His gaze dipped to my lips and flicked up at me, making me catch my breath. “I do want you to agree,” he said softly.
Jonas reached out and wrapped his arm around my shoulder, pulling me against his side. The feeling was akin to being wrapped in a warm blanket. Small and safe in his arms. Allowing me a taste of what he would give me. I wanted to remain, but he let me go, and sat there awaiting my input.
I was to decide where we would go from here. A gorgeous powerful man wanting to take me out when he was in town was more than I had now. He said he was lonely.
I was lonely too. I had no family and my best friend lived in Boston.
The possibilities of Jonas taking on Arch took the weight off my mind on work and paved the way to a possible promotion that I may have earned on the press alone. Knowing Gregor, he would be over the moon brimming with ideas on ways to expand Arch. The money from the promotion could also help increase my sponsorship for the Salomé’ Love Legacy. Who knows? Spending time with Jonas could give me contacts in the cities to participate in the week.
I wanted to say yes, but as Jonas pointed out, what about me personally? Could I handle being basically his fuck buddy?
Then again, a chance to be touched, to be desired, was more than I had now. And it was something I had only had for a brief periods with Declan. Well, until he found me sexually unappealing. This would also remove any chance of my falling back to Declan when I was lonely…or when I couldn’t stop my thoughts and grief. A chance to explore myself. See if life beyond my first lover was possible. Why not at least try?
I didn’t want to leave. Right or wrong, I wanted this.
So, I met his gaze and said evenly, “Could we try?”
“Yes,” Jonas said without hesitation. He exhaled and leaned back, studying me. Reaching out, he trailed his hand down the side of my face. “I have work to do, but we can start by collecting your things and having you stay here.”
My eyes dilated. “Stay here for how long?”
“I leave Friday,” Jonas said. “It will give us a chance to get better acquainted and to see how this works between us.”
I glanced at him. “Have you done this before?”
“Yes,” he said, but didn’t elaborate.
My mouth turned down. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to know that I might be one of many.
“Okay. I think that’ll be fine. But I can go back on my own and return.”
Jonas took my hand and leaned over close to my ear. I held my breath. “Going to your place gives me a chance to get to know you,” he said gingerly. “If you’ll excuse me,” he stood, “I need to make a call, and then we will head over to your place.”
“Okay,” I said. I walked over to the closet, pulling out my own phone. Glancing over my shoulder, I met his gaze still on me. I felt a tightening low in my body at the thought of what I had just agreed to try with him.
Sex with him. My mind raced ahead and I sought a moment to myself. Taking my phone with me, I went into the bathroom. I wanted advice, but I didn’t really know what I would be able to share. I decided to call Gregor and at least inform him about the news for Arch. His phone went straight to voicemail. Still, I left a message.
“Jonas signed the proposal and has placed Arch on the shortlist of publishing companies that will get to give a presentation to him before he announces his choice. I knew you would be excited to use that publicity at the conference. Talk to you soon.” I tried Mary next, but again got voicemail and hung up.
I splashed water on my face and dried it. Pinching myself, even though I knew this was real. Jonas wanted me as his companion. I searched myself and already knew the answer. I wanted him too. Whatever happened, I wanted to try and see if I could handle such an agreement. Drying my face, I rejoined Jonas out in the hall and we left the hotel for Jersey City.
Chapter 7
Jonas took my hand and held it the second we sat down, even though he remained on the phone until we reached the Holland tunnel. His effort was comforting on the outside, but didn’t ease the jitters inside me. This only escalated to sweating when we were less than a block from my apartment. My thoughts raced on my place in comparison to the Waldorf suite. My plastic and metal frames, the Star Wars posters lining my walls. What would Jonas Crane think? Hell, his designer clothing probably rivaled the cost of everything I owned. When the car stopped in front of the renovated warehouse, my heart pounded so hard the sound filled my ears.
I chewed my lip. “I could just run inside,” I said softly.
Jonas didn’t respond verbally, but helped me out of the car and followed me inside the building. He was coming with me whether I wanted him to or not. I exhaled as we took the elevator and fumbled with my keys as I unlocked my front door. But Jonas, ever the gentleman, held it open and motioned for me to walk in.
“Nice apartment, Lily.” Jonas gave me a soft smile that melted my insides.
“I’ll hurry,” I called out as I started running towards my bedroom. “Make yourself comfortable.”
“Or you could come back here,” I told him. No. I wanted him back here. Running back into the living room again, I found Jonas still standing where I left him when we walked in. “Do you want to come back here?”
“Yes,” Jonas said and laughed hardily as he strolled down my hallway into my bedroom. He appeared to fill the space, such was his persona. As I danced around him collecting things, he captured me and cupped my face in his hands, causing a rush of heat to join the jitters I already had at having him there.
“We will be going out the next four nights. You need to pack one formal dress, yoga pants, a T-shirt, heels, lingerie. I’d like to see all of them,” he said.
I dazed for a few seconds. He was being quite specific, but I assumed this was part of the companion agreement. So formal, like a business plan. A sexy business agreement, I reminded myself. I exhaled and went over to my closet, taking out my college backpack as well as my silvery V-wrap around dress. I also grabbed the black faux wrap shirt and one of my business skirts, bringing them over to my bed. Then, I picked up a pair of black yoga pants and V-neck T-shirt from my dresser.
Jonas stared at each item and a soft smile appeared on his lips. “I like your choices. Now your undergarments.”
My cheeks warmed. I exhaled as I brought over the black lace and pink satin sets that were the best I had, and reluctantly walked over and placed them down on the bed. “I don’t really wear that much—”
“I wouldn’t want you to wear them with me,” he said evenly. “But I’d like to see them on you at times.”
Hot! I thought as a smile broke across my face and a tingle went through me. He was being sexually direct, though with a bit of charm and I was finding it intriguing. Every innuendo was making my pulse race. This gorgeous man on my bed wanting me was more than I had time to think about. I left the room and quickly collected my toiletries, brushes and placed them in the backpack once I returned back to the bedroom. Jonas was walking around perusing my Star Wars and Star Trek posters and video games with an amused grin on his face. Well, this is who I am, I thought.
Stopping in the doorway on my second trip, I found Jonas seated on my bed holding my hardcover of Peter Pan. He was smiling and shaking his head.
“You need a proper bag.” The left corner of his mouth turned up.
I shrugged and zipped my backpack. “I can dress casual at the office, and it would be a waste to over-pack for a couple of nights. I’ll carry a garment bag for the dress and skirts.”
He chuckled. “Ever the vagabond, Tiger Lily,” Jonas read aloud. The inscription was from my father to me. Their nickname for me. I faltered, swaying a little on my feet and biting my lip hard as memories surfaced.
Jonas crossed the room and wrapped his arms around me from behind. “Come here.” He guided me to the bed and held me in his arms, “Talk to me.”
I took in a ragged breath as I struggled to stay focused and not give into the pain arising in me. Why is this happening?
I had managed so long without faltering, but with him, I was having a difficult time doing it. Maybe it was because he seemed genuine in his query about me.
Taking a deeper breath, I closed my eyes and settled in the warmth of his arms. “Tiger Lily. My dad loved J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan stories and would read them to me over and over again. My parents told me I was a beautiful princess like her. They treated me like a princess.” He stroked my back and waited for me to continue.
I struggled to talk through the ache in my throat. “I wanted to be her, braiding my hair, trying to dress like her. So my father gave me research projects and taught me to study Native American culture. That led to more study projects and ultimately, my passion for cultural studies in college, and the Perchance to Dream, that art exchange program I worked on with my mother until her death. Well, I still help run it now, but they renamed it to ‘Salomé’ Legacy of Love.’”
“Salomé’ Legacy of Love. Tell me about it.” He positioned me to lay in the crook of his arm, as if he had all the time in the world to listen to me.
I nodded. “I know it’s a small piece and all the negative stereotypes and biases in the work, but for my parents, for us, it meant something different. My mother encouraged me to be carefree, and my father encouraged me to be brave. Both great qualities of a Tiger Lily princess, they told me.” I choked. He wiped my eyes with the back of his thumbs.
I licked my lips. “Well. It’s an art week where artists around the area come to teach their art to students in our teaching district. The proceeds help students that can’t afford to get art supplies and instruments. It also links them to mentors that periodically check in to give them encouragement. I had expanded it to satellite groups in Kenya and Brazil. My dream is to make it a real cultural exchange, where we can send students and they can send artists for a week. With ongoing social media contacts, I’m hopefully raising enough money for scholarships…I don’t know.”
His lips parted. “Tiger Lily’s life bloomed quite brightly in you.”
My heart contracted. “I don’t really like anyone calling me that anymore.” I swallowed as he gripped my hand. “They were the last words I heard from my parents, as they left the night they were killed. It’s a reminder of what I had and lost. I won’t be a Tiger Lily again.”
Jonas didn’t say a word, but reached for me and held me against his chest. Tracing small patterns along my back, I drank in the comfort of his arms. I don’t know how long we stayed like that, but he didn’t seemed concerned. As my heart settled, I eased out of his arms, with a slight tug. Had he wanted or needed the same comfort?
I smiled at him. “Thanks, Jonas,” I whispered.
He cleared his throat, “Send me some information about your project.”
I frowned. “It wasn’t my intention to pitch it to you, I just thought…well, companionship is sharing…right?”
“It is what we make of it.” He lifted his chin. “I find you interesting and therefore what catches your imagination, also interesting.”
I shrugged. “Okay. I guess.”
We brushed lips. He tasted of Scotch and mints. Our kiss slowly grew more passionate and I opened my mouth and he slipped in with a hard tongue. His mouth explored me, smooth, firm, tangling with my lips.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and tried to pull him down on me. He stopped me, pressing me down on my back.
“We keep this up, and I won’t be able to keep that promise of waiting,” Jonas said.
I didn’t make that promise. Jonas must have read the reaction on my face and chuckled.
“I’m glad you’re finding it difficult, too.” He cupped my chin up to him. “There is something I want.”
I smiled up at him. “Yes?”
Jonas eyes deepened in carnality as they lazed over my body making my pulse quicken. “You unclothed. I want to see you naked.”
I managed to hold onto my smile, as I cringed inside. What he wanted was not necessarily unreasonable. After all, if we had sex he would see everything anyway. Yet my mind thought about the bright factory lights of the space, and the gorgeous man on the bed next to me.
What was I going to do? I walked over to my halogen floor lamp and twisted the knob to a soft setting. I then walked over to main light in the bedroom.
“What are you doing?” Jonas removed his jacket and sat down on the side of my bed with his arms folded, his facial expression befuddled.
I flicked the light off, leaving us in a dim lit room. “I’m creating mood lighting.”
“Where I can’t see anything?” he said dryly.
I stared down at my bare toes. “It’s too bright in here for that,” I said meekly.
“Come over here,” Jonas commanded, his arms held out to me.
I reluctantly crossed the room.
Jonas pulled me closer to stand between his legs. “You’re face went sad again. What’s wrong?”
I’m afraid you will be repulsed by me. My mind started playing instances in my past that support that theory, but Jonas’s squeeze on my hand brought me back. “I’m not comfortable in full light, and, well, now you probably want to go. So….”
“Don’t tell me what I’m thinking,” Jonas said abruptly. “I want to understand. Is there a problem with me seeing your body? Do you have an ailment or….”
I shook my head. “I’m just uncomfortable….”
Jonas took my hands and studied me, then kissed my knuckles. “Okay. That’s fine, Lily.” He let go and lifted his suit jacket. I sat back on the bed and hunched over. He surprised me by picking up my backpack and garment bag. “David will be downstairs to take us back to the Waldorf.”
My eyes widened. “You still want me to come?”
“Of course. I’m eager, but not impatient,” he said, winking at me. “You’re uncomfortable, so I will wait for you.”
A small smile formed on my lips. He’ll wait. “Thanks.”
He leaned down and kissed my forehead. “I need to see, touch, and taste every inch of you. And I want you to want me to do that,” he said in a low voice.
His words were meant to titillate, and my body responded to them by sending pulses of pressure down to my core. A moan escaped my mouth as I squeezed my thighs together.
Jonas gasped, his gaze raking over me. He put down my things and gripped my waist to still me. “You need me, Lily?” He sat down on the bed and pulled me between his legs. “You need me to touch you, make you come?”
My breathing became labored as my heart hammered in my chest. My mind battled with my body as I struggled to think under the warmth of his hands, now on my hips. “I…we…should wait,” I said breathily.
“Why?” Jonas asked, his hands sliding against the fabric of my skirt to cup my ass just before he squeezed.
I could feel my pulse in my throat as I tried again to gain control of my senses. “It’s not right. It’s too soon….”
Jonas didn’t answer, but his breathing wavered as he eased a hand down the length of my skirt, then up between my legs where he gripped my inner thigh.
My head fell forward, meeting his. His touch on my thigh had me parting them more as a moan escaped my lips. “Jonas,” I rasped.
Jonas moved the fabric as he inched his hand a little higher. “Let yourself go,” he whispered.
My pulse was in my throat as heat coursed through my body. I could feel my arousal pool between my thighs. “Please,” I mumbled.
Jonas reached the apex of my thigh and stopped. “Open your blouse,” he ordered, his tone low and rumbled.
My hands trembled as my fingers fought to unfasten the three buttons on my suit, exposing my breasts in my white lace bra, my hard nipples pinched tight in the fabric.
Jonas let out a groan. “You didn’t want me to see you?” His tone was mockingly admonishing. He leaned in and pressed his head against my breasts and I gasped. “You’ve got me ready to come and I only saw your bra,” he said huskily.
My eyes shuttered as I moaned and ar
ched against his mouth as his tongue traced around the pinched peak of my nipple and sucked through the lace of my bra. He then turned his head and I whimpered, desperate for him to continue.
His hand moved further up my leg to rest at the elastic band of my panties. “Tell me to do it.”
“Please,” I whispered.
Jonas tilted his head back. “Look at me.”
My lips parted, and a jolt went through me as his dark gaze and tight jaw filled my vision. I could see he wasn’t lying. He wanted to give this pleasure to me, and that knowledge only made me hotter. I moaned loudly as his fingers slid under the fabric against my wetness.
“So wet, so hot,” Jonas hissed. He tightened his grip on my waist then slid his finger through the slick flesh of my sex, expertly stimulating me. I was feverish as the pleasure filled me.
“Tell me what you want,” he commanded.
What does he want? How can he think? I whimpered and wanted more of his finger, and sought to move to get it, but he held me tightly in place.
“Please don’t stop. I. I need,” I said incoherently. He added another finger, pushed them inside me, and moaned against my breasts.
“Your pussy is sucking my fingers.” He pushed them in and out of me rhythmically, running his thumb over my clit. “You need this. Tell me.”
My skin heated to boiling as I started riding his fingers. “Yeah, yes, I need you touching me, inside of me.”
“Touch you where?” Jonas said in a low tone.
I felt myself unravelling, as the orgasm he built in me grew closer. “Between, my legs,” I stuttered.
He chuckled then dipped his head and closed his lips around my nipple and sucked as he stroked my clit. Thrusting faster with his fingers making me shake hard in his arms.
My limbs stiffened and I cried out as the orgasm crested and exploded over me, “Jonas.” He tugged harder on my nipple and held me tight, taking every spasm within me. Kissing the space between my breasts, he lifted his head up to me.
“Lily,” he whispered.
Tiger Lily: Part One Page 7