CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
“You’re trembling,” Alec said after they’d closed the door behind them and were standing together in the middle of the bedroom.
How, she wondered, could someone become as necessary as breathing? As precious as the sun rising? As magical as the first bloom in spring? Her knees already felt weak just from being this close to him. “It’s because I want you so badly.”
“I want you more.” He teased her first with his sexy words, and then by brushing her hair back over her shoulder and lowering his mouth to the curve of her neck. One feather-light kiss that made her knees even weaker.
She had to brace herself with her hands on his broad shoulders as he slowly ran his lips along her neck until he found her earlobe. He bit down gently and her entire body melted into his arms. “Alec…”
“I love the way you say my name,” he murmured into her hair. “Say it again.”
The way he was pressing kisses all across her collarbone had her purring it instead. “Alec.”
“That’s how I’ll remember it.” He lifted his head so that they were face to face again. “Sweet.” A dark heat lit his gaze. “And desperate.”
Oh God, was she ever desperate for him as she put her hands on either side of his jaw and dragged his mouth down to hers. He’d promised her a night of unforgettable lovemaking, but she couldn’t wait another second to be his. And to know that he was hers, one last time.
“Please,” she said as she yanked at his shirt, his jeans, trying to get them off. “I need you.”
Thankfully, her words seemed to flip a switch inside of him, from slow to fast. He was pulling her dress off and down her body as he said, “I need you too.” Her bra came off next and then her panties, until she was completely bared to him. “You take my breath away, Cordelia.” And then he was taking hers away too as he cupped her breasts so that he could lave both at once.
It would have been so easy to get lost in blissful sensation. But even this wasn’t enough to sate her hunger for him. Tearing at his clothes the same way he’d torn at hers, she stripped away his shirt and jeans until he stood gloriously naked, his barely leashed power evident in every rippling muscle and sinew.
He lifted her so that her legs came around his waist. “Hold on to me. And don’t let go.”
Before she could tell him that she never, ever wanted to let him go, he was filling her, one broad stroke of his body into hers that had her crying out in pleasure. He tightened his hold on her hips, the muscles in his arms bulging as he lowered, then raised her, in a breathtakingly sensual rhythm of unbridled passion. And then they were falling onto the bed, rolling in a tangle of limbs and heat, until she was straddling him.
“Let go for me, Cordelia. Don’t hold back.”
She couldn’t have held back, even if she’d wanted to. Because nothing had ever felt so good. Or so bittersweet as he crushed his mouth to hers at the exact moment that release shot through her. Every part of her lit with fire as she shook from the explosions that Alec was setting off with his hands, his mouth, his strong body all around hers.
And then he was calling out her name, sounding awed. And, for a moment, at peace.
* * *
Alec lay in the oversized clawfoot tub in the corner by the window with Cordelia against his chest. He was greatly enjoying running his hands over the bubbles on her soft skin.
“This is so nice,” she murmured. “Just to be lazy for a little while.”
“The birthday party must be taking up all of your free time.”
“That’s been really fun to work on,” she told him. “It’s figuring out what to do with all of Gordon’s money that has my brain spinning.”
“Were the advisors I recommended not helpful?”
“They were. But there’s actually something else that I’ve been chewing on for a while, but since I didn’t think I’d have the capital anytime soon, I just let the idea go.”
“Gordon didn’t leave his money to you so that you could give it all away.” Alec threaded his fingers through hers and watched them float together on the water. “I guarantee he’d be pleased to know he was able to help you make a great new business move.” He nudged the side of her neck with his nose. “So what’s the idea?”
“You know how I’ve been thinking about expanding the garden center with more parties and events in the barn? Well, in England, garden centers often have restaurants on site.” He could hear the excitement in her voice. “I’ve read a lot about them, especially one just outside of London called Petersham Nursery that sounds amazing.”
“I’ve been there for lunch a couple of times.” At her incredulous look, he explained, “I have a cousin who lives near the nursery, in Richmond.”
“There really are Sullivans everywhere, aren’t there?” she said with a laugh.
“You can’t throw a rock without hitting one of us,” he joked. “Petersham is a great place. Your customers would love something like that at your garden center. I’ll bet people would even make the trek out from the city for it.” For the first time in a long time, he had that excited feeling in his gut. The one he used to have when he and Gordon were building S&W Aviation from nothing. “You could easily put up a greenhouse-type space for the seating area, one with a retractable glass roof so that you could open it up on warm sunny days, then build on a kitchen in the back. And menus based on your produce would not only wow people’s taste buds, they’d also all be running to your cash registers after lunch to buy up seeds and starts. You’ve got to do it, Cordelia.”
“That’s what I keep thinking,” she agreed. “Only, I’ve got one big problem.”
“I’m sure it’s nothing we can’t figure out together. What’s the problem?”
“I only know one chef I want to hire. But I’m not sure he’ll be interested in my small garden center.”
“If he isn’t, he’s an idiot. Tell me his name and I’ll convince him to do it.”
She shifted slightly in the tub so that she could look directly at him. “His name is Alec Sullivan.”
For a long moment, his brain couldn’t process the words. “I’m not a chef.”
“We both know you are.” She let the water float her back against him. Taking his hands in hers, she wrapped his arms over her chest and yawned. “You’re a lovely bath pillow too.”
Other people who wanted something from him would have kept pressing their case. But Cordelia knew that planting the seed was enough to start him thinking, planning, dreaming about having a restaurant in the middle of her garden.
She pressed her cheek to his shoulder and closed her eyes. The moonlight streamed in, lighting up her beautiful face. He wanted to memorize every feature—the thick sweep of her eyelashes over her cheekbones, her full rose-colored lips, the curve of her ear.
She yawned again, her eyes still closed as she said, “I haven’t slept well this week.”
“Neither have I.” Because his bed had felt too big. Too lonely. And every time he got into it and closed his eyes, thoughts and visions of Cordelia crept in before he could stop them.
He’d planned to make love to her all night long, not wanting to waste so much as a minute of their remaining time together on sleep. But the dark smudges under her eyes, and the fact that she clearly couldn’t keep them open, made Alec change his mind. When the water began to cool, he lifted her out of the bathtub, wrapped her in a thick white towel, and carried her the short distance to the bed.
Making love with Cordelia was mind-blowing, but amazingly, getting to hold her all night while she slept in his arms was even better.
He laid her down on the crisp, lavender-scented sheets, and though her eyes were still closed, she reached for him, saying his name in a sleepy tone. He quickly dried himself off, then climbed in, pulling her close, relishing the feel of her strong yet curvaceous body against his.
Words he wished he could say, promises he’d give anything to offer her, crowded the tip of his tongue.
But love and marriage had only ever meant one thing to Alec—pain. And he couldn’t stand the thought of causing Cordelia the kind of pain his parents had given each other. She stirred in his arms as though she couldn’t get close enough. When he drew her more tightly to him, she made a happy sound in her sleep. One that made his chest ache with emotion.
Thankfully, tomorrow morning wasn’t good-bye. They might end up working together in the future after all, in her garden center rather than his aviation company. And he planned on being her friend forever.
It would have to be enough.