Landon (Swanson Court Book 4) Page 18

  She responds by riding me hard, up and down, her body tight around me as she takes the pleasure she wants. I can’t take my eyes off her. I’m mesmerized by her beautiful body, her breasts, her hair. Her eyes are closed, her skin flushed as she takes me deeper each time. I rise from the bed, gripping her hips and taking a nipple in my mouth as she continues to ride me. I come with an intense explosion at the same time she shatters in my arms.

  She collapses on top of me, her eyes still closed. Soon, her breathing deepens, and only after she’s asleep do I notice the tears on her cheeks.

  The next morning, I wake up to the smell of breakfast. After showering, I find Rachel in the kitchen with freshly made French toast and a nice arrangement of chopped fruits. I’m on a call, so I make myself a plate and pour a cup of coffee, kissing her before I go out to the back patio.

  I can tell she’s not happy. She comes out to the patio and gives me her characteristic scowl when she finds I’m still on the phone. With an apologetic smile, I blow her a kiss.

  It’s not enough. She pouts and stalks inside the house. After working for a few hours, I go to search for her and find her lying in bed, reading, and wearing sheer lingerie.

  The lace and satin ensemble barely conceals anything beneath, and my reaction is understandably potent. Feeling almost like a randy teenage boy, I can barely stop myself from pouncing on her.

  Keeping my lust in check, I join her on the bed, chuckling when she pointedly ignores me.

  “What’re you reading?”

  She gives me a side-eye. “Are you done working?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, now I’m busy,” she says dismissively, going back to her book.

  “I can see that.” I massage her feet. “Are you mad at me?”

  “Why would I be?” She shrugs. “You told me you would be working. Now, if you don’t mind, someone has a guild of evil magicians to challenge and defeat.”

  “Sounds critical.” I continue massaging her toes. “I wouldn’t dare to interfere with something of that magnitude, something with such potentially far-reaching consequences.”

  “What’re you doing?” She looks suspicious.

  “Nothing.” I keep my expression innocent. “Go on, defeat those evil magicians. Though…” I pause. “I don’t think you’re suitably dressed for something so important.”

  She chuckles. “Really?”

  “Yes,” I reply. “For one, you wouldn’t have just this thin lace covering your breasts. Your nipples are visible, tempting…an explicit invitation to suck on them.”

  She makes a dismissive sound but doesn’t go back to reading. Instead her eyes stay on me, and through the lace, I see her nipples tighten and peak.

  “And your thighs,” I continue, moving my hands from her feet, trailing them upward.

  “What about them?” Her voice is a little huskier than before.

  “They’re barely covered, just a little lace. Who can look at them without thinking about sex?” Cupping her through the material, I can feel the dampness of her arousal. “You’re not reading anymore?”

  Stubbornly, she turns back to the screen of her device. Hooking my fingers in the crotch of her panties, I move them aside. She’s watching me again, her lips parted, waiting.

  “You can’t stop reading now,” I remind her. “Think of those evil magicians.”

  She glares at me and turns back to her screen. I lower my head and touch my lips to her sex.

  Her body shudders as I stroke her with my tongue. I suck on her clit then find her cleft and push my tongue inside her. I hear the e-reader clatter as it drops, and her fingers are in my hair.

  My lips curve in triumph, but I stay focused on the task at hand, giving her pleasure. I bring her to climax after climax, intent on making up for ignoring her earlier. I make her come until she’s begging me to stop, then I finally release her shaking body.

  “Let’s go for a walk,” I tell her, loving the taste of her on my lips. She is weak and spent, her eyes barely open as she looks up at me. “We can’t leave without exploring the beach.”

  Chapter 24

  We leave later in the evening, taking the plane back to New York. Rachel’s brother Dylan is waiting at her apartment and she’s excited about seeing him, but I just hate that our weekend is over.

  Soon I’ll be in San Francisco, more time I’ll be spending away from her. “Will you change your mind about coming to San Francisco for the opening of the new hotel?”

  She smiles at my hopeful expression. “Of course I’ll come.”

  That’s a relief considering how she reacted to the invitation before.

  “I’ll leave town sometime this week, but I want to see you every day before I leave.”

  Her eyes dance. “Every day?”

  “Is that too much?”

  She gives me a teasing grin. “I’ll consider it.”

  I chuckle. “Let’s have dinner tomorrow. When you’re not working, I want you to be with me.”

  “Yes, boss.”

  She makes me laugh without even trying to be funny. I want to take her home with me and never let her go, because everything about her is just perfect. Perfect for me.

  And I want to be perfect for her.

  At her apartment, I follow her upstairs, hesitant to say goodbye. I don’t want to barge into her reunion with her brother, so I drag myself away.

  My apartment feels empty without her, and not just my apartment, my life. When I consider my life before and after her, the difference is like night and day.

  Does she feel even close to the same?

  It’s just sex, Landon. We’re still practically strangers.

  For her, maybe, but not for me. I feel like I’ve always needed her in my life, and it scares me, because I don’t know that she needs me even nearly as much.

  She wants me. She’s attracted to me.

  But does she need me?

  I push the thoughts away and have an early night. I’m having breakfast alone the next morning when I get a call from Alex.

  Early-morning calls from lawyers are never good news.

  “I’ve been on the phone with Claude regarding an incident at the hotel,” he tells me, proving the aphorism right. “A druggie tried to break in and set fire to furniture.”

  What the fuck? “Why?”

  There’s a silence. “According to Claude, he seemed really out of it. I’m not sure he knows.”

  I tap my fingers on the table. “You think someone put him up to it?”

  “Someone like Evans Sinclair?”

  “It’s possible.”

  Alex sighs. “Have you spoken to Ava recently?”

  Not since Geneva. “No, I haven’t.”

  “Maybe find out what she knows. If he’s behind this, we might need to let the authorities handle him.”

  “Not yet. Let’s see what we can find out first.” The truth is, I’d rather not do anything that would attract attention, especially from the press, not so close to the opening of the new hotel, anyway.

  After the call, I mull over what to do about Evans Sinclair. His personal vendetta against me is ridiculous and pointless. He should know that, and if he doesn’t, someone needs to tell him.

  Ava answers her phone as soon as the electronic ringing starts on my side.

  “Darling,” she drawls. “Something special must have happened for you to call me.”

  I cut to the chase. “Do you know where your brother is?”

  She sighs. “Has it come to this? Don’t we have anything to talk about besides my brother?”

  I roll my eyes but indulge her a bit. “How are you?”

  “Fabulous, Landon. How are you?”

  My mind goes to Rachel. “I’m fine.”

  “How’s the girlfriend?”

  “She’s wonderful. When did you last speak to your brother?”

  “I don’t know…a few days ago.” She sighs. “Landon, you know he’s harmless. His bark is worse than his bite. As soon as he gets us
ed to the fact that he’s lost this one, he’ll get over it.”

  “There was an attempted arson at the hotel last night.”

  She’s quiet. “You know he wouldn’t go that far.”

  “Do I?”

  “Landon.” There’s a plea in her voice. “Just let me talk to him…before you do anything.”

  I don’t reply.

  “Please?”

  “Okay.” I exhale slowly.

  I hear the relief in her voice. “I’ll be in New York tonight. I want to talk to you about The Shelter Project. Will you make time for me?”

  We’ve both worked with the charity foundation for years. There’s even a fundraiser planned for them at the opening night of the Gold Dust. I’m sure other people on my staff can handle whatever she wants to discuss, but I don’t see the advantage in refusing to see her.

  “Come by the office in the evening.”

  “The office?” She doesn’t sound happy about that. When I don’t reply, she sighs. “Okay. I’ll be there.”

  After the connection ends, I dial Rachel’s number.

  “Good morning.” She sounds cheerful and happy, and the feeling somehow permeates into my consciousness from the phone, buoying me.

  “Did you have a good night?”

  “Mmmhmm.”

  “Dream of me?”

  I can almost hear her playful smile.

  “What do you think?”

  I exhale. “Your brother still around?”

  “Yeah. He’s leaving today.”

  The loud blaring of a car horn almost drowns out her reply.

  “Where are you?” My worried frown spills into my voice.

  “On my way to work,” she tells me. “I’m a few blocks from the office.”

  I imagine her shouldering her way through crowds of hurrying New Yorkers. “You’re walking?”

  “Yeah.” She laughs nonchalantly. “It’s the only way to keep my weight from catching up to my IQ.”

  I don’t find it funny. “You and Laurie walk together?”

  There’s a pause. “Sometimes. Other times she leaves earlier than me.”

  “I’m not convinced it’s safe.”

  “Well, it is.” She laughs again. “I’ve been doing this for two years.”

  “When are you leaving the office?”

  She tells me.

  “Joe will pick you up. Just let me know when you’re about to leave.”

  She protests, like I knew she would, but I’m determined not to budge.

  “Landon, it’s not necessary.”

  “I think it is.” Trying to sound gentler and convincing, I soldier on. “Your safety is important to me. The more people know who you are to me, the more unreasonable it becomes for you to traipse around with no security at all.”

  “It’s not like we’re taking out an announcement or anything like that.”

  “We won’t need one.” Not when my life is gossip fodder. “Just let Joe pick you up,” I urge. “I’m having enough nightmares about how porous your apartment building is as it is.”

  She sighs. “Fine.”

  “I’ll send you Joe’s number so you can call whenever you need him.” She doesn’t answer, and I know she’s pissed. “I’m probably going to work a little later than I planned tonight, but I’ll call you.”

  “Sure. See you whenever.”

  Definitely pissed.

  “Where are you now?”

  “Almost there.”

  “Good.” I wait until the sounds of traffic become muted and I know she’s in the building. “I’ll see you soon.”

  After spending most of the day in conference calls and missing lunch, I’m famished when Ava arrives late in the evening.

  She walks into the office, painstakingly flawless in a silky ensemble that looks like it just came off a runway in Paris. Tony is practically gawking at her, slack-jawed.

  “Thank you, Tony.” I dismiss him before he makes a fool of himself.

  He drags himself away, and Ava comes over to my desk to give me kisses on both cheeks.

  “You look good, Landon.”

  “So do you.”

  “You know me—I always take the best life has to offer.” She pauses. “How’s Aidan?”

  I almost laugh. Aidan hates her guts, and she knows that. “He’s working on the play.”

  “Hmm.” She gives me a questioning look. “Has he met her?”

  “Rachel?”

  “So that’s her name.”

  I raise an eyebrow. I’m willing to bet she already knows everything it’s possible to know about Rachel.

  “Yes, they’ve met, and they hit it off.”

  “Oh.” Her lips curve downward, but the expression only lasts about a second. “We were going to talk about The Shelter Project.

  I nod. “But let’s do it over dinner. I’m starving.”

  Her eyes light up. “I’d love that.”

  At dinner, we talk about the fundraiser, and she gracefully sidesteps all talk of her brother. Her attitude toward him is one of endless optimism, and she’s not willing to change it. Finally, I drop her off at her hotel and go home to my empty apartment.

  It’s already late, and I hate that I ended up not talking to Rachel on the phone. It’s hard not to hold a grudge against all the other claims to my time. After working out, I take a shower and try to go to sleep.

  I’ll see her tomorrow.

  I need to see her now.

  Finally, I get dressed and drive over to her place. She doesn’t pick up her phone when I call, but Laurie answers hers and lets me in.

  “Hey you.” She’s grinning, most of her face taken over by large glasses with thick lenses. From the papers scattered all over the living room floor, it’s clear she’s working.

  I glance at all the stacks of documents. “Is someone in trouble? A lawyer working this hard is always bad news for someone.”

  “It’s just old contracts,” she replies, laughing. I want to ask her how things are going with Brett, but I don’t want to risk ruining her good mood.

  “Rachel’s gone to bed,” she tells me.

  I nod. “I guessed, but I was hoping to see her anyway.”

  “Hmmm. All right!” She waves me toward Rachel’s room with a dramatic flick of her wrist. “Let it not be said that I, Laurie Foster, ever stood in the way of passion.”

  I’m still chuckling when I enter Rachel’s bedroom and find her fast asleep in bed. Her t-shirt leaves her legs bare, sprawled carelessly across the bed.

  She’s sleeping beauty, and me…I’m definitely not anyone’s prince.

  The thought is sobering.

  I undress and join her in bed, and her eyes flutter open. She reaches for me and I take her in my arms, breathing in her sweet, warm scent.

  “Hi,” she whispers.

  “Hi.” I kiss her on the lips, and she responds like she has been waiting for me all night.

  “I missed you today.”

  She pouts. “When you weren’t bossing me around.”

  She’s still pissed about this morning. I kiss her forehead. My stubborn darling.

  “You’re the only boss in the room,” I whisper, kissing her soft skin and covering her body with mine. I’m not lying. I would do anything for her. She helps me pull the t-shirt over her head, exposing her breasts. Her nipples are pink and hard. I take one sweet nub in my mouth while teasing the other with my thumb, and she moans her pleasure, opening her body to me.

  Moving one hand between her thighs, I stroke her gently. Her hips move, grinding into my touch.

  Hmmm. “Did you think about this while you were at work?”

  “Every minute,” she replies breathily.

  I push her panties aside and stroke her soft, slick flesh. She responds eagerly, moving with my touch and urging me on. I slide my fingers inside her, and she makes a strangled sound, her hips rolling with uncloaked desire.

  Massaging her inner walls with leisurely strokes of my fingers, I drink in the look on her f
ace as her pleasure increases. Her hands fist around my cock and she moans. “You’re so hard.”

  “Because I’ve been waiting all day for this.”

  “Me too,” she admits with a sigh, “and I can’t wait anymore. I want you inside me.”

  It would be my pleasure. I slide her panties off then get on my knees and draw her up to the same position, facing me. I hold her tight while I position my cock between her spread legs, she buries her face in my neck, and then I slide her down slowly until I’m buried inside her.

  She feels so good, almost too good to be real. I’m almost afraid to move, afraid I won’t last more than a few moments. She rolls her hips, her body demanding more movement, more friction, but I hold her still, kissing her face, her lips, her throat, telling her just how much she means to me.

  Her lips are parted, letting out soft moans. Her muscles tighten around me, squeezing and demanding. I slide one hand down over her butt, cupping the soft round flesh before sliding between her cheeks, teasing the tight rim for a few moments before pushing gently inside.

  She lets out a sweet, tortured groan. Her hips grind, urging me to move.

  “You’re so sweet,” I whisper in her ear. “I love being buried so deep in your hot pussy.”

  “Oh God! Landon.” Her voice is weak, desperate. I watch her fall to pieces, devouring every minute, every expression on her face. “Please Landon, fuck me now, fuck me hard…oh God!”

  I give her what she wants, still holding her tight, her knees tight around my hips. I push deep inside her, keeping her off balance, thrusting deeper each time I enter her until she cries out again and again. I don’t stop until she’s too weak even to moan, only then do I let go and drive her over the edge one last time, taking her with me.

  She soon falls asleep, and I hold her for a long time, unwilling—unable to let go. My soul feels like it’s a part of her. I want things to stay like this.

  It’s just sex.

  Is it?

  I watch her, wondering what she’s dreaming about when she smiles in her sleep. Finally, I leave her in bed and let myself out of the apartment.

  Chapter 25

  The next morning, outside Rachel’s apartment, I watch from the car as she leaves her building and walks the few steps to the car. She’s expecting Joe to be alone, so when she opens the door and finds me waiting in the back, her face lights up with pleasant surprise.