What A Girl Wants (Harlequin Blaze)

by Jamie Sobrato

  “Did you touch yourself?” he whispered.

  Jane slid her hands inside his shirt and ran her fingers up his back. “I…tried, but it wasn’t the same.”

  When he spoke again, Luke could hear the strain in his voice. “What wasn’t the same?”

  “Touching myself—it didn’t compare to you touching me. I tried picturing you, but it wasn’t right, wasn’t what I wanted.”

  She found the front of his pants and unfastened them. Then he felt her hands tugging his boxers down, taking him out, gripping him. He closed his eyes and let his head sag, his forehead resting on hers.

  “What do you want?” he asked, just to hear the answer from her lips.

  “I want you, right here, right now. Inside me.”

  Luke slipped one hand between her legs and found her nearly dripping wet—and not from her bath. She hadn’t been kidding about wanting him.

  He lifted her up and braced her against the door. And when she wrapped her legs around him, he held her there with his hips and his erection found its home, straining at the entrance. She was so ready he slid right in, and she clung to him as he began to move inside her, going a little deeper each time.

  With each thrust, she seemed to melt into him more. Her breath came out in shallow pants, and he watched a look of sheer ecstasy transform her face into one he recognized from the day before. She’d lost all her inhibitions again, changed from Jane the author into wild Jungle Jane, his perfect lover.

  Something about their union felt different this time, more intense, more real. His mind nearly numb to all thought, he could only drive himself into her again and again in a frenzy brought on by the sweet sensations of her hot wet flesh encasing him.

  If perfection existed, he’d found it.

  Luke felt himself getting too close to the edge, buried so deep within her. He knew he wouldn’t be able to stop and take his time if he didn’t slow down now. But then he felt her urging him on, bucking against him. And as he increased the pace, blind to everything but the goal, she cried out. Her muscles contracted in waves, and he lost all control then. His release was blinding and hard, in time with hers. They went over the edge and into free fall in perfect unison.

  Luke held on to Jane, buried his face in her hair, wishing he could somehow consume her. He wanted her all for his own, no more playing around. So what if they’d only just met—when it was right, it was right.

  And this was right.

  Only after he’d recovered from the spasms of pleasure and regained his ability to think clearly did he realize that all those hyperintense sensations were the result of his not wearing a condom.

  Damn it, he’d never screwed up this badly before. Not even with women he’d been with long-term. He’d always prided himself on his meticulous use of protection. And now this. His gut clenched as the possible repercussions flashed in his mind.

  Jane had come to her senses too and was placing butterfly kisses on his shoulder and neck.

  “I forgot to wear a condom,” he said.

  She froze, and he felt her holding her breath. She finally released the air in a curse.

  “I’m sorry. This has never happened to me before.” He withdrew himself from her and let her back down on her feet.

  “It’s just as much my fault as yours.” She looked him in the eye but seemed almost embarrassed having to discuss such a clinical issue on the heels of their lovemaking. “I take birth control pills, and I was clean on my last checkup. I haven’t had sex since then, except with you.”

  “I’m clean too.” He took her into his arms and held her against him.

  Inhaling her peppermint scent, savoring the feel of her warm and naked against him, he almost forgot about the huge mistake they’d just made. Remembering, he picked her up and carried her into the bedroom, where he lay her down on the bed and then stretched out beside her. Raising up on his elbow, he realized for the first time that he was still completely dressed. He hadn’t even taken off his boots.

  “Whoops,” he muttered as he swung his feet back off the bed, then unlaced and tugged off the boots. When he was back in place beside her, he rested one hand on her bare belly and propped his head on his other hand.

  “I’m sorry about that. I guess I should have—or we should have…” She sighed.

  “Slowed down?”

  “Yes.”

  “That’s the best hello I’ve ever gotten.”

  Jane giggled, then expelled a weary sigh. “It’s a little scary to lose control like that.”

  No kidding. The pull between them was almost too strong, too intense for people who’d only just met. Luke wanted to explore the possibilities between them, but if it meant making another stupid mistake like the one they’d just made, he knew something had to give. They needed to slow down, gain a little control over their desires…Easier said than done.

  His hand, resting on her belly, got an itch to move downward. His fingertips barely brushed her pubic hair, and if he just moved a few more inches south, he’d be right where he wanted to be.

  Damn it. He jerked his hand away from her and rested it on his own hip, his fist clenched in frustration.

  “Is something wrong?” Jane asked.

  “I was just about to lose control again, that’s all.”

  She closed her eyes and sighed. “I was hoping you’d touch me. Guess I ought to get dressed, hmm?”

  Yes, she should get dressed. That would take away some of the temptation, at least. But he couldn’t say it. Instead, when she began to sit up, he grabbed her by the waist and held her there beside him. His cock went from half-mast to full in an instant.

  “Stay here,” he heard himself say against his better judgment.

  A slow smile spread across Jane’s mouth as she rolled toward him and spooned against his side. “If I’m going to be naked, it’s no fair that you get to keep your clothes on.”

  She had a point there, dangerous as it was, but before he could make a decision, she began unbuttoning his shirt. He watched her, growing more aroused with each unfastened button. In the dim lamplight from the nightstand, he could see that her hair was beginning to dry in thick ringlets, and her creamy skin had the sort of glow in the soft light that the Old Masters had tried to capture in their subjects.

  In fact, she did look like a painting, lying there beside him. A very erotic, riveting painting. Then the painting began to kiss his chest, and he decided she was right—clothes were only going to get in the way.

  JANE AWOKE to the sound of Luke getting dressed. She rolled over and watched him in the moonlight for a moment before glancing at the clock. It was nearly five in the morning. He’d slept over, and she couldn’t quite say why that thought gave her such a thrill—or why the thought of his leaving left her feeling vaguely panicky.

  He must have heard the change in her breathing from sleeping to wakeful, and he turned to find her watching him.

  “I need to go home and get ready for my meeting.”

  “Can I make you some coffee?”

  “No, don’t get up. I’ll grab something at my place.” He sat down on the edge of the bed and leaned over, then placed a soft kiss on her lips.

  She found herself actually sort of glad she’d accidentally sent that e-mail earlier. It meant she’d gotten to spend the night burning off all the sexual energy that had built up inside her, and now she felt mentally prepared to resist Luke’s charms for as long as it took. She’d be able to focus completely on writing again, let him do his job of protecting her, and all would be well. Maybe she could even stop feeling like such a hypocrite all the time.

  “Lock the door behind me, okay?” Luke said as he stopped in the bedroom doorway.

  Jane crawled out of bed and grabbed her robe from the back of the bathroom door, then followed Luke out to the foyer. He gave her another lingering kiss before he left, one that left her imagining they were a real couple.

  Jane went back to the bedroom, flopped down on the bed and sighed. She could smell Luke’s
sage-and-leather scent on her pillow, which wasn’t going to help her put him out of her mind. Instead, she hugged the pillow to her and made a mental note to wash the sheets later, after she’d gotten another few hours of sleep.

  But her brain wasn’t ready to sleep. Instead, Luke’s challenge to her the day they’d met popped into her head. He’d told her he wanted a chance to prove her wrong. And she’d been confident enough in her relationship theories to think he didn’t stand a chance.

  So now what? Had she really been so horribly wrong all these years? Had her advice to countless women been misguided and prudish? The sad truth was, she had no idea.

  How had having sex with Luke influenced her life in the past two days? It had been incredibly pleasurable, that was for sure, but she couldn’t say the impact on her had been altogether positive. For one thing, sex was suddenly all she could think about. For another, the long-term repercussions had yet to be determined, and they were bound to be negative, weren’t they?

  She tried to imagine what kind of future she and Luke could have—her, a woman who firmly believed in restraint and moderation in all matters sexual, and him, a guy who unleashed passions in her she didn’t even know existed until two days ago. She’d never seen a relationship that started out based on sex, like theirs had, grow into a lasting love.

  Maybe, subconsciously, she’d been setting them up to fail and prove her relationship theories right by hopping into bed with him right away. Maybe under other circumstances, they might have a more promising future…or not. She honestly couldn’t imagine being in the same room with Luke without lusting after him. No, theirs was a relationship doomed from the start, born of sexual urges gone unchecked.

  Jane tugged the covers up tight against her chest and wondered if she could continue following her desire for Luke for a short time—all in the name of field research, of course. The idea sounded unethical, at best. What she should do was just cut the sexual relationship off before it snowballed into an obsession. She’d gotten it out of her system as of last night, she hoped, at least enough to move on and let Luke be her bodyguard and nothing more. Feeling at peace with the decision, she forced all thought from her mind.

  As soon as she closed her eyes, the phone rang. Jane’s heart pounded double-time at the unwelcome sound, and she immediately thought of the threatening calls that had stopped since she got her number changed. No, this couldn’t be. It was likely just Luke, calling from his cell phone for some reason, since he was the only person who knew she was awake.

  Smiling, she picked up the phone on the nightstand. “Did you forget your underwear?”

  On the line, she could hear breathing. “I know your bodyguard just left,” an unnaturally low voice said.

  Jane’s stomach did a flip-flop, and she felt a cold chill run through her. Her first instinct was to slam the phone down, but she sat frozen with fear. Whoever this creep was, he was watching her, and he knew she was alone.

  “Where are you?” she asked, surprised at the steadiness of her own voice.

  “I’m close.”

  Jane glanced around the room, staring at shadows. She realized as she did it that her behavior was irrational, but she couldn’t control the impulse.

  “Who are you?”

  “I’m a concerned reader, Jane. I’m worried that all your lousy advice is going to get someone hurt. Someone like you, or your sisters.”

  Jane gripped the phone, fear ripping through her. “How do you know my sisters?”

  “I can’t tell you that, Jane, but I know who’s getting it on with who, and I’m disappointed that you’ve started humping your bodyguard. That makes you a hypocrite and a whore.”

  The line went dead, and Jane sat on her bed, suddenly shivering. She tugged the covers up to her chin but felt too vulnerable just lying in bed like a frightened child. A weapon—she needed a weapon. She immediately regretted not owning a gun, but at least she had the kitchen knife she’d started keeping in her nightstand a few months ago. After she’d dug it out of her nightstand drawer and gripped it in her hand, testing the feel and weight of it, she felt a tiny bit more secure.

  But suddenly, every window, every doorway, felt like a danger zone. Was he watching her now? Was he lurking somewhere close by? Why would he watch her house and call her when he knew Luke had gone, if not just to toy with her and leave her feeling vulnerable?

  Jane hurriedly dressed, taking care to avoid the bedroom window. She could only hope the phone call meant he had no intention of attacking her now, because it wouldn’t help him to have given her a warning.

  But why had he mentioned her sisters? Why now, after all this time, and how did they fit into the picture? Another knot of fear formed in her belly as she thought of them being in danger. She may not have liked her sisters all the time, but she loved them fiercely.

  Her hands shaking still, she picked up the phone and called the police. The operator promised to send an officer out right away to make sure no one was watching the house now. And then she called Luke, only to get his voice mail. As she listened to his recorded message, she decided there was no point in leaving a message when he couldn’t do anything at the moment, anyway, so she hung up.

  And she waited. Creeping from room to room, she peeked through the curtains, looking for any sign of her stalker, but she saw nothing.

  Fifteen minutes later, a squad car pulled up and she watched a police officer get out and come to her door. Once she’d assured him she was okay and that she hadn’t seen anyone around, he left to check the neighborhood and promised he’d let her know if he found anything.

  Knowing the police were nearby gave Jane a slight sense of peace, until she thought of her sisters again. And then she realized she should have called them all immediately to warn them.

  Jane hurried to the phone and dialed Lacey and Jennifer’s apartment. They lived the closest to Jane. Once she’d called them and warned them to be on alert for anything strange, she called Heather’s house.

  After six rings, the answering machine picked up, and Jane left a message about the call she’d gotten. When she hung up the phone, she sat down on the edge of a chair. She was overflowing with nervous energy.

  Heather probably hadn’t answered the phone because it was so early in the morning. Maybe she’d heard the message and would call Jane back. Or maybe Jane should try calling again….

  She hit the redial button and listened again as the phone rang six times and the answering machine picked up. This time, she left no message. She dialed again, and got the machine again. Dialed a fourth time and hung up in frustration when the answering machine clicked on yet again.

  Jane put the phone down on the table and picked her knife back up, clutching it between her knees as they bounced nervously and her mind raced. She had to do something besides sit there, or she was going to go crazy.

  She couldn’t think of a single reason why Heather wouldn’t answer the phone after so many rings, unless she was spending the night at Michael’s house. But Heather had told her only last week that she and Michael were sleeping separately for the month leading up to the wedding.

  A thud against the front door gave Jane a jolt of terror. The knife clattered to the floor and she scrambled to pick it up. When she peered out the front window to see what had made the noise though, all she saw was the morning paper lying on her doorstep—and the delivery lady driving on to the next house.

  Her heart beating wildly, she collapsed on the couch for a moment. The sight of something as normal as the newspaper delivery lady, with the sun rising over the rooftops outside, made it feel as though the phone call hadn’t really happened, as though it had just been a bad dream.

  But it had been real. She had to go to Heather’s house, she realized then. She wouldn’t be able to relax until she knew all her sisters were safe, and maybe she could even spend the day hanging out with Heather to distract herself from her own knife-clutching, jittery nervousness.

  Jane shoved her feet into some jogging shoe
s, brushed her teeth, and gathered her mess of curls into a ponytail. By the time she stepped outside, the morning was drenched in sunshine, and her neighbors were getting in their cars, driving off to work. No psychotic weirdos in sight, but that didn’t make those first few steps toward the car any less terrifying.

  On her way to her sister’s house, she turned on the radio and tuned in to Jax Reed. He was busy ranting about something his producer had done to piss him off, so Jane half listened as she drove and watched her rear-view mirror obsessively.

  The house Heather had recently bought with Michael, to be their home after they got married, was only a fifteen-minute drive, and when Jane pulled into the driveway, she got a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach to see Heather’s Miata parked in the driveway. If her sister was home, why wasn’t she answering the phone?

  Jane rang the doorbell and waited a minute, then rang it again and knocked loudly just to be sure she was heard. A few moments later, she heard footsteps in the hallway, and then Heather opened the door and stood there, safe and sound, obviously having just woken from a dead sleep. She tugged a red satin robe tighter around her waist and blinked into the morning light. Her hair was standing out in odd directions, and her red lipstick from the night before was smeared on her chin. Strange. Heather always removed her makeup before bed.

  “Jane? What are you doing here?”

  “Why aren’t you answering your phone? I’ve been trying to call.”

  “Oh. I turned the ringer off last night.”

  Jane heard footsteps in the hallway and decided not to ask why. Obviously Heather and Michael’s little one-month stab at restraint had failed miserably.

  “So nothing strange has happened here?”

  “No, why?”

  “Can I come in? It’s a long story.”

  Heather’s expression went from confused to panicked. “Um… Um, sure. You can come in, but… It’s just that Michael’s friend Bradley is staying here right now. He’s using the guest room while his place is being fumigated.”

  Bradley?