For a guy who’d warned me at every turn he only used women, Jase was surprisingly sweet and tender. Just like he’d always been when it came to me. Would it always be like this?
Something built within me. An amazing, wonderful, frightening something powerful enough to wrench the air from my lungs. My thighs trembled with delight, and I rocked my hips to meet Jase’s.
“Cara,” he cried out my name and stiffened.
The sound of my name on his lips, intimate and seductive, tossed me over the edge. Lights exploded behind my eyelids, and I quivered in release. When the tremors were over, my muscles loosened and I collapsed to the desk.
“That was…wow.” Jase half-leaned over me, his breath bellowing in and out of his lungs, as we both struggled to recover.
I murmured a response. I couldn’t tell if I mouthed actual words. It was a jumble of gasps with a couple consonants interspersed.
Jase recovered first and retrieved his clothing. After zipping his jeans, but leaving his sweater on the floor, he walked over to the camera and ejected the disk. I made sure he pocketed it before I slid back into my panties. My actual clothing was across the room, so I fetched it and got dressed on shaky knees.
I was no longer a virgin. Losing my cherry was one thing, but actually going through with the entire act filled me with elation. And to think, I’d experienced it all with my best friend.
Jase returned to my side. I didn’t like the expression on his face, satisfaction tempered with regret.
I help up my hand, doing my best to prevent the words he’d say. “No.”
He put his hands on my shoulders and rubbed. “This can’t happen again.”
Damn it. I’d told him no. I didn’t want to hear his played-out excuses on why he was bad for me. I was nowhere close to the fragile person he imagined me to be. Sure, I had my problems, like the majority of the population, but deep inside I was strong enough to handle a sexual relationship with Jase.
Wasn’t I?
I wouldn’t beg him for more than he could give. With a nonchalance I was far from feeling, I straightened my wrinkled clothing. “Did Jackie call you?”
He stopped rubbing me. “Yeah.”
I hesitated. “She knows you’re Dagger.”
“I know. I told her.”
I gaped at him. “You told her?”
“Yeah, months ago. Why?”
“And you’re not worried she’ll tell someone?”
Jase shrugged. “Dagger Productions is part of me. I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished at such a young age. If people aren’t cool with it, it’s on them.”
I wished I could be half as calm as he could. I’d spent half my life trying to fit in and the other trying to remain inconspicuous.
Maybe it’s why we worked.
Two halves of each other.
Chapter Seventeen
On Friday, we left for Florida. I hadn’t been to the beach in years, so the invitation to join Jase, Mark, and Posey for the drive to Panama City had me bouncing off the walls with excitement. If Jase was surprised by my sudden good mood, he didn’t show it.
Before daybreak, we piled into Jase’s Hummer and began the four hour trip. Jase had scheduled a luncheon for the crew and actors before everyone got down to business. Since Honey had gotten tied up with another shoot, the responsibility for wardrobe fell to me.
Posey and I sat in the backseat, attempting to best each other’s scores on a popular online game while Mark and Jase discussed sports. I pretended not to notice how Posey’s gaze strayed to Mark whenever he spoke.
We stopped to stretch our legs at the Florida state line. It was unexpectedly warm that day, hot enough for me to trade my sweater for a lightweight hoodie. Jase looked sexy as hell in a pair of ripped jeans and a faded T-shirt. Sunglasses covered his eyes and his trademark curls were hidden beneath a ball cap.
My gaze ate him up, from the way his pants fit snugly against his ass to the biceps straining the seams of his shirt. He was a walking fantasy come to life.
Posey nudged me on the way to the bathroom. “Careful. You’re drooling.”
I nudged her back. “You’re one to talk.”
“What do you mean?”
I laughed away her question. No need to disrupt Posey’s misguided belief that no one suspected her crush on Mark.
After using the bathroom, we stood at the sinks and washed our hands. Posey met my gaze in the mirror. She appeared sad, an emotion she rarely displayed in the short time I’d know her. “This is my last film.”
“Why?”
Posey took a deep breath. “I’m pregnant.”
“What?” Shock reverberated through me. “Whose baby is it?”
She rolled her eyes. “Whose do you think?”
“Mark’s?”
She nodded. “I had to change birth control after a reaction to my previous prescription. Apparently the new one didn’t work.”
“How far along are you? Doing the film won’t hurt the baby, will it?”
Posey laughed, shoving her hand through her long hair and pushing it over her shoulders. “Everyone has sex when they’re pregnant. It won’t hurt my baby.”
I noticed the use of my, not our. “You won’t tell him,” I guessed.
“No.” Posey dried her hands and tossed the napkin in the trash. “Mark would never believe it’s his.”
“That’s crazy. Why wouldn’t he?”
Posey leaned against the wall and waited for me. I waved my hand back and forth before the paper towel dispenser until a tiny portion of brown paper emerged.
She banged on the dispenser until more paper spit out. “I’m not going to guilt trip him into a relationship just because I got knocked up. While working, I might add. It’s not fair to him, and it’s not fair to my baby.”
“But he’d want to know.” Mark was a decent guy. No way would he turn his back on Posey if she were pregnant with his child. “You should tell him just in case.”
“I don’t doubt he’d provide for me,” Posey scoffed. “It’s not so simple. I want him to want me, not due to misguided chivalry. Do you understand?”
“Completely.” It was exactly how I wanted Jase. Not because he was protective of me, or beholden, but because he couldn’t help himself.
Since Wednesday, he’d refused to come near me. Being in the Hummer was the closest we’d come to being in the same room. He was still polite, of course, but he maintained a distance. I was tired of walking on eggshells around him.
I’d been afraid he would cancel my invitation to join them, but the night before he’d knocked on my bedroom door and delivered a beautiful set of monogrammed luggage.
“I figured you’d need these,” he said as he shoved the pink and brown cases toward me.
“Oh! Thank you,” I’d responded, but it was too late. He’d already turned his back and returned to his room.
Posey’s hand drifted to her still-flat belly. “I will do right by my baby.”
“Of course you will,” I said in a soothing voice. “You’ll be a fabulous mother.”
A genuine smile appeared on Posey’s face. “I will, won’t I?”
We exited the bathroom arm-in-arm. The guys already waited for us by the SUV. Bright sunlight gilded them in gold, and we both sucked in a breath. I wasn’t sure about Posey, but I’d never seen a more perfect sight.
Jase stepped back and opened the door for me while Mark assisted Posey. “Ready?”
“Yes.” As I climbed into the seat, Jase brushed my spine with one hand. His touch lingered above the curve of my ass before he jerked away.
He wanted me, I was sure of it, but determined not to act on it. I had to convince him I could handle more, be the woman he needed.
I wanted him. All of him.
Mark glanced over his shoulder and smiled at me. “Do you regret backing out of the movie yet?”
“Not really,” I answered.
He grinned and turned his attention to Jase. “She’s a natural, man. I told
you so. You should’ve seen her on Wednesday.”
“I saw enough,” Jase bit off. “Cara’s made her decision.”
Mark held up his hands. “Sorry. I didn’t know she was taken.”
“Yes, she is.”
Jase lifted his gaze and met my stunned one in the reflection of the rear-view.
After arriving at the beach, we hurried to unpack and meet the remainder of the crew for an early luncheon. Jase had rented several beach houses for the week, one to be used during filming, and the remainder for his employees. It didn’t escape my attention he and I would share a house by ourselves.
Lunch was comprised of shrimp salad and grilled tilapia, fresh from the Gulf of Mexico. He’d arranged to have the luncheon catered, and I consumed the delicious seafood with gusto. I noticed Posey picking the shrimp out of her salad and ignoring the wine supplied to her by the helpful servers. I was heartened by the visible evidence of her commitment to her child’s health.
Jase was a silent presence beside me. He ate, but talked to no one. The staff didn’t seem to notice his silence, but I watched him from the corner of my eye, dying to know what had him uncommonly quiet.
He’d exchanged his faded T-shirt for a light blue button-up. He still wore the ripped jeans, and the juxtaposition between successful producer and young man I remembered filled me with pride. He was perfect. Irresistible. Successful. Kind.
Why couldn’t he see himself like I did?
Jase turned his head toward me and our gazes locked. I lifted a shrimp to my mouth and gently sucked it between my lips. I moaned with delight, and he narrowed his eyes at me, suspecting the game I played.
I chewed slowly and swallowed. “Yum.”
Jase didn’t look away. Instead he selected a shrimp from his salad and lifted it to my lips. “Open.”
I parted my lips. I curled my tongue over the shrimp he place in my mouth and moaned once more. Jase shifted in his chair, moving closer. Beneath the spotless tablecloth, he touched my thigh. I parted my legs, allowing him to slip his hand closer to the prize he sought.
He didn’t touch me like I needed. Instead he kept his left hand between my legs, warm and unmoving, and returned his attention to his plate. Disappointed, I continued to eat too. At the conclusion of the dinner, after we’d enjoyed delicious tiramisu and sweet coffee, Jase stood and grabbed my hand. He tugged me out of my chair without saying a word.
I hurriedly wiped my mouth and tossed the napkin onto the table. “What is it?”
“Come with me.” His jaw was taut with tension and his eyes glittered dangerously.
He led me away from the beach-side deck he’d rented and towed me toward the parking lot. About halfway there, I dug in my heels and refused to budge. “Jesus, Jase. Where are you taking me?”
He spun on me, taking my breath with the suddenness of his actions. Before I said another word, he shoved me against the wooden fence lining the lot and put his face next to mine. “I warned you, told you I couldn’t be with you again.”
“Yeah, you did. So what?” A thrill traced through my veins, along with a healthy dose of fear. The way he looked at me, as if he would consume me, made me burn with a need so hot it scared me.
He cupped my face and his fingers dug into my skin, almost but not quite painfully. He held my head steady as he lowered his lips an inch from mine. “You know what you did. You’re trying to seduce me.”
My vision shifted as my eyelids slid halfway shut. “Is it working?”
He tightened the grip of his fingers. “Wake up and realize I’m not what you want.”
I gripped his wrist and attempted to wrench his hand away, to no avail. “You have no clue what I want.”
“I know you don’t want what I’d give you.”
“Why don’t you let me be the judge?” Boldness made my voice loud, much louder than I’d intended, and I noticed Mark and Posey standing at the edge of the lot watching us. “People are watching.”
“Fuck ‘em. Let them watch,” Jase said with a growl. He completed the short distance between us and kissed me hot enough to melt the skin off my bones. He nipped my bottom lip with his teeth hard enough to draw blood and lapped at the tiny wound he’d made. I shivered at the pure hotness.
He drew back and pressed his thumb against my lips. “Nothing compares to what I want to do to you, Cara. I want to spank every inch of your luscious body, tie you up and fuck you until you’re too sore to move from the bed. Is it what you want? Be honest.”
“I think so.” I was frightened out of my wits, but beneath the fear ran a thrill of desire. Curiosity.
He eyed me for the longest time, never turning away even when Mark called our names. Finally when Jase seemed satisfied I was serious, he turned his head and directed his words toward Mark. “Tell everyone an emergency came up. We’ll start filming this evening.”
Mark grinned wide enough to rival the bright sun. “Gotcha, boss.”
My cheeks tightened with embarrassment. Had Jase really delayed the day’s filming to fuck me? Unbelievable, but true. Posey gave me a thumbs up and I sent her a quick wave before Jase took me by the elbow and hauled me toward his Hummer. I stumbled over my ratty sneakers with the fast pace he imposed on me.
“Slow down.”
Jase didn’t listen. He handed me into the SUV and fastened my seatbelt. He’d always been solicitous toward me, but this crossed the line into submissive territory. Was I really ready to be slave to someone’s whim? But I was safe with him. I’d never doubt Jase would take care of me. He’d done it too long to stop now.
Jase drove like a bat out of hell. He had us back at the beach house in five minutes even though it had taken fifteen minutes to get there. Thank goodness it was off-season and no tourists crowded the highway along the coast.
Jase hauled me into the beach house and up the narrow stairs to the second floor bedrooms. He stopped between our doors, his on the right and mine on the left, and pointed at me. “Last chance, Cara. If you come into my room, I’m not going to play it safe with you anymore. The kid gloves are off.”
“Kid gloves?” I echoed.
His expression hardened and his eyes glittered with repressed desire. “You’re practically a virgin. You have no experience, especially with the things I enjoy.” He circled me, trailing his hands over my hips and ass before dropping them away. “Can you do it? Can you submit to me completely?”
Nerves weakened my voice and made it hard for me to speak. “What will you do?”
“I’ve already told you.” Something akin to satisfaction flared to life in his gaze. “I’ll do whatever I want. Tie you up. Spank you. I’ll cross the lines between pleasure and pain.”
I licked my dry lips. “But it will be mostly pleasure, right?”
“For some people, yes. Past partners have decided it’s not to their liking. It’s the reason I’m highly selective in who I take to bed now. Makes it less messy.”
Although I was curious as could be, it was difficult to imagine letting go of all control. “Can we go slow? Until I’m used to it?”
He tilted up my chin and brushed a light kiss over my lips. “I can do slow, but I can’t promise you won’t beg for more.”
Chapter Eighteen
Beg for more? I doubted it.
Still nervous, but determined to give Jase what he needed, I shuffled toward his door. He lingered behind me, waiting until I’d entered his room before he joined me. The door shut with a soft click.
“Undress,” he commanded and moved to sit on the edge of the bed.
I stayed where I was, several feet away from him, and gathered courage from the hot look he gave me. I removed the shirt and bra and tossed them aside.
He’d already seen me naked, but it was different knowing he watched me undress. Ditching my jeans and panties were much harder, but I did it. I kicked my clothes into a messy pile and crossed my arms over my chest.
“Hands by your side,” Jase ordered.
He slid off the bed and appro
ached, slow but with intense concentration. My skin itched with the need to be touched by him. Only him. I lowered my arms and forced my eyes to remain open.
“Good girl.” Jase flicked his fingers toward the floor. “Get on your knees.”
I kneeled on the carpeted flooring and rested my hands on my thighs. Submissive. Meek. Nervous as hell.
Jase tangled his fingers in my hair and tugged my head back. “Keep your eyes on me.”
I nodded, and he gave a slight tug on my hair. “Say yes, sir.”
“Yes, sir,” I whispered. Really? It seemed cliché, but much better than calling him master.
Jase moved his hands to his waist and loosened his belt. “Some say the submissive has all the power. I call bullshit. In the bedroom, I have the power. You’ll do what I say, when I say it. No safe words. No dicking around. Do you understand?”
I gulped. “Yes…yes, sir.”
His voice softened, but his gaze remained stern, unyielding. “Trust that I won’t hurt you more than you can handle. It’s not my intention to break you. I only want to tame you, possess you. When we leave this room, you’re your own person. I won’t have a slave.”
The leather belt slipped from the loops of Jase’s jeans. He wrapped the end around his hand, the buckle clutched within his palm. I breathed easier at the sight. If he’d intended to beat me with the buckle, I would’ve had a few choice words to share with him.
With one hand, Jase unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans, freeing his erect cock. The plump head and thick shaft bobbed before my eyes and I licked my lips, pretty sure what came next.
“Open your mouth.”
I obeyed, and Jase slipped the head of his cock between my lips. I lifted my hand, but he brushed it aside. “No. I’ll guide the movements. You’ll take what I give you.”
He filled my mouth, brushing the back of my throat with his length. I wasn’t sure what to do, so I held still, tightened my lips around him, and ran my tongue along the bottom of his cock as he moved back and forth. Tears pricked my eyes, and it was difficult to breathe, but the groans he made enticed me to continue. Sucking in my cheeks, I tightened my mouth’s grip on his cock.
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