Seduced

Chapter 6

Jessica toed off her sneakers and pulled off her socks, then froze when she heard the water in the bathroom turn on and rush to fill the tub. Her pulse skittered erratically at the thought of sharing that bath with Ryan, and her gaze darted to the bedroom door. It wasn't too late to bolt and get the heck out of there.

That would be the smart, logical thing to do. But she could no longer deny desires that had lain dormant for years-wants and needs that came alive around Ryan. Whatever he had planned with this particular lesson, she wanted to indulge her senses, wanted to play and have fun with him.

She expected touching, obviously, and maybe some kissing, Drawing on his chest with edible body paints and licking it off didn't sound half bad, either. All pleasurable stuff.

His sensual versus her practical.

Deciding the experience could prove to be a very illuminating one, she reached for the hem of her oversized sweatshirt and drew it over her head. After folding that article of clothing neatly and placing it on the bed, she slipped her fingers into the waistband of her baggy sweatpants and shimmied them down her legs and off. She reached for the robe Ryan had left for her, and stopped short when she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror over his dresser.

Seeing herself through different eyes, she grimaced at how plain and uninspiring her choice of lingerie was. There was absolutely nothing sexy or tantalizing about her underwear, and nothing to stimulate lust in a man. Her bra was ordinary and comfortable, without a hint of lace to scallop over the fullness of her breasts, and her panties were plain ol' cotton Jockeys for women.

A sex kitten she was not. She never spent her money frivolously, and sexy lingerie was a luxury she'd never been able to justify for herself. But, it was for the best. At least her unflattering attire would help to diffuse Ryan's interest, and make it easier for her to pretend that she really was wearing an unimpressive white bikini.

Still feeling an initial twinge of modesty, she shrugged into the robe, and luxuriated in being swallowed up by soft, warm layers of chenille. Tying the sash, she headed toward the bathroom, knocked lightly to let Ryan know she was entering, then opened the door-and was instantly greeted by the delectable scent of ripe, sweet strawberries swirling from the steamed water in the tub.

Except Ryan's tub wasn't your standard fare-it was like a miniature Jacuzzi, large enough to seat more than two, and deep enough to immerse yourself up to the shoulders. Water eddied from jets situated along the rounded contour of the tub. And if that lavishness wasn't enough to throw her for a loop, then the way Ryan had transformed the bathroom into a palace of sin and seduction certainly did.

The basket of bath products sat on a ledge behind the tub, along with the open bottle of wine, and two full crystal glasses. Half a dozen candles flickered in the room, adding to the romantic atmosphere, and the fragrant scent of lush strawberries saturated her senses-all designed to influence her into agreeing to his gift idea.

"So, what do you think?" Ryan asked from behind her.

She turned and met his gaze, thinking he was on his way to contradicting her sensible nature with yet another valuable lesson-this one on the benefits of being amorous and innovative.

"I'm very impressed." With the sensual display he'd painstakingly arranged, and the magnificent, athletically built body he possessed. Wearing nothing but a pair of navy swim trunks, he was all male, virile and breathtakingly dynamic.

"That's a good start," he said, moving closer to the tub, and her. "Now off with the robe and into the water."

As nonchalantly as possible, and with a confidence that belied the anxiety thrumming through her blood, she untied the sash and let the chenille slip from her shoulders. The material pooled to the floor around her feet, baring herself to Ryan's gaze, which she felt as scorching as a brand.

"Oh, man," he groaned, the anguished sound rumbling deep in his throat.

Self-consciousness swept over her, until she looked at him, saw the pained look on his face, and found its cause in the erection straining the front of his trunks. His gaze traveled down her slender form, lingering on her bra, skimming to her panties, then taking in the length of her legs in a slow, leisurely journey.

Heat and awareness prickled her skin. "You said it would be like me wearing a swimsuit," she said, unable to help the slight accusatory note in her voice. At the moment, she felt as if she were completely naked.

His expression turned adorably sheepish. "Well, it is… kind of."

"Kind of?" She lifted a brow and lowered her gaze to his arousal. "Do you have that kind of reaction to other women you see in bathing suits?"

He grinned unrepentantly. "Not exactly." He pushed his fingers through his thick hair and drew a deep breath. "You see, mybrain knows that what you're wearing is equivalent to a swimsuit, but myeyes are finally seeing the incredible body you hide beneath loose, baggy clothing, and my hormones take over from there. I always knew you'd have gorgeous breasts and great legs, but my fantasies didn't do you justice. In reality, you're so much more perfect, in every way."

She felt her body flush from head to toe from his compliment, and his direct, candid stare caused her heart to flutter in her chest. The man was a rogue, a flirt-she knew that, but she wasn't immune to his flattery. She'd never been appraised so openly, had never felt so desirable and sexy, despite the no-nonsense cotton underwear she wore.

It was a novel experience for her to feel so attractive. All her life she'd been cautious with the opposite sex and extremely reserved, having learned through her mother's experience with her father, along with her sister's first marriage, that men weren't always what they seemed. Her brief relationship three years ago supported that theory, as well.

She'd applied the same philosophy to Ryan, more so because of his profession. His career alone, his ambition and drive, identified him as the type of guy she ought to avoid at all costs. By his own admittance he preferred short-term relationships, which went against her more traditional values.

But the man… he was kind, and caring, and sincere, a direct contradiction to what his profession implied and what she'd always believed. He had a way of weakening her defenses, and tapping into intimate longings she could no longer suppress.

Unable to sort out all the confusion in her mind at the moment, she focused on the one thing that was clear-cut and undeniable-her attraction to Ryan. It was an incredibly heady experience to know that she starred in his fantasies, and for today, she was going to enjoy his attention and interest without expectations or promises.

He tipped his head, causing a lock of dark hair to fall over his forehead. "Ladies first," he said, waving a hand toward the tub.

She climbed into the bubbling, churning water, and sank into its depths. She groaned as her entire body softened, lulled by the silky heat of the water, the jets pulsating gently against her muscles, and the intoxicating scent of strawberries.

"You like?" Ryan asked as he settled himself at the opposite end. Their legs tangled as they both tried to find a comfortable position, their skin slick from whatever bath product he'd put in the tub.

She rested her head against the rim, uncaring that the hair brushing her shoulders was getting wet. "Oh, I definitely like. This iswonderful."

"I'm glad you approve." He handed her one of the glasses of wine, and took the other for himself. "But it gets better than this."

"Impossible," she said with a smile. She took a deep drink of the pale pink liquid, and wasn't surprised to find it flavored with a hint of strawberry, too.

He winked at her, then reached for something within the basket. "You just close your eyes, relax, and let me show you how good it gets."

Taking another quick sip of her wine, she set the half-empty glass on the ledge, then did as he instructed, allowing her sumptuous surroundings to draw her into a blissful state of tranquility… until she felt Ryan's fingers curl around her ankle.

She tensed at first, then grew pliant once again as he began washing her with a silky, soapy sponge. He spent an inordinate amount of time on her legs, tickling her feet playfully until she laughed and begged him to stop, then moved on to find an erogenous zone behind her knee that made her gasp and squirm. The sponge glided upward along her thighs, dipping between them, but he didn't stroke her intimately as she expected. In fact, it seemed as though he was deliberately avoiding doing that

Water sloshed in the tub and lapped around her shoulders as he shifted his position and moved closer. He continued to pamper her, gently scrubbing her belly, then past her heavy, sensitive breasts to her chest, her collarbone, and her arms. Although he'd diligently evaded all the places that ached for his touch, he'd managed to arouse her to a breathless pitch of need

"There's nothing like good clean fun, huh?"

She shivered at the husky timbre of his voice, and blinked her lashes open, meeting his dark brown gaze that told her he was just as affected as she was. She smiled, and made a grab for the sponge, which he relinquished with ease.

"I think it's my turn to getyou clean," she said, anticipating the task. Sitting up on her knees for leverage, she lathered the sponge with the fragrant soap and returned the favor of scrubbing his sleek, muscled skin. She reveled in the sight and feel of the taut cords of muscles across his chest, down his belly, and along his thighs. His flesh was smooth and slick from the water and soap, and when she moved behind him, she couldn't resist running her fingertips along his perfectly sculpted back.

A shudder coursed through him, and his breathing grew shallow… the only indication that he was affected at all by her ministrations. A private, satisfied smile curved her mouth. Emboldened by a sexual confidence unfamiliar to her, and wanting to see how far he'd allow her to go, she cruised her flattened palms along his lean sides, and stole around to his chest. Her fingers stroked slowly, provocatively, over his erect nipples, and awareness sizzled. She rubbed her breasts against his back, and widened her thighs to slip closer.

His body tensed, and she closed her eyes and grew bolder. Her splayed hands roamed south, and then her fingertips grazed his fierce erection beneath the fabric of his swim trunks. With a low, vivid curse, he grabbed her wrists and turned around, nearly pulling her under the water with his abrupt move. He caught her just in time with one hand behind her back and the other grasping her bottom, and she instinctively curled her legs around his to keep her from sliding lower. She gasped as their bodies came into direct, intimate contact.

His gaze darkened, but the gold around his irises glittered with the bright flame of desire. "I think you're enjoying yourself a little too much," he murmured.

She flashed him a sassy smile while attempting to regain her equilibrium. "Wasn't that the purpose of your lesson?"

He helped her back to a sitting position, then reached into the basket and rummaged through the contents. "Yeah, I suppose it was, so pay attention." She tried to look around him to see what he was doing, but his broad, bare shoulders provided a much more interesting distraction. "Pay attention to what?"

Producing a jar of body paint, he waggled his brows at her. "Thereal fun is about to begin." Opening the plastic container, he dipped his index finger into the thick brown substance and took a tentative sample. Curious, she asked, "Does it taste good?" He extended the jar toward her, a subtle, sexy challenge in his eyes. "See for yourself."

She coated her finger with the flavored body paint, but instead of licking off the delicacy, she gave in to the reckless impulse to smear the sticky syrup along his chest, then leaned forward to lap it off with her tongue.

"Ummm, it tastes like chocolate." Feeling daring and naughty, she nibbled a little more, letting her teeth graze his firm flesh, his taut nipple.

Seemingly surprised by her brazen move, he sucked in a quick breath. "Hey."

Lifting her head, she affected a guileless look, though she was feeling anything but innocent. "Isn't that what the body paints are for?"

A sinful grin eased up the corner of his mouth as he set the jar nearby, then moved aside the candles sitting on the ledge behind the tub. "I always knew you were a quick study."

Without warning, he grasped her hips in his large hands, lifted her out of the bath, and perched her bottom on the tiled rim. A gasp of startled surprise caught in her throat, and the immediate contrast of warm water sluicing down her body to cool air washing over her damp skin caused her breasts to tighten and her nipples to pucker… which was exactly where Ryan's gaze was riveted.

Following his line of vision, she glanced down to find that the very sensible fabric of her bra and panties clung when wet, leaving little to the imagination. Her rosy nipples were clearly outlined through the cotton material, and a darker shadow creased the V between her legs.

With effort, she managed to resist the instinctive urge to cover herself from Ryan's bold, unabashed stare, but an ingrained modesty prompted her to slide her legs primly together.

Shaking his head in a silent "no," he pressed his palms to her knees before they could touch, and gently eased her thighs apart once again. He remained in the tub, on his knees in front of her, with the water jetting around his waist.

"I'm suddenly ravenous," he murmured huskily.

The look in his eyes was as hungry and primitive as his words implied, and her pulse leapt with excitement. In slow, mesmerizing degrees, he dragged her forward, until her knees bracketed his ribs and she could feel the raw, sexual heat emanating from him.

Reaching for the jar, he scooped two fingerfuls of chocolate body paint and slashed a squiggly line down her throat and along the slope of her shoulder. His eyes lowered slumberously, his dark head bent toward her, and his lips parted for a taste.

Heart pounding in anticipation, Jessica gripped the ledge of the tub and moaned at the first silken glide of his tongue along her neck. A shiver trickled down her spine, and she all but melted at the light suction of his mouth as he savored and sampled the confection he'd smeared on her skin.

He dabbed more of the cool, slick substance down her arm, and drew swirling, lazy patterns on her skin, seemingly enjoying himself.

She laughed breathlessly, certain she'd never survive this lesson, his teasing, the torment. "Didn't your mother ever teach you not to play with your food?"

His warm chuckle was filled with wicked amusement. "Yeah, and she also taught me to eat every bite and clean my plate." Proving his claim, all five of his fingers smeared chocolate syrup along her collarbone, and he followed that with arousing sweeps of his tongue as he lapped up the mess made.

Wanting to play, too, and get even with him in the process, she attempted to confiscate the jar, but instead bumped his elbow, which caused his sticky fingers to graze the upper slope of her breast.

He made a tsking sound of chastisement as he observed the dark streak of chocolate marking her. "Aw, Jessie, now look what you've done. Between the cakes and now this, you're one messy woman."

She laughed lightly. "Oh, no you don't," she said, unwilling to accept the blame for his error. "That wasyour fault, not mine."

His dark brows winged upward. "And I suppose you expectme to clean up the mess?" He sounded appropriately indignant, though the mischievous glimmer in his eyes gave him away.

At the thought of what that task entailed, her breasts strained against the confines of her bra, and her nipples drew into tight, hard peaks. She knew what he was asking held a deeper meaning, and his earlier vow filtered through her mind…I promise you'll keep your underwear on the entire time, and if things go too far for you, all you have to doistell me to stop, and I swear I will.

She didn't want to stop. Not yet. Trusting him, and wanting to seduce him as much as he had her, she drenched two fingers in the edible body paint and traced the line of her sheer bra, and brushed across the tips of her nipples, making an even bigger mess for him to clean up. "As a matter of fact, Iinsist," she whispered, granting him the permission he sought.

Sliding her free hand into the damp hair at the back of his neck, she guided his mouth to the smudges of chocolate on her chest, and let him go to work. He took his time, lavishing attention on her neck, her throat, her shoulder, untilfinally he skimmed his lips over the slope of her breast. He found her aching nipple and through the thin material he tugged on the crest with his teeth, bit gently, then opened his mouth wide and suckled her deeply.

She whimpered as pure, jolting pleasure swamped her. His tongue swirled and laved, possessing her, and she felt that exquisite, coiling sensation all the way to that empty place deep inside her. Her back arched, and her thighs clenched tighter around his waist, wanting, needing… something that seemed just beyond her reach.

Hot, wet kisses trailed to her other breast, where he feasted just as greedily on that plump flesh and her stiff nipple, elevating her to a breathless, sensual daze. She felt his fingers, slick with the chocolate body paint, glide along her abdomen between her bra and panties, and sketch what felt like a heart. His open mouth followed the lines he drew, his tongue occasionally dipping into her navel, while his hands moved on to grasp her hips and drag her closer so that her feminine softness rubbed erotically against his chest.

Her head fell back, and her fingers tightened in his hair, needing something to hold on to. She felt wild. Out of control. Unable to help herself, she widened her legs and writhed against him, increasing the pressure building in her belly, between her legs. Sweet delirium beckoned, blazing hot and rich with promise. More than anything, she wanted to experience that mindless ecstasy no other man had ever given her.

Then his hands left her, but only for seconds. They returned with more chocolate, the tips of his fingers painting the inside of her thighs with long, luxurious strokes that made her skin quiver, and made her moan shamelessly. Then came his lips, his tongue, and his teeth as he treated her to random bites on her sensitive flesh. His nips grew sensuous and indulgent as his mouth inched closer and closer to that intimate part of her.

And then he wasthere, his fingers caressing, his breath hot and illicit. Shock, excitement, and fear all warred within her. Somehow, someway, he'd wedged his shoulders between her legs to keep them spread, and she suddenly felt extremely vulnerable in her thin, diaphanous panties, and very apprehensive of the forbidden pleasure awaiting her.

Realizing his wicked intent, she held him at bay with a fistful of his hair. "Ryan… no." Despite her protest, she didn't sound very persuasive.

He seemed to sense her indecision, her uncertainties, and attended to them. "I want to taste how sweet you are, how heady, howeuphoric."

This is how good sex tastes.

The heaviness in her intensified, and demanded release. Witnessing the unbridled passion etching his features-the same need that trembled within her-she knew she'd forever regret this moment if she let it pass without experiencing this erotic thrill.

Relaxing her fierce grip on his thick hair, she let her hand rest at the nape of his neck, silently offering her surrender.

She expected him to strip off her underwear, but he held true to that promise and left them on. With his hands still splayed to keep her open for him, he lowered his head and nuzzled the silky flesh of her inner thigh, starting his exploration with soft, generous, damp kisses designed to make her melt. With a shuddering sigh, the tension and apprehension drained from her body, and was replaced by a decadent languor… until he turned impatient and greedy and pressed his open mouth against that feminine cove. In one purposeful, scorching stroke, he glided his tongue upward.

She inhaled sharply, and before she could recover from that electrifying sensation, he took her intimately, thoroughly, deeply. He made a mockery of the panties she wore-the strip of cotton was a flimsy barrier against Ryan's skillful methods. With slow, deliberate laps of his tongue, combined with hot, suctioning swirls, he elevated her to that acute edge of desire.

Fearing the steep fall, her fingers dug into his shoulders for support. Her mind spun dizzily as delicious abandon took over her. A pulsing, throbbing heat settled low and deep, then burst into a pleasure so erotic, so blazing, it completely consumed her. She heard him groan deep in his throat as her explosive climax hit, and then she was aware of nothing but her soft, ragged cry and the voluptuous contractions eddying through her entire body.

And in that indescribable moment, drugged by lush sensuality, she felt herself falling for Ryan Matthews, Esquire… hard and fast and incredibly deep.

Before she had a chance to recover her breath or her bearings from that incredible experience, he pulled her down into the heated water and her knees automatically straddled his lap. She only had seconds to assimilate the hard pillar of his erection pressing between them before he tangled his hand into her hair and forced her gaze to his.

His eyes were dark, his features taut with admirable restraint. His lips were damp from his intimate assault on her. "Now, I wantyou to see how good you taste." His voice was rough, sexy, and thrilling.

With his hand at the back of her head, he drew her mouth to his and shared the taste still lingering on his tongue… the sweetness, headiness, and euphoria of sex. She moaned at the eroticism of his gesture, and despite his shocking intent, his audacious words, the actual kiss he gave her was so soulful, so generous and selfless, she wanted to weep. Powerful emotions shook her, and she told herself it was just the aftereffects of the wondrous climax he'd given her. But she didn't completely believe the convenient excuse, because for as satiated as she felt physically, she felt empty deep inside, and restless in a way she'd never before experienced.

Not wanting to analyze the sentiments stealing into her heart and what they meant, she concentrated on the pleasure of Ryan's kiss. Sliding her hands along his shoulders, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed closer to his hard and firmly muscled body. She shivered at the slow, lazy rhythm he set with his lips and tongue, and wondered if he made love in the same exquisite manner.

And just like that, the undeniable ache of wanting him spread through her like a reignited wildfire, from her breasts, to her belly, and settling once again between her thighs. His arousal strained against her still-sensitive flesh, and though he wasn't making any demands, wasn't asking for more than she was willing to give, she suddenly wanted to surrender to the passion and desire he'd merely shown her a glimpse of.

She knew she had no future with Ryan, just a few more weeks until the New Year's Eve party, and then they'd go their separate ways. He knew that as well. So why not enjoy the sensual delights he had to offer without any strings or promises from either one of them? Undoubtedly, the gratification would be mutual, and she'd walk away with no regrets. She'd take with her the glorious keepsake and mindless pleasure of making love to him, which would replace the memory of her one awkward encounter years ago.

Heart pounding, she lifted her lips from his, and with a soft growl of protest, he let her go, though he still held her close, making her feel safe and protected in his embrace. She moved her mouth along his jaw, toward his ear, and before she changed her mind, came to her senses, or lost her nerve, she expressed her greatest need.

"Make love to me, Ryan," she whispered.