I knew I was his client and that I wasn’t really bothering him at work so much as being the work, but I didn’t want him to feel like I was also a pain in his ass. I wanted him to be looking forward to seeing me, too, and to feel that way every time we had to have a meeting.
The previous night had changed everything for me. It had opened my eyes to the fact that he wasn’t at all what or who I’d thought he was. He was so gracious and kind when I’d broken down, he’d made me feel like my grief wasn’t something I needed to hide from him.
It was the first time I’d been able to be so completely vulnerable with someone since Kat had died. She would’ve been the one I would turn to, and without her, I had just kind of come to the conclusion that I would never have someone like that again.
Not that I had Jacob, but it sure felt like something might be brewing there. Obviously, it wasn’t something he’d be in a rush to explore, but there was definite chemistry between us, and now that we were becoming friends, I was starting to hope it might lead to something more.
Eventually. Of course.
All in good time. Once he wasn’t my lawyer anymore and hadn’t seen me reduced to a giant ball of snot less than twenty-four hours before. He’d probably also have to forget how horrible and rude I’d been to him when we’d first met before he’d ever look at me that way.
If he ever even looked at me that way. Sure, he’d asked me for a date on Black Friday, but a lot had happened between then and now.
In the meantime, I had to be careful about this crush I was developing.
A beautiful, strawberry-blonde woman smiled at me when I approached Jacob’s office. My stomach sank when I saw her, and an irrational flare of jealousy shot through me. Stupid crush.
Her smile was friendly enough, and I forced myself to return it. “Hi, I’m Laurie. I’m here to see Mr. Parker.”
“Of course. I’m Dannie. It’s so nice to meet you,” she gushed, looking somewhat starstruck for some reason. A light flush covered her cheeks and her blue eyes shone with excitement. “I’m not supposed to say stuff like this to clients, but I’m a huge fan of your work. I was so looking forward to seeing the movie before I found out what happened.”
My heart lurched. This is why I have to be careful about this crush.
Dannie was being perfectly friendly and polite, but a part of me still wanted to poke around about her relationship with Jacob. Thankfully, I had the willpower—despite the jealousy—not to kick her in the shin and run away.
“Thank you,” I said. “It’s still really weird for me to believe I have fans out there. Let’s hope the movie doesn’t disappoint anyone. Whether I was involved with it or not, I don’t want it to be a letdown.”
“It won’t be.” Her smile grew even wider and she motioned toward a door behind her. “You can go on in. He’s expecting you. I just need to run out to deliver some documents. It’s probably going to take a couple of hours, so I might not be here when you leave, but it was very nice to meet you, and I’m sure I’ll see you again soon.”
As if to prove her point, she scooped up a pile of papers from her desk before moving out from behind it. She gave me a wave and another smile before taking off down the hallway I’d just come from.
Butterflies exploded in my stomach at the knowledge that Jacob was waiting for me right behind that door. Dragging in a deep breath, I slowly exhaled, lifted my chin, and went in.
Jacob was sitting behind the desk in his private office looking at paperwork when I opened the door. He looked up, his lips stretching into a smile when he saw it was me.
“Good morning,” he said. “I’m glad you could come in so early. I hope I’m not keeping you from anything.”
I held up the coffee like it was a peace offering and closed the door behind me. “Not at all. I actually felt a little bad about visiting you so early and so soon after you took the case.”
He laughed, pushing back that lock of hair that always seemed to fall over his forehead. “You never have to worry about that with me. I meant to text you to thank you for coming out with us yesterday. Allie hasn’t stopped talking about it. Now I get to tell you in person.”
“Here.” I lifted his cup toward him.
“Thanks for the coffee too,” he said.
“Katie is the same. We both had a wonderful time.” I didn’t think too much before adding, “I’m actually surprised by how much I enjoyed myself.”
Standing from his chair, he walked around the desk with his eyes locked on mine. I knew he was probably just coming over to get his coffee, but my heartrate spiked anyway. As he came to stand in front of me, I smelled the woodsy cedar and pine scent I’d come to associate with him, and nearly moaned out loud.
How does he smell so damn good?
The butterflies in my stomach intensified, and I was suddenly so very aware of how close he was standing to me. He lifted his hand to take the cup, our fingertips brushing before I managed to release my hold on it.
The brief contact made my breathing hitch and my gaze drop down to his incredibly kissable lips. It would be so easy to lean into him, to get a taste of the man I might’ve hated at first but had always been so very attracted to.
Now that I knew what kind of person he really was, it was even more difficult to keep my lips and hands to myself. He was wearing a crisp white button-up shirt that was so fitted that it showed off his lean muscles almost better than they might look when he was naked.
Aww shit. I shouldn’t have thought about him naked.
As soon as the thought about what he might look like naked hit, it was impossible to shake it. I suddenly had visions of him slamming his lips down on to mine and pulling me into his arms, right up against that hard body.
He would be hard all over.
“Yeah, I had a great time too,” he said, an unfamiliar breathless quality to his voice. It jerked me out of my fantasies, but I still pulsed with need between my legs, and it was like I could feel my racing heartbeat in my clit.
Jacob cleared his throat, his free hand moving to the small of my back. “Would you like to have a seat? I’ve got quite a lot to update you on in terms of our strategy going forward.”
The way he looked at me with a burning, molten heat in his eyes didn’t make it seem like he was thinking about business, regardless of what he was saying. His fingers flexed on my back, and even though I obviously—but unfortunately—still had my shirt on, sparks traveled up my spine, lifting the hair on my arms as they shot through me.
He’s so close. So hot. And he smells so freaking good. I couldn’t move. Couldn’t think about anything other than kissing him.
When his tongue came out to swipe across his lips, my own lips parted. I was so torn between whether I’d rather be looking at his mouth or into his eyes that my gaze flicked between the two again and again.
At this point, it had to be obvious what I was thinking about. I still hadn’t moved a muscle to take a seat, nor had I said anything to explain myself. Words, Laurie. Find them, use them, then move.
My problem was that I didn’t want to move. Didn’t want to speak for fear of ruining the moment between us.
I’d never felt anything like this, and it was exhilarating. Addicting. I wanted him so badly that my nipples were as tight as they’d ever been and I had to shift on my feet to press my thighs together.
As if that one tiny bit of movement snapped him out of the trance we’d been locked in, his hand on my back twitched and his eyelids dropped closed. A massive wave of disappointment crashed into me.
That’s it. It’s over. He’s going to move away.
He opened his eyes again and looked straight into mine. I didn’t know what he saw in them, but he set our coffees on a side table and let out a quiet groan before he snaked his arms around my waist and smacked me into his chest just like I’d imagined minutes ago.
One of his hands came up to wind its way into my ponytail. He gave it a sharp but not painful tug. My face lifted up, my lips still part
ed from before.
Our gazes were glued together in that moment, and I could’ve sworn I saw a flicker of satisfaction in his before he slanted his mouth over mine.
Jacob kissed me like he’d made a study out of the skill and had received a Master’s degree in it. If he hadn’t received it yet, I would’ve been willing to sign off on it myself if I could’ve. He was just that good at it.
It wasn’t only his lips involved in the kiss. It was so much more than that. I was enveloped in his muscular arms. Every time he pulled back even just a little, his nose brushed against mine. His broad chest was firm and hard, and he had one palm resting on the back of my neck while the fingers of his other hand squeezed my hip.
His tongue stroked mine with expert movements that were both possessive and dominating. I moaned when he nipped at my lower lip with his teeth, arching into him to feel the hard planes of his abdomen pressing up against me.
My breasts were flattened against him as it was, but I still wanted to get closer. Circling my arms around his neck, I threaded my fingers into his soft hair, pushed back that lock I’d noticed so many times, and kissed him back with every ounce of passion and need flowing through my veins.
I’d never been kissed like this. My knees had never gone weak simply from having someone’s mouth over mine.
A low hum of pleasure rumbled in his chest, his hips grinding against me. My breathing hitched, and I couldn’t quite get it back, but I also wasn’t trying too hard.
I was desperate for him. Breathing couldn’t be a priority when it meant I’d have to let go of him or stop kissing him for even a second.
From the feel of things, I wasn’t the only one getting so caught up in the kiss that it felt like I might spontaneously combust if he didn’t start touching me soon. The rock-hard bulge in his pants where he was pressed up against me, his heart hammering right along with mine, and the soft noises he kept making made it pretty clear he wanted the same thing I did.
Without breaking the kiss, he walked us backward until the backs of my thighs hit his desk. His right hand left me, and I felt it move behind me before the sound of papers crashing to the floor rang out in the silence of his office.
He lifted me up in a smooth motion to set me down on the desk and didn’t waste any time getting his hands back to where he wanted them. His fingers trailed down between us, and I shivered when he cupped my mound over my skirt. My head dropped back and a louder moan ripped out of my mouth.
When my gaze met his again, those dark eyes were filled with heat and carnal desire. He flashed me a devilish smile before burying his head in the crook of my neck to lick and nip my skin while his hand started massaging me below.
My skirt rode up beneath it, cool air drifting over my heated, sensitive skin. Need tightened my core. My panties were drenched. If he didn’t touch me soon, I was doing it myself.
“Jacob, please.” I was about two seconds away from begging, but I didn’t really care. If it got him to touch me, I’d have dropped to my knees to get what I wanted.
A low growl reverberated against my throat, his teeth sinking into my skin while his fingers stopped moving. “Don’t push me, Laurie. I’ve waited long enough for this.”
Chapter 24
Jacob
Laurie froze when my lips crashed into hers. She stood perfectly still in my arms. It was like I’d paralyzed her with my mouth.
It couldn’t have come as that much of a shock to her when I finally gave in to all the fucking tension in the room. Jesus, I’d practically heard her screaming at me to kiss her. Since it was what I wanted too, I’d caved.
It didn’t take long before I felt her doing the same thing. She looped her arms around my neck and clung to me, kissing me back with such passion that I moaned—out loud.
That kind of thing didn’t really happen to me. I wasn’t one to make lots of noise during sex but fuck, I couldn’t help it. Her lips were so soft and her body felt so good against mine that I couldn’t stop.
In the back of my mind, I knew this was off limits. She was a client. We’d agreed to keep things strictly professional, and we were supposed to be discussing her case.
I should put a stop to this.
Right. Now.
But I couldn’t.
Need devoured me from the inside out and sent my mind galloping down the path to release. For both of us. The only thing I wanted more than to get myself there was to get her there. Multiple times preferably.
Stopping felt like a herculean task, and I just wasn’t strong enough to get myself to do it. Any strength I tried to call up to try and do the right thing was obliterated the first time she moaned.
Rational thought flew out the window.
Laurie’s fingers twisted in my hair and she held me to her like she was wordlessly begging me not to stop. It was like both of us had been telling ourselves we shouldn’t do this, and now that it was finally happening, we were letting go of our inhibitions.
Pfft. Who needs inhibitions? Not me.
All I needed was more.
She sagged against my chest, and a rush of satisfaction shot through me when I realized what that meant. Her legs were getting weak. Because of me.
I was more than willing to hold her up, but I didn’t want something as easy to fix as her being worried about falling to put a stop to this. If we stopped for even long enough for her to voice those thoughts, she might come to her senses and then it would be over.
Mentally reviewing the surfaces available in my office, I decided on the desk. It was the closest, and it was at a very convenient height. I’d noticed that before, but I’d never done anything in here. It had simply been a fantasy that I was more than happy to be fulfilling with Laurie.
Once she was on my desk, she spread her legs so I could fit between them, and threw her head back. “Jacob, please.”
Hearing the need in her voice while I had my cock pushed up against the heat of her center nearly drove me over the edge. I came so close that I had to sink my teeth into her skin just to feel something somewhere else.
That’s going to leave a mark.
I didn’t care, though. In fact, I’d have marked every inch of her if it were up to me. Maybe one day, I’d get to do just that. Mark her so every person out there would know she was taken. By me.
She wasn’t mine yet, so I held myself back. Today wasn’t about making her mine. It was about giving us both what we needed.
The growl that came out of me when I had to stop my hand from moving just so I could formulate the words I needed, didn’t even sound human. “Don’t rush me, Laurie. I’ve been waiting a long time for this.”
I toyed with the edge of her panties, pushing my fingers just past them while she whimpered. “I will give you what you want but not before we’ve had some fun.”
Grinding my hips against hers, a soft hiss whooshed out of me. My breathing was labored and my voice rough. “You can tap out anytime, but there are so many things I want to do to you.”
“Do them later.” Her eyes were so dark now that they were the color of a forest before a storm. “I’m already having fun. I just want to have so much more.”
I hadn’t expected her to say something like that. I stilled before my lips kicked up into an involuntary smirk.
“Already?” I dipped my hand into her panties, groaning when my fingertips were met with smooth, velvety wetness that made me jerk my hips to get closer to it.
“Fuck yes, already.”
I really didn’t want this to be over too soon, which was why I’d wanted to take my time. But I also couldn’t deny her. Spreading some of her juices with my fingers, I used the lubrication to draw circles around her clit with my thumb.
Her thighs trembled and tightened around mine, the moans spilling from her lips cluing me in on what she needed and what she liked. My fingers kept moving, my speed and pressure changing as I gauged her reactions.
One of her hands flew out behind her to find purchase on something, and I heard my landlin
e crashing to the floor. It didn’t bother me, but her eyes suddenly flew wide open, and her body stopped writhing.
Fuck. My computer was behind her, as well as stacks of files. The desk might be the perfect height, but I hadn’t really thought I’d need to clear it for this today.
“Get down on the floor,” I said but it came out more as a command.
“What?” She blinked, and some of the haze disappeared from her gaze. “Here?”
“Is there something wrong with here? I thought you didn’t want to wait.”
“I don’t.”
“Then get down on the fucking floor,” I gritted out between my teeth. Holding a hand out to her as if I were a gallant gentleman instead of just hellbent on keeping this going, I kept a firm hand on her while she stood up on shaky legs.
I followed her down, sinking to my knees between hers and hovering just above her while my hand went back to work. She shattered around my fingers shortly after, sucking them in while she flooded my hand.
Probably in an attempt to keep quiet, she bit into my shoulder until her body stopped quivering. Her mouth formed a perfect circle when she pulled back, and her eyelids screwed shut. It was the hottest sight I’d ever seen. So hot that I moaned right along with her.
Despite the fact that she hadn’t even touched me yet, I was one wrong move away from finishing. When she focused on me again, I had to grind my cock against her thigh for just the slightest relief. “More comfortable than worrying about what’s about to fly off the desk?”
She nodded. “I was really worried that you were going to be pissed at me for breaking your laptop or something.”
“Break whatever you want. It wouldn’t have bothered me.” I trailed soft kisses over the column of her throat, my lips brushing against her skin while I talked. “I wouldn’t have told you to move, but I don’t like distractions. You worrying is a distraction.”
“You don’t think you’d be able to do what needs doing if you’re distracted?” she teased with a lazy smile on her face.
Desperate For You Page 15