Private Arrangements

by Brenda Jackson

  “Excuse me if I’m boring you.”

  He shifted his gaze back to Chastity. Why was she still there, taking up his time? A better question to ask was why was he letting her? He knew the reason. He was allowing her to do so because she was so into herself she wouldn’t notice that he was into someone else. At least he figured she wouldn’t notice. Evidently he’d been wrong.

  “You aren’t boring me,” he said, taking another sip of his drink.

  “Then why are we still here? The last time we attended a party together we’d left within minutes.”

  She didn’t have to remind him. They’d split the party in L.A. and he’d taken her up to his hotel room. He was just about to respond, explain that it had been three years ago, tons of women ago…especially one in particular. But then he saw Curtis lead Nikki outside on the patio and knew he had to put a stop to that foolishness once and for all.

  “It was good seeing you again, Chastity. Now if you will excuse me…” Not waiting to see if she would excuse him or not, he walked off.

  “It’s a beautiful night, isn’t it?”

  The cool air hit Nikki in the face as she glanced over at Curtis. He was nice enough and for the time being, had taken her mind off Jonas, which was a good thing. Whether she liked it or not, the sight of Jonas and that woman who kept touching his arm, batting her false lashes up at him while giving him a toothy smile, had irked her. So when Curtis had suggested they step out on the patio, she had been more than raring to go.

  She glanced around. They were high up on the fortieth floor, where she could see the brightly lit Vegas Strip with all the flashing neon signs. “So you’re going to be a passenger on the Velocity?”

  She smiled up at him. “Yes, and you will, too. Right?”

  “Yes, I’m doing the coverage for CNN and looking forward to the next two weeks.”

  She took a sip of her wine. “So am I. Although I’ll be working a lot of the time, I’ll have time to relax and enjoy myself.”

  He smiled down at her. “And I hope I’ll be someone that you’ll enjoy your leisure time with.”

  Nikki wasn’t caught off guard by his suggestion. In fact, she had been preparing herself for it. For the past twenty minutes he had been tossing out hints that he would love to spend time with her. The man sure didn’t know the meaning of taking things slow.

  “Are you sure you want to do that?” she asked.

  “I’m more than sure. You’re a very sexy woman and any man in his right mind would want to show you a good time.”

  In the bedroom, of course, Nikki thought. Been there, done that just three days ago, and the memories are still too potent for me to even consider doing it with another man anytime soon…or ever.

  She was about to open her mouth, to tell him that she wasn’t sure that was a good idea, when a masculine voice behind her spoke up.

  “I don’t know how that will be possible, Rhinestone, when she’s with me.”

  Nikki spun around so fast she almost spilled her drink. She drew in a deep breath and watched as Jonas emerged from the shadows and strolled into the light. The muscle that was ticking in his jaw indicated he was angry, and if looks could kill both she and Curtis would be dead. What was his problem, and why had he made such an outrageous claim just now?

  “Steele, I wasn’t aware she was with you tonight.”

  Curtis’s words jerked her from her dazed moment. What was Jonas trying to pull? She wasn’t with him. He knew good and well that they didn’t have that kind of relationship.

  She was about to open her mouth to say just that when Jonas came to stand beside her and said in a voice with a hard edge to it, “Well, now you know.”

  Curtis met her gaze and gave her a chance to refute Jonas’s claim. She would have if the vibes she was picking up off Jonas weren’t infused with just any excuse to go upside the man’s head. Did they know each other? Was something going on between the two men that she wasn’t aware of? She decided the best thing to do for now was to put as much distance between the two men as possible before they came to blows. Based on their expressions, a fight wasn’t far off. The friction between them appeared that intense.

  When she didn’t say anything Curtis turned his attention back to Jonas. The looked that passed between them verified what she’d assumed earlier. They did know each other, and there was something going on that she wasn’t privy to, but at the moment felt caught in the middle of.

  It was Curtis who finally broke the silence. “Then maybe I should back off.”

  “Yes, I would highly suggest that you do,” Jonas said in what sounded like a low growl. “Now if you will excuse us.”

  And then he grasped her arm beneath the elbow and leaned close and whispered in her ear in that same low growl, “We need to talk.”

  She narrowed her eyes at him, and when Curtis walked off, leaving them alone on the patio, she snatched her arm back from Jonas and swirled to face him. “We most certainly do. I want to know what that was about.”

  Jonas stood staring at Nikki, not sure himself just what that was about. Never in his thirty-three years had he stood before a man and claimed a woman was with him. But a few minutes ago, he had done just that.

  “Jonas?”

  He drew in a deep breath and said the first thing that came to his mind. “I don’t like him.”

  She frowned. “And you not liking him affects me…how? I believe he stated he wanted to show me a good time, not you.”

  His features suddenly hardened again and he leveled his gaze at her. “He’s not getting near you, dammit.”

  She placed her hands on her hips. “Says who?” she snapped.

  “Says me,” he snapped back, advancing on her.

  She didn’t have the good mind to back up and his body pressed against hers. She felt crowded and it was at that moment her temper exploded. “And who the hell are you supposed to be? You’re someone I slept with one time. And that’s your famous motto—‘one and done’—isn’t it? Or have you forgotten? In case you have, then let me remind you. One and done, Jonas. And that one time doesn’t give you any rights and you of all men wouldn’t want them if it did. So what in God’s name is your problem?”

  He rubbed his hand down his face, inwardly acknowledging that he honestly didn’t know what his problem was. The only thing he knew was that he wanted her again. Here. Right now. “You, Nikki Cartwright, seem to be my problem,” he said in a low steely tone, seconds before grabbing her around the waist, lowering his head and sinking his mouth down on hers.

  Chapter 12

  Nikki saw it coming and had intended to resist. But all it took was for Jonas to take her mouth with a hunger that sent shivers all through her. Without letting up on her mouth, he drew her closer into the fit of his body, into the juncture of his thighs and right smack into the heat of the hard erection pressing against her.

  His hands were no longer on her waist but had moved to her backside as his fingers skimmed sensuous designs all over her bottom while pressing her closer still. She released a tiny whimper from deep in her throat when his tongue seemed to plunge deeper.

  Needing to touch him with the same degree of fervor, she placed the palms of her hands at the back of his neck and pulled him closer, locking her mouth even more to his. The silky, soft feel of his hair flowing her over hands as their mouths mated sent intense heat flaring through every part of her body.

  Jonas had a way of making her feel both feminine and wantonly wicked at the same time, and there was nothing she could do but slide deeper into his embrace as he continued his sensual assault on her mouth. He was also assaulting her senses, battering them until he had her entire body trembling.

  Then suddenly, she felt her legs moving, noted in the hazy part of her mind that he was walking her backward as the cool night air r
uffled her curls. She wasn’t sure just where he was luring her, but knew as long as he continued to plunder her mouth this way, she was game.

  She heard the sound of a glass door sliding open and when he pulled her inside, she pulled her mouth away from his to glance around while drawing in several deep breaths. They were in a small room Ideas of Steele had reserved to store their equipment and supplies for the party.

  Before she could say anything, reclaim her senses, he leaned forward and began brushing heated kisses around the corners of her lips. At that moment the only thing she wanted to reclaim was how he was making her feel. She didn’t want to do anything but feel his warm breath against the contours of her mouth.

  “I want you again, Nikki,” he whispered softly before tracing the tip of his tongue along a path down the side of her ear. “I want you so damn bad. I’m going to burst out of my zipper if I don’t have you.”

  Her heart began racing at his words, at the thought that he wanted her that much. But there was something she couldn’t let go of and that was why they’d been at odds with each other over the past couple of days. He thought the worst of her. He thought she was someone capable of sharing brothers. And that was unacceptable to her.

  She pushed back out of his arms. “I think we need to return to the party. Who knows? Mercury might have surprised us both and arrived in town and is there waiting for me.”

  He didn’t say anything for a second, and then he reached out and took her hand in his, gently held it in his larger one. He stared down at her and met her gaze. “I told you I was sorry about that. It was miscommunication that I acted on without thinking. Don’t ask me why I did it, but I did. I acted hastily and I regret it. Deep down I know your character is nothing but wholesome, above reproach.”

  He paused a moment, released her hand to rub the back of his neck and then said, “And what you said that day is probably true. I’m such a jaded ass that I overlook the decency in others at times. Again, I’m sorry.”

  “I didn’t call you a jaded ass.”

  He chuckled. “No, actually you accused me of sleazy behavior and in my book it practically means the same thing.” He got quiet and his expression became serious. “So, will you forgive me?”

  She studied his features for a moment. “Will it matter to you if I do or don’t?”

  He stared at her, as if his gaze was touching every inch of her features, and she could barely breathe under the intensity. Then he finally said, “Yes, it will matter. I like you.”

  Nikki could only shake her head. Did he actually like her or like sleeping with her? They’d only done so once, but he wanted them to do so again. Tonight. And unfortunately, she wanted to make love with him again as well.

  There was just something about the feel of being in his arms, having him planted deep inside of her, intimately connected to her, that made her insides quiver just remembering how it was between them. And it was a way she wanted to be with him again. But what about that “one and done” policy he was known for? Taking her again would be breaking one of his rules. She shrugged. He would be breaking it, not her. The thought of being his “exception” was sending spikes of pleasure through her and making her feel wild and reckless.

  “I’m waiting for you to say that you accept my apology and that you like me too, Nikki.”

  She stared up at him and saw he was serious. There were sober lines etched under his eyes, slashed across his face, and she was tempted to smooth them away with her fingers. Instead, feeling bold, she leaned up on tiptoe and used the tip of her tongue to erase the lines.

  Moments later she whispered against his lips, “I accept your apology and I do like you.”

  And then she went back to licking his sober lines away. Unable to stay mobile under her ministrations, he reached up and began running his fingers through the mass of curls on her head. The feel of his hands in her hair sent her pulse escalating.

  And then when her tongue got inches from his mouth, licked his lips from corner to corner, he steadied her head to look at him and whispered, “You’re welcome to come inside for a visit.”

  She did, easing her tongue into his mouth and that’s when he crushed her to him and took over the kiss.

  He could kiss her forever, Jonas thought as he plundered Nikki’s mouth. This was heaven. At least it felt like it anyway. Like he’d told her, he wanted her and he wanted her bad. He wanted to suck on her breasts, lick them all over. Lick her all over. Taste her honeyed warmth again, a taste he hadn’t been able to get over.

  And then he wanted to make love to her, pump inside of her while her inner muscles clamped down on him. Pulled everything out of him. But he wasn’t sure they had time to do all that now. If not now, definitely later. At this moment he would gladly get what he could.

  All those thoughts made him slowly pull back from their kiss to look down at her. “Rick is handling things so don’t worry about us being missing in action.”

  “You sure?”

  He smiled. “Well, Curtis might miss you, but I won’t be missed, trust me.”

  She chuckled against his lips. “You keep it up and I’m going to start thinking that you’re jealous.”

  He knew she was teasing, but little did she know she had hit pretty close to home. He had gotten jealous. It wouldn’t have taken much for him to rip Rhinestone in two. Instead of commenting on what she’d said, he reached out and took her hand in his. He leaned in and murmured against her lips. “Come here, I know just where I want to take you.”

  He’d said that literally and every cell in his body was ready, invigorated, fully charged. He pressed her hand lightly as he led her around a crate of boxes toward the east side of the room where another set of doors led to a private balcony.

  They didn’t have a whole lot of time, but he planned to relish to the fullest what they had.

  Nikki drew in a deep breath the moment the cool air hit her in the face and shivers ran through her body. Jonas was standing directly behind her and she could feel his heat, his hard erection pressing against her backside. He reached his arms around her and held her around the waist.

  “Look up at the stars, baby, and pretend it’s just me and you out here in the universe,” he whispered. “We are going to make the most of it with a very satisfying, mind-blowing quickie.”

  She glanced up at the sky. It was clear, with a full moon and twinkling stars. In a few days they would be up there in the sky, flying around in Velocity. The thought of them making love while up there sent ripples through her. She knew that she and Jonas would give new meaning to the mile-high club.

  “I like this,” he murmured close to her ear while his hand moved from her waist to cup her backside. “I like how you twist and bend it while stooping down taking pictures.”

  His touch felt good and anticipation ran through her when he slowly began easing her pants down her legs, followed by her thong. She stepped out of her shoes and glanced over her shoulder when she saw he had taken off his jacket and tossed it on a nearby bench. The sound of a packet being ripped open let her know he was putting on a condom. She heard the moment he unzipped his pants, and then she felt the long, hard heat of him touching the cheeks of that backside he said he liked so much.

  “I love making out with you this way. The feel of being connected to you like this.”

  Nikki didn’t think any man could arouse her the way Jonas did. With both his words and his actions. He liked to talk while seducing a woman and she liked hearing what he had to say. His words were blatant, erotic and usually provided an image that would take her breath away.

  “Now for your blouse. We need to take it off as well.”

  She lifted a brow and under the moonlight she saw him smile. “I locked the door, baby, and this is a private balcony. Nobody is out here but you and me and what you see overhead.”

 
; “But you said it would be a quickie.”

  He took a step toward her, reached out and traced a path along the lacy hem of her blouse. “After the other night you should know that my quickies are also thorough.”

  He began unbuttoning her blouse as he held her gaze. “Besides, I don’t care how quick I intend to be. There’s no way I can penetrate you without tasting you all over first.”

  With the last button undone, her blouse fell open to reveal a black lacy bra. And with a flick of his wrist to the front clasp, the bra came undone and her twin breasts poured forth. “You won’t need this for a while,” he said, peeling the straps from her shoulders and easing them down her arms, before tossing the bra on the bench to join his jacket and the rest of her things he’d picked up and placed there.

  She stood before him totally naked and she hoped everything he said was true. First, that with Rick in charge they wouldn’t be missed at the party and secondly, that this was a private balcony.

  “Do you know just how beautiful you are?”

  She met his gaze and the awe in the depth of his green eyes—eyes that roamed up and down and zeroed in on certain body parts—made her breath catch in her throat.

  That night they’d spent together he’d told her a number of times he thought she was beautiful. She had taken his words as those men would typically say to the women they sleep with. But there was a look in Jonas’s eyes that made her think that perhaps he really thought so and he wasn’t just feeding her a line.

  Nikki knew she wasn’t bad-looking, but she was far from a gorgeous babe. And she definitely wasn’t the sleek and sophisticated type of woman Jonas’s name was usually associated with. He probably just found the novelty of her amusing. Yes, that had to be it.

  That thought didn’t bother her. Things were what they were, and just as long as she kept on a straight head and did not put any more stock into this short, meaningless and oh, so brief affair—if she dared to call it that—then she would be okay.