Trust Me on This - Jennifer Crusie [36]
She should have moved away at once, should have just slid away, but that would have been dumb, to move away from all that heat and to stop the shudder he’d started in her. His tongue tickled her lips, and she opened to him, and he made her shudder again as he eased her back onto the bed. She moved under him as he pulled her close, curling into him, clutching at him as his hands moved over her. He slid his hand to the top of her zipper, and she thought, Thank God, he’ll be touching me soon, and then the phone rang.
“Ignore it,” Alec whispered thickly in her ear, but it rang again, just enough to remind Dennie that she had work to do. She had to find Bondman, she had to call Victoria to set up breakfast, she had to have Alec right now.…
No.
Dennie shoved him gently to one side and reached over him for the phone. “I told you,” she said, a little breathlessly. “Career first.”
Alec fell back on the bed. “I hate women’s lib.”
“Hello?” Dennie said.
“Dennie, dear,” Victoria said. “Is Alec with you?”
“Right here, Victoria.” Dennie turned to look at Alec beside her and regretting it instantly because he looked so good.
“Thank you very much,” Alec called in the direction of the phone. “Hell of a time to call.”
“Could I speak to him, dear? I’ve been calling his room for over an hour. Very frustrating.”
“Believe me, I understand,” Dennie said, trying to think cool, non-Alec thoughts. “Oh, before I hand the phone over, do you think we could have breakfast tomorrow? I’d love to talk.…”
“Well, I suppose—” Victoria began, sounding a little taken aback.
Dennie moved in for the kill. “You can? Oh, that’s terrific. About ten in the Ivy Room? I can’t wait. Here’s Alec.”
Dennie handed the phone over, and Alec sat up. “Hello, Aunt Vic,” he said. “Don’t ever call here again.”
Dennie leaned closer and heard Victoria say, “Caught you in the middle of things, did I? Shame on you.”
“How did you find me?” Alec pulled away a little, and Dennie took the hint and rolled off the bed. As she headed for the bathroom, she heard him say, “Better yet, why did you find me?”
Dennie checked his shirt and stayed close to the bathroom door to eavesdrop. “You can forget the Prentice compound,” she heard him say. “Why would I want to live next door to you for the rest of my life? I’d never get laid again.”
Then he listened for a while, and Dennie gave up and came out of the bathroom, holding his damp shirt and jacket.
“Looks like that shouldn’t be a problem,” Alec was saying gloomily. “See you in fifteen, Bond at eleven.” He hung up and, as Dennie came toward him, said casually, “You know, many women manage to combine high-powered careers and great sex.”
“Not this weekend,” Dennie said, dumping the clothes in his lap so that he winced when the cold, damp fabric hit his skin. Good. If he cooled off, maybe she would too.
“Right,” he said and stood to go. “Let me know if you ever get to the top and decide to unwind.”
She smiled up at him, really sorry they didn’t have time for each other and really glad he was leaving so her vision would clear and she’d stop breathing so heavily. “You’ll be the first to know,” she said.
Harry knocked on Victoria’s door at ten-thirty. She answered it, still dressed from dinner.
“Are you alone?” he hissed at her angrily.
“Of course, I’m alone,” she whispered back, and pulled him into the room. “Alec will be here any min—” she began in her normal voice, but then Harry cut her off.
“Who was the stiff?”
“What stiff?”
“The goon who wants to buy you a condo in the Keys,” Harry said, scowling at her. “Where did he come from?”
“Connecticut,” Victoria said, puzzled. “I told you about him. He’s the one who got Bond for us. His name is Donald Compton. He teaches—”
“How do you know he’s not in on the scam with Bond?” Harry began to pace. “Where did he come from?”
“I told you. Connecticut. And I’ve known him for years.” Victoria watched him stomp up and down the room. “Will you stop it? There’s no problem. Donald’s such a fool, he fell for Bond on his own, that’s all. He’s good for us. Camouflage.