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  “This is like a dream,” Holliday professed, passing me a vodka martini.

  “That was the point—a beautiful dream or a reality where music and the arts bloom as natural as a garden, growing deep roots into America’s education system.”

  “It’s a lovely dream.” Holliday bumped her shoulder with mine. “Now, let’s make it a reality.”

  She strode away—the lights glinted off the beading of her black Oscar de la Renta floor-sweeping gown as she crossed the room. I took a swallow from my champagne glass and went over the three key points of my welcome speech.

  “Are you ready?” Greta asked.

  “I think that I am,” I replied handing her my glass. “Wish me luck.”

  “You don’t need it you’ve done this dozens of times.” She smiled giving me a thumbs up as stepped in front of the lectern.

  While that was true enough, tonight I needed to double last year’s total in order to have any kind of an impact for The Youth Academy’s next academic year. The Youth Academy was on the same calendar as the New York Public school system. Failure was not an option.

  Just breathe.

  Since I had been busy chatting with donors, I barely touched my dinner. When my mouth felt as dry as the sand in front of my Hamptons home, I stepped away to check my messages and grab a glass of champagne. My eyes caught Ronan sweeping Holliday across the dancefloor reminding me that I hadn’t seen Matthew all evening.

  “Tinley, what a fabulous party.” Karina glided to where I was standing at the bar. “I never knew that I’d been craving conversations that don’t include me shouting over the loud thump of music or grinding against a Wall Street fuckboy.”

  Shaking my head, I laughed. “I’m happy to provide some stimulating conversation.”

  “Stimulating, yes—very.” She eyed the bartender, giving him a wink. “Fetch me another martini, please, handsome.”

  “Miss Atkinson.”

  I glanced up to see Sebastian Ranford. The corner of his mouth lifted, and he locked eyes with me.

  “Hello, Ranford,” I replied. “Or should I say, hello, cousin? I still can’t believe that we’re related.”

  Sebastian Ranford was one of the most powerful men in Manhattan, possibly the northern hemisphere. His company, Ranford Industries, was taking the oil industry by storm, making huge advancements in technology. And as of a few months ago, the two of us were family by marriage when his uncle married Aunt Maggie.

  He cocked his head, eyeing Karina. “We might be related, but I’d like to get to know your friend, intimately.”

  Rolling my eyes, I shook my head. Karina turned to face Sebastian, her fingers toying with the cocktail pick. She had a devious gleam in her eyes.

  “Do not hit on my friends. I’m positive that you already have some bombshell socialite eager to drop her panties for you.”

  Despite his player reputation, Sebastian was a great guy and we’d become good friends. In fact, Sebastian often called to chat about life or he’d ask me for an opinion, sometimes he’d seek advice on a business matter. Our relationship thrived on humor and a mutual respect.

  “Oh come now, Tinley,” she mused. “You know how I love to play with shiny new toys.”

  Sebastian’s dark brows rose, as his gaze continued to roam over Karina. If I knew Sebastian, he was contemplating all the ways he’d get her out of the strapless, red, Ralph Lauren gown she was wearing.

  I squared my shoulders. “Now, unless you’re here to hand me a check, you can be on your merry way, Sebastian.”

  “Ah, there’s the Tinley I know, the girl only after my money.” He raised his glass taking a long drink.

  I laughed. “If you weren’t so damn bad at cards, you might still have some of that hard-earned money.”

  “Well, it’s all gone to a worthy cause, so I’m fine with you bleeding me dry.” Sebastian reached inside his breast pocket pulling out a piece of paper. “Here’s a bit more of my money.”

  I plucked the check from his grasp. “Thank you, always a pleasure doing business with you.”

  He smirked, glancing at Karina. “Trust me the pleasure is all mine.”

  “Thanks again,” I repeated, waving the check in the air.

  “Invest it wisely,” he instructed, offering Karina his arm. She paused for a beat, and then downed her martini.

  “Shiny indeed,” she said, looping her arm with his.

  After they left, I handed the check to Greta. It was getting late, and Matthew still hadn’t arrived. As I sipped my champagne, I wondered what could be keeping him. My gut twisted at the thought of something horrible. Fuck. I hated when my mind retreated to the worst possible dark places. He probably got held up at work.

  Nothing is wrong.

  I dragged my focus back to the room filled with people dancing and drinking. With the heavy flow of alcohol amongst the rich and powerful, I was certain there were business deals being made left and right. It was time to work the room for more donations.

  “Hey,” Holliday said, gripping my elbow. “Ronan and I have to leave.”

  I grasped her forearms. “Oh no, why?”

  Ronan appeared at her side. “My daughter, Leah, she’s come down with something and my ex-wife is in London.” He tapped the screen on his phone. “Come on, Ella, pick up.”

  “Ronan, your sister didn’t fly here to babysit,” Holliday teased. “She’s probably out having a good time and meeting new people.”

  “So this is where you’re all hiding out—near the bar.”

  My whole body heated at the sound of Matthew’s voice. Fuck, he was good looking. Wearing a three piece, black, pin-striped suit sans tie, his hazel eyes beamed even under the dim lights.

  “Nice of you to grace us with your presence,” Ronan joked.

  “I apologize,” he said, glancing at me. “That damn . . . Ronan walk me to the bar. I could use a drink.”

  They walked off leaving me alone with Holliday. She eyed me up and down.

  I shrugged. “What?”

  “How long have you been sleeping with him?” she asked.

  “I’m not sleeping with him.”

  Her dark brows rose, and her lips pulled into a knowing smile. “Not yet, anyway.”

  Truth be told, the last person I slept with was a guy that worked at Uncle Carter’s energy firm. It felt like a million years ago.

  Was I that transparent where Matthew was concerned? This man did strange things to me. In the six months that I’d known him, we’d had a few interactions and I’d enjoyed all of them. Getting to know him was an extraordinary slow burn that gave me those butterflies that made my stomach zing.

  “At least one of us is having sex,” I joked.

  “I won’t be having any tonight, though.” She held up her cellphone. “We need to get going, I’m sorry to cut out on you on your big night. I have a feeling this event was a huge success.”

  I totally understood. They couldn’t help it if Ronan’s daughter was ill. We said our goodbyes, and then I watched her and Ronan exit the ballroom.

  The gentle melody of a piano piped over the sound system as Sam Smith’s voice sang out the lyrics to “Stay with Me.”

  “Dance with me,” Matthew whispered in my ear.

  Saying nothing, I took his hand as he pulled me to the dancefloor. One strong hand curled around my hip, drawing me closer to his hard body. I brought my hand to the back of his neck and his cheek rested in my hair.

  “You look incredible tonight,” he murmured, his mouth brushing against the shell of my ear. “This sparkling pink dress, it’s giving me too many inappropriate thoughts.”

  That voice, his voice, was in my ear, right there winding its way through every cell in my body. When he spoke again, tingles danced across my skin. “Tell me you want me as much as I want you.”

  Completely overwhelmed by his sensual words and the desire I felt for him, I captured Matthew’s lips with mine. There was no hesitation. This was an all-in, jumping into the deep end kind of ki
ss. I kissed him the way I’d been wanting to for months. I swore that my soul hummed—finally.

  “We should get out of here,” I whispered, our mouths a breath apart.

  “Yeah,” Matthew agreed, his hand digging into my hip and further communicating his need for me. “Unless, of course, you’re the kind of woman who likes being bent over in a bathroom stall.” The ridge of his erection connected with my stomach, inches from where I needed it most and I wished that I’d opted for a shorter hemline. For a moment I considered allowing him to fuck me right here.

  Right now.

  Instead I laughed, tapping my fist to his chest. “I don’t know if I’m that kind of woman, but I know that tonight I’m the gal asking the guy to come home with her.”

  Bold—a woman on top kind of move, something Beyoncé would have done. My hands moved to grasp the lapels of his jacket.

  I want this man.

  “Tonight, I’ll be the gentleman who goes home with the lady.” His lips mapped over the curve of my jaw, and down my neck leaving a fevered trail of hot fire in his wake. “I’m going to fuck you, Tinley, make no mistake about that.”

  Months . . . years of fantasizing about Matthew Barber did nothing to prepare me for those words and the feel of his lips against mine.

  As much as I wanted to leave the event right then and there I needed to make sure that things were in order before I attempted to cut and run. After a chat with Greta, and a conversation regarding final instructions, I handed over the reins. Once I’d said goodbye and thanked the staff, I gathered my belongings. Matthew’s hand settled on the small of my back as we stood outside waiting for my driver.

  Twenty minutes later, we arrived at my house. My driver dropped us off, and as soon as the door closed, Matthew walked me backwards until I leaned against the white column on my front porch.

  Dipping his head, my hands wrapped around his neck as his lips connected with mine. His kisses were urgent, and nothing I’d ever experienced compared to the taste of Matthew and the smoky flavor of bourbon on his tongue, it made me dizzy with need. The sweet scent of hydrangeas wafted through the night air, searing this moment into my brain.

  His hands skimmed over my shoulders and pushed into my hair. Touching him, kissing him, zapped everything in my body to life. Firing up every nerve, cell, and synapses in between. I wanted him in every way possible.

  “You’re going to wreck me, Matthew Barber,” I breathed, as my fingers drifted down the side of his face, and I twisted away from him.

  “The only thing I plan on wrecking, darlin’, is your bed.”

  THE FRONT DOOR WASN’T even closed, and I had Tinley stripped out of her dress. She stood in the faint light of her foyer wearing a pair of lace panties, silver heels, and diamond earrings. Braless. Perfect. Not that I was complaining, but I bet she looked amazing in lingerie. Fuck, she could probably wear a feed sack and take my breath away.

  Don’t say that kind of corny shit.

  “Zero-one-two-zero-nine,” she said, picking her dress up off the wood floor.

  “What?”

  “The security system,” she jutted her chin towards the wall. “Zero-one-two-zero-nine then hit pound and then enter.”

  I barely registered the beeping sound because I was too busy staring at her slim legs, and beautiful tits. Once I had the door closed and the alarm situation put to rest, I approached Tinley until we were a hair’s breadth apart.

  My hands lifted to her face and I kissed her, I poured everything into that kiss. Her hands drifted up my chest and over my shoulders.

  “You have too many clothes on,” she whispered against my lips.

  “You bring up a good point.” Breaking our connection, I stepped back and removed my shoes. I took off my jacket and tossed it over the same chair where Tinley’s dress lay.

  “Bedroom?” When I turned back around I found her halfway up the stairs.

  “I’ll show you,” she answered, turning back to face me, and slipping off her heels.

  My urgent need to explore Tinley’s body had me taking the stairs two at a time. When I reached the second floor, I passed through the loft space that held a gorgeous white piano situated in front of a row of windows that showcased a rather large balcony overlooking the ocean.

  Without difficulty, I managed to drag my focus back to the task at hand. Tinley stood leaning against the doorframe, her panties dangling from the tip of her index finger.

  She smiled. “It’s about time you got here.”

  “To be fair, you did have a head start,” I pointed out, tossing her panties onto the floor.

  “Are we playing fair?” There was a teasing tone in her voice.

  With one hand buried in her hair, I tilted her head back and kissed up her throat, making my way to her mouth. Those pink lips begged me to devour her, so I did. Pulling her mouth to mine, I kissed her hard, licking and stroking her tongue with mine.

  Eyeing the bed, I hauled her up onto my shoulder, carrying her across the room. Tinley let out a gasp and smacked my ass. Setting her on her feet, her fingers went to work on the buttons of my shirt.

  When my shirt hit the floor, she smiled and scratched her nails down my chest. My hands palmed her tits as my thumbs circled her small, dusty pink nipples coaxing them to attention. Moaning, she arched into my touch. I dipped my head taking one of those beauties into my mouth. The scent of sweet orange, warm honey, and sex crashed over me—her flavor. Tinley’s nails bit into my scalp as I nipped and sucked her skin.

  I glanced up at her, those blue eyes twinkling. “Are you going to fuck me now, Matthew?”

  That was hot as fuck. I made no effort to suppress the growl that rattled my throat. Everything after that was a blur of movements. It was a miracle that I hadn’t fucked her where she stood.

  “On the bed, Tinley, now.”

  She smiled. “Would you like me on my knees or on my back?”

  Shoving my boxers to the ground, I watched as she climbed on top of the white bedspread. Almost everything in her room was white—neat and tidy. Tinley was perfect and polished. She was grace, elegance, and refinement. Underneath, there was a wild soul that either wanted to be tamed or set free and I was the lucky bastard who was going to figure it all out.

  She sank to her knees, and a devious smiled turned up the corners of her mouth.

  “I knew there was something naughty about you the moment I laid my eyes on you.”

  Licking her lips, she eyed my cock. I dragged my fist down my length and back up, over the crown, bringing it back down to the root. Her blue eyes met mine and the way she was looking at me nearly had me coming undone before I’d had a chance to bury myself deep inside her.

  I crawled up her lithe body, dragging my tongue over her flat stomach to her breasts and pushing her back down onto the mattress. When my nose grazed over the rise of her breast, a gasp slipped from her lips. Her body quivered beneath me as I sucked her nipple into my mouth. Grinding against her, my cock was slick with her wetness and another wave of her scent washed over me.

  “I want you, Matthew,” she whispered. “Condoms are in the nightstand and don’t think for one moment that I do this often. A woman should always be prepared for intimate situations.”

  “I came prepared too,” I said, producing the condom I’d managed to shove under the pillow.

  A sexy smile tugged at her lips as her brows pinched together. “But . . . how did you do that?”

  I smirked, adjusting my position over her. “Magic, beautiful.”

  Her nails dug into my forearms as I rolled the condom down and then sank into her wet heat. I took great satisfaction when her eyes rolled back and she let out a breathy moan. That sound, I wanted to hear it for the rest of my days. Tinley wrapped her legs around my waist, and I drove into her with the prime mission of giving her a magnificent orgasm—or two or three.

  Her hands dug into my shoulders. “Matthew, yes, more,” she moaned. Hearing her begging for more amped me up. More. More. In this moment I
wanted to give her everything I had.

  “I want to hear that sound again—say my name.” My hips crashed against hers, and her fingers dug into my shoulders.

  “Matthew . . .”

  It felt amazing to hold Tinley in my arms, but being here with her like this had a profound effect on me. I’d met her six months ago, yet somehow, I felt as if I’d known her much longer. I wasn’t in the habit of connecting with someone—anyone—like this and never this quickly.

  My hands gripped her hips as I slammed into her, giving her what she wanted. On a long moan, my name spilled from her lips once more. “The sound you make when you come, I’ve been wondering about that for some time.”

  “How long?” she asked, pushing her hands into my hair.

  “Too long,” I groaned before crushing my lips to hers.

  My orgasm stirred at the base of my spine. I was on fire, burning up for her. Wanting more, I tilted my hips towards her clit going deeper. Her walls contracted and tightened around my cock. My hips rolled against her, and she rocked against me in response. “Please, oh please, Matthew,” Tinley whimpered, her body jerking beneath me as her nails dug into the muscles of my back.

  Bowing my head, I sucked one of her nipples into my mouth as my thumb circled the other. Searing pleasure wound through me and a wave of electricity shot through me when her nails scratched down back.

  “You are so beautiful.”

  “Oh, fuck me, Matthew.” Meeting me thrust for thrust, her blue eyes locked with mine, pleading for me to go over the edge with her. The headboard bounced off the wall, and I was certain everyone in The Harbour could hear Tinley’s screams. Reminders of that balcony came to mind. I was determined to fuck her there. Tingles spread over my body, signaling my impending orgasm.

  The friction between us was incredible, and she was so close I could taste it. Picking up the pace, I plunged into Tinley, thrusting deeper.

  “Right there. Yes, Matthew,” she cried out my name with a long airy moan. It made me feel like a fucking king and I erupted with a litany of unintelligible babble. The spasms of her orgasm rippled around my dick, and I kept my eyes trained on hers as I slowed my hips.