a caress and it took all her willpower not to arch her back.

She opened her mouth to make a pithy comeback, but he grimaced as he maneuvered his leg into bed.

Guilt pricked at her. “Is it your ankle?”

“Damn thigh,” he muttered. “It’s fine. I’ve just been standing on it a lot today.”

It didn’t look fine to her as Nathaniel sat rigidly in bed for a few moments. He’d gone all day without his crutches and was obviously paying for it now. She rolled her head to the side, spying on her bedside table the pot of ointment Eunice had given her last night.

Good and hard echoed through her head.

“Here,” she said holding it out for him. “Maybe this will help.”

Nathaniel snorted. “No, thanks. I’d rather have an amputation with no anesthetic. Besides,” he said collapsing back against the mattress, eyes shut, “I’m too bloody tired to be bothered.”

Addie frowned at his tough-guy act. Typical male. She unscrewed the lid, bracing for the awful stink Nathaniel had warned her about. Instead, a sweet, heady aroma embraced her. Honey and vanilla she could make out instantly. And something floral.

It smelled good enough to eat, certainly pleasant enough to use for its intended purpose—especially if it worked.

Had she not been tipsy, she’d have thought twice about her next move. About the line it would cross. About the ground she could lose to him. But she was tipsy. She vaulted upright. “Okay, then. Allow me.”

Nathaniel’s eyes snapped open as she crawled toward him on her knees, hiking up the skirt of her dress to enable her free movement.

This was potentially a very, very bad idea.

Playing with Addie might be fun, but he wasn’t too far gone to not be mindful of the consequences.

But then she threw her leg over his until she was straddling his knee, her skirt settling around her. She looked down at him with purpose in her big, gray eyes and said, “You have got to smell this.” She pushed it toward him. “It’s incredible.”

Her nipples were still erect and his knee was damned close to that part of her that had rubbed against him so intimately this morning.

Okay—now he was too far gone.

He was back to Adam and Eve and that damn apple again.

This time he took it. What the hell—he’d never been a saint. And it did indeed smell incredible.

The perfect entrée to sin.

He handed it back to her. “For once, my grandmother’s secret potions don’t smell like Bill’s effluent system.”

Addie smiled as she dabbed two fingers in the pot. “Please don’t remind me.”

Nathaniel swore his skin actually sizzled when Addie smeared the dollop of ointment mid-thigh. His breath grew choppy. His belly tensed. His pulse leapt.

As did other parts of his anatomy.

Addie looked up from his thigh. “Tell me if I hurt you,” she murmured.

Nathaniel grunted, pleased to hear her voice was husky, that she was as affected as he was. It was gratifying to not be in it alone as her fingers lightly massaged the cream into the now-yellowing bruise on his thigh, expanding her motions out in wider and wider arcs.

He held himself rigid as he walked the fine line between pleasure and pain.

It hurt so damned good.

She didn’t lift her gaze from the job at hand as her fingers applied more pressure, working deeper into the muscle. It was as if she was in the zone as her hair fell forward in a wavy blond curtain, the flower garland still in place.

Which was a good thing.

He was now obviously aroused and not exactly wearing clothes to hide the evidence.

As she put her shoulders into it, her whole torso swayed with her ministrations. Her thighs spread further, lowering her perilously close to his knee, her underwear occasionally brushing against him.

Honey and vanilla wormed seductive fingers into his common sense. He had no idea what the active ingredient was, but he would say nine parts crazy pagan hocus-pocus, one part sin. His thigh tingled and was burning up where she touched him—actually, just about everywhere was burning up.

His powers of reasoning were a pile of cinders in his rearview mirror.

When she brushed against his kneecap again, he bent it slightly. He couldn’t help himself as he pushed it against her. Her choppy breath was loud as her startled gaze flew to his. Her fingers paused, her gray eyes momentarily clouding with confusion, as if she’d just come out of a trance.

But her taut nipples and the dampness against his knee didn’t lie, so he pressed again.

Addie froze, even though the pressure against her center made her want to move.

To meet it, to push back, to grind down.

His blue eyes held hers and it was all she could do to breathe in and out.

“You give a hell of a massage, Addie.”

His voice rumbled around her, breaking the spell. She tore her gaze from his, afraid he’d see how much she wanted him to grind a little harder.

But then she was staring right at his erection. It was thick and long and stretched his clinging boxers and she had to dig her fingertips into his thigh to stop from reaching for it.

She had a feeling it would be as beautiful as the rest of him and she really wanted to see it.

She glanced at him and heat slammed in to her as his knowing, unapologetic gaze claimed hers. “Like I said,” he murmured. “You give a hell of a massage.”

But his voice was unsteady and there seemed to be a slight glaze to his eyes and it was a turn-on to know that she’d done that to him.

She glanced at his erection again.

And that.

“How does it feel?” she asked, her own voice vying for the top position in the husky stakes.

“It feels—” He stopped and cleared his throat. “Amazing. Everywhere feels amazing. You…” Addie’s eyes widened as he pressed his kneecap hard against her “…feel amazing.”

She shut her eyes as a wave of longing rolled through her. “I do, don’t I?” she murmured as she rotated her hips, her fingers automatically working his thigh again.

Nathaniel’s eyes closed, too. “Uh-huh.”

She rotated again then rocked back and forth a little with the motion of her kneading. His kneecap was just the right amount of hard against all her softness and she mewed as it slid against all her sensitive spots.

Honey and vanilla wafted up from his leg and she wanted to rub it all over him and lick off every last sticky morsel.

“Addie?”

She opened her eyes to his husky question, gratified to see the clench of his jaw, the strain in his neck muscles, his hands gripping the sheet beside him.

“Are you drunk?” he asked.

She rocked into him, meshing her gaze with his and smiled. “Just drunk enough to be very, very easy.”

Nathaniel gave a half laugh. “Having sex with a fake girlfriend would be very…” She watched his eyes shut as she ground down hard. “Very bad,” he muttered, opening his eyes again.

Addie nodded as the image of them entwined and naked on this sinful bed exploded inside her head. “But this isn’t sex,” she said, stroking her hand higher on his thigh as she angled her pelvis where the pressure was best. She hit the right spot and it sucked the breath right from her lungs.

“Oh, I think it is,” he muttered.

Addie stopped abruptly. “Really?” She eyed him thoughtfully as she throbbed against his knee. “Well in that case…”

She slid up his thigh, grabbed him by the shirt, and yanked him upright. “Let’s go all the way.”

Addie wasn’t sure whose mouth met whose first, but it felt like a star burst around her as their lips met, opened, devoured. There was nothing gentle or subtle about this first kiss—it was full roar.

Her head filled with the rough suck of his breath and the smell of honey, vanilla, and man. She was dizzy with lust as she clung to his broad shoulders just to stay upright. The force of their kiss angled her head right back, paving the way for his tongue, and when it tangled with hers, she moaned into his mouth.

Then his hands were in her hair, cupping her jaw, caressing her back, grasping her hips, pulling her in close and snug.

She felt the nudge of his erection in the same place his knee had been driving her crazy and she panted as she rubbed herself against the real deal, just like she’d done this morning.

Nathaniel broke away, resting his forehead against hers, his breath loud in the slither of light and air between them. “This is crazy,” he groaned.

“Certifiable,” Addie agreed as the delicious length of him slid against her—back and forth, back and forth—building a torturous friction.

He was out to destroy something that was more precious to her than any millions he had in his bank account, and yet she needed him more than her next breath.

She shouldn’t be doing this. But it felt so damn good and she just couldn’t stop.

His lips plundered her mouth, slid down her neck, laved the hollow at her throat. His hands molded her sides and cupped her breasts. Addie threw back her head as his thumbs brushed over her nipples.

“Yes,” she breathed. “Yes.”

His tongue was hot and wet against her neck as he trekked back to her mouth. His fingers moved to the buttons of her dress as he muttered, “Too many clothes,” against the pulse fluttering madly where throat met jaw.

She couldn’t agree more. She needed to feel his skin. All of him. Touch him everywhere. Know the broad planes of his back and shoulders, the sculptured muscles of his chest, the flat of his belly.

It became a roaring in her blood. A pounding imperative.

She grasped a handful of his T-shirt at the small of his back and yanked it up, pulling it over his head. His groan when her hands glided over the warm planes of his back, the pads of her fingers dipping into the furrow of his spine, was deep and satisfying.

She kissed him hard as his fingers ministered to her buttons and smiled when he muttered, “How many buttons does this thing have?” against her mouth.

“Just pull it up,” she gasped, claiming his mouth again.

And then it was up and over her head and she was straddling his lap in just her underwear and he was looking at her breasts and her hammering heart almost stopped at the look of frank possession.

“Purple satin,” he murmured. Then he yanked both bra cups aside.

She whimpered when his thumbs brushed the aching tips. And when he lowered his head and his hot mouth closed over one, she cried out and shamelessly arched her back, bucking against him. Suddenly boneless, her head fell back as his hot tongue lashed first one nipple, then the other. He sucked hard, darting fiery pleasure along every nerve ending.

And when his teeth grazed them, Addie thought she might actually lose her mind.

“Please,” she moaned.

Not that she knew what it meant. Please stop. Please don’t stop. Please give me more?

All she knew was that it wasn’t enough. She wanted to taste him, too. Explore all that warm skin beneath her hands with her mouth. Feel him shudder and tighten.

Make him moan.

She pushed on his shoulders and he looked up at her, dazed. “What?”

“Lay back,” she said, pressing her palm to his chest. “I want to lick you all over.”

Nathaniel did as he was told. How could he refuse such a tantalizing offer? She looked glorious straddling him in her underwear, her long hair flowing down her back, her bra cups pushed aside, her nipples engorged and moist from his ministrations.

Her crystal necklace looking wild and pagan against all her naked flesh.

“God, Addie, you’re beautiful,” he whispered, reaching for her breasts again.

But she grabbed his hands, interlinking her fingers with his instead, pushing them above his head. “So,” she said, dropping a kiss on his mouth, “are you.”

And then she rained kisses on his face, taunting him with the swing of her breasts before finally opening her mouth over his, giving her tongue free rein to dart and flirt with his.

He shut his eyes as she headed south, licking down his neck, across his collarbone and his pecs, his heart thudding like a jungle drum beneath. His erection kicked with every swipe of her tongue, and when she lapped at his nipples as if they were covered in whipped cream, it surged against the confines of his underwear.

“Addie,” he groaned in warning.

But she only headed lower, her tongue tracing straight down the middle of his abs as her fingers stayed to play with his nipples. She got to the band of his underwear and he knew he couldn’t take it a second longer.

“No, no, no,” he said, pulling her up as her teeth tugged at the band. He was balancing on a knife edge and her mouth down there would drive him over in embarrassing speed.

Addie pouted down at him, all pink cheeks, lush breasts, and wild ethereal hair. “I said all over.”

“Trust me, if you go there it will be all over.”

She smiled at him. “What if I just do this?” she asked, walking her fingers down the slope of his hip bone to the bulge in his pants.

He sucked in a breath as her finger stroked down the center of his erection. “Addie,” he moaned, his hips lifting involuntarily.

“Or this?”

She grasped his girth through his underwear and squeezed. He shut his eyes.

“How about this?”

Nathaniel groaned out loud when she peeled back the fabric prison and ran her finger around his engorged head.

“God, you’re magnificent,” she murmured and he opened his eyes in time to see her wrap her hand around him and palm the length of him.

Once, twice, three times and his eyes practically rolled back in his head. He grabbed her hand, stilling the movement as his belly clenched and the urge to bury himself inside her dug insistent fingers deep into his buttocks. “For the love of God, Addie.”

“Please tell me you have a condom.”

He nodded. “Drawer.”

She reached across him, her breasts swinging in his face and he curled up to claim one. The nipple grew hard against his tongue and her moan stoked his arousal higher.

“I can’t concentrate when you do that,” she complained breathily.

“What, this?” he asked, switching sides, teasing her as she had teased him.

“Nate,” she hissed, pulling back and kissing him full on the mouth.

He raised his head off the bed, meeting her passion with his own, plunging his hands into her hair, reveling in the press of her breasts and the rock of her pelvis along the hard naked length of him.

“Condom,” he urged when he knew he couldn’t take any more.

And then she was pulling away, her hands shaking as she tore open the foil packet and rolled the condom on. Nathaniel grasped her hips as she centered herself. Watching her push aside her purple knickers, not even bothering to remove them, was such a turn-on, he thrust up into her in one smooth movement.

She cried out, falling forward, her palms braced against his shoulders, her hair forming a curtain around them, her eyes shut tight.

“God, Addie, I’m sorry,” he said gripping her hips. He hadn’t meant to be so—urgent. But she felt so damned good. Tight. And hot. And wet.

He had to fight against the urge to drive into her again.

“Did I hurt you?”

Addie raised her head, breathing hard. “For God’s sake,” she gasped, “don’t stop!”

Nathaniel eased his grip on her hip bones. “Jesus, Addie…”

But then she was looking into his eyes as she rocked against him, taking him deeper, panting hard as she moved on him and he’d never seen anything more beautiful than a mostly naked Addie with flowers in her hair, breasts bouncing as she took the lead, driving them both closer to bliss.

A long, low moan slipped from her mouth as her movements became more urgent. His hips rose to meet them, the friction building and building.

Everything felt tight and hot.

His thigh hurt but he’d transcended pain. All he could consciously feel was the glide of her against him, the coiling of delicious tension deep in his gut, and the tug of something wild and primitive unraveling his famous control.

Her eyes closed and he felt cheated. His hand moved from her hip to where they were joined, his fingers slipping into all the wet heat, finding what he sought and pressing hard.

Her eyes jolted open and he bucked in triumph. “Stay with me, Addie. Look at me.”

His fingers circled the engorged nub and her answering moan was deep and satisfying, plucking already taut strings in his belly, his thighs, his groin. Pleasure resonated through him with each thrust of his hips and every little whimper from her mouth.

“C’mon, Addie,” he whispered as he taunted her with his fingers.

Adie shook her head, her hair flying around her head. “No.”

She looked magnificent with rouge in her cheeks and crystal at her throat, bra cups pushed aside. Wild and wanton. Nathaniel pressed harder, angled himself deeper. “Yes.”

She shook her head again and gasped, “No…not without you.”

Her husky words went straight to his groin and his orgasm hit warp speed. Three more thrusts and he vaulted up, pulling her close, gliding one hand up her back and anchoring it on her shoulder, his other hand keeping up the pressure between them.

“Yes,” he said against her mouth as a groan was torn involuntarily from his throat. “Now.”

And he kissed her hard and deep as he climaxed, feeling her stiffen and then buck against him as she joined him in the stratosphere, tearing her mouth away, her head dropping back as she moaned his name. His lips devoured her neck, his hips meeting each wild buck of hers as they rode the crest of their release.

The bite of her fingernails and her breathy whimpers drove him on, reaching for the remnants as if they were the embers of a shooting star, wringing every second of pleasure, holding on till the last spasm faded into the night.

When they were both spent and breathing hard, he collapsed back against the mattress, taking her with him.

They didn’t talk. Couldn’t talk. And even if they could, Nathaniel doubted there were words for what had just happened. He just tossed the garland aside and lightly stroked her back as they both drifted off to sleep.

Addie wasn’t sure how much time had elapsed when she next woke. But her back was curled into Nathaniel’s front, his lips were at her neck, his hand flat on her belly, and his erection was pressed against the cheeks of her bottom.

She smiled as she stretched against him, her eyes shut. “Is it five a.m.?”

His chuckle was warm on her neck. “Nope.”

“Mmm,” she murmured, rubbing herself back against him. “You feel good.”

“So do you,” he groaned.

Addie smiled as she half turned and met his questing lips. She opened to their demanding pressure, feeling heat flare in her breasts and belly. She moaned against his mouth and in seconds she was flat on her back, kissing him greedily, his hips nestled in the cradle of hers.

When he pulled back, they were both panting. “You know how to wake a girl up,” she said with a smile.

Nate smiled as he dropped his head to explore her collarbone. “I like to think I’ve perfected the art after all these years.”

Addie stretched her neck so his tongue could have access to all areas. “Oh definitely, top marks,” she murmured, her skin breaking out in goose bumps, her nipples beading. “What else can you do?”

Nathaniel lifted his head. “I do believe I saved your life. I think that makes you my slave, doesn’t it? So I guess the answer is, what can you do?”

Addie’s lips twitched. She should be shocked. Affronted that Nate would turn the purpose of this weekend into something so sordid—something so mercenary. But her belly was already tightening at illicit thoughts of bondage and she was just plain old titillated.

“My debt to you doesn’t include sexual favors,” she said primly. Or as primly as she could with a naked, aroused man nestled between her thighs.

“But what if that’s all I want?”

His voice was low and silky and oozed down her body like drops of warm oil. She knew that she should heed his words well—What if it was all he wanted?—but he was nuzzling her ear and her body was screaming at her like a junkie to play the game.

“What do you want me to do?” she asked.

He kissed her hard. “Come,” he said as he licked his way down her body.

Addie shut her eyes and curled her fists into the sheet as his head settled between her legs and his tongue swiped against her.

Now that she could do.