Steamed (2 page)

No! This was not going to happen. She’d had enough of sexy men with no substance. Great sex was just that—great. But she was tired of playing the game. She wanted a lot more out of life for herself. She wanted what her sister and her cousin had, a relationship with a solid man, a forever kind of man. Grant Havers was giving off all the same signals as every other man who’d been in her life. Hot today, gone tomorrow.

She’d come here tonight hoping to finally meet that button-down, safe, stable man who would want forever after and finally place that ring on her finger.

So why was she sitting here with this man instead of inside at the party where she could look over the single men? Find one who looked like he had possibilities. Instead she was wondering if she could pull Grant Havers into one of the little meeting rooms and rip his clothes off.

Stop it, you idiot! That’s how you always get into trouble. One glance and you’re sunk. One
week later and you’re another notch on someone’s belt. How many times do you want to be a
bridesmaid instead of the bride?

But she couldn’t turn off her thoughts. She could barely concentrate on the polite conversation they were making. The get-to-know you kind of conversation. She hoped whatever she said made sense, because all she could focus on were the crisp chest hairs curling at the neck of his shirt where he’d loosened his tie and two buttons. She blinked when she realized he’d just asked her a question.

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Desiree Holt & Allie Standifer

“Excuse me? I’m sorry. What did you ask me?”

He grinned, his full, sensuous lips curving into an I’m-going-to-eat-you smile. “I asked if you’d like another drink. But maybe the one you had is already too much.”

“Oh. No, no. Yes, I’d love some more wine. Thank you.”

She rose from the table when he did and they shifted in the same direction at the same time, bumping into each other. Afterward she could never remember who moved first but one minute they were standing there, the next they were in each other’s arms with their mouths fused together. And oh, holy hell, did he taste wonderful.

For one brief minute she tried to think about what she was doing, but then his warm hands slid up her back, his fingers tunneling into her hair, and his tongue, a hot flame, scorched into her mouth as he drank from her. She was lost, that was all. In fifteen minutes she’d broken all her new resolutions and fallen into lust with this man.

She flicked her tongue against his and sighed when he licked the roof of her mouth and the inside of her lips. She inhaled the rich, citrusy scent of him and plunged her fingers into the thickness of his mink-brown hair. By the time they broke the kiss they were both dragging air into oxygen-starved lungs.

“We have to get out of here,” he rasped, his voice a throaty growl, and he grabbed her hand.

“No, wait, what—”

“We both know where this is going and I don’t plan to fuck you out here where everyone can watch. Come on. I’m sure they have some rooms still left here in the hotel.”

No. No hotel room! She was doing it again.

She pulled open the first door they came to and dragged him inside. It was some kind of meeting room, with a long table and lots of chairs. And a very thick carpet.

“Lock the door,” she told him. “Quick.”

“Listen, are you sure?”

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Steamed

“Hurry!” she urged. What the hell was the matter with the man? Didn’t he understand what she was offering?

He nodded, flicked the lock closed and pulled her into his arms again. She was trying to tear off his jacket and shirt when he captured her hands.

“Hold it. I’ll do it. We don’t have much time.”

He tossed his jacket to the floor, unfastened his slacks and shoved them down to the floor along with his boxers. Kira breathed a small sigh of relief when he stooped over to fish his wallet from his pants pocket and extract a familiar foil packet, which he stuck in his shirt pocket.

She kicked off her shoes and was about to undo her dress when Grant shook his head.

“Not this time. Next round when we have a bed, I’ll touch, kiss and lick every inch of you, but for now I have to be in you.”

He pulled her into his arms again and fused his mouth to hers, plunging his tongue inside. All the while he was heating her with fiery strokes of his tongue, his hands were busy bunching up her dress and pushing at her thong. She finally had to help him ease it past her hips and then wriggled out of it, managing to extract one foot.

His hands were all over her, rubbing the cheeks of her ass, squeezing the round globes, trailing his fingers through the crevice. She reached between them and wrapped her small fingers around his impressive cock, stroking the velvety skin and running a thumb over the swollen head. When she felt the drop of fluid beading at the slit lust shot through her and she spread the gel-like liquid over the skin.

Grant had moved his hands to the front of her body, arms bumping into hers as he palmed her breasts and pinched her nipples. Each new touch sent fresh cream from her pussy until she was sure it was dripping onto her thighs. She was so hot for him she was afraid she would climax without him.

He caught his breath when she reached a little lower to gently grip his balls and roll them in her fingers.

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Desiree Holt & Allie Standifer

“Now,” he gasped, tearing his mouth away from hers. “I have to be inside you now.”

His fingers were shaking so badly Kira plucked the condom from him, tore open the package and rolled the latex onto his throbbing cock. She would have simply wrapped her legs around him but he shook his head and lowered them both to the floor, rolling so she was on top of him. When she was straddling him she looked into his eyes and saw such carnal desire it nearly undid her.

“Ride me,” he growled, using his hands to urge her into position and help her lower herself onto him.

Kira rose slightly on her knees, took his cock in one hand and slowly, slowly lowered herself onto it until he was fully inside her. Oh, god, he felt so good. She closed her eyes for just a moment and clenched her pussy muscles around him. But then he moved one hand between them and pressed a thumb against her clit, rubbing it back and forth.

Icy heat raced through her as her orgasm built inside, rushing, rushing, and she rode his cock like a wild thing. When they crashed together she threw her head back and bit off a scream, shudders racking her body, her hot liquid bathing his pulsing cock.

It was untamed, uncontrolled, no less explosive for the quickness with which it had occurred, and it stole the breath from both of them.

And then it was over, and she lay panting on top of him, trying desperately to pull herself together.

When she felt his hands pressing against her she opened her eyes and looked at him. She could see he was still dragging air into his lungs.

“I think you need to get up,” he panted.

“Oh!” Of course. With her generous body she was probably crushing him.

Embarrassed, she lifted herself carefully and moved to the side, pausing to take in more air before rising to her knees. Grant grabbed his pants and dug for a handkerchief, removing the condom and wrapping it in the white linen.

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Steamed

They stared at each other for a long moment, as if neither one knew exactly what to say. Finally Kira pulled up the thong hanging around one ankle and smoothed down her dress.

“I’m going to the ladies’ room to see if I can make myself presentable.”

“Oh, okay.” Another awkward silence. “Listen, Kira…”

“It’s okay. But you should get dressed yourself. Someone will be looking for us.”

Before he could say anything else or she could embarrass herself any further she unlocked the door and let herself out. As she headed toward the ladies’ room, all she could think was,
What the hell did I just do?

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Desiree Holt & Allie Standifer

The familiar heat enveloped her as she opened the door to her studio and Kira let out a long sigh of relief as the steam surrounded her. The wet heat was familiar and comforting, something her sister could never understand. She stepped inside, the door clicked closed behind her and she let out of long sigh of relief.

Nothing could touch her here, not in this sanctuary built from her vision. She’d imagined every inch of it, sketched it out, made changes here, adjustments there, worked every step of the way with the architect. When it became a reality it was like having a fantasy come true. The place she’d dreamed about. The studio where she brought to life the ethereal wisps of her dreams. Shapes and forms burst into existence with her very breath as she blew and coaxed her art to reality.

A quick flick of her wrist sent the furnace blazing, the dancing flames visible through the glass door and reflecting in the big picture window. Kira’s palms itched to hold and caress her latest vision. In her mind the colors and shape were already tangible. The bold, strong lines of a well-developed male form, naked in all his splendor.

Grant, the sexy stranger she’d seduced or allowed to seduce her, had been a constant companion in her mind since that night over two weeks ago. Something about the man wouldn’t let her go even though she knew he was exactly the opposite of what she wanted in a partner and husband. He was just like every other man she’d taken up with—hot and irresponsible. Looking for nothing but a good time. Still, she wanted to blow the glass into his shape, recreating it from the memory of their very hot encounter at the engagement party.

Sick, that’s what I am. Sick, sick, sick. And obsessed with sex.

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Steamed

Seating herself on the high stool at the drawing table, she opened her sketch pad and picked up a charcoal pencil. The lines began to flow from her fingers in bold strokes on the page. Distracted by the sounds of the noisy furnace, her own wild thoughts and the drawing coming to life beneath her quick, skilled fingers, Kira didn’t hear the creak of the thick, steel door as it opened. Nor was she aware of the heavy footsteps striding her way.

“What the hell is going on here?”

The deep voice startled her and she jerked, dropping her pencil and losing her balance. With an embarrassing girly scream, she slipped off her work stool and hit the hard concrete floor ass first.

“Shit,” she cursed and rubbed her aching butt.

“I saw the flames through the window,” the voice went on. “Are you crazy, building a fire in here? Of all the moronic, idiotic asinine things to do.”

Feeling anger spark hot enough to match that of the kiln at her side, she stood up, ready to tear apart the fool stupid enough to interrupt her work. She whirled around, temper flaring.

“Just who the hell do you think—” She stopped short as the sight of her intruder finally registered. “Oh shit…not you.”

There before her stood the man she hadn’t been able to get out of her head since he’d slid his cock into her body. A lover who knew how to do it quick and dirty.

Something about him stuck in every one of her senses until she would swear she could still taste him on her tongue and smell his musky, male scent in the air around her.

“Are you trying to get yourself killed?” he demanded to know. There was nothing lover-like now in either his tone or stance.

Either he was too mad to recognize her or her image hadn’t yet clicked into his brain. Of course, the last time he’d seen her she’d been dressed up, made up, and ready to party. Today she didn’t have a stitch of makeup on, she was dressed in a tank top and yoga pants and her hair was scraped back into a ponytail to keep it away from the 17

Desiree Holt & Allie Standifer

flame. Fearing on the one hand he would recognize her and on the other he wouldn’t, Kira shuffled from one foot to another, not sure what to do or how to do it. The feeling of uncertainty wasn’t one she was familiar with and found it entirely unsettling.

And Grant continued with his rant, apparently too caught up in his own words and actions to focus entirely on her.

“I might have just moved into the neighborhood,” he stormed, “but I’m already pretty attached to my house and yard. I sure as hell wouldn’t want a woman too stupid to know better setting everything I own on fire, accident or no.”

Well, that certainly put her in her place, Kira thought with a thin smile. She ought to hit him over the head with one of her tools. The problem was, nothing diminished his blatant sexuality. Even with his aggressive stance, clenched fists and flashing eyes she couldn’t help but feel desire stir within her body and need for him heat her blood.

Faced with the conflicting emotions of desperate arousal or spiked temper, Kira went for anger as she did every time. Less chance of complications or confusion down that road. It helped her match his fury right now. And tamp down those hormones that seemed to have a mind of their own.

“How dare you barge onto my property and tell me what to do?” A bead of sweat trickled down her neck and slipped inside her already damp tank top. She blew upward at a strand of hair that had escaped.

“I dare because—” His voice stopped abruptly as he suddenly moved closer, those sexy, blue eyes narrowing even as Kira tried to step back in the shadows.

Oh, hell. He’d recognized her.

“Wait,” he barked and grabbed her arm in a gentle but firm hold. “I know you.” He blinked. “Of course. Kira, the mystery lady, who disappeared on me at the party. What the hell are you doing here?” He looked around as if expecting a sign to appear on the wall that would give him an answer.

“And the trophy for most clueless goes to…you, Mr. Obvious,” she snapped at him while trying to pull free of his grip. “I live here, you idiot.”

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Steamed

A stunned look washed over his face. “You live here? Right here? In this place?”

“In the house. And this is my studio. What else would I be doing here?”

His talented mouth opened and closed several times before words finally emerged.

“How-how long have you been living here?”