Pleasure With Purpose Read Online Free PDF Page A

“I think the circumstances…well…”
     
    “ Yeah,” he said. “The circumstances.” He slid a finger down a strand of her hair. “Do you want to go grab a pizza?”
     
    Pizza with him, rather than alone, pretending nothing had ever happened. “Actually,” she said, trying to steady her voice. “I have a date.”
     
    Silence fell between them–a second, two. He opened her car door. “Have a good time.” No questions about who she was going out with, no demand to know details, as she would normally expect from him. Not only were they not okay, they weren’t even in the ballpark of okay.
     
    ***
     
    The phone calls had stopped. In the week leading up to the wedding that they would both attend, Heather’s phone had not rung one time–at least, not by way of Brad. Anticipatio n and nerves over seeing him again ha d mad e th e wee k miserable.
     
    Standin g i n fron t o f her bedroom mirror , Heathe r inspected her reflection, pleased that her outfit— the pale green strapless dress, the color of her eyes, with a nice slit that showed lots of leg, and sexy diamond-studded sandals—had come together looking like the sophisticated, sexy package she’d hoped for. Even her hair, worn long, rather than neatly pinned on her head, as such an occasion would normally have seemed to merit—it hung straight and sleek, brushing her bare shoulders but for the spaghetti straps, covering her skin in a demure, subtle way.
     
    Satisfied she was ready for the evening wedding, she glanced at her bedside table and the clock that read 6:15 p.m . Any second now, a car would arrive, compliments of the groom’s father who owned a limo service. This way, no matter how much anyone drank, they were getting home safely. A knock sounded on her door, and she grabbed her small silver shoulder purse, and rushed toward the door.
     
    Not more than a minute later, the driver held the door of the black sleek limo. She climbed inside, and to her total, complete shock, found herself face to face with Brad, who, in a light grey suit and a blue tie that matched his eyes, looked like sin itself. Her breath hitched, the sound thankfully captured by the slamming door that left them alone, a solid panel separating them from the front of the car.
     
    “ You look amazing,” he said, his eyes half veiled, his expression unreadable.
     
    Amazing. He’d not only said she looked amazing, he’d said it while holding her gaze, in the back of a car where he’d intentionally chosen to be alone with her. Silently, she warned herself not to let her imagination run wild. She tried to laugh, to tease him as she normally would. “And you look like an attorney forced to go to a wedding.” A really hot attorney every woman at the wedding will be pining for. “ I didn' t kno w w e were sharing a ride.”
     
    “ I volunteered to share as long as I was sharing with you.”
     
    Her heart skipped a beat. “I guess that’s one way to get us past the awkwardness of…well, you know.”
     
    “ Awkward has nothing to do with it,” he said. “All day today, I listened to Brenda talk about "man-hunting," and how certain she was you’d join her once you got a glass of champagne down you. Then, you climb into the car, wearing a dress that says she’s right.” He grabbed her and pulled her across the seat, next to him.
     
    Heather gasped, her hand flattening on his chest for balance, her body twisted around to face his. His hand slid into her hair, his lips hovering just above hers. “And then I realized that we weren’t going to forget that kiss we shared, so I might as well volunteer to be your little wedding adventure.”
     
    “ Might as well?” she demanded, appalled at his choice of words.
     
    His mouth came down on hers, hot and demanding–no gentleness to it–just hunger and fire. The strokes of his tongue deepened, the masculine heat of his body next to hers, consumed. His hand slid to her leg and pulled it over his lap, his palm