Deluxe Cinderella Chronicles 3 Story Box Set Read online

  “So because your family has money you will never find ‘the’ woman?” Bob questioned.

  “I never said I didn’t want a woman. Just not one who wants me for my money or attaches a ball and chain. Besides, I don’t buy into the storybook ‘happily ever after’.”

  “Yet your parents were happily married.”

  “And an exception to the rule. All married people, like yourself, defend holy matrimony because they don’t want to believe they are destined for failure.”

  Bob shook his head and glanced at his watch. “I need to go. I’m meeting my wife for dinner. Correction. Soon-to-be ex-wife—if your theory holds water—for dinner.” He stood and held out his hand. “Good to see you, man. Call me next month when you’re in town.”

  After a few words of goodbye, Bob departed. Matt downed the rest of his whiskey and Cola and scanned the room, looking for the woman who continued to invade his thoughts. And there she was, his brunette angel, still alone. That was all the invitation he needed.

  * * * * *

  Lauren’s drink appeared on the table in front of her, forcing her eyes up. Her breath caught in her throat, because there stood, in front of the table, her sexy stranger, the one she had spotted as she entered the bar. Tall, dark, and handsome just like her best fantasy man. She swallowed, her mouth suddenly feeling extremely dry.

  “Hi,” he said in a deep, resonating voice. “I’m Matt.”

  He wore dress pants, and a button-down white shirt, open as if he had discarded a tie. Very GQ and worldly. Unable to help herself, her eyes made a quick sweep of his body. Taking in the broad shoulder, tapered waist and powerful thighs.

  Eyes returning to his face, she forced her voice. “Uh, hi. I’m Lauren.” And you are gorgeous.

  “Nice to meet you, Lauren,” he said, with a slight incline of his head. His gaze shifted for just a moment to the chair beside her. “Mind if I join you or are you expecting someone?”

  Unbelievable. It was as if she’d willed her best fantasy to life. “Please,” she said. “Feel free. My friend is late and I could use the company.” Lauren silently reveled at the cool way she’d managed to respond.

  Without another word, he occupied the chair to her right. Nervous, and needing something to do, she reached for her drink and sipped. The tangy taste of lime filtered into her mouth. And she wondered how he tasted. The pure heat of the thought made her set her glass down.

  “I’ve never seen you here before,” he said. “This tends to be the same crowd over and over.”

  Lauren glanced at him, debating what she should say. For this to be a fantasy night, her red hot secret, she needed to live it to the fullest. That meant no personal information. No temptation to make it more than a delicious retreat from her focused, career-driven world.

  Decision made, she smiled. “I’m visiting from out of town. An old college buddy lives here and we’re hooking up tonight. It was her idea to come here.” Now she just had to make sure Cat went along with her story. Not that she was overly concerned. Cat loved little games and would take a quick hint if offered. Lauren glanced at her watch hoping to deter him from asking much about Cat. “She’s very late.”

  “I can’t say I’m sorry,” he said in a low voice. “If your friend wasn’t late, I wouldn’t be sitting here with you…alone.”

  “Funny how things work out,” she said softly, unable to hide a hint of a smile. This little flirtation was fun. It had been so long since she’d allowed herself the freedom to enjoy a man.

  “So—” he started to speak, but Lauren’s cell phone rang, interrupting his sentence.

  “Sorry.” Lauren held up one finger, reaching inside her purse for her phone. “It’s probably my friend.” He nodded as she answered her phone. “Hello.”

  Cat’s panicked voice greeted her. “Oh, God Lauren, I am soooooo sorry. I didn’t even know what time it was. My computer crashed and burned my article for tomorrow morning’s publication. I have been in a total panic mode trying to get it rewritten. I can’t believe this is happening tonight of all nights.”

  A flutter of fear raced through her stomach. An escape route from Mr. Sexy had just darted out of reach. It would have been nice to know it was there if she wanted it. “I understand. Business comes first. It has to.”

  Cat exhaled loudly into the phone. “You are too damn nice and understanding, I swear. I deserve to have you go off on me. I hate that you’re there alone.”

  “Uh, sort of,” Lauren said.

  “Sort of? Is someone with you?” Cat asked in a disbelieving tone.

  “Yes,” Lauren replied.

  “Oh God, tell me he’s cute. No. Not cute. Tell me he’s gorgeous. Hot. Worth a good romp in the sack.”

  “Very,” Lauren said in a carefully bland tone. Matt was watching her. A tiny smile playing at the corner of his mouth as if he knew that she was talking about him.

  Cat shrieked into the phone and then turned authoritative. “Okay, here is the deal. Get laid. You need it honey. Don’t think, just do. I know how you think so NO, you are not a whore for having a one-nighter. Especially when you haven’t been laid in so long you could medically be called a virgin again. Go for it.”

  Lauren rolled her eyes. “Go make your deadline and leave me alone.” She hit the “end” button without saying goodbye and then carefully returned her phone to her purse.

  “I take it your friend is not joining you?”

  The question put Lauren in the position of making a decision. Stay or go? And she knew, for once in her life, she deserved a little detour from her good-girl world. “I’m on my own. My friend is a writer for the local paper. She had a little kink in meeting her deadline.” She regretted the words the instant they left her mouth. This was one night. No strings. No history.

  Matt flagged the raven-haired waitress. Lauren watched him as he spoke to her. He ordered a drink, dismissing her without a second thought. Lauren bit back a smile, loving the way he focused on her and not the other woman.

  “So what happened to your friend?” Lauren asked curiously, openly acknowledging her interest in him earlier. It was no secret. He knew. She knew. Boldness seemed a part of this night.

  “He has a wife to get home to.”

  “And you don’t?”

  He laughed. It was a deep, sexy, sound from deep in his throat. “No. No wife. What about you? Got a husband at home?”

  She shook her head adamantly. “Oh,” she said. “No. Not me.”

  He looked like he might ask more, but the waitress appeared, placing his drink in front of him. Paying her took a quick few seconds. Refocusing on Lauren, his gaze was hot and heavy. Leaning forward, he leaned close, and the spicy scent of his cologne burned a sizzling reaction in her nerve endings.

  “Can you read my mind, Lauren?” His voice was very soft and so seductive Lauren almost shivered.

  She bit her bottom lip, wondering if she dared say what she really thought. His eyes dropped to her mouth. Oh, yes, she knew what he was thinking. But still, she played it safe, answering a bit evasively. “Hopefully, the same thing I am,” she whispered.

  His eyes darkened as they met hers, holding her gaze with a silent promise of seduction. Reaching across the table, he took her hand in his and brought her knuckles to his lips. A shock wave of heat shot through her body. The thought of more of that mouth, in a whole lot of places, had dampness pooling between her thighs.

  Slowly he stood, holding out his hand in invitation. “Dance with me,” he said.

  She looked at his palm, realizing this was a telling moment. Would the first time he held her be as enticing as she thought it would be? Eager to find her answer, her hand slid into his. Instant and intense awareness rocketed through her body.

  And there was her answer. His touch was as potent as expected.

  He guided her to her feet then, and his hand went to her waist. They stood so close her thighs pressed against his. Her nipples tingled with his nearness and the rawness of desire. For long moments, t
hey stared at one another. Lauren had no doubt her eyes radiated desire, because it sizzled inside her like a low flame building to a fire. What would it feel like to have his hands all over her body?

  She wanted to know.

  No. She needed to know.

  This man was most definitely the makings of the perfect “Red Hot Secrets”.

  Chapter Three

  Impatiently, Matt led Lauren through the bar area. He was rock-hard from a mere touch. He wanted this woman naked and beneath him. Or on top. Actually, both. Feeling the rage of something raw and electric, he was quite certain he could fuck her for hours on end. He’d like to explore every inch of her body. Lick and touch and taste until she screamed his name over and over. If a dance floor was his only immediate option allowing him to hold her, so be it.

  He’d take what he could get…for now.

  A number of couples swayed to the music, but he ignored them. His focus was on Lauren, and only Lauren. He had all but dismissed everyone else. Possessively, his hands settled on her back as he pulled her close, thigh to thigh.

  His cock throbbed with the contact.

  As her arms slid around his neck, pressing her breasts into his chest, he slid his hand up her back. A silent warning went off in his mind. This place held far too many peers and employees for a public display. Yet, he couldn’t bear the thought of easing away from her.

  Awareness, need, heat, swirled in the air between them. This was crazy. He wasn’t a man to be consumed by a woman or even his own need for pleasure. Yet, there was something about this woman…about Lauren.

  For several songs, they swayed together, bodies pressed close. Electricity pulsated around them like a live charge. Giving in to the desire to feel more of her, he lowered his head and nuzzled her neck, feeling the soft strands of her hair brush his face. He slipped his hand beneath her hair, giving in to the need to touch her. She looked up at him, her full lips parted, ready for his kiss. Pools of dark desire seemed to dance under her long, dark lashes.

  She palmed his thigh, surprising him with the touch, but more so with the intense reaction it drew. He sucked in a harsh breath, feeling her every move, every touch, every breath, as if it were magnified ten times. She smiled, soft and seductive. His body pulsed with response. This thing between them was too explosive for a place he did business in.

  He leaned down near her ear. “What if I said I wanted to take you home?”

  Her palms pressed against his chest, as she leaned back to look at him. “I’d say you move fast.”

  Her words rang true, but it did nothing to lesson the urgency he felt. They both wanted to be alone. Why not make it happen? In a swift movement, he grabbed her hand, and led her off the dance floor. He stopped at a divider column, pressing her back against it, trapping her with his bigger body.

  Despite her aggressive actions, he still sensed she was relatively inexperienced, even a bit nervous. It felt vital to get a commitment from her, but to also reassure her. But whatever happened, he wanted to know she was completely committed to what a night alone with him meant.

  Because he had no intentions of holding back. He wanted to know every inch of this woman. Matt put a hand on each side of her head, leaning down close to her ear. “I want you, Lauren. Come home with me and let me show you how much.”

  Lauren shut her eyes tightly and he sensed that she was fighting her own personal battle. “Say yes, Lauren,” he whispered a bit huskier this time. “I know this is fast, but we both want this.”

  Finally, she opened her eyes, “Yes,” she whispered.

  * * * * *

  They walked hand in hand to an underground parking garage. Matt hit his clicker on his keychain and the lights on a black sports car. Suddenly, Lauren’s heart felt as if it dropped to her stomach. What she had expected, she didn’t know. But to know he had money intimidated. To some that was a good thing. To her…it wasn’t. It made her feel self-conscious. As if he might know she was one of the “other” kind. The poor people. She forced a deep breath. This was a fantasy. The differences between her and this man shouldn’t matter. Only the passion. The heat. The exploration of the night.

  He opened the passenger door and waved her forward. Slipping into the sleek vehicle, she felt the brush of his hands, strong and masculine, as they touched her back. And his eyes. They lingered on her legs, making her skin tingle, and warm. For the briefest of moments, their gazes locked. The look he gave her was enough to make any woman burn with desire. Then he gave her a knowing little smile, like he knew what she was feeling, and he pushed the door shut.

  Oh boy.

  Everything about this man turned her on. Her senses hummed with electric charges. She was so alert, so alive. He had done that to her like no one else ever had. But then, what good was a fantasy if not so perfect?

  They traveled in silence, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. It was as if they both hated to break the secret spell wrapped around them. The perfection of the feeling was warm, and promising. Anticipation literally pulsed through the darkened car.

  Pulling up in front of a high-rise building, nerves suddenly kicked in, and Lauren’s stomach fluttered in reaction. The doorman opened her car door and helped her out. And only moments later, Matt reached for her hand and tossed the keys to the other man. Darting him an admiring sideways glance Lauren mentally reinforced her resolve to enjoy her fantasy night. She would not back out and miss an opportunity to be with this incredible man. Inhaling, she vowed to become the fantasy. No insecurities. No fears.

  It would be daring and exciting…just like Tara from “Red Hot Secrets.”

  * * * * *

  Matt laced his fingers between Lauren’s as he led her inside his building. He knew she was nervous. She’d be even more so if she knew how out of character he was acting. He didn’t take women to his apartment. He’d seen a shocked look on the face of Fred, the doorman. For some reason, Lauren made his rulebook taboo. She wrote a new set of guidelines.

  Her expressive face gave away her emotions. It was a trait he found utterly charming. Tonight, she was acting out of character. He knew it instinctively. Felt it in her hesitation to accept his invitation. Saw the flashes of self-doubt in her eyes.

  Whatever had made her go against her normal character tonight, he felt honored to be with her. To be the man she chose to be with for the evening. She touched him deep inside in a way he couldn’t quite understand. He wanted to see pleasure on her face, to watch her come, and see the pleasure he gave her. To hear her call his name. To watch her eyes as he entered her. To know he pleased her beyond her wildest dreams. And he would.

  He’d make damn sure Lauren went wild with passion.

  Chapter Four

  Matt’s cock pressed against his zipper as he urged Lauren into the elevator. Damn, how he wanted to take her—here, now—but he knew they’d be caught on camera. It was all that held him in check.

  But still, he had to know how she tasted.

  How he’d make it this long without kissing her, he wasn’t sure. As the doors closed, he pulled her into his arms, and lowered his head. As much as he wanted to ravish her, he didn’t want to scare her. Or to rush what should be savored. So, slowly, he brushed his lips across hers only allowing himself the briefest contact. But he wanted more. Thirsted for it.

  For several seconds, his mouth lingered, their breath mingled. Hot and consuming, the passion between them burned. Pushing him to take more. And he knew he had to have just one more taste. The touch electrified. Her lips were soft, and inviting, parting easily to accept what he offered. But a caress wasn’t enough…

  Delving his tongue into the soft recesses of her mouth, he took her essence with slow absorption, reveling at the way her body melted against his. Like honey, sweet and addictive, she drew him deeper into a seductive spell. And when he felt her shiver, he knew she felt it too.

  God, he loved how responsive she was to his touch. His hands moved of their own will, sliding down her slim waist and the curve of her hips. To hel
l with the security cameras. The need to touch her was simply too intense to ignore. Lauren’s soft moan echoed through his body like molten heat. His hand scooped her ass and he pulled her tight against his cock.

  Like a reality check, a ping signaled the elevator’s arrival. The doors began to slide open. Reluctantly, Matt withdrew his lips from Lauren’s. She blinked at him, a question in her big, green eyes.

  “We’re here,” he whispered and slowly eased her body from his.

  Her teeth found her bottom lip, drawing his attention and making him want another taste. Taking her hand in his before he did just that, he led her into the hallway. Wrapping his arm around her waist, holding her close to his side, Matt unlocked his front door. Why he was bringing a woman to his home, he didn’t know. It was against his rules. Something he simply didn’t do. It meant a morning after for sure.

  The thought did nothing to deter him. He urged her into his apartment, not bothering with the light as he kicked the door shut. The here and now motivated his actions. The drive for satisfaction. He hadn’t even begun to appease his appetite for her in the elevator. He needed another taste and he needed it now.

  Flinging his keys on the hall table, he rotated so that he flattened her back against the door. Moonlight cast seductive shadows throughout and lit her creamy skin with a soft glow. God, she was beautiful. Provocative in such an innocent way. He watched as her full bottom lip trembled. This wasn’t a woman who made a habit of going to strange men’s homes.

  What the hell was this connection between them?

  For long moments, they stared at one another, the air charged with electricity. With attraction. Then, he wasn’t sure which one of them moved, maybe they both did, but suddenly, they were kissing. His lips slanted over hers, taking what he wanted with a greedy exploration of tongue against tongue. Lauren’s hands did a slow slide up his arms, until her hands joined behind his neck.