“I am not.”
He ignored her, carrying her through the hall to the master suite and hitting the light switch with his elbow as he went. His king-size bed was still rumpled from their lovemaking session that morning. Jax put her down carefully on her feet, intent on stripping her.
“Jax,” she began, as if she were about to mount another, last-ditch protest about how she really ought to go back to her house.
Bullshit. She wasn’t going anywhere other than straight back into his bed. He kissed her to shut her up, open-mouthed and hungry. She made a breathy sound in her throat, letting him in. When she sucked his tongue, he moaned. Damn, but she drove him straight to the edge every time. Without fail.
He remembered then that there were still barriers to what he really wanted—Kassie naked—and broke off the kiss. His fingers skimmed over the seductive fabric of her dress. It was molded to her figure, and he had the distinct impression that trying to tug it over her head would tear it. “How the hell do I get this thing off you?”
“Zipper.” She spun around, presenting her back, and he knew she was as far gone as he was. There wouldn’t be another attempt to hit the brakes, thank God.
He scooped up her hair’s long, fragrant waves with his left hand, holding it out of the way while he slid the zipper all the way down to the cleft of her ass. A mouthwatering expanse of her soft, creamy skin was revealed. He peeled the dress down over her shoulders and she shrugged it off, the fabric pooling at her hips. Jax’s mouth went dry as he stared at the beautiful curves of her waist, the black clasp of her lacy bra, the top of an equally lacy thong.
He leaned into her, kissing each of her shoulder blades, then her neck, just below her ear. “You’re so beautiful,” he told her. “I’ve been thinking about taking that dress off you all night long.”
She swallowed. He felt it against his lips. “During dinner with your parents?”
He caught her earlobe between his teeth, tugging. She shivered, arching her back so her ass pressed right into his eager dick. “Even then.”
“Oh.” She sounded as breathless as he felt. “You’re bad.”
“Very,” he agreed, opening his mouth to taste the silky patch of skin at her jaw. He dragged his lips down her throat, sucking on her with just enough force to make her moan without causing a bruise. He grabbed her dress and pulled it down over her hips.
“Oh Jax.”
He stepped back, smoothing his hands over her waist, across her back to her buttocks. Her ass was round yet firm, deliciously exposed by the lacy scraps of her thong. He cupped her cheeks, squeezing. Jesus, she was just as beautiful from the back as she was from the front.
He forced himself to swallow, tamping down his raging lust. Every hard inch of his cock was screaming to be buried in her right now. But he wanted to take it slowly. To woo her the way she deserved. To drag out the foreplay until they were both crazy with wanting.
He reached up to undo the clasp of her bra and was barely aware of the sound of it too falling to the floor. Next went the thong panties. She kicked off her shoes and turned, standing naked before him. She was a goddess. His heart thudded against his chest as he drank her in.
“Get on the bed,” he told her, not wanting to touch her for fear he’d end up pinning her to the bed and fucking her before he could torture either of them with the prolonged pleasure of a massage.
She turned and padded to the bed in her bare feet, her hips swinging. When she lowered herself to the mattress, her gaze met his. Oh so slowly, her inner vixen unleashed itself and she slid her legs apart, revealing the smooth, pink flesh of her pussy.
Oh, hell.
“Like this?” she asked, her tone innocent.
He gritted his teeth. “Perfect.”
He forced himself to turn his back on her, going to the en suite bathroom to retrieve the massage oil he’d purchased earlier that week with her in mind. He toed off his boots and socks, trying to calm down the desire that was careening through him faster than lightning and every bit as capable of starting a fire. He took a deep breath, willing his erection to calm the fuck down before he embarrassed himself, and then walked back out into the bedroom.
“Jesus,” he hissed, stopping in his tracks.
Kassie was stroking herself, toying with her clit as she watched him. Suddenly, his girl had gone from zero to sixty. The look she sent his way was sultry. “I’m ready for you, Jax.”
The sight of her touching herself, her finger working the engorged bud of her clit, almost undid him. He gripped the bottle of massage oil so tightly that if it weren’t glass, it would’ve popped open. He forced himself to close the distance between them. When he stopped at the edge of the bed, he dropped the massage oil to the mattress, unable to tear his eyes from her. She was sleek, ready, her flesh glistening with a wetness that made his cock ache for her.
“Turn over,” he told her with a voice that was rough with desire.
Giving him a knowing smile, she stopped playing with herself and turned in one fluid motion. She rested her head on her folded arms, watching him. “How’s this?”
“Perfect.” Even though he wasn’t sure if he could move at the moment.
Her gaze dipped to his dick. “You’re still wearing your clothing. Take it off.”
Heat sizzled through him. He liked a bossy Kassie in his bed. He started undoing the seemingly endless row of buttons on his shirt. When he finally reached the last one, he let it fall to the floor, joining her dress, bra and panties. And then he went to the button on his jeans, flicking it open. “How’s this?” he asked her, echoing her words.
“Not good enough.” Her gaze met his. “I want to see your cock.”
The breath left his lungs. Damn. He pulled open his fly and his cock sprang forth, doing her bidding. He shoved his jeans down and kicked them away. He stroked himself, watching her, testing to see just what she liked. How far he could drag her down the path of helpless desire. Her eyes widened, her tongue flicking out to wet her lips.
“You’re right. You never play fair,” she said.
She liked watching him, he realized. As much as he liked having her bold eyes on him while he touched himself. “You started it,” he pointed out. “Two can play at this game.” He circled the tip of his cock with his thumb, swiping a bead of pre-cum over himself. He couldn’t recall ever having a more erotic experience in his life, and they weren’t even touching each other yet.
“Oh, now you’re just being mean,” she accused without a bit of heat. “I want to touch you.”
He released his cock and joined her on the bed at last, kneeling at her side to kiss her. She sighed into his mouth, her tongue flicking against his. She was soft and inviting and had never tasted sweeter. But he’d promised her a massage, and he intended to make good on that promise. He broke away from her, taking up the bottle of massage oil, and straddled her hips. He unscrewed the top and drizzled a generous portion into his palm. The sweet scent of the oil heightened his arousal as he rubbed his palms together, warming it, before lowering his hands to the small of her back.
Her skin was velvet-soft, hot to the touch. He worked his way up her spine to her shoulders, finding the tight knots of muscle he’d felt there earlier and working them. The desire to pamper her, to worship her body, was just as strong as the desire to sink inside her. It was a new feeling for him. He’d never before been so thoroughly taken by a woman. But this was Kassie, and from the instant she’d slammed into his truck with her hunk-of-shit car, nothing in his life had been going the way he’d been accustomed to it going. In the very best way, of course.
She let out a low moan, arching her back as he continued to work his hands over her. “That feels so good.”
He couldn’t resist leaning over her to press a kiss to her ear, his tongue working the delicate tracings of cartilage there. “You feel good.” He continued massaging her, his thumbs circling over the twin balls of tension between her shoulder blades, unraveling them.
“Jax?”
Something in her tone had changed. Her voice was almost hesitant, nervous.
He rubbed a path back down her spine, working at her lower back, lingering on the tops of her ass cheeks that he found so alluring. “Yes, darlin’?”
“I think I’m falling in love with you.”
“Jesus Christ.” He stilled, his entire world rocked. That was the last thing he’d expected to come out of her beautiful mouth. More protestations about wanting to go home, about wanting to take their relationship slowly, yes. But that she was falling in love with him? Hell no.
It scared him shitless, even if it was merely an echo of the feelings swirling through him. It also sent a new wave of undeniable lust surging through him. If his brain didn’t know how to process what she’d just said, his cock certainly did. He pressed into the swell of her ass, suddenly desperate for her.
“Jax?” She turned her head, looking back at him, her expression troubled. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”
He didn’t bother to wait long enough to hear the end of her sentence. He rose on his knees and flipped her onto her back, lowering his mouth to hers. The kiss was fierce, taking as much as it gave, conquering. Promising. Hell, he could barely believe that the gorgeous woman beneath him had just told him she thought she was falling in love with him. It was too good to be true. To believe. But she’d said it, and he was out of control now, determined to sink so deep inside her that it felt as if they’d be joined forever. Because he wanted that from her. Forever.
Yeah. He wanted forever from Kassie Ryan. And nothing else mattered, not their baggage from the past, not his brother, not her urge to run, not his self-doubt, not anything other than the way they moved together in this moment. They were made for each other. He knew it like he knew how to breathe. It was instinctive. Natural. Necessary.
She clung to him, her thighs opening as she kissed him back as if she feared it might be their last. But it wasn’t their last. Not by a long shot. He reached between them to feel the slick lips of her pussy. She was so wet. So perfect. He worked her clit the way he’d seen her doing to herself, rubbing it side to side in a fast pace. She thrust her hips against him, wanting more. He sank a finger into her pussy, testing her readiness. She moaned into his mouth. When he curved his finger to find her G-spot, she came, shuddering against him.
His heart was pounding, his blood pumping. His brain stopped functioning. The only thing he knew was that he had to have her. Now. He guided his cock to the warm, soaked opening to her pussy. She tilted her hips up, the motion bringing him inside her. He pushed, loving the feeling of her for the first time without a barrier between them. She was so wet, so hot. It was heaven.
But his conscience returned. He broke the kiss, cupping her cheek with his free hand. “I need to get a condom, baby.”
“I’m on birth control,” she told him.
“Ah.” He attempted to concentrate, but it was damn difficult. His cock was halfway inside her, and she felt so very good. Still, this wasn’t something he would do lightly. “Are you sure you’re okay with it, Kassie?”
“Yes.” She wrapped her legs around his waist, urging him deeper. “I want to feel you come inside me.”
Holy shit. That was all he needed to hear. He thrust inside her all the way, and it was every bit as arousing as he’d thought it would be. The desire he’d been keeping at bay overtook him. He was powerless to stop. He took her mouth in another kiss, overwhelmed by the sensations rocking through him. She moved against him, helping him find the pace she wanted as he thrust into her again and again. His thumb, still locked on her clit, worked her until she was writhing beneath him. She began to clench, and he knew that her release was coming soon.
Tearing his mouth from hers, he lowered his head to suck one of her nipples into his mouth, dragging his teeth over the tip just like he knew she loved. Another pump of his hips into her and she was climaxing, tightening on his cock. The rush of her release over him was all he needed to push him over the edge. He surged into her, burying himself as far as he could, and lost control, coming harder than he ever had in his life. His cum pulsed into her, and she moaned, tipping up her hips to take every bit of him, the sweet spasms of her orgasm draining him dry.
He collapsed against her, kissing her again, thoroughly spent. Jesus, his mind was a crazy jumble. So much had happened. But there was one thing that was clear to him as he held Kassie, her heart beating frantically against his. Nothing between them would ever be the same.
Chapter Seven
Kassie woke up to a possessive male arm clamped around her waist and a cock nestled against her ass. He was a cuddler. She liked that about Jax. Never would’ve guessed it, but it definitely had its benefits.
She blinked the sleepiness from her eyes, aware of the comforting heat of Jax’s big body radiating into her, the steady rhythm of his breath against her hair. It was the second night she’d risen in a strange bed, tangled up in the man she loved.
She could get used to this.
Then reality, like the ever-brightening light of day filtering in through his curtains, washed over her. Last night was a blur of passion and pleasure. But one troubling fact stood out. He hadn’t told her what he felt for her.
It wasn’t as if she expected him to confess his undying love to her simply because she’d been foolish enough to tell him how she felt in a moment of passion. It would have been nice, but she wasn’t that naïve. Jax was a complicated man, and he’d only just begun to open up to her. She couldn’t expect all the pieces of his puzzle to fall into place. No matter how much she wanted them to.
So, what was the proper protocol for the morning after telling a man that you loved him? Doubt slithered through her, landing in her stomach like a ball of lead. He hadn’t seemed thrown by her revelation. The sex had been as amazing as ever, in fact more amazing, if at all possible. But that didn’t mean he hadn’t been caught up in the moment, overcome by the sexy foreplay they’d engaged in and the massage he’d given her. It had all been so sensual, so relaxing, that she’d opened to him without thinking about the consequences.
Idiot.
She shouldn’t have told him. She should have saved it for later, for when she’d had time to process her feelings in her rational brain. For when she wouldn’t run the risk of sending him sprinting in the opposite direction. When his hands weren’t on her and he wasn’t ready to fuck her like a wild man. Yeah, that would’ve made more sense. That would’ve definitely been the smart, sensible thing to do. To keep her big mouth shut and her pride intact.
But no. She’d just unloaded her feelings on him. And now in the light of morning, she was experiencing a healthy dose of regret. It wasn’t that her feelings for him had changed. She was undeniably head over heels for Jax. It didn’t matter that they’d only known each other for about a month. It didn’t matter that she wasn’t even sure that she was ready to embark on another relationship so soon after ending her engagement. Her heart had a mind entirely of its own, and it knew what it wanted. Who it wanted.
Jax.
He made a sound in his sleep and rolled away from her, making her decision easy. She pulled back the blankets with care, trying not to disturb him. The last thing she wanted was to have to face him now, with all the doubt swirling through her, without knowing how he’d react. She sat up oh so slowly, her feet hitting the hardwood floor with barely any sound.
It was time, she supposed, to do the walk of shame.
God, she was twenty-eight, and she was definitely too old for this. Maybe she needed to have her head examined. She’d gone from a sure bet, left everything she knew and had built in New York behind, and wound up slinking out of the bedroom of a man she’d fallen in love with in the space of a month. Yeah, that summed it up. She was certifiable all right.
Tiptoeing through the room, she collected her panties, bra and dress. She pulled the dress over her head, not bothering with her lingerie. That could easily be stuffed into her purse downstairs. She didn’t want to linger any longer t
han necessary for fear she’d wake Jax. A quick glance toward the bed confirmed that he was still sound asleep before she slipped from the room, letting the door close quietly behind her.
Feeling almost like an intruder, she padded downstairs, snagging her purse from the side table in the entryway where she’d left it. She stuffed her bra and thong inside, then fished out her keys. Careful not to allow them to jingle, she paused, making certain she didn’t hear any noises coming from upstairs, before slipping out the front door.
In the safe haven of her car, she pulled out her phone without bothering to see what time it was and called Elle. She turned the ignition and slid the car into reverse, thinking that at some point soon she was going to have to break down and buy a new vehicle. Now that her job was up and running, she had a steady flow of cash and the ability to buy a real vehicle that wasn’t her high-school relic.
“This had better be good,” Elle growled into Kassie’s ear.
Casting a glance back at Jax’s house in her rearview mirror before she rounded the bend in his driveway, Kassie exhaled. No irate naked man was on the porch. He was still sleeping. “I told him I love him,” she blurted, not even bothering to make a segue. Best to get her stupidity out there, all in the open.
“Wait a second. You called Adam?” Elle’s voice was sleepy and sluggish, and it was clear that Kassie had woken her with her call.
The dash on her car confirmed that it was just after seven a.m. on a Sunday. She winced. “Sorry for calling so early. And no, I didn’t call Adam.”
“I’m confused. Help a girl out and say it to me slow.”
Kassie pulled out of the driveway, then took a left onto the road where she’d crashed into Jax not that long ago. “I told Jax that I love him.”
“Is this a new guy?” Elle sounded even more confused than before.
Oh dear God. Was she that bad? Kassie didn’t blame her friend. Her life was pretty crazy these days. She realized that the last time she’d talked to Elle, they had mutually decided that Jax, like ice cream, wasn’t any good for her. But then Jax had shown back up at her door, sexy and apologetic, and she’d fallen all over him like the pathetic woman that she was.
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