Our mouths found each other again, and our kisses became deep and hungry.
“Too much fabric.” Matthew tugged up the flowy material of my dress. His hands skimmed over my thighs, and I trembled in response. As his fingers deftly tugged down my underwear, I shimmied until they fell to the floor. His eyes closed when he touched the cleft between my legs.
“You’re so ready,” he rasped.
“Take me to bed,” I begged as he stroked me.
“I want you right here. Put your hands over your head.” I’d never heard that deep, commanding voice from him before, but I liked it. God, I liked it. I raised my arms up, and he took hold of my slim wrists with one of his powerful hands, securing me against the wall. With his other hand, he found a new place, one that made me forget my words. My mind swirled as every nerve ending around his fingers came alive, like a cello with a virtuoso working the strings. When he asked if I was okay, all I could do was give a quick nod.
I’d always been the breadwinner, the supervisor, the one to take charge of everything during my married life, even in the bedroom. When Freddy and I were still having sex, he enjoyed me performing for him and on him, but he never took control this way. Matthew’s eyes burned with a hunger that only my body could satiate.
“Matthew,” I whispered. “Please.” I was so close to the edge. My stomach muscles tightened as my attention focused on that one space where his fingers played.
“I don’t have a condom.” His voice was low and raspy. “I didn’t know you wanted this so badly.” He ramped up the speed of what had been slow lazy circles over my tender skin. “Just let go, beautiful girl. Let go.”
The dam opened and waves of pleasure spilled forth, making me shake and cry out.
“That’s good,” he whispered. “So good.”
Tears of joy welled in the corners of my eyes as Matthew lifted my chin and feathered a kiss on my lips.
“Thank you,” I whispered against his mouth.
He smiled like he understood I was thanking him for more than that moment. “Making you happy is my pleasure.”
CHAPTER19
LAUREN
When I got out of bed the next morning, I felt like I was gliding around wearing a movie star’s glow, all shimmery and youthful. I grinned at myself in the mirror, as if this new Lauren and I had a secret. Freddy had left the ranch, and Matthew and I had taken our relationship to a new and truly satisfying level. Was there a better way to begin a day than this?
My encounter with Matthew in my cabin felt like the equivalent of tectonic plates shifting. I didn’t know if I could open myself up emotionally to receiving pleasure anymore, or if it was even worth the effort, not to mention the risks. It had been so damn long since a man had touched me intimately that I had no idea if I could have the kind of mind-melting orgasms that other women raved about. Not only did I know now that it could happen, I needed it to happen again. And again. And again! There would be no going back to a celibate life. No more ignoring my sensuality and physical needs. Matthew had opened that door for me, and I wasn’t closing it again.
When I saw my lawyer’s name on my phone, even that intrusion of reality couldn’t diminish my happiness. I answered with a cheerful trill to my voice. “Hi Tempest! What’s going on?”
“Freddy’s lawyer contacted me late last night, but I just saw the message now.” She clicked her tongue in irritation. “He always does that, like it’s his power move to work later than I did. Such a dick.”
I looked at the clock and realized she was calling me at a little after six in the morning New York time. “You must have just woken up.”
“Exactly. I’m still in bed, but I wanted to let you know that Freddy has scheduled an interview withCelebrityto discuss your separation and divorce. Of course, his lawyer implied that the interview could be canceled, which means we need to agree to their terms.”
I’d expected this from him, and I had a few ideas about how we could deal with it. “Doesn’t our separation agreement prevent him from speaking publicly about our marital arrangement?”
“It did, but, technically speaking, he can talk about it now.” I hated when she used the word technically because it always meant I was about to get screwed over. “It’s complicated, but in a layperson’s terms, your publicist voided that provision when she spoke with the press about the night at Jentori.”
“But isn’t this blackmail?” I pressed a hand to my chest, where the panic was starting to swell inside of me. “He’s forcing us to give him part of the business in return for not outing me to the press!”
“It might fit the legal definition of blackmail,” she said, “but if he gives the interview, the damage is already done. I think he’s going to pull the trigger even if we threaten to sue him for blackmail. I can look into it, if you’d like. That’s not my area, but I can talk to a colleague in my firm.”
The last thing I wanted was to get tied up in a longer legal battle with Freddy. “So either I give in to his heinous demands and hand over part of my company, or I let him tank my reputation and, by association, my sister’s reputation. It’s a lose-lose proposition.”
“There’s one thing you could do,” she said, “and that’s beat him to the punch.”
I knew exactly what she meant. “No, I’m not talking to the press.”
Tempest acted like she hadn’t even heard me. “You could be the first one to break the story.Celebritymagazine would love to have you and Tori on the cover. Tell them what happened from your point of view, and then he won’t even be able to sell his side. You will effectively take out the only leverage he has right now.”
Exposing my life to the tabloids didn’t feel like a win.
