He let her feet drop to the floor and her body slid down his. They stood there like that for a long moment, both of them only seeing the other as the impact of their bodies touching hit their consciousness.
“I probably look like a mess,” she said, her hand reaching up to her hair that had been in a sophisticated French twist only a few minutes earlier. It was now hanging limply from her head.
“You look lovely,” he replied, but his mind was more on her breasts that were showing clearly through her dress. He had a clear view of her figure as the dress was weighted down and he was enchanted.
He bent down and gently kissed her on her lips. And just like the last time, the fire instantly started. Her mouth responded, despite her best intentions and Alana stepped forward, his arms immediately closing around her waist.
Alana opened her mouth, allowing his tongue to have it’s way. She shivered, but not from the cold this time. Now it was because Gus was touching her back, her waist, her rib cage and the feelings his hands were creating made her body crave more. Alana wrapped her arms around his neck, and she pressed her body closer.
The world tilted suddenly and Alana felt herself being lifted again, but Gus’s lips never left hers as he opened the nearest door, walked through it and slammed it shut with his foot. Once the door was closed, he carried her over to the bed and laid her in the middle of it, then came down beside her, pulling her into his arms again.
Alana knew she needed to stop this insanity. But each time she gathered enough sense to say something, his hand moved to another sensitive spot along her body and she was helpless again as desire coursed through her system.
Gus leaned over and took her breast in his mouth through her dress. The roughness of the fabric caused Alana to cry out, holding his head in place with her fists in his hair. Alana clenched her eyes closed and whimpered, needing him to both stop and continue the pleasurable torture.
Gus moved back to her mouth, kissing her hard. Suddenly, he stopped and sat up, pulling her with him as he did so. “Alana, we have to stop,” he said and watched with pride as her eyes opened and he saw the desire there that he was also feeling.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for this to get so out of hand,” Gus said and stood up next to the bed. “We need to slow down. Get to know each other. Come out to dinner with me tonight and let’s talk,” he said.
Slowly, the desire dissipated as his words sunk into her passion dazed mind. When she looked around her and realized that they had been making out on the bed of one of the guest rooms, her face flamed into color. What made it worse was that it hadn’t been her who had put a stop to their lovemaking. If the responsibility had been left up to her, she didn’t think she would have stopped at all.
Putting a hand to her hair, which was now more mussed than the pool had left it, she stumbled backwards. “I’m sorry, I have to go.”
Gus grabbed her hands and held her steady a moment before she almost tripped over a stool placed near the bed. “Careful,” he cautioned and the laughter was back in his eyes.
Alana turned around quickly, furious with herself for being so clumsy around him. “I really have to go.”
“Alana, wait. Come out to dinner with me. Let’s explore this thing we have together.”
“No,” she said furiously, walking quickly towards the door. “I can’t do that. There isn’t anything between us. I have to go,” she said and reached for the door knob.
Gus moved like lightning. Before she could open the door, his hand was pressing against the top, holding it closed. He bent down and whispered in her ear, “You’re fooling yourself if you think this is over.”
Alana spun around to face him. “It can’t go any further,” she said emphatically.
“Give me one good reason and I’ll walk away and won’t bother you again.” He was staring down at her lovely face and watched the emotions flash across her features. His stomach clenched at the idea that she could come up with something justifiable.
“I can’t,” she stammered. “You just have to trust me that whatever there is between us is better left unexamined.”
Gus slowly shook his head, his hands never leaving the wood from the door as he blocked her in between his arms. “Not good enough. It doesn’t make any sense to avoid something that feels this good,” he said, his voice was husky as he contemplated kissing her again. He knew she wouldn’t resist. He could see it in her eyes. She wanted him just as much as he wanted her. And it scared the hell out of her.
The fear in her eyes was the only reason he stepped back from the door. “I’m going to see you again, Alana. You can fight it all you want but in the end, it is inevitable.”
“Nothing is inevitable!” she gasped. “Just respect my wishes and that would be that.”
“I’ve tried. But you’re in my mind all the time. And I’m in yours. Don’t deny it anymore. The only thing left is for you to learn to trust me. That will take time but I’m a patient man,” he said. With those words, he let her exit the room.
Alana whipped open the door and rushed out. Once she was in the relative safety of the hallway, she glanced back at him. That was her mistake. He stood there, his arms crossed over his chest and a challenging look in his eyes.
Alana literally ran down the hallway to her room, closing the door quickly and locking it. She leaned against the thick wood and stared unseeingly at her room, her heart racing not just from her rush to get away, but also from the feelings he created inside her.
How could one man make her feel so happy, furious, confused and passionate, all within minutes of each other. Alana had lived a very well ordered life. She liked the calm, the expected. She wanted to wake up in the morning and know what her day was going to be like. She wanted to accomplish something with her life and that wasn’t getting into bed with that infuriating, arrogant man!
He made her laugh, true, but he made her furious as well. She didn’t like losing her temper. It rarely happened. She had an image she presented to the world of a cool, calm negotiator for her causes. Gus had gotten in the way twice. This had to stop. Whatever business he had with her father, she would just ask him to conduct at the office and not here at the house. Alana would make sure to avoid her father’s offices until she was sure the business with Gus Attracelli was over.
She tossed her ruined chiffon dress and shoes into the trash, then stepped into a warm shower, letting the spray clam down her frazzled nerves.