PeakExperience (4 page)

One of her hands slid into his hair, sending shivers from
his scalp through his body while the other played with the opening of his
shirt. Her touch on his bare flesh created a fire that shot straight to his
groin, and he wasn’t certain how he found the strength to move his hands to her
back and not lift her dress to explore more of her.

He moved his hands up and traced the curve of her neckline,
enjoying the shiver that passed through her and the goose bumps he could feel
on her skin. It wasn’t until her hand slipped inside his shirt that he noticed
she opened a button.

“Minx,” he said.

“Perhaps,” she replied and he felt her smile beneath his
lips. “I think I enjoy feeling you so close to me.”

He pressed against her and she surprised him by slowly
lifting her leg, bending it at the knee and placing the sole of her shoe on the
wall. The feeling of being cradled between her was almost too much. He couldn’t
stop picturing the leather couch in the director’s office and Lena with her
legs wrapped around him.

A shadow passed by the window followed by another, each time
plunging them into darkness and reminding him of their situation. “Lena, I’m
sure you can tell I want to continue kissing you, but with all the people on
the other side of the door we are going to get caught, and I wouldn’t want to
put you in a compromising position.”

“What position would you like me in?”

He gave a throaty laugh, unable to do more. She was
incredible and her boldness excited him. “I’d settle for being alone.”

“I’m not in the mood to settle tonight.”

“Then you should know I live on the other side of the
Dartmouth Street bridge in the South End.”

“This is your show. It’s probably not a good idea for you to
leave early.”

He shrugged. “Perhaps the elusive artist would be a good
image to cultivate. We can be at my apartment in less than twenty minutes if we
walk quickly.”

“Are you willing to wait thirty since my heels are pretty
high?”

He looked at her legs and reached down to caress her thigh
through her dress. “Let’s get a cab.”

“I need to get my coat,” she said.

“I’ll meet you outside in five minutes.”

She leaned forward and took his face in her hands, kissing
him softly at first, and then more passionately. “I’ll be waiting, even if it
takes you ten.”

“At this rate, I’m going to have almost as much trouble
walking as you, and my shoes are flat,” he said. Her sexy laughter rang in his
ears as she stepped out the door and disappeared into the crowd.

He leaned his head against the wall where she had been
standing, needing a few deep breaths. He could still feel the warmth of her lips
against his, which kept him from believing he was hallucinating. Adjusting his
painful erection, he grabbed his coat from the director’s office where he’d
left it earlier, and walked out into the gallery. Scanning the room, he
determined the fastest route out and bolted for the door.

Chapter Three

What position would you like me in?
Lena heard the
words come out of her mouth, yet couldn’t believe she said them.
I’m not in
the mood to settle.
Even if they were what she was thinking and feeling,
they were shocking and empowering to say out loud and sounded more like
something Michelle would say. She couldn’t remember being this bold with a man.
Had she really lifted her leg to bring him closer? And now she was planning to
take Michelle’s outrageous suggestion and go to his home. What had gotten into
her? It had to be because he was a stranger.

That, and the incredible way he kissed. His mouth felt
unbelievably wonderful and sent a hot pool of liquid between her thighs. There
was no faking in a kiss, and his rocked her from the moment they touched.

She wanted, in a deep, almost painful way, as she never had
before. She wanted to give to him and take from him. And she wanted him to take
her. To touch her, taste her. The desire was a hunger running through her blood
and there was only one way to satisfy it. Her heart beat faster as she waited
for him, hoping he wasn’t stopped by Alice or anyone who wanted to talk to him.
She shouldn’t be taking him away from his exhibit, but then again, she probably
shouldn’t be considering a fling with a man she just met.

Shouldn’t be damned.
She was attracted to him and he
clearly felt the same way. She was going to enjoy every minute of this. There
was nothing on the line here. No need to worry in a one-night stand what the
other person thought. She could relax and simply enjoy.

“I wasn’t too long, was I?” he asked from behind her.

She looked over her shoulder. “Right on time.”

“Good, come with me.” Hand in hand they walked rapidly
across Newbury Street. As soon as they turned onto Boylston Street, he slowed
his pace. “I don’t want you to turn an ankle in those heels, but I did want us
to get a safe distance from the gallery.”

“I understand.” The night was chilly, but his hand was warm
and dwarfed hers. The Copley area was busy on a Friday night, but he easily
maneuvered them around groups and couples. “You’re one of those pedestrians who
give Boston a bad name, aren’t you?” she asked after they crossed against a
second light.

“Usually I’m more conscientious, but tonight I think my
desires come before any of theirs.” He lifted their connected hands and kissed
hers.

She smiled and enjoyed the tingles spreading through her,
liking that he couldn’t wait to be alone with her. When was the last time she
experienced this? She couldn’t remember. After tonight, she’d have her answer.

He flagged an oncoming cab and held the door for her. The
driver was clearly annoyed it would be a small fare, but he didn’t have a
choice so he gunned the engine, throwing them back in their seats. Knowing she
shouldn’t jump on him where they could be seen, Lena settled for leaning gently
against him and looking out the window as he traced tantalizing patterns in her
palm.

Once on the other side of the Dartmouth Street Bridge, the
city changed. The hustle of Copley Square disappeared as the streets became
quieter and tree-lined. There were rows of beautifully restored bow-front
brownstones and almost no businesses except for small corner convenience
stores. It was like stepping into another world, a sensation appropriate for
the evening.

Lena lost track of the turns, but it wasn’t long before
Daniel was paying the cab driver, giving him a generous tip, and escorting her
to the flight-high stoop and into the vestibule of his building. “Each floor is
a condo,” he explained, “and I’m on the top floor. Hope you don’t mind the
climb.”

“I think I can manage,” she said as he allowed her to step
in before taking her hand and leading her upstairs. She was glad they took a
cab. She and her heels were done with climbing by the time they made it to his
door.

As he crossed into his apartment and flipped on the light,
she could see why he chose it. Spacious, well laid out and, if the number of
windows were any indication, well lit. All important to an artist. It would
have been fun to look around, but Daniel kissed her on the neck and she forgot
everything but the sensations he was creating.

“I’d give you a tour, but I’d rather save it for later.
There’s only one room I want to show you.” He bent slightly and scooped her
into his arms.

“I can still walk,” she said, although she enjoyed the
romantic gesture.

“Wouldn’t want to wear out those sexy shoes or tire the sexy
legs that are in them.”

In quick strides he carried her to his bedroom, turned the
switch of a torch lamp bathing the room in a soft light, and brought her to his
bed. She had a moment to notice the padded leather headboard, which struck her
as erotic, and the simply furnished room before he placed her in the center of
the large mattress and brought his mouth down on hers.

If she feared her earlier attraction to him was heightened
by being in a nearly public place or the possibility of being caught, she
needn’t have worried. Completely alone, she wanted him more. Here he was hers,
and she could give in to every sensation. It was a heady—and
wonderful—realization.

As his hand ran up her leg, he found the lace band at the
top of the thigh-high stockings she wore. His moan of pleasure sent a rush of
heat through her. During the work day she worried about them falling and feared
she was crazy to wear them but she was glad she took the risk. He traced the
edge of the thin material and Lena was surprised she was so responsive there.
Her mind raced at the thought of what was yet to come.

Daniel slid his hand behind her shoulders and raised her to
a kneeling position, allowing him to reach behind her and find the zipper on
her dress. The sound of it sliding down and the cooler air on her overheated
skin made her shiver.

“Cold?” he asked.

“Excited,” she said and slipped her arms out of the dress,
allowing him to continue removing it from her. She was grateful the bra that
looked best with this dress was also one of her sexiest. Daniel pulled the
dress to her knees and leaned forward to kiss her skin, working his way down
from her collarbone to the top of the black demi-cups, which offered her
breasts to him. He tongued the lace edge of the material, teasing her skin and
raising goose bumps. She placed her hands on his shoulders, digging in with her
nails, and tried not to melt into the bedding.

“Your skin is amazing,” he said in a hushed voice. “Soft,
warm, yielding.”

She bent forward slightly, needing to be closer to him.
Sliding her hands down his back, she brought her mouth to the base of his neck
and breathed in the heady, masculine scent of him. Deciding he deserved to be
touched as much as she did, her hands moved farther down his back until she
reached the waist of his pants. She pulled on the material of his shirt until
it came free then ran her fingers along the skin she exposed.

His exhaled breath on her skin told her his pleasure and
added to hers. He cupped her breasts and freed one from the confines of the
satin and lace. She cried out when he licked her nipple and bit her lip when he
sucked it hard into his mouth. “God, that feels wonderful,” she murmured.

“Exactly my intention,” he said, freeing the other and
giving it the same attention. “You are so beautiful, lush.”

She always thought of herself as rounded, especially
compared to her mother and most of her female relatives who were willowy and
slender. Lush sounded better. It made her think of dripping ripe peaches, which
was close to how she felt.

“I want to touch more of you,” he said. “As much as I like
you on your knees, you’ll need to change positions for me to remove your dress
entirely.”

Feeling desirable and lovely, she bravely inched away from
him. He held her hand to stop her, then reached behind to unhook her bra. As it
fell into his grasp, she lay back with her head on his pillows. Her arms fell
to her sides and she imagined herself looking available and ready. He moved
toward her and placed his hands on her waist where the dress was bunched. She
lifted her hips, allowing him to slide it down and over her knees. As he pulled
it he hooked his fingers on her panties and pulled them off along with the
dress, leaving her naked except for the stockings and high heels. She should
have felt vulnerable.

She felt powerful.

As he lay down to kiss her, she reached for him. She found
the top button of his shirt and began to unbutton it, kissing him while
completing her task. He had the most wonderful lips, the right combination of
soft and firm. Their faces matched perfectly, as if they’d been kissing for
years. When she got to the bottom of his shirt, she slid her fingers up his
chest, loving the texture of muscles, hair and skin beneath her hands. At his
shoulders, she peeled the shirt off and he stopped kissing her long enough to
let her take it off and toss it on the floor.

Lena was surprised at how freeing she found their situation.
Instead of the nerves she expected, and was used to, she was completely
relaxed. She didn’t have to censor herself. She might wonder what he thought of
her reactions, but she didn’t have to worry since she never intended to see him
again. She could let herself go and enjoy everything completely.

With him pressed against her, the feel of skin to skin was
exquisite. His heat matched hers and she delighted in letting her hands roam
everywhere. He traced her nipples, bringing them to hard peaks, pinching them
lightly to arouse her further. When his touch moved down her legs to her inner
thighs, she almost screamed “yes” with need.

He pushed her legs apart and slowly, maddeningly, made his
way to her center. First one then two fingers stroked her swollen outer lips,
making her ache for more while simultaneously relishing the moment. He traced
her opening and she could tell from how his fingers moved she was slick. Would
he like that?

One of her first boyfriends criticized her for getting too
wet, told her she made too much of a mess and he couldn’t enjoy her. He stopped
giving, but not wanting, oral sex. Since then she tried not to get as wet, but
tonight she wasn’t letting anything stop her. Nothing seemed to be stopping him
either.

“Daniel,” she whispered on a sigh.

“What is it, beautiful?” he whispered back. She could feel
the heat of his breath. Combined with the endearment it made her wetter still.
“Is there a problem?”

“Hardly, I just felt the need to say…something.”

“So, I should continue?”

“Yes, please. Please,” she repeated not knowing what else to
say, not certain if she had the ability to say anything else.

He returned his attention to her body and for the first time
his tongue touched her pussy. She cried out, surprised she could become more
aroused. His mouth and fingers worked together. Every time she sighed or moaned
he kept his attention on that spot until she could hardly breathe.