Blazing Bedtime Stories, Volume VI Read online

Greta sank back beneath the water, quickly scooping bubbles over her chest. She reached to grab more and watched as his gaze fixed on her breasts. Desire warmed her blood immediately and she stopped what she was doing, determined to taunt him for his intrusion.

  Would she fight him if he reached out to touch her? Or would she melt into his arms, all soft flesh and damp skin? What if he stripped off his own clothes and climbed into the tub with her? Where would that lead?

  Alex cursed beneath his breath. “Why are you taking a bath? You’re not dirty. We haven’t done anything all night long except sit in the car.”

  And make out on the bed, she added silently. “I’m tense. I need to relax.”

  “Well, come downstairs and drink a big glass of wine. I need your help.”

  “Why should I help you? You’re the one who got us into this mess. If it wasn’t snowing so hard, I’d make you take me home. But since we can’t leave, I’m going to make the best of things. And this tub is a luxury I don’t have at home. Look, I can stretch out.”

  He glanced down at her, his gaze running the length of her body. “I’m hungry,” he murmured, his perusal stopping at the spot where the water met her breasts. “And I can’t eat unless you’re there.”

  “Why is that?”

  “Because, if you’re not there, I’m afraid I’m going to be dinner.”

  Greta sighed. “All right. Just give me a few minutes.” She glanced over at him. “You can leave now.”

  “You sure you don’t need help washing your back?”

  She splashed water at him, hitting him on the face. In the moment she raised her arm, she knew she’d exposed her breasts to his view. But she didn’t care. It served him right. Let him look.

  Alex quickly stood and made a hasty retreat, closing the door behind him. Greta grabbed a towel and stepped out of the tub. But a minute later, Alex stepped back inside again. He opened his mouth, as if to speak, then snapped it shut.

  Greta stood beside the tub, her naked body gleaming in the candlelight, the towel clutched in her hand. For a long moment, neither one of them moved. Greta could hear her heart pounding in her chest and she waited for him to move, to speak.

  “Did you want something else?” Greta finally asked, watching him with a wary gaze.

  Alex cleared his throat. “I—I—” He shook his head. “Shit!” Clearly frustrated, Alex strode across the bathroom, cupped her face in his hands and kissed her.

  His mouth covered hers in an urgent, almost frantic kiss and she melted against him. It was all she could think to do, operating solely on instinct. The towel fell out of her fingers as Alex’s hands skimmed over her damp skin. When he reached her hips, he pulled her against him, his hands cupping her backside.

  Greta felt the hard ridge of his erection beneath the fabric of his jeans. This hadn’t been in her plan for the weekend. The last thing she’d ever intended was to allow him to seduce her again. But it felt so right, so perfect, as if every moment of the trip had been leading up to this.

  When he finally drew back, Alex looked down at her. Greta’s cheeks warmed and she caught a quick breath. Try as she might, she couldn’t think of anything to say.

  Alex reached down and grabbed the towel from the floor, then gently wrapped it around her body. “I’m just going to go now,” he said, forcing a smile. “I—I’ll see you downstairs.”

  The moment she was alone again, Greta sat down on the edge of the tub. She knew exactly where all this was leading. They’d been here once before, only the trip had been fueled by tequila and unresolved curiosity.

  But this time was different. They were older and wiser and much better friends. She wasn’t sure she had the will to stop it. As she toweled off, a tiny smile twitched at her lips. Maybe it was time to explore a few of her fantasies regarding Alex. If things had changed, it was a perfect way to find out how.

  She wandered back out to the bedroom and picked through her bag for something comfortable to wear. First, she’d rescue him from Thea Michaels. Then, they’d retire for the evening. And after that…another shiver skittered over her naked body. Well, she’d just throw caution to the wind.

  By the time Greta walked down the stairs, dinner had already been laid out on the table. Alex looked up at her as she approached, relief etched across his features. “There you are,” he said, standing to pull out the chair next to him. He placed a clumsy kiss on her cheek and Greta pasted a smile on her face.

  “Sorry,” she murmured. “My bath was so relaxing I just couldn’t bring myself to get out. I love those scented candles. I noticed they were part of your aromatherapy line, Ms. Michaels. They really work. I’m perfectly relaxed.”

  “Maybe we should force Alex into the bath,” Thea said. “He’s so tense.”

  “Let’s eat!” Alex said, sitting down next to Greta. He reached out and handed her a bowl of Thai noodles. “Adler loves Thai food.”

  “You call her Adler?”

  “Yes,” Greta said, jumping in. “I refuse to let him call me any of those silly nicknames. Pookie, dumpling, sugarbun.” She shuddered, wrinkling her nose for emphasis.

  “Have some salad,” Alex said, holding out another bowl.

  “Men,” Thea muttered, glancing back and forth between them both. “If they aren’t thinking about sex, their minds are occupied with food.”

  “Lasagna,” Alex said. “Darling, you love lasagna. And there’s bread to go with it.” She felt his hand on her thigh and he gave her a little squeeze, a silent plea. But for what? How far did he expect her to go in the charade?

  “I love lasagna,” Greta explained. “It’s my favorite Italian food. We eat it all the time. At our favorite Italian restaurant.”

  “Gino’s Trattoria,” Alex said.

  “Gino’s,” she repeated.

  From the look on Thea’s face, she wasn’t buying the charade. Gathering her resolve, Greta leaned into Alex, snuggling up against him. “This really is wonderful. It’s like a gourmet picnic.”

  Thea smiled seductively. “There are oysters. I ordered them especially for tonight. I’ve found in my experience that men who love raw oysters are very…oral. Do you like raw oysters, Alex?”

  There was no doubting the meaning of her question. And the look in her eyes was enough to send a shiver down Greta’s spine. She was like a cunning predator, waiting for just the right moment to pounce.

  “Alex loves oysters,” Greta said.

  “Actually, I’m not big on raw seafood. It’s just a case of food poisoning waiting to happen,” he added.

  The rest of the meal was like a sexual chess match—Thea on the offensive, Alex playing defense and Greta stuck in the middle trying to guess the next move before it happened. Though the food was good, she’d developed a nervous knot in her stomach that made even the most decadent tiramisu taste like cottage cheese.

  She found herself thinking about indulging in another dip in the huge tub upstairs. Only this time, her fantasy included a tubmate. Her pulse leaped at the memory of feeling her naked body pressed against Alex’s. That moment had been the single most arousing experience she’d ever shared with a man.

  An excess of alcohol had blurred so much of their previous sexual encounter, but this instant had remained crystal clear in her mind. A shiver danced over her body and she drew a ragged breath.

  Greta drained the last of her wine and set the glass down in front of her. After two glasses, she should have been feeling a little tipsy, but her adrenaline had been pumping ever since she sat down at the dinner table and she felt completely clearheaded.

  “That was a lovely meal,” Greta said. “Thank you.”

  “I’ve never seen a woman eat with such…gusto,” Thea said. “You really should be careful. Eating habits like that will catch up with you.”

  “Greta gets a lot of exercise. In fact, we always take a walk after dinner, don’t we, darling?”

  “A walk?” Greta asked, glancing over at Alex. “But it’s cold and snowing and—”

&
nbsp; “Come on,” he said, standing up and grabbing her hand. “The fresh air will do you good. And I need to get my bag from the car. You’re welcome to join us, Thea.”

  “You must be joking,” Thea said, her voice dripping with condescension. “I never exercise unless my trainer is present. It’s so much more efficient that way.”

  “Suit yourself,” Alex said with a shrug. He quickly pushed back his chair and pulled Greta along to the front door. “Well, we’ll be back soon.”

  “A walk?” she whispered to him as she pulled on her boots. “In the middle of a snowstorm? Couldn’t you think of some other way to get away from her?”

  “Do you have any suggestions?”

  “No. But it’s cold outside and I don’t want to go out into the cold. I—”

  “Just put your jacket on,” he said. Alex helped her into her gloves and pulled her hood up around her face, then leaned over and dropped a kiss on her lips.

  “What was that for?” she asked.

  “Just playing the part,” he replied with a smile.

  3

  THEY STEPPED OUT onto the snowy porch and shut the door behind them. Greta took a deep breath and closed her eyes, leaning back against the log wall of the house.

  “Are you all right?” Alex murmured, his gaze scanning her face for a clue to her thoughts. She’d played her part well. But just how far was she willing to go to protect him?

  “Fine,” she whispered. “Just exhausted from the stress of sitting at a table with Thea Michaels.” She opened her eyes. “Let’s just walk back to the car and drive home. Please? I don’t want to spend the night here. I want to sleep in my own bed.”

  “It’ll take me an hour to dig us out. And the roads are going to be impossible. They won’t plow until it stops snowing. And it will be worse than it was on our way here.” Alex reached out and slipped his arms around her waist. “Don’t let her bother you. Once we go to bed, we won’t have to deal with her until the morning.”

  “She called me fat,” Greta cried.

  “Shh! She can probably hear us inside.”

  “Not unless she has her ear against the door,” Greta said. “And if she does, I’d just like to say that she has some pretty chunky thighs herself.”

  Alex took her hand and led her to the far end of the porch. “When did she call you fat? I didn’t hear her say it.”

  “She said I ate with gusto. I hate her. She is such a witch. If there were an oven in that house big enough for her, I’d toss her inside.”

  “You’d put her in the oven?”

  “Like the witch in ‘Hansel and Gretel.’ God, haven’t you been paying attention?” She brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes and stared up at him. “I don’t care how long it takes to get home. I promise, I won’t complain about your driving. I’ll just sit quietly.”

  “For you, that would be impossible. We’ll just say we’re tired and go to bed. Then, we’ll get up early tomorrow morning and leave. I promise.”

  Was she really so averse to spending the night under the same roof as Thea Michaels? “Is it Thea you’re worried about?” Alex asked, not really wanting to hear the answer. “Or is it me?”

  Greta’s breath clouded in front of her face as she sighed softly. “Why would it be you?”

  “Well, I thought maybe after what happened in the bathroom you might—”

  “No,” Greta said.

  “No? What does that mean?”

  She drew a deep breath and sighed. “I don’t know. I—I guess I’m just trying to play the part.”

  “Is that all it is?”

  “What else would it be?” Greta asked.

  “Well, you’re doing a fine job,” Alex said. “Except for that crack about the oysters.”

  “You like oysters. I figured the closer we keep to the truth, the easier it would be. Although, Thea was right about you being very oral. You just can’t seem to keep from putting your big foot in your mouth.”

  Alex chuckled. “Quiet. She’ll hear you.”

  “She’s quite the creature, isn’t she? Claws like a cougar, teeth like a barracuda and ears like a bat. I wonder if she has sex like a rabbit?”

  “Stop,” Alex said, holding up his hand. “I don’t need that image burned in my brain for the rest of the evening.” He gave her a quick hug. “Thanks for running interference.”

  “That’s me. Your very own sexual linebacker. What would have happened if I hadn’t been here?” Greta asked. “Would you have slept with her?”

  He shook his head. “No.”

  “Really?”

  “No! She’s a client. I don’t mix business with pleasure.”

  “We mixed business with pleasure when we slept together,” Greta said. “And when you kissed me on the bed. And in the bathroom.”

  “I don’t think of it that way,” Alex replied. “I don’t think of you as a coworker. Come on, Adler, you’re my best friend.”

  “But what does that mean? If you had to choose between me and your job, which would you choose?”

  “That’s simple. I can always find another job, but I’ll never find another friend like you.”

  Greta searched his face, a wary expression suffusing her pretty features. “You’re just saying that so I keep playing your girlfriend,” she said.

  He shook his head. “No, I’m saying it because it’s true. I do care about you, Adler.”

  Greta stared up at him, her mouth agape. She began to speak, but then thought better of it. Alex waited for the tirade, a recap of all the rules followed by a warning that there wouldn’t be a repeat of their previous indiscretions. Instead, to his surprise, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him.

  At first, her move startled him and he drew back. But then, an instant later, he decided to take advantage of this surprising event. Alex’s lips covered hers in a long, lingering kiss. Greta moaned softly as he pressed her back against the log wall, his hands braced on either side of her head.

  This was becoming a habit between them. So much that it almost felt natural to lose himself in the taste of her mouth. His gloved hands drew her closer, but their thick jackets created a barrier between them. He reached and unzipped her coat, smoothing his hands around her waist and pulling her toward him.

  All around them, the snow continued to fall silently, illuminated by the light spilling from the house. But Alex didn’t notice the cold. His heart was pounding. In truth, he wanted to tear off all her clothes and take complete control of her beautiful body.

  A shiver shook her and Alex drew back to look down into her eyes. “It’s cold out here,” he said. “Go back inside. I’ll get my things and be back before you know it.”

  “She’s going to eat me for dessert,” Greta said.

  “Just go inside and lock yourself in our room. I promise I’ll be back to protect you in ten minutes.”

  “I—I thought I was the one protecting you,” Greta said.

  “And you’ve done a fine job of it, Adler. Now, go upstairs and get ready for bed.”

  Greta nodded and turned for the door. But then she glanced over her shoulder at Alex, her curiosity getting the better of her. “Would you step in front of a bus to save my life?” she asked.

  He chuckled. “In a heartbeat.”

  Satisfied, she opened the front door and stepped inside. His decision had been made. Whatever happened tonight between them would be no cause for regret. Every time they touched, it was proof that she wanted more, that she was ready to experience the ultimate intimacy with him, to lie naked in his arms, to touch his body at will.

  For this one night, maybe they could throw away all the rules. He walked down the front steps and grabbed his snowshoes, then strapped them on his feet. As he hiked back to the road, Alex pushed his pace, determined to get back to Greta as quickly as possible.

  The road still wasn’t plowed, but he found the car quickly, opened the hatch and grabbed his bag. Unzipping it, he rummaged through the contents then breathed a sigh of relief when
he found the box of condoms. At least he’d be prepared for any eventuality.

  But he realized that he wasn’t ready to make that decision—not yet. Tossing his bag back inside, he grabbed the shovel he kept in the back of the car and set to work on the drift that had trapped the front wheels. The hard work was enough to rid him of some of his nervous energy and after just fifteen minutes, he’d managed to free the car and drive it back down to the cabin.

  When he finally climbed the front steps, he was covered with snow and cold to the bone. The exercise had done the trick though. He felt pleasantly exhausted and relaxed. And though he still had sex on the brain, at least he had a shot at falling asleep with Greta sharing his bed. But as he reached for the door, he wondered if he’d have to get through another round with Thea before he could join Greta in the bedroom.

  He didn’t want to be rude, but if she insisted on this pursuit, he wouldn’t have much choice. Why was she so intent on bedding him? Was it just the conquest? Alex couldn’t imagine that she was interested in anything more than just sex. Though he’d heard Thea often invited men into her bed, she rarely allowed them a place in her life.

  Drawing a deep breath, he stepped inside the cabin. The interior was dimly lit and silent. A fire still crackled in the stone fireplace and he saw Thea, lounging on the sofa, another drink in her hand.

  Alex slipped out of his boots and jacket, then crossed the room. “I thought you’d be in bed by now,” he said.

  “It’s eleven o’clock,” she said. “Children go to bed at this time. By the way, your girlfriend has already turned in.” She patted the place beside her on the sofa. “Sit. Relax. Let me get you a drink.”

  “I’m fine,” Alex said. He took another deep breath and tried to frame his words as carefully as possible. “Thea, I want you to know that in another time and another place, this may have happened. You are an incredibly sexy woman. But, I’m pretty sure the two of us, together, would be a disaster. We have a great professional relationship and I love working for you. I want to keep it that way. So, I’m going to have to say no to your very interesting proposition.”

  “What a pity,” Thea said. “We would have had some fun together, Alex.”