He paused and she realized she had been caught staring at him. "See something you like?" Her eyes looked up from Jordan's arms to the loose tie around his neck and his eyes.
"You look comfortable here," she said.
He leaned forward, reaching for her glass to set it down next to his, then lowered his head to get closer so he could look in her eyes. "I feel comfortable here," he murmured.
Charlotte could smell the bourbon that still lingered on his lips as he leaned in and kissed her. She couldn't stop a soft moan escaping from her mouth as he ran his fingers through her hair and she could feel his lips shift slightly as he smiled. He knew exactly what kind of effect he was having on her, and it only encouraged him to pull her closer. His arms were so tight around her that she couldn't move her hands that were now pressed against the strong muscles of his chest. There was no way she wanted to move them now anyway.
She couldn't hold herself back anymore and she began to kiss him hard and fast, pushing him back on the sofa and getting a slight groan from him as she straddled his lap. His hands began to roam up her thighs, pushing her skirt higher as his fingers left trails of heat on her skin.
She pulled away slightly to catch her breath. "Do you want to stop this so we can go back to my bedroom?"
"Not yet," he replied in a voice muffled by her hair as he continued to kiss her.
It was fine with her if they didn't move from that spot, but then there were no way they were going to leave this sofa until she was finished with him. She could tell the effect she was having on him, rubbing against the taut zipper of his dress pants. And his moans as she moved her hips against him just confirmed that he seemed to want her as much as she wanted him.
His fingers began to roam under her soft gray sweater, kneading the muscles in her back, before slowly pulling it over her head. The cold air gave her goosebumps before Jordan began to kiss them away with his warm lips on her breasts.
"Do you want this, Charlotte?" he asked her quietly, his lips tickling her skin.
"I want this," she murmured.
He pulled away slightly, his blue eyes staring intently at her. "Tell me you want me."
"You," she said. "I want you."
Jordan pulled her tight to his chest, his tie falling into the valley between her breasts, their movements becoming frantic and needy. She honestly didn't care if he left his clothes on as long as he fulfilled what she desired — and he was doing that very well so far.
His hands disappeared from her body as he raised himself up to pull his wallet from his pants, continuing to kiss her while he rummaged for a condom.
"Seems a bit presumptuous, don't you think?"
He reached between them, unzipping his pants and pushing them down, his breathing fast as he tore open the condom wrapper and tossed it on the floor. "Perhaps," he said, his voice heavy with heat. "But it's like I told you: third date."
He nipped at her neck before his hands finally returned to her body, roaming down her leg until it caught on the black patent leather shoe on her foot. A primitive growl of approval came from his throat, and Charlotte couldn't stop herself anymore. She pulled away slightly, raising up and moving her black lace panties aside before lowering herself on to him, an instinctive moan escaping her lips. She could feel a desperate haze take over her as he hummed against her skin before his hands found her hips, pushed her skirt higher and wordlessly urged her to move. She ran her fingers through his hair, resting her elbows on his shoulders for leverage, finding a frantic rhythm that made both of them breathe faster.
Charlotte could feel a fire burning deeply as it began to take over her whole body. Her teeth tugged against her lip, trying to keep herself from crying out. It was taking a serious effort for her to not let the whole building know just how well she was being ravished by Jordan King.
His hands dug into her hips, urging her to go faster. She could hear the belt buckle on the pants around his ankles clink louder and louder, the sound encouraging her to drive harder against him. She was trying to hold on, to control herself a little more, just a little more. But Jordan's moans and his hands and his words pushed her closer and closer to the edge. "Come on, Charlotte," he begged through clenched teeth. "Come for me."
She instinctively did as she was told, her body shattering as her legs gripped his muscular thighs, squeezing every inch of his body with all the strength she had. She could feel him follow her, his body tensing under her as he growled one last time before his hands eased up on her and his breathing calmed down from his high.
Charlotte buried her head in the crook of his neck, smiling against his skin. This is the kind of man she wanted to give herself to, the kind of man she wanted to be with. They hadn't even bothered with getting all their clothes off, and he had still felt closer to her than any other man in a long time.
Jordan stood in front of the bathroom mirror, trying to tame his hair that had somehow gone completely wild under Charlotte Stone's touch. He sure as hell wasn't about to complain. She was definitely not like any woman he had met before, and the heat between them was something else. He had had sex with quite a few women in the past, but there was something... The only word he could think to use was magical, and that wouldn't work. It was too corny and, even then, still didn't fully explain what just happened between them.
He took one last glance at himself, making sure he at least looked somewhat put together, and finally decided to give up on his unruly hair. He didn't want to be gone from Charlotte for this long after what she had done to him.
Charlotte was standing in her living room with her back to him, giving him the opportunity to gaze at her with her guard down. Her skirt was back in place, smoothed down after he had bunched it up around her waist, with the patent leather heels that had driven him wild. He watched as she pulled her soft sweater back on, reaching to get her hair out of the collar and cascade over her shoulders.
His shoe squeaked against her wood floor and she turned quickly, her blonde hair floating around her before meeting his eyes. "Hi," she said timidly.
He walked over and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, intent on making her feel comfortable and wanted. "Hey," he said, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I, uh, I was thinking about leaving soon, but maybe I could stay for a little longer?"
He was hoping she would at least invite him to sit with her in his arms on her sofa, taking in the soft scent of her vanilla hair. Just a few more moments with her.
She nodded, her face radiating affection. "You could stay for a bit," she said quietly, grabbing his tie to pull him closer to her. "I mean, I did tell you I would show you my bedroom when I gave you a tour of the place."
That was more than he was expecting from her, but she had finally seemed to let her guard down around him — at least it was pretty obvious after she had her way with him on her sofa. He leaned down and kissed her softly.
"I would like that very much."
For the first time in a long time, Jordan fell asleep that night in a woman's bed with no intention of leaving before the sun rose.
Chapter 7
It was quiet and the lights were dim — perfect for a writer who couldn't sleep. Well, except for the loud sound of Charlotte's keyboard as she pecked away at a chapter, inspired by the energy that her body couldn't seem to let go of.
It was a little strange considering the energy she had already expended. Just on the other side of the wall, just past the secret door that led into her bedroom, was a gorgeous man in her bed. It pained her to leave Jordan there. He looked so peaceful, and she had thought about just snuggling closer to him. But when Charlotte needed to write, she needed to write. She couldn't help that she was motivated to work through the next chapter of her book because she was inspired by a hockey player in her bed.
She looked out the window, watching the lights twinkling in the dark night as she wrapped her arms around herself. The soft cotton under her fingers was soothing, especially considering it was the t-shirt Jordan had discarded on her
bedroom floor. She couldn't stop herself from grabbing it when she got up, and technically it was his fault for leaving it there.
But she had to focus again, trying to gather her plans for what to do with the rest of this chapter. She thought writing a sequel to Harper's Fair would be easy since she had already developed the character in the first book. But writing 1,500 words in the middle of the night would only work if she didn't get stuck.
"Charlie?"
She turned to see gorgeous blue eyes staring at her from her closet door. "Hey."
Jordan came out of the shadow wearing his tight black boxer briefs and nothing else. Charlotte blatantly stared, but she couldn't help it. He definitely had the toned muscular physique of a professional athlete, and she appreciated it.
"I would ask you if you see something you like," he said with a smile. "But I'm a little worried about your answer since you seem to have abandoned me."
"Sorry." She yawned and stretched her hands above her head, her shirt riding up to expose the skin underneath. At least that's what she assumed happened by the way Jordan looked at her, the hunger back in his eyes from earlier that night. He came over and leaned against her desk, looking down at her instead of trying to sneak a peek at her screen.
"Is there a reason you're awake at whatever time this is?"
She glanced down at the clock on her desk. "3 a.m." He gave her an intrigued look with his eyebrows perking up as he stared down at her. "Just a writer thing. This chapter suddenly came together in my head so I had to get it down."
"Ah," he said with a slight nod.
"But now I'm stuck."
A mischievous grin spread across Jordan's face as he leaned closer, his hand lightly grazing her arm. "Would you like some inspiration?"
"Maybe," she teased with a smile on her face. "Just give me a minute to save this and I'll be back in."
He kissed the top of her forehead, whispering "Don't make me wait too long," before heading back for the bedroom. Charlotte couldn't complain about the view as he left. Hockey players were notorious for having strong glutes from skating, and Jordan was no exception. His choice of attire, or lack thereof at that point, only enhanced her appreciation of his assets.
She quickly saved her work and shut down the computer. There was no way she wanted to lose what she had written already and at least some of the pieces could be messed with in the morning. But she also didn't want to be sitting there anymore after she had been reminded of what was waiting under her covers.
Her secret door closed easily behind her as she quietly padded across the floor to her bed. But apparently, she had made Jordan wait too long after all because he was already asleep. So much for his nighttime inspiration. Charlotte slid under her sheets next to him and flipped her pillow over to the cold side. She was about to fall asleep when she felt his hand slide across her waist as he pulled himself closer to her.
Then he started snoring in her ear.
She couldn't help but smile. What kind of person falls asleep after what he promised her and then takes the extra step of snoring? But there was something so endearing about it. Here was a man so comfortable in her bed that he felt the instinctive need to be closer even as he slept next to her. Charlotte closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She doubted there would be anymore inspiration interrupting her when she was next to Jordan, and she had no objection.
So much for sleeping next to a warm body, she thought, rolling over to find an empty space next to her where Jordan had once been. The man she snuggled up against in the middle of the night seemed to have been replaced by a cold lonely bed and she wasn't sure why. Did she scare him off with her talk about being inspired to write? Was he embarrassed that he fell asleep before she could join him back in bed? Maybe the warm haze of last night had burned off with the harsh sun that now filtered through the blinds in her bedroom and he left before it got more awkward.
Then she smelled fresh coffee.
Charlotte stretched out, making sure each limb was fully extended before finally climbing out of bed. She still had on his t-shirt that she had found last night, and another check confirmed it smelled like his cologne. She grabbed a pair of black leggings, pulling them on before taking a quick look at herself in the full-length mirror. Luckily, she had a few things in her walk-in closet — an extra hair brush, some tissues, and lip gloss — so she could sort of pull herself together. She figured Jordan knew what she was like in the morning considering he was already awake, but Charlotte wanted to at least look a little more presentable than that.
The hardwood floors were cold under her feet, but she didn't seem to notice as she walked into the kitchen to find an empty mug waiting for her next to the coffee pot.
"Morning," came a voice at her kitchen table.
She turned to see Jordan sitting there with a cup of coffee in front of him. He had on his gray pants from the night before with the belt undone. His white button-down shirt hung open with nothing underneath. Her Sunday New York Times was still neatly stacked on her kitchen table, but a section of it seemed to have found its way into his hand.
"You do know today is Tuesday, right?"
"Yeah."
"And this is Sunday's newspaper."
"I also know that, but it's going to take me at least a week to get through all of it." She smiled and took a sip of her coffee, noticing the Mont Blanc pen in his hand. "Are you marking up my newspaper for a particular reason?"
Jordan flashed her the page he was working on. "Crossword puzzle. I was hoping this was Monday's paper since those are easier, but I can assure you that I'll still finish this thing."
She was amused by how mockingly serious he sounded. To be fair, she was also impressed by how much he had finished from her quick look of it. "How long have you been working on that?"
"About a half hour."
"Not bad, King." She walked over and took a seat by the chair he had propped his feet up on, putting her coffee next to the pile of newspaper. "So were the other women impressed by your crossword prowess the morning after?" she said teasingly.
Charlotte saw him flinch slightly, his jaw clenching almost involuntarily as he continued to stare at the page in front of him, his pen hanging in mid-air. "I usually never stayed long enough to find out," he said quietly.
He put the crossword down on the table to fill out another answer as Charlotte tried to decide how to apologize for what she had said. Jordan told her the truth last night about not being the man he used to be. He was trying to change and be a different person, something she knew all too well.
"I'm sorry. That was rude of me to ask."
He shook his head without looking up at her. "Not rude, just accurate."
"Jordan?" She put her hand on his knee and he finally looked up at her. "You can do my crossword puzzle whenever you want."
He gave her a genuine smile that set her at ease. "Just to be clear though, you are talking about the actual crossword puzzle and not making some weird euphemism for sex?"
"You can interpret it in whatever way you want."
He smiled and put his pen down on the table. "Well, if we're making apologies, I'm sorry about falling asleep again last night. I think your bed was a little too comfortable."
Her mind flashed to crawling under the covers, his hands instinctively pulling her close. Her cheeks started to burn from that memory so she shook her head and waved her hand casually in the air. "It was the middle of the night."
Jordan stood up, putting his finger under her chin so he could lightly kiss her lips. "I still owe you then." She hummed as he kissed her again. "And I would hate it if I wasn't able to enjoy your comfortable bed one more time before I leave."
"That would be awful," she said as he began to trail kisses down her neck.
"And I believe this is my shirt."
"It is," she replied, her breath speeding up as his fingers traced the bottom hem of it.
"I need it back, Charlie." His voice was low and vibrated in her chest as his hand began to ghost
her skin underneath it.
"If you want it back, I'm sure we can figure out some sort of arrangement."
She could feel his smile against her neck. Then he took her hand and pulled her up out of her chair, kissing her harder, his mouth tasting like warm coffee. His hands grabbed the fabric on the front of the white t-shirt, bunching it in his fist as he began to pull her back to her bedroom, his lips never leaving hers.
Her hair smelled sweet, her skin soft under his fingers, glistening just a bit in the morning sun after she had her way with him again. It wasn't his fault that he couldn't stop himself. The way she looked in his t-shirt was too much. The good news was that it was somewhere on her floor again. The bad news was it had been replaced with her naked body now pressed against his chest.
"I wish I could stay here all day next to you," he murmured.
"Did I say you couldn't?"
"You didn't," he conceded. "But I can't be late for practice. Don't want to set a bad example as captain of the team."
"Oh, you're the captain?" she asked him innocently.
"I am."
"That sounds like it's a very important job," she said, putting an extra emphasis on her words.
Jordan groaned from beneath her. "Don't say it like that or I'll never leave."
She sat up, wrapping the sheet around her chest. "Oh, I'm sorry. Does it bother you that I like talking about your very important job?"
"Don't distract me from putting my clothes back on," he said before climbing out of bed to grab his stuff.
He found his white t-shirt and pulled it over his head. It smelled like her now. Damn, Charlotte was just as much of a distraction with his clothes on as with his clothes off.
A small giggle escaped her lips before she stood up, dragging the bed sheet with her into the closet as if she was some kind of queen. "Where's practice?" she yelled at him.
For the Captain (The Detroit Pirates Book 1) Page 8