Craving Candy

Chapter Eight

Candy stared at herself in the mirror, not quite able to believe the transformation that she and Missy had wrought in just under twenty-four hours. She’d never realized just how ruthless her friend could be.

Her lips curved up in a smile as she relived last night’s shopping trip. Missy had poked, prodded and threatened her until finally she’d shoved Candy in a dressing room and brought her outfit after outfit with orders to try them on. Like a general commanding a battle, she’d gone on the offensive, not giving Candy the opportunity to object or to run.

It had been so much fun to shop for something sexy rather than something work-appropriate. She hadn’t done anything like this in far too long. They’d practically closed the stores last night, they were out shopping so late, but it had definitely been worth it.

Turning sideways, she viewed her image in the mirror. This dress was nothing short of spectacular. Falling to just above her knees, it was a deep burgundy in color, and its crushed velvet fabric felt luxurious and sensual. The sleeves were long, coming all the way to her wrists, and the neckline was high. There was a spectacular cutout in the front that showed off her cleavage to advantage. But that wasn’t the best part of the dress.

Spinning around until her back was to the mirror, she glanced over her shoulder. The dress hooked at the neckline with five small fasteners. Other than that, her entire back was exposed. She’d never worn something quite so revealing before. It was cut so low in the back that several inches of flesh below her waistline was showing. She’d had to buy new underwear to wear under the dress.

The trip to the lingerie shop had been almost arousing. She’d felt decadent and scandalous trying on the skimpy garments, imagining Lucas’ reaction when he saw them. And there was no doubt in her mind that he would definitely be seeing them. After much deliberation, she’d settled on a thong in a rich, creamy beige. It was part of a set and came with a pushup bra, and even though she couldn’t wear a bra with this dress, she’d bought it anyway. In fact, she’d liked the set so much, she bought another one in black. She hoped she’d have another opportunity to wear them.

She’d never worn a thong before, but she’d wanted to be daring. The thin string had settled between the cheeks of her behind and the small patch of fabric on the front barely covered her pubic hair. She felt half naked in the underwear, but she felt sexy too. Laughing, she spun around and faced the mirror once again.

Thigh-high stockings and a new pair of black velvet four-inch heels completed the ensemble. She’d spent a small fortune on the entire outfit, even though they’d bought the dress and shoes at discount warehouses. But the results were worth it.

She hadn’t been sure about the dress at first, but Missy’s enthusiastic response to it had finally won her over. The fabric of the dress hugged her body, emphasizing her large breasts and hips, making her slightly uncomfortable, but her friend had assured her that she looked spectacular in it.

In the end, she hadn’t been able to leave the dress behind for something more sensible and less showy. This was about having an adventure and she was determined to embrace every moment of it. She’d even run out on her lunch hour and had her hair trimmed and her nails done to match her dress. She had toyed with several hairstyles, but had ended up piling the curly mass on top of her head and anchoring it with a black rhinestone-studded hair clip. Rhinestone studs adorned her ears and were the only jewelry she wore. Now she was ready and getting more and more nervous by the moment.

Placing a hand over her stomach to quiet the butterflies dancing there, she took a deep breath. She was as ready as she’d ever be. Grabbing her purse off the bed— another purchase from the night before that Missy had convinced her she just had to have— she made her way into the living room to wait. Opening her bag, she checked the contents and closed it again. She had her keys, wallet, cell phone, tissues, lipstick and condoms— another purchase from last night. She assumed Lucas would have some, but she wasn’t taking any chances. A smart woman took care of herself.

Glancing at the clock on the stereo, she went to the closet and pulled out her coat, slipping it on. She didn’t want Lucas to see the dress until they arrived at the restaurant. She wanted to surprise him and, she admitted to herself, she wanted to make a dramatic entrance and gauge his reaction.

Truthfully, she wanted to knock his socks off.

She heard one hard, sharp knock on her front door and she jumped even though she’d been expecting it. Even though she knew it was Lucas, she checked the peephole. Unlocking the door, she opened it and promptly lost her breath. In jeans and a T-shirt, the man was gorgeous. In a suit and tie, he was devastating.

A black wool overcoat was open to reveal his suit. A tailored black jacket molded his upper body to perfection. She knew it had been made especially for him because there was no way with his muscular build he could buy something off the rack that would fit him so well. Underneath it, he wore a white shirt with a dark burgundy tie.

Candy knew she should say something, but she was honestly at a loss for words. The silence thickened the longer they stood there staring at each other. Finally, it was Lucas who broke it. “You look amazing.”

Swallowing past the lump of nerves in her throat, she managed to croak out a “thank you”. His eyes were glued to the cutout in the front of her dress as he spoke. Some of her nerves abated and confidence filled her as she realized that he was as enthralled with her as she was with him. She bit her lip to keep from laughing, wondering how he would react to her little surprise when she slipped off her coat. Suddenly, she was in a hurry to find out.

“I’m ready if you are.” Remembering her manners, she quickly added, “Unless you’d like to come in for a moment.”

Lucas shook his head and offered her his arm. “No, we’ve got reservations and I don’t want us to be late.”

Candy stepped out of her apartment, locking her door behind her before taking Lucas’ arm. She could feel the muscles flex and ripple beneath her fingers. It was arousing to have all that leashed power just beneath her hand. As they walked to the elevator, Candy knew for sure that this night would change her forever. The next time she returned to her home, she would not be the same woman she was now. Ready to embrace the experience, she boldly stepped into the elevator with him and ignored the shiver that ran down her spine as the door closed.

The restaurant was elegant and Candy was very glad that she’d sprung for the new outfit. Any of her older dresses would have left her feeling uncomfortably underdressed. Lucas guided her to the coat check area and began helping her out of her coat. As the fabric slid down her arms, exposing her back, he froze behind her.

He sucked in a deep breath before he continued to remove her coat and handed it to the woman running the coat check. As he slid off his own overcoat and waited for their tickets, she tried to squelch the disappointment that he hadn’t responded to her dress. She bit her bottom lip, turning away to compose herself.

A large, muscled arm slipped around her waist, pulling her back tight against a large, very aroused male body. She could feel Lucas’ erection pressing into her behind as he lowered his head to whisper in her ear. It seemed to burn into her flesh through the barriers of their clothing.

“You look good enough to eat.” He nipped her earlobe and she shuddered. “In fact, I think I’ll have you for dessert.”

She could feel herself creaming at his words and swallowed hard as she tried to concentrate on the here and now. They were in the foyer of a public restaurant, for God’s sake. She’d thought he hadn’t been affected by her dress, but obviously she’d been wrong. His reaction was everything she’d hoped for and more, but what she hadn’t counted on was her own reaction to his reaction.

Keeping her slightly ahead of him, Lucas placed his hand on her back and led her toward the dining room. The maitre d’ seemed to know Lucas on sight and assured him quickly that his table was ready. The walk across the room seemed to take forever and she felt as if every eye was on her, somehow knowing just how aroused she was. She wished she hadn’t worn her hair piled on top of her head. Right now, she’d be grateful to have the extra hair covering at least a part of her back and exposed chest.

She was concentrating so hard on putting one foot in front of the other, Candy was surprised when Lucas caught her by the crook of her arm, halting her progress. The table they’d stopped in front of was in a quiet corner of the room. As Lucas seated her, he leaned down, brushing her temple with his lips. “Breathe, sugar.”

Candy laughed and felt some of her earlier apprehension disappear. Now that she was seated at their table, she didn’t feel like she was on display. While Lucas took his own seat, she surveyed the restaurant with interest. The hardwood gleamed beneath tables set with fine linen tablecloths that fell all the way to the floor, delicate china and heavy silverware. Thick, white candles sat in silver holders on every table, their glow creating a muted, romantic atmosphere. A low, jazzy music played in the background as potted plants, strategically placed, created an air of intimacy about the place.

“Do you like it?” Lucas’ much bigger hand reached over and covered hers. She hadn’t realized she was clutching her purse in a death grip and made herself loosen her hold.

“It’s lovely.” That was an understatement. She didn’t think she’d ever been anywhere quite this nice before.

“Not as lovely as you are, but then, I don’t think anything else could be.” Clasping her hand in his, he slowly raised it to his lips and kissed each of her knuckles.

Candy was suddenly robbed of breath, not only by his compliment, but also by his actions. She couldn’t take her eyes off her hand as he held it so gently in his. The contrast of his darker, much larger one clasping her smaller, more fragile one was spellbinding. And when he licked one of her fingers, she almost moaned with pleasure.

The sound of someone discreetly clearing his throat next to their table made her keenly aware once again of her surroundings. She tried to yank her hand away, but Lucas’ closed firmly around her fingers. And although he wasn’t hurting her, there was no way she could escape him. He placed one last kiss on her hand before slowly returning it to her lap. Then he turned to the waiter as if nothing had happened.

Their waiter, obviously a man of great self-possession and discretion, greeted them and offered Lucas the wine list. With both men treating the whole incident as if it were nothing, she relaxed and began to enjoy her evening. Once the wine was ordered and sampled, they debated what to order for dinner. In the end, she chose the salmon in dill sauce with baby potatoes and glazed carrots while Lucas chose the evening special, halibut in a cream sauce.

When the waiter was gone, Candy picked up her wineglass and took a sip of the rich red wine, rolling it around in her mouth before swallowing. “So,” she began.

She could see the amusement in Lucas’ eyes as he took a sip of his own wine. “So?” he returned her words to her.

“So tell me about yourself.” She reminded herself that she was a publicist, for heaven’s sake. She knew how to talk to people. The key was always asking the right questions.

“Not much to tell.” His eyes warmed as he watched her. “I’d much rather talk about you.”

“What about me?” Was it her, or was the restaurant suddenly very warm? Her dress felt confining suddenly as her breasts swelled under his appraisal. She could feel her nipples tightening and pushing against the fabric.

“What secret fantasies do you have?”

Candy could barely catch her breath. “I don’t have any fantasies.” Even as the words tumbled past her lips, she knew she was lying. Right now, she had a very detailed fantasy running through her head, one in which they were both naked and Lucas was fucking her senseless.

“Now that’s a pity.” He leaned closer to her, his eyes and words seducing her. “I, on the other hand, have many fantasies. Shall I share one?”

She nodded, unable to speak as heat flooded her veins.

“I have a fantasy of you sitting here having supper with me wearing no panties. In fact, I want you to take off your panties and give them to me. I want to see what you wore for me, smell your arousal and feel your heat.” She couldn’t believe what he was saying to her, but he wasn’t anywhere near finished yet. “Then I want you to spread your legs wide so I can touch you and make sure you’re ready for what I have planned later.”

Lucas broke off suddenly and sat back in his chair as the waiter arrived at their table with their dinner. Candy couldn’t even look at the man as he placed her plate in front of her, but she did manage to nod her thanks. The images that Lucas conjured up were almost more than she could handle. Her body felt as if it were on fire.

As the waiter walked away, Lucas leaned forward again, his eyes intent. “Will you give me my fantasy, Candy?”

She didn’t recognize the sultry voice that answered him. “Yes.”

The desire in his eyes flared higher, but he said nothing as he sat back in his chair, picked up his wineglass and took a swallow. When she hesitated, he arched an eyebrow at her as if daring her to chicken out.

More determined than ever, she grabbed her own glass and took a large gulp, needing the warmth of the wine in her stomach. Plunking the glass back down, she reached beneath the table. Taking care to make sure the linen tablecloth was covering her lap, she eased the fabric of her dress over her thighs.

She kept her eyes on Lucas as she pushed her hands higher, grasped the thin strings on the side of her hips and tugged. His face looked as if it had been carved from stone, and as she watched, she could see a muscle in the side of his jaw twitch. Mr. Squires wasn’t as unaffected as he pretended to be.

That knowledge gave her the courage to lift herself as discreetly as she could and pull. Slipping her panties over her legs, she pushed them over her knees, letting them fall to her ankles. Carefully, she unhooked the garment from one foot before leaning down slightly so she could reach them with one hand. Quickly she pulled them off her other ankle and sat up straight once again.

“Give them to me.” His voice was almost a guttural snarl as he held out his hand. Candy hesitated briefly before pressing the small wad of fabric into his palm. His fingers closed over it immediately.

As she watched, he raised his closed fist to his nose and sniffed before lowering it to his lap. “You smell delicious.”

She felt her cheeks flush with heat. Trying to act nonchalant, she picked up her fork and took a bite of her salmon. After all, her dress and the tablecloth covered her completely so no one could see her. But that didn’t seem to matter— she still felt totally exposed. It was embarrassing and arousing at the same time.

Lucas lowered his hand back to his lap and slowly opened it, rubbing his thumb across the silky material. Candy almost choked on her food, the action was so erotic. Finally, he slipped her panties into his jacket pocket and began to eat his own meal.

She’d just swallowed another mouthful when he casually leaned over and pushed the tablecloth away from her lap. “Are you wet for me?”

It was all she could do not to whimper aloud. “Yes.” She could feel the cream seeping from her slit.

“Hmmm.” He nodded as he eased his hand into her lap, sliding it under the fabric of her dress. His fingers sifted through her pubic hair and straight between her swollen labia. He didn’t stop, slipping his finger into her core and pushing it deep.

Candy gasped and grabbed the edge of the table, her gaze sweeping around the room. Surely people knew what they were doing. But the tables around them were filled with people chatting and eating. Nobody was paying them the least amount of attention. It was instinct that made her try to close her legs, but Lucas pressed his thumb against her clit and rubbed it. “Keep your legs open, sugar. I want you soaked in your own juices by the time I take you back to my place for dessert.”

The man was diabolical. Casually, he picked up his own fork and enjoyed a few mouthfuls of his meal. At the same time, with his other hand, he pushed another finger inside her to join the first, stretching her even more. “Lucas,” she gasped, almost panting for breath. “Please.” At this point she wasn’t sure if she was asking him to stop or to give her more.

His eyes smoldered and the smile that turned up the edges of his mouth was wicked. “Oh, I aim to please you, Candy. And I will, over and over, all night long.” But he withdrew his fingers, stroking over her sensitive skin one final time before resuming eating.

Candy focused on just trying to breathe. All around them people were laughing, talking and enjoying themselves. Lucas made casual conversation as he enjoyed his dinner. She managed to respond to several of his questions with what she hoped were intelligent responses, but for the most part she just nodded when appropriate. She could feel Lucas’ eyes on her, watching her intently as she picked at the food on her plate.

Candy no longer had an appetite, at least not for food. Her needs were much more primal and basic. She couldn’t stand the waiting. Placing her fork across her plate, she finally met his gaze. “I don’t want to be here anymore.”

Lucas frowned and glanced at her plate. She shuddered when he reached under the table and smoothed the skirt of her dress back over her legs. His frown deepened as he skimmed his thumb across her full bottom lip. “You hardly ate anything. I didn’t mean to make you so uncomfortable you couldn’t eat. This is all about pleasure and it seems I’ve made you feel anything but that.” Leaning forward, he kissed her lips ever so gently. Her insides clenched tight. “I’m sorry, sugar.”

Not feel any pleasure! Was the man insane? If she felt any more pleasure, she was going to have an orgasm right in the middle of the restaurant.

“I’ll take you home.” He raised his hand to signal to the waiter that he wanted the check.

She was stunned. Take her home? Reaching over, she grabbed his hand. His concerned gaze flew back to her. “I don’t want to go home. I want dessert.”

The frown on his face faded, replaced by a look of such fierce desire that Candy almost cried out. No man had ever looked at her with such naked need in his eyes. Her heart pounded in her chest as he nodded. “I want that too.”

The waiter arrived with the bill and Lucas quickly took care of it, collected their coats and hustled her out of the restaurant and into the cold winter’s night.