“Not quite,” he said, not wanting to give her an inch to dance on. “Let me spell the situation out for you. Some maniac took an axe to Nan’s guestroom and left you a colorful note. “AJ is a bitch” was written in red paint on the wall and red paint was splattered all over like a blood bath.”
“Nan?” The color drained from Alexi’s face and he cursed himself for dumping the worst of it out so bluntly.
“Nan’s fine.” Moving to the sofa, he sat and pulled Alexi into his lap. She buried her face against his shoulder and he held her. “When I spoke to her this morning, she said that Shakespeare is pissed that his tail is red. Lexi, whoever is doing this is sick, and they’re after you.”
He pulled her tighter against him, feeling a sting of tears in his eyes. “And thank God he didn’t get to you. You have no idea what I went through, how I felt when I got to Nan’s and saw the room and wondered if you’d been taken. God, it could have so easily been your blood splattered everywhere—”
Alexi placed her fingers against his lips. “Shh. It wasn’t. It’s all right. I’m sorry, okay?”
Jesse blinked at the emotion gripping him. “It will never be okay, as long as you’re in jeopardy,” he said looking into her eyes. “Why did you leave, Lex? What did I do?”
She started to climb off his lap and he pulled her back. “Why did you run, Lexi?”
“I can’t tell you. I had to, okay?”
“No, damn it. It isn’t okay. You owe me an explanation.”
“I left because everything became too much.”
He waited for her to say more and she didn’t. “Too much what? Too much sex? Too much company? What?”
“Can’t you just accept that?” She pushed up from his lap and faced him, her hair in wild disarray, her lips kissably swollen from their lovemaking, her expression sad.
“No, I won’t let this go. You weren’t a prisoner, so why did you run like one?”
“You aren’t going to leave me with anything left. Don’t you understand?” She inhaled, as if to brace herself and his gut tightened. “It’s you who became too much,” she said. “You mean more to me than just a good time. I want more from you than just sex. I fell in love with you twelve years ago and this week has shown me that I still am.”
Shit. Jesse sprang up from the couch and paced across the room. Love. She loved him? Hell. He felt as if something had grabbed him by the throat and shaken him. “Listen, Lex, this love stuff is— you’re confusing sex with love.”
“No,” she said sharply, her green eyes sparking with anger and something deeper, passion. “I know what you think and you’re wrong. You were wrong in the past and you’re wrong now. This feeling inside me goes beyond getting my needs met. I think complacency is a getting-your-needs met feeling. Love is something more. It asks for more and it gives more. It gives and demands passion. What I feel for you and what you feel for me is beyond complacent. But I don’t think you can admit that.”
That pissed him off. Why did she think he was here? Fun and games? He marched over to stare into her eyes. “I chased you halfway around the world and you don’t think I care?”
She shook her head. “No. I know you care.”
“Is that caring not good enough, because it’s not wrapped in a fancy label?”
“You know better than that.”
“Then what do you want? We’re seeing where this road we’re on goes. You’re staying with me until we eliminate the threat to you. Can you tell me you’re ready to declare everlasting love and walk down the aisle to wedded bliss tomorrow?”
Alexi froze in mid step as Jesse’s question echoed around her. No, her mind screamed through her emotions even as her heart wondered if Jesse had just asked her to marry him. She knew Jesse in a way she’d never known Roger, and knew that she loved Jesse, but she still needed time to reassure herself about how that love would work out. So what did she want from him? His actions had proved beyond any doubt that he cared for her.
Jesse watched the expressions on Alexi’s face. He could tell his question had caught her off guard. And he prayed like hell she wouldn’t turn to him and say yes to his question. Yeah, he’d just told her he cared and that was true. He’d figured that out in a heartbeat. But as for how much and how far that caring went, he wasn’t ready to say. He walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her. “Isn’t being together enough for now, Lex?”
“Yes,” she said, then exhaled as if she’d unexpectedly come to the edge of a cliff and had safely backed away before falling. At least that’s exactly how he felt, but he had no illusions. That cliff would come again and he hoped by then their relationship would have cooled enough to let her go.
* * *
Alexi awoke the next morning to find Jesse watching her. His expression wasn’t sleepy but brooding. “Good morning,” he said gruffly.
She smiled and touched the crease in his brow. “Good morning. What are you thinking?”
“What any man’s going to think with a naked woman in his bed,” he said reaching for her. She laughed and rolled away. “Liar, I know that look in your eyes and that wasn’t it.”
“Maybe you’re too sleepy to tell. Now come here.” Something was different between them, she didn’t know what, but she could feel it. Jesse was quieter, more tense. Yesterday, she’d brushed off the change, thinking that they were both tired from a sleepless night spent flying and worrying.
“You have to catch me first.” She danced away and ducked into the bathroom, locking the door, and laughed at his frustrated growl.
“Lexi, let me in.”
“Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin.”
“So that’s the way you want to play. Beware. The Big Bad Wolf is going to eat you.”
Laughing, she didn’t bother to answer him, choosing to delve into the steamy spray of a shower and lavender bath gel. She’d barely relaxed when the shower curtain flew open and Jesse snatched her naked from the shower and slung her over his shoulder.
“What are you doing!” she yelled, trying to wiggle from his grasp even as she enjoyed the view of his firm butt and the feel of her breasts bouncing against his back. His hand rubbed over her bottom, lingering over the folds of her sex then he smacked one cheek slightly. “Hey!” she cried, surprised.
“The Big Bad Wolf is too hungry to play.”
“Jesse. Put me down,” she said, laughing. But he ignored her and kept walking. It wasn’t until she felt the heat of the sun on her ass and watched the floor turn from carpet to concrete that she realized he’d carried her out of the villa. “Jesse! Where are you going?”
“Outside. Where Big Bad Wolves devour succulent morsels.”
“But we’re naked!”
“The better to feed upon you, my dear.”
Before she could say anything else, he jumped into the pool. Crisply cool water tingled all over her body. She didn’t even have a chance to react before Jesse’s strong arms brought her up to the surface. Then he grasped her bottom and lifted her out of the water and set her on the slick tile at the pool’s rim. Spreading her legs wide, his mouth zeroed in on her sex.
“Jesse,” she sank her hands into his hair planning on pulling him off. But he pressed her legs further apart, and she had to release him and brace her hands on the tile to keep from falling back. Her heart pounded. And even as her gaze searched about the enclosed area of the villa’s pool to see if there was any way they could be seen, she knew she wouldn’t move from the heavenly lashing of his tongue.
Her orgasm came in a fast, furious rush. But he wasn’t finished. As soon as she came, he started in on her breasts. Lapping and sucking ravenously until her nipples were hard, aching points that he could pluck between his fingers as his mouth claimed hers in a deep kiss. She throbbed for more. “Jesse, let me feel you inside.”
“When the wolf has finished feasting,” he said, climbing out of the pool. He picked her up and carried her over to a makeshift bed he’d made out of lounge chair cushions and towels. The warm sun spread a lang
uorous heat over her body. He set her down, pushing her back on the cushions, and kneeling at her side, he renewed his assault on her breasts with tongue and teeth. She writhed with growing need. “Jesse, please.” Reaching for him, she wrapped her fingers around his erection and stroked his hot, velvety, hardness. He left her breasts and moved down her stomach, lying on his side as he grasped her hip, urging her to turn toward him. This placed his erection ripe for her to taste him. She closed her lips over him and sucked him into her mouth the same moment his tongue flicked her hot need and the thickness of several fingers slid inside of her. Her back arched and she swirled her tongue around and around him, drawing him deeper into her mouth. His lashing tongue moved faster and she could feel the rumble of his groans as she sucked harder. Then he pulled away from her and kneeled between her legs. His blue eyes were dark and burning. The bright sun deepened the darkness of his tanned skin and made him so elementally primal that she had no doubt his body would continue to devour hers until she had nothing left.
Jesse pulled Alexi’s hips onto his thighs and slid his hot erection into her wet heat, bucking her bottom higher off the cushions until she rested on her upper back. He lifted her legs to rest on his shoulders and pressed deeper inside of her, deeper than he’d ever remembered feeling. Then anchoring his hands on her hips, he hammered into her, determined to exorcise this consuming need he had for her. He wanted her naked, hot, and coming; and he planned to keep her that way all day. He moved one hand to press down on the rounded curve of her sex and slid his thumb over her clitoris, stroking her with his every thrust. She writhed against him; her hips bucking frantically as her breaths turned to rapid gasps so harsh her hard-nippled breasts quivered. She gazed at him, her sinner’s mouth open. Her eyes were a green well of desire and need and something deeper, something more than he ever wanted to see in a woman’s eyes. He wanted to shut his eyes, but couldn’t. Ever since she said she loved him, he’d felt as if she was crowding him, but he couldn’t seem to do anything but get deeper inside of her. This left him feeling dangerous and raw. He’d awakened this morning driven to push sex between them right up to the edge of madness as if he’d get her out of his system if he overdosed on her now.
Yet the emotional connection between them only flared hotter. He couldn’t shut his eyes, couldn’t focus on anything but her until he saw pleasure flush her face and her green gaze lose focus as she came. Only then could he shut his eyes and pretend he wasn’t as deep into Alexi as he was.
* * *
“Now comes the fun part,” Jesse said, holding up a bottle of tanning oil in one hand and champagne and a basket in the other.
Alexi, still luxuriating on the cushions in the sun, barely pried an eye open. “Didn’t we just have fun?”
“That was the appetizer.” He set his booty down and joined her on the cushion. Popping open the champagne, he fished a glass from the basket. “Sit up and drink up, Sunshine. You’re going to need some sustenance. We play today and dance tonight.” He handed her the champagne as she sat and then took the oil and began rubbing it on her back.
“What do you mean?” she asked, studying the gleam in his eyes.
“A date. You and me, tonight. I’ve booked us on a private dinner cruise with a band. I get my kisses today and you get your romance and dances tonight. As many as you want as long as you want. I’ll be all yours. It will be all about you.”
Alexi, leaned back and sipped the champagne, thinking that she really liked the idea of a date with Jesse. “We have a big problem. All I brought to wear was fishing gear.”
He grinned. “You’ll be receiving some gifts later today and I’m sure you’ll be able to make good use of them tonight. Right now I’m going to make use of this.” He held up a bottle of coconut oil and spread it across her shoulders.
Alexi didn’t want to look a gift horse in the mouth so to speak and her heart was very much touched by the lengths Jesse was going to express his care for her, yet the feeling that he was forcing himself to make everything perfect simmered beneath the surface. And maybe she was thinking too much, examining too deeply. Maybe she just needed to ease up and enjoy the ride for a while. Relaxing into him, she let her mind wander as the warmth of the sun and the magic of his hands transported her to heaven. It was amazing how comfortable she’d become in being naked. The villa’s walls enclosed them in their own Eden. White walls, potted trees and palms, a rock waterfall fed water into a blue tiled pool. Jesse slid his oiled hands all over her body and took the realm of touching and kneading to a whole new universe. By the time he’d finished, she’d had three full glasses of champagne and felt like she’d been delivered to heaven.
“Lex,” Jesse said, covering her breasts with his hands.
“Umm,” she murmured, not even bothering to open her eyes.
“Let me take your picture. Right now. Let me capture you bathed in sunlight like a goddess.”
She laughed. “Goddess of what?”
“Venus, Aphrodite, it doesn’t matter Alexandria, you’re all of them rolled into one. You don’t know how beautiful you are. Let me take your picture and show you how I see you.”
She smiled, enjoying her champagne buzz. “You’re serious.”
“Yes. Remember posing for me before, Sunshine? Let’s make that fantasy a reality just between you and me.”
She licked her lips and her heart sped. The word “no” sat on the tip of her tongue, but something inside kept her from uttering it just yet as she entertained the idea, the naughty feel of it. Jesse cupped her breasts, sliding his hands over her slick skin. “Just one, Lex,” he whispered in her ear.
“I don’t think—” he kissed her silent and slid his hand down and cupped her sex, making her tingle.
“Just one. Let me capture you as I see you.”
“Yes,” she breathed before she could change her mind.
“I’ll be right back.”
Alexi closed her eyes and waited, feeling a tiny decadent thrill edge to life inside of her. That Jesse thought her body inspiring enough to capture in a picture stroked something deep inside of her; made her feel just that little bit of naughty that turned her on.
She felt the coolness of Jesse’s shadow before she heard or saw him. The man had the ability to move as quietly as a cat. He took her hand. “I want you to stand over here so the waterfall is behind you.”
He led her to the edge of the pool. “Now turn your face up to the sun. Take your hands, thread them through your hair and lift it from the back of your neck. Arch your breasts so they’re begging Zeus to come down from Olympus and devour you.”
She laughed. “You’ve been in the sun too long.” Shaking her head and smiling, she did as he asked.
“Okay, that’s perfect, sunshine. Can I take your picture just like that?”
“Yes.” She felt decadent. She felt glorious. “But only if you’re going to leap in and save me before Zeus attacks.” She heard the camera click.
“I have a better idea. I’ll be Zeus.” Jesse came up and grabbed her and carted her away. Zeus wouldn’t be able to hold a candle to what happened next.
* * *
In the early hours of the morning, Alexi awoke from a restless sleep with more than her body aching from the day’s indulgence as watched Jesse sleeping. Her heart ached, not because things were terrible, or that they’d had a lousy date. No. It was just the opposite. Everything had been so good, so wonderful that it hurt to consider that any part of their relationship was temporary.
Before their date, she’d received the delivery of the sexiest, most elegant black dress she’d ever seen. Gold Weitzman shoes. Emerald earrings. Roses and Godiva chocolates, which Jesse threatened to leave out in the sun. The cruise had been a romantic dream come true as they’d dined and danced most of the night. She’d felt like Cinderella with Prince Charming until they’d taken a stroll in the moonlight on the upper deck of the ship and Jesse discovered that she hadn’t worn underwear. Then all bets of being a gentleman were off. His
fantasy of making love to her at a party with others not far away had become a reality and Alexi had to admit that she’d flown so high it would be years before she’d forget the experience.
But even though Jesse had been wonderful, there was still a change in him, a tense edge that seemed to be growing. She couldn’t decide if he was trying to prove to her how much he wanted her or if he was trying to prove it to himself. Either way, the obsessive pace of their lovemaking drove home that his following her here to France and her confession of love had only made things harder. It would be so much more painful to say goodbye when the time came. She almost wished that he hadn’t taken her on the cruise and was thankful that today she had to return to Savannah. Once home, there wouldn’t be any more time for dancing and romance because she had too many details to see about. The art auction was only two days away.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Champagne flowed and people, dressed in their finest tuxedos and sequins, satins and silks, all mingled throughout the art auction’s display area. Alexi slid into a shadowed corner to hide for a minute or two. She’d barely had time to talk to Jesse since they’d returned from France. A whirlwind of activity had consumed her time and energy. Jesse had stayed in the background, his blue eyes as brooding and unreadable as a storm at sea. No other sinister incidents occurred, and if it wasn’t for the police pictures of the destruction at Nan’s, she could almost believe it had never happened. Jesse pulled her close every night, making her feel safe, but the supple warmth of his vibrant body also made the cold reality of their situation harder to face. After returning home, the tension she sensed in him had only worsened.
“I haven’t really noticed all the charity work you do.”
Alexi blinked away her thoughts to find that her father had joined her in the corner. Then she blinked again as his words registered. Her mouth went dry at the unexpected confession and her heartbeat slowed, almost painfully. “I, uh, haven’t done that much.”
“Not true. Unlike me, you’ve lived a life of awareness and generosity to the needs of others. I went to the children’s ward at hospital before coming here to see what this is all about. There’s a wall dedicated to the people who’ve made donations of time and money. Your name is there, multiple times. Your mother, if she were here, would be very proud of you.” Her father sighed and Alexi heard the weight of the world in the sound, and she saw again the sadness in his eyes that had always distanced him from her.
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