Craving You

Dessert was followed by dancing. Tague insisted when the band played a slow song. L.L. gave him the evil eye as he pulled back her chair and offered his hand. She had no delusions as to how stimulating the combination of the pearl thong and being in Tague’s arms would be.

“Again…so very dangerous,” she murmured.

28

She stood, anyway.

Tague’s laugh was low and sexy. “I like your kind of danger.”

He whisked her off to the crowded dance floor. L.L. had had a slight reprieve from the pearls during the meal, although she’d felt them when she’d shifted in her seat or crossed her legs. And her desire for Tague certainly hadn’t diminished the tiniest bit. When he pulled her close to him, she was insanely aroused.

Their clasp

ed hands rested against his brick wall of a chest. They moved together as though they’d shared a hundred dances.

L.L. was acutely aware of him. The feel of his body. His searing heat. His fingertips seductively caressing her bare back.

Her eyelids drifted closed and she inhaled deeply. Held the scent of him inside her for a brief period, then slowly exhaled.

“Damn, you smell good,” she told him.

His warm lips brushed her temple as he murmured, “This is the ultimate torture for me. I want you, baby.”

“Have you put in enough time here?”

“With almost everyone on the dance floor, it’s the perfect opportunity to slip out.”

She opened her eyes and stared up at him. “Then let’s get the hell out of here. I’m about to come again.”

Desire flared in his dark eyes. “The gift that keeps giving.”

She grinned. “It’s not just the pearls, Tague. You set me off.”

His jaw worked for a few seconds as his midnight irises burned with an intense yearning. “I want you to know that you did a great job tonight. You handled all of this really well.”

“Wasn’t so difficult once your mother stopped speaking to me.”

“That was helpful.”

“Is that why you told her what I do? I mean, it was a bit of shock even to me when you blurted it.”

“I didn’t do it for shock value. I wanted the truth on the table so no one ever thinks we tried to cover it up. Your career choice doesn’t bother me in the least, and it has no impact on me, so I see no point in skirting the subject. In fact, I would have defended you, except that Sofia jumped right in to do it. That actually proved invaluable.”

He disentangled himself from her, but kept her hand in his as he led her toward the door. He gave their coat-check claim ticket to an awaiting hotel staff member and they said a few goodbyes while the garments were retrieved.

Much to her dismay, Tague’s parents were not partaking in the waltz that just started, but were still seated at their table.

“We’ll make this brief,” Tague quietly said as he guided her in that direction. He shook his father’s hand and told him, “Lively party, as always. I’ll see you in the office on Monday. I look forward to hearing the decision you’ve made.”

“It could certainly change things for you,” his father said in a tight voice. L.L. found that a bit ominous. “And I expect you to maintain the winning track record either way.”

“That’s my intention.” To his mother, Tague conspiratorially warned, “Missy Hartnett is headed your way.”

June glanced over her shoulder, then made a soft tsking sound. “That woman never lets anyone get a word in edgewise.”

“Enjoy the rest of the evening.” He kissed his mother on the cheek before returning to L.L.’s side and offering his arm.

Thanks to Missy Hartnett’s beautiful timing, they made a clean escape.