Stranded Temptation: A Flaming Romance Page 5

After he buckled in and drove off, she stared at him. “What is going on? Where are we going that’s such a rush?”

  How could he say this without sounding like an ass? I’m using you so women won’t hit on me sounded really bad, even to him. “I, uh, thought you’d like to meet my mother. She writes book for women and I wanted to get one signed for you.”

  The grimace on Kara’s face told him she wasn’t falling for it. Her arms crossed over her lovely breasts. “Nice try. What’s the real reason? You afraid of all the women there?”

  His eyes popped wide and mouth fell open. “How did—” He’d forgotten Kara wasn’t a Jane type of person. Kara had brains and ambitions. “Never mind.”

  She laughed. Music to his ears. He couldn’t help but return a smile. For the first time that day, he felt complete, like everything he wanted in life was there with him. “How about you buy me lunch since you dragged me out?”

  “I didn’t drag you out,” he replied.

  “Did you say, ‘Kara, would you like to attend my mother’s book signing with me?’ Or was it ‘Kara, get your ass to the parking lot now.’”

  Well, shit. When put that way... “Okay, maybe I was a little bossy—”

  She snorted. “Little?”

  “Okay,” he lifted his hands from the steering wheel, “some.”

  Her brows rose. “Some bossy?”

  “We can go back to little,” he answered.

  “Some works for me.”

  They reached the bookstore at the top of the hour. They weren’t late, but they weren’t early either. The lot was nearly full, forcing Max to park around the block. By the time they got inside, everyone was seated for the short presentation by the author.

  He grabbed a plate full of finger foods and a bottled water, encouraging Kara to do the same, and headed toward the back where the lecture had already started. With all the seats taken, Max guided Kara to a four-foot-tall bookcase at the back and set his food on top.

  When his mom saw him, she smiled, and he gave her a little wave. Even after their parents’ divorce, Max and Brian always supported their mother as much as they could when it came to her career. Their father wasn’t happy with her lifestyle choice that kept her either secluded in her writing room or on the road promoting. But the boys would always be there for her.

  The audience for this showing was bigger than most he’d seen in the city. As usual, the majority were females, but there were males—more than normal. He wondered if the book pertained to both sides. He’d find out in a minute when his mom pulled the cover off the easel holding the poster-size version of the book cover.

  As he swallowed his first cracker, his mom gestured toward him in the back and everyone in the audience turned. Kara slid a step away and he pulled her back, wrapping his arm behind her waist.

  Without moving his lips, he said, “Smile and pretend you like me.”

  She replied, “I’m not that good of an actress.” He hip-checked her and she elbowed him while they smiled and waved to the audience. He read the surprised look in his mother’s eyes directed at Kara. Oh shit. He hadn’t thought this fake girlfriend idea all the way through. What was he going to say?

  From on stage, his mother gushed on him. “Max and Brian, my two precious boys, were instrumental in my writing this new book. Everything I experienced was with them and we learned a lot from each other during the process.” He wondered what she was talking about. High school? Dating?

  “That’s why I dedicated this to them.” His mom stepped toward the easel and pulled off the material hiding the book cover: “Your Child and the Sex Talk.”

  Max choked on his BBQ mini wiener and fell to his knees behind the bookcase, hoping to die that instant. Kara leaned over and smacked his back. He pulled her down and said, “We’re making a run for it. Crawl that way.” He pointed to the retail area with cases of books.

  She slapped his hands trying to drag her away. “Stop—what are you doing?”

  “Max?” he heard his mom say. Oh fuck. He was sure everyone had turned again to see why his mother was calling out his name. Now would be a great time to just die.

  Kara, unsuccessfully, tried to hide her laughter as she yanked on his arm to get him to stand.

  His mom called out again. Fuck! He jumped to his feet, pulling his keys from his pocket. “Sorry, picking up my keys that fell on the floor.” Beside him, Kara covered her mouth with both hands and couldn’t stop laughing.

  His brother was so dead. He’d bet money his dumbass sibling knew exactly what the book was about. At least Brian had to go to the next signing later in the week. Actually, Brian was hosting the next event. So, fuck him. Bastard.

  His mom’s next words registered in his brain. “Max and Brian were so different when it came to the sex talk, I felt like I went from one end of the spectrum to the other.”

  Max bowed his head and whispered to himself, “Oh god, Mom. Please don’t do this.”

  Kara leaned into him. “Do what?” she asked.

  “The ‘Pokey Pokey,’” he said.

  She looked at him as if to say the what?

  His mom started singing the “Hokey Pokey,” but with her own words. “You pull your penis out, roll the condom on, then put your penis in, and you shake it all about. You do the Pokey Pokey in the safe and proper way. That’s what it’s all about.”

  The audience applauded, and Max never wanted to be more dead than at that moment. Some people even turned to him and smiled like the song was a good fucking idea. Little did they know Max couldn’t have sex without the fucking song playing in his head every time he was with a female until he was out of college. A few times, it kept him from even doing it.

  But nothing would keep him from doing the scrumptious morsel at his side. She was close enough that he smelled her perfume. And her smile was dazzling even though she was laughing at him.

  He imagined himself crashing his lips over hers. Biting and taunting her lower lip with a playful suck to ease the sting. His tongue slid along the seam of her lips the same as his cock would slide along the seam of her hot, wet pussy.

  He’d flip her back against the bookcase along the wall and press his body into hers. Her soft tits would crush against his chest, her mound rubbing up and down his boner. Her breath was hot on his neck as she gasped for air from his dominating kiss.

  “Take me,” she whispered. “Fuck me hard, Max.” He pulled her suit jacket open then ripped the buttons from her blouse, getting it off her body. “Oh, Max. I could come now from your strength alone.”

  He gripped her breast in his hand, fingers tweaking the hard nipples. “You won’t come until I tell you to. Do you understand, my love?” She nodded, that’s all she could do under his power. His fingers inched up her skirt until it wrapped around her waist. He fell to his knees and pressed his lips against hers, the silky black material the only thing keeping him from his goal.

  She groaned loudly. Fuck, she was so hot, so ready for him. “Max, I can’t wait any longer. Take me now. I’ve wanted you for so long.”

  Maybe this fantasy of his was verbatim the last porn he watched, but fuck it. Who watched for the dialog and acting?

  A sharp pain jabbed his ribs and he snapped back to reality to see Kara staring at him, close up. “Your mother asked you a question, Max.”

  He turned and croaked out a noise, cleared his throat and asked her to repeat her question.

  “I asked,” his mom began, “if you remember the discussion we had on sex when you were a teen?”

  Goddammit. He felt his face ignite. “I was thinking something along those lines.” Though Kara was the star and not the varsity cheerleaders. He leaned closer to the short bookcase he stood behind, hoping his jacket and the books covered his extremely hard cock. With those thoughts, he’d never get out of here without the ultimate embarrassment.

  Finally the discussion part of the signing was over and they took a break for refreshments. His mom hugged him while the crowd milled around.

 
“Thank you for coming, Max. I wasn’t sure you would. You were so different than Brian when it came to talking about sex.”

  Kara bumped his side. “How so, Mrs. Richards?” she asked.

  Max was going to kill his new manager and his brother. “Mom, this is Kara Masters. She works at the company.”

  “She works under you?” his mom asked.

  Fuck, his mom had to say “under.” He wiped a hand over his face. “Her office is a couple floors below from mine.”

  Kara grinned. “He likes being on top.” Both women smiled at him. Jesus fucking Christ. He had to get out of here. “Stop with the sex innuendos, both of you. I know what sex is all about now.”

  “You wouldn’t think that by the number of dates you’ve had the past six months,” his mom stated. “That would be none.”

  “Mother, who I date and when is none of your business.”

  “It is if I want grandchildren before I die.”

  “I have too much going on. I have no interest in dating.”

  An angelic smile graced his mother’s lips. “Oh, there is interest, dear. Max, darling,” Mom said, “why don’t you and Kara come over tomorrow night after my signing? We can have dinner and talk.” She took Kara’s hand in hers. “I’d love to get to know your new—”

  “Coworker, Mom. She’s my coworker and we can’t tomorrow night.”

  “Why not?” Mom asked.

  Kara smirked. “We’re flying to South America together.” The smile on his mother’s face said it all. He was so fucked. His mom would not rest until he was on his knees begging Kara to marry him. And what a load of fun that would be when she laughed in his face and told him she hated his guts. This was so bad.

  “South America?” Mom repeated.

  “For business, Mom.”

  That smile of his mother’s face got bigger. “Of course, dear. That’s what you father said to me, too. Nine months later, you came along.”

  “Mom!” He couldn’t look at Kara or the traitorous woman who birthed and raised him.

  “Relax, dear,” his mom soothed. “It’s all in fun.” She shook Kara’s hand. “It is wonderful to meet you. You’re the first lady Max has brought to one of my reveals.”

  “It’s my pleasure to meet you,” Kara said. “The presentation was fabulous. I couldn’t stop laughing.”

  His mom added, “And Max couldn’t stop blushing.” She patted him on the arm. “Okay, dear. Kiss your mother goodbye and get packed for your business trip.”

  10

  Kara sat behind her desk feeling like a college student cramming for a test the next day. She wasn’t sure if Max was taking out his embarrassment at the book signing on her or what, but his “Want to Have” list would take her forever. Why did he want all this stuff anyway? There was no way he could consume all the data unless he didn’t intend to sleep tonight.

  A knock came on her open door and she looked up to see Meghan’s smiling face. Kara sat back and let out a sigh. How would she get by without this gracious woman in her life?

  Meghan sauntered in and handed her a large pink gift bag with white tissue paper poking out and a colorful bow on the front. “I brought you something for the trip. It’s my birthday present to you. I was going to give it to you on the cruise, but now that we won’t be doing that together...”

  Kara loved this girl. She always knew exactly what she needed. “What is it?”

  Meghan grinned. “It’s your emergency kit for this trip to South America.” She shoved her hands into the large shopping bag and started pulling items out. “First, we’ve got your super-sexy bikinis. And before you argue with me, we both agreed to wear them for our cruise. I don’t care that you feel you have twenty pounds that need to be hidden behind a one-piece. You’re hot. Rock that body and show the world. Besides, I hear Latin guys love women with a little extra in the curves department.” Giggling, she passed Kara the royal blue ruffled bikini that matched her eyes and a purple polka dot bikini in Meghan’s favorite color.

  Even though she wanted to reject the idea, Kara kept her mouth shut. She wouldn’t ruin Meghan’s good time by saying anything negative.

  Meghan wagged her eyebrows and reached into the bag once again. “This one here is my favorite. The Rabbit with the clit stimulation and the rotating pearls. We talked about buying these, and I thought you’d definitely need it now that you’re going to be alone for the big birthday. Don’t worry, I included extra batteries.” Kara’s eyes widened at the personal vibrator packaged in the pink and white clear plastic. Now that was a gift she’d get some use out of.

  Kara watched Meghan continue to pull stuff from the bag. “One bottle of your favorite white wine. There’s a special box of our favorite chocolate truffles and a super-sized bag of your favorite trail mix. Seriously, I hope you don’t eat this all on the flight down there. I don’t want you going all mean on poor Max when you don’t have your chocolate fix.” She placed the items on Kara’s desk.

  Meghan grinned, and Kara wondered what the heck else was in the bag. Meghan was too much. Her friend continued to dig into the shopping bag. “There’s also a pack of waterproof cameras, which you’d better use on the beach to take pictures of all those gorgeous, half-naked men for me. So try to relax, okay? I know Max seems to know just what buttons to push to make you go from calm to Godzilla-raging angry.”

  Kara got to her feet, strolled around her desk, and hugged Meghan tightly. “Thank you so much. I will make sure to take everything with me. I promise to take tons of pictures of men for you and to wear the bikinis and the sexy underwear. You’re the best friend anyone could ever ask for!”

  Meghan laughed. “I know.” Her smile slid off her face, and she gave Kara a pleading look. “Just try to remember that Max is a little misunderstood. He’s a great guy with a lot on his mind. You don’t know what drives him, but he isn’t really robotic like people think. He’s got feelings, and he cares. Be gentle with him. Please?”

  Kara nodded and sighed. Max would behave, or he’d end up coming back in a body bag. She was flexible like that. “Yeah, all right.”

  “Besides,” Meghan said, “you’ll love the plane. I helped remodel it two years ago.”

  “Wait,” Kara replied. “What?” An image popped into her mind of a 777-airplane decked out in pinks, purples, and bling galore. She wouldn’t think too many of the men would appreciate the color scheme.

  Meghan laughed at Kara’s expression. “I guess you haven’t seen the company jet yet.”

  Kara’s eyes grew wide. “You mean we’re flying in a little bitty tin can over the ocean and jungles?” Her heart rate picked up speed. “What if we crash?”

  Meghan scrunched down her brows. “You could crash in a real plane with a real pilot, too.”

  “Not helping, Meghan.” She suddenly wasn’t overly happy about this excursion out of the country. But her friend was right. “Any plane can crash, I guess.”

  Meghan patted Kara’s hand. “Don’t worry. I hear Max is a great pilot.”

  Kara shot up from her chair. “Max is flying us?!” She bent over her trashcan. “I’m going to be sick.”

  Her friend laughed, but she was serious. It took her multiple out-of-the-office meetings before she was comfortable with his driving. And now, flying...

  Giggling, Meghan asked how Max’s mom was doing. The remembrance of the signing brought her to giggles. “Oh my god, Megs. It was epic.” She relayed the happenings of the event and by the time she was through, Meghan was rolling on the floor. Literally. Meghan had sprung from her chair to get the other ladies in to listen and tripped on her too-high heels, landing on her ass. She couldn’t stop laughing.

  “But on a serious note,” Kara said, “what’s the deal with his parents? And Jane?”

  Meghan found her chair and dried her eyes. “It’s such a tragic story. I heard it was hard on Max. I wasn’t around then. His mom and dad had been the perfect couple for the longest time. Then the company suddenly got huge, taking all of Dan’
s time. And his mom got breast cancer.”

  Kara gasped. “That is horrible.”

  “Yeah,” Meghan continued. “Dan didn’t know how to cope with both so he clung to what he knew, which was running his company. He became a workaholic.”

  “Oh god,” Kara breathed in, “did he leave her on her own to get through that?”

  Meghan nodded. “He really tried to do what he could, but he was so dependent on her that when it came to him having to take care of everything...well, it didn’t go smoothly. After a while, Jane came into the picture.”

  Anger swelled inside Kara. “Don’t tell me the bitch took advantage of the situation.”

  “She more than took advantage. She weaseled her way in like the snake she is.”

  “How’s that?” Kara asked.

  “Dan had a conference he attended every year. Jane, the new marketing person, forced her way in to attend with him. Dan never said anything, but we ladies think Jane seduced him and slept with him. Then the bitch held it over his head, threatening to tell his wife if he didn’t increase her pay.

  “Poor Dan was in a pickle. But Max’s mom found out somehow and divorced Dan while she was in recovery. His mom wrote her first self-help book on living through cancer and divorce. It was a big hit.”

  Kara’s anger morphed into hate. She hated those who worked the system to their own advantage, saying to hell with everyone else as long as they got what they wanted.

  “Good thing I didn’t know this before lunch the other day,” Kara said.

  “Why’s that?”

  “I would’ve told off that hussy before the salad was served.” She couldn’t believe Jane could’ve been so...conniving and dirty. The bitch had better not come around her again. She wouldn’t be so nice next time.

  11

  Standing inside the private airport’s building, the sound of Max’s ringing cell phone pulled him out of his thoughts. He glanced down at the device and saw his brother’s name on the screen. “Brian, what’s going on?” He had a bad habit of calling when shit was about to hit the fan.