9 1/2 Days

by Mia Zachary

  “What’s the problem? Your brother is a lawyer.”

  “So are both of my parents and they can’t speak plain English, either.” Danny rested his arm along the back of the dining chair. “Just say I get four sessions of hot, uninhibited fantasy sex. I’ll even let you choose the fantasies, but remember, they’ll have to be spontaneous.”

  Jordan stared at him, her brows arching in disbelief. “You were serious about that ‘anytime’ stuff?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “I’ve got to go.”

  She shot to her feet and made a production of clearing the table. The take-out boxes were nested inside of one another before she stacked the empty plates and gathered the linen napkins. Danny caught her arm, preventing her escape to the kitchen. He took the plates from her and set them back on the table.

  “Leave the dishes. I’ll take care of them. Right now, I want to know which number comes next.”

  “What?”

  “If last night was fantasy number fifteen…” He placed a hand on either of her hips and drew her close. “Then do you want to go up the list—” he slid his palms toward the underside of her breasts “—or work your way down?” He bumped her pelvis to punctuate the question.

  Her breath was audible now and he felt her nipples bead against his chest through the fabric of her blouse and his shirt. Moist and pink and slightly parted, her lips begged for his kiss. Her maple syrup-colored eyes darkened as she held his gaze. Jordan’s hands came up to caress his shoulders and her thigh pressed between his, teasing the placket of his jeans. She leaned closer, tilting her head up to whisper in his ear.

  “You’ll have to wait to find out. Our ten days don’t start until tomorrow.”

  8

  THE BEST WAY to seduce a woman was to get inside her head and figure out what she really wanted. As soon as he saw Jordan safely to her car, Danny headed for the nearest bookstore to find a copy of Fifty Fast Fantasies.

  Twenty minutes later, he felt as though he was back at school, studying for a particularly challenging test. Then again, his homework had never been like this. His pulse thudded down his body until it became a dull throb in his groin as he stood in the Sex & Relationships section of Barnes & Noble. This stuff was hot!

  As he read the chapter titles, he didn’t know whether to laugh or drive straight to Jordan’s house. Him Tarzan, You Tempting had possibilities if he could figure out how to rig up some vines. And Hey Lady, Check Your Oil? might be fun if he didn’t mind scratching the hood of his car.

  “Can I help you with anything, sir?”

  He looked up from the pages to see a kid wearing a store name tag and a smirk. The clerk’s attention darted to the book title and back again. Danny shook his head. “No, thanks. I found what I wanted.”

  The kid’s grin got wider as he turned away. “That’s a popular find lately.”

  Left alone, he flipped to the next page in the book. Jordan would look great in a French maid’s uniform. He could easily picture her wearing a little black ruffled dress and a short white apron and nothing else. But something told him she hadn’t bought this guidebook looking for adventurous sex.

  If he’d guessed right, Jordan just wanted to shed some of her inhibitions. From what David had told him and what he’d observed around her family, she was a quiet, responsible woman who worried too much about what other people thought of her. Even last night, she’d initiated the idea for the Strangers For One Night fantasy but hadn’t carried out all of the details.

  Jordan didn’t need props or gimmicks. All she needed was a compassionate lover to encourage her and give her the freedom to be adventurous. Danny looked at the introduction page again and read the words “Be Spontaneous.” He could do that. But what about a woman who color-coded her wardrobe?

  He took his copy of Fifty Fast Fantasies to the checkout counter and pulled out his wallet.

  “I HOPE DAVID CAN JOIN us this time.”

  Angela Gregory looked at her daughter expectantly even as Jordan’s father, Jackson, looked at his watch. Her parents had only met David once, when they’d come to the law firm to take her out for a birthday lunch. He’d had a court appearance and couldn’t join them, much to her parents’ disappointment.

  Jordan swallowed her nervousness and smiled weakly at her mother. “I’m sure he’ll be here.”

  The laugh lines that usually surrounded her father’s light brown eyes were absent as he studied her. “If you’re sure we should wait…”

  “He’s not even late yet, Daddy.”

  “Hmm.” He made a noncommittal noise before wandering over to look at the USS Torsk, a World War II submarine anchored near the aquarium.

  Mom reached for her hand and gently squeezed her fingers until Jordan looked at her. Though partly attributed to good bone structure, the majority of her mother’s beauty came from a kind heart. Right now, she had an air of sadness. “Your father is only saying that David has had to cancel at the last minute several times before.”

  “He’s a criminal attorney, Mom. Sometimes cases or clients require last-minute attention.”

  “I just hope that he’s paying enough attention to you.” Her lips tightened in a familiar expression of maternal concern. Then her brow cleared and she kissed Jordan’s cheek before she went to join Uncle Matt and Aunt Celeste at the sea lion pool.

  Jordan stood alone, willing the tension from her muscles and releasing the breath she held. The sooner she ended this fake engagement, the better. Her parents had been so happy that she was involved with someone, but now, because of her fabrications, they believed her “fiancé” neglected her and didn’t want to meet them. Her anxiety grew as she waited for Danny. She just knew something would happen to reveal her lies.

  Jordan stifled a yawn. She’d come straight from the office after a long day and an even longer night. She’d lain in bed until the wee hours, skimming the guidebook and analyzing the feasibility of the most appealing scenarios.

  Not that she really believed Danny’s outrageous condition to their agreement. There was no way she was going to give in to what basically constituted blackmail. And yet, she found herself wondering whether she should carry a bag of props around in case the opportunity for Doctors Do Make House-calls came up.

  Needless to say, she’d gotten very little sleep the night before, fantasizing about how gorgeous Danny would look in a pair of chaps and a Stetson. She wanted to see him wearing his firefighter uniform, too, since she hadn’t really seen him before. Jordan focused on the man walking toward her and smiled. Danny actually looked best in jeans and a casual shirt.

  As Jordan watched him approach, she felt an instant fluttering in her belly followed by a warm rush of desire. How could she ever have mistaken him for his brother, even in the dark? Danny had a relaxed air of masculine confidence that David hadn’t mastered. That self-assurance was evident in his stride, in the set of his broad shoulders and the easy smile lighting his face.

  His dark brown eyes met hers and held and she suddenly felt like the only woman in the world. He was looking at her as if she were his woman. The quiver in her belly dropped lower with each step he took to close the distance between them.

  “Hi, baby.”

  Danny slipped his arm around her waist, his fingers stroking her back unseen beneath her jacket. When he leaned down, she didn’t know what to expect and so wasn’t prepared for him to seal his mouth over hers with such intensity.

  What was supposed to be a sweet kiss of greeting turned into a declaration of desire when he darted his tongue between her lips. Heat gathered at her core and quickly spread, leaving her off balance and breathless when he pulled away.

  She wanted him. Oh, how she wanted him. Right here and right now and… Amusement and understanding mingled in his expression as Danny shot a glance toward her family. Embarrassed, Jordan cleared her throat and faced her parents.

  “Mom, Daddy. You remember, uh, David?”

  Her father looked bemused, then offered his hand. “O
f course, of course. How’s it going?”

  “Nice to see you, sir.” Danny nodded to her mother. “How are you, Mrs. Gregory?”

  “Fine, thank you.” She eyed his cherry-red knit shirt with a smile. “I thought, coming from work, you’d be in a suit like my daughter.”

  Danny didn’t miss a beat as he lied. “I was out of the office this afternoon, so I stopped home to change.”

  Afraid to give her parents time to begin a more in-depth conversation, and even more afraid “David” might trip up, Jordan hustled everyone toward the escalator. “Well, it’s just after five o’clock. We should probably start the tour. Ready, everyone?”

  “More than ready.” Keisha’s gaze slithered over Danny, a sly smile on her brightly painted mouth as she flipped her perfectly styled hair. She raked a glance over Jordan before looking away. The smirk on her cousin’s face clearly issued a challenge.

  Jordan narrowed her eyes at Keisha, then took Danny’s hand as they all went up to the front entrance. The warmth of his skin rushed along her nerves when he gently squeezed her fingers. He quirked an eyebrow and gave her a mischievous grin.

  “What about you? Are you ready?”

  She gasped. Ready for what? He wouldn’t try “anything” here, would he? Her parents were right in front of them, her aunt and uncle directly behind and Keisha was trying to mold herself to Danny’s other side. She sent him an inquiring glance but his attention was on the sixteen floor-to-ceiling bubble tubes decorating the aquarium’s lobby.

  As soon as her father showed his family membership card and signed the others in as his guests, he and her mother headed for the first-floor exhibit hall. They had started to follow when Aunt Celeste touched her arm.

  “Where can I powder my nose?”

  Jordan pointed to the left. “If you go down that side passageway—”

  Danny interrupted. “Why don’t you just show her where it is? We can wait.”

  Celeste called out to Jordan’s parents. “Angela! Jackson! We’ll meet you upstairs.”

  Jordan continued to escort her aunt to the door of the rest rooms across from the coat check desk. Behind them, Keisha let out an exaggerated sigh of impatience. Uncle Matt cocked his thumb over his shoulder.

  “I’m going to the gift shop down the hall there. Just grab me when you’re ready.”

  Aunt Celeste frowned. “I won’t be that long, Matthew.”

  Her husband all but rolled his eyes. “You’re wearing panty hose in ninety-degree weather. I’ll be in the gift shop.”

  Celeste made a face at him then went inside the ladies’ room. Keisha crossed her arms and leaned against the wall, lost in her own sulking thoughts.

  Danny held out his hand to Jordan. “Why don’t you take off your suit jacket and I’ll go to the coat check for you.”

  “Thank you. It is hot in here.”

  He glanced up at the air-conditioning vents and smiled knowingly. Standing behind her, he gallantly helped her remove the lightweight blazer, revealing her sleeveless peach-colored blouse. As she started to turn, Danny caressed her bare arms and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “While you’re in the ladies’ room, why don’t you take off your panties as well?”

  She angled her head to hiss at him. “Are you crazy?”

  “Anytime, anyplace, remember?”

  “There is no way—”

  He brushed his lips against her earlobe. “We have a verbal contract, counselor.”

  Equal parts anxiety and excitement constricted her throat, making her voice sound strangled. “You can’t seriously expect me to—”

  From the opposite side of the hall, Keisha snapped at her. “Would you just go already?”

  Danny gave her a subtle pat on the bottom. “Don’t take too long, baby. I’m anxious to get started.”

  Inside the rest room, Jordan checked to see which stall her aunt was occupying then chose one as far away as possible. She closed the door and stared blindly at the vinyl floor tiles. Was she actually going to do this? Her heart beat erratically in her chest and her fingers trembled.

  Jordan reached under her skirt and hooked her thumbs in the waistband of her blue cotton panties. How was she going to become sexy and desirable without being adventurous? The guidebook said sensual, naughty and fun, so that’s what she was going to be, damn it. Wiggling her hips, she slipped them down her legs then leaned over to tug them over her heels. Now, where to put them?

  She folded the panties into a small, flat square and jammed them into her purse, grateful she hadn’t followed the current trend of carrying microbags that didn’t have space for more than a wallet and set of keys. She left the stall and went to wash her hands.

  Aunt Celeste smiled at her in the mirror as she freshened her lipstick. “That David sure is easy on the eyes. If anyone had told me years ago that you of all people would get yourself such a fine-looking young man, I’d have thought they were crazy.”

  Jordan turned away from her aunt’s reflection to snatch a paper towel from the holder. She didn’t believe Celeste meant to hurt her, but somehow she’d managed. With one sentence, she’d reminded Jordan of both her miserable, overweight past and the fact that she didn’t really have a man like “David.”

  Celeste ran a comb through her silver hair, unaware of Jordan’s distress. “But look at you now! Just as pretty as you can be and so obviously in love. I’m happy for you, sweetheart.”

  Jordan merely smiled.

  Celeste cocked her head to one side. “Let’s go look at some fish.”

  When she followed her aunt out of the ladies room, the first thing she saw was Keisha’s hand stroking Danny’s arm. Her cousin was flirting for all she was worth, smiling and purring in his ear.

  Old feelings of insecurity mingled with an unexpected stab of jealousy. Of course her cousin was the kind of woman Danny would be attracted to. Keisha was slender and sexy and beautiful. Jordan couldn’t compete with her glamorous cousin.

  Then she glanced at Danny’s face and realized he looked bored and annoyed. To her surprise, he wasn’t returning Keisha’s interest at all and when he saw her, he sent Jordan a smile so genuine and welcoming that all she could do was stare.

  Aunt Celeste snapped, “Now, Keisha, you let that man alone and go get your father.”

  Keisha’s expression darkened for a moment but she grudgingly complied.

  Celeste let out a long-suffering sigh. “Don’t mind her, you two. For some reason that child has always wanted whatever Jordan had, be it toys or boys.”

  Danny put his arm around her and smiled. “Well, she can’t have me. I’m spoken for.”

  He glanced down the hall as Uncle Matt and Keisha returned, then brushed a tender kiss on her forehead. Jordan’s heart swelled with gratitude as Aunt Celeste winked at her. Even if this whole thing was a charade, she truly appreciated Danny’s efforts to make their engagement seem real.

  Now that the family had regrouped, Jordan led the way toward the first display, Wings in the Water. Danny tugged her hand as they walked across the lobby. “Well?”

  “Well, what?”

  “Did you?” He arched one eyebrow as if to ask whether she’d actually taken off her panties.

  She sent him an enigmatic smile and didn’t answer.

  He nodded smugly. “You didn’t do it.”

  Jordan widened her smile.

  Danny stared at her in shocked amusement. “You really did? No, you didn’t. Did you?”

  She felt little bubbles of delight aching to burst forth into laughter. If she had to anxiously await his next move, wondering if he dared try to seduce her in front of her family, then he could suffer a little bit, too.

  Standing on the balcony overlooking a two-hundred-thousand-gallon tank, they watched dozens of kite-shaped stingrays and mantas swoop gracefully around the pool below. Danny rubbed his thumb over her wrist and spoke softly so that only she would hear him.

  “They look so fast and slick gliding through all of that wetness, don’t the
y?”

  A little shudder passed through her body, just as she was sure he’d intended with the sensual emphasis on certain words. Tiny bolts of electric awareness arced between them, making her ever more aware of her state of undress. The seduction had begun.

  As they walked toward the escalator to the next level, they passed a large rectangular window with a concrete ledge. Keisha moved up to look inside, turned her head to try to get a better view. “What’s supposed to be in here? I don’t see—”

  She jerked back as a mouthful of razor-sharp teeth appeared from the edge of the curved glass wall. The twelve-foot-long sand tiger shark flicked its tail and swam by. Keisha scowled in response to the family’s laughter at her expense.

  Staring at the gray nurse and lemon sharks, Danny murmured in her ear. “Something that big and powerful is dangerous, but it’s also kind of exciting.”

  Jordan laughed softly. “What an ego. You’re not that big.”

  He winced and clutched his chest as if she’d wounded him.

  Upstairs on level two, they found her parents in the Maryland: Mountains to the Sea gallery. Her father stood patiently by the Alleghany Pond display while her mother looked for painted turtles. Jordan smiled indulgently. Her father had only gotten the aquarium membership as a gift for her mom.

  As Aunt Celeste dragged Uncle Matt and Keisha over to look for native diamondback terrapins in the Tidal Marsh, Danny guided her toward the Coastal Beach display. He stood close behind her, subtly rubbing his hip against her nearly bare bottom as they watched the tropical fish that traveled the mid-Atlantic current.

  “I love the beach. It’s so hot and sticky.”

  Jordan groaned, both at his lame innuendo and in response to the sensations he created. She was feeling pretty hot and sticky herself. Especially when he caressed a particularly sensitive spot at the back of her neck. It was one of the erogenous zones he’d discovered Wednesday night.

  She and Danny followed the rest of the family upstairs to the Surviving Through Adaptation gallery. She barely noticed the displays of electric eels, giant octopus or lionfish. Her thoughts were on the way Danny’s hands felt casually stroking her bare arm.