by Lyz Kelley
He tipped her head back, then angled in, hovering just above her lips. “You’re beautiful.”
Rachelle pressed with her feet to scoot closer. “Then what are you waiting for?”
Instead of kissing, he reached and lifted her shirt, baring her breasts. She wasn’t wearing a bra, so there was no barrier, and he didn’t wait for her approval. He shifted her to the side to suck and tease and indulge.
“Oh, Rachelle.”
“Don’t ‘Oh, Rachelle,’ me. Don’t you feel sorry for me,” she yanked his head back and crashed her mouth against his. She didn’t want his sympathy.
He leaned her back with a heated growl. “This isn’t sympathy. This is admiration.” He returned her angry kiss. “I want you more than I want to breathe. I want this.” He used his powerful legs to pull them down the leather, switched their positions, and hovered over her. “Tell me no, Rachelle. Tell me you don’t want this, and I’ll stop.”
“I want you. I want this.”
He kissed his way down to her belly button. “Tell me again.”
“I want this.”
He rolled off the chaise, scooped her into his arms and devoured her mouth. “Hold on. We’re going for a ride.” He kicked the door to the guest room open and set her in the middle of the bed before kneeling on one end.
His fingers gently lifted the edges of her lace panties, and then with a pull, slid them down her thighs.
Rachelle gasped and reached for a handy Jacob body part. She wanted to touch, feel. He hovered over her and lifted, one hand on her ass, the other beneath her head. She angled her mouth to intersect with his.
His moan matched hers.
“Rachelle, you still have time to say no,” he said between kisses.
“Touch me, Jacob. Don’t stop.”
When he again feasted on her nipple, she held his head for a second before urging him lower. And he indulged her, kissing her inner thigh, spreading her legs wider.
“Relax and let me love you, Rachelle.”
Her muscles instantly turned to mush when he sought her core.
Yes. Yes. There. More. Ohmygod.
She pressed her head into the pillow and stretched her arms above her head, tingling with need, the need to have him deep inside her.
“Jacob? Please.”
He didn’t pretend to misunderstand. He was on a mission to give her pleasure, and the overachiever didn’t disappoint. He kneed her legs farther apart, then tickled her core to open. But she didn’t want to wait. She had waited for this day for far too long. She thrust her hips upward, to house him fully. Her inner muscles tightened around his eager erection, as his pelvic thrusts speeded up. Their mouths sought each other. She clamped her thighs around his waist as her climax gripped him, pulling him in. Seconds later, he came in a fiery burst of passionate groans.
The room awash in the smell of their lovemaking made her skin tingle with renewed energy.
He collapsed on top of her, holding her so tight there wasn’t a bubble of air between them. Her heart boogied a happy cadence.
He slowly rolled to her side, pulling her with him and gathering her in his arms.
Her cheek rested against his skin.
The sun painted her colors on the bed and spilled reality into the room.
She’d made love with Jacob without any protection, without any hesitation.
What was she thinking?
Feelings and should-have thoughts waged war inside her head.
Wanting to feel a man want her for who she was shouldn’t have stopped her from taking precautions. Then again, she didn’t have one regret.
She wanted him.
He wanted her.
The situation didn’t need to become any more complicated.
Jacob tucked a piece of hair away from her face. “What are you thinking?”
“I’m trying not to.”
“Good. That’s what I wanted to hear, because making love to you is better than any video game I’ve ever played.”
Her body went limp and she started to laugh. “Is that so?”
Did he realize he couldn’t have said anything more perfect? Did he realize she never thought she could love anyone—yet she loved him more than she thought possible? She should tell him, but the fear bug crawled up her leg and bit her hard.
Maybe she didn’t need to tell him just yet.
Across the room, the fairy dust motes danced on the sunbeams.
She wanted to frolic at that moment. Just be in his arms a little while longer. She closed her eyes against the what-ifs and maybes and let herself sink into his arms to hold off the future for just a little longer.
Chapter Nineteen
Rachelle gasped at the hotel conference room’s splendor. The space had been transformed into a wonderland of color.
Mylar spaceships and strings of balloons hung from the ceiling. Tables were covered with purple and pink and blue and neon green tablecloths. The stage at the front held a massive floor-to-ceiling screen with rainbow balloon pillars on each side.
The kids will love this. Excitement fizzed along her skin.
She walked to the nearest table and picked up one of the plastic tubes of flavored sugar. Placards on the tables denoted wheelchair access. Ben hadn’t missed a detail.
“Well, what do you think?” Jacob’s hand firmly planted on the small of her back sent tingles up her spine.
“It’s perfect. The kids will have such a great time.”
A flash of movement made her turn, then relax. Ben sprinted through the tables at superhero speed.
“You’re here. Finally.” The panic in his voice raced out in front of him.
Jacob gripped the back of the nearest chair, as if bracing for bad news. “What’s up?”
“All the food carts are in place. The staff has been briefed. The kids’ goody bags are stuffed. The bakery delivered the cupcakes on time, but one of the hotel staff dropped several boxes. The cake is totally smashed.” Ben took a half of a second to roll his eyes and catch his breath. “We don’t have enough to fill the cupcake tiers.” His lips puckered with disapproval. “The videographer is here, but the photographer is stuck in traffic. Plus, Larson is MIA.”
Rachelle surveyed the room and spotted the half-empty cake tier. “There’s no time to get more cupcakes to match your theme. Is there a food warehouse nearby?”
Ben scratched his head. “There’s one just down the street. What are you thinking?”
“If we get boxes of chocolate bars to fill up the tiers, that might work. The bars will be easy enough to grab, plus they won’t overwhelm your party theme. Also, while you’re there, you might want to see if they have those disposable digital cameras. If the photographer doesn’t show on time, let the kids take the pictures.”
“Sketch is there now looking for another cake. I’ll text her.” Ben grabbed the sides of her head and gave her a firm kiss. “Woman, you are amazing.” He looked at Jacob. “You need to keep this one.” He stepped back and looked around the room. “Now we just need to find Larson and complete the video game tests.”
Jacob lifted his phone and started texting. Within seconds, he received a response. “Etch says Larson is here,” he relayed, but his words were formal and stiff. “He and Etch are setting up the equipment for the video game now.”
“Good. Good.” Ben closed his eyes for a few seconds. “Very good.” He opened his eyes. “Candy bars and cameras. Got it.”
Ben’s legs pedaled toward the back of the room.
A warm hand again slid around her waist. “Looks like you saved the day again.” He looked ridiculously pleased, but she didn’t know why.
“Your brother is doing an amazing job. It's not easy pulling off a kids’ party, especially not one this size. When there are checklists for your checklists, the brain can go numb, and creativity can walk out the door. He just needed a fresh perspective.”
“He is doing an amazing job, he always does, but you, lady, helped.”
She opened he
r mouth, then closed it again, letting his praise heal her soul. She inched forward to appreciate his nautical scent. “This event is pretty special. The kids need this—same with the parents.”
“I know what it’s like to have a sick parent. There’s fear from not knowing what will happen. I was always scared I’d get home from school, and she’d have been rushed to the hospital...or worse, she’d be gone. I’m happy I was there when the end came. I didn’t want her to be alone.”
“It must have been very hard.”
“My mom and I talked about how she wanted her life to end. She was good about telling me when she was having good or bad days, never hid anything from me. Besides, kids are smarter than adults think.”
“True.”
His eyes, narrowed and focused on her face with a heightened level of intensity, sent chills cascading down her back. “I bet you were a smart kid. You figured out things well enough.”
“I was raised to be a little adult. I didn’t get much time to play.” She cringed, knowing her spirited tone didn’t entirely cover the brutal honesty.
“It’s never too late to learn how to play.”
From the look on his face, he wasn’t talking about video games.
Playing with him was fun. In fact, they spent most of the morning rearranging the bed sheets—several times, in fact. But the intensity in the relationship made her uneasy.
She didn’t doubt her love for him. He was a wonderful, kind man, but he could be overwhelming. She needed to pull back. Reassess. She’d gotten in way, way, way too deep already, and needed to swim back to the safety zone for a while.
Sure, Jacob was messy, fun, yummy, and gorgeous, and way too generous to be so rich.
However, her history had proved time and again if she didn’t carefully choose her decisions, something terrible happened.
“Maybe we can play later,” she almost laughed when his lower lip stuck out. “You have a party to throw and kids to make happy,” she used the plausible excuse. She had learned from experience that it didn’t take much to find a deserted room in a large hotel. When her father wanted her to close a deal, he made sure all possibilities were covered.
“Right.” He tugged her against him, letting his mouth linger over her lips for a second or two. “Later.” He stepped back and slid his hand around her. “I’ll hold you to that, Rachelle Clairemont.”
“Promise?” She teased with a fluttery wink.
“Woman, you drive me insane.” He tugged on her fingers. “Let’s go find Larson.”
Her gut raised the caution flag, and she gently slipped an inch or two away. “Why don’t you go? Drew’s over there.” She pointed with her chin. “Your designer texted me a few questions about my drawing, and we can chat while you do your thing. Besides, Glenn and his wife just walked in. You should go say hello.”
“Are you sure?”
“Your team looks like they could use an extra set of hands.”
He picked up a strand of her hair to play with the ends. “I appreciate you.”
Her breath stalled. No one before Jacob had ever said they appreciated her, and he’d expressed his gratitude more than once.
The lack of appreciation might have been the result of her spending her whole life trying so hard to be extremely good at her job that she had disappeared, become invisible. Events just magically happened. But Jacob saw her, even when she was trying to hide.
“Thank you for being kind,” Rachelle shifted. “You need to go. This is your event.”
He ran his knuckles down her cheek. “I’ll come back to find you. Ben saved you a seat up front.”
Oh, man. His soft tone made her melt. “Go.”
He kissed her nose and was off at a run. Intent on watching him race to the back of the room, she didn’t notice a man sliding in beside her. When she turned, he was just there.
“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t see you.”
“No worries. I’m Ross, Ben’s husband.” She blinked a couple of times, getting her head around the word husband. He didn’t look gay, but then again what did a homosexual look like? She mentally kicked herself for letting her former prejudices contribute to such idiotic thoughts.
“Is there a problem?” The playful crook of Ross’s mouth, and the way his eyes danced with a good-natured humor, made her uneasy.
“No, no, um….no, problem. It’s just I live in a small town, and…” She bit her lip and sighed. “No.” She looked at Ross. “I want to apologize for my reaction. I was raised with my parents’ prejudices. I’d like to think I’ve made some changes in my thinking, but it seems I need to work harder.”
He leaned in. “Let me guess, three churches, two gas stations, and one street light.”
Relief let her genuine smile sneak back into place. “Two churches, one gas station, and one street light.”
His slow, melodic whistle said it all. “That big. Wow.”
Wearing three-inch heels, she was tall, but Ross was taller—much taller. His long, lean frame, dark beard, and closely shaven head reminded her of last month’s men’s style magazine spread. His stonewashed jeans, brown suede shoes, and button-down shirt and sports coat were very chic.
She’d never been around anyone who was gay before Ben, and now his husband, and didn’t quite know what to say, yet he didn’t seem to hold her curiosity against her.
“Are you like Ben?” Heat burned her face when his eyes flashed wider. “I mean, are you a project manager type as well?”
A slow warmth spread across Ross’s face. “Ben? A project manager? No. He’s much too temperamental to be a project manager, but he does seem to keep Jacob on track, and that’s what he’s been hired to do.” He trailed off when a hotel staff member dropped a tray and several people rushed to help. He shook his head and laughed. “I’m an intellectual property attorney.”
Wow. Impressive. “Trademarks, patents, and copyright stuff. Correct?”
“You got it. Ben and I met when Jacob and Larson formed their company.”
That must have been a while ago. She studied Ross’s expression. “Jacob and Ben must be terribly disappointed in Larson.” Her throat closed after the thoughts escaped.
“We’re all disappointed. He’s dropped the ball on this event, and other stuff.” He rocked back on his heels. “I shouldn’t have said anything. It’s not my place.”
His comments had drawn her in, giving her insight into Jacob’s inner circle of friends. She liked Ross just as much as she liked Ben. Drew, Sketch, and Etch were different, and fun.
“Well,” she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “It looks like everyone is doing a good job of picking up the slack.” She pointed at Sketch following Ben to the tables with several bags in each hand. “The candy bars have arrived. Do you think they can use some help?”
“Definitely.”
For a few seconds Rachelle just stared at Ross’s easygoing smile. There was a twinkle of love in his eyes for his partner. She followed his gaze to Ben, who was racing around like his pants were on fire, his arms waving every which way. Ben’s life was in a full-blown frenzy, and Ross stood beside her, stable as a rock.
Rachelle crossed her arms and leaned in closer to Ross. “I bet you two make an amazing team.”
“We do. I love that man. He’s a disaster, but I still love him.” He laughed and shook his head.
Like all Jacob’s friends, Ross was open and kind and welcoming. She didn’t have to prove she was brilliant or capable. Whatever she offered, Jacob and those he had chosen to allow into his life accepted her.
Somehow she managed to fight back tears of joy. Being accepted for who she was, not the puppet playing a part, was a big dang deal.
She blinked rapidly to force away the sting of tears, because ruining her makeup on such a glorious day was not to be tolerated.
“Shall we?” Ross extended an elbow, then paused when a cluster of kids ran into the room. “I guess the party has started.”
The room exploded with sound, so lou
d she didn’t hear Ben approach.
“Rachelle, would you and Ross mind helping the kids find their tables?”
“Sure,” she said, but it didn’t matter. Ben was already on his way to deal with another crisis.
There were enough escorts, but Ben was making her feel welcome. Needed. Part of something bigger. And she appreciated his empathy for her situation—a stranger in a strange town, and an even stranger situation.
After forty minutes of getting kids and parents situated, she found herself waiting behind a young boy in the food line who was torn between which piece of fried chicken he wanted. A little girl in a fairy princess dress that perfectly complemented her cocoa-colored skin forced her way in between them, waving her wand and pointing to the giant cupcake tier.
When nothing happened, she tried again, doubling the swirling efforts.
“What are you trying to do?” Rachelle asked.
“I would like a white cupcake, but I can’t reach that high.”
Rachelle pointed at the white cupcake with the gold crown surrounded by pink sugar crystals. “This one?”
The little girl, about four years old, nodded and then reached up with her hand outstretched, palm up.
“Oh, and you think if you wave your wand, a cupcake will magically appear?”
“Yep.”
She dropped her hand, with a huff and a pout, evidently concluding Rachelle wouldn’t help.
“Well, you know what they say, third time’s a charm. Why don’t you try again? And this time close your eyes.”
The princess lifted her wand to make several dramatic swirls with her arm, then thrust her arms toward the table, the miniature wand in her hand still vibrating with the passionate effort. When glitter floated down from above, the princess’s eyes opened wider, and her jaw dropped before she held out her hands to catch the glitter.
Rachelle brushed the remaining glitter on her hand off on the back of her pants, then stepped out of line to let others pass. She crouched down to eye level, bringing with her the white cupcake. “What’s your name?”