Cinderella Dreams (1Night Stand Series) Read online

Chapter Three

  We made our way to the gazebo. I cursed the lack of lighting when I stumbled, but when he whirled me into his arms and swayed, I was grateful for the shadows. A song drifted from the reception hall, and we fell into an easy rhythm as Rick Springfield sang about wanting his friend’s girl.

  His mouth at my ear, he said, “I used to sing this in my car.”

  I pictured him in his Mustang, wind ruffling his hair. “Bet you belted it out better than Rick.”

  “I changed the lyrics a bit. Instead of Jessie’s girl, it was Jonesie’s girl.”

  My insides filled with something lighter than helium. “You just made that up.” The helium expanded when I remembered Matt referred to Ray by his last name, Jones, when they disagreed, and Jonesie when he wanted to needle him.

  Nuzzled against my shoulder, Matt shook his head. His breath warmed my neck, and he pressed a kiss there, sending shivers across me. My embrace tightened instinctively. I held onto him, wishing the music would never end so our bodies could sway together like this forever.

  “The perfect moment,” he murmured.

  “My exact thought. But I know how to make it more perfect.”

  The dim lighting revealed little more than his silhouette, but his smile came through in his voice. “More perfect? I didn’t know there were degrees of—”

  I stood on tiptoe and reached my lips to his. He moaned into my mouth, an unspoken agreement. The vibrations reached deep inside me, tantalizing my senses.

  Definitely more perfect. Absolutely sublime. If earlier I’d experienced the sensation of plummeting downward, now I might have floated up in the heavens if he hadn’t anchored me. I clung tighter, as much to feel him in my arms as to ground myself. Nothing else existed but the two of us. I wanted nothing more than to lose myself in him.

  His hands moved up inside my jacket, fingers gliding along the silk, mesmerizing in the slow rhythm of caresses. Our hips seemed locked together. His erection hardened between my thighs.

  His fingers traveled along the hem of my skirt.

  “Did I tell you how fantastic you look?”

  “No, but you can now.” So long as he didn’t stop what he was doing, he could say anything.

  Caresses sliding inside my thighs, he said, “Absolutely amazing.”

  Normally filled with self-doubt, I totally believed Matt when he said it. “God, so do you. You feel amazing, too.” So did I. Maybe because the DJ had played Duran Duran, but I’d grown hungry like a wolf, too. My fingers dug into the back of his neck and scraped down the pale pink cotton shirt along the contours of his chest. Teeth and lips sank into my neck. A thrill shot through me when he crouched lower, kissing his way down my stomach. My balance wavered, and I found myself against the gazebo rail, Matt’s tongue probing my clit as he worked the pantyhose past my feet. My moans mixed with Duran Duran’s howls, and I clasped his head when he slid a finger inside me. My pulse shot up in tandem, pulse points in a rhythmic thrum. Lost in the haze of white heat engulfing me, I rocked with the motion, the building pressure more intense than anything I’d known. Release was an explosion, the rock-your-world kind, fireworks and the whole shebang.

  I doubled over on top of him. “Oh my God.”

  His hands steadied my hips. “You okay?”

  All I could manage was, “Holy shit.”

  “I take that as a yes.” He propped me against the rail as he rose, his mouth finding mine on the way up. I threw my arms around his neck and tasted myself on his tongue. I wanted to taste him now. I fumbled for his zipper.

  His hand closed around mine. “Not here. We’ll end up arrested, which would spoil my plans to ravage you.” He glanced over at the trickle of partiers leaving the hotel, and then smiled at me. “Besides, I want to do this right.”

  I had trouble getting past “ravage” but glanced over. The DJ must finally have called it quits and sent everyone home. “Is it midnight?”

  “Almost.” He handed me my ruined pantyhose and smoothed my skirt down.

  No carriage awaited me. Just as well, it might have turned into a pumpkin, though tonight I had the feeling it wouldn’t. I wouldn’t let it. This party was just getting started.

  Matt must have read my mind. “My room’s on the third floor. Come on.”

  “So far away?” I doubted I could wait so long.

  He curled me under his arm. “We’ll hurry.”

  On our way in, we passed Ray’s parents leaving. His mom gaped. I returned his dad’s wink with an embarrassed smile. No reason for me to blush, but I did anyway. Or else the thought of finally getting Matt naked flushed heat through me.

  In front of the elevator, I clasped his hand and watched the numbers descend ever so slowly. I entertained myself with images of us making out after the doors closed us inside the car.

  Longest. Elevator ride. Ever.

  An older couple rode up with us to the second floor and got off, pretending not to notice me fondling Matt’s butt. Before the doors closed, I flung myself into his arms. By the time we reached the third floor, I had his shirt unbuttoned and mine hung loose. Our lips never lost contact while he guided us toward the room. He pressed me against the door and somehow opened it. We stumbled inside, attached tight as Legos.

  He clasped my shoulders and eased away. “Wait, let’s slow down. I’ve waited a long time for this.”

  Such torture. “Me, too. I don’t want to wait.”

  He stepped back and gestured to the bottle askew on the bed. “How about some champagne?”

  I set my sights on him and advanced, all slinky seductress. “I want you, not champagne.”

  “Thank God.” He whipped off his jacket with the precision of a Chippendale dancer. His shirt came off next, though he still wore his gray tie.

  I had more important priorities. His belt and zipper. If there were a contest for fastest strippers, we’d have won hands down. And hands up. Hands everywhere. Good lord, the guy was all sinewy muscle on a tall frame, everything proportioned perfectly.

  He hoisted me up, and I wrapped my legs around his waist, lips hungry for his. One last vestige of reason made me break away. “Oh no.”

  Mid-pucker, he asked, “What’s wrong?”

  “I’m not on birth control.” Oh hell, why had I stopped taking it? The breakup hurt, but I hadn’t taken a vow of celibacy, for goodness sake.

  We plunged to the bed, landing on our sides. With his toe, he slid his trousers toward him and rummaged in the pocket, producing a foil square. “Will this do?”

  “Only one?” I whined, but grabbed it. “It’ll do for now.”

  I pressed his shoulders to the mattress. Knees planted on either side of him, I began to rip the package open, then stopped. His penis stood straight up, a thick, luscious lollipop. Mm, and I had a promise to keep.

  Eyes wide, he raised up on his elbows. “What now?”

  Catwoman had nothing on me as I crept over him. “First things first.” From the bottom up, I explored every vein, tasted every inch. His musky scent brought out my wild side.

  The first lick earned me a ragged, “ohhh” from him. He surprised me by watching, and I surprised myself by making sure he had the best show of his life. Every moan inspired me to try something new. Slow strokes to tease while I encompassed the head, tickling the rim with my tongue. Oh yeah, that made him tremble. Taking him in my mouth to the hilt brought a hissing suck of air through his teeth. I dragged my lips slowly back, teasing the slit at the head.

  At his sharp exhale, I glanced up to be sure he was all right.

  His eyes glazed with heat. “Yes. More.” Every muscle in his body seemed poised to spring.

  A flick of my tongue, and I closed my mouth around him and sucked lightly all the way to the base and back. His shuddering breaths encouraged me to keep going. I loved the way he begged with his entire body and wanted him to love this as much as I did. Each time, I bobbed a little faster.

  “Genny.” He clutched my hair, hips pumping against the rhythm. His bo
dy went rigid then trembled in a long wave. It rumbled over me, too, and I wanted desperately to feel him inside me.

  “Genny, Genny, Genny,” he murmured, kissing me after saying my name each time, drawing me to him in a tender hug. “You’re incredible.”

  “And we haven’t even used the condom yet.” And I wanted to, more than anything.

  “We will. Give me a minute to, uh, recover.”

  “Mind if I amuse myself in the meantime?” I trailed a finger down his back to his lovely, sculpted rear. I might never get my fill of him.

  “Go right ahead.” He cupped my breast, thumb grazing my nipple.

  A flare of desire pressed me closer, craving more of his warmth, his touch. More of him. “No fair. I’m going to recover much faster than you.”

  His mouth followed his caresses across my rib cage. He stopped long enough to glance up and say, “We’ll see.”

  Ah, a challenge. One I gladly took up. After all, I’d wasted an entire year. I had a lot of catching up to do.

  So did he. His tongue danced around my clit in a conga move. My hips followed the rhythm. Down the line and back we went, the dance more frenzied each time. Flick flick flick flick thrust thrust, flick flick flick flick thrust thrust. Oh I loved the conga! I followed his lead with pleasure, fingers threaded through his hair. “Yes, Matt, yes!”

  We reached the end of the line, but I went out with a bang. A loud one, my howl of bliss muffled by the pillow. Going slack, I raised my knees when he eased atop me.

  “You were right,” I panted. “Now I need a minute.”

  “No, you don’t.” One smooth unfurling of the condom over his erection, and he guided himself inside me.

  Right again. The most delicious sensation I’d ever experienced. My senses on overload, I hooked my legs behind his. I wanted him to fill me up, to feel his body undulating against mine. Skin to skin, every movement increasing my need for more. I didn’t have to ask. We communicated at a primal level, each sensing the other’s needs and meeting them.

  I rode the bliss train along its rocky course. Faster and faster, we pistoned together until I thought one of us would faint. Not me, I was going to stay with this until I couldn’t move anymore.

  “Gen.” Everything about him strained; veins stood out along his neck, his arms. Arced over me, he thrust hard and deep and stayed there.

  “Oh God, Matt.” I held him so close, I felt his heart beating in time with mine. I wanted that moment to last.

  He collapsed on top of me with a breathless laugh and kissed me. “Amazing.”

  “You were.”

  He smoothed the hair from my sweaty forehead. “We’re amazing together.”

  I wouldn’t argue. I was too busy kissing him anyway.

  Chapter Four

  I don’t know how long we lay there, wrapped in each other’s arms. Hours or an eternity, it didn’t matter. Memories floated back to me, and without thinking, I voiced my thought. “Guess you weren’t surprised when Ray asked you to be his best man.”

  Matt’s fingers had lazily traced circles around my shoulder, but stopped. “Actually I’d talked to him once or twice since I moved away, so yeah, it did come as a surprise.”

  “You guys didn’t keep in touch? But you were so close before.”

  “I hung around him mostly because of you. Why did you stay with the jerk so long?”

  I grinned. “I think so I could be near you.”

  “You could have dated me instead.”

  Surprise erased all teasing. “You never asked.”

  He shifted to his side so we faced each other. “A terrible mistake. I’m asking now.”

  “I would, except the logistics have me stymied.” Probably why I’d met his earlier greeting with such reluctance, along with denial. Until tonight, I didn’t acknowledge the cocoon I’d constructed around myself. How wonderful to break free.

  He winced. “You mean the long distance thing.”

  Across the street seemed too far a distance now, let alone living on opposite coasts.

  He smoothed a stray hair from my cheek. “Word on the street is that San Diego’s wedding photographers suck.”

  God, he was so adorable when he embellished the truth. I traced the strong line of his jaw and asked, “Is that so? I didn’t realize they discussed such things on the street.”

  Heat sparking in his eyes, his nose touched mine. “Oh yeah, I’m hearing it everywhere. They’re searching for some fresh talent to put some zing back into the wedding albums.”

  Even his breath turned me on. I slid my foot along his leg. “Such a coincidence. I have zing to spare.”

  “I noticed.” He turned serious. “Come to San Diego with me. You’re the reason I came home. I came back for you.”

  His words echoed as if from a canyon deep inside my memory. The buzz in my head returned, and from the fog of my brain emerged a face—an old woman, full of more regrets than wrinkles. So familiar, and I had the feeling she meant to warn me that a chance existed her life didn’t need to be so miserable.

  Despite it all, I said, “It’s a bit sudden.”

  Serious, he eased away to study me. “I’ve thought about it for a year. I can’t go back without you.”

  “Maybe we could try the long distance thing first.” No, my brain screamed. Follow your heart.

  A wince, and then he smiled, but it held no warmth. “Sure.” Laden with intense disappointment, the word clunked against my heart.

  God, I was screwing this all up. “It’s just such a huge leap.” Could I sound any more pathetic?

  “I know. If you’re not ready, or it doesn’t feel right—”

  “It does.” I cupped his face and kissed him. “So right, it scares me.”

  “Me too. But sometimes we have to do what scares us. The uncertainty’s what makes life exciting, isn’t it?”

  Those words. I’d spoken them, but when? A long time ago. No—in the years to come. God, was I losing my mind?

  But hearing Matt say it, I knew it was true. My life could be exciting. And happy. Isn’t that what I wanted?

  A sudden moment of clarity arrested me. It struck me with such force, it would have knocked me over had I been standing. I remembered everything now – if not exactly how, at least the why. 1Night Stand. Madame Eve. Of course. Another memory flashed; that same old, unhappy woman making a desperate phone text.

  I repeated his words, “I came back for you.”

  He furrowed his brow. “Right, that’s what I said. You’re the reason I’m here. I love you, Genny.”

  A laugh bubbled up. “I love you, too.” Why else would I have risked everything–miserable as my existence had been—to travel back fifty years? I had come back for him, to fix the worst mistake of my life in letting him leave me. Don’t let him get away again!

  His mouth gaped in a huge smile. “So you’ll move to San Diego with me?”

  “I can’t let down those poor brides and grooms who need me.” I kissed his nose. “And I’d go bonkers without you.” Not a stretch, if unhappiness meant insanity. Now that I knew how wonderful life could be with Matt, I’d be crazy to give it up.

  “They don’t need you nearly as much as I do.” His long, slow kiss proved it. He broke away, excitement lighting his face. “You’re going to love it out there.” He began to describe the city, its museums, the beach with such enthusiasm, I already loved it.

  I settled in and listened, committing the moment to memory. I wanted to remember everything about this wedding. This night.

  I decided right then to give the photos to Ray as a wedding present. After all, he’d given me an even better one. The best man.

  No, wait—Ray hadn’t given that precious gift. Madame Eve had.

  I relaxed and nuzzled against Matt, and his arms enfolded me as he slept. My desperate phone call to her, however distant in the future, would never repeat.

  “Thank you, Madame Evangeline,” I whispered.

  No princess ever felt happier than I did in t
hat moment, certain my life now headed in the right direction. I’d make sure not to screw up this happy ending again.

  ~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~

  Cate Masters has made beautiful central Pennsylvania her home, but she’ll always be a Jersey girl at heart. When not spending time with her dear hubby, she can be found in her lair, concocting a magical brew of contemporary, historical, and fantasy/paranormal stories with her cat Chairman Maiow and dog Lily as company. Look for her at http://catemasters.blogspot.com, and in strange nooks and far-flung corners of the web.

  Cate loves to hear from readers. Email her at: [email protected]

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