Once Upon A Mattress Read online

  Amelia knew Leanne didn’t have a malicious bone in her body and hadn’t meant to imply that Amelia’s admirer was a copycat with no imagination. All the same, the comment rankled. Probably anything Leanne said would have rankled, considering that she was about to spend the evening with Will. Amelia would spend the evening alone—at least once she got rid of Peterson.

  The orchids looked fantastic on her coffee table, almost as if Peterson had seen the color scheme of her living room and chosen them for that reason. Lucky guess on his part, she thought. And no matter how thrilled she was with the bouquet, he still wouldn’t be invited in. After the incident in the storeroom she avoided being alone with him.

  If he was offended and withdrew his franchise offer, she could live with that. Lately the thought of going to New York had only been appealing because she’d escape seeing Leanne and Will as a couple. In fact, her usual interest in promoting her business seemed to have waned considerably.

  She longed to change into the soft terry loungewear she’d bought herself not long ago, but she didn’t dare when Peterson might show up any minute. So she settled for taking off her suit jacket and her shoes, and pouring herself half a glass of chardonnay.

  “Happy Valentine’s Day, kid,” she toasted herself as she stood in her living room admiring the orchids. “You’re one hell of a businesswoman, and you even have orchids from a secret admirer.” The usual congratulations she gave herself after a banner day of sales comforted her not a lick, and the orchids gave her little pleasure because they’d come from the wrong man. Her thoughts went inevitably to Will, and what he might be doing with Leanne at this very moment.

  Amelia stared into the pale liquid in her glass and admitted to herself that she’d give every dime she’d made from Bedroom Fantasies if she could trade places with Leanne tonight. Her precious business that she’d nurtured so carefully over the years meant nothing if she couldn’t have the man she loved.

  And she loved him. Once she’d thought of her feelings as a crush, a passing episode of lust. But this was more than a mere physical craving. She could find physical satisfaction elsewhere, but there was only one Will, and without the prospect of having him in her life, all that she’d worked for seemed meaningless.

  She finished her half glass of wine and stood there wondering if she dared have any more. She’d need to be clearheaded when Peterson came to her door to take credit for his orchids. She ought to fix herself something to eat, but she wasn’t the least bit hungry. As she weighed her options, the doorbell chimed.

  Here we go. Amelia grimaced. Sliding her feet into her shoes, she set her wineglass on the coffee table next to the bouquet of orchids. She refused to feel guilty about the flowers. Peterson could probably write them off as a business expense. He probably had some secretary in New York make up that phrase about orchids seeking the fire of the sun, considering that he didn’t strike her as a wordsmith. Preparing herself for the sight of Peterson looking smug, she gazed through the peephole in her door.

  At first she thought she was hallucinating. Desire had driven her crazy enough to think she was seeing the man she wanted standing outside her condo. She blinked and looked again. His sport coat, navy slacks and open-necked dress shirt added to her disorientation. She’d never seen him dressed like that.

  Her heartbeat picked up speed as she finally acknowledged that Will was not a figment of her imagination. Had his date with Leanne gone wrong? She hardly dared hope such a thing. Maybe Leanne was waiting out in the car while Will came to the door to ask if they could both have tomorrow off. She braced herself for yet another round of blows to her heart as she unlocked the door.

  Hands shoved in his slacks pockets, he gazed at her without speaking for several seconds.

  She swallowed. They hadn’t faced each other alone since the incident in the display window. “Is ...something wrong?”

  “No.” He sounded a little hoarse. “May I come in?”

  She forced herself to be gracious. “Is Leanne out in the car? She’s welcome to come in, too. I was just having some wine, if either of you would like a glass.”

  He looked confused. “Leanne?” Then his expression cleared. “No, she’s not out in the car.”

  “Where is she, then?” He glanced at his watch. “She might still be at the restaurant with Troy. Depends on whether they decided to have dessert.”

  Amelia stared at him. He was making no sense. Finally she stepped back from the door. “I guess you’d better come in and explain what’s going on. I seem to have lost my place in this story. Why is Troy at the restaurant with Leanne?”

  Will didn’t answer her question as he walked past her. Instead he glanced at the orchids. “Nice flowers.”

  “They’re from Peterson. I thought you were him, as a matter of fact. Now why on earth did you include Troy in your dinner?” She was still prepared for Will to ask her for tomorrow off. Maybe at the last minute he’d taken pity on Troy’s dateless situation and invited him to tag along to the restaurant, although that seemed like a truly bizarre thing to do when this was the night Will was unveiling himself as Leanne’s secret admirer.

  “Is that offer of wine still good?” he asked.

  She was totally confused. “Uh, sure. I’ll ...get you a glass.” As she hurried toward the kitchen she tried to imagine why he would sit here with her and drink wine, leaving Troy and Leanne at the restaurant. Maybe ...but she dared not speculate. Her heart was too fragile to take another roller coaster ride.

  When she returned with the chilled bottle and a second glass, she found him seated on the couch. He leaned forward to stroke one finger over an orchid petal. Desire slammed into her as she remembered the pleasure of his touch on her heated skin. She gripped the cold wine bottle and pushed the memory away.

  “So these are from Peterson?” he asked.

  “I’m afraid so.” She sat on the couch but put a decent distance between them. He wouldn’t catch her giving him that needy look ever again. “I’ve tried to let him know I’m not interested in a personal relationship, but I doubt he’s used to taking no for an answer.” She poured a glass of wine for each of them and handed him his glass.

  He took it and raised it in her direction. His dark gaze held hers. “Here’s to those who seek the fire.”

  The glass slipped from her fingers and bounced on the carpet, splashing wine over her legs and Will’s slacks. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. There was a roaring in her ears and she began to tremble.

  Will paid no attention to the spilled wine as he continued to look deep into her eyes. Slowly he put his glass on the table, but he made no move to touch her. “So there it is,” he said softly. “Troy’s taking my place tonight because I couldn’t go. Not after what we...” He paused and took a shaky breath. “What happened between us was more than j ust a chance encounter for me, Amelia. I can’ t pretend otherwise. If that’s all it was for you, then I’ll walk out of here and you’ll never have to trouble yourself about me again.”

  She shook her head violently, but her vocal cords still refused to work. She felt as if she’d just emerged from a dark cave into blinding light, and she was so dazzled that she couldn’t comprehend where she was. Will had sent the orchids.

  “Obviously I’ve made you speechless with this little revelation.” He smiled faintly. “I wish I could tell if you’re speechless with happiness or horror.”

  That tiny smile of his wrenched her heart, but she didn’t realize she was crying until he leaned over and brushed his thumb across her cheek.

  “Hey,” he murmured. “Don’t—”

  With a moan, she flung herself into his arms and began kissing his mouth, his cheeks, his nose.

  “Oh, God.” He grabbed her face in both hands and held her still so that he could capture her mouth with his. His kiss tasted of longing and triumph. Still kissing her, he slipped one arm around her shoulders and the other under her knees before he stood upright, bringing her with him.

  She knew exactly
what he had in mind as he carried her back to her bedroom. Joy rushed through her. He would be the first and only man to make love to her in the bed that was her ultimate fantasy, the bed she’d designed, unconsciously, for this moment of surrender to the man she would love for the rest of her life.

  ———

  WILL WONDERED WHEN he would wake up. Any minute now the warm, sensual woman in his arms would disappear, along with the ivory and silver bed where they lay. The rapid sound of her breathing would be replaced by the buzz of his alarm clock and he’d roll over and realize he was late for class.

  But, by God, until that happened, he was going to enjoy himself. He would caress her in ways that turned the light in her eyes into a blaze of desire, and then he’d taste and nibble his way over her body until she moaned with pleasure. For the space of this dream she was his—her silken skin glistening with the dew of passion, her touch as eager as his.

  She abandoned herself completely to him, becoming his fantasy woman filled with unrestrained passion. No shyness, no barriers stood between them as he pushed the boundaries and found her to be his willing partner in anything he asked. The possibilities were endless, and he wanted to try them all, but finally she begged him for that final joining. As she pleaded, the white-hot need to sink deep into her quickly blotted out everything else.

  As he rose above her, he decided to risk everything. He might as well make this dream perfect in every way. He gazed into her eyes. “I love you,” he said. “Marry me. Have children with me.”

  “Yes.” Her smile trembled and her eyes filled with tears. “Yes.”

  Perfect. He pushed deep, expecting that moment to be the trigger that would jolt him awake. Instead he gasped at the intensity of the connection. He looked into her eyes and saw the same shock of recognition, as if she, too, had found what she’d been seeking all her life.

  “I love you, Will,” she whispered. “I’ll always love you.”

  Dazed by the force of what he was experiencing, he stayed locked against her for a moment. Then he drew back and slid home again, finding the same sense of completion. And again, and again, as she rose to meet him and held his gaze captive.

  He saw her climax building in her eyes, felt his own match her rhythm. As if their bodies vibrated with the same frequency, her shock waves sent him over the edge, and through it all they held each other’s gaze ...and drank of each other’s soul.

  Slowly the trembling stopped, yet Will couldn’t look away. “I’m dreaming this,” he murmured.

  “No. It’s real.”

  He shook his head. “I know a dream when I see one. I have to say this is the best so far, but it fits right into the pattern of my dreams about you, so I’m sure it’s not real.”

  Her mouth curved into a smile. “You’ve been dreaming about making love to me in this bed?”

  “Ever since I saw it. And now I’m going to wake up, and—ow! You pinched my—”

  She chuckled. “Now do you believe you’re awake?”

  He stared at her in disbelief. “No! Amelia, you just said you’d marry me!”

  “Which I absolutely intend to do.”

  “Look, this can’t be real.”

  “Want another pinch?” He reached behind him and grabbed her hand. “No, thanks.” He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her fingers. “Amelia ...I’m a poor college student, and you’re a rich businesswoman, and you’re going to New York, and—”

  “I’m not going to New York. I have a wedding to plan. And lots more love to make.”

  “Now wait a minute. You have a chance at a very important franchise on Fifth Avenue. You can’t give that up just because of me.”

  “Now you wait a minute.” She pulled free of his grip and cradled his face in both hands. “You’re the first person to notice that this business is a walking advertisement for the kind of person I am, deep inside. It may look as if all I care about is the bottom line, but in reality, all I care about is finding a man to love, a man who will share my fantasies. I don’t give a damn about a franchise on Fifth Avenue. It was only a substitute until you came along.”

  “But you’re throwing away—”

  “Nothing. Unless you didn’t mean it when you asked me to marry you.” Her eyes clouded. “After all, you were operating under the assumption this was all a dream.”

  The words came easily, as if he’d learned them before he was born. “My dream is to spend the rest of my life with you.” Her lower lip trembled and she sniffed. “Oh, Will. I want to spend mine with you, too. Now kiss me.”

  His voice grew husky as he leaned down, his lips close to hers. “I love you.”

  “And I love you. We’re going to have a wonderful time, Will.”

  He brushed his lips over hers, still hardly believing that he’d be allowed to do that until they were old and gray. “Do you ...think I should resign?”

  “Resign?” She traced his lower lip with her tongue. “Just when I’ll finally be able to stroll back to the storeroom and ogle your buns with a clear conscience? I think not.”

  He smiled. “Does it work both ways? Because I have some ogling to catch up on, myself.”

  “Really?”

  “Really.” He leaned down and nibbled her earlobe, breathing in her perfume as desire stirred in him again. “In fact, I was just wondering what grouping you’re planning to use in the display window, now that Valentine’s Day is over.”

  “I thought I’d use that new collection that just came in, Erotic Egypt.” She paused as the meaning of his question finally occurred to her.

  “Would you like to help me arrange it some evening this week?”

  He lifted his head and looked into her eyes. “I’m your man.”

  She smiled and drew him down to her waiting mouth. “I like the sound of that.”