Marriage Made on Paper(38)

She slid out of the covers and she tiptoed out of the room and across the house, into her room, wishing, again, that there was a door so that she could close it behind her.

The first thing she did was check her email for new alerts and cursed creatively when she saw one pop up about Maddy.

She brainstormed ways to divert the new details Callahan and his wife were dishing while she showered, trying not to linger on the parts of her body that still felt sensitized from Gage’s touch. She shivered as the hot water sluiced over her skin and tears pricked her eyes. Again. She shut the flow of water off and dried quickly, before applying her makeup, fixing her hair and picking out a freshly pressed skirt and button-up blouse.

She was sitting on the edge of the bed, fastening the dainty buckles on her blue kitten heels, when Gage’s voice broke into her thoughts.

“You have the most interesting taste in shoes.”

“I like shoes,” she said, her heart fluttering wildly. She gritted her teeth and tried to calm her body’s response to him before she looked up.

He was standing in the open doorway, leaning against the frame, wearing last night’s jeans, riding low on his lean hips, and nothing else.

“Why aren’t you in bed, Lily?” he asked, his voice so seductive it ought to be outlawed.

“I get up early,” she said tightly, rising from her position on the bed. “And I’m not really a lounge-around-in-my-pajamas kind of person.”

“I wouldn’t guess you were. But I had hoped you were a walk-around-in-nothing-but-a-smile kind of person.” His blue eyes were hot as he looked at her, his expression making it clear that, even though she’d gone to all the trouble to dress, he was envisioning her naked.

She sucked in a breath. “Nope, not that, either.”

“Lily, come here.”

She found herself walking toward him, even though she didn’t remember telling her feet it was all right to move. He pulled her to him and kissed her, gently, seductively, sensually. She pressed her palms against his chest, intent on pushing away, but instead, her hands just lingered there, enjoying the feeling of all that hard, masculine flesh.

He pulled away slightly, resting his forehead against hers. “We aren’t done,” he said, his voice soft, but uncompromising.

Her whole body tingled, her nipples tightening, her core aching for his possession. They weren’t done. There was no way she could leave it at one night, not when he still had the power to affect her like he did.

They had to let the fling run its course. That was what had to happen. They had a few days until they were meant to leave Thailand, and in that time they would be able to get it out of their systems. She was certain of it.

“I know we aren’t,” she whispered.

“When I wake up in the morning, I expect you to be in my bed. And I don’t want you to be dressed.” He moved against her, his arousal blatant, the intent in his eyes obvious. And she found herself responding to it. Very few men spoke to her that way. They found her intimidating. Gage didn’t. And for some reason she found it incredibly sexy, hearing him say just what he wanted. “I want you naked. And I want you ready for me.”

“I expect the same,” she said, finding boldness much easier to come by when she had her appearance put together. It was easier to find her confidence when everything was in place. She felt more in her element, like this was a business negotiation and she had bargaining power.

“Those are terms I can readily agree to.” He kissed her neck and she melted against him. “So, there is an advantage to you wearing your hair back. I can kiss you like this.” He demonstrated again and she trembled beneath his erotic touch.

“I have some work to do this morning,” she said, not sounding terribly convincing, even to herself.

“Do you?”

“Yes,” she gasped as he nipped her lightly then soothed the sting away with his tongue. “A witness has spotted us venue-hunting for the wedding.”

He stepped away. “Have they?”

She frowned. “I know. It’s mildly horrible. But there are new details coming out about Maddy’s supposed affair with William Callahan. If the media is intent on reporting that as fact with no more proof than they have, then I don’t feel too guilty for misleading them.”

“They’re vultures. All they want is to feed off of the misfortune of others. To make a profit off of someone else’s misery. I say lie away,” Gage said, his expression fierce.

“Anyway, I just need to cultivate a convincing story and send it using one of my alternate email accounts.”

“That’s why I pay you so much.”