Blindsided Read online

  “You really should check the peephole,” he said, grinning back at her as he came across the threshold. “What if it had been Nic?”

  “He’d have seen a look of utter disappointment, been crushed, and then I’d have had to make up a story about room service or something to make him feel better.”

  “Change your mind while I was gone?”

  Yeah, right. She was standing there with nothing on except a pink silk robe. “I was beginning to think that you’d changed your mind.”

  “I was trying to find a longer fuse.” He reached for the hem of his T-shirt and pulled the thing off over his head.

  “Did you have any luck?”

  He dropped the shirt on the floor and reached for her, threading his fingers through her hair and saying. “I guess we’ll see, huh?”

  She couldn’t help herself, such a rippled body just begged to be touched. “I should probably mention that I don’t have a fuse at all,” she admitted, slowly skimming her hands down his chest, across his abs, stopping at the waistband of his pants. His eyes twinkled.

  Taking his reaction as permission, she went to work on evening them up in the clothing department. She had the button undone when he cocked a brow and let go of her with one hand. “Hold on,” he said, reaching into his pocket. He brought out two foil packets and turned slightly to toss them on the end of the bed.

  Condoms. Boy, there was a bummer. “We don’t have to use them, you know.”

  “Oh, yeah?”

  She nodded and undid his zipper. “My tubes are tied. And you have to have had a partner in recorded history to have any diseases.”

  “Very true.”

  Or at least that’s what she thought he said. Her brain wasn’t interested in conversation anymore. Logan had gone commando. No boxers, no tidy-whities. Just Logan. “In all his glory” was the understatement of all time. God, he was the stuff of legends. Touching was a must. An absolute must. If he wasn’t ready for it, too bad. And if he thought she was being fast and slutty, too bad about that, too.

  His breath caught somewhere in his upper chest. There was slight pain that went with it, but it was nothing compared to the sharp edge of delight. What she was doing to him with her hands… Logan grinned down at an upturned face and closed eyes. And deliciously parted lips. He undid the sash around her waist, let it fall to the floor and then tried to send the rest of the robe right after it. His success at that wasn’t complete; it fell only as far as her forearms. But the effect of the silk draped around her hips was stunning. Her breasts were bare, high and firm, and he cupped them to scrape his thumbs over nipples already tight and hard.

  A soft little sound came past her lips and a tiny little smile tipped up the corners of her mouth. Beautiful. Sexy beyond belief. And his for the taking. He bent his head and nipped at her lower lip with his teeth. She sighed and the friction of her hands intensified. His knees quaked at the pleasure. His breath shuddered out of his lungs. He wasn’t going to last long if she kept—

  Jesus! He had no idea what she’d done, but it was fricking magic. It was like a velvet bolt of lightning had shot up his shaft to singe both his brain and his toes. He’d barely put himself back on balance when she did it again. He rocked forward, pinning her against the wall in a desperate effort to keep himself from falling over backward.

  “Sorry,” he offered just before he captured her mouth with his. She wiggled beneath him, trying to keep the rhythm of her hand work going. He won the battle because he had to, because if he hadn’t, he would have come in her hand. She didn’t give up easily and her surrender came with a little growl of protest, a little nip of his tongue for revenge.

  And he loved it. Loved how she felt against him, how her curves molded so perfectly around his planes, how hot and smooth her satin skin was. But mostly he loved how she didn’t back down, didn’t passively accept. He wasn’t the only one on fire, the only one starving.

  This was going to go fast. And there was nothing he could do to stop it, or even slow it down. His nerves were too keen, the sensations too raw and intense to be shoved to the back of his mind. Her nipples burned holes in his chest. The tiny pillow of her abdomen cradled his erection. Her arms twined around his neck, she battled him for control of their kiss. She rose on her toes, the slow friction of her body branding his skin, stroking his shaft. He moaned, wanting more and wanting it now. She whimpered in reply and strained upward again, dragging her leg up the side of his and snapping the last strand of his restraint. She wanted to climb, he’d oblige.

  Yes! Oh, yes! Cat choked on a cry of gratitude as Logan cupped her buttocks and lifted her up. She wrapped her legs around his hips and kissed him harder, desperate with need. For speed. For more. For him to understand.

  And he did. She threw her head back and gasped for air, a new desperation consuming her. Wonder and heat and power and joy. She had to feel it all, as deeply as she could. She needed it, craved it. And Logan understood that, too. He drove into her, again and again, filling her, hard and fast. Her senses, reeled, staggered with the delight of pleasure and weight of promise.

  Yes. Oh, Logan, yes! Don’t stop! Please don’t stop. More. I need— She dragged a ragged breath as deliverance began to unfurl deep in her core. She shifted—her legs, her arms, her hold—on the powerful body pressed against hers. She pressed, demanded. Begged.

  And sobbed out his name in gratitude as he held her hard against his hips and sent her over the edge. Wave after glo rious, body-racking, wondrous wave consumed her. Heat and light and thundering, splintering release.

  For a second there was nothing but the pleasure, raw and exquisite. And then it faded, leaving her to gently drift back to the world. Heaven, pure sweet, sweet heaven, her mind whispered in ragged awe. Like none she’d ever felt before. She was spent, her body totally exhausted by satisfaction. Her mind floated away, happily wasted in a sea of delight.

  A new sensation. A gentle one. On her neck. It took real effort to call her brain back to work. And it didn’t function much better than her body did when she pried open her eyes and tried to put her head back square on her shoulders.

  Logan. God, he had the most delicious smile on his face. Relaxed and happy and full of life. Like he’d looked in the old days. Her heart melted and turned the rest of her body to soft butter. She sighed as she slid down his body, accepting that she was going to end up in puddle at his feet. She didn’t care. Maybe he’d come with her. That would be nice.

  Logan laughed softly and bent to catch her behind her crumpling knees. God, if he could have just enough strength left to get them to the bed. He grinned. Not that Cat would notice if he didn’t. Jesus. For as long as he lived… She was absolutely incredible.

  He collapsed onto the bed with her in his arms, grateful to have made it. She barely moved, turning only slightly to nuzzle her face into the curve of his neck. He closed his eyes and ran his hand slowly over the curve of her hip. “Are you okay, Cat?”

  She sighed. “I’ll let you know when I can feel something other than intensely satisfied.” He grinned. She kissed his neck and added, “If it wasn’t that good for you, please be nice and keep it to yourself. I’m enjoying my bubble.”

  He laughed and hugged her close. God All-fricking-mighty. If he could bottle what Catherine Talbott had, he could put the little blue pill people right out of business. “It was spectacular. Over way too quick, but spectacular.”

  She made a humming sound. He couldn’t tell what she meant by it, and he wanted to make sure she understood that he wasn’t just being nice. He rolled over and put her on her back, then, lying on his side, waited for her to open her eyes and look up at him.

  It took a couple of seconds. The wait was worth it, though. No more beautiful woman had ever smiled at him. His nerves came back to life and heat flooded through his veins again. “Honest, Cat. On the Fujita Scale that was a ten.”

  She laughed. “It only goes to five.”

  “That’s what they think.”

  “Thank
you,” she whispered, brushing the back of her hand over the hair on his chest.

  Yeah, for as long as he lived, he was going to remember tonight. Being with her. He blinked as the sensation shot from his chest to his groin. He looked down as a second charged after the first. She flicked the tiny nub of his nipple again and grinned when he sucked a breath.

  “You’re gorgeous,” he murmured, trailing a fingertip over her lower lip. “You know that?” He moved his hand lower, making a slow, deliberate path down over her chin and throat.

  She settled her shoulders into the mattress and slightly arched her back to offer him a destination. “Yeah, well, what do you know. You’re blind in one eye.”

  He drew a circle around a hard, rosy peak. “But there’s nothing wrong with the one I have left.”

  “Please don’t take this the wrong way,” she countered as her hand slipped down his chest. “You have wonderful eyes, but they’re not the part of you that blows me away.”

  He laughed as that part of him rose to the invitation. Leaning over, he took her nipple into his mouth and teased it with his tongue. Cat moaned and arched up and took him into her hands. His intentions lasted for maybe thirty seconds and then he gave up hope of a slower go the second time around.

  Cat jolted awake. Both physically and mentally. Logan was up. Her cocoon was gone. There was no moving; her body was lead. Her mind wasn’t in much better shape, but the sight of Logan snatching his pants up off the floor got her attention. No fire alarms were going off. She was going to have to ask. “What’s wrong?”

  “I fell asleep.”

  She managed to move her head to look over at the clock. Three-oh-seven. “And that’s bad because…?”

  “I have a roommate to keep tabs on me,” he answered as he yanked his shirt over his head. “Do you have a book I can borrow for a day or two?”

  She had no idea how one thing went with the other, but apparently, in his mind, they did. “In the courier bag in the corner chair.” Pointing toward it occurred to her. She didn’t have the energy to actually do it, though. All she could muster was to watch him dash over, take out the book and come back around the end of the bed.

  “Thanks,” he offered, heading toward the door.

  “Good night, Logan. Sweet dreams.”

  He stopped and came back, climbing up on the bed to plant a hand on either side of her head. “There’s a couple of Triple A kids I want to take a look at up in Des Moines. I was thinking about flying up next Friday night and coming back Saturday. We don’t play until Sunday. Any chance you can get another weekend away?”

  She’d move heaven to let him move her earth. “I’ll see what I can do.”

  He kissed her, quick and hard, and then took off again, saying, “I wish I could stay, but it would just be inviting grief we don’t need.”

  “I understand,” she said. The door opened and closed. “Okay, not really,” she admitted, staring up at the dark ceiling. “It’s after three. Nic’s gonna guess where you’ve been.” But if Logan thought he could pull off a good story, then, hey, she’d let him. Next weekend it wouldn’t be a concern.

  She frowned. She’d never looked forward to a weekend of sex with Ben. Probably because it had never been this good with him. Good God. She’d settled. That’s what she’d done. Of course, in her defense, she hadn’t known that sex could be any better. Hadn’t had so much as a clue.

  But, boy, she knew better now. There was a whole new, wide world out there. And she was going to enjoy the hell out of it. Bless Logan. She’d have to think of some way to convey the depth of her gratitude. She grinned at the possibilities.

  Chapter Ten

  C at hung up the phone and pulled her planner front and center. Hotel and rental car reservations made. “Lakisha, days ago,” she murmured, putting a check mark beside it. Flight departure time confirmed. Check. Two o’clock appointment with the PC banquet staff confirmed. Check. Bank balance still black? Check, check. Call Friends placement office. She drew a line through that one and put a check mark beside “Florence on board.” She’d been by the ATM on her way into the office hours ago. Her suitcase was packed and sitting by the door. Her happy pills were in her purse. Check, check, check. She was ready to go.

  Clicking sound. Lakisha. Cat looked up. Her secretary stood in the doorway, her hands behind her back and a strange sort of smile on her face. A little bit guilty, a lot more amused.

  “Yes?”

  “I was opening the mail and not really paying attention to the address labels and… Well…” She stepped forward and laid a slightly lumpy, plain brown envelope on the desk. “Here.”

  “Oh.” Cat picked it up and reached inside. Yep, spaghetti strap. She knew what it was. Bless the Internet and next day shipping. She laid it aside.

  “Oh, mama is more like it. That’s…” Lakisha touched her finger to her tongue, pressed it to her hip and made a sizzling sound. “You trying to kill the man?”

  Oh, damn. How to handle this one? There was no point in lying. The peignoir was out of the bag. “He has a very strong heart.”

  Lakisha arched a brow and grinned. “Apparently that ain’t all he’s got going for him in the Iron Man department.”

  Oh, God. She was blushing. Even worse, her grin was every bit as big and wicked as Lakisha’s.

  “Just between us girls… Is he as hot as he looks?”

  Aw, man. She’d been busting to share her excitement with someone all week. With Lakisha standing there, already knowing… The pressure was too much. “Hotter.”

  Lakisha made a squeaking sound and did a little hip rolling dance. Her beads clicked. Her bracelets jangled. “Oh, you ride him, cowgirl!”

  “Trust me, I am. For as long as it lasts.”

  The dance stopped. The bracelets went wild as Lakisha put one hand on her hip and struck her other arm straight out and waved her hand. “Whoa! Whoa right there! Nuh-uh. Whaddya mean for as long as it lasts?”

  “This is a fling. Intense, but temporary.”

  She snorted and put both hands on her hips. “Says who?”

  “You’ll just have to take my word on it. I’m not going to give you a videotape and let you give us a score.”

  “No. No, no,” Lakisha shot back, waving her hands again. “Who says this is temporary?”

  “We agreed to that before we started.”

  “Did you sign papers?”

  “Of course not. Don’t be ridiculous.”

  A dismissive wave. A jangle. “Well, then it’s an open-ended deal. You can change the terms if you want. Nothing says there’s a clock running on this thing.”

  “I can’t change the terms all by myself,” Cat pointed out, leaning back in her chair. “I’m not having an affair with a vibrator, you know. He sorta has a say in it, too. And he’s more than a little used to being unattached.”

  She snorted again, adding an eye roll this time. “If he appreciates a fine woman and expensive black lace, he’s gonna be waving a white flag. Right before he whips out a huge-ass diamond ring.”

  Cat laughed. “Have you been sniffing the correction fluid?”

  “They changed the formula. No fun in it anymore. I’m telling you, he’s going down.”

  It was an erotic image. Completely unexpected and incredibly detailed. “Oh, I hope so.”

  “Not that kinda down!” Lakisha paused, smiled and said softly, “Although, I gotta say…” She shook herself and rallied back. “Never mind. I mean him going down in flames. Holding his heart and begging you to have mercy kind of flames.”

  “Oh, yeah. That’s gonna happen.”

  “Seriously.” She wagged her finger at Cat. “And when he does, don’t you dare stand back and say, but it’s only tem-por-ar-y. You grab him while he’s weak and you drag him down the aisle, girl. Don’t you let him get away.”

  “Okay.”

  Hands back to hips. “You’re just saying that to shut me up.”

  “Yep.”

  She leaned her shoulder against
the doorjamb and crossed her arms. “Does he fart in his sleep or something?”

  Cat’s mouth fell open. Never in all of her life had anyone ever asked her—

  “Then fan the blankets?”

  Oh, God. Shut this down. “I really wouldn’t know.”

  “Haven’t you gotten around to the sleeping part yet?”

  Give her an answer and get this done. “It’s been more like going comatose, okay? I wasn’t aware of any bodily functions. His or mine. Now, if we could—”

  “Is he into kinky?”

  “Lakisha!”

  “Well, I’m trying to figure out why you’d be willing to let him go. Help me here, girl. Is he into ropes and whips or something?”

  “No!”

  “Does he—”

  “No. He’s a perfectly normal and considerate lover. And we’re done with this conversation.” She sat forward and reached for her planner.

  “Is it you? You know, once burned, twice shy and all that?”

  Okay. Enough. “Yes. Yes, it’s me. I’m a nymphomaniac. Ben set me free. I’ll never be able to settle down. There are too many men out there, just waiting for me to make their every fantasy come true. I’m going to change my name to Pinky Zinfandel and dedicate my life to wrecking homes all across America. I’m just warming up with Logan Dupree.”

  Lakisha sagged and stared. “Logan? Logan? I thought it was Nic.”

  Cat clamped her hands over her mouth in case the scream escaped. She leaned to the side to look past her secretary and into the office across the main room. It was empty. She could breathe. Someday. “Nic? What have I done that makes you think I’m interested in Nic?”

  “Nothing,” Lakisha answered, her tone somewhere between awed and flabbergasted. “I just thought you were really smooth.”

  Nic. Nic Parisi. The man who wore patent leather loafers. “Ohmigod.”

  “Oh, you got a problem, girl. A big problem.”

  Oh, jeez. Lakisha was right. “You think Nic’s interested in me?”