Impulse

by E. B. Walters

  No, it was time for the pity-fest to stop. Time to face the world and get her ass home. She had work tomorrow. Her stomach growled. She needed food and clean clothes, especially underwear. She’d used her spare pair already.

  The thought of going to her place and getting some had filled her with dread. Not anymore. Yes, her home was filled with family mementos—pictures and presents they’d given her—but she planned to box them and put them in storage until she decided what to do with them.

  “Good morning,” Lex said, and Jillian whipped around.

  Her stomach flipped and flopped, a behavior she now associated with Lex. The urge to walk into his arms and never let go washed over her, but she squashed it. Despite the fact that he’d taken care of her, she was here on a job. The line between reality and illusion was blurring, and it was his fault. He should stop treating her like she was his real girlfriend.

  “Or is it another bad morning?” he added.

  His attempt at humor was sweet, and he came bearing a gift. Coffee. Her senses celebrated at the thought of caffeine.

  “It’s a perfect morning,” she said. Her hand went to her hair when he continued to study her. She knew she wasn’t at her best, but he’d seen her at her worst the last couple of days. Still, self-consciousness hit her. “Thanks for everything. Taking care of me while I, uh…”

  “Coped with a painful situation,” he finished. He tucked lock of stray hair behind her ear. “How are you feeling?”

  “Better, but I think I’ve outstayed my welcome and should go home,” she whispered.

  He shook his head. “No.”

  “Yes. This is not my home, Lex. I need clean clothes.”

  “This is your future home, and I have a better idea.” He took the chair beside the bed and tugged her down to his lap. “We’re going shopping.”

  Jillian was not in the mood to start on her Mrs. Fitzgerald trousseau. She shook her head. “Future temporary home, and no, we’re not. I have nothing to wear except your T-shirts.”

  “I love seeing you in my shirts, but I have something better.” He lifted her up and dumped her on the bed unceremoniously, then grinned when Jillian sputtered with indignation. He disappeared into his walk-in closet and came out holding the blue dress she’d worn to his mother’s party. On his other hand were the silk panties she couldn’t dry that night. With her ankle boots and leather jacket, she could make the outfit work. Too bad she couldn’t master enthusiasm to go with it.

  “Well?” Lex asked, placing the dress on the bed by her side.

  After all he’d done, she owed him. “I guess we’re going shopping.” She extended her hand for the panties, but he shoved them in his pocket. “What are you doing?”

  “I’m keeping these for now.”

  Jillian was not in the mood for games. “Lex.”

  “Come on, breakfast is waiting.” He whistled as he left the bedroom.

  She glared after him. Cruising commando was something she did when she was in a playful mood or feeling frisky. Sex was the last thing on her mind.

  She showered and pulled on the dress. Then she remembered her other clothes. She’d left them near the tub on Thursday evening. Jillian checked every cupboard and drawer in the bathroom and came up blank.

  “Where are my clothes, Alexander?” she asked, entering the kitchen, and saw Douglas. Warmth rushed to her face. “Morning, Douglas.”

  “Morning, Miss. Jillian. How are you feeling?”

  “Good.” She hadn’t seen him since Thursday. He looked better. “And you?”

  “Well rested. Breakfast will be ready in five minutes.”

  “Oh, thanks. Have you seen a pair of jeans and a turquoise shirt? I left them by the tub, but they’re missing.”

  “They are in the washer and won’t be ready for another hour.”

  Jillian blew out air. She could either get her panties from Lex or go without. That man. She could kill him. “Where is he?”

  Douglas’ expression didn’t change at her tone. “Mr. Fitzgerald is on the patio.”

  She thanked him and left the kitchen, but Lex wasn’t on the patio. Water splashing drew her attention, and she headed toward the pool. Where were the pants he’d worn earlier? They were nowhere near the pool, and he hadn’t changed in the bedroom. Was there a changing room near the pool? He’d never got around to giving her a tour.

  She marched to the edge of the pool and watched him. He was swimming freestyle, his strokes perfect. Was there anything he wasn’t good at?

  Jillian tilted her head as she studied him. He swam the way he made love. Precise. Effortless. Warmth pooled low in her stomach. It had been days since they’d had sex. She missed the taste of him. The way he made her feel when they kissed and touched. She imagined pulling off her dress and joining him in the pool.

  Lex pulled up to the edge and looked up. “Ready already?”

  “Where are my panties?”

  He grinned. “You mean my souvenir?”

  She rolled her eyes. “I can’t walk around in broad daylight without panties in this dress, Lex.”

  “Buy a pair at our first stop.” He floated backward, looking boyish and carefree when she wanted to neuter him. “You’ll thank me later.”

  “How about we forget about shopping and I join you in the pool?” She reached down and pulled off a boot.

  “Why not? I’m sure Douglas is going to enjoy the view.” He rolled over and continued toward the other end of the pool.

  Jillian growled. He could be so annoying sometimes. She grabbed her boot and stomped back into the house, imagining all sorts of painful, humiliating torture on Lex’s perfect ass.

  “Is everything okay, Ms. Jillian?”

  She made a face. “Nope. I want to strangle him. Have you seen the sweatpants he wore earlier?”

  Douglas didn’t crack a smile. “No, but they might be in the laundry or the changing room.” He pointed at the short hallway off the kitchen.

  “Thank you.” She’d known there was a changing room somewhere. Lex really ought to give her a tour. Or she could just explore. The sweats weren’t in the laundry room.

  “Looking for something?” Lex asked, and she whipped around. He stood in the doorway with a smug smile. His swimsuit hugged his hips and other yummy parts of him, which stirred under her gaze.

  Her eyes flew to his, her face warm. “Just exploring your beautiful home. Now go away.”

  “If you take them, you’ll miss out on a wonderful surprise.” He walked away while Jillian debated what to do. Damn, now she was curious. He knew just what to say to get her all worked up.

  Jillian left the laundry room and entered the changing room. There was a shower, a sauna, and a steam room. A door led to the patio. Lex’s sweats were on a peg and her silkies right where he’d put them. Jillian debated with herself, then shoved them back in the pocket of the pants and left the room.

  When Lex joined her, she was done with breakfast and was chatting with Douglas. Lex cocked an eyebrow, but she didn’t give him the satisfaction of confessing. In fact, she completely ignored him and continued to discuss various cuisines with Douglas. But the naughty billionaire hated to be ignored.

  He walked to her side, lifted her chin, and kissed her. And it wasn’t an innocent peck either. It was more like I-know-you’re-naked-under-that-dress-and-I-want-you-now. When he lifted his head, Jillian stared at him in a daze. He really was an amazing kisser.

  “Thank you,” he said, and she realized she’d spoken her thoughts. She didn’t care. “We should get going,” he added.

  He could have said “jump off my balcony” and she would have been halfway down to the pavement before she got her wits back.

  Jillian didn’t know whether she wished Douglas goodbye because she came back to her senses in the elevator. The smile on Lex’s lips said he knew he had her. With a kiss. When had she become so easy?

  “The surprise had better be worth this,” she said.

  “You’ll let me know once you hav
e them.”

  Despite his words, she saw concern in his eyes. He was worried about her. Jillian looked down at their clasped hands and reached a conclusion. The entire panties-stealing incident had been Lex’s attempt to get her mind off her family problems and he’d succeeded. She was once more focused on them.

  Her heart warmed. For the first time since she’d agreed to his crazy proposal, Jillian wished their relationship was real and they had no contract hanging over their heads.

  She also made a decision. Keeping the truth about her family from Lex was pointless. The man was going to be her husband for a year. She’d told him he must ask her father for her hand in marriage and convince her family he loved her. Her family was no longer in the equation. He’d want to know why.

  “Stop the elevator,” she said.

  Lex did without asking why, then peered at her. “What is it?”

  “My father’s business was going downhill, so he made unwise investments…” Oh who the hell am I kidding? “He borrowed money from a local Armenian loan shark. The man wants his money back, but Dad doesn’t have it. I offered him the three-fifty I got from you, but he refused to take it. Told me he didn’t need my money.” Her tongue tripped as she tried to get everything out before she chickened out. “He said I wasn’t really his daughter, just someone he raised because he married my mother. He also said…” Her voice shook to a stop. Thursday’s scene flashed in her head, and her throat closed. When she continued, her voice came out shaky and squeaky. “He said he never really adopted me, so I’m not a Finnegan. Ricky begged him to stop. He and I have always been close. Cian, my other brother, often goes with whatever Dad says, but this once I wished…” Jillian blinked to stop the tears. “I wish he’d have said something. Anything. He just stood there. He’s my big brother, and I always looked up to him. My cousins, Des and Aiden…” She shook her head. “They’ve always been scared of Dad. Elena, Cian’s wife, never liked me anyway, so I knew she was laughing on the inside. Ginger has always been scared of Dad, so I didn’t expect anything from her, but Uncle Row…”

  She stopped again to control her emotions and, for the first time, glanced at Lex. Color had drained from his face, but his eyes burned with fury. Instead of focusing on the tight squeeze of her heart and the pain, she reached for his hand and squeezed tight as though to take his anger away.

  “The bottom line is my father didn’t want my money,” she continued when she could speak again. “He told me to never step inside his house again.”

  Color rushed back to Lex’s cheeks. Gray eyes became molten and darkened to mercury-gray. He raised her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

  “I’m sorry you had to go through that alone, sweetheart. If I’d known, I would have come inside with you to explain.” He peered into her eyes. “I’ve seen how parent’s react negatively to decisions their children make. It causes unnecessary pain and suffering. Your father will one day learn that your decisions are your own, whether he approves of them or not. Since I’m partly responsible, I’d like to pay your father a visit and explain.”

  Jillian blinked, confused. “What my father said has nothing to do with you, Lex.”

  “I disagree. I came up with the proposal. Your father must have found out how you got the money and got angry.”

  She stared at him, her mind processing his words at a slower pace. Could he be right? Why hadn’t she thought of that? Her father’s behavior, his words, and demeanor all pointed at disappointment. He’d learned that she was getting paid to be a fake wife. Throw in the pictures in the tabloids, and he’d probably concluded she’d sold her body as well. Since he couldn’t say all that in front of the family, he’d hidden behind never adopting her or only marrying her mother so she could be part of the troop. He’d adored her mother. Could this be just a big misunderstanding and once she explained, things could go back to normal?

  “Do you really think so?” Jillian asked, desperately seeking his affirmation, not caring that she sounded needy and insecure.

  “Yes.” The way he said it left no doubt in her mind.

  “You’re a genius,” Jillian said. She wiggled her hand free from Lex’s and threw her arms around his neck. “If we weren’t in the elevator, I’d…” She kissed him, pouring all her yearning and gratitude into the kiss.

  When she lifted her head, Lex was the one with a dopey expression and his erection was pressing against her. “Don’t stop,” he growled.

  They reached for each other, lips locked, hands all over the place. Years of gymnastics came to her rescue as he lifted her and pinned her against the mirrored wall. She braced herself on his shoulders while her heels found their footing on the edge of the cherry wood paneling. She was already wet from the kiss he’d given her upstairs.

  “I’ve missed you,” he whispered, one arm sliding around her waist for more support while the other went to work. He slid a finger inside her, and her muscles welcomed the invasion. He added a second. “The feel of you. The taste. The sounds you make.”

  “Yes… Oh God. Yes.” That thing he did with his fingers. She moved away from his hand as though to escape the intensity of the sensations, but he wasn’t letting her go. Her dressed inched up, until her butt cheeks pressed on the cold mirror. Heat in front, cold glass in the back, her senses couldn’t take it. “Now, Lex.”

  “Say, please,” he teased.

  She refused to play his mind games. He wanted this as much as she did. Gripping his head, she kissed him and rocked against his hand. She was so close.

  His fingers slid out of her, making her want to scream. How could he leave her hanging like that? She bit his lower lip in retaliation. He groaned and kissed her hard, until she tasted his blood. She soothed the cut on his lip with her tongue, but he wasn’t ready to play nice.

  He gripped his erection and rubbed the velvet tip around her labia, deliberately delaying their joining. Maybe teaching her a lesson. Patience had never been one of her virtues, especially when she wanted something. Needed to be whole again.

  “Please,” she begged, not caring anymore. He had her.

  “Look at me,” he growled.

  Their eyes locked. He lifted her higher, positioning her so her legs were over his arms and his grip was firm on her butt cheeks. Not breaking eye contact, he entered her slowly. Her body crumbled as an orgasm rippled through her.

  He went still until the wave passed.

  “I love it when you do that,” he whispered.

  “I don’t do it,” she gasped as he slowly withdrew and sunk into her. “My body does. Only with you.” She wasn’t coherent, and the sensations pulsing through her made hearing impossible because he mumbled something and she didn’t catch it.

  Her precarious position made it impossible for her to move freely, putting her completely at his mercy. Physically. Emotionally. Mentally. He didn’t change his tempo, and his eyes didn’t waver from hers.

  This was different. Usually they were like a rollercoaster, building momentum at a crazy pace, then hurtling into space, hearts pounding, lips locked, and hands everywhere. This…

  Oh my. It was sensual. A dance of love. The gentleness in his eyes that said he was there for her. That it was okay to let go and trust him. That he would be there to cushion her fall when her world exploded. This was making love. That he was doing this to her in an elevator was so typical of him. He was always doing the unexpected. Throwing her off balance.

  She felt exposed and vulnerable, yet she loved it. Loved seeing his every expression as he slid in and out of her. The sensations were overwhelming. The pleasure built up, slowly, yet it consumed every cell in her body. Her lungs burned. Her heart swelled. She knew she was never going to recover from this. Knew and welcomed it.

  When she thought she couldn’t take it anymore, he took it to another level, rolling his hips, letting her see his pleasure, the vulnerability in his eyes. They said he needed her. It didn’t matter whether it was just for the moment. She felt it. Saw it. Her eyes welled, and w
ith it came the need to hide.

  “Don’t close your eyes,” he begged as he continued the slow, sensual torture. He was relentless. He gave her everything she’d ever wanted.

  Tears raced down Jillian’s face as her world exploded. He groaned her name and joined her. They stayed locked in each other arms, their breathing heavy, mirrors foggy from their heat, hearts beating in perfect unison.

  CHAPTER 16

  Jillian was still trying to find her balance when Lex pulled up outside Noelle Lingerie, a store a few blocks from the Beverly Center. The shops on the street were still closed.

  “You do know we have to wait for an hour,” Jillian said. She’d shopped on this street often enough to know the stores opened at noon on a Sunday.

  Lex chuckled. “Before and after hours are the best times to shop.”

  He jumped out of the car and came around to open the door for her. As though she’d just been waiting for them, a tall, skinny brunette with an asymmetrical hair-do opened the main entrance and waved.

  “Good morning, Mr. Fitzgerald, Ms. Finnegan,” she said. Her focus stayed on Jillian. “It’s nice to finally meet you. I hope you’re feeling better today.”

  How the heck did she know her name? Tabloids of course. Jillian cringed, then the rest of the woman’s words registered.

  “Yes, I am.” She glanced at Lex. Had he been forced to tell people she was ill?

  “Mona was supposed to bring samples to the house, but I canceled the session because you were otherwise occupied,” he explained, then smiled at the woman. “Thanks for coming in early today, Mona.”

  Occupied must be the new self-pity fest. Before Jillian could process the idea of the woman coming to the house, Lex ushered her into the store. Preferential treatment must come with living in his world.

  She soaked in the ambience and tried to act like she shopped there all the time. Sure, she could splurge with the best of them when it came to sexy lingerie, but there was no way she’d spend a thousand dollars on a Noelle chemise and bikini set. Their lines were sexy and feminine, silk with delicate Chantilly lace and handmade embroideries. Rumor had it that the silk came from an indigenous worm on an island in the West Indies and the local tribe only traded with the Noelle family.