She stroked his firm stomach. “You thought wrong.”
A challenge flew from his eyes. “Wrong?” He reached out and slid a finger down under her panties with exact precision, through her curls, parting her. She almost came undone when he began a delicate manipulation, her head falling back as he continued the action, her bended knees weakening. She wasn’t sure how long they would hold her up.
He laughed low in his throat. “No, I don’t think I was wrong at all.”
From somewhere she found the strength to straighten up. This had suddenly become a game of who would succumb first. Oh, she knew she couldn’t win—not the way he was making her feel—but she’d give it a damn good try….
“Then you’d better think again,” she murmured, deliberately slipping her fingers under the waistband of his pajamas, slowly pushing them down to his knees. She took in the sight of his manly hips, the arrow of curly hair, his shaft hard and fully erect, ready to take, to conquer and to totally consume her.
Reaching out, she slid her hand around his thickened length, then proceeded to stroke him. “Oh, yes, dead wrong.”
Without warning, he flipped her backward onto the mattress.
Her eyes widened. “Hey, that’s not fair.”
“Tell it to someone who cares,” he drawled.
Then he shed his pajamas, and her panties soon disappeared. His kisses became deeper and hungrier as she returned each one. He ran his hands over her, touching places that came close again to making her lose her head. Hot on her trail.
“Adam, please,” she begged, when he rubbed himself between her thighs, then moved away, leaving her wanting. “I need you.”
“Shh.” He reached over to the night table.
She turned her head on the pillow and watched him take a condom from his wallet. “You knew I’d sleep with you?” she said half to herself, but she wasn’t angry with him. She couldn’t be. She just wanted him inside her.
“I was hoping.” He sheathed himself before slowly entering her, and then he began the heated thrust of his body. It was slow, it was deliberate, and it sent shock waves of sensation pulsing through her veins.
And when she finally did lose her head, Adam did too, locking them together on an unstoppable journey until they exploded their release.
Seven
The next morning Adam lay in bed beside Jenna, watching her sleep in his arms. It amazed him that he wanted her again so soon with so much hunger. Sure, he was a man with a healthy sexual appetite, but when he woke in the morning with a woman in his bed it always felt like he was dining on a light breakfast. Of course, more often than not he usually wanted something light anyway.
But with Jenna, it was as if he was being offered a wholesome breakfast…as if it filled him…completed him even…as if she satisfied something substantial in him.
Last time he’d felt like that had been with Maddie.
Bloody hell!
He dropped his eyelids again, pushing all thoughts of his late wife to the back of his mind. This wasn’t the time or place to be thinking about the woman who had introduced him to love.
When he opened his eyes again sometime later, Jenna was looking at him. “I see you’re not an early riser.”
He gave a low chuckle and pushed himself forward against her. “I wouldn’t say that.”
She blushed. “You know what I mean.”
“No, show me.”
Her hand touched him and he was instantly lost. Afterward they showered together, made love again, then dressed and headed downstairs.
Adam had to admit he was surprised by her. Other women wanted to talk and decipher everything, sometimes wanting a declaration of love or commitment, yet Jenna seemed to be happy to just be with him.
And when they walked into the breakfast room to find Todd and Chelsea there alone, Jenna didn’t gloat, like the other women he knew would gloat at being made his lover. In a way he wished she would, rather than being sensitive to Chelsea’s feelings. It was what they were here for after all.
Yet how could he fault Jenna when her actions were showing him a depth of character he was only now beginning to appreciate?
“Good morning,” he said, holding a chair out for Jenna but smiling at Todd and Chelsea. For a moment the other couple sat there in a kind of stony silence, making him suddenly aware of the tension in the air.
Then Todd put on a forced smile. “Good morning. Did you both sleep well?”
Adam sat down next to Jenna, but he watched Todd. “Yes. What about you two?”
Todd’s smile was tight. “Terrific. This country air has me sleeping like a log.”
“I’m glad someone did, then,” Chelsea snapped, much to Adam’s surprise. He felt Jenna startle, too.
“Chels…” Todd said in a warning tone.
For a second Chelsea looked as if she would snap at him again, but then she seemed to realize she had an audience. She pulled a face. “Sorry about that. I’ve got the beginnings of a headache.”
Adam remembered what Todd had said about Chelsea’s female problems, but her excuse just now didn’t gel. It had been too glib.
“Perhaps you should go lie down,” Jenna said sympathetically.
Antagonism flared in Chelsea’s eyes, then banked, and she put on a bright smile for everyone to see. “No, I’ll be fine.”
At that point Adam suspected that Chelsea’s ill health was more likely due to her jealousy over seeing him and Jenna in bed together last night. For a brief second he wondered if he hadn’t unwittingly dumped Jenna in the middle of something impossible, but then he remembered she was tough. If Jenna could handle him, she could handle Chelsea.
The arrival of the other guests in the breakfast room brought a flurry of chatter. Chelsea seemed to go into overdrive, her eyes extra bright as she turned into the perfect hostess. It didn’t disguise the hint of hostility in the air, though after watching her send one or two dark glances at her husband, Adam had to wonder if this was more about Todd than not.
“So this morning we have a lot of activities to get through,” Chelsea said now. “There’s tennis, horseback riding and swimming to choose from, or you can choose all three—if you’re game,” she joked, with a wink. “And after lunch I’ve arranged for a tour of a local winery. I can guarantee you’ll love it,” she enthused just a little bit too shrilly.
Adam saw Jenna dart a look at him, and he knew instantly what she was thinking. He agreed. He didn’t want to stay any longer, either.
“I’m afraid we can’t stay, Chelsea,” he said, placing his napkin on the table. “Jenna and I both have to get back to the city for another commitment that’s come to light.”
“But you can’t!”
He stiffened in anger. No one told him what he could or couldn’t do, especially not someone who had no claim to his time.
Chelsea seemed to notice she’d made a mistake, but that didn’t quite stop her. “Surely you can stay, Adam,” she said in a pleading tone. “Please say you will.”
Her comment irritated the hell out of him. It would have irritated him whether he and Jenna were lovers or not, but she appeared to be ignoring Jenna, and that was the height of bad manners. “Sorry,” he said, not sorry at all.
“But—”
Todd pushed to his feet then, sending his wife a hard look before turning to their guests. “How about we all go change into something more casual so that we can start the activities? Chelsea has arranged a selection of sports gear for anyone who may need it.” He glanced at Adam and smiled. “Let me know when you and Jenna are ready to leave, Adam,” he said, silently indicating he had no problem with their early departure. “I’ll see you off.”
Adam nodded, then cupped Jenna’s elbow and pushed both of them to their feet. “I will. Thanks. We won’t be too long.” He led Jenna out of the room, but another couple followed and conversed with them as they went up the stairs.
In the bedroom he was still disgusted by Chelsea’s actions. “Let’s get our stuff together,
” he said, striding away.
A couple of seconds passed, then she said, “Chelsea was upset.”
He turned at the entrance to the walk-in closet and saw she hadn’t moved. “It’s because she knew we’d made love last night.”
Jenna blushed a little, even as she looked baffled. “Didn’t she already believe we were lovers?”
“Yes, but seeing us in bed together must have finally hit home.”
She nodded, then a sigh escaped. “I’m glad we’re leaving soon.”
“So am I,” he said pointedly, growing fascinated by her pink cheeks. Thoughts of Chelsea faded from his mind.
As if trying to ignore her own embarrassment, Jenna tilted her head. “Do you really have a commitment in the city?”
This woman was enthralling. “Yes.” Casually he leaned against the doorjamb, slowing things down for a few moments. “I’m committed to making love to you all afternoon.”
Her eyes flared with pleasure. “I see.”
He loved the little pulse that started throbbing at her neck. If he hurried back to her, he could put his lips against it…no, then he wouldn’t want to stop. He’d want to pull her into his arms and make love to her again.
“Come on,” he said brusquely, pushing himself away from the wooden frame. “Let’s pack our things and get out of here.”
Todd was waiting at the bottom of the stairs when they came down. “Chelsea asked me to give you her apologies. She and some of the others have gone to the stables.”
Adam was relieved not to be seeing her again so soon. “That’s fine, Todd. Please give her our thanks.”
Jenna smiled. “It’s been a lovely weekend. I’ve really enjoyed it.”
“I’m glad.” Todd’s expression seemed strained. “And I’m sorry about things this morning.”
Adam looked at his friend with concern. “Is everything okay between you and Chelsea?”
Todd waved a dismissive hand. “Don’t take any notice of Chels. She’s just on edge with…everything.”
Adam wanted to ask if the “everything” involved him, only he couldn’t. If he was responsible for Chelsea’s bad mood, he certainly didn’t want Todd to know it.
Just then, two of the male guests came out of the drawing room and saw them standing in the entrance, preparing to leave.
“Hey, there’s the man who’ll remember,” one of the men said, coming toward them. “Adam, what was the name of the guy your father had convicted of fraud? It was about five years ago. Burke something or other…”
Adam froze, then he said tightly, “Milton Burke.”
“Oh, yeah, that’s the guy’s name. He ended up doing a couple of years in prison, didn’t he?” The guest didn’t wait for an answer. “Yeah, old Milt was a professional con man. He—”
“We’re leaving,” Adam cut across him, not caring if he appeared rude. Taking Jenna by the arm, he turned away and strode out the front door of the mansion to where his car was waiting. Their overnight bags had already been put in the trunk, and after a brief farewell to Todd, he drove off the estate.
“Er…are you okay, Adam?” Jenna asked once they were on the road.
He glanced at her. “Never better,” he quipped.
After that he concentrated on the driving, making it clear he didn’t want to talk. He wasn’t angry with her, just with the way things were. The mention of money and fraud back there had called to mind what stood between him and this woman who was now his lover. Stewart Branson was back between them again like a brick wall, though truth be told that wall had never really fallen down.
Dammit, between Jenna’s brother and Todd’s wife, life was getting far too complicated.
And he didn’t like it one bit.
By the time they reached the city just after lunch, Jenna was trying not to worry. Adam had been remote from the minute the mention was made of the guy who’d gone to prison for fraud. It was a powerful reminder that the Roth family was far from lenient if they were wronged.
Not that Stewart had done anything wrong. Far from it. He was the one wronged.
But with Adam so quiet beside her now, she couldn’t stop from worrying about their relationship. Was he having misgivings because they were back in town? Had it merely been the country air? A mistake on his part?
“Do you regret making love to me, Adam?” she had to ask as soon as they stepped inside her apartment.
“Time’s too short for regrets,” he muttered, then swung her up in his arms and headed for the bedroom. She wasn’t exactly sure why his words didn’t thrill her, but she was soon preoccupied enough not to think about it just then.
He left late afternoon with the promise to call.
After he’d gone, Jenna wondered about the state of their relationship. They hadn’t spoken about being faithful to each other, but would he be committed to her while their affair lasted? She had to remember Adam had no ties to her. He owed her no loyalty—except the loyalty of a lover. To her, that was everything. To him, it might not be.
No, she had to believe that he would remain faithful. He wasn’t like Lewis. Already she knew he had more integrity in his little finger than Lewis had from head to toe. She only had to see how Adam hadn’t slept with his best friend’s wife. It was admirable.
And yet—in spite of knowing that Adam would treat her well—she couldn’t help but admit something was bothering her. She was now another man’s mistress.
Again.
At least with Lewis she’d thought she loved him and that they had a future together. She had no long-term future with Adam. Their divided loyalties ensured it would never work between them anyway.
And that prompted the question—why had she changed her resolve and become Adam’s lover? She’d been so determined not to get involved, yet now in one brief overnight trip she’d slept with him. She could only think those very loyalties that stood between them showed a man who put himself second when it came to the people he cared about. She found that very appealing, especially in a successful businessman whose spare time was limited.
So here she was.
A mistress.
Again.
Perhaps she should just enjoy being his mistress while she could—even if it didn’t change the facts.
Later that evening Jenna’s telephone rang and she raced to pick it up, hoping it was Adam. “Hello,” she said, her heart thumping.
No answer.
She blinked, then listened hard, but there was only silence. “Hello?” she repeated, thinking it could be a wrong number and the other person had been caught off balance.
More silence.
She began to feel uneasy now. “Who is this?”
Another couple of seconds passed, then she thought she heard a woman’s sigh just before the person quietly ended the call.
Jenna shivered with apprehension as she replaced the handset. If it had been a wrong number, then surely the person would have simply hung up straight away. If it had been family or friends, then…
Chelsea!
She wasn’t sure how she knew it was the other woman. It just…fit. It hadn’t been a threatening silence, more disconcerting. Could Chelsea have been checking to see if Adam was still with her? And did that mean Chelsea had tried Adam’s apartment and received no answer? He was probably catching up on work and didn’t want to be interrupted.
And how the heck had Chelsea gotten her phone number anyway? She grimaced. It wasn’t really surprising, considering who the other woman was.
The question for Jenna was whether she should tell Adam about this. If she did he might put his relationship with Todd at risk, when there was no proof it had been Chelsea at all. It would be best to wait and see how things panned out first.
Half an hour later, the phone rang again. Jenna cautiously answered, thankful this time it was her mother, and pushed aside her disappointment that it wasn’t Adam.
Joyce Branson was her usual cheery self, talking about the championship game of tennis that was coming up and whining a
little about Jenna’s father being home and in the way now that he was retired. She didn’t ask anything about Adam.
Then her mother mentioned how she’d seen Vicki and the children, but said how she was still worried about Stewart being so far away from his family. That refreshed Jenna’s worry. It was amazing how on the surface everything seemed normal—even if it wasn’t. It pained her to keep secrets from her parents.
At work the following morning she found herself checking her cell phone in case Adam called. Constantly. There were no calls, but she was eternally grateful that Marco didn’t make an appearance. She didn’t think she could have stood the questions she’d have to field about her and Adam’s relationship.
Normally, she loved her job, but the day dragged and she was grateful to arrive home, eager to see if Adam called that evening. She tried to persuade herself that he probably wouldn’t for a few days, and when the phone didn’t ring over the next few hours she had to accept it. He had other priorities, she told herself, but to no avail. Her heart was just about convinced she’d hear nothing, when the doorbell rang around eight.
It was Adam.
His eyes drank her up as he stepped inside and kicked the door shut. Without a word, he caught hold of her hips and brought them flush up against him, his hardened body making her gasp. It was clear he’d been wanting her before he’d even reached her door. The thought of it made her feel more feminine than ever before.
Then he pressed her back against the wall and kissed her, and he kept right on kissing her until her toes curled in her shoes and her knees threatened to buckle. He stopped for a breath, but not for long. His fingers went on the move, working open her blouse, undoing her trousers.
“Why can’t I get enough of you?” he murmured, with a darkening look of desire in his eyes, his lips creating havoc as he bent his head and began to lavish each nipple through her lacy bra. Then he kissed down her stomach…farther down until his fingers lowered the front of her panties so he could access her with his mouth…to where she was more than ready for him.
She held his head to her while he pleasured her, until tremors started to shake her body and her breath came as fast as the upwelling explosion.
High-Society Seduction Page 9
