Scottsdale, Arizona
Riley savored the feel of her husband’s lean, chiseled frame behind her. She bit her lip and winced in pain and pleasure at the sensation on her skin when he smoothed his hands across her hips and then around the lush curve of her thighs.
“Asher…” she moaned, biting her lip again when his fingers grazed the sensitive flesh of her sex. “Baby…I ache,” she told him, even as dull stabs of desire began to run through her ravished flesh.
Asher Hudson hid his handsome honey-toned face in his wife’s chic mop of clipped hair. He inhaled the fresh green-apple aroma that always clung to it.
“Not for long,” he promised, raising one hand to cup a dark chocolate breast, which fit perfectly in his palm. All the while he continued to manipulate the satiny petals of her womanhood.
“Just an hour, Asher, please…?”
“No, I haven’t had you in a month.”
Clearly, he intended to make up for that sad fact. It was hard to believe they’d been married little over six months. They’d been making love steadily from the moment one of his cars took them from the airport to his home in Scottsdale. Home, however, was a poor choice of words. The place was the size of a small town. Riley believed her aching body was living proof of that. They’d enjoyed each other in every corner of the dwelling.
Asher seemed quite determined to make love to his wife every minute of their time together.
“Asher, please.” Riley figured if she sounded pathetic enough, he’d give in to her.
“I plan to,” he whispered next to her ear and grinned when he felt her slippery need coating his fingertips.
“Shut up,” Riley moaned while arching against the gentle thrusts inside her body.
Asher complied and buried his face in her hair again. He continued to thrust his fingers inside her body, the sound of her satisfied cries, presently muffled by the pillows, fueling his ego. Still treating her to the heavenly finger play, he nibbled her shoulders and back. His tongue traced the length and dip of her spine.
“Now please,” Riley begged then, but she could tell from his chuckle that he wanted to play a little longer.
He nibbled the firm, healthy rise of her buttocks before his lips and tongue feasted on the highly sensitive area between. Riley arched and moaned his name with such vigor, Asher was robbed of whatever restraint he had. Seconds later, he was replacing his mouth with the part of his body she was presently demanding.
Every part of him weakened when he was inside her, yet the desire to have her overruled the weakness. He couldn’t stand much more of this. He needed more of her; he needed…all of her. Dismissing the stirrings of a frustrating train of thought, he focused solely on the moment at hand. Riley was an eager participant and threatened to make him come much too soon. Gripping her hips, he eased her off his erection in hopes of extending what had to be their tenth love session of the evening.
Deciding to take control, Riley turned the tables and shoved Asher on his back. Roughly, she straddled his powerful frame and then settled herself upon his impressive length in a torturously slow manner.
“A nap next, yes?” she bargained.
Asher was already thrusting up into her. “Whatever you want,” he groaned.
The lower level of the house was almost saturated by the sound of needy cries and moans. Asher gripped Riley’s hips again but had no thoughts of pulling her off. He gasped his love for her while filling her with his seed….
Riley smiled and snuggled a bit deeper into the luxurious Egyptian cotton linens grazing her skin. Her smoky gaze was filled with contentment while she studied the incredible tropical-like view of the rear of the estate from her cherished position in the king-size bed.
The sun beamed down, and that was most often something Riley could’ve done without. But here…here it was like paradise. Of course, she knew that had everything to do with her present company. Waiting for the day of this trip out to Phoenix had almost driven her crazy with anticipation. That wasn’t surprising. Whenever the opportunity to be together in the same time zone presented itself, she and Asher always jumped at the chance.
Turning to her side, she watched him then. His face relaxed in sleep, Asher appeared to be as content as she was. She knew, however, that beneath that easy exterior beat the heart of a man who wouldn’t rest until she was a permanent resident of Scottsdale. She couldn’t blame him. After all, who wouldn’t want to live in such exquisite surroundings?
Stretching languidly, she took a slow scan of the bedroom. Huge bay windows lined the rear wall. Set before the windows was a luxurious overstuffed sky-blue sofa flanked by two deep armchairs. A glass coffee table topped off the setting and held a tray with fresh coffee and Danish, courtesy of the morning staff.
Riley frowned a bit, wondering when the workers had had the chance to arrange the setting. She’d never figure it out, of course, since everything in Asher Hudson’s world always seemed to be a wish away. Riley didn’t know if the power her husband wielded impressed her or set her on edge.
All thoughts fled her mind when she felt herself being tugged across the mammoth canopied bed. Her smile reemerged as she trailed her fingers along Asher’s forearm, which was presently locked about her waist. She shivered when his mouth grazed the dip between her shoulder blades.
“Still aching?” he murmured.
Riley shivered again. “Does it matter?”
“Of course. I’d consider it my duty to make it go away.”
“Mmm…” She snuggled deeper into the embrace. “I’m sure leaving it alone is all that’s required.”
His arms flexed about her waist. “I’m afraid leaving it alone doesn’t work for me.”
“I see, and what does work for you?” she breathed and a moment later found herself being subjected to an exquisite oral treat.
“Well, I guess you were right,” Riley acknowledged later, upon realizing she felt no trace of discomfort once he was inside her.
Asher rested his head in the crook of her neck and thrust slowly, savoring the way she trembled below him. They made love across every square inch of the bed. When they collapsed a long while later, Riley begged him to feed her before subjecting her to more torture.
Asher kept her pressed back against his chest as persuasive fingers fondled the puckering flesh guarding her femininity.
“That feel like torture to you?”
“Asher…”
Chuckling, he reached for the bedside phone and ordered breakfast from his cook downstairs. While they waited, he subjected her to deep kisses and more fondling.
“So what can I do for you today?” Asher inquired while they breakfasted on three-cheese omelets, steak strips and buttermilk biscuits.
Riley’s teacup froze in midair. “Don’t you have work to do?”
“Tons.”
“Well?”
“Well…you’re here.”
“So?”
“So work is a nonissue when you’re here.”
Riley was even more surprised, especially since Asher had already told her he wanted her to stay at least a week. “I can’t believe you’d consider shrugging off work for that long.”
“I wouldn’t consider shrugging off work.” He chewed contentedly on a corner of the steak. “I’d actually shrug it off.”
Riley set aside her teacup and leaned back. “You’re serious?”
“Painfully. Do you know how much work I’ll have to catch up on when you leave?”
“Well, why don’t you just—”
“Riley? It’s done.” He winced and added a small shrug. “Almost.”
“Almost?”
“There’s a thing.”
“A thing?”
“Tomorrow night.”
Riley exchanged her tea for orange juice and sipped. A knowing expression came over her face. “Hmm…is this thing tomorrow night a party?”
The guilt in his bright stare forced a curse past her lips.
“Shh…” He leaned across the table and squeezed her hand in his. “It was the one thing I couldn’t get out of. I promise we won’t be there long. All you’ve gotta do is hold on to me and look absentminded and beautiful.”
Riley shrugged. “I can certainly handle the absentminded part.”
Asher simply observed his wife, watching as a look of disgust crossed her lovely dark face. She detested parties. Damn, he loved her. In a world where self-absorbed phonies and opportunists were abundant, she’d always been like a breath of fresh air. Her only concern was the time they shared alone together. For Riley Stamper, a splashy party with “the beautiful people” was about as exciting as watching paint dry.
“What?” Riley noted the intensity in his stare.
“You know tomorrow night’s party isn’t the only thing I have in store for you.”
“Uh-oh…” Riley’s lashes fluttered as she brought a hand to her forehead. “Don’t tell me. It’s a brunch with a thousand of your closest friends?”
Asher’s hearty, contagious laughter filled the bedroom. “You know, that’s not a bad idea.” His laughter mounted at the wilting look she sent his way. “How’d you like to see another view of Arizona?”
Riley’s head tilted as curiosity bloomed in her eyes. “What’ve you got in mind?”
Asher, however, was bent on secrecy. “I guarantee it’ll take your breath away.”
She had no doubt, since every minute with her husband did precisely that.
Asher read her expression easily. “Stop it. You need to eat.”
“Can’t you give me a little hint?” She forked a portion of cheesy omelet. “Just a little info about it?”
“A little info. Let’s see…” Asher stroked the strong curve of his jaw and debated. “Ah! You’ll need to get dressed.”
“You’re a crazy man,” Riley breathed two hours later, as she stood with Asher on the rear lawn and stared openmouthed at the hot air balloon waiting to give her “another view of Arizona.” “Have you lost your mind?”
She dragged her gaze away from the vibrant hot pinks, sky blues, greens and purples bursting to life on the balloon. Her heart somersaulted at the crooked grin he flashed her way.
“Don’t even try to get out of it. You work at altitudes higher than this thing will go.” He pointed toward the sky.
Riley grunted. “There’s always more beneath my feet than…hot air, though.”
“Live a little.”
“That’s what I’d like to do.”
Asher was still laughing outrageously as he turned to greet the balloon captain, Elliott Wells. They spent several moments catching up while Riley took a closer, skeptical look at their transportation.
“Have you done this before?” she asked when he finished his conversation with Elliott and returned to her side.
“It’s a good selling point for potential clients looking to be traded out here.” He hooked a thumb through a belt loop on his jeans and glanced up at the balloon. “After an aerial view of Arizona, most can’t believe they’d ever chosen to live anyplace else.”
Riley smiled and bowed her head. It wasn’t hard to figure out what the adventure was about. Still, she decided not to call Asher on it and swallowed her unease in order to play along.
Thirty minutes and two glasses of champagne later, Riley didn’t fear for her life quite so much. She smirked when Asher caught her eye as she reached for the champagne bottle. “This is really unexpected.” She wiggled the bottle.
“Don’t forget the strawberries,” he urged.
“Is this the way you persuade all those big names you sign?” She swirled a strawberry through the whipped cream.
Asher’s expression was serious as he toyed with the frayed edge of the dashiki she wore. “I only break out the champagne and strawberries for the woman I’m trying to persuade.”
“Humph.” She savored the fruit and cream on her tongue. “Trust me, you’ve already persuaded me. Many times.”
“Have I?”
Before she could respond, he was kissing her deeply. “Wait,” she said against his tongue, which was thrusting into her mouth. “Asher…”
He wasn’t in the mood for resistance. The straw basket set beneath the colorful, voluminous balloon was as big as a small room almost and offered a modicum of privacy for a couple wishing to steal a sweet kiss amid paradise.
The kiss they shared, however, was far from sweet. It was torrid, lusty, in its desperation. Riley needed him at once but steeled herself against begging.
“This isn’t fair,” she moaned.
“You’re not enjoying it?” he whispered into her mouth.
“You know it’s beautiful…All I want is to be with you at home.”
“What can we do at home that we can’t do here?” His fingers grew bold, cupping her breast and fondling a firming nipple.
Riley bit her lip on the cry his touch elicited. “This isn’t the place. Come on. Stop now.”
“You’re right.” He stopped suddenly and didn’t tell his wife that he’d glimpsed the disappointment on her face. “This isn’t the place.” He dropped a kiss on her forehead. “I intend to correct all that.” He shook his head, dismissing the question he was about to utter, and turned her in his arms.
They embraced while staring out at the beauty before their eyes.
“So how do we get back?” Riley asked as they stood watching the balloon lift off from the clearing and leave them alone in the woods.
Asher grinned. “You in a hurry?”
“No.” She was massaging her arms and looking anything but calm. “Just a little nervous about being in, um…”
“So much open space?”
She waved him off. “I’d just like to know how we’re supposed to get out of here, that’s all.”
Asher tugged her along, not stopping until they approached a tree. He held her against the trunk and leaned close to nuzzle her ear. “I’d be more interested in what we’re gonna do while we’re here.”
Riley’s gaze was naughtiness and innocence combined. “What’ve you got in mind?”
“This first.” His mouth slid around the curve of her jaw, and he kissed her.
The kiss was even lustier than before. Yet in spite of being alone, Asher had no intentions of taking her there. Riley had other ideas and did what she could to entice him to have her then and there. Asher obliged her for a time, losing himself in the light, clean fragrance clinging to her skin and the softness of her breasts filling his hands. When her fingers traveled past his waist to fidget with the buttons securing the fly of his sagging jeans, Asher almost lost himself in his desire for her.
Forcing strength into his legs, he hoisted her against him. Still kissing her, he carried her deeper into the woods and toward his next surprise.
Riley was so involved in their kiss that it took some time for her to notice the spectacular sight past his shoulders. When he broke the kiss and lightly bumped his forehead against hers, Riley’s lashes fluttered. She looked beyond him, at what appeared to be…
“Asher…is that…Is that a tent?”
Still holding her, he turned to look at the structure in the distance.
“What is this?” she breathed when he started walking toward it.
“This is what we’re gonna do while we’re here.” He joined in when she laughed. “Better yet, it’s where we’re gonna do it.”
“Well, can I look around first?”
“Sure.” He approved but began tugging her out of the dashiki while she oohed and aahed over the tent, which looked more like a mini hotel suite.
“This is lovely,” she breathed, absently raising her arms in order for him to relieve her of the lightweight garment.
“Yes, it is,” Asher said and sighed his agreement when she was bared to his gaze.
Riley’s interest in her surroundings was quelled for a time when he pulled her back next to him. Making love had her full attention.
Afterward, they shared an incredible supper of grilled salmon steaks, Texas toast and salad beneath late evening skies outside the tent.
“You can live like this every minute you’re here, you know?” said Asher.
His cool, informative tone had Riley smiling. Carefully, she placed her fork on the table and decided it was time to lay the real cards on the table. Leaning across the small square table, she brushed the back of her hand against his cheek.
“What’s going on?”
Asher kept his gaze on his plate. “I just miss you, is all.”
She smiled and raised her brows in a teasing manner. “Is it all this great weather and sensual temptation?”
Asher turned deadly serious and gripped the hand she’d brushed across his cheek. “I miss you. There isn’t another woman who can do for me what you do. You should already know that. You really wanna know why it’s so easy to shrug off work when you’re here? Because I can hardly think of anything else when you’re around me.”
Riley tried to keep things light. “And you really want me around, distracting you twenty-four-seven?”
He stood and began to clear the table. “If that’s all I could get, I’d take it.”
“Asher…”
“Let’s dance.”
Thankful he’d changed the subject, she smiled and placed her fingers against his palm. Riley was immediately entranced by the endless sky and the glittering stars, which were more dazzling than the brightest city lights.
“So incredible…” she declared while looking up.
Asher agreed completely, though his eyes were focused solely on her.