Erin performed a perfunctory check of the room and, once satisfied, drew Amanda aside. “We’d best go and let Jack get settled for the night. We’ll be back tomorrow to go over plans to find a way for you to get home.”
“Thank you.” Jack nodded. “Both of you. I don’t know what would’ve become of me if Amanda hadn’t found me and brought me to your home.”
Amanda’s eyes misted. She didn’t want to leave him here alone, but maybe it was for the best. If he really didn’t want her…
Erin caught her gaze. “Come, Amanda.”
She drew in a sharp breath. “Mother, if I could have just a moment alone with Jack?”
Erin bit her lip, but nodded. “I’ll wait in the hall, but be quick.”
Once her stepmother stepped from the room and the door clicked shut, Amanda approached Jack, longing to race into his arms and beg him not to leave.
“I suppose this is goodbye, Jack,” she said.
He gathered her so close, her breasts crushed against his hard chest. Her head told her to pull away and leave, but the vibration of his heartbeat stayed her.
“It’ll be all right.” His lips brushed her cheek.
She tilted her traitorous lips toward his and found his mouth. She eagerly opened tasting his manly scent.
When he released her, he grinned. “Your step-mom is waiting outside. You’d better get going. We’ll see each other tomorrow.”
She shook her head. “I don’t know if we should see each other again.”
He frowned. “Amanda, I don’t want to leave things like this.”
“If you can’t take me with you, we’ve no other choice.”
She backed toward the door, then slipped out. Her last sight of Jack, his hands shoved into his pockets, his eyes downcast. She joined Erin for the walk back to the house, vowing to forget she’d ever met him.
****
Jack dozed fitfully in the strange bed. He’d grown accustomed over the past week to sleeping in the Montgomery home, but it took days before he felt as if he wasn’t living in a dream and would soon wake.
But as he recovered, knowing Amanda slept just down the hall was a temptation he couldn’t entertain. This century was so repressed, and he’d never do anything to hurt Amanda, even if it meant denying his feelings for her.
He recalled the photo he’d carried to the house the night of the accident. What had happened to it? And what had happened to him?
Erin’s theory that they both inhabited bodies they’d had in a past life, seemed plausible. More so than the idea he’d traveled inter-dimensionally to get here. But considering either possibility seemed crazy.
He had no other way to explain it, though, and hoped he still had a live body in his own time to go back to. He tossed and finally rose to step from the braided rug beside his bed onto the cool wood floor.
He tried to adjust his eyes to the hint of a glow from the half moon. He fumbled on the nightstand and lit the oil lamp. Amanda had told him some of the big cities, like nearby Philadelphia, now had electricity, but it hadn’t come to this small town yet.
Stepping to the washstand, he splashed tepid water on his face. Indoor plumbing was another innovation relegated to the big cities, but not everyone had it.
He fumbled for the pocket watch Erin had given him so he could keep track of time. Two-thirty in the morning. He may as well climb back into bed and try to get a few more hours of sleep. What else could he do?
At home, he’d reach for the remote and try to find an old movie to lull him. He didn’t even have a book to read but guessed that’s what people did in this century when sleep refused to come.
He sighed and stepped toward the bed, prepared to give sleep another try. Before he could pull the sheet back, a scraping at the door sent a chill up his spine. Was someone trying to break in?
Creeping toward the door, he tried to rationalize what someone would be doing in the hall at this hour. Could it be a hotel worker?
He pressed his ear against the wood and held his breath. The scraping stopped. Jack cracked the door, prepared to slam it shut if a knife wielding intruder stood outside ready to rob him.
“Jack.” The whisper of a female voice sounded familiar.
“Amanda?” Her flowery, womanly scent drifted to him.
“Let me in,” she hissed, “before someone sees me.”
He yanked her inside and shut the door. Her breath rasped as if she’d been running. He stepped to the night table and lit the gas lamp.
“What the hell are you doing here?” he demanded.
Her brow furrowed. “I came to see you. I couldn’t sleep thinking you’d go back and I’d never see you again.”
“But you can’t just come here in the middle of the night.”
Her full lips puckered. “You really don’t want me.”
“Amanda.” He sighed. “It’s dangerous for a woman to be wandering the streets alone in the middle of the night. In this century or mine.” He grasped her shoulders. “What were you thinking?”
“I was thinking of how much I want to be with you…” She hesitated. “In this room.” Her lowered voice grew sultry. “Just the two of us.”
“You mean…?” Jack sputtered. “You want to…”
She settled on the bed leaning back languorously. “I want to be with you in every way a man and woman can.” Her cheeks colored, but her gaze held his. “Please, Jack.”
Jack swallowed as his body heated. “But you’ve never…” His words trailed off.
She shook her head. “No. I’ve never been with a man.” She reached a hand toward him. “If I have to live without you, at least show me what I’ll miss. Teach me.”
He gulped. “Are you absolutely sure?”
She patted the mattress. “Yes. I want you to show me how it feels to be a woman.”
He settled beside her. “But I haven’t got any protection. And you’re a…a…”
“A virgin,” she finished for him. A frown creased her brow. “Protection?”
He waved a hand. “You know. From pregnancy.”
“Oh!” She bit her lip. “I don’t really know much about these things. But Erin would.”
“Your mother?” Jack shook his head. “I don’t think consulting her would be a good idea.”
“But Jack…” Her hand slid up his bared arm, then across his chest, a slim finger twirling through the hair close to his nipple. His groin tightened as waves of desire sent his shaft pushing against the fabric of his drawers.
“Amanda.” He sighed. “I think you should go now. This isn’t the right time.”
Her hand slid lower, teasing the band of his drawers.
He bit back an oath. “If you don’t leave now, I can’t be responsible for my actions.”
She ran her tongue over her lower lip. “Jack, we may never have this chance again. I need to be with you…oh, my!”
Her hand slid down the length of his erection, sending sparks throughout his body. If he didn’t stop her, it would all be over in a few minutes. He grasped her hand and gently moved it onto her lap.
“You really don’t know much about men, do you?”
Her gaze focused on the bulge in his drawers. “Of course I know about a man’s anatomy.” Her face reddened. “But I hadn’t realized…”
He grinned, unable to resist teasing her, despite his discomfort. “I really do need to protect you. The last thing I want is to leave you pregnant.”
“Wouldn’t matter if you were taking me with you.”
He shook his head. “I don’t think it’s possible for you to go forward in time. I’m not even sure I can get back.”
She drew in a long shuddering breath. “I don’t care. I want to be with you. I don’t care about the consequences.”
“You say that now…”
“I mean it, Jack. If I can’t spend my life with you, I’d be more than happy to bear and raise your child.”
He sighed. “Maybe we can figure a way to lower the risk. When did you last
have a period?”
She frowned.
“I mean…what do you call it in this century?” He pointed to her belly. “When did you last bleed?”
“Oh! You mean my flow.” She chewed on her lip. “I finished a few days ago.”
“Okay. That’s good. Means it’s probably safe. But I can pull out to make it safer.”
She frowned again, but nodded. “Whatever you think is best.”
“And you’re absolutely sure you want to do this?”
She gazed toward the window. “Yes, and we’d better hurry it along, before daybreak comes. I’ve got to get back to my room without being seen.”
“Talk about pressure.” Jack leaned back lying flat on the bed.
Amanda perched over him. “Please don’t say no. I couldn’t bear it.”
Her eyes glowed in the lantern light. Her scent and touch sent waves of desire flowing into him. This wouldn’t take long on his part, but he worried about it being her first time. He didn’t want to rush it.
Her hand slid down his chest to his shaft. He reached up and cupped her cheek as she lowered her face to his. Their lips found each other and the thrill of having her in his bed, in his life, sent his pulse racing.
He fingered the top clasp of her dress, fumbling to open it and expose her throat. She sat up and unhooked the front of the dress down to her waist.
He sat and pushed the top half of the dress off her shoulders, noting the skirt was still fastened. He grinned. “Not used to these nineteenth century dresses.”
She smiled. “Then I’ll have to help you.” She stood and unhooked the skirt, allowing the garment to float to her feet.
His gaze drifted over her. She wore a frilly, white sleeveless garment covering her chest and—from the waist down—full white skirts that reached to an inch above the floor. “You’re still wearing an awful lot of clothes.”
She tilted her head. “Jack, these are my under garments.”
“That’s your underwear?” He whistled. “Women in my day wear a lot less than that when fully clothed.”
Her face turned pink. “How scandalous, Jack!” She clapped her hands. “Talking about where you come from makes me sad, though, realizing I’ll never share it with you.”
“I wish I could take you there.” He reached a hand toward her. “But for now…”
She untied a string at her waist and the under skirts slid down to join the patterned skirt on the floor. She stepped out of the heap of material and settled beside him on the bed.
“You call this undressed?” he muttered. White pants covered her thighs and knees and the sleeveless garment covered the upper half of her body.
Easing her onto her back, he poised above her. “Let’s see how much more we can uncover.”
She trembled beneath him, but her gaze held his.
****
Amanda thrilled to Jack’s touch as he slid his hand over the exposed skin at her throat, scandalously close to the crease between her breasts. She drew in a gasp of delight.
“Am I hurting you?” Jack’s concerned frown drew a giggle from Amanda.
“No, it feels wonderful.”
He nodded and slid his hand lower, beneath the top of her camisole.
Tingles shot over her body, intensifying with every inch of skin he touched. She shifted on the bed, allowing him to draw up the garment and expose her breasts. She shivered.
His heated gaze drifted over her, his lips tilting upward. “You are making yourself very hard to resist.”
She grinned. “I don’t want you to leave me, Jack.”
He kissed first one breast, then the other, catching a nipple between his teeth.
His suckling sent intense waves of pleasure spiraling to Amanda’s belly, and her woman parts. “Oh, Jack!” she gasped.
She grasped the button at the waist of her drawers and opened them, exposing her bared belly to his attentions. His lips lingered on her belly button, then traveled down.
Amanda closed her eyes and swung her head from side to side wanting to lose herself in the intensity of it all. When his fingers reached her core, she jolted beneath his touch. Hot wetness seeped from the junction between her thighs.
She opened her eyes and caught his smoldering gaze.
“You want more?” he asked.
She gulped. “Yes. Please don’t stop.”
He rose to his knees, unfastening his drawers, then stood beside the bed and allowed them to drop.
Amanda stared at his muscular thighs, with coarse, dark hair at his center…and oh, my! His shaft stood out straight jiggling to and fro. She reached out a hand, tentatively at first, then slid her finger along its smooth length.
“I take it you’ve never seen one up close.” Jack grinned.
Amanda huffed. “Of course I have, but not this—this…”
He tilted his head as her face heated.
“I didn’t realize they grew so—so…”
“It means I’m ready for you, sweetheart. If you are.”
Her body ached for his touch. If this would relieve her suffering…“Yes, Jack. Tell me what to do.”
“Just lie back. I’ll take it real slow.”
Amanda eased back, her pulse racing, as Jack guided her into position with her legs apart. He climbed over her supine body, but kept his weight on his elbows. The touch of his shaft at her juncture sent a jolt through her entire body.
“This may hurt, since it’s your first time. I’ll go slow, but if you want to stop, you tell me.”
Amanda nodded, but doubted her throat would work to voice any protest.
“Just relax,” Jack coaxed.
Intense tingles washed over her at his touch. He eased her legs farther apart. She breathed deeply. A pulsing thickness pressed into her and she had the urge to shout at him to stop, but at the same time longed for him to continue.
Cramping pain caused her to bite her lip, but he’d warned her this would happen. Relax.
He pulled out, then slowly eased back in. The spiral built again just as when he’d used his fingers. Wave after wave of pleasure built until her senses focused only on him. Small moans escaped her lips, growing into louder ones. She’d never felt anything like this before. Nothing mattered, but this moment with Jack.
She rode the wave, higher and higher, until she shattered into pieces, breathing heavily. Jack collapsed and rolled to her side. His hand covered her cheek. “You okay?”
She licked her lips and nodded. “That was…wonderful, Jack. Is it like this every time?”
He leaned on an elbow and slid a finger along her lower lip. “I hope it will be better next time.” He glanced at her belly. “Sorry for the mess. I’d better get you a rag to clean it up.”
She glanced down and dipped a finger into the sticky liquid coating her belly.
“Don’t move.” He rose and padded to the washstand, returning with a wet rag. “I pulled out to prevent pregnancy.” He wiped the rag across her, then pressed a dry towel on the spot.
She sighed and settled into the down pillow. Contentment crept over her. She longed to stay here with Jack but had to get back home.
****
After they’d dressed, Jack escorted Amanda to her parents’ house but left her at the door. He planted a chaste kiss on her swollen lips before she crept inside.
Back in his hotel room, he paced until dawn lit the sky. What the hell are you doing, Jack? If he was able to return to his time what would become of her?
And what if he’d left her pregnant, despite his precautions?
If her stepmother found out, or worse yet, her father, he’d be in it deep. They’d probably demand he stay and marry their daughter. And even if she wasn’t pregnant and he returned without her, how could he live with the memory of what he’d lost?
He ran a hand through his tousled hair. Despite what he’d told Erin, he’d find a way to take Amanda with him. He had no choice now. He was head over heels in love with a long-dead woman.
Chapter Fourteen<
br />
The following day, Amanda sat at the long table in the outer office of the paper, doodling on her pad. She couldn’t concentrate on the story she worked on. The image of Jack’s naked body and what they’d done in his room threatened to send her into a swoon. She longed to run over to his hotel room.
Miss Carson sauntered into the room carrying a stack of paper. Her scandalously rouged lips formed into a pout, dark eyes narrowed as she gazed at Amanda.
“Is there a problem, Miss Carson?” Amanda asked.
“Mr. Norwood’s told me about that rake, Mr. Lawton, who was staying with your family for a bit.”
“What?” Amanda spun in her chair to face the curvy secretary. “What is Randolph saying about him?”
The woman leaned forward, her lips near Amanda’s ear. Her cloying scent caused a tickle in Amanda’s nose. She fought back the urge to sneeze.
“Mr. Norwood says Mr. Lawton is not who he claims to be.” She nodded as if revealing a tantalizing secret.
Amanda bristled. “Why would he say such a thing?” A trace of fear sent shivers down her back. What could he have uncovered about Jack’s background?
The secretary shrugged. “He didn’t say but must know something about the man.”
Amanda scowled. “Is Mr. Norwood in his office?”
Miss Carson lifted a hand to her throat. “Why, yes?”
Amanda stood, her face heating. “Then I’ll just see exactly what he knows.” She strode to the door, the secretary on her heels.
“Miss Montgomery, I don’t think he’d appreciate you barging in…”
Before the woman could finish the sentence, Amanda pushed open Randolph’s door.
Miss Carson gasped. “I’m sorry, Mr. Norwood. She insisted on seeing you.” She backed away. Amanda faced Randolph.
He peered over his spectacles and frowned. “Is there a problem, Amanda?”
She strode into the office and stood over his desk. Propping her hands on her hips, she drew in a breath. “What do you know about Mr. Lawton that you’re spreading all over town?”
“Ah…” Randolph motioned for her to take a seat.
She gathered her skirts and perched on the edge of the chair closest to the desk.
He propped his elbows on the desk top and laced his fingers. “So you want to know what I’ve learned about your friend, Mr. Jack Lawton.”
Thoroughly Modern Amanda Page 10