Seriously? That from the woman who was probably listening to Jase give me an orgasm last night. ‘Caroline,’ I sigh, fighting the urge to roll my eyes, ‘I can’t help it if you screech so loudly the entire house can hear you. And for the record, it sounds like what Jase is doing for those kids is awesome. So why don’t you stick your shitty attitude back up your ass and leave him alone?’
She glares at me while turning an interesting shade of red, and I have a feeling she might actually come at me. But then Jase puts his arm around my waist and pulls me into his side – which, I must admit, is an incredible place to be – and Alistair, who I hadn’t even realized was in the room with them, grabs Caroline’s arm, holding her back as Jase and I make our escape.
Whew, I think. Way to start the day off with a bang.
Jase shuts the door behind us, then sets down the gym bag he’s carrying, and I’m relieved that his cousin is nowhere to be seen in the foyer. As I tilt my head back to look up at him, I find that his blue gaze is taking me in from head to toe, and my pulse starts pounding. ‘Thanks for rescuing me again,’ he husks, locking those molten blue eyes with mine as I try not to visibly melt.
‘No thanks necessary,’ I say a little too breathlessly – but it can’t be helped, because holy freaking hell am I breathless. The guy’s looking at me like he wants to eat me alive, and the last time I saw him I’d been coming so hard I’d nearly blacked out. ‘I’m just sorry I didn’t get here sooner. That, uh, didn’t exactly sound like a lot of fun in there.’
A wry smile lifts the edge of his mouth, and he lowers his head a bit, rubbing at the back of his neck, which is probably knotted with tension. ‘Yeah, it’s always a good time around here.’
‘So, are you really building a bunch of shelters for homeless teens?’
‘Something like that,’ he hedges, clearly not wanting to talk about it. I have a feeling that could be because of me, and the fact that he knows how I feel about guys with a shitload of money. I’m ashamed for making so many early assumptions about him, and I know this is something I need to think about and try to change. Because that’s not the kind of person I want to be.
Wetting my lips, I give him an earnest look. ‘I meant what I said in there, Jase. I think it’s amazing that you’re able to do what you’re doing for those kids.’
‘Yeah?’ he asks, looking a bit skeptical. ‘I thought you hated that I have money.’
I can’t help but wince. ‘I know I’m messed up when it comes to wealth – but you’re honestly not anything like what I thought. So I’m sorry, and it was wrong of me to judge you because you’re . . . you know, loaded.’
‘What I have, I worked my arse off for. I didn’t fuck anyone over to get it, and I try to do what I can for those who aren’t as fortunate as I’ve been,’ he tells me in a low voice, shifting a little closer to me, his blue eyes dark and burning. ‘But don’t let the “good guy” act fool you, Em. I’ve been trying to get you on your back, so I’ve done my charming routine. But at the end of the day, I’m probably just as much of a prick as my dad and Cameron and every other rich bastard you’ve ever known.’
I want to ask him if he’s trying to scare me off, and if so, why. Has he let Caroline’s comment about his mom get to him? Or is it last night, and the fact that we had to basically make-out like a couple of teens because he promised me he’d keep his dick in his pants? ‘I can’t say I find you particularly charming,’ I end up murmuring, keeping my questions to myself, ‘but I do know that you are nothing like your father or Cameron.’
Another wry smile tugs at the corner of his mouth. ‘Not charming?’
‘More like a bulldozer,’ I joke. ‘You plow right through everything in your path.’
His dark eyes start to gleam. ‘I wouldn’t mind plow—’
I cover his mouth with my fingers, already laughing. ‘Don’t you dare say it!’
His brows lift, and he tickles my fingers with his tongue. I gasp as I jump back, my fingers curling into my palm, and he gives a deliciously low, sexy laugh. ‘You afraid of my tongue, Emmy?’
‘Uh, no,’ I reply, rubbing my hands over my upper arms as lust coils thick and deep in my belly. ‘Fear is definitely not the emotion I feel when I think of your, um, tongue.’
His gaze sharpens, and I can tell that I’ve surprised him again. ‘You always say exactly what you’re thinking, don’t you?’
‘My worst flaw,’ I admit with a shrug. And a lie, since I’ve managed to keep from spouting off about the raging level of lust he inspires in me. Well, for the most part.
‘I can’t agree, Em. I think it’s incredible.’
I’m wearing what is undoubtedly a dazed expression as I stare up into that gorgeous face of his. ‘You know, Mr Beckett, you’re not at all what I expected.’
‘Miss Reed,’ he murmurs huskily, ‘I didn’t even know a woman like you could exist.’
I blush so hard it makes him laugh, and my freaking knees nearly give out when he leans down and brushes the softest kiss I’ve ever had over my left cheek. My throat is thrumming with emotion, and before I can manage to say anything, we’re joined by Lottie and a group of guests who are coming through the front door from a trip to the local historic village. Jase quickly runs his gym bag up to his room, and then we join them all for coffee and breakfast out on the terrace, and the rest of the day is spent rushing from one pre-wedding event to the other. It’s hectic and tiring, but Jase stays by my side, making sure that I’m having fun. I think there’s an element of protection to his presence as well, since he keeps me away from Caroline and Cameron. But I also get the sense that he simply enjoys my company, and it’s making me feel all kinds of warm and fuzzy inside.
God, I’m being such a girl! Not that I’m not always, you know, a girl. But he’s making me act girlie in a way that I never have before, probably because I’ve never had this kind of crush on another human being. Never even close. Even the guy I gave my virginity to was more of a good friend than anything else. And now look at me! I’m practically a drooling, hormonal mess, and I know that if Tyler were here, he’d be teasing me so hard right now. Well, when he wasn’t busy flirting his ass off with Callan and Jase.
Jase . . . Wow. I’m not sure when I started thinking of him by his first name, rather than as Beckett. Probably around the time I was lying underneath him, my nipple in his mouth and his cock grinding against my pussy, while I came for him so hard I screamed.
No . . . it was before that. I keep thinking back, and realize it was after the first time I ‘rescued’ him from Caroline’s ranting, which I guess makes sense. I mean, that scene was unpleasant, but it opened my eyes to the fact that his life, while blessed, is hardly perfect.
As a good portion of the guests gather on the terrace in the early evening for pre-dinner drinks, I get caught up helping Lottie look over some possible thank you gifts on her phone, so Jase gives us a moment and goes over to talk to Callan and another man, who are standing by the back entrance to the house. I enjoy getting a chance to chat with Lottie, and when she says something that makes me laugh, I happen to glance over in Jase’s direction, and find him looking right at me. He’s not even trying to hide the fact that his attention is focused completely on me, and if the men are giving him a hard time about the way he’s ignoring them, he doesn’t let it show. He just keeps watching me, the hunger in his eyes so freaking hot I have to take a long swallow of my iced water. Then he lifts his hand and rubs it across his mouth, like he’s struggling for control, and I can feel the panties I’d slipped on that morning getting seriously wet.
Needing something to do before I make an idiot of myself and run over there, throwing myself in his arms and begging him to fuck me, I tell Lottie that I’ll grab us a pitcher of Pimm’s and stand up, weaving through the tables that are filled with other guests. I smile and nod at a few people whom Jase has introduced me to, and am just about to reach the refreshments table, where dozens of pitchers have been set out, when I feel something icy and
cold hit my back. I gasp, spinning, trying to find the source, and come face-to-face with one of Jase’s exes. The woman gives me big, innocent eyes, and whispers ‘Oops’ like it was an accident that she just dumped her entire glass of Pimm’s down my back, but I know it’s bullshit. I can see the truth in the twitch of her lips, her friends who are still sitting at her table all snickering under their breath, and it takes everything I have to keep from slapping this bitch into next Tuesday.
Gritting my teeth, I peer around her and catch Lottie’s eye. She looks horrified and is already on her feet, but I shake my head, silently telling her to stay out of it. Then I turn my back on Jase’s catty ex and start heading for the smaller entrance that’s located at the far end of the terrace. Just as I step inside the house, Jase catches up to me, and I throw him a warning glare over my shoulder when he suddenly gives a sharp crack of laughter.
‘You think this is funny?’ I snap, hoping like hell that I’m not about to walk into anything since I’m still trying to put some distance between me and that . . . that . . . twat! ‘Whoever that was, she did this on purpose!’
‘I’m sorry, Em. She’s vile and horrible and I’m ashamed that I ever got within ten feet of her.’ I look forward again, fighting the urge to turn around and kick him, since the jerk is still laughing. ‘But I can see straight through your dress now, and I’m digging the Star Wars knickers.’
‘Ohmygod!’ I sputter, jerking to a stop in the middle of the hallway as I reach back to plaster my hands over my wet bottom, which makes Jase laugh even harder.
‘So,’ he says, when he’s finally able to get control of himself, ‘I take it you’re a Star Wars fan, yeah?’
His deep-grooved grin is impossibly beautiful, his humor infectious, and despite my embarrassment, my lips start to twitch. ‘I am,’ I tell him. ‘But the panties were a gag gift from Tyler.’
The change in his expression is so swift it makes me blink. ‘Who the hell is Tyler?’
I start walking again before I answer his question. ‘He’s my best friend. And you don’t need to pretend to be jealous, even though he’s outrageously hot, because he’s even more into men than I am. The more alpha they are, the more he loves them.’
‘Ah. He, uh, sounds like an excellent judge of character then.’
‘He’s awesome,’ I murmur, and it’s easy to smile as I say the words because they’re true. Tyler is the freaking bomb.
‘And who says I’m pretending to be jealous?’ he asks, walking beside me as we enter the foyer. ‘The idea of you with another man makes me insane.’
Since I have no idea what to say to that, I keep my mouth shut as we make our way up the stairs. There’s another formal dinner in an hour, and I can’t wait to hop into a warm shower before I get dressed in something appropriate for tonight.
As he shuts and locks the bedroom door behind us, my gaze lands on the Harrison painting hanging over the bed, and I’m stunned to realize I haven’t thought about my article in hours. I know Jase will uphold his end of our bargain, but I’m anxious to see the collection. I have a feeling, though, that he’s going to keep me waiting, worried I might say ‘Enough’ to this madness and get the hell out once I’ve gotten what I came for.
Yeah, after what just happened out on the terrace, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if that’s what he’s thinking.
‘I’m going to jump in a quick shower,’ I say, heading for the bathroom without even looking at him. I’m feeling drained and just need a few moments of quiet to get my head sorted out again. Plus, I really want out of this damn wet dress.
Fifteen minutes later, I come out wrapped in one of the extra-large towels, basically looking like I’m wearing a blanket. Jase gives me a crooked grin, then heads into the bathroom for a shower himself, so I use the time to quickly slip into one of the new silk-and-lace lingerie sets from Harrods, along with a little matching black silk robe, not wanting to put on the dress I’ve chosen for tonight until I’ve done my make-up.
I’m just finishing another messy top bun, using the mirror over the dressing table to make sure I’ve got it right, when Jase comes out in nothing but a small white towel that’s wrapped around his lean waist, beads of water still clinging to his sculpted chest and abs, and I feel like the floor has just been ripped right out from under me. I even have to brace a freaking hand against the table!
As he strides toward the wardrobe, I watch the fascinating shift of powerful muscle beneath his sleek, olive-toned skin, his body even more mouthwatering than I’d imagined. I also notice that his cock is creating an interesting bulge under the towel, and I can’t help but stare. I mean, it’s a big freaking bulge, so staring kinda seems appropriate. Then he turns, opens one of the wardrobe’s doors, and whips the towel right off – and instead of playing it cool, I let out an audible gasp at the sight of his tight, muscular ass, completely giving away the fact that I’m ogling him.
Mortified, I force myself to turn around and focus on finishing my mascara, though my hand is shaking so badly I nearly blind myself. My heart is pounding, thoughts scattering like a few brain cells might have just been fried, and I find myself blurting out the first question that comes to mind. ‘Where did you sleep last night?’ I ask in a hoarse, breathless rush.
‘Why? Jealous?’
‘Yes,’ I admit a little shakily, setting the mascara down before I turn around.
Dressed in a pair of dark gray trousers, a blue shirt the color of his eyes hanging open over his chest, he turns to face me, and all traces of humor on his gorgeous face have vanished. He looks . . . starved, and I realize too late that my admission was like waving that proverbial red flag. My eyes go wide, the sexual tension between us so intense I feel it like a physical thing brushing and crackling against my skin – and I watch as he pulls in a deep breath, then slowly exhales, as if he’s trying to find a measure of control. But it doesn’t work, and before I can so much as blink, he starts coming toward me, all those hard, rugged muscles moving under his skin, and he’s so beautiful it’s unreal. So ripped and raw and masculine, I feel like I might orgasm just looking at him.
When he reaches me, his eyes crinkle sexily at the corners as he stares down into my face, and he smiles just a little. Just enough that it makes me want to let him do whatever the hell he wants to me.
‘Kiss me,’ he husks, not even touching me, and I’m suddenly terrified because I know that this man could get under my skin in a way that can’t be undone. In a way that will follow me forever, no matter how many miles of ocean and land lie between us.
‘I . . . I can’t.’ If I do, I’ll be lost.
Another hard, deep breath lifts his chest. ‘Christ, Em. Just kiss me, sweetheart.’
‘Jase,’ I whisper, and I wonder if he can read everything going on inside my head right now on my face, because the way he looks at me . . . God, no man has ever looked at me like that before. Like he knows me – body, heart, and soul. It’s something that I never would have expected from such a hardcore alpha, and I want so desperately to give in, but the last thing I want to be here is a tease. ‘We . . . we can’t keep messing around. It isn’t fair to you if it isn’t going any further than . . . you know. Than what we did last night.’
The laugh that falls from his lips is so freaking sexy it makes me feel a little light headed. ‘When it comes to my dick, why don’t you let me decide what’s fair and what’s not?’
I swallow, shaking, knowing damn well that I’m in over my head here. And then he says, ‘Last night, I walked around the gardens for about an hour, came back, crawled into bed with you, and held you till morning.’
At those quietly spoken words, I can’t not throw myself at him. So I do, and he catches me like it’s what he was born for. As my legs and arms wrap around him, Jase moves one hand down to my ass, the other curling around the back of my neck, and he tugs me toward him as he lowers his head, our mouths coming together in a hot, open-mouthed kiss that bypasses gentle and shoots straight into raw and explicit. I
’m so lost in the pleasure of it that I don’t even realize he’s carried me across the room until he lays me down on the edge of the bed. Then the breathtaking kiss ends as he braces himself over me on a straight arm, his shirt hanging open to reveal his incredible torso, and I reach up to grab each side of the fabric, buttons digging into my left hand as I arch my back and gasp – because Jase has just shoved his other hand straight down the front of my black lace panties.
Ohmygod!
With his blistering gaze locked tight on my face, he doesn’t waste any time, his thumb rolling across my sensitive clit as he shoves two big fingers up into my body. I’m already hot and wet for him, but it’s still an almost painfully snug fit, and my breath hisses through my teeth as he starts working my clit and thrusting his fingers inside me so hard and deep that I’m gasping, speeding toward another mind-blowing orgasm.
‘Damn, you’re tight,’ he growls, lowering his gaze to my breasts, the swaying, lace-covered mounds barely covered now by my gaping robe, and then lower, to where he’s pumping his talented fingers in and out of my pussy. ‘So fucking tight and wet. Can’t wait to get my mouth on you, baby.’
‘Be careful,’ I gasp, writhing as he does this thing with his fingers that makes my inner muscles clamp down so hard he can barely move inside them. ‘I . . . I don’t want you to hurt your hand. It’s already been through enough.’
He smiles in a way that makes my sex clench even tighter, and another husky laugh rumbles up from his chest. ‘My hand’s in heaven right now, Em. Fucking heaven.’
I want to return that gorgeous smile, but I make the mistake of running my greedy gaze back down his ripped torso, and this time I go lower too, taking in the impressive sight of his big, hard cock tenting the front of his trousers. I blink in pure female appreciation, and hear Jase make a rough, guttural sound in the back of his throat. I know he’s caught me staring wide eyed at his dick, trying hard to imagine what it looks like in the flesh, and it all comes crashing over me – his deliciously wicked touch . . . our ragged breaths . . . the wet, slick sound of his fingers working me into a frenzy – and I shatter. A breathless cry breaks from my lips, and I hold on to his shirt for dear life as my pussy clenches and melts, drenching his fingers . . . and no doubt his hand, my vision nothing but a dark, star-studded blur.
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