Lust in Translation

by Jenna Bayley-Burke

  “You really think we can be in the same room and not have people realize we’ve been together? At the last two hotels they signed me in as Mrs. Moreau. It’s obvious.”

  Had they? He hadn’t noticed. Though, usually at check in he was more concerned with getting her horizontal than anything a desk clerk had to say.

  “Let’s head back. I want to take a shower before dinner tonight.” She moved to go, but he held her firm.

  “No one will know. We’re amazing at bickering. No one will suspect we even get along, let alone more.”

  “That is a big risk for me, not for you. I’m the one who looks like a fool when you leave.”

  “Do you feel like a fool, J’aime?” He lowered his face to hers, trying to comprehend why he wasn’t taking no for an answer. He’d never bothered to pursue a woman before, and yet now he couldn’t stop. He was playing with fire, and one of them was going to end up burned. Odd how he knew that, and yet he still lit the flame.

  A swift current of passion rushed at him, creating a blinding sense of urgency. He’d learned her body so well in the short time they shared together he was able to convince her to step off the path and deeper into seclusion without a word.

  Her mouth was so generous, so lush and soft he might have kissed her all day. Except they had a timeline now, and every kiss, every touch held the threat of being their last. Jaime must have felt it too. Her hands were already beneath his shirt, fingers grazing over his ribs.

  The thoughts clouding his mind drifted on the breeze, and he only felt. Felt all the tension leave his body, felt his blood heat at her nearness, and felt something deeper stirring that had nothing to do with his erection on the rise. Every heartbeat insisted that he was male and she was female and the entire universe demanded they join. He’d never felt so masculine or virile as he did with her, and he always took what he wanted.

  The trees rustling overhead and the possibility of being discovered by someone out for a hike set his awareness on high. He had to have her now, quickly and silently. And that was unacceptable as their final time together.

  He drizzled the kiss off her mouth, his lips dripping kisses along her jaw and down her neck. He teased his way across her collarbone, pulling her dress aside to free one of her breasts.

  Jaime’s fingers dug into his shoulders. “I’m not―”

  “I’m not waiting.” He pulled her nipple into his mouth, his tongue dancing over the tip.

  “Hurry.” She shifted and he caught her tugging her panties off her hips. He crouched down to help her step out of them and tucked the sensible cotton in the pocket of his cargo shorts. She was the first woman he’d ever been with who wore white cotton. Nothing would ever compare.

  He ran his hands back up her legs, enjoying the silky feel of her soft skin. Her body crackled with sensual power, and every time he touched her he absorbed the energy. His cock pulsed for attention, but he knew prolonging his release would increase his arousal, and remind Jaime why this couldn’t end a second before it had to.

  “Step wider.” His hands on the front of her thighs, he brushed his thumbs on the sparse hair hiding her sex.

  “We can’t. I won’t be able to stand.” Despite her protest, she widened her legs and he dove beneath the loose skirt of her dress.

  With his thumbs, he pulled back her outer lips, exposing her womanly flesh, the telltale scent giving away her desire. He leaned closer, teasing her with hot puffs of breath and pointed flicks of his tongue before moving in to feast on her.

  Soft gasps blew through the trees as Jaime gripped his head with her hands. He didn’t know if it was to hold him there or steady herself, so he nestled his mouth between her thighs, freeing his hands to grip her buttocks. She started to tremble, her body quaking around him.

  Not waiting for her to finish, he stood quickly and pulled her to him when she started to swoon. He’d never forget her expression in that moment, eyelashes feathering over her cheeks, her lips swollen from his kisses parted and whispering delight in her rapturous haze.

  His heart pumped double time and he knew this was more than lust, more than enjoying a vacation. He never knew that he was capable of letting someone in, of taking that kind of risk, and now he’d gambled on something doomed to fail.

  Unless he could think of a solution where everyone was happy. He was good at negotiating, compromising, getting exactly what he wanted, which right now was to be deep inside Jaime.

  He freed his diamond-hard erection from his shorts. Lifting her by her bare buttocks, he entered her with a swift, driving thrust. Her gasp in his ear tore the breath from his lungs, her arms twining around his neck and her legs locking behind his back.

  Not a position that would set records for stamina, but he wasn’t going to last long anyway. Her lips nipped at his ear, her hums of pleasure at his every movement drove him harder. She felt so submissive in his arms this way, so completely his he couldn’t fathom why she’d give this up willingly, why she expected him to.

  Her kisses over his face and neck tore at his last shred of self-control. He chased his own release in the depths of her body, only to be blessed with the sweet pain of her inner muscles gripping him fiercely as her teeth sank into his shoulder.

  The orgasm he’d been holding at bay barreled out of him, his hands pulling her closer while his hips pushed deeper. He nearly fell at the power of it, taking two steps back to lean against a tree for support. Jaime dropped one leg to help steady them.

  He rested his head on her shoulder, breathless from the effort. He wrapped his arms around her body, keeping her close. Sunshine caressed his cheek, reminding him where they were.

  “You’re amazing.” He straightened up, a whisper of regret filling him as he pulled free of her body and tucked himself away. He rolled his shoulders and rubbed the back of his neck.

  “Are you all right? That was pretty intense. You didn’t hurt yourself, did you?”

  He smiled, dipping his head for another teasing kiss. “I’m fine. Better than fine, actually.”

  The blush still present from her orgasm deepened. “You make me do the craziest things. We could have been caught.”

  “You didn’t seem to care about that at Mt. Rushmore, or two minutes ago.”

  “I wasn’t thinking either time.” She looked down, smoothing her hands over her white dress. She was a vision of innocence, nothing out of place in spite of what had transpired.

  “I’m glad I can keep you from thinking.” He reached into his pocket and retrieved her panties. “Missing something?”

  She grabbed for them, but he held them higher. “Allow me.”

  She stepped back. “Oh no, that’s how this started in the first place.”

  He knelt in front of her. “Either I put them on, or you go without. As much as I’d love for you never to wear panties again, I’m betting you can’t walk into your mothers’ house and act like nothing is happening between us without them.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  “Are you upset?”

  At the sound of her mother’s voice, Jaime turned her head, her hands still in the soapy dishwater. “I’m not upset.”

  “Are you sure? You’ve been quiet all night, and as soon as dessert was over you ducked in here.” Linda joined her at the sink. “I wish you’d had more time to get used to things before the wedding.”

  That would have been nice, not having the shock of knowing the person she’d relocated across the country to be closer to was moving. Her mother and stepfather were retiring to Arizona, which was great for them.

  Her mother pulled a dishtowel from a drawer and began drying the china Jaime had set in the rack. “Should I have told you before you left? I thought it would be better in person. It’s not that far away.”

  “Honestly, I wasn’t planning on staying in Medford. I have interviews lined up in Portland and Seattle.” Finished with the plates, she started in on the silver. Her grandmother’s silver, which an hour ago her mother said she was giving to Allison. She sq
ueezed her eyes shut at the ugly thought.

  She’d never been jealous of Allison in their entire lives. Alli was eight years younger, and after brother after brother, she’d wanted a sister so desperately she’d indulged Allison most of her life. But having to watch their mother give Allison everything―from china to silver to their great-great grandmother’s Shabbat candlesticks―turned her insides puke green.

  It was touching, loving, absolutely beautiful, except there was nothing left for her if she ever got married. Nothing with a history, a memory attached to it. Every egg was in Allison’s basket.

  “Nick is in Arizona.”

  Jaime’s hands froze beneath the warm water. She’d barely given a thought to Nick since she left DC. “Nick is engaged, Mom.”

  Linda gave a patented motherly shrug. “You two were together a long time. If you were closer to him, you never know what might happen.”

  She rinsed the silverware quickly and reached for another towel to dry her hands. “He went back to his college girlfriend. We were comfortable, but we weren’t in love.”

  The words sounded tinny in the empty kitchen. She’d thought she loved him, thought she’d loved the two other men she’d slept with as well. But now that she’d actually been hit with the emotion full force, however stupid she was for getting sucked in the undertow, she’d never felt anything this deep or resonant for anyone. No wonder Nick ran back to that feeling. She would’ve made the same choice.

  “I’m sorry, honey.” Her mother gave her shoulder a sideways squeeze. “It’s probably too soon to think of someone new, but the young man taking over Daddy’s branch is single. We sat you next to him at the reception, just in case.”

  In case of what? She felt desperate from all the attention showering down on her sister and the look of sullen disappointment thrown her way from her mother and grandmother about what a disappointment her life had become. If she felt that self-destructive she’d attack Xavier. At least he could be discreet.

  At dinner, he’d captivated everyone with stories of their trip, carefully editing out the naughty interludes. Allison had been more interested in hearing about fashion design, which opened Jaime’s eyes to just how powerful Xavier must be in his own realm. Both her sister and her brothers’ girlfriends made sure to give him their addresses so he could send them samples of the designer duds.

  It made her crazy to watch. She’d wanted to tell them to leave him alone, let him have what was left of his vacation before he had to go back to a world where women picked at him like vultures, but she had to play her part as well. What should she care if everyone wanted a piece of him, wanted to be close to him for what they could gain by the association?

  In some ways it made what they’d shared all the more special. If women only wanted what they could get from him, they’d never see the soft look in his eyes when he confessed his sadness over losing his mother, the grin when he talked of his hopes for his sister. And it helped her understand why he froze up whenever he thought she was trying to manipulate him. People must try to all the time.

  “Did your dress fit?” Her mother broke into her thoughts. “There probably isn’t time to get it let out, but maybe we could find some of those body slimmers.”

  Jaime clenched her jaw to keep it from dropping open. The undercurrent in this house was too much. She was never getting married, should have followed a man who didn’t love her, and now she was fat. No, she wasn’t built like the rest of her stick-thin family, but she wasn’t ashamed of her curves.

  She tossed the towel on the granite countertop. “The dress fit fine.”

  “Oh honey, I didn’t mean anything by that. It’s just the other girls in the wedding party aren’t shaped like you. I wasn’t sure if it would be flattering.”

  “I know, Mom. It’s fine.” She let her frustrations out on a sigh. “It’s been a long day, and there’s so much to do tomorrow. I’m going to make my goodnights and head to bed.” She gave her mother a peck on the cheek.

  “Jaime, honey, I’m sorry all this is piled on you in one day. I wish you hadn’t taken so long to get here.” The hug held the warmth and affection Jaime had crossed the county to find. She sank into it, not pulling away until her eyes felt heavy.

  In the living room, she found more of the same. Hugs laced with her grandmother’s perfume and scratchy kisses on her cheek from her grandfather. Everyone else seemed to take her goodnight as a cue to leave themselves. She was careful to disappear before she might be expected to hug Xavier. In this mood she might not let go.

  Instead of climbing the stairs to her bedroom, she snuck out to the yard. The tree house loomed in one corner, calling her to remember days when she’d hid from the world, deep inside the fantasies contained in her books.

  With the impending sale of the house it looked as if the hideout had been recently spruced up. As she climbed, she noted a few of the rungs were new, and the floor had been replaced. The tiny room above the world smelled of new pine and fresh leaves, just as it had when her stepdad had it built. She stretched out on the bare floor, letting her mind spin with possibilities.

  …

  Moonlight filtered through the rustling leaves in the slight breeze. As a boy he’d read about tree houses like this one, but his childhood hadn’t been about being a child. Moreau children were groomed to carry on a legacy. For Jaime, the possibilities had been endless, and yet he didn’t envy her that.

  Knowing who he was and who he would become gave him a confidence she lacked. Strangely, that vulnerability also drew him to her. He climbed the last rung of the ladder and pushed himself up into the room.

  Jaime turned her head, her hair pooling out on the floor like strands of spun silk. The dappled shadow of the tree and the thick fringe of her eyelashes veiled her expression. She might be annoyed or carnal, he could never tell. Though with the way she usually felt about him, it was likely the same look.

  He sat on the wood slatted floor, stretching his legs in front of him. “How are you?”

  She blinked. “What are you doing here?”

  “I asked a question first.” He smiled, enjoying the way her breasts pushed against the fabric of her blouse as she sat up.

  “I’m fine, and you are?”

  “Checking on a friend. I thought you might be bothered by your parents’ announcement.”

  She shook her head. “I’ll be happy to spend winter break in the Arizona sunshine. You should go before someone wonders where you are.”

  “I left. Drove around the block and parked a few streets over.”

  “You’ve been watching too many spy movies.” Finally, she smiled, but it was fleeting. “I’m fine. You should go.”

  Stillness hung in the air around them, something raw and unfinished hovering on the edges. She wasn’t fine. They weren’t over. And he wasn’t going anywhere with things as they were. He trapped her with his gaze, his cock swelling, unyielding and urgent against his slacks.

  His hands itched to touch her, his mouth watered to kiss her back to the way she’d been before he’d left her alone at this house for a few hours. Sure, she was wound too tight and a bit frazzled about what to do next with her career, but the vibe she gave off now was nothing he’d ever seen. Defeated, dejected, deserted.

  “You know what would make you feel better?” He scooted closer.

  She held out her hand. “Don’t. I don’t deserve to feel better.”

  He scrunched his brows. “What? That doesn’t make sense.”

  Jaime groaned and lay back on the floor. “I’m being stupid and I don’t need a witness. Please go.”

  “I’m a master of discretion.” He moved across the floor so he could sit next to her in the small space. “Why are you stupid?”

  Her face lifted in laughter, which she tried to silence behind her hand. “Why am I stupid?” She took a few deep breaths to calm herself, then folded her arms behind her head and stared up at the wooden ceiling. “You know, sometimes I forget English isn’t your first language. My
ear’s become so tuned I don’t even notice your accent anymore. But then at dinner everyone was talking about it and I started to hear it again.”

  He stretched out beside her. “It comes and goes. I think because my mother was American I have an easier time with the language, but sometimes certain phrases stump me. I still don’t know what you told Carla to do with a monkey.”

  Her shoulders shook in a silent laugh. “That was Spanish.”

  “I speak Spanish, but I’d never heard that before.”

  “It must be Mexican then.” She covered her eyes with her forearm, giggles erupting in quiet bursts.

  “You’d think we were talking about cuisine, not languages.” He reached for her, placed his hand on her warm throat and felt her pulse leap beneath his palm. “Luckily there are some languages that don’t need translation.”

  “Xavier, all you think about is sex.” She tucked her arm behind her head.

  “Me? I was talking about laughter. Don’t blame me because you can’t look at me without wanting to take my clothes off.” He trailed his hand to her décolleté, popping open a button on her blouse with a flick of his fingers.

  “About today. At the park?”

  “Oui?” His fingers worked out two more buttons and he felt a rush of excitement when he found the hard plastic front closure of her bra.

  “We weren’t careful.”

  His hand stilled. “What are you telling me?”

  “I’m asking if you need to tell me anything.” Her throat undulated as she swallowed. “You know, about your history.”

  “If there was anything to tell, it should have come before the first time.”

  “I agree, but there is nothing to tell on my end.”

  “Mine either.”

  “Good.” Her body relaxed beneath his hand. “My students are right, that is a hard conversation to have.”