He reached across to her lap, taking strong possession of the hand closest to him, his fingers dragging over her skin, digging in. ‘I’ve never wanted a woman so much,’ he said, slinging a smile at her.
It gave her an exhilarating sense of power.
Yet would the wanting last beyond tonight?
She stared down at their linked hands, wishing this togetherness could go on forever. Tonight would not be enough for her. The big critical question was…would it be enough for him?
CHAPTER FIVE
TAMMY was forcibly reminded of Fletcher’s billion-dollar status when they arrived at the very exclusive boutique hotel at Double Bay. The silver Porsche should have signposted his wealth but she’d barely noticed it, her mind too occupied by the man who drove it. However, it was impossible to overlook the fact that this hotel was top of the town accommodation, five stars plus, regularly patronised by visiting VIPs. She knew it by reputation but had never been in the place.
Money, money, money… ran through her mind as Fletcher led her into the awesome foyer and she took in the fabulous furnishings and fantastic floral arrangements. Everything oozed classy luxury. Even the elevator doors were made of gleaming brass. Fletcher pressed the button for the top floor. He’d said he’d booked a suite. A penthouse suite?
Not that it mattered. Only the man mattered to her. He had his arm around her, holding her close as they rode up in the elevator. Any minute now they’d be alone together in his suite, privacy guaranteed. A frisson of fear mixed with the buzzing excitement of anticipation, making her nerves tremulous, causing her heart to thump almost painfully. Would she live up to his expectations? Would he live up to hers? So much of who she was seemed to be invested in how this night with him would turn out.
Yet when they entered his suite, she was so stunned by its magnificence, the whirling thoughts in her mind were knocked right out of it. It was all black and white with exotic touches everywhere: white carpet stretching to a wall of windows overlooking the bay and the harbour beyond, black leather lounges with red and gold cushions, a glass table held up by black panthers climbing white rocks, a floral arrangement of red and gold lilies as its centrepiece, black leather chairs around it, and separating the incredibly spacious living space from what she assumed was the bedroom area was a multi-panelled Chinese screen, brilliantly decorated with red-and-gold dragons and mother-of-pearl insets for clouds, trees of jade, wonderfully rich and vivid against the black laquered frames.
‘Wow!’ spilled from her lips on a long expulsion of breath.
‘Like it?’ Fletcher asked, shooting her a whimsical little smile.
She rolled her eyes. ‘I’m speechless.’
He laughed. ‘A first amongst firsts.’
The first time for them. The first time she’d wanted a man so much. The first time she’d ever taken a step without knowing where it would lead her. So many firsts. Did he understand that?
He hugged her more tightly to him, walking her across to the wall of glass, opening a door to the balcony outside. ‘Now we can have the harbour completely to ourselves,’ he murmured. ‘Enjoy the beauty of the night at our leisure.’
It was strange, the rush of pleasure his romantic words evoked. They had been on fire for each other just before the short trip in the car, and she had expected another swift burst of hungry passion from him, had been feverishly anticipating it. Yet it was a sweet relief to feel it wasn’t all just sex for him, that there were other things he wanted to share with her besides the strictly physical.
They moved out to the balcony railing, stood side by side, breathing in the night air with its salty tang from the harbour, gazing out at the view that was so unique to this Australian city. ‘You’re right, Tamalyn,’ Fletcher said ruefully. ‘There’s nowhere else in the world like this. I’ve never really felt at home in the places I’ve occupied overseas but I’ve had to be there for the work, the contacts. One day, when I’ve finally shed all the responsibilities I’m managing in regard to the project, I’ll come back and settle in Sydney.’
With me?
Those two critical words dominated her mind. Impossible to think of anything else to say, and she couldn’t say them, couldn’t reveal her heart to that extent. She barely knew this man, only knew he affected her as no other did.
Her silence provoked him into turning to her, curling a tendril of her long curly hair around his finger, tugging gently as he asked, ‘No comment?’
Best to get her smart tongue working again, she told herself. ‘Is that day likely to come anytime soon?’
‘No. Too much still to do. But when I heard about Kirsty marrying Max’s brother, all I could think of was…Tamalyn…’ He rolled out her name as though it was a siren song, an irresistible pull on him. ‘I want this night to be ours, something very special between us.’
One night.
Only one night.
Tammy sucked in a deep breath to calm her wildly fluttering heart. Regardless of the strength of the attraction, he’d just warned her he would drop out of her life tomorrow with no promise of ever seeing her again. A dark chill crept through her mind, shrivelling up her hope of love. She’d let herself be fooled by his wanting her so much, he’d flown halfway around the world to be with her. That didn’t really mean anything, not for a man of his wealth. He’d simply pursued an urge, determined on having what she’d denied him last time.
She steeled herself to turn and face him, tilting her head inquiringly, injecting a light curiosity into her voice. ‘Do you think I’ll be less of a distraction to you after tonight?’
He grinned at her flippant tone, probably relieved that she wasn’t taking him too seriously. ‘I don’t know,’ he answered, his eyes dancing with seductive devilment. ‘I suspect all my nights after this one are going to be haunted by you.’
She hoped so. She savagely hoped so. Because she wasn’t going to back out now. Lucy’s words rang in her mind—a climactic moment of pleasure to treasure forever. At least she might get that from Fletcher Stanton, if nothing else, and she’d know what her friends were talking about when they discussed their sex lives.
‘That sounds fair since you won’t be here to warm mine,’ she tossed at him, pretending a sophistication that hid how gutted she felt.
He laughed and gathered her into his embrace, planting warm little kisses on her temples. ‘I love your cut-throat mind, even though it has a habit of setting me back on my heels.’