by Gina Gordon
“Maybe it’s a good thing…” She rested her hand on his forearm. His arm twitched, and she took back her hand quickly, as if suddenly realizing she had touched him. “That you don’t fit.”
He stiffened.
“I had heard about you. The bad-boy Madewood brother. The playboy. The rebel.”
The stereotype.
“People have a lot of opinions about me. Most of them untrue.”
She nodded. “I might have been one of them. You’re nothing like I expected. You’re sweet and caring. Charming.” She gestured with the cup of tea to emphasize her point. “Can I be honest?” She looked away and whispered. “I sort of wish they were true.”
Something else drove her awkward attempt at conversation. Something Jack wanted desperately to find out. “And why is that? Have a fantasy about being with a bad boy? Someone with lots of money and time to make all your sexual fantasies come true?”
Her breath caught and despite the darkness, he saw the blush spread across her beautiful face. Should he have expected anything less? In his experience, lots of women wanted to date a man who had enough money to make every wish come true.
“I…” She bit her bottom lip and her fingers played with the hem of her skirt. She lowered her gaze. “I’ve spent my life being used by everyone I thought loved me. It’s time I looked out for myself.”
Something in her tone made his heart catch. And his fists clench. Jack wasn’t a violent man, but he wanted to hit the asshole who’d made her feel this way, something fierce. “You want to do things that please you and only you?” It had been a long time since he’d done something for pure pleasure. And to experience it with the first woman to stir up his latent desire would no doubt be unforgettable.
She hid her eyes from him, but the tiny shiver that rippled across her shoulders told him everything he needed to know. Despite promising himself he’d steer clear of meaningless flings, Sterling was unlike any woman he’d ever dated. And if she wanted a night of hot, passionate sex with a relative stranger, then he was her man.
Jack lifted her chin with his finger, bringing her gaze back to his. “Well hell, I can help you with that.”
“Oh, Jack, I…” Her shoulders drew back with her large intake of air. “I don’t know you very well, but I do know that you’re much more than money and a cool lifestyle. Those women—”
Those women? Right now all he cared about was this woman sitting beside him and wanting to fulfill every one of her fantasies. “What pleases you, Sterling Andrews?”
She sighed and her entire body went slack. She thought for a moment. “This tea.” She held up her cup.
“It’s a secret recipe.” He winked. “What else pleases you?”
“My job, my friends… But not my clothes. They’re just not me.” She frowned.
“I don’t know. I happen to love that outfit.” He leaned in closer and whispered in her ear. “I especially liked that skirt a lot more when you were bent over the railing.”
Sterling buried her head in her hand and groaned. “It wasn’t embarrassing enough to get sick in front of you, so let’s throw in some flashing for good measure.”
“You have nothing to be embarrassed about.” He took the cup from her and placed it on the bench behind her.
She raised her head. The horror on her face was adorable. “About getting sick or flashing you?”
“Either. There’s nothing wrong with some good flashing.”
“I don’t normally dress like this. It’s something new. I’ve…” She stopped and grinned before she lowered her gaze to the bench.
“What?”
“Nothing. It’s stupid.” She shook her head.
Jack would be damned before he let her get away with clamming up. Not after he just spilled his guts. “You have to tell me. Then we’ll be even. Otherwise…” He hoped she’d pick up on his insinuation.
“Otherwise, what?”
“Otherwise you owe me.” He leaned in. “And I plan to collect in some very creative ways.”
She sucked in a breath and bit her bottom lip. “That doesn’t make me want to tell you.”
He laughed. He really was off his game. Or was it just this enticing woman who rattled his confidence? “I guess that didn’t work out quite the way I’d planned in my head.”
“Okay, I’ll spill.” She turned a little to face him. “I want to do exciting things.”
“Exciting things?” he asked.
“Yes, things that get my heart racing and stomach fluttering.”
He gave her a curious look. “So the tea, your clothes, and…,” he grinned, “your ass hanging out makes your stomach all aflutter?”
Her soft giggle was adorable. “Something like that.”
“Sounds like a good plan to me. How can I help?”
Silence fell between them and she fidgeted in her seat, picking at her nails. Her lips moved, forming silent words. She was trying to talk herself into something.
He chuckled to himself. “Sterling?”
“There was one other thing that made my stomach flutter,” she blurted.
“What’s that?” Would she have the guts to ask for what she wanted?
“When I touched your hand.” She sat stone-still. A mixture of hope and trepidation danced in her gaze.
“It excited you?”
She nodded and inhaled deeply, but when she exhaled, her breath came out in rhythmic beats and she shivered.
“I heard you,” she blurted. “With your brother. About getting back on the horse.”
He cursed under his breath.
If there was one thing he hated it was eavesdropping. He had enough bullshit with the media and photographers. His actions were front-page news even before he decided on them himself.
“I want to be your horse.” She gasped. “Not a horse but…I mean…” She groaned and hung her head, covering her eyes. “I would like very much to be the woman you use to get back in the game.”
He had just been appeasing Neil. He wasn’t really interested in getting back in the game tonight. But something about this woman intrigued him. She was nothing like the model types he normally dated. And usually the propositions that flew his way were dependent on his money. Jack expected to be asked to go to a club or one of his hot restaurants. Somewhere he could flaunt his VIP status, buy her some drinks, show her a good time. But this was an exciting proposition.
“Sterling Andrews, are you hitting on me?”
“Am I doing a horrible job?” She peered at him through her fingers.
“On the contrary.” He shook his head. “I had every intention of being a nice guy tonight, but now…”
“Now?”
He’d been thinking about a naked Sterling all night. Women usually wanted something first—for him to spend his money. But this woman just wanted…him. And she could have him. Only for the night. There was no sense in getting attached when he was just going to take off in a few weeks.
“Now I want nothing more than to kiss you.”
She didn’t have to say yes. She lowered her hands from her face. Her eyes invited him to taste her.
He leaned in and brushed his lips over hers.
She tensed and jerked away, bringing her hand up to her mouth. “I brushed my teeth. And used mouthwash.”
He laughed, an unexpected burst of amusement he couldn’t control. He shook his head and leaned forward. This woman was definitely going to keep him on his toes. He grabbed her nape and drew closer, pressing his lips against hers. She sighed, a vibration he felt through his entire body.
One hand slid up his arm to his shoulder, the other threaded through his hair. Sterling opened for him, her lips parting, her tongue moving to test the waters. Without having to coax her, she took their kiss to the next level. If the actions of her tongue were any indication of the rest of her intimate moves, he couldn’t wait to find out what she’d be like between the sheets.
Jack mimicked the movements of her tongue, tasting the minty flavor of he
r mouth as she moved up his body, practically climbing on top of him. The kiss deepened. His heart thudded a million beats a minute, and he welcomed the tightness in his pants. Something else tightened. His chest, because somehow this felt different.
He shook off his thoughts. There was no way this one kiss meant anything more than that—a kiss. He was overstimulated because he was out of practice, that’s all. The feel of Sterling’s breasts rubbing against his chest, the bite of her nails on his skin, the feel of her warm, talented tongue thrusting inside his mouth, were not special. They were simply unexpected.
She slowly eased out of their kiss, watching him through heavy lids, her eyes matching the sparkle that glistened on her lips from their kiss.
“What now?” she whispered. “Now that we’ve kissed.” Vulnerability stared back at him.
“I think there are going to be many more kisses tonight.” He caught an unruly strand of her hair and wrapped it snugly behind her ear.
“I want to be clear,” she said, pointing her finger at him. “This is just for tonight.”
She had enticed him, propositioned him, and beaten him to his own punch. A surprise around every corner—this woman was almost too perfect.
“Lucky for you ‘just for tonight’ is my motto.” He inched closer, his hand resting on her exposed thigh, sliding until it rested just under the hem of her skirt. “And you should probably feel really horrible about taking advantage of me.” He leaned in, putting his mouth right up to her ear, and she shivered. “On the other hand, I’m not a good guy.” He moved his hand a little higher. “Because I’ve been thinking some very dirty things about that outfit. And those shoes…”
She shook her head. “This outfit is courtesy of Penn. It’s an experiment—”
He laughed. Maybe if he helped her find some pleasure, he would find some of his own. “Forget about Sensible Sterling. At least for tonight. Let this so-called bad boy help you forget whatever it is you’re trying to forget.”
Jack traced his finger across her leg in a zigzag pattern. Her skin pebbled under his touch. He knew she wanted him.
She cocked her head to the side. “What makes you think I’m trying to forget something?”
He didn’t answer. Instead, he slipped his finger under the hem.
She blinked but her eyes didn’t betray her silence. She was putting on a brave face. Did it really matter what issues she was battling? She made it perfectly clear that she was in for an experiment. And as for getting back on the horse, he couldn’t have chosen a better woman to ring in his arrival back to the living.
He traced his finger farther up her leg. He skimmed just under the hem of her skirt, moving closer to the inside of her thigh.
She leaned into her position, transferring her weight onto her hands behind her, arching her back, pushing out her delectable breasts.
“Just for tonight,” she whispered.
“Just for tonight.”
One leg fell away as she relaxed her thighs. Her head fell back and her eyes shut tight, her breathing faster than it was two minutes ago. He placed his palm on her leg and squeezed. Her soft skin was on fire, the heat from her body spreading to his.
He slid his hand across her thigh until his fingertips met the bench. “You’re a beautiful woman, Sterling.” His hand inched up closer to her center. He stopped when he hit the crease of her thigh, and pressed gently against her sex. Her fingers curled inward over the bench. “I’m game if you are. It’s your call.” He nuzzled her neck, the soft scent of coconut flooding his senses.
“I—”
Heavy footsteps sounded from the staircase and she tensed in his arms. Jack jumped up, grabbing her hand. Eyes wide, she let him whisk her to the side of the deck where they hid behind a small wall, barely wide enough to block their bodies.
He took a breath and steadied himself, very aware of Sterling’s body flush with his.
A smile curved at the side of Sterling’s lip and it traveled up, sparkling in her eyes. Maybe he wasn’t as out of practice as he thought.
The voices grew closer. They might have company, but that wasn’t going to stop him from continuing their fun.
Chapter Three
Jack pressed Sterling against the wall, covering her soft body with his. She trembled against him and he cupped the sides of her face.
“That was quick thinking.” She smiled, barely visible in the dim light.
“Strictly selfish on my part. I don’t like to share.” He swooped down and captured her lips in a hard kiss. She squeaked. Her body went rigid, but only for a split second. The moment his tongue caressed the seam of her lips she relaxed, shoulders softening, lips accepting.
Footsteps grew louder and closer, and the voices that were once muffled were now distinct.
“I could have sworn I saw her come up here.” Penn’s voice carried over the water and Sterling tensed in his arms again.
“It doesn’t look like she’s here,” his brother, Cole Murphy, answered. “Maybe she’s hiding down on the lower deck again.”
Cole helping Penn? Interesting.
“I already checked down there.” Penn sounded worried.
He looked at Sterling and her face told him what she was thinking. And there was no way he was going to expose them. He shook his head and lifted his finger to his mouth, warning her not to say a word.
“What if she fell off the boat?” Penn said. “This is her first time and—”
“We have plenty of staff on duty, there is no way she could have fallen off without someone noticing. She couldn’t have gone far,” Cole said, a surprising softness to his voice Jack had never heard before. “We just docked. I’ll help you find her.”
“Thanks.” Penn’s voice was quiet.
“You mean thanks for coming to your rescue? Again?” Cole’s tone shifted, his voice suddenly full of disdain. The softness hadn’t lasted long.
A tapping sound of one of Penn’s stilettos vibrated against the floor of the deck. “I said thank you.” The hardened edge of Penn’s voice was enough to scare any male adult. Jack could only imagine how Cole would handle the situation.
Sterling angled her head toward the edge of the wall with a smile, coaxing him to take a closer listen. She seemed at ease listening in on her best friend’s conversation. But Jack hated eavesdropping. He grimaced and held Sterling tight when she leaned farther out to hear. He wouldn’t make their presence known. The need to keep Sterling all to himself was too important.
“It’s customary to thank a person after they’ve helped you,” Cole spat.
“Ugh, you’re infuriating.”
“Don’t forget who signs your paycheck.”
Ouch. That was uncalled for.
“How could I forget? You remind me every day.”
There was definitely something going on between these two, but Jack knew better than to ask. Cole would never spill.
Sterling’s focus turned to the gentle sway of the water. Jack scratched his chin. She was Penn’s friend. Penn was his employee. It seemed Cole had his own troubles with Penn; the family didn’t need Jack adding to the situation. But the electricity of Sterling’s kiss dared Jack to forget propriety and take more.
Penn’s voice brought Jack back to the situation. “Why do you hate me?”
“Penn…”
Jack wished he could see their silent exchange. His brother didn’t wear his heart on his sleeve, yet Penn was getting a glimpse of the man Cole hid from the world.
“Why don’t you phone her?” And just like that, Cole changed the subject to avoid explaining that he, in fact, didn’t hate Penn. Jack knew his brother too well—his actions were those of a little boy who tortured a little girl because he liked her. Someone had it bad.
Penn sighed. “Right.”
Sterling tensed and cursed under her breath just as her phone sang inside her bag. Again and again it rang, the glow of the screen visible from outside the purse. She fumbled with the contents inside. Not a time to carry an entire med
icine cabinet. Jack chuckled as he loosened his grip to allow her more room to maneuver.
A silhouette blocked the light from the deck of the boat as it stopped in front of them.
“What the…” Penn’s expression was priceless as she pushed the end button on her phone to stop the ringing. “Sterling! I thought you fell off the boat.”
Cole sidled up behind Penn. The nervousness on his face was distinguishable even in the dim light.
“Cole.” Jack gave a nod and they had their own silent exchange. Despite being privy to the conversation, he would never speak of it.
“Looks like Jack’s taking pretty good care of her, Penn.”
“Jack brought me some tea for my stomach.” Sterling motioned to the wooden bench where they’d sat before they’d been so rudely interrupted.
Penn eyed them both, onto their game. “All right, then.” She stuffed her phone back in her bag. “Are you fine to get home?”
“Yep. The car you sent should be waiting for me.”
Cole put a light hand on Penn’s arm. “Let’s go.”
She ignored him for a moment and leaned forward to envelop Sterling in a hug. Jack heard Penn whisper something that sounded like “seal the deal,” then as she stepped away she said, “Thanks for coming tonight. I love you.”
Footsteps receded down the stairs and after a few moments, they were alone again.
The dynamic between Cole and Penn put his time with Sterling into perspective. No complications here, fortunately. What they had was plain and simple. Which was exactly what he wanted.
“We weren’t supposed to hear that,” Sterling said. “Do you think they’re all right?”
“Cole’s silly crush on Penn is not important right now. I—”
“He has a crush on—?”
Jack cut her off with a kiss. His heart thudded, and he couldn’t resist grabbing her bottom under the fabric of her skirt, the skimpy lace of her thong exposing her bare flesh. He squeezed and yanked her forward, rubbing his pelvis into her stomach.
Sterling gasped for air when he finally pulled out of their kiss. She stared up at him, her emerald eyes sparkling in the moonlight, her lips swollen from his kiss. The desire, the acceptance in her eyes, was like a splash of cold water to the face. She wasn’t the only vulnerable one here. This woman attracted him mentally, physically, and that playful glint in her eyes tugged at something inside him, something that had never been tugged before.