He lifted her, his arms cording, the muscles in his neck straining, until she was posed atop his cock. She took the hint and took over, more to see what he would do next than to give him a break.
What he did was worth it. Holding his cock, he rubbed her clit, gently at first, and then more forcefully. She breathed hard, and grinned as his gaze shifted to the lift and fall of her breasts as if mesmerized.
“Are you gonna play with that all night, or you gonna get on with it?”
His mouth dropped open and he looked at her face again. A few seconds later he chuckled, although he never stopped teasing her. “You think I’m just playing at this?”
She nodded slowly.
“Oh, really?”
She arched her right eyebrow. “See? Even now, it’s talk, talk, talk.”
“You’re a real badass.”
“Bad as they come.”
His grin grew more wicked as he trained his cock to rub in hard, small circles, just where it would drive her the most crazy. “Which means you’d never, ever be reduced to begging.”
She inhaled deeply, arching her back. She knew it would bring her nipples closer to his mouth. She’d seen the way he’d wanted to taste her. To turn the screw even deeper, she leaned forward, so her breasts were millimeters from his lips. If he’d reached with his tongue, he could have lapped the hard buds. “Me? Beg? Never happen.”
“Well, that’s good to know,” he said, his breath brushing her sensitive flesh. “I wouldn’t want to ruin your image.”
“My image?” she said, trying to control her voice, to not give away how close she was to coming. “You should talk. Does the network have any idea who you really are, Jack? Do they know that they can never tame you?”
His lips parted, and she heard his sharp intake of breath. “They don’t have a clue,” he said, as he grew completely still.
She bit back a moan, but she couldn’t control the way her thighs gripped his hips.
Again, he laughed, so low it was almost a growl. “You think I’m untamed, do you?” His left hand went to the curve of her hip where his fingers dug into her skin. “You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.”
He thrust up with his hips, impaling her completely as his hands forced her down.
She cried out as her head fell back. Her hands moved from the couch to his shoulders, and she knew she had to be hurting him, but she didn’t care.
His teeth captured her nipple, holding her still while his tongue flicked rapidly, sending incredible sensations from her breast straight down to where he filled her.
Both of his hands were now on her hips, he lifted her slowly, until just the tip of him was inside her. She tried to move down, but he wasn’t having any of that. His teeth tightened just enough to remind her that she was in no position to argue.
Only when she whimpered did he fill her again. But he took his time about it. The only thing she had to use were her inner muscles, and she used them without mercy.
It was his turn to moan. His eyes practically rolled back in his head as she squeezed him harder still.
She bent her head down as far as she could, as close to his ear as possible. “Beg me,” she whispered.
“No,” he said, although the word was almost all breath.
She released her muscles, waited until she felt him quiver insider her, then she squeezed again. “Do it.”
He pulled her up, but this time there was no teasing. She came off him, lifted high by the strength of his hands, and an instant later he thrust up and brought her down. It was explosive and raw and she howled as he did it again and again. And then she was coming, moving her hips in tight circles, making him gasp and curse until he was coming, too. Pushing, pushing, until they were both suspended and her heart couldn’t beat any faster.
They collapsed together, her body falling across his, their panting breaths the only sound in the quiet of the night. For a long time, that’s all they could do, just try to get some kind of equilibrium. And then she heard his voice, a whisper close to her ear.
“Ready?”
13
MADISON AWOKE FIRST, one leg thrown over Jack’s, his arm around her shoulders. At least, she thought she had until she moved her leg and his eyes opened.
“Hi.” He smiled and squeezed her shoulder.
She snuggled closer, and his arm tightened around her. “How long have you been awake?”
“A few minutes.”
“We’re in the bed.”
He nodded.
“How did that happen?”
This time he chuckled. “Magic.”
That sounded right to her. She yawned. “What time is it?”
“You don’t want to know.”
“Uh-oh.” She tried to turn over to see the bedside clock, but he hugged her to him and kissed her, starting with the tip of her nose and then capturing her lips.
She allowed him to distract her with his tongue and probing fingers, but only for a couple of minutes, until she noticed a ribbon of sunlight curling under the drapes.
“It’s morning?” She twisted around to look at the clock. “Good God, it is morning.”
“Yep.” He nuzzled the side of her neck, his chin deliciously rough against the sensitive skin below her ear.
Of course, not an inch of her wasn’t sensitive after last night. The man was thorough, if nothing else. She didn’t think there was a spot on her he hadn’t kissed or licked or sucked. He was energetic, too. Had her using muscles she hadn’t used in forever. If ever.
She sighed contentedly, even knowing she was in deep trouble. Ten rolls of unused film sat in her bag. She couldn’t think of a single shot she’d taken yesterday that thrilled her. Oh, any picture he took was good. He was blessedly photogenic. Equally good-looking in print as he was in person or on television. But she still hadn’t captured that sparkle. That one unidentifiable, elusive quality that made a photograph stand out from the rest.
“Shall I order up some coffee?” he asked, his fingers doing wickedly wonderful things to her nipple. “Or would you rather stay in bed for a while?”
She laughed when, at the same time, he slid his other hand down her belly, his finger brushing the tiny strip of hair at the juncture of her thighs. “Now is that a fair thing to do?”
“Yes.”
“You’re not supposed to answer a rhetorical question.”
“You’re not supposed to laugh when I’m trying to get romantic.”
She propped herself up on one elbow. “That’s not romantic. You’re just trying to get laid again.”
Laughing, he fell back against the pillows, one arm flung across his forehead. “You are something else.”
She smiled, and slid back down again, pressed up to him, and placed her hand on his chest. “Guess what?”
He looked at her from under his forearm, his brows dipping dejectedly as if he already knew what she was going to say.
“We have to get back to work.”
“I know,” he said, but he didn’t look happy. “Can I have another kiss first?”
“You can have a dozen if you want.” She started at his collarbone.
“I want,” he whispered hoarsely when she got to his left nipple, and then worked her way down his belly, stopping to tongue his navel.
She flipped the sheet off him, and sucked in a breath at how huge and hard he was already. How was she supposed to get out of bed now? At this point, she didn’t think she’d remember how to use a camera.
This wasn’t good.
He reached for her, and hauled her up to suckle her breasts.
Then again, this was very good.
JACK SCRATCHED his bare chest and then leaned toward the mirror. Amazing he didn’t have ugly, dark, half circles under his eyes. If he’d gotten three hours of sleep last night he’d be surprised. And given the chance, he’d do it all over again.
Madison had been everything he’d expected. Even more. The woman’s energy level astounded him. Thrilled him. Charged him with a vigor he
hadn’t possessed since he was in his early twenties. He’d be ready for several more rounds if they didn’t have to get up. But as hard as he’d tried, he hadn’t been able to talk her into forgetting about shooting today.
It wasn’t as if he were trying to get out of it. Now that he’d gotten past his self-absorption, he fully understood how important this was to her. He simply didn’t want whatever magic they’d conjured to end. Because it would soon enough. That was inevitable.
Her ambition was both admirable and annoying. So was her single-mindedness. If she hadn’t fought so hard against the chemistry that had been brewing since yesterday, he might have suspected she was like countless others. Using him in their climb. But not Madison. Not when she looked at him with those soft brown eyes. Not when she smiled at him, a special smile meant for him alone.
He wrapped a towel around his waist, finger-combed his wet hair and then left the bathroom in search of her. She’d gotten out of the shower first, anxious to go check the lighting in the parlor. Her desertion hadn’t offended him. They’d already been in so long their skin had shriveled. Which, she’d pointed out, did not make for good photos.
She wasn’t in the bedroom, but her digital camera sat on top of the nightstand, so he picked it up as he continued into the parlor. The camera was small, easily concealed in his palm as he found her, sitting on the couch in a black lacy bra and matching bikini panties, loading her camera.
She looked up and gave him one of those special smiles. “I ordered coffee.”
“And food, I hope.”
“Nope. If you’re hungry we’ll go down to the restaurant.” Her gaze flickered to his chest, and she drew in her lower lip, quickly looking away. He knew then that if he wanted, he could play dirty. “You know very well what’ll happen if we stay up here.”
“And your point is?”
She shook her head, returning her attention to loading the camera. The bra was one of those skimpy ones that allowed her breasts to mound high over the lace. “What happened to work first, play later?”
“Who said that?”
“How quickly we forget.”
He took advantage of her preoccupation and glanced at the digital camera. Fortunately, it was the same brand and similar to one he had. While she still wasn’t looking, he raised the camera and focused.
“Madison?”
She looked up.
He clicked. Her mouth opened in outrage and he clicked again.
“Hey!” She stood. “Give me that thing.”
He got off two more shots.
“You are in so much trouble, buddy.” She made a grab for the camera but he sidestepped her and kept clicking.
He grinned. “What? Don’t you like having your picture taken?”
“No, as a matter of fact.” She almost snatched it, but he held it up high over her head. She was tall, but not tall enough to reach, and she poked him in the ribs.
He grunted but held his ground. “Let’s look at them and then we’ll erase them.”
She pursed her lips in disgust, and then walked away, the black panties hugging her rounded backside and making his heartbeat quicken.
He chuckled. “Don’t get huffy. It’s your camera. These pictures aren’t going anywhere.”
And then he saw what she was up to, and took a step back. “Not funny.”
She’d picked up her other camera. Facing him, she aimed and said, “Say cheese.”
“Madison.” Panic swarmed him. A tabloid picture of him standing in only a towel flashed before his eyes.
She grinned but there was no flash, no click. “Trade you cameras.”
“Okay, you win.” He walked toward her with the camera in his outstretched hand.
She lowered hers, a hint of disappointment in her face. She knew that in that instant, faced with the camera focused on him, he hadn’t trusted her.
But what did she expect? So he was gun-shy. He had every right. Every reason. She had to understand that.
He looked into her eyes as he handed her the digital camera and saw no disapproval, no resentment, and realized she did understand. She’d respected his fear. She hadn’t taken the shot. And just as he had a right to be wary, she had the right to be disappointed. Already it was over.
And Madison was smiling again.
Something inside him swelled. Threatened his air passage. Made him warm inside and out. He looked down at his arm to see if it was flushed with color. It looked normal.
Still, he didn’t feel normal. He didn’t even know how he felt. Off balance. Short of breath. Confused. Definitely confused.
“Are you okay?” She touched his arm, her eyes warm with concern.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” He shoved a hand through his hair. It had started to dry. “I’d better go get dressed.”
“Don’t worry. I won’t take a shot until you’re ready.”
He eyed the digital camera still in her hand and then met her eyes. “Go ahead.”
She blinked. “Really?”
“With the digital.” So he was a little chicken. “I want to see it first.”
She hesitated. “Okay.” After setting the other camera aside, she checked the digital and then brought it up to focus. She moved closer and snapped, and then lowered it to look at him. “May I take a couple more?”
“Go for it.” He knew he’d been tense, that the shot probably stunk. He drew in a breath, let it out slowly, forcing himself to relax.
She took another step closer, and he focused on the way her breasts lifted, gauged just where her perfect pink nipples were behind the black lace.
So involved with studying the way her breasts rounded above the bra like two small melons, he barely noticed the flash. But it must have come because she moved to a different position.
She crouched, balancing herself with one knee to the floor, the other bent as she sat on the heel of her foot. “Look off to the right,” she said, and then gestured with her free hand when he didn’t obey.
He couldn’t. Fascinated with the length of toned muscle that ran up her thigh to her crotch, his gaze stayed glued to her leg. To the smooth hollow where her leg joined her pelvic bone.
The flash went off and broke the trance.
He blinked at her.
She stared back, over the camera. Awareness crackled in the air between them. She moved and had to brace herself with her free hand.
He didn’t dare go help her. She was fine. But one touch and there’d be no guarantees.
“Um.” She noisily cleared her throat and gestured with a jut of her chin. “You don’t want me taking a picture like that, do you?”
He looked down. The towel had tented. He muttered a curse.
Madison laughed. So hard she lost her balance. She saved the camera but landed on her backside. His attempt to grab her arm made him lose the towel.
She wasn’t laughing anymore. She stared, blatantly, with such raw desire he didn’t hesitate lowering himself over her. The bra and panties disappeared and then there was only skin rubbing skin, slickness sliding into slickness, lips hungrily meeting lips.
And then nothing else mattered.
AMUSE BOUCHE was crowded. Lots of people in business attire having power lunches. Or pretending to. There was far too much ogling going on for Madison’s taste. People you wouldn’t expect to be so rude or obvious thought nothing of staring for long unsettling moments.
Not at her, of course. But at Jack. Although she did get her share of curious glances. Once they realized she was nobody, they tended to transfer their attention to Jack.
Poor baby. No wonder he was camera shy.
The thought reminded her of this morning, and her pulse started to race. She’d gotten some fantastic shots before they’d ended up on the floor like a couple of teenagers in heat.
Nothing she could use without him flipping out, but she’d keep them forever. Until the photo paper was so old it disintegrated. Astonishingly, he hadn’t asked her to delete them. Not yet, anyway.
“
Hey, Logan, where were you this morning?”
Jack smiled at the rude, twenty-something man passing their table. “Even I get a vacation day now and then.”
Madison growled softly and leaned forward so no one but Jack could hear. “If one more person asks you that question, I am definitely going to pluck every one of their lashes out. Slowly. Painfully.”
He chuckled. “Remind me not to piss you off.”
“And you thought staying here for lunch would eliminate some of that crapola.”
“I’m so used to it, it doesn’t bother me anymore.” He glanced around the restaurant. Only one vacant table remained. “Let’s make a bet. I say we’ll hear that at least three more times before lunch is over.”
“Seriously, I don’t know how you stand it.” She leaned back when the waitress appeared with their meals. A shrimp salad for Jack that was awfully pretty but wouldn’t be enough to fill one of Madison’s cavities.
In front of her, the waitress set down a burger topped with caramelized onion slices, bacon and blue cheese, and accompanied by frites, which was just a fancy name for shoestring fries so they could double the price.
“May I have another cherry cola, please?” she asked the waitress.
“Another mineral water for me,” Jack said, and then shook his head as the waitress left.
“What?” She cut her burger in half.
He eyed the juicy medium rare meat with longing. “Give me part of that burger, huh?”
“Don’t you like your shrimp salad?”
“I’m sure it’ll be fine, but I want some of that.”
She bit into one of the crispy fries and smiled. “What would your personal trainer say?”
“That I’m bigger and much stronger than you, and that you’d better do as I say.”
She laughed, loud enough that several people turned to look. She put her head down, cleared her throat and then looked up at him. “I’ll give you half. But only because then I’ll have room for dessert.”
An eyebrow went up. His eyes glittered with meaning. “You want dessert?”
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