Not that he minded, but there had been something nice in that friendliness. He didnt think hed ever been friends with a woman. Coworker, acquaintance, lover. That was about it.
But, hey. Hed be an idiot to complain about stepping over to the sexy side. And a bigger idiot to regret having her take away something he hadnt even realized he might want to enjoy a little longer.
Proof, huh? he challenged as he took an appetizer from the tray and inspected it. Looks like any other stuffed mushroom. Hows this proof?
Mushrooms and sausage together are a strong aphrodisiac, she assured him before she bit into one herself.
Caleb had his doubts, but he had just enough of his fathers fabled charm to know better than to call his hostess a liar. Especially when she looked so sexy sitting across from him.
So he took a mushroom.
By the end of the meal, Caleb realized two things.
One, hed never spent this long with a hard-on, and not done anything about it, in his life.
And two, hed never talked-just talked-to a woman before like this. By unspoken agreement, theyd avoided the biggies like family and career. Instead, theyd shared their favorite Christmas memories, discovered they had the same taste in music and movies, and debated the merits of paperbacks versus ebooks.
It was like an actual date. Caleb had always wondered if that getting-to-know-a-person-on-a-date thing was real or just a myth. But this was, other than the painful pressure against the zipper of his slacks, totally awesome.
Dessert? she offered, noting hed cleaned his plate for the third time. Shed been a little more delicate in her eating, only having one helping.
Despite his gluttony, Caleb glanced at the rich, chocolaty mounds of fluff with the caramel topping and sprinkling of nuts and his mouth watered.
Sure, he agreed. Then he realized hed better clear some stuff up before they got into anything else that made his mouth water.
But heres the thing, he said once shed served them both and sat back down at the table. Then she started fiddling with the button, just there at the very center of her cleavage, and he forgot what hed wanted to say.
Instead, he focused on the silky smoothness of her pale skin. Unlike most redheads, she was freckle free. At least, she was as far as he could see. Instead, her skin was almost translucent. Delicate.
Caleb? she said.
He dragged his eyes away from the contrast of the rich black fabric against the tempting swell of her breasts.
Huh? he asked, meeting her amused gaze. His lips quirked, knowing he deserved that look.
The thing? she prompted.
The thing He frowned, thinking back. Yeah, heres the thing. This meal was delicious.
Her smile was slow and sweet, those full lips curving in delight as she reached across the tiny table and rubbed her hand over his. Calebs dick reacted as if shed licked it.
Thanks, she said softly. Im so glad you enjoyed it.
I did. And Im sure Im going to enjoy this dessert just as much, he assured her, gesturing with the spoon hed picked up. But as great as it all was, Im not getting how you think this proves that aphrodisiacs work.
Pandora gave a slow nod, as if she was agreeing, or at least considering his words. Then instead of picking up her spoon, she swiped her finger through the caramel-drizzled whipped cream.
Caleb tensed.
She lifted her cream-covered finger to her mouth, then rubbed it over her lip, licking the sweet confection away with a slow swipe of her tongue.
Calebs eyes narrowed. He tried to swallow, but his throat wasnt working right.
Some cream still on her finger, Pandora sucked it into her mouth, her lips closing around the tip just enough so he could still see the pink swirl of her tongue as she licked it away.
Son of a bitch.
He swore he could smell the smoke as his brain short-circuited.
When she reached back into that crystal bowl and scooped up more dessert, this time cream and chocolate both, Caleb held his breath.
But instead of repeating the tasting show, she leaned forward to reach across the table. The move made her dress, unbuttoned so temptingly, shift to show more of the red lacy fabric of her bra. Before he could groan at the sight, though, she offered that fingerful of temptation to him.
Taste? she said, her words low and husky.
As hard as it was not to stare at the bounty bound in red lace, his gaze locked on hers. Her eyes were slumberous. Still sweet, he didnt think anything could change that. But sexier. There was a knowledge in them that said she knew exactly what she was doing to him. And that she planned to do a hell of a lot more.
Holding her gaze, he wrapped his fingers around her wrist, bringing her hand to his mouth. The chocolate was rich, with a hint of coffee. Her finger tasted even better. He sucked the sweet confection off her flesh, then ran his tongue along the length of her palm, scraping his teeth against the mound at the base of her thumb.
Pandora gave a little mewl of pleasure.
Caleb grinned.
So she said after clearing her throat.
So?
So thats the thing.
Caleb frowned.
You said you wanted me. And I obviously am attracted to you, she told him, gently extricating her fingers from his hand.
Yeah?
But lets face it. Im not your type. Im whats usually termed a good girl.
How good are you?
How good are you?
Really, really good, she promised. But you dont do good girls. Youre a quick and painless, love em and leave em kind of guy. You keep life, and sex, commitment-free and just a little distant.
Caleb frowned, not sure he liked how well she read him.
So?
So thats my proof, she said.
Before he could point out that it really wasnt proof, she held out her hand. He took it, getting to his feet. She didnt move back, though. So his body brushed against her smaller, more delicate figure.
Your proof is that were not each others type?
That, she agreed, turning to lead the way out of the kitchen. Then she looked over her shoulder and said, And the fact that youre not the kind of guy to sleep with a good girl.
He couldnt deny that truth. In the two days since shed challenged him and tonight, hed made some inroads, buddying up with one of the drug dealers unhappy with his slow move up the food chain. Hed come to dinner with the idea of finding out more about her little aphrodisiac sideline. Hed planned to subtly grill her about what she might have seen in the alley between her building and Tobiass.
Despite the excuse for their date, hed had no intention, none at all, of getting naked with her. But he still wasnt giving credence to some crazy food combination. Nope, the credit for that was all Pandoras.
Before he could tell her that, she stopped in the middle of the living room and turned to face him. She was so close, he could see the beat of her heart against her throat.
He could see the nerves in her eyes, there just beneath the desire. The nerves didnt bother him, though. They were a lot more exciting than acceptance or complacency.
We spent the last hour and a half talking, she told him. There was no flirting. No innuendo or teasing or sexual promises, right?
Caleb frowned as the truth of her words hit him. Hed spent the entire meal horny as hell. Hornier than hed been with any other woman in his life.
But again, that was due to Pandora. Not the food.
Whats your point?
And then those delicate fingers skipped down the row of pearly buttons, unfastening her dress as they went. Caleb had faced strung-out drug dealers shoving guns in his gut and kept his cool. But the minute that dress cleared her belly button, he swore the room did a slow spin.
Damn, she was incredible.
She walked toward him, the black dress hanging loose from her shoulders to her belly.
When she reached him, Calebs hand automatically gripped her hips. She smiled, then leaned even closer so her body pressed tight against his. She reached between them and slid her palm over the hard length of his erection, making his dick jump desperately against the constraining fabric of his slacks.
He groaned in delight.
And thats the proof that the aphrodisiacs work, Pandora told him just before she pressed her mouth to his.
7
WHEN NERVES MADE HER WANT to turn around and run, Pandora reminded herself that the best things in life were worth fighting for. Even if that meant fighting her own fears.
When her fingers trembled, she just dug them tighter into the deliciously muscled expanse of Calebs shoulders. He felt so good. Strong and solid and real.
She wasnt going to chicken out, dammit. This was her one and only opportunity for awesome, aphrodisiac-inspired sexual bliss. The experience of a lifetime with a man reputed to be incredible.
So when her knees wobbled, she leaned forward, resting her hips against his for support.
Yeah, baby. There it was.
A whole lot of long, hard, throbbing nirvana.
He wanted her, just as much as she wanted him. Proof was right there, pressing insistently against her belly.
Hello, baby, her body sighed.
More, she demanded against Calebs lips.
He gave her the more she asked for, then even more than shed dreamed. He made her feel like the only woman in his world.
Calebs mouth slid over hers, taking the kiss from soft, wet heat to intense, raging passion with a slip of his tongue. His hands settled on the curve of her waist, pulling her tighter against that promising ridge pressing against his zipper.
Pandora melted.
She twined her arms around the back of his neck, holding tight as their tongues danced a wild tango. Anticipation coiled tighter in her belly when his fingers slipped up her side, from her waist to the curve of her breast. Her nipples ached with the need to feel his fingers, to know how hed touch her.
Would he be gentle and sweet? Or wild and demanding?
Wanting desperately to know, she eased back. Not her mouth. Oh, no, she wasnt giving up one second of this delicious kiss. And her hips were fused, as if of their own volition, to his. Although she was pretty sure she could ease back a few inches and still feel the thick heat of his erection pressing in temptation against her stomach.
Instead, she eased her shoulders back. Just a little.
And purred in delight when he proved to be as clever as he was gorgeous, taking the invitation and curving his fingers over the heavy, aching weight of her breast. Her nipple beaded tighter against the erotically scratchy lace of her bra as he circled his hand in a slow, tempting spiral.