Page 50 of Nothing to No One

He knew just how to convey his own need and satisfy hers. The former was such a huge part of her gratification, she’d never felt so desired, so special, so appreciated. He pampered her, spoiled her, granted attention few men would and certainly not first.

Arousal wasn’t just about nerve endings and sparks of endorphins, heat and pressure and need and want.

Her power, the true, overwhelming nature of this sensuous naughtiness came with the knowledge that it was all about them. He got pleasure from her pleasure. This was gratitude for giving him the same meaning she felt in him.

He wanted her, needed her, and had found something he hadn’t been expecting either. How did she know? The way he held her, the delicate pressure of his lips, the glide of his tongue around her clit. Her nails dug deep into the wood beneath her, and she gasped, teetering closer to the edge of release.

“Baby…” she stuttered. “Oh, God, beau…”

Another cry. Not hers. A gasp and a shriek opened her eyes. Struan rose in a twist enough to cover her modesty, but yeah, they were being watched.

Not by one or two, but by ten or fifteen, and at least a few of them had cameras.

Shit. Why hadn’t she thought about there being press at the event? Of course there were members of the mass media present. And many who wanted to impress them.

She caught his hips and he laced their fingers together.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered against his back.

In a second, he faced her. “That was just a snack,” he said, kissing the back of her fingers, left then right. “Entrée’s coming soon.”

He wasn’t sorry. Defiant, he’d owned her, and didn’t mind the world knowing it.

EIGHTEEN

“I DON’T EVEN KNOW what to say,” Magnus said, failing to recognize that in itself was a statement.

He threw the newspaper onto the living room couch next to her.

“Wow,” she said, picking it up. “I didn’t know people still got these.”

“When your name’s in them, we have no choice. What were you two thinking last night?”

Roman was uncharacteristically quiet. Without a word, he strode the width of the front window back and forth, hands clasped behind him. Rich of him to think he could pass judgment on anyone.

“I don’t understand why it’s a problem.” Her intention wasn’t to aggravate the already inflamed tension, she just didn’t get it. “Yes, okay, maybe, from a human standpoint, a relationship standpoint, I wouldn’t want my intimate life splashed across the papers, but this started—”

“This started…” Roman declared, marching up behind Magnus, “because you two were horny fucks who couldn’t keep your hands off each other, and here we are again.”

“Why is that a problem?” she appealed to one man then the other. “Didn’t we fix that mess by telling the world we were getting married? So what’s the problem? In those pictures, we’re two soon-to-be-married people physically enjoying each other. What’s wrong with that? This isn’t the forties. Even if it was, the world knows by now we’re living in sin. I’ve been staying here since the story first broke.”

“How do we fix this?” Roman asked Magnus.

Was he listening to her at all? Was anything getting through? Did she even matter? It was a wonder. They’d waited for her to wake up before planting her in the middle of the couch and demanding an explanation.

After being caught in the throes of whatever they were doing, as a fully consenting adult couple, Struan excused them to the limo and finished what he started.

She yearned to ask him to join her in bed, but already felt brazen for being caught red-handed… rather red-faced and not in shame. Look at her. Yes, there were pictures, right there on the couch in newsprint, head back, eyes closed, body presented to the man on his knees worshiping.

In the newspaper. In goddamn print!

God, she dreaded to think what was online where censors wouldn’t have their way. How long had they been watched before the exclamation intruded?

“You’re taking her out tonight,” Magnus said, interrupting her chain of thought. “Dinner. Somewhere quiet. Somewhere we trust so we can manage the visuals.”

“TheMaking of…guys want to interview her.”

“Not today,” Magnus said in full control. “She stays here. You both should. We all should.”

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