Breathless Secrets by Elizabeth Lennox

Chapter 5

James could barely breathe! 

He stared at Molly in the crimson cocktail dress that hugged every delectable curve of her surprisingly lush figure.  Her breasts, always hidden by a loose tee shirt, were larger than he’d realized!  And her waist was teeny!  And damn, where had she been hiding those legs?! 

He felt…almost betrayed.  As if she’d been hiding her true self behind those baggy clothes.  His gaze traveled from her breasts to her waist to her full, round hips and lower, still stunned by her long, sexy legs.  He wasn’t a leg man, preferring breasts to all of the other delectable parts of a woman’s anatomy.  But her legs were…hot!  She should never wear jeans!  Heck, she should never wear pants ever again!

When he finally returned his gaze to hers, he was able to take in her curls piled haphazardly on her head instead of firmly restrained by a band.  The way those dark curls framed her blue eyes and high cheekbones made him want to let loose a stream of curse words.  He’d known Molly was beautiful, but this woman standing in front of him was…! 

“Say something, damn it!” she snapped, her hands fisted at her sides.

He suddenly realized that she was nervous.  Not about him, but about her appearance? 

“Molly, I knew you were beautiful before, but…you’re a showstopper in that dress!” he whispered.  “If I wasn’t afraid of messing up your lipstick, I’d kiss you right now!”

She laughed, and he noticed how her shoulders relaxed.  As if his appreciation was the only thing that really mattered just now. 

“Thank you!” she whispered with heart-felt sincerity, leaning into him. 

He shook his head.  “Molly, don’t…!” he began, but for the first time in his life, words failed him. “I can’t…!”  James stepped into her doorway and Molly quickly stepped out of his way.  But that wasn’t what he needed.  James needed… to touch her.  To hold her!  He needed to know that she was real and not a mirage.  So, instead of allowing her to back away, he gently pulled her into his arms. 

Startled by how intoxicating she felt, he pressed his lips to hers.  It was a soft, sultry kiss, and he pulled back almost immediately.  As he straightened, she stared up at him, her lips parted in stunned surprise, which made her look even more appealing.

“Why did you do that?” she whispered, her pink tongue darting out to lick her lips. 

James shrugged, wondering if Molly realized that she was still clinging to him.  Just a quick brush of his lips and Molly was clutching the collar of his tuxedo jacket.  His body instantly hardened, wondering what she would do if he kissed her properly. 

Fireworks, he thought with a mental grin.

“We’d better get out of here,” he growled.  Stepping back, he took her hand in his, barely giving her time to grab her purse and keys. 

“Where did you get that dress?” he asked, waiting impatiently for her to finish locking the door.  As she checked to make sure that the lock engaged, his gaze moved down to her butt, his palms itching to move closer, wanting to touch her, to feel her soft curves.

Tonight was going to be hell! 

James grinned, thinking that hell wasn’t such a bad place if Molly was his tormentor!

“The dress?” she asked, glancing down at herself as if she had to remind herself of what she was wearing.  When she looked up, she shrugged.  “I found it in the back of my closet.  It was…” she grimaced as she glanced at him.  “As expected, the dress needed a bit of ironing.”

“Well, it looks fabulous on you, Molly,” he told her.  “The results of your efforts are stunning!”

Molly smiled briefly up at James before she realized he was holding open the back door to a waiting limousine.  Staring at the luxurious vehicle, Molly hesitated, even stepping back, as if the vehicle might turn into a venomous serpent at any moment. 

“Was this really necessary?” she asked, peering up and down the street, worried that someone might see them. 

“Absolutely!” he told her, stepping closer and taking her hand.  Very gently, he lifted it to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss to the back of her hand.  “If I’m going to get you drunk enough to talk about yourself, then we need someone to drive us.”  He moved slightly closer, whispering conspiratorially as he said, “Wouldn’t do for the next Senator from Virginia to be arrested for driving under the influence, now would it?”

She laughed, shaking her head.  “As if you’d ever do something so stupid.”  With that, she stepped into the back and scooted over as he settled himself beside her.  She was overwhelmed by his size all over again.  His hard thigh pressed against hers and she shifted, giving him more room. 

He sighed and unbuttoned his jacket.  “No, I definitely don’t approve of anyone drinking and driving.  In fact, I’d propose to stiffen the penalties for drunk driving.  It’s such a stupid thing to do, and easily preventable.  Of all the things in this country that we can fix, I’m guessing that drunk driving would be right up there at the top of the list.  Of course, I’d also propose more addiction resources, to help people recover.”

She blinked at him, surprised by his vehemence.  “What are other issues you’d fight for in office?”

James shrugged, as if his political platform wasn’t a huge deal.  But Molly saw the heat in his eyes and she suspected that James Morgan was incredibly passionate about his stands on many issues. 

“Oh, I think that teenage pregnancy is another issue. Actually, I think we should figure out a way to avoid all unplanned pregnancies, don’t you think?”

Molly tilted her head, suddenly tense and alert.  “Are you against abortion?”

He shrugged.  “Oh no, not at all, but I am against unplanned pregnancies,” he explained.  “I mean, pregnancy is one of those issues that science should have figured out pretty well, isn’t it?”

She couldn’t hide her surprise.  “Well, I suppose, but…”

He shook his head.  “Think about it,” he interrupted.  “There isn’t a person in the world who really wants to get pregnant without support, is there?”

“Well, maybe if…”

He fidgeted in the soft leather seat, his idealism shining through his eyes.  “What if we made contraception easily accessible to everyone?” he offered.  “Including men?”

For a moment, she stared, then chuckled.  “There really isn’t any viable contraception for men, beyond condoms.”

He cringed. “Actually, there are several male contraception options that are becoming available.  They don’t have the funding for trials though.  And men have this weird aversion to anything that might chemically hinder their ability to procreate.  So, any kind of male contraception would require a lot of mental, social, and societal changes within the male population.  But that’s another side of this issue.  Shouldn’t we, somehow, make men just as responsible for the children they’ve brought into this world as women?”

Molly blinked.  “Yes, but…”

“But men don’t have absolute control over their procreation,” he continued. “Women and men should both have the right to control their futures.  And a viable, affordable, easily accessible means of contraception would help everyone.”

She smiled, charmed by James’ passion.  “You’re an idealist!” she blurted, both surprised and delighted by this side of him. 

Did he actually blush?  The oh-so-confident James Morgan, Lawyer for the Underdog…blushed?  The red tinge behind his crisp, white collar spoke volumes and Molly beamed, mesmerized by his embarrassment over his idealistic nature. 

“I wouldn’t have thought such a hard core guy would be an idealist.”

He recovered quickly, lifting a dark eyebrow.  “Don’t even try it, Molly,” he reprimanded.  “You’re one of the most liberal of the liberals.  Your entire job, your life, and your world revolve around the same idealistic hope that you can fix the world.”

She laughed, her fascination increasing.  “James, you’re deflecting.” 

James shifted subtly.  “You are challenging me to show you my cave-man persona again.  Don’t tangle with me.  You’ll regret it.”

Molly leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with challenge.  “I’m starting to doubt that you’re the mean dude that you try to portray to the world.”

He leaned forward again, their breath mingling warmly.  He lived life on “Full Gusto” mode.  “Oh, I’m the tough guy, all right,” he murmured.  “You’re just too soft to realize it.”

Molly laughed again, but this time, she wasn’t as intimidated by him as she might have been during their last two dates.  Nor was she as nervous about this wild attraction she felt.  Somehow, that blush, combined with his idealism, melted her resistance. 

Sort of.  He was still a scary guy. 

“I’m not so sure anymore,” she whispered.

He kissed her.  Molly wasn’t sure if she eliminated that last centimeter of space between them, or if he did.  But the result was an explosion of sensation as his mouth moved over hers, his tongue teasing her lips until she opened for him.  Did she just moan? Or was that him? 

Molly reached up, cupping his neck as he pulled her closer.  She was startled to discover she was on his lap, staring into each other’s eyes in stunned silence. 

“You have lipstick on your…” she stopped when he pulled a pristine handkerchief out of his breast pocket, blotting the scarlet away.  “Better,” she whispered, then wished she could kiss him again.

He handed her the hankie and Molly scooted off of his lap to grab her purse so that she could repair her makeup.  “We can’t keep doing that,” she sighed, as she pulled her lipstick out of her purse.

“I agree,” he said, shifting slightly.  “At least until the end of the evening.”

Molly didn’t respond.  Because in the depths of her soul, where issues really counted, she wanted to throw caution to the wind and kiss him again.  She wanted to ignore tonight’s fundraising event so that she could just keep kissing him until she didn’t need oxygen any longer. 

Instead, Molly shifted over to the other side of the limousine, ignoring his chuckle at her evasion as she repaired her lipstick. 

“Where are we going?” she asked, tucking her lipstick back into her clutch purse.

“Well, first we’re going to dinner at a small restaurant in Alexandria.  It’s one of my favorites,” he explained.  “The head chef is a Culinary Institute of America alumni and has the most extraordinary way of mixing flavors and scents.”  He shook his head.  “He’s the type of guy I never would have thought would go into the restaurant industry, but he loves it.  He loves cooking and creating, and his biggest thrill comes from watching others enjoy his creations.”

“He sounds like an amazing guy.  What’s the name of the restaurant?”

“Madeira’s,” he told her, then blinked when Molly gasped.

“We can’t eat there!” she protested, pushing back against the soft leather seat.

“We can’t?” he asked, eyeing her curiously. 

“No!”

He waited, but when he understood that she wasn’t going to continue, he prompted, “Why not?”

Her mouth fell open ever so slightly, stunned that he didn’t already know.  “Because it is way too expensive.”

His eyebrows lifted at that.  “Too expensive and…?”

“I can’t let you spend that much money on one meal.”

He stared, waiting for her to continue. “Are you thinking that a meal at Madeira’s will…impoverish me?” he asked, still struggling to understand.

“Yes!” she whispered, glancing furtively at the driver.  Thankfully, the partition between them and the driver’s area was closed, so he couldn’t eavesdrop. 

He laughed, taking her hand and placing it on his hard thigh.  Molly was painfully conscious of his hard muscles underneath her hand, as well as the silky material of his slacks. 

“Molly, you have no idea how much I’m worth, do you?”

She shrugged, feeling silly and hating it.  “I know you’re a great lawyer, James, but…” she stopped when his gaze turned heated.  “What?”

“I love it when you say my name,” he growled, then lifted her onto his lap again. 

“No!” she ordered, pushing at his shoulders.  Immediately, he froze, but she could feel his hands on her hips.  “I just fixed my lipstick, James.  Do not mess it up again.”

His gaze dropped to her lips and his fingers tightened, digging into her hips.  “No?”

Molly was unaware of her tongue darting out, licking her lips as if she were staring at a luscious dessert.  “No,” she replied, her voice husky.  “You can’t.”

“Not yet,” he agreed easily, his hand sliding up her back.

Molly groaned, her eyes closing as heat rushed through her.  “You have to stop, James,” she ordered, sliding off of his lap and scooting to the other side of the limousine, out of arm’s reach.

“That’s definitely not going to happen,” he declared.  But he didn’t pull her back to his side.  Probably because the driver pulled up outside of the exclusive restaurant. Molly stepped out of the limo, James followed, sliding his arm around her waist as he led her into the legendary restaurant.  She’d heard so much about this place, but hadn’t ever imagined actually eating here.

When they were seated at one of the best tables, the waiter handed her a menu.  Without prices!  She’d been prepared to order the cheapest entrée on the menu, but how could she do so that when she didn’t know the prices? 

“You’re trying to find something that isn’t too pricy, aren’t you?” he teased, setting his menu down beside his plate.

Molly rolled her eyes.  “Yes!  This restaurant is making me uncomfortable,” she admitted.

“How about if I order for you?” he offered.  “That way, you won’t be blamed for bankrupting me.”

She laughed, putting her menu down as well and leaning back in her chair.  “Fine.”

“Chicken, fish or steak?” he asked.

“Chicken,” she selected, assuming that poultry was the least expensive of those three choices. 

The waiter arrived and James ordered the “poulet” something for her and a steak something or other for himself.  He also ordered a bottle of white wine and a couple other things that she didn’t understand. 

“What are we eating?” she asked, leaning forward once the waiter had disappeared. 

He lifted his water glass and took a long sip.  “You’re having chicken in a white wine sauce with wild mushrooms and basil.” 

Molly’s mouth immediately started watering.  “Yum! And you?”

“Steak in a sherry cream sauce and some sort of potatoes on the side.”

“Nice,” she nodded.  “And the wine?”

“Just a white wine.  Nothing special.”

Molly’s eyes narrowed on him.  “I doubt that.  But even if you told me the wine’s name, I wouldn’t know what it meant.  It could be a pretentious ten dollar bottle of wine or a nine hundred dollar bottle that is overpriced and wonderfully smooth.”

He laughed softly.  “You’re right, so you’ll just have to enjoy the meal and trust me.”

She laughed, shaking her head.  “Trust you?  I don’t even know you.”  She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table slightly.  “I don’t even know what you stand for, politically.”

The waiter arrived with the wine.  He went through the whole tasting and approval process and, once James had approved of the vintage, he poured for both of them, then placed the bottle in a bucket of ice and drifted away. 

“You were saying?” she lifted her eyebrows pointedly.

He chuckled at her tenacity, but nodded towards her untouched glass of wine.  “Try your wine.”

Molly sipped the wine, and her eyes widened.  It was smooth and buttery, very elegant with a wisp of apples towards the end.  Very carefully, she set the glass back down on the table, propping her chin up on the palm of her hand and smiled at him.  “It’s extraordinary.  So, tell me about your political platform.  What do you stand for?”

He shook his head.  “I don’t want to discuss politics tonight.  How about if you tell me more about yourself?”

She shrugged. “I already told you the most important stuff.  There isn’t a whole lot more to tell.  I grew up with a mother and father, who are still alive and live in Virginia.  My older sister is a teacher.  My younger brother is in graduate school, studying to become an engineer of some sort.  I think he’s into computers, but its boring stuff and I tease him about his boring job.  He teases me about my bleeding heart liberalism, and we both torment my older sister, who wants to save every child that enters her classroom.  My father is an accountant for a big firm and my mother is an emergency room nurse.  We grew up with just enough.  We took vacations to the beach or camping in the mountains.  We had raucous Christmases and Thanksgivings.  My sister has summers off, and sometimes comes to stay with me and volunteers at the Center for a few weeks, helping the kids catch up on their schoolwork.  She couldn’t visit this year though, because she’s pregnant and is going to deliver my first niece or nephew in about two months.”  She shrugged. “So, there really isn’t much about me that is extraordinary.”

“Other than the fact that you’ve sacrificed your life to help others,” he countered.

“First of all, I don’t consider my job a sacrifice.  I think of it as an honor.  I love my job. I love the kids I work with.  I see more potential in each of their smiling faces than I do when I read the news about the politicians and the partisanship that has gripped the country lately.”  She eyed him pointedly and he lifted his glass of wine to her before taking a sip.  “Besides, the same could be said about you, James.  I’m guessing from what you’ve said so far that you’re not one of those avaricious, my-way-or-rot-in-hell politicians.  What made you decide to go into politics?”

“Let me just say that my mother wasn’t really into raising kids, so I respect the fact that you built a program around protecting the kids at the center.” 

“Thank you.  But most of the neighborhood families are really good and kind parents.  They just need a bit of extra help before and after school, as well as during the summer months.”

“It’s the same in wealthy neighborhoods,” he pointed out.  “I used to attend community center programs like that, until my mother married the wealthiest man in the town.”

“You did?” she asked, surprised and somehow charmed. 

“Absolutely.  My mother worked as a school aide, unable to afford college.  She used to drop me off at a neighbor’s house when she could afford it.  And when she couldn’t, I’d get to go to the library where there were programs for the desperately poor kids like me.”

“Is that why you decided to run for political office?  Because you grew up in poverty?”

He shook his head, but the look in his eyes was almost amused.  “Oh, my poverty only lasted until my mother found a husband who could support her in the way in which she wanted to become accustomed.  At least, that was the first man she married.”

Molly cringed.  “She divorced him?  What was that like?”

He laughed.  “I was already shuffled off to boarding school by the time my mother found husband number two.  That guy was wealthier than the first and far more generous.  She was happier with him.  At least for a while.”

He said it all so casually, as if his mother’s mercenary approach to marriage was normal.  But she suspected that it had impacted his life in very profound ways!  “Sounds like you had a pretty horrible childhood.”

James shook his head. “Not really.  I was away most of the time and, because I was good at sports as well as academics, I fit in pretty well.  I wasn’t bullied and my teachers liked me.  So, it was relatively easy.” 

Molly tilted her head, fascinated.  “So…what made you decide to go into politics?” she asked again. 

He took a long sip of his wine before answering.  “I read too many articles about corrupt politicians and decided that I wanted to change it.”

Her eyes narrowed slightly, not sure she completely believed him.  No one was that good of a person, she knew.  “So, you sacrificed your time and gave up a lucrative law practice, in order to challenge a senator that has held his seat for decades and never lost an election?”

James chuckled softly at her disbelieving tone.  “Well, Bernard Von Deuch is a jackass.  A pompous one! I’m not overly fond of politicians normally, but after that FBI investigation last year into Von Deuch’s political manipulations, I decided that something had to be done to stop him.  He’s one of the worst.  And for the record, I didn’t give up my law practice.  I still own the practice and I have about fifty employees.” He winked at her.  “Never fear, my law practice is thriving.”

She stopped with her wine glass midway to her mouth. “You still own the practice?”

“Yes.  And I still have to cope with issues that can’t be handled by my management team.  Plus, I’ve invested in several properties and a couple other investment deals over the years.  A financial manager handles those.  When I win the election, then they will be handled in a blind trust until I’m out of office.”

Molly blinked, stunned by his business acumen as well as his integrity.  “That’s…very different.”

“Not really.  Most politicians step away from their financial obligations, just to ensure that there’s no conflict of interest.  It wouldn’t be right if, for example, a senator on the Finance Committee heard about a drug trial or a new SEC proposal.  They could turn around and adjust their investments ahead of any sort of decision.  Those kinds of moves could be extraordinarily profitable, but they aren’t legal or fair.”

“Do most politicians put their investments into a blind trust then?”

“Most do.  Not all.”

“And yours are?”

“They will be when I win the senate seat,” he told her. 

She grinned, not missing the “when” in that statement.  “That’s good of you.”

“I want to be better than just ‘good’, though,” he explained, leaning forward as his passion sparkled in his eyes.  They went on to debate abortion issues, religion in government, immigration policy, financial tax reform, and other hot-button issues.  Having grown up in a family that regularly debated politics, Molly was well informed on many issues.  But James had in depth, complex suggestions for many of those problems that were beyond what she’d considered. It was wonderful to debate with him.  She didn’t agree with him on every issue.  But she definitely respected his perspectives and admired his desire to change things. 

By the time the waiter arrived with the dessert menu, Molly felt as if she’d gone through an entire civics course.  And while she knew that her meal had been delicious, she honestly couldn’t remember what she’d eaten.  She’d been too consumed by the conversation. 

“You’re interesting to debate, James,” she said as he led her out of the restaurant and back into the waiting limousine.  “I suspect that we’re on opposite political parties, but I thank you for not beating me down and telling me that I’m wrong.”

He held the door open for her.  “I think that most people are pretty close on most issues.  If they’d bother to talk with each other in a logical way, actually discuss the issues instead of just stubbornly asserting they are right and the other side was wrong, they’d find that they might agree more than disagree.”  As they moved outside, the sultry night air enveloped them.  “Thank you for a wonderful dinner.”

He knew she was trying to get out of the networking plans for the night.  “Ah, but we’re not done yet, are we?”  Before she could object, he continued.  “It won’t be nearly as bad as you think.  Tonight is more laid back than you probably expect, mostly friends or close acquaintances.  In fact, a friend of mine is playing in the band tonight.  I’ll introduce you if he gets a break.” 

She let her eyes move over his body, taking in his beautiful tuxedo that had to have been custom made.  “You know a guy who plays in a band?” she teased.

He growled, wrapping a playful arm around her waist.  “Yes, I know a guy who plays in a band.  I know a lot of people, brat.” 

Molly laughed, feeling relaxed in his presence despite the intense, almost throbbing sense of awareness.  It was even more profound when he held her like this as he led her back to the limo. 

She beamed up at him, thinking he was even more attractive than ever.  “I’d love to see this band and meet your friends, James,” she said, then spontaneously lifted up onto her toes to kiss him.  It was just a brief touch of their lips, and before he could respond, she ducked into the back of the limousine.  But he followed after her quickly, his glare clear that the kiss wasn’t nearly satisfying enough. 

Fortunately, they were less than a mile from the Willard Hotel, and at this time in the evening, traffic was light enough that the driver could work his way through the normally congested streets with relative ease.

Molly suspected that James might have done a bit more as retribution for her kiss if he’d had more time.

As it was, there were several other couples walking towards the entrance to the hotel and James was greeted with enthusiastic calls as soon as the crowd recognized him. 

For the next two hours, while the excellent jazz band played in the background, James introduced her to several people that she’d only known from the television or the society pages of the news.  Some of them were more down to earth than she would have expected.  Just normal people that were out to enjoy an evening of good music and dancing.  Some of the others were obviously out to network with a vengeance.  Those were the people that rushed over to James, needing “just a word” with him on a variety of issues.  Molly watched, impressed at how adeptly James handled the people who spoke to him, even pulling her into the conversation. 

What’s more, he never asked anyone to donate anything to the Community Center.  But her presence there allowed him to talk about the activities that she’d organized when those activities related to something they mentioned.  Which allowed those people interested to ask more questions.  Many of the questioners added that they wanted to contribute to her efforts. 

By the time midnight rolled around, Molly’s eyes felt as if they were permanently in an “I Can’t Believe This” expression.  She estimated that she’d more than doubled her annual budget.  She wasn’t naive enough to believe that everyone would follow through on their offers of donations.  But if even half of the people sent the sums they’d committed, she could fund several new programs, and expand several others!

“You must be proud of yourself,” James commented as he pulled her onto the dance floor.

“I’m not…” she shook her head, pressing her lips tightly together as she contemplated tonight.  Finally, she looked up into his eyes.  “Thank you for bringing me here tonight, James,” she whispered.  She opened her mouth to say more, but the words just wouldn’t form.

He pulled her closer.  “You’re welcome,” he murmured in her ear.  “You’re a natural, Molly.  The way you worked the conversation was perfect.  You never asked for donations.  You simply talked about the activities.  You let the listener offer their support.  It’s exactly what I would have suggested, if I’d thought that you needed advice.”

Molly laughed, leaning her head against his shoulder.  “Oh, I’ve never done anything like this before!” she told him.  “Louise and Nora, the two ladies you met in the kitchen the last time you visited, also write most of our grant proposals.  Every once in a while, one of the parents has an idea and is able to write the proposal as well for something they’d like to start at the center.  But besides those grants and our limited state funding, our donations are from local business owners.  Unfortunately, most of them don’t have much to spare.  The remainder of our budget comes from local governments, who are hoping that we’ll just keep the neighborhood kids from joining the local gangs or forming a new one.”

“That sounds a bit cynical.”

She nodded. “Yes, I guess I’ve become a bit skeptical of most people’s motives.”  She grinned up at him.  “But tonight was nice.  It was nice watching you talk to people, as well as hearing from others who believe in what I’m doing.”

He pulled her closer. “Most people believe in good causes, Molly.  They just don’t know how to help.”

She tilted her head quizzically.  “Is that what you believe?” she asked.

He appeared startled by her question.  “Yes.  You don’t?”

She smiled, but the expression was a bit melancholy.  “I think that a lot of people are too protective of their own families to see how a community can pull together to make a neighborhood better.  It’s difficult though.  Especially in this area, where people regularly work fifty or sixty hours a week.”

“Yes, exhaustion tends to happen when there is intense competition for jobs and recognition.”  He let his hands drift along her waist.  “But I don’t want to talk about other people right now,” he told her.  “I want to discuss that too-brief kiss you gave me after dinner.”

Molly’s heart began to pound.  “The kiss?”

“Yes,” he nodded.  “The kiss.  What did you think would happen after we left tonight?” he asked, his hands moving higher on her back.

Molly abruptly noticed that they were dancing in the shadows.  Shivering, she thought about putting a bit of space between their bodies.  But the hard planes of his chest against her felt…wonderful.  James was…addictive. 

She grinned saucily up at him.  “I guess I thought that you would take me to my apartment, shake my hand in a gentlemanly fashion, and we’d go our separate ways.”

He chuckled as he nuzzled her throat.  “Is that really what you want to happen?” he asked.

Molly opened her mouth to tell him yes, but the word stuck.  Especially when he discovered a sensitive spot right against the edge of her neck and collarbone, sending sparks of awareness through her! 

“Molly?” he whispered, his breath hot against her neck.  “What do you want to happen tonight?”

Oh, how she wished she could tell him that she had an early morning appointment tomorrow.  But she didn’t.  And for some reason, she couldn’t even offer a polite lie.  Not to him.  Not tonight. 

“I…don’t know.”

“Invite me to stay the night, Molly.”

“The whole night?” she gasped, shocked by his suggestion as well as his hands that had smoothed down along her back, hovering just above her bottom.  All night, she’d wanted to feel his hands on her.  But now that they were there, she wasn’t sure she could handle this level of intimacy.  Not from James.  He was too…everything! 

“The whole night,” he whispered back, nipping at her earlobe, then kissing it. 

“Yes!” she whispered, pressing herself more intimately against his hips. 

He shifted, moving to the music a bit longer, but he lifted his head, staring down at her.  The heat in his eyes, the expression that whispered that his need was just as intense, was there in his gaze.  But also in his body.  How had a simple dinner together turned into such a sensuous journey? 

“Let’s get out of here,” he growled.  He pulled back slowly, almost as if he didn’t want to stop the physical contact any more than she did. 

Taking her hand, he moved along the side of the room, trying to avoid anybody who might recognize him and stop him for yet another conversation. 

The driver was waiting outside of the hotel, so it was easy to duck into the back, the darkness intensifying the sense of intimacy.  And as soon as the door closed and the driver pulled away from the curb, Molly was in his arms.  This time, there was no hesitation! 

She wasn’t aware that she was straddling his hips, but James was.  He pulled her hips closer, grinding the heat of her core against his rock hard erection.  He wanted nothing between them.  Nothing but air.  And even that wasn’t necessary.  Only Molly and her beautiful skin and her gorgeous legs wrapped around his waist as she whispered his name.  He wanted to taste every inch of her, feel her heart against his, pounding as they explored each other. 

“Come with me,” he groaned.  He didn’t wait for the driver to get out of the limousine and open the door.  He needed Molly now.  He grabbed her purse before he picked her up and set her carefully on the parking lot ground.  He grabbed her hand and practically dragged her up the sidewalk.  He should have told his driver that he was finished for the night, but James didn’t have the mental capacity for words.  He needed to get Molly alone and naked!  Now!

He pulled her into an elevator, barely taking the time to press a button before he pulled her back into his arms. 

“This is crazy,” she whispered as her hands moved higher, her delicate fingers sliding up his neck before diving into his hair. 

“If you don’t want this, Molly, tell me now.” He cupped her face and held still.

He watched the heat in her eyes and felt her body press against his.  But James didn’t move.  Not until she was sure.  The slow curl of her lips gave him the answer he wanted. 

“Damn, you’re beautiful!” he murmured against her lips, ending in a kiss that made her tingle right down to her toes.  This wasn’t a slow, passionate kiss.  No, the time for those kisses was long gone.  Right now, he was fighting the need to press her back against the wall of the elevator, rip off her panties and thrust into her heat.  The only thing stopping him was the fact that they were in an elevator and he wanted a bed.  A bed where he could make love to her and watch her expressions as he entered her slowly, inch by inch. 

When the elevator pinged, he grabbed her hand and led her into his place.  But he didn’t give her time to look around. He doubted that she’d like his penthouse anyway, so he kissed her.  Right there in the foyer, doing what he’d wanted to do in the elevator; pressing her back against the wall as he lifted her so that her body was more perfectly aligned with his. 

He heard her gasp, and absorbed it into his mouth as he covered her lips with another kiss.  Angling her body allowed him to free up one hand and he slid the zipper of her dress down.  But because of their position against the wall, he couldn’t see her.  Not well enough.  And finally getting to see Molly’s breasts was not something he was willing to miss! 

With his hands under her thighs, he carried her into the bedroom, kicking the door shut before he moved over to the bed, lowering her down. 

He heard a whimper and smiled. Actually, he wasn’t sure if his face moved at all.  “I need you naked, Molly,” he said, as he flipped her shoes off, and slid the straps of her red dress down.  She shimmied her hips, making him groan with lust. 

James had been so focused on taking off her clothes, that when he looked up and saw the red, lace bra he froze…too stunned to even breathe. 

“James?” Molly whispered. 

His eyes jerked to her face and he suddenly realized that she was nervous.  “You’re so beautiful!” he rasped, straightening up so that he could strip his own clothes away, needing to feel her skin against his.  “Don’t move, Molly!”

She froze and he might have laughed if he wasn’t in so much pain.  When he finally pulled off the last of his clothes, he moved back to her, taking her hands that tried to shield herself from him and putting them on his chest.  At her first touch, a low growl of approval tore from him.  “I love the way your hands feel against my skin!”

Her big, blue eyes touched him deeply, but not as deeply as when she leaned forward to kiss his chest.  Her lips were soft and tentative at first, but when her tongue flicked against his nipple, he just about lost it!

Pulling her back into his arms, he rolled over so that she was straddling him. 

Molly stared down at the impressive expanse of muscles and skin.  Slowly, despite the clawing need to shift her body backwards and fill herself with his heat, she let her fingers slide over his chest, exploring every beautiful muscle along the way.  Molly was just as amazed at the skin in front of her as she was with the fascinating erection behind her.  Letting her nails trail over his muscles, she watched with increasing delight and amazement as he closed his eyes, gritting his teeth as she explored him.  Wiggling lower, she moved over that hard part of him, smiling slightly when she heard him hiss, and moved lower still.

“You’re very strong, James,” she whispered in awe, her fingers trailing over his hard thighs, although her eyes were glued to that throbbing member.  Closer and closer, her fingers teased, until her hand wrapped gently around the thick shaft.  Molly ignored his groan as she explored, unwilling to hurry this process.  She’d spent far too long thinking about him and she was going to…!

“Hey?” she yelped, finding herself flat on her back as James loomed over her.  “I was–”

“I don’t care,” he growled, lowering his head to kiss her into silence.  His tongue invaded and Molly curled into him, pressing her body against his desperately.  Moving lower, his mouth latched onto her lace covered breast and she gasped, arching into his mouth, pressing her nipple deeper.  His tongue laved and his teeth nibbled, creating a red hot line of desire directly to her groin. 

That’s when she felt his finger sliding into her and Molly spread her legs, giving him easier access. 

“You’re so ready for me,” he groaned, but he didn’t shift higher.  In fact, he moved lower, kissing his way down over her stomach.  Her fingers shifted from his shoulders to his hair, pulling at the surprisingly soft locks.  But he didn’t get the hint.  Or if he did, James ignored her silent plea.  She didn’t want him to…!

“Yes!” she gasped, her hips shifting as his tongue touched her there, right on that swollen nub!  She groaned, her back arching, her hips rolling, trying to elude his relentless tongue.  But he held her still so that his mouth could latch onto that nub.  And boy was he good! James knew what to do with that mouth.  In that last moment of barely conscious thought, she would have sworn that his tongue was magical.  But instead of thinking, her body burst into flames of pleasure so intense, she screamed his name, her hips undulating against his mouth as her first orgasm washed over her in waves. 

By the time she finally came down, James had already donned a condom and was moving over her, his eyes heated as he wrapped her legs around his waist. “Have I mentioned how beautiful you are?” he asked. His eyes shuttered closed as he pressed into her heat, his invasion smooth as her desire-slick sheath absorbed his body. 

Molly opened her mouth to reply, but words were impossible.  Arching against him, she took him deeper into her body, her nails digging into his shoulders as he thrust into her, making her whole world shimmer with pleasure.  It wasn’t a climax, but it was pretty damn close!

Then he started thrusting.  Slowly at first, but with each pulse into her body, he moved faster, his abdomen pressing against that already-swollen nub, the friction driving her wild.  Again and again, he thrust into her, bringing her closer and closer until her body tightened with another release.  This time, the pleasure was so intense that no sound came from her as she writhed beneath James, her mind blanking as pleasure took over. 

A long time later, she felt him pull her against his side and she sighed, closing her eyes as exhaustion rolled over her. 

James looked down at Molly’s sleeping expression.  Even now, he was fascinated.  Her long lashes splayed out against her pale skin, her blond locks completely disheveled.  He’d done that to her, he thought with a satisfied completeness he’d never felt before. 

Slipping out of bed, he went to the bathroom to clean up. When he came back, he turned off the lights and pulled Molly back into his arms.  For a long time, he stared up at the ceiling, his mind replaying every moment of their homecoming.  It had been the single most amazing sexual experience of his life.  And he couldn’t wait to do it all over again.