“Deal,” I say a bit embarrassed that he was able to read my thoughts.
Jack raises his glass, and I follow suit. “Cheers to the most remarkable person I have ever met. For accomplishing a goal off her list and completing a task, one I could not do without her.”
We raise our glasses to meet and clink.
“Cheers to you for inspiring me.”
“I do believe, Sarah, that is two that we can cross off,” he says with a twinkle in his eye.
“You stand correct.”
We smile and laugh and toast so much that I lose count. We talk about how the project that took me twelve hours to complete had been waiting to be started for almost a year. How the town’s members have been sending letters to push the project for years but it kept getting denied because it ‘just wasn’t what the city had in mind.’ I learn that Jack is actually three years older than me, at thirty-four. We finish off the bottle of wine and Jack opens another. We sit and talk while he grills the steaks and we eat on his back patio, so I can admire the view. It’s crazy how, when you take away a neighborhood of crammed houses and pollution, the sky is so beautiful at night. After helping with the dishes, Jack puts some music on and the sultry sounds fill the room.
He grabs me by the waist and swings me into his body to dance with him. I follow suit by wrapping one arm around his waist and one arm over his shoulder. He leads me into a slow dance while the music plays through the speakers.
“Have I thanked you yet for hitting my car?” He slows his movements and spins me. “There is something about you that I can’t stop thinking about. Ever since I spotted you in my rearview mirror that day. I haven’t thought of anything since. Your smile, your laugh, your addiction to vermouth, which I’m still trying to understand—”
“Hey,” I say defensively. “The vermouth is Aunt Raines’ addiction. I’m just trying to keep up. Aren’t we supposed to take a page out from our elders?”
He spins me again and pulls me closer against his body.
“I just can’t fathom how anyone would let you go. If you were mine, I would cherish you, spoil you rotten and never let you out of my sight . . .”
At the last word to leave his mouth I am already slamming my mouth on his. I can’t get to him fast enough. All the words he is speaking are floating in my head and almost cutting off the air supply to my brain. I just want to hold on, almost afraid that if I let go he will disappear. His mouth is too inviting. I pull back and find his eyes. “You’re real, right?” I have to ask. This is not my reality. Someone like this doesn’t just come into my life and turn everything upside-down, but in a good way. I feel it to the core of my heart that he is something I should have found a long time ago. He hasn’t been in my life for that long, but I feel it. I feel the beginning stages of something powerful.
“I’m as real as you are, baby,” he whispers then dips forward where I want him most, his lips touching mine.
And then we explode. All four hands don’t even know what to do with themselves. We are both clawing at each other to get closer. I can feel my lips bruising from the intense pressure of our kiss. The need in both of us is unbearable.
Without thought, Jack picks me up and throws me over his shoulder. Breathing heavily, he walks down the hallway and then through a double-framed doorway. He pushes through the doors and leads me into the room.
The bedroom.
I can tell by the gigantic four-poster framed king-sized bed, dark wood covered with a light grey duvet. The bed is unreal. From what I can see without losing focus on Jack, it is a bed made for never leaving. And I’m hoping my theory is correct.
Jack sets me down on the plush mattress and pulls my legs towards the edge of the bed. He stops me once the back of my legs hang over the bed. I can tell he is struggling to keep control. His hands are pressed into my thighs. He leans forward and begins to kiss me again but at a much slower pace than before.
He hurriedly moves his hands upward and inside my shirt, where he latches onto the hem of the shirt and pushes upward while caressing my skin with every move. Knowing where this is going, I lift my arms. He carefully slides my shirt up and over my head.
My shirt drops to the floor next to my feet. He continues his inspection of my body by moving his hands up my stomach and grazing his thumbs across my covered nipples. That move earns a moan from both our mouths.
With ease, Jack then drops to his knees. He presses his thumbs into the sides of my hips and brushes soft kisses along my stomach, traveling downward towards my navel, and ending just above the top line of my jeans.
The way he touches me is so tender, my body is reacting in waves of pleasure. I lift my hands and glide my fingers through his hair. The simple gesture delivers another moan from Jack.
With every kiss that he brushes along my skin, he looks up to lock eyes with me. I can literally see the passion radiating off of him. Gazing into Jack’s eyes is like looking into a portal. Seeing a man who is warm and inviting. One who can make me content for a lifetime. I can’t wrap my thoughts around how I went from being so stricken to so lucky.
He breaks my thoughts by softly biting my thigh through my jeans.
Oh holy burning hunk of foreplay, I am so turned on. I want him to take his time and touch me all over my body, but then again, I also want to help him rip my pants off and just head straight for home base.
He must be reading my thoughts because I feel the buttons being snapped open as my jeans, along with my panties, go south. He tosses more clothes into the growing pile on the floor.
Jack stands up in an animal prowl sort of way and starts to move forward. I let him guide me back so my legs still hang over the bed but my back is now lying flat on the plush mattress. He stops to take in my naked lower body with his eyes. He groans.
“You are so fucking beautiful,” Jack says in a raspy growl. Then he places his hands on my hips and gently pulls me forward so my girly parts are sitting right at the edge. He leans over me and presses his lips to mine. I can feel the urge in his kiss. He breaks away and slowly drops to his knees again. “You smell so good. I want to smell all of you.” Oh god, he is going to . . . Just as I try to finish my thought, Jack lowers his head and places his mouth in-between my legs. I can feel the heat of his breath hitting my inner thighs, tiny little breaths away from my lips. He takes his hands from my waist and moves down to press them into my thighs. Every kiss he places on my inner thigh sends a jolting tingle to my center. I think this guy is going to make me explode before he actually even touches me.
And then he does.
Jack finally takes his tongue and swipes it along my lips. “Ahhhhhh . . .” I groan as I throw my head back in complete pleasure. One lick after another he works his way to the center of my bud. Every stroke sends me more over the edge, toward explosion. I stab my fingers into his hair and grip for dear life. He continues to lick my center as he slowly enters me with one finger. I moan loudly at the feel of him inside me and almost break at the feeling. He pulls his finger out and inserts it again. This time I feel two. Holy god all mighty.
“God, you are so wet, Sarah.” And about to explode if he keeps this up. Hearing my name flow off his tongue while he drives my body wild is too much.
“Oh Jack . . .” I moan and I feel my orgasm on the brink of exploding. I sense he feels it too, because he abruptly pulls out. He stands, and in one quick movement, he rips his shirt over his head. He unbuttons his jeans and with a swift tug, pulls them down along with his boxers. How someone can get undressed so fast is pure amazement and also so fucking hot. While he’s standing naked in front of me, I am finally able to get a good look at his fully naked body. Holy god, he is all muscle, and smooth, and tan, and . . . Wow . . .
I mean, WOW!
I am so turned on by him right now that my mouth literally starts to water. If he doesn’t make a move soon, I may attack him. He sees the hunger in my eyes, and picks my body up and pulls me to the center of the bed. He covers my body with his and slams h
is mouth onto mine. I taste myself on his lips and it drives me wild. I feel his hard length on my stomach and I cannot wait to have him inside me. He seems to read my mind again, and I feel his knee nudging my legs open. He lifts his hips and I can feel his hard length at my core. With a lustful shove he enters me whole, which sends my head flying back. We moan in unison as he begins to move inside me.
“God you feel so good, Sarah . . .” he groans as he kisses my neck and moves back up to my lips. I can feel his hands roaming up my stomach. He cups one of my breasts and bends his head down to wrap his mouth around my nipple.
“Oh god, Jack, yes . . .” I am done for. Every thrust that Jack offers sends me further into oblivion. I can feel my orgasm start to surface. Jack lets go of my nipple to move on to the other one. His repeat performance gets another moan from me. This is it. Thrust for thrust, the pressure swells into my center and I scream out his name, while ecstasy blows up around me.
“Yeah baby, I can feel you clenching. Come for me.” The way Jack is talking to me is too much. I feel him speed up his rhythm and his thrust gets deeper and more aggressive. Before I know it I am well on my way to another orgasm. Jack can sense this too. He takes his hand and lowers it to my bud and begins to rub it while pounding into me. I am done. Two more thrusts and I again start screaming his name. Shortly after, I feel Jack throw his head back and groan loudly, letting go.
Jack’s body gives in and falls onto mine. The feeling of pure pleasure is exhausting. I can feel his rapid heartbeat thumping out of his chest. Mine is doing the same. What was that? I just had a back-to-back orgasm? Who is this guy?
We are both trying to steady our breathing. His weight is heavy but I love the feel of his hard body pressed against mine. I take whatever energy I have left and wrap my legs around his hips to keep the contact. I want to stay molded to him forever.
As our breathing evens out, Jack shifts and flips onto his back, taking me with him. Lying on top, I lift my head to catch his eyes taking me in, his expression of complete fulfillment.
“Who are you?” I whisper slowly. I watch the corners of his mouth rise into a pure, satisfied grin.
“Someone who’s about to get real poor with all the raises I plan on giving out.”
I break out into a loud laugh. Jack squeezes me again and flips. I’m now below his body, and he looks at me with hunger, already building desire to fulfill more of his cravings.
“I think I’m going to have to retract my subcontractor contract, and hire you on full time.”
“Then you’re definitely going to go broke,” I giggle.
“It will be worth every penny.”
We both laugh. Then he dips his head down again to press a soft kiss to my lips.
FIVE HOURS LATER AND four more repeats of me seeing stars, I wake up to the sun forcing its way into my eyelids. I slowly open my eyes. A bit confused by my surroundings, I lift my head to see a warm body tangled up next to me.
Jack.
In Jack’s bedroom.
Glorious.
He looks so peaceful in his sleep. Take away the lines of wear and tear in his face that I notice during the days he pushes himself with work, and he looks a lot younger than he is. I take a finger and brush away a piece of hair that is loose on his head and hanging over his eyebrow.
He stirs in his sleep and his arm quickly wraps around my neck, pulling me back down to the shared pillow he has his head resting on.
His eyes slowly open and a smile broadens across his face. He is simply amazing.
“Good morning,” he says with a deep half-awake voice.
“Good morning.”
He raises his hand and guides my head closer to meet his and then locks his beautiful lips to mine. It is nothing erotic or crazy, but it is simple. And beautiful. It feels like we have been waking up like this for a lifetime, and not just for the first time.
“So I have an idea,” he says, breaking into my thoughts.
“Oh yeah?”
“I have some client meetings on site today. I want you to work in my office. You can have access to all the materials that you would need to work on the plans. It will beat using your kitchen table as a work bench slash nesting place.”
“I thought you just said that you have meetings. Won’t you need your office to conduct those?”
“No. I can use the main room upfront. I want you there all day with me. I want to make sure I can check up on you anytime I want throughout my day . . . And let me follow that up with, if you say no, then I will be forced to cancel all my meetings and find a reason to observe my men on their ‘addition project’ today.”
I take a moment to look at him and debate my options. Both options seem to entail Jack tending to my whereabouts. Either option doesn’t sound like I will be allowed very much concentration.
“Well, boss, with all the money I am costing you, I would hate to see you lose business on my behalf.”
He laughs into my hair and begins to press kisses to my neck. “Good.” Then he jumps off me and out of bed. He grabs the covers and throws them to the bottom of the bed. Feeling a bit self-conscious, I go to grab for them. “Oh no you don’t,” he says.
He grabs my arm, gently but assertively, and lifts me up off the bed.
“What are you doing?” I ask in a bit of a panic.
“Getting you ready for work. You have a busy day ahead of you.”
He proceeds to pick me up and carry me to the bathroom, then he goes to the shower and turns on the water. Checking to make sure it’s a decent temperature, he sets me down. I would tell you that he threw off his clothes, or mine, but we weren’t wearing any . . .
Jack presses his hands around my hips and guides me into the shower with him. We turn together to face the water and he presses his lips to mine. Who would have thought that morning showers could be so enthralling? I’m seeing stars.
Again.
As in twice.
JACK DRIVES ME BACK to my parents’ house, since I need to pick up the projects he gave me, and probably put a fresh pair of clothes on. I am currently residing in my jeans and an oversized, crisp shirt complimentary of Jack’s closet. If I said I wasn’t going to take this shirt off and turn it into my new pillowcase, I would be lying. Going to bed and waking up with the scent of Jack on my face sounds heavenly to me.
Jack holds my hand the whole way. His phone keeps ringing with clients calling, suppliers confirming orders, and workers signing in and out. He refuses to let my hand attempt to maneuver his phone, so he uses the speaker device to talk. It is probably a good thing that he’s so occupied with driving and talking, because I’m pretty sure if anyone takes a good look at me they would see a girl as giddy and happy as a kid in a candy store . . . and oh, who also just won the candy lottery.
We pull up to the house and he signals that he will be a minute, which is my cue to exit. I enter the house, hoping my mom isn’t on duty and I can make a clean break to my room without being questioned by the parent police.
No. Such. Luck.
“Hi honey, I’m glad to see you home. How was your night?”
Please someone explain to my conscious that I am thirty-one years old and don’t need to feel like I’m about to get grounded for not coming home last night. I mean, if I’m going to look like a hussie to my parents, then, well, so be it!
“Um . . . Great, Mom. We had a lot of work that we had to go over. A lot of projects.” Lie. “I’m just going to change and grab my work stuff. Jack needs me to work at his site today. More materials to help me work.” Why did I not sound convincing?
“OK, dear. That Jack fellow sure knows what he is doing,” my mom responds to my departing back.
She has no idea.
SPEEDING UP TO THE good part, which doesn’t take too long, I find myself in Jack’s office playing with the restaurant revamp project. It takes about twenty-seven minutes alone in his office before the door opens then shuts with a clicking sound. I turn to see Jack walking my direction with clear i
ntention in his eyes.
“I thought you were in a meeting?” I barely manage to ask the whole question before he grabs my waist and crushes my body into his.
“I am. They are looking over some numbers. I told them to take their time. I had to attend to a private matter.”
He dips his head and presses his mouth to my neck. I can feel his warm breath on my skin, and I instantly melt into his embrace. This guy is going to be the death of me. Grazing his tongue along my neck, making his way to my mouth, he speaks again. “How is the assignment coming along, my little employee?”
He’s going to kill me. “It’s going—” Oh mother of suction, he just started nibbling on my ear.
“It’s going what, Sarah?”
My brain is spitting out words, but I’m not sure my mouth is relaying them. I can tell at this point that my mouth is hanging open. I also conclude that the only thing coming out of my mouth is tiny moans.
“If you keep making those sweet noises, I’m going to have to clear my schedule for the rest of the day.”
I want to say don’t bother, since I’m pretty sure he has kissed and nibbled me unconscious. Not sure what use I would be at this point.
A knock on the door sends my eyes fluttering open. Jack’s eyes are on me when I resume focus, and I can see the fire in his gaze.
“Jack?”
On the other side of the door is Bill. “Breaking Ridge is done reviewing the numbers. They are ready to move forward.”
Jack sighs. “I’ll be right out.”
We both stand there looking at each other while listening to Bill’s steps as they disappear into the distance.
“You are lucky,” he tells me. “The things I had planned for you were not very appropriate in an office, especially with clients outside the door.”
I need to get a hold of my jaw because it just seems to drop down on its own lately.
Jack laughs and brings his hand up to graze my cheek. “I’ll let you get back to work. Although you do inspire me to have the quickest meetings I’ve ever had so I can be done with this day and finish this other . . . private matter.”
Life in a Rut, Love not Included (Love Not Included series Book 1) Page 11