Part 17 (2/2)

”You have?” Heart racing, she felt her upper lip glistening, and her inner thighs, they totally just moistened.

”Your beauty, the voice, those b.r.e.a.s.t.s...and how you felt in my hands.”

She went from moist to wet as he spoke about her body. Here was a man who didn't skate around the bush about breast power. She reached for her water gla.s.s with her free hand. Sweet baby Jesus on an ice cream cone...here he goes.

Glancing around to see if anyone was listening, he lowered his voice. ”How warm, wet and receptive you turned when I fondled you.” He sipped his champagne, held the bubbles in his mouth for a second and swallowed. His Adam's apple moved slightly. ”Having you in my arms felt enchanting.” He smiled with sincerity.

So she wasn't crazy. ”I felt as though I was tripping on acid.”

”You do acid?”

”No! Not now, but as a teenager a few times. My friends Lex, Vive, Blake and I tripped for prom and homecoming. Come to think of it, we did it almost every weekend.” She hoped she didn't sound like a loser.

”What was it like?”

”We fantasized mostly, ya know, tripped. I'd be Princess Lolly from Candy Land.” Taddy bit her lip, realizing she should shut up. She sounded cra-cra. Especially since, as an adult, she hosted a real-life Candy Land Ball.

”Your teen years sound well spent.”

Taddy laughed-hard. She let her guard down a little. ”The night we met in St. Barth, I a.s.sumed the Waris Sugar music made me go into euphoria, those soft candles, or you'd slipped me something.” Repeating the sensation now, she felt a spark flow through her.

”I did not roofie you.” Warner's voice was composed but his intent stare over her body never ended. It warmed her up hotter than before. ”However, I confess to feeling the same trippy way. The next morning I figured my 'feel good' came from being with you. I've never experienced...”

”What?” Tell me!

”I'm getting ahead of myself.” He grinned, hanging on to the words. ”I thought how our lives would be today if Rielle hadn't screwed it up.”

”And?” Where are you going with this?

”This morning you would've woken in my arms as every morning since the day we met.”

”You're very romantic.” Convinced her head might fly off her shoulders with excitement, she let go of him and reached for the bread, tearing a piece and hoping for focus. The waiter came over with their meals. He served Taddy first, Kobe beef garnished with caviar.

”Have you thought about me?” He held his fork in his right hand, his knife in his left, and waited for her answer. Warner wouldn't eat his entree without her response.

”I wanted to, but I didn't let myself, you know, because I thought you were-”

”Engaged. Well, now that you know the truth, have I been on your mind?” He took a bite from his meat and began to chew, never taking his eyes off her.

With a swift cut from the knife, she forked a baby's bite into her mouth. Chewing afforded her time to think. The runny sauce tasted salty but delicious. She swallowed. ”I've merely thought about getting your campaign ready.”

”Red-you give the impression you're stressed.” A frown darted across his features. ”At first, I thought it came from the jailhouse and Kiki's release. Tonight, with the trespa.s.sing charges behind us, you act the same.” He cut another piece of meat. Breaking his intense stare from her eyes, he refocused on the meal.

”We have a huge press conference tomorrow.” She raised her voice, trying to add conviction. ”As a rule, I'm on edge prior to a client event.” I'm usually on edge regardless.

He reached for her hand again and stroked her fingers. ”I'm not a client, Red. You're doing this because I dropped the charges.” Stabbing his fork into his greens, he a.s.sured, ”There's no pressure on Brill, Inc. or you for that matter. What's done is done.”

”I'm a perfectionist.” I'm also an obsessive masturbator, a workaholic and I started smoking again.

”One in your position would have to be.” His eyebrows set in a straight line. ”So you're saying that after the conference tomorrow, you'll be more relaxed, like the woman I met at Prive Extreme?” He studied her with possible suspicion.

”I-uh, am not sure. I've been pretty wound up lately.” She felt the strain in her neck and didn't appreciate the conversation's direction-microscopic life examination.

”Let me ask you a question.” He squeezed her hand tighter as if trying to pull her back into the conversation.

She nodded for him to continue.

”I'll be able to notice if you're telling the truth because your face is expressive.”

”Right.”

He looked her over. ”Has another man touched you since our night in St. Barth?”

Taddy hesitated with how to respond to his question. She repositioned herself on her seat, unable to get comfortable. ”Warner, I have-”

”Please, call me by the nickname.”

”Huh?” She gripped her chair's edge, unsure where he was going with this.

”The t.i.tle you gave me.” He smiled intimately. Warner's face reminded her of all they'd shared at Prive Extreme.

”Big...Daddy.” She allowed herself to say it. The s.e.x floodgates opened. Herald angels, please sing already. She'd say it again with more confidence, pretending he pounded inside her. ”Big Daddy-to answer your question, I haven't been with anyone.” She shrugged to hide whether or not she should be embarra.s.sed or proud.

”I can tell.” He enjoyed talking about her. As if he held the solution in his back pocket.

”How so?” Let's hear it. She set her fork on the plate, expecting him to reveal secret ESP s.e.x powers. Lord, he made her va-jay-jay trip into a gumdrop fit without any drugs. What was next?

”The minute you put your hand in mine-your pupils dilated.” He stared at Taddy as if he'd seen through her. Warner scared the freak out of her but excited her all the same.

”They did?” She blinked. It couldn't be her false eyelashes or contacts causing her eyes to enlarge.

”And your b.r.e.a.s.t.s are swelling.” His eyes focused on her cleavage.

She could tell he wanted to caress them. But this fancy restaurant didn't have a privacy curtain for a girlie show. ”They...are?” Directing her b.r.e.a.s.t.s forward, Taddy gave him the view he'd l.u.s.ted after. Her body wanted this. Each pore had craved his touch since the second they met.

”And your lips felt dry when I kissed you before we sat down to dinner.”

”Really?” She felt Warner's s.e.x coming off him hotter than today's sun along the French Riviera.

”And I bet-if I reached under this table and put my hand between your legs, you'd drip on my fingers.” He licked the meat's gravy from his thumb.

Drawing her hand under her chin, she nodded to confirm her crease was heating up. She imagined his body slamming her against a wall, pulling her hair back as she begged for more and spreading her legs wide while he rammed his c.o.c.k so far up her, she'd be certain to fly off as Princess Lolly.

”I want to help you, Red.”

”You do?” Her core trembled and spoke to her, saying, ”Please, Big Daddy, bang the s.h.i.+t outta me. Right here! Right now!”

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