MrTemptation Page 6

Preston was an exceptional attorney. What he’d told her hadn’t been easy. He’d gotten all serious when explaining and when she got all emotional, his expression softened. She’d bet even money that beneath his professional exterior he hid a heart of gold.

  Enough thinking about the mess her so-called family had made of their lives and how she intended to spend all that money—she wanted to dream about that body in that Armani suit.

  She had been attracted to men before, lots of men. She’d had a few relationships but nothing serious. The mayor had made sure her dates were fully vetted and from the right kind of families. He’d insisted she be accompanied by a bodyguard. No misspent youth for her.

  Preston reminded her of what she was missing. She’d never experienced such an intense pull like this, especially toward someone she’d just met. He exuded this vibe that played havoc with her body. He was raw sexuality. And not even the Armani could keep her from thinking of him naked, hard cock jutting from his middle.

  It wasn’t like he was a stranger. Anne Night had been Mother’s friend and confidante. After their session this morning, Cadence was certain Preston had her best interests in mind.

  She sank lower in the water and blew bubbles. She was doubting herself again. She always seemed to second-guess her decisions and her choices. Why couldn’t she enjoy the company of an attractive man?

  She’d made a date tonight with a man who could fulfill her every fantasy.

  Would she be bold enough to go the next step? Were there too many obstacles to keep them from enjoying each other? If only for a night?

  Maybe she should ease into the physical relationship. She wondered if he liked to jog. She loved jogging. Jogging in Central Park with a partner, with him specifically, would be so much fun. She could watch his muscles bulge as they worked out side by side.

  Her body tingled, growing hot and aching just thinking about his taut muscles as he pulled her toward him. The slick, moist heat of his skin. His long, hard cock, rigid and pulsing against her.

  She pressed her hand to the tender folds between her thighs, begging to be touched. She imagined him removing her tee and grasping an aching breast. Him rubbing the hardened nipple until she moaned. His hand plunging into her shorts, his thick fingers pushing in and out of her. She mimicked the movements beneath the water, all the while imagining it was Preston taking her body to paradise.

  Her fingers delved inside tight, hot, wet flesh. She was so wet with only thoughts of Preston. How wet would she be when he did touch her, kiss her?

  It didn’t take long before shots of pleasure ran through her. She pinched her nipple, palmed her breasts, sending frissons of need and bliss from her breasts to her pussy.

  Oh, God… She brushed a thumb over her clit, gasped at the spark of feeling it elicited. I should have taken a cold shower instead.

  But it was too late, she was already hot, heavy with wanting, panting from the need to feel her release. She stroked her thumb faster over her clit, her fingers still thrusting inside her pussy. In and out, round and round. She imagined it was Preston doing these things to her body. Preston thrusting his thick fingers inside her channel. Preston palming her breasts, rolling her nipples between his fingers. The warm water lapped at her breasts as her hips rolled in the water. It was heady. Hot.

  And then, when she thought she’d die from the pressure building within her, an orgasm ripped from her center outward. Her pussy clenched and fluttered around her fingers. She moaned aloud, her head rolling from side to side. In her mind, Preston smiled with satisfaction.

  If she could come like that just thinking of him, what would it be like to actually be with him?

  Cadence leaned her head back on the tub. She may have orgasmed but her intense hunger for him still thrived. She’d waited a long time to meet a man like Preston. She wouldn’t deny herself the pleasure a second longer.

  What was she getting into? Caution raised its ugly head as she stared at the ceiling tiles. She hardly knew the man. His likes and dislikes. His taste in women, for example. Maybe she wasn’t his type. Maybe he treated all his clients as if they were the most important person in the world. Maybe she was setting herself up for a big disappointment.

  She snorted, sending a bubble skidding across the water. What did all that matter? Preston Night obviously liked what he’d seen and was free this evening. They’d have a few laughs, which would take her mind off family matters. If they ended up in bed, she was aware it would be a one-night stand only.

  What she knew about him was sufficient. He was an ambitious international business lawyer with offices all over the world, he was probably a workaholic and he’d no time for a social life.

  That he kept damn good care of his body and she wanted him to take care of hers.

  She leaned back against the tub. She would be leaving as soon as this whole mess with secret trusts was dealt with. She intended to live in another country…start fresh…

  Preston had offices in Europe. They could hook up from time to time. No, it wouldn’t work. She was going to be busy traveling and writing. He had a company to grow.

  Maybe dinner wasn’t such a good idea. She didn’t want to ruin a perfectly good working relationship.

  She had gone out on a limb, asking him because she was so attracted to him and, to be honest, lonely. She wanted to spend an evening not thinking about the train wreck her life had become in the past few days. She hadn’t thought rationally, latching on to the first hunk who walked directly in her path.

  What was she thinking? His mother had taken on an estate case years ago and now he was saddled with her until he could get her out of his hair. He’d said yes because that was his job.

  Poor guy, I bulldozed him. I have to call him, I have to cancel. He’ll be relieved, she thought, but he won’t let on. He’d been considerate, even caring. She’d misinterpreted his response to her anger and grief.

  She climbed out of the tub and wrapped a towel around her body. She took a peek in the mirror and rolled her eyes at the dark circles underneath her eyelids. She hadn’t slept well and it showed. She looked haggard and worn, which was the truth but it wasn’t the face a man wanted to look at across the table.

  Cadence made a face in the mirror and went to find the Night and Night business card. She’d had it with her at the appointment this morning. Digging in her purse, she found the card.

  Whipping off the towel, she sat on the side of her bed, ignoring her dripping hair and how she didn’t have a stitch on.

  She dialed the office number and waited for his receptionist to answer. One ring, two, three…

  “Hello?” A cultured feminine voice answered instead.

  Cadence checked the card, certain she’d punched the correct number. “Um, yes, I’m sorry, I think I have called the wrong number,” she stammered.

  “May I ask whom you are trying to contact?”

  Cadence repeated the number.

  “You’ve reached Preston’s cell phone,” the woman said. The beautiful voice reached out with its sensuous sound and scratched at her heart.

  Cadence had a vision of the stunning woman on the other end. Preston’s arm around her shoulder as she talked on the phone, him pressing kisses to her neck.

  “May I talk to him?” It took all of her strength to not crush the phone in her hand and to speak through unclenched teeth.

  “Hold on, let me get him for you. May I ask who’s calling?”

  “Cadence Burke, thank you,” she replied. She picked up the towel and tied it tight around her.

  She knew he was too good to be true. He had a girlfriend or maybe even a wife. She should hang up now. Tomorrow she could go to his office, sign whatever papers he required and get on with her life.

  She sighed deeply, trying to ignore the feelings of regret, shame and humiliation at what she’d been thinking all afternoon. How tonight would be special.

  Except she hadn’t imagined the steamy look he had given her in the car. He had shown her just as much interest
as she had given him. She certainly hadn’t imagined that.

  If he was married or even seeing someone, she didn’t want anything to do with him. Shaking her head, she started to put the receiver back in the cradle when she heard his deep voice on the other end.

  “Hello, Cadence.”

  Her heart dropped to her stomach and it took her a moment to regain her voice.

  “Hi, Mr. Night, I’m calling about this evening. I appreciate—”

  “Ah, yes, I made reservations for seven thirty at my favorite restaurant. I hope you like sushi.”

  “I’m sorry, Preston, I just don’t think dinner tonight is a good idea.”

  “You don’t like sushi?”

  “No, I do like sushi, but you, I, I just think maybe it would be better for…”

  “Hold on just a second, sorry.”

  She could hear his muffled voice.

  “Thanks, Elise. That’ll be all.”

  The word sent a rush of relief over her like a tsunami.

  “Sorry about that, Elise has been helping me with a software problem. So you were saying? You want me to change the reservation?”

  “Oh, um, no.” This was awkward. “I just wondered if we could make it later?”

  “Of course, I’ll make the reservation for eight o’clock.”

  Eight o’clock? She would be sure to run into Cyrus.

  “You’d better keep the reservation. I know how difficult reservations are to get.”

  “You sure you’re okay with sushi?”

  “Yes, of course. Sorry, I’m a bit frazzled.”

  “No need to apologize. So I’ll see you around seven?”

  “Yes, I’ll be in the lobby.” The smile on her face could have cracked her skin if she stretched it any farther.

  “Okay then.” His voice was so deep and masculine it sent a chill of expectation up her spine.

  “Okay then,” she said, whisper-soft, and hung up.

  Flopping back on the bed, she covered her face with her hands. That could’ve gone better. He must think she was a total idiot. He wouldn’t be far off the mark.

  It didn’t matter. The attraction to him was so strong it was making her crazy. She was being more reckless than she’d ever been. She had asked him out. And he was taking her to his favorite restaurant. He either was trying to cheer her up and impress her or he wanted to get laid. Either way it was okay with her.

  She rolled her eyes heavenward and shook with laughter. She had to laugh. Otherwise she’d cry.

  Cadence sat up. She really needed to get a hold of herself. She was acting completely ridiculous. She was an adult with a PhD, for goodness sake. And wealthy, thanks to her mother. She could have any man she wanted.

  She jumped out of bed and poured herself another glass of champagne. She’d lots to do before tonight. Find something to wear, for starters. Lightheaded and pumped about her dinner date, she opened her laptop and logged in to Fashion Trends.

  * * * * *

  Preston clicked off his cell. Cadence had called to cancel. He’d pretended to misunderstand.

  He started to pace. She had sounded so tense. What was that all about? Was it because a woman had answered? He hadn’t missed the sparks flying between Cadence and Muriel this morning. He and Muriel had shared a couple laughs after hours, that was all. He never loved her, not in the way he loved Cadence.

  He’d tried to reassure her, indirectly, that Elise answered the phone because she was in his office for technical reasons, just in case it was a jealous-possessive thing. Why did he flatter himself that Cadence could be jealous?

  He continued to pace. Why had she changed her mind about dinner? She’d asked him, for crying out loud. He’d been happy to rearrange his schedule. Ecstatic.

  Mom stood in the doorway, watching. “How’d your meeting go with Cadence Burke?”

  Preston stopped and shoved his hands in his pockets. “As well as could be expected.”

  “Thank you for filling in for me. How did she react to the news about her father’s affair?”

  “Remarkably well.”

  “What is she like?”

  He shrugged. Some thoughts a man didn’t share with his mother. “She’s warm and intelligent. Her fault, if you can call it that, has been her loyalty to the Burke name.”

  “I’ll give her a call. She shouldn’t be alone.”

  “She won’t be. I’m taking her out to dinner.”

  His mother raised an eyebrow. “Do you think that’s wise?”

  “Do you think there’s a problem?”

  “Are you expecting more than dinner?”

  Preston winced. Mom was reminding him, in her not-too-subtle way, of his many short-term affairs.

  “That’s up to Cadence,” he replied.

  “Good,” Mom said.

  He rubbed the spot on his neck just below his hairline that always knotted up with tension. He’d never hurt Cadence, not in a million years. He wished there was a way to convince his mother.

  “What brought her in?”

  “She was seeking advice. She wants to sue her stepmother.”

  “A lawsuit? What on earth for?”

  “Burke wrote a second will giving all his money to his second wife and her kids.”

  “A lawsuit would open up a can of worms,” Mother replied.

  “I think I’ve talked her out of suing them but she’s determined to give the bunch a little grief.”

  “I never liked Edward Burke,” Mother said. “His public persona oozed with charm but he could be cruel.” Mother shook her head as if trying to forget. “I’ve never met Victoria.”

  “The pack of them sound like vermin.”

  “I don’t blame Cadence for being angry but she needs to leave the Burkes alone.”

  Preston agreed. She’d be better off staying away from all their negative energy. What Cadence had learned this morning cut both ways. She’d learned her beloved father was a cheat and a fraud but her inheritance had been preserved. She could afford to be generous with what was left of her family.

  “Did you tell her about Sparkle?” Mother asked.

  “She wasn’t thrilled to be inheriting her grandfather’s business. She wants to sell.”

  “Hopefully she’ll wait. It’s never a good idea to make decisions when emotional.”

  “I explained this to her but she’s determined.”

  “I’d like her to visit the factory before she makes any final decisions.”

  “She won’t. Says the place will bring back too many painful memories.”

  “I’m afraid she must.”

  Preston waited for her to explain.

  Mom came into the room and collapsed on the nearest chair. Fatigued showed in the lines around her eyes and mouth. She kicked off her shoes and rubbed her feet.

  “I’ll get Muriel to bring us a couple of sandwiches and some coffee,” Preston said.

  Mother exhaled heavily. “Don’t bother. I have a consultation in five minutes. I just needed to get off my feet.”

  “The court case went well?”

  She waved a hand in dismissal. “Of course.”

  Preston sat at his desk. He sensed she struggled to tell him information he needed to know.

  After several minutes, she looked up at him. “There’s something you should know. Something that must be kept confidential,” she said.

  Preston sat forward. “Of course.”

  Mom gave a little sigh and tucked her feet underneath her. “It’s about Edward Burke. He’s not Cadence’s father.”

  Preston slumped in his chair. “Unbelievable. Are you going to tell Cadence? She deserves to know. It wouldn’t be fair to keep a secret of this magnitude from her.”

  “I will tell her. Audra is dead and the poor girl has suffered enough.”

  Relief didn’t begin to describe how he felt.

  “Do you know who her biological father is?” Preston asked.

  “I called him after 9/11,” Mom said, frowning, “but I haven’t met
the man.”

  “Hopefully he’ll welcome a daughter into his life.”

  “I wonder. Have you considered he might not be the kind of father Cadence needs?”

  “There’s no avoiding the truth,” Preston said, aware he sounded regretful.

  “She’ll find her way in this mess, I’m sure.”

  “Finding out she isn’t related to the Burkes will devastate her.”

  “Maybe it’ll come as a relief? She’d not terribly fond of his wife or her children.”

  Preston wished he could spare Cadence the heartache when she found out the man she’d believed was her father had been an imposter. Even worse, the man who’d fathered her had never made any attempt to contact her, to be part of her life.

  “Did Burke know Cadence wasn’t his daughter?”

  “Audra told me he suspected.”

  “Why didn’t either of them ever tell her?”

  “His ambition to be mayor got in the way.”

  “So that’s the reason he cut Cadence out of his will.”

  “Perhaps. Who can say how much he knew? Unfortunately, now all the truth will come out.”

  “Maybe that’s not such a bad thing,” he said.

  * * * * *

  Cadence checked her watch. It was already six thirty. The afternoon had passed in a fog thanks to Veuve Cliquot’s finest. Her empty stomach grumbled in protest.

  She’d checked the fashion websites and had turned her attention to finding a place to live. Nothing in the listings for New Haven appealed to her. Tomorrow she’d look at West Haven and some of the other small towns in the surrounding area.

  She took a quick, mind-clearing shower, laid the dress she’d worn at the graduation party out on the bed and put on her black, lacy thong and matching bra. Despite what she’d told Preston—she really wasn’t into fashion—she wanted to look nice.

  After blow-drying and straightening her hair, she got dressed and looked in the mirror.

  She kept herself in shape as a yoga junkie and runner. The slimness of her body hid her strength. Her posture was impeccable—she gave the credit to her mother for her relentless badgering about keeping her shoulders back, her back straight and on and on and on. Mother had always presented herself with such confidence and a beauty Cadence had admired with pride.