I hadn't let my fantasies about Jack run wild. Not until now. But there was no way in hell I'd be able to maintain any level of comfort around him with this wall of sexual tension building up…
I ran my hand between the swollen lips of my pussy and found them already slick, wanting badly to be fucked. I leaned back against the shower wall and relaxed into the privacy of the steam and the sound of the water falling around me. I plunged two fingers inside and felt pure instinct take over. All I could feel was my own desperation and the shock waves left over from Jack's kiss. I wanted him, pure and simple, here with me now in the flooding water. With his cock working me deep… the way that I knew it wanted to.
I'd felt just how hard and thick he'd been. No man can hide his arousal from a woman when his hot cock is pressed into her belly. My hand moved faster, fingers moving in and out. My pulse was racing and I could feel my own tiny nub thickening, hardening against my palm.
I'd felt how long that cock had been too, and I imagined it now, pushed up inside me to the hilt. I'd ride him, I thought, biting my lip to stay quiet. He'd hold my ass as I wrapped my legs around him and ride him till he couldn't hold it back any longer.
I reached up and cupped one big breast with my hand and lifted it high, squeezing and pushing the nipple up and out. The one best benefit of being generously sized, the thought flashed. Then I reached down with my tongue and drew my own nipple in between my teeth. I sucked hard, pulling it deep into my mouth and flew apart in a shattering climax. No longer was it my hand or my mouth on my body. The fantasy of Jack Mason had fully taken hold…
No longer me, it was Jack who was filling me, Jack who was sucking my breast. My needs had become his and we were lost together in a crashing wave that left me weak and trembling. My hands stroked and soothed my kindled flesh, and the orgasm slowly, slowly subsided. But as my heartbeat failed to slow, failed to fall back into its calm, steady rhythm, I realized this might have been a huge mistake. I collapsed against the wet wall, panting.
I'd thought the fantasy of him would be enough. That I could satisfy the need he'd created in me all on my own. But as I leaned back, letting the water flood over me, I realized just how wrong I'd been. Instead of releasing my desire, I'd only heightened it a hundred fold.
But I'd signed a contract. And I wanted the future it promised me. Bought and paid for, sex was a complication I simply couldn't afford…
9
Jack
Thank god I can get by on damned little sleep, because I knew I wasn't getting any that night.
The water had run in the shower for a long time, while I'd stripped down and climbed into bed, wide awake. No one, not even Elaine had ever lived with me at the lake house. It had always been a private place for me. Where I could run or swim. A place where I could relax and be myself. It would have been distracting to have anyone staying in the next room. But knowing Libby was here… stripped bare in my shower, eventually climbing into bed… Did she sleep in the nude?
It was so fucking wrong to think of her in those terms, I chided myself. I pulled the blankets up over my goddamn hard on. My balls were high and tight, damn near blue. I'd been told by Dr. Tiller to hold off on orgasms for a few days before the procedure. To maximize my fertility. But I wasn't sure I had much of a choice in the matter anymore, considering the size of the raging erection I'd been sporting since I'd held Libby in my arms and kissed her…
So many years, with my ex-wife's thin and unresponsive body in my arms, I had almost forgotten how it felt to hold a woman who was round and soft, warm and luscious… I rolled over onto my side, aching from the torture I was putting myself through. But I couldn't forget the feel of her mouth on mine, the way her body shaped itself to mine like they were made to fit together. Goddamn it, they were made to fit together. My rock-hard cock would slide into her tight little pussy like a hand into a glove.
I was oozing now, making a wet spot on the sheets. I rolled onto my back and tried to force her image out of my head. I thought about the baby I'd planned for. The son or daughter I wanted more than anything in the world. For a few short moments, it was a good distraction. Until the image of Libby's swollen belly surfaced. Her already large breasts made larger and softer, as only a pregnant woman's breasts can be. Her belly growing rounder and riper with every passing day… until one day I'd put my hand on her and feel my son's first tiny kick… My cock throbbed hard, standing off my flat belly with single-minded intent.
I was a man driven with need to impregnate my woman. And that woman was only a few feet away, her body ready and willing to be filled with my seed. In a goddamn perfect world, I'd be in there now, buried inside her, making her mine. Creating the future the way humans have for millennia. It was a primal need, and so help me, in spite of my conservative, highbrow upbringing, I was still a very primal male.
But I wasn't going to put the future at risk. And there was no way in hell I'd risk losing Libby's trust by overstepping again. We'd settled things tonight, and were on the same page. Things were too good for me to fuck them up now, regardless of my body's demands. I truly liked Libby, and I respected her commitment to her art career. I'd already been renewing some old connections our family had in the art world. I wanted to see her succeed, not just because of what she was doing for me, but because her talent needed to be seen, to be recognized.
I rolled over, throwing a restless arm over my forehead. Yeah, I had to be the good guy here. I didn't honestly have any other choice. My future and Libby's both depended on it. So did my future child's.
But as the hours crept by and the night seemed to last forever, I can't say my resolve never wavered.
And I'd have given damn near anything for the satisfaction of jerking the hell off.
I must have slept, at least for an hour or so. Because I woke with the sky just beginning to lighten and my cock still as demanding as ever. I showered as quickly as I could in ice cold water, and left for the office without waking Libby. Maybe by the time I picked her up to go to dinner, I'd have my baser needs better controlled…
Ninety minutes later, I had coffee in my hand and Spencer Pierson-Ellis waiting in my office. All thanks to Veronica, the best assistant I'd ever had. Although she and my ex-wife were good friends from way back, Ronni had been willing to stay on at Mason after the divorce.
"Start talking, Spence. I haven't gotten a comprehensive report in the last two fucking days. If I trusted you less, I'd think you were holding out on me."
Spencer laughed, and a wisp of comb-over fell into his eyes. Only three years older than I was, he was already starting to thin on top.
"Shit, Jack. It's not like you've been all that easy to track down lately. And India and I had a nice evening last night, thanks for asking…"
I motioned for him to sit and drained my cup as he spread out the contents of his briefcase.
"Even though a proxy fight can take longer than an outright takeover, I still think the numbers are showing it was the right path…" He shuffled through and tapped a stack of papers before handing them to me. "We knew it'd take a little more patience, Jack. And you agreed along with the other board members, that acquiring Warner Aluminum would transition more smoothly if we could win over the majority of their shareholders. Once that's done, and we've kissed all their wealthy asses, it will have been a fucking hell of a lot easier in the end."
I scanned the sheets. The names were starting to add up. In a few more weeks, Mason could indeed have the majority of Warner's people in our pockets. It was the approach my whole family had agreed on. Effective, albeit slow. But more amiable than a forced acquisition. Every one of us had endured meeting after meeting with members of Warner's board.
I nodded, unsure what had alerted India last night. I'd ask her at dinner tonight, but everything I saw on paper looked as it should. "I don't see Wyler or Jackson…," I said, scanning for their names. They were leaders on Warner's board, and we needed them for the rest to follow. "I want them, Spence. I did six goddamn months ag
o and I'm not waiting any longer." I wanted this merger done and over long before my duties as a father began.
"We're close to schedule, Jack. If I can have just a few more months…"
"You've got two weeks," I said determinedly, cutting him off.
"I don't give a fuck what you have to do, Spencer. Or what you have to offer them. Just get those fucking signatures, and get them now. I want this deal done, and I'm not waiting any longer."
10
Libby
While I couldn't say I'd woken up bright and refreshed, at least I'd gotten a few good hours of sleep. But I was both eager and nervous about seeing Jack again. I wasn't at all sure last night's orgasm wouldn't be showing all over my face.
But when I reached the kitchen, it was obvious he'd left for his office early, maybe even before sunrise. There were crumbs on the stone countertop and the coffee pot was still half full, but completely cold. Next to his cup was a note, my name at the top in tall, scrolling letters…
Libby,
I hope you slept well last night. I was too excited to sleep, so I'm heading in to work early.
I'll be home before three and we can go over the details for dinner tonight at my folks'.
Make yourself completely at home.
I can't tell you how grateful I am.
He'd signed it with a large, elegant J and I ran my fingertips over the initial. No more grateful than I am, Jack Mason, I thought, looking around the steel and stone kitchen. To think I went from being literally homeless, to living here… for at least as long as it took me to produce his baby…
I set to work, making scrambled eggs and even made fresh juice from the bowl of oranges on the counter. I rested my eyes on the smooth surface of the lake as I ate, settling into the easy silence of the empty house. I had the next seven hours all to myself and I knew exactly how I was going to spend them. The key Jack had given me the night before was safe in my pocket. And just the thought of it there made my hands tingle.
I finished my breakfast and straightened up the kitchen. Then, on impulse, I picked up the note Jack had left me and pushed it into my pocket along with the key and headed downstairs. The next few days were going to be the most complicated and life-altering of my life. I wasn't even sure I could sort out all the complex, intense feelings I'd been having since I'd signed Jack's contract. And after that kiss we'd shared…
All I knew for sure was that I'd made the right choice. And that I wasn't waiting one more minute to release the whirlwind of emotions inside me. There had only ever been one solution in my life for how I was feeling now. And that solution was in the palm of my hands.
By two o'clock, the clay had started to come alive. I wet my fingertips again and let them slide over the slick, velvety surface.
I hadn't begun with a specific idea in mind. I rarely did. I just started to knead the clay, sensitive to whether it felt warm or cold, stiff or soft. I reached somewhere deep inside… No...no, that's not right. Rather, I let something deep inside venture out. Giving it permission to show itself, to find expression without judgement… That's what my creative experience was like. And it was soothing, exciting and exhilarating all at once.
Kind of the way Jack makes me feel, I thought, pushing and pulling the clay with my thumbs. Like how it feels to be just on the verge of something you can't even fully envision…
I looked at the clock that hung over my work table and stretched my neck. I'd been so focused for so long, I hadn't realized just how stiff I'd gotten. And the lake looked so blue, so inviting. The day had been unusually warm. Warm enough that the water should be comfortable. I had enough time before Jack got home to find out for myself. I covered my work with a damp cloth, tucking a thick layer of plastic over the top.
No, I didn't know just yet what was going to emerge. But I'd gotten a fine start today. The piece was still unformed, but it already had a sense about it. Rounded, yet delicate. Smooth with curving, elegant lines. I washed up in the huge sink that stood in the corner and enjoyed the sense of accomplishment and excitement I always felt with the gestation of a new piece.
I locked the door behind me and headed for the water. Though there were other houses on the lake, Jack's seemed to inhabit a world all its own. It sat in the deepest part of a curving sweep of sandy beach. The view was amazing, yet it felt completely private at the same time. I dug my toes into the sand and untied the thin shoulder straps that held my dress. I was naked underneath, so the sensation of cool air on all that skin had me exhaling with pleasure. I stretched my arms above my head and basked in the afternoon sunlight. I waded out to test the water. It was deliciously warm, lapping up at my knees. I moved out farther, letting the water rise between my legs… to lick underneath my breasts…
I rolled onto my back and spread out, floating on the surface, letting the water carry my weight. It lapped at my ears, making the sounds around me seem both louder and softer all at once. This was probably the most perfect day in my entire life.
I thought about Jack, and how it would feel to be carrying his child. The water washed over the mounds of my breasts and I imagined how it would feel over my round, fertile belly. By this time tomorrow I could actually be pregnant…
"Libby, for fuck's sake… Libby!" The words were distorted and far off, but the urgency of them rang like a bell.
Flailing, I came upright in the water. It was Jack's voice, still calling and with an edge of anger…
"Just what the hell are you thinking?"
I heard the words behind me right before I felt his huge arms wrap around and pull me to his chest. I sputtered and coughed, grabbing at his soaking wet suit jacket.
"You nearly fucking scared me to death, Jack! What the hell are you doing?" I was pushing at his chest. "I went for a swim, is all." I coughed again. "You damn near drowned me, scaring me like that."
His hair was plastered around his face, and he should have looked ridiculous, having jumped into the lake fully clothed to rescue me. But the fact was, he looked sexier than ever. His white shirt clung transparently to his chest and the muscles underneath were hard and beautifully formed. His arms were thick and sculpted under my hands. Water ran from his hair and dripped from the hard set of his jaw. He was pissed, but god, was he hot.
"You went too far, Libby," he said with a bite that made me stop struggling. He pulled me against him, heading back for the beach with my wet, naked body in tow alongside his. "It's alright to swim here, but not out so far. And never. Ever. Alone."
His words were punctuated with the effort of his strokes as he swam. The eroticism of being naked in the water with him was fast giving way to the knowledge that in another minute he was going to be pulling me out of the lake like wet fish. He was angry and he was right. I knew better than to swim alone. But he didn't have to treat me like a child. And I sure as hell hadn't needed rescuing. I figured righteous indignation could be a decent parry to complete humiliation…
"If you'd just let go," I argued, "I can swim back perfectly well on my own." I pushed at his chest, but his arms stayed tight around me. "You didn't have to do this…"
He kept me beside him, and when his feet hit bottom, he swept me into his arms and carried me out of the water. His suit was ruined, running streams into the sand at our feet. And my bare breasts were crushed against it. His eyes blazed into mine.
"No, Libby," he said. "I did." His chest was heaving. "As long as you live under my roof, you're my fucking responsibility and so help me, if you take another chance like that…"
"I floated out too far, Jack. But I'm a strong swimmer. I wasn't in danger."
"It's not just about you anymore, Libby. What if my baby was already inside you? And something happened and you both needed help?" His voice was still sharp, but for the first time he seemed to realize I was completely naked in his arms. My breasts were crushed against his chest, separated from his skin only by soaked fabric. And my cold, traitorous nipples were hard and round as marbles. His right arm was under my knees, his big h
and cupping my bare ass. His eyes moved down for a fleeting instant before he looked me in the eyes again. "I won't have you taking risks, sweetheart," he said and I felt that hot, fluttering sensation inside. "I won't lose you when it's taken all this time just to find you…"
His gaze moved down again and I had to struggle for breath. He was looking at my body, really looking at me now. And there was no place to hide. In spite of all my bare, wet skin, I felt suddenly hot. I like how he looks at me, his eyes on my flesh…
"I won't again swim without you…," I promised. We locked eyes and an electric current passed between us.
"No," he said, with the barest hint of a smile. "No… you won't."
11
Jack
"Oh, Jackson…," Mom cooed, her voice thick with southern honey, "Come over here and give your mama a kiss. And bring that lovely woman of yours over for a proper introduction." Then she called back over her shoulder. "India," she chided, "you didn't tell me what a pretty little thing she is!"
I bent to kiss her pink cheek as she wrapped her arms around me. Libby's hand was damp in mine. "Mom, I'd like you to meet Libby Jones. Libby, this is my mother, Vivian." Dad came out of the house and I saw his eyes light up. "And my father, Fletcher."
"Oh, honey, I can't tell you how happy we were when India told me Jackson was bringing his girlfriend home for dinner," Mom gushed. "Now you just call me Viv," she took Libby's hand and pulled her in for a kiss, leaving a pink lipstick stain on her cheek. "And come right on over here and meet the rest of the family."
I watched from the outside of the circle as Libby smiled and shook hands all around. She nodded and laughed. My three brothers had each given her a friendly hug and India stood next to Mom, exchanging satisfied smiles. Dad brought her a glass of sweet tea and ushered us all toward the backyard. I could smell his famous smoked brisket before we'd even gotten out of the car.
The Baby Contract Page 4