by Romi Hart
Kylie held her hand out politely to shake his, but Craig bowed over it dramatically, placing a wet kiss to the back of it that heightened her nervousness. "You are a sight to behold, my lady."
"Drop the stage act, Craig," Jordan said irritably. Was he jealous? Kylie would assure him later that she felt no attraction whatsoever toward this man, despite his good looks, but for now, she liked the idea of him getting a little jealous. In a twisted sort of way, it meant he cared. Of course, she didn't let that monopolize her thoughts, but it definitely kicked her self-esteem up a notch or two.
"It's nice to meet you, Craig. You have a lovely home," she told him, trying to be gracious.
"Thank you," he said, eyeing Jordan with a strange expression. What was that exchange all about? These two had a history. Sure, they were friends, but something else rode beneath the surface, and Kylie wondered just what caused the slight animosity she sensed. She didn't speak on it, letting Craig hand each of them a drink and then allowing Jordan to guide her away to mingle.
She met several stage actresses, other athletes – including a couple of members of the team – and more regular people. They all welcomed her, and after another drink, she felt loose enough to relax. "Do you dance?" she asked Jordan, eyeing the people dancing in the next room and up on the balcony.
"That's not just a question of interest, is it?" he asked, his eyes wary but sparkling.
She shrugged. "I can't remember the last time I really danced. I thought it would be fun." She pushed up on her toes, getting her mouth close to his ear. "If you dance with me now, I'll dance for you later."
It had the effect she wanted, and Jordan pulled her tight against him, chest to chest. "That's an offer I can't refuse," he growled. Spinning her back around, he walked her to the edge of the moving jumble of people, and he started to move. Kylie did, too, but she stopped, staring at him in astonishment. He gave her a curious frown. "What?"
She shook her head with a smile of appreciation. "You are a damn good dancer, Jordan Dennison."
He beamed almost shyly. "You like it? Then come over here, closer, and let's have a little fun." Kylie didn't hesitate, feeling like a college girl again as she gyrated and rubbed up against him. It was highly arousing, and she knew they couldn't do this forever without overloading their senses. But she would push herself to the limit before she let him go.
Breathless and overheated, Jordan finally pulled her aside, pressing her against the wall and trapping her there with his body, as if she would try to get away. "God, I want you right now," he rasped at her.
Unable to speak, Kylie just nodded, and he crushed his lips against hers, kissing her hard and with pent-up desire that matched her own. She combed her fingers into his hair and fisted her hands in it, holding him tight to her, desperate for more. Only when she thought she might suffocate did she release him, and he still took another heartbeat to move away.
"Maybe we should get back, before we become exhibitionists," he teased, though Kylie had a feeling he was being completely honest. She felt fairly out of control herself.
“I think you’re right,” she gasped, her vision clouding around the edges as he became her sole focus. Apparently, that was all Jordan needed to hear. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her through the house, punching a code in his phone to order a cab as they went. He didn’t even stop to look for the host to say goodbye, and Kylie honestly felt relief, considering she didn’t much care for Craig, even if he threw a good party.
They stood at the curb and waited, and Jordan turned to her, a question in his eyes. “Do you have any plans tomorrow?”
Kylie laughed. “Hold on, cowboy. We haven’t even gotten through the night!”
He laughed with her but shook his head. “I’m asking because I don’t think it’s a good idea to drive home right now, and I was hoping you were free in the morning so we could get a hotel room nearby.”
Something low in her stomach clenched, and she raised an eyebrow at him, trying to play it cool. “Someone’s impatient.”
"Damn right I am!" he told her, pulling her against him so she could feel his hard-on. "Besides, I'm too tired and have had one too many drinks to feel comfortable behind the wheel of that beast of a car."
Ready to fall into bed with him, Kylie nodded. “Fair enough. I like that plan.”
Chapter 4
Kylie stretched and yawned as she awoke, a ray of sun streaming across her face making her keep her eyes squinted shut. Something was strange; her bedroom window faced west and didn’t let the morning sun invade her privacy. She rolled over and bumped into a solid mass of bare flesh.
Gasping, she recalled the previous evening just as strong arms enveloped her and pulled her closer. “Good morning,” Jordan growled, burying his face in her hair.
She smiled to herself. Boy, had they enjoyed each other’s bodies last night! And this morning, she didn’t feel the least bit used or embarrassed of her own enthusiasm. In fact, she felt closer to him on a personal level, and she wondered if maybe things might evolve into something more emotional.
She said nothing about it but let the idea build as they showered and dressed and bantered over breakfast delivered by room service. As they walked back to the car a few blocks away, Jordan held her hand, and Kylie reveled in the sensation of acting like a real couple. She even saw something spark in his eyes other than lust when he dropped her off and kissed her goodbye.
The high lasted throughout the day and into the next. In fact, she was still walking on air when she went to work Monday morning and when she called Reesa to talk about it on her lunch break. But by Thursday, when she hadn’t heard from Jordan, Kylie’s euphoria faded, and she told herself she’d been stupid to start having expectations. She’d warned herself against it, but she’d fallen into that routine of thinking about the future, like she always did.
Hell, she was as bad about living in the future as Reesa could be about living in the past.
Resigning herself to a lonely dinner and wondering if maybe she should text Jordan, just to see what he was doing, Kylie turned on Netflix and settled into her couch. She heard her phone ringing in the kitchen but didn’t get up to answer. If it was Jordan, she’d just be overly excited. If it wasn’t, she would be disappointed, and she might mistakenly overstep her bounds reaching out to him in desperation.
But it kept ringing, and on the fourth attempt, she sighed and rose to go answer, hoping it wasn’t some emergency she’d ignored. It stopped ringing before she got to it, and she heard a knock at the door, forcing her to change directions. No one ever came over except Reesa. Maybe the guys were out of town and she didn’t know it.
Grumbling to herself, she reached for the doorknob and yanked it open. She didn't expect Jordan to slam into her with a demanding kiss. She was so taken off guard she lost her balance and nearly took him down with her, only saved as he turned them so they fell against the wall. Pain shot through her shoulder, but Kylie was already heating up, her body responding instantly to his attention and the need he fed into the kiss.
He broke contact and glared at her. “Why didn’t you answer my calls?”
She blinked up at him, trying to get her bearings. “You haven’t called in days. I didn’t feel like getting off the couch to be disappointed if it wasn’t you.” Well, that was brutal honesty. She pulled away from him. “I could ask you where you’ve been, you know.” For some reason, she was angry. His question sounded accusatory.
“I had some business to take care of and needed to catch up on sleep and clean my house,” he answered defensively. His eyes darted around the apartment as if he was searching for something. Scowling, he huffed out a breath. “I thought maybe you had company.”
‘Male company?” she asked, irritated. “Look, Jordan, I don’t know what the problem is. I’ve held up my end of the bargain. I haven’t pressed for anything more than you’re willing to give, and I haven’t been screwing around with anyone else. So, I would appreciate it if you didn’t act like you caug
ht me with my pants down when you haven’t bothered to get in touch with me for days.” She felt a fight brewing now, a different kind of heat in her chest, and she wouldn’t let it go until she had the answers she wanted, the answers to questions she hadn’t even realized plagued her until now.
He scrubbed a hand down his face and tilted his head back to look at the ceiling. Sighing, he closed his eyes and let his chin fall to his chest. “I’m sorry, Kylie. There’s a reason why I’m not the kind of guy to settle down. It’s only half my choice. I’m just not good dating material. I forget to call, I don’t think ahead.”
Backing away, Kylie put her hands on her hips. “Sounds like a bunch of weak excuses to me.”
The contrite expression faded from his face, his jaw tightening and his eyes hardening. “Don’t act like we’re in some whirlwind relationship, Kylie. I told you, this is a lot of fun, and I really like you. But I’m not looking for anything more. Now, you can accept my apology, and we can move on, or we can go our separate ways if that’s what you prefer.”
An ache spread through her, and Kylie suddenly feared the idea of him walking away when things had just begun. She knew it was a bad sign; especially with his reminder, she shouldn’t form any real attachments. But she also knew it was too late for that. Even though they hadn’t spent all that much time together, she’d gotten used to having Jordan in her life. And if she had to deny her growing feelings to keep him around, she would put on her big girl panties and do it.
Swallowing her anger and trying to take her fear down with it, she nodded. “Okay, you’re right. I forgive you. Try to at least send me a text so I don’t start imagining you with some buxom blonde in Tahiti, okay? Because I can’t compete with that.” There, that sounded light enough, didn’t it?
His shoulders sagging as if he was relieved by her decision, Jordan smiled and reached out to tuck her hair behind her ear. “That’s where you’re wrong, sweetheart. You’re sexy and feisty, and you have a great sense of humor. And you’re phenomenal in bed. You’d be the one no one can compete with.”
For some reason, Kylie wanted to cry. The words were kind and caring, and she wished suddenly with all her heart that they meant more to him, meant as much as they would coming from the love of her life. Stop it, Kylie. No more longing and future-tripping. “You really think so?” she asked, needing that confirmation, at least.
This time, he wrapped his arms gently around her waist. “I’m a lot of things, Kylie. Sometimes, I’m even a rotten bastard. But I’m not a liar. I wouldn’t say these things if I didn’t mean them.” He bent and kissed her lightly on the nose and then again with a simple brush of lips across hers. “Come on, let’s go finish that popcorn I smell and watch a movie. I’ve missed you, and I think tonight should be a good, quiet night.”
Part of Kylie protested, the part that still held the fuse he’d lit when he’d come barging in, all lust and libido. But Jordan was right, she needed a different kind of care and companionship tonight, and she would settle for sharing the rest of her pathetic popcorn dinner with him and maybe laugh over a good comedy flick. She could at least pretend to be a normal girl, dating a normal guy, for a few hours.
A normal, famous, smoking hot guy that turned her into a raging hormone every time he was close enough to smell.
Pressing her lips tightly together, Kylie led him to the couch and let him pull her into his lap as he settled in and grabbed the remote, ready to take over in true masculine style. She would have argued, but this was too real and too comfortable to want to screw it up.
Chapter 5
“So, you’re still going strong, I take it.” Kylie tried not to let Reesa’s words spark anything as she devoured a half-naked Jordan with her gaze. The guys had put themselves into a dunking tank for the children’s charity that Marcus loved and seemed to touch Jordan’s heart as well. As Marcus came out, drenched and sexy as hell, Jordan made his way to the booth, glowing like some supernatural being even in the chill of fall in the air.
“I told you, we’re having a good time, that’s all,” Kylie practically grumbled. Reesa just laughed and then squealed as Marcus wrapped his cold, wet body around her, and Kylie moved away, toward where Jordan stood next to the tank. She didn’t want to discuss her not-so-relationship, and she wasn’t in the mood to have the blossoming one beside her rubbed in her face. So far, she’d put up a good front of being genuinely happy today, and even Jordan didn’t seem to notice her foul disposition.
But things had changed.
Well, maybe not. For the last two weeks, she’d lost herself in Jordan’s arms at every opportunity, and she couldn’t complain there. Never had she been so sexually satisfied and yet needy all at the same time. He was a perfect lover, gentle and rough all at the same time. She’d also enjoyed his company, watching movies, eating out, taking walks in the park and talking.
But in that time, her illusion in her ability to maintain a platonic level of emotion toward Jordan had shattered. When he held her hand during their walks, it sparked romantic longing, and every time his eyes scanned her face with bright appreciation or he tucked her hair gently behind her ear, her heart squeezed a little tighter. She knew she was falling for him. She needed to break it off, and she had to act soon or risk having her heart broken.
The problem was, he wasn’t exactly acting like he didn’t have feelings for her. Kylie didn’t have a lot of experience with this sort of thing, but she had been with men who claimed to love her that didn’t treat her with such courtesy or look at her with such adoration. How could she end this when she felt like their growing closeness could really turn into something deeper and stronger, something lasting?
“You look like you’re a million miles away right now, and not in a good place.” Jordan smiled down at her, but worry creased his brow.
Kylie forced herself to brighten and grinned broadly at him. “I’m just afraid you’re going to come out of there and get me all wet like that. I’m wearing silk, and I don’t want it to get ruined.”
He waggled his eyebrows. “I’m sure I’ll eventually ruin plenty of your clothes, tearing them off you. Don’t worry, I’ll replace anything I ruin.” He kissed her forehead and winked as he rounded to the back of the booth to climb up on the seat. Kylie tried to hang onto the tingling sensation of arousal his words caused, but even that faded quickly with her sudden dark mood.
She suddenly wondered if she should have come here today. Maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea to put a little distance between her and Jordan, not forever, but long enough for her to get her thoughts and emotions under control. She needed to adjust to the reality of the situation rather than the dream forming in her head and, more importantly, her heart.
A commotion near the restrooms drew her attention, and she frowned, trying to see what was going on. Craning her neck, she could see Marcus and Reesa, surrounded by flashing cameras. Well, it looked like the media had latched onto their relationship, and whether Reesa considered it to be serious or not, the world would soon enough. With a sigh, Kylie wished something like that would push Jordan into overdrive. Then again, if the paparazzi confronted them, he’d probably deny they were anything more than friends and stop coming around.
“Enough!” she whisper-screamed at herself. She crossed her arms over her chest, hoping it just looked like she was cold rather than angry. With the media chasing after her best friend, Reesa and Marcus would likely leave now, so she didn’t have to worry about Reesa questioning her any further. And as much as she hated to admit it, Jordan wouldn’t have to work very hard to bring out her good side again. So, she would just be miserable for a bit now, and she’d recover.
A splash and a thunking sound drew her attention, and she rounded to the front of the tank to see Jordan popping up out of the water, gasping and shivering. His eyes were wide and shocked, but his grin was priceless as he noticed the kid who’d pitched the winner giggle and jump up and down with his friends in triumph.
And he looked damn sexy drenched i
n the cold water, his hair plastered to his head and curling around his ears.
“Focus on the sex appeal, Kylie, nothing else,” she muttered to herself under her breath. That would be the key to making sure she didn’t let her emotions get the best of her. It worked, and despite her concern for her best friend, who had disappeared shortly after the media debacle, Kylie felt better through the next couple of hours. Jordan finished his round in the tank, ending up in the water at least two dozen times, and when he finally emerged, Kylie couldn’t help but giggle as he teasingly chased after the teenage girls who had been pointing and giggling the last time he went down.
When he came to her, he acted like he was going to hug her, but she shrunk away, and he just chuckled. “You made me promise, so I guess I’ll go dry my ass off before I come for you.”
Kylie swallowed hard, not missing the predatory glint in his eyes as she scanned him from head to toe. His board shorts clung to him, showing his thick, muscular legs and the angular indentations that pointed down to his very obviously large package. The water beaded on his chest and arms, and his hair dripped around his shoulders. He was the picture of sex on a billboard ad, and at least in terms of physical pleasure, he belonged to her.
She shoved a towel into his hand and pointed toward the bathrooms. “Go. Dry off and change.”
He pouted at her. “Sure you don’t want to join me in there? Think of how lewd and dangerous it would be.” When she shook her head, eyes wide that he’d even suggested it, he smacked her backside and took off at a slow jog. She watched him, admiring his grace and poise, the way his muscles bunched and stretched with his movement. He really was prime pickings.