Private Arrangements

by Brenda Jackson

  His hands moved from the wall to grip her hips, then behind her to cup her backside. The soft material of her dress was no barrier against the hard erection he pressed against her. Her fingertips were pressing hard into his shoulders, eliciting pain and pleasure at the same time.

  For him, kissing had always been a prelude to the next phase of sex. It was foreplay that he enjoyed, but he knew the prize was when he penetrated a woman, going deep and riding her hard. But with Nikki he had a totally different mind-set. His taste for her was relentless. Never had he craved kissing a woman so.

  And to think she had assumed he hadn’t enjoyed this the first time around. If only she knew the reason he’d left that day had had nothing to do with not enjoying the kiss but everything to do with enjoying it too much.

  And now his insides felt as if they’d burst into flames and the only way to put them out was to take her to the nearest bed and lose himself. With that thought in mind he lifted her into his arms.

  The feel of being swept off her feet caused Nikki’s senses to return in full force. She pushed against Jonas’s chest before easing out of this arms. There was no need to ask where he thought he was about to take her. He’d been headed in the direction of her bedroom.

  And there was no need to ask how he knew just where the room was located when he’d never set foot in her house before. Men like Jonas had built-in radar when it came to a woman’s bedroom. She pulled in a deep breath, thinking that had been some kiss, definitively hotter than the last.

  “Do you believe me now, Nikki?”

  She glanced up, and like a magnet her gaze automatically latched to Jonas’s mouth. Seeing the shape of his damp lips made her lick her own when she remembered why his were wet. Yes, she believed him. After the way he had devoured her mouth, she had no choice but to do so. And the thought that he had enjoyed the kiss as much as she had sent her into a head spin. He was fire and if she thought she could play with him without getting burned then she was only fooling herself. And her mother hadn’t raised a fool. To keep her sanity, she needed to distance herself from him as soon as possible.

  “You got the kiss so now you can leave.” In reality he’d gotten a lot more than that. He’d snatched her common sense right from her, which was why she needed to hurry him out the door.

  “Okay, I’ll go, Nikki. But if you change your mind about coming on board for the Fulton project, let me know within the week.”

  She stared at him. Did he honestly think she could work with him now? Whenever she saw him she wouldn’t think of work; she would think of kisses.

  “There’s no way I can work with you even if I had a change of heart, Jonas.”

  He took a step back and placed his hands in his pockets. “Why not? You’re a big girl. I’m sure you can handle a one-night stand.”

  She frowned. There was no way she would consider such a thing. “That’s not the point.”

  “Isn’t it? You said you knew about my type so now let me tell you what I perceive as yours. Although you claim you no longer believe in that fairy-tale nonsense of everlasting love, you’re still holding out for it. You want to believe that somehow your lucky number will get pulled and you’ll meet a guy who wants to put a ring on your finger, marry you and give you babies. But my question to you, Nikki, is this. Are you willing to live your life and hold out waiting for a possibility? What if it doesn’t happen? We both know the statistics. Chances are it won’t.”

  He paused a second and to give her more food for thought, he added, “Just think of all the time you waste waiting for Mr. Right who just might not come at all.”

  She glared at him. “How can you be so cynical when your parents have been happily married close to forty years, and two of your brothers—who use to be die-hard bachelors—are now married?”

  A crooked smile touched his lips. “Easily. I consider my parents’ marriage one in a million, which means they beat the odds. And as for my brothers…the jury is still out as to whether their marriages will last. Don’t get me wrong, I believe they love the women they married and the women they married love them. But a marriage is built on more than just love, so I’ll wait and see if either of them will celebrate any five-year anniversaries.”

  She could only stare at him, not believing he said such a thing. She didn’t know Eli and Stacey that well, but anyone who hung around Galen and Brittany long enough knew they were destined to share their lives together forever. How could he not see it? She knew the answer immediately. He didn’t want to see it. He simply refused to do so.

  “So there’s no reason why you shouldn’t enjoy yourself, Nikki. Have fun. If not with me then definitely someone else. But at the moment I’m thinking only of myself and the fun the two of us can have together. Why let life slip you by? You’re nearly thirty, right?”

  Now that was a low blow, Nikki thought. A man never brought up a woman’s age. And before she could take him to task for doing so, he went on to add, “Don’t get me wrong. You look good for your age. But time isn’t on your side. Neither is it on mine. It happens. Life happens. So we might as well enjoy it while we can.”

  She crossed her arms over her chest and lifted her chin. She wondered if this was the game he ran on his women who eventually gave in to him. “Is that all?”

  “No, but I figured that, along with the kiss, is enough for you to think about for now. However, if after all your reflections you still decide affairs aren’t your thing, I still would like to work with you again. I’ll even keep my hands and lips to myself and retain a strictly business relationship with you. Like I said at dinner, you’re the best photographer around and I need the best for this project.”

  A smile curved his lips. “Good night and I hope to see you around.”

  Nikki blinked when the door closed behind Jonas. She then drew in a deep breath, wondering if she had imagined the whole thing. Had she and Jonas actually kissed again?

  She touched her lips with her fingertips. They felt sore and she knew why. This kiss had been more powerful than the last one. Jonas hadn’t just kissed her, he had devoured her mouth. And she hated to admit that she had enjoyed it. Immensely. Slowly drawing air into her lungs, she could still taste him on her tongue. Her body was in shock mode with tingling sensations rushing through it. Every muscle was quivering, and she was overheated with want and need that had her insides sizzling.

  She moved away from the wall thinking Jonas had read her loud and clear. She wanted to be a bad girl with a good-girl mentality. She even had Brittany convinced that she was a woman with no hang-ups about engaging in casual affairs. The lie had sounded so true that she had begun believing it herself. But Jonas had shown her she was way out of her league.

  Okay, he’d told her he was attracted to her, and the kiss somewhat proved that he was. What he hadn’t told her was why he had kept his distance for eighteen months.

  She rubbed her forehead, feeling a humongous headache coming on, but she knew what she had to do. Tomorrow she would call Senator Joseph’s campaign headquarters and accept the offer they’d made. The sooner she got busy with her life, the sooner she could put thoughts of Jonas out of it.

  Jacketless, shirtless and horny as hell, Jonas let himself into his house. On the drive home he kept calling himself all kinds of fool for kissing Nikki again. Why was he a glutton for punishment? At least he didn’t have to wonder why he was so drawn to her.

  There was something about her taste that even now was causing an ache in his lower extremities. When had a kiss been so overpowering? So downright delicious that his entire body was revving up with thoughts of another one? And then another…

  Besides that, there was something different about their date—and whether he wanted to admit it or not, what started out as a business meeting had ended up as a date. He had enjoyed her company more than any other woman’s. Mainly because in addition to
being a great conversationalist, she had a sense of humor. She had shared with him some of her and Brittany’s escapades as teens growing up together in Florida.

  What he needed to do was clear his mind and he knew the best way to do it. A way that worked each and every time. Taking the stairs two at a time he entered his bedroom and changed into a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, the perfect outfit for a late-night ride on his Harley.

  A short while later he was in his garage, putting a band on his hair to hold the strands together before placing a helmet on his head. He straddled his bike, ready to hit the open road. Adrenaline flowed through every part of his body when he fired up the engine and took off like the devil himself was chasing after him.

  He knew the route he was traveling. Could follow it with his eyes closed since it was the same one he always took whenever he rode his bike late at night. This was his favorite time for riding with a big beautiful dark sky overhead and stars sprinkled about. Usually he felt at peace, but on this particular night his mind was in turmoil. He definitely needed this ride.

  He settled in his seat, drew in a deep breath and let the adrenaline flow. The sound of the thrumming engine had a calming effect, one he felt all the way down to his bones.

  Now if he could only get Nikki out of his mind. A frown appeared between his eyebrows. Why even now, when he was out on the open road in the middle of the night, could he still inhale her scent? And why couldn’t he get out of his mind just how she’d looked tonight in that outfit?

  His frown deepened. How she looked tonight had nothing on her taste, which was something else he couldn’t seem to get over. But he would. No matter what it took. Damn, hadn’t he made that same resolution eighteen months ago?

  The only reason he’d kissed her tonight was because he’d undergone a moment of temporary insanity. He was convinced that had to be it. And he was equally convinced that by this time tomorrow he would be back in his right mind and in some other woman’s bed to make him forget. Hadn’t that been what had helped him the last time? Yes, somewhat, but it hadn’t taken care of the root of his problem.

  He wanted Nikki in a way a man usually wanted a woman. In his bed. Whether he’d admit it or not, kissing her a second time had pretty much changed the dynamics of their relationship. She was now under his skin deeper than before.

  Jonas looked ahead and saw the flashing railroad crossings go down. He expelled an agitated breath and brought his bike to a complete stop.

  “If you straddle a woman like you do that bike then you’re definitely a man who knows how to ride.”

  Jonas rolled his eyes before glancing at the very attractive woman seated behind the wheel of a canary-yellow Corvette convertible idling beside him. His gaze first appreciated the car and then the woman. The look she was giving him made him feel naked. Unfortunately for her, he didn’t experience even the faintest hint of excitement from her intense perusal.

  “Yes, I know how to ride and enjoy doing so,” he responded, knowing neither of them was talking about his bike.

  “Then maybe you need to follow me.”

  He thought that maybe he did, until he saw the ring on her finger. “And maybe you need to go home to your husband.”

  She pouted. “He’s no fun.”

  Your problem, not mine. “I don’t encroach on another man’s territory.”

  “Um, that’s a pity,” she said sarcastically.

  “Probably is.” Especially since tonight I’d love to ride a woman more than this bike.

  But as he took off when the railroad crossing arms went back up, he knew the only woman he wanted to ride. But he didn’t want to think about it. He didn’t want to think about her.

  So he continued to ride as he tried to shut off his mind to any thoughts of Nikki Cartwright. About to take a curve, he leaned in, liking the feel of power beneath his thighs. It was a thrumming sensation he couldn’t get anywhere else. The vibration of the bike’s engine helped to lull him into a contented mood for the time being. He felt totally in sync with the road, the bike he was riding, and the entire universe. The feeling was totally awesome.

  Jonas tried to recall the last time he’d had a woman on the bike with him. It had been a while since his back had rested against a pair of plump, ripe breasts or a woman’s arms had been wrapped around him while she held on tight.

  At that moment the image of the only woman he wanted to share a bike ride with loomed in front of him. And he was suddenly filled with arousal that had his erection pressing hard against his zipper. He drew in a deep breath and adjusted his body on the seat. As much as he wished otherwise, it was evident that Nikki would not be eradicated from his thoughts anytime soon. The woman was one sensual piece of art.

  It was only when he came to a stop at a red light that he took in his surroundings. He was only a block away from where Nikki lived. What had possessed him to come this way when he lived in the other direction? What was this madness? He should be putting as much distance between them as he could. That kiss was proof enough that when it came to her he couldn’t think straight.

  And maybe that was the reason he should have a face-off with her once and for all. Granted, Nikki was a challenge to his sensibilities, but he refused to run in the opposite direction whenever he saw her, like he’d been doing for the past eighteen months. He would face her like a man and do what he knew he needed to do and be done with it.

  Hell, the way he saw it, he would be doing her a favor. Like he told her, she was approaching thirty and it was time to put all that nonsense of a forever love out of her head. Being a romantic was one thing. Being a hopeless, incurable romantic was another.

  He checked his watch. It was late, close to one in the morning. But there was someone he needed to call now. Pulling to the side of the road, he killed his engine and removed his helmet. He took his cell phone out of his pocket to make a call.

  “Hello.”

  “Stan. I figured you would still be up.”

  “Jonas? Kind of late for you to be calling. Is there a party somewhere that I’m missing?”

  Jonas chuckled. “No. Just calling to collect a favor.”

  “Okay, buddy. I owe you so many of them I won’t waste my time asking which one. Just tell me what you need.”

  “Your brother Jeremy is campaign manager for Senator Joseph, right?”

  “Yes, that’s right.”

  Jonas nodded. “Someone made a job offer to a photographer by the name of Nicole Cartwright. I want them to pull the offer.”

  “Pull the offer?” Stan asked, surprised.

  “Yes.”

  “All right. I’ll see what I can do.”

  “Thanks. I appreciate it.”

  Satisfied for the time being, Jonas returned the cell phone to his pocket and put the helmet back on his head. Firing up the bike’s engine, he headed for home.

  Chapter 5

  “Senator Joseph’s campaign actually withdrew their offer to hire you as a photographer?” Brittany Steele asked as she gazed across the table at her best friend.

  “Yes,” Nikki said, still somewhat annoyed at the call she’d received yesterday.

  “Why?”

  “They said something about reevaluating the budget. It was definitely bad timing since I had planned to call them to accept.” Nikki glanced around Samantha’s Café where she had met Brittany for lunch. A popular place to dine, the establishment was crowded.

  She looked back at Brittany. “Now I need to look at other opportunities. Weddings, anniversary parties and family portraits are nice to do on the side, but they won’t pay the bills.”

  “So what are you going to do?”

  After taking a sip of her coffee, Nikki answered, “Not sure, especially since I turned down Jonas’s offer.”

  Brittany r
aised an arched brow. “Jonas offered you a job?”

  Nikki nodded. “Yes. It was a chance to work with him on that Fulton project. And he was going to pay twice as much as the Joseph campaign.”

  “Then why did you turn down Jonas? I would think being a part of that Fulton project would be a dream come true.”

  Nikki’s cheeks warmed. There were certain things she had withheld from her best friend, and now it was time to come clean. “Do you recall that day we ran into each other when you first arrived in Phoenix and you were bidding on your mother’s property?”

  Brittany smiled as she cut into her salad. “Yes, that was over a year ago, but I remember. It was short of a miracle that we ran into each other after all those years.”

  “Yes, and that night we dined at Malone’s and played catch-up on what’s been going on with us over the past twelve years.”

  Brittany’s smile deepened. “I was stressed out about Galen’s outlandish proposal for my mother’s property.”

  “Yes, well, I wasn’t completely forthright about a few things.”

  Brittany stopped what she was doing and stared. “About what?”

  “My relationship with Jonas, for starters.”

  Surprise lit Brittany’s features and she set down her fork and knife by her salad bowl. “You and Jonas were involved?”

  Nikki chuckled. “Only in my dreams. But when I brought him up, I made it seem as if the two of us had merely worked together once or twice and hadn’t gotten all that close.”

  “But you and he had been close?”

  “Not sexual or anything like that. But we had kissed. The reason I didn’t say anything was that I was too embarrassed to admit it, especially since it was a kiss that led nowhere. And one I took more seriously than he did. We were at my office one day and had gotten excited over this deal he’d clinched and got caught up in the moment.”