Seducing Sullivan

by Julie Elizabeth Leto

  The pier acted as a shadow canopy, the moon a dim candle just bright enough to be caught by beads of water sliding down Jack’s chest, over his flat stomach, curling the hair on his powerful thighs. He lay alongside her, warming her with his heat, kissing her with lips that tasted of wine and salt water.

  He slipped out of his briefs, then ripped her panties away with barely an effort. He tugged at the dangling straps of the garter belt he’d left draped around her hips until she pressed fully against him.

  “Do you still want this, angel?”

  He spoke the question with his mouth hovering near hers. His breath made her quiver. His hands slid between them.

  “Jack, I…” She lost her voice when he dipped a finger inside her.

  “You’re so wet. And not from the water. From me. You’re wet because you want me.”

  She knew what he sought, as strongly as she knew what she wanted from him. He needed her to tell him. In words. Again.

  “Yes, Jack, I want you. I’ve always wanted you. I can’t breathe right now from wanting you.”

  Her breasts yearned for his touch. Her neck implored for his kiss. She needed him all over her, inside her, penetrating every boundary until he filled her with the force of his passion.

  For the briefest moment he left her, but after she heard the jingle of his belt and a tear of foil, he rolled and made up for lost time with deep, long kisses down her neck.

  He straddled her, and she dug her nails into his shoulders, through his damp hair and across his back, nearly bucking when his mouth sought her nipple with a powerful tug. She arched against him, tossing her head from side to side. The edge was too close. She couldn’t slip over without him.

  “I’ve waited ten years, angel. I can’t wait a minute more.”

  “Then don’t.”

  She wrapped her legs around him possessively, gasping at the sensation of his tip against her throbbing folds. She fought to swallow. He lifted her hips, stroked her with his hand and sex until she opened her mouth to scream. Just then, he entered and kissed away her cry.

  His eyes widened in amazed pleasure. “You’re so tight. Oh, angel, I didn’t…”

  She clutched his buttocks. “Love me, Jack.”

  With his thrust, she yelped, at once shocked and enraptured by the pleasure-pain of their joining. He rested within her, taking her mouth completely, kissing her thoroughly until her body adjusted. Soon she moved beneath him, tilting upward to fully accept him inside her.

  “Move with me, angel.” Jack braced himself above her on one arm, allowing the other hand to tend to her breast. “You’re so sweet and tight. Ooh, angel.”

  His words were like a litany, a song of adoration that made her soar. “Yes, Jack, yes.” The words tumbled from her lips, urging him on.

  The first orgasm ripped straight through her. She shuddered and shivered as ecstasy transfused through her veins.

  “Oh, Jack.” She gripped his shoulders, pulling him forward until his body draped hers.

  “We’re not done.” He slowed his pace, but continued to move inside her.

  “But, I…” She protested, sure there couldn’t be any more—at least, not for her.

  “Not good enough.” He nuzzled her neck and flipped her over so she lay on top of him.

  “I can’t.”

  He clutched her hips. “Yes, you can. And you will.”

  Still rigid and muscled, he eased into her. The new sensation brought her bolt upright. Movement came as naturally as breathing.

  “That’s it. You’re so beautiful. So amazing.”

  He kept one hand on her hip, holding her, encouraging her to accept the overwhelming feel of him joined with her and under her control. With his other hand, he caressed her breasts, cupping her flesh lovingly, grazing her nipples with his thumb.

  She brought her knees under her and braced her hands on his chest. Arching, she accepted the fullness of him, raising and lowering herself until he grabbed her hips with both hands and rocked into her with the urgency of a desperate man.

  He cried out her name when he came, and she accompanied him over the boundary and into the chasm of delirious pleasure. She fell forward, rasping but sated, against his moisture-slickened chest. After a brief, still moment, he wrapped his arms around her, enfolding her in a cocoon of warmth.

  When his breathing slowed, he rolled over, pinning her beneath him. The look in his eyes was a mixture of delight and confusion.

  “This was your first time in a while, wasn’t it?”

  She swallowed the irrational tears building behind her eyes. Her first, and last, sexual relationship had been almost nine years ago. “Was I that inexperienced?”

  “Inexperienced?” His voice lilted with carefully controlled laughter. He stroked her cheek lovingly, soothing away her fear. “You made me feel things I’ve never felt before. It’s just that you were so tight. I can’t believe…”

  She finally mustered the conviction to look at him squarely. “You can’t believe that I don’t hop in and out of bed with dozens of men on a regular basis?”

  He shook his head, then kissed her sweetly on the cheek. “I can’t believe I deserved such a rare and special gift.”

  For the briefest instant, in the tilt of her smile, Jack spied the innocence he’d missed all night. Despite the smudged red lipstick, dark-lined eyes and wanton lovemaking, the naiveté was still there in his prairie angel.

  In the distance, Jack could hear that the crowd at the pool had increased. He reached for his jacket, draping it modestly over her, just in case. No doubt the gossip had raged when they left the pool. They had once been an item—an unlikely pair, but a couple nonetheless. How unusual could it be for high school sweethearts to get back together after a decade apart?

  Of course, Jack reminded himself, they hadn’t had a reconciliation. Just sex. Great sex. Unbelievably great sex.

  Sex that might lead to something more, if he played his cards right.

  “I think we should get dressed.”

  Her eyebrow tilted upward. “Afraid we’ll get caught?” she asked. “My sister’s not here to ground me, Jack.”

  Despite her lighthearted ribbing, Jack didn’t laugh. He had just made a decision, a choice he hadn’t believed he’d ever make. Not after his fiasco with Lily.

  But Lily wasn’t Angela. None of the women he’d wasted his time with measured up even remotely to her. He’d come to the reunion to seek his lost innocence. He’d come to find Angela. He’d be damned if he let her go now.

  “This isn’t over, Angela. Not by a long shot.”

  She motioned for her clothes. “You seem awfully sure of yourself. How do you know I didn’t want just a one-night stand? You remember those, don’t you?”

  He flinched, wondering how much she knew about his past and the regrets he’d logged since prom night his senior year. But that conversation was a long way away, especially if he wanted Angela to remain in his life past the weekend. He put his pants on, neglecting his briefs, and stuffed her panties into his pocket. She’d slipped on her skirt but needed help tying the top of her halter. He worked carefully, not trusting himself to touch her again so soon.

  He spoke straight into her ear, willing himself not to falter under the fragrance of her perfume. “Tonight was unbelievable, angel. I want you. I’m not touching you, but I can feel you all over me. I’m not kissing you, but the sweet taste of you is still in my mouth.”

  “So, should we call this an appetizer?”

  He shook his head, wondering at the challenge she posed. “The first course. And I intend to partake of the whole meal.”

  “Hungry again?”

  “Famished.” He pulled on his shirt and straightened his jacket. “But tonight, I’ve had a healthy portion. I’d like to know more about the menu before I dig in again.”

  She shrugged, then extended her hand so he could help her up. He did, but she didn’t immediately let go.

  Looking into his eyes, she studied him. He could see
the questions in her expression, and the surrender, as well.

  “Okay, Jack. I appreciate whetting the appetite. I just hope when you’re ready, I’ll still be in the mood for the full five-course meal.”

  He smiled wickedly and led her toward the resort. “Seven courses. And if you aren’t, it’ll be my turn to entice your palate.”

  She smirked at him before swinging past him with that seductive little walk of hers. She stopped not two steps away, grabbed her shoes and threw a coy glance over her shoulder.

  “Can we extend a metaphor, or what?”

  With that, she was gone, waving demurely at her classmates, who grew instantly quiet as she passed.

  If he didn’t know that the pool water was a sultry eighty degrees, he would have jumped right in.

  EXHAUSTED, Angela showered away the sticky salt water, scrubbed off her makeup, changed into her pajamas and climbed into bed. She flew through the nightly ritual as quickly as possible, trying not to think, willing herself not to analyze what had happened on the beach. But with the lights off and her body encased in a silk negligee instead of her familiar knee-length nightshirt and floppy socks, she couldn’t help feeling ridiculous.

  Embarrassed.

  Thrilled.

  What had she been thinking? Making love to Jack had been marvelous—as wonderful as she’d imagined, even slightly better. But it wasn’t over. It couldn’t be. She’d had a taste and she wouldn’t be able to resist another bite.

  How would that fit into her plan?

  In the past decade, her life had been nothing like what she’d planned. Normalcy was nonexistent. Even her successes had a bittersweet flavor. She’d finished college a year early. Her internship at Waynscot International, a fledgling marketing firm, turned into a fulltime position just before the company found a niche and market shares soared sky-high. She was twenty-one and making more money than she’d ever imagined.

  Then she’d gotten the call from California.

  Chryssie, her best friend, was dead, and Angela had become a single mother. Her life would never be the same.

  After pounding her pillow with her fist, she finally settled down. That was all old news. She’d adjusted to the changes tragedy had imposed on her, and in the four years that followed, she’d started her own marketing firm, researching companies, gauging the gaps between the product and consumer and creating business plans to close the separation with cutting-edge promotions and advertising.

  Then, a year ago, she’d gotten news that would drag her back into a relationship with the man who’d broken her heart.

  Suddenly, the silky smoothness of her short nightgown didn’t seem so foreign or uncomfortable. Despite a few moments of uncertainty, she’d slipped easily into the role of seductress. With Jack around, it wasn’t difficult. The man could melt ice with a glance.

  She hadn’t known much about her sexuality. She’d had neither the time nor the inclination to explore that aspect of her life beyond one college fling. After Jack’s rejection, she’d searched for someone to share her bed. Sex became something to do—an act more expected than anticipated. Disappointed with her one and only experience, she’d focused on her career.

  But tonight proved that ten years was more than worth the wait. She relished the residual ache of their lovemaking. She languished in the memory of his touch. The sensation of his weight lingered on her. The scent of his cologne clung to her like the silk of her negligee.

  She’d only sampled a tidbit of pleasure at his hands, and she couldn’t deny his power. For a moment, she’d almost lost herself in the emotions of the experience. Only the last vestiges of anger had kept her in control. She’d come so close to releasing some of the resentment. But to what end?

  She’d come to the reunion to put the lingering fantasies to rest. That’s all. Jack Sullivan might be a delicious lover, but he’d never make a faithful husband.

  Or father.

  Her heart still cried when she remembered the day she brought Dani home. The four-year-old orphan, so scared and unsure, clutched her worn rag doll, afraid to stay alone for more than a minute, terrified Angela would disappear like her mother had. Over a year passed before Dani reverted to the free-spirited child she’d once been—and still was. With her love for the child as her guide, Angela had managed to create a secure family for her and Dani, one she wouldn’t disrupt for anyone—not even Jack Sullivan.

  If she let out all the stops, nature would take its course. She and Jack would have their affair and then she’d be through with him. “What if?” would be answered, and she could go on with her life.

  How hard could leaving him be?

  AS SOON AS SHE switched off the faucet and shook her toothbrush, a knock on the door sent Angela scrambling for her robe. Room service sure worked quick around here.

  “Hold on a minute.” She tugged her sash into a semblance of a knot. “Who is it?”

  “Your breakfast, madam,” answered a muffled voice.

  Raising herself on tiptoe to see out the ridiculously high peephole, she spied a large covered tray. And little else.

  Cautiously, she opened the door.

  “Good morning, angel.”

  Jack lowered the tray, dazzling her with a smile that rivaled the morning sun. Dressed in a loose-fitting gray tank top and black shorts, he looked ready to hit the mild surf.

  She tore her gaze from the sleek lines of his triceps bulging beneath the weight of the tray, but not before he caught her looking.

  Sarcasm covered her embarrassment. “I should have guessed you’d show up, begging for a meal, first thing this morning.” She leaned cockily against the door.

  “Don’t get too excited, sweetheart. The kind of hunger I’m entertaining this morning is strictly culinary. I just thought you might want to talk over a cup of sobering coffee.”

  She swung the door open in invitation. “Sobering? I wasn’t drunk last night. Maybe I should have been. Then I’d have an excuse.”

  With his back to her as he cleared a table near the balcony, Jack didn’t suppress a knowing grin. There she was, his saber-toothed angel.

  “I just knew you weren’t all willingness and sex appeal.” He uncovered steaming plates of eggs Benedict, fresh melon and croissants for two. “As I recall, your sharp tongue got you several stays in the vice-principal’s office.”

  She pulled back the curtains and opened the balcony door, surprised at the uncommonly cool morning breeze. She scanned the sky for signs of rain. Several dark clouds loomed in the west, but the rest of the sky was newly washed with the bright marmalade hues of morning.

  “My sharp tongue often comes in handy.”

  She turned to find him sitting at the table, popping pieces of croissant into his mouth like peanuts. He leaned back leisurely, as if he was paying the one-hundred-and-fifty-dollar-a-night rent on her suite. Not that he couldn’t afford it. She wouldn’t be surprised if he’d taken the penthouse down the hall. Being a world-class photographer brought in world-class fees.

  “Comfortable?” she asked.

  “I’d be more comfortable if you’d join me. Your eggs are getting cold.”

  He stood and pulled out a chair for her. She couldn’t resist. In her nervousness last night, she hadn’t managed more than a few nibbles of dinner. This morning, she was famished. Besides, in the daylight, Jack looked more like an old friend and less like a conquest—despite a devastating smile that went from his curved lips to his ocean-green eyes.

  After a sip of orange juice and a bite of egg, she caught him watching her over his coffee.

  “Thanks for breakfast,” she said.

  “You’re welcome. But I have to be honest—I have ulterior motives.”

  Angela laughed as she balanced a piece of egg on her fork. “I expected as much, though I didn’t think you’d admit it so blatantly. Maybe you have changed.”

  “Maybe I have.”

  His serious tone brought her gaze up, but he wasn’t looking in her direction. Jack’s stare extended
to the distant horizon. The sky, painted by the newborn sun, still reflected a few streaks of pink, orange and purple. It was beautiful, but not unusual for Florida. The scenery hadn’t taken his focus away. A faraway thought had.

  “Care to tell me how?”

  The question was out before she could stop it. Did she really want to know if Jack had changed? What if his answer upset her plans?

  He grinned and leaned forward to sample his breakfast. “I might. If you agree to reciprocate.”

  “My life story for yours?”

  “Just the last ten years. I think I have a handle on the eighteen before.”

  Angela poured herself a cup of coffee, then added cream and sugar. “It’s been a long time. Do you really expect me to believe you remember my past?”

  “Contrary to your memories of me, angel, I did care about you. I listened when you talked. I remember when your father died in our sophomore year. I remember going with you to your sister’s wedding the February before we graduated. How are Kelly and her husband? What was his name?”

  Feeling slightly chagrined and knowing full well from his expression that he knew what her brother-in-law’s name was, she jabbed at a strip of bacon. “His name was and is Garrett. They’re still married and they have two kids, ages twelve and eight. My mom travels around a lot with the business, just like she and Dad used to. We see her about four times a year, a couple of weeks at a time.”

  “We?” Jack probed.

  Angela just managed to avoid choking as she swallowed, then grabbed her juice. “Me and Kelly. The family. They live next door.”

  Good recovery.

  “What about your mother?” she asked quickly before she nearly blew it again, “Is she still married to Paul?”

  Jack took a swig of coffee. “I’m afraid Paul bit the dust about four years ago. She’s with a man named Sam or Steve, last time I checked, anyway.”

  Angela dropped the subject. Obviously, his resentment over his mother’s multiple husbands hadn’t receded.

  “So, where are you living now?”

  Over the rest of breakfast, they filled each other in on the more innocuous portions of their lives. Jack told her about his new studio, a renovated warehouse in Ybor City, the historical Latin district east of Tampa. She explained how companies hired her marketing firm to determine strategies for connecting target consumers with their products. They talked about his travels all over the world as a photographer and the recurring bouts of jet lag that eventually brought him home. She talked more about her sister, brother-in-law and nephews, careful not to mention Dani.