The Deal (Trading Hearts #3) Read online

  "Lucas," she protested again, but her hands moved inside his jacket to latch over his belt. "You were in a meeting. You don't have time for this right now."

  "I don't have the time or inclination for anything else but this. You've changed me Naomi."

  She looked surprised by that. "You've changed me," she responded.

  “I've missed you."

  She nodded.

  That was consent enough. He wrenched her skirt up around her hips, kissing her again while he grappled with her underwear. His cock throbbed. The sight of her had altered him, stealing his self control and turning him into a primal being. It would take nothing short of an imminent disaster to stop this from happening right now.

  He was desperate to lose himself in her. With his fingers tangled in the skimpy elastic holding her g-string in place, he tugged. Glancing down at her bared thighs he saw she was wearing a black satin garter belt with her stockings. Cursing under his breath, he moved enough to free her panties and pushed them down her legs.

  “What if the guard comes in?" She flashed her eyes at him. "Think about this, Lucas. What if someone comes in and sees you shagging some woman up against the wall in reception?”

  It took immense control to speak, but he wasn't about to let her fret about it. “Stop worrying about my reputation."

  She was right though. If Craig came in now, they'd be well and truly exposed to him and to anyone at the reception desk or beyond. Lucas didn’t care, but he wanted Naomi to feel safe. "I'll make sure you aren’t seen.”

  “If you're sure–”

  Silencing her with his mouth, he undid his zipper then cupped his hands around her bottom, lifting her from her feet. Angling her body against the wall, he steadied her there, ready to ease his cock inside her.

  The sound of her shoes clattering to the floor made him pause, momentarily.

  "Show me your breasts."

  Her eyes widened. Instantly, she honored his request, peeling down the cups of her bra.

  "Touch your nipples for me."

  Between thumb and forefinger she arrested the hard nubs and tugged hard. She let out a strangled moan as she did so.

  Lucas pursed his lips. The way she acted made him want to graze those tender nipples with his teeth in order to hear her cry with pleasurable pain. His cock pounded. When his erection pressed home, she shuddered.

  “Want you so much,” she murmured, and wrapped her legs around his hips, inviting him deeper.

  She was every bit as eager to reunite this way, her wide eyed gaze locking with his. The intense connection burned in his chest, hammering out a powerful message: she's mine.

  The suck and pull of her body on his erection was nirvana to him. At the base of his spine a deep, unremitting throb took hold of him, signaling the urgent need to come. "This isn't going to last long," he warned, "but once I saw you, I had to have you."

  She moaned loudly, and her pupils dilated. She pivoted her shoulders against the wall, arched her back and manipulated her hips on his cock. He shifted his weight. Forcing himself deeper, he reveled in the tight, slippery clutch of her body on his erection.

  Triumphant, he placed his feet wider, gaining leverage, finding his rhythm. Her sleek, hot cunt grasped his cock with each thrust, making him crazy. Lucas had to close his eyes and level himself a moment.

  Then she wrapped her hands around his neck, whispering against his ear. “Harder, Lucas, I need you.”

  She uttered a cry when he drove deeper, shoving her up against the wall. His balls ached, the need for release needling at the base of his spine.

  Her eyelids lowered. “I'm going to come.”

  She moaned loudly.

  Lucas laughed “Are you trying to lure the security guard back in here?”

  She bit her lip and looked at him from under her lashes. “I can’t help it. You're making me lose control."

  "Unavoidable." He thrust. "This has to be done."

  "Apparently you're the only one who can stay in charge,” she whispered in a teasing tone.

  "Don’t test me," he warned. "I'm going to fuck you right here for as long as it takes to make you come."

  "Really?" Her eyes flashed.

  She shoved one hand between them, to the place where he was buried to the hilt. She enclosed the base of his cock with her fingers, squeezing him hard.

  Her head rolled, her cunt clenched.

  He was forced to pause, to blink back the impending release. He had to see her come first. He shoved her more firmly against the wall, bound up in the need to make her come before he did. Then he fixed her to that spot and ground deep, pushing his pelvic bone against hers, crushing her clit.

  Thrusting vigorously inside her, he cursed under his breath. Her hand there took him to another level of urgency. His balls were high and primed to offload.

  Vaguely, it occurred to him that he would be unable to stop now. Even the threat of the guard’s appearance was nothing compared to the desperate need for the pair of them to come-off. Even if a fire alarm sounded, they would have to finish this.

  Her mouth opened and her eyes closed. She was about to cry out in orgasm. Lucas closed his mouth over hers. Her flesh quivered and tightened around his distended cock. As his cock jerked and he ejaculated, her hands closed tighter around his head and her lips moved under his. When her tongue stroked his, he held the pose a moment longer, the soft pull of her lips capturing him.

  "If I don’t put you down now," he told her, "we'll have to do it all over again."

  Naomi laughed softly. "Put me down now. We've got all weekend."

  That won't be enough.

  Chapter Four

  Naomi bent to straighten her stockings. She was dizzy from the rush of release – and from the thrill of illicit and unexpected sex. Here in this tiny workspace, a step away from a public concourse, Lucas had risked his business reputation by shagging her senseless in the security guy's bolt hole.

  He'd had to, that's what he'd said.

  And she had to have him. She couldn’t deny him. Would they even have been able to stop had someone entered? It tickled her as she pictured what might have happened – the poor security guy backing out.

  "Why does Clara upset you?"

  Startled by his question, she looked up at him. He was zipping his fly, but he was watching her hands smooth her stockings. She slipped her high heeled shoes back on before she replied. "She's got a gift when it comes to pushing someone's buttons, you should know that."

  When she rose to her feet, she saw him shake his head.

  "I totally agree. She can be a world class bitch. You shouldn't let her get to you though. I'm frustrated you had to cross paths. I'd change my whole way of life if I thought I could shield you from my past, honestly I would. Ultimately, I know you're stronger than her."

  She sighed loudly. She was still thrown by coming face to face with Clara again. Would it ever be any different though? Was she really stronger than his ex wife? She hoped so, but she wasn't as sure as Lucas. One thing she knew for sure, it was doing her head in having his ex thrust in her face, mouthing off when she least expected it.

  But Lucas was still waiting an answer. He wanted to know why it got to her.

  It's because I'm falling in love with you, and I'm afraid. Staring up at his face Naomi wondered how long she would have survived, had she tried to walk out on him forever. How many steps would she have taken before she halted, looked back, turned back? Despite everything, she couldn’t resist him. Just when she should have been guarding her heart – and her business interests – she’d succumbed to him again.

  Lucas Eaglestone had a magnetic claim on her. Despite her anger and humiliation, he’d still been able to work that magnetic charm and haul her back from the precipice. He seemed to know instinctively how to act in a given situation for the best result. He’d handled his ex wife skillfully, not allowing her to gain traction on an awkward situation, and then he’d shown Naomi how much she’d regret leaving. Did he ever get it wrong? Push
too far, demand too much?

  Of course he did. He’d had to work hard to prove the contract offer he’d made wasn’t entangled with their relationship. She still wasn’t sure about the complications, because she liked order and simplicity, but he was working all the time to prove himself on that point.

  Did he thrive on the drama? Two women fighting over him? She didn’t know, but she figured there was only one way to find out.

  “I'm somewhat invested in you," she offered, finally, "currently. I'm enjoying our affair. She's threatening that." She shrugged, unwilling to say how she really felt. "I guess she unnerves me.”

  “She shouldn't.” He sighed, but stood more easily, as if grateful she’d spoken.

  “That scene out there with your wife, two women fighting over you…was it a thrill for you?”

  He quickly shook his head. “No. It was a complete nightmare.”

  “Some men would enjoy that.”

  His eyebrows drew together. “Naomi, I'm not involved in this for a transient thrill, or to give my wife something to chew on. There’s a lot at stake here." He paused, and she felt the weight of his seriousness. He came closer and rested his hand at her waist. "I don't take unnecessary risks when there’s a lot at stake.”

  What did he mean by that? She gazed into his eyes, wanting to hear more.

  “Naomi, right now – and outside of my son – you’re my focus. The last thing I need is Clara messing with what we have. Its early days for us.” He ran his hand down her side, studying her closely as he did so. "What did Clara say to you? It looked pretty heated."

  "Just batting insults back and forth, nothing major."

  He raised an eyebrow.

  Naomi tried not to be irritated. She tidied her shirt collar while she answered him. "She called me a tart, I called her a bitch. That sort of thing."

  Lucas shook his head. "Pointless."

  Annoyance tripped through her. "She's keeping her claws well and truly hooked into you, that's the point."

  "Clara and I are history." He looked and sounded adamant.

  "You might think that," she blurted, "but she keeps announcing she's your wife, did you know that?"

  "No." He frowned. "I suspect only when it suits her."

  "Well, yes. I figured that." She leaned over and tugged his shirt collar straight. "But why?"

  "Hedging her bets maybe." He pushed his fingers through his hair, tidying it, and shrugged. "She's seeing this guy, but it's on/off. I heard he keeps trying to go back to his wife. That won’t go down well with Clara."

  She put one hand on her hip, assessing him. "So your best guess is you're her security blanket and that’s as far as it goes, not that she really wants you back?"

  "Yes. However it doesn’t matter what her motivation is." He looked uneasy, as if he'd realized how annoying it was for her. "I’m glad she’s gone, but more importantly I’m glad you're here.”

  “You made it impossible for me to leave.” She reached for her portfolio bag where it had been dropped on the floor, then threw him an accusing glance. It was the truth and her emotions tangled, resentment and fear edging into the glorious afterglow and the intimacy they were sharing.

  “I didn’t force you to be fucked, did I?”

  “Yes. “

  His expression immediately shadowed.

  “But no.” It was the truth. She wanted him. Maybe one day her fear about total submission, or her anger about Clara, would override her need for him, but apparently it wasn’t today. She wanted him, and she didn’t like the shadows in his eyes. “It really does worry you, being the dominant one?”

  “Of course it does. It’s a responsibility. One that I enjoy, but there are risks, and that’s why trust is so important.” He seemed relieved she’d mentioned it, his expression relaxing. “We have a connection, a bond, you and I. We’re well matched and that’s worth fighting for.” His hand closed over her hip, possessively. “I want to fight for this…and by fight I don’t mean argue.” His mouth lifted at one side.

  A soft laugh escaped her. “I’m glad you clarified. I’d hate to think you actually enjoyed that..." she tossed her head back...“scene out there.”

  “I enjoyed the sex we had, not the argument.”

  “We're agreed on that then.”

  He nodded, then his eyelids dropped.

  The tension of the moment intensified. He could do that, she realized, he could make the mood change. It was part of his role as master, to control the mood to suit what needed to be done – or on this occasion – what needed to be said. Her throat felt tight.

  “I need you to understand how things are with Clara.” He looked at her, clearly assessing her reaction.

  “I thought we'd pushed Clara away now?”

  “We have…for the moment. It’s important you know I can never truly end that connection because she’s the mother of my child.”

  Why did that hurt? It was ridiculous of her to be jealous of his past and its hold on him. She’d no right to feel that way, yet she did.

  She turned away, acutely aware he was studying her expression. It hurts because I do want him, I do want more. And Clara was in the way, the ex. Her own reaction disturbed her. It wasn’t in her nature to be possessive, but she was. And it was too soon to be territorial, but it'd happened.

  Lucas didn’t let her turn away for long. Drawing her back to face him, he held her in place. “Naomi, the past never goes away.”

  Naomi wasn’t sure she wanted to hear that, but if she put her hands over her ears and shook her head – which she had the urge to do – it would look like she didn’t trust him. She had to trust him on this. “I understand.”

  “I want to be with you, and I’m passionate about that. About you.” He smoothed her hair back from her face.

  It wasn’t what Naomi expected to hear. She was urging herself to be guarded, to get her priorities right, and yet he could undo all of that with a simple remark. “Really?”

  “Really. The reason I chased you down is because I don’t want to be without you.”

  Again, Naomi felt her chest tighten. She put her finger to his mouth, silencing him. The relief she felt made her breathe, and it made her smile. “Lucas. You’ve given me freedom to enjoy sex fully, beyond anything I’ve ever known. I didn’t even know I was submissive until you showed me.” Her heart ached as she said it aloud.

  He stared into her eyes then nodded.

  Embarrassed by her confession, she glanced away. “In fact I trust you more in bed than I do out of it.”

  He held her gaze. “Excuse me? Explain yourself.”

  “I’m still finding my way with you as a businessman. Look,“ she prodded him in the chest with one finger, “you’ve got your issues I’ve got mine. I have a lot at stake here. I owe it to my mother’s memory to make a success of my business. Right now, after my meet with Georgio, I wonder if I should have turned your dinner date down that first evening.”

  “You don’t mean that.” His brow furrowed.

  “I’m a businesswoman as much as you are a businessman. I need to guard my corner, and that’s been hard when I’m physically and emotionally involved with you.”

  He nodded. She knew he understood her – he knew that she was falling for him, and that she was resisting it. “That’s in hand. It’s up to you and Georgio now.”

  “Yes, and if he says no, he doesn’t want to represent me, than I'll go to another agent. How will you feel about that?” She held her breath. It'd taken a lot of nerve to say it aloud, but it had to be done. No compromise, not when it came to Drusilla’s.

  He didn’t answer right away, and she could see he was struggling with the need to take charge – to make it fit. “I’d have to live with it. I want you and that has nothing to do with business.”

  Relief flooded her. She wilted against him, resting against his massive chest, her eyes closing for a moment.

  “I guess it’s my turn now. Cards on the table.”

  “Yes.”

  �
��My son is important to me,” he said quickly. “He’s always going to be in my life.”

  She lifted her head to look at him. “Of course, I wouldn’t expect that to be any different, no one would, surely?”

  “Well, they might when they realize it means contact with Clara, too.” He paused a moment, letting that sink in.

  “You’re saying any woman you’re with can expect your diva ex-wife to burst into the love nest at any moment.”

  His eyebrows lifted. “No that's never happening, believe me. I’ll get a restraining order on her if I have to.“ He kissed her fingertips. “I just mean for negotiations for time with Toby, decisions and so forth.”

  Naomi nodded. If she’d thought about it, she might have realized Clara would be part of his life for a long while to come, and she supposed some women wouldn’t like that. But she hadn’t been thinking in terms of a relationship – didn’t dare to – and what baggage they both might bring as part of that. It only deepened her respect for him, witnessing him setting his cards out on the table at this point. And it was what she needed, after her encounter with his ex. She still felt hurt and emotional about it, but she didn’t want to make a big deal of it. “I guess I’ll get used to it.”

  "One more thing," he added, and stroked her under her chin with his knuckles. His touch was so gentle yet so sure. "We need a safeword, you indicated that out there.”

  “We haven’t needed one so far, not really.” Her voice faltered, because his attention affected her so intensely.

  “True. But we might, if we go further.”

  There was a promise – and a challenge – in those gorgeous blue eyes of his. She wanted to go further with him, ached for it. Naomi wanted to go all the way to ecstasy and back again with Lucas Eaglestone. “Okay, we'll have to put that on the agenda as a to-do.”

  His smile was wide. “We will.”

  She wanted him to say more, anticipating what was ahead. "Tonight?"

  A dark suggestive look glinted in his eyes. "A safeword might be appropriate. We're definitely not going to talk business tonight."