by Stacey Lynn
“I know,” I snapped. I didn’t want to hear the word whore or trash or whatever vile thing he was going to say. “Will this change anything about Marcus working for you?”
He closed his eyes tightly and when he opened them again, his professional mask of indifference was in place. “You let me worry about Marcus. And let me worry about taking care of you. I won’t let them hurt you again….as long as you promise me you don’t have feelings for Marcus anymore.”
“Can I feel hatred and extreme loathing?”
He chuckled softly. “Sure babe.” He stood up slowly and walked towards me. When he reached me, he stuck out his hand. I grabbed it and let him pull me to my feet.
“Let me take you to bed.” He looked at me through hooded lashes and suddenly I saw the desire and want he had for me. I wanted him too and it made my head spin. How could I go through so many emotions in one night and then want him so fiercely with one simple look?
We walked to my bedroom and got undressed in complete silence. This wasn’t the quiet of Jack needing control, though. He crawled into my bed and I frowned when I noticed he was wearing his boxers.
He laughed at me and pulled me to him, wrapping an arm around me in an intimate gesture. It was comforting and felt strange. I wanted to be held and comforted, but Jack wasn’t the comforting kind of guy. I was used to controlling and wanting and predator Jack. This soft side threw me for a loop.
“I need you,” I whispered into his ear right before I gently began sucking on his earlobe. I moved down his neck, and smiled against him as I felt his excitement begin to grow and a deep groan escape his throat.
His arm tightened around my waist, but he slowly pulled away.
He rejected me.
“I’m not screwing you tonight. You’ve had too much to deal with and you drank almost an entire bottle of wine.”
I nuzzled my nose against his chest. I needed to forget. I just wanted Jack to make me forget. I moved down just a bit and licked around his nipple, smiling as his body responded to me even if he wouldn’t. He might be able to push me away, but he wanted me.
He growled and threw me back down on the bed. I smiled in victory but it was short lived when he stared down at me.
“I’m not fucking you tonight, Emma.” He roughly pressed his mouth against me and ground his erection into my crotch. “Now go to bed….we have more shit to talk about tomorrow with all of this and I need to get out of here before Logan wakes up.”
I frowned at the thought of him leaving. “I don’t want you to leave,” I whispered, hoping he wouldn’t verbally reject me again.
An eyebrow arched and his sexy smirk appeared. “You’re breaking your last rule for me?”
Screw my rules.
I smiled and he rewarded me with another scorching kiss that I felt down to the tips of my toes and moaned as he moved against me one more time. Before I could push back and encourage him further, he rolled off me and pulled my back to his chest. I smiled when I could still feel his erection pressed into the back of me.
“Tease,” I muttered.
He brushed his nose against my hair and breathed in lightly. “I’ll be here when you wake up.”
I woke up feeling all hot and bothered. It took me a minute as my body moved on its own accord to realize why, but then I felt the familiar warmth of Jack’s breath against my thighs. I moaned and lifted my head a little bit so I could see him.
“Good morning,” he muttered, his lips pressed against me and then flicked his tongue out once, and then again right where I needed him to be.
I tried to smile, but instead I threw my head back and moaned because it felt so good. My body began writhing as I pushed my hips up, closer to Jack’s mouth, needing more of him.
“Jack…” I called out softly, trying to be mindful of Logan in the other room and not wanting to be disturbed from the best wakeup call in all history. “I need you.”
Ignoring me, he continued licking and sucking my clit, and I felt my orgasm began to build; that fire quickly turned into a blazing inferno as he thrust two fingers in. He moved so quickly and roughly inside me that it took no time at all until I cried out in ecstasy and felt my inner walls clamp down on him. He slowly crept up my body, keeping his fingers inside me, slowly pulling out every wave of my orgasm.
I pulled him to my mouth and kissed him roughly. Begging him to take me again. I was so satisfied, but still needed more of him. I was terrified last night that he would flip out and end things when I told him about Marcus but instead he stayed, and cared for me and comforted me and I needed to show him how much I appreciated it. How much that simple act meant to me.
I moved my hips against him as he ground into me, now completely naked.
“I need you,” I repeated against his mouth, both of us breathless as he pulled away. He moved to get off the bed but I pulled him back to me.
“I’m on birth control, Jack. I don’t want you to wear anything.” I didn’t want any more barriers between the two of us. I wanted to feel him against me and have him feel me, completely, and this was the only way I could think of to show him how much I trusted him.
He groaned….it sounded like frustration….and placed his forehead against mine. A light sheen of sweat covered his forehead and I smiled to myself thinking that I in part caused it. “I don’t….”
“I know.” I moved his hand from my hip to my inner arm and pressed his fingers against my arm firmly so he could feel the tiny little bump. “I got it a year ago and it’s good for three. I just want to feel you, Jack. Feel everything.”
His mouth came back to mine and I gasped in pleasure immediately.
“You taste so good, Emma. I want you.”
His mouth licked against my lips and moved to my jaw, and then my throat. He tasted every single inch of me body as I moved against him, moaning and wanting more.
“You’re killing me,” I breathed out and arched into him as he slowly licked one of my nipples, his hand playing with the other one until they were both pulled and teased and sucked and licked into bright pink little buds. Every touch shot a blast of pleasure right through me.
He looked up with a wry grin. “But what a way to go.”
Then he went back to work, our hands moving quickly all over one another. His hips moved back and he looked at me, questioning whether or not I was sure. But I was; and even if I had lost my nerve, I was so closing to coming that I wouldn’t have taken the time to tell him no anyway.
I moaned and moved against him as I felt his bare tip at my entrance.
“Now, Jack,” I pleaded.
I moved my hands to his hips and pulled him against me, but he remained still…too strong for me to make him do anything.
He arched an eyebrow and smiled. “Fast or slow?”
“Hard. And now.” I panted while glaring at him and still trying to arch into him.
He tsked at me twice, smirking. “I control this Emma.”
I fell back against the pillow, exasperated, and oh so close to heaven. He chuckled softly and reached around to the back of my neck with one hand forcing me to look at him. His eyes were almost blacked out and his jaw clenched. He was having a hard time maintaining that control he so desperately claimed he had. I smiled and wiggled against him again, teasing him, and pleading with him at the same time.
He thrust into me, hard, just like I wanted it, hitting the back of me in one smooth move. He groaned and my eyes rolled to the back of my head it felt so good. I bit my lip to keep from crying out, lost between the perfect mix of pleasure and pain. God I loved the way he made me feel.
He lowered his mouth to my ear and pulled out slowly, and thrust himself back in just as hard as he had done before. “Is that hard enough for you?”
I could only groan in response and already felt my walls clenching around him.
He stilled for a moment, and kissed my ear. “Damn this feels so good….” he whispered and began to move again, slowly. It felt tender and calm, like we had all day t
o spend in bed doing nothing except exploring each other.
Jack pulled back, rested his elbows next to me and cupped my face with his hands. I couldn’t have looked away if I wanted to. And I saw it in his eyes, as he slowly moved against me, feeling every ridge of his thick cock pulse inside of me. This wasn’t fucking to him; or screwing me….this was making love. The knowledge, coupled with the amazing sensations inside me, threw me over the edge. I looked straight at him, keeping my eyes on him the entire time as I let out my cries of ecstasy while my body squeezed him further inside and my hips bucked against him.
His mouth dropped and he thrust into me one last time, following me over the edge.
It was the best sex of my entire life.
He slowly rolled off me and brushed a few loose strands away from my face as I smiled lazily at him. I felt completely sated.
I felt happy. Fulfilled. Complete.
“That was amazing,” he said softly against my cheek, his lips just barely touching mine.
I turned so I was facing him, my free hand softly outlining the muscles on his arms and chest. I ran it up his body until I was rubbing my hand along the light covering of prickly hair on his cheeks. “You are amazing.”
“So, not to totally kill the mood here, but what do you think you’re going to do about Marcus?” He arched any eyebrow. “Now that you’ve seen him, are you going to tell him about Logan?”
It totally killed the mood.
THIRTEEN
His question was like a glass of cold water – a very large glass – or a pitcher filled with ice cubes, dumped all over me leaving me a shivering pile of mess on the floor. I heaved a deep breath in frustration that not only was my perfect after-sex moment ruined; it was a question I absolutely didn’t want to answer. Mostly because I had no idea how to answer it.
I swung my legs over the side of the bed and sat up, throwing my face into my hands. I rubbed my face against the palm of my hands when I felt Jack move and his body come and sit next to me.
“I don’t know, Jack. I think in some naïve little world I live in, I was expecting him to just disappear completely.”
I stood abruptly and looked at him. “I need coffee if we’re going to talk about this. Do you want some too?”
“I’m going to take a shower first if that’s all right. But Emma, I want you to think about something.” At my raised eyebrows, he continued. “I know what it’s like to be without a dad. Even if the dad sucks, I wouldn’t wish that on anyone; especially Logan.”
He grabbed his clothes and walked into the bathroom, shutting the door quietly. I stood there for several minutes staring at the door he walked through with my jaw hanging wide open. Well…what in the hell was I supposed to say to that?
Ten minutes later, Jack came out of the bedroom looking positively perfect. He poured himself a cup of coffee, grabbed a bagel off my counter and took a huge bite once he joined me at the table.
I cupped my coffee mug and blew gently. It was all for show. I’d been staring at the full cup ever since I took my first sip ten minutes ago.
“I think you’re right,” I said regretfully.
Jack nodded as if he knew I would say that all along. “It’s a habit.”
“Shut up. This isn’t funny.”
He winked at me and took another huge bite of the bagel, his voice sounding muffled when he spoke. “It’s a little funny.”
“Well at least one of us can have some fun today,” I muttered and then took another sip of my coffee.
“Here’s what you need to understand.” Jack’s eyes changed to a dark brown and his lips pulled into a tight smile. I watched as he set his coffee down and gingerly clasped his hands together on the table. I imagined this was very much the same posture he took when he was about to enter into a hostile takeover of some corporation. He was all business again, but his expression was fierce as he steeled his gaze at me.
“You’re mine. And I protect what’s mine. I’m going to handle Marcus working for me, and together – you and me are going to handle the shit about him being Logan’s dad. But I promise you this; I will take care of you, and I will keep you safe. And if he steps off the very thin line we’re going to give him to prove that he’s not the douchebag dumbass he used to be, then his ass is mine.” He quirked an eyebrow at me. “You got me?”
Yeah…wow…I got him….there were just so many things wrong with that statement. And yet, it all sounded so good. I was his to protect and keep safe and take care.
Not a problem.
It was the best thing I had heard in weeks…possibly years….and I instantly wanted to cling to the small amount of hope he gave me, that everything was going to be just fine.
I didn’t want to waste the time arguing about the wrongness of his possessiveness because the rest of it felt so perfect, so I nodded and smiled sheepishly.
His.
He was right. I absolutely, positively belonged to him.
When Jack was done with his coffee, he stood up and scribbled something down on his business card. I cringed when he handed it to me.
“That’s his number. Call him when you’re ready; but if it’s okay, I’d like to be there with you.”
I stood up and gave him a quick kiss. “For someone who was sure they’d fuck up a relationship, you’re pretty good at it.”
He rewarded me with a kiss much less quick than the one I dished out, and a smile that showed his perfectly white teeth.
“Only for you.” He ran his hand through my hair gently and smiled down at me. “I’ve got some things to take care of this morning. Talk to you later?”
I walked him out and once the door shut behind me, I sat down on the table and stared at the card. My pulse raced just thinking about calling Marcus and telling him about Logan. Would he even want anything to do with Logan? He was so quick to walk away years ago, maybe he wouldn’t claim him. I wondered what hurt more – the fear of Marcus wanting to know Logan, or the fear he wouldn’t?
Since Jack’s business card wasn’t going to give me any answers, I threw it on the counter and went to take a shower to get ready before Logan crawled out of bed.
Almost two weeks went by and neither Jack nor I broached the subject of Marcus. He had mentioned his name, regrettably, in passing a few times when it involved work, but Jack stayed true to his word and didn’t say anything about me telling him about Logan.
I appreciated the space. I needed it.
The truth was, as soon as Jack told me he thought Logan deserved to know his dad, I agreed to tell Marcus. I was just doing a really good job at avoiding the ‘when’ of the whole thing.
I had other things on my mind.
Like the fact that I was in a limo, on my way to the Children’s Charity Ball with Jack and it was officially our third date.
I knew I shouldn’t have cared.
I was falling in love with Jack, avoiding dealing with Marcus out of fear of rejection – again, and still a bit afraid that Jack was still going to leave me. The last one wasn’t a big deal until tonight when I stepped into the limo and then the seriousness of the night and the fact that I knew I was going to be seeing Marcus at the ball came crashing down on me.
I was about to see the first man who tore my heart out of my chest. It took years to recover from the betrayal. I wanted to wrap myself in bubble wrap and steel to prevent my heart from being broken because after knowing Jack for so many years, and being ‘with’ him for the last month, he sat poised to be able to do the exact same thing to me all over again.
I hated not being able to trust him fully. Would I even be thinking these things right now if Marcus hadn’t walked back into my life?
It was a question I couldn’t answer.
What I did realize earlier today was that Logan’s birthday was coming up in two weeks. What better present could I give him than his dad? I thought of wrapping Marcus up in a large air-tight box with a big red bow and snorted.
“Where are you?”
I looked a
way from my window and down at Jack’s hand resting firmly just above my knee, one eyebrow raised in question at the blank look on my face. I immediately felt the warmth from his hand spread to my legs, and then everywhere else on my body. I still couldn’t believe how a simple touch from him could instantly turn me on. I felt the heat rise to my cheeks and I looked at him and smiled.
“Are you going to tell me what’s wrong?” he asked me cautiously.
A breath left my mouth in an unattractive manner. What’s wrong? Only everything. And yet, Jack’s simple touch had the ability to calm me. Should I even be concerned about it being our third date? He was probably going to tell me to tap my shit down, or screw me senseless.
Which really – sounded okay to me. Maybe I could use the stress relief.
“You’ve been quieter than normal all night. Tell me.”
I looked out the window, needing to take my eyes off him in order to gain a semblance of control. My bottom lip started quivering, betraying me instantly and I knew he saw it when his hand left my thigh and gently cupped my chin between his thumb and index finger. He turned my chin to him slowly, until I had no other choice but to stare directly into his brown eyes.
“Tell me.” His voice was rougher than before.
“It’s our third date tonight.”
“And?” A slight twinkle of amusement flashed in his eyes before he shuttered it. I was instantly embarrassed. He looked like he had no clue what I was trying to say.
I sighed. My chest heaved out and in quickly, just once. I rubbed my fingers together trying to stop them from shaking in my lap.
“You always end things after the third date.” My words came out just above a whisper. His hand left mine immediately and fell to his lap, like I had shocked him.
I looked away from him, terrified of what he was going to say. I wondered if he would stop the limo and just have me leave right then.
“Look at me.”
I listened immediately because when he spoke to me in the dark and sexy voice that he usually reserved for the bedroom I had no other choice but to obey. I was just shocked that he was using it now when I was clearly so upset.