Desire (#1) Cox, Carrie (e textbook reader TXT) 📖

the lady with the Spaniel paintings a business card when Colin came to claim me again. He made our excuses and whisked me off to meet another potential client.

It was hard to be charming when I was constantly on the lookout for Benjamin, but I kept a smile plastered on my face and laughed politely at the jokes Colin made.

I had just handed over yet another business card when I felt his hot breath on my neck. I didn’t turn, but I knew it was him.

Colin’s shoulders slumped slightly as the guests we had been speaking to suddenly turned their attention to the darkly charismatic Benjamin.

Colin was warm and friendly, but he couldn’t compete with Benjamin’s presence. I realised it wasn’t only me who was drawn to him. Though, I doubted anyone was quite as affected by his proximity as I was.

He placed a proprietary hand on the small of my back. That simple touch made me crave more contact. His hand was warm and pressed firm against me. I inclined my head slightly to look at him. He was quite simply dazzling. His smooth tanned skin contrasted against the sharp whiteness of his teeth. His dark hair was pushed back from his face, revealing those sexy brown eyes I’d seen darken with desire.

I was glad the conversation continued without any input from me. I was sure I wouldn’t be able to string a coherent sentence together with him standing so close.

His hand inched across my back to the side of my waist and then squeezed. “I hope you don’t mind if I steal Miss Taylor from you?” Benjamin said and flashed a smile at them. “She’s very much in demand tonight.”

As he led me away from the small group, I took a couple of deep breaths. I needed to focus. If Benjamin introduced me to anyone right now, I’ll make a fool of myself.

Snap out of it, Kate.

But instead of guiding me towards any other guests, he led me out of the hall.

As soon as we were out of the Great Hall, his hand slid from the small of my back, and he grabbed my hand pulling me along.

“Where are we going?” I asked him breathlessly as I tottered behind him in my heels.

He turned back and grinned at me. “You’ll see.”

The corridor was empty and smelled of furniture polish. I guessed the regular party guests were not permitted to leave the Great Hall.

He paused by a large oak door and reached for the door handle. “I thought we could use a little privacy.”

Whoa! Lust rocketed through me, sending tingles along my skin. Did he mean what I thought he meant? Were we going to do it now? In the middle of this party?

He pulled me into the room with him, but didn’t turn on the light. I could only see his silhouette from the moonlight streaming in the window.

I could hear his breathing.

He didn’t touch me at first, just stood there staring down at me.

“I’m glad you wore them.”

“Oh, the shoes.” I pointed my foot out and looked down at my foot wrapped in the expensive, gold leather. “Um, yes. Thank you. They are gorgeous.”

He sank down to his knees. “They are gorgeous on you.”

He reached for my ankle, and grasping it in one hand, he raised my leg slowly.

I wobbled a little and had to put a hand against the back of the door to steady myself.

He lowered his mouth to my foot and traced its length with his lips. I let out a shaky breath. That was hot.

I guessed he had a thing about shoes. A fetish, maybe.

The tip of his tongue stroked the side of my foot and I gasped. That was so erotic. I felt the wetness grow between my legs as I imagined his tongue licking other parts of my body.

When he lifted his mouth from my foot, I opened my eyes and looked down to see his hands on my ankles.

He gave me a slow, sexy smile as he ran his hands slowly up my bare legs. My limbs trembled, and I leaned back against the door. As his hands went higher, he slowed their progress. I could feel the wetness between my legs soaking my panties. I wriggled, bending my knees, aching for his fingers to travel higher.

“Do you want me to touch you?” he asked, in that deep, too-sexy voice.

“Yes,” I breathed.

His dark, smouldering eyes fixed on mine and his hand travelled upwards under the hem of my dress, caressing the soft skin of my inner thigh. When his finger lightly stroked the front of my panties, I gasped and bucked forward towards his hands.

He smiled at my eagerness.

I flushed at my body’s uncontrolled response to his touch. How did he do that?

As his finger gently rubbed the front of my panties, I pressed down against him.

“Patience, Kate. I want to take my time.”

I didn’t. I wanted him now. I wanted him to push me onto the ground and take me right now. My hand travelled to rest over his and I pushed down, desperate to increase the friction.

He pulled my hand away and raised it to his mouth, sucking on my index finger. Holy crap. How could something so simple be such a turn-on?

He hitched my dress up to my waist and made a sound of approval. I wiggled against his hand, and he moved his finger beneath the lace of my panties.

Finally. God, yes.

I moaned with pleasure as his finger slid back and forth between my legs.

As he started to increase the pace, I began to pant. I was so close, but I couldn’t come standing up like this, not in these heels.

“Oh, God, please.”

“Please what, Kate?”

But I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. I didn’t want him to stop.

He pulled his fingers from under my panties, and I groaned in frustration. Oh, God, he couldn’t stop now.

His hands reached behind me, closing in on my ass cheeks, squeezing them hard. The pinch made me yelp and jerk forward so