by Patricia Kay
“Not yet,” he whispered when she reached for him. “Let’s enjoy this first.”
She cried out when he lowered his head and began to kiss her there, in the place that throbbed and ached. And when he found her sweet spot with his finger, and suckled her nipples at the same time, she thought she might die from the sensations building to a crescendo.
“Oh, oh,” she said, arching her back.
His mouth found hers again, and he kissed her deeply as her body shuddered in glorious release. Only then, after she had calmed, did he allow her to tend to him. Joanna hadn’t imagined she’d find herself climbing to another peak, but soon enough, she was again at the precipice. And this time, he was right there with her.
But before entering her, he said, “Do I need to use a condom?”
“I’m on the Pill,” she managed to say before he thrust inside, pushing deep.
They fit together so perfectly, she thought as those unbelievable sensations assaulted her again. And when she finally exploded, almost in perfect sync with him, she felt like crying. Not because she was unhappy. Because she was so wondrously happy. She couldn’t remember ever feeling like this before. As if she was finally in the place she was always meant to be. With this man. In this moment. Home. She was at home.
I love him, she thought. I love him so much.
That was her last thought before she fell asleep wrapped in his arms.
* * *
He’d done it now.
There was no going back. No wondering if he should have or shouldn’t have. No second-guessing. He’d taken the leap. For better or worse, he’d made love to this woman, and now he would have to deal with the consequences. And yet he wasn’t unhappy. He didn’t feel he’d made a mistake. On the contrary, he couldn’t remember ever being so content, so satisfied and so looking forward to the future.
Joanna was amazing. He knew he was overusing that word, but he couldn’t help it. There was no other way to describe her or the way she made him feel. Simply amazing. Astonishing, even.
He couldn’t believe how perfectly she suited him. Even though he was tall and she was little, they seemed made for each other. She’d felt so right in his arms, she might have been designed with him in mind.
He watched her as she slept. He knew he should sleep himself. Either that or get up and go home. But he didn’t want to go home, nor did he want to sleep. He’d rather just look at her and marvel that he’d found her. That they’d somehow, against all odds, found each other.
Eat your heart out, Jamison. This woman is mine.
He smiled. Kissed her forehead gently. Whispered that she was wonderful. And then he, too, slept.
* * *
Joanna was dreaming that someone was licking her face. She opened her eyes. No, she wasn’t dreaming. Tabitha really was licking her face. Suddenly she was fully awake. Memories of the night before flooded her mind. Marcus! Where was he? She was wrapped in her quilt and on the sofa. The last thing she remembered of the night before was being wrapped in his arms, on the floor.
Had he gone home?
But then she heard the water running. In the shower. He was in the shower. Either that or some intruder was in the shower. Sitting up, absently petting Tabitha, she looked around. No intruder. For there was Marcus’s tux tossed over a chair. And there was her beautiful lace gown draped over the TV set in the corner.
Oh, God. She must look a wreck. She’d never removed her makeup last night. Ha. She’d never done anything sensible last night.
Oh, but what she had done had been wonderful. Remembering, she blushed. She’d been completely wanton.
And she couldn’t wait to be wanton again.
* * *
Marcus didn’t know how anyone could get a proper shower in this ridiculously small enclosure. He could barely turn around. Still, he managed to soap himself and rinse, and the water was satisfyingly hot. He’d also managed to unearth a big, clean towel. Unfortunately he would have to put on yesterday’s underwear, and brush his teeth with his finger, but at least he was clean and felt ready to face the day. Drying himself off, he wondered if Joanna was awake yet. He grinned, thinking how adorable she’d looked sleeping. She might not have thought so, but he had enjoyed looking at her, smudged eye makeup and all. In fact, she’d looked good enough to eat this morning. It had taken all his willpower not to wake her and make love to her again. The only thing that had stopped him was the knowledge that he had an appointment with Walker at the Barlow offices at ten o’clock, and he couldn’t miss it. They were going to go over his father’s will because Tad had gotten a job offer from the software firm where he’d interviewed a week ago and was again making noises about contesting their father’s will.
* * *
Emerging from the shower, Marcus saw that Joanna was no longer sleeping on the sofa. Then he heard noises in the kitchen. And soon after, he smelled coffee brewing. Following his nose, he entered the small area—more kitchenette than kitchen. She stood at the counter pouring half-and-half into a small milk glass pitcher. She turned and gave him a shy smile.
Adorable was definitely the word, he thought. Amazing, adorable and astonishing. All those a words. Her face was clean of makeup, and now he could see the smattering of freckles across her nose. She looked years younger and yes, good enough to eat. Her curvy little body was enclosed in an oversize white terry-cloth robe, and her feet were bare. Her toenails were painted black, too, he noticed. He started to laugh.
“What’s so funny?” she said.
“You. You like black, don’t you?”
Following his gaze, she looked down at her feet. “I do. Is that a problem for you?”
“Let’s just say nothing is a problem for me today,” he said, walking over and pulling her up against him. He bent down and nuzzled her neck. “Um, you smell good.”
“It wasn’t easy washing up in the kitchen sink,” she said. “I heard you in the shower. Did you find everything you needed?”
“I did. Although it would have been nicer having you in there with me.” Then he laughed again. “Not that two of us could fit in that thing.” Remembering that she was moving, he added, “What’s the shower like in the new place?”
“There’s plenty of room for two there.”
“Is that a promise?” He couldn’t resist untying her robe and reaching in to cup her breasts.
“Stop that,” she said weakly. But she didn’t try to remove his hands. Instead, she leaned back into his embrace.
He sighed deeply and kissed her neck. Then he let her go. “I wish I could stay. But I have a ten o’clock appointment. And it’s already nine.”
She nodded, and hurriedly tied her robe again. “Do you have time for coffee before you go? I could make some toast, too.”
“Do you have an insulated cup? Otherwise, I’ll just pull into a Starbucks on the way. I need to get to the office in time to change. I can’t meet Walker still dressed in my tux.”
“I do.” She opened the cupboard over the coffeemaker and took out a tall insulated container. She poured it full of coffee. “Cream? Sugar?”
“No, just black.”
She put the cap on the cup and handed it to him. Their eyes met. In hers, he saw a question. Leaning down, he kissed the tip of her nose. “Last night was...amazing.”
“It was,” she whispered.
“I’ll call you later. I have a dinner I have to go to tonight, but maybe we could do something tomorrow?” He wished he could ask her to go with him to Cornelia Fairchild Hunt’s dinner tonight, but he knew it would be rude to bring an uninvited guest and it was too late to call Cornelia and ask about bringing Joanna.
“I’m not sure about tomorrow. My best friend is flying in from New York. Look, we’ll talk about it later, okay?”
He guessed he’d have to be content with that.
>
* * *
He’d call her later. With some guys, that might have been a kiss-off line. But Joanna knew Marcus wasn’t like that. If he had no intention of calling her, he would not have said he would.
Now she wished Georgie wasn’t coming, because she knew there was no way she could see Marcus tomorrow. Not on Georgie’s first day.
And oh, she did want to see him. She had never wanted anything so much in her life. She still couldn’t believe everything that had happened. How he had said if he came in he would want to make love to her. And how she hadn’t even thought about it before replying that’s what she wanted, too. And then all that fantastic and wonderful sex. But what they’d shared was more than sex, and she knew it. He truly had made love to her, and she to him.
You love him. Admit it.
Okay, so she loved him. Was that so bad?
Not bad. But it might be stupid. Only time will tell.
Joanna fixed herself a cup of coffee with a dollop of cream and a packet of sweetener. Yes, time would tell. Maybe she had been stupid, but she wasn’t sorry.
* * *
Walker told Marcus that if he and his mother were both agreeable to allowing Tad to sell some of his stock, there would be no problem with the will. “You know the board will go along with anything the two of you want to do. Within reason, of course.”
Marcus had already decided he would buy any stock Tad wanted to sell, so there was no danger of it falling into alien hands. “Thank you, Walker.” Marcus started to get up in preparation for leaving.
“Marcus, do you have a few minutes more?” Walker asked. “There’s something else I wanted to discuss with you.”
“Sure.” Marcus sat down again. “I’ve got some time.”
Walker smiled at him. “Your father would be proud of you, you know.”
“Thanks, Walker. I appreciate that.”
“Your mother wouldn’t have been able to manage without you.”
Marcus wondered what had brought this on. Walker seldom spoke about personal matters, except where they pertained to finances.
“I’d like to know how you’d feel about your mother marrying again.”
Marcus blinked. Of all the things Walker might have said, this was the last thing Marcus had expected. “Why, if she wanted to, and the man in question was someone suitable, I’d be happy for her.” Actually he’d be elated. He might even be able to finally have a life of his own.
Walker cleared his throat. He seemed almost embarrassed, but he met Marcus’s eyes without looking away. “The man in question is me.”
Marcus stared at the man who had been his father’s closest friend and confidant. He guessed he shouldn’t be that surprised, although he was, mainly because he wouldn’t have thought his mother would appeal to a man like Walker, whose deceased wife, Alicia, had been a sweet, homey woman who seemed more comfortable baking cookies with her grandchildren than attending society functions. “I would be honored to have you in our family, Walker. You must know that.”
Walker smiled. “I hoped so, but I wanted to be sure.”
“Have you and Mother spoken of this?”
“Not in so many words, but I’d like to ask her to marry me, and I think she’ll say yes.”
She’d be a fool not to, Marcus thought. “Well, if you want my blessing, you have it.” He stood then, and held out his hand.
As the two men shook hands, then laughed and clasped each other in a hug, Marcus began to wonder if the earth might be tilting on its axis. First Tad had actually gotten a job, on his own, and then Marcus had thrown caution to the wind and done exactly what he wanted to do concerning Joanna—and to hell with the consequences!—and now it looked as if his mother’s future might be assured. Now if only he could get Vanessa squared away, his life might actually approach something resembling normal.
* * *
Marcus called at noon. Joanna had decided she was better off suspending work on her designs and instead getting her move under way. Once she was in the new place, with more room to work, she could concentrate on finishing everything she needed to finish for her show. First things first.
So she was making a list of everything she needed to do, in the order she needed to do it, when her cell rang. Seeing Marcus’s name, she felt her heart lifting and she was smiling when she said hello.
“Hi,” he said. “What’re you doing?”
“Making a list of everything I need to do to get ready for my move.”
“I see.”
“You sound disappointed.”
“I did hope you were thinking of me.”
She laughed softly. “I’ve had a hard time thinking about anything else today.”
“Good. Because I can’t stop thinking about you, either.”
Just hearing his voice made her breath quicken.
“Since you’re busy tomorrow, I was hoping I could come by and take you to lunch.”
Joanna thought about the million and one things she should be doing today. Needed to be doing today. “Okay. When are you coming?”
“I can be there in thirty minutes.”
“I’ll be ready. I’ll wait downstairs.”
Thirty minutes later, when he pulled up to the curb, she practically flew outside. She didn’t even care that Thomas, watching from inside her building, could see the way they kissed before Marcus helped her into the car. And how they kissed again once he got in beside her.
“Where are we going?” she said breathlessly as he pulled out into traffic.
“I brought a picnic lunch.” He inclined his head toward the backseat where she saw a wicker basket covered with a cloth.
“You packed a lunch?” she said in disbelief.
He smiled wryly. “I can’t take credit for it. Franny, our cook, did it for me.”
Joanna imagined he was taking her out by the water somewhere, so she was puzzled when fifteen minutes later he pulled into the garage of a high-rise condominium building.
He explained that they would have their “picnic” in the corporate suite his company kept for VIPs.
“So I’m a VIP?” she teased.
“You certainly are. A very important person.” By now they were in the elevator that would whisk them to the eighteenth floor. And while it was whisking, he was again kissing her.
The picnic didn’t get eaten until two hours later, because in the meantime, Marcus decided she had to see the king-size bed in the main bedroom, and then he suggested they might like to try it out. “Knowing what you sleep in, I think we’re going to be spending a lot of time here,” he said.
Making love with Marcus in a big comfortable bed was even better than it had been the first two times in her apartment. Afterward, they lay together, spoon fashion, while one hand lazily caressed her breast and the other stroked her belly with occasional forays even lower. Joanna sighed in contentment and wished she could stay like this always.
She hated to see the afternoon end, but at four o’clock Marcus said he needed to take her home because he was due at the Hunt mansion at seven and needed time to get ready. “I wish I could take you with me tonight.”
Joanna was glad he couldn’t. She wouldn’t have known how to act in front of Cornelia and Harry Hunt. She wanted to keep her new relationship with Marcus a secret for a while. Maybe she wouldn’t even tell Georgie what had happened.
For the rest of the day she hugged the knowledge to her that Marcus had wanted to be with her, not just today, but tonight and tomorrow, too. Maybe she’d worried about their differences for nothing. Maybe he really didn’t think she needed to change to fit into his life.
And yet she still felt a tiny niggle of doubt. It was too soon to be certain of anything. This might last, or it might not. But no matter what happened, even if eventually Marcus tired of her and dec
ided to move on, even if the present was all she had, she would extract every drop of pleasure and joy out of it. She would seize the day and emulate her favorite heroine, Scarlett O’Hara, and not worry about tomorrow.
* * *
Although Marcus would have loved to have Joanna with him, he enjoyed the evening with the Hunts. The only other guests present were Harry’s son, Alex, and his wife, P.J. Marcus took to both of them immediately. They were charming, friendly and fun. The conversation was lively and the food exceptional. Cornelia and Harry were wonderful hosts who made you feel at ease almost immediately.
After they were served their dessert—a delicious apple tart—and coffee, Cornelia turned to Marcus. “I was so pleased to hear you decided to give Joanna Spinelli a show.”
Marcus smiled. “Yes, she’s very talented. I think the show will be a big success.”
P.J. seemed interested, so Marcus and Cornelia explained. “She’s Georgie’s best friend,” Cornelia added at the end.
“Really?” P.J. said. “Do you know her, Alex?”
Alex and Georgie, although not related by blood, had been close friends from the time they were kids, explained Cornelia.
“We both met her, at Georgie’s wedding,” Alex said.
“I had forgotten,” P.J. said. “That was such a hectic day with all the little kids there and all.”
“Georgie thinks the world of her. Actually, I think Joanna’s pretty special myself,” Cornelia said. She smiled at Marcus.
Did Cornelia suspect something? Marcus wondered. Was she looking at him in a strange way? Well, what did it matter if she did suspect his relationship with Joanna was more than that of a business partner? Did he really care?
That night, as he drove home, he decided he didn’t care who knew about him and Joanna. In fact, people knowing would be a good way to test the waters and see if she could comfortably fit into his life on more than a temporary basis.