Possessed by Passion (7 page)

Hell, he wasn't even sure he wanted to do anything about it. And that in itself was crazy. Why was there such strong sexual chemistry between them? What exactly had brought it on and when would it end? He had tried to recall the exact moment he'd lost his head. Had it been the moment he'd seen her when she had walked into Notorious? Or had it been when he'd conversed with her while sitting at her table? Or had it been when he'd dropped in on her unexpectedly that first time at her office? Or had it been when he'd kissed her? All he knew was that if he wasn't careful, she could easily get under his skin and he refused to let that happen.

Why was she making his plan of seduction so damn difficult? She wanted him as much as he wanted her, he was sure of it. But she continued to deny what they both wanted—one night in his bed. Was that too much to ask? He didn't think so, but evidently she did.

His phone rang, nearly startling him out of his reverie. He recognized the ringtone. It was Gannon. He picked up his cell phone from the kitchen counter. “It took you long enough to call me back, Gannon.”

He could hear his youngest brother's chuckle. “Now that Galen's married, am I supposed to report in with you now?”

Gannon was becoming such a smart-ass. “Wouldn't hurt.”

“Don't hold your breath, Tyson. What's up?”

“I hear you're driving one of your rigs to Florida.”

“That's right. Do you want to go along for the ride?”

He'd done it before and had to admit he had fun. The women they'd met along the way had been worth it. “Wish I could but I can't.”

For some reason he didn't want to leave Phoenix right now. He refused to believe Hunter McKay had anything to do with it. Hadn't he gone two weeks without seeing her? He forced the thought to the back of his mind just how miserable those days had been.

“Too much is going on at the hospital, Gannon,” he added. “I was lucky to get this time off.” And he was spending it with a woman who wasn't sharing his bed. How crazy was that?

“I dropped by and saw Brittany and the twins today.”

“How are they?”

“Everybody's fine. Galen was changing Ethan's diaper. Can you imagine that?”

“No, but he's a father now and with it comes responsibilities. Keep that in mind if you get it into your head to invite some woman into your rig for the night.”

Gannon chuckled. “Please don't cover the birds and bees with me again, Tyson. I got it the last time.”

“Just make sure you remember it. And stay condom safe.”

“Whatever. I'm headed out in the morning. I just left the folks' place and they're still beaming over the twins. Mom has taken over a thousand pictures already.”

“Doesn't surprise me.”

At that moment Tyson's doorbell sounded. “My dinner guest has arrived. I'll talk to you later.”

“Dinner guest? You can't cook.”

“Not trying to cook,” he said, moving around the breakfast bar to head for the door.

“I can't believe you invited a woman to your place.”

Tyson rolled his eyes. “Women have been to my place before, Gannon. Numerous times.”

“As a bedmate. Not a dinner guest.”

He didn't need his brother reminding him of his strange behavior. “Be safe on the road.”

“Okay. See you in a week.”

“Will do,” Tyson said, clicking off the phone and sliding it into the back pocket of his jeans. He stopped in the middle of his living room and inhaled deeply, convinced he could pick up Hunter's scent through the door. He shook his head. He had to be imagining things.

He glanced around his condo again. Although he appreciated his cleaning lady, she never had a lot to do because he spent most of his time at the hospital. But still, he was glad he wasn't a slob and kept a pretty tidy place. Hunter ought to be impressed.

Tyson shuddered at where his thoughts had gone again. Who cared if she was impressed or not? A completely physical, emotion-free involvement was what he wanted with Hunter. Inviting her to dinner was a means to an end, and the end was getting her into his bed.

He walked to the door, opened it and faltered at the same time he was certain his jaw dropped. He could only stand there and stare wide-eyed. What in the world...?

“I hope I'm not late, Tyson.”

He inhaled sharply as deep-seated hunger nearly took control of his senses. Hunter had changed clothes. The coral dress she was wearing now fitted her body like another layer of skin, showing every single curve. The neckline dipped low at just the right angle to show enough of her breasts, while at the same time enticing him to want to see more. She always looked totally feminine in whatever outfit she wore, but in this particular dress she looked like sex on two legs. And speaking of legs... They looked even more gorgeous in this short dress with a pair of killer heels on her feet. The entire ensemble was meant to push a man's buttons and it was pushing his in a big way. Somehow she'd transformed her image from a good girl to a totally naughty one.

For a moment he couldn't say anything. His mind filled with thoughts of just how he would take this dress off her later. He fought the urge to do it now. He was tempted to reach out and touch her all over to see if the material of her dress felt as sensuous as it looked. Instead he stood there, leaning against the doorjamb while his gaze roamed up and down her body, appreciating every stitch, inch and curve he saw.

“Tyson, I hope I'm not late.”

She repeated herself so he figured it was time to rein in his desire and respond. “You're right on time.”

And with the feel of his erection pressing hard against the zipper of his jeans, he meant every single word. “Come in,” he invited, moving aside.

She entered, walking past him. He appreciated the sway of her hips and how her every step placed emphasis on her delectable-looking backside, as well as those killer heels on her feet. And if that wasn't mind-boggling enough, her delicious scent almost made him moan.

“Thanks for inviting me to dinner,” she said, turning around in the middle of his foyer.

Hell, he would invite her to dinner every single night if she showed up looking like this. If she bent over even just a little he was certain he would be able to see her panties. That thought made his erection even harder.

Lust began taking over his mind, drugging him, gripping him, and he hoped he could make it through dinner. After that the night would belong to him and he intended to make good use of his time. She had to have known wearing this outfit would increase his desire for her. He wanted her so badly his entire body ached.

“No need to thank me,” he said, leading her to the living room. He wished they could skip dinner altogether and head straight to the bedroom.

“We're having Thai, right?”

He turned and his gaze automatically went to her legs. He could envision her doing a lot with those legs and all of them included him between them. He forced his gaze from her legs up to her face. Why did her lips look like they needed to be kissed? “Sorry. What did you ask?”

Hunter smiled at him. “I asked if we're still having Thai.”

She might be having Thai but he was having her. “Yes. The table is all set and the food is ready.”

“Good. I'm starving.”

So was he. So were his hands. His fingers. His mouth. His shaft. All were anxious to touch her. Taste her. Get inside her.

Tyson drew in a deep breath, trying to get back the control he was quickly losing. She had a lot of guts wearing this outfit to his place tonight. Had she thought he would focus on dinner and not on her? Especially when he'd warned her of his plans to seduce her?

Wait a minute... Warning bells began going off in his head. This whole thing was too good to be true. Why did he smell a setup? Tyson crossed his arms over his chest. “Okay, Hunter. What's going on? Why are you dressed like this?”

She lifted a brow. “Dressed like what?”

“Like you'll be my dessert once we finish dinner.”

Chapter 7

H
unter took a deep breath, trying to ignore the intense nervousness floating around in her stomach. What had Mo said about just doing what came naturally? If that was the case then why was she suddenly feeling like a fish out of water? Now she was wondering if she'd overdone things, especially with this outfit. She had dropped by Phase One, a boutique she'd passed several times on her way home. A twentysomething salesgirl had been more than happy to help her shop for the perfect seduction outfit.

“So, do you intend on being my dessert, Hunter?”

She licked her lips and saw his gaze follow the movement of her tongue. “Your dessert?”

“Yes.” Dropping his hands, he closed the distance separating them. “Do I need to go into details? What about a demonstration?”

She wished his eyes didn't captivate her, or that huge erection she couldn't help but notice didn't hold such promise. When he'd covered the distance separating them, he did so with the ease of a hunter stalking his prey. She had a mind to take a step back, but decided to stand her ground. “Neither is necessary, Tyson. Do you have a problem with what I'm wearing?”

A smile curved the corner of his lips. “No, I don't have a problem with it, as long as you know what it means.”

“And what does it mean?”

A serious smile touched his lips. “A woman wears a dress like this to give a man a sign as to how the evening will end.”

“I suggest you don't jump to conclusions. I merely decided to change into something more comfortable. But if my dress makes you uncomfortable then...”

“Doesn't bother me as long as you know I'll be trying like hell to get you out of it later.”

“Do you always say whatever you want?”

“No need to play games when it comes to us. I told you my plans for you that first night. Now, let's enjoy dinner.”

Hunter drew in a deep breath. Tyson Steele might think he had his own plan, but he would find out soon enough she also had hers.

As he led her over to the dining room table and pulled out a chair for her, she looked around. “You have a nice home, Tyson. It's pretty spacious for a condo. The architect in me likes the layout. I have a fondness for the open floor plan. Great for entertaining.”

He shrugged. “I don't consider it as home. Since I spend a lot of time at the hospital, I think of this as the place where I eat and sleep.”

Hunter figured he could have said that this was the place where he ate, slept and had sex. She figured he had a revolving door to his bedroom.

She couldn't help noticing how nice he'd set the table. Fine china and silverware, cloth napkins and crystal glasses. “Pretty fancy for takeout.”

He leaned close and stared into her eyes as he poured wine into her glass. “Thought I'd impress you.”

“You have.”

“Good. I'll be back with everything in a second.”

Hunter didn't release the breath she'd been holding until he left to go into the kitchen.

* * *

Tyson decided not to question his luck tonight. Hunter could pretend indifference all she wanted, but there had to be a reason she'd worn that dress. She was a very sensual woman and tonight he was very much aware of her body, more so than ever in that outfit.

Gathering all the dishes, he left the kitchen to reenter the dining room and she glanced in his direction. “Need help?”

“No, I got this,” he said, placing several platters and serving utensils in the middle of the table. He quickly returned to the kitchen to grab the bowl of tossed salad, the only thing he could actually claim he'd made. “I love Thai, and Latti's makes it just the way I like. Red roast duck on rice is my favorite. I think you'll enjoy it.”

“I'm sure I will. It looks delicious.”

“Then let's dig in,” he said, taking the chair across from her.

“Umm, why don't you serve me?”

He glanced over at her. “Serve you?”

“Yes,” she said, holding up her plate expectantly.

He held her gaze for a moment before picking up the serving spoon and proceeded to place several spoonfuls into her plate. What the hell was going on here? When did he serve women? He forced back his irritation and figured he would get his just reward later that night.

She took a forkful and moaned. Then she licked her lips.

Tyson felt a tightening in his groin as he watched her. He would serve her food again if she licked her lips like that one more time. It had him remembering the kisses they'd shared. Made him anticipate the ones he intended to share later.

“This is delicious, Tyson.”

Why did her compliment make his chest expand? It's not like he'd cooked it himself. “Glad you think so.”

For the next few minutes they ate in silence. Instead of using the quiet to his advantage to regroup and make sure he was back in control of his senses, he found himself becoming even more aware of her. Like that cute tiny mole just below her right ear. Why hadn't he noticed that before?

“I guess I really was starving.”

Her words made him look at her plate. It was clean. Mercury swore that a woman who had a healthy appetite when it came to food also had a healthy appetite in the bedroom. Tyson never noticed a correlation, but tonight he was hoping there was one. “I guess you were. Want seconds?”

“Don't tempt me.”

He didn't see why he shouldn't when she was definitely tempting him. It wouldn't take much to clear this table and proceed to spread her across it. “I won't tempt you. Would you like more wine?”

“Yes.”

He could have poured the wine from where he sat but decided now was the time to make his move. He walked around the table to stand beside her and poured the wine into her glass. “I hope you left room for dessert.”

She looked up at him and held his gaze. He could feel her need even if she was trying to downplay it. She wanted him as much as he wanted her. He knew the signs. He could see it in her eyes. Desire was lining her pupils, drenching her irises. The nipples of her breasts had formed into tight buds and were pressing against her dress. But the telltale sign was her feminine scent. The aroma was getting to him and he didn't want to play games if playing those games would delay things. He was ready to take things from the dining room straight into the bedroom.

He watched her tongue when she nervously licked her top lip. “I guess this is where we need to talk, Tyson.”

Talk?
The only talking they needed to do was pillow talk and that would come later. “What do we need to talk about?”

Instead of answering him, she picked up her glass and took a sip of her wine. She placed the glass back down and held his gaze once again. “About your misconception that if I sleep with you tonight it will because you seduced me into doing so.”

He didn't see it as a misconception, but as a fact. “Do you have a problem with me seducing you, Hunter?”

She nodded. “Yes, I have a problem with it. I refuse to be just another one of your conquests.”

Tyson hoped history wasn't repeating itself. If he recalled, she'd said something similar eighteen years ago. Back then she wanted to be his one and only girl. Surely she wasn't asking for some sort of commitment from him, because if she was she wouldn't be getting it.

He hated to ask but really needed to know. “And just what do you want to be?”

“The one doing the seducing.”

* * *

“Why?”

Hunter had expected Tyson's question. “I told you. Because I refuse to be another one of your conquests. That night at Notorious you stated you plan to seduce me. If we sleep together tonight, I don't want you to think you've succeeded. I want to set the record straight that if we share a bed it will be because it was my choice and not because you've done or said anything to persuade or entice me.”

“So you want to play a mind game?” Tyson asked.

“No. I don't want to play any games. I just don't want you thinking that like all those other women, I fell under your spell. I can get up and walk out the door right now if that's what I choose to do. There's no way you can touch me, kiss me or talk to me that will make me change my mind unless it's something I want to do.”

An arrogant smile touched his lips. “You think not?”

“I know not.”

“You wouldn't be the first woman who thought so. But fine,” he said, taking a step back. “If you want to seduce me, go right ahead. Don't expect me to resist. It will be a first.”

Hunter lifted a brow. “No woman has ever seduced you before?”

“No. If a woman wants me and I'm not interested in her, no amount of seduction on her part will make me change my mind. And if it's a woman I want, they usually fit into two categories. Those who are willing and those who aren't.”

He paused a minute as if to make sure she was keeping up with his logic. “Now, if it's a willing woman then there's no need for seduction because getting together will be mutual.”

“And if she's unwilling?” she asked.

An egotistical smile touched his lips. “Those are few, but any woman who resists my interest just needs a little coaxing. That's when my seduction comes into play. And just so you know, I'm an expert at it.”

He was conceited enough to believe that, Hunter thought. She figured he classified her in the latter group, which was why he'd put his plan of seduction in place. “And you thought I needed coaxing?”

“Yes. But I can always move you to the willing category if it makes you feel better.”

Hunter frowned. He just didn't get it. She wanted sleeping with him to be her choice and not his. She didn't want to be just another woman seduced by Tyson Steele. She stood and said, “I think I need to go. Dinner was great and—”

“Wait.” He stared at her while he shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “What's going on, Hunter? What is this about?”

“Nothing is going on. I've simply changed my mind about seducing you. I suggest you do the same.”

“What are you afraid of, Hunter?”

She lifted her chin. “What makes you think I'm afraid of anything?”

“Because you're running.”

He was right. She was running. “You want to seduce me and I won't let you. I want to seduce you, but you don't think I can. So what's the point?”

“I didn't say I didn't think you could seduce me. I merely stated no woman ever felt the need to try because I've always picked the women I wanted.” He looked back at her, stared at her as if she was a puzzle he was trying to figure out. Then he added, “I want you, so it doesn't matter to me who seduces whom.”

“It does to me.”

“I see that and I'm trying to understand why.”

She forced her gaze away from him and knew there was no way she could explain it to him. All this was a game to Tyson, a game he intended to win, and if he seduced her then he would be winning. It was just like with Carter. He'd played games with her for eight years. She'd been a contestant with no chance of winning, not even his heart. And God knows she'd tried. Well, those days were over and now she flat-out refused to let any man best her ever again.

But she couldn't possibly get Tyson to understand her past. “It's too complicated to explain.”

“Try me,” he said, reaching out and touching her arm.

She drew in a sharp breath at his touch. And held it when he slowly caressed her skin, making tingles of desire spread through her.

“And try this,” he added, leaning forward and using the tip of his tongue to lick her lips. “And I would just love for you to try this,” he whispered, deliberately pressing his body closer to hers so that she could feel his hard erection against the juncture of her thighs.

“You're trying to seduce me,” she accused in a breathless whisper and could feel herself getting weak in the knees. Resisting him in his domain would be harder than she thought.

“I'm showing you that we want each other, Hunter. The desire is mutual. You can arouse me just as much as I can arouse you. So why does it matter who's seducing whom?”

A part of Hunter knew it shouldn't but for her it did. “It matters to me, Tyson. I refuse to be seduced by you.”

He paused a moment before releasing her and taking a step back. “Fine. Since it matters so much to you, then go ahead. Seduce the hell out of me.”

* * *

Tyson wasn't sure what was going on with Hunter, but he figured it had something to do with her ex. She wouldn't be the first woman who'd brought baggage into his bedroom. And on more than one occasion he'd allowed them to do so knowing that after his first thrust into their body, whatever issues they were dealing with would take a backseat to the pleasures they would experience in his bed.

Hunter was being difficult and he didn't need a difficult woman. So why was he even putting up with it? And why, even now, did he want her more than he'd ever wanted any woman? He shook his head. Because she was the “one who got away.” All it would take was one night of tumbling between the sheets with her to get her out of his system. Hell, he probably didn't need the entire night. A few hours should work just fine.

As he watched her gaze sweep him up and down, he knew she was aware of his arousal. He refused to waste this opportunity to get her into his bed. “Do it, Hunter,” he whispered hoarsely. “Seduce me.”

For the longest time they stared at each other and then she took a tentative step closer, reducing the distance between them. Standing on tiptoes, she slanted her mouth across his.

Holy hell, Tyson thought the moment she slid her tongue inside his mouth. At that moment he wasn't sure what was getting to him more—the way her tongue was overpowering his mouth, or the feel of her hardened nipples pressed against his chest. He thought he could just stand there and let her use his mouth to work out whatever issue she was dealing with. But he soon discovered his desire for Hunter went deeper than that.