Grounds for Seduction (Seattle Steam) Read online

  Now all I have to do is draw in business. That shouldn’t be too hard. She’d arranged to have a dollar-off coupon run in the Seattle Times with an announcement of her grand opening.

  Madison glanced at the clock hanging on the wall, an Art Deco antique she’d paid way too much for but looked fabulous.

  Her heart sank. Seven already. She’d stayed all day yesterday and too long today as it was. Gabe wasn’t going to show. She might as well admit it.

  What a disappointment, because she’d made a point of looking ultra-sexy today. Low-rise jeans and a clingy black T-shirt that read They’re Real hugged her breasts.

  Okay, maybe it was on the suggestive side. But she really wanted this to happen with Gabe. So the word discreet was just going to have to be eliminated from her vocabulary.

  She moved toward the door and yelped when a figure stepped up to the glass. Her shoulders relaxed. It was Gabe. Her stomach dipped with nerves as she realized what that meant. Gabe was actually here. He’d shown up.

  He gave a light tap on the window and gestured for her to unlock the door.

  Nice, Madison, stare at him through a locked door and look like an idiot. She fumbled with the lock on the door and swung it inward.

  “Hey there.” She smiled, watching him from under her lashes. “I didn’t think you were going to show this weekend. Welcome to my little coffee shop.”

  Gabe seemed to hesitate before he stepped across the threshold. “This is a nice part of Seattle for you to set up business in. It looks great. How did you afford it?”

  “Part loan, part parents,” Madison replied, a bit breathless. He looked even better tonight than he had on Friday. He was such a jeans and T-shirt guy.

  “I picked the location because it’s more residential, meaning more parking. I want my customers to linger.” She took in a rapid, nervous breath.

  Gabe nodded and settled down in one of the chairs at a table.

  “Have you hired any employees?”

  Madison sat across from him. “Sarah. She’s been a barista with Starbucks for three years. I offered her a five-dollar raise if she quit and came to work for me. She’s in college and could seriously use the extra cash. She’s a goddess at making espresso drinks.”

  “Along with you, right?”

  “Honestly? No, not so much.” She grimaced. “Until yesterday, I’d never made a latté in my life. Hell, I could barely make a pot of coffee.”

  He blinked, seeming stunned by the news. “You don’t know how to make espresso? And you’re opening your own coffee shop?”

  “Will you please give me some credit, Gabe?” She sighed. “I’ve downed a ton of the stuff.”

  “Are you kidding me?”

  “No. Look, I worked at that café in Italy for a year. I saw them doing it. I just never did it myself.” She stood. “I know what you’re thinking, but you’re wrong. The people I’m leasing the espresso equipment from gave me lessons, and I’ll make coffee when I need to. But that’s why I hired Sarah. She’s my barista. I’m just managing things and working the cash register for now.”

  “Yeah…”

  “There’s money in coffee, Gabe. The latté I charge almost three dollars for only costs me like a sixth of that. Cup included.” She leaned over him and whispered, “Trust me. I know exactly what I’m doing.”

  His eyes met hers, and she caught her breath. It looked like coffee was the last thing on his mind. His gaze dropped to her breasts, which were at his eye level, and her nipples tightened in anticipation.

  “Really?”

  Her pulse raced as heat shot straight between her legs. Had he noticed her body’s reaction? But his comment sounded amused.

  Of course. How could she have forgotten so quickly what her shirt said?

  She jerked back and hurried around the counter to the espresso equipment. “You left the party early on Friday night. Did you hear that Eric and Lannie got engaged?”

  “Yeah. Eric told me earlier in the night he was planning on popping the question. Do they have a date yet?”

  “Are you kidding?” Madison started preparing his mocha. “By the end of the night, she’d picked a date, a caterer, and a location.”

  “Hmm. I guess she wasn’t too surprised by the proposal, either.”

  “Yeah, not so much.” Madison grated a bit of a chocolate bar on top of the drink and carried it out to him. “Lannie asked me to be a bridesmaid. I think it’s a pity position because I’m Eric’s sister. God knows, she has enough friends.”

  “I’m the best man.” Gabe stared down at the drink she’d placed in front of him. “Is this coffee?”

  “It’s a mocha. And I know you said you don’t like coffee, but it’s good. I promise. Just try it.”

  He picked up the wide mug and brought it to his mouth. His lips pursed as he blew on the steaming liquid.

  Just think, soon those lips could be all over my body.

  He took a sip and then swallowed. His expression remained the same, until he gave a brief smile.

  “Um, I like what you did with the chocolate on top.”

  “Thanks. I’m a chocolate activist.”

  Madison walked back toward the counter, cringing as her elbow bumped the straws and sent them tumbling to the floor.

  “Oh crap.” She bent down to pick them up.

  She retrieved the straws, realizing it had gotten very quiet. She glanced over her shoulder to where he was sitting. His attention was on her ass, which immediately shifted when he realized she had turned to look at him.

  Well, maybe that accident hadn’t been so bad after all.

  “It’s good, huh?” she asked and turned her attention back to the straws. “Your mocha.”

  “It’s…pretty damn good.”

  Madison clutched the straws and deposited them in the garbage.

  She came back and sat beside him. He glanced everywhere but at her. His mocha, the door, the wall full of ceramic mugs.

  “Gabe?”

  He faced her, almost with reluctance.

  “Can I get you anything else? Do you want some biscotti? Maybe a bagel?” Here went nothing. “Or how do you feel about blowjobs?”

  Chapter Two

  Damn.

  Gabe bit back a groan. Thank God, his lower body was hidden under the table so Madison couldn’t see the way his cock had jumped to immediate attention.

  “I don’t drink,” he answered, trying to play it off like she’d been referring to the shot.

  Her laugh turned husky. “I don’t sell alcohol.”

  He’d had every intention of not showing up this weekend. But then he’d had a reason to come and he’d searched like an idiot trying to find that business card she’d handed him. For the life of him, he couldn’t remember that reason now.

  And, God, was he going to pay for it. Just leave. Say no, and leave. Or he could just pretend she hadn’t said that last bit.

  “Bagel.”

  She seemed surprised, almost offended. “A…bagel?”

  Maddie sighed. “Okay, in case you haven’t noticed, I’m not being subtle here, Gabe. What’s the problem?”

  The blatant invitation made him grow harder. His hands itched to pull her onto his lap and rip the They’re Real shirt off her full breasts and feel for himself. But that wasn’t going to happen. He’d tempted fate enough by coming here, and damn it, he had to get out while he still could.

  “I appreciate your directness.” He tried an apologetic smile, but his words were obviously not what she wanted to hear. “And I’d hoped to save you some embarrassment by not answering your question.”

  “Embarrassment?” She stood and walked toward the door.

  “Maddie, a man would have to be an idiot to not want to have sex with you.”

  “All right, and we both know you’re not an idiot. So what’s the problem?” She reached the door and flipped off the light switch, making the room dark except for the neon glow from the grocery store sign across the street.

  Ah, shit. �
�Look, of course I want to have sex with you. You’re sexy as hell. But I can’t do it. It’s not worth the mess it’ll create.”

  “That’s so sweet. You sure know how to charm a woman.” She gave him a brief smile. “Is this about my brother?”

  He hesitated. “Listen—”

  “Let me save us both some time here.” She crossed her arms over her stomach, grabbed the edge of her shirt, and pulled it over her head.

  His mind went blank as he stared at her pale breasts covered by pink satin. Her nipples were already hard and distended against the fabric. She was beautiful.

  Think about your old gym teacher, he told himself. Don’t let this happen.

  “Why me?” he asked, his voice rough, his mind trying to get control of his body.

  “Because I want you. I trust you. And you’re hot.” She walked over and pushed the table away from his chair, then swung a leg over his lap so that she straddled him. “And this bad boy here that I’m sitting on tells me how much you want me, too.”

  His vision blurred as she moved herself against his erection. Even as he told himself to push her off him, his hips jerked upward, grinding against her denim-clad heat.

  His hands settled around her waist. “You know I don’t do relationships.”

  “Trust me, I know. That’s why you’re perfect,” she murmured and grabbed his hand, sliding it up her bare stomach to cover the curve of her breast. Her nipple pushed into the palm of his hand. “You’re my rebound.”

  “Rebound?” His hand massaged the soft fullness of her breast under the satin. She arched into him, a silent request for more. His hand continued a light squeeze, his fingers sliding with slow deliberation toward her areola, and then out again.

  “I just got dumped.” She sighed. “We’re doing way too much talking here. Please…”

  She’d had a boyfriend. And not too long ago. The thought sent some type of unfamiliar emotion through him. It wasn’t exactly a good feeling, though.

  She tried to move his hand to cover her nipple, but he wasn’t ready to do it just yet.

  If she were still nursing a broken heart, she would probably regret this later. He couldn’t sleep with her. If she had been anybody else…anyone but Madison Phillips.

  Even as the thought crossed his mind, his fingers moved to the center of her breast. Surrounding the firm nipple, rolling it and plucking it to further arousal.

  “Gabe…” She gasped, grinding herself harder onto him. Her heat had grown more intense now. He could feel it. He knew it by the slight glazing of her eyes.

  The realization of how much she wanted him had the breath rushing from his lips. Either stop this or finish it. Or maybe there was a way to do both.

  He lifted Maddie off him and turned her around. With her now facing away from him, he pulled her back onto his lap. She clutched his thighs as her head fell back against his chest

  “Gabe…”

  “Trust me,” he whispered in her ear. He brought both of his hands around to stroke her breasts through the bra, back and forth over her nipples until her breathing grew slow and labored.

  He kept one hand on her nipple, bringing it to its full length, while his other hand moved down her belly to the button on her jeans. He slipped the button through the hole and unzipped her pants with slow deliberation.

  She wore a tiny, silky pink thong. He slipped a hand under the material and groaned when he found her smooth. His cock jerked against her ass as he moved his fingers over her mound. He cupped her for a moment before moving farther down to tease the swollen lips of her sex.

  She whimpered, her legs falling open and over his knees, as she leaned back against him. Her breast arched farther into his hand, and he squeezed her nipple in a light pinch. He busied his other hand, parting her folds, circling the perimeter of her entrance. Then, when she sighed, he pushed a finger into her sheath. Damn, she was wet. She gave a guttural groan as her body clenched around him.

  “Easy,” he whispered, telling himself as much as her. He couldn’t remember the last time a woman had gotten him this hot. The smell of her, the feel of her. She intoxicated him like a drug.

  He withdrew his finger just a bit, and then plunged it back in. Her body seemed more relaxed this time. His thumb slipped up to stroke her clitoris, and he was rewarded when she cried out.

  “Oh God, Gabe…don’t stop. Don’t stop doing that.” She gasped as he again flicked his thumb over her.

  He had no intention of stopping. He pulled his finger out from her tightness, and then pushed back inside, this time adding a second finger. He closed his eyes, imagining it wasn’t his fingers, but his cock inside her. He wanted release just as much as she did. But he wouldn’t be having it.

  He flicked his finger faster over her, and she rotated against his hand. Her breath came quicker.

  Her body started to tense, and he plunged his fingers to the hilt, letting his thumb drive her over the edge.

  She contracted around him, gasping and shaking…and then collapsing back against him.

  “Wow.” Her breathless voice sounded almost too loud in the silence of the room. “Gabe. Wow.”

  She lay limp against him for what seemed like minutes before she slid off his lap and turned around.

  “Why don’t you take off your shirt?”

  Her cheeks were flushed from her orgasm, her blue eyes shining as she reached for the zipper on his jeans.

  He caught her hand and gave it a gentle push away. “Enough, Maddie.”

  “Enough? But we just started.” She laughed softly. “I have to admit, that was pretty amazing. And I can’t wait to see what’s next.”

  “We need to stop.”

  She seemed to finally hear him. “Excuse me? But you’re still…” She glanced at his crotch. “How can you possibly tell me you don’t want to finish? Then what was all that? What just happened?”

  “That was for you.” He gave a humorless laugh. “Look, it’s pretty fucking obvious I want you—”

  “Don’t swear at me,” she interrupted, her eyes gleaming from dismay now rather than sexual release. “You did that for me? For me?”

  “I told you I wouldn’t sleep with you—”

  “I didn’t ask you here to have you get me off, Gabe.” She stepped away from him and zipped up her pants, found her top, and jerked it over her head.

  “I have a vibrator. I asked you here to have sex. Full-blown sex. If you couldn’t bring yourself to do it, you should’ve told me to put my shirt back on and walked away.”

  He should have, but she’d made it damn difficult. Gabe shook his head. God, this had become a mess. She was right to be pissed.

  “Listen—”

  “Just get out of my shop.”

  “Maddie—”

  “Get. Out.” She wasn’t yelling, but he’d have preferred it if she had been.

  When she walked to the door and unlocked it, holding it open for him to leave, he knew this wasn’t the best time to make amends.

  “I’m sorry, Maddie.” He walked toward her and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. She shrugged it off in an obvious dismissal.

  “And the name is Madison.”

  Gabe sighed and walked out the door.

  …

  Madison locked the door behind him and fought the urge to slide to the floor and scream with humiliation.

  Of all the unbelievable ways to get rejected. What the hell had just happened? Had Gabe just given her a pity orgasm? No, that couldn’t be it. It had been obvious he wanted to finish the deed. But he hadn’t. Why? It couldn’t be because she was Eric’s little sister. That would be ridiculous. Wouldn’t it?

  Of course it is, you twit. It was so stereotypical. So freaking cliché. And, unfortunately…so true. Gabe would not touch her because of who she was.

  Her anger diminished somewhat. Maybe he hadn’t handled the situation as well as she’d hoped, but he was trying to be the good guy. He hadn’t even kissed her, she realized, and frowned. Was that a bad thing or a
good thing? Would she have wanted the kissing?

  Madison walked over to the table where his half-drunk mocha sat. As she picked it up, she had immediate flashbacks of what had happened ten minutes ago and flushed.

  This was just wrong. There had to be a way around this, a way to make him realize how good the sex could be between them. He shouldn’t have left with a hard-on, and she shouldn’t have let him leave without experiencing that hard-on for herself.

  She glanced down at the mocha and took a tentative sip. She winced and swallowed the lukewarm liquid. Gabe was also an extraordinary liar. The mocha tasted like crap. She’d burned the shot again. That still seemed to be the one thing she couldn’t get right.

  She dumped the beverage down the sink and proceeded to wash the mug, thinking about a couple of things. One, she would not be making drinks for customers any time soon. And, two, she had an orgasm to repay.

  …

  “It’s a nonfat, tall, and, a, umm, double—wait, decaf latté to go.” Madison called out to Sarah as she shoved the customer’s payment into the till.

  Sarah laughed as she went to work creating the drink. “Just remember the system. Once you learn the system, it’ll get easier.”

  Madison shook her head, relieved that their morning rush seemed to by dying down. It was Wednesday. They’d had three somewhat successful days. She’d calculated they needed to sell a minimum of three hundred drinks a day to keep the shop up and running. So far, they were averaging about two hundred. But the espresso was good—when Sarah made it—and word of mouth seemed to be spreading fast.

  She’d also allowed enough money in the bank and on her credit card to ensure that they had some leeway for half a year.

  Sarah handed the customer his drink, and after he left the shop, they were once again alone.

  “Are you going to kill me?” Madison asked Sarah with a wince. “I know this has got to be way more chaotic than you expected.”

  “This is fine, Madison, don’t worry about it.” Sarah went to the sink to wash her hands. “Trust me, I’ve seen and done much worse.”

  “I promise I’ll hire someone else soon.” Madison knew she would’ve been toast if she didn’t have Sarah. The perky, curly haired blonde had saved her butt. “Take a break. Lord knows, you’ve earned it.”