patch behind the circle of her lobe. The currents grew stronger as he dragged the edge of his nails along the crease behind her ear, awakening every nerve ending in her body. Their sensual connection wrapped around her like an invisible cord.
An emotion blossomed that she couldn’t describe because she’d never felt it with another man.
When his palm cupped her ear, Victoria leaned her head against his warm, solid hand and closed her eyes. A feminine part of herself she’d never acknowledged stirred.
During her marriage she’d been the seductress, the vixen, the secret to restoring her husband’s aging libido. Pleasing her husband had been her primary focus. With Steve, she sensed that pleasure would be mutual in every way.
The thought made her dizzy with want.
He kissed her then, and her eyelids fluttered as if she’d awakened from a long sleep filled with shadowy dreams. And in a way, she had. Desire burst to life.
His fingers traveled down the column of her neck and his thumb edged the line of her collarbone as he deepened the kiss, shooting tiny flames over her skin. Tongues touched and tasted, met again and retreated, while they explored. Victoria plunged her fingers into his hair, kneading his scalp with her fingertips to pull him closer. The thick blond strands tangled around her fingers and she reveled in her simple yet decisive act of possession.
*****
When they broke their kiss, Steve took Victoria by the hand. “I’ll help you clean up after Pirate. Then I think it’s time I told you the truth about my falling out with Jimmy—and about Layla. I can’t kiss you again in good conscience until I do.”
They returned to Steve’s office and he poured them both a drink. Victoria took a seat opposite the desk. “Judging by the proof of that whiskey, you must have some story.”
Steve smiled, but there will little humor in his expression. “I want you to know what you’re getting into…if you decide to be with me.”
Be with me. Their relationship was taking a huge step forward with his confession. She wanted that, right? Victoria took a swallow of the drink in her hand. Whatever Steve told her next would help her decide.
“I want Beverly to hear this, too. She deserves to know the truth, since she’s involved in almost every aspect of Carlson’s business.” Steve left his office and returned moments later with Beverly in tow. He offered her a chair and poured her a drink.
Beverly tasted the whiskey then turned to Victoria. “I’m sorry about Pirate.”
Victoria stared back. “I’m sorry I snapped at you.” She had to laugh. “I guess this means we’re truly friends. We’ve had our first fight.”
Beverly tapped her glass against Victoria’s, and then touched it to Steve’s. “Here’s to good friends.”
“Those lost and others found,” Steve said. He took a gulp of his drink, poured another shot, and began to tell his story.
*****
“Her name was Layla. Like the Clapton song. Damn well fit her, too. I used to wonder if she tried to live up to her name or if fate made it fit. Let’s just say the woman pulled me through a razor-edged knothole until I was a bloody stump. I stayed far, far away from women for a long time after her.”
He shot Victoria a dead-on stare, hoping she’d see he wasn’t messing with her emotions. Victoria stared back, as if trying to read him.
He re-crossed his feet and scuffed the edge of one boot with the other in the process.
“I was in med school with Jimmy. We were friends most of our lives, just like our dads. When my dad delivered antiques to the Van Orr estate, I’d go with him and hang out with Jimmy.
“Kids don’t have the same social restrictions adults have. Jimmy and I really clicked, though our dads were more like business friends. They played golf or had a drink once in a while, but the Van Orrs were way out of our league. Our fathers didn’t socialize as much as they might have liked, because the Van Orrs were part of an
An emotion blossomed that she couldn’t describe because she’d never felt it with another man.
When his palm cupped her ear, Victoria leaned her head against his warm, solid hand and closed her eyes. A feminine part of herself she’d never acknowledged stirred.
During her marriage she’d been the seductress, the vixen, the secret to restoring her husband’s aging libido. Pleasing her husband had been her primary focus. With Steve, she sensed that pleasure would be mutual in every way.
The thought made her dizzy with want.
He kissed her then, and her eyelids fluttered as if she’d awakened from a long sleep filled with shadowy dreams. And in a way, she had. Desire burst to life.
His fingers traveled down the column of her neck and his thumb edged the line of her collarbone as he deepened the kiss, shooting tiny flames over her skin. Tongues touched and tasted, met again and retreated, while they explored. Victoria plunged her fingers into his hair, kneading his scalp with her fingertips to pull him closer. The thick blond strands tangled around her fingers and she reveled in her simple yet decisive act of possession.
*****
When they broke their kiss, Steve took Victoria by the hand. “I’ll help you clean up after Pirate. Then I think it’s time I told you the truth about my falling out with Jimmy—and about Layla. I can’t kiss you again in good conscience until I do.”
They returned to Steve’s office and he poured them both a drink. Victoria took a seat opposite the desk. “Judging by the proof of that whiskey, you must have some story.”
Steve smiled, but there will little humor in his expression. “I want you to know what you’re getting into…if you decide to be with me.”
Be with me. Their relationship was taking a huge step forward with his confession. She wanted that, right? Victoria took a swallow of the drink in her hand. Whatever Steve told her next would help her decide.
“I want Beverly to hear this, too. She deserves to know the truth, since she’s involved in almost every aspect of Carlson’s business.” Steve left his office and returned moments later with Beverly in tow. He offered her a chair and poured her a drink.
Beverly tasted the whiskey then turned to Victoria. “I’m sorry about Pirate.”
Victoria stared back. “I’m sorry I snapped at you.” She had to laugh. “I guess this means we’re truly friends. We’ve had our first fight.”
Beverly tapped her glass against Victoria’s, and then touched it to Steve’s. “Here’s to good friends.”
“Those lost and others found,” Steve said. He took a gulp of his drink, poured another shot, and began to tell his story.
*****
“Her name was Layla. Like the Clapton song. Damn well fit her, too. I used to wonder if she tried to live up to her name or if fate made it fit. Let’s just say the woman pulled me through a razor-edged knothole until I was a bloody stump. I stayed far, far away from women for a long time after her.”
He shot Victoria a dead-on stare, hoping she’d see he wasn’t messing with her emotions. Victoria stared back, as if trying to read him.
He re-crossed his feet and scuffed the edge of one boot with the other in the process.
“I was in med school with Jimmy. We were friends most of our lives, just like our dads. When my dad delivered antiques to the Van Orr estate, I’d go with him and hang out with Jimmy.
“Kids don’t have the same social restrictions adults have. Jimmy and I really clicked, though our dads were more like business friends. They played golf or had a drink once in a while, but the Van Orrs were way out of our league. Our fathers didn’t socialize as much as they might have liked, because the Van Orrs were part of an
Similar Books
