LOVE QUAKES: BOXED SET (BOOKS 1-4) (3 page)

“I’m also affected by you in a strong way. But, let’s take this one step at a time, Tristan,” I warn. I have little experience with dating and even less with very wealthy men. I already know that I’m in too deep though. Why is he affecting me so much? I know that I want him and his beautiful body in a way that’s almost painful. What’s gotten into me today? Maybe I’m just too repressed.

“You’re right, Joanna, we should take this slow. We could be playing with fire. Let me check in with Bailey, my security chief, and find out more about our situation,” he agrees quickly and then picks up his phone. I sigh with relief when Bailey answers after the first ring. I scoot over to the corner to regain my composure while Tristan talks.

When the phone call ends, Tristan tells me, “It looks as if we’ll be here for a while longer. There’s such extensive damage to the building that they won’t be able to reach the elevators or us for another hour or so.”

“That’s too bad, because I have to find a restroom soon,” I announce with embarrassment. He raises his eyebrows and looks around. He probably thinks I’m a baby.

“Do you have some kind of container or something in your bag?” he asks in a helpful way.

“Well, there’s the water bottle, but it’s not empty,” I point out. My bladder always does this when I’m anxious.

“Well, I can fix that problem. Why don’t you pass it to me and I’ll drink the contents?” he offers. “The water will take another hour to work its way through me and by then we’ll probably be out of this place.”

There’s no way I’m going to pee into a bottle in front of Tristan. I need to take my mind off my bladder. “We should talk about music, Tristan.” I stand up as I speak and begin walking around a bit. Maybe I can sweat off some of my urine. The movement alone makes me feel better already.

He seems to warm to the topic. “OK. I like a variety of styles. Lately I’ve been listening to Adele and Ellie Goulding,” he says while taking out his IPhone. Do you want to hear
Skyfall
?” He holds his phone out so that both of us can hear it. I nod and stand next to him to listen.

“Sure,” I agree. “It’s one of my favs.” He selects the piece from his artist’s playlist.

An aftershock rocks our space while we listen to Adele. I touch his arm to calm and steady myself. He gazes at me with wonder but doesn’t pull away. Then his arm slowly curls around my waist. I’m frightened about the shaking and his arm soothes me. His mouth turns up a bit at the corners when he notices that I’m leaning into him.

This is the end

Hold your breath and count to ten

Feel the earth move and then

Hear my heart burst again.

For this is the end.

I’ve drowned and dreamt this moment

So overdue I owe them

Swept away, I’m stolen

Let the sky fall

When it crumbles

We will stand tall

Face it together

I look at Tristan as the words take on new meaning. “How spooky the lyrics are…this could be the end,” I shudder.

He chuckles but his arm remains wrapped around my waist, “We can certainly feel the earth move and in more than one way.” He’s not very worried but I am.

“Have you ever listened to Aerosmith’s song entitled, “
Love in an Elevator
?” he asks with a laugh.

I shake my head no. “That’s not my sort of music.” Oh no, he’s trying to seduce me. Do I want this?

“The lyrics seem to fit our situation perfectly,” he comments while arching his eyebrows up and down.

It’s time to shift the focus, I decide. I pull away slightly for some space. His arm drops reluctantly from my waist. He pouts a bit.

“Do you have any opinions about the song,
Anything Could Happen
by Ellie Goulding?” I ask with feigned innocence.

“It’s much darker than her 2011
Lights
hit
.
She has an angelic voice though,” he remarks. “What do you think about it?” Each time he speaks to me, he turns to look directly into my face. It’s quite romantic, especially when I look into his gleaming aqua eyes.

“Goulding sounds much more brooding on her latest piece. I like the beat of her electro-indie music, generally,” I announce to impress him with my knowledge of her work. “It’s the music that I listen to when I need soothing.”

“I’d like to soothe you, Joanna,” he announces with his most seductive and gentle voice yet. I sigh when he pulls me toward him again and kisses my forehead very gently. That’s so sexy I could implode.

It’s a bit jarring to be so close to Tristan Grant in the elevator, so I smile sweetly but push back from his embrace. Then I refocus on the music. “Goulding’s got a more complex sound now than on her first album. Her 2011 release seemed a bit airy with too many soft beats,” I state with more conviction. I’m definitely trying to impress him with my understanding of popular music.

“Listen to these lyrics, though, Joanna on
Anything Could Happen.”
Once again, Tristan holds his IPhone before us while we stand shoulder to shoulder and listen.

Stripped to the waist

We fall into the river

Cover your eyes

So you don’t know the secret

I’ve been trying to hide

We held our breath

To see our names are written

On the wreck of ‘86

That was the year

I knew the panic was over

Yes, since we found out

Since we found out

That anything could happen

Anything could happen…

Tristan turns to me at the end of the piece and asks very directly, “Do you think anything can happen with us?”

“I don’t know. We’re poles apart Tristan,” I confess and look him in the eye. His eyes melt when I gaze up at him.

“I want something to happen. You have the most beautiful eyes, Joanna. I’m already getting lost in them,” he tells me while licking his lips. I look away and step back a bit further. Once again, I need to distract him. He looks offended at the space I’m putting between us.

“Do you play any sort of instrument, Tristan?” I ask as I pace toward the other side of the elevator.

“Just my IPod and my music’s mostly eclectic,” he offers and stares at me with rueful longing. “And you?”

“Only in my mind,” I giggle. He looks at me for a beat with a dejected expression on his face.

The elevator starts to gyrate again and tosses me around. I’m thrust over and into Tristan’s side then. He uses the opportunity to hold me tight and look into my eyes with concern until the rumbling settles down. I begin to move out of his embrace but he stops me from breaking the contact. He hugs me close as I look into his needy eyes.

“You’re driving me crazy, Joanna,” he admits and sighs as if he’s in pain. I swallow hard and look into his intense aquamarine gaze. I’m lost to him at that instant.

In the next second, I’m pushed against the side of our elevator by Tristan. He takes my hands and places them around his slim waist. His hips pin me to the wall. “Can I kiss you, Joanna, please?” he pleads with me. Wow, he’s hot when he begs.

“I…I can’t think when…when you ask me like that…,” I stutter but he’s no longer waiting for an answer.

He leans down and very gently kisses my mouth. He moans softly and then pulls back to look at my face. He’s testing my reaction. I smile shyly in response. He’s got the most amazing mouth. His lips are supple but firm and demanding. I love his scent and taste. It’s sweet and soothing.

“Was that good, Joanna?” he asks with burning aqua eyes that are full of uncertainty.

I can’t even manage a response. I nod my head yes and then move my arms from around his waist. I put each of my hands on his biceps then around his neck. They look so inviting and I’ve been wanting to touch his muscles. His arms wrap around my torso. He doesn’t seem to mind being close to me now. I squeeze him tight. He’s so firm and fit. Then, I return his kiss with a passion that surprises me. 

I turn my head so that our noses won’t collide and push my full lips over his mouth. Before I know it, his teeth are pulling gently on my fleshy lips. I allow the sensations to wash over me. Every nerve in my body responds to the stimulation of my mouth with his. My breathing becomes labored, as does Tristan’s. We kiss for several seconds before each of us steps back to catch our breath.

“That was amazing,” I admit at last. His megawatt smile and wink let me know that he’s pleased.

“You don’t know how happy our kiss makes me,” he responds. “It’s just magic.”

“I’d like to try that again,” I add with an enthusiasm that speaks volumes.

“With pleasure, Joanna,” he chants while moving me quickly into the corner of our elevator again. “Just one request, please. Put your arms around me. I need to feel your touch.” What’s that about?

“Alright, although, I like holding your arms and putting my hands around your neck,” I add, “is that also okay?”

“Yes, Joanna. It’s more than okay. I really like your hands on my body. Have no doubt about that,” he huffs out with desire.

In the next second, his tongue invades my mouth and mine meets his with an energetic twist. We’re almost engaged in a wrestling match inside my head. I love it. We make out breathlessly for a few minutes more. Then his lips find my chin and work their way down my neck to the collarbone. Each individual kiss sets my skin on fire. I move my head around while he begins to lick my neck. He’s really getting into this make out session and I’m enjoying every inch of our contact. Too bad earthquakes don’t happen more often, while I’m trapped in one with a gorgeous man.

“You have the most alluring scent, Joanna,” he remarks when he finally pauses from our sexy as sin kiss.

“You too, Tristan. I love the way you taste. Now it’s my turn to explore you,” I announce and give him my most enthusiastic smile. He raises his eyebrows in approval.

“Please. I like your reciprocity,” he comments with burning lust in his aqua eyes.

I had no idea how much I would enjoy French kissing someone that I wanted like Tristan. Our contact feels otherworldly. I decide to mimic his moves. I start by pulling his head up from the base of my neck. His eyes have glazed over and he licks his lips when I look into his face. My hands find their way into his thick head of sandy colored hair. I pull gently on his hair while moving my fingers from his scalp to the tips of his strands. He looks into my eyes with absolute satisfaction in his.

Next, I begin to taste his sculpted face. He closes his amazing eyes while I kiss each lid with affection. I work my way toward his cheekbones and then finally begin to taste his chiseled jaw with my engorged mouth. He’s sighing with pleasure. When I finish worshipping his face with my mouth, I move back to look at his reaction. He’s flushed and excited. I want to eat him; he’s delicious.

“This is so much better than what I imagined,” he manages to huff out, “and what I imagined was truly phenomenal. It’s hard to believe that you don’t have a boyfriend, Joanna.”