by Tina Donahue
Not wanting her to worry, he eased back and smiled at her mussed hair and poor little glasses. They hung askew on her nose. Mac straightened them for her. “Better?”
She searched his face and nodded.
In the porch light, he could see her lips were damp and slightly puffy from his passion, her cheeks reddened from his stubble. He’d have to start shaving more closely so he wouldn’t irritate her delicate skin. Carefully, he ran his thumb over her jawline. “I have to go. Krista’s… Crap, I have to get her home.” He sighed. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”
Jodi nodded again.
“Thanks,” Mac said at last, meaning it, grateful for the way she’d returned his kiss, that she truly seemed to want him. He cupped her face in his hands and pecked the tip of her nose. “Go inside. Get some sleep.”
Before she could respond or he weakened and drew her into him again, Mac forced himself to leave. Halfway down the walk, he stopped and glanced back. Jodi hadn’t budged. She continued to regard him.
Mac fought a smile. “Go,” he ordered.
She didn’t move.
His body thrummed with renewed excitement. He wanted her to tear down the walk, throw herself into his arms and beg him to take her to his place where they could screw like monkeys until they needed more—like making real love until dawn. Maybe even taking tomorrow off.
Holding his breath, Mac waited.
Jodi stepped to the right then back. Certainly not enough to call it a mad dash to get to him. Finally, she dug her key from her purse then gave him one last longing look before she slipped inside her apartment.
The last image Mac had of her was Jodi peering at him through a crack in her door. Wasn’t enough. He needed and wanted every fucking thing she could give.
After hesitating a moment, he lifted his hand in farewell then trudged back to his car and Krista.
The moment Mac was out of sight, Jodi closed her door and slumped against it. She pressed her fingers to her mouth. Her lips were still wet from his kisses.
What had just happened?
Jodi wasn’t sure. She simply knew how she felt. Sort of. A mixture of sweet joy, raw lust and incredible doubt swirled through her so fast she grew unsteady. Lowering her head, she gripped the doorknob for support.
Her mind replayed their goodbye, which, oddly enough, was like a scene from one of her more hopeless fantasies. Mac had looked at her in what appeared to be wonder, which was crazy. His initial kiss had been more than tentative…it had been searching and gentle. Because he hadn’t wanted to scare her?
Could be. Then again, she had no idea.
Maybe he’d been drunk. Wait. He’d only had one beer that he hadn’t finished. Jodi wondered if someone at Dilli’s had put something in his booze. That was the only reasonable explanation for his behavior.
By all that was sane, the last few minutes shouldn’t have happened. Jodi had suffered a lifetime of rejection from the opposite sex. She didn’t hate her looks but she didn’t kid herself either. The world wanted perfection and beauty. Always had. Always would. She didn’t have it, so there.
Mac kissing her tonight was no different from her winning a billion-dollar lottery after buying one ticket. Stuff like that didn’t happen to people like her. Now Krista…
Maybe she’d put something in his beer to loosen him up so he’d finally sleep with her. Maybe she’d been buying the drug while she’d been in the restroom. Maybe—
Stop it. You’re losing your mind.
Jodi staggered to her bathroom and flicked on the fluorescent light. Squinting at its shocking brightness, she faced the mirror and grimaced. It was worse than she’d thought. Her hair was a damn mess, glasses crooked despite Mac trying to straighten them on her nose, clothes rumpled and stained. A glob of chili had dropped from her dog onto her tee, leaving a reddish trail from her boobs to her belly.
There was also a smear of car grease on her jaw.
Aw god.
She gripped the edge of the counter and breathed hard. If anyone had told her that Mac would have behaved as he had tonight, she would have called that person insane, while wishing that the prediction would come true. Now that it had happened, she wanted to be happy but didn’t trust her emotions.
Could be Mac got involved with all his assistants in between his romps with the models. Could be that’s why he’d had to hire her. The last girl had probably quit, unable to handle the heartache of seeing him with another woman, or several of them, while she stood by helplessly and—
Uh-uh. No way was Jodi going there. Nor could she quit. She needed the job almost as much as she wanted to be near Mac.
Hoping to catch his fragrance again, she pressed the front of her tee to her nose, not unlike a dog sniffing its owner’s shoes.
Granted, she should have had more pride but she didn’t. Being alone had always been a bitch, but was even worse now after such a wonderful night and an earth-shattering kiss. It had been painful to watch him leave, her heart aching, wanting more. So freaking much more, Jodi kept trying to smell him on her tee but couldn’t. The chili she’d spilled overwhelmed any other scents.
She yanked off her top, tossed it aside then ditched the rest of her clothes and ordered herself to look in the mirror, seeing what Mac would if they got naked.
That was a big if.
Jodi considered that tonight might be the beginning and the end of their relationship, if you could call it that. When he picked her up tomorrow, he might very well pretend their kiss hadn’t happened.
The thought hit Jodi like a slug to her gut. Avoiding the mirror, she turned out the light and dragged to her bedroom. The mattress squeaked loudly as she fell back on the bed. With her chin lifted to the shadowed ceiling, she ran her hands down her body, imagining Mac touching her.
He’d pluck her nipples, teasing them, before he cupped her breasts and squeezed. Not gently. Oh no. His passion would be too out of control for that. He’d work her flesh as hard as he wanted, pulling a wanton moan from her. Hardly satisfied, he’d swirl his tongue over her nipples, coaxing her areolas to constrict and her tips to tighten so much they’d sting. He’d suckle them until they ached and she was crazed with need.
Pleased with himself and nowhere near finished with her, he’d trail ravenous kisses down her torso, over her belly to the springy curls between her legs.
Inhaling deeply, Jodi parted her thighs and dipped her fingers over the edge of her mound. Her pussy was puffy and wet, her clit as erect as Mac’s cock had been when he’d pushed her cunt into it.
He’d wanted her then. She hadn’t mistaken his desire. Even if his unexpected passion for her never happened again, no one could take away Jodi’s memory of that breathtaking moment.
Letting her thoughts go wild, she pictured Mac naked. The hair in his pits would be dark and fragrant. He’d have a thick, musky pelt above his cock.
She swallowed.
His balls would be lightly furred, his powerful thighs and calves wonderfully hairy. He’d sink to one knee between her legs, his mouth on her cleft, his tongue exploring.
Jodi stroked herself. Her pussy felt heavy, congested, needy of relief. Lightly, she rubbed her clit while she envisioned Mac doing the same. He’d have one hand on her belly to keep her still. With two fingers snuggled inside her slick channel, he’d stretch her in preparation for his cock while he rubbed her nub with his thumb.
She shivered at a burst of sensation between her legs. Her breaths came hard and fast.
Her thoughts soared, picturing Mac again. When he had her within a breath of climax, he’d stop. She’d moan, pissed at him for delaying her release. He’d ignore her complaint, position himself between her legs and would draw the tip of his cock over her puffy folds.
She’d grow still at the promise of his hard length within her. She’d surrender.
In one savage thrust, Mac would enter her completely, his balls grazing her ass. She’d wrap her legs around his torso and hold on for a freaking good ride. He’d growl
his approval then pump. Hard. Quick. Ruthlessly. Sending her over the rainbow straight into the land of wonder and awe.
Jodi whimpered then moaned. Her back arched at the wondrous sensations dashing through her. At last, her climax consumed all her strength, leaving her breathless. Panting, she draped her arm over her eyes and yielded to sweet exhaustion. She craved nothing except sleep so she could dream about Mac and relive the best part of tonight while their mouths and bodies were—
Her phone jangled, interrupting her cherished thoughts. Jodi ignored it through the first five rings. On the sixth, she worried it could be her parents. One of them might have gotten sick or been hurt. Maybe something happened to one of her relatives.
She scrambled across her mattress and snatched her phone from the nightstand, right where she’d left it this morning. “Hello?”
“Hey.”
Her heart turned over at Mac’s deep voice. He was calling her? Why?
Ohmygod. He couldn’t have changed his mind about picking her up tomorrow, unless he was going to fire her now because he’d quickly regretted their kiss.
Please not that. Please.
“Jodi?”
She steeled herself for the coming bad news. “Uh-huh.”
“Were you asleep? Did I wake you?”
“Not really.” Her pussy was still sensitive from the love she’d just given it. “I’m awake.”
“Oh…good.”
He didn’t sound so certain about that. Pulling in her shoulders, Jodi waited.
“I forgot to tell you what time I’d be by,” he said. “I’ll be there at six.”
Her shoulders dropped. She blurted, “In the morning?”
Mac chuckled. “Yeah.”
The studio didn’t open until ten. Although she got there at nine, on most days he didn’t arrive until eleven or so. “Do you have an early shoot I forgot to book?”
“Nope. See you at six. Sweet dreams.”
“Ah yeah, you too. Bye.”
Nothing. Had he ended the call? She listened hard and heard absolutely nothing. He was gone.
Jodi pulled the phone away from her ear and stared at the thing as though it might answer the many questions she suddenly had.
* * * * *
The following morning, Mac was searching for a place to park when he spotted Jodi a few feet from the curb. Purse in hand, she waited in the shadows.
He checked the time. Five minutes to six. He had to wonder how long she’d been out there.
Before he had a chance to stop his car, Jodi was already in the street, headed his way. Mac hit his brakes and the door locks, opening them. He would have gone around and got the damn door for her, but she was already tugging it open and scooting inside.
“Hi,” she said, then fooled with her seat belt rather than looking at him.
Mac drummed his fingers against the steering wheel, wondering if she was having regrets about their kiss. When he’d called her last night, she’d sounded weird. Kind of turned-on but also wary and sad. His mood hadn’t been much better. He’d been fresh from his battle with Krista, trying to get her home. Once there, he’d finally laid down the law to her.
“We are not going out together,” he’d said calmly yet firmly. “We are never going out together. Please move on.”
She hadn’t taken the breakup of their nonexistent relationship very well. After calling him a string of foul names, she’d slammed the door so hard his car windows shook. Then she stormed off to the mansion her parents had bought her as a gift for her eighteenth birthday.
She’d always had the world laid out before her, everything for the taking, while Jodi was forced to drive a car that was held together by rust and dirt.
Mac turned down the sports show he’d been listening to. “How long were you waiting outside?”
She lifted her shoulders. “Just a few minutes.”
“Don’t do that again.”
With his harsh tone, Jodi finally turned to him. Her eyes looked bright yet soft behind her lenses, her mouth as kissable as it had been last night. Today, she wore a gray tee with pink sparkles around the neck, along with her usual jeans and sandals. She smelled of violet perfume and floral shampoo. Her hair was freshly washed, the fiery tresses thick and glossy.
Mac wanted to bury his face in them so badly his body hurt. Rather than jump on her and screw everything up, he ran his thumb down her cheek and gentled his tone. “I don’t want you waiting for me outside. I’ll come to your door and knock, all right?”
Jodi’s throat bobbed with her swallow. Her lids started to slip down. “I don’t mind.”
“I do. I’m the boss. Got it?”
Her lips parted. “Uh-huh.”
God, he couldn’t stand it. After a quick glance that told him the street was empty, Mac leaned over and kissed Jodi. Deep. Wet. Hard.
She gripped his thigh as Krista had done last night. While Krista’s touch had been irritating as hell, Jodi’s fingers were fucking magic. His cock kept getting longer, snaking toward her hand.
Nowhere near sated, Mac broke the kiss before he did something he shouldn’t, particularly on a public street. He calmed himself as well as he could and put his car into drive.
Curling her fingers into a loose fist, Jodi finally pulled back her hand.
Mac sensed her reluctance in doing so, as though she missed touching him as much as he missed touching her. Warning himself not to push her, he said, “You haven’t had breakfast yet, have you?”
“Ah…no.” She cleared her throat. “I brought a candy bar,” she added, her voice still husky. “I thought I’d eat it on the way.”
“Don’t.”
She put her purse back on the floor. “Sure, not a problem. But I had planned to be careful. I wouldn’t mess up your car.”
Mac laughed then frowned. “Fuck the car. And the candy. I have something better in mind.”
“Dilli’s serves breakfast dogs?”
“Haven’t a clue.”
“Oh…then what?”
He winked at her. “You’ll see.”
She regarded him throughout the drive, glancing away only when Mac turned to her. When they’d reached the parking lot, Jodi sighed at the huge oil splotch from her car.
Touched by what she was going through, Mac patted her knee. “It’ll be okay. The garage I use does wonders.”
“Maybe for a Mercedes.”
“Everything will work out. Would I let you down?”
She didn’t answer. Mac parked and looked over. For once, Jodi held his gaze, her own thoughtful.
Not certain what she was thinking, he could only manage a small smile. “What?”
“You wouldn’t mean to let me down. You’re not a deliberately cruel man.”
And that left him as what? An absently cruel one? Unwilling to ask, Mac said, “Hope you’re hungry.”
“We’re going to the organic food store?”
“God no. Better.”
Jodi asked no more as he led her to the studio. Once Mac had flipped on the lights, she gaped at the feast he’d spread out before leaving to pick her up. There was a tray of bagels, both plain and the designer kind with fruit or seasonings. Tubs of cream cheese in a variety of flavors. Melon and cantaloupe balls. Bananas. Apple slices dusted with cinnamon. A pot of steaming coffee, a pitcher of orange juice, plates, plastic utensils, napkins, moist towelettes, cups.
All of it on the floor in front of the sofa.
Mac turned on the radio.
Jodi lifted her face at the music. The same soft rock that had played at Dilli’s last night. Turning to him, she smiled. “This is nice.”
Hell, it was much better than that. Puffed up by her approval, Mac crossed the room, wanting her so badly even his teeth ached.
The first tune ended and a new one began. Not as soft or as romantic.
Smiling self-consciously, Jodi sank to the floor. Mac joined her, leaning against the sofa as she did while they dug into the food.
“Wow.” She bit in
to her cinnamon-crunch bagel again. “This is freaking awesome.”
Smiling, he wiped cream cheese from the corner of her mouth and licked it from his finger. “Do the glasses ever come off?”
Jodi stopped chewing. “Sure. They’re not welded on or anything.”
“I mean can you see anything at all without them?”
“Not really far away.”
They weren’t only close but shoulder-to-shoulder, their sandals off, legs stretched out, his little toe playing with hers.
After a moment, her toe played back.
“Take them off,” he said.
Jodi finished her chew and swallowed before she did.
“Look at me,” he ordered.
Again, she hesitated then finally obeyed.
A wave of delight hit Mac hard. Her eyes were lovelier than he’d thought. There were flecks of green mixed in with the hazel tint, complementing her gorgeous hair and the freckles sprayed across her nose. “Your eyes are beautiful. Unbelievably expressive. Have you ever considered wearing contacts?”
A bright red flush continued to creep up her throat. “Can’t afford them.”
Mac didn’t understand. “You didn’t sign up for vision with your medical?”
“I did but…” She hesitated. “Disposable contacts are more of a luxury to me than a necessity. I’ve got rent, utilities, student loans and now my car to worry about. Even when I was a teen and wanted contacts badly, I didn’t ask my parents for them. They worked so hard it seemed foolish to bug them for something I didn’t really need.”
Mac wondered about growing up like that. He’d never wanted for anything that money could buy. He’d always had too much stuff. After a while, it all became invisible to him. “Your parents had a tough time of it?”
“Not as much as now.” She ran her finger over the rim of her bagel, capturing a dab of cream cheese.
Mac wanted to ask what she meant but didn’t want to seem as though he was grilling her. “If you want to talk about it, I’ll listen. If not, that’s cool too. Whatever’s good for you.”
After licking her finger, she murmured, “Dad lost his manufacturing job when his company shipped the work overseas. For nearly two years, he couldn’t get anyone to hire him. He’s a hard worker but everyone kept saying that his skills were obsolete or he was too qualified, which means he’s too old.” She frowned then sighed. “This place in Encino finally hired him. He drives a delivery truck and stocks convenience stores with chips, candy and other stuff. It’s a crappy job with weird hours and no benefits. If it weren’t for my mom’s pay, they wouldn’t be making it.”