He’d been her champion and her idol and when he died she’d been devastated.
But the little sister was supposed to bounce back, people seemed to think. Just a brother. It’s not the same kind of love as a spouse or a parent would have, so the grief must surely be less.
Though because of their mom’s profound—and understandable, of course—sadness, no one had really paid attention to Jojo’s grief at all, labeling it in the same way as Amber had…as a “funk.”
No one understood how deeply she’d been affected…or even attempted to ascertain the seriousness of her wound.
Except Con.
The thought popped into her head and she remembered his questions that night in the Tower. But what about you? What happened to you, Jojo, when you lost Simon?
She’d deflected, kissing him instead of answering him, but she knew, just knew, that if she had spoken, he would have listened.
But didn’t that make him more dangerous? More seductive?
Sure, he was a nice man, a good listener. Always ready to lend a hand, whether it was to make a bed or entertain some children. The guy was exciting, passionate, fun-loving.
Like the first man she’d agreed to marry—and look how that had turned out.
Okay then, she decided, no more of this procrastination. Tomorrow she’d finally follow through, insist she and Con make a concrete plan to end their impromptu union.
Newly resolved, she looked around to ascertain her whereabouts. Tomorrow would take care of itself. Tonight she had to present herself at a party, smile, celebrate.
Upon reaching the beach, she could see the long table on the sand, ringed with burning bamboo torches. Candles flickered, crystal gleamed, most guests were already seated.
She moved in that direction, and a big hand caught hers.
Her heart shot to her throat. “What are you doing?” she said, staring up at Con.
“I could say I’m here to play defense for my sister,” he said, gesturing with his free hand. “Those are our parents beside her—they’re back from their latest trip and staying at the resort.”
The parents who would disapprove of impulsive decisions, she reminded herself, studying them. His mother was a beautiful woman with silvered-blonde hair and his father was built on large lines like his son. With a face almost as handsome. She tore her gaze from the pair and focused back on Con. “Is that why you’re here? To play defense?”
“Nah,” he said, his fingers squeezing hers. “I’m here for you.”
Her heart sank from her throat to the bottom of her belly. Dangerous man. So seductive.
She squared her shoulders. “I don’t need a plus one to attend a dinner with family.”
“Never said you did. But one of your cousins…Amber? She saw me talking with Audra and invited me to join the party.”
“So you’re not here for me.” And why did that feel so disappointing?
“Wrong again.” Con tugged her toward the table and pulled out her chair. As she took her seat, he leaned close to her ear. “I would have given my regrets if I hadn’t found out you’d be here too.”
And why did that heat her cheeks and warm her insides? She was grateful for the candlelight and the cold champagne that a server poured into her glass.
Her composure restored once again, she sent Con a sidelong glance and spoke beneath the general conversation of the other guests. “I thought we could meet tomorrow. A…formal appointment to discuss our future.”
“Yeah?” One of his eyebrows lifted. “I could go for that.”
She nodded. “Good. I’ll meet you here for breakfast. Nine a.m.”
“When we’ll discuss our future,” Con said, leaning close to clink his champagne glass against hers. “I like the sound of it.”
Jojo froze, afraid that comment signaled they were not on the same page. Her fear only grew as the dinner wore on. He sat close, his knee sometimes pressing hers, his body heat an insistent presence. He signaled for her water glass to be refilled, he offered a prime bite from his own plate, he saved her fork as it tumbled from her hand when it made a sudden twitch.
Which happened when he leaned over and said, “We never spent the money we won playing blackjack. Remember we were going to buy some jewelry? What do you think about a wedding band?”
This was no time to get into a discussion about that. “Tomorrow,” she managed to finally spit out.
He nodded and went back to his meal, occasionally making comments to other people at the table. Jojo could barely think, let alone carry on an intelligent conversation with anyone.
Wedding band?
The back of her neck burned. Was Con really thinking about not divorcing? How could that be?
“I’ve never had any better,” he said, as if answering her unspoken question.
Her head turned to him. “What?”
His voice lowered. “In bed, baby. You’re the sweetest, hottest piece I’ve ever held in my arms.”
Jojo’s nape felt on fire. “Con!” she shriek-whispered, and shot a glance in the direction of her brother, Alec, who sat across the table. No help there, he was wholly absorbed by his Lilly, using his napkin to blot her lips. Then he laid a kiss on her, one so tender it made Jojo’s eyes sting.
“I want another taste of you, kitten,” the maddening man beside her whispered in her ear.
Goose bumps raced down her throat and her eyes flared wide. “Con. You can’t just say that. You can’t—”
Her admonition was interrupted by the ping of a fork against a wineglass, heralding a speech. Then came a series of toasts to the birthday boy. Jojo only half-listened to them because she was hyper aware of Con’s arm. He’d placed it casually over the back of her chair and his fingertips were idly tracing her shoulder bared by her summer dress.
She stiffened, trying to tell him with her body language what she wanted to scream. Stop! This is not imminent divorce-style touching!
But he didn’t get the message and neither did her traitorous nerve endings, which were waving and writhing in sensual delight. She squirmed in her seat and thought he was chuckling in his. So she moved to stab him with her fork, but as she prepared to pierce skin, his sister Audra rose from her seat and rushed for birthday boy Kane. Her gaze on him, she announced to the table, “He’s the man I’m in love with.”
Jojo dropped her utensil, bowled over by the naked emotion on the blonde woman’s face and the way her cousin Kane sat transfixed by the words that came out of her mouth. There were a lot of them.
She wanted to be his sunshine and his good luck and his wife.
Then more after that and eventually her cousin was smiling and Audra ended up on his lap, the two lovers whispering together while the crowd around the table stared in silent surprise.
Except for Con. “Did you hear my sister?” he asked.
“What part?”
He turned in his chair and brushed the hair away from Jojo’s face. “‘I’m going to fight for what I want, and what I want is you.’”
And all her defenses and her grand thoughts about a concrete divorce plan seemed to crack, then crumble around her. So, she did what was becoming a habit.
She ran away.
Chapter 11
Con took a seat at a free table on the patio at the Hathaway. Then he prepared for battle by ordering two coffees. Once they arrived, he attempted to order his arguments. He wanted to talk about their future with Jojo too, and he had to persuade her that a hasty ending to their hasty wedding was a waste of time and energy.
They should get to know each other better first.
Though he’d known her well enough to be unsurprised when she ran off last evening. Con hadn’t been able to race after her because he was trapped at the table by his concerned parents. They wanted to discuss Audra and Kane’s startling news. Somebody had to talk with them about it, because the happy couple had only eyes and kisses for each other.
Mom and Dad were going to stay another night at the resort, hoping for a chance to get Audra and K
ane alone and assure themselves that their darling daughter was making a wise move.
That left Con free to convince Jojo against any unwise ones.
Like divorcing him before he had a chance to prove to her how good he could be for her.
Then she arrived on the patio, and once again his heart did that telltale double thump. In a pair of red shorts with a sheer blouse half falling off one slender shoulder, she stopped his breath. He rose to his feet as she approached, and reached for her hand.
Then kissed it.
She stared at him, pink staining her cheeks.
Maybe he’d have been embarrassed too, but he hadn’t planned the gesture, he just…just did it.
“I’ll treasure you,” he said, and kissed it again.
“Don’t do things like that.” Jojo yanked her hand from his and put it behind her back. “Don’t say things like that.”
“I’m going to say and do things,” he said, pulling out her chair for her. Then he took his own seat. “It’s important I get this right.”
She looked at him, suspicion written all over her face. “This what, exactly?”
“Let’s think of it like a job interview.”
Her brows drew together. “You’re applying for the position of…”
Instinct warned him against saying husband, because that word seemed to spook her. “The man in your life.”
Her whole body twitched. “Con…”
“You can’t say you don’t like me.”
“Of course I like you,” she snapped, looking exasperated. “You leant a willing hand at the B & B when I needed it. You’re a caring son and brother. You’re great with kids and…and you’re great in bed.”
Relieved, he grinned. Progress! “You don’t have to look so pissed about it.” Leaning forward, he reached for her hand again. “Jojo—”
“We have an appointment with my divorce attorney in an hour.”
He sucked in a quick breath. Shit. Mulish woman. And now he understood also a very, very, very apprehensive woman. “Kitten,” he said, his voice soft. “I—”
On the table, his phone buzzed. Glancing at the number, foreboding filled his gut. “I have to take this,” he muttered, swiping to accept the call and lifting the device to his ear. “Montgomery.”
The news was meager, but disturbing all the same. When the caller hung up, he looked over at Jojo. “I have to get to my dad’s room immediately. We’ve got a situation.”
“Something’s wrong,” she said, concern in her eyes.
“An accident on one of the wind farms in Europe. People are hurt, maybe worse.”
This time, it was her hand that found his and squeezed tight. “What can I do?”
Anxious to get moving, he slipped from her hold but paused to slide his palm down her sleek hair. “It’ll be okay,” he said, hoping.
Hours later, he made for his own room, his eyes gritty, his muscles still tight. Exhaustion tasted like ashes on his tongue.
But it could have been worse and he could have felt worse, except Jojo…
She’d come through in ways that touched him, eased him. Over the tense hours as they waited for news, she’d sent food and drink to his dad’s room. Waters, coffee, sandwiches. A platter of brownies which gave him and his father a nice little sugar bump to get them through the afternoon hours.
At one point, she’d sent him a text. Thinking of you.
And he’d responded with thanks and told her things appeared to be looking up. When there was another positive update, confirmed by a second source, he and his father finally took full breaths. He sent a thumbs-up emoticon to Jojo followed by an All’s well.
Immediately, she’d shared a video clip. Upon playing it he had to grin. It was those Statler kids from the B & B, mugging for the camera with thick blue play dough eyebrows and green play dough moustaches stuck to their upper lips. Thumbs in their ears, they waved fingers topped with red play dough like olives.
The band around his chest had eased.
Now, as he approached his door, he saw her sitting on a nearby bench, legs drawn up, her gaze pinned to his face.
He smiled at her, the last of the day’s stress evaporating. His fatigue lifted.
She uncurled, her expression relaxing as she stood. “Okay,” she said as he came nearer. “You’re okay.”
“Yeah.” He cupped her face in his hands, staring down into her dark eyes. Oh, the irony, he thought. I started today wanting to convince her I’d be good for her when it’s now proven beyond any doubt that she’s good for me.
“This was my first big test at my new position in the company,” he said.
“You passed?”
“Something like that.” He brushed his thumbs over her cheekbones. “Most important, you helped.”
“I don’t know how—”
“You did.” The food she sent, just the knowledge that she was nearby had warmed him, calmed him, and lessened some of the strain. He lowered his mouth to hers and she didn’t resist, melting into the kiss. Her arms came around him and her tongue stroked along the surface of his. They both groaned.
From the corner of his eye, he saw someone coming along the path, so he lifted his head and quickly unlocked his room to draw Jojo inside.
More kissing commenced.
He ran his hands over her body, absorbing the feel of her, memorizing every sleek line and sweet curve. His fingertips slid beneath the waistband of her shorts and she crowded closer, her mouth sliding along his jaw.
She peppered tiny kisses down his throat and his fingers gripped tighter, tilting her ass so that his hard cock could notch the vee of her thighs. She rocked against him, trying for more friction and that’s when he decided too many clothes were between them.
Her blouse came off over her head and he released her bra next, his gaze drawn to her beaded nipples, pink and tempting. Before he could succumb and taste them, she was tugging on his shirt. He bent his neck so she could work it free.
As it fell to the ground, her small palms slid up his chest. “You’re so hard,” she whispered.
He groaned and rubbed the heel of his hand over his denim-covered cock. “God, yeah.”
“Not just there,” she said, now kneading his shoulders. “You’re all knots here.”
He rotated his head, trying to work out the kinks. “Was strung a little tight for a while there.”
“I know what you need then,” Jojo said, and urged him toward the bed. “Take off your clothes and lie face down.”
“Jojo—”
Her hands gave him a little push. “Take off your clothes and lie down.”
Getting naked was easy. But getting comfortable with his hard dick pressing into the mattress was not so much. He turned his head to keep tabs on Jojo who’d disappeared into the bathroom. She came out, carrying a bottle of the complimentary body lotion, wearing only a pair of sheer, hot red panties, the back panel revealing a lot of creamy, curvy cheek.
His dick bucked against the white cotton beneath him. “Maybe we should just fuck,” he said. “Save the lotion for later.”
“We need the lotion,” she said, wearing a little smile.
“I bet you’re plenty wet,” he said. “Shall I check?”
A blush stained her cheeks and her breath hitched. But she didn’t say anything more as she climbed up onto the mattress to straddle his hips. He heard the snap of a cap and then a cold line drew across his shoulder blades.
“Shit,” he groaned. “That’s cold.”
But then her hands were on him, spreading the chill and then warming it. For such a slender thing, she had strength in her fingers and he groaned again as she worked him over, massaging the hard knots from his back.
It was bliss. It was torture. The easing of his muscles awesome, the insistent throb of his cock a wonderful pleasure-pain.
It suddenly struck him that no woman had ever…tended to him. This is what he’d missed by sticking to casual hookups. The intimacy of someone recognizing your discomfort and
then addressing it, skin to skin.
Now she was running her lips down his spine, shifting lower so her magic hands and strong thumbs could rub at the small of his back and then the muscles of his ass. He couldn’t stop his hips from shifting, his cock demanding friction.
A sharp sting, and he realized she’d bit his right cheek. “Hey,” he said, rising up on one elbow to send her a baleful look over his shoulder.
She grinned. “Turn over.”
He hesitated. His dick was a monster at the moment, as big as a bat and ready to blow. “Kitten, I don’t think—yowch!” She’d bit his other cheek.
“Turn over,” she insisted.
“You asked for it,” he muttered, obeying.
Then her hands were on him again, front side, kneading even the muscles of his arms and then massaging every finger.
While it all felt great, it wasn’t exactly relaxing. His heart was slamming against the cage of his ribs and his skin felt pulled tight to his bones. He closed his eyes, trying to keep still under her ministrations. Her hand’s skirted down his sides now and then—
Wet heat engulfed his cock.
His eyes flashed open and his head jerked up. If he lived to be a thousand there’d be no better breath-stealing moment than this one—Jojo in those little red panties, on her knees at his side, her breasts swaying as her mouth took him down.
He couldn’t see her tongue but he could feel it, stroking along his shaft, making him slick, making him so damn needy that he couldn’t stop from sinking one hand into her hair. Twining his fingers in the soft stuff, he didn’t direct her movements but just enjoyed the sense of being connected to her in yet another way.
Then one of her hands reached up to toy with a puckered nipple and his fingertips dug into her scalp as a strong wave of lust surged through him. She moaned around his erection and he felt the sweet sound in his balls. They drew up tighter and he knew this encounter was a breath or two away from being over if he didn’t shake things up.
So he reached under her arms and hauled her away from her toy.
“Con!” she complained, her swollen mouth starting to pout, but he kissed it off of her, rolling to pin her beneath him. She melted as she always did, welcoming his tongue, her body squirming under his weight.
My Quickie Wedding (Heartbreak Hotel Book 3) Page 7