by Lisa Durkin
She searched his face, feeling that she could trust him, although it didn’t make sense. What made her different from the other women? “Okay.”
“You don’t sound very convinced. You’re making me feel like a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Those were sexual games I had fun with and enjoyed, for sure. But that’s not what I’m doing with you. Durand had no business screwing with your head that way.”
“It’s okay. I understand.” She tried to pacify him. She could see his intensity increasing. Her anxiety rose.
“I don’t think you do understand. That type of game is fine when you’re just playing, but that’s not what I’m doing with you. It’s not what I did when I was married either. In fact, that’s why my marriage ended. My wife was unfaithful to me because she thought she could force me into accepting that type of game in our marriage. It wasn’t okay then and it’s not okay in this situation either.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring anything up that upsets you.”
“You didn’t, baby.” He took both her hands as he turned her toward him. “I just wanted to be clear with you.” He kissed both her hands before kissing her lips and smiling. She returned his smile timidly. “You don’t have to tiptoe around any topic with me, okay? Let me put these dishes away and we can finally take that bath.” She felt like bolting.
“I’ll help.” She rose, consumed by the need to sort out some of these confusing thoughts and messages. The panic was nearing the surface and she needed to swat it down. Just fucking go with it, she reminded herself.
Jackson filled the bathtub and lit the candles, hoping to soothe Rory’s nerves. He hadn’t meant to get that deep but felt strongly that she should understand this wasn’t just another fuck. He knew she was dealing with demons; he was too. It was daunting to deal with actually caring for somebody romantically, beyond sex, for only the second time in his life. And the first time hadn’t worked out very well. He didn’t want to fuck this up. But he wanted her to open up to him. He was craving it. She was still very closed off and he wanted her trust. Especially knowing what the next couple of weeks could bring with that damn vote. He winced at that thought.
He poured oil into the bath and checked the temperature as Rory appeared in the doorway.
“Your phone was buzzing.”
“I don’t care.” He walked over and stood inches from her face. “I’m still enjoying my day off with you.” He reached forward and untied the sash of the bathrobe, then removed his shirt and boxers.
She looked at his hardening cock and her lips quirked in a half smile. “It’s almost nine. Day’s almost over.”
“I’m milking it for all I can get.” He reached forward and drew the robe from her shoulders, dropping it to the floor. He took her by the hand and led her to the bathtub, stepping in and drawing her behind him. They sat facing each other and he entwined his legs with hers as they lay back in the foamy water. Jackson felt her muscles tighten. “Come here and I’ll massage your shoulders.”
Rory gazed at him. He could see the anxiety remaining in her eyes. He gently pulled her over and hugged her back to his front. He stroked and caressed her shoulders to force relaxation. It didn’t take long for him to become fully hard and she turned and smirked at his erection digging into her back.
She rose and sat on the ledge, the wall at her back. She soaked the sponge and lifted it high, streaming the hot, soapy water over her breasts. As she caressed her body with the sponge, Jackson rose to his knees and centered himself between her thighs, grasping her hips. His mouth went between her breasts and he licked the same trail the sponge had taken, her hands digging into his hair.
His fingers took the same path down her body. She arched against the wall, her eyes closed as she enjoyed the feel of his mouth and hands. Her skin blushed under his touch, her nipples hard and pink. As his hands trailed lower, he hesitated, taken aback at the sight and feel of the pronounced scarring on her lower abdomen. He blanched before he recovered himself.
Rory felt his reaction and her eyes snapped open. She quickly jerked to move away from him, but he held her in place with his large hands around her waist, meeting her gaze and insisting she hold herself steady.
“Easy, easy, it’s okay, Rory, don’t panic.” Her breathing raced and her hands grasped the ledge. He didn’t move but held her gaze, smoothing his thumbs over her skin while holding her. After a moment, he deliberately moved and made sure she watched as he lifted his hand and placed his fingers gently on the lines in her skin. She jumped and he caught her again, harder.
“No, Rory,” he said sharply and held her stare. “It really is okay.” After another moment of stillness, he laid his fingers on the marks again and slowly, aware of her rising anxiety, gently caressed his way over the area. He looked into her eyes to find tears pooling and streaming down her cheeks.
“Don’t cry, baby, it’s okay. There’s nothing bad here,” he soothed in a whispered voice. Her eyes reflected the aversion and pain she was feeling and his heart broke for her. Anger burned through his gut and he forced himself to remain steady as he looked again at the reminders of the mutilation she had survived. He recalled the bloody photos and horrific descriptions he had read in those files and he ached for her.
Slowly, so as not to completely send her over the edge, he brought his head forward and lightly kissed the damaged area. He slowly laid his cheek on the spot, and nuzzled her there. He stayed that way for some time, hoping that her fear and stress would be allayed. After several minutes, he felt her hands grip his shoulders tightly. After a couple more moments, he raised his face to hers. The tears had stopped falling, and she looked at him with bewilderment. In answer, Jackson immediately pulled her lips to his and kissed her passionately.
Rory grunted and grasped his jaw. Jackson ran his hands up to her breasts and cupped them firmly, pinching her hard nipples. He sucked one into his mouth. Rory inhaled sharply and her hips grinded with urgency against his body. Sensing her need, Jackson cupped her sex and impaled her with two fingers while moving his mouth to the other nipple. She cried out and he rose up and grabbed her by the arms, lifting her and pressing her back against the wall. He lifted her thighs around his hips and frantically drove his hard cock into her hot wet sex. They both shouted as he slammed into her again and again until they came with violent shudders.
They didn’t move. Her forehead rested on his shoulder, her arms clamped around his neck. She felt sated and tired but frightened and her brain and body were begging to turn it all off and shut everything out for the rest of the night. Jackson had made her feel too much intensity and emotions she hadn’t expected. She wanted to be alone so that she could find her equilibrium again.
He didn’t give her the chance. Her legs still wrapped around him, he carried her out of the bathtub. He dried her entire body and wrapped her up. He quickly dried himself, and carried her to the bed. He gently laid her down and covered her, turning off the light and holding her close.
“Go to sleep now, sweet Rory.” She closed her eyes and shut out the world, and drifted into a deep sleep, feeling the heat of his warm body nestled tightly around her.
Chapter Twelve
He pushed her into the house with such force she fell forward and hit her head as she slid across the hardwood floor. The pain in her wrist was so piercing that the movement sent bolts of lightning through her arm. She lay still on the floor, looking around, frantically trying to get her bearings. Her head pounded and her ears had begun to ring loudly. She could smell vomit in her nostrils and still felt sick. She tried to rise. He locked the front door and walked over to where she struggled from the floor.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he drawled in his thick brogue and kicked her in the ribs continually until she dropped. He continued kicking until she stopped moving. She lay in a ball, knees to her chest. Tears escaped, but she made no sound as she tried to catch her breath.
She could hear her own breathing and loud ringing. The fear and panic tasted metall
ic in her mouth. Her adrenaline had spiked so that she was hyperaware of his movements as he closed the blinds on the windows. She stared across the floor. She could see the legs of the sofa and the floor underneath the recliner from where she lay. Somebody had dropped a comb under the chair. How odd, she thought, so normal an occurrence; such an everyday observation to calmly make before you die.
He dragged her by the hair and threw her onto the couch. The heartbeat and ringing in her ears made it hard to hear what he was saying. She barely made it out.
“…think you’re so special, Daddy and all your fancy political friends…” The sound of his voice went in and out as he grabbed her by the throat and squeezed. She gasped and grunted. “Just a piece of ass, stupid cunt.” He smacked her hard across the face again. He pushed her over and held her down onto the couch by the neck while he climbed on top of her. “I bought and paid for you just like the rest and you’ll put out like the rest of them, you fucking whore.”
Rory was jostled awake.
“Come on, baby, wake up.” Jackson was leaning over her. She sat up quickly and looked around the room. It took her a moment to become fully aware. The bedside lamp was on. She lay back slowly and rubbed her hands over her eyes.
“You okay? You were having one of your nightmares.” He smoothed the hair away from her face and rubbed her cheek with his thumb. His warm skin felt so good and she tried to concentrate on the feel of his body on hers, instead of the dream. Her hands were shaking and she could feel the edge of panic. She didn’t want him to see her like this.
“I’m okay.” She tried to slow her breathing. He searched her face in concern.
“You’re very pale and you’re shaking.”
“I’m fine, really. I’ll be fine,” she whispered. “What time is it?”
“Four-thirty.” He lay back and gathered her into his arms. “Try to go back to sleep.”
She didn’t tell him that she could never sleep after one of her nightmares. Instead, she lay still against him, her cheek on his powerful chest and his strong, warm arms around her, holding her to him. He breathed in and out evenly. He ran his hand through her long hair over and over, smoothing it across his chest until it lay over him like a blanket. She could hear his calm heartbeat, the feel of his chest rising and falling rhythmically and his hand caressing through her hair. She inhaled his delicious masculine scent.
When he woke her again she was shocked. “What time is it?”
“Six-thirty, sleepyhead, time to get up. Unless you want to play hooky again today.”
“Hooky. You really are a relic, aren’t you?” she teased, returning his smile.
“I’ll give you some relic right here, baby…” She giggled as he covered her mouth with his.
“So how was your day off, Congresswoman?” Nicole walked into Rory’s office grinning from ear to ear and Rory knew she was going to fish for all the nasty little details she could get about Jackson.
“It was good, thank you. How are you, Mrs. Dailey?”
“Pregnant and feeling a little queasy, to be honest.” She gingerly lowered herself into one of the office chairs.
“I’m sorry, Prego, go home and rest.”
“Naw, no need, it’ll pass… So…give me the scoop,” she said slyly, rubbing her palms together.
Rory laughed, “Whatever do you mean?”
“Give it up, Morgan, I know what you were up to yesterday and I want details; I deserve details!”
“Like what?”
“Where’d you sleep last night?” Her eyes were alight with curiosity.
“In a bed,” Rory quipped with a sly smile.
Nicole gave her the “no shit” stare. “Give it up, that man is hot. Everybody in the country wants to know what it’s like to sleep with him and I want some details since that pleasure was bestowed upon my best friend!”
“Everybody in the country? Really?” Rory looked skeptical. “Okay, okay, I slept in his super-king-size bed last night.”
“And how was it? He is one fine-looking man. Do his skills match his packaging? I want details!”
Rory busted out laughing. “You are so predictable. I knew you would ask!”
“I want to know, everybody wants to know! How’s the junk? Is it impressive? It looks large in his pants.”
“You’ve checked out his package?”
“Everybody’s checked out his package; he’s Jackson Dorn!”
She laughed again at Nicole’s exasperated expression. “It is a nice package,” Rory agreed. “Let’s just say his bed wasn’t the only thing that was king-sized.”
“I knew it! And talent to back it up?”
“I’d say the rumors are true.”
“Wow, I think I’m jealous! So he was good to you?” she asked more seriously.
“Yes, very good.” Rory leaned back in her chair. “Very good. He…makes me feel good.”
Nicole smiled warmly at her. “I’m glad for you, Ror. And you didn’t freak out? You’re handling putting yourself out there?”
“So far,” Rory said quietly. “So fill me in. I haven’t been here since Thursday.”
Rory sat on her sofa later that evening, Peter Gabriel playing in the background, a glass of Chablis in hand as she reviewed large stacks of legislation. She had taken the livery car home alone. Jackson had a party event that was taking him well into the evening. Her ears perked up whenever she heard a sound.
She wondered if he would want to see her tonight. She didn’t know the parameters of this relationship, or whatever it was. She stiffened as the thought occurred to her that maybe he had his fill of her already. Maybe that one night was all he wanted. He was a player after all. She ignored the pang of melancholy and remembered that he had invited her to the state dinner Saturday night, so she was just being stupid.
As she flipped pages, Jackson entered and crossed the room, swiftly setting his coat and briefcase on the chair.
“Well, hello,” she said, surprised, as he leaned in and forced her back against the sofa. His body covered hers.
“Hello yourself.” He kissed her forcefully, voraciously exploring with his tongue. It took Rory’s breath away.
When he finally raised his head the intensity in his eyes made her blush.
“How was your day, Congressman?” She grinned up at him.
“It was a good day,” he murmured, lightly running his lips over her chin and down her throat. She gasped and her body began to sway into his. “The best part is coming home to this.”
Jackson abruptly lifted her, swinging around and heading for the bedroom. Kneeling at her bed, he dumped her on the mattress and began unbuttoning his shirt.
“Take your clothes off, I need to be in you right now.” He slipped his tie and shirt off over his muscular shoulders, then pulled his pants off and knelt down in front of her. She stared at his huge cock. He grabbed her shirt and roughly yanked it over her head. “You’re not getting naked fast enough.”
Entranced and aroused, she grasped his erection. Jackson groaned and cupped his hands to her naked breasts, massaging her bare flesh and thrusting his cock into her receptive hands. She smiled up at him before sucking it into her hot mouth.
He hissed and grabbed her head, gently thrusting his cock until he could feel the back of her throat. She sucked him hard and groaned when he pulled back.
“You’re going to make me come down your throat, baby.” He chuckled as her pleased groan vibrated around the head of his cock.
Pulling himself completely free of her, he grabbed her thighs, yanking them out from under her, dropping her onto her back. He quickly peeled off her yoga pants and tossed them to the floor. With the same swiftness, he hugged her legs against his chest, her feet at either of his ears, and slammed into her.
She shrieked and he paused, moving his hips slowly back and forth. “I wanted to feel this all day,” he said, gazing into her eyes.
Rory looked into his beautiful blue eyes and was overwhelmed by the desire he sent racing th
rough her body. It felt so good to have him all over her, inside her. She closed her eyes and moaned as he thrust deeply, carrying her away on a wave of sensation that felt so good she thought she would come immediately.
But before she had the chance, he pulled back and traded places, lying back against the bed. She straddled him, his length impaling her.
“God, you look so beautiful, ride my cock, Rory.”
She moaned and her head fell back as she lifted and came down on him again and again. His hands went to her hips and guided her, his fingers digging in. Ragged cries escaped her as his large head hit her sweet spot with every thrust. She looked down at him, his expression one of pure rapture. She leaned down, drawn to him, her hands on his chest and kissed his lips while her hips continued to move up and down. He moaned and met her tongue, sliding his hands to cup her ass. She closed her eyes.
“Rory, open your eyes, please, look into my eyes again.” She opened her eyes and was captured by his intense gaze. “You don’t know what you do to me. I’ve never wanted anyone like I want you.”
She bore down hard as her orgasm ricocheted throughout her entire body. His hands clenched her hips tightly as he shouted her name in release. She couldn’t ever remember feeling such intensity, either physically or emotionally. She marveled at what he evoked in her body, and perhaps her soul. It was almost frightening.
They lay in bed, sated for the moment. Jackson pulled his fingers through Rory’s long hair and blanketed his chest. She was so warm and comfortable she thought she’d drift off to sleep.
His cell phone rang, jerking her back. She reached for his pants on the floor, passing them to him. He pulled the phone from the pocket.
“Hey, kid, how’s it going?” he said cheerfully, a little hoarse from his earlier exertions. Rory could hear Jackson’s son but couldn’t make out the words.
“Oh yeah?” Jackson listened patiently, his eyes closed. Rory watched him, head balanced on her hand. The sweetest smile crept across his face.