No Reservations (5 page)

His smile turned just the slightest bit wicked. “I agree. On both counts. So tell
me, Kate. What if I asked to tie you up? Would you let me?”

She tried hard not to be shocked. It wasn’t like she’d never heard of bondage. She’d
seen her share of porn. She actually loved to read romances that dealt with light
bondage. The whole aspect of giving up control to someone you trusted implicitly was
a strong trigger for her. Not that she’d ever told Arnie. She’d been too afraid he’d
be shocked. Or repulsed.

Which should have been a huge red flag and you totally ignored
it.

“I’m sorry, Kate.” Tyler’s voice intruded on her thoughts, the hint of self-recrimination
in his tone totally drawing her attention back to him. “I never should’ve—”

“I think once I get to know you better”—she paused to smile—“there won’t be anything
I won’t let you do to me. And that’s a little scary.”

**

Tyler felt Kate’s softly spoken words reverberate through his body with the force
of a blow to the head.

He couldn’t help but wonder if she was slightly drunk, but she didn’t slur her words,
her gaze steady on his. Her cheeks held a slight flush, but that could be attributed
to lust.

The desires he hadn’t fed in years began to gnaw at his gut, urging him to pull her
out of the booth and into an elevator headed for the fourth floor.

“Kate . . . would you like a tour of the Salon?”

She didn’t hesitate. “I’d love one.”

He took her out the way they’d come in. He’d recognized several people in the bar
and didn’t want to get caught in a conversation with any of them.

He wanted Kate to himself.

Taking her to the staff elevator, he nodded to the few employees they passed. Most
of them were too well-trained to show any indication of surprise at Kate’s presence.
But he knew they’d talk among themselves.

They hadn’t seen him with a woman since Mia’s death so the fact that he’d brought
a woman to the hotel and was leading her through the inner sanctum was a huge break
from protocol.

And he couldn’t care less.

Jed was right. It was time to move on. He’d mourned long enough.

Being with Kate felt . . . right.

As he waved her onto the elevator, she turned and flashed him one of those mysterious,
amused looks. “I never realized there was a whole secret world behind the scenes of
a hotel. Reminds me of those old movies in English castles with secret passageways.”

After he punched the button for the fourth floor, he leaned back against the wall
and stuffed his hands in his pockets. He wanted to grab her and keep her against him
but didn’t want to rush her. “I haven’t seen a lot of movies like that. I like movies
that blow things up. Most of those aren’t set in English castles.”

Her smile broadened. “So you
are
a typical guy in some ways.”

A typical guy?
“Is that good or bad?”

She shrugged. “It’s interesting.”

“How so?”

“Because I don’t think of you as typical in any way.”

He thought about that as the elevator came to a stop and the doors opened. The fourth
floor was available only to certain staff and a select group of trusted friends. His
and Jed’s personal offices as well as their apartments were located on this floor,
as were two private suites.

The Salon occupied the other half of the floor.

The staff elevator opened at the opposite end of the building from the Salon. Jed
had personally chosen the artwork for this floor so the walls held a collection of
bold modern artists that didn’t make Tyler cringe, even though he much preferred the
pieces in the Salon.

Of course, Jed had chosen those too, but he always consulted Tyler before buying anything.
Tyler did the same with any major decision involving the finances. They trusted each
other’s judgment in a way their father never would have.

To say their parents had been shocked when they’d announced they were going into business
together would be an understatement. And when they’d told their dad their plan, the
battle had turned vicious. It’d only been in the past year that he’d come around.
Mostly.

They fell silent as he led her down the hallway. Her dark eyes missed nothing as she
considered the artwork, studied the carpet, ran her fingers along the molding.

He and Jed had thrown every bit of the considerable fortune their grandfather had
left them into making Haven the truly one-of-a-kind experience they’d envisioned.

“I remember thinking how gorgeous my room was when Annie and I stayed here New Year’s
Eve. You and Jared really did an amazing job with this place.”

“Thank you.”

Any other time, with anyone else, he would’ve gone on about the features the hotel
offered or the accessibility to downtown Philadelphia or some other business-related
detail. Jed was the showman, but Tyler was the salesman.

Right now, he wasn’t thinking about anything to do with the hotel. His entire attention
was focused on Kate and getting her to the door at the end of the hall. He could have
taken her through his office. Like Jed’s, his had a private entrance into the Salon.
But that would’ve required a slight delay and he had no time for that.

Finally, they reached the door. Pulling an old-fashioned brass key from his pocket,
he turned the lock and pushed open the door.

Soft illumination sparked, and Kate’s mouth dropped open as she entered the room.

“Oh, my God.” Her voice rose barely above a whisper. “I feel like I just stepped through
a time portal into Victorian England.”

“Jed was involved in every aspect of designing and decorating this room. My only request
was the piano but Jed had already worked that in.”

She slid him a quick glance before returning to study the room. “It’s amazing.”

He had to agree.

But the room was no more stunning than her.

The glow from the crystal chandelier hanging dead center in the ceiling fell over
her as she moved into the octagonal room. The light sparkled off her satin dress and
her dark hair in a way that made him want to run his hands all over her.

Again, she studied everything, from the ornately decorated ceiling to the plush carpets
on the floor.

Lush fabrics covered the chaise lounges, chairs, and ottomans set in several seating
groups throughout the room while the octagonal game table with matching chairs sat
directly beneath the chandelier.

Golden silk paper gleamed on the walls and a baby grand piano held court in one corner,
lit by a leaded glass piano light. He’d spent a lot of time in front of that piano
after Mia had died. Luckily, the room was soundproofed so no one was disturbed by
his attempts at working out his grief.

Kate began walking around the room, letting her fingers brush against chairs and the
heavy purple velvet drapes in front of the windows on either side of the room.

When she reached the fireplace on the opposite side of the room, she actually caressed
the carved marble face and mantel.

His jaw clenched. He wanted those fingers to caress his body.

Locking the door so they wouldn’t be interrupted—not that he expected to be but he
wasn’t taking any chances—he walked to the nearest seating group and sank into a velvet
wingback love seat.

She’d made her way to the huge, glass-front walnut display cabinet that occupied an
entire wall of the room before she paused.

He found he’d stopped breathing, wondering if she’d finally realize what she was getting
herself into. Some of the pieces in that cabinet were sure to make a novice in certain
sexual practices blush.

He wanted to reassure her that he would never push her to do anything she felt uncomfortable
with. But when she finally looked over her shoulder at him, instead of surprise, he
saw curiosity.

“I’m not totally sure I want to know what some of this stuff is but . . . mostly they’re
beautiful. Did you . . . Have you used some of these?”

He took a second to answer, knew he didn’t want to lie to her. “Yes.”

Her breath hitched and again, he couldn’t tell if he’d put her off or turned her on.

“So you’re into BDSM.”

He shook his head. “No, not the whole scene. Bondage, mostly. Dominance. I’m not into
the master-slave thing. I don’t think dog collars look good on women.” He paused,
watched her lips part as she drew in a deep breath. “But there’s something about giving
yourself over to another person so completely . . . something about being restrained
by someone you trust, that’s . . . freeing.”

Her eyes had narrowed, as if she were trying to comprehend what he was saying, to
figure out the hidden meanings.

For him, there were none. He liked to dominate in bed. He wasn’t interested in making
a woman crawl on the floor or lick his feet.

But tie her to a bed—or a chair or a piano bench—and hear her beg for release?

Yeah, he got off on that.

“I’m not sure I could do that.”

“Do what?”

She shook her head and that beautiful hair slid over her shoulder. He wanted to wrap
it around his hand and tug her head back so he could kiss her.

“Give that much control over to anyone.”

He rose then, drawn by the sudden uncertainty on her face. But instead of going to
her, he headed for the bar next to one of the windows.

“Would you like a drink?”

She didn’t answer right away but he heard her approach.

“Just ginger ale for me please.”

He poured her a glass of soda and handed it over then poured himself a Coke. If she
asked to leave because she was freaked out, he didn’t want to have to arrange a ride
for her. He wanted to take her himself.

They sipped their drinks in silence before she drifted off to sit on the nearest chaise.

“I know you said you don’t play with Jared’s crowd, but you do use this room?”

“I used to, yes.” With Mia. He didn’t have to say the words. She’d understand what
he wasn’t saying.

“So your fiancée was into the same scene?”

He shook his head, squashing a grimace midformation. “Not until she met me.”

“I can imagine you’re pretty good at persuasion.”

“This isn’t something I would ever persuade anyone to do. You have to want to experience
it.”

And that’s where Mia had been wrong. She’d thought because he enjoyed it, he’d want
her to participate. And he would have. But only if she’d actually enjoyed it and not
simply put on a show for him.

He realized Kate was smiling at him and couldn’t figure out why. He didn’t think he’d
said anything funny.

“You know, you could come over here and let me try to persuade you to kiss me.”

He froze for a second as his brain processed what she’d said, then he did exactly
what she wanted.

He sat next to her on the chaise, with enough space between them that she didn’t feel
crowded. Or persuaded.

As he turned back from setting his glass on the nearest table, he found Kate had moved
closer. Their height difference wasn’t as noticeable now. His lips practically brushed
her forehead and her spicy scent was a stronger draw.

His heart began to pound as her gaze held his and he was glad he’d set down his glass.
He might’ve dropped it otherwise.

Especially when she moved even closer and put her hands on his shoulders.

“Or,” she said, “you could let me kiss you?”

So he wouldn’t have to beg? “I have no problem with that.”

He watched as she bit her bottom lip, eyes narrowing as she closed the distance between
them completely and her lips finally touched his.

He felt like a teenager at his first make-out party. Overexcited and flushed and horny
as all hell. And unsure what to do with his hands.

Which was ridiculous for a thirty-year-old man.

Then Kate kissed him and left him breathless.

Four

Kate didn’t make a big
production out of that kiss. She simply poured her heart and soul into it and took
Tyler under.

Her hands came up to cup his cheeks, her fingers lightly caressing his jaw and his
cheekbones. Her soft lips moved over his slowly, as if savoring the taste of him.
He certainly savored her.

It’d been a while since he’d kissed anyone other than Mia and it’d been two years
since he’d kissed her.

He was almost afraid he’d forgotten how until instinct took over.

One arm wrapped around her shoulders and the other around her waist. Then he drew
her closer. Which still wasn’t close enough. As her lips opened for the thrust of
his tongue, he lifted her onto his lap. The satin of her dress made her slide across
his thighs and his cock hardened even more.

Her hip pressed against his growing erection and his eyes closed at the pressure.
He wanted to rub against her, to lift that dress so he could stroke his hands along
the inside of her thighs. She’d be so damn soft there. And even softer between her
legs.

She moaned as he slipped his tongue into her mouth then arched against him, squirming
closer.

This kiss was going to get out of hand pretty damn fast. And he loved it. Lust burned
in his veins, urging him to spread her out on the chaise and lick her from her toes
up.

Instead he drowned in her taste, nearly suffocating because he didn’t want to break
away.

When he couldn’t wait any longer, he slipped his lips from her mouth, heard her gulp
in air and had to do the same. Then he nuzzled her hair away from her ear so he could
bite the tiny lobe and felt her shiver.

Her hands had already slipped to the buttons on his shirt and were pushing them through
their holes. He groaned when she reached his waistband and brushed against the tip
of his cock, pressing against his pants’ zipper.

She didn’t seem to notice, though, because she’d already spread her hands across his
stomach in preparation for sliding them up his chest.

Christ, why the hell did he have to wear a damn undershirt? He could have her hands
on his skin already.

Instead, he’d have to release her to get his shirt and T-shirt over his head.

But first, he had to deal with her dress.

The zipper was carefully hidden. The tiny tab almost eluded his broad fingers. Finally,
he found it tucked inside the seam at the top of the short collar.

When he began to release it, Kate froze, her cheek pressed against his, her body trembling.

He almost stopped, convinced he was going too fast, until she slid her hands to his
shoulders and began to push his shirt down his arms.

Nipping at the tendon in his neck, she made him shudder, and he almost lost his tenuous
grip on that tab.

As she continued to kiss her way down his neck, he drew the zipper down her back.
The dress fell apart, baring warm flesh to his touch. He spread one hand across her
back and wove the other through her hair, tilting her head up so he could take her
mouth again.

She kissed him without reserve, putting her whole body into it. As he stroked her
back, he realized she wasn’t wearing a bra.

Christ.

Now he could barely breathe.

Swallowing a groan, he pulled away, breath catching in his throat as he gazed down
at her.

Flushed cheeks. Red, kiss-swollen lips. Hazy, sensually dazed eyes.

Beautiful.

Holding her gaze, he reached for her shoulders and began to draw the dress down. She
didn’t make any attempt to stop him.

Instead, she dropped her arms to her sides so the bodice came down smoothly, revealing
small, perfect breasts.

He barely restrained the urge to leave her arms trapped at her sides and pull her
forward to suck on those peach-tipped mounds. They’d barely fill his palm but he bet
they’d be sensitive. Maybe he could make her come simply with his mouth on her nipples.

She moved then, withdrawing her hands from the sleeves and letting the dress pool
at her waist as she reached for him. He was already shaking his shirt off his wrists
as she slid her hands under his T-shirt and began to lift it up his torso.

He raised his arms to help her, urgency consuming him. But she took her sweet time.
And when she finally got the material bunched around his neck, she leaned forward
and put her mouth on his chest, on the taut muscle of his left pec.

Yes.

Whipping the shirt over his head, he grabbed her head, tempering his response at the
last second so he didn’t handle her too roughly.

But he didn’t want her to move. He wanted her mouth on him. Wanted her tongue licking
along his skin. Wanted her teeth tugging at his nipple.

As if she’d read his mind, she opened her mouth and bit him as his free hand gripped
her waist, pulling her closer. He let her torment him for minutes, let her lick and
bite his nipple before stringing a line of kisses to the other, where she did the
same.

All the while, he forced back the raging tide of dominance that wanted him to strip
the rest of her clothes from her body and lay her out on the chaise so he could have
his way with her.

He wondered what she’d do if he tried it? Would she let him? Or would she run?

They really didn’t know one another well enough for him to start down that road. At
least not yet. But later . . . All bets would be off.

And there would be a later. He already knew one night wasn’t going to be enough to
sate this lust.

Her small hands petted along his shoulders, teasing, tantalizing. Making him want
more. Harder.

He realized he’d tightened his grip on her and forced himself to relax.

They had all night.

Suddenly, she straightened, pulling back to look at him.

“You do know I won’t break, don’t you? I can tell you’re trying to hold back, and
that’s not what I want, Tyler. You don’t frighten me.”

His mouth twisted in a hard grin. “Glad to hear it. Then stand up and strip.”

Her eyebrows lifted in perfect arches and her lips parted on a silent little gasp.
But after a deep, unsteady breath, she twisted on his lap until her ass pressed against
his cock. Then she made sure she wiggled just a little, making him nearly swallow
his tongue before she rose to her feet and turned to face him.

The dress was already on its way to the floor as she turned and, when she finally
faced him fully, it lay in a pale cloud at her feet.

And was instantly forgotten when he let his gaze travel upward.

Slim legs, slim hips. Her mound covered by a tiny triangle of nude silk. Did she wax?
His mouth practically watered to think about sliding his tongue between smooth, plump
lips.

He gripped the edge of the chaise and held on as his gaze worked its way back to her
breasts. They quivered with each breath, the tips tight, flushed a beautiful pink.

As he finally caught her gaze again, he saw no apprehension or hesitation. Just plain
and simple desire.

Then her lips curved. “Lie down,” she said.

His heart practically thumped out of his chest.

**

Kate watched Tyler’s expression carefully, wondering if she’d pushed the man with
admitted dominance issues too far.

She wanted him so badly her sex ached, muscles in her stomach tightening almost painfully
as her thighs clenched, trying to ease some of that distress.

For several seconds, he simply stared at her, the heat of his gaze an almost physical
caress against her body.

She wanted to hold that gaze but the sheer beauty of his naked chest was like a siren’s
call. She had to look.

The sudden urge to burn all of his clothing so he would have to walk around naked
made her smile.

Tyler had the body of a swimmer. Broad shoulders. Wide, muscled chest. Six-pack abs
and corded arms. She swore just the sight of all that leashed strength was making
her dizzy.

Or it could be all the blood rushing to other parts of her body. Her breasts felt
full and tingly and her sex lips puffy. And so slick. She could smell her arousal
and he had to be able to, as well.

Embarrassment at her overt reaction should’ve caused her to shy away. Or, at the very
least, not stare at him so openly.

But she’d be damned if she’d come this far only to chicken out now. Her hands practically
shook with the need to touch him.

She didn’t know how long it took him to comply with her demand. She only knew that
when he lowered himself back onto the chaise, settling one arm behind his head and
laying the other on all that lovely muscle on his abdomen, she nearly swallowed her
tongue.

“Well? Are you going to stare all night?”

His voice had dropped a full octave, she swore. And it acted like gasoline on fire.

She took a step closer, bringing her within touching distance.

Holding out her hand, she didn’t know what to touch first.

That chest. Those abs.

Or maybe . . .

His belt. She reached for it, managing to get the strap through the first obstacle
of the buckle but needing both hands to finish the job.

Her knuckles brushed against his erection and his stomach muscles tightened as he
sucked in a sharp breath.

She did it again, deliberately this time, as she released the belt then went to work
on the button. That required a little more concentration, getting the small button
through the hole without pinching anything . . . vital.

When she finally had it undone, his zipper began to part on its own accord.

“Kate.”

His husky tone held a thinly veiled demand. And a plea.

Reaching for the zipper, she gripped the tab before glancing up at him.

“Yes?”

She asked the question but didn’t really expect him to say no. She stood almost completely
naked beside him, so aroused she could barely speak. His erection nearly split his
pants, the outline so thick she could barely restrain herself from ripping them away
to get a good look.

The hand on his stomach reached for the one hovering over him. With a gentle but firm
grip, he helped her release the zipper the rest of the way.

His erection pressed through the opening, straining beneath the plain gray cotton
briefs.

She loved men in briefs, either boxers or classic. Arnie had always worn cotton boxers
that bagged in the ass.
So
not sexy. She had a feeling anything Tyler wore would be sexy. Tyler in nothing was
going to be sexy as all hell.

She wanted to reach for his pants to pull them down but he still had hold of her hand.
She tugged, but he held on.

His thumb rubbed over her knuckles then pressed against them as he drew her hand down
until her palm settled on his erect shaft. The heat of him branded her through the
thin cotton and she reflexively closed her fingers around him.

Tyler sucked in a breath between clenched teeth and his hand tightened around hers
for a second before he released her.

And again, she had the feeling he was holding back in some way.

So instead of doing what he obviously wanted, she set out to tease him into releasing
those chains.

She’d had her nails manicured earlier today, a sleek deep purple. Putting them to
good use, she traced them over his abs and back to his peaked nipples. Flicking at
them, she felt the tight, little nubs rise and fall with his rapid breathing.

With her thighs spread on either side of his, her pussy felt painfully exposed, even
though she still wore her thong, the tiny string between her ass cheeks an arousing
annoyance. Her juices drenched the miniscule patch of satin at the front and it took
everything she had not to lower herself so she could rub against his cock.

Not yet. She wanted to play some more.

Without warning, she drew her nails down his stomach, letting them dig just the tiniest
bit deeper than they had on the way up, leaving faint red lines on his dark gold skin.

“Kate.”

His voice held a command this time, one she had every intention of obeying. On her
own timetable.

When she reached the waistband of his pants, she slid her fingers beneath then started
to tug.

He helped by lifting his hips, his abs flexing in fascinating motions. But even they
couldn’t hold her attention as she dragged his pants and underwear down, revealing
the thick column of his cock.

Ruddy and smooth, the warm flesh rose toward her as she released it from the confines
of his clothing.

When his pants hit his thighs, she abandoned them there, putting one hand flat on
his chest so he wouldn’t move and wrapping the other around that enticing shaft.

“Fuck, Kate. That feels amazing.”

The obscenity, spoken in that rough tone of voice, sent shivers through her body.
Her hand tightened around his cock before she could temper her response and she realized
her fingers didn’t meet around the circumference.

Oh.
My.

Scooting farther down the chaise, she kept her grip on him as she bent to taste him.