When he laughed, her heart was ready to burst, and her fingers itched to move his hair back off his forehead. Instead, she curled her hands into balls. She didn’t want to do anything to ruin this moment.
“Why do you say that?” she asked, curious about his amusement.
Jordan’s dimples made an appearance, and Tessa had to breathe in deeply to help cool the fire brewing in her core.
“Well, you were sprawled out over my chest drooling.”
Tessa gasped, and her hand came up to her mouth. As soon as she felt the rumble on the side of her body, she knew he was messing with her.
With the back of her hand, she swatted his chest. “Not funny!”
“Okay, you weren’t drooling, but I shook you, and you hardly moved. I decided this was easier.”
“You can put me down now.”
Tessa could feel her cheeks heat. She’d been lost in their first carefree conversation and had forgotten Jordan was carrying her. When he didn’t make any move to release her, she squirmed.
The elevator door opened, and Jordan tightened his arm.
“Just stay put. We’re almost over the threshold.”
The meaning of his words registered, and Tessa was compliant, even as her heart thudded. They passed through the entryway, and Jordan kept moving. She started to ask where they were going and then bit her tongue. It soon became apparent.
Her heart thumped a little harder, and her stomach quivered with each step that took them closer to the master bedroom.
Jordan stopped in the middle of the room and slid his hands out from under her knees. One arm still supported her weight against him as he patiently waited for her to find her balance on shaking legs and in strappy heels.
When she was steady, Jordan guided her to turn around until her back was to his front. He slid his hands up her arms and cupped her bare shoulders.
The contact on her sensitized skin made the air around them electrify. Tessa’s breathing was the only thing she could hear in the room. All of her awareness was on the warm, solid presence behind her. She vowed not to talk and ruin the moment. Her body was on high alert, anxiously waiting to see what happened next.
He trailed one of his hands down to the zipper of her dress, lingering on the bare skin above it. Tessa held her breath and waited. When she didn’t voice a protest, Jordan slid the zipper down in slow increments, giving her plenty of opportunities to halt what he was doing.
Tessa didn’t want him to stop. He was the only person capable of shutting her brain down and turning her body on, and right now she wanted both things.
He moved closer, and her body soaked up his strength and magnetism. He trailed his lips down her neck and sucked on the delicate spot between her neck and shoulder. Tessa shuddered, tilting her head to give him better access and molding herself to his front.
The light trail of his lips followed by little nips made her body shake. He skimmed his hands up her arms, and when her dress fell to the ground, she was briefly jolted from her haze when the cold air hit her heated body.
Her breath hissed in when his hands splayed on her abdomen, and he slowly ran them up until they were cupping her aching breasts. Tessa thrust her chest out, silently begging him for more.
Jordan’s chuckle was like a caress over her skin. The husky words he whispered in her ear made her shiver. “Is this what you are looking for, Tessa?”
His fingers came up and pinched her needy nipples. The moan that left her lips broke the moment and spurred Jordan into action.
Spinning her around, he claimed her lips while his hands owned her body. Tessa drowned in sensation, and she wanted more. She brought her leg up around Jordan’s waist, and thanks to her heels, her core lined up perfectly with his raging erection.
He lifted her up and placed her in the center of the California King bed. Jordan rose to his knees and devoured her with his eyes as he straddled her legs. She shuddered under his appraisal.
“Jordan,” she pleaded.
He locked eyes with her. “You want me, Tessa?”
“Yes,” she husked out.
His eyes blazed and held hers as he unbuttoned his shirt. When it dropped to the ground, Tessa lifted her hands, eager to touch him, but he moved out of reach. He stood at the foot of the bed, and his eyes roamed over every inch of her.
“Damn Tessa, I want a picture of you in those white-lace panties and fuck-me heels while you’re lying in my bed and craving only what I can give you. You’re every man’s fantasy come to life, and you’re all mine.”
Another shudder ran through her as his possessive words caressed her soul. With her next shaky breath, Jordan became a blur of movement. He discarded his dress pants and leaned over her body, gripping her panties and pulling them down.
Finally his weight spread over her, and his hard cock was at her pulsing, needy core. She reached between them to guide him into her. When he slid in, they both stilled. Her heart churned and burned throughout her chest. Tessa had forgotten this feeling of completeness when they were together.
She arched up, encouraging Jordan to move while he linked their fingers and guided her hands up to the headboard. After curling them around one post, he gruffly demanded, “Hang on, and don’t move them.”
With one last warning squeeze of his hands, he moved down to grab her hips and started a hard, demanding rhythm.
Her body screamed in ecstasy, and she closed her eyes to enjoy every sensation. With every thrust and retreat, she savored the joy of being connected to Jordan. It had always been him who called to her body and soul, and unbeknownst to her conscious self, she’d been craving him.
“Look at me, Tessa,” Jordan rasped.
She slid her eyes open, and she couldn’t hide her vulnerability and need as she connected to the man who surrounded her and demanded her surrender.
Her body locked up, preparing for the tsunami getting ready to overtake her.
“Yes,” Jordan growled. “That’s it. Give it to me.”
Her body broke as pleasure flooded every pore. She registered Jordan’s roar above her, and it added to her completion, knowing she’d given as much to him as he’d given her.
He collapsed on top of her, and Tessa eagerly wrapped her arms around him. She savored his pounding heart against hers and enjoyed the peace surrounding them. Tessa slid into a heavy slumber, secure knowing that at least for tonight, she didn’t have any worries.
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Chapter 26
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“I still can’t believe we’re in a private jet,” Tessa said in awe, even though this was the second time she’d flown in luxury.
They were flying home from Florida. Her first time had been when they’d flown to Florida a week ago. Both jets reminded Tessa of Jordan’s cars. There was leather as far as the eye could see, and they smelled like money.
Tessa had been a wreck the entire time Jordis had toddled around the plane. There had been no way that she wouldn’t break or spill something if left unsupervised. Tessa had minimized the spillage problem by allowing her only water during the flights.
“It’s easier for me. Even when I travel first class, people recognize me. I wanted to spend time with you and Jordis and not have to worry about obsessive fans.”
Tessa still cringed when she remembered the attention Jordan had gotten, and consequently she’d gotten, while he had been in college. Now that he was in the NBA, she couldn’t even imagine the attention he got in public. She was thankful for the private jet, even if it made her uncomfortable.
“Thank you, Jordan. This entire week has been amazing.”
The wonder in Jordis’s eyes at the Florida resort had been both heartwarming and heartbreaking for her. Her eyes were wide from the moment their driver—another first for the Parker girls—opened the door and she saw the red paved driveway leading up to the white castle-like resort. The resort was structured like the letter E. Both ends had bell towers and were ten stories high.
&nbs
p; As soon as they exited the car Jordis grabbed her hand and they stood in the lobby to take in the extravagance before them. The white floors gleamed, and the white walls were split up by deep-coffee-colored mahogany boards. The luxurious backdrop led your eye directly to the calming deep blue ocean.
Of course it had only taken Jordis about one minute to get over her awe, and then she was in full Curious George mode. Tessa tensely followed her around to make sure she didn’t get into too much mischief. If this was a family resort, why did they have so many glass tables and breakable items?
Luckily, after Jordan had finished checking them in, he swooped Jordis into his arms and distracted her with tickle torture while explaining everything to do at the resort.
It broke her heart that she wasn’t the one providing her daughter with this experience. Tessa loved seeing Jordis so excited, but the closest thing to this that she’d been able to show her was a public beach.
“Hey.” Jordan lifted her chin, bringing her back to the present. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”
Tessa met his searching eyes and then looked away before answering, “Just remembering telling Jordis that you’re her dad.”
His eyes lit up, and he glanced over at a passed-out Jordis. Chuckling and shaking his head over the memory, he said, “Yeah. I was nervous and trying to prepare answers for all the questions I thought she would have, and the only thing she said was amazing.”
“I call you Daddy?” Jordis had asked Jordan with vulnerability shining through her voice.
Jordan had stilled and closed his eyes. Hearing that word had clearly affected him, but he had calmly answered, “Yes. You should call me Daddy.”
Jordis had replied, “Okay, Daddy. Now water?”
She’d pointed toward the ocean which had been visible from every window in their suite. And that was that—total acceptance of her new daddy.
Tessa’s attempt to divert Jordan from his original question had worked, but only momentarily. He tilted his head and looked at her with creased eyebrows. “What’s going on, Tessa?”
The resentment that had always been between them had faded away during their week in Florida. They weren’t traditional newlyweds, but the sex had sure made it feel like they were. They’d dropped Jordis off at the day camp for two of the days they were there, and they’d spent that time in bed having the kind of sex that still made her shiver with excitement.
Jordan had been true to his word and didn’t bring the past up. It seemed like they had successfully put it behind them. She didn’t sense any ulterior motive behind his question and decided to answer him honestly.
“It’s hard for me to get used to the way you live, Jordan. All of this luxury still makes me a little uncomfortable.”
Jordan grinned and reached for her hand. “It was our honeymoon, Tessa. It was my job to wow you.”
“Well, you did that. Jordis won’t ever forget this.”
He moved his hand up to cup the back of her neck. “And what about you? Was it memorable for you?”
Tessa got lost in the heat swirling in his eyes, and she lurched forward. She licked her lips and let all the memories of them in bed show on her face. Jordan swept his hand down her arm, leaving goosebumps along his path.
“What memory are you thinking of now, Tessa?”
With frustrating softness, the back of his hand traveled across the top of her strapless sundress. Her breath hitched, and she bit her lip when the tip of Jordan’s fingers settled just inside the top of her dress.
All of her focus was on that hand, willing it to go lower and engulf her heavy, needy breast. His husky voice was slow to penetrate her brain.
“What was it, Tessa?”
“What?”
She couldn’t concentrate on the conversation, so she moved her hand to Jordan’s wrist with the intent of pushing his hand down. Tessa was no longer shocked at how readily her body responded to even the slightest touch from him. Over the course of the week, he’d somehow made her body his slave.
“Are you wet right now? What are you thinking of?”
She was wet, but she was also incapable of talking. His other hand landed on her knee and inched up the dress lying above her knees.
Dumbly Tessa nodded, and Jordan chuckled darkly and leaned forward. She held her breath, and then it hitched when he nipped her ear and whispered, “Tell me what you’re thinking, and I’ll do it.”
He pulled back far enough to see her face, waiting. Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore and tugged his wrist down to fully cover her breast. “I want your hands on me.”
Triumph flared, and Jordan went to work. His fingers worked over the material and plucked at her nipple visible through the lining. He moved the hand on her thigh up to her panties and pushed them aside.
“Fuck, Tessa, you’re soaked. Do you want my fingers?”
Her body was one big ball of need. “Yes.”
When his finger slipped between her greedy lips, her legs fell open and she shamelessly fell back in her seat. With every pump of his fingers, the coil in her core grew tighter.
Her hips raised to meet the thrusting of the three fingers now in her. Tessa clutched the arms of her seat, eagerly searching for the release quickly overtaking her body. She couldn’t keep quiet anymore, and her needy sounds and moans of appreciation let loose.
Jordan’s intensity loomed over her as he demanded, “Come, Tessa.”
That started the explosion in her core as his mouth slammed over hers and absorbed her screams of release as the pleasure spread to every limb of her body.
Dazedly, Tessa sprawled out like a drunk person in her chair with Jordan’s large frame bracketing her. Then it dawned on her why he hovered. He was blocking Jordis’s view. Horror spread through her at what she’d allowed to happen with her daughter six feet away.
Jordan gripped her chin firmly and brought it up to his determined face. “No. You will not regret this.”
Was he serious? “Jordan, our daughter is right there!”
“She’s asleep. Even if she’d woken up, I made sure she couldn’t see anything.”
Self-recriminations swarmed around in her head.
Jordan demanded her attention. “She’s too young to understand what was happening, and I won’t be sorry that her parents desire each other. Stop thinking.”
She nodded slowly, and he sat back. Her gaze went straight to her daughter, and she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Jordis was still sleeping. Tessa brought her legs up into the seat and let her eyes slide outside to the passing clouds. Jordan slid his hand in hers, and something in her clicked into place.
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Chapter 27
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“Training camp starts in a couple of weeks. I’d like to get a house before then.”
They’d been back from Florida for a couple of days when Jordan made the announcement. Tessa looked up from the industrial table in his penthouse where they were having breakfast. She kept her expression neutral, even though her insides were leaping with excitement to leave this sterile home.
“A house?” she asked, like she was only mildly interested.
Jordan’s lips twitched. “Unless you would rather stay in this block of concrete.”
Tessa widened her eyes. Those were the exact words she’d used to describe the penthouse to Lindy. Her mouth opened, but she didn’t know what to say.
Jordan burst out laughing. His damn dimples popped out, and the hard angles of his face softened.
“Sorry.” The description fit it to T, but she was sorry he’d heard her cold description of his home.
Jordan just shook his head and continued laughing. She raised her leg to knock him off his chair and stop his fun at her expense when he finally winded down.
“Oh, Tessa. This penthouse has never been more than a place to eat and sleep. I’m well aware Jordis needs somewhere less,” his lips twitched again and her eyes narrowed, “hard.”
A jab
of hurt hit her gut, and Tessa quickly lowered her gaze. It would always be about Jordis. She was grateful he thought of her, but it hurt that for the rest of her married life it would never be her whom he loved and cherished.
“What’s wrong?” Jordan asked.
It was on the tip of her tongue to say nothing, but she knew he wouldn’t buy it. Instead, she put a sunny smile on her face. “I feel bad about calling your home a cement block, but I’m relieved you want to look for someplace different for Jordis.”
Jordan studied her while she held her breath and his gaze. When he started talking, she slowly let it out.
“We’re meeting the realtor, Davis Lund, at his office at ten this morning. He’s going to take us to see several properties. When we decide on a house, I’d like you to look at preschools for Jordis to attend.”
“Okay.”
Getting Jordis into preschool had been a long-term goal that Tessa hadn’t even started strategizing for. Preschool cost money, and it was always something they’d been short on. It was important to her that Jordis socialize with other kids, but that had never happened. She had spent her entire life surrounded by adults.
“Tessa, what’s wrong?” Jordan asked again, this time more firmly.
The tears in her eyes would give away her ridiculous sadness, so she kept them glued to her plate.
“Nothing. What else is on the agenda?”
“Tessa.” His angry tone made her jerk her head up.
Jordan’s determined gaze latched onto hers. “This isn’t going to work if you keep lying to me. What. Is. Wrong?”
Tessa mumbled, “I’m just feeling sorry for myself. It’s not a big deal, Jordan.”
“You didn’t answer the question, Tessa.”
“This conversation just made me realize that I wasn’t as good of a mother as I thought.”
“What are you talking about? You’re a great mom.”
She was grateful that Jordan said it, but her limitations were now glaringly obvious. Tessa looked up at him and confessed, “Jordis’s only friends have been her grandmothers, Lindy, and me. It’s really not fair to her that I haven’t given her the opportunity to play with kids her own age.”
Jordan's Justice: A New Adult Sport Romance (Tessa and Jordan Book 2) Page 13