“Please, for the love of God, tell me you aren’t tired.” He gathered me, pulling me to his chest.
“No. Are you?”
“Fuck no. Give me five minutes, and I’ll be ready again.”
“Five minutes?”
“Five minutes, and I’m taking you from behind this time.”
“Okay… Can I be on top the time after that?” I was ready to keep going.
“Yes. That sounds like the dream I had last week. Come here.” He claimed my lips, and me too.
He claimed me, and I didn’t know how the hell I was going to climb down from this cloud I’d been placed on.
I didn’t want to.
Chapter 21
Jada
My mouth burned with every kiss that caressed my lips.
The mingle of heat from Ivan and the cool spray of the shower on us was soothing.
The bathroom held that sexy mist that completely covered the mirrors and made it hotter than any steam room on earth.
Us. It was us. We’d been in here for what I could only assume was two hours, give or take.
We’d been awake all night, indulging in each other. He’d had me in every room of this house. My personal favorite was on the kitchen table. We’d simply gone down for a little snack but ended up snacking on each other.
Then we ended up in here, where he took me again and we gave wild sex a new meaning right against the granite walls of the shower.
To me, we might just as well have existed in this bubble we’d created. The bubble I was still in from the first moment he’d kissed me last night.
I knew I was walking a dangerous path, on very dangerous grounds, and it wasn’t because I was with a man I’d only known for eleven days, the same man who’d worn me down for a good part of that time span.
It was because of how I was starting to feel about him.
I slipped my arms around his neck as he thrust his tongue deeper into my mouth and did that truly sexy thing he’d done earlier by tugging on my bottom lip.
The pull tugged in my core, and I moaned into it.
“I love when you make that sound,” he whispered against my lips, smiling.
I pulled him back for another hungry kiss. “Then don’t stop touching me.”
“Fucking hell, Jada, I can’t get enough of you.” He ran his fingers over the flat of my stomach and moved away from my lips, planting his hands on either side of me while I rested against the wall.
The water trickled down our bodies as we stared at each other.
“I don’t know what time it is. I just know it’s Friday, and it looks really sunny outside.”
We were supposed to get to the Fox studio at five. Hair and makeup would be done. Clothes fit and the brief given for the show.
As it stood, my hair, for a start, was going to need heaps more than an hour’s work before the show.
It may look all nice in its long, graceful waves cascading down my back, but the minute it dried, I’d have a knot fest that only my hairdresser could have dealt with.
He was right; it was bright and sunny outside, and if we’d been indulging in each other all night and we got here at ten, it had to be probably in the region of lunchtime. Maybe after.
I couldn’t bring myself to look.
“It looks sunny outside.” I spoke the words more to myself than him and ran my hand through my hair and over my face.
“I feel selfish.” Worry furrowed his brows.
“No, why?”
“It’s selfish of me to keep you here knowing how important being on that show is to you.”
“And yet, I’m here, and I can’t seem to take myself away from you.” I smiled. “You want it too. You want to be on that show, and you worked hard.”
It wasn’t just that. He also deserved to be on the show. Of everyone, he deserved it. I wasn’t sure what the hell I was admitting to myself in that, but it felt true.
“You worked hard too,” I told him.
“We both did.”
“Why do you want to be on the show, Jada? Why is it important to you?”
I shook my head. “I don’t remember.” I couldn’t remember a solid reason that mattered. Other than wanting to be the next Oprah and having the added exposure for my future plans of having my own show and my books.
He smirked. “Honey, I know I’m great in bed and all over your house, but damn, I’m not that good to make the great Jada Dane forget the thing she wanted the most.”
I shook my head again. “It’s not that. It just feels like I… It feels different.”
“Goddess, don’t go soft on me. Don’t go soft on the people who admire you either. It’s reason enough to be on the show.”
The show was more than that. “Why do you want it?”
“Same reason I do everything else. It’s me helping others.”
And… that… that was the best reason to have. It was the reason that mattered. The reason I should have had.
After the last few days, I felt like I needed a reboot. I felt like I needed some time to go over stuff in my head and to slow down on this train I was on with Ivan going a million miles per hour.
Look at us.
The last time I was this crazy about anyone, I ended up pregnant and being labelled the homewrecking woman who purposely tried to steal people’s husbands.
I nearly died, to be honest, and that was the ugly truth about my affair with my college professor. My affair with a married man.
Me.
Me, who upheld the sanctity of marriage. Me, who respected the whole principle of it. Home and couple. That happened to me.
Ivan was nowhere close to the evil person Brian was, but my head and my thoughts were similar.
It happened fast because I was fueled by emotion. Attraction and chemistry.
The same outrageous kind of attraction and chemistry that drew me to this man. The kind where thinking was the last thing you did.
He lifted my chin and pressed his forehead to mine, lacing his fingers with my other hand. The gesture was the kind you’d see in a couple who’d been together forever. He actually made me feel like that.
“One more hour, baby. One more, then we go. We’ll go and do this. But I want you tonight. In my bed, at my place. That okay?”
I gazed up at him and nodded my agreement. “It’s definitely okay.”
“Come here.”
His lips found mine again.
* * *
We got to the studio late.
Five forty-five. That was the time we eventually got to the studio.
Five forty-five, and everyone was freaking out.
We tried to style it out by arriving separately, and because we were so late, it distracted from the fact that we were both late.
With everyone running around like headless chickens calling us and leaving messages, no one even asked where we’d been.
The stylist got straight to my hair, which I’d piled on top of my head into a messy bun. Instead of trying to tackle it, she worked with it and worked with it well, giving me a neater updo with loose tendrils about my face.
The look added to the dress I’d chosen for the evening.
It was a gold halter-neck with a plunging, daring neckline that dropped nearly to my waist and hugged my breasts.
It was the kind of dress designed to make a statement. The kind of dress that was made for my personality and sass. I loved it, but what I loved more was the thought of Ivan peeling it off me later.
Olivia met me twenty minutes before we were supposed to go on air, completely unaware of the day I’d had.
I was standing in the backstage area by the water cooler.
“Heyyyy,” she said, skipping up to me.
I gave her a big hug. “Hey. Thanks for coming.”
“Are you kidding? I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”
“Me neither,” Sam said, coming from behind the corner.
I hadn’t seen him since last month when I joined them at Joe’s for Sunday
dinner.
He gave me a quick hug.
“You came too.” I beamed, grateful for their support.
He slipped his arm around Olivia and tucked his long hair behind his ear. In her six-inch heels, she was nearly as tall as him. As always, they looked good together. Sam with his trademark long locks that reminded me of Brad Pitt from Legends of The Fall, and Olivia looking like some kind of Nubian queen in that sparkling bodycon that hugged her petite frame.
“Yes, of course I’m interested to see how you tame the dogs.” He quirked a brow.
“Dogs? No, and you know I wasn’t talking about you when I said most men are dogs, and even if I meant you, I imagine you to be one of the little fluffy ones with a bushy blond tail.” I must have still been hyped up on sex because I didn’t know what the hell I was saying.
Sam just looked at me. “It’s a good thing I’ve known you for such a long time, Jada.” He laughed.
“Me too,” Olivia agreed, narrowing her eyes at me.
“I’m sorry. I’m just nervous.”
“Didn’t know you could get nervous.” Sam chuckled.
Olivia, however, gave me one of her assessing stares, and I knew if she looked at me long and hard enough, she’d figure out what was up with me. Our conversation yesterday morning would help her put two and two together.
“I called you ten times in the space of yesterday and today, and you missed breakfast this morning. No phone call as to why,” she stated.
“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry.” That had never happened. I’d never been so busy that I didn’t message her first thing and let her know if I couldn’t make it to breakfast.
“That’s fine, Miss Lady. You’re more than famous now. Don’t have time for the little people,” she teased.
“Don’t be ridiculous.” I giggled. That would never happen.
“Dr. Dane, we need you,” said one of the technicians. He’d rushed up to us. “Twelve minutes until we go on the air. I need you ready to walk out on stage with Dr. St. James.”
He shuffled away to speak to one of the other technicians who was going back to the changing rooms.
Of course, Dr. St. James chose that moment to walk out from the changing area and clocked right on to me.
I’d seen Ivan in a suit before on that first day I’d met him, but not a suit like this one.
A crisp black Boss cut that was perfect for the width of his shoulders.
Mile-wide shoulders I’d run my hands all over only a few hours ago.
The white button-down shirt had a few top buttons purposely unbuttoned to show off the tan skin on his chest. His hair had been neatly styled to give him that magazine look. Like he’d just stepped right off the cover of GQ.
It was Sam clearing his throat behind me that pulled me out of my thoughts.
I looked to Sam and noticed Olivia was trying really hard not to laugh.
She moved forward and gave me another hug.
“I can see why you missed breakfast.” She spoke in a low, even tone, lingering at my ear. I bit the inside of my lip. “We’ll talk when you have time. I’m guessing from the way he’s looking at you that I won’t be seeing you tomorrow either. Good luck on the show.”
She moved away.
“Thank you. I’m glad you’re both here. We’ll talk soon.” About other things too. Seeing her and Ivan at the same time reminded me that I’d told him my secret and not my best friend.
I smiled at her and Sam and moved to join Ivan by the stage entrance. One of the sound crew guys was talking to him and adjusting the wire with his microphone.
He looked to me, though, when I approached.
“Dr. Dane, let me fit your microphone,” the guy said to me, handing me my wires. “Better if you put it on,” he said when he looked at my dress.
Ivan was already staring at my dress and the depth of my cleavage. Since I was accustomed to doing this sort of thing in my sassy dresses, I knew exactly where to clip the wire. Right on the edge by my neck was perfect and hid it well too.
“Great. When Andy Fairchild calls you on, just go make your grand entrance.” The guy smiled at both of us and left.
As soon as he did, Ivan lowered his face to my ear.
“The best thing about coming here tonight is you in that dress.” His breath was a gentle caress that turned me on when I thought of what we’d done earlier. That one hour was magical.
“You like it?”
“You know I do, Goddess. I’m going to have a really hard time keeping my eyes off you, but it’s cool. I can’t wait to take it off you.”
Risky, risky. He took the risk and gave me a quick kiss. No one saw, but they could have.
He didn’t seem to care one way or the other.
This was going to be very interesting. One interesting ride to one very interesting destination I seemed to have bought a one-way ticket to.
Chapter 22
Ivan
* * *
We walked out onto the set when Andy Fairchild called us out, and the audience went wild.
Cheering and clapping. It reminded me of days gone by, back at one of my big games.
I always used to love that part. People cheering for you was always encouraging, inspirational even, and today, they were cheering for both of us.
Jada and me.
I didn’t think anything would be able to get my mind off this woman, and to get me to focus with her next to me in that dress of hers deserved some sort of standing ovation, or an award.
Andy sat in the middle of a semicircle. On his right were two seats for us, and to his left were four seats for our couples.
Ahead of us was definitely a studio audience comparable to that which I’d seen at a football game.
Jada sat next to Andy, and I sat next to her in the chair on the end.
“Welcome, both of you,” Andy boomed, straightening.
“Thank you,” Jada and I replied in unison.
Dressed in a crisp black suit similar to mine and his hair in a sharp faux hawk, he looked at least ten years younger. I’d been watching Andy’s shows since I was in my late teens.
The man was in his late sixties now but still had that style that made him, him.
He hosted reality shows like this. On this one, the last time we’d seen him was when he’d picked Corrine Duologue, the last host for the show. Our predecessor.
Back then, I wasn’t really into it as much, but I watched it all just because I’d started doing relationship counselling. I never expected to be an applicant for such a position, and no way in hell did I expect to get this far.
The live votes would start next week again, and it would be interesting to see what happened when people saw us working with our couples. As I climbed down from the high I’d been on with Jada, reality seeped in and took my mind right back to the goal I had in mind when I decided to make a run for hosting this show for the next five years.
“You both look absolutely fantastic,” Andy complimented.
“Thanks, Andy. You know I try my best,” Jada replied, giving that one-shoulder sass.
“Dr. Dane, I think we can all agree that you don’t have to try,” Andy pointed out, and the whole audience erupted with deafening cheers.
They liked her. They definitely liked her, hands down, and I was absolutely inclined to agree that she didn’t have to try.
I chuckled, and she glanced at me with a smile.
“Thank you, Andy. You’re all so good to me, and I appreciate it.”
“You’re very welcome, Dr. Dane. We appreciate you too.” Andy nodded, and his bright green eyes sparkled. “First of all, congratulations to you both for making it this far. Well done. You both won our hearts in a massive way that will be very interesting to see as the next few weeks play out. I think we should do a little intro of you both for the thousand people sitting in the studio audience and the three million viewers tuning into the show.”
Fuck. I knew we had a big viewing, but damn, that was a lot of people.
Again, the crowd went crazy.
“Ladies and gentlemen, dudes and dudettes, I am pleased to introduce you to our two finalists on this round of The Love Doctor. Dr. Jada Dane and Dr. Ivan St. James.” I loved Andy’s enthusiasm. He turned his attention from the crowd and looked to Jada. “Dr. Dane has been a notable public figure for many years. She rose to fame with her revolutionary New York Times Bestselling novel Go with the Flow. I think everyone has some perception of that book, good or bad, and we’re excited to see what she’ll do with her couple.”
“I can’t wait to dive in and start working with them,” Jada answered. “It’s going to be an exciting experience.”
“Dr. Dane, I think we all want to know what your plans are. Are you going to use those methods in the book to treat your couple? Is that what you’ll do?”
“Essentially, yes, but I need to meet them first and see where they’re at. The methods I propose in the book are a summary of what I think is important,” Jada answered.
It was a good answer that did summarize what she thought. I wasn’t sure if anyone else picked up on the cautious tone in her voice that told me there was an element of uncertainty in what she said.
Andy gave her a wry smile. “A summary. Lord help us if your starting point is that most men are dogs.”
“Oh my gosh. I can see I’m not going to live that down.” She giggled.
“Well, I think you have your friend next to you to thank for that. Ladies and Gentlemen, let’s hear it for Dr. Ivan St. James.”
Again, the crowd went crazy, crazier than they had when they were just cheering for Jada or the two of us. There were wolf whistles coming from a group of women in the far corner and banners saying ‘Ivan, will you marry me?’ and ‘We Love Ivan.’
Jesus… It made me nervous for the fact that this felt like the fruition of another achievement. It took me back to a time when I was actually thinking there was nothing else in this world that I’d be good at.
The crowd was cheering so much, not even Andy could calm them down.
Next to me, though, was the person who surprised me the most. Jada was clapping with everyone else, and she looked genuinely happy for me.
The Love Doctors Page 16