He broke the kiss to lick and suck along her chin, neck and torso. One of his hands cupped her breast. His fingers playing with the hard nub of her nipple.
“Damn, Danielle, you smell so good.” He groaned into her neck. The tip of his tongue flicked against her neck. “Taste so damn good.” His hips rotated again.
Danielle bucked, her fingers clinging to his head as he tasted her. “Jacobe,” she moaned.
“If we were alone on this boat I’d strip this damn bikini off of you and taste every part of you. I still remember what you tasted like. Do you remember the way I licked you?” His tongue leisurely explored across her neck.
Did she remember? Was the ocean salty? He’d spread her legs wide that night so long ago. Spread her open and savored her for what felt like hours even though it was only a few rushed minutes. She hadn’t lasted long. Had climaxed almost immediately around his expert tongue. Then he’d kissed her, and she’d been helpless to do anything but tear his shirt open and push his pants down in a frenzy to get more of him.
“Oh, you remember.” The male satisfaction in his voice only melted her bones more.
Danielle pulled his head back up for another kiss. Memories of that night fused with the delicious imprint of his body on top of hers. She wanted more, needed more.
He reached down, rearranged himself until the full ridge of his erection pushed firmly against her swollen nub. His hips moved in deliberate, firm thrusts. The movement was both delicious and maddening. She wanted her bottoms off, his swim trunks gone and his body thick and deep inside of her. The image of him was so clear, the memory of their time together so real, that her body tightened. Her mouth opened to beg for more when her world exploded. Pleasure burst through every filament of her being. Her legs clenched around his waist.
Her shout was cut off by his mouth over hers. He kissed her deeply, slowly, as she eased back to reality. All too soon the reality of what had just happened set in. Her cheeks burned and embarrassment slammed through her.
“Oh, my God, I can’t believe we just did that,” she said between pants. She felt his gaze but kept her eyes firmly closed. She could only imagine what he thought. How uneventful her love life had to be for her to orgasm so easily. “We shouldn’t have done that. We’re just supposed to be working together. We’re—”
He cut her off with a quick brush of his lips across hers. “Worry about what we just did tomorrow, okay. Today is about having fun.”
“I know, but we shouldn’t have—”
“Danielle, I’m still between your legs with a pretty uncomfortable hard-on, and you’re already telling me this was a mistake.”
“Oh. I’m sorry. Do you want me to do something?” All the eagerness she’d felt earlier was gone, replaced with mortification and regret.
He shook his head. “No, you can stay. I’ll need a few minutes to get...myself straight. If you know what I mean.”
“What does this mean?”
“Let’s not analyze that right now. Okay?”
Not exactly what she wanted to hear, though not a surprise, either. He’d already said he wasn’t ready for a committed relationship. Of course, he wouldn’t want to analyze getting her off with just a slow grind. More heat flushed her cheeks. “You’re right. I’m sorry. You stay. I’ll go back up.”
“If that’s what you want.”
They stared at each other. His erection was not decreasing an inch. “You need to get off me.”
“Yeah. Right.” He pushed away from her in a rush. His gaze roamed over her on the bed before his lips pressed together in a thin line. He rearranged the bulge in his shorts and turned away. “I’ll be up in a minute.”
Danielle jumped off the bed and scurried to the door. “Take your time. You know, finishing—”
“Goodbye, Danielle.” His voice was strained, almost angry. She hurried out and back up to the deck.
Debra came over immediately. “What’s wrong? Liberty said you were sick. Where’s Jacobe? Did he give you something?”
Danielle gripped Debra’s arm. “Not now, Debra. I’m good.”
Debra’s gaze sharpened. A second later her jaw dropped and she leaned in. “Did you?”
Danielle shook her head. “No!” she said in a harsh whisper. “Not. Now.”
Debra waved a hand. “Fine. Not now, but later.” Her eyes sparked with interest.
Danielle’s face burned so hot she was surprised smoke didn’t rise from her cheeks. There was no way she could tell the story of how humiliating it was to get off from a fully clothed, slow grind.
Chapter 8
Leading the Gators to a twenty-point win in New York was the pièce de résistance at the end of Jacobe’s five-game suspension. He leaned back and stretched his arms over the back of the leather couches in Mahogany, the swank uptown nightclub owned by Calvin Rush, a connection Jacobe had made through his friend, movie star Irvin Freeman. Isaiah sat on the leather chair to Jacobe’s right, and buckets of champagne and empty glasses covered the marble table in front of him in the VIP section.
He normally enjoyed clubbing after a game but was having a hard time finding his groove tonight. If he didn’t let off some steam he was likely to burst. His gaze roamed the crowded club, taking in all the beautiful ladies. Any one of them could help release the pressure building inside. Ever since Danielle had walked away last Saturday, he’d had a semi hard-on that only seemed to disappear when he played ball.
Frustration pounded through him with every beat of his heart. Not because she’d walked away—he’d never push her into anything she didn’t want to do—but because she’d immediately regretted what happened the second after she’d climaxed.
And her climax had been something to behold. The way her small hands clutched his shoulders while her slim legs wrapped around his hips. The way her dark eyes had gone out of focus and rolled to the back of her head. The sexy sweep of her tongue over her lower lip. Her body jerking and bucking beneath him.
Jacobe groaned and reached for the glass of champagne on the table. Damn, he had to get her out of his mind. He’d been in a one-sided relationship before. If her first thought when they were in that position was that they’d made a mistake, then obviously she was still unsure about moving forward with him. That should be good. He knew he wasn’t ready for anything serious. That didn’t mean he wanted her to regret it if their relationship naturally progressed physically.
He needed to move on. He wouldn’t get caught up in a woman who wasn’t ready to acknowledge the heat simmering between them. Tonight, he was going to celebrate being back on the court and the team’s win with one of the beautiful women in the place.
Kevin walked up with three beauties surrounding him. It was divine intervention telling Jacobe he was on the right path.
“Ladies, let me introduce you to my teammates. Jacobe and Isaiah. Fellas, these beautiful ladies are Teresa, Nicole and Davina,” Kevin said, pointing to each of the women as he introduced them.
Davina, a sexy brunette with tan skin and attractive green eyes sat next to Jacobe. The edges of her tight black dress rode up her toned thighs and the light scent of her perfume surrounded him. “Congratulations on your win.” Her voice was like warm honey.
“Thank you,” Jacobe said. He shifted away to give her more room on the couch, but she followed his movement, plastering her curvaceous body against his side. “Are you a fan?”
“Of basketball, no. Of you, most definitely.” Her hand played along his thigh.
Jacobe waited for the arousal that had nagged him from the moment he’d left Danielle to take over his body. His body said yes. This is what he needed. This was what he should be doing. On a physical level he was fully capable of accepting what Davina had to offer. His brain on the other hand was hesitant. He could take Davina back to his hotel room, but he wouldn’t be satisfied. The desire pushing at him from the inside would
n’t go away. Davina wasn’t the woman that had caused the buildup.
“Excuse me, I’m going to get a drink.” He pushed Davina’s hand off his thigh and stood. Ignoring her gasp of surprise and Kevin’s knowing smirk, Jacobe left the VIP section and headed to the bar.
Calvin stood at the edge of the bar talking to one of the bartenders. Calvin was quiet and mostly kept to himself, but Jacobe liked him. Calvin always found a table for Jacobe when he popped in, and he had let him leave through a secret exit once when Jacobe had wanted to avoid the paparazzi.
“Calvin, what are you doing hanging out at the bar?” Jacobe and Calvin clasped hands.
Calvin moved to the side to give Jacobe more room at the bar. “I like to come out and check on things every once in a while. I don’t spend the entire night in my office.”
“You really aren’t enjoying all the perks of owning one of the hottest clubs in New York. If you let these women know who you were you’d have most of them trying to take you home tonight.”
Calvin chuckled but shook his head. “Not interested in taking anyone here home. Too much of a chance they’d come back angry when things didn’t work out. Speaking of which, why did you leave a beautiful woman to come hang out at the bar?”
Jacobe shook his head and motioned for the bartender to come back. “Crown and Coke,” he ordered, before turning back to Calvin. “I’m not interested.”
A knowing expression covered Calvin’s face. “Really. Who’s the woman?”
“Who said there’s a woman?”
“Whenever a man is uninterested in a beautiful and willing woman it’s usually because there’s another woman he doesn’t want to answer to.”
The bartender returned with Jacobe’s drink. He took a sip and shook his head. “Not the case here. I’m still single.”
“Single and pining, from the looks of it,” Calvin said with a grin.
A hand slapped him on the shoulder. Jacobe turned to Isaiah. “Sorry to interrupt, but I think it’s time to go.”
Jacobe looked at his watch. “We just got here.”
“Believe me, it’s time to go.” Isaiah emphasized the last words.
Calvin straightened. “What’s wrong? Is someone giving you any trouble? I can get rid of them.”
“Not yet,” Isaiah said.
“What do you...” Jacobe’s words trailed off. Christy strolled up behind Isaiah. Her new man, some actor she’d started dating after she’d split with Jacobe’s former roommate, best friend and teammate. The real father of her child.
“Hi, Jacobe. Good game tonight,” she said in a sweet but hesitant voice. She looked good. Honey-toned skin, curved to perfection, long silky hair. She wore a tight red dress that was high on her thighs and low on the cleavage.
She met his eye boldly. The question that was always in her light brown gaze when they ran into each other still there: Are we cool now? Hell, no, they weren’t cool. Never would be. Not after what she’d done to him.
He looked to Isaiah. “You know what, it is time to go.”
Christy held up her hands. “Don’t be that way, Jacobe. There’s no reason for you to leave just because I’m here.”
He glared at her, too pissed to talk. The way she was so blasé about the entire situation grated on his nerves. Her disregard for the way she’d betrayed him was a slap in his face.
He brushed past Christy without a word. More than ready to get the hell out of there.
“Hey, man, you heard my woman talking to you,” the not-quite-B-grade actor she was dating said. “I can’t let you disrespect her like that.”
Jacobe’s rage stiffened his spine and he spun back to the guy. “This ain’t your fight, man. Stay out of it.”
“It’s my fight when you disrespect my woman.”
“Your woman doesn’t deserve my respect.” He cut a glance at Christy.
Christy raised her chin. “It’s been four years, Jacobe. Can’t we get over it?”
The comment was so stupid he almost laughed and would have if he wasn’t so pissed that she’d asked him that. “Get over it?” He ran a hand across his face and took a deep breath. She wasn’t worth the fight. “You know what, you ain’t even worth it.”
Christy’s lip twisted. “You always were emotional and soft. You don’t know how to let things go. What happened with Jake wasn’t all my fault,” she said referring to their...no, her son. “You’ve got to accept your part.”
The word was on the tip of his tongue. The same word that Danielle had used just the other day. He could taste it, feel it with the boiling hot rage searing through his veins. He bit it back. He hated her but wouldn’t call her that in public.
“To hell with this, and you.”
The actor threw a punch. Jacobe dodged, but the edge of the guy’s fist grazed his chin. Jacobe threw a body shot that knocked the wind out of the guy, followed by a swift upper cut that had him sprawled on the floor. He glared down at Christy’s date, then at her and shook his hand out.
“But I’m soft,” he said with a sneer.
Ignoring the flash of camera phones, Jacobe threw an apologetic look at Calvin, who only shrugged, then turned his back on Christy. Davina stood nearby. He was jittery, jacked up on anger, frustration, need. He could continue to pine for Danielle. Her voice rang through his head: This was a mistake.
Or he could move on. He took Davina’s hand. Her smile was eager and willing. “Let’s go.” He led her out of the club.
* * *
Danielle stomped across the hall into Debra’s office. Debra wasn’t there. Grunting, Danielle spun around and marched to the kitchen. Debra was leaning against the counter, sipping from a cup of coffee and reading a trade magazine.
“Did you see that email?” Danielle asked, annoyance in her voice.
Debra slowly lowered the magazine and frowned. “What email?”
“The lead singer for the band we hired to play at the gala next week just found out he has to have surgery. They’ve got to cancel.”
Debra shrugged and went back to scanning the magazine. “Then we’ll hire a DJ, instead.”
Danielle tapped her foot on the floor. “How are we supposed to find someone on such short notice?”
“I’m not saying finding a replacement will be easy, but it is possible. One of the interns mentioned knowing a DJ. If that doesn’t work out, my gynecologist plays drums for a band. He’s mentioned giving them a call if we ever need someone to step in.”
“Any good band or DJ will be booked already.”
“Really? I didn’t realize mid-April was prime band season.”
Danielle narrowed her eyes, but her foot stopped the incessant tapping. “Don’t be annoying.”
Debra slapped the magazine on the side of her leg. “You stop freaking out. Is this about that report on Jacobe over the weekend?”
“Why would that report have anything to do with us needing a band for next Friday?”
“The fact that you didn’t ask what report means you know what I’m talking about and you are pissed off about it.”
More like angry, jealous and confused. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“What’s ridiculous is you acting like you don’t care about what happened with Jacobe over the weekend when you two are dating.”
Danielle held up a finger. “We are not dating.”
“That long disappearance on the boat the other day says you are.”
Heavy footsteps stopped at the door behind Danielle. “That long disappearance was a mistake. At least, that’s what Danielle says.” Jacobe’s deep voice.
Danielle sucked in a breath and spun around. A few days’ worth of beard covered his square jaw. Black Nike training pants and a matching shirt made her very aware of every muscled inch of him.
He looked directly at Danielle. “Can we talk?”
She
nodded. “Sure. I need to speak to you, too.” Throwing a glance at Debra, Danielle ignored her friend’s told you so look. She led Jacobe toward her office.
“Actually, can we talk outside?”
“Sure.” The suggestion was appreciated. She didn’t want to be cramped in a room with him when he looked sexy, smelled divine, and memories of the way he’d brought her pleasure in the cabin of his yacht floated through her head.
Danielle traded her heels for a pair of sneakers she kept in the mudroom, and then they walked toward the beach. Lots of clouds blocked the sun. The air was still warm, but when a breeze blew over them Danielle pulled her cardigan tight and crossed her arms.
“What did you want to talk to me about?” he asked.
“I wasn’t sure if you still wanted to come to our gala next Friday. I didn’t want to put your name on the reminder emails if the plans had changed.”
“Why do you sound like you’ve changed your mind?”
“I wasn’t sure what the thought process was after your fight this weekend.”
She wanted to ask about the woman he’d been photographed with leaving the New York club, but didn’t. They weren’t together. No matter how much jealousy carved away at her insides, who he slept with shouldn’t play into his work with the River Watchers. Even if it did play with her personal emotions.
He stopped walking and turned toward her, his face a mask of hard stone. “My thought process? Look, Danielle, if you have something to say, then say it.”
“I thought you were changing your image.”
“Christy was there. Her new guy threw a punch at me. I’m not going to let a guy try to hit me and just ignore it.”
“She was there?”
“Yeah.” He ran his hand over his face. “We run into each other every so often. Each time we do she tries to act like we’re friends. Like I should be over what happened.”
One More Night Page 24
