SOAR (The Indigo Lounge Series Book 4) (19 page)

She
circled her hips in answer, her head thrown back in surrender of the insanity
threatening to sweep them away. Noah attempted to slow things down…to gain a
little clarity…to stop the rush of feeling that came with having this woman in
his arms.

In
the end, he closed his eyes and just rolled with it.

TWENTY-ONE

“Where’s
this place?”

Noah
looked up from examining her newly re-bandaged wrist to the building the driver
had parked in front of. He took his time to answer, kissing the inside of her
wrist before laying it back on her lap. He nodded at the driver to open the
door and turned to her.

“One
Destiny Plaza is a new development. Twelve condos, two penthouse duplexes, each
with a private gym, pool and a concierge service that means you don’t have to
leave the building unless you really, really want to.”

“You
sound like a realtor,” she laughed.

“That’s
because I’m parroting mine. There’s also a helipad at the top and I’m sure if
you ask nicely, they’ll build you a capsule to the moon or a stairway to
heaven.”

Grinning,
she took the hand he held out to her. Her body brushed his when she stepped out
of the car, and she heard his sharp intake of breath. Hiding her own flustered
nerves, she returned the driver’s smile and followed Noah, the man who made her
heart race with very little effort.

Dressed
in a navy blue shirt, tailored slacks and a grey jacket, Noah’s commanding
presence attracted attention the moment they walked into the building.

Female
eyes checked her out, assessed the competition, calculated their chances and
swung quickly back to him.

Not
today, bitches,
she felt like shouting out to them.

After
fucking her twice more on his desk, he’d carried her into the bathroom and
bathed her from head to toe. Then he’d set her down in front of the bathroom
mirror and dried her hair. They’d shared a leisurely breakfast in his
minimalist kitchen before he’d set her up with a spare laptop in his study.

He’d
kept the conversation general and flowing and her throat had locked when she
realized he was trying
keep
her mind off the impending
auction deadline. He conferenced Tim and Harry every half hour, hammering them
with questions about the strength of their trojan software until Leia had felt
sorry for them.

Ten
minutes before the deadline, he’d pulled her up from the sofa and onto his lap,
his fingers playing over the area above her ear while his foot bounced with
nervous energy.

His
breath had punched out of his lungs when she’d circled her arms around his neck
and planted a kiss on his jaw. “Noah?”

“Yeah?”

“Whatever
happens, we’ll deal with it together.”

His
foot had stopped for a moment,
then
resumed bouncing.
“Too right we fucking will.”

Her
laptop had pinged with an email from her lawyers and the board, informing her
they were on standby to deal with any media fallout should the auction go live.

She’d
tensed at the one-line enquiry from one board member as to Warren’s
whereabouts.
 

Noah’s
jaw had tightened at Warren’s response about taking a personal day, but he’d
said nothing.

Midday
had come and gone with no word from her stepfather. The boys’
trojan
had held, and Paddy called to say there was no
suspicious activity at her office or any other place they were watching.

After
another two hours, she’d begun to relax, allowing herself to believe they’d won
this round. Thinking they’d be staying put for the day, Noah had surprised her
by walking into the living room just before three, brandishing a box. It’d
contained a gorgeous cobalt blue sundress with a visible leather-bordered
zipper and underwear in
fire-engine
red. When she’d
lifted her brows at the minuscule thong, he’d shrugged unapologetically.

He’d
produced her shoes from the ball and lounged back to watch her dress in the
living room. Next stop had been the private doctor waiting in Noah’s office.
The short, bald physician had declared her sprain healing, re-bandaged her
wrists and given her painkillers to take when necessary.

Now,
as she walked beside Noah through the stunning atrium designed to harness the
best of Miami’s year-round sunlight, the warmth of the day filled her heart. A
futuristic-looking fountain gurgled quietly next to a pair of glass elevators,
creating a sparkling reflection on the crushed glass and marble floor, as Noah
walked her to the front desk and collected two keycards.

He
inserted the first one into a slot in the sleek elevator and they shot up to
the twenty-second floor. Trailing behind Noah, Leia glanced around the wide
private hallway with interest. Everything looked beautifully designed and
modern.

Noah
opened the single heavy black door and stood back.

Crossing
the threshold, she gasped. “
Ohmigod
, this place is
stunning. Who lives here?”

Shutting
the door behind him, he came forward and held out the key card to her. “It’s
one of the places I picked out for you to look at but judging by your reaction,
I’m thinking this place is yours?”

Her
mouth sagged open. “Are you serious?” She turned around and stared at the
amazing living room. White leather sofas stood diagonal to black ones with a
white scalloped rug completing the space. Above the seating area, a silver and
crystal chandelier glinted, catching the sun’s rays through wide rectangular
windows.

She
twirled and rushed to the opposite side of the room then screeched with delight
at the less formal sitting area, complete with an Eames recliner, a floor-to-ceiling
bookshelf and entertainment area.

She’d
never given much thought to cooking her own meals or making her own coffee in
the morning because Warren’s housekeeper, Rita, had taken care of that. But
now, the idea of total independence thrilled her into smiling broadly as she
trailed her hand over the West African teak, which covered the center island.
She imagined taking a gourmet cooking class and making a meal half as decent as
the one Noah had cooked for her last week.

Checking
out the rest of the Christopher Peacock designed kitchen, she walked through a
short archway into a dining area. Beyond the chill-out space, sliding doors led
outside to a huge balcony complete with a small pool and a set of
white-cushioned lounge furniture.

Grinning,
she turned to find Noah watching her, a smile on his face.

Walking
over, she battered her eyelashes at him. “Oh Mr. Realtor, show me a bedroom
with a skylight, and I’ll be yours forever.”

His
smile faded. One hand slid over her nape and tugged her close. “Careful who you
pledge yourself to, Miss Michaels. I understand you belong to a possessive
motherfucker who doesn’t like to even joke about imaginary assholes poaching
what’s his.”

The
atmosphere altered. Electricity and angst arched between them as Noah’s hooded
eyes pinned her. His head began to descend and she held her breath. Her mouth
tingled, silently screaming for the kiss he’d denied her so far. He loomed
closer until he filled her vision. At the last moment he twisted his head to
one side and kissed the space below her ear.

Robbed
of what she craved, Leia didn’t hear his command to go until he tugged on her
arm.

The
rest of the two-bedroom condo was equally stunning, but her enthusiasm had
waned. She made the right noises and even agreed to meet with the realtor but
inside, her heart had turned to stone.

“You
ready to go?” Noah asked after one final inspection.

She
nodded and headed out of the kitchen.

He
trapped her by the door and lifted her chin. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

“You
know what’s wrong. I’m beginning to wonder what I need to do to get you to kiss
me again.”

His
eyes dimmed. “You don’t think I want to more than any goddamn thing in my
existence?”

“Then
do it. God, it’s so easy. I’m right here…”

He
laughed. “It’s the most difficult thing in the world to kiss a woman who
doesn’t trust you…who doesn’t think you’re worth a call when she’s in trouble.”

His
thick voice broke and ice drenched her. “Oh God, Noah. I didn’t mean—”

He
shut her up with a finger on her mouth. “I don’t care what you
meant.
I
only know that it ripped my guts out to know you chose to be alone in a goddamn
hotel room rather than pick up the phone and call me after that asshole
attacked you. You want me to kiss you? Show me that I’m worth something to
you.”

Dropping
his hand from her lips, he stepped back and opened the door.

She
stood frozen for a full minute after he walked away, blinking back stunned
tears and the knowledge of how much she’d hurt him.

The
sound of the elevator arriving galvanized her into movement. He waited with one
hand on the door. When she reached him, they stared at one another for a long
moment before he pulled her into his arms. They travelled in silence up another
floor. She watched, puzzled as Noah went to a similar door and slotted in the
keycard.

“Are
we viewing another condo? I thought…the one downstairs is fine for me.”

He
threw the door open before answering her. “This one isn’t for you.”

“Then
who…oh
you
?” she blurted.

“If
it suits my needs.”

A
bolt of happiness shot through her, followed immediately by a well of despair.
Aware that Noah was watching her, gauging her reaction like a hawk tracked its
prey, she tried to neutralize her features. He shut the door and faced her and
she knew she’d failed to fool him.

Long
fingers traced her cheek. “You looked happy for a moment. But I’m guessing you
let the monsters win yet again?” There was a heavy vein of sadness in his
voice. “Does the thought of having me close distress you so much?”

She
slid her arms around his waist and propped her chin on his chest. Preparing to
bare
herself
to him made her heart hammer wildly. But
she needed to take the step, or risk losing him sooner rather than later. “You
want the truth?”

His
nostrils flared. “Always.”

“It
scared me a little, I won’t deny it. What we do to each other…it’s powerful and
untamable and reckless. I feel like I’m plugged into a live electric current
every time I’m around you. It’s exhilarating but I can’t help wondering every
now and then if won’t…destroy us…” He started to respond but she shook her
head. “That said, I’d rather have this, have a little of you for as long as you
want this…” She attempted to smile around the painful throb in her chest. “I’m
taking the condo downstairs, Noah. So you need to decide if you want this one.”

His
forefinger traced her mouth and he swallowed before he spoke. “It’s already
decided. I’ve had a duplicate keycard made for you for this place.”

Her
heart caught and happiness burst through her chest. “I’ll have one made of mine
for you, after I sign the lease.”

“No
need, it’s already taken care of.”

One corner of his mouth quirked at her affronted gasp.
“The lease or the keycard?”

“Both.”

“Do
I need to waste my breath arguing with you on either issue?”

“Ah,
baby, I wasn’t really offering you a choice in the matter.”

He
grabbed her hand and guided her through the sprawling condo. It was easily
twice the size of hers, with a larger pool, terrace and a hot tub. He groaned
when they opened another door to a gaming room complete with roulette, pool and
poker tables.

“The
guys will never leave me in peace if they see this room.”

She
was wondering about his friends when he dragged her into the empty master
bedroom and pulled down her zipper.

“I
don’t think I can call this place home until it’s christened properly,” he
whispered in her ear. Her dress pooled at her feet and he lifted her out of it.
Clad in just her panties and heels, she shivered at the fiery blaze in his
eyes. “Will you help me christen it?”

“Yes,
Noah.”

Her
throat dried as she watched him fumble to release his fly. His thick cock
sprang free and she juddered in delight. Unable to wait, she pushed down her thong
and kicked it away.

“Be
a good girl and get on your knees.”

TWENTY-TWO

They
moved in gradually over the course of the week, a week during which Noah
forbade her from leaving his side for all but the most important meetings. And
even then, he’d argued that she relocate them to his offices. When she’d
refused, Paddy’s gruff and stoic presence had become a fixture in her office,
along with goodness knew how many other minders that she couldn’t see watching
over her outside.

By
mutual unspoken agreement, they didn’t talk about Warren. Or Ashley. Or her
stepfather, although she knew Noah had several
video
conferences
day and night with Tim and Harry.

Warren
had extended his leave of absence after the board had reluctantly taken the
decision to delay floating the company on the stock market.

Then
he’d abruptly sold his stake in La
Carezza
and
resigned. Paddy had informed them that the Palm Beach house had been put on the
market.

The
ripple of Warren’s sudden resignation had threatened to focus unwanted media
attention on her, but Leia had put her foot down about delaying the launch of
the new lingerie collection.

She
refused to let Warren’s sudden disappearance or Stephen Willoughby’s black
silence derail her life.

The
auction website had stayed down. Its ominous threat worried her, but not enough
to mar her happiness at having Noah close.

He’d
hired a team of designers to deal with his condo, and at the times when the
workmen got too loud, the two of them relocated to her apartment. While Noah wanted
his place ready to be lived in immediately, she was content to take her time
shopping for the right accessories for the furniture she had.

Her
only compromise had been a bed large and sturdy enough to accommodate her
lover’s height and endless stamina. And seriously comfy and expensive bed linen
that made her smile stupidly every time she burrowed into it.

Memories
of cooking sausages and waffles with her father had triggered a visit to the
grocery store, and she’d cooked her first meal in her new kitchen on their
first weekend.

Noah
had dutifully finished his plate of burnt waffles and undercooked sausages,
then proceeded to express his ‘gratitude’ by spreading her out on the teak
countertop and making her scream through several mind-altering orgasms.

Two
weeks later, she walked into Noah’s condo, excitement and a touch of anxiety
bubbling in her chest.

He
was in the kitchen, shirtless, stirring a bubbling pot on the stove. She paused
in the doorway, completely arrested by the sight that never ceased to make her
whole body quiver with delight.

“Dinner
will be ready in fifteen minutes,” he threw over his shoulder.

She
nodded and walked to where he stood. Unable to resist, she placed a kiss
between his shoulder blades, flicking her tongue out to taste his skin. He
tensed and gave a tiny hiss before turning around to catch her in his arms.
Bending down, he buried his face in her throat,
then
drifted his mouth to the point between her shoulder and neck. His teeth claimed
her before he soothed the bite with his tongue.

 
Broad hands captured her ass and pulled
her into his groin. “Hi,” he growled.

“Hi,”
she answered. “I got you a house-warming present,” she forced out, unwilling to
spoil the moment with the painful knowledge that once again he’d avoided her
mouth.

Noah
hadn’t kissed her in almost a month. Of all the punishments he delivered, this
was the one that hurt the most. And the unshakeable certainty that it hurt him
almost as much as it hurt
her,
killed her. She lowered
her gaze as he released his hold and turned back to the stove.

“No
need, you already gave me one,” he said.

Leia
frowned. “I’m pretty sure I’d have remembered that.”

Setting
down the black cardboard wrapped package next to the counter, she leaned next
to him. Watching him cook was another major turn on. It really was bad for her
heart that Noah King was so great at everything he did.

He
shrugged, smiled, and offered her a taste of sauce from the ladle.

She
tasted, groaned at the seriously good white wine sauce and pursed her lips.
“Don’t try and seduce me with your cooking, King. Where’s this present, then? I
want to see what I supposedly gave you.”

“It’s
in the bedroom.”

Still
frowning, she dropped her bag and walked down the hallway to the bedroom, which
took up the whole east wall of the building. Opening the door, she stared at
the huge emperor-size bed, the nightstands and the dresser. Nothing.

Walking
into the black-tiled bathroom, she peered on the shelves and in the drawers,
then
tried his walk-in closet. Striking out, she retraced
her steps and found Noah in the middle of the room, an enigmatic smile on his
face.

She
threw out her arms. “Is it invisible?”

He
laughed, and she tried not to dissolve in a puddle of hopeless need. He walked
to his side of the bed and patted the middle. “Lie down.”

Her
eyes widened. “
I’m
the present? I was
kinda
looking for something along more…inanimate lines…”

“Shut
up and park yourself on the bed,” he growled playfully.

Tugging
off her boots, she looked down at her short blue leather skirt and Chinese doll
top. “Do I need to be naked?” she asked half-hopefully.

“Nudity
is always appreciated but not necessary for this particular show.”

Curbing
her disappointment, she did as instructed.

He
opened his nightstand drawer and took out a small electronic square with a
dented middle. Lying down next to her, he aimed it at the far wall and pressed
down with his thumb.

A
soft whine proceeded movement on the wall opposite his bed. Two panels slid
back and a painting rose slowly from below. It clicked into place and soft
lights illuminated the large image.

Leaning
on her elbows, Leia stared, open-mouthed.

“
Ohmigod
…” Chills chased up and down her body.

Stretching
out next to her, he slid his arm around her and pulled her close. “I know how
you felt about me having the picture on my phone, but I couldn’t bring myself
to delete it. This way, it stays hidden and only comes out for me.”

“God,
Noah, it’s…it’s…”

“Fucking
beautiful. And for my eyes only,” he whispered gruffly. He slid a hand into her
hair and massaged her scalp, while his other drifted up and down her legs. “Do
you like it?”

Struck
dumb by the stunning piece, she could only nod.

Done
in grey and red daguerreotype, the image of her welt-covered ass and thighs was
sharply contrasted with the red garter belt in a breathtaking tableau. The
strategically placed spotlights Noah had used to frame the picture created
shadows and light that made the painting come alive.

It
was unspeakably breathtaking. And the fact that he’d kept it private for his sole
enjoyment made her heart swell. He moved against her, turning her head so he
could read her expression.

Whatever
he saw there made his mouth curve in a satisfied smile. She lifted her hand to
caress his hair and he shifted even closer. Close enough for her to feel the
iron-hard effect of his little exhibit. Moaning, she cupped his rigid length,
sighing in delight when he thrust against her palm.

He
slipped a hand between her legs and gave a loud groan when he encountered her
wetness. “I knew we should’ve done this after dinner. Now my cock craves your
tight little cunt more than my stomach wants food.”

“I’m…I’m
not that hungry either,” she murmured.

When
his fist tightened in her hair, her heart leapt. But he put a hand over hers on
his crotch and lifted it. Kissing her palm, he moved away. “White wine sauce
doesn’t keep. Besides, I want to see my other present.” He lunged out of bed
and held out both hands to her. She let him help her up and gasped when he
tugged her close. “But we come back here straight after dinner, and I get to
fuck you long and hard with that picture for added stimulus.”

She
tilted her head. “Oh, are you getting to the stage where you need help keeping
it up, King?” she teased.

A
hard slap on her ass brought sweet, sweet pain and added wetness between her
legs.

“Just
for that, I’ll make you sob for mercy.”

“You
mean you haven’t noticed that I pretty much cry every time we have sex?”

His
smile was steeped in wickedness. “Baby, tonight I want nothing short of ugly,
clawing, head-banging tears. And no one will hear your excited screams when I
whip your pretty little pussy because you’ll have a ball-gag in your mouth. Now
let’s go open my present.”

***

Noah
bit the inside of his lip to keep from laughing at Leia’s agitation. He’d deliberately
drawn out dinner, fed her some more when she said she was full and made the
most intricate dessert just to keep her on the edge. Scooping up another
spoonful of freshly made chocolate mousse topped with lightly roasted shaved
truffles and orange
rinds,
he held it to her lips.

Obediently,
she closed her mouth over the decadent morsel. She looked at his untouched
portion. “Aren’t you going to eat yours?”

“You
can feed me after I’ve fed you.”

Eyes
wide, she nodded. She ate another couple of mouthfuls,
then
cleared her throat. Again he swallowed a smile.

“Noah…about
the…umm…ball-gag—”

“
Shhh
, we don’t talk about the ball-gag during dinner.”

She
lifted a trembling hand to the newly shaved space above her ear.

His
stomach muscles quivered as he flashed back to this morning. He’d asked her
last week whether she would keep or shave the patch of hair. She’d wanted to
wait until her wrist fully healed to decide.

He’d
forgotten about it until he walked into the bathroom this morning and seen her
holding out his electric shaver to him.

Get
over it, Noah.
It was such a simple thing. And yet, every time he saw that
newly-shaved
patch, something unfurled in his chest.

He
captured her hand, kissed it and fed her another mouthful. With each bite, her
spine grew stiffer and her breath puffed out.

God,
was he a masochist to love her like this, all riled up and anticipating what he
planned to do to her? Hell yeah. The hard-on he’d been unable to talk down
since he’d shown her the painting throbbed harder.

Ten
minutes later, he decided he would be better off not doing himself a permanent
injury. He quickly fed her the last spoonful, tried to ignore the sexy little
whimpers she’d been making for the last five minutes, and handed her his spoon.

Her
hand trembled so badly he helped steady her first offered mouthful. He kept his
eyes on her as the loaded spoon slid inside his mouth. Noah couldn’t breathe at
the open hunger and utter surrender in her eyes.

He
wanted to believe, right then and there, that she would do anything he wanted…
be
anything he desired. And there was their problem. Outside of sex, he still
wasn’t sure he could trust her to accept him and everything in his life.

Hell,
he was chicken enough that he’d avoided the subjects that really mattered,
subjects which would rear their ugly heads sooner rather than later and smash
the intimacy happening right here to fucking smithereens.

She
gave a distressed whimper and he realized he’d squeezed her hand too tight.
Slowly releasing her, he let her finish feeding him. By the time the spoon
clattered to the countertop, her face was flushed and her thighs clenched and
unclenched in uncontrollable spasms.

Reaching
down to where she’d placed it earlier, he picked up the large wrapped package
and propped it on his knees. “So what do we have here?”

Her
beautiful eyes shifted nervously over the present. “O-open it.”

He
pulled the strings apart and tore away the wrapping. For several seconds he
stared at the painting,
then
he frowned at her.

Her
face fell. “You don’t like it. I’m sorry…I just thought the color blocks would
match the monochrome in the living room—”

“Are
you fucking kidding me? You buy me a Mondrian and are surprised that I’m lost
for words?”

“I
didn’t buy it exactly…”

His
frown deepened. “You stole it?”

A
tiny smile crept over her face. “Of course not. It belonged to my…father. After
he died, my mom packed up all his art and stored them at the bank. But he left
everything to me and I thought…I thought…”