Stolen Desire (The Lust List: Kaidan Stone #3) (5 page)

Kaidan looks surprised, then shakes his head with a laugh. I kind of want to punch him right now.

“You went to Chatsworth,” he says. “That's like… the porn capital of the world. How long did it take you to figure it out?”

My anger is hot in my chest now, and I glare at him. He's mocking me. “Oh, you know. Right around the time a naked chick pressed her tits against me and leaned in for a kiss.”

His eyes brighten at that, and now I really want to smack him. “Back to the original question. What business is it of yours what I want to do for a job?”

A complex emotion crosses his face, and his mirth fades. “It wasn't
safe
for you to be wandering around the valley. Not with the paparazzi tailing you again. And besides… you're damaging your reputation.”

“Don't you mean I'm damaging
your
reputation?”

Kaidan turns away from me, his face unreadable. “It's not like that,” he says firmly. “I'm worried for your safety. So you're staying with me until some of this blows over.”

“No. I'm not. I want to go home.”

Kaidan ignores my pleas and strides into the house.

Something is wrong with this guy, I swear. The perfection outside hides something seriously messed up. Why didn't I realize that? I mean, I've known for my whole life that some of the most dysfunctional people hide their brokenness behind a mask of wealth, power, and beauty. So why should Kaidan be any different?

My heart's thumping hard as I follow him inside and catch up to him just as he turns from his hallway. I walk after him into his empty kitchen.

“Do
not
walk away from me.” My voice comes out strong. Commanding.

That gets his attention. He turns back to me, and I catch a glimpse of his face before he smoothes his expression. It's filled with worry… and something else. Sadness. Is he
sad
because of what I did?

“You're not my dad,” I say. “But you're trying to control me the same way he always did. It has to stop. I can't be with someone who does this shit.”

He runs a hand through his hair, then takes two steps toward me, catching me off guard. I stumble back into the marble island.

His gold-brown eyes meet mine, searching. “I'm sorry. You're right. I shouldn't have done that. Please forgive me.”

I don't understand his mood swings. He sounds genuine now, but I feel so confused. “Fine. I'll forgive you. But… but you have to let me go home.”

“Charles is having them bring your car over. You'll be free to leave when it gets here. If that's what you want.” He stares into my eyes, and electricity dances between us, even though I don't want it to.

I can smell the scent of him, the real scent of him beneath his woodsy cologne, and it's making it impossible to think clearly. He keeps his eyes on mine and gently runs his hand down my bare arm.

I suck in a breath at the touch, and my body betrays me, warming, aching for him immediately. He takes my purse from my hand and sets it on the table beside us, and my breathing quickens as he moves closer. His eyes are dark—with lust instead of anger now. We're both feeling the same thing. I don't understand him, but I understand
this
. We both do.

He leans down and presses his lips gently to mine. Fire spreads through my core, and his hand trails up and down my arm as we kiss, causing goose bumps there. I thread my fingers through his belt loops and pull him closer, feeling the hardening length of him against my hip.

He wraps his hands under my ass, and in one swift movement, he lifts me high so I'm sitting on the counter. My shirt rides up around my thighs, and I open my legs wider, dragging him closer by his belt loops.

His hard cock is pressed against my damp panties now, and he moans in my mouth a little as our kiss intensifies. He kneads my lower back with firm hands, and longing shoots through me, making me even wetter.

I slide a hand over his shirt, wishing I could feel his bare skin, his rippled abs beneath. He responds by sliding a hand under my shirt, skin on skin, and unhooking my bra with a practiced movement. Then his hands are under my bra, teasing my hard nipples, and I can't contain the moan that escapes.

If he wants to fuck me right here, right now, I'll let him. And somewhere deep inside, I might hate myself for that. Because something's wrong with this guy, and I need time to figure out what it is.

He's just so fucking hot. And my body wants him too bad for my mind to talk me out of it.

His hand leaves my breast, and I ache for him to touch me there again, but he focuses on my inner thigh instead, squeezing it roughly. I arch my back as his fingers tease the thin, damp fabric of my panties out of the way. He kisses me more slowly, while trailing his thumb down my clit. My breath is coming fast as he teases me, and I lean closer to urge him on. I want him inside me.

He plunges two fingers into me. I gasp, breaking our kiss, bucking toward him. He has one arm wrapped around my back, holding me steady as he works his other hand in and out of my heat, curving his fingers upward to hit my g-spot.

He moves his thumb around my clit, slick with my juices now, and I shudder in his arms as pleasure radiates through me.

He suddenly stops, leaving me aching and empty, and keeps his eyes locked on mine as he pulls me even closer. My skirt rides higher, and I'm fully exposed.

He lowers himself to his knees and gently parts my thighs so he can see everything.

I dart a glance at the door we came in, but this house seems to be empty… No one's coming.

Except us.

I moan as his fingers slide beneath my panties again, pushing them out of the way. He breaks eye contact to kiss me where I'm wet. My legs shake as he slowly caresses me with his tongue, his warm breath making me ache, making me shiver.

He's doing what he did our first drunken night together, only it's a thousand times better because we're both totally sober.

I wrap my hands in his hair as his tongue takes me to the edge. I buck toward him, wanting more, wanting to get there, but he slows down and starts kissing me lightly again. It's too much.

“Tell me what you want, Hayley,” he says, his voice thick with lust. He's looking up at me, his lips glistening with me all over them, and it drives me wild. I run my hands through his hair, panting hard. God he's sexy.

“I want to come. I want you to make me come,” I say.

He buries his face between my thighs and sucks on my clit hard, making me gasp. He slides two of his fingers inside me again, fucking me hard with them as I ride the pleasure higher and higher, the wave spreading up my body until I crest, pulling on his hair, biting off a scream. He moves his fingers more quickly, and my orgasm seems to go on and on.

He waits until I'm returning to earth to let me go, let my panties slide back into place. He stands up and kisses me. I can taste myself on his tongue. He's still hard beneath his pants, and I can tell he's ready to take this all the way. So am I.

Someone titters from the entryway. Kaidan and I pull apart, and I glance over his shoulder.

Serena Lynn is standing in the foyer.

My face goes beet red, and I try to pull my skirt down a little. Holy fuck. How long was she standing there?

Her diamond is conspicuously missing from her get-up of skintight jeans, a tank top that hugs her silicone boobs, and high heels that make her look ready for an audition in Chatsworth. She saunters past, tossing her hair over her shoulder.

“Oh, don't mind me. Carry on. Calvin and I will be headed out soon for my rehearsal. We'll be gone all night.” She pulls water from the fridge, and I'm mortified as she looks right at me and winks. “Countertop, huh? Love that spot. I guess it's true what they say. Like father, like son.”

I'm rigid as she takes a swig of water and keeps walking, heading out through a door at the back of the kitchen. Kaidan watches her go, a veiled expression on his face.

Like father, like son? Was she trying to say Calvin fucked her on this same countertop? Ew. Ew. Ewwww.

Well, that killed the moment. Kaidan and I finally look at each other. We're silent for a moment, and then we burst out laughing.

I wrap my hands around his neck so he can help me down.

“Well that was… awkward,” I say.

Kaidan lifts a brow. “You're just full of understatements, aren't you?”

I let out another laugh as I try to refasten my bra, which is now floating up near my neck. With a soft touch, he helps me out, and the spark is back between us.

I meet his amber eyes. “Finish this later?”

Kaidan smiles, and his dimples pop out. It's been a while since I've seen him look this happy. And I
really
like it.

“Should we use this kitchen for what it's meant for?” Kaidan asks.

“You can cook?”

“I can,” he says, dimples showing again.

“I can't. Think you can teach me a few things?”

“Absolutely.”

“Just one thing,” I say. I wrinkle my nose and point to the counter. “Do you have some disinfectant? Sounds like we're not the only ones abusing the counters.”

He laughs again. “Got it.”

After cleaning down the counter tops, Kaidan arches a brow at me. “Satisfied?”

I giggle like stupid school girl. “Yes.”

He flashes me a grin and opens up a huge cabinet filled with every type of pot and pan. I wouldn't even know what to do with any of them, except for dropping some macaroni in a pot of water, then adding a packet of fake cheese after.

“Do you like vegetable stir-fry with noodles?”

“Of course. Love it.”

“Good.” Kaidan pulls out a pot for noodles. Then an extremely satisfied expression crosses his face as he pulls a wok out of the cabinet. “I just got this wok. I couldn't wait to try it out.”

My brows go up, but I try to conceal my surprise. I didn't have Kaidan pegged for a chef. “What's so special about it? Honestly, I have no idea how to use a wok. I've sort of been living off of microwave dinners for a while now.”

“We'll change that. And this wok? It's supposed to be the best. We'll see if it lives up to the hype.” He fills the pot with water, sets it on the range, and turns on the flame. “First lesson? A gas range is crucial. With the open flame, you get more control over the temperature.”

I have no idea why this is turning me on, but it is. I don't actually know anyone in LA who cooks their own food. Or who
wants
to cook their own food and does it well. If you have money for a house like this, you hire a chef. It's that simple.

Kaidan grabs some vegetables from the fridge and pulls out a knife and a bamboo cutting board. He points to the vegetables: carrots, zucchini, mushrooms, sprouts, and onions. “Not my usual choices for this, but they'll work. You like all these?”

I nod and pull up a stool from the other side of the counter to watch him work. “So… do you guys have staff? I haven't seen anyone.”

“They work and live in the staff wing. Off the ballroom.”

Staff wing. Of course. “Ah, so you
do
have a chef then.”

“Yep. In fact, our first chef's the reason I started cooking.”

“First chef?”

“Yeah. Her name was Romana. Made the best Mexican food, but that's not what my father usually had her cook. She was with my family for over a decade. She used to let me hang out in here. Always took the time to show me how to do basic things. I realize now it must have made her work take a lot longer. I don't know how she had the patience for me.” He shakes his head.

“Is she still…?”

“No. Passed away while I was at boarding school.” He looks sad for a moment, but then quickly smoothes his expression to hide it.

“I'm sorry.”

Kaidan shrugs, dismissing the conversation. “Our current chef will be coming in soon to whip up enough food for the party tonight. So I better get going on this.” He holds up the knife. “Sharp, high quality knife. If you invest in one thing, it's a great knife and cutting board.”

He chops the vegetables with precision and finesse. Who knew chopping an onion could be so sexy?

He's good at hiding his emotions… sort of. Sometimes he acts cold and distant—sometimes warm and vulnerable. Maybe his asshole behavior is the act. Maybe there's a lot going on beneath the surface with him… but when he feels vulnerable, he swings in the other direction, acting however he needs to to hide his feelings. To hide his vulnerability. The thought makes my stomach flutter, makes me want to know who he really is. What’s he hiding beneath that carefully controlled exterior?

But… maybe that's all just wishful thinking. Maybe he just has mood swings. Am I just trying to see what I
want
to see? Or is his moodiness the real him? After what I've been through with other guys, it's really hard to trust my intuition.

Kaidan starts on the onion, cutting it in half. He takes one half and sets it in front of him. “You move the knife back and forth like this.” He shows me, rocking it smoothly, with total control, creating a perfectly even dice.

“Wow. How long did you have to practice that?”

He smirks. “A while. Come try.”

I get off the stool, reluctant to make a fool of myself. I stand next to him and pick up the knife.