Free Red Carpet Romance by Jean C. Joachim Page B

his hands along the bare skin facing him was too much.
    Quinn let go of the zipper pull and
glided his hand down the center of her naked back, enjoying the feel of her
silky skin. She’s warm and soft. She
stood still while he touched her tenderly, his fingers fanned out, moving up
and down her back. A soft sigh escaped her throat, and the sound made him grin.
    Again, he gripped the zipper pull
and slowly eased it up, sealing the strapless dress around her inviting flesh.
Bending down, he kissed her shoulder lightly, skimming his lips across her
skin, caressing her neck. She bent her head back, exposing more of the
sensitive column.
    “God that feels good,” she
whispered.
    He chuckled and continued touching
her, wrapping one arm around her waist. His gaze traveled over her shoulder and
peered down her chest to the swell of her breasts peeking out from the top of
the dress. Great rack. The diamond
necklace dangled from the hand she raised to his face. “Now this, please,” she
muttered, her eyes closing.
    He pushed her hair out of the way.
Again, he ran his fingertips over her as he draped the necklace around her
neck, taking extra time to fasten the clasp so he could keep his hands on her.
When he leaned down and kissed the nape of her neck, she sighed then took a few
steps forward. He feared his sharp intake of breath gave away his thoughts. She’s beautiful, incredibly beautiful.
    “You look fabulous. Gorgeous.” The
shimmering silver of the dress played off the gray of her eyes, making them
sparkle like sterling. Light makeup highlighted her peaches-and-cream
complexion and intriguing eyes. Her hair, almost black, was shiny, reflecting
the light as it swayed slightly around her shoulders. Her cleavage, inviting
his touch, captured his gaze before it headed all the way down to her pink
toenails. The cut of the gown emphasized her inviting curves. She looked like a
sexy movie star.
    A blush-pink lipstick on her
luscious lips drew his attention. So
kissable. He licked his lips unconsciously while she chuckled. He said, “I
could spend the evening here with you…if…”
    “I know. Come on. Let me tie that
tie.”
    A sweet, gentle fragrance tantalized
his nose. Standing so close to her, he could smell the fresh scent of her hair
along with her perfume. He longed to run his fingers through the glossy locks
poised at eye level. Resting his hands on her bare shoulders did nothing to
calm him down. Unable to resist a caress of her satiny skin, his touch made her
shiver slightly.
    “If you’re going to do that, I’ll
never get this tie straight.” She looked up into his eyes, tempting him to kiss
her.
    “It isn’t easy.”
    “What isn’t easy?” She took the ends
of the tie in her hands.
    “Not touching…you’re standing so
close. And I…well…”
    She laughed. “Turning you on, eh?”
Her fingers rested on his neck.
    “Maybe,” he lied. Definitely. Keep touching me.
    “Pull yourself together, or we’ll be
here all night.” Her gaze left his and centered on his tie.
    “What an idea!” He wiggled his
eyebrows, making her giggle and slap his shoulder. Quinn fought for
self-control, stilling his hands and willing his thoughts away from making love
to Susanna. He stood still while she pulled and twisted the cloth into a tight,
neat bowtie. He glanced in the hall mirror and nodded. “Like a professional,”
he muttered.
    “Told ya!” She beamed at him.
    The buzzer rang, and Quinn let in
the babysitter, a woman named Mrs. Evans. Susanna spent twenty minutes telling
her everything. Mrs. Evans changed Junior and prepared his dinner. The baby
switched his gaze back and forth from Susanna to Mrs. Evans and back again. His
chin quivered.
    “We’d better get out of here before
Junior goes postal,” Quinn whispered. He took her elbow and escorted her toward
the door. She grabbed a borrowed, ermine stole that came with the dress, and
they were off. As they closed the door, they heard soft words from Mrs.