Lexie was not in favor of this strategy, of course, but he hadn’t listened—stubborn man. In fact, they’d had their first argument over this issue. She’d fussed at him initially, insisting that he needed to rest and get his strength back, but he’d ignored her—obstinate man. She’d continued to protest until he’d gotten annoyed, making it clear that with the judge’s deadline from the blackmailer looming, he wasn’t going to let a scratch on the shoulder sideline him. When she’d persisted, he’d lost his patience, threatening to either fuck or spank her until she stopped carping at him, maybe both. He’d gone on to explain that both activities could result in further injury, and she didn’t want to be responsible for him popping a stitch—now did she? Since Lexie had already told him there’d be none of that activity until the stitches were out, she’d had no leg to stand on—exasperating man. And so, after taking only one day off, barely enough time for Lexie to fuss over and pamper him as she’d liked, he’d been back at it—infuriating man.
Lexie considered it a blessing that he’d scaled back his activity as much as he had. She found out later it was only due to Cap and Dex restricting his assignments. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have slowed down at all.
Despite the investigation, Jones did carve out some time for her. Even if he was working, he took time out for dinner at her place, most nights. Afterwards, they’d spent time in quiet activities, such as watching TV or sitting outside talking and watching the swans. She suspected it was because his shoulder bothered him more than he cared to admit.
Tonight, she was going to his place and Jonas was cooking. He’d also told her to pack a bag and to plan to spend the night.
“It’s been eight days since the shooting,” he’d said adamantly, “my convalescence is over.” Evidently, he’d decided his medical-induced abstinence was over, too.
As instructed, Lexie pulled her Toyota into space #19 marked for guest parking and turned off the engine. She felt intimidated by Jonas’ Merc parked on one side and the Porsche Boxster on the other. Nowhere in the parking lot had she found a Ford or Chevy, and the only SUVs she saw were a Lexus and several Cadillac Escalades.
She sat in her car for a moment thinking about her new—what did she call him?—boyfriend, lover, Dom? He’d used the word—relationship—but they hadn’t exactly defined it yet. She was hoping they could get to that tonight. Peering out her windshield at his building, she was suitably impressed. The Vistas was an exclusive community with luxury homes and condos. She’d heard about it, but never had the opportunity to visit. And even though he only lived a few miles from her condo, when she drove onto the property, she felt like she’d left San Antonio far behind and entered a ritzy section of Beverly Hills or the Hamptons.
Gathering her purse and small travel bag, she walked to the entrance and entered the security code he’d given her. Jonas’ unit was on the third floor. When he let her in, she was surprised to see the open stairway leading to an upper floor. She looked at him in question, “This is huge. Don’t you get lost rattling around in here all by yourself?
“What can I say? I like my space and privacy. Not as secluded as a house in the country, at least I found a corner unit. With my bedroom upstairs, I have fewer thin walls to worry about.” He winked at her as he took her bag. “Dinner won’t be ready for about twenty. How about a tour?”
His two-story condo was absolutely beautiful. There was marble flooring mixed with areas of gleaming hardwood. It had a neutral color scheme with taupe walls and white trim, the rich earth tones giving it a masculine feel. Lexie loved everything about it, from the living room with its wraparound windows and the enormous private balcony beyond, to the luxurious master bath with a sunken tub big enough for two. Her favorite spot had to be the main bedroom with its six-section door wall that opened onto another private balcony. It overlooked the community’s 700-acre wildlife park and the Texas hill country beyond. They stood shoulder-to-shoulder at the railing, silently watching the sunset over the plateau until Jonas’ phone alarm interrupted their peace and quiet.
“That’s my cue to check on dinner. C’mon.”
Hand-in-hand, they walked downstairs to the dining room where Jonas had the table all set.
“Wine, beer, margarita—name your poison.”
“You made margaritas?”
“None of those sweet girly drinks for me, I’ve got a rep to uphold. For you, there are margaritas. I’m having a Corona.”
She laughed. “I think you could wear a pink tutu and glitter and no one would question your masculinity, dulcedo.”
His head popped up over the refrigerator door, and he shot a surprised look her way.
“What? The pink tutu remark was too much, huh?”
“No baby, ‘dulcedo,’” he said softly, emerging from the fridge with a Corona and Mike’s Hard Margarita in one hand, a bowl of guacamole and jar of salsa in the other. Her eyes locked onto his large hands, easily carrying it all, such beautiful hands.
Dragging her eyes away, where were they? She retraced their conversation—dulcedo.
“Well, you call me ‘sunshine’ and ‘baby.’ I decided to try out a nickname for you. What do you think?”
“Mm…” He set everything down on the table. Suddenly, Jonas was at her side, threading his hand through the hair at her nape. He tugged gently until her head fell back and she was looking directly up at him. His other hand grazed her exposed throat, sliding up until his palm cupped her jaw. His searing gaze met hers before he proceeded to lay a hot, wet, mind-altering kiss on her. When he released her mouth, minutes later, he murmured softly, “I like it,” then took his seat across from her.
Distracted, she blinked a few times, trying to remember what they were saying. His kiss had robbed her of all coherent thought. “What—” her voice cracked. She cleared her throat, trying again. “What do you like?”
“You calling me sweetness.” He smiled, obviously amused. “It’s cute.”
“You know Latin?”
“A little. I took it in high school. Some must have stuck, lux solis.”
Lexie sighed, blown away. He’d called her “sunshine” in Latin, and she melted even more.
“While being called sweetness doesn’t help my rep as a badass Dom, it's better than some of my other nicknames.”
Eyeing the width of the table between them, she breathed deeply, settling herself. With distance came clarity where Jonas was concerned, and she finally remembered where this had all started. “Like C4? Why do the guys call you that?”
“Where did you hear that?”
“Sean called you that in the ER.” She laughed when he pulled a face. “That’s mild compared to what you said. Morphine makes you very chatty.”
“Nothing too graphic, I hope.”
“Don’t worry, only Sean was there for the really embarrassing parts and those mostly involved me.”
“You’re forgetting Benson.”
He was right. How could she have forgotten that so quickly?
“I opened you up to that slime ball, Lex, with my uninhibited tongue.”
“That was the morphine talking, Jonas. I don’t hold you accountable for that and I don’t want to talk about Benson anymore.” The mere mention of his name made her shudder. “You didn’t give away any top secret information that I could tell, only your PIN number.”
“What?’
“And you gave one of the nurses the security code for your condo.” Unable to keep a straight face, she giggled.
Seeing him rise from his chair, she put out her hands. “Wait, Jonas, I was just teasing. You really only gave up the combination to your safe.”
He bore down on her, and as he tickled her mercilessly, her giggles turned to squeals and pleas for mercy. When she was close to tears and begging him to stop, he captured her hands, intertwining their fingers. Moving their clasped hands to the small of her back, he held her immobilized as he lowered his head, as he kissed her sensitive neck. His lips and tongue explored, instead of playfully tick
ling, his actions now sensuous and wonderfully erotic.
“Now that you know my methods of interrogation, you will tell me the truth, my naughty nurse. What secrets did I divulge while you had me drugged and at your mercy?”
“No PINs or passwords, I swear.” Breathing heavily beneath his warm lips and tongue, Lexie confessed. “You only leaked a few national security secrets and your grandmother’s recipe for apple pie. Bet your nana’s gonna be pissed.”
With his lips on her neck, the vibration of his chuckle made her giggle. Soon they were both rolling with laughter, which continued unabated until they collapsed against each other, breathless from their silliness.
A buzzer went off. Jonas lifted his head and gave her a lip-smacking kiss. “Enchiladas are ready, baby. Let’s eat.”
As he bent to slide a pan from the oven, Lexie grinned, shamelessly ogling his backside as his jeans hugged him tight. He had a dynamite body, which reminded her...
“Hey, you were going to tell me why they call you C4.”
“No, I wasn’t.” He placed the casserole dish on the table before continuing. “That’s an old war story that isn’t suitable for retelling over dinner, or ever.”
“Hm . . .” There was a good story here without a doubt. Lexie made a mental note to come back to the subject later. “The military is big on nicknames, aren’t they? Remind me what else did they call you.”
“Tech, for the computer work. There’s also pretty boy, half-pint, and JB.”
“Oh, yes, Sean told me those first two, both made sense, especially pretty boy; you’re very handsome.” She smiled as he pulled off his oven mitts and brought her hand to his lips, kissing it in a silent thank you. “I can even understand half-pint; although you’re not small by any means, the other guys could play O-line for the Cowboys, they’re giants. What’s JB about?”
Grimacing, he gave her hand a last squeeze before grabbing the spatula and serving up dinner. “That came from Lil T. Pretty boy wasn’t good enough so he likened me to Justin Bieber one day in front of the guys, and it stuck for a while. Thankfully, another tag came along and they forgot about it.”
She snickered, unable to help it. The name irritated him, but she thought it was funny. “Sorry.” She tried to control herself by taking a sip of her drink—it didn’t help—as a giggle burst free before she howled with laughter.
“I like that, too.” He watched her, a little smile curving his full lips. “Your laugh is infectious.”
They chatted non-stop throughout the meal, at ease in one another’s company. She praised his mother’s recipe and his execution, as well as the guacamole he’d made fresh. For dessert, he brought out her favorite, New York style cheesecake.
Leaning back with a groan, she patted her full belly. “I’m stuffed. Good thing I don’t eat like this every day. You’d be looking for a skinnier model, or be reinforcing your rigging, for sure.”
“Don’t put yourself down, Lex. I don’t like it. You’re perfect.”
“That’s sweet, Jonas, but I know my flaws. I have an old-fashioned hourglass figure and I’m fine with that. I just don’t want my booty getting any bigger.”
“I’ll keep an eye on your booty, have no fear about that. I’m rather partial to the curvy pinup girl look. Any man worth his salt would choose fifties era Marilyn Monroe or Bettie Page over Twiggy any day. I like tits and ass and you suit my taste just fine. So remember what I said.”
“Okay, no negative comments about my big butt.”
“That right there is pushing it, babe.”
Lexie carried the dishes to the sink while he popped the lid on the casserole and slid it into the fridge. Carrying both of their drinks, he moved toward the doorway. “Let’s head out to the balcony. There’s always a nice breeze this time of night.”
Twilight had set in and the woods had come to life with chirping crickets, croaking frogs and the occasional whistles and trills of an owl, as well as other wildlife sounds. She could hear crickets at her apartment at night, that was about it. When she stepped toward the balcony, Jonas cut her off. Catching her hand, he tugged her down onto the thick-cushioned rattan love seat. Propping his feet on the table in front of him, he leaned back, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. The plush seat and his arms were so inviting that she ignored his high-handed manner and put her drink aside, eagerly curling into his side and sighing as her head came to rest on his chest.
“This is nice. I bet you spend a lot of time out here.”
“Not nearly as much as I’d like. I work a lot. Of course, with your sweet softness to curl up with, I think I’ll make the time from now on.”
“I’m happy to help with that for free enchiladas and spectacular sunsets.”
“How about great company?”
“That’s a given.”
“That’s good to know. I’m enjoying spending time with you, too.” He wound his hand in her hair and with gentle pressure pulled her head back until he could take her mouth. After taking thorough possession, he lifted his head to whisper against her wet, parted lips. “I want you, Lexie, not only in my bed, but in my life. I feel a spark, like nothing before. Do you feel it?”
“Yes, Jonas,” she whispered back, breathing into him. “I feel it, too. All I can think about is being with you.”
“I’m taking you to bed, Sunshine. I’ve got to have you—now.”
Setting his beer aside, he pulled her to her feet and lifted her into his arms.
“Jonas! Stop! You’ll tear your stitches. I can walk.”
“My call, baby. When you think of our first time together, I want you to remember how I swept you off your feet.”
Setting her down beside his king-size bed, he kissed her with all the heated passion that had been building between them since the night they first met. Pressing his hips to hers, his hands swept down her back and claimed her bottom, pulling her in tight.
“Feel how much I need you¸ Lexie,” he groaned huskily. “I want you naked.”
His hands went to the waistband of her silky tank and whisked it over her head, revealing her next-to-nothing black lace bra. Her nipples peaked to aching hardness as his fingers traced the lace-edged demi-cups. “This is sexy as hell, but I need bare skin.” The backs of his fingers rubbed against her flesh as he released the front hook and pulled back the material to bare her to his avid gaze.
The straps were pushed from her shoulders next as the bra slipped down her arms onto the floor. She quivered before him. Jonas’ insistent hands glided up her back and pulled her in close. Her head fell back as her body bowed, pulled inexorably toward his eager mouth as if on a taut string. His searing hot tongue grazed over her trembling flesh, leaving a trail of moisture across her chest.
Lexie whimpered, arching further, offering all of herself. “Jonas, please,” she moaned impatiently. She wanted his hungry mouth on her skin, not the taunting soft touches he teased her with now. Impatiently, she grabbed his head as his lips hovered over her nipple, pulling his mouth to her aching tip. Still, he teased, giving her only a slow lick. Helplessly, she writhed against him begging, “Please.”
His hand slipped beneath the hem of her skirt a second before his splayed fingers caught her bottom, pulling her against his hardness. Again, she was lifted and he laid her onto the bed. Every square inch of her felt electrified. She couldn’t control her body, twisting and squirming, while rubbing her hands over her own hyper-sensitized skin. Through languorous eyes, she watched him pull off his clothes.
Pressing his knee into the mattress, Jonas slid his hands up her thighs, pushing her skirt up over her miniscule pair of black lace panties. Sexy as they were, Lexie knew they’d soon be history.
On cue, Jonas growled, “These have to go,” as he hooked his fingers in the thin material and pulled them off her. His eyes consumed her from head to toe as he whispered, “Fucking gorgeous.” Although it was no real obstacle to his goal, the wad of denim material still twisted around her waist seemed to bother
him.
“This is marring a work of art, like a mustache on the Mona Lisa, it has to go too. Raise your hips.” His fingers anxiously sought the zipper of her skirt, undid it and pulled it off. “There we go, baby—no barriers—nothing between us.”
Her body was on fire for him. His words alone, filled with passion and need, were going to make her come.
Easing between her thighs, he settled full length on top of her as his lips found her once again. “You are gorgeous, Lexie. I want to bury myself deep inside, but first I need a taste.”
He kissed his way down her body until he settled between her thighs. Long fingers stroked her before spreading her pussy lips. She heard a whispered “beautiful” a millisecond before his mouth latched on to her.
Although it seemed like a lifetime since a man had touched her intimately, she knew it had never felt like this. Spreading her legs wider, she tilted her hips, silently begging for more. His talented mouth did not disappoint as his tongue first swirled around her clit before capturing the firm bundle of nerves firmly between his teeth. Seeking more, she strained against him.
“Merciful heavens—” Her words halted on a gasp. A low keening was all that she managed as he slipped a long finger inside her, his intimate touch rocketing her skyward.
“Your honey is so sweet, Lex. I could eat this gorgeous pussy for hours. But right now, I have to be inside you.”
Kneeling between her thighs, he reached into his nightstand for protection.
Lexie squeaked in protest. She wanted him without barriers, too, to feel his skin against her, deep inside her, rubbing and stroking where she had been neglected for so very long.
“Jonas, I’m safe. We don’t need those, unless...”
“Thank God! I am too. Tested last month and I never go unprotected.” His voice was rough, revealing his building passion. “Until now.”
The head of his cock grazed her sensitive skin. She moved against him, as he glided through her weeping slit, collecting her juices and preparing for entry. Unable to control her response, she bucked against him, seeking his hardness.
Unbind My Heart (Club Decadence) Page 12