Before Daylight Read online

  “We could all use more friends.”

  “I don’t trust you.”

  That hit him in the chest and a ball of anger formed in his throat because he wanted her to trust him. Charlie looked over at Carla and Jonah, who seemed to be ignoring them but were probably just sneaky about watching them together.

  “What would I have to do to earn your trust?” He ran his hand over his hair. “Carla and Jonah trust me with their kid, for Christ’s sake.”

  “You’re too much for me.”

  Funny, he thought it was the other way around.

  Before he could ask any questions, dinner was ready. Reluctantly, he put his easygoing fun face back on for his friends, plotting to find out what Laura had meant later.

  * * * *

  Fuck Charlie Laughlin. Not literally, but figuratively and in a way he wouldn’t enjoy. Tonight, he hadn’t even done anything to piss her off that much. He just confused her, and surprised her. Laura didn’t like being surprised by people. She liked to make her conclusions and put them in their respective boxes. She didn’t like to fixate on people. Even when she was a kid her crushes had freaked her out. All that obsessive thinking had her wishing her life was different and those thoughts were dangerous.

  It was the kind of thinking that had sent her mother straight to the bottom of a bottle of pills. A bottle she still lived in, to this day. Wishing destroyed lives.

  And seeing Charlie with Layla hit her right in the ovaries. She’d always figured that children weren’t going to happen for her. By the time she gave up professional dance, her reproductive organs would be calcified. And she’d been fine with that possibility. But seeing her husband—that word was coming too quickly to mind when she thought about him these days—with his thumb clutched in a chubby, baby hand had filled her with longing.

  She sawed at her filet mignon with way too much intensity, making her plate skid across the table, narrowly missing her wineglass. Jonah and Carla looked at her quizzically, and Charlie smirked at her infuriatingly. That he knew he got under her skin got under her skin even more.

  Just being here, being normal, made her want this more often. She wished she could have more than a glass-and-a-half of wine, wished she could stay out here listening to her cousin and her husband chat with Charlie until midnight. Instead, she was about to turn into a pumpkin at ten. If she didn’t get at least nine hours of sleep tonight, she’d have yet another worthless rehearsal tomorrow.

  And she could feel Matthieu getting more and more frustrated with her. If they weren’t friends, then he already would have replaced her. Five years ago, that thought would have filled her with shame. Now, she struggled to care.

  The only intense emotion that filled her was the waves of lust and something else she couldn’t quite name coming off the man she remained temporarily married to. He didn’t have to say anything, she just felt it. His sexual interest was overwhelming even without the occasional brush of his hand or their knees touching under the table.

  She worked hard not to show that she was affected by him, to keep her body from drifting toward him.

  When they were done eating the delicious steak and asparagus, Carla stood up. “Dessert?”

  “None for me.” The meal had already had too much oil for her diet. “I’ll come in and help you serve, though.”

  “I’ll eat her serving,” Charlie said. He put the emphasis on the first three words of that sentence.

  Carla brushed off her offer of help. “Jonah’s going to help.” Her cousin’s wink didn’t leave any doubt that the objective of fetching dessert was to give her and Charlie a few moments alone.

  To his credit, Charlie waited until his friends were out of earshot before leaning over and saying, “You don’t have to be so nervous.”

  His words frittered through her system like lightening, setting every nerve ending to attention. “You just insinuated that you want to eat me.”

  He chuckled. “I don’t have to insinuate anything at all.” Her heart nearly stopped when he tugged her chair over close to him. “I can’t think about nearly anything else but getting my mouth on you.”

  “You’re being crass.” And she really liked it, not that she would say that out loud.

  “You don’t seem to be responding to me acting like a gentleman.” He ran a finger over the exposed skin of her collarbone. It was such an intimate touch she ought to have pulled away, but he had her enthralled, waiting for the next thing to come out of his mouth, hoping it was filthy. “So, I think I need to change the game.”

  “Won’t make a difference.”

  He leaned even closer and his breath warmed her skin and gave her a chill all at the same time. He’d had wine with dinner so she smelled that but also felt like she’d been doused with pheromones. Being this close to him made her feel like she was floating, and any second he’d disappear and she’d crash to the ground.

  “Of course it will make a difference. Do you think I don’t know why your legs are rubbing together? Your body wants my cock right there.” She hadn’t even noticed she was squirming in her chair. Then, he reached his hand under the armrest and cupped her over her dress. She ought to move his hand, maybe bend his arm back so hard that it broke. He shouldn’t be touching her, and she shouldn’t like it. She shouldn’t want more.

  But—God help her—she did.

  “I think you want, no need, to lose control.” That was the last thing she needed, but she said nothing and willed him to say more. “Give me one night. Both of us sober.” He squeezed, and she gripped the armrests of her chair until her knuckles ached. “And I’ll show you how good it can be.”

  She felt like a shaken-up bottle of champagne, not caring that her cousin and Jonah were bound to walk out on them while Charlie was fondling her. Handling her. Nearly making her come.

  All that wanting for something different converged on wanting Charlie. If they could actually leave it at one night, maybe she would get out unscathed. Maybe he would leave her alone. Even addled by being on the edge of coming, she knew it wasn’t likely. Their chemistry was like a heavy blanket. It was nothing like she’d ever experienced before, but she knew it wouldn’t be over in one go.

  “One night?”

  When she looked at him, he looked totally different to her than he ever had before. His brow was furrowed, his gaze serious. Some tender thing inside her wanted to smooth out the lines on his face; she wanted to soothe him. She knew one way to do that, and it couldn’t possibly slake her thirst for him.

  Just one night.

  “If that’s all you’ll give me, I’ll take it.” He moved his hand down her thigh, and she wanted to protest, but she heard steps on the patio. His fingers on the skin of her thigh when he got past the hem of her dress made her jump. “But I’m not going to say that I don’t want more.”

  He brushed his lips against her cheek as he backed off. She didn’t miss the looks from both Jonah and Carla—him warning and her giddy—when they walked out and found her and Charlie closer.

  Chapter 7

  After dinner, she’d followed him in her car to his place. The whole ride over, it was as though something had taken over her body. Her brain kept telling her to get on the freeway and head towards downtown, but her body wouldn’t listen.

  “This is your house?” Laura looked around the open floor plan. From the front door, the sight line to the canal was clear. Everything was white—fabric, marble, and glass. The pink light from the setting sun touched every surface, but it didn’t make the house look feminine.

  “No, I’m taking you to someone else’s house to have my wicked way with you.” He surprised her by kissing the back of her neck and moving her with his tall frame over to the living room. Even being used to someone picking her up, a curl of pleasure worked through her at the way he moved her body. He didn’t ask, he just took. That’s not a quality she’d ever liked or looke
d for in a lover. The only thing she’d wanted or expected from sex in the past was a temporary physical release. Something like a massage or a satisfyingly difficult rehearsal.

  This was bigger, not just because of the fact that Charlie had inserted himself into her career. If things went badly and he opened up his mouth, there would be hell to pay. No. He wouldn’t do that. Despite telling him that she didn’t trust him, something about Charlie felt safe. As safe as taking a flying leap off a cliff could be.

  The frisson of anxiety buzzing through her brain was about how he made her body feel, simply by touching her casually, as though he had the right to.

  He edged her over to the back of the couch and stepped back. One hand he kept curled around the back of her neck, keeping her still. She’d worn the backless dress to drive him crazy. The way he looked at her made her think he was imagining himself running his tongue all over her skin.

  “I like it.” She didn’t know whether she was referring to the house or to the way he was touching her, the way she could feel his gaze all over her bared skin. Probably the latter.

  “I like it, too.” He leaned close, so his hot breath touched her neck and ear. “I wouldn’t have bought it if I didn’t like it.”

  “I’m not doing this because you sponsored the ballet.”

  His fingers tightened against her neck at her statement. “I didn’t think you were.” He paused, and ran his thumb over a knot at the side of her neck. “Has anyone ever thought that you were for sale like that?”

  She shouldn’t be honest with him. It really wasn’t any of his business, and it might interfere with the heavenly way his hands were making her feel. But she couldn’t help it. His charisma was so powerful to her that he didn’t even have to prompt her openness, her honesty. “Most of those guys realize quick that they’re barking up the wrong tree with me. I’m not for sale. Especially since most of those guys are married.”

  “Yeah, it’s complicated when they’re married to someone else.” He stepped close again, and the heat of his body made her knees turn to Jell-O. “But, for the moment, you’re married to me.”

  “Just a few more days.” She hoped. If she could get herself to file the papers. And, if tonight worked in getting him out of her system, she could do it tomorrow.

  “Doesn’t change the fact that I wouldn’t have married you if I hadn’t wanted to do this.” He brushed his lips against the skin at the crux of her shoulder and neck. She gasped and leaned back into him.

  He moved his hands down to the hem of her dress, and he didn’t stop kissing her neck while he edged the garment up with his fingertips. The room was dark and no one would see them, even if their boat was fairly close to the dock. But that didn’t stop her from feeling exposed and vulnerable from his touch.

  Fire erupted her skin everywhere he touched her, but he held her still when she tried to turn and kiss him. She still hadn’t kissed him on the mouth without the haze of Mai Tais in the way. His lush and talented mouth moved down her spine, gradually, terribly slowly.

  “Your back is beautiful. So strong.”

  “What are you doing?”

  “Kissing you.”

  She groaned in frustration when he reached her lower back and painted her lower spine with his tongue.

  He chuckled. “You’re only going to give me one night, and I can’t even take my time?”

  “No.” She tried to sound stern, but his hands were under her dress, and he was playing with her lace underwear. Her hope that he would get down to business, with his hands, his mouth, the cock she knew was ready for her kept her from saying something snarky.

  “News flash, gorgeous.” He pushed her mid back until she leaned over the back of the couch, and her ass was right in his face. “I’m not going to fuck you until you really need it. And I just don’t believe you want it that badly right now.”

  She gritted her teeth to keep from begging him to just fuck her already. When he flipped her skirt up and pulled her panties down, she squealed. He laughed again, a dark, rich sound that didn’t do anything good for her piece of mind.

  He ran one finger down the center of her back and her over the crack of her ass. It was so filthy that she was sure her cheeks—both sets—were flushed. “What are you doing?”

  “Be quiet.”

  “Don’t tell me what to do.”

  “You’ll do what I say if you want my mouth on you.”

  The way his breath felt against her core made her knees weak. She was all too ready to beg for him to do something to her. Anything but looking at her in a frankly lewd position.

  When he ran his fingers up her inner thighs, she realized that she’d been quiet, so he was going to make her come. He stopped caressing when he got to the seam between her thigh and the core of her. It felt as though her skin rippled up from the shock of his touch. She wanted more, needed more.

  Instead of being embarrassed, she was shoving her crotch in his face. He brought out something feral in her, and it should terrify her. But it didn’t right then. She wanted to fall into him and forget everything outside of these four walls.

  Just for one night.

  “Up on your toes.” For a few breaths, she didn’t respond to his command. When he pinched the back of her thigh, the sharp pain made her reach up on her toes. “Good girl.”

  “I’m not a—” Her comeback got cut off when he licked her center.

  “Fuck you taste good.” He said the words right into her pussy, and they vibrated through her entire body. He worked her up so fast, she had to grip the upholstery on the couch so she wouldn’t fall over. Her muscles strained, and her bones felt as though they could crack from the delicious, tight, excruciating sensations he pulled from her body.

  “Oh, fuck. Like that.” She was shameless in seeking out the orgasm he was trying to pull from her almost violently.

  Right before she broke apart, he stopped. He pulled back and replaced his mouth with his fingers. When she let out a lazy whine, he smacked her ass with the hand that wasn’t keeping her on the edge of a colossal, cataclysmic orgasm. He didn’t move that hand away. Instead, he gripped her flesh and opened her up further.

  It was filthy and made her so conscious of how everything was just right there in his face. “If I let you come, are you going to walk out?”

  His voice sounded unsure, and that surprised her. Even after their not-great first date, he hadn’t seemed to lose any of that maddeningly attractive cocksureness. Hearing him sound like he wasn’t absolutely certain he had control over every bit of what was going on assuaged some of the self-consciousness of being bent over the couch with his face in her ass.

  “I’ll walk out right now if you don’t make me come.”

  Instead of doing what he was told, he stood up, and pulled her up to standing. Her bare ass brushed the front of his pants. Still on her toes, she could feel his hard cock through only a thin layer of fabric. With a man as finely built as this, who had her on the edge of destruction by pleasure, she couldn’t help but sway against him.

  He grunted when her body disrupted the sensitive positioning of his erection, and some weird form of feminine satisfaction floated through her. It disappeared when he pulled down the straps of her dress so roughly that she feared they might rip. Going home topless was not on the agenda.

  She bit her tongue when he took her nipples between fingers of each hand and rolled them almost roughly. His mouth went back to her neck, lips still damp from her core, making her feel all the more vulnerable and open to him.

  The sky had darkened completely, and the only light in the room was from a single overhead above the sink. There was only enough light for her to see them there. His dark head bent over her shoulder, his fingers plumping up and torturing her nipples until she writhed against him. He grunted again, so she rolled her body again. His grip got tighter, and she moaned.

  “Wha
t are you doing to me?”

  “I’d say that you’re the one doing all the doing.”

  “No. You’re rolling that tease of a body against me again, torturing my cock every time you twitch that perfect ass.” As if to demonstrate, he lowered one hand to her pussy and the other he held around her neck loosely. When his fingers reached her clit, her whole body jumped. Unbelievably, she was even more primed than before. He could control her body so easily. When he held her like this, he could take whatever he wanted from her, and she would gladly give it to him.

  Maybe it was that thought that finally broke her. Coming without him inside her was almost painful. Pleasure buzzed through her whole system, but she’d wanted his cock. After all it was so close, rubbing against her but not giving her what she needed from him.

  “Fuck, fuck, fuck. Please.”

  She couldn’t see the expression on his face in the reflection from the window, but she could only hope that he was as close to wrecked as she was.

  * * * *

  Charlie liked making Laura come. Actually, “like” wasn’t the right word. He liked cold beer on a hot day. He craved the feel of Laura’s body coming apart in his arms like he wanted water after a heavy night of drinking. He felt like he’d die without having it again and again and again.

  Even though his cock demanded to be part of the next again, he stood there holding her, making soothing sounds until she settled against him, almost boneless. To know that he’d done that to her—for her—made him feel like nothing else.

  Nothing in his professional life, nothing he’d ever seen travelling around the world would ever compare to having Laura claw his forearm, pushing him to give her more and somehow pulling away at the same time.

  He’d pulled the pleasure out of her like a long-held secret. She was an anathema to him in a lot of ways, but every mysterious facet made him want to know more about her. After their fight at the ballet studio, he’d looked up videos of her dancing. It was hard to believe that someone as strong and as solid as Laura could make her movements look weightless. She wasn’t bigger than other ballerinas, but seeing all that power up close made him think of her other contradictions.