Tempting Gifts

by Elena Aitken

His words caused a shiver to race up her spine.

  “And you didn’t deserve the way I treated you,” Jason said. “Especially since from the moment I met you, I wanted to know more about you.”

  Lisa blinked and digested his words. “But then…why?” She shook her head. “I don’t understand men. I thought I did, but…”

  “Maybe it’s simple men you understand.” His words teased, and she saw the laughter in his eyes. “And I am not a simple man.”

  “No.” She laughed to hide the increasing nervousness. “That’s the truth.”

  Jason slid closer to her, and instantly her entire body was alerted to his proximity. Their bodies were only inches from touching, and Lisa couldn’t help but wish he’d move just the tiniest bit closer.

  “And besides the fact that I’m not a simple man, I’m actually a very perceptive man.”

  “Is that right?”

  “It is. For example, I noticed the way that most of the time you try not to flirt with me, but fail miserably.” She opened her mouth to protest, but he continued. “And the rest of the time, you treat me like even if I was the last man on earth, you wouldn’t give me the time of the day. Yet, I can’t help but notice the way you’re looking at me now.”

  Reflexively, Lisa ducked her head, but after a second she lifted it again and met his intense gaze with her own. “You noticed that, did you?”

  He nodded.

  “I, too, am also very perceptive,” Lisa said. She enjoyed their little game more than she cared to admit. “And I’ve noticed a few things of my own.”

  “Well, by all means, share.”

  She smiled and bit her bottom lip. “For one thing, I’ve noticed that from the moment I stopped giving you any attention at all, you’ve been flirting with me.”

  He nodded.

  “And,” she continued. “Despite the fact that you appear to be fairly intelligent, you don’t seem to get the hint that I’m not interested.”

  She swallowed hard, unsure whether she should have added that last fact, because as the seconds ticked by, she meant it less and less.

  “Okay.” He shocked her by rocking backward and jumping up to his feet. Instantly, Lisa cursed herself and wished she could take back her words. “I’ll explain that,” he said. “But first, let’s see if there’s anything to drink in this place.”

  She watched while he moved across the room and rummaged through the cupboards.

  “There might actually be a bottle of wine,” she said. “Sometimes the guests like to have wine with dinner. It’s the end of the season though, so—”

  “Got it.” Triumphant, Jason produced a bottle of wine.

  While he wrestled with the cork and searched for glasses, Lisa turned her attention to the fire and lost herself in the dance of the flames. She was more confused than ever. Nothing about their conversation made sense. Did he like her or not? More importantly, did she like him? Everything she’d thought was true wasn’t.

  He handed her a tumbler full of red wine, saving her from her thoughts. “Okay,” she said before she lost her nerve. “What’s going on? I don’t like playing games, Jason. When I like a guy, I tell him. I don’t know what’s going on here, and I don’t like it one bit, so—”

  Her protests were cut off by his warm lips on hers. He gently reached around her, took the glass from her hand and with his free hand, pulled her closer to him. His lips gave her the answer she needed. Lisa was the first to break the kiss and pulled slightly out of his reach.

  “That doesn’t clear anything up,” she said. Although judging by the way her body sang from his touch, she wouldn’t protest if he did it again. Not at all.

  He grinned and sat back. “Fair enough.”

  “I don’t do one-night stands,” she said before she could stop herself. “If that’s what you want, then—”

  “It’s not.”

  Her body thrilled at his words.

  “I want to get to know you, Lisa. I don’t do flings either.”

  She looked at him and raised a brow until he laughed.

  “Okay, I do. I did. But not with you.”

  “Why do I feel like I should be insulted by that?”

  “That didn’t come out right.” He shook his head and gave her such a sexy smile that all her resolve almost broke in that moment. “What if I told you I wanted more than that now?”

  “I’d think it was a line.”

  “It’s not.” He looked so genuine and there was so much truth in his eyes that in that moment, she absolutely believed him.

  She waited while he picked up his glass and took a sip of wine. When he stuck his tongue out to lick a stray drop from his lip, Lisa almost caved in and kissed him again, uncaring about the why or what of the situation. But she held firm and crossed her arms around herself to keep from giving in to temptation.

  “The first time I saw you, I thought you were stunning.” Lisa felt the blush start at the roots of her hair and flood her face. “But then you opened your mouth.” She sat upright, the blush replaced by an indignant glare. He laughed and she only glared harder. “Just listen.” He held up his hands in defense.

  “You’re not funny.”

  “Anyway.” He watched her closely. “As I was saying. When you opened your mouth and I heard how feisty you were, and saw the way you were with kids, well…suddenly you became the most beautiful woman I’d ever met.”

  Lisa melted a little at his words, and thought maybe if he didn’t lean over and kiss her again soon, she might burst into flames. But then, Jason continued talking. “But I wasn’t lying when I said I wasn’t really looking for anything right now because that’s my standard answer. But the truth is…” He paused and Lisa knew there was more. Much more that he didn’t say. “The truth is, I’ve been burned. Badly.”

  ~ * ~

  Jason hadn’t intended to tell her anything about his past. But sitting with her in front of the fire, being close to her, it felt right. And he actually wanted to talk about Nikki and her deception because it was time. It was long past time.

  He took another sip of wine and turned to her. “I was engaged to be married before.”

  Lisa didn’t even try to hide her surprise, which he appreciated. But she didn’t say anything and let him finish what he needed to say, which he appreciated more.

  “I thought she was the love of my life but in retrospect we were too young. There were a lot of things wrong with the relationship.” He looked into the fire. “A lot.”

  “So you ended it?”

  Jason shook his head. “She died.”

  Lisa sucked in a gasp and held her hand to her mouth. Instantly, he felt bad and the last thing he wanted was her pity. Especially considering he no longer mourned her loss.

  “I’m so sorry, Jason.” Her hand clasped around his arm. Her touch was warm and comforting and he covered her hand with his own, reluctant to have her pull away. “That’s terrible to lose your wife so—”

  “It was.” He nodded. “But that wasn’t the worst part.” Jason braced himself for what he was about to tell her. In the years since Nikki died, he hadn’t actually spoken about her betrayal with many people. Jen knew, and of course Conrad. But other than that, no one knew the truth. “She’d been cheating on me.” He said the words in a rush, and the instant they were out, he felt the pressure that had built for years release. It felt good, more than good, to let it go. “The night she died, she was coming home from her lover’s house. It was late; there was an accident and—”

  “I’m so sorry, Jason.” Her hand moved from his arm, and cupped his cheek. “That shouldn’t have happened to you. No one should have to experience that kind of pain.”

  He knew just by looking at her that she wasn’t talking about her death, but her affair, and in that moment, he thought he fell for her a little bit harder. This woman got it. She understood instantly what had taken him years to understand.

  “I can’t even imagine what that was like. To grieve for someone who’d hurt you so
badly. No wonder you’re—”

  “What?” He took her hand from his face and held it in his own much larger one while his eyes locked on hers. “No wonder I’m what?”

  “Hurting,” she said without hesitating. “I knew from the moment I met you that there was something else going on. Now I know.”

  She did indeed. And she wasn’t running. She didn’t look at him like a man who needed pity, or should be tiptoed around. Not at all. In fact, when Jason looked into her eyes, there was no trace of any of that in them. Instead, she looked at him with desire and respect. He traced her jawline with one finger and pulled her closer with his spare hand.

  “I was,” he said after a moment. “For years I was angry and I’d sworn off women altogether. I moved up North and I basically put my life on hold.”

  “What changed?”

  You, he thought, but didn’t say out loud. It was ridiculous that after knowing her for only a few days he should feel so totally reformed and deep down, he knew it wasn’t Lisa singlehandedly who had affected the change. But regardless, she’d played a role. If only for opening his eyes to see what he was missing and what he could have if he just allowed himself the opportunity to be open.

  “It was time,” he said simply. “It was just time to let it go and move on.”

  Her smile was sweet and Jason wanted to kiss her again. He needed to feel that sweetness on his lips again. He reached for her and tried to pull her in close, but she held back.

  She shook her head slightly. “I need to be clear,” she said after a moment. “I said it before, but you need to know I’m serious. I’m not okay with one-night stands, or quick affairs and despite what you said, I know that’s all you do, so…whatever this is…well, just know that.”

  Jason swallowed hard. “When I first met you, I was drawn to you and like we’ve already discussed, I acted like a jerk more as a defense than anything else. It was safer that way.” She nodded, understanding completely. But she looked down and wouldn’t meet his gaze, so he tipped her chin up so she looked at him again. He needed her to understand it all. “But there was something about you. Every time I saw you, I knew there was something special about you, and I wanted…no, I needed to know more. And then when I saw the real you, I—”

  “The real me?”

  “Well, yeah.” A smile split his face thinking about it. “When I saw you with Kayden and the other kids. I was just so blown away that everything I thought about you, women, and relationships went out the window, and I can’t even begin to explain it. I can’t help it.”

  “You can’t help what?” She asked the question, but she was pretty sure she knew the answer.

  He put his hands on her knees and closed what was left of the gap between them. “I can’t help thinking that I want to get to know you better.”

  This time when he leaned forward and his lips met hers, he was ready for the way his body responded to her. He pulled her in closer and let his mouth express what he couldn’t with simple words.

  His lips left hers, but he didn’t pull away; instead, he leaned in and whispered in her ear. “You need to know that whatever this is, it’s not a one-night stand.”

  ~ * ~

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  A shiver of desire ran through her, direct to her core at his words, and the absolute truth she felt in them.

  “You call the shots here, Lisa.” He kissed her in that sensitive spot behind her ear before he moved his mouth lower, down her neck. “You tell me what you want.” He lifted his head briefly. “You decide where this goes tonight.”

  They were simple words, but they held all the power, and they were all Lisa needed to hear because the sensations he generated had set her on fire. But combined with his words, she was completely ready to throw her self-imposed no-sex rule right out the window, where it belonged.

  “Jason, I…” Her words were lost as his hand slipped under the cotton of her T-shirt while his mouth kissed her collarbone. She tried again. “I…what about Kayden? He’s in the next room.”

  It was a lame excuse, but she grasped at straws; her resolve was melting quickly. Very quickly. What’s more, she no longer cared. Jason stopped his ministrations and looked at her. She could see the carefully controlled desire in his eyes, and knowing she was making him feel that way filled her with an intense feeling of power, and need.

  “You know he’s fast asleep,” he said. “That boy won’t be waking up for anything. But this is your call. I’ll stop if you want me to.”

  A million reasons why she should just go to bed and forget about the way his kisses made her feel, the way his words touched her, the way she wanted to throw herself into his arms, raced through her head. Maybe it was the wine, maybe it was the warm fire heating her skin, or more likely, maybe it was the fact that Lisa had never before felt such an immediate and strong connection with a man before, but she ignored every one of those million reasons why she shouldn’t do it, and did the exact opposite.

  “No.” The word came out in a breath. She reached for his head and pulled him to her. “I really don’t want you to stop.”

  Jason’s lips curled up into a smile. He didn’t need any more encouragement. Without further hesitation, his lips closed on hers and he kissed her thoroughly as his hands pushed the cotton of her T-shirt up over her head. The memory of his hard chest and rippling abs had Lisa tugging at his T-shirt and soon it was on the floor, too, his perfect muscular body exposed to her. His skin glistened with the firelight and Lisa was positive she’d never seen anything, or anyone, so incredibly gorgeous.

  Before she could reach forward and trail her hands down him, Jason leaned her back on the pillows and laid a trail of kisses from her collarbone to her chest. He removed her bra, and he paused at each breast, sucking and pulling each of her nipples in turn until they stood at attention, desperate for more. “You are perfect,” he groaned and began his kissing trail again, this time moving down her body to her belt.

  As he slid her jeans and panties from her body, leaving her bare, Lisa didn’t feel a bit of self-consciousness. In fact, she’d never felt more wanted and desired. When he bent his head and kissed her between her legs, she jumped with the intensity of his touch on her most sensitive bud. He paused, but only for a moment, before he moved his tongue in a tortuous delight that set her on fire.

  “Jason…I…” She could barely formulate a thought, let alone a sentence. But what she did know was that she needed him. She tugged his shoulders to pull him up and over her until he hovered over her, a deliciously sexy grin on his face.

  “Yes?”

  “I…I need you.”

  The second she spoke the words, desire flared in his eyes, and he moved, quickly divesting himself of his jeans and protecting himself with the ever present condom that men seemed to have, before he once again braced himself atop her, his hard member poised at her entrance. There was an unasked question in his eyes, and she knew that he would respect her choice if she wanted him to stop. More than anything at that moment, she did not want him to stop. She wrapped her arms around him, squeezing his rock hard ass with her fingers, and urged him forward.

  He entered her slowly, taking his time to fill her completely until their hips touched and he was completely seated inside her. Lisa closed her eyes in an effort to acclimate herself to him. But it wasn’t just a physical adjustment; the intensity of their coupling threatened to overwhelm her in a way she’d never felt before. It was more than just sex; she knew it and it scared the hell out of her.

  “Lisa.” His voice was commanding, yet soft at the same time. “Look at me.”

  She did.

  Everything she felt was reflected in his eyes. It wasn’t until their eyes were locked that Jason started to move. Slowly. His hips came up, pulling himself from her before filling her again. It was exquisitely and tortuously slow. Every nerve ending on her body was on fire and she could feel the orgasm build deep in her core. He held back on purpose, and only when she squeezed him tighter did he qui
cken his pace. She met him thrust for thrust, never once breaking the eye contact that joined them even deeper than their physical coupling.

  Her climax crashed through her, startling her with its intensity in wave after wave of pleasure, and not once did she look away.

  ~ * ~

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Never before had Jason watched a lover come with such intensity. Hell, he’d never bothered to watch a woman as intently as he did with Lisa. He couldn’t look away from her, nor did he want to. He needed to see her, all of her, and watching the exact moment that she came undone around him, all the while staring directly at him, into his soul—hell, it was his undoing, too.

  He came with so much force, his entire body convulsed, but still they didn’t break eye contact, making the climax that rode through his body even stronger.

  When he was spent, he stayed inside her, on top of her, and stared at her beautiful face before he kissed her softly on the lips.

  “I’ve never…that was…wow.”

  “My thoughts exactly.” He gave her another kiss, this one longer, before he rolled off her and handed her a blanket. If he didn’t remove himself, he was afraid he might never want to leave her. And as much as he’d love to repeat that performance again—soon—he also wanted desperately to hold her in his arms, and that feeling not only surprised the hell out of him, it scared him. But not nearly as much as it probably should have.

  They found their clothing and redressed quickly. While Lisa went to the kitchen to get them each a glass of water and a small snack, Jason stoked the fire. He was in no hurry to go to bed and let the evening end. He looked over his shoulder, watching her move around the small cabin while trying her best not to make much noise. She was sexy as hell. Everything about her lit him up. Everything. She turned and caught him watching her and gave him a shy smile.

  Shy despite her usual confidence and what they’d just shared.

  The woman was full of surprises.

  And he wanted to discover all of them.