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Mills & Boon Introduces: What Lies Beneath / Soldier, Father, Husband? / The Seven-Day Target
“Okay,” he said, tearing a chunk of bread from the loaf and dipping it. “We’ll go more esoteric, then. If you were trapped on a desert island, what three things would you take with you?”
“Well, if we’re talking deserted with absolutely nothing, I say food, water and a toothbrush. If that kind of stuff is covered, then I say some books, a sketch pad with pencils and an mp3 player with a solar battery pack. How about you?”
“Given base needs are met, I would take.” he shook his head. “I almost can’t even say. I wouldn’t know what to do with a bunch of leisure time.”
“What do you like to do for fun?”
“Fun? I just work. That’s what I do. Occasionally Alex makes me play racquetball or you drag me to a party or a play. That’s about it.”
“Doesn’t the paper own box seats at Yankee Stadium or something?”
“Courtside for the Knicks, actually, but I usually give the tickets out to clients and friends.”
“Why? Don’t you like basketball?”
“Yes. I just never make the time to go. You never wanted to go with me, and Alex typically had a date or was traveling on business when I asked.”
“When the season starts up again, I think I’d like to go. It sounds fun.”
Will smiled as he tried to picture Cynthia at a Knicks game with a beer in one hand, nachos in the other, screaming at the players. “We can certainly do that. Anything else you’d like to try, assuming we go on a second date?” he said with a wink.
“Hmm…” She thought aloud. “Bowling, maybe. Or doing some of the touristy things around town. I don’t remember any of that stuff, so it’s like I’m a visitor.”
“Do you mean like seeing the Statue of Liberty and Times Square?”
“Yeah. Maybe get one of those ‘I
Will had to laugh. The woman across the table from him surprised him every day. She really was an entirely different person. A sweet, caring woman with a zest for life and the simplest pleasures, like silly tourist fare. Maybe she really had changed for good. Enough that he could trust her with some of the feelings swirling in his gut but wasn’t ready to say aloud.
“You know I work crazy hours, but I’ll happily squeeze in some sightseeing with you if that makes you happy.”
“It would. But tell me, why do you work so much?”
Will took a bite of bread to consider his answer. “When I took over for my father, Junior, after his retirement, it took a lot of hours to really get a feel for running the paper. Then things at home got strained and it was easier to bury myself in work. Then it just became a way of life.”
“Isn’t there someone else that can handle a lot of that stuff for you?”
He had a staff of hundreds of capable people, so he sincerely hoped so. “Probably, if I let them. But I like being involved. I don’t want to be one of those disconnected CEOs in the ivory tower.”
“There’s got to be a happy medium. A line you can draw in the sand that says when you’re working and when you’re not. I mean, what would you say if I told you it was rude to constantly check your phone during our date?”
Will paused, his hand literally reaching out to compulsively check his phone when she spoke the words. His gaze narrowed at her and then he conceded with a nod. “I’d say you were probably right and offer to put it on silent.” He held it up and flipped a switch, putting an end to the constant symphony of beeps, chirps and ringtone melodies. He wasn’t comfortable turning it completely off in case there was a serious emergency.
“Well, that’s a step in the right direction, I suppose. When was the last time you went on a vacation?”
“I took leave the Monday after your accident.”
Cynthia frowned. “That’s not a vacation. I’m talking sand between your toes and a frosty drink in your hand.”
He thought back to his last trip and calculated how long it had been. “Sadly, it was after we graduated from Yale. Junior paid for both of us to spend a week in Antigua as a present.”
“That was a long time ago. Do you have anything planned in the future?”
“Just our honeymoon. Two weeks in Bali,” he said. “We reserved one of those little private huts over the water.”
Will’s mind instantly flashed to being on the beach with her. He knew she wasn’t pleased with whatever weight she’d put on since the accident, but he didn’t mind in the least. It gave a new fullness to her breasts and a roundness to her hips that would fill out a bikini quite nicely. He imagined rubbing thick, creamy sunscreen over every inch of her pale, delicate skin to protect it from burning. The undeniable desire to pull her into the water and taste the saltiness of her skin and the ocean mingling together washed over him. It was a fantasy worth indulging, even if not for a honeymoon. Two weeks in paradise, indeed.
“That sounds heavenly,” she said, echoing his thoughts without realizing it. “Maybe we should plan something. Not necessarily two weeks in Bali, but something to get you away from work and me out of the apartment.”
“Definitely,” he said. Wherever it was, it had to have a beach, and he would buy her a pink bikini to wear. He’d already decided as much.
Just then, the waiter returned with their meals. “Wow,” Cynthia remarked as she took in her large platter of pasta and immediately dug in. It provided him the luxury of watching her for a moment without her noticing.
Everything about Cynthia fascinated him. He supposed that having a brush with death could make you appreciate the smallest things, even fettuccine with clam sauce. It made him want to expose her to new things and shower her with gifts—not only because she deserved them but because she would genuinely appreciate them. He would take her on a tour of the city she would love, and as soon as the doctor cleared her to travel, they would be off to the nearest tropical locale. If she was too afraid to fly, he’d charter a yacht to take them there. But that would all come later.
First, he intended to expose her to another new experience. Once they got home, he was going to coax every type of pleasure he could from her body.
Seven
Cynthia could feel a change in the energy between them while they ate. At one point, she’d looked up from her food to find Will watching her intently. He’d barely touched his own meal, but the desire in his eyes made it obvious he was hungry for more than just pasta. She’d have to try tiramisu another night, because they were heading straight home after this course.
That was fine by her.
But as the elevator of their apartment building carried them up, Cynthia felt her nerves getting the best of her. She wasn’t a virgin, but she felt as inexperienced as one. What was she supposed to do? She knew she was in capable hands with Will, but she wanted to please him, too. Hopefully he would understand and not think she was just bad in bed.
She also knew he probably couldn’t help but draw comparisons from the past, and that worried her, too. Since none of her newer clothes fit, she knew she’d gained weight. Would he be disappointed to find that her body had changed? What if he wanted the lights on? Cynthia wasn’t sure she was brave enough for that yet.
Will took her hand and led her from the elevator to their door. She let him guide her inside. He locked the door behind them, tossed his keys onto the table where the phone used to be and made his way into the living room.
When he reached up to turn on the light, Cynthia caught his hand. “How about just the fireplace?” she suggested. Even that light was too much, but she didn’t want to sound immature. The fire would still cast shadows, and the dim glow would mask the imperfections she hoped to hide.
He nodded silently, going through the motions of starting a fire and gesturing for her to sit on the thick area rug in front of the fireplace. She kicked off her shoes and sat down to watch him. With the flames started, Will disappeared into the kitchen and returned a few minutes later with two flutes of champagne. “Have you tried champagne yet?”
“No,” she said as she accepted the glass and watched him lower to the rug beside her.
“Then, to the first of several new experiences tonight I hope you’ll enjoy.” Will held up the flute and clinked it with hers.
Cynthia could feel herself starting to blush and hoped the fireplace didn’t make it too obvious. She brought the glass to her lips and took in a sip of the sweet, bubbly drink. It was wonderful. She took another large sip. The fizz seemed to go straight into her veins, warming her whole body and relaxing the muscles that tensed as he lingered close.
“Do you like it?” Will asked, setting his half-empty flute on the nearby coffee table and then leaning closer to her.
“I do.” She swallowed the last bit for a dose of liquid courage and set it aside.
“Good.” He reached out to cradle the nape of her neck and leaned in to close the small gap between them. His lips met hers, and she instantly felt lightheaded in a way that had nothing to do with champagne. His mouth was warm and tasted sweet against hers. The feel of his fingertips massaging through her hair coaxed her eyes closed, and she gave in to the sensation of him.
She felt the heat of his hand on her thigh. It stroked gently through the fabric of her skirt, slowly inching it higher up her leg. The caress lit a fire deep in her belly that urged her to reach out to him. Cynthia pressed a hand against his chest, kneading at the hard muscles, but the starched fabric of his dress shirt didn’t feel good against her palms. She wanted to touch bare skin. Starting at his collar, she worked at the buttons, pausing as she reached his waistband. There, the brush of her fingertips across his stomach elicited a deep groan of approval against her lips. It made her bolder, and she tugged his shirt out and undid the last button, slipping the shirt over his shoulders and exposing his chest.
This, she wanted to see. Pulling away from his kiss, she opened her eyes and took in the hard expanse of his chest, the ridges and planes of his body accented and shadowed by the flickering fire. It beckoned her to reach out, and she indulged. She reveled in the velvet glide of her fingertips across his skin. The muscles of his stomach jumped as her hand neared his navel, and Will shot a hand out to grasp her wrist. “Not yet,” he whispered, moving her hand higher to rest on his shoulder.
Will kissed her again, and this time she could feel his hands move down her blouse, opening it as she had done to his shirt. For a moment her nerves returned, but her back was to the fire, so when he eased her blouse off, her chest was still cloaked in shadow. His hand slid like satin over her exposed back, grasping the catch of her bra and undoing it with a flick of his fingers. Without his mouth leaving hers, he slid the bra down her arms and tossed it aside, covering the aching globes of her breasts with his greedy hands.
Cynthia gasped against his lips as he pinched one hardened peak between his fingertips and then soothed the ache with his palms. The sharp sensation traveled straight to her inner core, urging her body forward to press against him, but it wasn’t nearly enough to soothe the need building inside her.
Will unzipped her skirt at the hip and surged forward, easing her back until she was lying flat on the rug. The movement exposed her body to the glow of the fire, but when she caught him looking down at her with unbridled lust, her heart leapt in her chest. For a moment, she was able to put aside all her insecurities and bask in the glow of being truly desired. It was a new and wonderful feeling, second only to the tingle of his lips against her skin as he traveled down her exposed chest. His mouth captured one tight nipple while his hands moved lower to tug her skirt and panties down over her hips. Only when he absolutely had to did his mouth leave her body, and that was only to cast the last of her clothing, then his, aside.
Cynthia sat up on her elbows and tried to admire what she could of his body, but her plan to disguise her own insecurities had made it hard for her to see him, as well. She could only see the shadow of his body moving, hear the crinkle of a foil packet tearing open, then see the golden light on his brown hair as his body slowly moved toward her. His hands and mouth stroked and tasted every inch of her as he glided up to cover her body with his own, shifting his weight to rest on his hip and elbow alongside her.
His dark gaze fixed on her as his flat palm grazed over her belly and then dipped between her thighs. He eased her open to him and then let his fingers glide over her moist flesh. Cynthia tried not to cry out, but the sensations overwhelmed her and she simply couldn’t help it. She fought to keep her eyes open and hold the connection, but the expert movements of his hand sent her eyelids shut and her hips rising up to meet his touch. The electric current of pleasure running through her body was like nothing else she’d ever experienced before. The pressure was building up inside of her, making her achy and hungry for more.
“Will,” she whispered, her body no longer her own to control as he coaxed new feelings out of her. She couldn’t imagine feeling anything more incredible than this moment, but she knew there was more. She wanted all of him and would feel incomplete until she did. “Please.”
Nudging her thighs farther apart, Will settled in and hovered over her. His gaze never left hers as he rocked forward and found his home within her welcoming body. He filled her so completely that she gasped; the pleasure was almost more than she could bear. She’d waited so long for this, she wanted to lock her legs around him and keep him there forever.
But even she wasn’t stupid enough to stop the delicious movement he’d begun. It was slow at first, inch by inch easing in and out of her body at an excruciating pace. His head dipped down to capture a nipple in his mouth and tug at it with his teeth.
“Oh, Will,” Cynthia said, unable to do anything else but cling to the hard muscle of his arms. The climax was building inside her, but it was too soon. Far too soon. She wanted this feeling to last forever, and he wasn’t going to allow it.
He released her breast and kissed her, the salty taste of her skin on his lips. She clung to him as he moved faster, thrusting inside her with increasing force. Every second brought another rush of pleasure, her nerve endings almost unable to take any more.
He seemed to enjoy watching the expressions on her face as her mouth fell open, her chest rising and falling with the rapid breaths of her oncoming orgasm. With perfect timing, he thrust home harder and harder, pushing her off the cliff until she had no choice but to dive into oblivion.
“Yes!” she cried out as the climax pulsed through her body. Her hips bucked against his driving pelvis, her back rising off the rug as her release exploded inside her. She got lost in the tide of ecstasy, her cries mingling with his as he found his own release.
Cynthia collapsed back into the carpet, Will throwing his leg to one side to put the bulk of his weight off her. They lay there together, a mix of heavy breathing and tingling bodies. That was the most incredible thing she’d ever experienced. Being in Will’s arms, connecting with him like that, brought not only pleasure but a sense of peace she’d been lacking. She didn’t delude herself into believing this was anything more than incredible sex to Will, but it was a start. If and when they finally made love, she imagined it would be even better. For tonight, she would let herself be happy with a successful first date.
Their first date. “So much for my reputation,” she said, laughing as best she could manage between her harsh, ragged breaths.
Will tapped gently against the door to Cynthia’s workroom and called her name. He heard the loud stitching of the sewing machine stop.
“Yes?” she said, her voice muffled by the heavy wood between them.
“We’re going out tonight,” he announced. She had been holed up in her workroom for days. They were going out whether she liked it or not. He didn’t care if she went to the party in half a dress.
“I don’t think I—” She began to argue, but he grabbed the doorknob and silenced her protest. “No, no, I’m coming!”
She flung open the door and quickly pulled it shut behind her. “No peeking,” she reminded him with a frown.
“You’ve been working too much, and coming from me, that’s pretty bad. I’m taking you out tonight.”
“I really shouldn’t,” she said, backing into the room again, but his hand shot out to grab the door and keep her from retreating.
“If you go back in there, I will come in after you and carry you out. After I thoroughly examine your dress and ruin the surprise.”
Cynthia glanced down at her raw and bloody fingertips and gave a resigned sigh. “I could probably use some time away. I’m making progress, though.”
“That’s great.” Will slipped out of his sport coat and headed down the hallway to the guest room. “I’m going to change before we leave.” He pulled off his shirt and tie, throwing them on the bed.
“I guess I should, too. Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise,” he called out.
“Then how will I know what to wear?”
Will stepped back into the hallway and eyed her outfit. She had on low-ride jeans and a T-shirt, her hair down and loose around her shoulders. For what he had in mind, it was perfect. He was about to tell her as much when her mouth dropped open and a gasp of surprise escaped her throat. He looked down at his bare chest in confusion and then back to her red cheeks. They’d slept together only two nights ago, but apparently seeing him in full daylight was a whole new experience for her.
He was glad his abs met with her approval. His lips twisted in amusement for a moment before he spoke. “Stop that or we’ll never leave the apartment. You look fine. Just put on a jacket and some comfortable shoes.”
Cynthia’s eyebrows shot up, but she didn’t argue. She went into the master bedroom and reappeared a few minutes later wearing her jacket and with her running shoes laced up and ready to go.
He met her in the hallway wearing jeans, a gray polo shirt and his own pair of sneakers. It had been a long time since he’d worn jeans and sneakers. He forgot how comfortable they were.
She followed him to the door and he slipped into his leather jacket. “I take it we’re not going to Le Bernardin tonight?”
“Nope.” Will ushered her out of the apartment and down the hall.
“I have to admit, I’m a touch relieved. I’m too tired to worry about keeping my elbows off the table and which fork to use.”
“I’m glad you approve.”
“Any clues?” she asked in the elevator.
“Nope.”
There was a touch of frustration in her eyes, but it was quickly erased with the light of excitement.
First, they hopped in a cab and he took her to a small underground pizza joint near the Theater District. He could tell by the look on her face that she was hesitant about it. The first time he’d walked in, he thought he might need a tetanus shot, but it was some of the best pizza in town. By the time she’d put away her second giant slice, he was pretty sure Cynthia would agree.
Then they walked a few blocks to 42nd Street. Every time they approached the entrance to a theater, she’d look around expectantly, but he would continue on past. No Broadway musicals tonight. Instead, he’d bought tickets to a Night Illuminations tour. When the giant double-decker bus rolled up, Will knew he’d made the right choice. Her face lit up immediately. The air was chilly on the top deck, but Will didn’t mind. It gave him an excuse to wrap his arm around Cynthia so she could snuggle against his side. She asked him questions about sights they passed and he told her all he could. He’d always thought the lights of the city were beautiful, but sharing them with Cynthia made them even more special.
After about two hours, they’d seen all of Manhattan and the tour dropped them back near Times Square. While she was mesmerized by a billboard, Will surprised her with an “I
It was an experience he would’ve skipped normally, but her excitement was contagious. “You had to pick the My Little Pony car, didn’t you?” Will said as they stepped back out into the night. “We couldn’t ride in the Monopoly car or even the Mr. Potato Head one.”
“Is there something wrong with riding in a pink-and-green pony cart with rainbows and clouds?”
“Not if you’re a five-year-old girl,” he snorted.
“Where’s your sense of adventure?”
Will stopped at a street corner and waited for the light to change before taking her by the hand and leading her to the other side. “I must’ve left it in my other pants.”
“Speaking of which,” Cynthia noted, “I like you in jeans. You look a lot more relaxed than you do in those power suits.”
Will looked down at his outfit and shrugged. He was more relaxed, although he doubted his pants were the cause. He’d made the decision earlier in the night to turn his phone off. Before he left work, he informed his admin and his second in command, Dan, that he would be “unplugged” tonight. It was time Dan started earning his deputy title. It was hard to actually hit the power button, but within minutes, he could almost feel his blood pressure go down.
“I think it has more to do with the fact that I turned my cell phone off.”
“Not just silent? Actually off?” Cynthia nearly choked on her last bite of pretzel.
“Yes, off.” He was surprised she hadn’t noticed, since it was constantly making noise, but with the honking cabs and tourist crowds, she might not have heard it, even with it on.
“What’s that all about?” she asked, looking up to admire the sea of neon lights that surrounded them.
“You said I work too much. So I’m trying…something. It doesn’t stop me from looking at the blank screen periodically out of habit, but it’s a first step.”
Cynthia broke into a wide smile. “Before long, I’ll have you taking vacations and enjoying life outside the office.” She turned to face him and reached up to wrap her arms around his neck. “I appreciate the effort. I know how important the Observer is to you.”
He shrugged. “It is, but people are important, too. I’m trying to relax. Trying to enjoy my time with you.” Will looked down at her, her eyes reflecting the neon. His hands had been resting on her hips, but now they snaked around her waist to pull her tight.
Cynthia eased up onto her toes and closed the distance between them for a kiss. The moment their lips met, the sounds of the city faded away. There was only the feel of his hard chest pressed against her soft one, the sweet taste of her mouth and the warmth of her skin.
Will felt exposed standing on the sidewalk. He slowly eased Cynthia backward into an alcove in the façade between stores and pressed her back into the wall.
Now they had the freedom to let their hands roam. Her palms flattened against his chest, feeling and exploring. Her fingernails scratched at his skin through the cotton of his shirt, eliciting a growl from deep in his throat.
Will leaned against her until her soft body molded to every hard inch of him. She gasped when he pressed his arousal into her belly and he closed his eyes to block out everything but the sensation of it. His tongue glided across hers, his hand daring to slide up her side under her jacket to stealthily cup her breast through the thin cotton of her T-shirt.
“Excuse me.”
His eyes flew open as he took a step away from Cynthia. They both turned and found one of the city’s mounted police officers standing nearby. He looked down at them and shook his head as though he were expecting teenagers, not full-grown adults that could afford to do this at home.
