As his hands squeezed her thighs, his lips captured hers. The wine they’d drank tasted so good on his tongue, intoxicating her to the point she didn’t care they were in the back of her car getting ready to have what she hoped was hot, wild sex.
When her hands came up around his neck, he eased back.
“Scoot down in the seat,” he whispered. “I want this to be all about you.”
And there was no woman in her right mind who would turn down an invitation like that.
Victoria did as he asked as he eased her legs farther apart. In his strong grasp, she felt the tug on her panties until she heard the material give way and tear.
“You owe me a pair of panties,” she joked.
As he settled onto the floor between her legs, he gazed up at her beneath heavy lids. Bright eyes pierced hers as he said, “I prefer you without them.”
With his wide shoulders holding her thighs apart, Victoria wondered if they were really doing this. Were they actually going to get intimate in the back of a car? And not only that, but this was far more personal than sex. Was Stefan taking their relationship to the next level? Obviously yes, but was he even aware of how personal this act was?
She didn’t care and couldn’t think anymore the second his finger slid over her, parting her a second before his mouth fixed on her.
Instinct had her sliding down even more. The way he made love to her with his mouth had her gripping his shoulders, the edge of the seat, the door handle, anything to keep from screaming at the overwhelming sensations rocketing through her.
In no time, her body quivered, bursts of pure bliss shooting through her. Stefan stayed with her until the last of her tremors ceased.
Reality hit her as he literally crawled back up her body. Those talented hands slid over her curves, and he took a seat next to her, lifting her up to settle on his lap. As he nestled her into the crook of his arm, she tucked her face against his warm neck.
“You’re not seriously going to try to hide the fact you’re completely turned on, are you?” she asked.
His soft chuckle vibrated against his hard chest. “Kind of hard to hide it, but I wanted this to be about you. We can continue at home if you’d like.”
Victoria lifted her head, wondering if Stefan realized how this moment, even though it was in the back of a car, had changed the course of their relationship. Did he get this intimate with all of his women? She closed her eyes briefly, trying to block out the instant mental images. If she had anything to say about it, he’d not be with any other woman ever again. He’d put the ball in her court at the end of the six months, and she was seriously considering staying, making him see just how this marriage could and should work for all the right reasons—which had absolutely nothing to do with his title.
But if she stayed, could she be a loyal, devoted queen and still design? She couldn’t give up her own goals to cater to his, but she wanted this marriage to work. There had to be a way.
* * *
Stefan stared down at Victoria. Holy hell. What had just happened? He’d meant to be giving, passionate, but something changed...something he couldn’t put his finger on. The way she looked at him with her face flushed and her lids heavy made him want to rip off both their clothes and satisfy her once again before finally relieving himself of this constant state of arousal he seemed to have around her lately.
“I want to make you happy, Stefan,” she told him, stroking her fingertip down his cheek and along his jawline.
Yeah, something definitely changed. She wasn’t smiling, wasn’t playful. Her words, her actions were from the heart.
Was she sinking more into this marriage than she should? Granted, he’d always wondered how they’d be together, but if she was falling for him, could he ever give her that deeper, loving, marital bond in return? He honestly didn’t think he had it in him.
God, he didn’t want to hurt her. Right now all he wanted was to enjoy the way they were living together. Why couldn’t that be enough?
“You’ve made me happy by helping me, Victoria.”
“You know I could never tell you no,” she replied, flashing him a sexy grin. “Besides, I’m getting what I want, too.”
Friends and business. That’s what this had to be...no matter what flutter he thought he felt in his chest earlier. The emotion had to be ignored. Victoria was too important to him to risk their bond on something as questionable as love.
As the driver wound his way up the Hollywood Hills, Victoria sat nestled against his side. He loved the familiar lavender scent that always surrounded her and the sexy way she would sigh as she crossed her legs and curved her body more into his. And now that he knew she wore nothing beneath that dress, well, sexy was a vast understatement.