by Alicia Rae
By the time he leaned back into his seat, I was breathless, and I forgot all my reservations about letting someone else drive my Camaro. I readjusted myself in my spot, gathering my wits from his kiss, as he backed out of the parking space and headed for the street. At the first stoplight, I gazed over at him, observing the way the overhead lights beamed into the front windshield and reflected off his face and upper body. His right hand cupped the gearshift while he waited for the red light to turn green.
God, he looks so hot behind the wheel of my Chevy. What is it about men and cars?
My eyes were glued to him as he gracefully elevated his left leg off the clutch and then pressed it down again when he shifted to second gear. He was definitely familiar with a stick shift. I could watch him drive my car all day.
Come to think of it…
I had the sudden idea to let him drive us home tomorrow, so I could watch him work those gears for two hours straight.
“Damn, this car drives like a dream,” Jason said as he turned onto 13th Street and increased his speed to match the set speed limit.
“Yeah, she does.” I smiled, still watching him in awe as he effortlessly maneuvered my Camaro. I felt like I was stuck in a trance—a Jason trance.
“What about the Sheraton Grand Hotel?” he asked, tilting his head in the direction of the building.
I looked out the windshield, seeing the large hotel approaching on the right. “That looks like a nice place,” I agreed.
Jason slowed and turned into the parking lot. He parked just past the main entrance of the hotel. “I’ll run in and get us a room,” he said, shutting off the ignition.
I bent forward to snatch my purse off the floor, and then I grabbed my wallet before digging for my major credit card.
“Don’t worry about it. I got this,” he said, gesturing to me with his hand before exiting my car.
I pulled out some cash to give to him anyway and tucked it into my pocket. Then, I stepped out to retrieve our belongings from my trunk.
He quickly returned with a key card and papers in hand. “We are right over here in room one thirty-eight,” he said, pointing in the direction of our room. “Let me help you with those.” He took the bags from my hand.
“Thank you.” I smiled up at him.
Jason led us to the nearest side entrance of the building. He lowered our bags to the ground, swiped the key card in the slot, and opened the door for me. I strode in first and turned the corner. I was relieved to see our room was only a few short steps down the hall.
It can’t get any better than that.
He opened the door to our room and motioned for me to enter first. I smiled, thinking he was such a gentleman. I flicked on the switch to my right, and the lights revealed a stunning suite. The first section was a sitting area with a plush taupe sofa, a brown coffee table with an arrangement of artificial flowers in the center, and a large flat screen mounted on the opposing wall.
“Wow,” I murmured, ambling farther inside.
He set our suitcases on the closet floor near the entrance and bathroom. He came up behind me, enclosed his arms around my stomach to pull me against his chest, and nuzzled his face into the crook of my neck. “Do you like the room?” he questioned.
“How could I not?” I asked in awe, pivoting in his hold so that I could see his gorgeous face.
I tipped my head up to see his eyes were watching me carefully.
“This room is perfect!”
“I’m glad you think so,” he replied, stroking his palms up and down my back.
I took a step out of his arms, remembering the cash in my pocket. “Oh, before I forget, here,” I said, outstretching my hand. “This is for my share of the room.”
He instantly looked at me like I had grown two heads. “Abbey, I don’t want your money.”
“But this is my portion of the room,” I countered, not backing down. “I invited you on this trip, so you shouldn’t have to pay for it.”
Shaking his head, he delicately pushed my arm off to the side while closing the small gap between us. His palms came to my hips. “Let’s get one thing straight in our…” he trailed off.
My heart stopped. I could see a number of emotions flashing across his face.
“In our undefined relationship. We’ll come back to that in a few minutes. Bottom line, Abbey, the woman doesn’t pay.”
“Oh my gosh…that is such a guy thing to say,” I teasingly chastised him.
He lifted a brow at me. His lip deliberately twitched with amusement. “I am a guy,” he retorted.
I rolled my eyes at him. “I know that. What I meant to say was, this is 2014. Men and women both work nowadays, so there’s no reason why I can’t chip in my part.”
His fingertips stroked back and forth along the small of my back. “You do have a bit of a stubborn streak, don’t you?” he asked playfully.
I narrowed my eyes, loving that I could banter with him good-naturedly without him overreacting. “You should see me without my morning coffee.” I smirked.
He chuckled. “Oh, I don’t ever plan on letting that happen,” he replied, skimming his hands up the hem of my shirt, touching my bare skin. “But I do have an idea in mind of how I can better your mood right now…” he added with his tone growing gruffer by the second.
“Oh yeah?” I challenged, running my hands up the length of his solid chest. Heat spread throughout my body. It was quickly attuning itself with his. “And how is that?”
“The lady at the front desk promised me a large whirlpool in the bathroom,” he said, tilting his head toward another door. “I think we need to check it out, so I can ease your tension…and see you naked,” he added with a handsome lopsided grin.
“Mmm…” I hummed back at him. “That does sound like a wonderful idea,” I purred.
“And I think we should start,” he said in a sexy tone, taking a step forward and then another, forcing me to take backward ones toward the bathroom. “Right. Now,” he finished.
His hands swiftly came to my behind, and he hoisted me up into his strong arms before making his way across the room. I squealed in delight as he caught me off guard, and I tightly wrapped my legs around his waist.
Jason sat me down on the counter and kissed my forehead. “Stay here while I work my magic.” He winked.
I chortled at him as he started to walk away. He stopped beside the whirlpool and tapped the digital display on the front side. I bit my lip to keep from laughing again while watching him randomly push buttons until the tub filled with water. He reached forward to grab the supplied toiletries out of a floral basket sitting on the ledge. He quickly opened a bottle and began pouring the contents into the stream. Bubbles formed immediately.
“There,” he said, spinning to face me. His eyes danced with victory. He closed the space between us, resting his hands on my thighs. “They could have made that whirlpool much simpler with just a hot and cold lever.”
I tried really hard to hide my amusement while positioning my palms flat on his chest, looking up at him. He was so adorable and sexy when he was flustered.
“Where’s the fun in that?” I snickered.
Jason’s eyes darkened with a playful challenge. He lowered his head down to my neck, and his warm breath released a tremor up my spine. The effect had all of my blood heading south, pooling between my legs. Closing my eyes, I tilted my head to the side to give him better access, relishing in only the feel of him touching me. My senses were on alert as I inhaled the masculine scent of his cologne that was now familiar to me. I felt his taut chest beneath my hands while taking pleasure in his intoxicating proximity. I was utterly consumed by him.
He softly caressed the outer sides of my thighs before curling his hands around them, gripping me possessively. “So…you think it’s funny?” he breathed along my skin, his voice now seductive and hot. He was just oozing sex.
I opened my eyes and nodded, feeling the hardness of his erection rubbing along my sex. “Yes,” I exhaled sh
akily, wanting him to increase our contact.
He let out a throaty chuckle. “We’ll have to fix that.” He trailed small kisses from the base of my ear, down a few inches, and then just below my jaw. His hands came to the buttons on my blouse. Starting at the top, he leisurely undid each one.
My pulse kicked into overdrive as he slid the light material off my shoulders, exposing my vibrantly pink lacy bra. He lifted his hand and placed his index finger at my collarbone. Oh-too slowly, he ran it down to the curve of my breast, and I arched my chest toward him. His mouth was suddenly on mine, kissing me reverently. Desire washed over me as his insistent tongue thrashed with mine.
“That is one fucking hot bra,” he growled against my lips.
His opposing hand came to the other side of the lace, and he hooked his fingers in the material. He carefully yanked the material downward, causing the straps to fall off my shoulders and to gather around my waist. He enclosed his hands over both breasts, kneading them, alternating between firm and gentle squeezes. He rocked his hips forward, and I moaned at the exquisite sensations overcoming me. He had barely touched me, and I was already aroused right to the edge of reason. I dropped my hands and clutched the clasp of his jeans, hastily undoing it.
“Damn, I was hoping to enjoy a hot bath with you first,” he said, shaking his head, “but I don’t think I can wait that long.”
“Neither can I,” I responded, lowering his pants and white cotton briefs all in one motion.
He shucked them off and reached for the fastening on my shorts. I leaned back on the counter, maneuvering myself so that he could remove my garments. He took off his shirt and tossed it onto the tiled floor behind him without a backward glance. My eyes drank in the sight of him before me. He was naked and male perfection, and he was all mine to devour. He used his legs to spread my thighs farther apart to better accommodate the width of his waist. Anticipation rippled through me. Jason looked at me through dark lashes, intimately gazing up and down my body. I could see the pure hunger in his eyes.
“God, Abbey, you are fucking gorgeous,” he said with need roughening his voice.
My arms found their way around his waist, and I hauled him closer to me. His erection probed along my slick heat, but then he took a slight step back.
“I’m clean, Abbey. I just want it you be you and me—without any barriers between us.” His eyes searched mine. “Please tell me you’re on the pill.”
“Yes.” I nodded while enclosing my hands around his bare cheeks, and I drew him forward.
He groaned as his length connected with my sex again. His hands gathered around me. He pushed into me with a gentle, meaningful thrust, and at the same time, he grasped my nape and pulled me in to capture my lips. Shocks of pleasure filled my core as he began to move with purpose, in and out, receding all the way to the tip before plunging back in again. Tremors of an orgasm were on the brink, but I held it back, not wanting this moment to end. He tightened his hold on me as he drove into me, rocking his hips to hit my tender front wall, brushing it with exactly the right amount of pressure. My inner muscles clamped down around him as I tipped over the peak, releasing an orgasm from deep within my core. A bright flash of light exploded behind my eyes, and I faintly heard him groan out his own release as he shuddered against me.
I closed my eyes and collapsed into him, drawing air into my lungs. With my cheek against his chest, I could feel his heart thumping against my ear, and I counted every one of the individual beats. He held me in his arms until my breathing started to even out.
Jason pulled back just as I heard water trickling onto the floor. We both whipped our heads over to see the tub overflowing.
“Oops!” he said, turning to face me. “Better go stop flooding the bathroom!” He chortled before kissing the tip of my nose and then walking over to the tub to drain the water.
I hopped off the counter. Once the water reached a reasonable level, we both climbed in. Jason wrapped his arms around me and pulled me against him. I leaned my head against his chest. We were silent for a moment, reveling in one another’s arms. The warm temperature of the whirlpool soothed my tired muscles and relaxed my mind as the thrumming of the jets filled my ears.
“This is positively blissful.” I let out a dreamy sigh. “Everyone should own a Jacuzzi in their home.”
Jason chuckled softly. “I couldn’t agree with you more.” His hand started to make small circles over the top of my hand. “So, will you be working with me at the new office building for the rest of the week?” he asked, breaking the calmness of the air.
“No,” I sighed, wishing I could watch him work all day instead. “I have to prepare for several meetings later this week, and I have a mountain load of paperwork to catch up on.”
“Oh,” he replied, sounding bummed.
I smiled at the thought of him being disappointed because he wouldn’t get to work with me this week. It was good to know that he’d miss me since I knew I’d miss him. “But my evenings are still free,” I offered.
“Mmm…” he said, emitting a rumble from his throat. “Well, consider them all taken then,” he said lightheartedly.
“Done,” I agreed.
He was quiet for a brief moment while still caressing my skin. His strokes moved to run up and down the length of my arm. “So, what I said earlier…” He paused as if lost in his profound thoughts. “About our relationship,” he clarified. “That’s what this is, right?”
Barely containing the butterflies threatening to explode from within me, I pivoted myself to face him. Raising my hand to feel the soft contours of his cheek, I allowed my inner feelings for him to surface. His eyes searched mine intently for answers. For being with him for such a short time, what I felt for him seemed surreal and overpowering. He had stormed into my life, taking over all my thoughts and seizing my heart in the process. But I was certainly not ready to voice all that out loud yet. I needed more time to get to know him better and be sure.
“Yes,” I said at last, “if that’s what you want, too.”
His eyes reflected the emotions I felt inside, and my chest constricted at the sight.
“I do,” he said in a sweet and tender voice, lifting his hand to brush the wet strands of my hair backward. “I don’t know what it is about you, but I’ve wanted this thing between us to be more since the moment I first laid eyes on you.”
“Me, too,” I responded, not wanting to say or feel any more out of fear that it was too soon. My heart wanted to pull him in and keep him close forever, but my mind pleaded to take it slow.
What he and I shared was perfect. I didn’t want to overthink past today.
After returning home from our overnight Sacramento trip, my days over the next two weeks were overtaken by business meetings, drawing up new contracts, and boatloads of paperwork. Kyle was keeping in regular contact with me, seeing how I was fairing without him and answering any questions that had come up.
Jason spent his days at the office on Lakeview Avenue and his evenings with me. Whether we snuggled on the couch and watched a movie on TV or I made him another god-awful dinner that he’d manage to choke down, I loved spending every spare minute with him.
He stayed over most nights and would kiss me good-bye when he had to leave in the morning. Then, he would rant while heading out the door, saying I needed to finish up my to-do list so that I could return to work with him because he wanted to kiss me throughout the day. As appealing as that sounded, I was pretty sure we’d end up accomplishing absolutely nothing all day, and then we’d both be jobless.
In the evenings, Pearl would also come over to my condo, and of course, Jason and I kept our actions kid-friendly in her presence. Her visits seemed to be growing more frequent as Diane’s own agenda appeared to be never-ending, but I didn’t mind in the slightest. I adored Pearl’s company, and I loved helping her with her homework. Jason even volunteered to help Pearl out with her math worksheets when she’d said my explanation didn’t make sense. Watching the two of the
m interact always sent my heart soaring every time.
On the nights Pearl stayed late, Jason or I would walk her home, so she wasn’t out alone in the dark. We lived in a safe neighborhood, but I still could not bear the thought of her walking outside so late by herself. I would never forgive myself if something were to happen to her.
I had even triple-checked with Diane to make sure Pearl’s frequent visits were still okay with her, and Diane had reassured me that I had her permission. She’d even admitted that she was happy Pearl had company. I’d thought her response was anything but normal.
My concerns for the little girl continued to grow. However, I had no idea how to go about intruding into her personal life. I did not want to further complicate Pearl’s circumstances. At the same time, I was beyond frustrated and growing impatient with the whole situation.
Tonight, since Jason was working late, I was going to surprise Pearl with some one-on-one time. After okaying my idea with Diane, I had picked up several items while shopping with Gail last week. I opened up all the packages I had purchased. I neatly laid all the hair bands, bows, ribbons, and barrettes on my bathroom counter, so Pearl could pick out her favorite colors. I was so excited to spend time with her tonight, just the two of us, and teach her how to French braid.
Nerves crept in while thinking about this upcoming Sunday. It was the first family get-together since Kyle and Lily’s wedding, and I was planning to ask Diane if I could take Pearl with me. We usually spent most Sundays together, and I didn’t want to leave her behind.
I also had yet to personally invite Jason to come along with me. I didn’t have the slightest idea as to why the thought of asking him gave me such butterflies in my stomach—other than the fact that I had never brought a man home to meet my family before. The two of us had planned to take our first motorcycle trip together around Lake Tahoe tomorrow, so I was going to ask him then.
When I had confirmed dinner plans with my mom over the phone earlier in the week, I’d told her I would hopefully be bringing Jason and Pearl with me. Of course, she’d said that was more than fine. She was always interested in meeting people in her children’s lives. My parents and siblings were the type to welcome anyone with open arms, but I was unsure how to handle the questions that were certainly going to arise by bringing Jason and Pearl. I was hoping that since Kate was within days of her due date with Annabel, she would take the attention away from me.