“Take me, Lex,” she begged him. “Make me yours again.”
“No,” he growled. Then he turned her and kissed her. Not hard. It was a gentle kiss full of longing and a different kind of need. “Make me yours, Jillian.”
He sat and leaned into the chair. She knew he was doing this for her. Her throat tightened with an emotion she couldn’t explain. All she knew was she was going to love him. This once, she was going to shower him with tenderness. She lowered herself, taking him in slowly.
He hissed, eyelids dropping as though to hide his reaction. Foolish man. She could feel the shudders that rocked his body. He stretched her and filled her completely. Like he was built just for her.
He cupped her face. “So beautiful. All mine.”
Jillian ignore the “all mine” and started doing her belly dancer move. He kissed her mouth and played with her nipples as she rocked and loved him. She’d never given a lap dance, but there was always a first time. This kind was much more fun.
Soon it wasn’t enough. She moved faster and faster. Their bodies moving in perfect unison, slick skin speaking to slick skin, lips locked to muffle their moans. She felt him grow thicker and harder, if that were possible.
She tore her mouth from his and whispered, “I’m coming, Lex. Come with me. Please.”
“I’m with you, babe,” he growled, his voice rough with arousal.
They pushed and strained, and when the eruption swept through her, he was there with her, kissing her and swallowing her cries. Her inner muscles tightened around his shaft, milking him dry.
They stayed locked in each other’s arms, her cheek resting on his shoulder. She never wanted to move.
~*~
“Do you think they heard us?” Jillian whispered.
“Yep.”
She leaned back to check whether he was joking or not. “No way.”
“You’re loud.” She glared at him. “And this heap of crap doesn’t muffle sounds. Now do you see why we need to get you a new one?”
“Oh, you think you’re so slick.” She tried to ease off him, but he wrapped his arms around her. He wasn’t ready to let her go yet. “I thought you were hungry.”
“I’d rather eat—”
She covered his mouth. He was already hardening inside her. He had a ferocious sexual appetite, and in her, he’d found his perfect match. The missing piece in his life.
“Let me paraphrase that,” she said. “I’m hungry, and Chris will eventually want to use his trailer, scrap or not. Can we go now?”
“Give me a moment.” He kissed her, then her breasts, loving the way her breath caught and her pussy muscles tightened around him. He wanted her again. He hoped it would always be like this between them. He loved the way she responded to his touch, the way she could take charge, then give in to him. How she was never afraid to show she wanted him. But all that meant nothing if he couldn’t earn her trust. Without trust, there was no chance of her loving him.
As for what he felt for her, he wasn’t sure what it was. Love. Obsession. He just knew he couldn’t imagine life without her.
While she got dressed and reapplied her makeup, he pulled out his cell phone and called Paula. He wasn’t sure whether his instructions were coherent because he was busy watching Jillian through the mirror. She was so exquisite.
She reached inside her bag and pulled out the jewelry box with the gift he’d given her this morning. He braced himself, sure that she was going to return it. Was he wrong to want to drape her in the finest clothes and shower her with gifts?
“You win,” she said, turning around to face him. “I won’t fight you over gifts.” She opened the box to reveal the Blue Nile signature diamond tennis bracelet set in platinum he’d handpicked in St. Martin. “You said the bracelet reminded you of me. Why?”
“It’s beautiful and fragile, yet it’s made of the strongest element in the world.” He lifted the bracelet from its satin bed and snapped it around her wrist. “Just like you. You are strong, driven, and resolute, yet you’re also delicate. Fragile.” He stroked her hand. “You have the gentlest of hearts.”
She gawked at him. He was amazed she didn’t realize what a gem she was. If only she could see herself through his eyes. From the way she’d defended Margo to her protectiveness toward Chris Lander and the older actress she was talking to earlier, the goodness in her shone through. He couldn’t wait until he was the focus of her love and devotion.
He raised her hand to his lips. “And one day, I hope you’ll trust me enough to accept the fact that I’m always right about everything.”
She laughed. “Like I said, a serious god complex. Let’s go. I’m starving.” She reached for her bag and grabbed his hand.
Outside, the people around the set were eating. Barbs and her husband were having a heated discussion with a group of people at a table. She waved. Everyone at their table looked up, smiled, and nodded. He’d met most of them this morning. Jillian had been working with them for months, yet they totally ignored her. That pissed him off.
He was a businessman and knew you treated all employees with respect, from the heads of departments to the blue-collar construction workers. They all did honest work and were all part of what made a project work. These same scriptwriters and directors would come begging Jillian to fund their movies once she had millions at her disposal.
She stared straight ahead, head held high, completely indifferent to their attitude. Or maybe she knew, but was better at hiding her reaction. She amazed him. Made him feel like the luckiest man in the world. There was so much about her he wanted to learn, so many facets of her he had yet to discover, but he was a patient man. He’d waited this long to find her, he’d wait some more, until she saw him as the man meant to love her.
Her expression changed when they reached Chris and his stunt crew. The group was more boisterous and waved to her. The lead actor, Keith the Aussie, was with them. His mother had mentioned the actor in passing when they’d talked earlier this morning. Apparently, he did his own stunts and knew how to charm older women.
“You did good, kiddo,” one of the guys called out.
“Yeah, nice jump,” a woman added. The rest nodded, some clapping.
Laughing, Jillian gave them a thumbs-up. “No, you guys made it happen. Nice pyros, P.K. Didn’t feel a thing.”
A black guy who looked like a linebacker stood and bowed. “Thanks, kiddo. I try.”
“See you guys on Monday.” She gestured “call me” to Chris.
Lex whisked her away. It was obvious she was closer to the stunt crew than the rest of the people around the set. It just bugged the crap out of him that people like Jillian made the actions in the movies seem authentic yet weren’t accorded the respect they deserved. Any idiot could memorize lines and squeeze a tear. It took talent and hard work to do stunts.
Jillian looked around when they reached the parking lot, confusion on her face. “I don’t see the Phantom.”
“That’s because we’re not using it.”
“Is Mathews picking us…?” her voice trailed off when she saw the two bikes—his Road King was right beside the new Leeds Low Rider. She laughed, glanced at him, at the bike, and back at him. “It’s beautiful. Is it… mine?” she whispered, awe in her voice.
He hated to disappoint her, but… “No.”
“Oh.” Her reaction didn’t surprise him. She touched the surface as though to prove it was real. From the handlebars to the wheel, she traced the chrome and leather. “What do you call it?”
“Leeds LR, Low Rider.” He put the keys in her hand. “Eddie wants to know what you think.”
She glanced up. “You mean I get to test ride it?”
He grinned at her expression. “Unless it’s uncomfortable.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m not that sore.”
“Then you can ride it back to the city. No stunts or detours to see how it reacts to wheelies. The LR is designed for urban areas. That’s a prototype, so treat it with care.”
/>
She shot him a look as though to say “I intend to” and straddled the bike. “What engine did he use? What’s the fuel injection, the torque, the gear ratios…? Oh, I’ll need to check the right and left angle lean and how high—”
“Whoa, slow down, sweetheart.” He shook his head. “I can’t answer any of your questions, but I’m sure you will after you ride it.”
Jillian started the engine, her eyes closing as though bonding with it. From the look on her face, a bike would have made a much better gift than the diamond bracelet. Maybe Eddie could custom-make one just for her. It would make for a nice wedding present.
He handed her the helmet. “Follow me.”
She grabbed the lapels of his jacket, stood, and kissed him. Now that was the kind of reaction a man could get used to.
Surprisingly, she stayed behind him all the way to Dublin House. He learned something new about her—give her what she wanted and she played nice. Not that he wanted niceness from her. She was perfect the way she was. Still, he stored away that revelation with the few things he’d learned about her.
During the elevator ride, all she talked about was the LR’s performance. He only heard half of what she said, preferring to soak in the nuances of her voice. He wasn’t sure whether she took voice lessons before heading to Hollywood—he hadn’t read her resume yet—or whether it was her way of enunciating certain words that appealed to his senses.
Lex enjoyed his bike. Loved the freedom that came with riding after being cooped up indoors at board meetings, in his car, the jet, or his office. He didn’t live and breathe bikes like Jillian and Eddie, but he understood passion. Jillian might love doing stunts, but she had a serious love affair with bikes.
Upstairs, a tray with covered plates waited for them on the kitchen counter. He lifted the silver dome-shaped lids and smiled. Paula never disappoints.
Jillian looked around. “Where’s Douglas? Is he feeling better?”
“No, but my assistant has been taking care of him. Would you like something to drink?”
“Water is fine.” She placed her jacket and purse on the counter. “Can I check on him?”
“I’m sure he’d like that, but first…” He dialed Eddie’s number as he retrieved bottled water from the fridge and handed it her. He spoke briefly with Eddie before offering the phone to Jillian. “Eddie wants to hear your verdict.”
Uncertainty flickered in Jillian’s eyes. “Are you sure? What do I tell him?”
“Everything you told me.” She still hesitated. Her reluctance surprised him. “Believe me, he’ll appreciate whatever feedback you give him.”
She scowled.
“I don’t do bike talk,” he added. “I had to listen to you go on and on about LR. I was this close to kissing you just to shut you up.”
Her jaw dropped. She snatched the phone and pointed it at him, eyes promising retribution. He grinned as she disappeared into the living room. With the right choice of words, he’d gotten his tigress back.
Lex removed the lids from the plates and took inventory of their lunch. Jillian’s voice rose and fell from the living room. Eddie was probably wishing he hadn’t asked for her opinion. Or not, Lex decided as she laughed. Her voice faded and sounds followed as though she’d slid open the deck door and closed it.
He followed her with the tray, but Jillian had taken the stairs and was by the door leading to Douglas’ quarters. The pool deck had two levels, the semi-circular patio hugging the wall of his living room and the lower deck by Douglas’s place. A set of steps connected the two decks and ran along the wall of the pool. A security glass wall surrounded the entire deck, allowing the occupants to enjoy the view without worrying about falling down the side of the building. A second set of steps connected the lower deck to the helipad. An electronically controlled gate at the top of the stairs gave added security.
Lex sipped water and stared at the city while waiting for Jillian to join him. She’d disappeared into Douglas’ apartment and hadn’t come out. He was starving. He checked his watch. Good thing they had the whole afternoon and night. His mother had changed their meeting to tomorrow because she suddenly had a meeting she couldn’t miss. Lex had a feeling she was plotting something with his sister and cousins.
“You have a beautiful home, Lex,” Jillian said, coming up the stairs. “From what I’ve seen anyway.”
“Thank you. It was one of my first buildings. I’ll give you the tour after lunch.” He pulled out a chair and waited until she sat before asking, “What did Eddie say?”
A beatific smile curled her lips. “He wanted to know if he could hire me to test all his bikes.”
“And?”
“I told him I’d think about it.”
His wife the bike-tester. He could live with that. It definitely was safer than jumping from burning buildings. He shuddered, remembering her free-fall while on fire.
He took the seat across from her, and they dug in. They didn’t speak until half the turkey and shrimp salad croissant sandwiches were gone. Lex paused just before he took his next bite, remembering her earlier reaction to the phone call to his cousin.
“How come you have no problem telling me what you think about Leeds bikes but you didn’t want to talk to Eddie?”
“I know you.” She leaned back against her chair and gave him a look that sent heat straight to his groin. “You can take whatever I dish out and still beg for more.”
Lex choked on his drink. She grinned, then angled her head as though listening to something. Her eyes went to the partially opened door. “That’s my phone. Excuse me.”
She disappeared inside. The next second he heard her yell, “No! Why?”
Lex shot to his feet at the anger in her voice and entered the house.
“He can’t do that,” she added. “We’ll see about that. I’m coming. Yes, Ricky. Right now. I don’t care what Cian thinks.”
Annoyance flashed through Lex. He’d cleared his calendar to spend the afternoon with her and she was leaving? And who the hell were Ricky and Cian?
He opened his mouth to ask her what was going on, but the words died on his lips when she turned off the phone, covered her face, and whispered, “This is all my fault. I should have taken care of those bastards.”
The anguish in her voice hit Lex hard. His annoyance disappeared as his need to protect took over. He cleared his throat, and she whipped around. The pain in her eyes cut him deeply. It took all his willpower to stay where he was and speak in a neutral voice.
“Is everything okay?”
CHAPTER 13
Jillian wasn’t sure how much of her one-sided conversation Lex had heard. She picked up her jacket and shrugged it on.
“A bunch of local thugs broke into my father’s house. He’s recovering from a heart attack and now…” Her voice broke. She wished she could tell him everything. “I have to go.”
“Talk to me, Jillian,” he said.
“There’s nothing to talk about.” She sucked at lying and couldn’t meet his eyes. She stared at his throat instead. “Can I, uh, borrow the Low Rider?”
He shook his head, and her eyes flew to his. Anger brewed in the depths of his gray eyes, and she flinched. Was he angry with her? She wouldn’t blame him. He was paying her to be his girlfriend and make their relationship look real, and here she was leaving.
“Look, I know you have a right to be angry because I’m supposed to spend today with you, but I didn’t plan this. I’ll call my brother—”
“You don’t need to do that. And no, Jillian. I’m not angry because you have to go. I wish you’d trust me. That’s all. I’m not letting you ride because you’re in no state to do so. I’m taking you.”
“Oh. Okay. Thanks.” She reached for her bag, aware that he was still watching her. She glanced up, and their eyes met. “Uh, could I also take the money with me?”
“Sure.” He turned and brought his phone to his ear. “I need Mathews on the helipad. Not now, Paula. Thank you.”
J
illian watched him like a hawk, waiting for him to leave. She didn’t know the layout of his penthouse, just the kitchen, living room, and how to get in and out of Douglas’ place. But since he occupied the entire floor and the rooms were humongous, she hoped he’d be gone long enough for her to make a call.
As soon as he disappeared around the corner, she called Chris.
“Dad is selling everything to pay off those thugs and disbanding the troupe,” she said, moving toward the deck.
“What? When?”
“Ricky just called me. The Armenians went to the house again and vandalized it. Sophia was at home, Chris. Can you imagine how scared she was? I want to hurt those bastards.”
“Don’t do anything stupid, Jillian.”
“Dad didn’t deserve this, Chris. Yes, he made a bad decision. And yes, he should give back the money he owes plus interest, but these ass-hats victimize people. Sophia will probably need therapy to deal with this. Ricky is so pissed. Cian didn’t want me called in, but I’m going anyway and taking the money to them.”
“No, Jillian. Talk to Fitzgerald.”
“This is not his problem. He doesn’t interact with thugs, Chris.” She didn’t want him to look at her like she was trash. Then something else occurred to her and her heart dropped. “Worse, if they know of our connections, they could easily go after him. I couldn’t live with myself if they did that.”
Chris sighed. “You’re overthinking this. My suggestion is a business transaction, and he has people who do these things for him. Talk to him, Jill.”
Footsteps alerted her before Lex entered the living room with a duffel bag. “I have to go, Chris.”
“Trust him,” Chris added.
Jillian hung up and started for the foyer, but Lex cupped her elbow and directed her toward the deck. “We’re taking the helicopter.”
“We don’t have a helipad near my house,” she protested.
He chuckled. “Mathews can land anywhere. Your backyard. Front yard. The driveway.”
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