by A. C. Arthur
“What else would you like to try?” she asked, curious as to what thoughts were going through his mind. She was perfectly aware of where her torrid thoughts were headed.
“With you? Everything,” he said simply.
She couldn’t stifle a smile. “Not with me, silly. I mean in life. You said you always knew you wanted to open a casino. Well, you’ve done that. What else would you like to do?”
He paused and she moved down to lotion the backs of his thighs. She straddled one leg at a time loving the feel of his muscles against her skin. Linc was a gorgeous male specimen, one she hungered for.
“I’ve been thinking of working on my personal life. It gets a little lonely in that penthouse at night.”
“How could you possibly be lonely when you live in a casino? You are constantly surrounded by people. And then you have your family when you tire of strangers. Some people would say you have it all.”
Linc turned over, taking his time so as not to send her sprawling over the blanket. He stared up at her and she grasped the bottle of suntan lotion. His gaze was heated, almost indecent, but his words were surprisingly calm.
“Do you think I have it all?”
“I think…” She licked her lips. “I think that you have a pretty good life from where I’m standing.”
“I thought that too for a while. But lately I’ve been feeling incomplete.”
“Really?” She’d felt incomplete for the last eight years.
“You missed this side.” He nodded down at his chest.
She was shifting quickly between her physical reaction to him and the emotions he’d been stirring since last night. She had to get a grip or he’d think she was as kooky as the girls at that dorm party eight years ago. “No, I didn’t. I was waiting for you to finish talking.”
He smiled and her bikini bottom became damp. She was fighting a losing battle.
With her hands well-lathered with lotion she moved to his chest and leaned over awkwardly to apply it.
He grasped her by the hips and lifted her to straddle him. “You’ll get better coverage this way.”
Better coverage and a better feel for why her temperature had risen a few notches. “That I will.” She sighed then placed her hands over his chest and rubbed. He sat up straight, leafing his fingers through her hair as she applied the lotion more thoroughly.
“I always thought you had lovely hair,” he said absently.
She prayed her heart wouldn’t beat right out of her chest then chanced a look at him. “The first time I saw you I thought you should be on the cover of a sports magazine.”
“I played football in high school but in college I focused more on academics.”
“I like a man with brains.”
His fingers splayed over her hips and down to her bottom.
“What else do you like?”
Now that was a loaded question and one she couldn’t answer because heat was soaring through her veins, pooling in her center to the point that she seriously contemplated stripping and taking him right here and now. The sound of cascading water not too far in the distance was a welcome solution, one she didn’t intend to pass up.
She slapped her hands to his chest then stood. “Race you in,” she challenged.
Linc looked up at her. Gloriously long, perfectly shaped legs led to the small wisp of light-blue material draping low on her hips. The small indentation of her navel, her flat stomach, the curve of her breasts jutting forward covered in the same light-blue material, nipples puckered so that they poked through like tiny stars twinkling seductively at him. He swallowed hard then mustering all his strength, stood. “See ya!” he yelled before taking off down the beach.
Jade yelped and ran behind him.
The water was cool against his heated skin as he wadded in deeper until it came to his chest. In one swift motion he submerged himself, hoping, but knowing instinctively that it would not cool him off. Jade in that skimpy bathing suit, Jade with her hands all over him, Jade straddling him and looking at him with desire so openly visible in her eyes had his whole body ablaze. When he resurfaced, he dragged his hand over his face and opened his eyes. Water splashed over his face quickly and repeatedly. He shook his head trying to catch his breath.
“You big cheater!” Jade yelled as she continued to splash him.
He laughed and walked toward the flailing woman, grabbing her around the waist. “I didn’t cheat. You’re just slow.” Pulling her closer he looked down into her smiling face, her sparkling eyes, and felt a grip around his heart. Her lips curved into a smile as her arms circled around his neck. God, he wanted to kiss her right now. He wanted to hold her in his arms and keep her safe, keep her happy.
With a firm grip on her waist, he lifted her so that her feet no longer touched the ground. She gasped, her mouth opening slightly. Her lips hovered scant inches above his as he let her body slide down the length of his, until they were perfectly aligned.
When his lips finally touched hers everything else ceased to exist. His arms tightened around her as he nibbled on her lower lip. The soft skin swelled in his mouth and he hungered for more. Extending his tongue he ran it across the inside of her lip. She moaned, her arms tightening, pulling his head closer.
He took her top lip between his teeth, biting down lightly as she dragged her tongue across his bottom lip. All the blood drained from his head, finding a nice warm spot at his groin. Tilting his head, he opened his mouth and plunged, offering her a part of himself he’d never offered any woman before.
For a minute he felt her hesitate and panicked. But then she opened her mouth in response, her tongue mingling fiercely with his. He held her tightly letting his tongue lavish the contours of her mouth, his hands running up and down her back. When her legs wrapped around his waist he groaned into her mouth, pulling her closer—if that were possible. His hands cupped her bottom, holding her tightly as his mind decided that he would never let her go.
Jade rubbed her throbbing center against the rim of his boxers even though she knew it was a mistake. He was delectably hard as she lowered herself so that his erection passed directly over her opening. His kiss was persistent, his tongue delving deeper and deeper until he almost swallowed her whole.
Water splashed from the stream splattering them in cool drops, effectively bringing her out of her erotic haze but thrusting her into a romantic bliss. She tore her lips away from Linc’s even though he continued to hold her in the circle of his arms. Jade opened her eyes, the sky and waterline swirling in the distance. When she was able to focus on him, on the deep brown of his eyes, the chiseled outline of his face and the desire that was so perfectly clear, she slid down his body, passing that awesome arousal as it now pressed against her stomach.
“I never imagined being like this with you again.” She’d dreamed it but she’d never been a believer of dreams coming true, especially not where Lincoln Donovan was concerned.
“Do you like it?” He ground his hips against her.
“I like it very much.”
In a flash his hand was beneath the rim of her bikini bottom pushing the slip of material down her legs. “Then show me.”
She didn’t give it another thought but linked her arms around his neck and hoisted her legs around his waist, locking them at his back. The water made her almost weightless but with Linc’s strength she knew that whether they were under water or on ground he would have still been able to rid himself of the trunks keeping her in place at the same time. “How’s this?”
He smiled, kissed her quickly, his tongue dipping into her mouth momentarily. He shifted then slipped his arousal deeply into her. “That is perfect.”
Chapter 9
“We should talk about last night. And just now.” She lay on her back on top of the Tweety blanket naked. Her bikini top had been tossed to the side when they’d come from the water. Her bottom she assumed was still in the water.
This was not how she’d planned to tell him. Things had happened quickly betwe
en them and she’d been too weak or too aroused to stop it. Now, however, her resolve was back.
Linc lay on his back, too. Reaching between them he took her hand in his. “Last night was very special to me, Jade. You are special to me. I hope you know that.”
Not quite special enough since he hadn’t said he loved her. It was funny how desperately she’d wanted him to say that. Even just a few minutes ago she’d felt the change between them, felt the closeness grow and connect. But he hadn’t said the words.
That proved beyond any doubt that what she was about to do was for the best. The bottom line was that the next man Jade willingly gave her heart to would have to be worthy. He would be ready to commit to her without a second thought. She would have no fear that he was going to break her heart. Linc could not actively participate in a relationship, he’d told her so himself.
He’d said he was selfish and self-centered. She wondered if those were the real reasons. These last few days she hadn’t seen either of those traits in him. At any rate, he didn’t want a commitment and she wasn’t willing to accept anything less.
“I enjoyed myself, too, Linc. But what I mean is, well…” Where were the words? Her mind was totally blank. Especially with him touching her.
“Take your time, baby. I’m not going anywhere.”
His words gripped her heart like a vice and she wanted to cry out in pain. Instead she remained focused, her gaze skyward. Big, puffy white clouds dotted the blue background. She could lose herself in those clouds. Then she wouldn’t have to deal with the here and now. She wouldn’t have to deal with her feelings for Linc. But that was cowardly and she wasn’t about to go out like that.
So she took a deep breath and recited the words she’d worked on this morning. “Last night was really nice, but we both know it’s not smart to let it happen again. I understand that I am still technically in your employ and that at this point it’s pretty much voluntary. But I’m not backing out of our deal. I just want to add a few stipulations to our agreement.”
Linc sat up then and stared down at her. “Excuse me?”
“I’d like to revise our agreement. Specifically the sleeping arrangements.”
He quirked a brow at her and she acknowledged then that she was totally nude and so was he. This wasn’t the ideal situation to be having this conversation but it was either now or never for her. Self-preservation had to prevail over embarrassment or even arousal this time.
“From now until the end of this week I will sleep alone. You can either sleep on the couch or the floor, it’s your choice. And there will be no more touching.” He was watching her intently and she grew even more uncomfortable. Pulling her hand out of his she searched the bag for her shorts and slipped them on. Then she found her top and put that on, too.
All the while Linc watched her not saying a word. The fact that he hadn’t responded gave her more time to gather their things, to gather her strength. She knew Linc. At least she now knew him better than she had before. He wasn’t going to let this rest. He wasn’t going to accept it easily. But she would be stronger. She would walk away whole this time. That’s what she’d promised herself the first day she’d agreed to this arrangement.
“You can’t change things now,” he said quietly.
So quietly she almost didn’t hear him. But she turned and he was sitting there staring at her. “Yes. I can.” He didn’t understand how much she had to do this.
“What’s really going on, Jade? Are we back to that social status thing because I thought we went over that last night.”
“You said you didn’t think of me as being in a different class from you. I believe that’s not what you think. But that doesn’t change the facts. At any rate, that’s not why I’m suggesting the change.”
“Then what is the reason? Is it about last night? Because I didn’t leave—”
His voice trailed off but she finished the sentence for him. “No. You didn’t leave me this time. At least not for good.”
He dragged a hand down his face. “Jade, I’ve apologized for that.”
She nodded. “And I accept your apology. But it doesn’t take the pain away.”
“Then how can I take the pain away? I can’t change the past so tell me what I can do to make the present better?”
She desperately wanted to tell him. But she knew it wouldn’t matter. “There’s nothing you can do, Linc. It’s just something I have to deal with. Besides, the agreement was for a week. We’re two mature adults. Surely we can go the next three days without touching each other. Without being with each other.”
“What happens if I don’t agree?”
“Then I’ll leave.”
“What about the debt?”
She stiffened. “I told you in the beginning that my body was not for sale.”
Linc had physically flinched when she said those words. Did she really think he was paying for her to sleep with him? Well, wasn’t he?
He was confused. Everything she was saying was coming out of left field. He thought that for once in their history together they were on the same page. Last night had been incredible, so much so that he couldn’t wait to be alone with her today. And today had been incredible. How come she didn’t feel the same?
“You can’t leave.”
“I can and I will if my stipulations aren’t met,” she said adamantly.
Linc clenched his teeth and stared at her then relaxed as he realized what she was really doing. “Are you going to punish every man for what he did?”
Her eyes widened. “What are you talking about?”
“Charles Benson. You were supposed to marry him but he abandoned you. Are you really still angry with me or am I taking the punishment for him?”
She looked confused and hurt. “I…” she began, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “He has nothing to do with this.”
“Doesn’t he? You wouldn’t have been in my casino if he hadn’t stolen your money.”
She gasped. “How did you know that? Did you have me investigated? How dare you!” she raged.
“Calm down. It wasn’t like that,” he said when she was about to go off again. “I investigated you like I would investigate any new employee and because I knew that you weren’t telling me the whole story. I wanted to help.”
“So you slept with me? Knowing what I’d just been through you seduced me anyway. How honorable of you.”
Linc swore. No matter what he did or said she was determined to think the worst of him. He figured it was the price he had to pay for helping sour her against men. But this had gone on long enough. He cared about her now, surely she had to realize that.
He grabbed her shoulders, pulling her hard against his chest. “I slept with you because I wanted you. You slept with me because you wanted me, too.” When she didn’t respond he loosened his grip on her and brushed a hand over her cheek. “I’ve apologized for what I did eight years ago. There’s nothing more I can do about that. But I can’t make amends for another man’s mistakes.”
She’d been watching him intently, her eyes filling with tears. Tears that undid him completely. Again he swore and let out a deep breath. He’d never had to force a woman to sleep with him and he wouldn’t start now. If this was what she wanted then this was what she’d get. “I’ll accept your stipulations regarding the sleeping arrangements. But I won’t stop touching you.”
To further prove his point he traced a finger over her cheek. “I can’t stop touching you.”
Her tears came freely then and Linc held her as she purged herself, whispering into her hair, “I’m sorry that he hurt you.”
She shuddered against him and he held her tighter. She was so strong, so independent. She wouldn’t have allowed herself to hurt before because there was nobody to ease that pain for her. But he was here now.
His anger toward Charles Benson formed a fiery ball in the pit of his stomach and he knew instinctively how to soothe this pain for Jade, how to make her whole again.
Lin
c and Jade walked through the front door of the house hand in hand. Again, the dynamics between them had shifted. Jade felt weary of the emotional turmoil and wanted only to claim some time to be alone to think. She’d agreed to stay with Linc for the duration of the week. There wasn’t much choice in that matter. And Linc had agreed to her stipulations, sort of. Now she needed time to adjust to their new standing, time to strengthen herself for the days ahead.
But her bad luck struck again.
“Lincoln! I’ve been waiting for you,” a high-pitched voice sounded upon their entrance.
Jade recognized the voice before she looked in the direction from which it came and her insides boiled. Hadn’t she dealt with this woman yesterday? Was she really that dense that she hadn’t picked up the hint?
“Hello, Leslie. I wasn’t expecting to see you today,” Linc said in what Jade surmised as a pleasant tone.
Leslie Kindle wasted no time moving as close to Linc as she possibly could considering he was still holding Jade’s hand. “I know. I just decided to stop by since we really didn’t get a chance to finish talking yesterday.”
With that the vixen had the audacity to toss Jade a searing look.
Damn. The last thing she felt like was putting somebody in their place but she would not be disrespected no matter how physically and mentally tired she was. “Good afternoon, Leslie. I see we still have a misunderstanding,” Jade said tightly.
Linc squeezed her hand and spoke. “I’m sorry, Leslie, but I don’t really have time to talk to you today, either.”
“But Lincoln, you always make time for me.” Leslie pushed up against Linc’s left side, her voice lowering to a whining drawl that sent chills up Jade’s spine. “Besides, I checked. There aren’t any Vincents of importance around here.” Peering around Linc, Leslie gave Jade a satisfied smile.
Jade wrenched her hand from Linc’s and moved to stand in front of Leslie. “While you were checking you should have researched how many Vincents were known for kicking ass!”
“Oh, my!” Leslie cowered behind Linc. “You see, I was right. She has no breeding or class. You really shouldn’t be wasting your time with her, Lincoln.”
