Secret Seduction (15 page)

His motions changed but never stopped. Short strokes became long strokes and back again; he swept his hand up and down the length of her body until she felt as if she’d turned to liquid.

His hand grazed over her hardened nipple and she sank her teeth into her bottom lip to keep from crying out. He leaned in closer, running his tongue over her breast, tugging, licking, suckling until her breathing was nothing but rolling, ragged gasps.

His splayed palm felt different than his fist. He used both to fondle her. First one and then the other.

Round and square, up and down. Opened, closed. Curved, straight. Everywhere his hand touched, she burst into flames.

Down he went, traversing her body. His sizzling hot hands rested at the apex of her thighs. He lowered his head. The tip of his tongue was wet and hot and oh, so fine. And he definitely knew how to use it.

He gently eased back the flesh protecting her womanhood and gingerly caressed the hard, thrusting nub with his tongue.

The sensation was nothing short of electric.

She felt every velvety flick as his tongue fluttered back and forth over her flowering cleft.

Pinned down, she swung her hips as best she could, gyrating against the brush of his mouth, reveling in his sounds of approval.

“Yes, babe, yes,” he purred.

He whisked his tongue over her. Back and forth, back and forth until she was aching.

“Now,” he said, “I’m going to lick you clean.”

The sweet promise in his eyes had her soaking wet before he got to where he was going.

He dipped his head lower. His hair rasped against her belly. He was licking at the high recesses of the inside of her thigh. She was tired of this torment. She wanted to feel his hard, throbbing penis thrusting deep inside her.

She smelled his maleness and his scent spurred her arousal. Her body, which minutes before, had been soft and pliant from the hot tub was now stiff and ready. She was wet, so incredibly wet. She wanted it—the colorful, vibrant fantastic orgasm pushing close to the surface. Vanessa could feel it building, feel herself getting more strung out and desperate.

She tossed her head and arched against his mouth, wanting, no needing more, more. Her nerves were raw, ragged.

His tongue, oh sweet heavens his tongue! She unfurled to him like a rosebud opening to the sun, exalting in the heat, blooming, growing, expanding.

He was too slow. He was taking too long.

This practice was maddening. He was a demon, he was a god. This was incredible. This was hell. This was heaven.

Was it possible to feel so much driving need and not collapse if that need was not met?

And then it was upon her. The hot burst of orgasm, consuming her in wave after undulating wave of pleasure. Vanessa lay shivering, exposed and totally vulnerable.

He raised his head and peered down at her. The look on Tanner’s face was one of pure emotion. She couldn’t stand it any longer. She simply had to touch him.

“Fantasia,” she whimpered. “Fantasia.”

As quickly as she asked, Tanner untied her. Once her shackles were loosened, she flung herself into his arms, touching him all over. Desperate to feel him with the planes of her hands, the pads of her fingertips.

“I want you inside me,” she whispered, nuzzling her nose against the hollow of his throat.

“Yes, yes,” he rasped, and squeezed her in his arms. “You on top. It’s your turn to be in control.”

He rolled onto his back, taking her with him. Her legs were around his waist, her knees pressed into the soft mattress.

She took hold of his erection and with featherlight strokes rubbed her juices across the tip of his penis’ velvety head.

Tanner quivered slightly and groaned.

Vanessa hovered there, teasing him with just the opening of her feminine cave. She circled her hips in a rhythmic slide. Tanner reached up to cup her breasts in his palms and a moan escaped from her own lips.

Her hair fell across his hands and he threaded his fingers through the strands, tugging gently and pulled her face down to meet his for a long, lingering kiss.

Tanner raised his buttocks and grasped her around the hips, urging her to take him all the way inside her. She contemplated dragging out the torture the way he had with her, but she was simply too eager for him.

She eased onto his big, hard cock, and this time they groaned in unison. The bedsprings creaked.

They stared into each other’s eyes for a long moment as she moved. Then he propped himself up on his elbows and lifted his head to capture one of her dangling breasts in his mouth. He suckled tenderly on her pert, budded nipple sending lightning bolts of pleasure shooting through her pelvis.

Vanessa let her eyes shutter closed and savored the exquisite tingle.

In hurried movements, Tanner began thrusting up into her while she moved up and down on his slick, hot erection. He was panting heavily. “Oh, yes, babe. That feels so good.”

She held her breath, lost in the beauty of the joining of their bodies.

Tanner pumped faster, deeper. Vanessa kept up with him, riding his body, riding the glorious wave of sensation.

When she reached behind her to cup his balls in her hand, he let out a strangled cry so rough she feared she’d hurt him and instantly pulled back.

“No, don’t stop. That was beautiful. You’re beautiful. Give it to me, babe, give me all you’ve got. Gotta have you.”

He sat up and clasped her to him, moving in a rocking motion as if they were riding in a rocking chair together. It was a very sensuous feeling. Vanessa didn’t need any more encouragement than that. It heightened her desire to have him begging for more of her.

“Make love to me, Vanessa,” he said, his voice dripping with passion. “I want you, need you.”

She quickened her pace, pushing herself down deeper with each of his corresponding thrusts. Tanner surrendered to her completely and in that moment, she knew the man was hers for the taking.

They moved together in primitive abandon, Vanessa making love to him harder and faster.

Still she wanted it to last. In fact, she never wanted it to end. She wished she could capture this moment in a bottle and preserve it for all time.

She slowed her pace, opened her eyes and looked down into Tanner’s face that was quickly becoming all too dear to her.

Tanner stared back as if he, too, recognized the significance of this moment, that somehow their relationship had turned a corner. She could not figure out where it was headed, but things were different now.

Unnerved by this realization, Vanessa eased off him. She rolled over beside him, planted her face in the pillow and raised her butt in the air. Daring him, tempting him.

Immediately Tanner understood her meaning. He moved behind her and the vixen pressed her ass against his erection.

He hissed a strangled breath. What an amazing woman!

“Give me all you’ve got,” she said, repeating what he’d told her earlier.

He couldn’t have resisted if he’d wanted to. Tanner wrapped both hands around her waist and entered her deep.

Vanessa’s sighs of pleasure spurred him on. She squeezed him with her inner muscles, escalating his own delight.

His thrusts quickened. He was getting close. Oh, so damned close. He stabbed into her deep.

“Tanner,” she cried out. “Oh yeah, Tanner.”

He plunged into her again, deeper still. She pressed her sweet, womanly ass up against him in a strong counterthrust. The headboard slammed against the wall. Tanner was damned glad they were in a bungalow and not a hotel room with guests right next door.

“Fill me up, big man.”

“You want it, you got it.” He pounded her hard.

“Give it to me,” she moaned, driving him over the edge of sanity.

“Is this what you want?”

“Yes, yes.”

His thrusts were frenzied. All control shot.

“Make me come!”

He had to last. He had to give her what she needed. Summoning every last shred of willpower he possessed, he slowed his strokes.

She mewled.

“That’s right, babe.” Sweat popped out his brow. His thigh muscles quivered, but he didn’t stop. On and on he went, their mutual pleasure the only thing on his mind.

“I’m coming, Tanner, I’m coming.”

The swell burst inside him and he ejaculated at the same time he felt her monumental squeeze of orgasm. His essence shot into her.

Their bodies jerked and shuddered together.

He stayed inside her for a long moment, quivering and breathing hard. He didn’t want to pull out. Didn’t want their fusion to end.

Vanessa raised up and pressed her back against his chest, reaching her arm around behind her to caress his face, murmuring sweet nothings into the night. Tanner kissed her tenderly on the neck, tasting the salt of her sexually sated skin, while his hand wrapped around her waist, holding her close.

“That,” she said, “was amazing.”

“You’re amazing,” he murmured, and collapsed onto the mattress, dragging her with him, pulling her onto his chest. Tanner lay there on the pillows, the air thick with the smell of their lovemaking, listening to the thudding of his heart and thinking how much she meant to him.

And for the first time in a long time, he felt whole again.

“I’m falling in love with you, Vanessa,” he whispered into the darkness, but she was already asleep.

Stretching, he yawned and propped himself up on the pillows. She extended the coffee mug toward him.

“For me?”

“I didn’t know how you liked your coffee. I took you for black.”

“Black’ll do,” he said, realizing just how little they really knew about each other. “But for future reference, I do have a sweet tooth.”

“I’ll get you some sugar.” She moved to stand.

Tanner snaked out his hand and wrapped his fingers around her slender wrist. “Stay. You don’t have to wait on me. Black is fine.”

She stiffened beneath his touch. “I don’t mind.”

Gently he took the steaming coffee from her hand. “Where’d the muffins come from?”

“Courtesy of the conference coordinators. It was on the doorstep this morning along with the conference schedule. Our first training exercise starts at nine.”

“What time is it now?” he asked, leaning back against the pillow and taking a sip of coffee.

“Eight-fifteen.”

“Some night last night, huh?” Once the words were out of his mouth, he cringed. What a cheesy thing to say, but it was easier than the truth.

I think I love you.

She didn’t look at him, instead turned her attention to the basket. One minute she’d had that sleepy, morning after glow on her face and the next she was looking away and a strange new awkwardness took a seat in the room with them. Her coolness was as sudden as if the blinds had been snapped up on a bright day. What had he done wrong? What had happened to last night’s magic?

“What kind of muffin do you want?” she asked, her voice full of false cheer. “We have blueberry, cherry and chocolate chip.”

“You choose.” His instincts wanted to tell her he didn’t care about any damned muffins. He wanted to know how he’d screwed up, but he didn’t tell her this. The hands-off expression in her eyes was as clear as a neon sign. She was withdrawing from him again, having second thoughts. They were back to square one. Discouragement sat on his chest.

Still not meeting his eyes, she extended him a blueberry muffin and then took one for herself.

“Thank you.”

A small, tight smile was all he got in the way of a response. She concentrated on peeling the plastic wrapping from her muffin.

She looked nervous, unsettled. He’d thought things had changed for the better between them last night, but she seemed just as aloof as ever. Shutting him out. Shutting him down.

Frustration balled in his chest. What was it going to take to get through to this woman? How could he get her to talk to him? To let him in?

The macho part of him wanted to take her by the arm and demand she talk to him, but he knew that approach would just make her retreat further inside herself. It took a lot of self-restraint, but he resisted the urge to confront her.

He took a bite of muffin, which seemed tasteless. He was too busy remembering what they’d done the night before. He felt as if a door had opened and he’d gotten a glimpse of how wonderful the future could be with her. But this morning, she’d slammed the door closed again.

What had happened to the responsive, uninhibited woman who’d let him tie her to the bed? The woman who had responded so enthusiastically to his lovemaking? The one who had squeezed him tight as they’d ridden the crescendo of their orgasm together?

Aw hell, he was getting hard all over again. If they had time, he’d pull her down on the bed and make love to her all over again. He hardened just thinking about it. Except the expression on her face said that ain’t gonna happen. In fact, she was already up off the bed, walking across the room with that intoxicating sway of her hips.

Was she regretting everything they’d done?

The thought knocked his ego down a notch or two. Maybe he’d been deluding himself. Maybe last night hadn’t been as great for her as it had been for him. Still, Tanner could have sworn…

She paced, muffin in her hand. She paused to nibble at it but he could see she wasn’t really eating. Something else was bothering her.

Hell, he couldn’t resist any longer. “Wanna talk about it?” he said as lightly as he could.

She whipped her head around. “Talk about what?”

“Whatever’s got you pacing and trying hard to pretend you’re interested in that muffin.”

She shrugged. “Nothing to talk about.”

He blew out his breath. Should he press the issue or give her space? When it came to Vanessa, he didn’t know which way to jump.

She tossed the muffin down on the desk in the corner, dusted her fingers and went over to the closet to retrieve her clothes. “We need to get a move on.”

He couldn’t take her evasiveness any longer. He got out of bed, not even bothering to cloak his nakedness, and stalked over to the closet. “Did I offend you in some way?”

“Huh?” Vanessa shook her head. “No. What made you ask that?”

He swallowed hard, not wanting to ask this next question, but needing to know the answer. “You’re not regretting what we did last night, are you?”

For the first time that morning, she looked directly into his eyes. “I’m not sorry it happened, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“Then why won’t you talk to me?” He tried to take her hand, but she pulled back.

“Look, Tanner,” she said. “I like you. I think you’re a great guy….”

“But?” he prompted.

She shook her head. “The sex was great. Better than great. The best I’ve ever had.”

God, his pathetic male ego soared on that comment. “I don’t understand? What’s the problem?”

“This is getting to be too much. You, me. We don’t have anything in common. We come from different worlds. We’re not right for each other. Not long-term, so let’s not try to make this some kind of relationship, okay? We’re just temporary lovers. That’s all.”

He opened his mouth to argue. She was a doctor and he was a bodyguard. It was stupid to think there could be something more between them. It was stupid to dream.

The thing was, he hadn’t expected to feel like this, to fall in love again, to be willing to risk his heart one more time.

Falling in love might be stupid. They might not have anything in common. They truly did come from different worlds. But, dammit, that didn’t stop him from wanting her.

Needing her.

She laughed suddenly. Harshly.

“What is it?”

“You know I’m right. You’re not even protesting.”

“We might come from different worlds,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t get to know each other and make it work.”

“You’re not thinking clearly,” she said. “I’m the first woman you’ve slept with since your wife was murdered. What you’re feeling for me is just transference.”

“Are you trying to tell me what I feel?”

She shook her head. “Get dressed, Doyle. We have a conference to attend.” Then she stalked off to the bathroom, leaving him more frustrated than ever.

THEY SPENT THE MORNING playing corporate games designed to build trust and foster a spirit of cooperation among coworkers. The training exercises took place on the beach, which alleviated a lot of the tedium associated with such manufactured teaching modules.

In one of the exercises, they were supposed to go limp and fall backward, trusting their fellow employees to catch them. Vanessa failed spectacularly. No matter how hard she tried not to stiffen up, she couldn’t let herself go.

Not even with Tanner.

After that exercise, they were split into teams and had to work together to retrieve coconuts from a palm tree. It wasn’t that she couldn’t be a team player. She was a surgeon, after all, and depended on her team to get her through each surgery. It was just that she had trouble trusting people outside the clinic. Her team ended up coming in last; Tanner’s team won.

Lunch, a lavish buffet of island fruits, cold cuts and a variety of salads, breads and soups, was in an open-air cantina. She took a seat on the picnic bench seating and Tanner plopped down across from her. She was trying her best to distance herself from what had happened last night, but she was doing a lousy job of it. Especially when he was eyeing her the way he was now.

She raised a hand to her hair, brushed her fingers through it. That morning she’d spent too long in the bathroom as an excuse to buy some time, rolling her hair up on hot rollers, turning her normally straight locks into loose curls. She should have just pulled it back into a ponytail and been done with it. She applied makeup, as well, but she was sure the humidity had obliterated it by now.

She wore a blue cotton jersey V-neck shirt, white shorts and for some reason she couldn’t explain, she’d put on her old beaded necklace. She didn’t even know why she brought it from the office. Maybe, because for the first time in years, she felt like that innocent young girl who’d made the necklace.

Her hand dropped from her hair to the talisman.

Tanner’s eyes tracked her gaze. “Who gave you the necklace?”

The man didn’t miss a trick. “Trudy Valdez,” she replied honestly, and caressed the beads.

The expression on his face changed, went from interested to cagey. “Who was Trudy to you?”

She took a sip of iced tea seasoned with passion fruit. “Someone I knew a long time ago.”

“An old friend?’

“Something like that.”

“You still keep in contact?”

“Trudy died.” That was true enough. When Vanessa Rodriquez was born, Trudy Valdez had been laid to rest.

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but instead filled it with a bite of turkey sandwich.

She nibbled a small slice of watermelon down to the cool, greeny-white rind that smelled like cucumber. She studied Tanner from her peripheral vision, his thick blond hair, his beautiful blue eyes, his all-American face. He caught her sideways glance and smiled. She loved being near him. She felt happy when he was around.

Other people came to sit next to them and the conversation turned to Confidential Rejuvenations, but Vanessa’s awareness of Tanner never receded.

After lunch, Jarrod Butler took the podium. He thanked everyone for their efforts that morning, then launched into the afternoon’s agenda.

“This next exercise is about trust and the importance of maintaining confidentialities,” Butler said. “Your assignment is to pick the person in this room that you trust the most and tell them a personal secret. Something you’ve never told another soul.”

“I don’t have any secrets.” Maxine Woodbury raised a hand and called out from the front row. “My life is an open book. So if anyone wants to tell me their secrets—”

“Thank you, Maxine,” Butler interrupted her. “There’s a second part to this. You absolutely cannot breathe a word of this secret to anyone. Ever.”

Vanessa rolled her eyes at Tanner. “Maxine hogging the limelight as usual,” she muttered.

“Be kind,” he whispered. “She’s just an old lady who loves attention.”

“So you’re going to tell her your secret?”

“Hell no.” He grinned and a blaze of longing shot straight to her stomach. “She’s the biggest gossip at Confidential Rejuvenations.”

“You’ve only been there three weeks and you’ve already figured her out.” Vanessa smiled.

“I am in security.” Tanner leaned in closer. “It’s my business to get to know people.”

She thought about what had happened between them that morning. How she’d been so unnerved by the night before that she’d automatically pulled away from him emotionally. He’d noticed her retreat right away and came after her. He was making it really tough for her to treat their affair as lightly as she wanted to.

All around them the conference attendees were pushing back their chairs, pairing up, retreating to hushed corners to whisper their secrets.

“So,” Tanner murmured. “What would you like to confess?”

“Who says I have anything to confess?”

“You can come clean to me. I won’t judge you.” He locked her in his steely gaze, a quiet knowledge welling up in his eyes as if he was absolutely certain he knew she had secrets.

A mild ocean breeze ruffled the edges of the sage-green plastic tablecloth and the palm fronds on the trees overhead rustled softly, sending a scattering of shadows over them. Inside of her something seethed.

One moment they were gazing at each other and the next a strange new realization came over Vanessa. The thought was as sudden as a thunderclap on a cloudless summer day. There she sat with the dawning, but distressing, theory about the coincidences surrounding the appearance of Tanner Doyle in her life.

He suspected her…of sabotaging the hospital.

It would explain everything. Why he was always hanging around her. How he would suddenly appear when she least expected him. All the air left her body in a heavy whoosh.

Tanner tilted his head. “You okay?”