Surprise Seduction (26 page)

Her eyes widened for a brief flash, then she lifted the spoon to his mouth and slid the sweet offering inside.

He let the delicious dish melt in his mouth.
 
Sweet.
 
Seductive.
 
Just like the woman next to him.

His eyes clashed with hers.
 
He expected her to look away from the blatant sexuality he knew shined in his gaze.
 
She didn’t.

Her lips twitched as she withdrew the utensil.

“Good?” she asked as if he didn’t affect her at all.

“I’ve had better.”
 
Ouch.
 
He hadn’t meant to say that.
 
But, hell, her indifference was getting to him.
 
Then, hadn’t it always?

Come to think of it, her attention got to him, as well.
 
Everything about her got to him.

Her pupils darkened.
 
She ladled another bite full, looking at it a moment before raising her gaze to his.

“I’ve not.”
 
Her blue-green eyes bore into him as she added, “At least, not yet.”

Was she slurring his sexual prowess?
 
He’d never had any complaints.
 
Just what did she mean by ‘not yet’.
 
He’d distinctly heard her tell Mel she didn’t plan to go out with him again.

“Just what are you implying?”

“That I plan to taste all life’s delicacies.
 
Surely, you didn’t think I’d stop with raspberry torte when there are so many wonderful dishes in the world.”
 
She ran her tongue over the edge of the spoon removing the last bit of raspberry sauce. “Things like cherry jubilee, banana split, and crème brule to tempt my taste buds.”

Chase went hard right then and there.
 
He knew exactly what she was doing.
 
“Some people never get over their first taste of nectar and tend to always come back for more.”

“Really?”
 
Her eyes mocked him.
 
“I’d think that same old dish would get boring.”

Chase shook his head.
 
Somewhere this conversation had taken on too much of a double-edged meaning.
 
How could he talk about sticking with one partner?
 
He of whom never dated the same woman for more than a few weeks.

“You might be right.”
 
He pointedly looked at the empty plate.
 
“Finished?”

Her lips curved.

“For now.”

Chase pulled up outside her apartment.
 
She’d refused his offer to take her dancing.

Guess that would have shot her no touching rule to hell.

He’d even driven by his apartment complex stalling, hoping she’d change her mind.
 
She’d flat out refused his invitation to show her his apartment.

He parked his car and stared at a light post outside her apartment building.

At this point, he didn’t have a clue what to say.

Adrienne had lost her confident edge.
 
He’d noticed her fidgeting in the soft leather seat.

He envied his car for cupping her enticing bottom.
 
For being allowed to touch.

Pathetic.

“Thanks for dinner.”
 
Her soft words broke into his thoughts.

“You’re welcome.”
 
His words came out abrupt.
 
Frustration evident.

Her lips tightened.
 
“I’d invite you in, but that might not be a good idea.”

“Probably not,” he agreed, making no attempt to hide his displeasure with how the evening was ending.

“Chase,” she began.

Guilt slammed into him.

“Don’t, Adrienne.”
 
He turned to face her.
 
“Don’t say anything.
 
I’m behaving like a spoilt child who’s been told he can’t have a piece of his favorite candy.
 
I shouldn’t take my frustrations out on you.”

“Guess that’s a foreign concept for you,” she mused.

“You have no idea.”

"Surely, Saturn kept you company last night."

Chase’s gaze narrowed.
 
Was she jealous?

He hadn’t been out on a date since the night he’d dropped Starr off at his apartment, a very disappointed Starr.
 
His playboy reputation might never recover.
 
But, he really didn’t care what Starr or any other woman thought.
 
Just Adrienne.

"You might be surprised."

"Meaning?"

"I've not been with anyone but you in over two weeks."
 
Damn, he hated admitting that.
 
Not that Starr hadn’t offered that night.
 
She had.
 
But he just hadn’t been interested.
 
At least, not in her.
 
He’d gone mouse.
 
Maybe he should buy himself some of those ridiculous plastic ears children wore to show he’d joined the club.

"That has to be some kind of record."

"Just what are you saying Adrienne?"

"Women come in and out of your life like there's a revolving door on your zipper."

There hadn’t been that many
.

But, hell if he’d admit that in his frustrated state.

"I've never pretended I'm a saint.
 
I enjoy women.
 
Physical pleasure is a natural product of a man and woman spending time together."

He hated how much he sounded like his father.

"I'm not condemning you, Chase."
 
She gave him a weak smile.
 
"All that experience came in handy Tuesday night.
 
I'll have to be sure to always choose experienced men."

"The hell you will," he snapped.
 
The thought of another man delving into her sweet body hit him like a fist in the gut.

"I don’t plan to remain celibate for the rest of my life.
 
I think the first twenty-three years was long enough, don’t you?”

"I don't want anyone else touching you.
 
Just me.
 
Stay away from Mel and every other man."
 
His serious expression eased, and his lips twitched.
 
“Women, too.”

The light from the street lamp cast a soft glow to her face.
 
She didn’t smile at his reference to her supposed homosexuality.

Tough crowd.

"Does that work two ways?
 
Do you plan to curb your midday munchies?
 
I won’t stand in line for your sexual favors."

Midday munchies?
 
Oh, she meant his supposed lunchtime activities with women.
 
He grinned.

"Never that, Adrienne.”
 
Despite her warning not to touch, his knuckles grazed her cheek.
 
She didn’t pull back.
 
“You’re at the front of my line."

She placed her hand over his, threading her fingers with his.

"For how long?" she asked.

How could he have forgotten Adrienne wasn’t a good time girl?
 
Just because he’d seen no problem with them having awesome sex now that she was no longer his virgin assistant?
 
That hadn’t meant she didn’t still believe in happily-ever-after and all its entrapments.

What could he say?
 
He wouldn’t offer false promises.

"I don't know."

"No other women, Chase.”
 
She let go of his hand.
 
“If you want to be my lover, you have to be mine and only mine for the duration of our relationship.
 
However long that might be."

A long pause went by.

He wanted her and if the delectable Starr couldn’t incite him, maybe he could be faithful for the short duration of his relationship with Adrienne.
 
He’d just have to keep their relationship brief so he wouldn’t fall into his father’s footsteps.

"I’ll try."

"Try?"
 
Confusion was evident on her pert face.

He nodded.
 
Try was the best he could offer.

After a too long silence, she stretched to kiss him.

"I'm going to rock your world, Chase Aaron."

With the brief peck of her lips to his, she jumped out of the car.

She sashayed to the entrance.
 
When she reached the glass door leading into the posh building, she took her security card from the dangling purse and tripped the lock mechanism.
 
Opening the door, she turned and gave him a smile that smacked him upside the heart before she disappeared inside.

He shifted the car into drive.
 
With a rev of his engine, he sped away from the building.

Rock his world?

She already had.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Adrienne stood outside Chase’s apartment doorway wondering if she was crazy.

What would he think about her showing up at the crack of dawn like this?
 
Especially after her jaunt from his car last night.

She pulled her long khaki coat tighter around her shivering body.
 
Not that it was cool enough for the mid-calf length jacket under normal circumstances, but she needed to keep what she wore underneath hidden.

She bit her lower lip.

What she didn’t wear was a more accurate description.