French Kiss Part 14

"Yep. Including something for you."

"No kidding?"

"No kidding."

"What did you get?" She couldn't help herself. She loved presents, and one from a toy store couldn't be expensive like the Chanel or Hermes he'd tried to give her. She could enjoy this one.

"You have to wait."

"Why?"

"Because."

"That's no reason."

"Because I'll show it to you tonight, then."

He'd said tonight, as in he was having s.e.x with her tonight. Her v.a.g.i.n.a quivered in antic.i.p.ation. She could feel the melting sensation send little waves of warm pleasure throughout her body. Taking issue, however, with his way too arrogant presumption that there was no need to ask her if she wanted s.e.x with him tonight, she took a stand for female independence. "What if I were to say no?"

A flicker of surprise flashed in his eyes. "Then I'd try to change your mind," he smoothly replied, his gaze once again neutral.

"What if you couldn't?"

"Then I'd try harder." He didn't say this was a pointless conversation because he had no intention of irritating her. He leaned in closer. "I'd try really, really hard," he whispered.

Oh, G.o.d, oh, G.o.d... she remembered how hard he'd been, how resilient and indefatigable. How lusciously large. "Okay, so maybe tonight's good," she said, in a suffocated tone. "d.a.m.n you."

"I feel the same way, so we're even." He knew what she was d.a.m.ning as well as he knew that he shouldn't get involved with her in any way, shape, or form. She was building a tree house for Jordi. The construction would take weeks. He wasn't good with long-term relations.h.i.+ps or any relations.h.i.+ps, for that matter. He could be getting himself into one h.e.l.luva mess.

"So we're making trouble for each other."

He blew out a breath. "Probably." His mouth quirked in a rueful smile. "But screw it."

She half-smiled. "Is that an invitation or a casual statement."

He laughed. "If we had time"-he glanced up and down the hallway-"it would definitely be an invitation."

"I'd be happy to take a rain check."

"Ask me why I'm not surprised."

"Now why would I do that?"

Her voice had taken on a tiny edge. Oops. Dipping his head, he brushed her lips in a conciliatory kiss and eased her back a step so they were both inside her room. "You've been on my mind- like constantly." He shut the door. "So, if you want a rain check right now, I'll change our reservation. How's that?" He ran his finger lightly over the severe line of her brow.

"No, no, don't... really, I shouldn't be so-"

"Hot for s.e.x?"

She gave him a look.

He laughed. "We're both hot for the same thing-okay? Although, just for the record, Vernie scares the s.h.i.+t out of me, and she and Jordi are waiting downstairs." His grin was boyish and sweet. He kissed her again, a b.u.t.terfly kiss. "Why don't I make good on this later?" he whispered, lifting his mouth from hers. "I promise you'll like it."

Who was she kidding? s.e.x with him was awesome. No way was she gonna be difficult about when and where. "I am hungry," she said, planning on collecting her reward for Miss Congeniality later tonight.

H e crooked his arm and grinned. " Then we'd better see that you're fed."

Carnal images from last night having to do with eating you-know-what suddenly surfaced, and her temperature racheted up big-time. Followed by a jolt of l.u.s.t that rippled up her v.a.g.i.n.a, leaving her breathless. For an unnerving second, she debated the embarra.s.sing ramifications that might ensue should she actually touch his outstretched arm. Not that she had a choice; he was expectantly waiting.

So with due warning to all her senses and sensibilities to behave, she gingerly placed her palm on his arm-and found that instead of behaving, s.e.x, NOW, NOW, NOW, was being instantly communicated to every susceptible nerve in her body. She should have known better. The impact of his physical beauty and animal magnetism up close and personal was irresistible.

It took every ounce of willpower she possessed to keep from pleading, "Please, please, can we have a quickie?"

"f.u.c.king A you turn me on," he murmured, as though reading her mind, or perhaps under the spell of the same prurient fairy dust. Dragging her into his body, he slid his hands down her back and held her hard against his rising erection. "I've been missing you something fierce."

"I'm feeling out of control-insatiable," she whispered, twining her arms around his waist.

"Christ, I could f.u.c.k you right here and now." He grimaced, his nostrils flaring wide. "You're s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g with my head, babe."

"I don't like this mindless obsession any better than you," she muttered. "Maybe we're bad for each other," she suggested with that minor portion of her brain not entirely overwhelmed by l.u.s.t.

"Uh-uh. No way." He might question his abnormal cravings for this woman, but not the inevitability of his f.u.c.king her again. That he was going to do. "It's just going to be a long day for both of us," he said with a sigh. Letting his hands drop, he took a step backward. "So I'd better keep my distance. Restraint's never been my strong suit."

To which all the tabloids would agree with full-color photos to prove it. In an effort to keep her face off the cover of The Star and save her family from embarra.s.sment, Nicky said, "Maybe I shouldn't go for lunch."

"Hey. You're coming for lunch," he growled, all strong, virile male.

"Hey," she shot back, a tremor in her voice. "Tone down the macho s.h.i.+t. You're turning me on. Okay?"

He spun away, needing to get a grip on his raging l.u.s.t. Slamming his palms against the wall, he hung there, head down, breathing hard.

Nicky shuddered, so incredibly aroused she wasn't sure she wouldn't come standing right there.

The air reeked with s.e.xual need.

Like, the more you get, the more you want.

An almost uncontrollable cra ving hung in the balance. Abruptl y pus.h.i.+ng away from the wall, constraint evident in every muscle in his body, Johnny said, "I'm good now . Under control"-he smiled tightl y-"more or less. But don't touch me, don't look at me, don't even pa.s.s me the bread at lunch, or I might carry you off to the nearest dark hallway and f.u.c.k yo u senseless."

Nicky smiled faintl y. "I'm so h.o.r.n.y, I'm not sure I'd take issue. Look"-she held out her hand-"I'm shaking. Did you slip me some ecstasy when I wasn't looking?"

"I wish-because this drug-free, permanent hard-on I have for you is freaking me out."

She shouldn't have felt so gratified. She should have taken his comment at simple face value-as in he was unhappy with the intensity of his l.u.s.t. But there it was-the difference between men and woman. She adored being wanted that badly while he was jumpy as h.e.l.l over wanting her too much.

Mars and Venus.

Immutably at odds.

Twenty-two.

Over lunch Johnny was ultra-cautious not to make eye contact and Nicky was more than willing to comply. She was operating on the edge of reason anyway. The littlest thing-like a look or a smile-could push her over, and there she'd be making a fool of herself in some posh, Paris restaurant.

Johnny limited his conversation to Jordi and Vernie, while Nicky partic.i.p.ated in the general discussion only when it was absolutely necessary. It was safer if she kept her gaze elsewhere. Since the restaurant overlooked a garden and the people-watching was world-cla.s.s, it was easy enough to use those distractions to keep her from shamelessly l.u.s.ting after a man who should be only a client to her.

It also helped, distraction-wise, that Jordi chattered on nonstop, her relations.h.i.+p with her dad warm and unconstrained. The man was charming on every level-d.a.m.n him. Father. Lover. Client. It wasn't fair that he was so divinely perfect in every way-including his mastery of the Kama Sutra. It made it real difficult to consider giving up s.e.x with him-when, of course, she should.

For the sake of her business.

The potential for problems down the road was inevitable with a man like Johnny who never stayed with a woman much longer than it took for a rose to wilt.

If she had any sense at all she'd keep things strictly business.

On the other hand, she could be Zen about this entire episode- like live in the present and go with the flow. Definitely a more satisfying option.

The words Nice and villa jolted her out of her internal debate, and she began to listen to the conversation taking place. They were discussing a trip to the south of France. The playground for the rich and famous had such cachet-Cannes, Nice, Juan les Pins, Fitzgerald, Pica.s.so, yachts the size of football fields...

Jordi, apparentl y, liked their villa in Nice because she had friends there. Vernie liked the climate and shopping. Johnny liked the seclusion. They all liked the private beach.

How great would it be to have a private beach on the Mediterranean, Nicky thought. Not that she would ever be in that tax bracket. In fact, not too long ago, she'd been wondering how to make her house payment. And in her business, she never lost sight of the fact that six-figure tree houses were luxury items. If the economy soured, those purchases would be the first to go.

But even such sobering thoughts couldn't dispel her current good cheer. A night of highly erotic, o.r.g.a.s.mic pleasure left one feeling as though the world might in fact be one of endless pleasure. Like the tantalizing dessert that was being placed before her.

The mouthwatering scent of chocolate wafted into the air, the steaming confection oozing sweet decadence and calories.

Not that she cared about calories at the moment. She'd burned off enough calories last night to allow her a full cart of pastries.

As Nicky was putting spoon to dessert, Johnny's phone rang, but she barely noticed, so overwhelmed were her senses by succulent chocolate.

She heard Johnny say, "Excuse me," but only glanced up in pa.s.sing as he left the table. She was intent on her first delicious taste of a dessert that could pa.s.s for a flamboyant Easter hat. But she'd also been seriously ignoring Johnny during lunch in order to keep desire at bay, and continuing down that path seemed an expedient exercise.

So it was a bolt from the blue when she felt a hand slip under her arm and lift her to her feet before she was half done with her dessert.

"Vernie, if you'll take Jordi back to the hotel when you've finished," Johnny said, taking the spoon from Nicky's hand and dropping it on the table. "I just received a business call I have to handle, and I need Nicky to translate for me. This fellow doesn't speak English very well."

But my dessert, Nicky silently protested, eyeing the chocolate pastry with longing.

"We might stop at the arcade on our way back," Vernie declared.

"I'd rather you didn't until I return." Johnny's voice was mild, but he held Vernie's gaze for a charged moment. "When you're finished here, Barry will take you back to the hotel."

Vernie nodded; if Johnnie had called Barry to come for them, she wasn't about to ask questions. "We'll work on that fairy tale Jordi's been writing instead."

"I' m on page ten already, Dad. Vernie helps me with the spelling, but otherwise it's all my stuff."

"She has your creative talent," Vernie said, smiling at Johnny. "It's a fascinating story."

Jordi jabbed her finger at her father. "But you can't read it till it's all done."

"Whatever you say, sweetie. This shouldn't take long. I'll be back soon."

With a wave, he began leading Nicky from the restaurant, when a male voice called out, "Hey, Surfer Man!"

She could feel Johnny's grasp tighten, but his smile was in place as he turned to the nearby table. "Hey, yourself, Mikey. Small world."

"We're here for the races. What about you?"

"Hi, Jill." Johnny nodded at the woman seated beside Mikey in the banquette. "Just a visit for me. This is Nicky Lesdaux. Nicky, Mikey and Jill Chambers. We all went to high school together."

Mike did a thumbs-up. "Champions.h.i.+p football team our senior year, right?"

"Thanks to you. Mikey was our quarterback," Johnny explained to Nicky.

"If your sticky fingers hadn't caught every one of my pa.s.ses, we never would have made it. So how're things goin' for you?"

"Can't complain," Johnny said. "You know, mos tl y workin' hard. How's the law firm?"

"We're keeping our heads above water. You have to come back, and we'll hit the waves on Casper Beach."

"Jeez, I haven't surfed in years."

"I go out with my kids." Mikey smiled. "You know, maintain the skill set-or at least try."

"Christ, it sounds good. I'll give you a call. I have an appointment, or I'd stay and chat. Great to see you both."

As they moved toward the door, Johnny said, "Mikey and I used to watch the weather forecasts and wait for the big waves. It's not world-cla.s.s surfing up there, but d.a.m.ned fun." He blew out a breath. "Christ, life f.u.c.king changes. That was Lisa on the phone, and she's in some G.o.dd.a.m.ned mess. I had to call Barry and Cole. Not that they had to come far," Johnny grumbled. "They were parked across the street."

Personally, Nicky was glad they'd ignored Johnny's orders to stay at the hotel. Talk of drug cartels and money laundering made her nervous. "They just worry about you, that's all," she said.

"I guess," he muttered, as they stepped outside. "If you'll excuse me for a minute," he said, walking toward the Mercedes that was sitting at the curb. The pa.s.senger-side window rolled down, and he leaned forward and started talking fast.

His voice was low, so Nicky couldn't hear what he was saying, but she could tell he was p.i.s.sed. His tone was brusque, his dark brows were set in a scowl, and then he said loudly enough for anyone to hear, "f.u.c.king Lisa. She's nothing but trouble." Moments later, Barry accompanied Johnny back. As he went inside the restaurant, Johnny took Nicky's arm. "We're taking the car. Barry, Vernie, and Jordi will go back in a cab." Helping Nicky into the Mercedes a moment later, he took his seat beside her. Cole gave them a nod from up front beside the driver, and the car pulled away from the curb and eased into traffic.

Cole half turned. "Where to, boss?"

"Lisa was in hysterics as usual, but near as I can tell, we have two choices. She was whispering-apparently she's on her boyfriend's s.h.i.+t list for taking something of his-so she didn't make a lot of sense. But she needs rescuing; that much I figured out." He smiled tightly. "Sound familiar?"

"Been there, done that, boss. The woman is in constant crisis mode."

"Affirmative there, but this time, she might be in over her head. These guys she's with are loser hoodlums, but their daddies aren't above sending out a hit squad or two."

"Not to worry. We brought along extra firepower. Yours is under my seat."