“Why am I torturing myself?” she groaned before flipping over on her face. It was just a few minutes after six and she couldn’t go back to sleep for the life of her. She had to pull herself together to get ready for Shelby’s brunch and seeing Bradley again. How was she going to face him after the wanton dreams she’d had about him? They were supposed to be easing the tension between them, not creating enough sexual heat that would cause the great Paris fire of the twenty-first century.
Maybe I should just go for a run, Jansen thought. After dressing in her running gear, she headed downstairs. When she spotted Donovan and Dove easing toward the elevators hand in hand, looking like reruns from last night, she couldn’t help but smile.
Maybe the magic of Paris had wrapped its arms around those two, but she hoped that Dove wouldn’t get her heart broken when they returned to New York. Then again, they were both adults and she had her own heart to worry about. Jansen ducked out the door without being seen by the duo. As she headed to the banks of the Seine, Jansen slowed her gait just to marvel at the sun rays reflecting off the river. The golden glow made her think of all the mornings that she and Bradley would wake up in his midtown Atlanta loft to the reflection of the state Capitol building bathing them in light. Naked. Wrapped in each other’s arms. Jansen started running faster. The point of her morning jog was to stop thinking about having sex with Bradley, not to relive it.
After a three-mile run, Jansen was sweaty, tired and ravenous. Now she could go to the brunch and have a good time without thinking about ripping Bradley’s clothes off. And she could finally take a nap!
* * *
Bradley was one of the first people to arrive at the brunch. Not because he was excited about eating, but because he wanted to be there the moment Jansen walked into the banquet room. He didn’t give a damn if she was with her fiancé or not. He was going to whisk her off and show her the Jansen stone. Then he’d let her know that no one would love her the way he did.
The hotel crew began setting the tables and placing carafes of coffee in the center next to the calla lilies.
“Monsieur, êtes-vous bien?” a waiter asked.
“Oui,” Bradley replied, then headed out into the hallway. So he was a little early. But he was determined to wait for Jansen. Pacing back and forth, he was wondering if he should have brought the Jansen stone to brunch. Yep, he needed to show her that ring, especially since he didn’t see an engagement ring on her finger. What kind of man didn’t put a ring on it to announce to the world that she was his?
“What’s up, Bradley?” Kenyon said as he crossed over to his brother. “I figured you’d be here overseeing the festivities.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Jansen is probably going to make an entrance, so you could’ve slept in.”
“Shut up,” Bradley said. “And who said I’m waiting for Jansen?”
“Yeah, because you’re concerned about the way the tables are going to look. Why don’t you give this thing with Jansen a rest? Today is supposed to be about our little sister.”
“Why don’t you leave me alone?”
“Bradley, Jansen has moved on. Why don’t you follow her lead?”
“Why don’t you shut the hell up?” Bradley snapped. “I know what I’m doing.”
“Man, you saw her fiancé. What you’re doing is setting yourself up to get beat down.”
Bradley was about to tell his brother how close he was to the same thing, when she walked in. He wanted nothing more than to kiss her again, peel that knee-skimming purple dress from her gorgeous body and make love to her.
“Kenyon,” she said as she made her way over to the brothers.
“Hello, beautiful,” he said, then gave her a tight hug. Bradley cleared his throat and gave Kenyon a sideways glance.
“Don’t wrinkle her dress,” Bradley said, thumping his brother on the shoulder. Letting Jansen go, Kenyon playfully smacked Bradley’s shoulder.
“I see you two haven’t changed,” she said with a giggle. “Still fighting over everything. I’ll never forget paper clip–gate.”
Bradley shook his head at the memory and Kenyon groaned.
“I was trying to cut costs,” Kenyon said.
“Three dollars,” Jansen and Bradley said in concert.
“Forget both of y’all. I’m going inside.”
When Kenyon walked away, Jansen looked up at Bradley and offered him a sheepish smile. “I guess we should go in, as well.”
“You’re not going to wait for your fiancé?”
She rolled her eyes. “Really?”
Bradley shrugged. “What kind of relationship do you and this—”
Jansen shook her head. “Do you believe everything you read?”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m not engaged.”
“What?” Bradley didn’t hide his smile at all. “I can’t say I’m disappointed that the media got it wrong.”
Placing her hand on her hip, Jansen tilted her head to the side. “Why does it matter what I do?”
He stroked her cheek. “I thought about you all night, couldn’t wait for this moment right now,” he replied.
Bradley’s honesty startled her. Could she be that bold and tell him that she’d woken up with his name on her lips? Nope. Instead, she just smiled. “Well,” she said. “Here we are.”
“And you look stunning,” he said. “Even better than in my dreams last night. But then again, you weren’t wearing any panties last night in my fantasy.”
“I’m here for brunch and to celebrate my friend’s upcoming wedding. You can keep your dreams to yourself, all right?”
“I’ve done that for too long already. I’m laying my cards on the table, Jansen. I want you back.”
She gasped and shook her head. “I’m going inside. This isn’t the time or the place.”
Bradley wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against his chest. She placed her hand on his chest and closed her eyes. It felt good being in his arms.
“We’re not doing this. I know Paris is a city that makes everything feel so romantic, but I haven’t heard from you for years. I’m not going to just—”
“And I’ve regretted that for a long time. I should’ve reached out to you and said that I was sorry.”
“But you didn’t seem to care about us until you thought I was going to marry someone else. You only wanted what you thought you couldn’t have.”
“So, you’re saying I can have you?”
Jansen wanted to swallow her words, wanted to tell him that he wasn’t going to have anything. But she wanted him. Wanted to feel his lips against hers again.
“Let’s be clear,” Jansen began. “I’m not here to relive the past. I don’t want to go back to the way things were.”
“Neither do I. I need you in my future because I’ve already messed up our past.”
“We’re different people now,” she said. “Maybe we just need closure.”
“Closure?” he asked, raising his eyebrow.
Jansen nodded. “I’m going to be honest, I want you.”
Bradley smiled. “I have a room upstairs. And just so we’re clear, we aren’t going upstairs to talk.”
“Bradley,” she whispered.
“Let’s go upstairs.”
“Wait,” she said, placing her hand on his shoulder. “I should have at least said hello to Shelby...but for the record, I’m not wearing any panties.”
Bradley nearly dropped to his knees when she said that. “Why are we still standing here?” He scooped her up in his arms and nearly sprinted to the elevator. Jansen wrapped her arms around his neck and inhaled his citrusy scent. That hadn’t changed about him and she loved it. He smelled as good as she remembered—maybe even a little better. She brushed her lips against his ne
ck. Bradley shivered and moaned. Those lips still knew how to command his body.
“You know if you keep doing that, we might not make it to my room.”
She ran her tongue up and down his neck.
“Jansen,” he intoned. “You’re starting trouble.”
“Then finish it,” she replied saucily.
He stood Jansen against the mirrored wall of the elevator and pressed the emergency-stop button. Before she could ask him what he was doing, Bradley had dropped to his knees and had her dress around her waist. She wasn’t wearing panties and he licked his lips before laying a slow kiss on her wet folds of flesh. His tongue teased her tenderness. Jansen moaned as his lips closed around her throbbing bud. Gripping the back of his head, she urged him to go deeper. Now using his tongue and index finger, Bradley had Jansen gushing like Old Faithful. Her moans turned to screams of passion as he lapped her sweet release.
She’d missed his touch, the way he made her body purr with excitement. No one else ever came close to making her feel as good and as satisfied as Bradley did. As he was doing as he lifted her left leg onto his shoulder and deepened his sensual kiss. Bracing herself against his shoulders, she gave in to the orgasm.
The elevator started moving again as Jansen collapsed on Bradley’s shoulders. He picked her up and leaned against the wall. “Baby, you still taste so good,” he said.
“Mmm,” was the only reply she could muster.
“I guess Security figured out that there wasn’t an emergency in here.”
“Oh, my God, I hope there’s no video of what just happened,” she said, placing her hand to her mouth.
“Let’s pray TMZ doesn’t have a Paris desk.”
Jansen’s eyes stretched to the size of quarters. “Don’t say that. Oh, my—”
He stroked her cheek. “Don’t worry, baby, we’re about to be behind closed doors,” he said as the elevator came to a stop on his floor.
They rushed into his room. Bradley smoothly unlocked the door while stroking Jansen’s bare behind underneath her dress. Jansen cooed as his hand split her thighs. Once he closed the door, Bradley pressed her against the wall and unzipped her dress. Slowly, he slid it down her shoulders, kissing her silky skin. With her breasts exposed, he stroked them gently, marveling at the softness of her chocolate orbs. Her erect nipples tingled and called out to his mouth. Bradley heeded the call and took the hard nubs into his mouth, altering between left and right, making Jansen call out his name. Her body shivered under the touch of his mouth. While he licked and sucked her supple breasts, his fingers probed her wetness, seeking and finding her throbbing bud. His fingers danced across that slick flesh until Jansen’s desire poured from her like honey.
“That’s it, baby,” he whispered in her ear. “Come for me.”
“Bradley,” she cried. “I need you.”
“I’m right here. You got me.”
So many things ran through her mind, so many questions, and so many things that they should’ve said all of those years ago. Instead, she just called his name. Lifting her in his arms and letting the dress pool at her feet, Bradley carried her to the bed and drank in her naked image against the white satin sheets. Opening her arms, she called out his name and said something in French that made him hard as a brick.
When he joined her in the bed, Jansen kissed him slow and long as she unbuttoned his oxford shirt. Running her hands across his chest, she expelled a sigh. He was everything she’d remembered and more than she’d dreamed of last night. Part of her couldn’t believe that they were here together. Pushing the shirt off his shoulders, she nibbled at his bottom lip. Bradley groaned as he took her hand and placed it on his zipper.
“Need. To. Be. Inside. You,” he moaned. Jansen unzipped his slacks and stroked his erection. Bradley thought he was going to lose his mind as her hand moved back and forth, fast and slow. He pulled back from her, quickly stripped out of his clothes and shook his head at her.
“That was cruel,” he said. Jansen straddled his body and smiled.
“And what would you called what you did to me in the elevator?” she asked then closed her lips around his neck while still working his most tender spot with her hand. Groaning, Bradley was pleasantly surprised by her aggressiveness and boldness when she snaked down his body and took his hardness into her mouth. He thought he was living in last night’s fantasy.
Burying his hands in her hair, he let her control his pleasure, but as he felt the grips of his climax taking hold, he eased back from her, practically begging her to stop. “Let me get protection for us,” he said.
She nodded. Bradley glanced over his shoulder at her as he walked to the closet and pulled a box of condoms from his suitcase.
“I guess you had big plans for Paris,” she said when he approached the bed with the condoms.
“Would you rather I didn’t have any?” he asked as he rejoined her in the bed. He slipped his hands between her thighs. “And then you’d be lying here wet and unsatisfied. We can’t have that, now, can we.”
“No,” she moaned as his finger brushed against her hungry clitoris.
He smiled, recognizing the look of passion and need in her eyes. Bradley quickly sheathed his erection and pulled Jansen into his lap. “I want to look at you while you come,” he whispered as he thrust into her awaiting valley. Jansen wrapped her arms around his neck and threw her head back as she matched him stroke for stroke. This was better than her wildest dreams. Looking into his eyes, she felt the heat, saw his desire and she was afraid.
Afraid because she had to admit that she still loved this man. “Bradley,” she called out, then closed her eyes.
“Look at me, baby,” he said. “Look at me.”
She opened her eyes and blinked back her tears. Why did being with him have to feel so good?
“Love me,” she moaned, tightening her thighs around his waist. He thrust forward, swimming in her wetness and wanting nothing more than to love her for the rest of his life.
Was this the beginning of their future? Could they start over and have the life that they should already be living? Bradley brought his lips down on top of hers and hoped that his kiss told her what he really wanted, her love as a staple in his life.
“Jansen, Jansen,” he cried out after breaking their kiss. She closed her eyes, unable to face him knowing that this was going to be the last time that she could allow herself to feel like this.
When she reached her climax and collapsed against his chest, Jansen fought back the tears. Bradley stroked her back and kissed her cheek.
“You’re still amazing,” he breathed into her ear.
“Mmm, so are you.”
“Jansen, I’m sorry.”
She opened her eyes and blinked. “What?”
“I should’ve never allowed you to walk out of my office that day and led you to believe that I didn’t care.”
“It’s a little too late to try to rewrite the past,” she said. “What we just shared was magical and the closure that we need to move on.”
He dropped his arms from around her. “What? Move on?” Bradley rose from the bed and crossed over to the closet. He pulled the ring from his suitcase and headed back to Jansen, who was now on her feet.
“Jansen, we’re not over.” He opened the ring box and held it out to her. “We do have a future.”
She gasped at the beauty of the stone. “What is this?”
“The ring that should’ve been on your finger years ago.”
“You’ve been holding on to this all these years?”
He nodded and took her hand in his and stroked her ring finger. “Jansen...”
“Bradley, we can’t relive the past, no matter how good it feels. I know you think your apology changes things, but it doesn’t. You broke my heart. You made me feel as if I had betrayed you because I w
anted to go after my dreams.”
“I know I was wrong, but don’t you think we should make things right?”
She walked over to the door, grabbed her discarded dress and pulled it on. Bradley shook his head. “I’m not letting you walk away—again.”
“I’m already gone,” she said. “What’s changed? What’s different today from three years ago?”
“I’m different,” he said.
“I don’t believe you and I’m not taking that risk again.” She stepped into her shoes and walked out the door.
Bradley grabbed his robe and started to chase after her, but then he sat on the edge of the bed. Had he really lost her again?
Chapter 8
Jansen stepped out onto the street and fought the urge to run. Though she felt horrible about leaving Shelby’s brunch, she couldn’t deal with the aftermath of what she and Bradley had done.
She also couldn’t deny that she was still in love with that man and making love to him had confused her so much.
Closure. Yeah. Right. What if Bradley came out the door right now and saw the tumult of emotions flowing through her? She was wrong for having sex with him and walking away. How could she truly walk away when being in his arms brought back so many feelings and reminded her that she had never gotten over him?
Just keep in mind that your life is in New York now, she told herself as she headed down the street for the taxi stand. This was one time when she longed for a NYC Yellow cab. But the more she waited to see if Bradley was going to show up, the more she simmered with anger and disappointment. “Typical,” she muttered as she stood at the stand. “I don’t even know why I’m upset. This is what Bradley does. It’s his way or no way.”
Folding her arms across her chest, she was almost ready to send Shelby a gift and go back to New York. Then she remembered Donovan’s show, which was why she’d planned to leave Shelby’s brunch early to begin with. Gritting her teeth, she prayed that she and Bradley could avoid each other now. The awkwardness should be gone now—or amplified tenfold.
Blissful Summer: Make You Mine AgainUnraveled Page 6