Cara gave him another quick once-over and sighed with regret, before leaning against the bar, elbows behind her, her ample cleavage thrust into view. “I’ll be here, if you change your mind.”
But he wouldn’t. Blake was a man on a mission, a man who went after what he wanted. And he wanted Kim and had every intention of telling her that and more, tonight.
The ten-minute walk to the store lasted ten minutes too long. The moment he walked into the store, it was like déjà vu, but not quite. She stood behind the counter, the way she had been that first night he’d shown up here, but instead of being happy to see him, there was something more. There was hurt and betrayal, both of which he knew he’d caused.
Blake didn’t bother to lock the door or ask if they were alone. He was around the corner and pulling her into his arms in two seconds flat, his hand sliding over her black T-shirt and over the black denim of her jeans to mold her closer. “Kim—”
Her hand pressed against his chest. “This isn’t—”
“It is,” he said. He laced his fingers in her hair. “We are. The other night when we—”
Her eyes went wide, and she pressed on his chest. “Blake, wait. This isn’t a good idea. My—”
He kissed her, his lips slanting over hers, his tongue delving deep into her mouth, his tongue stroking hers with velvet-smooth demand. She was stiff at first, unyielding, but then she moaned and melted. God, how he loved when she melted, how he loved knowing she didn’t do it easily, but she did it for him. He was in trouble with this woman.
“Oh, my!” came a female voice from the office behind the desk. “Oh…my.”
Kim shoved away from Blake, her cheeks flushed. “Mom…I’m sorry, we, uh…”
Blake glanced at the petite woman in the doorway—her red hair and ivory skin, a dead giveaway. This was, indeed, Kim’s mom.
“Oh, my, indeed,” came a male voice, followed by a chuckle as a gray-haired man in slacks and a button-down shirt appeared. “This is the most excitement we’ve had in a while. Why don’t you introduce us to your friend, Kim.”
Kim cast Blake an “I warned you” look. “Blake,” she said. “These are my parents, Carol and Jack Baker, who surprised me today with a visit. They’re here for a week, before they return to Europe.” She motioned to Blake. “Mom, Dad, this is Blake Morgan.”
“Who’s just proceeded to make a complete ass of himself,” Blake conceded, always finding the elephant in the room better addressed than ignored. “Please accept my apology. I’d love to buy you all dinner to make it up to you.” The invitation rolled off his tongue with ease, when he’d promised himself this thing with Kim was just about conquest and sex. But it wasn’t—he’d known that with complete certainty the minute he’d seen her standing at the counter tonight, all doubts erased.
“Blake,” Kim said quickly, as if to object to the dinner invitation. “You don’t have to—”
“But he wants to,” Jack said, cutting off anything further she might have said, charging over to Blake and extending his hand. “We Bakers roll with the punches, and we never turn down a dinner invitation. Isn’t that right, ladies?”
“Of course it is,” Mary said, appearing in front of Blake, as well, and offering her hand, which Blake shook. “Nice to meet you, Blake. And yes, we will take you up on dinner with one understanding.”
Kim moaned and pressed her face in her hands. “Mom, please, whatever you’re about to say—don’t.”
Blake barely contained a smile, finding Kim adorably irresistible in her embarrassment. And Blake liked her parents, too—their directness, and the warmth they exuded. He arched a brow at Mary. “What understanding would that be?”
She crossed her arms in front of her chest and gave him a measuring look. “We get to drill you for information. We want to know everything about the man who is so close to our daughter that he feels he can kiss her silly right here in the middle of the store.”
This time he outright laughed, and decided that Kim didn’t get her docile demeanor from her mother. “You absolutely can drill me all you like.” But he certainly wouldn’t be telling her everything.
Jack rubbed his hands together. “Great. Now…where can we get a really good burger downtown?”
“Roy’s,” Blake said instantly. “It’s a new place that opened a few months ago, and it’s within walking distance. They make a killer burger and fries you don’t want to miss.”
“Roy’s it is,” Jack said.
Kim delicately cleared her throat. “I need to speak to Blake a moment, please.”
“Go ahead,” Mary said, though she and Jack made no move to leave.
Kim pursed her lips. “Alone.”
Mary waved off the idea. “We’ll walk behind you two lovebirds on the stroll to Roy’s so you can chat. But we’re starving.”
“Fine by me,” Blake agreed, not about to let Kim squirm out of this, as he’d let her run from the gallery, before he had a chance to tell her how he felt. No more running for her, and no more denial for him.
A few minutes later, while her parents strolled to the store next door to look in the window, Kim dropped her keys as she locked up the bookstore. Blake bent down and picked them up at the same time that she did. They ended up squatting, face-to-face, electricity crackling.
“Why are you doing this?” she asked in a hushed whisper. “You don’t have to do this.”
He drew her hand into his. “I want to do this and a whole lot more.”
She shook her head. “No. I’m done.”
“I’m not.”
“Three days, Blake,” she said. “Three days you’ve been MIA. Then out of the blue you show up here and want to jump right back into my bed?” She pushed to her feet, keys in hand. “No.”
Blake glanced at her parents, confirming they were out of hearing range. His hands went to her shoulders. “Not just your bed, Kim. Your life. I want to be a part of your life. This isn’t just about sex with us. I’m not sure it ever was.”
“Are you two trying to starve us?” Jack shouted toward them.
“I’m starving, too, Kim,” Blake said. “For you. And this isn’t where or how I’d want to tell you this, but I’m pretty damn sure that for the first time in my life, I’m falling in love.”
Kim blinked, looking stunned. “Falling in love? With me?”
Blake laughed and, noting Jack’s fast approach, took the keys from her hand. “With you,” he agreed. “And I’ll tell you and show you the many reasons later tonight. But right now, your father’s on the move this way.”
Several hours later, dinner was over, and Kim had just finished kissing her parents good-night at the hotel that they’d insisted on getting, despite her willingness to sleep on the couch and give up her bed. She and Blake stood side by side, watching the elevator doors close on them. Awash in a torrent of emotions, Kim had spent the entire dinner reeling over Blake’s shocking confession.
She’d wanted to tell Blake she loved him one second, and the next, she wanted to throw something in his direction. And it went on from there, for the entire dinner. She wanted to kiss Blake. She wanted to yell at Blake. She didn’t want to get hurt, and he had hurt her. And now—now that they were alone, she didn’t know what to do, what to say.
Unmoving, she stared at the elevator doors, thinking of how well he’d gotten along with her parents, talking with them as if he’d known them a lifetime, answering their questions, delving into their interests with what seemed to be genuine interest. They loved him, too.
Blake laced his fingers in hers and walked toward the stairwell. She followed, suddenly ready to talk, to understand. The instant they were in the stairwell, she whirled on him, but before she could speak, he slid his hands into her hair. “I lied. I don’t think I love you. I know I do. And I’ve never said that to anyone before you.”
Her heart clenched. She wanted to believe him, she did, but… “These past three days— Were you… Did you?”
“Did I go to the Society? Yes.
And I turned around and walked back out without touching anyone. I want you, Kim. Just you. No. Want isn’t a strong enough word. I need you.” He pulled her close. “Give me a chance to show you that. Come home with me, wake up next to me.” His lips brushed hers. “Say yes.”
The sincerity, the passion in him, crashed into her. He meant what he said. He’d asked her to trust him with her body, to let him strip away her inhibitions. Now he was trusting her with his heart. Kim wrapped her arms around his neck. “Yes.”
“And you…” he prodded.
She smiled. “Love you, too.”
He kissed her, a long passionate kiss that ended when someone opened the stairwell nearby, and they decided that this show was a private show, meant for their eyes only. And a camera, of course, because neither of them wanted to forget one second of this night.
Don’t miss books one and two of The Masters series by Lisa Renee Jones, available now wherever ebooks are sold!
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Bound and Pleasured
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ISBN: 978-1-4268-7890-9
Exposed and Pleasured
Copyright © 2011 by Lisa Renee Jones
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Lisa Renee Jones, Exposed and Pleasured
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