Lead Me From Temptation (Divine Darkness Book 1) Read online

  “See?” He kissed my neck. “Grandma Indie and I know.”

  “David.”

  “Don’t say no, Indie. You know as well as I do that this feels more right than anything. I know you feel it too.”

  I couldn’t deny his words. He’d given me chills from the moment I met him. Still I had to say the words. “This isn’t right. I’m your employee.”

  “What difference does that make?” he asked as he embraced me tightly and kissed my neck, making me weak in the knees.

  “It makes–” I tried to say as he took my mouth again, hungry for more. “It makes all the difference, David.”

  He paused for a moment, placing his hands back on my face. “Tell me this. If you didn’t work for GlobalTech, would you feel differently? About us? About this?”

  “Of course,” I said as I ran my hands down either side of his lapels. “It wouldn’t be a conflict of interest.”

  “Indie?”

  “Yes.”

  He smiled and gave me a sarcastic laugh. “You’re fired.”

  We got out of the restaurant as quickly as David could pay so we could walk the streets of Rome. My skin tingled each time he touched me and I thought perhaps I was more anxious to make love to David than even he was to take me.

  We stopped only momentarily at the Trevi Fountain on our walk back from dinner. I was squirmy with excitement and could barely listen to David as he talked about it. The marble monstrosity was close to one hundred feet long and in the center stood a statue of Ocean who was carried by two horses with Tritons.

  David pulled a gold Euro from his pocket and placed it lovingly in my fingers. Turning me by the waist with his hands, I melted each time he touched me. “Legend says if you toss your coin over your left shoulder and into the fountain,” he began. “You seal your fate to return someday to Rome.”

  I closed my eyes and tossed the coin over my shoulder, waiting to hear the plink in the water. “Aren’t you going to do it too?”

  He shook his head and said nothing, but took me by the hand, leading me to a small fountain on the left side of the beautifully lit and romantic rush of water. “What’s this?”

  “This is the best legend of Trevi Fountain. If a couple drinks from the small fountain of lovers, they will be forever faithful to one another.”

  The fountain was simple—a stone trough that captured two streams of water coming from either side. I looked into David’s eyes and a wave of tingling chills ran through my body as he pulled me with him over the basin. We leaned in together, pursing our lips. The water rushed over our mouths as we kissed. David let out a moan as he parted my lips with his tongue. The sweet invasion of cool water mixed with elation made me tremble and he responded by kissing me deeper.

  As we pulled away David drew me to him by the waist, my mouth still dripping with magical wishes and Roman water.

  “Never leave me, Indriel Luce.”

  He pressed me against the side of the fountain and my body began to quiver from the inside out. I wanted this man like I’d never wanted anything in my life.

  Running his finger along the slippery wetness of my mouth, he captured my lips with hungry urgency.

  As he pressed his hips into mine I could feel the evidence of his instant arousal. Pulling away and gasping for breath he stopped. “I want you. Now.”

  A crack of thunder overhead startled me and as it began to sprinkle he took me by the hand, hurrying down the street as if we were late to something extremely important.

  “Mi scusi,” he said loudly as we weaved in and out of the tourists, making our way back to the Spanish Steps. “Mi dispiace.” He apologized to each group we rushed through.

  When we made it to the bottom of the one hundred and thirty-five steps another bolt of lightning struck and I screamed as it began to pour. I was going to have to run the steps with him to the top. I grabbed his arm for a moment as I pulled each sling-back pump from my feet, dangling them on my finger.

  “God, I can’t handle you taking off another thing. Let’s go.” The rain soaked his face. He was the sexiest thing I’d ever seen.

  Taking my hand we raced to the top. He shouted more apologies as we hurried. If I’d known how to say this is a sex emergency in Italian, I would have.

  We reached the top, out of breath and smiling. We took two steps inside the hotel before he swept me off my feet and carried me to the elevator as we both dripped, soaking from the storm outside. A spontaneous round of applause erupted as he demonstrated his chivalry and I buried my head in embarrassment.

  The elevator attendant held the door for us and as we climbed aboard, I whispered in David’s ear. “You’re wicked.”

  “You have no idea.”

  We took the elevator to the twelfth floor and I pulled my head from his chest to give him a puzzled look.

  “You don’t really think I stay in the same suite with my father.”

  The elevator chimed and as David carried me to the double doors of his suite I began to panic. What was I about to do? I was going to sleep with my boss’s son and at the same time I knew I was about to make love to the man of my dreams.

  David sat me down outside the door and kissed me on the neck, lingering as he slid the key card from his pocket. One click later he opened the door and nodded for me to enter.

  The room was nearly an identical match to mine, but with more space. I looked around as he dropped the key card on the table just inside the door as my nerves started to get the best of me.

  He spun me around to face him and immediately planted a warm kiss on my quivering lips as he pinned me to the nearest wall.

  “You’re shivering from the rain, baby.”

  I nodded, unable to speak as I gazed at the steely stare that made my heart race.

  “We should get you out of these clothes before you catch a cold.”

  I nodded a second time as I suddenly became acutely aware of what I was about to consent to. What if I didn’t do it for him? I’d read of his past escapades in the pages of People magazine. There had been models, movie stars, but never a hospice nurse from Barlow, Georgia. My heart beat through my chest as he continued to stare at me, waiting for me to say something.

  Running his hands down my arms and across the slippery wetness of my skin, I dropped my head in submission as I gave in to the warmth of his strength. I turned my head to one side, inviting him in for more. He began to trace the edge of my collarbone with his tongue, dotting his trail with soft kisses. I moaned and opened my eyes to find him sexily smiling at me. Placing both hands behind my neck, he unzipped the tight red fabric, pulling it forward and over my shoulders. I gasped, not knowing what he was expecting or if I was meeting those expectations.

  Dropping to his knees, he pulled what was left of the wet fabric to the floor leaving me standing in a beige silk bra and matching G-string. I ran my hands through his thick mane of hair, something I’d fantasized about since meeting him the first time as he kissed my stomach and flicked my navel with his tongue, nearly causing me to buckle at the knees.

  He stood and I slid the wet suit coat from his broad shoulders, allowing it to fall to the floor in a heap. “What’s this around your neck?” he asked as he nodded to the gold Hamsa still hanging between my breasts.

  “It’s stuck. I can’t get it off. I don’t even remember putting it on,” I said as I opened the gold links that held his cuffs intact. I unbuttoned him, working my way up his starched shirt, sliding it off his shoulders and exposing his tight core. I ran my hands across the warm hard muscles of his tanned chest—his body reacting to my touch. Dropping my fingers to his waistband I looked back to him.

  “Don’t make me beg,” he whispered.

  I unhooked his belt and unbuttoned the top of his tailor-made pants, unzipping them slowly. Grabbing my hands, David directed me to push the pants over his narrow and muscular hips.

  He moved swiftly, like a wild cat as he picked me up and placed me on the bed without a sound. I wanted him. I wanted him so b
adly. He slid my sheer panties down my legs slowly, and with a moan I gave into the temptation that was David Thornbury.

  Pressing into me, he kissed his way back to my mouth before sliding his hand behind me to unhook what was left of my defenses. “Indie, I’ve wanted you since the moment I met you and your beautiful violet eyes,” he said between kisses.

  There was so much I wanted to say—so much I should’ve said but instead I closed my eyes, nodded and uttered two words. “Me too.”

  I caressed his back as he ground his tight body into me. Hooking my thumbs into the waistband of his black briefs, he rolled on his back taking me with him, giving me unspoken permission to liberate his engorged flesh.

  As he pulled me tightly against his chest I could feel my secret center aching for him. “Don’t ever leave me, Indie.”

  The words startled me at first but at the same time were comforting. I was about to make the best decision or the worst mistake of my life. Somehow it didn’t matter. It felt right, as if David and I had a connection beyond the earthly world.

  “No,” I gasped, desperate for him.

  Rolling me over he sat up, his throbbing manhood resting on my stomach. Reaching for the nightstand, he pulled out a condom. Before I could blink or even take a breath, David positioned himself above me and kissed me deeply. I felt a wave of warmth envelop my body, thinking this is what love feels like.

  “Say you’ll love me forever, Indie.”

  Reckless for him to be inside me I fought for air. “I’ll love you forever, David.”

  Carefully he caressed my neck as he slid the leather cord over my head.

  “How’d you—”

  “Shhhh,” he whispered as he touched his finger to my lips before kissing me. I writhed below him in anticipation.

  “You are all mine, Indie.”

  He buried himself deep inside me as I let out a punctuated gasp. “Yes.”

  TWENTY-FOUR

  I glanced at the clock next to my bed as I closed the door to my suite. It was four-thirty in the morning. Leaning against the door I had to smile. I’d just experienced the best night of my life and definitely the best lovemaking.

  Between the jet lag and the sex, I was wide awake and sneaking from David’s bed had been easier than I thought it would be. I’d had to slide from his warm embrace to use the bathroom, and decided to dress and find my way back to my own room before the hotel or, God forbid, Lewis began to stir. I’d grabbed everything I could, but my panties were nowhere to be found. I only hoped David would find them before the maid or worse, his father.

  I turned on the lights in my room and I realized what a mess I’d left it in. I needed to shower and then tackle the paperwork and finish unpacking my things. If David wanted to come to my room the last thing I wanted was to look like the scatterbrain I was.

  I unzipped my dress and thought of David’s hands doing the same just hours before. I hung it on the side of the claw foot tub and unhooked my bra, as I turned on the water in the oversized marble shower.

  The warmth engulfed me as the hot steam filled my lungs. I relived every moment as I washed my hair and body. The shower gel I smoothed across my stomach reminded me of the way David had so carefully touched me—as if he was afraid of hurting me.

  I wanted to stay in the warm water forever and daydream of the night before, but I knew Lewis would soon be up and I needed to make up for being late last night.

  After drying my hair and choosing one of my own sundresses for my day of sightseeing, I applied the tiniest bit of make up and went to work on my room, putting away the remaining items from the suitcase and organizing all the shoes in the closet.

  I finished and turned to admire my work. The bed was still rumpled from where I’d taken the nap I was told not to and since I’d hung do not disturb on the door, the staff had not been in to turn down the bed.

  I quickly made it up, placing all the fancy pillows back where they came from and nodded. “Okay, Indie. Now you’re getting back on top of things.”

  I turned to my box of medical supplies and began to take inventory. I had more than enough meds and even some just-in-case items for Lewis. Surprisingly, he’d been tolerating the chemo pills like a champion. Of course we were merely a week and a half in, but so far no nausea and seemingly no real side effects. His headaches weren’t any worse than before and he was clearly more tired, but that was to be expected. He had a tumor the size of a small orange pushing on the inside of his head.

  I wanted to look over his chart before calling Dr. Beaman this morning. The moment the thought crossed my mind I realized what I’d done. “Shit,” I muttered. My messenger bag with Lewis’s chart and information, along with my stethoscope and blood pressure cuff were lying on the floor of David’s hotel room—with my lost panties.

  I turned in a complete circle, wondering what to do when I knew there was no other choice but to wake David early and get my bag. The question was how to go about it. I could call and wake him, I could text and tell him to bring it to me before my seven a.m. meeting with his dad, or I could just go down to his room and knock on the door.

  I glanced at the clock again. It was only 5:30, but I had a good hour’s worth of paperwork to document all of Lewis’ pills and vitals for the last forty-eight hours before calling Dr. Beaman in the States.

  I picked up the hotel phone and did my best to remember what room we made love in on the twelfth floor. I was such an idiot and too enamored with David to notice last night and too worried about being caught in my walk of shame to look this morning.

  I dialed zero and hoped the hotel operator could connect me.

  “Pronto!”

  Dammit to hell, I couldn’t speak enough Italian to explain what I wanted. I took a shot. “Um…I need…Mi connettersi…Mr. David Thornbury la stanzetta? His room?”

  “You need me to connect you to Mr. David Thornbury’s room, miss?” The operator had taken pity on me and my crappy Italian.

  I breathed a sigh of gratitude. “Thank heavens you speak English.”

  “Of course, Miss Luce.”

  “I need to be connected to his private room on the twelfth floor. Dodici? Per favore?”

  “Un momento.”

  A tone rang and repeated. “This better be good.” David’s deep voice mixed with a morning hoarseness that only came from being half asleep was beautiful music to my ears. Still I hated that I’d woken him.

  “David, it’s Indie.”

  “Wait, what?” I heard the muffled sound of the pillows and covers around him. “Where are you?”

  “I left my messenger bag in your room last night and I need it.”

  “Baby, baby, baby.” Everything he said was seductive to me and I felt a twinge of delight between my tightly crossed thighs. “When did you sneak off, love?”

  “Early. I didn’t want to wake you.”

  “Oh, but you did.”

  “I know.” I sighed heavily. I didn’t know if it was because I felt bad for waking him or because everything he said to me caused me to breathe a little faster with excitement. “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be. At least this way I still get to wake up with you.”

  I put my hand over my mouth, trying my best to contain the nervous laughter bubbling up from inside me. Everything David Thornbury said made me feel like I mattered—and mattered more than just the nurse who could alleviate pain and console families and patients.

  “Indie?”

  “I’m still here. I…just…” I wanted to tell him how much our evening together meant to me, but somehow the words wouldn’t form in my mouth. And then he said them for me.

  “Last night was the best night of my life, Indie. I wanted to tell you that in person this morning, but alas, my bed is cold and empty without you next to me.”

  I wound the telephone cord around my finger in a giddy titter. I didn’t know what to say. All I could come up with was, “Me too.”

  There was a lingering silence I felt no need to break as I c
radled the phone into my neck.

  “Shall I bring you your bag?”

  “That would be nice.” I said the words almost in a whisper as I matched his quiet and seductive tone.

  “See you in ten?”

  “Okay…and David?”

  “Yes?”

  I sat down on the bed and closed my eyes tightly, thinking if I said the words fast they wouldn’t sound so much like hooker-speak. “I seemed to have misplaced my panties. Do you mind to look for them in your room?”

  “Don’t mind at all. I love having my hands in your panties.”

  After a quick call with Dr. Beaman and my meeting with Lewis in order to chart his vitals, I was on my own. Lewis and David had business meetings all day and a dinner tonight. My instructions were to be waiting for Lewis after his long day was over. In the meantime, I had my Fodor’s Italy, a map and a translator—a gift from David—all in my bag and was anxious to discover the beauty of Rome.

  Armed with my umbrella—it had been storming since David and I’d run back to the hotel last night—I took to the streets.

  As I wound my way through town I loved the smells from the bakeries and listening to people chat and argue in the open-air market. After touring the Coliseum and the grounds of the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill I walked to a small café and sat for coffee. The steady rain had subsided and the sun tried its best to peek out of the clouds. I looked above to the umbrella attached to my small café table and watched the water drip slowly to the cobblestone beneath my now soggy sandals. I didn’t care. I was in Rome, a place I’d longed to visit my entire life.

  As I sipped on my cappuccino I thought of my night with David and began to run scenarios in my head of how it could possibly play out.

  Would Lewis stand for it? Would we have to wait to be together until after Lewis crossed over? If David truly wanted to be with me, wouldn’t Lewis want to know that his son was happy? All of these thoughts clouded my mind as I reminded myself that I was in their employ. I was officially banging the boss and even though it wasn’t Lewis, it was to a certain extent. David was poised to be the next CEO of GlobalTech and I was his lover. I took a sip of my coffee and stared off into the busy street and wondered, did this make me no better than Madge?