When Stone saw the romantic setting, the meal laid out, the tiny vase with bright orange daisies in the middle of the table and the stout red candle beside it, he whistled.
That brought a blush to Indie’s cheeks. Had she been too presumptuous to make this look like a real date? The man was her employer, after all.
But no, he was looking at the table then at her with nothing but appreciation.
She relaxed then, and they sat down to a meal punctuated with laughter and ribbing until Indie couldn’t even remember what she’d been uptight about.
After that they moved to the living room where Indie was able to convince Stone to try Monopoly instead of chess. With that game choice, she thought, she would have some hope of winning. No such luck. Stone whipped her three times in a row till she threatened to confiscate the board and send him packing.
He only laughed. “Now it’s time for you to pay,” he growled and moved closer to her on the sofa.
“Pay?” Her brows shot up and her eyes widened. “I didn’t know there was a penalty for losing.”
“There is,” he said, his tone unapologetic.
“Since when?” She gave him her sternest look. She was not used to being bullied, especially not by a man.
“Since now,” he said, his voice a sexy whisper.
Indie’s breath caught in her throat. Stone Hudson was trying to seduce…her.
She had no time to dwell on that thought. He was reaching for her and her body, eager as it was for his touch, was leaning toward him, betraying the depth of her desire. And then she was in his arms, her br**sts crushed against his rock-hard chest, her lips pressed against his.
Stone kissed her urgently, plundering her mouth, wiping from her mind everything but the feel of him, the taste of him, the scent of his cologne.
And as urgent as he was kissing her she was kissing back. Indie wrapped her arms around Stone’s waist and held on as they rode the waves of passion together.
When Stone released her lips he was breathing hard. “I want you, Indie,” he said in a ragged whisper. “I want you so bad.”
He reached for her again and just like last time he dragged her onto his lap but this time his lips skimmed past hers and slid down the length of her neck to her collarbone and then to that sensitive valley between her br**sts where his hot breath tickled and tantalized till she arched up to meet his mouth.
Yes, he wanted her. She could hear it in the heavy thumping in his chest, see it in the perspiration that beaded his brow and feel it in the hardness that pressed up into her thigh.
And she wanted him. And when his lips slid even lower to kiss the top of her right breast, she reached up to pull his head down, urging him on, wanting more.
When Stone slid his lips lower and captured her nipple, Indie gasped.
A jolt ran through her body and then she was melting inside as pure pleasure flowed from his lips. She sank against him, her body weak and pliable in his arms. And when his hand slid down to the slit in her dress and slowly ran up the length of her thigh she could only moan at his sweet seduction.
Indie was floating on air when Stone lifted his head then slid his arm behind her knees. He got up from the sofa and, in one smooth move, he had lifted her into his arms and was striding out of the room.
“What?” Confused, Indie clung to his shoulders but when she looked up into his face what she saw left her in no doubt as to his intentions.
In just a few purposeful strides Stone was in her bedroom and then he was laying her gently on the bed. He lay down beside her and his golden-brown eyes flashed as he gazed down at her. “You know what I want, Indie,” he said, his voice hoarse, “but do you want this, too?”
“I…” She swallowed. What should she say? The question wasn’t if she wanted him – there was no doubt in her mind about that – but would he want her? How would he react when she told him she was, at almost the grand old age of thirty, still a virgin?
“I…” She tried again, but no words came. For a woman who was used to being in control it was as if she’d lost the power of speech. The sad thing was, when it came to sex she was out of her depth.
“It’s okay,” Stone whispered. “If you’re not ready I can wait. I want this to be your decision.”
A wave of embarrassment washed over Indie. She ducked her face and pressed it against his shoulder. Oh God, this was awful. Should she tell him and risk being laughed at or should she remain silent and leave him thinking she was being a tease?
She gritted her teeth and reached out to cling to him. Then she drew in a deep breath and took the plunge. “I’ve never done this before. This would be my…first time.”
Stone went still. Even his breathing stopped. Then he reached up and loosened her fingers which still clutched his shoulders. He pulled back and looked into her face. “Your first time?”
She dropped her gaze, her heart aching at the incredulity she’d seen on his face. She nodded then waited for the anger. Or the ridicule.
But none came. Instead, she was shocked when he pulled her into his arms and gave her a sweet, gentle kiss on the forehead. “Thank you,” he said softly as he held her close.
Indie frowned. Of all the things he could have said she was not expecting a thank you. She pulled back and peered up at him. “For what?”
He reached up a hand to stroke the strands of disheveled hair away from her face. “Thank you for telling me.” He smiled. “Your first time…it has to be special. And it will be, but not tonight. I will wait till the time is right.”
At his words Indie closed her eyes and laid her head on his chest. She’d waited so long to share that special moment with the man of her heart. Now that she’d found him how much longer would she wait? When the time was right, he’d said. She prayed it would be sometime soon.
CHAPTER EIGHT
It was now nineteen days to Indie’s deadline and although her relationship with Stone had progressed, with him checking up on her at least twice a day, she was still nervous. A lot could happen in nineteen days. And on the other hand, nothing could happen. Had she come this far only to fail?
But who was she kidding? Where on God’s green earth did two people meet, fall in love, and get married in thirty days? Not counting Las Vegas. Maybe she should have gone to Vegas to do her manhunt.