But that didn’t stop her from wanting him, from needing to feel his body close.
He shut his eyes and appeared to be struggling for control.
Slowly she lowered her hand, tracing the lean contours of his face with the tips of her fingers. A slight dimple creased his cheek, and she wished he would smile so that she could watch it deepen. His skin felt smooth, freshly shaven, with only the barest hint of a whisker. Her fingers glided over his strong jawline, stopping at the vein pulsing in his neck, measuring the rapid beat of his heart.
Then, unable to help herself, she brought her lips to his and kissed him. A gentle, tender kiss, meant to heal, as well as to satisfy.
A deep moan rumbled from his chest. His eyes flew open. Then he gripped her shoulders and pushed her away. The rush of cool air chilled her skin. Instantly she missed the heat of his body.
His voice harsh, he said, “I didn’t come here for this. It’s not a good idea, Maggie.”
She felt the sharp sting of rejection. Embarrassed heat flooded her skin. She glanced away, unable to face him. “I—I’m sorry.”
“No, don’t be,” he said, his voice filled with frustration. He hooked a finger beneath her chin, forcing her to look at him. “You don’t understand, Maggie. I need this...I need you too damned much. Once I start, I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to stop.”
Her stomach churned with trepidation. A weight seemed to press against her chest. For some reason, she couldn’t breathe in deeply enough to fill her lungs. “I—I wouldn’t want you to stop.”
He stared at her, his eyes searching her face. “Do you know what you’re saying?”
“I’m saying I need you, too,” she said, her voice whisper soft. “I want you to hold me, to kiss me. Make love to me, Jason.”
She held her breath, waiting for his response. It didn’t take long. With a growl of frustration, he plowed his fingers through her hair and tilted her head back. Taking a second to study her face, he lowered his mouth and kissed her deeply.
Feeling weak, she anchored her hands on his shoulders for support.
He tore his mouth from hers. Restlessly, his lips explored her face. He grazed her mouth, her cheekbones, her chin, the tip of her nose. His hands dropped to her waist. She felt the searing heat of his fingers as he slipped them beneath her T-shirt.
He hesitated, glancing at the lace curtains that covered the windows. “Your curtains are very pretty, Maggie, but they don’t give us much privacy.”
“We could...” She cleared her throat, feeling brazen and reckless. “We could turn off the light.”
Without a word, he reached for the table lamp, and with a flick of his wrist, the room was cast in darkness, leaving only the muted light from the kitchen.
Kissing her once again, he traced the outline of her breasts with his fingers, then his hands slid to her waist. He gripped the hem of her T-shirt. She gasped when he pushed the fabric up and over her head and the cool air hit her passion-warmed skin.
Lowering her back against the couch, he placed a kiss on her bare stomach. And Maggie quivered beneath his touch. For once she didn’t mind the discomfort of the couch. He loosened the clasp of her bra and she heard the growl of desire deep in his throat as he looked down at her.
With incredible tenderness, he cupped her breasts, rubbing his thumbs across the sensitive nubs, watching her face as they hardened beneath his caress. Her back arched off the couch when his lips followed and he took one taut nipple into his mouth, and then the other.
Feeling clumsy and inept, she wasn’t sure what to do with her hands. “Making love” had been a misnomer when applied to what she’d shared with her ex-husband. There had been no give and take, only her husband’s demands.
But this was different. Jason was different.
She wanted to please him as much as he pleased her.
Maggie wove her fingers into the thick curls at the back of his head, cradling him against her as he suckled her breasts. Heat pooled low in her stomach; an ache throbbed deep inside her. When she could bear no more, she raised his head and claimed his mouth with a greedy kiss.
As their tongues mated, she raked her fingers down his back, molding her hands against the hard muscles of his body, stopping at his narrow waist Impatiently she tugged at his shirt, needing to feel his skin against hers.
Ending the kiss, he shucked his shirt with an economy of motion and tossed it on the floor. She stared at him for a long moment, drinking her fill, marveling at the perfection of his body. A light mat of dark hair covered his chest, narrowing to a point at his waist before disappearing into the waistband of his jeans. There was a jagged, white scar on his shoulder, and given his occupation, her imagination leaped to a number of frightening conclusions.
Tentatively she reached out and touched him. The hair on his chest felt springy. His skin sizzled with heat. His body was all rock-hard muscle and velvety smooth skin. Her fingers grazed his nipples and they hardened in response.
Groaning, he gathered her into his arms and held her close, flattening the aching fullness of her breasts against his chest, reclaiming her mouth with his. Maggie felt as though she might explode with the sensations flowing inside her.
His free hand fell to her waist, and he unfastened the top button and pulled down the zipper. Her shorts fell open and he pushed them and her panties down, running his hands silkily over her thighs and legs.
When he stood and struggled out of his own clothes, kicking his shoes and jeans out of the way, Maggie felt the first jolt of panic. He was towering, and in the shadowy light, the lean strength and power of his naked, aroused body both exhilarated and frightened her. She sucked in shallow breaths, willing herself to be calm.
He returned to the couch, lowering himself beside her, his body half-covering hers.
The room spun. An unwanted bubble of fear rose in her throat, choking her. Her muscles tightened reflexively and she struggled to push him away. “I—I can’t.”
Jason flinched. He raised himself on his elbows, holding himself still, looking at her with obvious confusion. “What’s wrong? Did I hurt you?”
“No,” she said, shaking so hard she barely got the word from her mouth. “I—I’m just afraid.”
“Aw, Maggie.” He sighed, pulling away. Even with the fear racking her body, she missed his reassuring warmth. She wanted to pull him back into her arms and pretend that everything was all right. Sitting up, he looked down at her with such regret her heart ached. “I thought you knew I’d never do anything to hurt you.”
“I do know that,” she said, reaching a tentative hand to his face. “I still want you. I...I just don’t know if I can do this. I can’t stop thinking about...” She hesitated.
“About your husband,” he said flatly. For the first time anger flickered across his face, his jaw tightening with the intensity of the emotion. Swearing softly, he gently cupped her face in his big hand and said, “Listen to me, Maggie. I’m not your late husband. I’d never force you to make love to me.” Sighing, he fell back against the cushions, cradling her in his arms. “As long as it takes, I’ll wait until you’re ready.”
For a long moment he held her close, enveloping her in the warmth of his body. With her ear pressed against his chest, she heard the erratic pounding of his heart, the frustrated sigh of his breath. Being this close did little to still the fire of passion.
Then he kissed the top of her head, and pulled away, reaching for his clothes scattered on the floor. And Maggie knew he meant every word he’d just said. He wasn’t angry with her. He still wanted her. He would wait until she was ready. Confusing emotions tumbled about inside her, but strongest of all was relief.
Before he could rise to his feet, she propped herself up on one elbow and placed a hand on his back. “Jason,” she said softly. “I don’t want to wait.”
He looked at her, studying her carefully. “Are you sure, Maggie?”
“I’m positive.”
“Then we’ll make it right for you,�
� he promised The whisper of fabric filled the room as he dropped his jeans back onto the floor.
He lay down on the couch beside her, slipping his hands beneath her and lifting her body as though she were as light as a doll. In one fluid motion, they shifted places on the couch until she was straddling him, looking down into his sparkling eyes.
“You’re in charge, Maggie. Tell me what you want”
“I want to touch you.”
“Then do it.”
Hesitantly, she ran her fingers over his chest, his flat stomach, smoothing both hands along the sides of his hips. She grazed the tip of his manhood and felt a bead of moisture. Nervously she moved her hands away, sliding them down the length of his sinewy thighs, the hair on his legs scratching her sensitive skin.
Timidly she raised her hands and cupped him.
“Maggie,” he said on a sharply indrawn breath of air. He swelled at her touch, and she marveled at the velvety strength of his body.
Emboldened, she stroked him, giving him the pleasure she’d first denied.
He stilled her hand and nodded toward his jeans on the floor. “If I admit I’ve come prepared, will you still believe me that I didn’t plan on any of this happening?”
She raised a brow skeptically.
“I can’t help it if I’ve been hopeful, Maggie.” His smile was so innocent she couldn’t help but believe him.
Awkwardly she reached for the jeans, searching the pockets until she found the foil packet. Her hands trembled as she tore it open and slipped it into place.
Jason reached out, his palms flattening her breasts. He ground them lightly, raised his head and licked the swollen tips.
Her body quickened and Maggie raked her fingers through his hair as she opened herself to him and sheathed him with her body. He arched his back and buried himself deeper. Blood, hot and thick, coursed through her veins as she moved above him, slowly at first, then faster.
He held her hips in his hands, guiding her through wave upon wave of sensation, watching her face as heat blossomed inside her. And when she finally reached the peak, her body shaking with the tremors of passion, he soon followed. She felt his pulsing climax deep inside her.
When it was over, exhausted, she rolled over, snuggling against his side. Their bodies were hot and damp with perspiration, the couch small and uncomfortable, but she didn’t mind. She rested her head on his shoulder and felt a contentment she’d never experienced before.
Tangled in his arms, she felt safe...and loved.
Long minutes passed. The heat of passion waned and the air cooled about them, chilling him. But Jason didn’t move. He was too afraid to do anything that might burst the bubble of contentment that surrounded them.
With Maggie in his arms, he felt complete. In her, he’d found a perfection no other woman had ever matched.
She was innocence and passion rolled into one. She made his heart sing, his body hum. She brought out every primal need, every protective instinct that he possessed.
And yet, she had lied to him. He pushed the thought from his mind, unwilling to spoil this perfect moment.
She shifted in his arms, yawning sleepily. Her full breasts rose and fell, pillowing against his chest. Once again, he felt the stirrings of arousal. Making love to Maggie had only whetted his appetite. He doubted if he would ever tire of her intriguing body.
But it was late. And Kevin was upstairs, asleep in his bed. He didn’t need to wake up in the middle of the night and find them together. Sighing, Jason sat up, reluctantly ending the embrace. “I need to go.”
“Already?” she asked, her voice drowsy.
“It’s late.” He brushed a strand of hair from her eyes, smoothing the curl behind her ears. “I’ve got to work in the morning.”
“And Kevin will be up early,” she said, sitting up on the edge of the couch next to him. With an embarrassed grimace, she glanced at the clothes scattered across the living-room floor. “It looks like a tornado hit this room,”
“A small cyclone at least.” He stood, feeling not in the least bit uncomfortable about his nudity. Maggie, on the other hand, had succumbed to modesty. Pulling on his briefs and jeans, he watched as she hurriedly dressed herself, panties first, then shorts. Leaving her bra on the floor, she pulled her T-shirt over her head.
She gave an impatient breath, when her shirt tangled in a bunch about her shoulders.
Chuckling, he reached out and smoothed the snarled fabric. “In my opinion, it seems a shame to have to cover such a beautiful body.” Once finished, he pulled her snug against him and planted a kiss on the end of her freckled nose. “I’ll have you know it took a great deal of willpower to help you without taking advantage. You owe me.”
A blush bloomed on her face.
He smiled, amused by her embarrassment Moments ago she had abandoned her inhibitions and given herself to him fully. Now she seemed shy and awkward.
Just when he thought he had her figured out, she surprised him once again.
The thought settled uneasily in his mind.
His smile fading, he pulled on his shirt and picked up his shoes. Leaving his feet bare, he tiptoed into the kitchen, with Maggie following close behind. At the back door he indulged himself with one last, lingering kiss.
“Good night, Maggie,” he said, rubbing a thumb along the delicate curve of her mouth. He memorized the sweet expression on her face, storing it in his mind’s eye to recall later, when he was trying to fall asleep in his lonely bed. Before he changed his mind and refused to leave, he stepped out of her warm embrace and into the cool night air.
The cold, damp grass was a shock to the system. He quickened his step, already missing the coziness of Maggie’s house, the warmth of her embrace. He wished he didn’t have to go.
With each step he took across the night-darkened yard, his confidence slipped another notch. He’d never felt so close to a woman. And yet, what did he know about her?
They’d just made love. They’d become intimate in the most basic of ways—but he still had no clue to Maggie’s past.
Climbing the steps of his porch, he paused, glancing across the yard to the house next door. He’d trusted her enough to open up to her, to confide his past and share the circumstances of Scott’s death. He’d seen the pain in her eyes when he told her of his son’s suffering, and he knew she cared.
But she still didn’t trust him.
Or surely she’d have felt comfortable enough to tell him about herself. She wanted to, though. He’d seen the hesitancy in her eyes and knew she’d been on the verge of telling him the truth.
But at the last minute she’d changed her mind.
What could be so bad that she felt she needed to hide it from someone who’d become her lover?
A number of answers crossed his mind, none of which eased his fears. Setting his jaw in a stubborn line, Jason swore to himself that he’d get to the bottom of Maggie’s secret past.
His reasons were purely selfish. He was losing his heart to the woman next door. He didn’t want anything to get in the way of his chance at happy-ever-after.
Chapter 11
“Evenin’, Chief,” the dispatcher said as Jason strode into the Wyndchester Police Department late the next day. Betty stood, stretching the kinks out of her back and covering a yawn. Her night replacement hovered nearby, coffee cup in hand, looking anxious to take over.
“Have a good evening, Betty. I’ll see you in the morning,” Jason said as he passed her desk with a smile on his face, his step light and his mood...well, to say his mood was good would be an understatement.
Betty eyed him thoughtfully. “You’re looking awfully peppy this evening, Chief. Must have slept good last night.”
“Like a baby,” he lied, pausing at her desk. The truth was, it was late before he’d gotten home from Maggie’s house. Even later before his hormones unwound enough to allow him to relax and fall asleep. Despite his lack of rest, he’d never felt better or more content. “I guess I’m finally getting u
sed to how quiet a small town can be in the middle of the night.”
“You need noise to put you sleep? Just wait until the weather warms up,” she said, opening a drawer and taking out her purse. “Then you’ll have the cicadas and the bullfrogs singing you a lullabye.”
“Or driving you crazy,” Officer Schmitz said with a snort. He slammed a file drawer closed, shaking his head in disgust. “I’ve lived here all my life and I can’t stand the racket. It’s like ‘surround sound’ without the advantage of a volume button. My advice is to buy some earplugs, Chief.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Jason said, chuckling, as he turned to continue on to his office.
“Oh, Chief, I almost forgot. You got a call,” Betty said, grabbing a memo slip from her desk. She squinted at the paper in her hand. “A Tom Bums from Meridia, California, called a few minutes ago. He says he wants you to call him back ASAP.”
Jason’s heart gave a lurch. His good mood fizzled like a balloon deflating at the end of a party. Earlier this morning he’d placed a call to his old friend in California. His request: run a check on a name and social-security number. The person’s name: Maggie Conrad. Such a simple request, yet it had taken all the strength he possessed to make it.
He’d expected Tom to return his call hours ago, but he hadn’t. With each passing minute, second thoughts had hounded him. Last night, he’d resolved to settle the questions about Maggie’s past once and for all. He’d told himself that they couldn’t have a future until they put the past where it belonged—behind them.
Now he wasn’t so sure he wanted to know.
The truth was, he was afraid of what he might find out.
Maggie hadn’t been at the diner today. They’d told him at Mel’s that she’d taken the day off to be with her son. He’d missed her shy smile and reassuring presence. At least ten different times during the course of the day he’d reached for the phone to call her, just to hear her sweet voice.
Her Second Chance Family Page 15