by Tawny Amaya
But this was the first time that I had ever had another woman, a gorgeous one at that, be interested in my man in front of me. “Is she going to be with you while you work at the company?”
His thumb stroked my hand lightly. “She is.”
“Oh.”
The car stopped before he could say anything else and I climbed out as soon as the door opened, wanting to be out of the tension. The sights and sounds nearly did me in as I gazed at the city before me, a sharp contrast to the slow pace of the country. Everything was so, well, loud.
“Come on,” Jackson said, grabbing my hand as he pulled me toward the entrance of the towering building. “I can’t wait to show you my apartment.”
I wasn’t remised to catch the my instead of our, but I shrugged it off. We weren’t married nor had anything been said about the future. I had no claim to him outside of the vineyard anyway.
We rode the elevator up a few floors before the doors opened and I found myself staring a wall of windows across an expansive room, nearly twice as big as the living room in the cottage. Jackson tugged on my hand, and we crossed the wooden floors to the windows, his arm going around my waist as he pointed at the cluster of trees in the distance. “That’s Central Park there. Over there, you can see times square.”
I lost myself in his touch, the excitement in his voice as he pointed out some of the landmarks of the city. He looked happier, and I couldn’t help but wonder if being with me had taken some of the light out of his life. Clearly, he was at home here, and a small piece of my heart broke at the thought.
He turned toward me, and I pasted on a smile. “This is nice Jackson.”
He chuckled and pulled me into his arms. “Do you want to see the bedroom?”
I pushed all thoughts of Marti or our relationship away, looping my arms around his neck. “Only if you want to show it to me.”
The sparkle in his eyes only grew as he brushed his lips over mine, his hand on mine as he pulled away. “It’s this way.”
I didn’t pay attention to the rest of the apartment as we walked through, entering an airy bedroom with the same tall windows along one wall. A large king bed dominated the room, and I felt the heat start to climb in my own body as Jackson stepped out of his shoes, tugging on his shirt until it released from his pants. I stopped his hands from going any further, my heart pounding in my ears. “Let me,” I said softly, batting his hands away.
He made a sound but dropped his hands, and I started with the buttons, taking my time with them, exposing his tanned skin with each release. My mouth went dry as his abs came into view, forcing myself to think about my task and the plans I had for Jackson in this new city. I didn’t know how many women he had brought here before, but I wanted to be the last one he remembered in this space.
Finally, I got through his buttons and pushed his shirt off his shoulders, throwing the shirt on the bed so I could run my hands over his naked chest. I would never grow tired of touching Jackson, feeling his strength under my fingers, his heart banging against his chest as I explored his taut abdomen. “Careful,” he said softly as I pressed a kiss on his chest. “You’re playing with fire.”
“I don’t mind getting burned,” I said against his skin, my hands starting on his belt.
Jackson groaned as I made quick work of his pants, sliding them down until they were puddled on the floor. “Bree,” he breathed as I took him into my hands, gliding my fingers over his hard length. “Shit.”
I cupped his face with my other hand, feeling his jaw clench under my touch. “Is this all for me?”
His eyes were heated as they bore into mine. “You, it’s all for you. It’s only for you.”
It was a game we played, but this time, I didn’t feel the warm and fuzzies as I had before. I hated the fact that I couldn’t. His hands went to my blouse, cupping my breasts, and I forgot to breathe. “I can’t wait to have you,” he said softly as I felt him grow under my touch. “I’ve been thinking about it all day.”
Lord, the man, could have my panties wet with just a few words. My legs trembled slightly as he pulled me against him, making quick work of my shirt and bra. His lips touched my skin, and I closed my eyes, allowing myself to drift away.
“You’re beautiful,” he whispered against my skin, his hands sliding down my breasts, brushing over my nipples until they reached the waistband of my jeans. “So damn beautiful.”
Under his touch, I felt beautiful. I helped him get rid of my jeans until we were both standing there, naked. Jackson stepped back, and I could see the need in his eyes. “Get on the bed, Bree.”
I swallowed and did as he instructed, gasping as he pulled my legs until I was hanging over the edge of it. He kneeled before me, and I moaned as he kissed me in the center of my legs, writhing against his touch as I realized what he was doing.
But his hands clamped on my legs, holding me in place as he feasted on me, his tongue doing tantalizing circles around the throbbing core until I cried out his name, the orgasm hit me hard and fast. There was barely a second before Jackson pushed inside of me, his hard body pressed against mine as he slid home. “You’re so wet,” he breathed in my ear, nibbling on my earlobe.
I clutched at his shoulders as I urged him to move, the orgasm still crashing over me. Jackson kissed my neck and then my collarbone as he moved over me, his intensity picking up quickly as I shattered around him.
“Fuck,” he growled as he stiffened and poured into me, the cords of his neck bulging as I gripped him tightly. I gasped for breath as he collapsed on top of me, our pants the only sounds in the room. It had been quick and fierce, but I knew it was what we both needed. I ran my fingers lightly over his sweat-slick back as my breathing started to slow, my body sated, but my heart not quite there yet.
I was worried.
******
CHAPTER 8: JACKSON
I played with the stem of my wineglass, attempting not to stare at Bree and make her uncomfortable.
No, scratch that. I didn’t want to make her more uncomfortable than she already was.
Sighing inwardly, I watched as she looked around the restaurant, taking it all in with her emotions written all over her face. After christening my bed, I had urged her to get dressed, deciding to make her first night here a memory she wouldn’t forget. Now we sat in a pricey restaurant on the upper east side, and I didn’t feel like she was enjoying it.
She looked back at me, and I stared into her gorgeous eyes. Damn, I was a lucky man. “Do you want to just get the hell out of here?”
Bree’s eyes widened. “W-what?”
I smirked. “I know of a decent pizza joint not far from here. They even might be willing to make your nasty pizza.”
Some of the tension left her body as she gave me a look. “It’s not nasty.”
I chuckled as I pushed back the chair, throwing some bills on the table before standing. “Come on Bree.”
She took my hand, and I led her out of the restaurant, tucking my arm around her waist and pulling her close. “Why didn’t you just say that you didn’t want to go there?”
She sighed. “Because you were set on taking me somewhere fancy.”
I grinned as we walked down the sidewalk. “No, I wanted to show you the city, not have you look miserable during dinner.”
“I’m sorry Jackson.”
“Don’t be.” She wasn’t hurting my feelings at all. I wanted to make up for the plane ride and springing Marti on her without warning her in advance. I wanted her to laugh and smile at me, with me. Hell, I wanted Bree to be happy, and clearly, she wasn’t sitting in that expensive ass restaurant.
I guided her around the corner to a small door barely noticeable to the casual passerby. The smell of pizza dough and mozzarella assaulted our senses as I pulled open the door, ushering Bree into the warm interior. We grabbed the only remaining table in the corner, and I reached across it to take her hands in my own, feeling the sizzle of electricity in the touch. “What’s wrong with you?” I asked soft
ly.
She stared at me, then looked down at our joined hands. “I, I guess I am just overwhelmed. It’s a lot different than the vineyard.”
“You’re right about that,” I chuckled, rubbing my thumb over the back of her hand. I imagined it was a cultural shock to her and I had been so wrapped up in my own excitement that I hadn’t thought about it. “I’m sorry Bree.”
She looked up at me, and I saw tenderness in their depths. “Don’t apologize. I’m sorry I’m acting so weird.”
The knot in my chest loosened just a bit as I saw some of the worry disappear from her expression. “I’m glad you are here with me. I hope you know that.”
She squeezed my hands. “I’m glad to be here.”
I gave her a wink and a grin as I released her hands, hoping that this was just one small stumbling block for this trip. “Let me go see if I can’t get your pizza then.”
***
The next morning, I looked down at Bree, not wanting to wake her from her sleep. After treating her to some pizza, I had taken her to Times Square so she could experience it for the first time. The look in her eyes, well, it would be something I would never forget.
And as much as I wanted to stay in bed with her this morning, I couldn’t. I hadn’t come to New York for a visit. I had come to work.
Sighing, I walked away from the bed and out the door, taking the elevator down to the first floor, where the private car was already idling at the curb. A few blocks away in the early morning traffic, I arrived at the building that housed my father’s company, stepping out of the car while drawing a breath. It was hard to believe that four months ago I had walked away from this place, damn near ecstatic for what I was about to experience with Bree.
Now I was back and had to pull this shit back together once more. While I enjoyed a challenge, I fucking hated cleaning up someone else’s mess.
Walking through the doors, I took the elevator up to the tenth floor, the familiar surroundings starting to calm me somewhat. I could do this. I could clean this shit up and get Bree back to the vineyard. This was going to be a piece of cake.
The elevator doors opened, and I stepped out, my steps slowing as I spied Marti standing near the office door. “Good morning Jackson,” she said brightly, holding out a white cup. “I got you coffee, black, right?”
“Yeah,” I answered slowly, taking the cup from her. “Uh, thanks. How did you know?”
She smiled. “I can tell you are a no-frills type guy who likes it strong. I took a chance.”
“Thanks,” I said again, the coffee warm in my hand. “You ready to get started?”
She nodded, and I walked into the office. It was time to get this shit going.
Hours later, I groaned into my hands. “What the hell have they been doing for four months?”
Marti’s husky laugh floated through the air. “Apparently not doing anything.”
I rubbed a hand over my face before looking up, seeing her in the chair before the desk, her heels laying on the carpeted floor next to it. The office was littered with papers and leftover cartons from lunch, and for the last hour, we had started to comb through the mess that the former guy in charge had created. Marti had proven to know her shit, and without her, I wouldn’t have gotten even this far.
I looked at the clock and swore, pulling out my cell. It was already after three, and I had meant to call Bree. “You should go home,” I said as I started to find her number. “We have to be on our fucking game tonight.”
“You got it,” she said, collecting her shoes and waving as she walked out. “See you tonight.”
I nodded as I pressed the phone to my ear, hearing it ring a few times before picking up.
“Hey.”
“Hey,” I said, her voice chasing away the darkness of the day. “What are you doing?”
“I’m trying out your bathtub.”
I groaned as I thought about Bree naked in the sunken tub. “That was mean.”
“Come join me.”
I sighed. “I will babe, soon. I’m going to send a woman to the apartment in the next hour with some dresses. I need for you to pick one to wear tonight.”
I heard the water slosh around. Damn, she really was in the tub. “What did you say?”
“There’s this thing tonight I have to go to, and I want you to attend.” An old friend had called me up after hearing that I was in town and invited me to a gala tonight at some art gallery. It would be a time to assure some of those in attendance that the company was not in the toilet and that I was back at the helm. The last thing I needed to get out that the company was circling the drain and people start to pull out. This was a chance for me to start the damage control.
“I-I don’t know Jackson,” Bree was saying in my ear, concern in her voice. “I’m not, I don’t do those fancy things very well.”
I heard the hesitation, but I wanted her there. She would be the only reason I was able to keep my shit tonight. “Please Bree? I need you.”
“Jackson.”
“I’m fucking sinking here,” I blurted out. “The company is shit, and I am worried I can’t turn this around.” It was the truth. It was going to be all hands on deck to get this turned around. “I need your help.”
She was silent for a moment. “Alright,” she said. “I’ll go.”
******
CHAPTER 9: BREE
I tugged at the hem of the dress as I climbed out of the car, hoping that I hadn’t just flashed my rear end to the passing traffic. The dress was shorter than I liked, but one look from Jackson and his heated stare had told me I had picked the right now. The black number barely grazed mid-thigh, with only one shoulder covered and paired with heels, I felt like I wasn’t going to embarrass Jackson tonight. He was nervous, which in turn made me extremely nervous.
But gah, he was so hot in his tux. I had literally lost my train of thought when I had first spied him in it, finding it hard to focus on his words when all I wanted to do was tear it off his body, the body I knew what underneath.
Instead, though, we were at this gala, and I was to smooze with whoever talked to me. “Just stay close,” he said softly as we walked in the building. I took in the glittering crowd and tried to calm my racing heart. I didn’t belong here. I didn’t even like to wear heels.
“Jackson, so it is true. The prodigal son has arrived home.”
“Trevor,” Jackson said as a tall man with peppered hair approached us. “Good to see you.”
“The honor is all mine,” Trevor grinned, sticking out his hand. Jackson shook it, and I tried not to lean into his touch, pasting on my best smile. Jackson needed me to be here, and I was going to pretend I was comfortable with it. “So, are you back for good or what?”
Jackson cut his eyes at me before turning his attention back to Trevor, but not before I saw the wistfulness in his expression. He truly had missed the city. “Just for a while. Trevor, this is Bree. Bree, this is Trevor, the damn best broker in New York.”
“Be still my heart,” he joked as he looked at me. “Nice to meet you, Bree. You have quite a challenge to keep this man in line. I hope you know that.”
“I do,” I grinned, liking the man immediately. There was kindness in his eyes, and I was glad that I could feel comfortable around one of Jackson’s friends.
Jackson turned toward me and squeezed my hand. “I’m going to circulate with Trevor. Will you be okay here for a few moments?”
“Sure,” I said, taking the worry out of my voice. This was big for Jackson, and I didn’t want to have him worrying about me. I was an adult and could be an adult without him to cling to. He gave me a wink and disappeared into the crowd as I started to view the artwork on the walls. I knew that Jackson was no different than the man back at the vineyard, the one that I was passionately in love with, but I saw a different man here. I saw a man at home, more carefree and, well, happy.
Was he completely happy where he was at with me? I didn’t know. Part of me wanted to scream yes, that our lov
e was enough to make us both happy, but I knew how I felt here, how out of place and uncomfortable it was and couldn’t help but wonder if Jackson woke up at the vineyard and felt the same. He wasn’t the rich kid that I had grown up with. He was a full grown man who had been used to a different lifestyle before reconnecting with me.
“Lovely, isn’t it?”
I turned to see Marti standing next to me, looking like a total knockout in a bold red dress, a glass of champagne in her hand. “What?”
She motioned toward the painting I hadn’t even noticed was there. “The abstract art. It’s quite impressive.”
I looked back at the canvas, seeing nothing but slashes of paint amongst a bunch of squiggly lines. “I guess.”
She laughed huskily, tapping her red-tipped fingernail against her glass. “You know, Bree, can I call you Bree? I find it interesting that a woman like you is with a man like Jackson. You two seem to be complete opposites.”
I turned toward the woman, attempting not to show any emotion on my face. I knew what she was doing. “Jackson and I have known each other all our lives.”
“Oh really?” she asked, surprise filtering in through her expression. “I’m quite surprised to hear that.”
I grinned like a fool then, glad that I had one up on her. She had no idea the deep connection I had with the man she craved. Oh, I wasn’t stupid. I was a woman as well, and I could see the glint of need in her eye the first time I had met her. The way she looked at Jackson was the same way I would if I were in her shoes.
But she couldn’t have him. He was mine, and I wasn’t willing to let him go. “We grew up together. It was only a matter of time before we became a couple.”
“Of course,” Marti said with a little laugh. “I see now.”
“See what?”