Splendor(140)
When they were alone, she would reach for him nearly as often as he did her – snuggling against him as they slept, sliding onto his lap as he sipped his tea or drank his brandy, running her hands over his bare torso as he shaved or brushed his teeth. Sometimes he teased her about having turned her into a sex maniac, but most of the time he would groan and sweep her into his arms, kissing her into oblivion or carrying her to his bed.
Tonight, for his birthday, she had an extra special sexual experience planned for him, one she was fairly sure he would love. There was a chance, however slight, that he would balk at her idea, but she honestly didn’t think so. She was going to seduce him – plain and simple – and hopefully rock his well- ordered world into another galaxy.
With that goal in mind, she applied a heavier than normal makeup – her eyes darkly shadowed and lined, her skin glowing with the application of sparkly bronzer, her lips full and glistening beneath the shiny scarlet gloss. She’d taken a long, hot bath earlier, the sunken tub filled with fragrant, vanilla scented bath salts, and then exfoliated nearly every inch of her skin. She’d spent considerable time rubbing scented lotion on her arms, legs, belly, breasts, before lightly spritzing herself with the delicate floral perfume Ian had bought her, knowing it was the scent he preferred.
But it was when she put on the new, ultra sexy bits of black lace she’d bought specifically for tonight that her confidence level zoomed up several degrees. As she gazed at her reflection in the full length mirror, she ran her fingers lightly over the plunging demi-bra, miniscule thong, ruffly garter skirt, and sheer stockings. Tessa gave herself a naughty, satisfied wink in the mirror.
‘There is zero chance – Z-E-R-O – that he’ll say no to anything you suggest when he sees you in this, girl,’ she told herself with a chuckle. ‘In fact, he’s going to get on his hands and knees and beg you to do him any way you want. Too bad that’s not the position I have in mind for tonight.’
***
“Let’s drink a toast to Ian’s birthday, shall we?” suggested Nathan. “Here’s wishing you a very, very happy one, and hoping that I’ll be in half as good a shape as you are when I turn forty.”
Julia snickered. “Well, I’ll definitely drink to that!”
There was laughter all around the table as the four occupants drank from their champagne flutes. They were enjoying pre-dinner cocktails in the lavishly appointed lounge area on the top floor of the Gregson Hotel. The cocktail lounge was adjacent to the four-star gourmet restaurant where they would be having dinner shortly.
Ian had chosen the venue for his birthday celebration quite intentionally, knowing that not only would the food and the service be superb, but that he could depend on the full discretion of the staff. Even though Tessa no longer officially worked for the company, they had agreed to keep something of a low profile for a while, at least here in San Francisco. Neither of them wanted speculation to start about exactly when their relationship had begun.
But for now he refused to worry about any of that, or anything else for that matter. Tonight was a night to relax and enjoy a fine meal with friends, and of course with the gorgeous love of his life seated to his left.
His jaw had dropped when he’d seen her for the first time tonight, walking with slow deliberation down the long, winding staircase of the house. And while Tessa always looked utterly beautiful and irresistibly tempting, tonight she was beyond dazzling. In the black V-neck Herve Leger bandage dress with its sequin embellished panels, she was a bombshell – really no other word came close to describing how sizzlingly sexy she looked. Her golden hair fell in thick, bouncy waves past her shoulders, her lush mouth looking positively sinful glossed over in a deep red. The only jewelry she wore were the diamond solitaire earrings he’d bought her recently, and a diamond cuff bracelet, with nothing around her neck to distract from the tantalizing display of her cleavage.
Ian hadn’t missed all the admiring, covetous male glances directed her way, and he intended to keep her very close to his side the entire evening. In fact, probably the only male in the lounge who hadn’t stared lustfully at his girl was Nathan- and that was because he had his own ultra- sexy woman sitting next to him. Julia had caused more than a few jaws to drop herself, garbed in a strapless ivory chiffon cocktail dress with a jeweled waist, and very high heeled ivory satin shoes with a rhinestone strap. Every time Ian happened to glance across the table, the engaged couple were touching each other in some way, or kissing. Even now Nathan was dipping his head to whisper something in her ear, and Julia giggled in response.