Wrapped In Shadows (11 page)

An hour later, I was standing in front of the skyscraper that housed Davenport PR on the thirtieth floor. The streets were busy this time of day and pedestrians parried and criss-crossed with an innate set of rules that required no eye-contact or conversation. I seemed to be the only one standing around idly, wringing my hands nervously and craning my neck to peer into the building’s lobby. I’d been waiting now for Michelle for eight minutes, and as time passed, I grew more and more anxious.

Finally Michelle emerged from the building and I let out a sigh of relief. It was only when I spotted the tall man with wavy dark hair who’d held the door, that my stomach flip-flopped the remnants of my last meal. Michelle smiled and waved, but Luke just stared as he approached, his gaze boring into mine. If he was surprised to see me, he didn’t show it.

“Katie, you remember my boss, Luke Davenport.”

I was trying hard not to…

“Uh…ye—yeah,” I stammered, hating his slow smile. My tongue never seemed to work around him.
Why did he have to be so freaking gorgeous?
The edge of the colorful tattoo was a tease just above the neckline of his dress shirt. I turned over a few possibilities as to what it could be, my imagination taking flight as it did so easily around him.

Afraid he’d notice me staring, my gaze drifted to the lapels of his coat. He wore the same blue jacket from
Sensations
, and I couldn’t help examining the sleeve. He’d had it cleaned.

“
Oh, shit!
” Michelle slapped her forehead. “I forgot my purse upstairs.”

I turned to her, suddenly alarmed. “It…it’s okay. Don’t worry about it!”

“I’m sorry. I’ll just run up and get it. I’ll be right back.”

“No, no!” I grappled my friend’s arm, feeling foolish, but not liking the turbulence in my stomach. “Don’t go! I have money! I’ll buy you a new one!”

Michelle laughed, shaking me off like a bad habit. She wrung her face up at me, not understanding my absurdity.

“Don’t be ridiculous. I’ll be just a minute! Wait in the lobby where it’s warm.”

At that, she took off, running back into the building.

Completely ruffled, I turned back to Luke, who was still planted where he’d been, but now he had a small smile on his gorgeous lips. Lips I refused to let my gaze linger on. Lips that I knew tasted like heaven.
Oh God…he probably thought I was nuts.
We both stood without saying a word, pretending this chance meeting was insignificant. The awkward moment was filled with just the sound of my heart drowning out the noise of the city streets. I had no idea what to say to this man, and was honestly afraid of what confessions might spring from my lips.

Luke leaned toward me, that ridiculously sexy smile still lingering. “You don’t have to be afraid of me.”

“I’m not afraid of you.” It was an automatic response. Not necessarily a true one.

He nodded and scanned the street. “I actually think that you are afraid of
you
.”

Hmmm…was he trying to trick me with psychological mumbo jumbo? Because I wasn’t going to fall for it.

I looked at him then, head on, absorbing the power of his jade eyes. “What?”

“You are afraid of your feelings for me.”

“That’s awfully presumptuous. Who says I have
any
feelings for you at all?” I snorted, suddenly out of breath.
Deny! Deny! Deny the mumbo jumbo…

“Am I right?”

“I just have a lot going on in my life right now.”

His smile widened. “You didn’t answer the question, so I must be right.”

I chuckled, but it rang hollow.
Damn him!
He certainly got to the point. My heart fluttered wildly at the teasing light in his eyes.

“Listen, I just—”

“I’d like to see you tonight.”

I took a deep breath, clamping down every impulse to agree.

“Say yes.”

“You don’t give up, do you?” I breathed a slight chuckle, my words more of a statement than a question. My heart was racing.

He shook his head, holding my gaze. “Not on something I want this badly.”

Oh, God…
I stared back, realizing my desire for him hadn’t diminished at all in the week since he’d come to my office. If anything, my acknowledgment and ownership of it only fueled my need until it burned like a blistering fever. He was so deliciously tempting. Tall. Gorgeous. Solidly male. And I wanted him. A pulse already beat steadily in my groin, throbbing in response to his presence.

Just one more time…

No one had to know…

Just get him out of your system…

Mine! Mine! Mine!
You stay out of this! I scolded my vagina.

“Tonight, Kay.” His deep voice revved low. “We’ll have a quiet dinner. I know a great place—”

I shook my head.
We couldn’t take a chance at being seen out at dinner.
It would be too risky.

“No, it would have to be my place.”

I saw his brief look of surprise, one that in all honesty matched my own. Then he smiled and his dimpled winked at me, again inciting a slew of internal havoc. My heart rate soared. I tried hard not to think, not to listen to the voice screaming like a mad woman in my head.
Damn his mumbo jumbo!
My inner self was in serious need of a straight jacket and a padded room.

“
Tonight. Nine o’ clock
,” I whispered quickly, seeing Michelle come through the door.

Luke said his goodbyes, giving me a long meaningful look before he left. I followed Michelle, trying to talk myself off a ledge as a cab pulled up to the curb.

What the fuck had I just done?

The elevator opened into my expansive living room and I marched straight to the gym at the back of my apartment. Stripping off my coat and clothes on the way, I sent them flying across the room. I flipped a switch and Eminem’s 8 Mile blasted through the penthouse.
Fuck yeah!
I needed to lose myself. Because I was certain I’d already lost my mind. I just needed the rest to follow suit. By the time I reached the gym I was totally naked, bopping my head to the throbbing lyrics.

Lose yourself in the music, the moment, you own it, you better never let it go, you only get one shot, do not miss your chance…

I grabbed a pair of shorts and a tank top from a rack and yanked them on. Restraining my hair with a band, I hopped on the treadmill and pumped it to an insane speed. I ran and ran until the breath was bursting from my lungs and my muscles were picketing. Twenty-five minutes later, a musical chime sounded, signaling someone was in the elevator and I cursed under my breath. I’d told the doormen to let up the delivery guy with my Chinese food order, but had been hoping to get in a good run before dinner came. Stepping off the conveyor belt, I glanced at my watch. It was almost six. I still had plenty of time to get ready, plenty of time to think about the time bomb I was building—that is, if I’d allow myself to think. But I wasn’t going there.

Swiping a towel across my face, I made my way down a long hall, past a huge chef’s kitchen that was shiny with steel and granite, and back to the living room with panoramic views of Central Park. It was already dark out and lights twinkled in the distance. I’d decided that later I’d turn off all the lights. Maybe light a few candles and recreate the atmosphere at
Sensations
—a dreamy state that would distort reality. Tonight I would not let reality in.

Last week in the park, I’d planned to tell Luke I wasn’t looking for a lover. I’d wanted to make things clear to him. Today had been another story. How could I deny my attraction to him? He knew. He’d called me on it. And yes, damn right I was afraid. Because try as I might, I couldn’t scrub the scent of sandalwood from my skin.

Just one more time. Just tonight
.
I just needed to get him out of my system.

Then I’d get my life together. Perhaps it wouldn’t even be as good as I remembered. The mind had a way of embellishing things, of sweetening the memory.

The Notorious B.I.G. was now chomping out a rap about nasty girls that would make my mother faint dead to the ground. I pressed a button, allowing the elevator doors to slide open, and froze stiff as Luke stood smiling and offering a bag that wafted the delicious smell of Chinese food to my nose.

“Your order, ma’am.”

My mouth fell open. I closed it, but my jaw loosened again as my vocal cords malfunctioned. To my embarrassment, I was sputtering and grunting again.

Why did he always do this to me?

Luke’s dark brows slid up and he grinned. “You should really take care of that...throat…thing.”

Ignoring his teasing, I squeezed my eyes shut and started over. “You’re early. Do you always just
show up
? And how did you get my food?”

He stepped past me into the apartment and deposited the bag on a nearby coffee table. “I ran into the delivery guy outside.”

“And he just gave you my food?”

Luke shrugged out of his leather jacket and walked toward me, a smile on his lips. I couldn’t help but notice the way his shirt stretched across his broad chest or the way his jeans hugged his long muscular legs. His gaze moved leisurely over my body, taking in my tank top and shorts. “I told him he couldn’t come up, that you weren’t…decent. That you were upstairs waiting for me…naked.”

“
What?
” I screeched. I didn’t know whether to laugh or be shocked by his words.

Instead I sputtered and grunted, which caused his grin to widen. He was right in front of me now and I could see light dancing in his emerald eyes.

“You’re nuts.” I shook my head and, despite my inner turbulence, felt my lips pull with an irrepressible smile. “He’ll never come here again.”

“Quite the opposite. I think from now on you’ll get the best delivery service in town.”

I sighed and pushed back a lock of blonde hair that had fallen onto my face, feeling self-conscious about my grungy appearance.

“What are you doing here so early, anyway? I said nine.”

“I couldn’t wait.” His spectacular gaze met mine “I needed to see you.”

“Wh—what?”

The lock of hair fell across my face again and he reached up and brushed it back, teasing my skin with his touch. His hand lingered in my hair and he took hold of my pony tail, drawing my head back and my gaze up to his. I watched his gaze fall to my mouth and my breath started coming faster. The dimple at the corner of his lips was the only remnant of his previous humor.

“I couldn’t wait, Kay. Since our night together, I’ve been craving you almost every moment of the day. I’ve tasted you, touched you, and had you so many times and ways in my head that if I don’t make it a reality, I’ll lose my mind.”

My heart drummed with wild anticipation and I could hear the blood singing opera in my veins. I understood. I’d felt that way too. My lips tingled with a compelling desire to be pressed against his. He had full gorgeous lips
.
And oh, God, I remembered that talented tongue!
I was instantly leaking, feeling my underwear growing damp from the naughty thoughts swirling in my head.

“Nasty girl,” he whispered.

My eyes widened just as his lips teetered with a crooked smile.
Shit! Could he read minds too?

His hand waved absently in the air. “B.I.G. Nasty Girl. This song. I do PR for a few rap artists. I’m pretty familiar with the genre.”

I groaned aloud, flustered by the way he easily unnerved me. He seemed to enjoy teasing.

“You’re full of surprises.” He placed his lips against mine, dusting over the contours and leaving tiny explosions at the corners of my mouth. “This is a good one.”

Shivers rushed through my body, rippling over my damp skin. His mouth finally fully covered mine and I clung to the kiss, leaning into it and pushing a moan between his lips. He savored it and growled his response, his fingers tightening in my hair. Holding me steady, his tongue swiped deep, warm and deliberate, then made a thorough exploration of my mouth. By the time he pulled back I was panting, my body flushed and hot. His fingers skimmed the waistband of my shorts and feathered over my abdomen, sending a riot of flutters through my weakening muscles.

“I—I’m a mess,” I croaked, pulling away reluctantly. “I was working out. I should get ready.” I caught my bottom lip between my teeth and lowered my gaze to his chest. “I was thinking we could turn down the lights like at
Sensations
, maybe light a few candles.”

He cradled my face between his palms and looked into my eyes. “You’re perfect. And I don’t want darkness. No shadows. Not tonight. No hiding.”

His lips moved to my chin, tracing a tingly path along my jaw. I threw my head back and sank my fingers into his thick hair.

“I want to see all of you, Kay,” he said softly against my neck as he bit my skin then soothed it with his tongue. “I want to see your beautiful curves. I want to see the blush spread across your skin. I want to see how your pussy weeps for me, and what you look like when you come.” He drove his tongue into my mouth, then sucked on my lips. “I want to commit it all to memory.”

Oh, shit…breathe…breathe…you know…that thing you do with your lungs so you don’t die! In…out…in…out…

I shook visibly when he pulled the edge of my tank top up and over my head. He palmed my breasts then gently kissed each peaked tip, making me tremble and moan. My nipples pebbled to hard rosy buds that begged for more with each soft brush of his lips. I steadied myself with my palms on his shoulders when he knelt in front of me and peeled down my shorts. He pulled the knot loose on each sneaker, then slipped out each foot.

I thought I would be embarrassed standing in front of him totally naked, but the reverence in his gaze and the way it devoured me was as erotic as it was liberating. His palms slid slowly up my legs to rest on the curve of my hips and he leaned forward, pressing his mouth to my bared mound. The touch of his lips sent a jolt of heat sailing through me and my knees literally buckled. The sensation sent chills flocking like startled birds along my skin.