Sweet Seduction

by Anthology

  As I made my way down the hall to the back of the house, chit-chatting with Shawna about what was new, the rumble of voices grew louder. We entered the kitchen and through the glass doors in the breakfast area, I saw that everyone else was outside in the backyard. Some were lounging on patio chairs, while others congregated around the yard, beers in hand. A few were sitting along the edge of the pool, dipping their legs in.

  I surveyed the crowd, realizing I knew almost all of them. The odd wife dotted the landscape of the mostly male assembly. There were firemen, cops, and EMTs.

  "Where do you want me to put this?" I asked Shawna.

  She scrunched her lips to one side. "The fridge up here is already full, and I don't want to leave it out in the heat. Why don't you see if you can find some room in the fridge downstairs? Don added a beer fridge to the wine cellar." Shawna rolled her eyes, obviously not impressed with his addition.

  I chuckled. "Alright. Be right back." I walked back toward the front of the house until I reached the basement door under the main staircase. Propping the bowl on my hip so I'd have a free hand, I turned the handle and swung the door open, starting down the stairs.

  When I reached the bottom, I headed to the area below the basement stairs where the wine cellar was and placed the bowl inside the fridge at the back of the small room.

  As I headed up again, Shawna was at the top of the stairs. "Find a place for it?"

  "Yep. We're all good."

  "Excellent. Now get out there and grab a drink from one of the coolers and enjoy yourself. Don should be home in about half an hour. I can’t wait to see his face when he’s surprised."

  Feeling excited for my godfather and looking forward to having a good time seeing everyone, I slid the glass door open and headed into the backyard. The heat was like walking into a wall, and I was thankful I'd chosen my spaghetti strapped sun dress, rather than shorts and a T-shirt.

  I said hello to some people I knew and found one of the coolers on the corner of the stone patio. Spotting one of my favorite beers inside, I pushed my hand into the icy cold water. As I was pulling the bottle out, I heard a voice behind me.

  "I'd recognize that ass anywhere."

  My entire body froze, all my muscles tensing. I knew that voice. I straightened up and turned around to find Jamie behind me. I narrowed my eyes. "What did you just say?"

  "Pretty sure you heard me," he responded with a cocky grin.

  My mouth went slack-jawed when Shawna came up beside me. "Jackie, I see you've met Jamie. He's only been in town a few months. Came to us by way of Boston."

  I sucked in a big breath, attempting to lower my quickly rising blood pressure. "Yes, we've met." I wasn't about to ruin Don's party by spouting off to Jamie in front of the hostess just because I didn't like his newest addition to the team.

  Shawna went on, not noticing the irritation I was trying very hard to conceal. "Jamie, Jackie is our goddaughter. She's very special to Don. He's got a soft spot in his heart for this one." Shawna put her arm around me for a second and squeezed me into her.

  Jamie's eyes widened for a moment. I could only hope it was in fear.

  "I’d heard that," he said, nodding and tipping back his beer.

  Shawna smiled. "She's like family to us, this one. Did you know she’s a nine-one-one operator?"

  I was beginning to get the feeling that maybe she was talking me up in hopes that he'd like me. I mentally rolled my eyes. Shawna was always harping on me to settle down. Not happening. I enjoyed my freedom.

  Jamie took another sip of his beer, his gaze holding steady on my face the whole time. "I did hear that, yes."

  Shawna leaned into me and in a conspiratorial whisper said, "Don's actually quite fond of Jamie, too. Thinks he has a bright future ahead of him."

  I pursed my lips together and nodded. Great. Now I had to play nice with him. I had too much respect for Don to do otherwise.

  "Well, I'll leave you kids to talk. I want to keep a look out for Don so we can be sure to surprise him.” Shawna clapped her hands in front of her in an excited gesture and walked away.

  I tried to twist the cap off of my bottle, but it wouldn't budge, the sharp edges on the cap only digging into my fingers instead. I blew out a frustrated breath.

  "Here, let me." Jamie set his beer down on the patio table beside us and held his hand out. Begrudgingly, I handed it over. He brought it up to this mouth, clamped his teeth around it, and turned the beer bottle. He pulled the bottle away from his mouth, the top remaining between his teeth.

  "Doesn’t that hurt?" I asked, one-half appalled the other half slightly turned on.

  He shrugged, handing my beer back to me and picking up his own. "Something I learned in college."

  "Good to see all that money was put to good use," I said with sarcasm. I lifted the bottle to my lips, and suddenly all I could focus on was the fact that this bottle had been in his mouth. Even if only a little.

  Without warning, desire raced through my bloodstream as I considered what it would be like to kiss him. It wasn’t that hard to imagine, really. He looked good tonight. I'd thought he was hot in his uniform, but damn, he was even more attractive in regular clothes. He was wearing a pair of cargo shorts and a button down shirt with a plaid pattern. His muscular arms were practically bulging from underneath, and there was something so boyish and appealing about the way his hair curled up at the back over top of his collar. I found myself wanting to touch it. Wanting to touch him.

  Jamie pressed his lips together, looking contrite. "Listen, I want to apologize about what went down when we first met. I didn't know who you were. I'm sorry."

  I was surprised to get an apology from him and, though I appreciated it, I wasn’t letting him off that easy. I crossed my arms over my chest. "You were obnoxious."

  "I was doing my job," he said in a placating tone.

  "Does your job involve frisking women in little to no clothing?" I raised a brow.

  "That’s one of the perks, actually.” He smirked at me. I arched a brow and said nothing when he sighed. “In all seriousness, if I think a woman might’ve been drinking and driving, yeah, I do what I have to." When I didn't respond again, he continued, "Oh, come on. You have to admit there were a lot of empties on the side of that road."

  I gritted my teeth. Why did this guy grate on me so much? I didn’t want to do this, even though I was equal parts irritated and turned on, which was a new dynamic for me.

  Eager to get away, I noticed one of the guys I had tried setting Chloe up with at the party that had led to all the empties Jamie spoke of.

  With a tight smile, I told him, "If you'll excuse me, there’s someone I'd like to go talk to."

  I brushed past him, not waiting for a reply and careful not to make contact. The last thing I needed was for my body to be even more heated than it already was.

  Chapter Four

  Jamie

  Jesus Christ, was she trying to kill me? I’d been here for hours and as if the sight of Jackie in her cute sundress wasn’t enough, I’d had to spend the past hour watching her bounce around the pool while a group played volleyball. The chocolate brown bikini she was wearing clung to her firm figure and left little to the imagination. She'd pulled her dark hair up into a messy bun and the green in her eyes seemed even more prominent than usual because of the sun she'd gotten on her face earlier.

  "Jamie, why don't you join us?” Ben yelled across to me from the pool. “Patterson has to get back to the Mrs., and we need someone to sub in.”

  I’d brought my suit since the invite referred to the event as a retirement/pool party. Getting a closer view of Jackie in that flimsy scrap of fabric she called a swimsuit wouldn't hurt either.

  "Give me a minute, and I'll go change," I shouted back.

  Jackie’s lips formed a thin line, as if she didn’t approve of my joining their little game, which only made it that much sweeter for me. The sexual tension that had been thrumming between us had me wanting to get under her skin. I figur
ed if I couldn’t touch it, I could get under it at the very least.

  But by the time I made my way over to the pool, the game had changed and the guys were now playing with the women hoisted up on their shoulders. I felt a grin forming on my face. This ought to be fun. My gut tightened when I saw Jackie's tanned legs wrapped around the shoulders of the guy she'd left me to go speak to earlier. They certainly seemed cozy with one another. What was the deal with those two?

  I mentally shook it off. I had no claim to her. Jackie could do what she wanted. As could I.

  I politely pushed my way through the crowd on the patio area and caught Jackie's eye a moment before I reached the pool. I grinned with satisfaction when I noticed her gaze dart down the expanse of my chest and back up. When she caught me looking at her perusal of my assets, her eyes flared for a second and then morphed into an expression that reminded me of a child who'd been caught doing something wrong.

  I chuckled and dove into the pool. "Okay, what are we playing?" I asked once I surfaced.

  "Jamie, you get Sylvia on your shoulders," Ben said.

  I glanced over at the blond waiting in the corner of the pool. She gave me a coy smile. I didn't know who Sylvia was, but I smiled warmly and introduced myself.

  "I'm Jamie. Good to meet you." I held my hand out for her.

  She giggled for a second, then shook it. "Sylvia, pleasure. I’m glad you decided to join us."

  Someone made a disgusted sound behind me. "Are you guys going to ogle each other all afternoon or are we going to play?" It was Jackie, and she sounded irritated. If I didn't know better, I would’ve guessed jealous.

  I turned to face her, almost laughing. She looked pouty with her hands crossed over her chest and a scowl on her face.

  "Hold up there, princess. Give us a minute." I grinned, knowing my comment would antagonize her further.

  She made another sound of frustration and uncrossed her arms.

  "You ready to kick their ass?" I asked Sylvia.

  "Definitely!" She flipped her platinum hair behind her shoulder and smiled.

  I swam down under the water where Sylvia had widened her stance and put my head between her legs, rising up out of the water so that her thighs rested on my shoulders. When I came up out of the water, I saw Jackie bending down as best she could and whispering into her partner’s ear. The guy whose shoulders she was on patted her leg and nodded. My jaw clenched at the sight of his hand on her thigh.

  "Alright. Three points until match. You all set?" the guy who was acting as referee shouted.

  Everyone on both sides nodded, and I spread apart from my other teammates to cover the most ground. As I watched the muscles in Jackie’s thighs clench around the other guy’s neck, I vowed that I, too, would have my head between Jackie’s legs before the night was over.

  This wasn’t exactly what I’d had in mind, I thought as I heaved Jackie onto my shoulders and rose out of the water. After my team had dominated the past two games, Ben had suggested mixing the players up, and he’d ever so helpfully suggested that Jackie and I be partners. I couldn’t decide if he was an asshole or a god for it because now I was sporting a raging hard-on below water level, while Jackie’s firm thighs gripped my neck and her pussy pushed into the back of my head. It was both a dream and a fucking nightmare.

  “Your serve,” Jackie called to the other team from above me.

  The three couples on the other side spread out, and the couple serving shot the ball in our direction. I bounded to the right. Not easy to do with an erect dick between my legs, but I was just in time for Jackie to bump the ball back to the other side.

  “Good shot,” I hollered and patted her calf. The muscles tensed under her warm skin at my touch, drawing her thighs closer around my head.

  “Thanks,” she said in a clipped tone.

  We played the rest of the game without any more incidents of sexual tension—both of our competitive sides rising to the surface. Twenty minutes later and our side had won by three points. We made a pretty good team actually. When she wasn’t trying to brush me off, that is.

  Jackie squirmed on top of my shoulders. “You can let me down now.”

  That little action got things moving again below water level. “Your wish is my command, princess.” I let my legs fall out from under me and dropped into the water, taking Jackie with me.

  We both rose up at the same time, Jackie sputtering. I grinned wide.

  “You jerk!” She shoved me with one hand, but barely moved me. I grabbed her wrist, and laughed along with everyone else who’d witnessed my prank. Her pulse beat frantically under my touch and after the laughter died away, we stared at each other, both of us breathing heavily—something passed between us, something I didn’t know how to quantify.

  “I’m sorry. I was just joking around.” I let her hand drop.

  “No, it’s fine.” She glanced down at her hands. “I overreacted.” Without another word or even glancing at me again, she swam to the stairs and exited the pool. I would’ve followed her—wished I could—but until this fucking hard-on had subsided, I’d be staying put.

  Chapter Five

  Jackie

  Evening was approaching and the intensity of the sun was dying down. A few people were still hanging out in the pool, but the majority were lounging around the patio. The radio played in the background and the scent of suntan lotion and the burgers cooking on the barbeque was in the air.

  "I think I'm going to start putting some of the food out on the table now that the sun has dipped below the trees. Jackie, do mind grabbing the salad you brought?" Shawna asked me.

  "Not at all." I set my beer down on the table and pulled my towel off the back of the chair, patting down my legs to make sure they weren't still wet. I didn't think Shawna would appreciate me tracking water through her house. I reached into my bag, which hung off the chair, and pulled my cover up out, tugging the thin fabric over my head.

  Inside, I made my way down to the basement. It was cooler down here than upstairs and a small chill stole over my skin, pebbling my nipples underneath my triangle bikini top. I pulled the heavy wood door underneath the stairs open and entered the wine cellar. The walls were lined with custom shelving, filled top to bottom with an assortment of different wine bottles, the scent of the cedar heavy in the air.

  I stopped short.

  Jamie? What the hell was he doing in here?

  “You following me, hot stuff?” he said with a practiced smile.

  “Of course not! I just came to get my salad from the fridge. What’re you doing here?” I propped my hands on my hips, irritated once again to be forced into such close proximity to him.

  “Same.” He nodded toward the fridge he was holding open. “I brought some dip.” He closed the door and leaned against it with his arms crossed over his chest. The way his muscles bunched drew my eyes to them. He pushed up and stalked toward me.

  It wasn’t warm in here, but I suddenly felt like I was overheating, as if I was still out in the summer sun. As he moved closer, I backed up into one of the shelves, the tops of the bottles pressing into my back.

  Finally, he came to a stop mere inches away. “Don’t you think it’s about time we addressed whatever’s going on between us?”

  I guffawed. “There’s nothing going on between us.”

  His gray eyes narrowed. “That’s bullshit and you know it. Why would you follow me in here otherwise?” Reaching out, he ran a finger down from the base of my throat, dragging it slowly over my heated skin to the juncture of my cleavage, then let his hand drop.

  I didn’t stop him. Why didn’t I stop him?

  I suppressed a small shiver and fought the urge to close my eyes, instead pinning him with a glare. “What do you think you’re doing?” Damn it. That sounded way huskier than I’d intended.

  “What you want me to,” he said, full of confidence.

  My face tightened and I pressed my lips together before responding. “I want no such thing.” I pushed by him, forget
ting all about the salad. I was only steps from the door when Jamie reached for my waist and tugged me toward him so that my back was pressed against his muscled chest.

  “Let. Me. Go,” I ground out, using the anger I felt at myself for liking the way I fit into his body, against him.

  “When are you going to acknowledge that you feel it, too?” his husky voice said into my ear.

  My hair was still pulled up so I felt every word with his warm breath against my neck. “The only thing I feel for you is frustration.” I wriggled against his grip, but he had a firm hold of me.

  “Is that right.” He chuckled. “Well, I actually believe you when you say I frustrate you.”

  “Good. Now let me go.” I tried keeping the irate tone to my voice, but being encased in his arms was weakening my resolve.

  To my surprise, he unwrapped his arms and moved back slightly, but before I could react or book it out of there, Jamie’s hands went to the hem of my cover-up and in one fell swoop he lifted it over my head.

  I started to spin around to cuss him out, but his large hands pulled me toward him so my back was once again pressed against his chest.

  “I think your frustration with me is all sexual, though.” He dragged the side of his face along mine, nuzzling me like a pet would. “Why don’t we see if I can take care of some of that for you?” he whispered into my ear.

  I closed my eyes and leaned my head back onto his shoulder, unable to keep at bay all the elicit images his words were bringing to mind.

  I’d had my share of men and no one had ever affected me even close to the way Jamie did. I didn’t sleep around for sport, but I was young and carefree. I enjoyed having fun and if I was dating a guy and was attracted to him, I wasn’t going to stay celibate just because of some inane moral obligation. I didn’t do emotional entanglements, so over the years I’d dated a lot of guys.