Chapter 6

Nervous flutters filled Tess's stomach, so she had no idea why she was talking about being hungry. Miles held her hand and led her into a gorgeous modern building as the car pulled away. What the heck was she doing going into a man's house? A man who had a driver and lived in a condo like this?

At the front door, Miles stopped. "You want to text your friend?"

"I will. Thanks."

He unlocked the door but still held her hand. Tess didn't know why she found that charming, but she did. He didn't say anything as they stepped into the elevator. The silence continued until they walked to his condo.

He opened his door, and Tess took in the view. The floor plan was open concept and sunlight filled the space. Everything was meticulous and beautiful, and she realized how little she belonged there. She'd never been in such a luxurious home. Hell, she couldn't remember the last time she'd been in such a clean house.

"Home sweet home," Miles said, tugging her hand. "Still okay?"

Tess nodded.

Miles stepped in front of her and lowered his face until they were eye to eye. "If something's bothering you, we can go out for lunch."

"No. You already ordered food. Nothing's wrong. I was taking in how beautiful your condo is." It wasn't a total lie. The space was gorgeous. It just made her feel inadequate.

"Let me give you the grand tour. Living room," he said as he swept his arm out. "On the other side of that counter is the kitchen, a room I rarely use."

She laughed at his silliness. The floor plan allowed her to fully see both the living room and kitchen from the front door.

"My bedroom's upstairs." He winked at her.

"Bathroom?"

He smiled and pointed. "Around the corner from the kitchen. Unless you'd like to go upstairs."

Tess rolled her eyes and gave him a playful look. Miles was a huge flirt, and she loved it. She followed his directions to the bathroom and waited for the nervousness to subside while washing her hands. She didn't even know why butterflies were taking over her stomach. This might be her first date with Miles, but a date should be easier to navigate than having sex for the first time, and that had been remarkable.

She dried her hands on a plush, unstained towel and fixed her ponytail. She should've put more effort into this date. Miles was used to hanging around glamorous people. She pressed her lips together. This is who I am. Miles would either like her or not.

Satisfied with her pep talk, she retraced her steps to the living room where Miles was opening enough containers of food to feed a village.

"I was about to send a search party," he said.

"Everyone knows the first time a woman is in your bathroom, she's gonna snoop," she joked.

He nodded as though she were serious. "Then you should've taken the bathroom upstairs."

She had a reason for not using that bathroom, and she had a feeling he knew exactly why. But she said, "That would be a little too obvious. Some of us like to be subtle. Besides, maybe I'm saving that for when I want to search your underwear drawer."

The glint in his eyes and the grin on his face as he came nearer made his intentions clear. Tess momentarily thought of backing away, but her body overrode her brain and instead she stepped forward.

Miles stopped short of actual contact, but she felt his touch all over. Something about the way he looked at her, like he was hanging on her every word and couldn't get enough, gave her a rush. So much of her time and focus was always on others, usually children, that she was out of practice being the focus of attention.

His gaze dipped to her lips and then farther down. Her body tingled, begging for his touch.

"Hungry?" he asked.

She licked her lips and nodded. He began to turn toward the food, but Tess grabbed his arm and pulled him back. Their bodies collided, and her heart thundered. She was damn hungry for this. She wanted to taste him.

Although she'd only had him the one night, his proximity prompted a craving. She wanted to act on it, so she did. Leaning in, she pressed her lips to his gently, a slight shift for access. Miles needed no further direction. His tongue entered her mouth and toyed with hers. He encircled her with his arms and held her flush against him.

They stood together for long moments, exploring each other's mouths, hands pulling, grasping, caressing. Having sex with Miles had not been her intention when she'd accepted his invitation, but now that was all she could think about. His erection grew against her, and her underwear was damp.

Miles pulled away first, breathing heavily. "Damn. I didn't expect that."

Tess wiped at her lips, her fingers a little shaky. "Neither did I. I don't know what I was thinking."

He brushed a loose lock of hair away from her face. "I get the impression you weren't thinking, which is what made it so freaking hot. Every time we've talked since that night, you've been trying to rationalize why we can't do this. But just now, your body made one hell of an argument for the pro column."

"You're right, Miles, but I'm at a loss. I've dated very little since my divorce and when I did, it was usually disastrous. I don't know how to do this."

With a hand on her hip, he pulled her close enough to grind against her, the hard ridge of his dick making her want to strip. "Trust me, you know how to do this."

She rolled her eyes again. "I wasn't talking about sex. After the gala, there's obviously no question we're compatible, but I don't know how to fit a relationship into my life. I refuse to bring random men into the lives of my kids. I won't upset their stability."

"Not asking you to." He lowered his head and nibbled on her neck, causing her brain to fog. "Let's see where things go."

Could she do this? Tess tried to focus, but Miles's tongue was doing amazing things to her erogenous zones, and she was melting into a puddle.

Miles pulled away again, releasing her hip, and Tess swayed toward him, seeking more of his touch.

"Here's the deal, Tess. I want you. I want to strip you down and take you right here. But if you don't want to, I respect that. Lunch is on the table waiting for us."

He put the decision squarely on her because she was the one with the reservations. She looked into his warm brown lust-filled eyes. She wanted this, too, but was that enough? Nina's words from earlier came back. So what if Miles wasn't her forever guy? She didn't need a forever guy, and Miles would do quite nicely for right now.

"I think if we hurry, we can have both."

His grin turned a little wicked. "Please tell me the nakedness comes before lunch."

"Well, we should work up an appetite, right?"

"I like the way you think." He kissed her again, hard and deep, while tugging at her shirt. His hands skated under the cotton, and he leaned his forehead against hers. "So we're doing this?"

Tess smiled. "We're doing this." She paused and stepped back. "Upstairs."

Miles ledTess up to his bedroom. He pulled the curtains open, allowing sunlight to flood the room. She toed off her gym shoes and crossed her arms in front of her to peel away her T-shirt. His mouth watered at the sight.

This was what he needed to put his family out of his head. Their ambush and expectations didn't touch him here. Following her lead, he kicked off his shoes. He draped his jacket over the chair and loosened his tie. By the time he got his shirt unbuttoned, Tess was down to her underwear.

She turned her hand over in the air. "Get a move on. You're taking too long."

"Sorry. Next time I'll be more efficient. I'll pick you up in my boxers."

She smiled. "I'd like to see that." She stepped closer, tugged at his waistband to undo his belt, and made quick work of the button. His shirt joined the jacket as Tess lowered her body to push his pants to the floor.

As he stepped out of the pants, she stood, trailing her fingers along his thighs and then his abdomen. His muscles flinched and flexed under her touch. Grabbing her arms, he pulled her to his mouth. "Come here."

With his lips on hers, he guided her to the bed. He pushed her down gently to the mattress, and she scooted back, making room for him. Much like she had done to him, he allowed his hands to wander up her legs. At her panties, he tugged at the waistband, so she lifted her hips for him to remove them.

He thought he was going to continue up her body, but the sight of her bared to him was far too tempting. He smelled her arousal, making his own desire pulsate through his entire body. Stretching out, he slid his hands under her ass and gave her cheeks a squeeze. Then he brought her pussy to his mouth. Using his tongue and lips, he teased her and stroked her until she moaned like he knew she would.

It was low, as if she'd tried to trap the sound in her throat. He pressed on, wanting her to let go. Her heels sought purchase on the edge of the bed, and she raised her hips to him, chasing his moving tongue. He looked up over her soft body to see her face.

Eyes closed, mouth slightly open, head thrown back, Tess was fully in the moment, even if she refused to let the world know. He lapped at her and pressed against her clit until she ground herself against him and grabbed his head to hold him in place as she came.

He caressed her thighs and her ass as she came back to him. When her feet slid from the edge of the mattress, he reached for a condom.

"Oh, God that was good."

"It'll get better."

With an arm thrown over her eyes, she said, "Don't know if that's possible."

Settling himself over her, he brushed her arm aside to look into her eyes. "Are you challenging me?" Now that was a challenge he would gladly rise to.

"Not really."

"I think you were." He slid into her, and her breath caught. When he was fully seated inside her body, cradled in her wet warmth, he kissed the side of her neck in all the places that had caused her breathlessness downstairs. "This is better," he whispered.

The moment provided him with the escape he needed. One where he could be himself, lost in pleasure. He peeled back the cups of Tess's bra and sucked hard on her nipple, drawing another quiet moan. Her nails scraped against his back.

"We're all alone, you know. Fully insulated walls."

"Huh?" she asked, her gasp urging him to move faster.

"You're so quiet. Let go. Be loud. Scream if you want."

She laughed quietly. "I'm not a loud person in general. And for a lot of years, I've needed to be quiet."

The soft reminder of her kids and her ex-husband could've ruined the moment, but Miles wasn't going to go there. "So now's your chance." He thrust deeper, lifting her hips up. "Let it out. I want to hear you scream."

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not a screamer."

He paused his thrusts and smoothed her hair from her face. "You are no disappointment."

Curling her legs around him, she pumped her hips and grinned. "Good to know."

For whatever reason, Miles had the urge to make her pleasure his number one priority. Whether she screamed or not didn't matter. He wanted her to come so hard she couldn't say no to seeing him again. He played with her body until she was squirming and writhing and moaning his name along with God's.

When her body gripped him, he couldn't hold out anymore. Her muscles pulsed and pulled him, and he was lost. For long moments after, he barely held his weight above her. The contact of their bodies had them connected in every way possible. And he had no desire to move. Then Tess laughed. It was deep and low and a little dirty. When he pushed up to look into her eyes, her entire face was lit with her smile.

"I stand corrected. That was fucking amazing."

Miles no longer cared about what had happened at the office or what his family expected. Seeing that look on Tess's face, knowing he'd put it there, was enough for him. "Glad to be of service."

Her face sobered. "I didn't mean it like that. I mean, you had a good time, too, didn't you?"

"Are you kidding? I won't be thinking about anything else until I can see you again. Servicing your incredible body, making you laugh like that? It's pretty fucking hot. I wish you could stay so we could do it all over again."

He lowered and kissed her, licking the seam of her lips. She sighed into his mouth, and he captured her breath.

"I really do have to go," she whispered.

He closed his eyes, dreading having to remove himself from her warmth. Her pussy, her mouth, her smiling eyes. He knew the minute he pulled away, he'd lose them all. "When can I see you again?"

Her eyes looked sad. "I don't know, Miles. I told you?—"

"You told me you didn't have any time, but we made time today."

She smiled again. "I'm really glad we did."

"Then tell me when we can meet again."

"For this?"

"For whatever you want."

She licked her lips again, so he pulled out of her and rolled off before he was tempted to keep her in his bed.

"I'll check my calendar when we get downstairs."

He'd take it. If he had his way, he'd have his own color-coded regular appointment on her schedule. He rose and disposed of the condom. Pointing to the bathroom, he said, "Snoop away. I'll go set up lunch."

He put his underwear back on and left the room so she could clean up and redress without him ogling her. In the living room, he opened the containers of pasta and grabbed plates from the kitchen. Eyeing the clock, he wondered if Tess had time to eat.

Moments later, she descended the stairs. It wasn't often he brought a woman to his home, and he'd certainly never watched as one came down from his bedroom. But watching Tess did something to him.

He wasn't sure what.

Tess hadno idea what she was doing. She didn't do this. Go to a man's house in the middle of the day to have sex. A man she barely knew. This isn't who I am. Is it? When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she turned to find Miles standing in the middle of the living room, carton of food in hand, staring at her.

She glanced around the room. "Is something wrong?"

He blinked and shook his head. "No. It is getting a little late. Do you still have time to eat?"

She went to her purse and pulled out her phone to check the time and calculate how long it would take to get back to her car and then to Mr. Dunphey's house. "If I inhale the food like a teenage boy, maybe."

Suddenly, Miles stood at her side, holding a forkful of pasta up to her mouth. She let him feed her.

"I promise next time, we'll eat first."

Her heart beat faster at the mention of there being a next time. With a mouthful of food, she said, "How will it be better for me to rush out of your bed instead of rushing without eating?"

"I feel bad we didn't have much of a lunch date." He held up another forkful.

"I can feed myself."

"You have to check your calendar for free time."

She laughed at "free time" but accepted the food and opened her calendar app. All the colors spread out, filling her days. Miles moved so he stood behind her, reading over her shoulder.

His warmth seeped through her T-shirt, and it took all of her control to not lean back into him.

"Don't you trust me?" she asked.

He held up more pasta. "No offense, but last time we talked, you said you had no time."

"Yet here I am."

"Only because I looked at your calendar."

She scrolled down.

"It looks to me like you have some free time almost every day for lunch."

It was only an hour or two. Was it bad that she wanted more of this? "I guess. I never think of that as free time because most of the time I stay at work or do stuff around the house."

"Everybody's got to eat."

He pushed more pasta into her mouth. She wasn't even tasting it, but she was enjoying his arms around her as he took care of her. An odd feeling. Someone taking care of her. Making sure she felt good. Ensuring she ate. "What does your schedule look like?"

"I make my own schedule."

"That's not entirely true. You get dressed and go into the office. Didn't you say you're about to start a foundation? That's huge. I don't even know what's involved, but it's gotta take a lot."

"Don't remind me," he mumbled as he nipped her earlobe.

A shiver skated down her back. She blinked and tried to focus on the calendar. Figuring out when to get chores done and still leave time to meet Miles was easier said than done.

"Tuesday," he said against the side of her neck.

Lord, it was hard to concentrate when he did things like that. "Thursday would be better. My Tuesday client tends to go over. I always write her in with the hope I'll be out on time, but it hasn't happened yet."

"What about Wednesday?"

"I work all day at the hospital."

Miles set the fork on the plate and wrapped his free arm around her waist, holding her against him. "Thursday it is. Where would you like to go?"

"Hmmm?" Her mind had wandered off again with the feel of him pressed against her back. Memories of their night at the hotel, with her hands pressed against the window, rushed through her head.

Miles stepped away and moved to stand in front of her. "Where do you want to meet?"

She shrugged. "I'm going to be on the northwest side of the city. But I'll have almost three hours free, so I can meet wherever you want. I'm assuming your office is downtown?"

"It is."

"Then let's pick someplace in between."

"And waste half the possible time with you on traveling? Uh-uh. I'll leave work early and come to you. Three hours might be just enough time."

The lust in his eyes conjured all kinds of dirty thoughts in Tess. What this man could do in three hours would be enough to fuel her fantasies for many weeks to come. "What's near here?" she asked without considering how forward it sounded. She was too old to play games. If they were going to have a sexual relationship, why not just say what it was?

"I like the way you think. There's a diner two blocks down on Lincoln. Text me when you leave your job."

"Okay." She gathered her purse and dropped her phone in the side pocket. "See you Thursday."

"Wait," he called. "Take this food with you."

"Why? You can stay and eat."

"There's plenty here. You can probably reheat it and not have to cook dinner." He was already boxing up the containers and sliding everything back into the brown paper bag.

"Thank you. That's very thoughtful." Tess meant it. Most guys would've thought nothing of just sending her on her way.

He handed her the bag, his fingers brushing hers as he let go. "Anytime. Have a good afternoon."

She laughed. "It'll be hard to beat lunchtime."

He wrapped a hand around the back of her neck and pulled her close for a kiss. "My driver is at the curb. He'll take you to your car."

She blinked. "You're not coming?" He pointed to the fact that he was still standing in his boxers. "He'll come back for me."

"Thank you. For everything."

"See you Thursday."

Tess slipped out the front door before she totally lost her mind and canceled her afternoon appointment to spend the rest of the day in bed with him.

Outside, the sun shone brightly, making her squint. The driver exited the car and walked around to open the back door for her.

She smiled. "Thank you. But that's unnecessary. I can get the door."

He nodded and closed the door behind her once she was seated. Then he got behind the wheel and asked, "Where to?"

"Agostino's, where you picked me up." Damn, this is a little too Pretty Woman for me. He'd picked her up on the street and now he was returning her to where he'd found her. She shook her head. Miles wasn't like that. He was just being efficient by having them drive together earlier. Plus, it wasn't like he'd taken her to some seedy motel.

He took her to his condo. He thought nothing of having her in his home. The drive back to the restaurant was quick and as they neared, Tess said, "You can drop me by the front door."

The driver looked at her in the rearview mirror. "Mr. Prescott said I'm supposed to take you right to your car."

Tess rolled her eyes. Of course he had. "Fine. Go to the end of the block and turn right. That's where I'm parked. I'm the minivan." She glanced at her phone. She'd have just enough time to get to Mr. Dunphey's house, assuming traffic wasn't horrible.

The car stopped beside hers and as the driver moved to get out, she waved him off. "I'm good. Thank you for the ride."

"No problem."

She stepped from the car, bag of food in hand, and clicked the button for her car. As she neared the driver's side door, she saw an orange ticket on her windshield.

Damn it. Are you kidding?The meter had expired less than five minutes ago. She grabbed the offensive paper and tossed it on the dashboard. Reaching across the car, she set the food on the floor of the passenger side. At least she wouldn't have to cook tonight. And she'd had a great time with Miles. So what if it cost her sixty-five bucks?

As she put the key in the ignition, she realized Miles's driver hadn't left yet. He was blocking her in. She started the engine, figuring he must be waiting to make sure her piece of crap minivan would start. Then her phone rang. Miles.

"Hello?"

"Hey. Give Dave the ticket."

"What?" A sharp rap at her window made her jump. Miles's driver. She rolled the window down.

"Give Dave the ticket."

"How did you…? Wait." She looked up at Dave through the window. "Did you just spy on me and call Miles?" she asked him.

In her ear, Miles answered, "Yes, he did. As he should have. I asked you to come to my place, and I promised to have you back in time to get your car. I'll pay the ticket."

"Getting in your car was my choice. I can pay my own ticket." She leaned a little out the window and said, "You can leave now, Dave. We're good."

Dave didn't move.

"Tell Dave to leave," she said into the phone.

"Give him the ticket."

"You're making me late to my next job. I don't have time to argue with you."

His heavy sigh came over the phone, reminding her of what he sounded like when he was worked up. "Hand Dave your phone."

She handed Dave the phone, and a moment later, he returned it to her and retreated to his car.

"Thank you," she said to Miles.

"This isn't over. I just don't want you to be late."

She disconnected and pulled out of the spot. A range of emotions bombarded her. Her body was as relaxed as it had ever been. A couple of powerful orgasms had that effect. But she was conflicted. He'd stood in his living room, literally feeding her, which was sweet. But then to have his driver spy on her and try to take her ticket… She wasn't sure how to feel. Part of her liked that he wanted to take responsibility for that, but another part of her thought he was being a little overbearing. She didn't need him to take care of her.

She tabled all those confused thoughts and focused on going to work.