Brenda Jackson - Eternally Yours

Y our bed or mine?

Clayton Madaris glanced up from his meal and gazed into the eyes of the woman whod asked the question. She was beautiful, and her sensuous proposition was something any man would jump at. No hot-blooded male in his right mind would ever think of turning it down.

So why was he contemplating doing just that?

An impassive expression masked his handsome features. His hesitation had nothing to do with the fact that hed just met her that morning. Like him, she was an attorney attending a convention in D.C. He had come to enough of these conferences to be prepared for the expected. One would be surprised just how many unmarried, as well as married people took advantage of the three-day convention to engage in short, no-strings-attached affairs. In all his thirty-five years, there had never been a time when hed been hesitant about making love to a willing woman, granted the situation wasnt a risky one.

So what was wrong with him tonight?

His dinner companion undoubtedly was wondering the same thing and had no plans to stick around and find out. He sensed her agitation with his silence. Her eyes narrowed. I wont make the same offer twice, she said quietly. There was a feverish edge to her voice.

Clayton nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving her face. He knew her type. She was a woman hungry for physical intimacy. Her eyes had sent him silent, intimate messages all day. There was no doubt in his mind that although hed just disappointed her by not jumping at her offer, she wouldnt give up on him. She would make the offer again.

His smile was slow. Sorry. Not tonight

Evidently not happy with his response, she pushed her plate aside and stood, giving him a measured look. Perhaps another time, then?

Clayton stared up at her before answering. Perhaps.

After she left he simply sat, quietly eating the rest of his meal and drinking his coffee.

A short while later, after taking care of the dinner bill, he rode up the elevator alone to the fifth floor. During the ride he tried coming to terms with his sudden lack of interest in an affair. It wasnt like him to turn down any womans advances or not make a score or two of his own. It definitely wasnt his style. Enjoying the opposite sex was something he had been overly fond of doing since his first time with Paula Stone when hed been sixteen.

So what was his problem now?

The huge metal elevator doors swooshed open. Taking a deep breath he stepped out and began walking down the long hallway leading to his room. Opening the door to his suite, he walked into the sitting area, then through open double doors to the large bedroom.

He leaned his shoulder against the doorjamb, looking at the king-size bed. No one, especially those who considered him a player of the third degree, would believe hed actually slept in the huge bed alone. And definitely not by choice.

He smiled as he pushed himself away from the door. Theres a first time for everything, he thought, removing his tie and jacket and going into the bathroom. Peeling off the rest of his clothes, he stepped into the shower, dismissing the fact hed taken a shower just before dinner.

Since becoming an attorney over ten years ago, hed discovered his most soothing moments were in the shower while warm water caressed his skin. It was during that time he possessed the ability to blank out any thoughts other than those needing his undivided attention. In the end, whatever plagued his mind was usually put in perspective. At the moment, he needed to think about why hed just refused an offer of no-strings-attached sex.

Adjusting the water, he picked up the scented soap and lazily lathered himself as he mentally analyzed the situation.

For some reason, he was becoming bored with the way his life was going. Somehow he was getting tired of his routine of chasing and bedding women. He twisted his lips in a wry grin. Now that was a laugh, especially since the main reason he had constantly shunned any sort of commitment with a woman was the fear of that very thingboredom. He was the type of person who found any kind of routine deadly. Hed always been afraid of committing himself to someone only to lose interest with that person and end up feeling trapped.

His thoughts fell on his two older brothers, Justin, the physician, and Dex, the geologist in oil exploration. Both were happily married and neither appeared bored. If anything they seemed to be having the time of their lives with their wives, Lorren and Caitlin. Was it possible hed been wrong? Was there a woman out there somewhere who could forever excite, stimulate and amuse him?

He shuddered at the way his thoughts were going; shocked that he could even consider such a thing. His credo in life for the longest time had been The only men who arent fools are bachelors. But he couldnt help wondering why lately he had been subconsciously longing for more than a little black book filled with the names of available women.

As the water from the shower pounded his body, he tossed the problem around in his mind, pulling it apart, analyzing and dissecting it. But he still couldnt come up with any answers.

With a groan he turned off the water and grabbed a towel. Stepping out of the shower, he began drying himself off. There were a lot of questions to which he needed answers. And he knew those answers wouldnt come from taking just one shower. The main problem might be that he had been working too hard lately. Too many court cases and too many late nights spent poring over them. A tired body occasionally filled the mind with foolish thoughts. And what could be more foolish than the notion that he was longing for a steady relationship with a woman?

Clayton shook his head to clear his muddled mind. What he needed was to get away for a while. He had some vacation time coming up. And it was time he took it.

Syneda Walters looked across her desk at the elegantly groomed woman sitting in front of it. She schooled her expression not to show her irritation and annoyanceor her pity. Bracing her elbows on the arm of the chair, she leaned forward. Ms. Armstrong, I hope youll reconsider your decision.

But he has told me hes sorry about everything and really didnt mean to hurt me. Hes been under a lot of stress lately. He loves me.

Syneda sighed, letting her well-manicured fingers run agitatedly over the desk surface. She could barely restrain herself from calling the woman all kinds of fool for letting a man abuse her. Yet the woman sat defending a man who evidently got his kicks using her as a punching bag.

Rubbing the ache at the back of her neck, Syneda stared beyond the woman and out the window. It was a beautiful day in early May. The midday sun slanted across the sky and reflected off another building. Its golden rays gleamed brilliantly in the blue sky. She watched as a flock of birds flew by and wished she could somehow fly away with them.