Page 53 of California Love Songs
Crystal had never been the kind of woman who couldn’t concentrate on her work because she was mooning over some guy. It just wasn’t her. And yet, when she started putting together the plan for Mila’s wedding, it wasn’t Mila she pictured in that beautiful white dress, surrounded by her friends and loved ones. It was herself. And the man standing next to the bride, vowing eternal love and devotion, wasn’t Herschel Greenfield. It was Damien Davenport.
She groaned and lay her head down on her desk, deeply frustrated with herself. At least she was going to see him tonight. The jazz club had an open mic and she’d get to see something she’d never seen him do before. And she was very sure that at the end of the night, they’d find themselves once more in each other’s arms.
Maybe that was how she had to look at this new development between them—take it one day at a time, one night at a time, one kiss at a time. For today and tonight, he was hers. That had to be enough.
Crystal spent the rest of the afternoon scouting venues and visiting one of her favorite caterers to check on upcoming weddings. As much as she focused on work, every time she thought of the evening to come, the bubble of anticipation inside was impossible to suppress.
She had to keep reminding herself that this was a fling. Just a fling. A fabulous, glorious fling. That’s all it could be.
As much as she tried to put Damien out of her mind, she couldn’t help but hear his voice urging her to visit the community college. So that was exactly what she did. Taking a quick detour between meetings, she drove over there and picked up the information packet for prospective students. Just walking through those halls of learning, filled with the smell of industrial cleaner, sweat, and gym socks that somehow permeated every high school and college, she felt the excitement deep in her belly.
Why had it taken Damien’s challenge to show how her much she missed school, how much she wanted to learn?
Pressing the packet to her chest, she wondered why, when she’d built up a very successful business, when her mom was free of financial worries, and Crystal herself had a very nice home and plenty of savings, it had never occurred to her to go back to college, even part-time. Maybe she wouldn’t go all the way to med school—although secretly she thought maybe she would. She shook her head at herself for giving up on that dream so completely.
It had been too easy to get carried away on the ebbs and flows of life, letting them take her away rather than grabbing her own oars and rowing in the direction she wanted to go. As she toured the campus and looked at the students clustered around tables in the coffee shop or working feverishly at laptops in various study rooms, she saw that they weren’t all young. They were people of all ages, some a lot older than she was. Already her mind was working through the logistics. Was her second in command ready to take on the day-to-day running of her business if she took time out each week for classes?
Crystal was pretty sure the answer was yes.
Damien called just as she was getting into her car. Her pulse fluttered just seeing his name on the screen. Oh, she had it bad. Even the way he said her name made her tremble.
He said, “Celebrity Tonight is on at seven and the whole family’s gathering at Arch’s. How about I swing by your place at six?”
Why was he coming an hour early? “Do you want an early dinner?”
His chuckle was low and cheeky. “No, I do not want dinner. I’m taking you to dinner before the jazz show. I want something else.”
The way he said those words sent a shiver all over her body. She wanted him right that second, in the college parking lot, regardless of who might walk by. Even though he couldn’t see her, she tossed her hair over her shoulder, saying with an attitude, “I might be busy. I’m going to do my hair.”
Damien almost growled, “By the time I’m finished with you, you’ll need to do it all over again.”
Heat shot through her and before she could even respond, he said, “See you at six,” and was gone.
She managed to focus for the rest of the day. Somehow. She got plenty of work done, particularly on Mila’s wedding, knowing that when she saw her latest bridal client that evening, she’d expect a progress report. Besides, she loved Mila. She wanted to do a great job for her.
It was five to six when her gentleman caller came knocking. She’d returned home early enough to shower and get every part of her body ready for him. She was wearing her sexiest black lace lingerie and a black wrap dress. It couldn’t have been easier to slip off. All Damien needed to do was pull at the bow and unwrap her like a present.
She opened the door and took in the sight of her new lover. He’d obviously taken a little extra trouble with his appearance, too. His mop of dark curls was tamed, his cheeks freshly shaved. He wore a crisp white shirt with a decent pair of jeans.
And a look that said, I could eat you all up.
“That’s a great dress,” he said, walking in and putting his arms around her. “I bet it’ll look even better on the floor.”
He kissed her, leaned in, and before she knew it, his deft fingers had found the bow and the fabric slithered to the floor.
He gazed down at her, his eyes skimming hungrily over her pretty underwear. “That is some fine lingerie. But I’m afraid it would also look better on the floor.”
How did he do this to her? Make her laugh and arouse her to such a pitch, all in the same breath? He kissed her as though he’d never get enough, pressing his soft lips to hers, his tongue teasing hers with promise.
She unbuttoned his shirt. She couldn’t be quite as careless with clothing as he was, though. Someone, no doubt not him, had taken the trouble to iron his shirt. So she hung it on one of the hooks where her coats went. Then she scooped up her dress and hung that up, too. After all, she was going to be wearing it tonight.
And then her hands were free to roam over his beautiful torso. Taut with muscle. Exactly the right amount of dark chest hair.
“I have been thinking about this all day,” he whispered as he put his hot, urgent mouth over the wisp of silk covering her breast. He licked at her nipple. Then, just like in the movies, he bent down and hoisted her up in his arms.
Of course he knew where the bedroom was. He’d been in her house plenty of times. But never like this. Even in all her wild imaginings—and there had been plenty—she’d never imagined it could be like this between them. So easy and natural and yet so darned hot. He carried her to the bedroom as though she weighed nothing and set her down on the bed.
He looked down at her with an expression of pure lust. “Crystal Lopez, you are the hottest woman I have ever seen.”
