Naked Truth

by Tami Lund

  “It’s not really a sacrifice. But that was pretty bold of her to flirt with you right under Carter’s nose.”

  “She was just flirting.”

  “Just flirting more often than not leads to other activities.”

  Her tone was icy. It took Jack a few seconds to realize why.

  “Sorry. I forgot. About your ex, I mean.”

  She shook her head. “It’s not me I’m worried about,” she explained. “I don’t want my brother to get hurt, that’s all.”

  He didn’t believe her, not entirely, but he was wise enough to let the subject drop. Instead, he pulled her close, wrapped his arms around her waist, nuzzled her ear.

  “This isn’t a slow song,” she pointed out. Her voice sounded awfully breathy.

  “Yeah, I know. But I like holding you in my arms. It feels good.”

  “Oh.”

  • • •

  Kennedy wished she were wittier. It seemed all she could ever say around Jack was “oh.” Not exactly stimulating responses.

  Jack was certainly stimulated. They were close enough that she could feel his erection pressing into her belly. He wasn’t trying to hide it, either. When he nuzzled her ear, she tilted her head to give him better access. And then she realized what was happening.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  “Hitting on you. Is it working?”

  “Um …”

  “Want to go somewhere more private?”

  “Umm …”

  He twirled her away, pulled her back, and caught her, squeezing her more tightly than he had been a moment before. Kennedy forgot to breathe. She was distantly aware of the fact that he was backing her off the dance floor. She knew she should, but she made no move to stop him. Sabrina’s warning echoed in her head, but all she could think was, I deserve to have fun tonight. I can handle a one-night stand.

  I want a one-night stand.

  A few minutes later, he led her up a set of stairs that climbed from a hallway near the kitchen to the second floor.

  “How did you know these stairs were even here?” she wondered as she held his hand and followed.

  “I scoped out the place when we first arrived. Force of habit,” he admitted. She knew he was talking about his job, not his past liaisons, which she appreciated. For the moment, she wanted to pretend she was the only one. Otherwise, she might back out.

  At the top of the stairs, he paused to flash her a grin over his shoulder. She gave him a wobbly smile in return. He tugged her hand, leading her to the bride’s room.

  Where they found Cullen and Sabrina prematurely sealing their wedding vows.

  “Guess they can’t get it annulled now,” Jack remarked as he quietly pulled the door closed.

  She shook her head, as reason pushed through the haze of alcohol and lust. “This is a bad idea. Sabrina says I’m supposed to stay away from you.”

  “I’m going to have a talk with Sabrina about interfering with my sex life,” Jack muttered. “Why did she say that?”

  Kennedy shrugged. “You’re a player.”

  “Are you looking for forever, Kennedy?”

  She gasped and vehemently shook her head. Been there, done that, she almost said out loud.

  “Me neither. So how is this a bad thing again?”

  “Umm …”

  “I’m usually pretty good with the intuition thing. And my intuition is telling me that you are attracted to me.”

  Kennedy cleared her throat. “I—I think your intuition is correct.”

  Jack grinned. “I thought so. And I’m sure it’s pretty damn obvious that I’m attracted to you.”

  To prove his point, he backed her up to the wall, pressed his palms against the wallpaper, and dipped his head to nibble at her throat. She made a small, strangled noise and grabbed his shoulders to keep herself from falling when her knees buckled.

  Jack sucked her earlobe into his mouth. “I promise, babe, you won’t regret it. I’m a very attentive lover.”

  “Oh God.”

  “I want to hear you scream that.”

  “Limo,” she gasped, and she grabbed his hand and dragged him back down the hall to the stairs. She had no idea what caused her to think of the stretched vehicle out in the parking lot; all she knew was that three years of self-enforced celibacy had pushed her libido to the limit. She wanted to break her fast, and she wanted to do it right now, with this man.

  Whatever happened tomorrow didn’t matter. Whatever happened in two hours wouldn’t matter. She just needed right now, and she needed it to involve her and Jack and a distinct lack of clothing.

  The driver sat in the front seat, reading a newspaper and tapping his foot to the beat of a country song blaring from the speakers. Jack handed him a wad of cash and tucked Kennedy into the back of the limo. As soon as they were inside, the car lurched into motion, sending her tumbling into the groomsman’s lap. He pushed the button to raise the darkened glass that separated them from the front.

  “We aren’t really doing this, are we?” she asked as Jack smoothed her skirt up her legs so she could straddle his lap without tearing her dress.

  “Hell yes, we are. You don’t want to know how much I just paid that guy to drive around in circles for half an hour.”

  “Half an hour?”

  “Trust me, babe.” He flipped her onto her back on the plush leather seat.

  “What?”

  He laid down on top of her, his body nestled between her thighs as he propped himself up on his elbows. “Have you ever had sex in a limo before?”

  She shook her head, staring up at him.

  “It’s fun,” he promised, and he dipped his head and kissed her.

  Kennedy was embarrassed that the driver knew precisely what they were doing back there while he drove aimlessly around town. She wasn’t this sort of woman. She’d slept with precious few men before meeting her ex-husband, and she’d only slept with one since asking for the divorce. And that decision had been a knee-jerk reaction when the lawyer she’d consulted about the divorce had promised to retrieve her money—even offered a reduced fee—if she would sleep with him. She’d been so distraught and confused, she’d done it. Except afterward she’d been too mortified to face him again, so she’d sent him an email letting him know she no longer required his services. She then went to a far more expensive female lawyer who was no less intimidating, but at least she hadn’t hit on Kennedy.

  “I don’t normally do this,” she breathed as he slowly made his way down her body, kissing every inch of exposed flesh along the way. The fantasies she’d had at the wedding flashed through her mind. The real thing was so much better.

  He pushed the dress over her shoulders and tugged at the bodice, revealing her bronze-colored bra. He pursed his lips around one lace-covered breast and exhaled. Hot, moist air puckered the nipple. Kennedy arched into his touch and made another strangled noise of pleasure.

  “Glad to hear it,” Jack said as he focused his attention on the other breast. “I like the idea of being your first.”

  She arched again, threaded her fingers into his hair and squeezed. “I mean this,” she gasped. “Sex. Mindless. No commitments.”

  Jack paused in his ministrations and lifted his head to look at her face. “Do you want me to stop?”

  “Oh God, no,” she said before she could think, could possibly utter another answer. Not that she would at this point. Every nerve ending in her body was screaming with anticipation. If he stopped now, she was certain she would self-combust.

  He gave her a lazy smile. “You can handle this, babe. No strings. No worries. Just let me pleasure you.”

  “O-okay.”

  He dipped his head, kissed her cleavage, and then continued his downward path until his elbows were pressed into the leather seats and his hands cupped her thighs, holding her steady while he laved at her as if she were the tastiest ice cream cone. Her fingers stayed threaded in his hair as she urged him on with gentle pushes.

  Her hips
bucked. She chanted, “Oh God, oh God, oh God,” and then she exploded, the orgasm so intense her back bowed off the seat.

  Jack sat back on his haunches, fighting with the clasp on his tuxedo pants, fumbling in his urgency to be inside her.

  And then he was, leaning forward, pressing into her, his arms around her back, his hands cupping her head. He kissed her and thrust, and kissed her and thrust, again and again and—. Suddenly he pushed away and pulled out.

  Kennedy’s eyes shot open, and she blinked dazedly as he sat on his haunches and contorted his body, struggling to reach something in the pants that were twisted around his knees.

  “What are you doing?” she asked, confused.

  “Damn it,” Jack muttered. He finally managed to pull his wallet out of his pants. “I can’t believe I almost forgot to use protection. Shit. I never do that.”

  Kennedy lay back against the seat and breathed a sigh of relief. She watched him struggle to open the condom package, and then attempt to sheath his erection. His hands shook so badly, he couldn’t seem to get it right. It was oddly thrilling.

  She finally took pity on him. “Our half hour is running out.” She pushed his hands away and quickly and efficiently rolled the condom over his erection. He closed his eyes and let her do it, making a noise of desire deep in his throat.

  “Okay,” she said, and she opened her arms. “Come here.”

  “Anything you say, babe.” He moved over her, positioned his erection, and thrust again. “Yeah,” he grunted as he pulled out and thrust again. And again. And again.

  “Oh God.” She began the chant; her insides began to coil round and round, tighter and tighter, in a paradox of pleasure combined with the edge of pain. She arched against him, dropped her hands to grab his butt, and pulled him more tightly against her.

  He responded by thrusting harder and faster, grunting between kisses. “Come on, baby,” he crooned. “Come with me. Come on.”

  “Yes!”

  She exploded. Jack let out a yell of his own as he chased her over the edge, filling the condom before collapsing on top of her.

  “I don’t think I can move,” he muttered a few moments later.

  “I hope that changes quickly, because I can’t breathe.”

  Jack shifted onto his side, taking Kennedy with him so that they faced one another on the seat.

  “You okay?” he asked as he let his hand wander, smoothing over the dress that still covered half her body.

  She smiled. Her smile wasn’t wobbly anymore. Amazing what great sex could do for a woman. “Quite. This is a little embarrassing to admit, but it’s been a while.”

  He rolled his hips. “Give me a few minutes, and I bet I can manage another go-round.”

  The limo lurched to a stop. She struggled into a seated position as she frantically began pulling herself together. Jack used a napkin to dispose of the used condom, and then tugged his pants over his hips and tucked his shirt into the waistband. The driver knocked on the window, and Jack pressed the button to roll it down just enough to let the man know they would be out in a moment.

  “This is so embarrassing,” she moaned while Jack helped her adjust her dress.

  “You’re embarrassed that you just had sex with me?”

  “I’m embarrassed that he knows we just had sex.” She jabbed her thumb at the door.

  “Relax, babe. He sees this stuff all the time.”

  He did not give her a chance to respond. He pushed open the door, climbed out, and then bent and helped her out of the limo. Kennedy turned to look at her reflection in the mirrored windows.

  “I look terrible.”

  “You look hot.”

  “I look like I just had sex.”

  “Which is hot.”

  She rolled her eyes and tried to fix her hair. In contrast, Jack simply ran a hand through his and apparently considered himself good to go. She focused on her own disheveled locks again.

  “I don’t think I can go back into the reception,” she protested.

  He glanced at his watch. “It’s almost over anyway. Want the limo to take you back to the hotel?”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “Go inside and let Sabrina and your parents know that you left, so they won’t worry.”

  The gesture was curiously endearing. “Thanks. Really. I mean, thanks. That was … great.”

  He leaned into her, tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear, and brushed a kiss over her lips. “You’re right. It was great.”

  And then he was gone, striding across the parking lot toward the reception hall. Without looking the driver in the eye, Kennedy asked him to take her to the hotel, and then climbed back into the limo. She sank into the seat and blew out another deep breath.

  Oh my God, she’d just had sex with renowned playboy Jack Boudreaux.

  And she’d liked it. A lot.

  CHAPTER TWO

  “Thanks for coming to the airport with me, Kennedy.”

  “Sure. Why is Vanessa coming to New Orleans anyway? The last time she was here was for my wedding.”

  Sabrina grimaced. “I know. It’s weird. We barely tolerate each other half the time, and we just spent a week together right before my wedding, which was only a month ago. Oh, and get this: she’s coming alone.”

  Her friend parked the car in short-term parking, and the two women headed into the baggage claim area to wait. Vanessa strutted into view wearing a short, red dress; a pair of red designer sunglasses; and a pair of strappy, red sandals with spiked heels. Her oversized purse perched on top of the wheeled carry-on bag she dragged behind her. Her steps faltered when she spotted Kennedy and Sabrina.

  “Where is your new husband?” Vanessa demanded of her sister. “And his partner?”

  Sabrina gave her a bewildered look. “Why in the world would Jack come with us to pick you up from the airport?”

  Vanessa ignored her question. “So they’re at home, waiting for us?” she asked, perking up.

  Sabrina shook her head. “No. They’re both at work.”

  “At seven o’clock on a Thursday evening?” She sounded aghast. “Still?”

  “Actually, Cullen got a call at four this morning. He’s been gone ever since. I assume Jack’s with him.”

  “What a horrible job. How do you stand it?”

  Sabrina shrugged her shoulders and led the women toward the parking structure. “It’s part of his job. He loves it, so who am I to complain? I knew what I was getting into.” She popped the trunk of her car and placed Vanessa’s bag inside.

  “Mom said you had to cut your honeymoon short because he got called to work a case.”

  “Not quite,” Sabrina said as she guided the car out of the airport. “We were on our way home when he got the call. Our flight had a layover in Dallas, and as soon as we arrived, Cullen immediately got on another plane and headed to Houston, while I came home in New Orleans.”

  Kennedy knew Jack had been called to meet him in Houston, because Sabrina told her. She had called as soon as she arrived in New Orleans, and Kennedy was the dutiful best friend who headed straight to her house to share a bottle of wine and help her unpack her luggage. She could tell that her cousin was sad, but, selfishly, she had been glad the two men had been called away for business.

  She wasn’t quite ready to face Jack yet. She hadn’t seen him since they’d had sex, and every time she thought about what they’d done, she squirmed like a child who had to pee and was holding it too long. It had been so good … and so bad. She tried to blame the alcohol, but deep down, she knew better.

  She’d wanted to end her sexual fast. She’d wanted to remember what it felt like to feel pleasure with someone other than her trusty vibrator. And she’d been undeniably attracted to Jack. The fact that he had been attracted to her as well … she’d been totally unable to resist. She’d had sex in a limo! The very idea made her feel … sexy. It made her realize that she was wasting away, by keeping herself holed up, shying away from the dating world.


  Or the world of mindless, one-night stands.

  Not that she planned to make one-night stands a habit, but the experience with Jack had been so good, she seriously wondered why she hadn’t indulged more frequently in her life. She just had to make sure that next time she chose someone who was not involved with her inner circle of friends and family.

  It was inevitable she and Jack would bump into one another, undoubtedly sooner rather than later. Since he was a habitual one-night-stand kind of guy, she hoped he would do whatever it took to keep the situation from becoming too awkward, although she had no idea what that might be. She was pretty sure her face would turn seventeen shades of red the next time she saw him.

  Which brought her back to the point of selfishly being glad he and Cullen had been working so hard since the honeymoon, because the longer she could put off that initial encounter, the better.

  “Is it all the same case, or is this something new?” Vanessa wanted to know.

  “No idea,” Sabrina said. “Cullen doesn’t tell me much about his work. It’s kind of frowned upon for FBI agents to divulge government secrets.

  “That’s insane. How do you know he isn’t cheating on you this very minute?” Vanessa demanded.

  Sabrina gave her sister a startled look. “Where is this coming from, Vanessa? We just got married, for crying out loud. I’m reasonably certain he isn’t sleeping with someone else.”

  Vanessa sniffed. “Just wait. Give it ten years or so. All those stupid bastards are the same. I thought yours was an anomaly, Kennedy. I thought it was you. But it wasn’t. Well, in my case it certainly wasn’t.” She thrust out her chin and all but shook with righteous indignation. Kennedy was so used to her cousin’s selfishness, she didn’t even bother getting offended.

  Sabrina, on the other hand, clearly surmised something was amiss. She abruptly pulled the car into the parking lot of a local Mexican restaurant, shoved the gear into park, and cut the engine.

  “Are you trying to tell us that Mac is cheating on you? Mac?”

  Kennedy could understand Sabrina’s disbelief. Mac was devoted to Vanessa and their son. Vanessa was a high-maintenance woman, and Mac was the perfect man for her because he actually seemed to enjoy dedicating himself to pleasing her. It was hard to imagine the easy-going, slightly socially awkward accountant taking up with another woman.