Page 79 of Dangerous Temptation
His teeth raked over her throat. ‘Because it says you’re mine.’
From that point on, there was no more talking. Only touching. And kissing. And deep, fast penetration. Alex held Elena tightly as she established the rhythm and the pressure. The weight bench grew slippery as their hips rubbed back and forth. She was taking all of him, as far as he could go. She heard the sounds they were making, the sighs, the groans and the squeaks against the vinyl.
Her thighs burned. She was his. All his.
He pulled the hood up over her head as he kissed her. It focused her solely on him. For her, there was no other. It was the two of them, alone and always.
The supple leather stroked over her. The zipper bit and caressed. But most of all she felt him. Her Alex.
Her lone wolf.
Her body suddenly arched. She pressed down hard, her body milking his as she thrust her breasts into the air. He cupped her possessively, the leather capturing her nipple and pressing against it tightly. His thighs bunched, and then he was jerking up into her.
They came so hard, the barbell clattered in its holder. The weights rang loudly as the tremors continued.
At long last, the tempest died. She leaned her head on Alex’s shoulder and fought for air. His arms locked around her, holding her on his lap. He cupped the back of her head and whispered soft, sexy words.
Elena’s body went slack, but her brain came back to life. Synapses fired and thoughts sprang up. Hopes for the future. Concerns about today. Solutions for all their obstacles. The ideas were brilliant but, in her state of bliss, fleeting.
‘How are we going to handle this?’ she asked. ‘We have to make this work.’
He leaned back against the bar. ‘We’ve already been outed. I could deny it, but –’
‘Don’t.’
He peeled back the hood to look at her face. Her hair was loose and wild. ‘You need to think about this.’
‘I have. I want them to know. I want everyone to know.’
‘Elena,’ he cautioned.
‘I’m sure.’
He shook his head, unconvinced. ‘You’re getting involved with an ex-con. People are going to think the absolute worst of you.’
‘They thought that when I was a student whose father had just died.’ Lifting her head, she looked him in the eye. ‘Let them see us together. Let them talk. I don’t care what they say.’
‘I do. I can’t protect you.’ His expression turned fierce and proprietary – and maybe just a bit panicked. ‘You’re going to be hurt.’
‘I’ve been hurt before, and I’m not going to let you take on all of it.’
‘Baby …’
‘What matters is the two of us.’ She gave him a fast kiss. ‘Come on, Wolfe. Take me out. Show me your New York.’
He took her out to dinner at Jean-Georges in the Trump Hotel. Elena felt the stares and heard the whispers as they entered the dining room. The attention bothered her, but, seeing Alex’s stern face, she could tell it bothered him more. There were massive picture windows on two sides, and it felt like they were in a fishbowl. When the waiter tried to seat them at a table out in the middle of the room, Alex demurred. They chose a cubbyhole table off to the side instead.
Elena was happy she’d accepted the clothes he’d bought for her. If she hadn’t been wearing the classy burgundy cocktail dress, she would have felt out of place. The restaurant and all its diners practically dripped money, but even amongst his peers Alex commanded attention.
The waiter and sommelier were respectful, and Chef Jean-Georges himself even came out to greet them. Yet all around them diners were taking furtive looks. Some were even texting.
She took his hand. It felt stiff and cold. She squeezed tightly. ‘What’s good here?’
He blinked at the menu as if he hadn’t realised it was in front of him. ‘Everything.’
His attention focused on her, and his shoulders relaxed. ‘Order whatever you’d like.’
She chose the scallops with caramelised cauliflower, while he went with the black sea bass crusted with nuts. They sat quietly as a waiter poured their wine. The table they’d chosen wasn’t exactly hidden in a corner. They sat together on a bench seat, tucked in the cubbyhole but facing out into the room. They had a wonderful view of the trees and small flower garden outside, yet it also put them in the situation of facing the crowd. Only the waiter serving them hid them from curious onlookers.
