by Nicola Marsh
‘Play, huh?’
‘Yep.’
She nodded her head emphatically, wondering if he’d join in the fun or revert to his bossy best.
When she glimpsed the corners of his mouth twitch, she knew she’d won.
Leaning forward, he crooked his finger. ‘So tell me, what does this play involve?’
Stifling a laugh, she waved a hand in an airy gesture. ‘I’m sure you’ve got loads of stuff at your condo.’
‘Indoor play, huh?’
Jerking her head towards the frosted restaurant front, she nodded. ‘As much as I love nature, I’ve spent the last few months outdoors. Time for a little fun inside.’
‘What if I don’t have any board games?’
This time, she crooked a finger at him, held up her hand and spoke behind it in an exaggerated conspiratorial whisper. ‘I’m sure we can come up with some other form of entertainment.’
His eyes darkened with pleasure. ‘I’m sure we can. But after the way I’ve treated you, I’d understand completely if you wanted to pick up your bat and ball and go home.’
With a confident toss of her head, she said, ‘Where’s the fun in that?’
His gaze dropped to her lips, lingered until they tingled, before sweeping back to meet her eyes.
‘In that case, let’s finish our dinner and let the games begin.’
She didn’t have to be asked twice. The succulent beef, garlic-infused eggplants and roasted red onions with tarragon and olives were sublime, but the moment she’d eaten the last tasty morsel she was ready to grab the bill and leave.
Matching her urgency, he stood, came around to her side of the table and squeezed her shoulder. ‘I’ll take care of the bill, meet you at the front.’
Standing, she ended up toe to toe with him, his radiant heat palpable and almost making her swoon. Any excuse to place her hands on his rock-hard chest to steady herself.
‘Thanks for dinner.’
‘My pleasure.’
Laying a palm flat against his chest, she murmured, ‘Soon to be all mine.’
He all but ran for the bill.
Jade hummed a Destiny’s Child song about being an independent woman as she waited for Rhys to grab their coats.
An apt song, considering that was exactly how she felt right this very minute. She’d survived her first stretch in the wilds of Alaska, in her first job, with a boss who’d driven her hard.
Her hands were wrecked, her feet had blisters on their blisters and her back would never be the same again, yet she’d loved every minute of it. Every twinge, every ache, every niggle, was a testament to her trying her hardest and doing things her way. And having Rhys notice, let alone acknowledge her efforts, filled her with pride.
His honest appraisal of her efforts along with his unfettered admiration had been more of an aphrodisiac than his lowered barriers, allowing his natural charm to shine through.
She still had it bad for her boss.
Tonight, she’d show him just how much.
‘Here you go.’
He held her coat open and she slid her arms into it, her heels slipping on the wet floorboards of the restaurant’s entrance as she flailed for a second before he righted her, so strong, so dependable, so deliciously male.
‘What’s that you were humming?’
‘Didn’t you recognise my Beyonce imitation?’
His lips twitched. ‘Uh, no.’
Emboldened by the two brandies she’d consumed with dinner, she batted her eyelashes. ‘Too bad. Maybe I was humming something sexy?’
His blue eyes twinkled. ‘Personally, I’d rather be doing than humming.’
The last time they’d slept together it had ended in disaster, their frigid working relationship rivalling the local glaciers in the frosty stakes. Now, she was under no illusions. They were away from their work place, their ever-present attraction was simmering and they were staying together in a luxurious condo. She didn’t need a calculator to do the math.
The nervous flutter in her gut intensified as she laid a hand against his chest, feeling his pounding heart matching hers as she stood on tiptoe, her lips hovering an inch from his.
‘Then what are we waiting for?’
With a faux growl he picked her up and hoisted her over his shoulder as if she weighed less than a sack of kindling.
‘Are you nuts? Put me down!’
Laughing, she pummelled his back, ducking her head as a few couples on the opposite sidewalk applauded.
‘Faster this way, what with you wearing stilts.’
He had a point. Besides, a small part of her liked his caveman act. His spontaneity turned her on, big time.
He stiffened as she slid her hands down his back and came to rest on his bottom.
‘What are you doing?’
‘Checking my mode of transport.’ She patted his butt for good measure. ‘Hope it’s reliable enough to get me home.’
His grip on the back of her thighs tightened. ‘Sweetheart, if you keep your hands there, this engine is guaranteed to run all night.’
Enjoying their banter despite practically hanging upside down, she groped his glutes, chuckling at his muttered oath. ‘Mmm…reliability, style, class. Lucky me.’
‘You forgot to mention great at handling curves.’
His hands skated up an inch, caressing her thighs, leaving a scorching imprint.
‘What about in the wet?’
He stopped dead, slid her down his body, nice and slow, every inch of her screaming for him to repeat it with the two of them naked.
He tipped her chin up, his lips grazed hers, heartbreakingly gentle, softly seductive before he eased away, looked her straight in the eyes.
‘You’ll have to take me for a test-drive to find out.’
They stood on the doorstep to his condo, heat crackling between them. Jade knew the moment she stepped through the door, there’d be no turning back.
‘I was never any good at gear changes. Might need a little help?’
She melted beneath the intensity of his stare, her body on fire, her resolve to not head down this track again shredded around the time she’d confided in him earlier today.
Somewhere between rocking the boat their first time in that damn canoe and trusting him enough to discuss her warped family, she’d fallen for him.
Every gorgeous, rebellious, infuriating inch of him.
Sliding an arm around her waist, he pulled her close, leaving her in no doubt how willing he was to help her take their driving analogy to the next level.
‘Let's see if practice makes perfect.’
Chapter Fifteen
AS RHYS backed Jade into the condo, slamming the door shut with his foot, reality hit.
She was about to sleep with the guy she’d fallen in love with.
Labelling it sex would’ve been much easier, much safer. Now, she’d be invested every step of the way.
Sensing her jitters, he ran his hands up and down her arms, warming, comforting. ‘Fancy a hot tub before bed?’
He was trying to romance her all the way and she loved it, but the thought of sharing a hot tub with a guy who epitomised sex on legs was doing crazy things to her insides. Butterflies wouldn’t even come close to what she was feeling. Try a dozen hamsters running on a wheel. No, try a dozen hamsters doing cartwheels, star-jumps and somersaults.
Silently telling the hamsters to take a flying leap, she nodded. ‘Sure, sounds good.’
He brushed his thumb across her bottom lip, making it quiver. ‘See you out there.’
The moment he released her and headed into the master bedroom she sank onto a chair, afraid her legs wouldn’t support her. Pressing her fingers to her eyes, she took several deep breaths.
Hot guy. Hot tub. Hot stuff.
Belatedly, she added, Hotfooting it out of here when he realises I’m in love with him.
‘You’re not ready yet?’
She glanced up, her breath catching in her throat. Clothed, Rhys was pretty darn hot. Semi-naked,
he was simply magnificent: lean, well muscled, tanned all over.
Grasping at any excuse, she patted her tummy, mentally cringing when she realised she’d done the same thing a few hours earlier.
‘I stuffed myself at dinner, just giving it a chance to settle.’
By his dubious expression, he didn’t buy it for a second.
‘Don’t be too long. My engine’s idling—I could definitely do with some revving up.’
Chalking one in the air for scoring another car analogy point, he strutted out to the hot tub, looking a million bucks and knowing it.
Cheeky devil.
Quashing her doubts, she headed for the bedroom, belatedly realising she had a problem. No swimsuit.
‘Damn,’ she muttered, rifling through her overnight bag in the vain hope that one might miraculously appear, her hand landing on a bra…bingo!
Six months in the Alaskan wilderness called for sensible underwear so she’d traded her lust for La Perla and settled for old-fashioned cotton. Thankfully, she’d relented and packed two eye-catching satin numbers, one black, the other red. After all, a girl never knew when she needed to reaffirm her femininity.
Stripping quickly, she donned the black ensemble and glanced in the mirror. Yowza! Her breasts spilled over the top of the bra cups and the scanty briefs barely covered what they were supposed to. Then again, what choice did she have? Barely black or skinny dipping?
‘It’s all in the attitude,’ she muttered, strutting towards the balcony.
However, once she reached the sliding door she faltered. While the twinkling lights of Skagway glittered like gems scattered across a midnight, velvet carpet, the sight of Rhys reclining in the hot tub, head tilted back, eyes half-closed, easily rivalled the view.
With a deep breath she stepped out onto the balcony, his eyes snapping open at her footfall. He sat up slowly, his gaze travelling from head to foot, lingering everywhere in between.
‘Come on in. The water’s great.’
She didn’t need a second invitation. The way he stared at her, she wanted to submerge and hide beneath the water before she stripped off and gave him a real show.
‘Ooh…nice.’ Sinking into the water, she settled on the bench seat within touching distance.
They’d been building towards this all night, no point going all coy now despite her serious attack of the jitters.
He picked up a bottle from a nearby ice bucket, poured a glass of champagne and handed her the delicate crystal flute.
‘That’s some outfit you’re almost wearing.’
Inwardly wincing when her hand trembled, she raised the flute in his direction. ‘Didn’t think I’d be swimming in Alaska so this will have to do.’
‘Oh, it does, very nicely,’ he said, his exaggerated wink making her laugh.
She sipped at the champagne, savouring the icy bubbles sliding down her parched throat, her gaze fixed on Rhys over the rim of her glass, her pulse roaring.
After the brandy she’d had earlier a champagne chaser probably wasn’t a great idea, but tell that to her heart, her gullible, impressionable, breakable heart that was lapping up every moment of tonight.
‘I have a proposition for you.’
She drained the rest of her champagne in two gulps.
He’d turned up the bubbles, the powerful jets enhancing the tingling sensations racing across her sensitised skin, which had little to do with the water and everything to do with the gleam in his eyes.
Pretending she was propositioned in hot tubs by hot guys every day of the week, she sat back, draped her arms across the top of the tub.
‘I bet you have.’
He chuckled. ‘I wanted to make tonight special, kind of like the first date we never had. And you mentioned making this weekend a mixture of business and pleasure earlier. So how about we forget about the restocking awaiting us tomorrow and concentrate on the rest of the night, no doubts, no second-guessing, just the two of us enjoying our time together? Deal?’
She didn’t hesitate when he held out his hand and as it closed over hers, his thumb circling her palm, it was as if she’d just made a deal with the devil himself.
Tugging on her hand, he said, ‘I think it’s time you sat over here. I won’t bite…unless you want me to.’
His intoxicating grin held a hint of things to come as he pulled her across the tub and onto his lap.
‘Much better,’ he murmured as he leaned towards her.
His lips brushed hers, agonisingly slow. Her thighs trembled as his hands spanned her waist and pulled her closer, if that were possible.
‘You’re so beautiful,’ he whispered against the side of her mouth, as he covered her face with feather-light kisses.
Burying her hands in his hair, she tugged him closer, wriggled in his lap, wrapping her legs tightly around him, pressing against his arousal. Her hips convulsed as he ground against her and she whimpered as he slid his tongue in her mouth, teasing her with infinite slowness. He licked and explored, daring her tongue to join his.
The kiss deepened and she was lost. She could no more stop this avalanche of all-consuming passion than walk on steady legs at this point in time.
‘I want you, now.’ She tore her mouth away, nuzzled his neck, nipping him, daring him with her teeth.
‘I’m all yours.’
His roughened voice sent chills down her spine as he lay back, his lust-filled gaze riveted to her chest. Her breasts tingled as he reached out and gently traced the outline of each nipple with his index finger, the hardened buds straining against satin. She gasped, slivers of heat shooting from her nipples to her slick centre. She arched towards him, craving more. So much more.
Sensing her need, he slipped the straps off her shoulders. She was fired by the adoration in his eyes; her hands moved of their own volition. She wanted to be naked in front of him, to feel his hands against her flesh. She unhooked the bra and watched it float away on a cloud of bubbles. He moaned, long and low. He cupped one breast and licked around the nipple, round and round. Agonisingly slow. His tongue teased her into a frenzy.
As he lavished attention on her breasts, kneading, stroking, licking, sucking, she grew dizzy from the pure pleasure. The pulsating water jets, combined with his erotic assault, had her on the edge. And she didn’t want to fall. Not yet. When she did, she wanted him with her all the way.
Her hand snaked under the water and he stiffened as she found her intended target. His hard thickness aroused her further as she slid her hand into his briefs. She grasped the shaft and started stroking with infinite tenderness.
‘We have to get indoors before I lose it,’ he muttered.
In response, she intensified her pressure, glorying in her powers to stimulate him.
Rhys watched Jade’s tongue flick out and lick her top lip. Right then, with her hand stroking him and her bare breasts merely inches from his face, he almost exploded.
‘Hey, slow down, I left my raincoat inside.’
Realisation dawned in her brown eyes, which had darkened to the colour of rich, dark chocolate.
‘I didn’t think about protection.’ Her hand stilled. ‘Your fault. I can’t think straight at the moment.’
He traced her lips with a fingertip, his breath catching when she nibbled the end of his index finger before swirling her tongue around the tip, drawing it into her lush mouth, sucking it until he almost came.
‘Let’s go.’
He swung her up in his arms, revelling in the feel of her slender frame. She snuggled into him, nuzzling his neck. He was rock hard. And he was about to lose control.
She clung to him, her arms wound tightly around his neck.
‘My hero,’ she sighed, tracing a slow line down his cheek to his jaw with her fingertip.
He cradled her glistening body, soft and warm and pliant in his arms, and his jaw clenched against a surge of emotion that left him weak and vulnerable, two emotions he’d vowed to never acknowledge again. But as she gazed at him with shimmering brow
n eyes, so adoring, so trusting, he felt ten feet tall.
Tonight would be all about her.
Placing her carefully on the king-size bed, he disengaged her arms, only to pin them to her sides. Her lips quirked in a wicked smile a second before he kissed her, invading her mouth swiftly and surely, taking and giving. Tearing his mouth away, he trailed a line of hot, moist kisses between her breasts to her navel.
‘Rhys, please,’ she begged softly, her breathing ragged as she squirmed, and he finally released her arms, her hands instantly grabbing hold of his shoulders and pulling his head down for more long, decadent kisses.
‘Patience, sweetheart,’ he whispered against her mouth before heading south, nibbling his way down her body, deliberately avoiding her sensitive breasts to heighten her desire, lingering on her navel, laving the indentation with his tongue as his fingertips skimmed the soft skin on the inside of her thighs.
She writhed beneath him, arching her pelvis towards his hungry mouth. He didn’t need to be asked twice, moving down, inhaling the sweet, musky scent of her arousal. Hooking his thumbs into the elastic waistband of her black satin knickers, he ripped them off in one smooth movement, heard her draw in a sharp breath as he gazed at nirvana.
She whimpered as he pleasured her with his tongue, probing, delving, circling until she fisted her hands in his hair and screamed his name.
‘Jeez…’ She blew out a long, low whistle, her face flushed as she stared at him in wonder. ‘That was freaking unbelievable.’
‘And it was only the beginning.’
Standing, he gazed in awe at the goddess lying sprawled on the bed, droplets of water clinging to every delicious curve and dripping onto the cream coverlet. Her tousled hair laid spread above her, a crowning halo, as her rosy, swollen, thoroughly kissed lips beckoned.
She smiled at him then, a slow, seductive smile that set his heart hammering and his hand reaching across to the dresser and grabbing the foil pack.
‘Let me do it.’
‘You’ll get no protests here.’
He gritted his teeth as she unrolled the condom over his rigid penis, her hands grazing his hard flesh in exquisite torture.
She lingered, taking her time, and he swore his eyes rolled back in his head when she neared the base.