Page 48 of Richard

“If you continue to look at me like that, we are going to skip lunch," he told her gruffly, sorely tempted to do just that.

“I–”Words failed her, so instead, she just moved against him and buried her face into his warm throat.

“Oh baby," he said shakily, words failing him as well. “Where have you been all my life?”

Kissing the top of her head, he took her hand and led them into the shadowed interior of a very rustic eatery that served the best brisket Collette had ever tasted.

And they seemed to know him here. And respect his need for privacy. After the meal was served, they were left alone. He charmed her with stories of some of his artists. His deep voicetelling the stories enchanted her and had her laughing.

“I don’t believe you.” She shook her head as she scooped up some baby potatoes.

His thick brows lifted as he sipped his wine.

“Calling me a liar, darling?”

“No.” She shook her head, eyes dancing merrily. “You want me to believe that this world-class R&B singer is a cross-dresser?”

“Are you going to sell the information to the press?”

“I just might. It would make a very good story, and I would be paid millions.”

“Then I won’t tell you about a certain female singer who insists on traveling with both her husband and her lover.”

Her eyes went wide as she leaned forward. “Who?”

He laughed, taking her hands in his. “You should see the look on your face.”

“The public’s fascination with celebrities.” She admitted wryly. She went still at the look on his face.

“Finished?”

She nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat.

“Good, I want you naked.”

Chapter 11

Lunch was filling, so they were not hungry for hours, and that was perfect for what he had in mind. He felt a touch of guilt that he was starving for her. That he could not keep his hands to himself where she was concerned.

As soon as they got back, he was on her. They would be leaving in the late afternoon. He had instructed his pilot to pick them up around six, but he had a feeling that things would change as soon as they left.

She would be spending the night with him at his place, of course. He was going to insist on that. But he had a full week ahead of him, commitments he could not slide out of. It was coming toward the holidays, and he had functions, award ceremonies, and a travel itinerary that was bordering on ridiculous.

He did not want to leave her just yet. Or he wanted to suggest she accompanied him. He had poured his heart out to a woman for the first time in his life and she had not said anything to his declaration of love.

He knew he had to give her time, considering what she went through, but he was impatient to have a life with her. He wanted it known that she belonged to him and vice versa. He did not want to give her any chance of changing her mind or becoming indecisive about him.

So, that afternoon, he pulled out all the stops. He seduced her and romanced her to the point where she was weeping. He knew the erogenous places to touch with his tongue, his fingers. He knew what buttons to push and the fact that she was so inexperienced gave him a clean slate to work with.

He labored, long and hard, over her body. He spent time exploring her generous breasts, plumping the flesh, reshaping them, sliding his tongue over the rigid nipples before suckling as if he had all the time in the world. And he switched techniques frequently.

One minute, he was making a leisurely tour of her nipple with his tongue; the next, he was pulling it into his mouth as if he were a starving child and had not been fed for a week. He left her weak and limp with need.

He explored her sex the very same way. His fingers made foraysagainst the soft flesh, circling the mound while his eyes took in her every reaction. He was torturing himself, but he wanted to make certain that she was starving for him, that when he left her as he would be forced to do, she would not forget what transpired between them.

He wanted to be the best she ever had, wanted to make certain she forgot the bastard who had left her in a quagmire of despair. He was determined to make her forget the despair of her past.

He wanted her filled with just him. He brought her to the brink of explosion before he drove himself inside her and realized that he could stay like that for the rest of his life. But his body had been stretched to the limit of his endurance, and nature took over.

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