Chapter Seven

“I saw you dancing with Amelie.” Reece tried to sound casual as she followed Vin to an unoccupied table for six off to the side of the room. When she’d finally managed to shake Landon, it was to see her best friend in Vin’s arms, and the sharp pang of jealousy slammed into her unexpectedly. Her mouth had gone dry, even as she’d brushed aside the ridiculous emotion. As if she didn’t have enough to put her on edge, dealing with her brother’s warnings about Vin was a buzzkill that she refused to accept.

“I saw you arguing with Landon,” he countered. “She stopped me from interrupting you.”

Reece frowned but had to admit, “Probably a smart move on her part. My brother is an ass.”

He grinned as he guessed, “Warning you against dating me?”

She heard the vulnerability in his voice and shot him her hottest smile. “All the more reason to flaunt our connection.”

He held the chair for her. “Landing on Landon’s bad side can’t be a good thing.”

Back to business. Shouldn’t surprise her. Her very existence next to him in this moment happened because of business. But as soon as dinner ended, he better be ready to make good on those hot text promises. She reached for her ice water, as if that would cool down her heated thoughts.

“Vin”—she pulled her hair over one shoulder and let it drape over her breast—“do you really want to talk about Landon right now?”

His gaze lingered on where her hand touched the ends of her hair and then with a languid blink focused on her face. “Meet me by the gift table in twenty seconds.”

She had him right where she wanted him. Laughing, she shook her head. “I’m not leaving until after Amelie’s birthday cake. It’s Grand Marnier with butter cream frosting.”

He leaned close to her ear. “Butter cream frosting sound delicious. Think we can take some to go?” Under the table, his long fingers stroked her bare thigh, and an electric current sizzled straight to her core. As he leaned back and picked up his salad fork, his wicked grin told her he knew exactly what his touch did to her body.

She counted all the way to thirty-four before her breathing steadied. Then, even though licking frosting from Vin’s—heat flamed up her neck—body sounded like the perfect way to enjoy buttercream, she teased, “Don’t be cliché. I’d rather dip your”—she flicked her gaze to his pants and up to his face—“in something vintage. I’m in the mood for Willett.”

He choked on his salad, and she used the pause to wave at the Pearsons and the Marjoys just entering the dining hall, who took that as permission to join them.

…

“Come with me.”

Finally. Reece had suffered through the four-course meal and the cake cutting, all while vitally aware of her companion and his sly strokes up and down her thigh whenever there was a spike in the conversation. She had to focus twice as much on the mundane topics of interest rates and travel safety advisories to keep from sounding uninformed. Meanwhile, he seemed unaffected by her subtle attempts to tempt him, as he smoothly transitioned from one topic to the next until their table companions chose to converse with each other and give Reece a reprieve.

She rose, placed her napkin on the chair, and allowed him to steer her away from the crowd. He didn’t stop until they reached the edge of the partitioned perimeter. They stood half hidden by the strategically placed foliage designed to shield the tall carts with rows of trays. The catering staff bustled back and forth, a woman yapped into a headset, but no one gave Vin and her a second glance.

He faced her, and she saw the desire in his eyes. “Ready for the waterfall?”

“Here?”

The image of the natural waterfall leading into the Asian flowers exhibit with tulips, jasmine, and black irises flashed in her mind, and here sounded like the perfect place to begin their…adventure. For whatever reason he’d agreed to this plan, being with him offered her a glimpse into something exciting and forbidden, and despite the risk, with him she felt…safe.

His eyes crinkled at the corners as he laughed at her. “Not right here. There.” The tips of his fingers turned her chin until her gaze faced the direction of the path leading to the Asian exhibit.

She blew out a deep breath. “Let’s do this.” Before she lost her nerve. Now that he stood in front of her, she only wanted to taste him.

He brushed the hair out of her eyes and smiled at her like he knew how she felt. “I’m going to fuck you so hard.”

Her pulse jerked in irregular intervals. She had no response except the way her underwear dampened.

He lifted the thick rope and gestured for her to duck under it. “Follow this path until it dead-ends at the butterfly garden, then take the left walkway toward the waterfall. When you get there, remove your panties and wait for me.”

He dropped the rope and strode back into the crowd, totally confident she’d follow his instructions. She debated disobeying his command for half a heartbeat, but she kept walking, one heel in front of the next for what seemed like forever.

In the darkened night, with the path twisting around shrubbery, the strains of the jazz quartet floating over the night’s breeze soon faded away. Had she walked that far from civilization? Another bunch of steps and she saw the glistening stream. The waterfall would be to the left after the curve in the path. It wasn’t more than eight feet or so in height, but it was natural. It was perfect.

Did he really expect her to take off her underwear? Could she?

Had someone had asked her a week ago if she would stand in the botanical gardens contemplating removing her underwear to have sex, she would have bet her trust fund, and she’d be broke.

She stepped behind a tree sculpture and waited. The trickling water masked any sound, and with barely any light from a not-quite-full moon, she assessed the location and found it remarkably private. She didn’t want to think about how he’d known this would make the perfect waterfall spot, but the longer she stood there, the more her insecurities flared. Clearly, he had more experience. Might have even done it in this same spot with someone else. What if she disappointed him?

Her inner voice scolded her to shut up. It was better he knew what he was doing. Wasn’t that why she’d approached him with her fantasies? No need to be jealous of any women before her. She had him now, and she would not disappoint him. She would follow his lead, and if that meant no underwear, that meant no underwear.

When his shadow approached, those broad shoulders unmistakable even in the dim light, her body responded in the one way that mattered most. How did he manage to make her wet without touching her?

He held a bottle of champagne, and as he pulled out the cork, he said, “Lift your dress, so I can see you obeyed me.”

His gaze never left her face as she worked the dress over her hips. A slick wetness between her thighs already betrayed her arousal, and he hadn’t done anything to her yet.

“Very nice.” He adjusted himself. “See how hard you make me?”

The question was rhetorical, and she couldn’t find her voice, so she gave a small nod.

“Good. Now take off everything but the heels.”

His command shot a burning need through her, and her nipples tightened. Who knew she liked to be bossed around?

“Need a sip of liquid courage?” He wiggled the bottle.

“Please.”

“No glasses.” He winked. “I’ve seen Sabrina.”

She gaped at him. “I love that movie.”

The corner of his mouth tilted up. “Figured.”

Holding the rim to her mouth, he poured and she gulped, savoring the sparkles. The action itself was seductive, and she licked her lips and watched as he took a swallow and placed the bottle on the ground.

When his gaze landed back on her face, he looked at her like he already knew her. “Are you sure you can handle this?”

“I think so.”

No. Not knowing women like Tami waited on the sidelines. Not knowing this wasn’t going anywhere. Like her, he probably had people pulling at him in all directions, wanting something. And he’d been clear. As her thoughts continued to spiral, she drew a deep breath. These events weren’t dates. Sex was just sex.

She shouldn’t care too much. She wouldn’t look for more than was there. She wouldn’t twist their physical enjoyment into some happily ever after. And she certainly wouldn’t expect anything. Expectations only led to disappointment.

His fingers slipped under the strap of her dress. “Don’t overthink things, Reece. Just get naked.”

Just get naked. This was crazy, and she liked it. She nodded with a closed-mouthed smile, and that was all the encouragement it took for him to shove the straps over her shoulders and down to the ground. The heels gave her the three inches of bravado she needed to pose naked in front of him, while he stood there still dressed in his tailored tux, assessing her.

His gaze lowered, and he made a low sound of appreciation before he said, “Gorgeous.”

She sucked on her lip and tried to believe him—this man who had models and actresses vying for his attention. She was neither, but if Vincent Ferguson said she was gorgeous, she wouldn’t ruin the moment.

He licked his lips and wiggled his eyebrows toward the waterfall. “Careful. The cobblestones can be tricky.”

She stepped out of her dress, her heart clenching when he bent to scoop it up and shake it straight. He spread his jacket over a sculpture stone and placed her dress on top. Then he nodded to the low stone wall edging the pool at the base of the waterfall. “Put one leg up there.”

She did, braving the experience of being commanded like a sex doll. He hadn’t even touched her, and her whole body tingled with awareness.

“Wider.”

She moved her foot an inch to the side, feeling a bit like a Captain Morgan commercial. Not sure what to do with her hands, she clasped them behind her, but that made her breasts jut forward, so then she held them in front of her, until he stepped into her space and whispered in her ear, “Are you wet?”

She nodded.

“May I check?” He flexed his fingers.

She nodded again.

He cupped her face with one hand. “Don’t break eye contact with me, but it’s okay if you want to unbutton my shirt.”

His words hit her brain, but she didn’t know why he issued that command until she felt his finger pinpoint the tip of her clit and then slide deep into her wetness. She stood there, her heart hammering, her breasts tingling, her whole body pulsing with the need to come. And she would’ve closed her eyes had he not told her to not break eye contact. Instead, she stared into his absurdly handsome face, his light brown gaze intense and focused.

“My shirt?”

Her fingers fumbled with the buttons, her hips rocked on their own into his palm, and when she finally had his shirt undone, she pushed it off his shoulders and glanced down.

“Look in my eyes.”

She couldn’t look away from the hard plane of his chest. The muscle flexing over his shoulders. She was lost in the experience. She loved what he was doing to her. How he was making her feel.

“No,” the word whispered from her mouth. She couldn’t look in his eyes. Not when she wanted to see the rest of him naked.

“No?” He stopped fingering her. “Damn, woman, you make me— You…” He shook his head, but when his finger resumed tending to her needs, her muscles clamped around him.

She reached between them to find his belt, but a crooked smile curved his lips, and with lightning quickness, he lifted her and strode to the base of the waterfall. Bending down, he removed one of her heels and then the other before motioning with his hand for her to step back.

She did, and the cool liquid flowed over her heated skin. She ran her hands through her hair, over her breasts and lower, loving the way his mouth gaped just the tiniest bit. It took him mere moments to shove out of his shoes and clothes, tossing them a safe distance away but with far less care than he’d taken with her dress.

Standing naked, his erection aimed straight at her, he joined her under the water. “Are you sure you want this?”

The low timbre of his voice demanded her attention, and she appreciated he’d asked her several times along the way. Wanted this. Specifically, wanted him. More than words could convey.

With no doubts, she murmured, “Yes, please.”

Nervous energy hit her as the situation crystallized. Surely, they couldn’t be the only ones roaming the closed paths?

What if someone caught them? Did he really want to risk it?

If she moaned too loudly, would someone find them?

He spun her so she faced the waterfall and pushed her forward. They stepped through and entered an area straight out of a movie set. On this side, the cobblestones weren’t as slick, and the pressure from the waterfall changed to a pleasant drizzle. From behind, he wrapped one arm around her to cup her breast and stretched his other around her hips to find her core. His fingers swirled in a swift rhythm, and she leaned back into his body, her head lolling to the side as his mouth found her neck. She reached back with both hands clinging to his hips as she came hard. When he didn’t let up, she came again, her knees buckling, but his arm anchored her upright.

“Forcing orgasms isn’t fair,” she managed to mumble.

She turned enough to see the hard control on his face. His jaw clenched, and his breathing was shallow. Because he wanted her. She’d never felt more powerful. She twisted around to face him and noticed his eyes didn’t even touch her face. They were glued lower. Assessing her. So she used the time to study him. His hands were fisted. Large, strong fingers curled into his palms. She’d come so hard—and so easily—and still, she wanted more.

But then his hands were on her shoulders, and as he dragged them up and into her hair, she leaned toward him with a need so foreign and yet so consuming she forgot her insecurities. She wanted to focus on the moment, to remember everything happening to her, but it was too much. Too many sensations all at once and all equally potent for her to take in.

Breathless, she traced her fingers down his stomach, toward where she really wanted to touch him.

She didn’t understand this desperate need to connect with him. But as she wrapped her hand around his cock, he dipped his head until his mouth covered one nipple. The unexpected electricity lighting her body elicited a sharp gasp.

With a growl, he jerked out of her hand and muttered, “Condom.” He reached into his pants pocket and then slid on the condom with record speed. When he whirled her around and gave the slightest push on her upper back, she bent at the waist, her hands landing flat on the low stone wall. He thrust into her with a force that would have knocked her off her feet had he not been holding her ass. He kept pumping into her with a fierce speed, his hands clamped on her bottom, locking her in place, with her unable to do anything more than take the full length of him.

She wanted to dig her hands in his hair or touch him, but bent as she was, she was powerless. Except she felt like she held all the power. He risked way more than she in terms of being caught. Oh, she had a reputation to maintain—her good girl image was too ingrained in her to want to face the disappointment on her father’s face if she was caught in disarray in public. But that was nothing compared to what Vin could lose. A public scandal with her could derail his investors.

Yes, for the first time in a long time, she felt in control.

And it felt amazing.

Her muscles clenched hard as the orgasm hit her, but he didn’t stop. Didn’t ease up.

Instead, he laughed. “That was almost too easy.”

He didn’t sound disappointed.

Desire flooded over her as he slid one hand down her back then dragged it around her hip to her core, pinching the skin there until he forced another orgasm to rip through her.

Then he threw back his head and grunted. The spasms from his orgasm pulsed into her, and involuntarily, she came again.

Five.

…

Nothing in Vin’s life had prepared him for the rush of adrenaline when Reece came around his cock. Her waterfall idea…the hottest sex in his life.

They stepped through the falls, and she squeezed the water from her hair.

“And now I know how hot you look after you shower,” he said. Any other woman would be freaking out about her makeup or her hair, but Reece—he did a double-take and gaped at her.

She spread her arms and spun in a circle, light laughter sprinkling the air. “Come on, Vin. Dry off with me.”

Something in his heart clenched at her playfulness, and he was stunned to realize their encounter hadn’t felt like their first time. No awkward moments learning what pleased her. Her curves fit all his angles. How did she do it? Capture him so completely? They were wet. It was messy. And still, she grinned like this was heaven on Earth.

He chuckled. “That’s how you’re drying off? By spinning in a circle?” He swooped down to pick up his shirt and tossed it to her. “Use this.”

She caught the shirt and lifted it to her nose, closing her eyes and inhaling. When she opened them, she smiled. “You always smell so delicious.”

He could say the same thing about her, but watching her pat his shirt over her legs and chest robbed him of speech. Using her fingers to comb her tangled hair, she made a low knot and pulled a few pieces to frame her face. Flawless. As she wiggled into her dress, he stepped into his boxer briefs and pants. She handed him his shirt, and he slid it on, despite the wet spots. He’d always been about the why, but he couldn’t figure out why she was with him. When he’d Googled her, he’d found very few photos of her with a man by her side, but the ones she was spotted with always had the same look: bleached white smile, short hair, and a Wall Street suit.

She let out a little aggravated groan. “This is so cliché, but do you see my underwear?”

Cliché for a reason. He hoped his smile looked innocent when he said, “No, I don’t see them.” Right now. He’d already tucked the lacey panties into his jacket pocket.

She chewed on the corner of her lip and let out a choked laugh. “I’ve never—” She circled the area one more time.

He dragged his hands through his hair a couple times and bent to tie his shoes. “Come on, Princess. Let’s get you back to the party.”

“I’m not going back,” she said with a touch of irritation.

“You’re not?” She looked devastatingly beautiful, and it saddened him for a moment to realize their evening was over. The way the dress hugged her curves…hell. He could repeat the whole experience all over again. And while he stood there, aching in a wet shirt, she stood with poise looking completely unfazed. Except for the missing underwear.

“No.” She glanced around them one more time and huffed out a sigh. “I’ll use the service exit and call a cab.”

It would make sense for them to share a ride home, and he calculated his chances of that nightcap. But the waterfall had played out better than his imagination, and cab rides could be awkward. Better to leave her anticipating their next encounter.

“I’ll walk you out.”

She stalled him with a hand to his chest, and his heart hammered under her palm. “Vin, I better go alone.”

Her words disarmed him. “Yeah, don’t want to get caught.” His heart twisted at that thought. Even though they’d been seen flirting at the party, she didn’t want anyone to catch them sneaking back from sex.

Her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Right. It’s for your own good,” she said, and same as the night of the fundraiser, she reached up and hugged him. “Text me the barbecue details.”

Her heels barely made a sound as she disappeared into the dark, even as his cock begged for round two.

He walked over to the low stone wall and picked up the champagne bottle. Leave it to her to remind him about the barbecue on Monday. That would be two events down, four to go. Strangely enough, he hadn’t thought once about his company while he’d been buried inside her. He was using Reece to save Ferguson Holdings. His company had three fates at the end of the day: go public, get acquired, or die a humiliating death. Staring at the light moon and the dark waterfall, Vin sank onto the wet stones and didn’t even care that he’d probably ruined his thousand-dollar tuxedo pants.

He just had the best sex of his life.

This was his moment.