STAY THE NIGHT (The Phillips Family Book 1) (9 page)

   
“
I'm hoping, no praying, that this relentless need will subside with your help.
”

    She giggled and finished packing, surveying the stuffed suitcase. 
“
I guess that's everything.  I can run back here if I forgot something.
”

   
“
Aren't you forgetting your halo and horns?
”
he asked, chuckling.

   
“
Oh, my gosh.  You're right.
”
  She opened the top drawer of her nightstand, placed a halo on her head and sauntered to him. 
“
You thought I kidded you.
”
  She knelt by his side, leaned over him and placed her mouth on his in a gentle but thorough exploration of his lips.

    He held her and said,
“
Dear God.
”

    She pulled away from him, took the halo off and donned the headband with devil horns.  He laughed until she straddled him and ground her body in his, her tongue relentless as she explored his mouth and ran her hands over his chest while her hips worked in a primitive rhythm against his groin.  His head flopped back against the cushion, his mouth opened for air, his chest heaved and moans emanated from deep in his throat.

   
“
Is this the way you want the first time?
”
she asked in a sultry husky voice.

   
“
Yes.  No.  Not the first time.  I won't last a minute.  Angel, have mercy.
”

    She rose from him and stood next to him. 
“
We're going to be so hot together.  Cray, I'm going to change clothes before we go.  Would you rather go in the other room?
”

    His forearm covered his eyes and he said, 
“
Just let me stay here.  I can't move yet.  You're in the company of a dangerous man.
”

    She giggled and brushed her fingers through his hair. 
“
I'll just be a minute.  It's early.  Are we stopping for dinner?
”

   
“
No, I have stuff to eat at my place.  We'll eat afterward.
”

   
“
Suppose I get hungry before or during,
”
she said, changing her clothes in the closet.

   
“
Fuck, Angel, cut me a break here.
”

    She pulled on a pair of skinny jeans, sneakers and a turtle neck sweater in pale yellow.   
“
Cray, there's a lot of stuff here and I remembered I have some perishable food in the refrigerator.  Can I take that along?  I hate throwing good food away.
”

    He opened his eyes and sat straight. 
“
I'll call for the limo.  Take whatever you want and please don't leave me behind.
”

    She threw her head back and laughed while he dialed the limo service.

     Cray said,
“
Honey, I want to take my time with you, give you pleasure, but I must warn you.  I'm wound so tight and I'm afraid I'll go off like a hand grenade with the pin pulled.  One touch from you and I'm dog meat.
”

   
“
Sweetheart, we have over two weeks.  We'll get it right.  I'm not a porcelain doll that's breakable.  You won't hurt me.  I want you to make love to me and I want you to fuck me in any order you want.
”

Chapter 5

  They loaded the limo with the help of the driver and sat in the back while the driver maneuvered across town to Cray's condo.  Angelica paged through her phone, paused and said,
“
Shit, damn, hell and fuck.
”

    Cray laughed and said,
“
What's wrong?
”

   
“
You won't think this is funny.  There's a reception at the Royal Norwegian Consulate tonight and I must put in an appearance.
”

    He groaned. 
“
Can't you call them and tell them you're sick?
”

    She frowned and glared at him. 
“
No, Cray, I can't.  They're friends of mine.  You can go with me if you choose, but regardless, I'm going.
”

   
“
I didn't realize the Norwegian government had a consulate in New York City.  Is it an embassy?
”

   
“
No, the embassy is in Washington, DC.  The consulate here covers twenty-two states on the east coast.
”

   
“
What do they do?
”

   
“
Arrange for visas and promote Norway's cultural exchange with the United States.  There's an upswing in interest lately for Norwegian architecture and design.  This consulate general has been here since 1906 and is the oldest in the United States.  They work hard to promote peace and reconciliation, gender equality and energy and climate change.  I'm a strong advocate for what they do.
”

   
“
Okay, where is it located and what time must we be there?  I'll keep the limo.
”

   
“
It starts at seven and if we get there then we can leave by eight.  It's located on the thirty-eighth floor at 825 Third Avenue.
”

   
“
How many other mandatory obligations are you committed to in the next two weeks?
”

   
“
I usually fly down to D.C. to the embassy for their holiday party.  I guess I could miss it.
”

   
“
But you don't want to miss it.
”

   
“
No, but I will for you.
”

   
“
None of that.  We're not starting our relationship on that note where you're making concessions to please me.
”

   
“
You're making a concession to go with me tonight when there are other things you'd rather be doing.
”

   
“
Well, since those other things include you and you're going to the consulate what's my choice?
”

   
“
Cray, these things were arranged before I met you.  In the future, we can coordinate before accepting invitations.
”

   
“
When's the bash in Washington?
”

   
“
Tuesday night.  I usually fly down in the morning, get a hotel room and spend the day sightseeing and then dress for dinner.
”

   
“
We'll do that together.
”

   
“
Are you sure?
”

   
“
Things are slow at the office and Mona can handle it.  What do I need to wear tonight?
”

   
“
Not a tux, but a dressy suit, dark blue preferably.
”

   
“
I have one back from the cleaners, so I'm good.
”

   
“
Here's one good thing.  There will be lots of native Norwegian food tonight.  They have some of it flown in if they can't get it here.
”

   
“
I'm not eating whale blubber.
”

   
“
All right.  They disguise it, but I'll point it out to you.
”

   
“
I was kidding.  Do they really eat whale blubber in Norway?
”

   
“
I'm kidding, too.  Cray, call Mona and tell her you'll be late for work tomorrow morning.
”

   
“
Why will I be late for work?
”

   
“
Because from the minute we get home I'm going to keep you up the rest of the night making love to you.
”

   
“
Please don't promise what you can't deliver.
”

   
“
I'll deliver, darling.  I may take cat naps while you recuperate, but when you're ready I will be, too.
”

   
“
Angel, will you cool the sexy talk until we're in bed together?  After that, you can say anything you want.
”

   
“
Will you like it if I talk dirty to you?
”

   
“
Let's talk about the weather.  It's warm today, but snow is called for in the middle of the week.
”

   
“
That's a boring subject, Cray.  I never listen to weather reports.  When I get up in the morning, I look outside and decide how to dress for the day.  I can't change it so why listen to what's coming.
”

   
“
The temperature is important to dress right.  How do you judge that?
”

   
“
The first thing I do when I get up after I use the bathroom is fire up my laptop.  My opening screen gives me the current temperature and the predicted high for the day.
”

   
“
Ah ha, so you do check the weather.
”

    She laughed. 
“
Cray, you act like you caught me in a lie of gargantuan proportions, like I'm stealing State secrets or something just as nefarious.
”

   
“
Don't be ridiculous.  I didn't overreact, but everyone checks the weather.
”

   
“
What do you call AH HA?
”

   
“
All right, Angelica, you win.
”

   
“
You don't want to fight with me because I won't let you in tonight.
”

    He pulled her in her arms and said,
“
That would break my heart.
”
  He kissed her and she melted against him.

   
“
Cray, if it makes you feel any better, I wish we didn't need to go tonight.
”

    Cray lugged her heavy suitcase and her laptop on the private elevator that took them to his penthouse. 
“
Let's drop your luggage in the bedroom and I'll give you a tour.  I want you to make yourself at home and feel at home.  If the d
é
cor is too masculine for your taste, you're welcome to change it.
”

   
“
Why would you let me change things when I'm only staying two weeks and not that long if we aren't compatible?
”

   
“
We're compatible,
”
Cray said.

   
“
Well, yes, in the things we've discovered about each other, but we haven't had sex yet.  What you did to me doesn't count.
”

   
“
Call it a sixth sense, Angel.  We're compatible.
”

   
“
Are you excited about us together tonight?
”
she asked.

   
“
If you define excited as being in a semi-permanent aroused state, then yes I'm excited and I'm finding it annoying because it's uncomfortable.
”

   
“
So your body is excited, but your brain wants it to end.
”

    He laughed and put his arm around her waist and said,
“
Come on, I'll give you the fifty cent tour and then I need to shower and change my clothes for this mandatory reception that the Norwegian I want to bed gave up her citizenship for to become an American, but, hey, it makes sense to me.
”

    She laughed and wrapped her arms around his waist and said,
“
When you put it that way it doesn't compute does it?
”