But all that had changed...
...or had it?
Did she think she could snare him into a trap with sex? It would take a lot more than that! He'd have his fill of her tonight. Over the next few days, he'd charm the ladies in Summerville's historical society then wrap up the entire MegaMart deal so he could return to his life in the city.
...and his father.
That thought made him profoundly depressed. He longed to stay here in Summerville ... with Kat. He wanted to feel the warm summer breeze caress his skin. He wanted to walk down Main Street, licking one of Fred's icy-cold ice cream cones.
He wanted to snooze in his hammock at the Pink Lily. Maybe he could convince Kat to join him...
Those thoughts swirled through his mind, fueling his need to be with her, to be inside her. He turned her in his arms, savoring the feel of her naked breasts against his chest. Working his thumbs under the band at the top of her thong, he worked it down her bottom and over her hips. When it was halfway down her legs, Kat took over, pushing it down her calves. She stepped out of it and picked it up, then tossed it aside.
Naked.
Jared spent several minutes taking in her gloriously bare form, turning her this way and that, admiring the gentle swell of her bottom. Finally, he bent down to unlace her corset-style stilettos. She grabbed his shoulders as she stepped out of them. With the same reverence he had shown her garments, he picked up her shoes and placed them near the chair, alongside her dress.
He walked back over to her. Her body shined—she was a glorious, fiery goddess—and she was his for the taking.
If only for tonight.
Jared reached for her and kissed her until she went limp. He managed to restrain himself ... barely. Picking her up in his arms, he carried her to the bed, following her down onto the mattress, covering her body with his.
When she wrapped her arms around him, he felt as though he had finally found a sheltering haven from all the burdens in his life.
* * * *
Jared's hands and mouth worked their magic on Kat. He kissed her long, hard and deep, and then trailed a fiery path of kisses down her neck, across her collarbone, continuing down the length of her body where his lips caressed the skin right above her pubic bone. When his mouth settled between her legs, Kat's body ricocheted off the bed. Grasping her hips to hold her steady, Jared's tongue snaked out, the tip of it lodging between the shielding folds of skin hiding her clit, and slowly stroked her pulsing bud up and down.
Her breathing grew frantic. She shifted, her legs moving restlessly, as she grabbed fistfuls of the bedspread. Glancing down at Jared's head full of hair, she placed her hands there, running her fingers through the silky strands as he continued his ministrations.
Her body ignited. Clutching handfuls of his thick, black hair, she spread her legs wider to allow him more access to her hot, wet clit, as a wall of white-hot pleasure slammed into her. Jared's mouth never left her sensitive bud for a second, but continued to lick and nibble as the swirling tide of need reached its crescendo. When the frantic sensations stopped rocking her body, she relaxed.
Jared's head rested on the pillow next to her. She could feel his dark, golden-flecked eyes on her, watching her every move. Finally, he said around a chuckle, “We should have removed the bedspread."
Kat cracked one eye open and looked over at him. “Very funny,” she said, feeling the damp spot beneath her bottom. Her face flamed in response to feeling the wetness beneath her. She shifted closer to him.
He lifted his head, angling his elbow up onto the mattress, resting the side of his head in his palm. The mattress sank a little from his weight as he moved. He continued to look at her, his eyes warm and teasing. “Did you get what you wanted, Kat?” His voice took on a wicked tone.
She turned toward him and stroked his beard-shadowed chin. “Uh huh,” she said drowsily, feeling robbed of all speech.
He leaned toward her to plant a soft kiss on her lips. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he drew her to him, sliding that same hand to her bottom to squeeze and fondle it. When he drew his finger lightly over the space separating the twin globes of her backside, she almost came again.
Oh, this was such a dangerous game she played with him! Just one touch of this man's hand sent her spiraling back to that deep, sensual abyss. She had to shift the balance of power ... quickly.
Kat reached out and began unbuttoning his shirt. He sat up to give her more access, letting her ease the shirt from his shoulders, down his arms. She tossed the shirt to the end of the bed, and turned her attention back to him. Grabbing the ends of his t-shirt, she pulled it up to his waist and over his chest. He took over the rest of the way, yanking it up and over his head then tossed it to the end of the bed to join his other shirt there.
She drank in the sight of his broad, bare chest and ran her fingers across the firm, muscled flesh. A light smattering of fine dark hair lined Jared's chest, trailing down to his abdomen. Leaning down, Kat tickled his bellybutton with the tip of her tongue. He groaned once and flopped onto his back. Kat climbed on top of him, straddling his hips, leaning over to tongue his nipples. She gently stroked and plucked them, watching his golden-flecked eyes dilate as they filled with desire.
"God, Kat...” His voice was strained. Now he grabbed the bed covers in his hands.
"Paybacks are a bitch, aren't they?” she asked in a sultry voice. She trailed the ends of her hair across his chest and abdomen.
Kat unbuttoned his pants and slid the zipper down. Jared sucked in a breath, his abdomen sinking into the mattress.
"Hurry,” he said through gritted teeth.
Kat smiled wickedly. “Patience is a virtue, Mr. Martin."
He lifted his head, breathing hard, and gave her a black look. The next thing she knew, he grabbed her wrists and pulled her toward him. She slid across his body, which only made him groan louder when she maneuvered the hot, wet, juncture between her thighs over his protruding member. He released her and flopped back on the bed in defeat.
She released a laugh. “What's wrong? Not up to snuff, are we?"
He lifted his head. “I swear to God, Kat, I'm going to—” he started to say something that sounded threatening, but abandoned all speech when she wiggled her bottom across his groin. She then sat up straight and flipped back the fiery red hair trailing across her breasts. Wetting her fingertips, she massaged her nipples in a sensual display. Where this wanton desire to show off in front of him came from, she didn't know. She wiggled her bottom, the twin globes caressing his erect shaft.
He wore a pained expression. “You do much more of that, and I'm going to haul your fanny over my knee,” he ground out.
"You would really spank me?” She blinked once, her eyes filling.
"I ... oh Christ, Kat, no, I...” Jared reached for her, pulling her down on top of him. “I wouldn't hurt you,” he murmured, stroking her bottom gently then trailing his hand up her back. He rubbed her between her shoulder blades.
"Kat?” he asked.
She hid her face against his chest.
"Kat,” he implored. “Look at me, please."
She continued to ignore him, her head buried against his chest, her hair spilling across him. When her shoulders started to shake, he reached for her, and forced her chin up with the palm of his hand. “Please don't cry,” he murmured.
Kat looked him right in the eyes, biting her lower lip in an attempt not to laugh. “I really had you going there, didn't I?” She screeched when he flipped her over and followed her down onto the bed, pinning her there. Then he lifted her slightly, so that her bottom was exposed. She felt the sting of his large palm against her backside and giggled. The smack she received only served to inflame her more. She wiggled against him kissing him full on the mouth.
"You ... minx,” he grinned, kissing her back.
Kat felt his erection nudge her belly. “Do you want out?” She glanced down at the outline his stiff member made against his trousers. Reaching down, sh
e cupped his balls in her hand.
Jared's eyes dilated, his breathing quickened. “Don't stop.” It sounded more of a plea than the hoarse demand she thought Jared intended.
She continued stroking him, cupping and massaging his testicles until sweat broke out on his forehead.
"You poor baby,” she crooned softly. “Let's give you some relief, shall we?” She released him and maneuvered his trousers over his hips—slowly.
Jared glared at her. “Hurry,” he intoned.
"Now, now ... we have all night. Let's not rush this."
"I'm warning you, Kat,” he ground out, “You won't sit for a week if you don't hurry up."
"Patience, Jared, patience."
"Fuck patience!” he roared, as he shoved his pants down over his feet, kicking his legs out. His trousers flew off, followed by his boxers, all landing on the floor in a heap. She tumbled off him when he leaned down to kick off his shoes and removes his socks.
When she looked at him next, he was on his hands and knees, crawling up the bed, heading straight for her! Kat's mouth hung open as she drank in the sight of his tall, dark, naked form as he made his way up the bed. In that instant, he reminded her again of a sleek, wild cat. Her eyes flew to his engorged member and the sack that hung below it. His dark golden eyes pinned her, as though she was a small wild animal caught in the throes of fear.
But she wasn't afraid, no—she was excited. Aroused. Ready to surrender and give him what he wanted...
Her.
His hot look sent a shiver of longing down her spine.
Jared maneuvered her so that she lay on her back. For one crazy second, Kat thought about resisting. How had she let things get so out of hand, she wondered, as he slid his hands over her, touching and stroking her body in places she didn't even know existed. His touch became more urgent as he continued to stroke and fondle every single inch of her. She felt his rigid shaft nudge the folds of flesh between her legs, begging entrance.
Kat's body responded in kind, despite her misgivings. She wiggled against him, rubbing her sensitive nubbin up and down his swollen member. The swirling, churning mass of white-hot pleasure began to build inside her as moisture seeped from between her legs. The more she rubbed, the wetter she became, and the harder he got.
He closed his eyes and inserted his thick, pulsing shaft inside her, burying himself to the hilt. Kat cried out when he began to move, slowly at first and then gradually he increased the speed at which he pumped into her. She matched his movements, thrusting her pelvis forward and back, twining her legs around his back in an effort to hold on.
She could feel the long outer ridge of his shaft as it slid against her clit. That sensual abyss yawned before her. She stood on the edge, ready to leap in and let her release take her over. When a tide of pleasure toppled her, Kat shouted, “Jared!” and dug her nails into his upper arms while he continued to pump into her, spilling his hot seed inside her.
Jared collapsed against her, resting his forehead against hers.
They were both hot—their skin slick with perspiration, but Kat didn't care. She curled against him, hugging his powerful shoulders. Jared didn't withdraw from her, but moved closer. She heard the low hum of the air conditioner as cool air swirled over her skin, causing bumps to form across her arms. Kat shuddered against him, nestling her head between his neck and shoulder.
Reaching across her, he grabbed for the coverlet and pulled it over their bodies, cocooning them in warmth.
Kat heard Jared's breathing, heard the tick of her bedroom clock. She shifted slightly, but he didn't allow her to pull away. Resting her head against his chest, she closed her eyes and soon, fell into a deep slumber.
She woke up once that night to use the bathroom. When she did, Jared's golden eyes opened, they glowed in the darkened bedroom as he watched her every move, from the time she rose from the bed and made her way to the small bathroom adjoining her bedroom, until she came back. As she crawled into bed, Jared lifted the covers, beckoning her in, pulling her to him. She turned in his arms, only to feel his hard arousal nudge the cleft of her bottom. He stroked her backside gently then inserted his knee between her legs. Kat opened like a flower, reveling in the sensations that rocked her as he entered her from behind. With one hand holding and massaging her breasts, he placed the tip of his shaft between the folds covering her clit and took her to heaven and back.
Again, she fell into a deep sleep.
When she woke next, it was to hear birds singing outside her window.
She cracked one eye open and turned to gaze at the pillow Jared slept on.
It was empty ... and cold.
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Chapter Nine
Kat rolled over and grabbed Jared's pillow. Hugging it to her chest, she buried her nose in the linen pillowcase and inhaled deeply. Jared's spicy, citrusy scent still clung to the material. She placed it back in his spot and rose from the bed, wincing as she padded to her closet to fetch a robe. Kat was sore in spots she didn't even know she had. Jared had been a vigorous, playful lover.
She glanced toward the chair near the mirror and saw her dress and corset on the seat cushion. Jared had managed to make the corset stand upright in one corner of the chair and arranged the matching thong, garter belt and stockings so it looked like an ensemble, proving once again, his reverence for her creations. She walked over to the chair and picked up the corset, running her hand over the lace edging at the top. Kat hugged it to her body, much like she did Jared's pillow. The corset smelled of him and ... her.
She placed it back on the chair and walked away, remembering just how it had felt when Jared undressed her last night. His slow, calculated movements were burned into her brain. She recalled the feel of his fingers brushing against the stays in the back of the corset. Her face flamed, remembering how he trailed the corset ties down her back, swishing them against her sensitive bottom.
She groaned in frustration, placing her head in her hand. One night with Jared Martin had only fueled her need for another and another and another...
Kat stalked to her closet and grabbed a silk lace robe off a pink-padded hangar. She quickly tossed the garment across her shoulders, pushing her arms through the sleeves. As she tied the sash, she walked over to her bureau and opened a drawer, reaching for a fresh pair of silk, hip-hugger panties.
Kat wanted to verify that Jared hadn't left anything behind so she gave the room one last glance. Who was she kidding? She had hoped to find something—any piece of his clothing that might indicate he was still there. His early morning defection, without even a curt ‘goodbye,’ stung more than her pride, cementing in her mind what a fool she had been. Jared Martin brought out something in her that no one, not even her ex-husband could—a wild, primitive urge to mate. Even in her desperate attempts to change Arthur's mind about having children, she hadn't acted that wanton in bed with him.
She had been stupid, so stupid not to notice the signal that Arthur's sudden shift in attitude had wrought. Fifteen years her senior, he had told her that he would welcome having children with Kat ... until he found someone younger! Jared had told her that he liked her independent nature, but Arthur didn't. Her creative spirit and ambition to become one of the Metropolitan area's most popular designers of women's lingerie and undergarments soon became a cause of disagreement between them...
...As well as Arthur's young mistress.
"Fill this house with children, Kat. Don't let Arthur, or what happened to your sister and me stop you from living ... or loving."
Her mother had said that to her after Kat had come back to Summerville, her heart wounded from Arthur's betrayal and now those same words swirled through her mind. She tried to block them out as she strode from her bedroom and walked down the hall.
Kat stopped at the second door on the right. Her heart grew heavy at the sight of it. She ran her hand over the dark wood lining the doorway. Jared had literally flown up the stairs and down this very hallway the night before, s
ailing past the room she now stood before—the room where Kat had nursed her older sister and her mother in their last days. Last night, cradled in Jared's arms, she had not given it a second thought ... didn't even glance that way.
Guilt. It hung over her like an anvil waiting to descend. It was an endless burden, and now, it became a double-edged sword. She couldn't do anything for her older sister, Stacy, or her mother. Grace Sullivan had succumbed to more than her physical illness; she had surrendered to the deep despair that only a broken heart could bring. She had never been right after Stacy died. Kat had come back to Summerville after her marriage to Arthur crumbled, then her heart shattered when her only remaining family succumbed to illness. If it hadn't been for Lilith, Doris, Fred, and her other friends in Summerville, she would have never been able to cope with the devastating loss of her family and her marriage.
The sword of guilt dangled before her. Last night, she had not given this room a backward glance. Cradled in Jared's arms as he made his way toward her bedroom, she could only think of being with him, and of the sensual promise his hands and lips wrought.
Guilt descended further, the sword of blame's tip balanced right above her head. She opened the door to her mother's bedroom. Kat tried to walk in, like she attempted a hundred times before, but it was no use. She quickly shut the door against the odor that always assailed her nostrils. It was the smell of sickness and ... death. No matter how often she had cleaned the room, or had hired a service to clean it, the room still held the stale odor of illness.
She padded down the hallway and stopped, rooted to the spot she was in. Another smell drifted past her nose. The strong, heady scent of coffee wafted toward her. Kat shut her eyes and inhaled deeply, savoring the rich, fragrant smell.
Her eyes flew open. How could she smell coffee?
Jared.
Jared hadn't left!
Her heart skipped several beats as she flew down the steps to her kitchen.
* * * *
Jared cracked some eggs into a bowl then glanced at his watch. It was eight a.m. and Kat still hadn't risen. He smiled, thinking that was just fine by him. He'd make her breakfast and bring it up to her, then have the pleasure of holding her warm, pliant body on his lap, where he'd feed her the omelet and toast he prepared. He would enjoy waking her, kissing her body, inch by lovely inch. Then he'd take his time giving her breakfast so he could take pleasure in watching her eat. They might have skipped most of their dinner last night in their haste to make love, but he had glimpsed the carnal enjoyment Kat received from eating.
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