Unzipped (Harlequin Romance)

by Lori Foster

  “What’s not to like?” he said, his gaze drawn to her supple thighs where the swirling hemline ended.

  Brent’s unappreciative attitude made Jace want to pull out all the stops with Leah, to make her feel desirable and sexy in every way. “You’re a beautiful woman in a hot dress, and I, for one, love how much of your skin is showing. It makes me want to touch you all over, just to feel how soft and smooth all that skin really is.”

  Her cheeks flushed a becoming shade of pink that spread down to the small swells of her breasts, but her eyes shone with a come-hither dare. “Then do it.”

  Without hesitating, he crossed the bedroom, closing the short distance between them. The dresser was right behind her, and he grasped her waist and lifted her so she was sitting on the smooth surface. Pressing his hands against her knees, he widened her legs and moved in between.

  He’d definitely surprised her with his aggressive move, but she didn’t object to their intimate position, and he considered skipping all the preliminaries of seduction and getting right down to the raw, primal need of making love to her. She’d made him excruciatingly hard, and he ached to feel her liquid and lush around him, the soft cushion of her naked breasts pressing into his chest. He thought about pushing up her dress, pulling down her panties, and sinking into her slick body. He imagined how she’d wrap her legs high around his waist, urging him deeper, and how she’d scream his name when she came.

  The thought made him shudder.

  He fingered an errant strand of hair that had fallen from her topknot, the silken texture teasing his senses, as did the soft, feminine scent emanating from her. “I like your hair up like this.” Cupping her smooth cheek in his callused palm, he tipped her head and nuzzled the side of her throat, and felt her shiver in response. “It gives me access to some of the most sensitive spots on your body…like right here,” he murmured. He skimmed his open mouth up to her ear and laved the spot just below her lobe with his tongue.

  She gasped and curled her fingers around his upper arms for support. “I…I like that.”

  He did, too. “Mmm, and right here,” he went on, and gently sank his teeth into a tendon at the base of her neck, branding her with a love bite.

  Her breathing deepened. “Oh, Jace…”

  He smiled knowingly and whispered in her ear, “I’m betting you felt that biting sensation in other places, too, didn’t you?” Like the tips of her breasts, her belly, between her thighs.

  She managed a jerky nod and clenched her knees against his hips. “Yes.”

  Satisfied with her answer and the slumberous heat of desire in her gaze, he continued to tempt her and himself. “As much as I like your hair up, I love it down even more.”

  Releasing the clasp holding the chestnut tresses atop her head, he watched as the thick mass spilled free, then buried his hands up to his wrists in the luxurious strands. “I love it tousled around your shoulders and pretty face, and how warm and silky it feels wrapping around my fingers and against my skin.”

  “I like your hands in my hair,” she admitted, and groaned when he massaged her scalp, then glided his thumbs along her jawline. “It feels so sensual and arousing.”

  “I agree.” He was equally seduced by her, and the moment he’d created.

  She was staring at his lips, so he crushed his mouth to hers and gave her what she wanted, what he craved, knowing that, soon, kissing her would no longer be enough to satisfy him. They’d boldly stepped over a line they’d never before crossed with this provocative proposition of hers, and being with her in so many intimate ways was unearthing a slew of emotions and needs he’d kept deeply buried for years.

  He kissed her, long and slow and deep, her mouth so hot and soft and sweet under his, just as he imagined her body would be as he moved over her, inside her. With that arousing thought dancing in his head, he swept a hand down her back and shifted her bottom closer to the edge of the dresser, until the only thing separating their bodies were her insubstantial panties, and his khaki trousers. She locked her ankles against the backs of his thighs, rocked her pelvis against his erection in a natural, unconscious invitation, and his shaft swelled to the point of bursting.

  With every kiss, he was slowly, gradually becoming addicted to her, and he wondered in the back of his mind if after this weekend he’d be able to let her go and watch her be with another man. The practical side of his brain said he had no choice, but his body and heart struggled to convince him otherwise.

  One last lingering taste and he lifted his mouth from hers. But he still held her close, his fingers tangled in her hair, disheveling the strands even more. Her beautiful blue eyes were heavy-lidded, and a dreamy smile curved her puffy, well-kissed lips.

  The pleasure she gave him was immense, beyond physical, and more than he had ever dreamed possible. “If you were mine, and you wore this dress out with me, I’d make damn sure you looked just like this before we left the house, so that every man who glanced your way would know without a doubt that you were taken.”

  The pulse at the base of her throat fluttered wildly. “And how do I look?” she asked curiously, guilelessly.

  He brushed the back of his knuckles over the soft, heaving swells of her breasts. “With your hair down and rumpled, your lips pink and wet and parted, and your eyes soft and unfocused, you look like a woman who just came from my bed after a long, hot session of mindless sex.”

  Her brows rose, shock mingling with sexy overtones of confidence. “Except I’m far from satisfied.”

  He groaned. She was going to kill him before the weekend was through. “That was just a sample to whet your appetite for more,” he promised. “It’s called the slow, gradual buildup of sexual tension that leads to the main event, and we’ve got the whole night ahead of us, sweetheart.”

  She laughed, the sound filled with low, throaty affection. “I can’t decide if you’re very bad for teasing me like that, or very good, Jace.”

  He grinned and helped her scoot off the dresser. “How about a little of both?”

  “I’ll give you that.” Bemusement and eager anticipation etched her expression. “So, where are you taking me tonight?”

  “Out dancing,” he said, and twirled her playfully in his arms. “Where you can put that racy outfit to good use and drive a few men crazy with lust.”

  Placing a hand on his chest, she lifted up onto the tips of her shoes and nipped gently at his bottom lip. “The only one I want to drive crazy tonight with lust is you.” With a sassy smile, she turned and sashayed out of the bedroom.

  Jace didn’t think that was going to be a problem. He was already there.

  LEAH HAD NEVER BEEN to a nightclub before, at least not one as upscale and dynamic as Chicago’s Red No. Five. Wearing a fun, sexy dress, and having a gorgeous guy on her arm, she was determined to enjoy the new and unique experience to its fullest potential.

  Jace held her hand securely in his as he cut a path through the crowd, while she took in the seductive ambience, complete with laser lights, a huge dance floor, and intimate seating areas with private, secluded booths and couches swathed in rich velvet. They passed a cluster of women who were undoubtedly on the make, and there was no mistaking the appreciative, interested looks they cast Jace’s way. He merely smiled politely and continued toward the back of the lounge.

  The place was packed, the music loud with a distinct techno beat she found sensual and exciting, and thrummed rhythmically through her body. The people out on the dance floor were loose-limbed and uninhibited in their movements, and she envied their ability to just let go and enjoy themselves and their undulating bodies, uncaring of who watched. Which made her think of that Sexcapades invitation she’d taken, and how she needed to learn to be just as daring so she could strip with the same unreserved ease.

  Jace found a vacant booth and let Leah slide across the seat first before he settled himself beside her. While the spot he’d chosen was dimly lit, they had a perfect view of the bar area and the packed-to-capacity dance
floor.

  He leaned close and said loud enough for her to hear over the blaring music, “So, what do you think?”

  “I like it.” So far, she was fascinated by the sexually charged atmosphere, and wanted to be a part of it. “It’s also a good place to watch men and women flirt and interact with one another. You know, the seduction thing?”

  He grinned wryly. “I’m sure you’ll get a good feel for the various kinds of mating rituals between couples.”

  A bar waitress came up to their table, set down napkins in front of them, and bent low to be heard. “What can I get the two of you to drink?”

  Jace glanced at Leah, indicating that she should order first. If she were with Brent, she would have ordered a glass of chardonnay without hesitating. But she wasn’t with Brent, and she definitely wasn’t in a wine mood tonight.

  “I want the most outrageous drink your bartender can make,” she decided. “Something fun and exotic and uncivilized.”

  The pretty blonde thought for a moment, then her eyes sparkled in female camaraderie as she extended her suggestions. “Well, you’ve got your choice between a Blow Job, an Orgasm, or a Deep Throat.”

  They all sounded perfect for her wild, liberating weekend with Jace, and Leah definitely wanted to experience all three. “I think I’ll start with an Orgasm and go from there.”

  “Good choice.” The woman jotted down her drink preference and glanced at Jace, who looked taken aback by Leah’s bold pursuit of the ultimate festive cocktail. “And for you, sir?”

  “Since I’m the designated driver for the evening, and my date here is going to be enjoying orgasms, I’ll take a cola.” He flashed the waitress a grin.

  Laughter danced in the woman’s eyes. “You got it.”

  Minutes later, their drinks were delivered, and Leah anxiously sampled the smooth concoction flavored with Amaretto, vodka and rich cream. The drink was delicious, unlike anything she’d ever indulged in, and a moan of appreciation and pleasure rolled up from her throat.

  Jace watched her, arresting her with his hot stare and the wicked slant to his smile. “Better watch out, sweetheart. Those orgasms are potent stuff.”

  She didn’t miss the double entendre woven into his playful warning, and tossed out a sexy innuendo of her own. “Mmm, but they sure do go down easy.” Enjoying the sensation of being naughty, of feeling sensual and wanton, she swirled her finger into the sweetened cream and slowly licked it off. “Would you like to taste my orgasm?” she asked, not so innocently.

  He choked on the drink of soda he was swallowing, and it took him a moment to recover. And when he did, he leaned in close, filling her vision with his bold, masculine features. “There’s nothing I’d like more than to taste your orgasm,” he said, his voice rough around the edges. “But alcohol is out of the question since I’m driving tonight.”

  The man’s willpower and restraint amazed her. Undaunted, she dipped her finger into her drink once more, but this time she rubbed the creamy substance along his bottom lip. “Then let me taste it on you,” she whispered, and grasping his jaw between her palms, she brought his mouth to hers and slowly lapped and nibbled away the heady flavors along with the pure male essence that was Jace.

  She felt him shudder, felt that control of his slip a notch, and continued to tease him with her tongue and the arousing scrape of her teeth, relishing a feminine power that she had never before realized she possessed. Or maybe it was a matter of being with the right man, one who made her feel free to be assertive and confident.

  In their dimly lit corner booth they were afforded a semblance of privacy, not that anyone would care if they were making out, because she’d seen a few couples doing just that when they’d entered the lounge. She was out with Jace tonight to test her sensuality, to seduce him, in a place where no one knew her. The exciting thought was more intoxicating than the drink she’d just consumed.

  With one last leisurely lick, she lifted her mouth from his and slowly dragged her tongue across her own bottom lip. “Now that was potent.”

  Blazing heat flared in his gaze, so hot she felt scorched to her toes. The warmth of the liquor flowed through her limbs and unfurled in her belly, and the vibrating beat of the music pulsed within her, low and deep, adding to the sense of freedom she’d embraced for the weekend.

  She glanced out at the other couples enjoying the lively music and wanted to be right in the middle of it all. “Let’s dance,” she said enthusiastically, and he didn’t refuse her request.

  Time passed quickly, and Leah couldn’t ever remember having as good a time as she had flirting with Jace, dancing with him and teasing him. That luscious sexual tension between them built with every brush of their bodies, every heated look, every provocative comment that passed between them.

  This, she realized, was the kind of seduction she’d craved.

  Thirsty from dancing, she ordered the Deep Throat drink the waitress had mentioned earlier—this one a shot glass of vodka and Kahlua, topped with whipped cream. She downed the drink as the bartender instructed. Jace watched in amusement, and Leah fleetingly thought how appalled Brent would be to learn how well educated she was becoming when it came to cocktails. And she wasn’t talking the dry martinis he preferred.

  She finished off the exotic drink and kissed Jace on the lips, uncaring of anything but their time together. She refused to let thoughts of Brent ruin her short time with Jace.

  An hour later, the ladies’ room beckoned, and she excused herself to take care of personal business. When she returned minutes later, she couldn’t find Jace where she’d left him at the bar. She searched the lounge, but no luck there, either.

  Still curious about that last drink she’d yet to try, she made her way back to the bar and ordered a Blow Job, giggling as she did so because it felt so wonderfully wicked to say such an outrageous thing out loud. She felt just as naughty drinking the concoction in a quick shot, the liquid sliding down her throat in a rush of coffee-flavored brandy and more whipped cream.

  When a friendly, nice-looking guy asked her to dance, she was flattered by the interest in his gaze and figured what could it hurt to enjoy another man’s attention for a few minutes?

  She followed him out into the crush of people gyrating to the beat rumbling through the speakers. The drinks she’d consumed relaxed her body and mind, allowing her to let go of any last inhibitions and move to the provocative tempo of the music.

  JACE GLANCED toward the ladies’ restroom one last time, fairly certain he’d missed Leah’s exit while another woman had been diverting his attention with her numerous attempts to convince him to join her for a good time. He’d forgotten what ruthless pickup joints nightclubs could be, and that thought worried him for Leah, wherever she might have disappeared to.

  Despite how she’d shamelessly flirted, touched and toyed with him the past few hours, she was inexperienced when it came to the kind of brazen games these singles played, and much too vulnerable to a sophisticated guy who could see past the eye-catching dress and vivacious attitude to the sexually naive woman beneath. Mix in a few potent drinks, and she was ripe for the picking, just waiting to be taken advantage of.

  His stomach cramped, and he knew he’d never forgive himself if something happened to her. Neither would her brother, he thought with a grimace. Undoubtedly, if John ever discovered that he’d introduced his sister to such iniquity and left her unchaperoned, he’d not only be disappointed in Jace, but more than a little furious.

  Jace continued his search through the club, and finally learned from the bartender that she’d enjoyed a Blow Job before heading out to the dance floor with another guy. While the bartender’s statement held overtones of amusement, Jace couldn’t bring himself to laugh at how sexual his comment sounded. And he certainly didn’t like that she’d so easily gone off with another man.

  Minutes later, as one song segued into another, he finally found Leah in the partying throng of people on the dance floor. Her face was flushed and her eyes were br
ight and sparkling. A light sheen of perspiration gathered on her throat and chest, damp tendrils of hair clung to her temples, and she was laughing and smiling at the good-looking guy she was with, who seemed completely smitten with her. Jace was unprepared for the sharp kick of jealousy that flared through him, but he welcomed the white-hot possessive streak as he made his way toward Leah and her temporary date. He stepped between them, and Leah’s sultry grin widened when she saw him.

  “Jace!” she said breathlessly. “I was wondering where you’d disappeared to.”

  “I think you’re the one who disappeared, sweetheart,” he drawled, then glanced back at the other man who didn’t seem at all surprised that Jace had cut in. “Sorry, buddy, but she’s with me tonight.”

  A wry grin tipped the man’s mouth. “Yeah, she told me she was with someone else for the evening, but I was hoping maybe you’d forget about her and I’d get lucky.”

  Jace’s jaw clenched, though he couldn’t fault the guy for being so honest in his interest in Leah. “Not a chance. She’s mine, and I don’t share.”

  The man backed down gracefully and left the dance floor to find another willing partner. Leah continued to sway provocatively to the beat of the music, then leaned close and said into Jace’s ear, “I like you being all macho like that.”

  He grunted in reply because he’d never, ever acted so territorially before with a woman, then he groaned when she turned around and shimmied her bottom against his groin with utter abandon. The wanton movement made him instantly hard, and before she could spin around again he wrapped an arm around her waist, splayed his hand on her belly, and pulled her close, until her sweet backside aligned with his chest, stomach, and thighs.

  Submerged in the middle of the crowded dance floor, he followed Leah’s lead and rolled his hips against hers, showing her exactly what she did to him, letting her feel every thick, powerful inch of him. Having his rigid erection nestled against her bottom was sheer torture and exquisite pleasure, all rolled into one.