Their Virgin Mistress iTunes Read online

  Over his shoulder, he watched Oliver disappear past a sea of balloons and into the front entryway, Rory following behind.

  His brothers intended to deal with his problem, and he felt guilty about that. Well, they would deal with one of his problems. Tonight, he had two, and they both involved women.

  “Where are you going?” Claire climbed the stairs behind him.

  Callum didn’t know what to say. If he had arranged the same shopping experience for the surgically enhanced loon in the lobby as he had for Tori, Thea would have fallen to her knees and happily expressed her gratitude. Not his little publicist. Instead, he’d insulted her independent nature and now she meant to show him the sharp side of her temper. Which was precisely why he wanted her. She wasn’t interested in his money or fame. If he won her, it would be because he was worthy of her love.

  He turned to his sister. “I need to talk to Tori. We seem to have a misunderstanding.”

  Tori approached, her smile more brittle with every step. Even so, she looked breathtaking. Her hair fell in loose waves around her pale shoulders and made him long to shove his fingers in and wrap them around her soft, shimmering tresses.

  “We need to talk.” She scowled as if he was a child she intended to take to task.

  Now might be the time to play his ace with her. “Yes, I think we do.”

  “What’s going on?” Claire glanced between them, confusion on her face.

  “Your brother is playing some kind of game with me and I don’t like it,” Tori said, anchoring a hand on her shapely hip.

  “I’m playing a game? You’re the one who started it, love. But I plan on winning.” His heart was thudding in his chest as it always had before a match. Callum had to admit that being close to her now, preparing to admit his feelings, gave him a rush.

  “Cal?” Claire prompted.

  “This is nothing for you to worry about,” he reassured his sister. “Please help Oliver. I think he could use it.”

  Tori didn’t miss a beat. “Win? So this is a game to you?”

  “If I’m being honest, no.” He gripped her elbow and turned to the crowd with a plastic smile as he started to escort her down the stairs. He certainly wasn’t going up. Her rather frightening family awaited there, and he intended to be on much firmer footing with Tori the next time he faced them.

  She hurried beside him. “Where are you taking me?”

  They left Claire on the stairs, staring after them. Guilt prickled Callum, but he couldn’t pause to soothe his sister now. He’d explain everything to her later, but at the moment he needed a quiet place to hash this out with Tori.

  He knew exactly where to go. Several smaller rooms adjoined the ballroom. When he and Claire had come for a final site visit before the charity ball, he’d explored a bit. He’d stumbled across a particularly nice conference room that hadn’t been locked. He hoped the same was true tonight.

  “Somewhere private. You see, a very intelligent woman once told me that arguments should remain private. Clearly, you’re about to yell at me, so I thought we should nip out, away from prying eyes and ears, so you can express yourself freely.”

  They crossed the ballroom floor. Orchestra music swelled and elegant couples danced, London’s wealthiest citizens gossiping all around them. He’d much prefer to take Tori out on the floor and show her off as his, but he hadn’t earned that right yet. Instead, he led her into the empty, shadowed hallway on the far side of the ballroom.

  “I’m not going to yell,” she said in a hushed voice. “I don’t ever yell. I’m just going to ask you not to lie to me. How much did this dress cost?”

  Yes, he’d been caught, but at least he wasn’t without a play. “That dress looks stunning on you and it’s worth every penny I paid for it.”

  She sucked in a sharp breath, clearly trying to keep tight control on her temper. “I asked for help in finding a suitable dress I could afford. You offered me your personal shopper. Fine. Nowhere in that conversation did I agree to let you buy my gown.”

  He reached the door, thankfully finding it unlocked again, and opened it. Some of the event staff had used a corner for storage, but the room lay empty now, so Cal dragged Tori inside. The noise of the ballroom faded away as the door swung shut behind them. “You couldn’t begin to afford anything you’re wearing, which is precisely why I bought it.”

  She whirled on him. Ambient lighting shimmered around the perimeter of the room, a soft, golden glow that illuminated the space. The diamonds around her graceful throat and her shimmering skin caught the light as she paced in front of a good-sized table and several leather chairs. “You bought it so I wouldn’t embarrass the company or your family at this occasion?”

  He shook his head. “You could never embarrass me. I bought it because I think you deserve to have a dress as beautiful as you.” Telling her the truth felt good, freeing.

  Eyes wide, she stepped back, her body coming into contact with the conference table. “I believe you meant this as a lovely gesture, but my brothers-in-law pointed out to me that I’m wearing a fortune I didn’t pay for. Do you know what they think of me now?”

  He didn’t particularly care what they thought. “That you look beautiful, too?”

  “That I’m your mistress.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Your whore.”

  Anger flashed through his system and burned hot. Usually, he wasn’t a man with a quick temper, but this pushed his buttons.

  He whirled and stormed toward the door. “I’ll handle it.”

  She grabbed his arm, halting him before he left. “Stop.”

  This wasn’t something he would be moved on. “No. I won’t allow anyone to talk to you that way. Do you understand me? I don’t care who they are. Which one was it?”

  It didn’t matter. He’d take on all three if he had to.

  She took a long breath and stared up at him. “Cal, no one used that word except me, so don’t get angry with my brothers-in-law. I’m telling you how I felt when they pointed out that any man who spent this much money on a woman meant to put his brand on her.”

  All right, then. He could agree with that. “It wasn’t my intention to make you feel like my mistress. I simply like seeing you in clothes I bought for you.”

  “Callum, I’m engaged.” And she was right back to putting space between them. Clearly, she meant to play this lie out to the bitter end.

  He moved in, obliterating that space she used as an invisible wall between them. He inched closer, closer…until she had nowhere to go. “So you’ve told me. But if you’re in love with your fiancé, why do you spend so much time with me?”

  He watched her, carefully noting her responses. Her breathing picked up. Her skin flushed lightly. She licked her lips as she gazed up at him. Cal saw no signs of fear, but he would bet her nipples were hard pebbles now. He wouldn’t have to expend much effort to touch them. Just a little tug, and that bodice would fall. He could cup a breast, pull its tip into his mouth, and drink her in.

  Her gaze slid away. “Because we’re friends.”

  “We are friends. But I want more than that.” He cupped her cheek and forced her to meet his stare once more.

  “I can’t.” The words came out breathy and soft, without an ounce of real willpower behind them.

  Normally, Tori had no problem defending herself. She could argue for hours, but all her self-possession seemed to have fled. Her blue eyes looked soft as her gaze tangled with his.

  “Because you love your fiancé?” He leaned in, his mouth hovering above hers. “Think carefully before you answer. I won’t like it if you lie to me.”

  She gasped. “You know.”

  “I do.”

  Panic flitted across Tori’s face. She tried to pull away, but Callum didn’t give her an inch. “What did you do? Sic a PI on me?”

  “Yes.”

  “Don’t do this. Please…” She raised her hands, palms flat on his chest. But she didn’t push him away. “You have to let me go.”


  Callum had suspected she’d react this way. After all, she’d invented a fake fiancé for a reason. He had to uncover what in order to move past her objection or fear. “Why?”

  “Because I won’t be another link in your chain of conquests.”

  Was that her worry? He might have taken many of the opportunities available to him as a professional footballer back in the day, but he’d put all that behind him.

  “I don’t have a chain of conquests, Tori. For the last six months, all I’ve had is my bloody hand and an image of you playing in my head twenty-four seven. If you think for an instant I’m not serious about you, think again. Why else would I pay a ton of money for a PI to hop across the pond to locate this mysterious man of yours? In the beginning, I meant to have a long talk with him about how he treats you.”

  “Treats me?”

  “Tori, if you were mine I would never allow you to spend half so much time away from me. I’ve even come to hate weekends because I don’t see you and can’t make certain you have everything you need. I couldn’t imagine six months without you. I’d go mad.” He took a risk and gripped her shoulders. Bloody hell, her skin felt so soft against his fingers. He swallowed a lump of lust and pressed on. “In the beginning, I wanted to confront this man because I thought he was a bastard. Then I find out he doesn’t exist at all. Why would you put a fake diamond on your hand when another man might well want to give you a real one?”

  She shrugged from his grip and blinked up at him. “I thought it would keep me safe.”

  “From me?” She was about to find out that nothing could keep her safe from him.

  “From all of you,” she whispered.

  He gripped her hips this time, dragging her closer. “You’re interested in all three of us?”

  Her lips closed stubbornly.

  “Well, I can’t speak for my brothers, but I intend to show you why you should choose me.”

  “Do they know about my engagement, too?”

  Finally, his real bargaining chip. He aligned their bodies together, not missing the way her breath hitched the minute he crushed her breasts to his chest. “No. I haven’t told them. You don’t want them to know how you lied to them, do you?”

  “I wasn’t really lying,” she demurred.

  “You were, Tori. Every time you spoke his name or flashed that ring.” His cock hardened as he rubbed against her. “There won’t be any more lying. I’m taking control of the situation. You’re scared, but I want to show you there’s nothing to be afraid of.”

  “For me, there is, Cal. I don’t want to talk about it. Besides, you’re in the middle of a paternity suit.” She stopped. “You said you haven’t…”

  “Not since the day I met you, sweetheart. Not with her. Not with anyone.”

  Shock had her gaping, and she searched his face with her wide eyes, clearly seeking the truth. “So it really can’t be yours?”

  “No. Clearing everything up will take time, but Thea will go away.” He breathed her in. Now that he was here with Tori, he wanted to take his time, focus on them, revel in the moment. “I promise there won’t be any more like her. I intend to be utterly faithful to you.”

  “This is insane.” She shook her head. “I can’t have a relationship with you.”

  “Why?”

  “It’s unprofessional.”

  Some might see it that way, but Callum suspected that wasn’t really her objection. “We have no HR policy against employees dating. Danvers, our CFO, is dating one of the sales managers. Would you call them unprofessional?”

  “I-I…” Tori opened her mouth, but no other sound came out.

  Cal knew he’d trapped her neatly. If she said yes, she insulted a man she often worked with. If she said no, she opened the door to a romance between them.

  “What’s the real objection? Your feelings for my brothers?”

  Even in this lighting, he saw her face flush. “I realize that’s not normal here in London. Maybe I’ve spent too much time in Bezakistan. And I know it’s wrong, but…”

  Was it? Really? Again, he pushed the thought aside.

  He leaned in, breathing over her plump lips. “I’ll make you forget them. I’ll show you I’m the right man for you.”

  “I’m not here for romance. I don’t want it.”

  The hell she didn’t. Her pounding heart and hitched breaths said otherwise. “Kiss me, Tori. Kiss me once. And if it isn’t as good as I think it’s going to be, if you don’t want more, I’ll walk away.”

  It was a lie. There was no chance of that. He wanted her far too badly to ever give her up, but she needed the comfort of that small fib.

  “You won’t tell them I lied?” Her voice all but pleaded.

  “Not if you kiss me.”

  She took a shaky breath. “All right. Just this once.”

  His whole body leapt with anticipation. This was the start of his life. One kiss. One woman. Forever.

  He waited as she rose on her tiptoes, her hands brushing against his face. She studied him as if memorizing the moment. Fingertips moved along his jawline before her thumb skimmed his bottom lip.

  “I think you’re the most beautiful woman in the world, Tori.” He wasn’t going to play around or pretend he wasn’t in love with her. She should know that during every moment of her life, from this day on, he would be thinking about her, wanting her.

  “And I think you’re crazy. I’m taking the dress and the jewelry back.” She brushed her lips against his.

  He scowled as she pulled back. “No, you’re not and that wasn’t a kiss.”

  “Hush, I’m not done.” Again, her mouth briefly met his. “And yes, I am taking them back. That’s not negotiable.”

  “You think this is a negotiation?”

  “Isn’t everything?”

  “No, love. Some things aren’t up for negotiation. Some things require dominance, and it’s time I show you what I mean.” He cupped her nape, fingers clamping around her delicate neck, and lowered his mouth to hers. She’d used the word conquest before. He was going to show her what it really meant.

  * * * *

  Tori’s heart raced as his head dipped lower and his lips crashed over hers. She felt a rush of arousal burn through her veins. She didn’t need to be more aroused. She hadn’t been thinking clearly from the moment she realized she was alone with Callum and that he wouldn’t play politely anymore.

  He knew she’d been lying about her engagement. She looked like a fool, but he wasn’t laughing at her and telling her she’d never needed protection against him. No. He was proving her point by invading her space and making her whole body come to life under his touch.

  His mouth covered hers, heat flashing across her skin like a lightning fire.

  She’d been kissed before but never like this. Softly at first, but Tori felt his leashed strength. When he kissed, he didn’t just move his lips. His whole body engaged, teasing her to slide against him. With big hands, he drew her deeper into his embrace, caressing her back, down to cup the curves of her hips. Seemingly of their own volition, her arms wound around him, her breasts crushed to his hard chest.

  Tori lost herself in his scent and taste, in feeling both desired and adored. She shouldn’t kiss one of her employers, shouldn’t encourage this man. But they were alone; no one would see them. It was only a kiss, and she owed him for his silence. She didn’t have to give him more. She certainly didn’t have to give him her heart. Why couldn’t she just bask in this one moment?

  With a sigh, she surrendered to his embrace. The instant she did, everything changed. The predator in him pounced, as though he scented her submission. Too late, Tori realized she and Callum shared far more than a mere kiss and she was in danger.

  As he pressed deeper into her mouth and his tongue touched hers, she couldn’t seem to care about the reasons giving into him was a terrible idea. She could only feel.

  The kiss turned carnal, their mouths mating. Tori had no real experience with this sort of passion, so she follow
ed his lead, toppling into a dizzying whirl of need. It felt like the times she’d spun around and around as a child until euphoria took over.

  She shoved aside the thought that now, like then, she’d eventually fall down.

  As Callum tightened his hands on her hips, she met the stroke of his tongue and brushed her body against his, so lean and strong. She caressed the strength of his back, sinking her fingers into the solid bulges of muscles under his wool tuxedo coat. Having that material between them felt wrong. She wanted her hands on his skin, to know how hot it ran when he was aroused and how smooth it would be under her touch.

  Over and over he kissed her, their breaths loud in the silence. Then he nipped at her lips and pulled back to stare into her eyes. The jolt of their connection zinged through her like an electrical charge. Tori couldn’t catch her breath.

  “Tell me you feel it, too,” he demanded in an impassioned whisper.

  “Yes.” The word fell from her lips.

  Callum didn’t wait another second before diving deep into their kiss again. His hands roved over her body, tracing the curve of her waist, cupping the swell of her ass. Restlessly, he smoothed his fingers up the line of her spine, over her shoulders—then began again, each time skimming closer to her breasts.

  They ached for his attention. She moaned in need.

  “I want you, Tori.” The words rumbled across her skin as he left her lips and started kissing her cheek, her ear, down to her neck. “You want me, too.”

  She let her head fall back. She would stop him in a moment. Just a little bit longer. She could have a few more minutes before reality intruded. In these stolen moments, she would pretend there weren’t a million reasons they shouldn’t be together and that this closeness could last in the real world. For these few seconds, she could fool herself that Oliver and Rory hovered nearby, aching with need and lust, to put their hands on her, too.

  Suddenly, Callum lifted her onto the conference table, settling her on the glossy wooden surface. He shoved her dress up around her hips and stepped between her legs. Then he took her face in his hands and looked at her as if he could barely wait to unleash all his pent-up lust on her. At his sizzling expression, pure heat coursed through her, sparking down between her thighs.