Christmas at Eden Manor Read online

  And she loved it. All of it. But she was starting to wonder if Cyrus just wasn’t interested in sex with her. His body might want it, but obviously none of the rest of him did.

  At least not enough.

  It was okay. It wasn’t the end of the world. She loved being with him even if it didn’t involve sex.

  But she also wanted to have sex with him.

  More every hour she spent with him.

  The movie ended at about four thirty, and they stayed together on the sofa, sitting in companionable silence. Cyrus would occasionally run a hand down her hair, and she really liked the feeling.

  She liked the feel of his body beside her too. He was in good shape for a man his age, but he wasn’t particularly big or athletic. But she liked the lean hardness of him, the way every part of his body seemed to be warm. She liked the gentleness of his hands. He never touched her without making her feel very special.

  She wondered what it would feel like if he touched her intimately, then decided it was probably better not to think of that at the moment.

  “Is there anything you’d like to do now?” Cyrus asked after a few minutes.

  She didn’t lift her head from where it was pressing against his chest. “I don’t know. I don’t really feel like going out.”

  “Me either. Gordon can make us dinner later if you’d like.”

  “That sounds good.”

  For a moment she felt his lips against her hair again, but they were gone before she could turn her head to check. She told herself not to push it, that he wasn’t the kind of man who would like to feel pressured. But she heard herself saying anyway, “Cyrus?”

  “Yes, dear heart?”

  She adjusted enough so she could look him in the face, her heart leaping excitedly at the old-fashioned endearment. “I…” She trailed off, unsure of how to say what she evidently was going to say.

  “What is it, Brie?” He gently caressed her cheek with his knuckles, his lovely brown eyes very soft.

  She swallowed hard. “I wouldn’t mind… I mean, I would like to be… even closer to you if that’s something you want.”

  For just a moment he grew very still.

  “I’d understand if you’re not interested,” she said hurriedly, feeling her cheeks start to burn. “If I’m not really your type, or if that’s not what you were thinking about us. I just…” She ended with a ragged little breath.

  “Brie,” he said, straightening up and then cupping her face in both his hands. “Of course I want to. Surely you can see that I do. But you have to understand, this isn’t something I usually do. Outside of relationships, I’ve never…. done anything. I suppose that strikes you as obscenely old-fashioned.”

  “No, not at all!” Of course he wasn’t the kind of man who had casual sex. She never would have believed he was. “I understand. It’s fine if it’s too soon or if you’d rather not—I mean, with someone you’re just spending time with for the week. I like just being with you. I just wanted to let you know… let you know… I’m willing.”

  She gulped at how stupid she must have sounded.

  Something had come alive in his eyes, though, in the middle of her rambles. Something that made her realize he hadn’t thought she’d sounded stupid at all.

  “You really want to?” he murmured.

  “Well, yeah.” She blinked in surprise. Because she was surprised, the truth came tumbling out. “I’ve never wanted to have sex with any other man as much as I want to have sex with you.”

  She heard his breath hitch very slightly. A look that was almost awed had arisen in his eyes. It completely took her breath away. “And I’ve never wanted anyone the way I want you, Brie.”

  Her eyes glazed over with a rush of feeling, and she knew he was going to kiss her. She was leaning into it, wanting it desperately, when there was a tap from the doorway.

  Both of them jerked and turned to see Gordon.

  “I’m very sorry, sir,” Gordon said, his eyes focused downward. “But you have a call from your nephew. The eldest. It sounds important, or I never would have interrupted you.”

  It took a moment for Cyrus to shift gears. Brie could see the transformation on his face—from the hot softness in his gaze to something concerned and professional. “I’m so sorry, dear heart,” he murmured, leaning forward to give her quick kiss. “My nephew works with me. It must be important.”

  “Of course. Go take it.”

  She was disappointed—deeply—at the interruption of the intensity of the moment before, but she wasn’t annoyed. He couldn’t help it if something important had come up.

  She watched as Cyrus left the room, and then she leaned back against the couch.

  When Cyrus returned, they were going to have sex. She was almost sure they would. Her heart raced with excitement, and her belly twisted at the same time.

  She wanted it. So much.

  She just hoped it wouldn’t make things so much harder next week when all this was over.

  She waited for twenty minutes, growing more worried by whatever had prompted the phone call, when her eyes slanted over to the doorway and saw Gordon, who was waiting quietly for her to notice him.

  “Can I get you anything, miss?” he asked.

  “No. I don’t think so. Is everything all right with Cyrus? I mean, with the call.”

  “It was an emergency,” he explained. “Work related but serious. I’m afraid he might be a while longer.”

  Her brows drew together. “Is it really serious?”

  “I’m sure he can take care of it. Perhaps you’d like to do something else while you wait.”

  Brie looked around aimlessly. She had no idea what she wanted to do.

  “You mentioned the hot tub yesterday,” Gordon suggested. “You would be welcome to make use of it if you’d like.”

  “Oh, I’d love to, but I didn’t bring a suit.” She wished she had. The hot tub sounded wonderful right about now.

  “You could have as much privacy as you’d like.”

  Brie hesitated just briefly. Then she nodded. “Okay. Thank you.”

  She’d brought a change of underwear with her—just in case she spent the night with Cyrus. She would feel too exposed wearing nothing in the hot tub, but there was no reason not to wear her bra and panties. It wouldn’t be that much different from a bikini.

  And if Cyrus would happen to come to join her, then all the better.

  ***

  There had been an accident during the preparations for the launch of the tearoom, and someone had gotten hurt.

  It wasn’t something that normally happened in Cyrus’s line of work, so he and Harrison were both disturbed and rattled by the event. When he’d gotten the details from Harrison, he made several calls and then called Harrison back to talk through what should happen next.

  Eventually the aftermath of the accident was taken care of and the news from the hospital was good. He blinked absently when Gordon tapped on the office door.

  “Everything all right?” Cyrus asked, rubbing his eyes and starting to wonder about Brie. He’d left her at the worst possible time.

  “Yes, sir. Are you aware that it’s after seven?”

  Cyrus blinked again. “What? It can’t be. Wasn’t it just before five when I came in here?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “What about Brie?”

  “She is making do.”

  Cyrus groaned as he realized what happened. He’d lived on his own for so long that he had a bad habit of losing track of time and focusing completely on work to the detriment of everything else. “Was she upset?”

  Gordon dropped his eyes. “She wasn’t expecting for you to be busy for so long.”

  “Damn.” He rarely swore, but it was the only word that suited his feelings at the moment.

  “I’ve prepared a dinner that can be served at room temperature, so you can eat it whenever you’d like. I also put some red wine out,” Gordon said, falling in step beside Cyrus as he headed out of the office. “B
ut if you would prefer champagne—”

  “Wine is good, thanks.” Cyrus looked into the lounge, where he’d last seen Brie, but the room was empty. He could see outside that the sun had set.

  He’d lost far too much time when he only had a limited amount of time to spend with her at all.

  “Where is she?” Cyrus asked.

  “I believe she might have stepped outside.”

  “All right. Thank you.” He reached for one of the French doors that led to the patio, not wanting to waste any time in finding her.

  “If I might be so bold, sir,” Gordon began.

  Cyrus’s lip twitched, despite his concern for Brie. “Did you pick that line up from an old British mystery?”

  Amusement flashed briefly in Gordon’s eyes. “Of course, sir.”

  “What was it you were going to say?” Cyrus was getting impatient to go out to Brie, his body already tensing with anticipation. But he would never be rude to someone as invaluable and faithful as Gordon.

  “It wouldn’t be a bad idea for you to shower first.”

  Cyrus’s lips parted slightly as he processed Gordon’s words. Glancing down at himself, he realized he’d sweated some in his urgency before, and he looked hot and wrinkled. Not exactly the condition he’d prefer for his first night with Brie. “Oh. Right.”

  “And I have other provisions, should you need them.”

  Cyrus had no idea what provisions Gordon was talking about. His world had boiled down to two things.

  Shower first. Then Brie.

  ***

  Had he been thinking more clearly, Cyrus would have noticed that there were clothes that weren’t his draped over one of the chairs in the master bedroom.

  That fact hardly registered in his mind though. He was thinking about Brie, by herself outside. Waiting for him.

  Probably wondering if he wanted her at all.

  He would have to show her how much he did want her.

  He opened the bathroom door and stepped inside, jerking to a stop when he realized there was someone in the shower.

  Brie was in the shower.

  The shower was large, beautifully tiled, and made so it didn’t need a shower curtain or door, so he could see her very clearly as the water poured down over her from the rainfall showerhead.

  Water streamed over her bare flesh. Her arms were lifted to wring water out of her long hair, a position that lifted her firm breasts in a tantalizing way. Her fair skin looked luminous in the artificial light, broken only by the darkened tips of her nipples. Her eyes were closed, and she hadn’t yet seen him.

  The fact that she was unaware of his presence made the sight even more alluring. She was completely unselfconscious, her motion not intended to be seductive as she pulled the water out of her hair, causing her breasts to bounce a little.

  Cyrus grew hard as he stood watching, so quickly it actually hurt. He’d never seen anyone—anything—that he wanted with such an intense, visceral hunger.

  His eyes raked over her dripping, naked flesh, devouring the sight of her lush breasts, smooth belly, and rosy, erect nipples. His eyes returned to her face and saw the moment she recognized his presence.

  “God!” she gasped, covering herself with one arm in an automatic gesture of defense.

  His mind finally caught up, and he turned on his heel quickly, showing her his back. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Gordon said you were outside.”

  “I was. It’s fine,” Brie said, her voice strangely hoarse. “You just startled me. I was outside—Gordon said I could use the hot tub. But then I wanted to take a shower, and I thought it would be okay since you were still working. I’m sorry—”

  “Don’t be sorry. It’s not your fault. I’m sorry to just walk in like that.” He wasn’t really sorry. He couldn’t stop visualizing Brie’s gorgeous dripping body behind him, and his body was responding to that luscious vision.

  Responding quite dramatically.

  “Is everything all right with work?” she asked. He heard the shower water turn off.

  “Yes. It is now. It was an emergency. I apologize for leaving you alone so long.”

  “You don’t have to apologize. But you took care of everything?”

  “Yes.”

  “And there’s nothing to worry about now?”

  “No. Nothing.”

  “Good. So you can turn around, Cyrus,” Brie said in a different tone.

  “It’s probably not a good idea.”

  “I think it would be a good idea. I think it would be a very good idea.”

  “Brie.”

  “You know what I want. And I think you want it too. And honestly, Cyrus, I’m starting to get a little impatient.” She paused for a moment. “I would completely understand if you’re not comfortable with this, given that we’re not in a relationship. But it sounded earlier like you might be okay with it. So what are you waiting for?”

  He wasn’t sure what he was waiting for. Maybe for the heavens to open and pour out a sign that this was really all right, that he was allowed something so incredibly good, something he wanted so much.

  Brie’s voice behind him was as close to a sign as he was ever going to get. With a groan of relief, Cyrus turned around and took a few steps toward the shower, reaching out to draw her into a deep kiss. She was immediately urgent, opening to the advance of his tongue and eagerly rubbing herself against him.

  For a moment, Cyrus thought he might drown in her passion, her sweetness, the lush life she embodied. He made a guttural sound against her mouth and felt the awakening needs of the past three days coalesce in the throbbing of his groin.

  She rocked against him, her hands clutching at his shoulders, his back, his head. “Cyrus.”

  He grunted in response, his hands now busy sliding down her back so he could feel her bare bottom, soft and curved and lush and perfect.

  “Cyrus,” she rasped again.

  This time, he realized she was trying to get his attention. His heart lurched as he desperately hoped she wasn’t about to change her mind.

  “Sex in the shower isn’t exactly good for me,” she said, almost sheepish.

  His laugh was half amusement, half relief. “The bedroom is just a few steps away.”

  He reached for a towel and wrapped it around her shoulders, and they walked together into the bedroom.

  The bed was large, a four-poster antique with a crisp white duvet. Moonlight streamed in through the wide windows that looked out on the garden. The bouquet of lavender and roses on the dresser filled the room with their presence. And Gordon had lit candles on the table, next to a bottle of wine and crystal glasses. While he would have been happy to have sex with Brie in any place, at any time, there was a deeply romantic aura to the setting, and he thought she would probably appreciate it.

  She was gazing around with wonder in her eyes. “It’s beautiful.”

  Cyrus pulled her into his arms.

  Half in their embrace, they made their way over to tumble into the bed. Brie rolled onto her back, arching her spine as Cyrus moved over her and took one of her breasts in his mouth.

  “Oh God,” she groaned, her cheeks flushed and her eyes wide open as she stared up at the small crystal chandelier.

  Cyrus suckled and twirled his tongue on her tight nipple, turned on even more by her responsiveness. His hands stroked over her firm, damp skin, following every delicious curve and dip he could find.

  “Oh God,” Brie gasped again, her arms moving above her head and clutching at the thick pillows. “So good. So… perfect.” Her head tossed restlessly, and her eyes moved from Cyrus at her breast, to the big windows where a nearly full moon was visible in the dark sky.

  Cyrus hummed against her breast, loving the way he felt her shudder. He released her nipple and nuzzled his way down her belly, which rose and fell quickly with her urgent breathing.

  Brie alternated between stroking and clutching his head, and her pelvis was already rocking rhythmically. When he moved up to her other breast, she s
tarted to whimper, the helpless, little sound going straight to his arousal.

  “Oh, Cyrus,” she said hoarsely, “I want you so much.”

  Cyrus pulled his head up to gaze down on her. He knew she was speaking the truth. Her body writhed and rocked beneath him with her wet hair spread out under her head like a sopping halo. She was delectably flushed all the way down to her belly. And she kept trying to wrap one of her legs around his hips.

  His chest throbbed nearly as deeply as his erection as he processed the reality. “Brie,” he murmured, “I want you too.”

  He lowered his head again, determined to please her and not let his own urgency take over. It had been too long since he had done this, but it wasn’t like he’d forgotten how. He mouthed a line between her breasts and back down her belly. Then he went further to nuzzle at her warm, intimate flesh.

  He breathed deeply, taking in the natural scent of her arousal, which triggered a primitive impulse that made him want to howl. She started whimpering again as he nudged her open and fluttered his tongue inside her. Then she arched up dramatically with a cry of pleasure when he closed his lips around her clit.

  It took almost no time at all for her body to shudder through an intense climax, a delicious moan slipping out of her lips as she let herself go.

  And he couldn’t believe it. Couldn’t believe that he’d made her feel that way, that she wanted him to.

  Brie opened her eyes and smiled up at him. “Thank you,” she gasped. “Thank you. That was really generous.”

  He shook his head, wondering what kind of bastards she’d been with before, who wouldn’t consider doing that for her as a special privilege.

  “Can you reach my bag?” she asked, her expression changing.

  He wasn’t sure what she wanted, but he leaned down to snag the strap from the floor and handed the bag to her.

  She reached into an inner pocket and pulled out a condom packet.

  Of course. It had never even occurred to him.

  He was woefully out of practice.

  Then he realized something else. “Provisions,” he muttered wryly. That was what Gordon had been talking about.

  Brie couldn’t possibly know what he was referring to, but her eyes sparkled anyway. “Exactly. Now tell me why you’re wearing so many clothes.”