Claimed for Destiny

by Brenda Jackson

  They stood facing each other, both intently aware that something had shifted between them. They were doing more than wavering on the edge; they were hanging on for dear life. The chemistry between them was more powerful than ever, explosive, and deliriously potent. At that very moment, Dana wondered what could be the worst thing to happen if she told him she had missed him, and with the same intensity he’d claimed and so vividly stated.

  She had also dreamed about him each night and each time he had invaded her sleep he had made love to her. In the deep unconsciousness of her mind she had easily and willingly given everything to him and he had pleasured her in ways she could only imagine. She had felt safe in knowing that when she awoke, she could face reality. But a secret part of her yearned to see how close her dreams were to the real thing. Could he actually make her reach an orgasm that many times? Even reaching one would be a first for her.

  “Dana?”

  He reclaimed her attention. “Yes?”

  “I asked if you missed me,” he said softly.

  Yes, he had. And she would try to answer him, although not in the same depth that he’d done. “Yes, I missed you. And I dreamed about you, too.” She watched as his nostrils flared and she heard his quick in take of breath.

  He slowly uncrossed his arms. “And in these dreams…”

  Dana tilted her head and looked at him. “That’s for me to know.”

  A smile touched the corners of his lips as he took a couple of steps to ward her. “And for me to find out?”

  She held his gaze. “I doubt that you can.”

  Jared lifted a dark eyebrow and Dana immediately knew her mistake. She had given him a challenge.

  She couldn’t help but let her gaze lower to his fly and felt herself stirred by what she saw. He was an unashamed, very aroused man. She swallowed deeply and snatched her gaze back to his face. She tried desperately to remember the last conversation they’d had here in this house. Hadn’t it been a mere five days ago? But for the life of her, her mind was getting fuzzy, heated and filled with more desire than she could handle.

  “I thought we decided not to complicate things,” she said, trying to hold on to her sanity as much as she could.

  Another smile curved his lips. “Finding out just what kind of dreams you had is the most uncomplicated thing I’ll ever do. Uncomplicated and very satisfying for the both of us.”

  Dana saw the look of intent in his eyes and took a step back. She folded her arms beneath her breasts. “I won’t sleep with you, Jared.”

  She saw him lift another eyebrow as he regarded her. She realized too late that she had made another mistake because she had intentionally given him another challenge.

  “And I told you, Dana, that I won’t push you into doing anything you aren’t read y for.”

  She frowned slightly. “And what do you think you’re doing now if not pushing.”

  He lifted a shoulder in a shrug. “Making an attempt to destroy your theory that sex is overrated. But, I don’t have to sleep with you to do that.”

  “You don’t?”

  “No.”

  Dana swallowed, saw the intensity in his gaze. She believed him. Now she under stood why he was one of the most successful attorneys in Atlanta. “You’re smooth,” she decided to say, meaning every word. He was using every weapon at his disposal to break down her defenses. There was the huskiness of his voice, the look of heated desire in his eyes and his very obviously aroused body. Even his stance was provocatively sexy.

  “I’m also thorough, Dana.”

  She swallowed again and wondered why on earth was he making this difficult? But then another part of her couldn’t help but be curious. Could he really prove that sex wasn’t overrated with out sleeping with her? What would he do to prove it? Just thinking about what approach he might use stirred her up. Boy, was she tempted to find out. And his penetrating stare wasn’t helping matters. He was definitely rattling her resolve and kicking good common sense straight out the window.

  “You once asked me how you would know when you were read y for me, Dana,” he said softly, reclaiming her attention—not that he’d fully lost it. “You might not be read y to sleep with me but I think you’re read y for this. What do you think?”

  Dana sighed. How could she know if she was ready for this, when she didn’t have a clue what this entailed. But she did know that whatever it was, it would be something she would regret not experiencing if she sent him away.

  Her gaze swept over him thoroughly one more time before she made her decision. “I think you might be right.”

  He nodded slowly. “It’s your call.”

  There was considerable silence. Then finally, Dana re traced the distance between them and stood before him, met his gaze, held it. Everything in side of her stirred with heated lust. “Then I’m making it.”

  Jared smiled. He liked everything about her—her smile, her body, her mind. He shook his head. Forget about what he liked. It was time to focus on what he wanted. Dana Rollins was one hell of a seductive woman.

  And he wanted her.

  He had told her they wouldn’t sleep together, but he intended to drive her as far over the edge as she could go. “Do you trust me, Dana?”

  She nodded, realizing what he was asking and why he was asking it. She stared deeply into his eyes when she answered. “Yes, I trust you.”

  “Good.” And then with out wasting any more time, he swept her into his arms and quickly moved in the direction of her bedroom.

  “But—but you said we wouldn’t sleep together.”

  He gazed down at her. “We’re not. We’re going to play a game.”

  She clutched the front of his jacket to hold on to since he was walking so fast. “A game?”

  “Yeah. My version of Red Light, Green Light.”

  “Oh.”

  Jared smiled thinking of the possibilities as he placed her on her bed. He was glad Tom was nowhere around, and just to make sure the cat didn’t show up later, Jared walked over to the bedroom door and closed it.

  He sighed when he turned back to Dana and saw the look of uncertainty in her eyes. He had to re main composed for both their sakes. “Do you want to change your mind about this?” he asked softly, respecting her doubts and fears. It wasn’t about taking care of his body’s needs but rather, introducing her to how wonderful things could be between a man and a woman.

  She met his gaze as she settled back in the bed. He tried not to concentrate on her legs and thighs and was finding it near impossible not to. “No, I don’t want to change my mind, Jared.”

  “Are you sure?”

  She nodded. “Yes.”

  He moved away from the door and came to stand by the foot of the bed. “Then let me tell you about this game,” he said, removing his jacket and tossing it on a chair in her room. “The light will al ways be green, letting me know it’s okay to move for ward. But at any time you feel rushed, over whelmed or want me to stop, all you have to say is red light. Understand?”

  She slowly nodded, al though at the moment the only thing she fully under stood was that he looked good standing at the foot of her bed, especially in his extremely aroused state. She wondered what he would be getting out of this since they wouldn’t be sleeping together.

  He must have read the questions in her eyes. “This isn’t about me, Dana. It’s about you. I can handle things and how I do so is only for me to know.”

  “And for me to find out?”

  Jared laughed. The first real good laugh he’d had in a long time. “Yes, may be one day.”

  He moved slowly to ward the bed and braced one knee on the mat tress. He pulled her into his arms and whispered, “Green light.” Bending his head he captured her lips. The moment his tongue slid in side her mouth, heat consumed him in a way it never had before. It was hard to believe that he could want a woman this badly, with this much intensity and desire. He kissed her the same way he had dreamed about and was thrilled that she was returning his kiss with equal f
ire, with an urgency that only made him want her even more.

  Suddenly, she broke off their kiss. “Red light,” she said breathlessly, barely able to get the words out.

  He stopped kissing her and met her gaze. “I needed to breathe,” she explained. He didn’t say anything but continued to look at her. He watched as she took slow uneven breaths and licked her lips. Moments later she said softly, “Green light.”

  He was read y. He captured her mouth again in his and pulled her up against his erection, wanting her to not only see but to feel what she did to him. He palmed her bottom, and then moved his hand to stroke her thighs. He slowly shifted his hand to the area between her legs, wanting to touch her and not intending for a pair of shorts to stand in his way.

  He pulled back. “Red light,” he said and smiled when he heard Dana whimper in pro test. He met her gaze. “May I re move your shorts and T-shirt?”

  Dana stared at him for a moment, melted under his seductive gaze and whispered, “Green light.”

  Jared’s breathing almost stopped. She had given him the go-ahead and he intended to take it to the max. Leaning to ward her, he whipped the T-shirt over her head and tossed it across the room, leaving her in a black lace bra. His mouth itched, his tongue thickened at the thought of how her breasts might look. Whether he got to find out or not would be her decision. But he was a man who was used to compromising. If she wanted to keep her scrap-of-nothing bra on, he could taste her breasts with out taking anything off.

  He shifted his attention to her shorts, reached out and when she lifted her hips he slowly eased them down her legs to reveal black lace panties. He’d never appreciated black lace so much until now. He tossed her shorts aside to join her T-shirt. Then on his knees he leaned over her and gently lifted her bra to uncover her breasts. Dana whimpered, but didn’t pro test. At that moment he couldn’t have looked away even if some one yelled “Fire.” He had to actually fight to control his breathing. She had the most beautiful, luscious pair of breasts he had ever seen on a woman. They were full and firm.

  He met her gaze. She was looking at him just as hard as he was looking at her. “The light still green?” he asked softly, in a shuddering breath.

  “Yes.”

  One day he would show her his undying gratitude. But for now…he reached out and cupped her breasts, tracing a fingertip around the dark tip of her nipple, first one and then the other. He heard her sharp in take of breath and it heated him more. Leaning over he captured a nipple gently between his teeth and holding it captive he used his tongue to make her as hot as he was.

  Dana curled her hand into a fist as feelings she had never en countered before slammed through her. She could barely stay on the bed, with the sensations Jared was evoking heightening her gratification to a level of pleasure she hadn’t thought existed. He was taking one breast, and then the other, tugging at a nipple drawing them into his mouth, torturing them with his tongue.

  She closed her eyes, feeling herself being pulled under the most sensual haze ever. A moan escaped her throat. She heard it and knew he heard it, as well. But he didn’t stop doing what he was doing. She had dreamed about him doing this to her but her dreams weren’t anything like the real thing.

  When she felt him re lease her nipples she opened her eyes and met his heated gaze. “Light’s still green?” he asked huskily.

  She nodded. She couldn’t speak. “Then lie back for me,” he requested softly.

  She did what he asked and her stomach clenched when he began tracing a trail of kisses from her breasts all the way to her navel. And if that wasn’t bad enough, she felt his fingers easing in side her panties, setting off a deep throb between her legs. Any thoughts of resisting were forgotten. She had given him the green light to do as he pleased; and it seemed his most fervent desire was pleasing her.

  Jared felt her heat. He smelled her scent and his erection got harder, in creased in length. He ignored the tremendous ache in his groin as he forced his mind to concentrate on Dana. He eased his finger in side her panties and found her wet heat.

  He let his fingertips have their way and Dana automatically parted her legs for him. Then he went to work, stroking her back and forth, over and over again, glorying in the sounds of her moans, the sensuous catch in her breath, her purrs, the way she groaned his name.

  Without missing a beat with his fingers, he eased his mouth away from her navel and back to her lips, nip ping at them, tracing his tongue from corner to corner. And then he went into her mouth with an urgency that was earth-shattering, increasing the stroking of his fingers, feeling her getting wetter, hotter, slicker. She couldn’t stay still and wiggled her bottom and pushed up against his fingers.

  “Jared!”

  And then it happened. He felt it and continued what he was doing but lifted his head to look at her. He thought that she was beautiful while having an orgasm and knew at that moment he would want to see her in the throes of passion for the rest of his days.

  For the rest of his days. He blinked, quickly pushed that thought away and wondered what craziness would make him even think such a thing. Dana had no place in his future. No woman did. But knowing that couldn’t keep him from reaching out and pulling her into his arms and kissing the sweet taste of sweat from her fore head as her spasms slowly subsided.

  He felt his erection throbbing and he fought back his own need for re lease. This was her time and as far as he was concerned, it was only the beginning. One day his time would come. Meanwhile…

  He brought his head down and captured her mouth. Needing the taste of her with an urgency that he didn’t quite understand. The kiss was quick, hard and deeply satisfying. She sighed into his mouth and his groin tightened at the feelings it stirred.

  “How about going out with me tomorrow night,” he whispered close to her ear moments later when she lay curled in his arms while he held her. In the back of his mind he could still hear her cry out her response to what he’d done to her.

  Dana gazed up at him. How on earth could he think of tomorrow when she was still sensually stirred up from what had happened today? She hadn’t known such pure hot pleasure existed and all with the use of his fingers. She didn’t want to think about what would happen if they were to actually make love. In her mind she would die a slow death, several times over.

  “Tomorrow?” she said, barely getting the word out.

  “Yes, tomorrow. We can go out to eat, take in a movie and then afterward walk around Stone Mountain. Anywhere that doesn’t have a bed. You, lady, are too much temptation. I can only take so much.”

  She shifted in his arms and gazed up at him. Maybe it was her hormones talking, but when it came to Jared, she wanted to take all he had to give and not think of the consequences. “Okay, wherever you want to go is fine. I’ll let you decide.”

  He nodded and she watched as he eased from the bed to stand. He still had his shirt and pants on and looked as rum pled as she felt. She then remembered something very important. “That was my first you know.”

  He glanced over at her and raised an eyebrow. “Your first what?”

  She hesitated, not knowing exactly what to say or how she should say it. But as he waited for her response she knew she had to tell him of his gift to her. “My first orgasm.”

  He gazed at her. Shocked. When it wore off, he dropped back down on the bed and pulled her into his arms, made her look at him. “I’m glad you shared your first with me,” he said huskily, meaning every word.

  She smiled. “Me, too.”

  Jared leaned over and kissed her again, and she felt his desire but also a tenderness that over whelmed her. He slowly pulled back, stood and crossed the room to get her shorts and T-shirt. Coming back over to the bed he took the time to re dress her. He didn’t say anything and neither did she.

  When her clothes were back in place she looked up at him. He reached out and slid a slow finger across her cheek. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  “Okay.” She then remembered she needed t
o tell him something else. She sat up straight and pushed the hair out of her face. “I had lunch with your mom yesterday.”

  He startled. “You did?”

  “Yes. She called and invited me to have lunch with her at Chase’s Place. She’s so nice, Jared, and I really hate lying to her even though I know why we’re doing it.”

  He nodded and fixed dark eyes on her. “Don’t worry about it. Things will work out.”

  She gave him a shaky smile. “I hope you’re right.” But a part of Dana wondered how things could possibly work out when the one thing that she hadn’t wanted to happen was happening any way.

  She was falling in love with Jared Westmoreland.

  Seven

  “What do you mean there’s a possibility the child is mine?” Sylvester Brewster shot to his feet.

  Jared slid the documents out of the envelope and across the table as he met the man’s shocked gaze. “What I’m saying is that according to this medical report, based on the physical that you took last week, you’re not sterile. In fact you have a very high sperm count.”

  Sylvester sank back into his chair. “B-but what about that child hood disease?”

  “According to Dr. Frye, you may have had a low sperm count at one time but there’s no indication you were ever sterile and nothing is documented in your medical history.”

  Sylvester shook his head, squeezed his eyes shut. “This doesn’t make sense, Jared.”

  “You were misinformed. Whatever doctor told your parents you were sterile evidently misdiagnosed your condition. And since you are capable of producing children, there’s a strong possibility that your wife’s child is yours…just like she claimed.”

  Sylvester dropped his head on Jared’s desk with a solid thump. “Damn, Jared, you don’t know what all I said to her, all the things I accused her of.”

  Jared nodded. He could just imagine. “All that medical report does is indicate you aren’t sterile. It doesn’t prove the child is definitely yours. The next step is to order an amniocentesis.”