Single, Sexy...And Sold!

by Vicki Lewis Thompson

  His breathing became uneven as the fire raged in his eyes. With deliberate intent she went to her knees.

  He drew in a quick breath, but he didn’t stop her. The knowledge that he wanted this as much as she did surged through her veins like hot lava. The blood roared in her ears, muting his soft moan as she took him into her mouth.

  And how she loved him—delighting in every gasp, every groan, every quiver of his sculpted body. For the first time in her life she longed to give pleasure to a man even more than she wanted to take her own. And there was no doubt it was pleasure she was giving. He whispered her name, his voice rich with tension, as a fine trembling took him.

  Her heart swelled as she realized how vulnerable he was at this moment, when she was about to strip him of all control. Then firmly and tenderly, she did exactly that. His guttural cry rained down on her as she took all he had to give.

  Only when he lifted her to her feet and kissed her fervently did she register the deep, pounding desire in herself. Before she quite realized how he’d done it, he’d urged her back to the floor, back onto the quilt she’d dropped. His mouth found all the burning, aching places on her passion-flushed body, and at last he slipped his hands beneath her hips and lavished attention on her as she had on him, returning tenfold the gift she’d given.

  After the glory of it splashed over her and receded a little, leaving her more content than anyone had a right to be, she lay cocooned with Jonah in the quilt. She put her head on his chest and listened to his steady heartbeat. Jonah’s heart. He stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head. Jonah’s hand. Jonah’s lips.

  She was with Jonah. With a sharpness that was almost painful, she realized how much she wanted to be with him long after this weekend was over. Her scheme, still hidden from him, loomed larger every moment. He would understand, she told herself. He would be happy to help. But the thing was, she didn’t really know. And she was very afraid to find out.

  AS NATALIE’S HOST, Jonah decided he should offer her the chance to sleep. Tomorrow could be a challenging day as they both tried to return to their normal routine with the media hot on their tails. He didn’t have the heart to point it out yet, but after tonight’s escape from the Plaza she’d probably have as many reporters hounding her as he did. She wouldn’t like the attention, and she’d need some rest in order to deal with it.

  So he put on his briefs and even suggested she unpack whatever nightgown she’d brought to wear in her suite at the Plaza. But when she pulled out a frothy pink number and held it up, he shook his head.

  “You don’t like it?” she asked.

  “I like it a lot. If you put that on, we won’t sleep.”

  “What’s your point?” Her smile of invitation made his pulse rate climb.

  “I’m afraid I’m going to wear you out.” He couldn’t believe it, but he wanted her again, less than a half hour after the kitchen episode. He wondered if he’d be able to fix a meal in there ever again without getting hard. Even the beer, which usually had a calming effect on his libido, hadn’t put a dent in his craving for her.

  “Why don’t you let me decide if I’m worn-out or not?”

  He shook his head. “I’m determined to let you sleep, at least for a little while. Let’s see what I can come up with.” He crossed to his dresser and dug through the bottom drawer. Finally he found an old FDNY T-shirt. After many washings it was frayed and faded to sidewalk-gray. It shouldn’t look sexy on anyone. As long as she wore the T-shirt, he told himself, he’d be able to leave her alone for a couple of hours, which would make him feel more like a civilized man and less like a ravenous beast.

  He hadn’t counted on the hole. When she pulled it over her head it reached to midthigh, and she looked like a little kid in her big brother’s shirt—until she moved and one pert nipple poked out of the hole over her right breast.

  She glanced down, then looked up at him, mischief in her eyes. “Peekaboo.”

  He groaned. “Put it on backward.”

  “But I like it this way.” She slipped her finger in the hole. “I’ll bet this would tear away in no time.”

  He struggled for self-control and found enough to reach over and flip off the wall switch, plunging the room into darkness. “We’re going to bed to sleep,” he said firmly.

  “If you say so. Which side do you want?”

  Gradually his eyes grew adjusted to the darkness and he could see her standing at the end of the bed. He didn’t have a particular side because he’d never shared a bed with anyone long enough to establish a pattern. Yet he answered from instinct. “The side closest to the door.” Without even thinking, he’d put himself between her and any potential danger. In the space of a few hours she’d become so precious to him that he wanted to protect her from all harm.

  She walked to the far side of the bed and climbed in.

  As he watched her slide under the covers, a wave of tenderness swept over him, and he stood there wondering why that small action should stir him so. Finally it occurred to him that this little scene of a man and woman quietly climbing into the same bed, supposedly to sleep, was quite domestic. The thought of sharing the same bed with Natalie night after night held more than sexual appeal. Until now, he hadn’t understood the depth of his longing for a wife, for children, for a home. Sex wasn’t the only thing he wanted from this woman.

  Yeah, right. The minute he climbed into the bed, he felt her heat calling to him. She snuggled close and her exposed nipple brushed his arm. He could tell by the firmness of it that she was aroused.

  “Good night,” she whispered.

  “Good night.” He lay there fighting his imagination. There would have to be a hole in the T-shirt. Right where he could lean down and taste her. And she’d deliberately stuck her finger in the hole to remind him of how much fun it would be to widen the hole, to tear that old T-shirt right away and—“Oh, hell.”

  She was giggling from the moment he grabbed her. How he loved turning those giggles into gasps of pleasure. The T-shirt gave way with a satisfying rip, and he feasted on her breasts until they were both wild and straining toward the moment of connection. He fumbled in the drawer and took out a condom.

  Breathing hard, she grabbed it away from him. “Let me.”

  “Be quick.”

  “I will.”

  He squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his jaw so that he’d last through the sensation of Natalie unrolling the condom over his throbbing erection.

  “Oh!”

  At her startled cry, he opened his eyes and looked at her, but he couldn’t see her expression in the dark. He could, however, see his penis. It was glowing.

  “I’ll be damned.”

  Her voice was choked with suppressed laughter. “You didn’t know?”

  “The guys at the station…”

  “For tonight?” She giggled.

  “For tonight.”

  Her laughter filled the room. “You look like…” She paused and gulped back fresh giggles. “You look like you just sprouted your own personal Jedi light saber!”

  It was pretty damn funny, but he had other things on his mind. “I did,” he said, rolling her to her back. “And you’re about to feel the power of the Force.”

  She continued to laugh as she wound her arms around his neck. “Will you make me light up, too?”

  “Guaranteed, Princess.” He pushed deep inside her. Home.

  10

  SOMETIME DURING THE NIGHT, as he slept a little and made love to Natalie a lot, Jonah admitted to himself he’d been wrong to judge her by her wealth. His initial reaction when he’d first seen her playing in the park with Bobo was the one that counted. Her outrageous bidding at the bachelor auction had thrown him off track, making him think she was a flake.

  Instead, she was everything he dreamed of in a woman.

  By the time they sat across the breakfast table from each other sipping coffee and smiling whenever their glances met, he’d decided he was in love. That would explain his goofy deligh
t in hearing Sunday church bells, someone whistling on the street below and the sound of a child running down the hall.

  Breakfast wasn’t much to brag about. He’d managed to scare up some bread for toast and a jar of grape jelly, plus the coffee. But she hadn’t seemed to care, and he certainly wasn’t concerned about food. The only problem they had, as near as he could tell, was that the media would descend on them the minute they appeared in public. He’d already begun plotting ways they could escape and spend the day alone together. He wanted to wander with her among wildflowers and green grass, perky songbirds and sunshine. Yep, he had it bad.

  He reached across the table and laced his fingers through hers. “Your dog cost you a lot of money, you know.”

  “Bobo?” She rubbed her thumb against his palm. “Why do you say that?”

  Even such a simple caress made him want her. He couldn’t get over the effect she had on him. She wore one of his Knicks T-shirts this morning because the FDNY one had been reduced to rags. This one had no holes in it, unfortunately, so he’d probably just do the normal thing and pull it over her head.

  But he ought to at least let her finish her toast, so he continued the conversation and let his anticipation build for what would happen after breakfast. “Well, it’s just that we didn’t need that stunt of Bobo’s to bring us together,” he said. “I would have asked you out eventually, anyway.”

  “Really?” She looked totally surprised.

  “Sure. I’d seen you at the park several times, and there was never a guy with you, so I was hoping you were single. I’d planned to stop and talk to you soon.”

  “Is that right?” The concept seemed to completely capture her attention. “I had no idea.”

  “Which means you didn’t notice me on my afternoon runs.” He grinned at her. “I guess I should be insulted.”

  “I’m sorry to say I didn’t notice you. I can’t imagine why, but everything worked out for the best, anyway.”

  “I’m sure the literacy people feel that way. But frankly, I wish we’d met in a normal way and you’d just quietly donated to the cause and taken your tax deduction. It’s been a rough few months for me.”

  She squeezed his hand. “I’m sorry about that.”

  “Water over the dam.” He looked into her gray eyes. Damn, but he was happy. “Right this minute I’m not nearly as sorry as I used to be. In fact, I’d go through it all again if I knew you’d be waiting for me at the end of the line.”

  Her expression softened. “That’s a very sweet thing to say.”

  “You’ve made the torture worthwhile.” There was more, much more, he could admit, but he hesitated. She seemed to be as involved as he was, but this was a delicate part in any relationship. They’d shared a fantastic night, and he thought they were building a foundation for more fantastic nights, but he wasn’t completely sure if she would agree. “I guess you must have felt something click between us when I saved your dog,” he said, fishing a little.

  “Well, I—”

  “I mean, it’s pretty hard for me to believe that you’d spend that money just to thank me. You had to be thinking there might be something between us to go that high in the bidding.” He waited for her ready agreement, and when it didn’t come, his heartbeat kicked up a notch. The longer he waited, the faster his heart pounded. He wasn’t happy with the uncertain look in her eyes.

  Oh, God, maybe she was trying to decide how to let him down easy. Maybe all she’d wanted was a one-night stand with the local hero, and she had no intention of linking up permanently with a guy who didn’t match her financial status. The coffee and toast began to roll in his stomach.

  She took a breath. “Actually, I—”

  “Hey.” His head throbbed and his gut churned with acute disappointment. He’d just made a fool of himself. He shoved back his chair and stood. “Forget I said anything. Obviously I’m way off base here. I thought—well, never mind what I thought.” He was desperate to end the moment. “Listen, feel free to use the shower and get cleaned up if you want. I’ll call you a cab. You’re probably eager to be on your way, and I’ve been keeping you.”

  “Jonah! Please sit down. There’s something I need to tell you, something I should have told you before, but we were having such a wonderful time and I hated to—”

  “You’re married to an old geezer in a rest home.”

  “No. If you’ll just—”

  “You’re married to some international tycoon you hardly ever see.”

  “No! I’m not married at all! Please sit down.”

  So she wasn’t married. He didn’t have to face that particular nightmare. But he couldn’t sit down. The way his insides were heaving around, he might have to excuse himself to go into the bathroom and be sick to his stomach. “Just say it, Natalie. I should have known this was too good to be true, that you were too good to be true.”

  “I wish you wouldn’t jump to conclusions like this.” She stood, apparently needing the movement as much as he did. “Okay, here’s what happened.” Her voice trembled slightly, and she began to pace, tapping her clasped hands against her chin.

  He took some satisfaction in her nervousness. At least it wasn’t easy for her to explain to him that he’d been had, literally.

  “My mother saw the news the night you rescued Bobo.”

  “Didn’t everybody.”

  “You inspired her to start writing a romance novel with…with you as the hero. She tried to get in touch with you to get more information, but you were unreachable, so when I saw that you’d be in the bachelor auction, I…” She glanced at him. “Oh, Jonah, don’t look like that.”

  He wondered how the hell she expected him to look. The idea of some society matron amusing herself by writing a romance using him as one of the main characters gave him a case of hives. But there was a deeper issue here.

  He’d gone into this weekend like an eager pup, tail wagging, thinking that Natalie hadn’t been able to resist his charms, when all she’d really wanted was some information for her mother’s book. No wonder she’d been so delighted to see his apartment. No wonder she’d asked about his firefighting injuries. No wonder she’d been so interested in his family background. And no wonder she’d wanted to make love to him. The thought that their night’s activities could show up in her mother’s manuscript made him want to hit something.

  He cleared his throat. “So is that what last night was about?” he asked quietly. “Research?”

  “No!”

  He turned away, unable to accept her denial in the face of all the damning evidence to the contrary. He’d always wondered how laboratory animals felt, forced against their will to be part of some godlike creature’s experiment. Right now he had a pretty good idea, and his reaction was unprintable. “I wish I could believe you, but after all, you spent thirty-three thousand dollars to help your mother get information about me. Even for someone as well off as you, that’s not exactly chump change. It’s only logical that you’d want to get your money’s worth.”

  She gasped as if she’d been slapped.

  He glanced back at her.

  Her face had lost all color and she had a death grip on the back of the kitchen chair. “Is that what you really think?”

  “Let’s put it this way. Your mother gets the notion to write a romance, and you casually pay out thousands to rope me into helping out. I can’t relate to that kind of behavior, Natalie, so I couldn’t begin to guess how you operate. I figure anything’s possible.”

  “Just like that, you’d judge me guilty.”

  He tried to get past the ache in his heart and find out if he was being too hasty. But when he added up the facts, he still came to the same conclusion. Natalie had said her mother “understood” the outlay of money, so apparently they’d plotted together to buy his cooperation, using Natalie as the bait. It was a game they were playing, and they had the money to play it.

  “You don’t have to answer,” she murmured. “I can see it in your eyes. Give me five minu
tes to get dressed and I’ll be out of here.”

  Although he knew that was the only possible outcome, he still fought a sense of panic, knowing she was about to walk out of his life forever. “You don’t have to—”

  “If you have no more respect for me than that, I do. And don’t bother about a cab. I’ll walk to the corner and find one. I wouldn’t want you to compromise your security.” She walked past him and down the hall to the bedroom, closing the door quietly behind her.

  Jonah rubbed a hand over his face. Was he making a terrible mistake? If she’d frantically begged him to change his mind, if she’d even resorted to tears, he might have been more sure of his judgment, more sure she was simply continuing to manipulate him for the sake of her mother’s book. But her icy calm and her dignified exit made him doubt himself.

  She acted as if she thought her behavior was perfectly justified, though God knows how she could rationalize it that way. Perhaps she’d admit she should have told him sooner, but other than that, she apparently didn’t see a thing wrong with her actions. She didn’t think this plan to buy him and use him for her mother’s new hobby demeaned either him or his profession. But he felt demeaned. And most of all he was deeply hurt that she hadn’t wanted him for himself.

  Did she really expect him to play lapdog for the rich ladies and be a role model for a romance-novel hero? He shuddered at the thought. It would be worse than parading naked down Fifth Avenue. Besides, there was the danger that Natalie’s mother would get the damn thing published. With her financial resources she could probably pay to have it published herself. Then she could very well decide to use his local fame as a springboard for sales. What a disaster that would be.

  Natalie appeared in the kitchen doorway dressed in her white sweatshirt and slacks, her small suitcase in one hand, her purse over her shoulder. “Thanks for a wonderful weekend.” Her eyes glistened.

  His stomach clutched as he realized she was about to cry. No matter how shallow her original motives might have been, they’d shared something special during the night, and she obviously didn’t like this parting any more than he did.