Clayton crushed her to him. Sharp needles of sexual excitement were pricking his every nerve with the five words she had spoken. It was impossible to maintain any semblance of control, physically or emotionally. He drew in a tremulous breath. “And I want you, too, baby.” He then leaned down and kissed her deeply, tasting her fully.
The hours didn't pass fast enough for either of them before the ship finally returned to dock. Clayton drove the rental car back to the condo. Neither said anything. However, Syneda couldn't help but study his profile, exalting at the male strength and beauty of him. She couldn't stop her gaze from lingering on his lips. Lips that had masterfully kissed her for the first time that night and had her own still quivering in desire. They were lips that had awakened a craving within her so strong it had literally transformed her into another person; definitely not the cool, calm, levelheaded person she usually was.
She fidgeted restlessly in her seat, thinking about what would happen once they returned to the condo. She wanted the feel of Clayton's mouth on hers again. She wanted him to touch her all over. And more than anything, she wanted him to make love to her.
Sensing her anxiousness, a copy of his own, Clayton relieved one of his hands from the steering wheel and reached for her hand. Tenderly turning it over, he began tracing erotic circles in her palm. “This means I want you very much.”
Syneda's breath caught in her throat. She was stunned by the wild and dangerous feelings coursing through her from his words.
“Here at last,” Clayton said a few minutes later. At a brisk walk he came around to open the car door for her.
“Did you enjoy yourself tonight, Syneda?” he asked as they walked at a fast pace away from the car holding hands. Sexual tension between them was at its maximum. Small talk was the last thing either of them wanted to engage in.
“Yes, very much. What about you?”
His dimpled smile almost made her knees weaken. “I had a great time,” he replied, increasing his pace. The door to the condo was now only a few feet away.
“I'm glad,” Syneda said, almost having to run to keep up with him. Her heart was pounding with anticipation. When they finally made it to the door, he had the key in his hand. As they stood in front of the door facing each other, calming their deep, erratic breathing, Syneda gave Clayton a breathtaking smile.
He was surprised at his lightning-quick reaction to that smile. Drawing her closer, he enfolded her in his arms. Leaning down, he touched his lips to hers, kissing her deeply and simultaneously reaching for the door. Before he could use his key, the door was flung wide-open.
“It's about time the two of you got back!”
Clayton and Syneda broke apart and stared in surprised shock at the couple standing in the doorway.
“Justin! Lorren!” Syneda exclaimed in astonishment. She quickly recovered and threw her arms around them.
“Did we surprise you two?” Lorren Madaris asked speculatively, eyeing Clayton and Syneda with a sort of stunned expression on her face. “We arrived a few hours ago. When we discovered the two of you weren't here, Justin used the spare key to get in.”
Clayton hugged Lorren and shook hands with his oldest brother. Although he and Syneda had been well hidden in the shadows, it was apparent they had been doing a lot more than chitchatting outside the door.
“Surprise is putting it mildly,” Clayton muttered to them. His voice was as unwelcoming as his expression. “Your timing is lousy, big brother,” he whispered for Justin's ears only.
Justin Madaris gave Clayton a hard look. “Apparently it was right on time,” he whispered back.
“So what brings the two of you here?” Clayton asked, entering the condo, still holding Syneda's hand. “Whatever the reason, I hope it's a short visit.” He wasn't kidding. And to make sure Justin and Lorren knew it, the tone of his voice was deadly serious.
Evidently it wasn't serious enough. Both Justin and Lorren were smiling with a look that said, “Now that we see what you're up to, not on your life, buddy.”
After a moment of tense silence, Justin finally spoke. “Lorren has some news she just couldn't wait to share with Syneda. And your lack of phones in this condo made calling impossible.”
“Our lack of phones was to ensure complete privacy and avoid untimely and uninvited interruptions,” Clayton replied, placing emphasis on the last part of his sentence. “So what's your news, Lorren, that was so pressing you had to deliver it in person?” His eyes fell on the sister-in-law he had come to love and adore but at the moment wanted to strangle.
He couldn't help noticing her love-mussed clothes, tousled hair and slightly swollen lips. Despite not wanting to do so, he couldn't help smiling. Evidently Justin and Lorren had found a rather interesting way to pass the time while they had waited for him and Syneda to return.
Lorren's eyes sparkled with total happiness. “We're having another baby!”
“Lorren, that's wonderful! I'm so happy for the two of you.” Syneda threw her arms around Lorren, sharing her excitement.
Clayton couldn't help but roar in laughter. Now he had two pregnant sisters-in-law. Evidently his brothers had taken the good book's directive to be fruitful and replenish the earth rather seriously. “Somehow Lorren being pregnant again doesn't surprise me,” he said. “It really doesn't surprise me at all.”
Senator John Harris sat across the table from the other three men in the large conference room. They were all staring at him as if he'd lost his mind. He hated it whenever they stared at him like that.
Finally one of the men, Senator Carl Booker, spoke. “I think you're taking all of this too personal, John.”
“Because it is personal, Carl. Nedwyn Lansing and I have been at odds with each other since the first day we both arrived on Capitol Hill. The passage of that bill was important to me.”
Matthew Williams, the oldest senator in the group, spoke. “But it didn't pass, so I suggest you get over it. What you're proposing to do is crazy. I'm not all that fond of Lansing, none of us are, but I wouldn't deliberately do anything to destroy his political career.”
“That's why you and I are different, Mat. I would destroy his career in a minute if I had the right ammunition. All I'm proposing is to get someone to dig into his past, just in case something is there. No one can be that squeaky clean. Even George Washington had skeletons in his closet.”
“Forget it, John,” Senator Paul Dunlap said. “If the media hasn't uncovered any dirt on Lansing, then there isn't any to be found.”
The other men in the room nodded in full agreement.
Senator Harris fumed. “That's not necessarily true.” One by one he looked in the eyes of everyone at the table. “No one has found out about that twenty-two-year-old woman you've been two-timing your wife with for the past two years, Mat. Nor have they found out about your lovely teenage daughter's recent abortion, Paul. And last but not least, Carl, I really don't think anyone knows a thing about your son's drug addiction.”
Senator Harris's eyes crinkled at the corners at the surprised look on each of the men's faces. He had just stated information they all thought no one knew. “And don't insult my intelligence by denying any of it. I have everything I need to prove otherwise.”
“What do you want from us, Harris?” Dunlap asked in a voice with an edge to it. “It's getting late and I would like to make it home before midnight.”
“I want all three of you to back me on this. Ruining Lansing has to be a group effort. And another thing, he has too many close friends who happen to be Fortune 500 CEOs. I find it hard to believe he's never accepted any type of kickback from any of them.”
“I