***
On the fifth ring, Michelle realized she wasn’t dreaming, and that the ringing wasn’t in her head. Lagged from sleep, she untangled herself from the steel arms holding her prisoner against a hard wall of muscle, and reached for the receiver. “Hello.”
“Michelle?” Felicia’s voice drifted through the wires.
Michelle bolted upright. Oh, God. She was in Erik’s room, in his bed, answering his phone at eight o’clock in the morning. Her mind swirled frantically at what his mother must be thinking.
She glanced back at Erik. He was fast asleep on his back—one arm above his head, the other across his stomach, and the bed sheets tangled at his feet. He looked as beautiful and tempting as a sun god, Michelle thought. Her eyes inadvertently fixed on the junction of his muscular thighs where his ample sex—now semi-hard—lay nestled in a mat of curly black hair. Memories of his power scorched her mind. How did she ever take all of him? Or did she?
“Michelle?”
Michelle whipped back around at Felicia’s voice. “Um—” She placed a hand against her thumping heart, and wet her dry lips with her tongue, trying to think of something to say. “Felicia, uh—is everything okay? Is Precious okay?” Lame.
“Precious is fine. We’re having a great time. I’m sure she’ll tell you all about it when you get home.” She paused. “Michelle, you and my son are two mature consenting adults. I didn’t call to check up on him or to pass judgment on you. Quite frankly, if what I think happened really did happen, I’m glad it’s you he chose. Now, be a dear and get him for me.”
Michelle colored at Felicia’s easy acceptance of her. If she only knew she was speaking to her new daughter-in-law and not just some woman her son had taken to bed… “Well, he’s—”
“Who’s it?” Erik asked from behind her. His voice was heavy and husky from sleep.
Michelle shivered as she felt a finger trace down the outline of her spine, reminding her that she was butt naked. She turned to look at him, feeling uncertain about everything, until she saw him smile with warm memories of their night together. She covered the mouthpiece with her hand. “It’s your mother. Felicia.”#p#分页标题#e#
A scowl immediately replaced his smile. “What does she want?”
“I don’t know. But she now knows we slept together.”
“I’ll take care of it,” he assured her as he took the receiver from her. Damn. What did his mother want? Why did Michelle have to answer the bloody phone? He wished now he hadn’t turned off his cell last night. He leaned over and kissed her lingeringly on her lips.
Michelle startled as his facial stubble grazed her face. She liked the feel.
His hand tightened on her arm as she started to get out of the bed. “Stay.”
“I have to use the bathroom.”
“Hurry back, baby. This won’t take long.” He put the phone to his ears. “Mother, you’d better have a damn good reason for calling me so early.”
In the bathroom, Michelle leaned against the door. Darn it! Their secret wasn’t a secret anymore. And of all people, his mother had to be the one to find out. How could she face Felicia again, knowing that she knew what she knew?
She studied her naked body in the full mirror. There were tiny bite marks on her neck and chest and around her breasts. Erik was definitely a breast man, she thought as she ran her fingers carefully over her sore nipples. He’d suckled as if he were drawing nourishment from her. She wondered if he was unconsciously making up for the fact that he wasn’t breastfed as an infant.
She let her fingers trail down her belly as memories of Erik’s passion surfaced. Three more times during the night, he’d awakened her and taken her. It seemed as though she only had half-hour intervals of rest between each salacious session. Over and over, he had brought her to the brink of pleasure, and held her timelessly there until she had begged him to end her sweet misery.
The first time had been fierce and intense. She supposed it was because he’d been starved for two years. But the cadence later changed and their lovemaking had been slow, long, and drawn-out. Erik had been powerful and tender, hard and sweet, and she’d yielded shamelessly to the flames that had been held captive within her since Ryan, maybe even before.
Michelle took another step and gasped as the muscles between her legs screamed. Erik’s stamina and endurance had taken her by a storm of surprise. Erik LaCrosse was an expert in the art of lovemaking. He knew exactly how to please a woman. Cassie had been the luckiest woman on earth, Michelle thought with a hint of jealousy toward the only other woman he’d made love to.