Unzipped (Harlequin Romance)

by Lori Foster

  Even though at times she felt more like a convenient social hostess than a true girlfriend, and she knew their relationship was based more on a subdued compatibility than on passion, she couldn’t help but consider his proposal. Despite being a bit on the staid side, Brent was offering her that elusive something she’d spent the past few years searching for—a man who wanted to settle down and get married.

  As an investment banker, Brent’s career was stable and secure, which she considered a bonus. She loved kids and couldn’t wait to have a family of her own, and she wasn’t getting any younger. Brent had assured her that he wanted the same. He’d said all the right words during his proposal, and while she told herself her emotions for him would flourish as time passed, she hadn’t been able to bring herself to answer with an unconditional yes. Instead she had given him a quiet, solemn, “I’m not sure.”

  Leah winced as she recalled the disappointment she’d seen in Brent’s gaze, but he’d been incredibly gracious and understanding about her uncertainty. He’d reached across the table, squeezed her hand and told her to think about his offer while he was out of town for a week-long business trip. She could give him her answer when he returned on Sunday afternoon.

  Which left her with only this weekend to figure out what she wanted in her life and in her future.

  But one thing was clear—that missing intimacy between herself and Brent was causing a whole lot of doubts about herself and their relationship. And his lack of sexual interest made her painfully aware that she wasn’t inspiring wild passion in Brent, nor was he doing it for her, either. Not in the way a certain someone else could light a fire within her with just a glance.

  She exhaled a deep breath and at the same time damned that book of erotic invitations she’d come across. The contents of the book had played on all her feminine insecurities and had compounded the doubts in her mind about herself and Brent. She’d gone into Divine Events that afternoon hoping that being surrounded by every aspect of planning a wedding would give her the boost of excitement and feeling of absolute certainty she needed to accept Brent’s engagement ring.

  Unfortunately, her impromptu trip to the wedding planners had only increased her anxiety.

  While she’d been waiting in the reception area to meet with Cecily Divine, a red leather-bound book on one of the tables in the entryway had caught her attention. There was no title on the outside of the volume, and curiosity had gotten the best of her. She’d opened the cover and discovered the titillating world of Sexcapades, a sizzling-hot book for lovers all about shedding inhibitions, pushing boundaries and taking risks.

  Inside, there were sealed pages of provocative, daring invitations. Some were even missing, as if other customers had helped themselves to a page to spice up their sex life. Right then and there, Leah took a risk of her own, and when no one was looking, she’d ripped out an invitation and had come away with “The Dance of the Seven Veils.”

  Once she’d reached the safety and privacy of her car, she’d opened the sealed page and read the provocative instructions, which included baring herself to her lover, body and soul. She’d shivered, certain she didn’t have the nerve to pull off such a bold stunt, but the fantasies dancing in her head had taken on a life of their own. Except, in her mind it hadn’t been Brent whom she’d performed the seductive striptease for. It had been Jace Rutledge, her brother’s best friend since junior high, and a man she’d been half in love with for years.

  That’s when she realized her feelings for Jace were partly contributing to her inability to make a firm decision about Brent. And she knew that before she could commit herself to Brent—or any other man—for the rest of her life, she had to get Jace out of her system once and for all, so she could move on without any “what ifs” or regrets haunting her.

  Jace was the guy she’d always desired from afar, but could never have. Not in the emotional, forever way that mattered, regardless of her strong attraction to him. Over the years they’d become good friends and spent time together on a casual basis. But ultimately, he was a bad boy who’d always played the field, who was content to remain a confirmed bachelor. And she’d heard enough talk between Jace and her brother to learn his MO when it came to dating. No strings attached. No commitments involved. And he’d made it clear that he had absolutely no interest in marriage.

  Which actually made him the perfect candidate for what she had in mind. After having her sexual advances toward Brent subtly turned down with placating excuses, she was determined to validate her sexuality. She also needed to know that she had the nerve and fortitude necessary not only to seduce a man, but to strip for him as well.

  With an erotic invitation tucked into her purse, she intended to learn what men really wanted from women, what turned them on, and to uncover what she found sexy and arousing. In the process, she hoped to find out what kind of man she wanted in her life. And there was no one better to experiment and indulge in those seductive desires with than Jace. Not only because she had the hots for him, in a way she didn’t for Brent, but also despite his playboy reputation, he was one of her best friends, and someone she trusted with sexual tutoring and advice. She also trusted him to keep everything private between the two of them.

  One weekend of Jace’s time was all she’d ask. One weekend was all she’d give herself to be free and to satisfy the fantasies about him that slipped through her mind on a too-frequent basis. Then, armed with new knowledge, skills and confidence, she’d reevaluate her relationship with Brent. Her obsession with Jace would be behind her, so thoughts of him would no longer cloud her decision.

  But, first, he had to agree to her request.

  Biting her lower lip, she considered every last detail of her plan. So far, she hadn’t told a soul about Brent’s proposal—not even her best friend, her brother or her family, and she didn’t intend to enlighten Jace either, or mention all her thwarted attempts to entice Brent. No, she’d tell Jace she just wanted the male point of view on how to spice things up sexually.

  Squaring her shoulders, she turned the corner of the building and stepped into the auto repair garage Jace had bought six years ago and had since cultivated into a very successful business. There were eight bays, all filled with various vehicles in different stages of repair, and she glanced down the line of cars and the mechanics working in the garage in her search for Jace.

  She waved to Gavin, one of Jace’s workers and the garage manager, who smiled at her and pointed toward the front end of a BMW. She followed his directions and found Jace with the top half of his body bent over the engine, a wrench in hand as he worked on tightening a bolt.

  Stopping a few feet behind him, Leah gave in to the pure pleasure of admiring his fine backside and decided that no one filled out a pair of faded jeans like Jace Rutledge. The soft, well-worn denim, complete with streaks of grease where he’d absently wiped his hands, molded to his toned butt and hard thighs, and the waistband rode low on his lean hips in a very enticing way. The blue work shirt he wore stretched over the muscles bisecting his back and bunching across his broad shoulders as he gave the wrench another firm tug.

  He was an earthy, physical kind of man, in every way that mattered. He didn’t mind getting down and dirty to get the job done, and he seemed to enjoy the exertion and labor involved in his line of work. Unlike Brent, who was polished and meticulous and wouldn’t be caught dead with grease on his hands.

  Jace straightened, six-feet-two of impressive, overwhelming male, and turned around to reach for a different-size wrench. He came to an abrupt stop when he caught sight of her, and a slow grin lifted the corners of his mouth, accentuated by a disarming dimple that had been charming those of the female gender since middle school.

  Her pulse fluttered and a slow heat thrummed through her veins, a normal reaction whenever she was around Jace. He was so breathtakingly gorgeous, so inherently sexual, that any woman would have to be blind not to be affected by his virile good looks and confidence.

  His facial features w
ere Brad Pitt handsome, and his deep-green eyes lit up with genuine delight upon seeing her. “Hey, Leah,” he drawled, his voice low and smooth and incredibly sexy. “How long have you been standing there?”

  Long enough to look my fill of you. “Not long,” she replied, and returned his smile with a casual one of her own, though she was feeling anything but nonchalant, considering the reason for her visit.

  Grabbing a rag instead of one of the tools lined up on the workbench, he wiped his big, callused, working-man’s hands on the towel, leaving dark smudges behind. “What’s up?” He tipped his head, causing his roguishly long, sandy-blond hair to fall across his brow as he studied her for a quick moment. “Is everything okay, Leah?”

  Depends on whether you’ll agree to my proposition, she thought, and shifted nervously on her feet. “Would you happen to have a few spare minutes to talk?”

  “For you, I have all the time in the world.” He winked at her. “Just let me get cleaned up a bit, and I’ll meet you back in my office.”

  “Thanks.” She watched him disappear down a hallway that led to the men’s room before she headed into the adjoining reception area of Jace’s Auto Repair.

  Leah said hello to his longtime secretary, Lynn, and continued on to the back room where Jace had set up a small but efficient office for himself. Other than the chair behind his desk, there was no place to sit, but she had too much restless energy swirling inside her to be idle. So, instead, she paced along the small strip of gray industrial carpet in front of his desk and in her mind rehearsed her request.

  He entered the office minutes later, all cleaned up in a different T-shirt and jeans, and all traces of grease gone from his forearms and hands. The familiar, arousing scent of orange citrus clung to him, which was from the special solvent he used to cut through the grime that came from working on engines and automotive parts.

  He handed her a bottle of chilled water, which he knew she preferred over soda, and popped open his own can of cola. “So, what brings you by?” he asked, his warm gaze connecting with hers. “Not that I’m not glad to see you, but you seem…distracted. Like something’s on your mind.”

  As a longtime friend, he’d always had the uncanny ability to read her moods. “There is something on my mind,” she admitted. He waited patiently for her to continue, and she rolled the cold bottle of water between her warm palms. “Actually, I need your help. That is, if you’re willing to…assist me.”

  Setting his drink on his desk, he turned back toward her and gently grasped her shoulders, his attention undivided and direct. His touch was firm, and the way his thumbs idly stroked the bare skin of her arms caused an insidious, forbidden heat to steal through her and settle in her belly.

  She’d always known that Jace’s touch was enough to ignite sexual sparks…and his ability to do so was a blatant reminder of what was lacking between herself and Brent. The distinct contrast was one she couldn’t deny, and one which made today’s quest more important than ever.

  Concern creased Jace’s brows, and, luckily, the silk blouse she wore was loose enough that he couldn’t see the way her nipples had puckered tight. And if he noticed the goose bumps that had risen on her arms from the soft scrape of his fingers, he didn’t mention the telltale sign.

  “Honey, whatever it is, you know I’m here for you,” he said, reminding her of the reason why she was there. “All you have to do is tell me what you need.”

  She met Jace’s gaze, gulped for air and courage and, remembering the Sexcapades invitation that had set her on this course, she took her second risk of the day. “I want you to show me what turns a man on, and how to satisfy him in bed.”

  JACE BLINKED at the woman standing in front of him, certain the words he’d just heard slip past those soft, full lips of hers were part of one of his deepest, fondest dreams.

  She was a far cry from what he’d consider a vixen, especially one who’d initiate such a sinful advance. No, Leah was more the traditional type, inside and out. The simple cream silk blouse and navy skirt she was wearing backed up his image of her, and also told him she’d just come from her job as a secretary for an engineering firm. But as conservatively as she dressed, he couldn’t deny that he’d spent many pleasurable hours imagining her naked beneath all those buttoned-up outfits, wondering what it would be like to skim his hands over the firmness of her small breasts, the delicate curve of her waist and hips, the silky softness of her bared skin…

  He shook his head, hard. Obviously, his imagination was spinning fantasies, because there was no way sweet, sensible, good-girl Leah Burton would ever issue him the tempting offer of being her tutor in the finer art of seduction, no matter how much he might have wished for such an opportunity.

  When he’d first met her as the sister of his friend in middle school, Leah had been a young girl, and through the many years that he’d known her she’d become his good friend as well. He’d watched as she’d blossomed into a beautiful, desirable young woman with thick, shiny chestnut-brown hair that reached her shoulders, and a slender figure with just the right amount of curves to complement her petite frame. A woman completely and totally off-limits to him—in deference to his friendship with her brother, and in respect for her parents, who’d accepted him into their lives despite his questionable background.

  His father had walked out on him when he was five and had never looked back, and he’d been raised by a mother who’d spent more of her time cruising bars for men and booze than with her son who’d needed her the most. The Burtons had fed him when he’d been hungry and had given him a safe place to sleep when he’d been too scared to stay the night alone in the ramshackle house his mother had rented. They’d bought him new shoes and clothes when his few pairs of secondhand jeans and shirts had been too threadbare to wear, expecting nothing in return. And when he’d gone through a rebellious stage, straying to the wrong side of the law and getting picked up for shoplifting, it had been Leah’s father who’d met him at the police station, not his own mother. Jace had gotten a lecture on responsibility from Mr. Burton and a tour of the local prison, which had scared the hell out of him and straightened him out real quick.

  He’d always be eternally grateful for their generosity and guidance, and for being a part of Leah’s family, and he’d never jeopardize his relationship with the Burtons by getting involved with their daughter. As a product of a dysfunctional family, he didn’t do intimate relationships, not the kind that included an emotional commitment, because he just didn’t know how to give to another person that way. But that knowledge didn’t stop him from thinking about Leah beyond the friendship they shared. Her warmth and unconditional affection drew him and appealed to the loner he’d become, and the confirmed bachelor he’d sworn to be.

  At the moment, though, the only thing that mattered was clearing up the misunderstanding that was wreaking havoc with his head and hormones.

  “Want to run that request by me again?” He grinned ruefully, stroked his palms down her arms to her wrists and brushed his thumb over the thrumming pulse there, just to keep the connection between them. “I think my brain is working overtime today and I’m sure I didn’t hear you correctly.”

  “I’m sure you did,” she said with a slow, deliberately sensual smile, more bold than she’d ever been with him before. Then she repeated the same proposition that had tied him up in knots the first time. “I want you to show me what turns a man on, and how to satisfy him in bed.”

  Oh, shit. His stomach clenched, and he immediately dropped her hands and took a huge step back, the bond between them no longer the gesture of comfort it had once been. Heated, rippling overtures of keen awareness surged between them, the kind of attraction he’d been fighting for too many years now. He wanted Leah, but he’d also taught himself to keep his desire and need for her buried deep down into his soul, so no one would ever know.

  And in one breathy statement she’d made him feel defenseless to resist her, and all too eager to accommodate her invitation to show her
the ways of pleasuring a man—and eager to please her in return.

  He exhaled hard and searched for a logical explanation to this bizarre, and far-too-arousing situation. “Leah…tell me this is some kind of joke that your brother cooked up to get even with me for getting him toasted when we went out drinking last weekend.”

  “I swear this isn’t a joke, Jace,” she said softly, her big blue eyes searching his, hopeful and daring at the same time. “I’m completely serious. I want you to be the one to tell me what fantasies men find exciting, and show me what drives them crazy with lust.”

  Licking her lips, she closed the distance he’d put between them and placed her hand on his chest, right over his rapidly beating heart. “I want to learn how to touch and caress a man in the most effective, arousing way,” she said huskily as her palm slid lower, along his ribs to his belly. “And I wouldn’t mind discovering a thing or two about what I like, either.”

  She was doing a damn good job of inflaming him right now. His skin felt hot and feverish, the muscles in his stomach coiled tight. And lower, his penis lengthened and strained against the fly of his jeans. It took every ounce of strength he possessed not to grab her hand, cup her fingers against his erection, and give her ample proof of just how much she turned him on.

  Leaning his backside against his desk, he crossed his arms over his chest, trying to take a more logical, reasonable approach. “Why do you need me to teach you these things?”

  She shrugged a slender shoulder and opened the cap on her bottled water. “I want a better understanding of men and what they like sexually.”

  He watched her tip her head back and take a drink of the cool liquid. “And what about you and what you like sexually?”