“Can I get you anything? Water, beer, wine?” he asked.
“Um, I wouldn’t mind some wine,” I said, figuring one glass early in the night would be okay.
“Great. Come in. We can sit at the table or in the living room, whatever you prefer,” he offered.
“The table works,” I said, wanting to keep it professional.
The couch was risky. We couldn’t be on the couch. I was already having a hard enough time trying to fight off my need to touch him. I inwardly chided myself for showing up at all. I knew there was an electric attraction between us, and being in his house, alone, after dark, was dangerous. Maybe I was a glutton for punishment, or maybe I wanted to test my resolve. I didn’t know why I agreed to show up, but it was stupid and dangerous and fantastic.
“Here you go,” he said, handing me a glass of white wine.
We moved to the table where he had a couple of pens and yellows pad already sitting. I took a seat, hoping he’d sit far away from me. He didn’t. He sat down on my left, our elbows nearly touching. I could feel his body heat, smell his cologne, and knew I was in for a long evening. It would be a test of my resolve. I resolved not to get caught up in Jacob’s orbit—not again. I couldn’t survive the fallout when he left me again.
17
Jacob
My body was misbehaving. I couldn’t stop the hormones from dumping into my bloodstream like a dam opening the floodgates. It was pure arousal burning through my veins. Every little thing she did was turning me on. Sitting next to her, smelling her, listening to her breath—all of it. All of it was sexy as hell and making me crazy.
“Focus,” I breathed the word.
“What?” Erin asked, turning to look at me.
I shook my head, a little embarrassed I had actually said it out loud. “Nothing. Sorry,” I murmured.
She let out a breath and leaned back, holding up the paper she’d been writing on. “Okay, I think this will work for a poster to get people to the social. Like you said before, we’ll keep it simple with bullet points instead of long sentences.”
“And the beer garden idea? Do you think that’s okay, or are we blurring the line between family-friendly and a party?” I asked, still not sure if it was a good idea.
“Most of the people around her like cold beer, and the kids are used to seeing their parents have a beer or two at a backyard barbecue. I think you have to appeal to the whole crowd, and the men are going to be more inclined to come for free beer than they would be for free ice cream,” she reasoned.
I nodded. “Okay. I’ve started a list of things I’ll need to do to make that happen. Hopefully, they will let us serve alcohol,” I grumbled, knowing it was probably another fight we had in front of us.
Erin laughed, that soft, airy sound that sent shivers up and down my spine. “It’s beer. That’s the one thing none of those guys is going to fight. Free beer isn’t something anyone is going to pass up. You should be able to get a temporary license without too much trouble.”
“If you say so,” I mumbled, trying to keep my head on the task at hand, but being in such close proximity to her for so long was making it next to impossible.
Her smile faded and she looked at me with those eyes that said she wanted me. It’d been the same look she’d been giving me all night, but the moment I thought about acting on it, she pulled away. I didn’t dare push it and risk having her run out the door. I had been tamping down the lust, and it was getting to the point it wouldn’t be ignored much longer.
“I’ll call that place that has those bounce house things. That will be a great way to keep the kids distracted while the adults talk business,” she said, pulling her gaze away from mine and back to the paper.
I swallowed the lust and focused on the task at hand. “Great. Now we need to find a venue. I think we need an indoor/outdoor situation. It’s hot and I don’t want people to be uncomfortable.”
She grimaced, shaking her head. “We don’t have anything like that. What about getting a couple of those big tents they use for weddings?” she suggested.
“I don’t know, that might be worse. We could get big fans, I suppose, to try and keep things cool,” I said, already jotting it down.
“You’re really pulling out all the stops here,” she said, turning to look at me once again.
“I am. Like I’ve said, this is important. There’s a lot riding on this one little ice cream social. You only get one chance to make a good first impression. In the case of Western Energies, we’re getting a second chance. Larry should have talked with the town leaders before he started buying up land and drilling rights. He knows better now. It’s time to do a little backtracking and start over. This has to work. I don’t want to work for anyone else,” I told her.
“Have you worked anywhere else?” she asked.
“A few places, but the business world in the city is cutthroat. Everyone is so damn competitive, and very few men have the morals Larry does. I was in New York for a while and was making great money, but I felt like I had sold my soul to the devil. I couldn’t keep doing it. I took a huge chance by going to a conference where I ended up meeting Larry. I had gone in the hopes of feeling out some other companies to see if I could find a better job, and it worked.”
She smiled and nodded her head. “He is a good guy. When I first read the advertisement for a nanny job, I thought the person must have put the ad in the wrong paper. Burning Butte does not have families that have nannies. I figured I would apply anyway, more out of curiosity. At the time, they hadn’t bought the mansion yet. They were looking into it, but they wanted to make sure the kids would be taken care of. Ivy goes back to Dallas a lot, and she is the head of probably at least a dozen charities. I met her first and a few days later, Larry flew up here just to meet me. I liked him right away. He seemed genuine and very easy to get along with. The rest is history.”
“I got that same first impression, and I think the people around here will as well, if they give him a chance. The guy is filthy rich, but he hasn’t let it go to his head. Ivy on the other hand…” I said, leaving the words hanging.
Erin threw her head back and laughed. Her neck stretched and revealed a stretch of smooth skin begging to be kissed. I reined it in. I could be good. I could be near her and not want her naked under me.
“Ivy is a charmer when she wants to be. I’ll talk to her and let her know she’ll need to dial it back a little. She’s the head of several charities for a reason. She knows how to woo people. She was a born schmoozer and can be very sweet, funny, and charming when she wants to be. She’s also a hell of a flirt,” she said with a grimace.
I nodded. “Yes, I know.”
“Do you know who she reminds me of sometimes?” Erin said out of the blue.
I shrugged a shoulder. “I have no idea.”
She grinned, her eyes lighting up. “Remember that time we snuck out—”
I cut her off, reaching out and pushing her hair away from her shoulder. “You have to be specific. We snuck out a lot.”
She playfully slapped my hand away. “I wasn’t finished. We snuck out to go to some concert in Bismarck. You had seen some weird posters around town, and that little adventurous side of you had to know what it was all about. You got me that fake ID so I could go with you.”
I grinned. “I do remember.”
“It was a female rock band. The lead singer looked a lot like Ivy. Remember she wore that skirt that was nothing more than an ACE bandage, and her tiny string bikini top looked close to bursting? The woman couldn’t sing at all, but when she finished her first set and she came off stage to get a drink, she was the nicest, most normal person in the world,” she said, shaking her head in disbelief.
I laughed. “Normal, maybe, but her choice of outfit was ridiculous. And she could not sing worth shit.”
Erin laughed again. “Yeah, I don’t think we watched her second set.”
In a moment, the laughter died on both of our lips as we both traveled back in time
. “No, we didn’t. We ended up in the men’s room of that dirty bar. I had you pressed against the wall, making out like only young people can when a security guard came in.”
She nodded; her eyes locked with mine. “They checked our IDs, realized mine was a really bad fake, and tossed us out.”
“That five minutes in the bathroom of that sleazy bar was one of the best moments of my life. I can still taste the cherry Chapstick”
Her eyes dropped to my mouth and then back to look at me. “That was a wild night.”
Her tongue darted out to lick her lips. I knew what she was thinking. I was thinking the same thing. The undeniable attraction between us was still there, just as powerful as it had been in the bar that night. We’d been crazy and reckless, and the thought of being together overpowered all rational thought. I reached for her, my hand going to the back of her head and pulling her forward as I went in for the kiss. She didn’t taste like cherry Chapstick, but the wine on her lips was just as sweet. Everything came flooding back in that moment. All the hopes and dreams and excitement that came with young love was still fresh in my mind. It was all there. I felt the same way about her now as I did back then, but on a much more intense level.
Our kiss turned frantic, much like it had been in the front seat of my truck that night. Her hands were running up and down my back, her nails digging deep through my T-shirt as her need turned feral. I was all too eager to answer the call. I wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her to her feet, kicking the chair I had been sitting in back and out of my way.
“I have to fucking have you,” I growled, reaching for her blouse and yanking it up.
“Me too,” she gasped, her hands fumbling with my shirt.
I tossed her shirt to the floor and quickly yanked mine off before pulling her against me so hard it pushed the air from her lungs. I was happy to give her a little mouth to mouth. I crushed my mouth to hers, sucking her tongue inside as my hand worked her bra, unhooking it and freeing her breasts.
“Fuck me,” I groaned, reaching between us to cup her breasts, feeling the pebbled nipples rock hard. She was as aroused as I was.
Her nails scraped down my bare back. I arched against her as she scored my flesh. I reached for the button on her shorts, quickly getting it undone and pushing them down her legs with a furious jerking motion. Her hands moved to the button fly of my jeans, fumbling to get them undone. I pushed her hands away, taking care of the task myself. I kicked off my shoes and shucked my jeans before stripping out of my boxers.
Her soft little hand wrapped around me, squeezing my erection and damn near making me explode in her hand. I reached between her legs, parting her folds and pushing a finger in, finding her wet and hot and oh so ready for me.
“You’re so wet,” I whispered.
“I want you,” she groaned.
We’d been waiting too long already, I decided. I didn’t want to wait another second. My hand reached out, pushing the wineglasses, notepads, and pens away. They scattered to the floor as I cleared the table in a hurry. I reached for her waist, lifted her, and dropped her on the rented kitchen table before moving my hand right back to the warmth waiting for me between her legs. My fingers parted her folds once again. It was mere seconds before she was orgasming, arching and crying out for more.
I needed to feel her around me. I nudged her legs wider and stepped between them, pulling her to the edge of the table and pushing myself inside her sweet heat. Her arms went around my neck, holding me close as our bodies joined together in beautiful rapture. I never wanted to move or leave where I was right then. I could die a happy man with her holding me tight.
18
Erin
I was a fool. I knew I should have told him no. I should have walked out the door. I shouldn’t have ever shown up in the first place. He shifted his stance, and all thoughts of leaving vanished. I groaned, little aftershocks spiraling through my body as he moved inside me.
“God damn, you feel so good,” he whispered close to my ear.
I turned to kiss him, forcing him to open his mouth while I explored the depths with my tongue. My breasts were pressed against his chest, tiny little crinkly hairs scraping over my sensitive nipples. I rubbed against him, enjoying the sensation of being fully embraced by him.
“More,” I told him in a husky voice.
“I feel like I’ve died and gone to heaven,” he rasped.
“Not yet, you haven’t.”
He growled low in his chest before reaching around me and hoisting me off the table, his heavy shaft still buried inside me as he began to move. Every step he took bounced me on him, heightening my arousal and taking me close to another orgasm. It was so much better with him than I remembered. It felt good and right and like everything sex with a man was supposed to be.
He carried me out of the kitchen and down a short hall. He kicked open a door, the room dark as he made his way across the carpeted floor to the bed. He gently placed me on the bed, standing up and staring down at me in the darkness. I looked back at him, admiring the height and the strength of his body.
“I’ve dreamed about having you in a bed for a long time,” he breathed.
I smiled. “There’s always a first time for everything.”
He grinned. “There are so many firsts I want to have with you.”
“What are you waiting for?” I asked in a sultry voice, feeling free and uninhibited in the moment.
His body covered mine, one hand going around me, lifting me up and scooting me higher on the bed before he plunged inside me again. I groaned with the exquisite pleasure of being filled by him. Our bodies melded together as if they had been made to fit together exactly as we were. He gave me his all, teasing and tantalizing and taking me to the brink of orgasm before pulling back, refusing to give me what I needed to fall over the edge.
“I’ve wanted you for so long,” he whispered, breathing heavy as he propped himself up on his elbows and looked down at me.
I didn’t know how to answer him. I stuck with the truth. “I want you too. It’s always been you. It’s your body I crave, your touch, your gentle kisses, and the way you know how to tease me.”
He leaned down and kissed me before beginning a slow, burning grind of his body into mine. I could feel him putting all of his passion and energy into the movement. It was an assault of the best kind. My senses were all heightened. Everything felt intensified, magnified a million times. Every nerve was firing off, sending delicious sensations of pure pleasure through my body. I cried out, whimpering and begging for more while telling him to stop at the same time. It was too good. I didn’t know anything could ever feel so good. My second orgasm was violent and beautiful and full of rapture. In that moment, I knew I would never experience that kind of pure pleasure with anyone. Ever. Only him.
When he finally surrendered to his own need and we were both gasping and crying out, I knew I was in trouble. It felt so good and so right with him. No man could ever make me feel the way he did. Not physically and not emotionally. He dropped onto his back, pulling me against him as we both basked in the aftermath of what I was going to declare the best sex I ever had. His hand slowly stroked up and down my arm. It was something he used to do when we sat outside in the middle of the night, both of us cold, but neither of us wanting to leave and go back to our own warm beds. Those nights out under the stars were the only time we could be together. It was worth enduring a little cold to be with him. Back then, he’d rubbed my arms to help keep me warm. It had become a part of our routine. Just then, lying in his bed, it was anything but chilly, but it was soothing and lulling me into a place of complete relaxation. Neither of us said a word as we held each other.
I wondered what he was thinking about. Was he thinking about me? His work? Maybe he was planning our future together like he used to do. I was afraid of the future. Afraid of what it would look like when he realized he’d been pushed out of Burning Butte and the life of his child. I mulled over the many regrets I had been
racking up, especially in the last two weeks since he’d been back in town. Every day I didn’t tell him was another day of regret. Every time I looked into his eyes and said nothing, I felt awful. How could I ever expect to have anything with him if I couldn’t talk to him about the one thing in my life that was more important than anything else?
All the thinking about my mistakes was exhausting. His hand was still caressing my arm, calming my mind. Before I knew it, I had fallen into a point of utter relaxation and couldn’t move if I tried. I let my eyes fall closed, promising myself it would only be for a few minutes, then I would get up and go home. He made me feel safe and warm and cared about, something I hadn’t felt before. In Jacob’s arms, the rest of the problems in the world didn’t matter. He was the best warm blanket a girl could have. I snuggled against him, inhaling the smell of him.
There was no way I could deny what had happened without me even realizing it was happening. I’d gone and fallen head over heels in love with him all over again. I wasn’t sure I had ever stopped loving him, even if I had been furious with him for a long time. It was not what I wanted to happen. I didn’t want to love him. It was dangerous. I knew better and yet, with him, I lost all good sense. I let my heart lead the way and ignored all that my brain was telling me.
I jerked awake sometime later. The feeling of a man’s arms around me had been foreign and sent alarm racing down my spine before I remembered where I was. I had no idea how long I had slept for but knew I didn’t want to be there in the morning. I very carefully disentangled myself from his arms and quietly tiptoed out of his room. I picked up my scattered clothes and quickly dressed, before picking up the glasses and notepads and putting them back on the table. That was a memory I would not soon forget. It was the kind of thing I had seen in the movies but never expected to actually live through. I turned off the lights and locked the door behind me.
Bad Boy’s Secret Baby Page 10