Ten minutes later, they were upstairs in a room dominated by a king-size bed. The heat that had been simmering on low between them all night turned into a bonfire when he discovered that all Val had on under that dress were panties and a red garter belt. He swallowed hard as she stood before him and daintily rolled down her hose to remove them.
“Lady, you are dangerous,” he murmured as he touched a fingertip to one nipple and watched it harden. When he touched the same place with his tongue, she gasped and all but came apart.
“Now,” she pleaded. “Please, Slade. I want you inside me now.”
Her cry was almost his undoing. He slipped inside her moist heat with all the best intentions to take it slow, but she wouldn’t allow it. The frantic rise and fall of her hips demanded a pace that tugged him toward oblivion. When her body shattered with a violent climax, she carried him along, then sank back against the pillows with a sigh of pure contentment.
Still trying to catch his breath, he regarded her with amusement. “Pretty pleased with yourself, aren’t you?”
“I have no idea what you mean,” she claimed, her expression all innocence despite the position of their bodies.
“This evening has gone exactly the way you planned.” It sounded more like an accusation than he’d intended.
Her gaze darkened. “Are you complaining?”
“About this? Never,” he said. “I’m just a little confused about how we ended up here.”
“We’re two adults, Slade. If we want to sleep together, we certainly can. We’re not hurting anyone.”
“So this is just about sex?” he asked, his tone lethal. “You had some kind of an itch and I happened to be around to scratch it?”
She blinked at the question and something that could have been hurt shadowed her eyes, but she recovered quickly. “That’s a little crude, but yes,” she said.
Slade rolled to the side of the bed and sat up. He was suddenly so furious it took every ounce of restraint he possessed to keep from yelling at her.
“I think we must have gotten our signals crossed,” he said eventually. “You see, when I climbed into this bed, it was with the intention of making love to a woman I care about, just like it was the last time we were together.”
“You weren’t making love that first night,” Val retorted. “You were striking a bargain.”
Slade felt as if she’d punched him in the gut. “That’s what this was about? Some sort of payback? A signal, maybe, that you’re willing to play the game my way?”
“Exactly.” Her chin wobbled, but her eyes flashed fire.
“Well, I’m not,” he said dully. “The next time you and I make love, it will be on our wedding night.”
“And what if I won’t marry you?”
“Then this will have to hold us both till hell freezes over,” he said, yanking on his clothes.
When he was dressed, he tossed her red silk dress at her. “I think it’s time to go home.”
Only then did he dare to look at her. A huge tear was rolling down her cheek.
“Don’t do that,” he said sharply.
“What?”
“Don’t cry. Don’t act as if I’ve hurt your feelings. You were the one who wanted to turn this into something cold and impersonal.”
“You’re wrong,” she whispered. “That’s not what I wanted at all.”
“What then?”
She sighed heavily and began to get dressed.
Slade grabbed her arm and held her still, then waited until she finally gazed into his eyes. “What did you want?”
“I wanted you to admit how you really felt about me,” she said. “I guess I know now, don’t I?”
“And what do you think you know?”
“That you want me.”
“And?”
“That’s it,” she insisted.
Slade muttered an expletive under his breath, then dragged her back into his arms. Only after he’d kissed her thoroughly did he step back. “Next time think harder.”
Fifteen
Nothing about the date had gone the way Val envisioned. She’d wanted to tempt Slade, wanted to drive him a little crazy, but she hadn’t meant to lure him straight to a hotel room.
Nor had she intended to insinuate that their relationship was about nothing more than sex. She’d insulted him and cheapened herself.
“Why, why, why?” she moaned as she sipped her first cup of coffee the next morning.
“Why what?” Laurie asked, joining her at the kitchen table.
“Why did you let me wear that red dress?”
“Let you?” Laurie echoed. “Could I have stopped you?”
Val heaved a sigh. “No. I suppose not,” she conceded.
“Did it work?”
“In a manner of speaking. He couldn’t wait to get me