The chill that surrounded his heart whenever he talked about his father, which wasn’t often, thawed at the conviction in her voice. “What is important to you, Joey?”
She reached out and stroked her hand down his chest. “Pleasure,” she said in a husky voice filled with warmth. “Especially the kind we can give to each other.”
He liked the sound of that. But…“For how long?”
Her hand stilled. Something flashed in her eyes. Fear? Funny, but he had difficulty imagining Joey afraid of much of anything. Caution, perhaps? That he understood.
“What exactly do you mean?” she asked carefully.
He wasn’t certain what he meant, but what the hell? He was the one who’d turned down this road, he might as well see it through to the end, wherever or whenever that might be. “I think you know what I mean.”
She laughed suddenly, but the sound was slightly brittle. Forced, even. “Until we’re both too exhausted to move,” she said and slipped her arms around his neck. “Or the storm lets up. Whichever occurs first.”
Before he could issue an argument, she urged him forward and brought their mouths together in a hot, openmouthed kiss. A kiss, he’d bet, that was meant as a distraction. For now, he thought as he gathered her close and deepened the kiss. Later she’d have to face the same truth that he’d suspected their first night together—that a casual relationship was out of the question. And sooner or later, they’d have to deal with the fallout.
Chapter 8
Joey knew something strange was happening to her, something she’d never felt before. Not altogether certain she welcomed or feared this odd sensation occurring deep within her, she didn’t yet know. What she did know, however, was whatever was happening between her and Sebastian extended the bounds of basic physical attraction. Who knew exactly where it might lead them, or if she even wanted it to go beyond a physical relationship? But for now, the latter was all she was willing to accept.
Atop the cushions from the sofa, which Sebastian had spread on the floor in front of the fireplace, Joey straddled him. Drawing warmth from his big body that the throw he’d placed over them barely provided, she reveled in the feel of him. Skin to skin. Woman to man. His hardness to her softness. She wasn’t about to get in to the whole yin and yang thing, but damn, she didn’t think heaven on earth could get much better than this.
“I take it back,” she whispered against his ear. She smoothed her hands over the width of his chest. “I love snowstorms.”
“Beats the hell out of a heat wave,” he said, then kissed her deeply.
His hands held her bottom where he gently kneaded, his long, strong fingers pressing rhythmically into her flesh. She ended the kiss and placed a trail of light kisses of her own along his jawline, his throat and down to his chest, where she whorled the tip of her tongue around his nipples. His soft moan of pleasure encouraged her to continue her sensual exploration.
Slowly, she tasted her way down his torso. She used her hands and her tongue, sliding her hands down his sides to his waist, over his belly and lower. Sifting her fingers through the springy curls surrounding his length, then taking him in her hand. He felt hot and heavy. She flicked her tongue over the tip of his penis and his hips jerked in response.
He didn’t dare try to stop her, but he did guide her gently around so she was straddling him again. When she took him into her mouth, the warm hiss of breath he expelled brushed against her moist heat, sending a spiral of desire curling through her.
He dipped his fingers inside her, gently thrusting and retreating, spreading the moisture from her body over her already-slick-with-need flesh. She worked him with her lips and tongue, loving the taste of him, the way his breath quickened with each stroke of her mouth over him.
He teased her with his tongue and nearly sent her crashing over the edge. She took him more deeply into her mouth, returning the pleasure. He suckled her clit and, far too quickly, the tension growing inside her snapped and she came.
He gave her no time to cool, but gently lifted her and positioned her on her back. She opened her legs and hooked her ankles around his waist, drawing him down. With a lift of her hips, she welcomed his long, hard length inside her. A slow, gentle wave of fresh desire cascaded over her.
In the firelight flickering over their bodies, she looked into his dark-eyed gaze. The tenderness in his eyes stilled her breath as did an affection she instinctively knew exceeded their mutual physical attraction. An attraction, she suspected, that extended beyond caring to one she feared the most—the bloom of a deeper and possibly even lasting emotion. The kind that practically guaranteed she’d end up with her heart in tatters when they parted ways.
She clung to him. He murmured soft words she refused to process, so she closed her eyes and concentrated on the erotic motion of their bodies, lost herself in the giving and taking of pleasure. It was all she wanted, she told herself. All she could emotionally afford. She didn’t want forever. She’d played that game once and lost, and she had no desire to experience that kind of heartbreak again. She only wanted the danger and excitement of the forbidden. She only wanted this, for as long as it lasted.
The intensity of their lovemaking climbed with each stroke of his body into hers. The muscles in his back and arms strained from the climbing tension. She moved her hands to his ass and held him to her as she arched against him. Together they came in an explosion of heat and, dammit, a myriad of emotions she refused to acknowledge were anything but sexual in nature.
* * *
Cold and in desperate need of caffeine, Joey drummed her fingertips on the ceramic-tile counter, impatient for the coffeemaker to finish brewing. Wearing a battered Florida State T-shirt and a pair of thick wool socks she’d commandeered from Sebastian’s dresser, she shivered against the chill of the early morning.
She opened a few cabinet doors before she finally found a couple of coffee mugs. A check of the refrigerator produced a rare treat of flavored creamer. She loved the stuff, but usually avoided the extra calories.
The coffeemaker finished and she splashed some of the chocolate-raspberry creamer into the mug, then filled it nearly to the brim with hot, steaming coffee. She brought the mug to her lips and breathed in the rich, aromatic scent before taking a tentative sip. She moaned with pleasure. One thing she could say about Sebastian, the man had excellent taste.
In the mood to splurge, she searched the cabinets and unearthed a box of strawberry Pop-Tarts, but no toaster. Hungry, she snagged a package anyway.
With mug and breakfast pastries in hand, she left the kitchen and strolled over to the long windows of the living room. Snow blanketed the North End, giving the revitalized neighborhood a shiny, pristine glow that even the dark, gunmetal-gray skies couldn’t dim. Snow still fell lightly, but it looked as if the winds had died down a knot or two.
Another shiver passed through her. Damn, but it was chilly. She set her bounty on the coffee table, then turned on the gas fireplace and cranked it up to high. Instant warmth radiated from the hearth, and she took advantage of the heat, standing with her back to the flames.
Once the chill finally left her, she stooped to pick up the cushions and return them to the sofa. After making love, they’d lain in front of the fire and had fallen asleep holding each other. Sometime later, during the early morning hours, Sebastian had gently woken her and they’d gone to bed, where they’d made love again while the fierce winter storm had continued to rage outside.
Gathering the throw around her, she settled on the sofa with her coffee and turned on the television in hopes of catching the local weather forecast. A ticker scrolled across the screen announcing closings for the schools and several government offices in the area, while the morning anchors talked of a series of incidents throughout the night caused by the storm. The news turned to sports and talk of the upcoming Patriots’ play-off hopes against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
She sipped her coffee and waited for the weather report. She wasn’t sure exactly when she�
��d be able to make it out to Brookline, but she did have an idea or two on how she and Sebastian could pass the time until the roads were cleared.
Being embroiled in a good old-fashioned office romance did have a few perks, especially when Mother Nature provided the perfect foil for playing hooky. Still, she did worry that someone was bound to get hurt eventually, and the law of averages dictated it’d more than likely be her.
Could she still work with Sebastian when this thing they had came to an end? She hoped so because she loved her job and would hate to leave the firm. She’d specifically accepted Lionel Kane’s generous offer for employment because of the firm’s reputation and long history, and she’d hate to give it all up because she couldn’t keep her panties on whenever she was around Sebastian. And because Sebastian was now a partner in the firm, she seriously doubted he’d be the one to go elsewhere anytime soon.
She ripped into the package of Pop-Tarts and snacked. What if, by some bizarre twist of fate, she let down her guard long enough for their relationship to become serious? In her opinion, their relationship was still in the booty-call stage…sort of, except she had a bad feeling Sebastian might actually feel otherwise. Then what was she supposed to do?
She was a litigator. So was he, for that matter. He’d been hired to head up their litigation department and she was a junior partner in one of the city’s oldest law firms. Were they destined for disaster?
Probably so, she mused, taking another sip of coffee. At least professionally. She had no interest in transferring to another division. Corporate law bored her. Family law depressed her. The only thing worse than probate and estate planning was real estate law, which would be a fate worse than death in her opinion. Word would eventually get out about their affair, no matter how hard they might try to keep their private life private. The rumors would spread like wildfire, she was sure. What would the senior partners have to say about it? Probably, neither of them would be fired or even censured, since the firm didn’t have a fraternization policy, but she imagined the partners would not be happy.
So then what? Personally speaking, that is. What if they made the stupid mistake of actually falling in love? She let out an exasperated puff of breath. Not that she imagined something like that happening. But still, she couldn’t help but think about it.
As she polished off the second Pop-Tart, the news finally switched to the weather forecast and she looked on with interest. The meteorologist predicted the worst of the storm had passed, but another four to six inches were still expected to fall in the area throughout the day. She had work to do, but suspecting she wouldn’t be in today because of the weather, she’d packed several files in her briefcase before leaving the office last night. With a no-travel advisory in effect, it looked as if she was stuck at Sebastian’s for the time being.
Oh, for shame, she thought with a smile.
Maybe she should go hunt up her briefcase now instead of wasting time worrying about a bunch of what-ifs that might never arise. Besides, she had a bigger problem she’d like to resolve. Like how to get around Sebastian’s moral judgment so she could take Gilson v. Pierce to trial.
On the surface, Natasha Pierce could easily be construed as an unsympathetic defendant. She hoped that once he had a better understanding of the case and the issues involved, he’d see that the defendant really wasn’t the evil hussy that he was painting her to be.
She was no more of a fan of infidelity than Sebastian, although after last night’s conversation, she certainly had a better understanding of his opinion on the matter. An opinion he was more than entitled to, but one she could not allow to color his judgment of the case.
Although Sebastian hadn’t specifically stated it, it sounded as if his father had made no attempt to see his son or even offer financial support. That itself was odd, unless his mother had refused financial support. Another oddity, as raising a child alone couldn’t have been easy, but she imagined his mother’s decision more than likely stemmed from pride than anything else.
That Sebastian resented his father was obvious, and that saddened her. She couldn’t imagine what it would be like being cut off from her family, especially her sisters. Okay, so maybe she wouldn’t exactly mourn for too long if her nasty cousin Eve, whom they called Evil-Lyn behind her back, fell off the face of the earth. Especially after she took such delight in outing Brooke’s unfortunate striptease faux pas, but that was her deep sense of sisterly loyalty talking.
With a frown, she uncurled herself from the sofa and went in search of her purse and cell phone. Armed with a fresh cup of coffee, she hurried back to the warmth of the throw. Despite the early hour, she called Brooke.
“What do you know about this dare I’m supposed to get on Thursday?” she asked as soon as Brooke answered.
Her sister laughed. “Is that really why you called me at seven in the morning?”
Busted. Brooke knew her too well. She needed someone to talk to and she always turned to one of her sisters.
“Yes and no,” she admitted. “But I do want to know if you’ve heard anything about my dare. Katie is having just a little too much fun at my expense.” She took a sip of coffee. “And just so you know, I won’t be taking my clothes off in public, either, if that’s what you guys are thinking.”
Brooke groaned. “Will I ever live that down?”
Joey giggled. “Probably not. Expect a recounting of events, with the proper embellishments, at holiday dinners for say, oh…the next thirty years or more. Just think how you can embarrass your children with the threat of a striptease.”
“Grandmother will be so thrilled,” Brooke said, her voice infused with humor.
Joey laughed again.
“I don’t know about your dare,” Brooke told her. “According to Lindsay, each dare is a highly guarded secret until the official unveiling.”
“But you tried.”
“Not even two Mistletoe Martinis could get it out of her,” Brooke said. “So where are you? I talked to Katie last night. She said you were stranded in the city.”
“Well—” Joey cleared her throat “—I wouldn’t be calling the Four Seasons to leave a message for me anytime soon.”
Brooke gasped. “You’re at his place? Oh, Joey, what are you thinking?”
“Oh, don’t you dare sound so scandalized, Brooke Winfield, when I know darn good and well you’re with David right now.”
“Not at the moment.”
Brooke sounded way too cagey to appease Joey. “What? He down at the corner buying bagels?”
Brooke sighed. “Something like that. But I’m not the one with a job at stake here.”
“My job is not at stake,” Joey argued. “I mean, having an affair with my boss probably won’t get me a promotion anytime soon, but it’s not like we’re violating firm policy.”
“What about ethics?”
“Nope.” There was nothing unethical about her affair with Sebastian. “People have flings with coworkers all the time.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“Who says there’s a problem?”
“You called me at seven in the morning.”
Joey let out a weighty sigh. “I like him.”
“And this is a problem because…?”
“Brooke? Have you not been paying attention? He’s my boss.”
Okay, so she realized she was making little sense. But wasn’t that what sisters were for? To make sense for you when your ability to do so yourself was seriously skewed? Like now?
“I mean, seriously,” Joey continued. She plucked at a loose thread on the throw. “Where can this possibly go?”
“Anywhere you’re willing to let it go,” Brooke said sagely. “Hey, isn’t there some statistic that says something like forty-two percent of married couples met on the job? Maybe it’s forty-eight percent. I don’t know. Check it out on Google. You’ll see.”
Joey let out a sound of disgust. “You’ve been so helpful. Goodbye, Brookie.”
“No, wait. Is t
hat what you’re afraid of?”
Joey frowned. “I’m not afraid of anything,” she said, without a modicum of conviction.
Brooke mumbled something Joey didn’t catch, but she imagined it wasn’t flattering.
“Just because Carson Baker was a slime doesn’t mean Sebastian is.”
Joey winced at the sound of Carson’s name. How could she have believed she’d been in love with him? “We’re having an office romance, Brooke. No one is talking serious relationship here.” She let out another sigh. “It’ll run its course and that’ll be it. We’re both mature adults. We’ll handle it. Right?”
“You know what they say,” Brooke said with a distinct hint of laughter in her voice. “’Tis better to have loved and lost—”
“God,” Joey groaned. “Spare me. Please.”
“Just trying to be helpful.”
The sound of running water drifted into the living room. “Sebastian’s up. I’ll call you later,” she said, then added, “when we come up for air.”
“Joey? Would it really be so bad if this turned into something more?”
Joey thought about that for a second before answering. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “That’s what scares me.”
“I thought you weren’t afraid of anything.”
“Anything but love,” she said, then flipped her phone closed.
Chapter 9
“Is that coffee I smell?”
“It is.”
Sebastian headed into the kitchen for a cup. When he’d awoken alone, he’d initially thought Joey had been more successful in pulling another disappearing act, sneaking out without waking him. Until he’d heard her voice, talking on the phone, he assumed, to one of her sisters.
God help him, he’d actually relaxed knowing she’d stuck around. The fact that she’d stayed during the light of day actually gave him hope that she thought of their relationship in terms other than physical.
Joey intrigued him, no two ways about it. She could be as skittish as a colt one minute, then open and honest and almost brash the next. Not that he minded the many sides to her multifaceted personality, but he’d like to know more about her. Such as why she retreated behind sarcasm, for one.
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