The Bargain Read online

  “I-I’m fine,” she called. “Doing great. Thanks.”

  There was a slight pause. “Okay. If you’re sure. Remember, we need to leave at four.”

  “I’ll be ready,” she assured him.

  The tub water soothed her body, but her face was steaming hot, not just from the dream but because she’d nearly been caught. What was she going to do? She couldn’t keep doing this. Maybe she could take some kind of pill.

  Yeah, right. She snickered at that. She’d need a lot more than a pill.

  Sighing, she used her toes to release the plug, pulled herself out of the water and stepped onto the bathmat. Every inch of her body still tingled, especially her now-sensitive nipples and the walls of her cunt. She definitely needed to pull herself together before facing Cole again.

  She looked at the little clock on the vanity. Three o’clock. Time to get busy. Wrapping herself in an oversized towel, she seated herself at the vanity and began to work on her hair and makeup.

  * * * *

  What had she been doing in the bathroom that caused the noises he’d heard? Cole imagined her in the tub, and immediately, his cock hardened. That naked body under a froth of bubbles, maybe with her dark hair piled on top of her head, leaving her neck bare for him to…

  Stop it! You’ll ruin everything.

  In his room, he stripped off his clothes, headed for the shower and turned it on full force. Maybe the water could beat whatever this out of him.

  Whatever this is? It’s pure lust, damn it all to hell. Remember the trouble you got in last time? And this woman is going to be living in the house with you, so get over it.

  But his body and his brain didn’t seem to be in sync. He closed his eyes and his stupid brain took off on its own again.

  The spray from four showerheads danced on the satin skin of her naked body…

  God, he didn’t think he’d ever get tired of looking at it. High breasts with dusky rose, pointed nipples. Slender waist. Slightly rounded tummy, just enough to give it a sensuous curve. Hips curving down to her thighs, with the soft thatch of dark curls between them, covering her delicious cunt.

  “Let me bathe you,” he murmured, working the shower gel into a lather with his hands.

  “All right,” she whispered in a husky voice.

  “Close your eyes.”

  When she did, he began sliding his hands down her body, from shoulder to hip, from neck to navel, pausing along the way to knead her breasts and tease her nipples until she was moaning softly. The moan turned into a hum when he smoothed the lather over her hips, her thighs and down the length of her legs. He circled her ankles with his fingers then trailed those same fingers up to the inside of her thighs.

  She was trembling under his touch now. When he probed her slit, finding the entrance to her pussy, the humming sound grew louder and she flexed her hips at him. But before he could impale her on his fingers, she jerked away from him.

  “What…”

  She shook her head, smiling and reached for his iron-hard shaft. The feel of her fingers around him shattered every ounce of self-control. He had wanted this to be for her, but as always, she refused to take pleasure without giving. In his entire adult life, he had never had this kind of off-the-charts sex with a woman who gave as much as she took. It pierced him emotionally as well as physically.

  “Lean back and enjoy,” she murmured to him.

  And so he did, propping himself against the tile wall of the shower, closing his eyes and giving himself over to the carnal enjoyment. One hand reached down to cup his balls while the other set up a steady rhythm, stroking his cock from root to tip, moving faster and faster.

  Then he was there, hips rocking as he jerked in her hands, spilling over her fingers.

  He opened his eyes, wanting to see the heat in her eyes as he came for her and…

  Shit! Damn it all to hell.

  The shower was empty except for him. It was his hands pumping his cock and squeezing his balls. He’d fucking done it again. He was angry, aroused and panicked, all at the same time. Angry at his lack of control, aroused by the erotic images and panicky because he had an underlying feeling that something was going on here that was more than just jerking himself off.

  In disgust, he turned the shower to freezing cold and let it pound at him, hoping to beat the lust from his body and jumpstart his brain. If he didn’t stop having these dreams, he was going to be so totally screwed.

  For a fleeting moment, he wondered if, by some rare chance, the same thing was happening to Tara. Was she having the same scorching fantasies about him? Ridiculous as it seemed, if she was and they ever actually did this for real, they would probably set the house on fire.

  Meanwhile, he had to stuff himself back behind the walls he’d erected and get on with today’s activities. And hope that what was going on in his mind didn’t show on his face. Or worse, on his body.

  * * * *

  Finished in the bathroom, Tara took out the silk lingerie she’d bought and slipped it on. The feel of the smooth material against her skin was almost sensuous.

  Why am I doing this? No one will ever see it.

  It made her feel good, and she really needed that. Dressed in an ivory suit and matching heels, she took a look at herself in the mirror. It had been a long time since she’d dressed in anything but jeans and a blouse or T-shirt. That’s what she wore to work, and that’s what she wore at home. Her meager social life didn’t demand anything else. She looked at the new dressed-up Tara with a mixture of anxiety and pleasure. All she needed to add to her outfit was her jewelry and she’d be all set. She hoped.

  She was just tucking a pearl comb into the back of her hair when someone tapped on her bedroom door.

  “It Cole. May I come in?”

  Cole? What now? “Yes, of course.”

  He came to stand behind her. Reflected in the mirror, he looked incredibly handsome in his dark suit and snow-white shirt. The cloth hung impeccably on his large body, the shirt setting off his dark, good looks. She knew his feet would be encased in his familiar trademark boots, polished to a high gloss.

  He cleared his throat. “You’re an extraordinary woman, Tara. I appreciate the fact that you’ve agreed to do this. It appears to be working out well with the child. I want you to know I’m very grateful.”

  The stilted words weren’t the romantic speech she’d hoped for in the unlikely event she ever remarried, but they certainly weren’t words to take lightly. If gratitude was what she got, she’d take comfort from that.

  “I appreciate that.”

  With great care, he reached around in front of her and handed her a small box.

  She frowned at it. “What’s this?”

  “Just a little wedding gift from the groom to the bride.” There was a stiffness, both to his posture and his voice. “I believe it’s appropriate.”

  She opened the box with fingers that shook a little then gasped. Nestled on blue velvet were a pair of exquisite pearl and diamond teardrop earrings. “Oh, Cole they’re gorgeous. How did you know I love pearls?”

  “You’re mother is a great source of information.” He smiled in relief at her reaction, obviously pleased with himself. “She was only too happy to make a suggestion. I see she was right. They’re perfect.”

  He reached to take them out of the box for her, and their fingers touched for the briefest instant. They stared at each other in the mirror, wrapped in the heat they generated. All Tara could think was, How I wish we were going to have a real wedding night. Mentally shaking herself, she broke the spell.

  “This is very thoughtful of you,” she breathed. “I’ll treasure them.”

  His eyes never left her while she fastened the earrings in place. “You’re a beautiful woman, Tara. Today you’re absolutely radiant. I’m proud that you’ll be taking my name.”

  Tara wanted to cry. It was the most personal thing he had said to her since that momentous dinner. “Thank you,” was all she could manage.

  He to
ok a slim leather portfolio from his pocket, all business again. “Here’s your checkbook, with money already in the account. I’ll put money in every month for your personal everyday needs and for the child’s. Spend it, save it, do whatever you wish with it.”

  Tara looked at the checkbook and stifled a gasp. “This is so much,” she protested. “And I still have a great deal of the cash you gave me.”

  He went on, as if she hadn’t spoken. “There are also two credit cards in your name. You don’t need to worry about a spending limit. Use those whenever you can and save your cash for when you need it. Oh and I’m adding your parents to the company health insurance policy. This…” he indicated what he’d just given her, “should help you take care of any other needs they have that might arise. I think that should take care of everything.”

  She didn’t know what to say. It wasn’t as if he were bankrupting himself to do this. No one knew better than she did that he didn’t have to pinch pennies. Alamo Construction was booming. Jake was even bidding on out of state projects. Well, Cole had done what he’d said he would and now she would do her part.

  “I think I’m ready,” she finally managed. “Let me check on Nicki and the baby, and we can leave.”

  Molly had just awakened and Nicki was in the process of changing her. Tara bent over and planted a soft kiss on the tiny forehead. The baby gurgled at her.

  “She’s so sweet,” Nicki said, deftly taping the diaper in place.

  “Yes, she is.” And Tara’s heart turned over. No matter that the baby’s father didn’t seem to want her. She would make sure Molly was loved and cherished.

  The teenager hefted the baby to her shoulder and smiled. “Don’t worry, we’ll have a great time, won’t we, cutie pie?”

  Cole waited by the front door when Tara came downstairs. “I left the car in the driveway. I didn’t think the bride should exit through the garage.”

  She appreciated how hard he was trying to make the day as pleasant for her as possible. It had to be twice as difficult for him. “I guess we’re set then.”

  Everyone else was waiting for them at Judge Hoffman’s office when they arrived. The judge shook hands with Cole and kissed Tara on the cheek when they were introduced.

  “I always kiss the bride,” he twinkled.

  Tara’s mother hugged her, as did Lindsey, and her father kissed her forehead.

  Even Sean gave her a brotherly peck. “You’ve got guts, girl,” he whispered. “If he gives you a rough time, just give me a call. I’ll straighten him out.”

  “We’re always here for you, Tara,” Jake said in a quiet voice when it was his turn. “Don’t forget that.”

  She was so grateful for their support she almost wept.

  Then they were standing before Judge Hoffman, Lindsey to one side and Sean to the other, and the judge delivered the words that would bind them together. For better or worse. That covered a lot of territory for them. Sean handed them the rings to exchange, and they became man and wife.

  Tara was dazed. There was an awkward moment when it was time for the bride and groom to kiss, but Cole never faltered, touching his lips to hers. For a moment, that spark hovering around them threatened to explode, but they quickly broke apart. Everyone hugged and kissed again, and she felt Cole’s firm hand at her elbow.

  “We have reservations at the restaurant for six o’clock,” he told everyone, “so we should get going. We’ll meet you all there.” He shook hands again with Judge Hoffman then led Tara from the chambers, his hand still firmly on her elbow.

  Unexpectedly, the dinner turned into a festive occasion, and it was well after ten before everyone said their goodnights and headed for home.

  At the house, Tara paid Nicki and saw the young girl off to her car. Then she and Cole both headed upstairs. She had checked on Molly and was sitting on her bed in her robe and gown, her hair down and curling softly below her shoulders, when she looked up and saw Cole in the doorway.

  “I just wanted to say goodnight.” His eyes scanned the room. “I didn’t think to ask. Are you comfortable in here? Is this room all right for you? Do you have everything you need?”

  “Yes, I’m fine. Everything worked out very well.” When he showed no sign of moving, she asked, “Did you need something else?”

  Before she could react, he walked to the bed, pulled her gently to her feet and brought his lips down to hers. They were pressed together from shoulder to knee, her breasts against the heated wall of his chest, his erection outlined against the softness of her abdomen. Skyrockets went off in her body. Her nipples hardened into sharp points, and she felt wetness flooding her pussy. When Cole moved his tongue against the seam of her lips, she opened for him without protest. Oh so slowly, his tongue slipped into her mouth. She felt the texture of it as he danced through her warm, wet recess, the softness of his lips pressed against hers. The hands holding her were like burning fingers of flame, and his spicy cologne surrounded her. Her senses were on overload.

  She couldn’t pull herself away, and the kiss seemed to last forever. At last, Cole lifted his head, but his face was still only inches from hers. He cupped her cheeks in his large, gentle hands.

  “I’ve wanted to do that every day since our first dinner. God, Tara, you taste like heaven.”

  She stared at him, heat rising in her face and her legs shaking. She didn’t know which affected her more—the kiss or the fact that she’d responded. Cole looked as if he was about to say something else, then turned on his heel and strode from the room, leaving Tara more confused than ever.

  * * * *

  Shutting himself in his room, Cole fell across the bed still fully clothed, his cock still harder than steel, his balls aching. Two more seconds and he would have yanked Tara’s robe and gown from her body and carried her down to the bed. Just the feel of her against him spiked his desire to an almost unmanageable level. What the hell had he been thinking?

  The answer was simple. He hadn’t been. His little head was leading his big head around with a chokehold. It wanted to be inside Tara McKee so badly it was driving him crazy.

  What a stupid thing he’d done, but he’d been drawn to Tara like a magnet. She was beautiful, desirable, and not in the cheap way Maggie had been. Tara was a woman who deserved to be possessed with dignity, and he’d attacked her as if he were a horny teenager. The feel of her body when he’d given into impulse and pulled her into that kiss was still imprinted on him, and he could still taste her mouth. Another minute and he’d have had her out of the robe and gown, naked on the bed, plunging himself into her.

  God, wouldn’t that have just taken the cake. But he’d felt her respond to him, heard her breathy little moans as his tongue plundered her mouth. She had to have been as turned on as he was.

  So much for his emphasis on celibacy. She must think him either the most arrogant jerk or an insufferable ass. Had he ruined a perfectly good arrangement because he couldn’t keep his hands to himself? Was she insulted because he wanted her or hurt because he thrust her away before he lost his head completely? Now what did he do? Could they wake up tomorrow and act as if nothing had changed? But it, had and it would take superhuman effort from both of them to pretend otherwise.

  His fingers curled as the memory of the feel of her breasts and the hard buds of her nipples shot through him. He’d been a nanosecond away from sliding his hand beneath her nightgown to feel just how wet her cunt was. To dip his finger into that delicious liquid… At least, he was sure it was delicious. He was dying for a chance to taste it, to slide his tongue through her swollen pink flesh and probe at the entrance to her pussy. To take her clit between his lips and draw on it until she was ready to explode.

  Her hand closed around his shaft and she could feel the pulsing of his blood through the thick veins. The feeling was so sensual, like velvet stretched over a rod of steel.

  Somehow, her nightgown was gone, tossed to the floor, exposing her flesh to him from head to toe. He lowered himself to the bed beside her, his
hands going again to her breasts even as his mouth sought hers once more. Her hardened nipples pressed against his heated palms, and he bent to take them in his mouth, one then the other. The skin of her breasts tightened as she felt the hot, moist heat of his mouth, and she bowed her body, giving him greater access.

  She lay almost in a stupor as he suckled her, caressed her and nibbled the pebbled tips gently with his teeth. The hard, thick shaft of his cock pressed against her thigh, the moisture at the slit dropping onto her skin, and she rubbed herself against him. He groaned, and his hands began a further exploration of her body, drifting down the softness of her stomach, brushing the soft curls covering her mound, until he found her labia, already damp from stimulation.

  Slowly, slowly, he separated the lips, his thumb rasping back and forth against her engorged clitoris. Gently, he nudged her thighs farther apart, spreading her opening and inserting one of his long, lean fingers. When a second slid in beside it, he began a slow, stroking motion, her body nearly jackknifed. She reached for him, anchoring her hands in the crisp, curling hair on the hard plane of his chest. He felt the heavy thud of his heartbeat…

  Shit!

  He was doing it again.

  He pushed himself off the bed, stripped of his clothes and went into the bathroom. He turned the shower on to icy cold. It helped but only marginally. Toweling himself off, he crawled into bed, wondering how he was going to face his brand new wife in the morning, knowing he had already violated one of the bargain rules he’d set himself.

  Chapter Seven

  Needed to do some things with Sean. Be back in time for dinner. Don’t cook. I’ll bring home food. Call me on my cell if you need anything. C.

  Tara read the note propped up on the kitchen counter. Just before she and Cole had returned home from the dinner, Nicki had given Molly a bottle. Wonder of wonders, the baby actually slept until quarter to seven this morning. Tara walked softly into the kitchen, wondering if Cole was wandering around at that hour, only to find the note he’d left. Apparently, he’d had the same thoughts she had. She sighed. Saturday morning, the day after the wedding and her brand new husband had made himself scarce.