by Lori Foster
Cameron cleared his throat. “Well, I don’t know about that. I feel rather protective.”
Asia nodded. “Me, too.”
Becky smiled at George. “We all do.”
Laughing, Erica said, “Now why would you all feel protective of me?”
Ian knelt down in front of her. “Because they love you as much as I do. And if you’re still keeping count, that’s three.”
Erica looked small and very uncertain sandwiched between her friends with their men crowding close to their sides.
Three what?” Becky asked.
Erica’s eyes went soft and dark. “Three times now that he’s told me he loves me.”
Asia and Becky were mute. Cameron said, “I believe him. God knows he’s worked hard enough to get you here.”
“Damn right,” George agreed. “And I think Erica loves him too.”
Ian raised a brow. “You do?”
“Sure. She’s been defending you since we got here. Damned if I’ve ever heard Erica defend a man before. Usually she’s ripping them to shreds.”
Slowly, Ian’s grin spread until he thought he might burst with satisfaction. Erica had been taking his part, defending him to her best friends. The look she gave him now was part wary, part annoyed.She was such a prickly woman sometimes.“Tell me you love me, Erica.”
Cameron and George quickly seated themselves on the arms of the sofa next to their respective women. “I don’t want to miss a word,” Cameron said, despite the way Asia tried to hush him.
George said, “I wish I had my video camera,” and Becky elbowed him hard.
With everyone looking at her, Erica naturally went cocky. “Yeah, sure, I love him.”
Four mouths fell open. Ian just continued to smile.
“I mean, what’s not to love? On top of being gorgeous, the man’s a great cook, a talented electrician, and he plans to build a house off in the woods.” She looked at Asia. “I always wanted to live in the woods.”
“You did?”
Erica nodded. And then to Becky, “And I’ve always had a thing for the big macho guys.”
“You have?”
“Oh, yeah.” She slid off the couch to land in Ian’s lap. He toppled onto his rump, but kept her locked in his arms, near to his heart. “I just didn’t realize it until Ian came along.”
“Does this mean you’re getting married?” George wanted to know.
Erica laughed. “That better be what it means.”
“Great. Then we’re out of here.” He pulled Becky to her feet. “Trust me, love. They want privacy.”
Asia and Cameron stood too. “We’ll go,” Asiatold her, “but I expect to hear from you soon with all the juicy details.”
Erica gave a sly grin. “I’m not sure you’re old enough to hear these details, Asia. They’re juicier than most.”
Cameron laughed. “A challenge! “ And to George, “You think he’s trying to outdo us?”
“Sounds like. I don’t know about you, but I’m heading home to add to my repertoire on sexual deviations. The way these three gossip, you can’t protect your manhood closely enough.”
Becky snickered.
Asia took Cameron’s hand. “A good idea. Cameron and I will do the same.”
“Such a grand exodus,” Ian noted once the door had closed behind them all. “Should we put out the same effort, you think?”
“I believe you already have.” She toyed with his chest hair and asked, “All that stuff you did … it really was wonderful. You’re wonderful.”
“I told you that for the right woman, I’d do whatever I needed to.” He gave her a lecherous smile.
“So it was just to wear me down?”
“No, it was to get you ready.” He kissed the end of her nose. “They call it foreplay.”
“Well, it worked.”
Maintaining his hold on Erica, Ian came to his feet and headed for the bedroom. “Shall we see if it’ll work again?”
“Am I still in charge?”
“For a little while longer. Then it’s my turn.” He entered the bedroom and placed her on the bed. Leaning over, being as serious in his declarations as he could be, he said, “That’s what marriage is allabout, you know. I love you, so I want you to be happy. You love me, so you want me to be happy.” Then he asked, “Right?”
A teasing, very sexy grin eased into place. “Yes.”
“Yes?”
She laughed. “Yes. I love you.”
Ian snatched her up for a strangling hug. Laughing, Erica forced him back a bit, then said, “You know, as long as I’m still in charge, where’s the massage oil?”
His expression warmed and his eyes grew dark. “You’re ready for more pleasure, are you?”
“Absolutely.” Erica shoved him to his back, then straddled his hips. “And I figure getting to rub your big gorgeous body all over is probably as much pleasure as any woman deserves.”
“You want to use the oil on me?”
“That’s right. And any man as controlling as you, ought to be able to control himself while I do this. So lie quietly … and let me love you.”
Ian smiled. “Well, when you put it like that …”
We know that you won’t want to miss Lori’s next
wonderful novel,
JUDE’S LAW.
Available from Zebra Books in February 2005.
Please turn the page for a preview …
He blamed May Price for his new affinity toward lush curves. Before meeting her damn near a year ago, he’d been more than satisfied with willowy models and leggy starlets.
Now, Jude Jamison couldn’t get the voluptuous Miss Price, or her very sexy body, off his mind. He wanted her. He would have her.
But so far, she hadn’t made it easy for him. Hard? Yeah, he stayed plenty hard. When it came to May, nothing went as he intended. Thanks to his fame and acquired fortune, he usually only needed to make himself visible and women were interested.
He liked it that way—or so he’d thought before May challenged him with her resistance. She didn’t care about money or fame. No, May liked his interest in art. Specifically, she liked his interest in the art she sold in her gallery.
Trying to make headway with May brought back memories of his youth, when getting laid made the top of his “to do” list and occupied most of his energy. He’d worked hard on sex back then, and he’d had the time of his life.
He still enjoyed sex, but without the chase, it didn’t seem as exciting. Hell, it had almost become mundane.
May made it exciting again.
In fact, she made everything exciting. Talking with her left him energized; laughing with her made him feel good; just looking at her gave him pleasure—and often had him fantasizing about the moment when she’d give in, maybe loosen up a little, say yes instead of shrugging off his interest as mere flirtation.
He’d turned thoughts of that day into a favorite fantasy—May out of her restricting clothes and her concealing glasses, with her hair loose and her expressive eyes anxious, seeing only him.
He adored her dark brown eyes with the thick fringe of lashes, the way she looked at him, the way she seemed to really see him, not just his image.
But before he could make moves toward getting her in his bed, he needed to go the route of casual dating. She was different from the other women he’d known. More old fashioned. In no way cavalier about intimacy. And she had a big heart.
He appreciated those differences a lot, but thinking of his failed come-ons left him chagrined.
She took his best lines as a joke. Added sincerity left her unconvinced. And at times, she didn’t even notice his attempts at seduction. Yet subtlety wasn’t his strong suit. She left him confounded, and very determined.
May wasn’t an insecure woman. She wasn’t shy or withdrawn. Open, honest, and straightforward—that described May. But no matter what Jude tried, she found a way to discount his interest.
He decided the local yahoos in Stillbrook, Ohio, were either b
lind, overly preoccupied, or just plain stupid when it came to women. For May to be so oblivious to her own appeal, they sure as hell hadn’t given her the attention she deserved, the attention he’d give her—in bed.
It had to happen soon. With his financial status and number of investments, not to mention the propositions from two other factions, a slew of daily business details demanded his attention. But until he had May, he couldn’t concentrate worth a damn.
Hands in his pockets, shoulder resting on the ornate door frame of May’s small art gallery, Jude watched her with the piercing intensity of a predator.
Time for new tactics. She hadn’t reacted to compliments and innuendos, so he’d spell things out for her instead. After tonight, May would have no delusions about what he wanted with her.
As she bustled across the floor, bouncing in all the right places, he visually tracked her, soaking in every jaunty step, each carefree movement. She hadn’t yet noticed him, but she would. Soon.
Anticipation curved his mouth.
No matter the location, no matter the occasion, May always became aware of him within seconds of his entrance. She could deny it all she wanted, but the awareness went both ways.
Fighting it would do her no good.
Jude played to win, always had. If May knew anything at all about his history, she knew that much. And for right now, he intended to win her.
It didn’t matter that her denial made sense. It didn’t matter that, despite the attraction, she probably feared him—with good reason. He wouldn’t let it matter.
Hell, he wouldn’t even think about it.
Ignoring the curious gawking of everyone else in the main room of the art gallery, Jude wove his way toward May. She had her profile to him and, as usual, her suit jacket showed wrinkles from an uncomplimentary fit, likely caused by her impressive rack. The seat of her knee-length skirt hugged her generous ass. And somehow she’d snagged the back left leg of her nylons.
Like the finest fetish garb, her rumpled wardrobe made her that much more enticing.
He couldn’t help but think about the voluptuous body she tried so hard to hide. Because most women flaunted their assets, her modesty amused him. Well used to bold seductions, her attempts to be demure dared him. Everything about her made his imagination go wild.
What type of panties did she wear under that asexual clothing? Cotton, or something slinky and slippery and barely there?
Soon enough he’d discover the answers for himself.
He was still studying her ass when she finally sensed his approach. Her animated conversation fell flat, and she whirled around to face him, almost dislodging her wire-framed glasses. He liked the front view as much as the back. Slowly, he brought his attention away from the notch at the top of her thighs, to her belly, her breasts, and up to her flushed face.
Their gazes locked, and Jude smiled.
Regardless of the crowd around her, he didn’t bother to hide his intent. He wanted her, and she could damn well deal with it.