The Paris Assignment (17 page)

Their lips met and merged, tongues clashing in an erotic ballet that satisfied even as it left him desperate for more. Their breaths mingled with each kiss and he filled his hands with her as he walked them toward the bed.

Her hands gripped his waist and she gathered the hem of his T-shirt in her hands before lifting it up and over his head. He broke contact with her—the brief moments without his hands on her an agony—as she slid the shirt over his head.

The moment he was free of the shirt Abby pressed her lips to his chest, her tongue tracing an erotic path around one nipple before moving lower to trail a wet row of kisses to his belly button.

“I want to see you,” he whispered against her temple as he pulled her in for another kiss. In movements that mimicked hers, he fisted handfuls of silk at her waist, dragging the nightgown over her head and tossing it. He abstractly noticed how the silk seemed to float toward the ground before the need to look at her consumed him completely.

A sharp intake of breath stuck in his chest as he gazed on her perfect form for the first time. High, tight breasts with lush, pointed nipples. Slim hips and a flat stomach that begged for his touch. Long, slender legs that he already pictured wrapped around his waist as he drove into her, their bodies matched in rhythm.

Enchanted, he pressed his hands to the heavy weight of her breasts, running his thumbs over her nipples. He was rewarded with a soft moan as her head fell back, those gorgeous eyes lidding to half-mast. Despite his body’s urgent demands, hard and unyielding against the fly of his jeans, he kept up the gentle assault on her breasts, overwhelmed by the beauty of her response.

Without warning, her hands snaked forward to the snap of his jeans and before he even fully registered her movements, she had her hand under the waistband of his underwear, her hand fisting him with tight, controlled movements.

Stars swam before his eyes and he fought to maintain some measure of control when all he wanted to do was drop to the bed and bury himself into her. “Abby.”

“Hmm?”

“You’re amazing.”

Her smile was full of secrets and feminine power before she leaned up to nip a kiss on his chin. “Right back at ya, sexy.”

With gentle movements he removed her hands from his jeans. Her pout was unmistakable, but he only smiled when that same small moue turned to a smile of delight as he lifted her off her feet and carried her to the large four-poster bed that dominated the far wall of her bedroom.

He laid her across the bed, following her down and covering her body with his. She dropped one leg so he was nestled between her thighs and he felt the wild heat of her through his jeans. Desperate to feel some of that heat for himself, he reached between them and slipped a hand beneath the thin silk of her panties.

His body hardened even further at the slick evidence of her need and he pressed a finger to those hot folds, then another. The low moan that greeted his actions had him increasing the pressure and her body responded with a liquid wave of heat that had his own primal satisfaction roaring in his chest.

Had he ever seen a woman more magnificent in the throes of her pleasure? Or one more beautiful?

Her orgasm crested and he captured her hard cries with his mouth, their tongues merging in rhythm with her body’s response. Although he was nearly mindless for her, Campbell kept up the relentless assault, willing her to wring every last drop from her release.

When he felt her body go lax, he shifted, rolling to the side and gathering her in his arms.

“Did you truly think you were going to stay in your room tonight?”

Abby’s words—and the wry tone with which they were delivered—caught him off guard and a hard laugh welled in his throat before he could think to stop it.

Had he ever felt so good?

Or had he ever simply enjoyed a woman’s company more?

“My intentions were noble.”

“Well, consider me thrilled you got over that.” She smiled up at him and laid a hand against his cheek. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“I’m glad I’m here.”

The haze of passion was still more than evident in the dark discs of her pupils, wide in those delicious brown eyes, but it was rapidly pairing with something else.

Renewed desire.

“Campbell.” She whispered his name.

“Yes?”

“You’re wearing too much.”

Before he could confirm or deny the sentiment her hands returned to the open button of his jeans and made quick work of the zipper. Her efficient movements were somewhat stunted by the thick denim and he couldn’t miss her frown of frustration.

“Let me.”

With some efficient movements of his own, he had his jeans and briefs down in one coordinated motion, then rejoined her on the bed.

“Smooth moves, Steele.”

“I’ve got a few more where those came from.” He bent his head, recapturing her mouth once more before murmuring against her lips, “But wait.”

“What?”

“Now who’s the overdressed one?”

He reached for her waist, hooking his fingers in the tiny panties that still rode her hips and dragged them down her spectacular legs. As she lay fully exposed to his gaze, Campbell had to stop a moment and simply look his fill.

“What?”

“You’re so beautiful. Inside and out.”

A light flush worked its way over her body, the delicate pink adding to her already-glowing visage.

Without breaking eye contact, he leaned forward and kissed her.

The last kiss he’d give her before he fully made her his own. And as she maintained his gaze, he knew she sensed the same.

Nothing would be the same. But they were both committed to making it better.

“Campbell.” Her voice was whisper-soft in his ear.

“Yes?”

“Make love to me.”

He looked his fill one last time before fully giving in to the increasing demands of his body.

She was a goddess.

And in that moment she was his.

* * *

Abby felt the air shift around them. What had been fun and lighthearted morphed into something deeper. More intense.

And altogether more profound than anything she’d ever expected to experience.

She wanted this man in a way that defied logic and reason.

His large body covered hers and she once again opened herself to him, amazed at how well they fit together. The hard length of him pressed at her core and she was nearly ready to assure him she was on the pill—a medical assist that ensured she stayed regular—when he lifted off of her to snag his jeans.

The moment was surprisingly tender as he made quick work of the small foil packet and returned to her, a warm smile on his face. “I have to admit I’m suddenly very relieved I packed those.”

“We have a work-around.”

“We’ll worry about that later.” He pressed his lips to hers. “Now. What was that you requested? Something about making love to you until your toes curled.”

“Is that editorializing?”

“Consider it going above and beyond in full commitment to my duties.”

“Who am I to suggest you shouldn’t give it your all?”

And then he proceeded to do just that.

The light banter faded away as they found their rhythm, the tension in their bodies spiraling as they pushed each other, sending one another to the brink...and beyond.

Abby knew the moment he was nearing his release—felt it in the tightening of his lower back and the increased pressure of his thrusts. She felt herself following, her own orgasm coming fast on the heels of the one he’d given her only moments before.

“Abby!”

Her name had never sounded sweeter and she clung to him as he poured himself into her.

And as she followed him into the abyss, Abby knew she’d never felt more protected in her life.

Chapter 14

A
bby lay curled in the cocoon of Campbell’s arms, her body limp and sated. The house was quiet around them, everyone having settled for the night. If she hadn’t known David and his team had taken up residence on the guest floor, she’d have thought she and Campbell the only people in all of Paris.

Their explosive lovemaking was a revelation.

She’d known their attraction was more intense than anything she’d ever experienced, but even she couldn’t have imagined how that would translate into the physical.

How one man could be so gentle yet so fierce. So thoughtful yet able to laugh and smile with ease. So incredibly bright, yet deeply sensitive, as well.

He was a protector. A warrior. And a man unlike any other.

Her conscience rose up in quick admonition she not make more out of sex than she should, yet even as she gave in to the thought, she readily discarded it.

Something had changed between them and it was more than simply giving in to a physical urge.

If she were really honest, sex—though outstanding—was simply the culmination of what had been building since that first moment in her office. From the first, she’d been drawn to him and every moment in his company only made her want to curl up and settle in more deeply.

Uncover more layers to this fascinating man and—even more surprising—share the things in her own life she normally kept to herself.

His fingers roamed over her skin as he traced lazy circles over her flesh and she wondered how she could feel so calm—so at peace—while in the midst of her entire world melting down.

“What do you know about Lucas Brown?”

Campbell’s question penetrated her delightful haze and she turned to stare at his face, now drawn in solemn lines. “You can’t seriously be asking me about my meetings right now?”

“The question’s been in the back of my mind and I meant to ask you earlier then forgot.”

“Clearly I did something wrong.”

“You did nothing wrong. Not one—” he pressed a kiss to her exposed ear “—single—” then to her cheek “—thing—” then to her lips. She turned in his arms, falling into the kiss as the moment quickly took them over.

How could it be so easy? She marveled as his hands roamed over her body, igniting sparks wherever he touched. She reached between them, her hands closing around the hard length of him when his hand stilled her and he groaned against her mouth.

“Abby.” He nipped at her lips again. “We have to talk.”

She gave him one long, thorough stroke for good measure before settling in beside him. “Thanks for the buzzkill.”

“It pains me more than it does you, believe me.”

“It’d better.” She shifted to sit up but he pulled her back into his arms, tickling the sensitive skin over her ribs for good measure.

When she finally caught her breath, she turned to stare at him. “So why do you ask about Lucas?”

“He struck me as curious tonight.”

“Curious how? Every time I looked at him he was the life of the party. He’s bright and articulate and one of the better conversationalists among my lovely, albeit slightly boring, board of directors.” Campbell rolled his eyes at that description and she recalled a conversation she’d overheard between him and the woman who had sat on his other side during dinner.

If she hadn’t been mistaken, Campbell was seriously considering suicide by butter knife.

“I think you’re giving them too much credit by calling them boring.”

She swatted lightly at his arm. “All I’m saying is that Lucas is a good guy.
And
he has a personality.”

“I can respect he livens up the room, but something struck me as off.”

She couldn’t hold back the surprise at Campbell’s assessment, even as she trusted his instincts too much to dismiss it out of hand. “Not only is he one of the best board members I have, he’s been a huge champion of my business.”

“How so?”

“He helped us secure some financing a few years ago as well as putting in a good word for us with many of Europe’s finest investors.”

Campbell propped himself up on one elbow, his eyes alighting at her explanation. “Don’t you find
that
curious?”

“Why would I? It’s been a major boon to have such a well-placed champion. When his name was suggested to me for our open board position last year I jumped at the chance to get him.”

She didn’t miss the skepticism that painted Campbell’s face or the hard play of muscles as his arms tightened around her. “Spill it. It’s more than you simply having reservations about him. You obviously don’t like him.”

“I don’t know him, but something about him trips my senses. You saw our exchange at dinner.”

“What was that about, anyway? I missed the beginning and all of a sudden the entire table was staring at the two of you.”

“I asked him about a small tablet I noticed he was using.”

The thought briefly flitted through her mind that perhaps those weird moments at dinner were some sort of cultural difference, but ultimately discarded it. “I’m not seeing what upset him.”

“My point exactly. I know gadgets and I know gadget guys. And he looked like I’d punched him in the face while insulting his grandmother.”

Abby struggled to sit up. “Do you think there’s something to it?”

“I think it’s worth paying attention to him tomorrow. Keep an eye on him and see what he does with that tablet.”

“If he’s anything like you, he treats it as an appendage.” She couldn’t hold back the smile as she allowed her hand to drift lower beneath the covers. “A rather favored appendage.”

“If you’re implying—” His sharp intake of breath let her know he knew
exactly
what she was implying.

“If the shoe fits.”

“Oh, baby, last time I checked, my gadgets didn’t respond nearly as favorably to external stimulation.”

She leaned down and pressed a kiss to his neck before working her way lower across the expanse of his chest. “Perhaps you just don’t give them proper—” she blew lightly over the path of kisses she’d trailed with her tongue, satisfied to see the light shiver that gripped his skin “—care and attention.”

“Why don’t you show me how it’s done?”

“It’d be my pleasure.”

* * *

Abby’s words echoed in his mind the next morning as Campbell ran another set of diagnostics against the server device. She’d gone downstairs to meet with the caterers and set up the dining room for her presentation, kissing him on her way out with the promise she’d pay particular attention to Lucas Brown.

He had every intention of joining her but wanted to get through another layer of tests before heading down to breakfast. He knew he was close on the diagnostics—like the last few pieces of a puzzle that just needed to be properly aligned with the whole—and wanted to make the best use of his morning.

He hummed along with his work, mentally cursing under his breath when a line of code he’d thought particularly inventive missed the mark, then went back to solving the puzzle.

And all the while, Abby wasn’t far from his thoughts. The memory of their heated lovemaking would keep him company for many years to come, but it was more than that.

He couldn’t get the image of waking up with her out of his mind.

She fit.

No, he amended to himself,
they
fit.

They fit incredibly well if last night was any indication.

And the more time he spent with her, the more he wanted to fit with her. Permanently.

The thought was as exciting as it was unexpected, but the more he tried it on for size, the more comfortable the fit.

Campbell left the thoughts humming in the back of his mind like lines of code and turned once more to his computer. After reading the results of his latest adjustments he modified and made a few more. And nodded with grim certainty. As he’d suspected, the system had been probed last night, the honeypots he’d set up blazing with evidence of a repeated breach.

The sound of the front doorbell echoed through the house, just as he got lost in the lines of code that ensured he was getting close to an answer.

“It’s a good day,” he muttered to himself as he tapped in a few more commands. “A very good day to catch a ghost.”

* * *

Kensington read the email from her brother on her phone and decided to put her insomnia to good use. Slipping from bed, she padded down to her office and logged in to one of several databases they had special license to access.

Campbell had reservations about several of Abby’s guests, one he’d prioritized to the top. If the guy had a record, she’d find it.

Hell, if he’d ever kicked a puppy or punched his grandmother, she’d find it.

She was just that good.

The familiar screen flashed on her secure system and she typed in her credentials, then went to work inputting various search queries and navigating several interesting threads.

The work was often slow, but she found it endlessly fascinating to see how one line of inquiry could lead to another which could lead to another that held the answers she was looking for.

In the meantime, she played a bit of technology archaeology and fancied herself a female Indiana Jones.

The light knock on her door was a surprise and she glanced up to see her sister, Rowan, highlighted in the doorway. “What happened to going to bed after we polished off that bottle of wine?”

“I couldn’t sleep.”

“Big surprise.” Ro’s eyebrows shot up over that liquid blue gaze the Steele siblings were so renowned for before stepping into the room. Her short brown hair the color of rich mocha—normally spiky on a good day—stuck straight up at odd angles.

“Sorry if I woke you.”

“Nah. My body clock’s a mess.”

“Hong Kong, Rome and Chicago in one week will do that to a person.”

“I take solace that I will sleep well, when I do eventually sleep, secure in the knowledge I caught the bastard.” Rowan snorted before running a hand through the spikes. “Antiquities dealer my ass. Common street thief with a well-heeled network of scholars feeding him leads is more like it.”

“Spoken like a woman with a deep and abiding passion for museums and the artifacts they make available to the masses.”

“You know me so well.” Rowan stood up and crossed around to Kensington’s side of the desk. “What are you working on?”

“Someone’s got Campbell’s feelers up and I’m checking him out.”

“You get anything yet?”

“Nope, not yet, but I just started.”

Rowan covered a small yawn. “I’ve got faith in you. If there’s something to find, you’ll find it.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

“What’s the case about?”

Kensington caught her sister up before letting loose with the concerns she’d hesitated voicing to Campbell, especially since Abby’s assistant had ended up murdered.

Whoever was responsible wasn’t messing around and her brother and one of her closest friends were smack in the middle of it.

“He’s falling for her.”

“That’s great!” Whatever sleep deprivation Rowan might be feeling vanished at the evidence her brother had a new girlfriend. “It’s about time he got serious about someone.”

“Make sure you don’t say that in front of him. Those are fighting words.”

“They’re truthful words. He’s a good guy and his heart’s about three sizes too big for his chest. He deserves the best.”

“Well, Abby McBane’s the best, but he’s sitting on a world of hurt he’s never really dealt with.”

“Sarah?”

“Yep.” Kensington nodded, the lingering sadness of how their childhood friend died one of the life experiences they all carried with them.

And one of the experiences that had contributed to what they’d built with House of Steele.

“Does Abby know about Sarah?”

“I never told her.” Kensington wondered now if that had been shortsighted, but Sarah’s death—and Campbell’s subsequent grief—had always been a private matter.

Of course, that was before she saw the heat that blazed like a forest fire between the two of them.

“They’ll figure it out.”

“I hope so, Rowan. I really hope so.”

“I’ll let you get back to what you’re doing. If you don’t see me for a few days, just send up food and water intermittently.”

Kensington couldn’t hold back the smile. Where most youngest children fussed for the independence, Rowan had always been more than willing to let all of them pamper her. It was one of her more charming traits, because she did it with such grace and aplomb. “I’ll make sure you don’t starve.”

“That’s a relief.” Rowan dropped a kiss on her head. “Try to get some sleep.”

“I will.”

“Yep. That’s your standard answer, but you never do.”

Rowan’s words still echoed in her ear several hours later as the sun rose over Manhattan. She was nowhere near finding any information for Campbell and that alone was troubling.

Everyone had a record because everyone had a past.

So where the hell did Lucas Brown come from?

* * *

Abby knew she’d missed what had to be very obvious clues from Stef, but no matter how she looked at it, she couldn’t find anything amiss with Lucas.

The morning had gone well and he’d contributed significantly to the discussion on McBane’s continued global expansion as well as how they were going to source investment beyond the next five years. He also had a lot to say on some debt restructuring that showcased considerable strategic thought and raw intelligence.

What could Campbell possibly have seen?

She did keep an eye out for any use of the handheld device Campbell was so concerned about but other than a slim tablet he kept propped in front of him throughout the meeting—one that didn’t fit Campbell’s description—Lucas used no other technology as they spent the morning working.

Abby ducked into the kitchen after they broke for lunch to check on the caterers and provide directions for the meal service when Simon came barreling through the swinging door.

“Simon. I asked you not to come down here.”

“There are enough people in this house one more won’t matter.” He kept a bright smile on his face but she sensed the petulance underneath his tone.