by Lynne Silver
“Kissing.” And he pulled her back in, sucking her into a vortex in which they were the only two people in the world and they had to keep kissing and touching.
He was probably going to regret this later, but right now he had one thought on his mind: kissing Valerie. She was as hot as he’d thought she’d be and as giving. She held nothing back from him as he pulled her closer against his chest, sliding her tongue against his. He hadn’t come with seduction on his agenda, but he’d been unable to stop himself when she’d leaned in close to him and told him he wasn’t stupid. Oh hell, who was he kidding? He’d been subtly seducing her since the moment they’d gone for burgers.
He’d told her the truth before. If she were his, she’d come first. She tasted so sweet, and her body writhing on his lap made him want to toss her on the dining room table, tug down her yoga pants, and do some serious exploring.
She’d had to have known the yoga pants were a red flag in front of a bull. They caressed every curve, leaving nothing to the imagination, and offered only a thin barrier between her heat and his body now that she was on his lap. And her shirt? It was a total cock tease. Every time she’d leaned over the table to correct his reading, he’d been offered a glance of heaven. His fingers itched to cover the ivory lace he’d had tantalizing glimpses of.
He’d known this was supposed to be a professional tutoring session, so he’d kept his hands to himself, but when she’d leaned close? Willpower gone. Game over. He’d had to touch her.
Thank the lord he had, because this was surpassing every kiss he’d ever had. He couldn’t get enough of her lips, her taste, and the softness of her hair tangled with his hand. Carefully he pulled his hand from her silky tresses and put it on her hip. She kept kissing him. He relaxed a fraction then moved his hand under the hem of her shirt. When she didn’t protest, he slid it all the way up to cup her breast, and groaned into her mouth.
She felt perfect in his hand, and he couldn’t help it—he rocked his hard-on into her body, desperate for relief. He was lost as she arched into his hand and reciprocated by swinging her leg around so she straddled him. Their bodies arched and lowered, mimicking the ultimate intimacy, until he worried he’d come in his pants, but she had him so undone, he couldn’t imagine ever stopping.
Until the sound of keys jangling and the front door opening had Valerie leaping off his lap backward into her own chair. Her cheeks were pink and her chin showed signs of his five o’clock shadow’s burn. He knew he must look equally disheveled, and he quickly swiveled his chair back to make sure his lap was tucked under the table, hiding his erection from view. It was like high school all over again, and he unsuccessfully stifled a laugh.
He shot a sidelong glance at Valerie, but she obviously hadn’t found the humor in the situation yet. Her hands fluttered over her hair, trying to hide the evidence of his messing with it.
He shook his head at her. “No use, you’re busted,” he whispered as he heard footsteps in the foyer and her parents’ voices.
“Val? There’s a truck in the driveway,” a man’s voice called.
Valerie glared at him and said in a low voice, “This isn’t funny. My parents are protective. They wouldn’t like me making out with a stranger in their dining room.” She took another breath and said in a louder voice, “I’m in here, Dad. A friend came over to do some work.”
His heart softened at her confusion and that she protected him by calling what they were doing “work,” and not tutoring. Willing his body back to calm, he prepared himself to meet the parents.
A tall man in his sixties filled the doorway to the dining room. A petite blond woman who looked nothing like Valerie hovered at his arm.
Valerie turned in her seat, but didn’t get up. “Hi, guys. How was the movie?”
“Awful.”
“Wonderful.”
Valerie laughed. “Too violent for you, Mom?”
The blond woman shuddered. “I didn’t know there was so much blood in the human body.”
Valerie’s dad laughed then turned a questioning gaze toward Jason, who rose and extended a hand toward the older man.
“This is Jason Moore. He’s one of the firefighters in the county, you know, for my current client,” Valerie said. “We’re working on a special project. Jason, these are my parents, Judy and Edward.”
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Wainwright,” he said, grasping her father’s hand in a firm grip.
“A pleasure.”
He shook the mom’s hand next. She was attractive in that very maintained way that told him she went to a salon weekly and possibly had a little Botox here and there. He suddenly realized the woman was Valerie’s stepmother, and wondered what had happened to the woman in the picture at the Louvre. Though he thought it was cool Valerie called Judy Mom. It meant their relationship was a close one. “What movie did you see?” he asked politely.
“Weapons of War,” Mr. Wainwright said.
He brightened. “I’ve been dying to see that.”
Mrs. Wainwright shuddered. “I wish you’d taken my place. I prefer romantic comedy, but the things we do for love.” She turned an adoring face to her husband and stood on tiptoe to peck him on the cheek. “Come on, Ed, let’s leave the kids alone. They’re obviously hard at work.”
Try as he might, Jason didn’t read anything into her tone that hinted she knew exactly how hard at work Valerie and he had been. Valerie’s parents backed out of the room and headed for the upstairs. When he retook his seat, he picked up the pen, prepared to practice more essay writing, but Valerie was sitting quietly.
She was hunched over in her seat, staring down at the glossy wood of the table. “This wasn’t a good idea,” she said to the table. “I think you should go home.”
He gently reached out with a finger and turned her by the chin. “At least have the courtesy to look at me when you shut me out.”
“I’m sorry,” she said, and her eyes were shiny with unshed tears. “I shouldn’t have agreed to tutor you. It was wrong of me.”
“Why was it wrong of you?” he asked, wanting to hear if she’d admit the truth.
“Because you were right, I’m very attracted to you,” she said. Something coiled inside him at her words. “I’m attracted to you, and I think you like me, too, but you’re a client, and there are lots of reasons this isn’t a good idea.”
He opened his mouth to tell her just how much he liked her, but she kept talking. “I shouldn’t have acted on my urges. It was wrong. I’m sorry for making you think this might end up in bed tonight. It would be a mistake.”
He put a finger to her lips. “Hey. No apologizing. I kissed you.”
“I kissed you back.”
“Yeah, but I made the first move. I’ll leave now, because I’m not going to force you into anything. If you want to ignore the attraction between us, fine. It’s your decision, but you should know you have a man close by who thinks you’re amazing and would do nearly anything to have you. Think on that. I’ll see you at the PR event tomorrow.”
Valerie stared at his back as he calmly walked out of her dining room then out of the house, with a small click of the front door. His truck started up and the noise of the engine dimmed as he drove away. She’d been wrong before. Jason had all the skills to be a great speechmaker. He’d certainly blown her away with his parting words and given her a lot to think about. If she could get Jason’s kiss out of her head. Because not once had any man ever made her feel an ounce of the passion that Jason brought roaring to the forefront every time he was near. And his words, my God. If she could believe them, she’d run after him and beg him to let her get in bed with him. It was too hard to trust him. She’d been burned badly before in every sense of the word.
She stared at the table. “It’s just lust,” she muttered. “It’s because I haven’t slept with anyone in so long. Any man could get that response from a woman who hasn’t had sex in six years.” She finally headed up to her room after piling up the tutoring books and supplies.
To her surprise, her stepmother was waiting for her in her room.
“Jason left so soon?” her mom asked. “I’m surprised.”
“He had to go home. He may have to be at work early tomorrow.”
“He’s very handsome.”
“Mmm-hmm,” she said noncommittally, knowing her cheeks had to be on fire. She’d kissed the man and surely her stepmother would intuit it. It was as if all her thoughts about having a wild fling with Jason were written on her forehead for the viewing public. She sat on the chic pale blue and chocolate brown comforter and looked at the woman who’d been, for all intents and purposes, her mother for the last twenty years. “Is something the matter?” she finally asked. “I thought you and Dad were heading to bed.”
“I pulled your father out of the dining room, because it looked as though you and Jason wanted to be alone.”
“What makes you say that?” She toyed with the fabric of the comforter, folding it this way, then that. “We were just studying.”
Her stepmother smiled. “Valerie, maybe you fooled your father, but it was perfectly obvious to me you and Jason were busy, and not with paperwork. In fact, I’m guessing our timing might have spoiled things.”
“No,” she said, then calmed her tone, realizing she’d practically shouted. “Your timing was perfect. Impeccable. It was a mistake to have Jason over. One I won’t be making again.” She still couldn’t meet her stepmother’s steady gaze. She took a breath and tried. What she saw in the older woman’s knowing eyes tugged at her heart and sent her stomach churning.
“Honey, when’s the last time you dated anyone?”
“I went on a date about two months ago.”
Mom’s hand covered hers. “But it was just a date. Nothing serious. It’s been years since you’ve been in a serious relationship…It’s time to take a risk. The rewards are worth it.”
“It’s been a while,” Val admitted. “But don’t get any ideas about Jason. We don’t fit together and make sense as a couple. I mean…passion fades, right? Better to have lots in common. And Jason…he’s a firefighter. He’ll always be putting himself in danger. I don’t know if I could live with that or the memories his job brings up for me. Also, he’s a player. I only met him because he was caught online with a bunch of naked women.” She realized her response revealed more than she’d meant to give, but her stepmom didn’t say anything for a while.
Finally, Judy stood and took a few steps toward the door of Valerie’s room then turned back. “Val, I hesitate to bring this up, because I’ve tried to never interfere in your love life…” She paused and worried her hands in front of her belly. “You know I love your father, but I have to confess, when I married him, gaining a daughter was a big part of the deal for me. I was never able to have my own biological children, but honey, you are mine.”
A lump formed in Val’s throat as she stood to go embrace her mother, the woman who’d come into a sad seven-year-old’s life and brought happiness. They hugged for a long time, and when Valerie made to let go and step back, Judy hung on. “You had a light in your eyes tonight, Val. One I haven’t seen on your face in a long time. Think about it. Is there anything so terrible about having a wild affair?” She gave a last squeeze and finally let go.
Val stood alone in her bedroom, staring at the doorway. First Jason, now her mom. Was no one happy with her single status? The real question was, was she? She got ready for bed and sat amid her pillows reading a book, but not really seeing the words.
The kisses with Jason kept playing in her mind and the walls of her childhood bedroom felt as if they were closing in on her. She’d been living in fear ever since college and there was no reason to, especially when she could do something about it. She could sleep with Jason. And maybe, if she played her cards right, she’d be able to hide her scarred legs.
She could have no-strings-or-emotional-ties hot sex with Jason. She knew her friend Ari would tell her to go for it and act on the attraction. Her stepmother would tell her to follow her heart. She’d have to leave her heart out of it if she were to survive the experience with her heart intact. No strings sex, which was surely the only kind he wanted, despite his pretty words tonight.
She could handle it, and maybe he wouldn’t have to handle seeing her legs. She could turn the lights out or stay under blankets. Her feelings and thoughts were her only beacon to guide her. She knew what her body wanted. It wanted Jason.
Chapter Eight
Valerie tapped her steering wheel and eyed the highway exit up ahead. She was sitting in stop and go traffic on the way to meet the media at the fire station for a PR charity car wash that would raise money to send local kids to a summer camp for burn victims. She’d picked up her phone at least three times today to call in sick and see if one of her colleagues could run it, and then hung up before dialing. The under-the-weather part was sort of true. After not sleeping all night thanks to her own roiling thoughts about Jason, she wasn’t feeling great, and could use about ten more cups of caffeine medication. Rob Cohen, her colleague, could’ve handled the event. From all accounts, the county was thrilled with the way the image campaign was going so far.
If she didn’t go, she deserved the red badge of cowardice. So what if she had a few scars on her legs? Gross ones, but it could’ve been a heck of a lot worse. She was alive and she was healthy. She should’ve done this years ago. The figurative breaking of the seal. She wasn’t a virgin, but she might as well be given the stretch of celibacy.
She reminded herself this was a fling, even as a niggling in her brain told her Jason meant more to her than he should. Right now that highway exit was looking more and more like a better idea, because Jason did mean too much to her. She hadn’t wanted to stop kissing him last night, and if her parents hadn’t walked in, she would’ve torn his clothes off and begged him to take her on the dining room table. Or she could’ve straddled him on the chair. It didn’t matter; it all would’ve been good.
Suddenly, red and blue flashing lights ahead revealed why they’d been slowed on this normally quick stretch of road. She inched her car forward, trying not to rubberneck, then accelerated as she passed the fender bender on the shoulder of the road. There was no escape now; the next exit took her straight to Jason’s fire station.
Jason tossed his sweaty gym T-shirt onto the floor of his locker. He’d been lifting weights in the tiny workout room the station had. He’d hoped to tire his muscles out enough so he wouldn’t do something stupid when Valerie came to the car wash, such as stand up and kiss her in front of everyone. He quickly changed into his turnout pants, and then tugged his T-shirt over his head. Today was an off day for him in terms of work, and he was only in the station because of the event.
Delicious smells wafted through the cracks in the walls and doorways from the kitchen down the hall. A few members of the crew had decided to make their famous chili to feed the various crews as they washed cars. He didn’t know how he was going to handle being near Val all afternoon and not marking his claim.
Leaving her house after kissing her had been one of the hardest things he’d ever done. It was killing him that she insisted on hiding her feelings and pretending there was nothing between them. He understood that she felt as if he was her client, but in real terms, the county was her agency’s client, and the campaign was winding down. In another few weeks, it’d be over and they’d be free to date or never see each other again. He personally voted for the former option.
Unfortunately, the choice was hers. Much as he wanted to go to bed with her, he couldn’t. She had to come to him. Jesus, he was nervous, and he feared his feelings were all over his face for every one of his teammates to read. It would be interesting to see if Valerie was able to hide her feelings. She was usually so cool and composed. Last night had been one of the few times she’d let her feelings out in the open.
“Hey, Jason. Time to start,” Dan yelled up the stairs.
“Coming,” he shouted back. He didn’t bother looking in th
e mirror as he exited the sleeping quarters and jogged down the stairs through the vehicle bay and out to the parking lot. Most people were already outside filling large buckets with soap and sponges.
“Grab a sign and hit the street,” José called and pointed to the stack of signs Valerie had professionally printed.
Jason walked over, took one, then started to head out to one of the nearby intersections to hawk the car wash. Before he stepped off the property, Valerie pulled up and got out of her car. She had a wide smile that she radiated around the lot. It faded when she looked at him. He’d only known her a short time, but he recognized panic when he saw it. She didn’t know how to handle this any better than he did. He guessed it meant that he’d gotten to her.
And so much for hoping she’d wear a bikini to the car wash like out of some porn fantasy movie. She was dressed professionally in jeans and a tank top, owing to the warm fall day. Her ubiquitous camera was in hand. Jason lifted a hand to her, nodded, then walked away to find a busy street corner to lure patrons into the car wash.
Valerie watched Jason walk over, both relieved and disappointed that he hadn’t come to give her a more personal greeting. Then again, she’d basically told him to stay away, so she should appreciate that he was respecting her feelings. She’d appreciate it a lot more if he were one of the shirtless firefighters sudsing up the first car that had pulled into the station lot.
She wandered around on the outskirts of the event, careful to keep her body and camera dry. The crew was using their real hoses to wash the cars and there was barely an inch of ground not soaked. Not to mention all the eye candy. She hadn’t given them a uniform to wear, thinking they’d wear the normal navy pants and shirt she’d seen them in. Only they’d all ditched their T-shirts and were wearing the heavy firefighter pants on the bottom.