Page 65 of Taming a Heartbreaker

He placed a finger to her lips to halt whatever she’d been about to say. “Good night, Carmen. Sweet dreams.”

She watched him leave, thinking that thanks to him, her dreams tonight would be the sweetest she’d had in a long time. She had to admit that this was not how she had planned for things to go with Matthew. He had deliberately tapped into one of her weak spots, which was something she hadn’t wanted to happen. Was he gloating that he’d gotten the upper hand?

Carmen drew in a deep breath as her body hummed with a satisfied sensation. A flush heated her cheeks when she remembered how he had kissed her into an orgasm; she was feeling completely sated. The chemistry between them was just as it had always been, explosive.

She leaned back against the rail and knew, even though the sexual release had been just what she needed, she had to regroup her priorities and continue with her plans. Everyone was entitled to get off the track at least once, but the important thing was to get back on. And she was confident that after a good night’s sleep, she would be back in control of her senses once again.

Chapter Seven

Pulling off his shirt, Matthew headed for the bathroom, needing a shower. A cold one. Just the thought that he had brought Carmen pleasure had nearly pushed him over the edge. While kissing her, he had been overtaken with a raw and urgent hunger. The sensation had been relentless, unyielding, and for him, nearly unbearable.

As soon as his lips had touched hers, the familiarity of being inside her mouth had driven him to deepen the kiss with a frenzy that had astounded him. And each time she had moaned his name, something deep inside him had stirred, threatening to make him lose all control.

It didn’t take long after she’d bailed out of their marriage to realize that she was the only woman for him. Any time he held her in his arms, kissed her, made love to her, he’d felt like a man on top of the world, a man who could achieve and succeed in just about anything. He had worked so damn hard to make her happy and in the end all of his hard work had only made her sad.

He stripped off his clothes, filled with a frustration he was becoming accustomed to and a need he was fighting to ignore. He stepped in the shower and the moment the cold water hit, shocking his body, he knew he was getting what he deserved for letting a golden opportunity go by. But no matter the torment his body was going through, he was determined to stick to his plan, and at the moment he was right on target.

His goal was to build up a need within her, force her to remember how things were between them, and how easily they could stroke each other into one hell of a feverish pitch. And then when she couldn’t handle any more, when she was ready to take things to another level, instead of sweeping her off her feet and taking her to the nearest bed like she would expect, he would show her the door.

He stepped out of the shower and was toweling himself dry when he heard his cell phone ring. Wrapping the towel around his middle, he made his way over to the nightstand to pick it up. Caller ID indicated it was his manager, Ryan Manning.

“Yes, Ryan?”

“It would have been nice if you’d given me a heads-up that you and Carmen were back together.”

Matthew frowned. “We’re not back together.”

“Then how do you explain the photograph the Wagging Tongue plans to run of the two of you kissing? Luckily I have a contact over there who thought I’d be interested in seeing it before it went to press. They plan to make it front page news that the two of you have reconciled your differences and are remarrying. The papers hit the stands tomorrow.”

Matthew rolled his eyes. The Wagging Tongue was one of the worst tabloids around. “Carmen and I are divorced, nothing has changed.”

“Then what was that kiss about?”

“It was just a kiss, Ryan, no big deal. People can read into it whatever they want.”

“And what about Candy?”

“What about her?”

“What will she think?”

Matthew drew in a deep breath and said, “Candy and I don’t have that kind of relationship, you know that.”

“But the public doesn’t know that, and this article will make her look like a jilted lover.”

He had no desire to discuss Candy or their nonexistent bedroom activities. Ryan knew the real deal. Candy was trying to build a certain image in Hollywood, and Matthew had agreed to be Candy’s escort to several social functions, but only because he had gotten sick and tired of hanging around the house moping when he wasn’t working. Ryan and Candy’s agent felt it would be good PR. He’d known the media would make more out of it than there was, but at the time he hadn’t given a damn.

“And where is Carmen now?” Ryan asked.

“In bed.” He smiled, imagining the erroneous vision going through his manager’s mind.

“Dammit, Matthew, I hope you know what you’re doing. Her leaving almost destroyed you.”

A painful silence surrounded him. No one had to remind him of what he’d gone through. “Look, Ryan, I know you mean well, but this is between me and Carmen.”

“And what am I supposed to tell the media when they can’t contact you and then call me?”

“Tell them there’s no comment. Good night, Ryan.”

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