her back into the bedroom, she tightened her arms around him in surprise when he lifted her to sit on the edge of the counter. “Wh-what are you doing?”
“I want you here.” Buttons skittered across the tiled floor when he jerked the lapels of his shirt open the rest of the way to give him better access to her body. Then, shoving his boxer briefs to his ankles, he entered her in one smooth stroke. “Now.”
The feel of him filling her completely, the heat that threatened to consume her when he began to rhythmically thrust into her and the fact that they were making love somewhere other than the bedroom heightened her excitement in ways she could have never imagined. The urgency arcing between them was more powerful than ever before and Sasha felt as if she would burst into flames at any moment.
Tightening her legs around his slim hips, she clung to him as he relentlessly built the ache of unfulfilled desire within her. All too quickly his body demanded that she give into their fiery passion and she gladly complied as bursts of pleasure shook her to the core.
As she trembled against him, she felt the slight swelling of his body within hers a moment before the moist heat of his release filled her. As she held him to her, tears burned at her tightly closed eyes from the beauty of what they’d shared.
If she’d had any lingering doubts about her feelings for him being the remnants of the schoolgirl’s crush, they had just dissipated like mist under a warm summer sun. She loved him with a woman’s heart and belonged to him, body and soul. And no matter what the future held for them, that would never change.
“You want me to do what?” Blake couldn’t believe what Sasha was proposing.
“I’d like for you to consider doing a television commercial for the grand opening of Fortune’s Gold,” she said patiently.
“I have no objections to the concept of buying airtime to run commercials for my hotels and casinos,” he said, shaking his head. “I do, however, have a huge problem with starring in the damned things.”
Sitting cross-legged in the middle of her bed, wearing nothing but his buttonless shirt and a sweet smile, she looked so sexy and desirable, Blake had to force himself to remember that he’d promised to listen to her ideas for his ad campaign. But if anything could bring him back to reality with a resounding thump, it was the thought of going in front of a TV camera. Just the idea caused a knot in his stomach.
“Blake, you’re the natural choice,” she insisted. “You’re not only the owner of the Fortune Casino Corporation, your enthusiasm and sincerity when you encourage people to visit your establishments will be captured and add a great deal to your advertising. It will make the viewers feel as if you’re issuing a personal invitation.”
He understood what she was saying and the value of the visual media. But the thought of following the nightly news like some monkey in a sideshow, even for the fifteen to thirty seconds the commercials would run, made him want take off for parts unknown.
“I think a professional actor would be a better choice,” he said, leaning back against the pillows.
“I don’t.” Raising up on her hands and knees, she crawled across the bed to hover over him. “You’re handsome.” She kissed his chin. “Sexy.” She traced the outline of his lips with her tongue. “And you’ll have the women flocking to your casinos in droves.”
He pulled her beneath the sheet that covered him from the waist down, then turned to his side and aligned their bodies so they were facing each other. “You really think I’m handsome and sexy?” he asked, slipping his hand beneath the shirt to caress her satiny skin.
“Don’t change the subject,” she said, sounding less than convincing. “I’m trying to have a serious conversation with you about the marketing strategy for the Fortune Casino Corporation.”
Slowly sliding his hand down her thigh, he smiled when her eyes fluttered shut and she sighed softly. “Do you really want to discuss business now?”
“We should.”
“Who are you trying to convince, Sasha? Me or yourself?”
When she opened her eyes, the sparkle of desire in her emerald gaze caused his body to harden so fast it left him feeling light-headed. “We’re never going to get anything done if you keep distracting me all the time,” she complained.
He moved his hand lower to find her receptive and ready for him. “Oh, I think we’ve accomplished quite a bit.”
She poked him in his ribs. “I wasn’t talking about our lovemaking.”
“That’s a shame,” he said, kissing his way from her shoulder, down the valley between her breasts to the small indentation of her navel. “You’ve inspired me more than I ever thought possible and I’m enjoying finding new ways to love you.”
“Your creativity certainly has … been working overtime.”
The hitch in her voice was an indication of her heightening excitement and, determined to imprint himself in her mind and on her soul, Blake turned her to her back. He held her gaze with his as he moved to kneel between her legs and he knew the exact moment she realized his intention.
“B-Blake, you can’t—”
“Yes, I can.” He could tell that she was embarrassed by the thought of what he was about to do. “I’m going to give you the most intimate kiss a man can give a woman, Sasha. And when I’m finished, there won’t be a doubt left in your mind that you’ve been loved as thoroughly and completely as it’s within my power to do.”
Unwilling to allow her to protest further, Blake bent to give to her as he’d never given to any woman and when he kissed her deeply, her soft sighs quickly turned to passionate moans. Her slender body trembled, then suddenly bucked against him and he knew the intense pleasure was about to overtake her.
Relentless in his effort to bring her to the brink, he smiled from the satisfaction of hearing her cry out his name as the tension released her from its tight hold and she found the ecstasy of her fulfillment. Only then did he move to lie by her side, his chest filling with indescribable tenderness when he realized that she’d drifted off into a peaceful, sated sleep.
As he held Sasha close, Blake stared at the ceiling and mentally reviewed everything that had taken place over the past few days. He wasn’t the least bit proud of himself for planning to seduce her as a way to even the score with his brother. Aside from the fact that she and Creed had never been romantically involved, Blake knew now that Sasha was the only one who stood to be hurt in his game of revenge.
He took a deep breath as a wave of guilt threatened to swamp him. She could never learn the truth behind his sudden interest in her after all this time. If she did, the knowledge would crush her. And he’d rather cut out his own heart than ever let that happen.
When he glanced down at her beautiful face pillowed on his shoulder, an emotion that scared the living hell out of him filled every fiber of his being. He knew that they were good together, that he felt more alive and content in her presence than he’d ever felt in his life. But he refused to acknowledge there was anything more to it than two people finding companionship and pleasure in each others’ arms.
Satisfied that he’d found an explanation for the unwarranted feeling, he kissed the top of her head. They would continue to see each other until one or both of them lost interest. Then, when the time
