Stripped Down. Kelli Ireland

Чтение книги онлайн.

       3

      ERIC HAD EXPERIENCED a moment of absolute, unanticipated desire when the hostess opened the front door. He’d seen lots of beautiful women, but Cass was something else. At somewhere near six feet in heels, she’d looked up at him with denim-blue eyes framed by long black lashes. Pale pink lips had parted as she’d sucked in a breath. Color had stolen across high cheekbones, and she’d dropped her gaze.

      Something inside him had shifted then. Hard. His synapses fired and then spontaneously combusted. He wasn’t entirely sure what he’d said, only that he’d made it to the living room without giving in to the impulse to kiss her.

      In a strange way, it had made the rest of the night’s decisions easier. He’d dance only for her. It wasn’t about the money; they were just two people responding to each other. And it had been a damn long time since he’d felt like his body was more than a commodity.

      As he tightened the belt, she looked over her shoulder and gave him a slow, sexy smile, rolling her bottom lip under her front teeth and waggling her eyebrows.

      Lust flooded his groin.

      He ran a hand up her spine and wound his fingers through her dark hair, pulling her head back. Game. On.

      Her dark blue eyes flared for one brief second.

      Eric pulled her toward him. Sliding his palm over her taut abdomen, he swiveled his hips and reveled at the catch of her breath.

      Movement caught his attention. Gwen was staring over her shoulder curiously. Damn it. He’d gotten so wrapped up in Cass that he’d forgotten the bride. He let the tall, sultry brunette go and shifted his attention to the blonde.

      The music bled from Pitbull to the Black Eyed Peas’ “Boom Boom Pow.”

      After dancing with Cass, his cock was threatening to put on a real show, but the idea was enough to tone things down.

      Stalking around Gwen, he unbuttoned his pants and teased his zipper down.

      He made the removal of his pants a seduction, though it wasn’t for the benefit of the woman seated in front of him. Inch after inch of skin was revealed until he let them fall away, finally stepping free. Straddling Gwen again, he fought to keep his gaze on her and not the woman cuffed to her. Her free hand was fisted at her waist. Eric picked it up and dragged it down his chest, imagining how Cass’s fingers would feel on his heated skin.

      Gwen looked up at him, eyes sparkling. “Do that thing with your abs.”

      He rolled his torso, shoulders to hips.

      She screamed and laughed again.

      The women in the room went wild.

      Eric beckoned the shy one who’d given him her chair. “C’mon, baby girl. Let me thank you appropriately.”

      She shook her head.

      “Go get her,” Cass murmured.

      Surprised, he glanced at her.

      “She’s my assistant. Her husband recently left her.” True concern colored Cass’s eyes. “It would make her feel good.”

      With a quick nod, he worked his way to the quiet woman. She refused to look up as he danced. Fair. But it didn’t work for him. So he pulled her out of her chair and let her stumble into him, saving herself by planting her hands on his chest. He pressed her hands there and encouraged her to touch. That wasn’t part of his typical act, but at the moment, it didn’t matter.

      Moving around the woman, he whispered soft encouragement. When her hand snaked out to put a five in his G-string, he rewarded her with a little extra attention and a second kiss to the cheek. Then he slipped to his briefcase and retrieved a pair of handcuffs and a tiny key. He held both up to the ladies. “Who thinks we should make Gwen work for the key?”

      The bride shook her head. “Cass needs to earn it. She’s the one who lost the key to start with.”

      “Is that fair?” he asked the room in general. It was certainly the arrangement he preferred.

      The response was unanimous.

      “Cass,” he murmured. “I’m going to let Gwen go. You’ll stay here and earn the key for both of you.”

      Her eyes sparked and color flooded her cheeks, but she nodded.

      “Here’s what we’re going to do, ladies. I’m going to switch the music to something a little more...appropriate. While my back is turned—” shouts and comments “—you’re going to hide money all over Cass. I’m going to find it. I only get to keep what I find.” He paused and looked at Cass. “Please, be creative. Very, very СКАЧАТЬ