Catching Heat

by Alison Packard

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.” She moved to the center island and set her mug on the countertop.

  J.T. pushed off from the door frame and moved to stand on the other side of the island. He braced his hands on his hips and studied her with skeptical eyes. “I’m not buying it, Angie. I’m not sure what I’ve done but it’s obvious you’re ticked off at me. What is it?”

  Angie let her gaze roam over his face. The crease between his eyes and his perplexed expression indicated that he was totally clueless as to why she might be upset. Well, he was a man. Maybe that explained it. “Why’d you disappear upstairs without a word?”

  J.T. expelled a breath and ran his hand through his hair. “First of all, I hate the smell of hospitals. I had to wash it off of me if…if that makes sense.”

  Considering how she felt about hospitals, she could definitely understand that, but still. “Why didn’t you say so? After what almost happened earlier, I thought…” Her face warmed under his intense scrutiny. “I thought…” She shook her head, picked up her mug and turned to move to the sink. “Never mind,” she said as she emptied the mug and set it on the counter. Just then the baby decided to move. Angie let out a surprised gasp and in a flash J.T. was behind her as she pressed a hand to her belly.

  “Is it the baby?” Concern edged J.T.’s voice.

  Angie nodded. “Give me your hand.”

  As J.T. slipped his arm around her waist, she reached for his hand and placed it on her abdomen. “She’s restless,” she said just as she felt another strong flutter. “Did you feel that?” she asked, still a bit awestruck whenever the baby moved.

  “No. What’s she doing in there?” J.T. whispered.

  Angie couldn’t help but smile. “Why are you whispering?”

  “I don’t know,” he replied in his normal tone. “Does it hurt?”

  “No. It just takes me by surprise because I’m not expecting it,” she said as the tangy citrus scent of his shampoo drifted into her senses. J.T. splayed his fingers over her stomach. They seemed to burn straight through the fabric of her robe to her skin. Her knees quivered and she had to fight the urge to lean back against his solid body.

  “Did you think I didn’t want you?” The husky notes of his voice triggered her pulse and filled her lower body with heat. Heat that quickly spread through her veins like wildfire.

  Several long seconds passed and with each one the air in the room grew taut with unspoken emotion. “Yes,” she finally said in a soft voice.

  “Angie. Baby,” he murmured the endearment like he’d said it a million times, but he hadn’t. Except on that night in August and hearing it again now made her insides melt. “I wanted you the first moment you looked at me with those gorgeous blue eyes of yours. But after you conked out in the waiting room it was pretty obvious you were dead tired. I assumed you’d just want to go to bed.”

  “I do want to go to bed,” she whispered. “With you.”

  With a low groan, J.T. slipped his other arm around her waist and gently pulled her against him. Wrapped in the warm cocoon of his embrace, Angie closed her eyes and tilted her head as he kissed the base of her neck. Her breath caught as he lifted his hands to her breasts and cupped them.

  “Do you know how hard it is lying in bed at night knowing you’re just down the hall?”

  “I have a pretty good idea.”

  “So I’m not the only one losing sleep?”

  “No.”

  His hands stilled. “Do you think about me? At night?”

  The blood in her veins went hot and molten. If he only knew how much she thought about him, and how erotic those thoughts were. “Yes.”

  “Do you touch yourself?”

  “J.T.…” she murmured, both stunned and aroused at his question.

  “Don’t be embarrassed.” He lowered his hands and as he pressed his lips to her neck, he began to untie the belt at her waist. “If you do, you’re not the only one,” he said as he freed the belt from its knot and separated the lapels of her robe. The silky fabric brushed against her nipples, stimulating them even more.

  Driven by desire too long suppressed, she reached for J.T.’s hands and lifted them to her breasts. “Touch me,” she whispered, then melted against him as he scraped his palms over her nipples. His erection nudged the crevice of her ass.

  Except for the dull hum of the refrigerator, the kitchen was silent as he gently massaged her breasts. His lips on her neck weren’t enough—she wanted more. She turned her head and met his hooded gaze just before his mouth covered hers in an urgent kiss that sent a deep, hungry throb of desire to the very center of her being. Their tongues met, and with a muffled growl J.T. lowered his hands to her hips, urging her tighter against him.

  Seconds—or maybe it was minutes, she wasn’t sure—later he broke the kiss and drew in a ragged breath. Dazed, she searched his face, her insides liquefying at the raw sexual need burning in the depths of his eyes. “Can you feel how much I want you?” he asked in a low gravelly voice. Instead of answering, she moved sensuously against him. He groaned and dug his fingers into her hips. “Are you trying to stop this before it even gets started? Because if you keep doing that I may not last long.” He moved his hand to her stomach and lightly feathered his fingers over her skin. “Do you know what I remember about the night we spent together?”

  “Let’s see. It was after my softball game. So I don’t imagine it was the scent of my perfume.”

  J.T. chuckled. “You looked hot in your uniform. I got semi-hard watching you pitch.”

  “Only semi-hard? I’ll have to work on my technique.”

  “I made up for it later.”

  “You sure did,” she said, and felt her face grow warm at the memory of him hot and hard inside her. In that moment she’d finally discovered what it felt like to be truly connected with someone. But instead of embracing it, she fled his condo and tried to pretend that her world hadn’t just completely changed. But it had, and it wasn’t just because they’d conceived a baby that night.

  “So if it wasn’t my alluring scent, what is that you remember about that night?”

  His eyes darkened and burned into hers. “Everything.”

  A surge of heat throbbed low in Angie’s belly. Turning in his arms, she sought his mouth and then nothing else mattered. All she wanted was J.T. For months, even when she tried to get him out of her mind, she couldn’t. She’d been a fool to think she could ever resist him and she was done trying.

  Angie was breathless when his lips left hers to sear a scorching path to her jaw and then to her neck. As he kissed the throbbing pulse at the base of her throat, he lifted his hands and slid the robe from her shoulders. The silky fabric grazed her thighs before it slid silently into a puddle on the floor. Goosebumps formed on her skin as the cool air washed over her overheated body. J.T. lifted his head and their eyes met with a force that licked through her body.

  “Are you sure?”

  Never more sure of anything in her life, she nodded. “Yes.”

  His hazel eyes burned into hers and she trembled at the intensity of his gaze. Without another word, he pulled her to him and reclaimed her mouth. As their lips fused hotly, she felt his hands span her waist. He lifted her and automatically she wound her arms around his neck and wrapped her legs around his hips. His erection pressed into the juncture of her thighs and as anticipation filled her, she kissed him voraciously, her tongue meeting his in a slow, wet, mindless kiss that rocked her to her core. No one had ever kissed her like J.T. She had a strong hunch no one else ever would.

  Angie’s heart pounded furiously as he pulled his lips from hers and—as if she weighed nothing at all—carried her from the kitchen and up the stairs. She buried her face in the crook of his neck and inhaled his clean male scent. It danced along her nerve endings, making her wholly aware of him.

  Instead of his room, he chose hers and after laying her gently on the bed, he stripped off his sweats and stretched out alongside her, proppi
ng himself up with one elbow.

  The dark intensity of his gaze burned into hers and then with a stifled groan, he lowered his head and reclaimed her lips with a kiss so demandingly forceful it sent a shot of desire barreling through her veins, setting her on fire from head to toe. A low moan of pleasure escaped her as he palmed her breast and then brushed his thumb over her taut nipple. He drew back, his eyes glittering with arousal as they roamed over her face.

  “You are so damn beautiful.” The husky cadence of his voice only intensified her need for him. “I tried to forget about you and about that night. But I couldn’t.”

  “Neither could I.” Her heart clenched as she lifted her hand to brush an errant lock of hair from his forehead. “It scared me. That’s why I ran.”

  “Don’t run this time, Angie.” He slid his hand to her abdomen. His fingers were warm on her skin as he rubbed her slightly rounded belly. “There’s too much at stake now.”

  “I’m not going anywhere,” she whispered and moved her hand to his nape to pull him toward her. At first the kiss was tender and as light as a summer breeze but within moments their need for each other won out, she opened her mouth eager for the taste and feel of his tongue stroking hers.

  Lost in the fierceness of his kiss, she gasped when he eased his hand lower and sank a finger into her swollen folds. He made a sound that resembled a groan. “You’re soaked,” he murmured against her mouth. “Spread your legs.”

  Obeying his husky command, Angie spread her legs and drew in a ragged breath as J.T. teased her with long slow strokes, each one closer to her throbbing clit. Time slowed as he moved lower and slid a finger inside her. “You feel so good,” he murmured. “So wet. So tight.” A soft gasp escaped her lips as he withdrew and circled his finger around her clit. The corner of his sensual mouth lifted in sexy, half smile and she could barely breathe from the sweet tension he’d created. He slipped two fingers into her this time. Her wet sheath clenched around him and heat swept across her body as he mimicked what she was dying for him to do with his cock. Grabbing a fistful of his hair, she pressed her mouth to his and kissed him with the same hunger she’d felt the first time he kissed her.

  The kiss lasted until they both needed air. J.T. pulled back and gazed at her with a look so intense her skin pebbled with goose bumps. “I want…no, I need you. Inside of me. Right now,” she whispered and saw his eyes flare with arousal.

  J.T. slipped his fingers from her and lazily brushed his thumb over her sensitive clit. “I want to watch you come first.” His eyes bored into hers. “I want to feel your body tremble and hear those soft sexy moans you make when you go over the edge. You have no idea how many times I’ve fantasized about making you come in every possible way.”

  Angie released her grip on his hair and trailed her fingers to his shoulder. “I don’t remember you talking so much that night at your condo. But I like it.”

  “You didn’t give me a chance. You were all over me.” A cocky grin spread across his face.

  She laughed. “I think I was over you and under you.”

  “You’re very flexible.” J.T.’s grin faded as he held her gaze. Then his finger zeroed in on her clit and he worked his magic. Angie bit back a sob as, within seconds, his expert touch caused her to shatter. Unable to contain herself, she moaned as her entire body throbbed with wave after wave of exquisite pleasure. “You’re so fucking sexy,” he said in a low rough voice, then slipped his hand from between her legs and with a wicked gleam in his eyes, licked his finger. “Next time I’ll make you come with my mouth.”

  Despite the fact that her body was coming down from her orgasm, Angie’s pulse kicked at the thought of J.T. going down on her. There’d been many nights when that particular memory had fueled her fantasies. It wouldn’t be a fantasy for much longer.

  “Promise?” she asked, and threaded her fingers through his silky hair.

  “Yes.” He grinned, grabbing her hand and pressing his lips to her palm. “I want you so much,” he murmured against her skin. “But I don’t want to hurt the baby.”

  “You won’t.”

  A frown marred his brow. “Are you sure?”

  “I’m surprised you haven’t read the sex chapter in the pregnancy book.”

  He gave her a lopsided grin as he pushed himself up and moved between her thighs. She spread her legs wider to accommodate him. “I didn’t want to get my hopes up,” he said, moving over her and bracing his hands on the bed on either side of her upper arms. The muscles of his broad shoulders bunched as he supported himself over her. She skimmed her fingertips over his warm skin, tracing the hills and valleys of his chest and back. The tip of his cock brushed against her slit and the anticipation of feeling him inside her again was almost more than she could bear. She tilted her hips, anxious for him satisfy the sweet ache between her thighs.

  “We can have sex up until the baby’s born if we want to. We’ll just have to get more creative as my stomach gets bigger.”

  “Creative?” A wicked gleam danced in his eyes. “I can do that.”

  “I’ll bet you can,” she said, and let out a blissful sigh as he slowly entered her and then stilled.

  “Christ, you feel good,” he said in a low controlled voice. “Better than I remember.”

  Angie slipped her hands around his back, then slid them to his ass to urge him on. “It’s okay. You’re not hurting me, or the baby.” Her words of assurance seemed to satisfy him and he began to move, slowly at first and then faster. It didn’t take long for her to match his rhythm. She closed her eyes and focused on the exquisite sensation of him filling her with his hard cock.

  Seconds later, he let out a low sound of pleasure and the tempo of his thrusting increased. She opened her eyes and found him watching her with smoldering intensity. Their gazes locked as stroke after sensuous stroke, he chased his orgasm. Sliding her hands to his ass, she rocked with him until he tensed, let out a masculine moan of pleasure and erupted inside her.

  “Are you okay? I wasn’t too rough, was I?” he asked seconds later, still inside her. Angie’s heart clenched at the concern that shined in his eyes.

  “I’m fine. And no, you weren’t too rough.” She slid her hands up his back, reveling in the taut smooth feel of his skin. She grinned. “Next time I’ll take the top so you won’t worry so much.”

  “I like that idea.” Balancing his weight with his left hand, he slipped his hand under the small of her back, then rolled to his side bringing her with him. A fine sheen of perspiration glistened on his forehead. She wiped it away with her fingers before lightly caressing his cheek.

  “We should have done this on our wedding night.”

  “It wasn’t the right time.” J.T. smoothed his palm over her shoulder, then trailed his hand to her back where he fingered the thick braid she’d woven after her shower. “As much as I wanted you that night, you weren’t ready.” He leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. After a gentle kiss he pulled back and gazed at her with such tenderness she felt like she might cry.

  “You’re nothing like my father,” she said and blinked to keep her tears at bay.

  “I’m glad you finally figured that out.” He reached for the sheet and covered them with it. “Can I sleep with you?”

  “Yes.” Swamped with emotions, she slipped her arm around his waist and buried her face into his chest.

  A little while later, wrapped in the warm cocoon of J.T.’s strong arms, Angie listened to the steady cadence of his breathing and finally admitted to herself something she’d known for days.

  The marriage agreement was toast.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Angie awoke as soon as the sun’s early morning rays filtered into the room through the slats of the blinds. Despite not working for almost two months now, her body’s internal clock was still set on early-to-rise mode. Even when she stayed up late, she couldn’t seem to sleep past six.

  Although she’d fallen asleep in J.T.’s arms, she was now on her back and J.T.’s f
orearm was slung over her as if—even in slumber—he was afraid she might try to bolt like she had four months ago. She turned her head and as always, her heart did that same crazy flipping thing that it had the first time she’d seen him. Only now her body’s response wasn’t based on physical attraction alone. That one man should be blessed with not only amazing good looks, but infinite thoughtfulness had to be an anomaly. Or maybe not. So far, every Sawyer she’d met had treated her with nothing but kindness. They were an exceptional family—a family she was now a part of.

  Judging by the steadiness of J.T.’s breathing, he wouldn’t be waking up anytime soon. He wasn’t an early riser—probably due to his schedule during the baseball season. The Blaze played a lot of night games and the players usually didn’t leave the ballpark until after ten, sometimes later if they were required to talk to the media. His body clock had adjusted to his schedule just as hers had to her eight-to-five work days.

  For a good five minutes she watched him sleep, content to just look at him. But soon the pressure on her bladder was too insistent to ignore and since there would be no going back to sleep, she gently lifted his arm and slid out of bed. Other than letting out a soft snore, J.T. didn’t move a muscle. Angie pulled the sheet back over him and headed for her bathroom.

  After using the toilet, she pulled the elastic band from her braid, quickly brushed her teeth and then crossed the cool ceramic tile to the large glass shower enclosure and opened the door. Turning on the water, she tested it with her fingers for several seconds before she stepped inside to let the warm water sluice over her head and down her body. It caressed her skin, evoking memories of last night and how J.T. had been so gentle with her. If she hadn’t already slept with him she probably wouldn’t have known the difference, but she had slept with him and therefore knew that he’d restrained himself when he was inside her. She supposed it was natural for him to be concerned about hurting the baby and he’d probably continue to be. But like she’d told him last night, they’d just have to be more creative as the baby grew and her stomach got bigger.