Wrapped In Pleasure - Brenda Jackson [92]
If things were different and this was an ordinary date, she would want to know everything about him, and would want to share everything about herself with him. But considering the circumstances surrounding her particular situation, she could not. She would accept that whatever time she had to share with him was limited.
The sights and sounds of the night no longer held her attention once the driver closed the door, locking them inside. The interior smelled of leather seats and a virile man. And the man who was still staring at her had a quizzical look in his eyes. She couldn’t determine if he was looking at her like she was a puzzle he wanted to figure out or a delicious morsel he wanted to eat.
“Do you always enjoy your trips to New York?” she asked, deciding she needed to say something. There was a lot of sexual chemistry flowing between them tonight. This was all new to her and she couldn’t help but feel a little overwhelmed by it. As much as she talked about not wanting to marry an “older” man, it was an older man who had stirred feelings in her she had never felt before. Regretfully, it wasn’t the one whom her hand had been promised to for marriage. It was the older man sitting beside her in the car who was still holding her hand firmly in his.
“I do.” He paused and then said, “The media is all over the place tonight because a number of celebrities are in town for Sterling Hamilton’s movie premier. Instead of going someplace where we’ll get mistaken for some notable couple and get our photo plastered all over the newspaper in the morning, I thought that we might dine in my condo. I hope that is acceptable to you.”
Johari swallowed deeply. She didn’t want to think of the consequences if such a thing were to happen. It would definitely be a disaster for her as well as for her family. “Yes, it is acceptable,” she said, knowing she much preferred dining with him in seclusion.
She glanced over at him, remembering how things were when she had been in his condo before. They had shared a kiss that even now could stir sensations within her at the memory. And the thought of being alone with him again was almost more than she could handle.
She pushed any apprehensions from her mind. She had only a few days left before she would be leaving New York and going to another city she wanted to see in the United States. The key was not to remain in the same place too long.
She stared out the car window at the flashing signs, billboards and skyscrapers they passed, fascinated by the number of people moving briskly along the sidewalk toward their destinations. She glanced back over at Monty and saw his gaze was on her. For a long moment their eyes locked, and something that seemed more powerful than just sexual tension flowed between them. She watched his gaze darken, saw the way his pulse was beating at the base of his throat and noticed the slight movement of his lips. Although his action was subtle, it seemed to start something churning deep in the pit of her stomach.
She didn’t say anything, and neither did he. They just sat there and stared at each other while the air between them was electrified from an undeniable awareness of their physical attraction to one another.
Johari didn’t doubt for one moment that something turbulent and primitive was taking place between them. And as she continued to stare deep into his eyes, she began imagining all sorts of things. She wondered how it would feel for those same eyes to watch as she removed every stitch of her clothing, piece by piece. And as her gaze shifted downward again to his lips, she couldn’t help but remember just how those lips had felt on hers, how that tongue in his mouth could illicit pleasure that had her pulse racing at the memory.
She pulled in a deep breath, trying to control her reaction to him. She tried to think about her fiancé, the man she was to marry, but the only visual that formed in her mind was that of the man staring back at her.
She blinked, noticing his lips moved, and realized almost belatedly that he had spoken. “Excuse