Whisper

by Rose Middleton

  Roxanne blinked and dragged her mind out of Jett’s bed. “It’s a radical idea but it might work. Are you willing to look at it with an open mind?”

  O’Connor nodded eagerly. Movement behind him out in the hall made her look up. Air jammed in her throat at the sight of Jett standing wide-eyed and mouth agape staring at them. She moved quickly, almost running across her office while he ran to barge in on her meeting. The swinging door missed her by an inch but Jett only had eyes for the man still sitting in one of her wingbacks.

  “Why, you—”

  Roxanne pressed her hand to the centre of his chest, relishing the warmth beneath her palm and needing to forcibly remind herself he’d hurt her. “Outside.”

  His eyes turned to her and the essence of him within her swelled. Bright blue irises blazed wild and confused, but he relented and backtracked until they stood outside her closed door.

  “But that’s—”

  “I know.”

  “You’re not going to—”

  Pain replaced the anger in his voice, twisting her heart and stalling her for a moment. They connected again and the strength of it threatened to drown her. How could she miss a man who didn’t respect her? Why couldn’t she use his misconduct against him? She had every right to and a tiny voice demanded she do it, but she held no conviction to hurt him. Not that way.

  Holding her chin up, she met his accusatory gaze head-on. “You trust me, don’t you?”

  His expression wavered.

  “I didn’t betray you, right?”

  Under her hand, his heart thundered against the wall of his chest. The solid wall expanded against her hand with his deep breath. The sound kissed her ears with such familiarity her resolve to make him understand why she’d been so angry wobbled. Especially when the flare in his pupils suggested he’d breathed her into his lungs and embraced her closeness. But despite his sexy smile and bedroom eyes, she needed to remain strong. Giving in to their shared chemistry was a lousy solution to their problem.

  “Roxanne, I—”

  “Answer my question, Jett. You do trust me not to betray you, yes?”

  The fight went out of his eyes and he gave in with a sigh. Hot air caressed her skin and she felt his apology touch her heart. “Of course I do.”

  She gave a hint of a smile and stepped closer, using his heat to steady her. “Then let me deal with him.”

  He lifted a lock of her hair and wound it around his forefinger. The way his gaze traveled over her face made her scalp prickle with delight.

  “What about us?” he whispered.

  “How am I supposed to forgive you?”

  His hand covered hers, pressing it harder to his chest. Blue eyes pleaded for her to listen and the genuine regret in them helped heal some of the ache in her heart. “I know I was wrong and I should have waited. You weren’t ready and I’m sorry I couldn’t see that. I wish there was more I could say.”

  He’d said enough, both with his words and his heart. She didn’t understand how or why she could forgive him. Perhaps it was the man whose life she felt she knew inside-out, who’d become a part of her when she wasn’t looking. Perhaps it was the connection that only seemed to gain strength every time they touched. Or perhaps it was because he’d shown her a way out of the workaholic, one-way-ticket-to-stressville lifestyle she’d created for herself. Whatever the reason, she’d forgive him but not before she let him stew over her answer a little longer.

  “Everything we’ve shared has been so intense and it’s moved very fast. You need to give me a little time, Jett. Can you do that?”

  Brimming with confidence, he nodded and squeezed her hand. “As long as you need. Now would you go and get rid of him before I lose it and deck him?”

  * * * * *

  He fidgeted nervously with the corner of his suit jacket under the table. Waiting had never been an asset, but as he sat opposite the beautiful, erotic romance author Lora Devine, his impatience frustrated him. He should be grateful she’d offered him a chance to redeem himself and he should be ecstatic that he’d proven he deserved it, yet all he could think about was whether Roxanne would forgive him.

  Beside him, his Whisper sat quiet and still. Though she was close enough to touch, he resisted the urge, knowing the moment they made contact would open the floodgates. They needed to be alone and he could hardly concentrate on Lora’s comparison of their presentations. It no longer mattered to him who won the account and though the prize on offer tickled the back of his consciousness, something much bigger was at stake.

  Beneath the table, Roxanne’s warm fingers touched his, instantly soothing his nerves. The gentle rub of her skin across his lulled him into a serene calm and the unexpected raking of her fingernails over the back of his hand made the hairs on his nape stand to attention. Desperate to turn to her, he ground his teeth and tried hard to focus on the author building to her announcement. He wanted to win more than ever and vowed to use the weekend of his victory to prove he could go without magic.

  Lora’s gaze met his but he couldn’t read her thoughts at all. Curious, he paid better attention to the woman.

  “I appreciate your efforts, Jett, and I enjoyed your presentation. What you lack in experience, you more than make up for in pizzazz. But Roxanne knows what I do, she’s worked with erotic romance authors before. It’s a pity I can’t have you both. I’m sure you would be dynamite together and I suspect that it would make for some very feisty promotional campaigns. But if I must choose—”

  “Hold on.”

  Roxanne’s grip on his hand almost made him yelp as everyone turned toward Addison.

  “Did you just ask for them both?”

  Jett spun back in anticipation of Lora’s answer.

  “I did, though I understand that’s not feasible.”

  He suddenly felt like he was at a tennis match as he swung around and focused on Addison. Would Roxanne massage the kinks out of his neck?

  “Hmm.” Addison rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “That’s an interesting prospect. Certainly not something I would have thought of.”

  Jett thought his head might explode if Addison didn’t address him soon. Roxanne’s answer was made clear by the way her fingers threaded through his under the table. Of course they could work together and perhaps it would pave the way for more joint ventures. Though it left their little wager in limbo.

  “You make an interesting observation, Lora, about the way these two complement each other. I’ve noticed that even though they’ve been supposedly competing, they’ve spent a lot of time together.” Finally Addison turned his old gray eyes onto Jett. “If this is what they can do individually, I can only imagine what surprises they have in store working together. It’s an unusual request but I’m curious to see what they come up with. Jett?”

  He nodded. “I love the idea.”

  “Roxanne?”

  “I think we can make this work.”

  With the arrangement settled, they celebrated with a round of handshakes and smiles and when Addison took Lora to get a start on the paperwork, Jett found himself alone with Roxanne. Just the way he wanted. He watched her hips sway as she walked to the door and closed it and his mouth watered when she turned to him, cocked a hip out to one side and rested her hands on the delicious curve. Ever since she’d come to work for Taylor & Taylor, she’d ditched the miniskirts in favor of tailored pants and figure-hugging knee-length skirts. All in all, he adored the new look.

  “Do you want to know about Greg?”

  Jett shook his head. This moment had nothing to do with that loser. “No.”

  “Well, I will tell you just so you’re not kept in the dark. I made a few phone calls and convinced my former employer to take him on.”

  He frowned. “How?”

  Her sneaky little grin made him want to smile too. “My former boss Celeste has a thing for trying to fix broken people. She thinks she can change anyone and welcomes the challenge. When I hinted that she’d be signing a potential Taylor & Taylor cli
ent out from under the firm’s nose, she leapt at the opportunity. So she’s happy, he’s happy and you don’t need to worry about him exposing you.”

  Rising to his feet, he shook his head in admiration of her cunning move. “So you rescued me?”

  Roxanne bit her bottom lip and shrugged. “I’d call it helping out a friend but hey, whatever you tell yourself.”

  Jett chuffed at her attempt to play down her actions. As much as he wanted to cross the room and get close to her, he chose to stay put. The more he got to know about her, the more she impressed him. “So we’re good then?”

  “Not so fast,” she said, her stern voice belying the sparkle in her eyes. “Just because this is settled doesn’t mean our problem is.”

  “Let me make it up to you.”

  One eyebrow arched high into her bangs. “How do you propose to do that?”

  Oh, I have quite a few ideas. “Give me one night to show you that I know what I did was wrong. That’s all I ask.”

  “One night?”

  He nodded.

  “You think that’s all it will take?”

  No, but he had no intention of being greedy. Jett closed the distance between them. The moment he got within range of her scent, his body hardened. “If, after one night, I can’t prove to you that I can love you without magic then it’s your choice what happens next.”

  “No magic?”

  The hope in her voice made him reach for her and, with a hand curved around her hip, he brought her body against his. “No magic. For you.”

  She stretched toward him, her lips hovering close enough to devour. Jett held back. If he gave in now—

  “All I want is for you to respect my wishes. It really hurt to think you’d go against what I asked. I trusted you.”

  He trailed fingertips along her cheekbone. “I made a mistake.”

  The tear that appeared in the corner of her eye stunned him. “I know and your intentions were honorable. Just don’t ever make the same mistake.”

  Thumbing the moisture away, he kissed her nose. Her eyelids fluttered down, the picture of her upturned face so beautiful and honest it made his heart squeeze. She was willing to trust him, one more time. “I’m so sorry, Roxanne.”

  “I want to be with you, Jett. No magic. Just you.”

  Jett lowered his cheek to hers and rubbed against her fine skin before realizing he still wore his whiskers. Pulling away, he winced at the reddened abrasion but she only smiled and turned her cheek to him in invitation. With the ghost of a kiss, he whispered, “And that’s all you’re gonna get. Just me.”

  * * * * *

  Friday night couldn’t come quick enough and when it did, he found himself bared, bound and breathless. As he lay on the hotel bed, his hands secured to the posts of the board and his body a slave to anticipation, he tried to piece together the last few moments.

  He remembered Whisper opening the door. Her long silk gown showcased every curve he’d lusted after all week. He’d stepped in, gathered her in his arms and joined them by the sweetest of kisses. His restraint left him proud but obviously vulnerable because she’d had him stripped and hogtied in a matter of minutes.

  “Whisper?”

  Her singsong laughter rang through the room and he wished she’d hurry out of the bathroom. When she stepped into the doorway and he saw the accessory she’d gone to retrieve, he whimpered with joy. The jolt to his cock made her grin, but tearing his gaze away from those long, silk gloves seemed impossible. She wore only one, all the way to her elbow. The other, clasped in one hand, she whipped against her open palm in a suggestive display of dominance.

  “Do you remember our deal? If I won, I’d get to dominate?”

  Jett swallowed hard. His mouth dry, he couldn’t talk. He nodded.

  “I realize that we both won and you’ll get your turn, which is why I booked the room for the whole weekend. But tonight, I’m claiming my prize. You, no magic and this pair of gloves. Any arguments?”

  Sliding his gaze down her beautiful body, Jett shuddered. How the hell did he get so lucky? From a one-night stand to a partnership both in and out of the bedroom, he couldn’t help but think all his Christmases had come at once! The sight of her luscious curves made his mouth water and he licked his lips hoping she’d let him lick her. It’d be easy if he was in charge but he wasn’t, and the thrill speeding through his veins spiked his temperature.

  “I’m all yours.” He winked.

  Roxanne sauntered into the candlelit room. A dance of light and shadow flickered on her gown but his eyes zeroed in on the single loose glove. Mesmerized, he held his breath as she dragged it up his leg. The contact made his muscles twitch. Blood drained from his head to his groin, swelling his cock with near painful force. She swirled the fingertips of the glove around the stiff rod, tickling the hairs and leaving behind a trail of fire.

  “You and me.”

  His mouth became even drier. Worry sat heavy in the pit of his gut. Could they be as good together without the magic?

  “We’ll make our own magic,” she assured him as if reading his mind. “We make a great team, Jett. Trust in us.”

  He wanted to relax but his muscles continued to clench. Roxanne leaned down and peppered his bulging biceps with feather-light kisses, urging him to relax. But the ends of her hair trailed over his chest and the heightened sensitivity sparked need deep in his heart. He opened his mouth to speak but she shook her head to shush him and directed the kisses down the center of his chest and belly to the erect shaft straining toward her.

  Her tongue darted out to touch the tip of his cock and he smiled at the way her eyelids fluttered down. “Hmm, you taste so good.”

  “You’re going to make me wait, aren’t you?”

  He caught a glimpse of her grin before her mouth descended and took in his length. Wet heat surrounded him, pulling a long needy moan from his throat. The intense suction that followed tested his patience and though he held off the orgasm, she persisted, driving him to distraction. Tremors raked through him from head to toe, growing stronger the longer she tended to him.

  She wasn’t going to make him wait at all, was she? Quite the opposite, and she’d succeed if she didn’t back off. Jett’s control slipped and his hips jerked toward her. Whisper’s hand slid between his thighs to massage his balls, the added intensity forcing his eyes closed so he could concentrate on not coming in her mouth.

  Without warning, she pulled away. The sudden loss of her heat gave him some breathing space but it didn’t last long, the long silk glove tightening around the base of his cock.

  He swore under his breath. She smiled.

  “Would you rather I removed it?”

  “Don’t you dare.”

  Hitching her gown up around her thighs, she straddled him, her wet flesh kissing the tip of his cock. The skin-to-skin contact sent shivers up his spine.

  “Condom,” he choked out.

  Whisper shook her head. “We’re safe, unless there’s something you need to tell me.”

  Jett lifted his hips and rubbed against her. “You know everything, sweetheart.”

  Fire flashed in her eyes as she took his length into her, surrounding him with warmth. In silence, she rode him, bringing them both to the edge of climax. His cock thickened once more, pushing against the glove and driving him over the edge. Her eyes widened before her inner muscles squeezed him hard, milking every last drop from him before she fell onto his chest.

  Jett grinned. “Yep. No arguments here.”

  About the Author

  I’m an ordinary Australian girl who puts family first and, fortunately or unfortunately, sometimes lets my career get out of hand. A teacher by day, romance writer by night, my life is full of good things. I write because I’m passionate about it, because it’s in my heart. I love the escapism, the adventure and the life I live vicariously through my characters. Most of all, I relish the challenge of bringing sensual, delightful and fulfilling stories of romance to life.

  I wr
ite contemporary romance, romantic suspense, action/adventure, and paranormal. I’m a sucker for a happy ending and I love following my characters as they fall in love.

  Rose welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

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  Also by Rose Middleton

  Catch Me If You Can

  Grounded

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