“You want children?” The question hovered in the air, as did the sexual tension that had crept upon them.
“Yes.” His deep and husky voice caused her panties to become drenched. She’d forgotten how potent one word could be when it came from Michael.
“So all of the things you said,” she gulped, struggling to control the erratic beating of her heart, “all of the talk of marriage, kids, the white picket fence, a dog…it was all true?”
“What did you think it was, angel?” His eyes darkened, becoming liquid sapphire as he bestowed the endearment.
“I didn’t know. Everything was so confusing when Aly showed up. Everything you said, everything I believed.” Shaking her head, she glanced at her plate, incapable of finding the right words.
When she gazed up at him, she attempted to convey what she felt through her eyes. “What do you want from me?”
“Everything,” he responded, waiting until the significance of what he said soaked in before he continued. “This moment, right now, is our second chance.” He took the napkin from the table and tossed it over his half-eaten plate. “I can’t change what happened. I regret it, even though it wasn’t my fault. You have to know by now that it wasn’t something I wanted to happen. You’re going to have to make a decision. Leave the past behind—here and now—or I’ll take you home and we can end things before someone gets hurt.”
“How long do I have to decide?”
“You’ve had your time. If you don’t know what you want by now, you’re never going to.” His lips curved wryly. “You don’t strike me as a woman who is indecisive, and since you’re wearing the necklace I have a pretty good idea on where we stand.”
“So it is more than a gift.” A flush swept from her head to her toes, hardening her nipples into aching points and venturing lower to heat and moisten the apex of her thighs.
“Much more.” His sexy grin put her temperature to a hot simmer. “Have I told you how much I love that color? When you blush, I imagine pink blossoming all over your body.”
“You’re trying to embarrass me.” She ducked her head because she felt her face growing warmer.
“Can’t have that, can we?” She glanced up and he leaned over his plate, closing the distance between them. “I have an invitation to a party tonight. It’s a private gathering, which means that you don’t have to worry about indiscretion. All you have to do is a little something for me, so that I know you want this as much as I do.”
“What do you want me to do?” Her chest constricted, making it difficult to breathe. She recognized the look in his eye and her body started to tremble when he sat back and his expression changed.
“Take off your panties and give them to me.”
“Do what?” She muffled the question, whispering as loudly as she dared and glanced around the restaurant. Everyone seemed oblivious to the conversation taking place between her and Michael.
Fortunate, since she was as unnerved as she was keyed up. There was sternness in Michael’s gaze when she stopped looking around and gawked at him.
“If you want this, I want your panties— now.” The change in his voice told her that he was no longer asking.
She opened her mouth and closed it, like a guppy that jumped to freedom from the tank only to find the world outside wasn’t as it seemed. Her morality battled her sexuality. Even as she told herself it was wrong another, wilder portion of herself urged her to place her hands under her dress, tug the panties slowly past her ass and remove them so she could do as he desired.
Bless me, Father, for I’m about to sin.
After a brief hesitation, she gave in to the louder voice that appealed to her darker, more sensual nature. Kicking off her heels, she brought her hands to her dress and lifted it. Removing the clasps attached to her corset and stockings was easy. The hard part was pulling the panties down without shifting too much and drawing the attention of the server or someone in the restaurant.
Michael watched her the entire time, his eyes never losing focus. When she finally had the skimpy underwear around her ankles she bent to the side, lifted her feet to slide them off and wadded the lace in her fist.
“Hand them to me.” He extended his hand directly over the table and she froze, mortified that someone might see her passing such an intimate article of clothing to her date in public. If Michael was angry it didn’t show, though he warned, “I’m not going to ask again.”
She watched, horrified, as she did as he told her. He took the black lace into his hand and promptly brought the cloth to his nose. The visual obliterated her fear and she was suddenly aware of just how cold the air felt against her bare pussy. A pulse of wet warmth coated her cleft and she blushed as she imagined a stain on her dress, allowing God and everyone in the restaurant to know just how turned-on she was.
“I love the way you smell, Lacey.” He lowered his hand and tucked the panties into the inner pocket of his jacket. His grin was enough to make her insides wilt. “It makes me want to bend you over this table and fuck you until you can’t breathe.”
He rose from his chair, walked to her and assisted her from the seat. She frowned as he took her directly to the coat check, retrieved their jackets and didn’t bother paying for their meal.
“What about the bill?” she asked as he helped her into her coat.
“Already taken care of.” He turned her toward him and pulled her close. “The same man who owns Le Mer also owns Fantasia. All of the people seated near us are avid players.” As she gazed into his eyes, becoming lost in their blue depths, he murmured, “I would never embarrass or hurt you. That first act was one of trust. No one seated near us would ever dare say a word because it’s not something they’d even bat an eyelash at.”
“So they knew?”
“Not everything, but since I’ve never brought a woman here before, I’m sure they appreciated the importance—and significance—of the evening.”
Her gaze lowered to his mouth and a molten heat built in her belly. It had been over a week since she’d felt the pressure of his lips on hers, since she’d tasted that salty, sweet taste that was all Michael.
As if he read her thoughts, he pulled back. “Not yet.”
“Why?” She fought the wisps of fire spreading through her stomach, causing her to become wetter, priming her for whatever it was he wanted.
“Building anticipation can make the consummation so much more powerful. Trust me. When we get to the party, you’ll understand.”
“What if I don’t want to wait until the party?” she snapped, sexually frustrated and hot as hell after a week of dreaming of her date turned tormentor.
His voice was stern but there was humor in his expression. “I’d say that you’d best remember that I’m the one who calls the shots. Keep complaining and not only will I tan your beautiful ass, I’ll put a pocket rocket in that needy pussy of yours and leave you aching for hours before I let you come.”
“You wouldn’t.”
He guided her toward the doors and lowered his head. “Are you sure enough about that to take the risk?”
Deciding she certainly wasn’t, she kept her complaints to herself.
He opened the door and the winter air soared up her skirt, frigid and almost painful against her unprotected, overly warm and sensitized flesh. As the breeze cooled her off, she said a silent prayer of thanks to Mother Nature for managing to prevent at least one forest fire.
Michael opened the door, training his face to remain blank as Lacey slid into the seat and scooted to make room for him. Instead of the space he’d insisted on before, he kept zero distance between them, pulling her snug against his side, and placed his hand on her knee before guiding his palm up until it rested between her thighs.