Double Dare (9 page)

“You’re killing me, Cinderella, killing me.”

Kat grinned, so very happy, she felt like shouting it to the world. “I have that effect on people.”

Kissing the tip of her nose, he tossed a wad of bills on the bar, slid his hands around her waist, and lifted her off her barstool as if she didn’t weigh a pound. “Then let’s go, killer, before the fairy godmother fucks everything up.”

As he took her hand, she tugged him to stop.

“What?” he asked impatiently, wanting to get her into his bed as much as she did.

“There’s someone I want to formally introduce myself to, and you, too.”

He raised a dark brow. “Really?
Now?
” he groaned, rubbing the back of her hand against his impressive erection. “Who is more important than me getting inside you?”

“No one, but I don’t want to miss this opportunity to introduce myself and you to Evan and his wife.”

“After that show we gave them, you want to go over there?”

“More than you know.” When he didn’t move she squeezed his hand. “Please, Simon, I need to do this.”

Scowling, he nodded, then kissed her forehead. “Lead the way.”

Smiling, she handed him his suit jacket and realized he looked hotter than any man had the right to look in his tailored black suit and crisp white linen shirt. No tie, he didn’t need one. It would only detract from his hotness.

“You look good enough to eat, Captain,” she said, straightening his collar.

He grinned, liking her compliment. When she finished with his collar, he reached for her wrap, and placed it low on her shoulders.

“And I’m famished,” she added, rising up on her toes and brushing her lips across his.

He growled and caught her bottom lip in his teeth before letting it go. “Keep talking like that and we won’t make it out of this bar.”

“Hmm …” She winked at him. “Maybe we won’t?”

He shook his head, took her hand, and let her lead him to Evan, who turned as white as a ghost as they approached.

“Dr. Scott,” Kat happily chirped. “Fancy meeting you here. I distinctly remember you saying how much you didn’t like this place.”

The coward tossed his drink back and stood, making a move to leave the table.

“Dr. Scott, is it?” Simon asked, grabbing the prick’s bicep before forcing him to shake hands. “Simon,” he continued, squeezing the life out of Evan’s hand. “So you work with Kat? She’s mentioned you several times.” He looked at Kat and grinned. She laughed as if they shared a private joke at Evan’s expense. “Now I understand everything.”

“Darling?” Mrs. Scott asked, raising a finely arched brow.

Immediately, Kat didn’t like her. The last time Kat saw the woman she was wearing her husband’s shirt. And Kat was drunk. But she did have to hand it to Evan, his wife was a knockout. Tall, blond, confident. Hah, if she only knew what her husband had been up to the last six months.

“Darling,
this
is Dr. Winslow?”

“Yes, we worked together at Genomtec.”

“Really,” the woman drawled as if she could not believe someone like Kat could have a brain. “After that slutty little performance, you and your”—she looked at Simon with a sneer—“friend put on, Dr. Winslow, I never would have guessed you had half a brain, much less one of a renowned scientist.”

That cut to the quick. But it only reinforced the fact that in Kat’s occupation, sex and brains were not supposed to come in the same package, and if they did and you were a woman, you were still not taken seriously. Kat opened her mouth to tell Mrs. Scott she was only getting from Simon what her husband could never give her, but Simon spoke first.

“I’ve made it a rule, no matter how far I was pushed by one, never to strike a woman.” He moved into the ice queen’s personal space. “But for you, Madame, I will gladly break that rule.” He pulled Kat into the protective curve of his arm. “Before you go using such derogatory language, ask your husband where he’s been sticking his dick for the last six months.”

Whirling Kat around, he strode away from the gaping jaws of the foursome, and through the crowded bar.

Simon’s pace was quick, his stride long, and she could barely keep up. When she looked up at him, his jaw was clenched and a little muscle worked in his cheek.

“Are you angry?” she asked, wondering what she could have possibly done to anger him.

He steered her into a dark semicircular alcove just off the main lobby area.

“You’re damn right, I’m angry,” he said. He moved her into the wall. Taking her chin in his hand, he notched her face up to look him straight in the eye. “Why did we have to go through that little exercise?”

“Because I wanted Evan to see what he was missing.”

“Why?”

“Because, I—just did.”

“Do you still have feelings for him?”

“Who?”

“Scott.”

tunned, Kat gaped at Simon. “How can you ask me that?”

“Answer the question, Katrina.”

Wrenching her chin from his grasp, she said, “You were there, you picked up the damn pieces, Simon!” She pushed him away. “You put me back together again and now you stand there and ask me if I still have feelings for that asshole? The same asshole who claims I sexually harassed him and that I’m a thief, to boot?”

“Answer the damn question!” he bellowed.

“No! Damn it. I’m not going to answer such a laughable question.”

His face turned to stone. “I’ll make sure you get home safely.”

He turned to walk away. Impulsively, she grabbed his jacket sleeve. She’d never fought for a man before, and damn if she was going to come this far with Simon only to have him walk away from her in a jealous huff. “Trust goes both ways, Simon,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

He turned and the look on his face mirrored every emotion she was feeling at that moment. Anger, desire, longing, and fear.

Swallowing hard, he reached up and ran his fingertips along her cheek down to her lips. “Kat,” he huskily said. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“It means if we continue—I’m going to do something to fuck it up.”

“And you’re telling me this now because?”

“I’m acting like an ass for starters,” he confessed jamming his fingers through his hair.

“Because you’re jealous?”

“I don’t know.”

“Maybe you’re jealous because you like me.” She grinned and nudged him. “A lot.”

Shaking his head in denial, he said, “I don’t get jealous.”

“There’s a first time for everything, Simon.”

“You don’t understand. I don’t like how it makes me feel and I don’t like how it makes me treat you.”

“Be careful, Captain, that you don’t fall in love with me.”

“Be careful, Doc, that I don’t break your heart.”

She choked back a sob with a laugh. “Not if I break yours first.”

His brows rose and his eyes shone brightly, a smile tugged at the corner of his very kissable lips. “I’m in uncharted territory here, Doc. Had I known what I know now when we bumped into each other outside that elevator, I’d have turned and run as fast and as far away as I could.”

“Yeah, well, you didn’t,” she murmured, “You’re here now, and I’m not going to let you go.”

“I don’t think I would let you even if you tried,” he admitted, and Kat knew that cost him a lot to voice.

“Good, now take me to your bed and make mad passionate love to me before I decide to kick you to the curb like all the others before you.”

Sliding a strong arm around her waist, he pulled her against his hard chest. Grazing her lips with his, he said, “I hope I made the bed.”

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she dug her breasts into his chest and was rewarded with a groan of pained pleasure. “I don’t care, we’re just going to mess it up anyway.”

She turned him around and pushed him against the wall she had been pressed against. “I’m going to fuck you senseless, Captain.” Then she kissed him senseless.

They were like two teenagers in the backseat of a car, their hands everywhere, their lips locked in a hard, out-of-control kiss. When Simon’s hand slid down her back and he grabbed her ass, pulling up her skirt and exposing her sultry skin, her excitement skyrocketed.

From the moment she had looked at herself in the mirror earlier that evening and realized she was beautiful and held power, she had switched from a skittish scientist into a sensual cat, one who knew how to use her assets. Sexual control was a high she would never get tired of. And having a stud of such caliber as her Captain shot her confidence to epic levels. Watching the way Evan, despite everything that was happening with him, lusted after her as Simon seduced her on the bar stool was an aphrodisiac in and of itself.

Now, just out of sight from people walking past them in the hotel hallway, the sexual adventuress in her bubbled to the surface.

Sliding down his zipper, she caught his bottom lip between her teeth and tugged. “I want you, here and now, Simon,” she said, breathlessly against his lips.

“No, not here, sweetheart,” he growled as his hips ground into her hand.

“Yes, here,” she gasped, pulling him free of his trousers. In unison they moaned with pleasure. “Oh, my, God, Simon, I forgot how big and hard and warm you are.” He was all of that and more.

“The better to pleasure you with, my dear,” Simon teased, pressing hotly into her hand.

Lifting her leg, Simon spun her around, slamming her against the wall. “You’re playing with fire, minx,” he rasped, just as the thick head of his cock nudged her slick lips with the impact.

Undulating, she caught the head of him. “I need you inside me now, Simon,” she begged. How quickly the tables had turned. The adventuress was no longer the one in control. Simon controlled all.

“I want inside of you more than I have wanted anything in my life,” he confessed. “But this isn’t how I wanted our first time to be.”

Grinding against him, she caught another thick inch and pulled him inside. “I don’t know what you mean; this isn’t our first time.”

“I want to make love to you, Cinderella, in my castle,” he rasped, steeling himself against her.

“Oh, you are so sweet,” she purred, now feeling back in perfect control. “I do love you for wanting tonight to be polite. But Simon”—she tilted her hips and dug her nails into his thick hair, pulling his head back to look up at her—“I’ve discovered that when it comes to you, I’m a very dirty girl. And dirty girls like to fuck where and when they want to fuck.” She impaled herself on the thick wide length of him. “And,” she purred as he capitulated with a low moan of surrender, “I want to fuck now.”

“Christ,” he groaned, pulling her hard into him.

Breathless, she cried out as his lips ferociously captured her sounds of pleasure in his kiss. His tongue swept hers, and laved her bottom lip. Ravenous for this man, she climbed higher on him so that he could get deeper.

He was so deep the head of his cock pressed tightly against her sensitive G spot, driving her to an almost immediate climax. “Ah, Simon,” she rasped against his lips. “Too deep.” But it hurt so good.

For a long moment they hung suspended in that one beautiful hot moment of meeting as one. Speared by him, pinned against the wall, she could never remember feeling so perfectly alive. Her pussy fisted him relentlessly. Her juice was so copious, it dripped down her thigh.

“Good God, Kat,” Simon hissed between labored breaths. “I have wanted to get inside of you like this since the second I left you.”

She clung to him, breathing as heavily, overwhelmed by the sublimity that was unique to him. Digging his fingers into her ass cheeks, he moved against her.

“Ah, Simon,” she half moaned, half begged, praying it would last forever. “You feel so good.” Emotion swelled in her chest. Never had she dreamed a man could make her feel this way.

His lips trailed the pulse beat of her jugular. He thrust into her again. His deep sighs of pleasure, because of his desire for her and only her, empowered her in a way nothing else could. He wanted her for
her
. Not her brain, not because she was a means to an end. This sexy, intelligent man wanted her simply because he was attracted to her. And he was jealous! She’d never triggered a jealous bone in another person. Except when it came to her brain, and they wanted it for themselves.

“Simon,” she breathed as he thrust deeply in and out of her, pushing her higher to a place only he could take her. “Don’t ever stop.”

“Never,” he said roughly, as his body tightened, recognizing and then meeting the orgasm that rose up like a monster wave deep within her. With one pounding surge after another, she unraveled around him.

“Kat.” He exhaled her name sharply, as his hips ground into hers, his body jerking hard as he came in a wild rush of emotion.

His orgasm thundered through her like an earthquake. His hot ejaculate spewed like a volcanic eruption inside of her. She could feel it warm and thick, coating her interior walls. In a fleeting moment, she wondered what it would be like to bear Simon’s child. Before she could stop it, her mind filled with the image of the little blonde-haired girl on his computer screen …
shit.

Simon caught her lips in a long deep kiss as their bodies came down off the high they had been on. Still joined as one, she clung to him, wanting to stay joined with him forever. She had lost another part of her heart to this man holding her. It terrified her. They were a hot throbbing mess and she could not have cared less who saw them or what they would have to say about it.

“I think I ruined your pants,” she said as their lips parted. She was soaking wet.

“There’s a handkerchief in the left breast pocket of my jacket.”

Sliding her hand into the jacket pocket, she felt not only a hankie but his cell phone. She handed him the hankie as he carefully lifted her off of him. He pressed the fabric between her legs, then shrugged off his jacket, wrapped it around her, and said, “Go clean up, then I’m taking you home and making slow crazy love to you.”

Katy smiled and leaned into him. “I can’t wait.” Kissing him on the lips, she grabbed her purse from the floor where she had dropped it in the throes of passion, along with her wrap, and hurried around the corner to the ladies room. As she finished cleaning up, she stood in front of the mirror and applied fresh lipstick. Smiling, she hugged Simon’s jacket around her, inhaling his manly scent.

The outline of his cellphone in the breast pocket reminded her it was there.

Biting her bottom lip, she fought the urge to go through it.

Looking at her kiss-swollen lips, she touched her fingertips to them and closed her eyes, wishing she didn’t have the nagging feeling that if she looked through his phone she was going to see something she didn’t want to see. Because after what just happened between them, she realized she wanted him to be her hero. The imperfect man who was perfect for her. That meant he was honest, and loyal, and she could not only trust him with her deepest darkest secrets, but trust that he would never turn around and hurt her with them.

Why not find out now before she lost more of her heart to him?

Slipping back into a stall, she shut the door and locked it, then with a shaking hand took out the phone. Her hand shook so badly, she was afraid she was going to drop it in the toilet. For several long minutes she stood staring at the phone, unable to pry. If she didn’t trust him now, she never would. She had to start somewhere. As she was about to slide the phone back into his jacket pocket, it rang.

A ball-and-chain icon popped up with the name Jen. Nervous foreboding churned in her belly.

Swallowing hard, Kat tapped the answer tab and with a shaky voice said, “Hello.”

“Who is this?” a confident female voice asked.

“Katy,” she answered, trying not to feel foolish and dejected.

“Where is Simon?”

“He’s outside, hold on a minute and I’ll get him for you.”

“Can you just ask him to phone home ASAP?”

“Who should I say is calling?”

“His wife.”

Katy nearly dropped the phone. She tapped the end button, stupefied, she stumbled from the restroom.

Tears blurring her vision, she bumped into Simon. Handing him his jacket she said, “I’m going home.”

“
My
home,” he corrected, gathering her into his arms.

“No,” she said shaking her head. Handing him his phone, she pulled away. “I don’t think Jen, your wife, would like that. She wants you to phone home ASAP.”

Stunned, he took the phone from her. “It’s not what you think, Kat.”

She was too hurt to be angry. That would come later.

“It’s never what I think, Simon. It’s always worse.”

“Kat,” he pleaded. “Let me explain.”

“No, Simon, if that’s even your real name. I’m done.”

She turned and walked away, leaving behind the man she had known, from the first time she met him, would irrevocably break her heart.

And so he had.