Tempting the Tycoon

Chapter 15

At the touch of Alexios's palm on her behind, Sydney's desire blasted off like a libido rocket. And when he pressed her against his erection, she fought to keep from jumping into his arms, wrapping her legs around his hips and saying, "Yes, yes, I'm yours, I'm yours!" Since she was sure the guests around them wouldn't approve, she settled for a tiny nod while the butterflies in her stomach took flight.

He didn't hesitate but clasped one of her hands and pulled her through the throng of dancers, his goal the side entrance that was partially obscured by the floor-to-ceiling draperies lining the walls to deaden noise.

While she stared at his broad shoulders and clung to the warmth of his larger hand, Sydney tamped down the little quakes of anticipation that joined the dancing butterflies inside. Alexios's expression was so forbidding, so intense, yet she knew it wasn't directed at her. She may never have had sex before, but she recognized raw lust when she saw it. And nearly pushed him through the obscured doorway in her haste to be its recipient.

They made it into the dim hallway, and the self-closing door cut off the blaring band and accompanying voices, cocooning Sydney and Alexios in instant quiet. Right away she opened her mouth to speak, but with an economy of motion, he pushed her against the wall, caging her in with his hands braced on either side of her head. He used his lower body to pin her there, and she once more felt the nudge of his hardness through his tuxedo.

His eyes bore into hers like burning lasers, his jaw clenched. His short hair, always immaculately combed, appeared rumpled, as though he'd run his fingers through it.

She only had seconds for these impressions. Without a word he lowered his head and took her lips with frantic force, applying bruising pressure with every hasty contact. Oh, God, he tasted like an angel, yet kissed like the devil himself. Tiny sounds, identical to the whimpers of a pup who'd lost its mother, filled the space around them. Sydney realized with horror that they came from her throat, yet she couldn't control them. Her body bowed into his, her hands crept up his gentleman's shirtfront to dive into the hair at his nape.

He growled into her mouth. She shivered, then jolted when his tongue surged past her lips, carnally advancing and retreating in absolute mimicry of their bodies' urgings. Enter, then recede, over and over, until she was dizzy with need. Her hands dropped to his shoulders and clung there, all the strength of her limbs leeched away by the steady force of his assault. If she let go, she would surely drop to the floor, her legs too weak to hold her up.

Just as quickly as he started, he stopped. He rested his forehead against hers, cradling her head in his larger hands. His chest rose and fell against hers as if he'd finished running a race.

"I want you, Sydney. I've wanted you since I saw you at Jimmy's. I thought I could keep this strictly business, divorce myself from my desires, but I was wrong. I can't stop thinking about you. Whenever I see you, I want to take you in my arms, kiss your lips, your eyes, your nose. Hell, I want to kiss every naked inch of you, and then go back and do it again.

"I want to be inside you. I want to bury myself so deep in you that you scream my name, that I scream yours. I want to take you in every way a man can take a woman, and drown in your scent, in the sounds you make when you come. I want all of you." He drew a shuddering breath. She trembled from the vibrant picture his words painted.

His voice lowered still more, husky with the staggering passion he'd just admitted. "There are only two ways this evening is going to end, Sydney. First, you tell me no, in which case I call a car around to take you home."