Don't Tempt Me

by Julie Ortolon

  She ached to lean forward and take his mouth with hers, to feel his whole hand stroking her skin, not just his fingertip.

  He pulled back unexpectedly and she nearly toppled into his lap. "Now come on. Tell me one of your deep dark secrets."

  Her mind whirled at the abrupt shift in mood. She shook her head to clear it, then looked at him. Was this some new game he was playing? Grabbing her glass, she tossed back what was left of her drink. "Okay, one confession." She looked straight at him. "Now that I've gotten to know you well enough to realize you aren't the shallow playboy I thought you were, I might have gone out with you. Maybe. But that was before. Now there's no way, because this venture means too much to me. I can't afford to blow it over sex. I really can't, Adrian. I mean that."

  "Are you trying to convince me or you?" His smile was pure seduction.

  "Both of us, I guess."

  "Is it working?"

  "Right now, I don't know." Lord, she couldn't think with him sitting there, looking so scrumptious she wanted to rip off his shirt and lick him all over. "I want you. But I'm not going to give in to that."

  "Just as well." His grin turned wicked. "Knowing you, we'd probably have to arm-wrestle to see who gets to be on top."

  She laughed, even as his words stirred images of his body hard and naked beneath her. "Are you afraid I'd win and damage that big ego of yours?"

  "Maybe I'd let you win." Sensual challenge gleamed in his eyes.

  "You think I can't take you on my own? Come on, get it up here." She braced her elbow on the table.

  He hesitated, but did the same. She put her hand in his, felt his warm fingers close about her. His gaze met hers over their clasped hands. "What are you going to do if you lose?"

  "I won't. On three," she said, her tone dead serious. "One, two, three!" She stood and plowed her whole body against his arm, nailing his hand to the table. "I win! I win!" She danced in a circle, laughing.

  "You cheat!"

  "So? I still win." She laughed harder, falling against the table.

  "The hell you do." He grabbed her wrist and jerked her toward him. "I ought to spank you."

  She shrieked and struggled. His laughter joined hers as he tried to pull her over his lap. Squirming to get free, she wound up straddling his thighs, her hands flat against his chest, their faces mere inches apart. They both went still. She stared into his eyes, her heart pounding. The hungry look he gave her made her breath catch.

  Push away! her brain screamed.

  Oh, shut up. She lowered her mouth to his. His hands dove into her hair, tilting her head as he kissed her back, devouring her mouth. Heat crashed through her in waves as their tongues tangled. She pressed closer, wanting to crawl inside his skin. Squirming up his thigh, she found his hardened length straining against his jeans. Had he been aroused the whole time they'd talked? The thought made her moan as she rubbed against him

  His hands slipped down her sides, then up under her shirt. She arched back, breaking the contact of their mouths when he cupped her hypersensitive breasts.

  "Careful," she gasped. He gave her a quizzical look. Embarrassment joined the flush of desire. "I'm really ... sensitive. There."

  "Oh yeah?" His eyes lit. "How sensitive?"

  "Very." She tried to lean away.

  He wrapped his hands around her rib cage, holding her in place. His voice thickened. "Take your shirt off."

  "I will not."

  He looked steadily at her, all playfulness gone."Cheater's forfeit. Take your shirt off."

  She started to argue, but the determination in his eyes sent a thrill racing through her. Crossing her arms, she grabbed the hem of the shirt and lifted it over her head. Cool air caressed her hot skin.

  She looked down at herself, sitting naked from the waist up in his lap, his arousal pressed against her, bold and demanding. When his gaze dropped to her full, aching breasts, the dark nipples puckered.

  He leaned forward, slowly. She stiffened, ready to jump back if he went straight for the nipples. He didn't. He cupped her gently in both hands and kissed the inside curve of each breast, back and forth, a coaxing whisper of lips. She relaxed with a sigh and closed her eyes. Enjoyment built slowly, a fluttering, melting sensation deep inside that grew and grew, until her hips moved of their own accord, rubbing her aching center against his hardness.

  Rather than bracing for his lips on her nipples, she started longing for it, and arched her back in invitation. He avoided them, though, swirling his tongue around each puckered areole.

  She buried her fingers in his thick, silky hair, freeing it from the band so it fell about his shoulders. Looking down, she watched his mouth as he licked her lightly. The wet caress made her shiver with need and frustration.

  He glanced up, his eyes dark as he opened his mouth and closed it over one nipple, sucking hard.

  A climax slammed into her and she threw her head back in surprise. For an instant, she feared she'd pass out. The world spun as she struggled to catch her breath. Then she realized the world wasn't moving, he was.

  He stood with her clasped to him and her legs clamped tight about his waist as he strode toward the bed.

  "Whoa! Wait!" She gasped for air. "I thought we weren't going to do this."

  "Change of plan." He dropped her to the mattress, and braced himself over her, kissing her neck. "One time. To get it out of our systems."

  She planted a hand to his chest and pushed him back enough to see his face. The words she meant to say died when she saw desire darkening his eyes. "Works for me."

  Straightening, slowly, he grabbed one of her boots and pulled it off. His gaze burned into her as he removed the second boot, then he reached for the waistband of her leggings. He ripped them and her panties off in one fluid motion.

  "Wait," she said as he started to climb on the bed. When he raised a brow, she grinned. "Strip."

  A corner of his mouth kicked up as he unbuttoned his shirt with tantalizing slowness. Her breathing went shallow as he revealed, inch by inch, his well-defined chest and stomach. Pulling the shirt free of the jeans, he tossed it aside in a move that made muscles ripple.

  Toeing off his shoes, he removed the socks. When he straightened, he pulled his wallet out of his back pocket, removed a condom and casually set it on the shelf over the head of the bed. Then he popped the snap on his jeans and her gaze dropped toward the sound. She nearly swallowed her tongue when he unzipped the pants and peeled them off.

  Oh, my God.

  She stared as he straightened, fully nude and impressively aroused. She should have expected it, she supposed. The rest of him was magnificent, so why wouldn't he be magnificent there, too? Still, he was the most enticingly virile creature she'd ever seen.

  She lifted her eyes to his. "I want you."

  "I'm all yours." He crawled onto the bed, closing his mouth over hers.

  The need to caress every gorgeous inch of his bare skin turned her greedy. With her mouth against his, she rolled until he lay on his back, propped halfway up on the mountain of pillows. She straddled his legs and explored him with her hands and mouth. His taste and scent filled her head, making her dizzy.

  When she grazed her teeth over his nipple, he sucked in a breath and cupped her head in one hand, but he didn't take over. He lay still, muscles tense, somehow knowing his acquiescence would drive her excitement higher. Thrilled by the freedom, she moved to kneel between his legs.

  His abs bunched beneath her lips as she trailed her mouth downward. Sitting back, she feasted her eyes on all of him. Good heavens, he was beautiful, his dark hair loose about his muscular shoulders, his eyes smoldering, his body bathed in soft light. And for this small space of time, he was hers to do with as she pleased.

  Her gaze dropped back to his arousal, so bold and unapologetic. Reaching out a hand, she closed it about the thick shaft, delighted by the feel of satiny skin over hard flesh. Needing to taste him, she took him into her mouth.

  His breath hissed through his teeth and his h
and tightened in her hair. She felt him straining for control and knew it had slipped when his hips began to move, his thigh muscles flexing. Soaring with a sense of feminine power, she glanced up the length of his body and found his eyes closed, his head pressed back against the pillows.

  "Okay, stop," he gasped and opened his eyes. Reaching over his head, he grabbed the condom. "You're about to end things way too soon."

  She laughed, feeling sexier than she ever had as he rapidly covered himself. He reached for her then, cupping her head with both hands as he pulled her to him for a wild kiss filled with need. Straddling his lap, she sank over him slowly, moaning as his hard sex pressed into her, stretching her. He dropped his hands to her hips, urging her down harder until he filled her fully, stretching her. Then he let her go, allowing her to set the pace.

  Arching back, she reveled in the feel of him beneath her, inside her; the sight of him lying against the pillows. A sheen of sweat covered his taut body and his breath came as fast as hers. In the midst of that heated passion, he smiled up at her. She laughed with pure joy at the feeling of connection, then gasped as he tipped her forward and took her breast in his mouth. Pleasure stabbed through her as he suckled hard, sending her over the edge. An explosion of pleasure and light.

  The next instant, she was flat on her back beneath him. She blinked up at him, startled at the sudden reversal. "What ---"

  "My turn," he said, his voice rough. His eyes intent on hers, he hooked his arms under her knees. She started to protest the loss of control, but groaned instead as he drove into her with long, hard strokes. Her own hips flexed into him, thrilling to his need, his hunger, until she was lost in it.

  He tensed above her as his own orgasm hit, making his body flinch. Then, with a massive shudder of satisfaction, he settled over her, her arms closing about him. She stared at the ceiling, her head still spinning as she felt his heart pounding as hard as her own.

  Chapter 15

  Adrian trembled from the force of his release for several long seconds before he managed to roll onto his back."Holy shit!"

  "No kidding," Jackie said between gulps of air.

  He turned his head and when their eyes met, they both laughed. Gathering her into his arms, he smiled as he caressed her face. "That was, without a doubt, the best mistake I ever made."

  Her laughter stilled and the haze of passion slowly faded from her eyes. Realization followed, then a growing look of horror. He found each shift fascinating to watch, considering the flush of pleasure still glowed in her cheeks.

  "Ohmygod." She pulled out of his arms to press a hand to her forehead. "Oh, my God!"

  He propped himself up on one elbow, his other arm draped over a raised knee. "I take it this means no snuggling through the afterglow."

  She stared at him, her gaze traveling up and down the length of his naked body. "Oh. My. God!"

  "The way you keep saying that, is that one word or three?"

  She covered her face with both hands. "What did we do?"

  "Do you want the play-by-play or a brief summary?" When she scrambled from the bed, he frowned. "Where are you going?"

  She turned to face him, backing away. "I just need a minute to think." She vanished into the head and closed the door with a firm click.

  Okay, he thought, so Jackie liked to get a jump start on morning-after regrets. Not surprising. Less wasted time that way, and she did like efficiency.

  The question was, how did he feel about what had just happened, other than incredibly sated? He did a quick mental search for regret or an urge to bolt, and oddly found none. Normally, after sex, a part of his brain went on high alert, looking for signs that his bed partner expected commitment. If she showed none, he could relax a little, but never completely. He liked women too much to ever hurt one with false expectations.

  Jackie's reaction, however, went a bit beyond "That was fun, but let's not take this seriously, okay?"

  He scowled at the closed door, not sure what to do when she came out. Gently extracting himself when a woman turned clingy had become second nature, but how did a man respond to a horrified "Oh, my God!"?

  He heard water running in the sink and decided to clean himself up before she returned. Searching the shelf near the head of the bed, he spotted a box of tissue, a novel, a pair of earrings, and ... a gun.

  Hello! He pulled his hand back, surprised, then realized he shouldn't be. The woman lived alone on the wharf; of course she owned a gun.

  Reaching past it, he grabbed some tissues and took care of the condom. He was sitting propped up against the pillows with his lower body beneath the covers when the bathroom door finally opened. She stepped out, tightening the belt of a black silk robe, her hair raked back from a face still flushed with passion. She looked tough, exotic, mysterious ... and he wanted her all over again.

  She raised her head to look at him, remarkably steady after all they'd had to drink. "I think it would be best if we chalk this up to too much rum and forget it ever happened."

  Her words hit him like a punch in the gut. Then he saw how tightly she held herself and knew this was just Jackie trying to regain control. He smiled at her in empathy. "I have a better idea."

  "What?" She turned cautious, and he smiled.

  "Let's do it again." To his surprise, panic sparked in her eyes. Take it slow, he warned himself and patted the mattress by his hip. "Come here."

  "I don't think that's a good idea."

  "Just come here," he sighed, then watched the battle on her face before she crossed to the bed. Taking her hand, he pulled her down so she sat facing him. "See, I was thinking." The words came out with barely a slur. "This doesn't have to be a big deal since neither of us is interested in anything serious at this point in our lives. From what I've seen, you're married to your ship, and all I want is some playtime now that my sisters are grown-up and on their own. So, if you're worried I'll try to invade your life in any way, I promise you I won't. We can just be friends."

  "Who have sex."

  "Exactly."

  "Absolutely not."

  "How come?" Fascinated by the pulse beating in her neck, he caressed it with the tip of his finger.

  "I'm not going to have an affair with you right in front of my crew," she whispered, then glanced at the wall, as if wondering if they'd been overheard. "Or your sisters, for that matter."

  "We can be discreet." He ran his finger downward, following the vee of black silk between her breasts.

  "Adrian." She grabbed his hand to get his attention. "Your sisters aren't stupid. If we start sleeping together, they'll know."

  "You're right," he sighed, thinking close families could be a pain at times. "I can already hear what Allison will say after the hard time I gave her about Scott. Although" ---he wiggled his brows ---"a little squabble will be worth it."

  "For you it will be a little sisterly ribbing, but how do you think they'll treat me six months from now if you and I have a big blowup?" Her eyes pleaded for understanding. "Adrian, I meant what I said earlier. I need this venture to pay off. Which means I need to be able to work with Aurora and Allison, as well as have the respect of my crew. So no, I'm not interested in repeating what just happened. It was great. You were great, but it's not worth it."

  "I see." She didn't think he was worth it?

  "My business has to come first," she insisted, then rubbed her head as if a hangover had already set in. "Which is why I really think you should leave."

  He stared at her, absorbing the fact that she was kicking him out of her bed. They'd just shared the best sex of his entire life, which was saying a lot, and she was kicking him out?

  "Okay ..." he said slowly. "Fine." She wanted him to leave, he'd leave. He rose and retrieved his blue jeans, jerking them on with such force, he nearly lost his balance.

  "Well, you don't have to go away mad," she said.

  "No, just go away, right?" Scooping up his shoes, he sat and pulled them on.

  "I didn't say it like that."


  "Didn't you?" He looked for his shirt, but didn't see it, so he retrieved his leather jacket from the peg by the door.

  "Oh, so now you're going to go somewhere and pout?" She flopped back against the pillows, crossing her arms.

  "No, I'm going to go sleep in my cabin so your crew doesn't get any ideas, like you're a flesh-and-blood woman who might prefer a man over a boat and a bank account." He came back to the bed, planted his hands to either side of her hips, and leaned in close to her face. "There's more to life than work, Jackie. Maybe you should lighten up and enjoy it a little."

  Her gaze flicked over his loose hair, the gaping leather jacket, his bare chest. Swallowing hard, she brought her eyes back to his and he saw a shimmer of banked desire. "There's also more to life than fun and games."

  "Yeah, but without the fun, what's the point?" Shoving himself upright, he looked at her for a long moment, wanting to crawl back in bed, hold her in his arms, and tell her to stop being so scared all the time. Her expression warned him not to even try. With a silent curse, he strode from the cabin, barely resisting the urge to slam the door behind him. Damned stubborn woman!

  ~ ~ ~

  Jackie punched the pillow the minute he left. Impossible, arrogant man!

  "Let's be friends who have sex." As if that would work long-term. And when it stopped working, she'd be the loser all the way around, while his life would continue with hardly a bleep.

  How could he be so selfish and insensitive?

  Wrapping her arms around the pillow, she caught his scent on the sheets and regret filled her. She longed to call him back, to tell him she wanted to be with him again and again, for as long as he wanted it to last. But if she gave in to that impulse, how long before her liking him as a friend turned to something deeper? And when it ended, how would she stand seeing him at all? The Pearl Island cruises would have to end.

  Sliding under the covers, she hugged the pillow, yearning for things she knew she couldn't have.

  ~ ~ ~

  Achy from lack of sleep, Jackie climbed the steps to the bridge just as dawn brushed the horizon with the first hint of color. The wind whipped beneath her foul-weather jacket, sending a chill across her skin. Joining Ti at the wheel, she held out one of the cups of coffee she'd brought from the galley.