Rules of the Game

by Lori Wilde

  Everything about her was erotic. The curve of her cheek, the hollow of her throat, the fall of her hair against her skin.

  Every whim of Jodi’s body triggered the hairs on his wrist to quiver. Every vagary of sunlight slanting in through the window across her sumptuous body registered colorful and vivid on his retina. Sensation after sensation washed over him like an ocean wave. Nothing was lost in translation.

  She looked at him with an unusual light in her eyes. What was going on inside that head of hers? His body hardened and he took stock of the world, of this moment, like an intense and vigilant general manager building his team for a pennant race, searching for the configurations and subtext that would give meaning to each play.

  He was riveted.

  Jodi rose to her knees, reached out to touch his shoulder. His skin came alive underneath her fingers, tingled and ached.

  “Make love to me, Jake,” she whispered.

  Make love. Not have sex. Make love.

  He lay beside her, gathered her to his chest. Kissed her soft and slow. He threaded his fingers through her hair, held her close, and felt the steady beating of her heart.

  She astonished him and he wanted her more than he wanted to breathe.

  Their senses combined, mingled. He tasted the saltiness of their pooled flavors. Saw how the sun lit up her hair like fire. He smelled the sweet richness of her femininity. He heard her raspy, excited breathing, realized his was just as fast, just as raspy.

  He liked his body more when he was with her. His muscles seemed stronger, his nerves more alive. And he loved her body. Every inch of it. What it did. How she responded. He liked the way her back arched when he stroked her behind the knees. Loved the way she purred when he skimmed his hands over her buttocks. He thrilled to knead his fingertips along her scalp to her spine, loved to explore her bones, and make her tremble.

  Again and again and again he kissed her, aiming for this body part or that. Her chin, her cheeks, her nose. Her navel. Her elbow. Her toes. He stroked the springy softness of the hair between her legs, took joy in her naturalness.

  Jake felt powerless and exposed, shaking with emotion, desperate to be merged with her. He coiled around her body, tracing his quivering hands over her body, mapping every part of her that he could touch; her freckles, the little valley between her nose and her lips, the faint dusky network of veins beneath her pale softness. Luxuriant curves and elegant bones. Sturdy, agile muscles. She was a miracle of nature, holding him with all her potency, delighting him with her responsiveness.

  She kissed his erection, then slowly drew the tip into her mouth, finally engulfed him fully with long, lazy, caressing strokes until he was harder than he had ever been in his life.

  Hurriedly, he broke away to grab a condom, and when he got back Jodi had flipped over onto all fours on the mattress.

  “Let’s do it this way,” she whispered.

  Jake hissed in his breath. He’d rather stare into her eyes, but seeing her bare fanny wriggling in the air was more than he could withstand. He went onto his knees, gripped her waist with his hands, and gently eased into her.

  She sucked in a sigh of pleasure.

  He moved slowly, deliberately taking his time.

  “More,” she pleaded. “I need more of you.”

  On a groan, he sank deeper, connecting them to the full extent of their bodies. Vibrant impulses shot through him. He seemed to double in size. He was under her skin and she was under his. Literally and emotionally.

  “Harder,” she said. “Faster. Give me everything, Jake, hold nothing back.”

  He obeyed because he was helpless to do anything else. He gave it all up. To her and for her.

  Her body sheathed him. He disappeared from view and he was not scared. She opened to him. He added his body to hers and it was as if two jigsaw pieces had fallen into place. Meant to be together all along.

  Jake and Jodi lay on their sides facing each other, hands stacked underneath their cheeks as they gazed into each other’s eyes.

  “I have to go,” she said.

  “I know.” He stroked her chin with the back of his thumb. “I don’t want you driving back to Stardust in the dark.”

  “I won’t be able to meet you again until after the wedding,” she said. “The B&B is booked solid this weekend and next. Tomorrow I have to double check the arrangements for the bachelorette spa weekend, then next week is the final push to the wedding. I have so much to do. I can’t believe I’m here right now.”

  “Ditto with the best man stuff.”

  “That means we won’t see each other again until the rehearsal dinner next Friday.” She sighed.

  “I hate that.”

  “Me too.”

  “You’re so beautiful,” he said.

  She looked embarrassed at his compliment. “You’re not half bad yourself.”

  He kissed her lightly, amazed once more at how soft and sweet her lips were. Raspberries in full bloom. Her tongue flicked out and traced the curve of his lips as if she couldn’t believe her luck to find herself in bed with him. But he was the lucky one. Making love to her opened up a whole new facet of himself and she made him feel like an explorer ready to conquer new vistas.

  She was changing him in ways he’d never considered.

  He moved his hand down her arm to that slender wrist, fingered the boxcar charm bracelet, felt her pulse jump madly. “Before you go, I’ve got a confession to make.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Although I’d love to take the credit for the perfect gift, Kasha suggested it. And luckily the artist I used was able to devote all his time to getting it done in five days.”

  “That’s what you were doing with her at the café?”

  “Yes.” He smiled at her just to see her answering smile that never failed to make him feel two inches taller. “Were you jealous?”

  “Of my sister? You betcha. Kasha is gorgeous and she was interested in you before she knew you and I were …” She trailed off.

  “What?” he prodded, wanting to hear how she would describe their relationship.

  “You know.” She gave a herky-jerky shrug.

  Aww, she was going to cop out. “You’ve got nothing to worry about. While your sister is beautiful, she’s got nothing on you.”

  “Are you kidding me? She’s tall and stacked and hey, just look at her yoga body.”

  “I’d rather look at your body.” He ogled her breasts and leered with a teasing wink.

  “Nobody in my life has ever made me feel as good as you do,” she whispered.

  “Ditto,” he said, and brushed a strand of auburn hair from her forehead.

  “It’s scary.”

  “I know.”

  “I’m glad it’s just sex, because anything more would be—”

  He scowled. “Are we still going with that?”

  “Yes.” She sat up, covered herself with a pillow. “Definitely.”

  He sat up too, but didn’t bother trying to cover himself. “Why?”

  “I’m not ready for anything more. After Ryan—”

  “Stop using that guy as an excuse.”

  “But you don’t get what he did—”

  “I’ve heard the rumors. Rowdy and Breeanne filled me in. Ryan was a tool besides being a cheater, a liar and a thief. I’m sorry he treated you so badly, but it’s still an excuse.”

  Her nostrils flared. He’d pissed her off.

  Good. If he had to make her mad to get her to see what a good thing they were working on here, then that’s what he’d do.

  “I have to go,” she said, scrambling off the bed and searching for her clothes.

  “Yes, because running away is always such a great solution.” He followed her into the bathroom, where she found her jeans and wriggled into them.

  “You didn’t really love Ryan,” he said staunchly. “If you’d loved him you wouldn’t have been able to shake yourself off and turn your wedding reception into a last-minute charity event.”

/>   “Because you know me so well.” Steam practically rolled from her ears.

  “Yes,” he said. “We might have only known each other for a month, but I get you, Jodi Carlyle, and it freaks you out. You’re not used to anyone getting you the way I do.”

  She pushed an index finger into the center of his breastbone, poked him hard enough to make him step back. “Listen, stud muffin—”

  “Stud muffin?” He laughed.

  “Stud muffin,” she repeated, emphasis on the “stud.” Her blue-gray eyes shot hot sparks. “You’re great in bed, I’ll grant you that. But that’s all this is. Sex. Get it. S-E-X. Awesome sex, undeniably, but still just sex. Now, leave psychology to the professionals and get out of my way.”

  God, he loved a fiery redhead. She was just saying this stuff because she was too scared to admit the truth. That was fine. He was a patient man. He would wait for her.

  She was tossing towels around looking for her shirt.

  He found her shirt, passed it to her. “Here you go.”

  She snatched it from his hand, jammed it over her head.

  “Bra,” he said, pointing at her unharnessed breasts jiggling so beautifully.

  “I know that,” she snapped.

  “You know why you’re so mad, don’t you?”

  She turned her back to him, rummaging through the towels again in search of her bra. “Because every time I’m with you I lose clothing. I like order, dammit. I like things neat and tidy and folded up where I can find them. I like—”

  “Control.”

  She snorted, spied the teal bra dangling from the back of the vanity chair, and grabbed it like it was a prize trophy. Put it on. She plunked down on the vanity chair to jam her feet into her sneakers.

  “Admit it,” he said. “You’re just scared because you know this could be something spectacular and because when you’re with me you lose control.”

  “Bingo,” she said, and she was back at him with that index finger at his chest. Poke. Poke. Poke. “Now get out of my way. I have places to be, people to see.”

  Grinning, he stepped aside, watched her flee down the hall.

  He followed her to the front door when she struggled into her jacket. She was doing her damnedest not to look at him.

  “You’re terrified that if you let yourself feel, you’ll somehow manage to screw this up,” he said.

  But even as she slammed the door on her way out, he realized with that last jab that he was talking to himself as much as he was to her.

  “You’re pale as chalk,” Ham said to Jodi when she walked into the office. “Did you see a ghost?”

  “I’m fine.”

  “You don’t look fine. You’re pale and sweaty and breathing hard. Have you been running?”

  Yeah, running away from Jake and the firestorm of emotions he stirred in her. Reluctant as she was to admit it, he was right. He did “get” her and she was freaked out about that. Jodi pressed a shaky palm to her forehead. That’s why she kept insisting on sex only. That’s why she kept pretending it was just physical between them. Because it was damn unsettling when someone could see right into your soul, and she was ill-equipped to deal with it.

  “It’s the baseball player, isn’t it?” Ham said.

  “What?” Jodi startled.

  “You might have fooled your family, but you can’t fool me, Jo-Jo. I’ve known you longer than anyone else in your life. You’re head over heels for Jake Coronado.”

  Jodi slumped down onto the sofa. Damn. How had she managed to collect two very perceptive men in her life?

  “I can’t be,” she said staunchly.

  “Why not?”

  “I’m still putting my life back together after Ryan—”

  Ham waved a hand. “It’s been a year, you’re fine.” He was right. She was. “Next objection.”

  “He’s a famous ballplayer. Women throw themselves at him.”

  “Breeanne has the same issue with Rowdy, but if you’re secure in your relationship, you don’t have to fear other women taking him away from you.”

  “But that’s just it. I’m not secure in this relationship.”

  “Why not? Has he ever given you a reason to distrust him?”

  She thought of that night at the Grand Texan. How tender and gentlemanly he’d been with her. How fun and playful. She thought about that night at Vincente’s when he only had eyes for her, and even when the waitress had tried to get him to stare at her cleavage, he hadn’t even glanced at the woman. She thought of how nice he’d been to watch Tobias for Kendra. How at ease he was with her family. How much they liked him.

  “No,” she admitted.

  “So what is it really?”

  Jodi nibbled a thumbnail. “There’s the issue of his wife who was murdered. He loved her a lot and losing her about killed him.”

  “How long ago was that?”

  “Three years.”

  “If he’s courting you, Jo-Jo and from that bracelet on your wrist, I think that qualifies, he’s ready to move on.”

  She shook her head, fingered the bracelet. “I don’t think so. I look like her, Ham. Not just a little, but a lot. I think he’s trying to re-create the love he lost.”

  “Have you discussed this with him?”

  “Yes, and he swears that, yes, while my resemblance to his wife was what had initially attracted him to me, he says we have completely different personalities.”

  “So take the man at his word.”

  “Just because he claims he’s not trying to recapture his past doesn’t mean he’s not trying to do it. How will I ever know if he’s with me because of me or simply because I remind him of Maura?”

  “Look at it this way.” Ham plunked down on the sofa beside her and slung his arm over her shoulder. “If you really did remind him of Maura, wouldn’t he be more likely to steer clear of you because of the emotional pain being with you would cause? You’d always just be a pale imitation of her anyway.”

  “My point exactly!” Jodi stared down at her interlaced hands in her lap. “That’s why I can never let him know how I feel about him. It’s too risky.”

  “Honey.” Ham cupped her chin in his palm and forced her to meet his gentle gaze. “Listen to me. He’s seeing you, not his dead wife. If he wasn’t he wouldn’t be making such an effort to get past that wall of yours. It would be much easier just to move on.”

  “And then there’s the hope chest prophecy.”

  Ham stared at her. “That silly perfume?”

  “What if I’m imagining my feelings for him because I want it to be real? What if this is something I’m making up in my head because I truly want to believe in fate?”

  “What if you are?”

  “That’s a pretty weak foundation on which to begin a relationship.”

  “On a hope chest prophecy, sure it is, but not on the belief that you’re destined to be together. If you both believe that you’re destined to be together, then it doesn’t matter whether there’s such a thing as destiny or not. If you believe it’s true, then it’s true for you. What could be more perfect than that?”

  “That’s a lot to wrap my head around, Ham.”

  “Give yourself some time and space. If he’s the one, if this is right, then there’s no rush. He’ll still be there. The main thing is to open yourself up to the possibility that you could build a great life with him.”

  “I thought that once and look how it turned out.”

  “It wasn’t the same with Ryan and you know it.”

  Jodi pressed her forehead to her knees and moaned. “I wasn’t supposed to fall in love with him.”

  “Yeah, well, love isn’t always logical. In fact, it’s never logical. Get used to it.”

  Ham was right about all of it. She knew it in her heart. She was just scared of getting hurt.

  “So what should I do now?” Jodi asked.

  “Lay it all on the line. Tell him how you feel.”

  “That’s damn scary.”

  “It is,”
Ham said. “But you’re the bravest woman I know.”

  “What if this all blows up in my face?”

  Ham patted his left upper arm. “Then this shoulder is all yours.”

  CHAPTER 21

  Jodi Carlyle’s Wedding Crasher Rules: Don’t get attached.

  On Saturday morning, February seventh, a limousine deposited twelve women at the Lodge Spa and Hunting Resort, including the Carlyle sisters, Rowdy’s two sisters, and six of Breeanne’s friends. Jodi was in charge, making sure the limo driver got tipped, the luggage was accounted for, and everyone got checked in. After that, she was ready to cut loose and enjoy the weekend.

  She’d decided to take Ham’s advice and not to think about Jake until later. This weekend belonged to Breeanne, and her sister’s happiness was her utmost priority.

  The four-star resort was located on a sprawling ten-thousand-acre ranch halfway between Stardust and Jefferson, complete with a private airfield, full-service spa, nightclub, hunting lodge, and bowling alley. Once everyone got settled in their rooms, the group reconvened for spa treatments.

  They entered the darkened spa area, greeted by soothing music, gleaming marble, gurgling waterfalls, dispensers filled with cucumber water, and whisper-quiet attendants who whisked them into a communal changing area with lockers for their belongings. Just to prove Jake wrong, that she could indeed relax and let someone take care of her, Jodi had booked a massage.

  Everyone was talking excitedly about the weekend and Jodi did her best to get into the spirit of things.

  “Oh, Jodi.” Breeanne hugged her as they waited in the fountain room, dressed in robes and slippers the spa provided. “This is awesome. Thank you so much for arranging the bachelorette weekend.”

  “You are so welcome.” Heart swelling with love for her baby sister, she hugged Breeanne back.

  A masseuse came in to escort Jodi to a treatment room for her massage. She told herself she was going to get lost in the massage. Let down her guard. Relax completely. But try as she might, now that she had no tasks to keep her occupied, her thoughts kept drifting back to Jake.

  “Try to relax,” said the masseuse. “You are very stiff.”