Alex took a good long look at Beth as the elevator doors shut. She was beautiful—even with red-rimmed eyes. She wore her emotions openly, and her failure to hide them made her gorgeous. She was naturally honest, even when she was lying.
He knew why she didn't stick around for dessert. It had nothing to do with fitting into a dress tomorrow. And it wasn't because she was afraid. Earlier, he had felt her tremble when they first sat down, but now she was calm.
She kissed him as soon as the doors of the elevator shut. There was no pressing urgency spurred by fear, or relief at still being alive. Her lips moved slowly, deliberately over his. She lifted her hands to his face, and pulled him closer.
Her tenderness moved him. Just because the urgency was gone didn't mean the passion was. Desire grew within him as her tongue caressed his bottom lip.
If she wasn't careful, he was going to take her right here in the elevator. What the hell? It was probably the safest place in the hotel right now. The only place that he was absolutely sure there wasn't anyone waiting to hurt her.
He eyed the emergency stop button before disregarding the tempting idea. They would only have time for a quick tumble against the walls before the maintenance crew found them. That wasn’t the kind of night he wanted, and, based on the slow promise of her kiss, it wasn’t what she wanted either.
Beth kept right on kissing him even after the elevator doors opened. He pulled away just long enough to walk down the hall. One of John’s agents was standing guard at the door of the stairwell. The man glanced his way, but didn’t acknowledge them in any way.
But if he had made the agent, someone else would too. It was a hard balance. They needed the place well guarded, but it was difficult to pull off without being obvious.
Not that Alex cared. Beth’s safety was the only thing that mattered. They would get this bastard some other way if they had to.
He hurried her into the room and resumed their kiss. He pulled at his tie. She unzipped her dress and began to unbutton his shirt.
Her feather-light kisses slowly stoked the fire building inside him. He slid his hands down from the curve of her waist, over her hips, to the flowing fabric of her dress. He walked his fingers up, lifting the material above the curve of her hips.
She shook her head, breaking the kiss as she did.
“Not here,” she said.
Alex had to blink a few times to see through the haze of desire.
“Where then?” he asked, looking around the room.
She smiled. “That tub. You know how much I want to be in that tub.”
A slow smile took over his face. Of course. It was perfect.
He went into the bathroom and started the water. Steam swirled around the room as a cascade of warm water filled the antique tub. He slid his shirt the rest of the way down his arms.
She stood in the doorway behind him, wearing only her bra and panties. Pink silk clung to her dramatic curves. Alex's mouth watered. She was the tastiest thing he'd ever seen, full and ripe and ready to be slowly savored.
He went back to her kisses, wrapping his arms around her, reveling in the softness of her skin. With deft fingers, he unhooked her bra. He had to stand back to let it drift down to the floor. Her breasts were perfect. Full and round and begging to be kissed. Even in the wet warmth of the bathroom her nipples were hard and tight. He bent his head down and drew one into his mouth, twirling the hard nub with his tongue. Her head fell back against the doorjamb, and he was treated to the gorgeous sound of her pleasure-drenched moans.
Dear God, he couldn't remember his cock ever being so hard in his life, and he didn't even have her pants off yet.
He needed to rectify that. Now.
He made his way down her belly, leaving a trail of kisses behind. He bent down on his knees before her, and hooked his fingers under the elastic of her panties. With aching slowness he dragged them over her pale skin, exposing her pussy.
She was trembling. He glanced up to see if it was anticipation or anxiety over being naked that had her shaking. A mixture of both, he decided. It was all right. He knew a way to take her mind off her fears.
He wrapped his fingers around her left leg and draped it over his shoulder. She was beautiful. Every inch of her. Every part. He kissed her again, his tongue moving slowly between her lips.
She tasted every bit as sweet as he'd imagined. He turned slow circles around her clit until her little moans were breathy and more urgent. Her hands curled into his shoulders, pressing him forward. She didn't mind asking for more of what she wanted. And he was only too happy to comply.
Her legs started to shudder. He pressed his hands against her body to hold her upright. Her shaking became more intense, her moans more urgent, until he felt her break and loosen against him. Only then did he stop and rise to his feet.
He didn't waste any time stripping off the rest of his clothes, and discarded them in a pile on the bathroom tile. He settled into the tub first. She followed, sitting down on his lap. Her legs nestled against his side. She slowly descended, taking him all the way in one stroke.
Damn, she felt good. Soft and wet and everything that he’d ever wanted. Her legs were still shaky, and she moved slowly. He wouldn't have wanted it any other way. He was going to savor her. Every stroke. Every heartbeat. Every breath.
He wrapped his hands around her neck and kissed her. He didn't break the kiss. Not once. Not as the warm water surrounding their moving bodies sloshed over the side of the tub. Not as the pleasure of her body sliding against his grew until he felt as though he would lose himself entirely in her. And when he finally did break, he clutched her to him as if she were the source of everything he’d ever needed.
***