After passing enough doors that she started to wonder how many bedrooms the pool house had, they reached an open entryway. She stared at the beautiful scene before her.
“This is amazing,” she whispered.
They were in an indoor garden. Glass walls surrounded the place, giving the already-open doors even more of an outdoor look. This side of the house faced a river. And that was the view they had in the glass room. It was obvious the room was an extension of the house to keep the outdoors inside when the weather was bad.
A table was set for two in the center of the room. He held her seat for her and then pulled a covering off their plates.
“I had arranged for dinner.” He lifted a brow. “But someone got me distracted. I think we are OK because the food should still be hot.”
She bit her lip to keep from smiling. “I’d say I’m sorry, but I’m not.”
Chapter Seven
He shook his head and opened up the wine bottle. “I had the steak made the way you like it.”
When did he notice how she liked her steak? She glanced down at the perfectly cooked skirt steak with vegetables and potatoes. Of course, her stomach chose that moment to grumble.
She smiled sheepishly. “I guess I’ve worked up an appetite.”
His impeccable manners were causing havoc on her self-control. But she already knew Max didn’t do anything half-assed. So far he’d been not only the perfect gentleman, but so sweet she wanted to tie him up and keep him.
“You’re a busy man, Max.” She cut a piece of meat and took a bite. A combination of flavors burst in her mouth, making her taste buds do a happy dance.
“If I knew getting you steak would get that kind of reception, I’d have gotten you some long before now,” he said of the moans she made with each bite. “I love that about you.”
She stopped to take a drink from her wineglass. “You love what?”
“That you like to eat, because I like to eat too.”
She eyed his plate, noticed how quickly he’d reduced the amount of food, and grinned. “I do like to eat, but unlike you, I gain weight.”
“Where? I don’t see anything but a beautiful body when I look at you. A sexy body.”
Another arrow pierced her heart.
“Believe me,” she groaned. “I gain weight. Every time I eat, it goes to my hips, legs, and butt.”
“Your legs, hips, and butt are the sexiest I’ve seen on any woman.” He licked his lips, and she forgot all about the food. “I could spend the entire day touching your body and stroking your curves.”
She took another sip of her wine. “You sure know what to say to a woman.”
“I’m only saying what comes to mind. You’re beautiful. End of story. Now enjoy your food.”
Her heart flipped-flopped in her chest. The way he looked at her, so hot and possessive, ignited a fire in her core.
“Nina, you are the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen. You’re beautiful.”
“Thank you.” She gulped. “You’ve made today really special.” Much more than she could have ever anticipated from any man. With him, she felt not only sexy, beautiful, and desirable, but special too. And that combination had never happened for her. Ever.
He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her palm, all the while watching her. “I don’t know what it is about you, but I can’t seem to stay away from you.”
She swallowed at the dryness in her throat. “Do you want to? Stay away that is.”
His gaze landed on her lips. “No.”
“Max.” She took a deep breath. “I want us to continue seeing each other.”
A wolfish grin covered his face, and he squeezed her hand on the table. “Thank you. I had hoped you’d want to try that.”
“I just…can we keep this to ourselves?” She winced when he frowned, obviously not fond of her idea.
“Keep it to ourselves?”
“You know it’s just that the people at the office are already strange about office romances, Eve in particular. And she’s my manager. I don’t want to create any tension at your business.” An uncontrollable flip-flopping took over her heart.
He picked up her hand again and rubbed his scruffy cheek on it. Electric currents ran up her back.
“If that’s your wish, we can take things slowly and see where it goes.”
She smiled and nodded. “It is. Thank you.”
He stood, took her empty plate to the cart, and returned with two pieces of cheesecake.
“I know it’s not Junior’s.” He winked. “But the chef that made this is fantastic, and I really think you’ll like it.”
Emotion clogged her throat as she stared down at the piece of strawberry cheesecake on the pristine white plate. “Thank you.”
She wasn’t going to ask him how he knew about her cheesecake obsession. Clearly Max had been paying a lot more attention to her than she’d realized. She took a bite of the dessert in silence. Thoughts of a relationship filled her mind.
“Do you like it?” Genuine curiosity filled his eyes.
She took another bite and really savored the cheesecake. “Oh,” she moaned. Sweet, creamy flavor exploded on her taste buds. “This is so good.”
He beamed. “I know the chef. He said he’d make his special cheesecake just for you.” He twined his fingers through hers. “I told him you’re a very special woman, and I wanted to impress you.”
Her heart melted. “You definitely impressed me.” Which reminded her. “So.” She grinned. “Is someone dropping off the bag?”
His confusion made her smile.
“The one you have with all those things you got to make the evening more pleasurable for me?” Her smile widened when he flushed.
He was embarrassed. After everything he’d done to her, he was embarrassed.
“Come on, tell me.” She dropped the fork next to the half-eaten dessert and focused on Max. “I want to know what you have planned for me next.”
Heat sparked in his eyes. Her nipples pebbled when he licked his lips and glanced down at her mouth before looking at her in the eyes.
“The bag is here. But maybe you’re not ready for what’s left inside the bag.” A small, taunting smile slid across his lips.
“Or maybe you’re just scared I’m not going to enjoy it.” Whatever it was, she now wanted to try it just to prove she had an open mind. “I have a proposition.” She took a deep breath and watched his eyes flare when her breasts strained against the fabric of her dress, almost spilling over the drooping neckline. Their gazes connected. Passion sizzled between them. “What if I pick a toy and allow you to use it without question?”
His brows rose. “I don’t know. What if you grab one of the tamer toys?”
What kind of stuff did he have in that bag? “Fine, you pick the toy, and I’ll allow you to use it however you want.”
“Two toys.” He grinned wickedly.
She rolled her eyes. “Fine. Two toys.”
Before she had a chance to blink, he was on his feet and grabbing her hand. “Let’s go.”
They marched down a hallway at a desperate pace. She wondered what it was about her proposal that had fired him up. Excitement buzzed in her blood.
He opened a door and tugged her inside. She glanced around the bedroom, her eyes growing wider the more things she took in. A four-poster bed sat at the center of the large room. Sheer, royal blue chiffon draped from the ceiling into a bubble and gathered back up at the edges of the walls. A lighter shade of blue chiffon covered each of the posts on the bed. The material gathered at the tips, held by a circular, silver chain on each pole. Sapphire silk sheets covered the massive bed. Lace curtains over black panels hid the windows. Tons of large decorative pillows surrounded the room, on the floor. In each corner of the bedroom was a statue of a naked woman. Paintings of couples in different sexual positions graced the walls.
“This is…” She gulped, unsure what to say.
“Yeah, I know. A lot,” he commented and headed for the dresser, wading through the large cushions on the floor.
A lot? It was like someone had taken out a scene from Arabian Nights, mixed it up with a dose of Kama Sutra, and let it explode inside the bedroom.
She took careful steps into the room, tried not to break her neck bypassing pillows, and neared the bed. Just as she reached it, Max turned toward her. He held a black velvet bag in his hand. She raised a curious brow and waited.
He lifted a hand, cupped her neck, and twined his fingers into her hair, holding her in place. And then he kissed her. It was a hot, wet, possessive kiss. The kind that turned the simmering fire inside her into a raging inferno. She whimpered, slid her hands up his warm body to his head, and gripped his short hair.
He took a step back and stared at her. Goosebumps rose over her skin at his heated look. She peered into his piercing eyes while his hands caressed down her body, stopping at her waist and bunching the thin material of her mini-dress in his fists. He slowly pulled the dress over her head, until she stood completely naked before him.
Possession flared bright in his eyes, ramping up the need that made her pussy throb. Moisture dripped from her slit, trailing down her thighs. She slid out of her heels, losing some of her height in the process. Her gaze roamed his flexing pecs, and she placed a hand flat on his muscular chest. The heat from his body enticed her to lick him.