STAY THE NIGHT (The Phillips Family Book 1) (23 page)

   
“
It will be the rest of our lives, but the travels will end a week before your classes begin.
”

   
“
The entire summer?
”

   
“
Why not?
”
he said hooking two fingers in the waistband of her panties and pulling them off as she raised her hips.

   
“
Where will we fly out of when it's time to come home?
”

   
“
London to JFK.
”

   
“
Cray?
”

   
“
Yes, darling?
”

   
“
It's time to stop talking and take off your clothes.  I'd do it, but I'm floating on a cloud and too lazy to move.
”

   
“
Don't angels float among the clouds?
”
he asked shucking his clothes to a heap on the floor.

   
“
Yes, but right now I'm on cloud seven.  I'm depending on you to take me to cloud nine.
”

    He grinned and said,
“
I'll do my best.
”

   
“
Your best is enough.
”

    As the day wore on and he kept her sated with multiple orgasms she said,
“
Who will run your business as we flit around Europe?
”

   
“
Mona.  She's half way there now and by May she'll be ready to assume my position.  Angel, it will take me a few months to put everything in place, but I promise that from the day we take our vows, you will be my priority from that day forward.
”

   
“
I don't expect that.
”

   
“
It's not about what you expect.  It's what I want to give you.  I'm fortunate enough to be able to do it.  I want us to devote lots of time to the needy as you suggested.  The more I think about your worthwhile cause, the more ideas I have on how to accomplish it with you by my side.  We'll give back in a meaningful way to show our appreciation for what we've been given.
”

    She flung herself on top of him and said,
“
I adore you.
”

   
“
Show me, Angie.  Cute name your sister called you.
”

Chapter 12

The days leading up to New Year's Eve, Cray went to the office two mornings that week to finalize the Grayson Mills buyout.   Angelica spent one of those mornings moving the rest of her clothes and personal items to his condominium. They went out for lunch each day, stopped at the kiosks in the city that offered unsold Broadway tickets for that day, purchased them and attended the shows.     

    They explored some of the little known spots missed by tourists, browsed used book stores and altogether enjoyed each moment spent in the others' company.  They thought the other amusing, often hilarious and they laughed at silly things.  They walked blocks on the sidewalks of the city and were jostled by the crowds. 

    The cold temperatures didn't bother them, nor did the people rushing to one place or another.  Oblivious to annoyances that bothered others, they stayed wrapped in a warm cocoon of absolute love, devotion and gratitude that they found each other.  Without conscious thought, they'd both sought love and now that they found it they didn't squander it on petty disagreements.  Instead, they reveled in it.

    As the afternoons waned when they had no plans for the evening, they popped in at a bistro or cafe to alleviate their hunger or thirst while they engaged in quiet conversation.  They never ran out of subjects to discuss and as the week progressed they learned the others' opinions, principles, scruples, moral code and discovered they were in accord with those things that counted the most.

    Seldom did they take a taxi.  They dressed in layers and warm, comfortable shoes to avoid the cold and rode the subway when the distance necessitated they ride.  When they arrived home after a day in the city, Cray took great pleasure in disrobing her of the many layers to get to the good stuff as he called her naked body.  Their love making reached new heights and they gloried in the joy they found in their joined bodies.

     One evening they stopped at a comedy club for the early show and the more ribald the jokes, the harder Angelica laughed making Cray laugh so hard at her he cried.  That night at home they still laughed as Angelica repeated some of the raunchiest jokes they heard.  She ducked in their master bathroom while he prepared for bed and she appeared by his side with nothing on except a headband with devil's horns. 

     He laughed and grabbed for her, but she avoided him. 
“
Huh uh, tonight Satan is in control.  You do my bidding and you're in for a hell of a ride, you little demon.  There are two mandatory requirements.  You must be buck naked and when you are, you must find me and catch me to have me.
”

   
“
How difficult can that be?
”
he said, starting to disrobe.

    She ran out of the bedroom, laughing.  He checked the living room, the den and the two spare bedrooms and couldn't find her.  He started opening linen and clothes closets, the storage room door.  He checked the kitchen and the pantry and couldn't find her.  He paused and considered where he forgot to look.  The laundry room!  He crept down the hall toward the laundry room door, grinned and flung open the door to find her posed in a pornographic stance, straddling the washer and the dryer.

    He started to laugh and she said,
“
God, you're terrible at this game.
”
  She jumped off the machines, ducked under his arm and out the door, running like a maniac.  He found her in the kitchen stretched out on the granite bar.  As he reached for her from one side, she rolled off the other side and ran again.

    She hid behind the bedroom door and when he walked in the room, she stepped in front of him her eyes fixated on his flaccid penis. 
“
The devil deserves her due and you're standing there limp as a noodle.
”
  With her hands in the middle of his chest she pushed him toward the bed.

    He laughed so hard and said,
“
What do you expect?  You had me racing around the house like an idiot.
”

   
“
You can't multi-task?
”

    He laughed again. 
“
I need to be in the right frame of mind, instead of expected to corner and capture my prey before I mate with her.
”

   
“
The devil wants you to rise to the challenge.
”

   
“
Oh, the hell with this,
”
he said, scooping her up in a surprise move and slinging her over his shoulder. 
“
We're going to play caveman and you will obey me or I won't hunt food for you.
”

   
“
Darling,
”
she said in a coo. 
“
I'm your woman.  Allow me to pleasure you.
”

    He let her slide down his body and she shoved him on the mattress, crawled between his splayed legs and proceeded to arouse him with her mouth until he writhed and moaned beneath her. 

    He urged her up his body, removing the silly headband with the devil's horns, dropping it on the floor.  His large hands combed through her pale blond hair. 
“
My angel.  Each day I fall more in love with you and each day I can't believe it's possible to love you more than I do that day.  Your essence is inside me, it consumes and comforts me whether we're together or apart.
”

   
“
Oh, Cray,
”
she said melting against him as his arms wrapped around her and his mouth took hers.

    He made exquisite, elegant love to her.  Their passions soared to a new plateau where they lingered in a haze of ecstasy reluctant to break the bond that physically joined them.  She stayed in his arms long after the euphoria passed. He spoke in a low, soft voice to her. 
“
Tomorrow night is New Year's Eve, honey.  We're invited to a black-tie affair at a mansion outside of Manhattan.
”

   
“
Is that what you want us to do?
”

   
“
I'm open to anything you want to do.
”

   
“
Does that include staying here and watching the ball fall in Times Square on television?
”

   
“
It does.  Is that what you want?
”

   
“
I'm torn.  I'd love to dress in an evening gown and let you escort me in your designer tuxedo.
”

   
“
Then that's what we'll do.
”

   
“
On the other hand, dining alone with you right here with candlelight appeals to me, too.
”

   
“
We can do that.
”

   
“
I imagine the party will have a live band and dancing.  I'd be in heaven dancing with you while we're dressed in beautiful formal clothes.
”

    He chuckled deep in his chest and said,
“
Shall we sleep on it and you tell me tomorrow how we'll spend our first New Year's Eve together?
”

   
“
There is one thing that must not change.
”

   
“
What's that, honey?
”

   
“
You kissing me at midnight.
”

   
“
That's a given, sweetheart,
”
he said his torso hovering over hers as his mouth descended.

    The next morning as they sat down to the breakfast she prepared, he said,
“
Did you decide how we're welcoming the new year tonight?
”

   
“
I did.
”
  She grinned. 
“
It occurred to me while we were making love in the shower this morning.
”

   
“
That's not very flattering to me.  Were you bored?
”
  He laughed, remembering the simultaneous, shattering orgasm they reached.

    She laughed, her eyes sparkling. 
“
Women multi-task.  That means doing two things well at the same time.  You aren't able to do that as became apparent last night during our devil play.
”

   
“
I did okay.
”

   
“
Darling, you weren't able to sustain an erection and look for me at the same time.  I can't imagine you forgot that.  Doing both is multi-tasking.
”

   
“
Should I beg your forgiveness?
”

   
“
No, darling, you redeemed yourself in the most astoundingly, provocative and satisfying method this poor woman could conjure in her most fantastic fantasy.
”

   
“
I am good, aren't I?
”

   
“
The best, darling, I couldn't ask for more.
”

   
“
Do you want your boots?  The shit is getting deep in here.
”

    She laughed and said,
“
Back to the night's plans.  Tell me if you approve.  I propose we spend the day here in our warm, cozy home and exercise our libido whenever we choose.  By early evening, we should be sated for a few hours and that's when we'll shower, dress fancy and attend the opulent party.  We'll dine, drink champagne, dance and indulge in an ardent kiss at midnight before we slip from the ball and return to our love nest.  If our need arises before our arrival home, I plan to leave a large lap robe in the backseat of the limo.  We'll cover ourselves from curious eyes and screw like a mink.
”

    He laughed and said,
“
Perfect.  You're perfect.  Your plan is perfect.  Fucking on the way home is a must.
”

   
“
Please, darling, don't be crass.  The term is screwing like a mink.
”