‘That way we don’t have to announce our escape by exiting through the main doors.’
‘What about your duties?’
‘I’m done with duty.’
‘So now you’re all mine for the rest of the evening?’ she murmured, with a provocative tilt of her head.
His eyes darkened to a deeper shade of blue and his grip tightened on her back. ‘From the balcony we’ll take the door to the empty conference room next door and then to the foyer.’
‘And then?’ Her voice caught in her throat.
‘That’s up to you.’
Her heart started doing the flippy thing so fast she felt dizzy. She pulled his head even closer to hers, brushed her lips across his cheek. ‘Let’s go,’ she murmured.
He steered her through the crowd, exchanging quick greetings with the people they brushed past, but not halting for a moment longer than necessary. Sandy nodded, smiled, made polite responses, held on to his hand and followed his lead.
They sidled along the balcony, then burst into the empty conference room next door, laughing like truant schoolkids. Ben shut the door behind him and braced it in mock defence with an exultant whoop of triumph.
Sandy felt high on the same exhilaration she’d felt as a teenager, when Ben and she had successfully snuck away from their parents. She opened her mouth to share that thought with him, but before she could form the words to congratulate him on their clever escape he kissed her.
His kiss was hard and hungry, free of doubt or second thoughts. She kissed him back, matching his ardour. Then broke the kiss.
She took a few deep breaths to steady her thoughts. ‘Ben, I’m concerned we’re moving too fast. What do you think?’
Ben glanced at his watch. ‘This day is nearly over. That leaves us three days. I want you, Sandy. I’ve always wanted you.’
‘But what if we regret it? What if you—?’ She was so aware of how big a deal it was for him to be with her. And the heartbreak she risked by falling for him again. She feared once she made love with him she would never want to leave him.
‘I’ll regret it more if we don’t take this chance to be together. On our terms. No one else’s.’
‘Me too,’ she said. No matter what happened after these three remaining days, she never wanted to feel again the regret that had haunted her all those years ago.
Please, let this be our time at last.
‘My room or yours?’ she said, putting up her face to be kissed again.
* * *
Ben couldn’t bear to let go of Sandy even for a second. Still kissing her, he walked her through the door, out of the conference room and into the corridor. Still kissing her, he punched the elevator’s ‘up’ button.
As soon as the doors closed behind them he nudged her up against the wall and captured her wrists above her head with one of his so much bigger hands. The walls were mirrored and everywhere he looked he saw Sandy in that sexy red dress, her hair tousled, her face flushed, her lips swollen from his kisses. Beautiful Sandy, who had brought hope back into his life.
The raising of her arms brought her breasts high out of her strapless dress to tease him. In the confines of the elevator the warm vanilla female scent of her acted like a mainline hit of aphrodisiac. He could make love to her there and then.
But, as it always had been with Sandy, this was about so much more than sex. This step they were about to take was as much about intimacy and trust and a possible move towards a future beyond the next three days. The responsibility was awesome.
It was up to him to make it memorable. He’d waited so long for her and he wanted their first time to be slow and thorough, not a heated rush that might leave her behind.
He trailed kisses down her throat to the swell of her breasts. She gasped and he tightened his grip on her hands. She started to say something but he kissed her silent. Then the elevator reached her floor.
Still kissing her, he guided Sandy out of the elevator and towards her room. He fished his master keycard out of his pocket, used it, then shouldered the door open. They stumbled into the room and he kicked the door shut behind them.
* * *
Sandy had imagined a sensual, take-their-time progression through the bases for her first-time lovemaking with Ben. But she couldn’t wait for all that. It felt as if the entire day had been one long foreplay session. Every sense was clamouring for Ben. Now. Her legs were so shaky she could hardly stand.
She pulled away from the kiss, reached up and cradled his chin in her hands, thrilled at the passion and want in his eyes that echoed hers. Her breathing was so hard she had to gulp in air so her voice would make sense.
‘Ben. Stop.’
Immediately, gentleman that he was, he made to pull away from her. Urgently she stilled him.
‘Not stop. I mean go. Heck, that’s not what I mean. I mean stop delaying. I swear, Ben, I can’t wait any longer.’ She whimpered. Yes, she whimpered—something she’d never thought she’d do for a man. ‘Please.’
His eyes gleamed at the green light she’d given him. ‘If you knew how difficult it’s been to hold back...’ he groaned.
‘Oh, I have a good idea what it’s been like,’ she said, her heart pounding, her spirit exulting. ‘I feel like I’ve been waiting for this—for you—all my life.’
She kicked off her shiny shoes, not caring where they landed. Ben yanked down the zipper of her dress. She tugged at his tuxedo jacket and fumbled with the buttons on his shirt. Before she knew it she stood in just the scantiest red lace thong and Ben was in nothing at all—his body strong and powerful and aroused, his eyes ablaze with need for her.
Beautiful wasn’t a word she’d usually use to describe a man. But all her copywriting skills deserted her as she sought to find another word.
He was her once-in-a-lifetime love and she knew, no matter what happened tomorrow or the day after or the day after that, that tonight she would be irrevocably changed. As she took a step towards him she froze, overwhelmed—even a little frightened—of what this night might unleash. Then desire for this man took over again. Desire first ignited twelve long years ago. Desire thwarted. Desire reignited. Desire aching to be fulfilled.
Ben swept her into his arms and walked her towards the bed. Soon she could think of nothing but him and the urgent rhythm of the intimate dance they shared.
* * *
Ben didn’t know what time it was when he woke up. There was just enough moonlight filtering through the gaps in the curtains for him to watch Sandy as she slept. He leaned on his elbow and took in her beauty.
She lay sprawled on her back, her right arm crooked above her head, the sheet tucked around her waist. Her hair was all mussed on the pillow. He was getting used to seeing it short, though he wished it was still long. In repose, her face had lost the tension that haunted her eyes. A smile danced at the corners of her
