by Mia Zachary
Chris laid his hand on the boy’s shoulder, feeling the tight muscles beneath the Bay Academy school T-shirt and hurting for him without knowing how to make it better. “Why don’t you shut down the game and we’ll go eat.”
He led Gabe back to the kitchen, a large open space that resembled a particular Italian chain restaurant. It had a brick oven he’d never used, a forty-eight-inch programmable six-burner gas stove he didn’t know how to use and an empty deep freezer that he only used for bags of ice when he threw a party.
Chris grabbed a couple beers from the French door refrigerator—root beer for Gabe and a real one for himself—then joined his nephew at the breakfast bar. Forgoing plates, they ate the pizza straight out of the box. He killed time on idle small talk about work and classes, waiting until they were on their third slices before asking about the unexpected visit.
“So, G-man, what’s going on?” The answer he got was a shrug. “Something must have prompted you to spend ninety minutes on public transportation to get over here.”
Gabe seemed fascinated by the strips of bacon on his pizza. “I called Nana, but she said she was going out.”
Chris grimaced. “Yeah, she’s got a date.”
“Get out! Who’s the dude?” His brow wrinkled in disbelief.
Not wanting to admit he didn’t know, Chris turned back to the topic at hand. “Guys aren’t usually big on talking about their feelings, but the rules are different when beer and pizza are involved.”
Gabe dropped his fifth slice back into the box, apparently not hungry anymore. His narrow frame seemed to shrink as he slumped in his chair and fought to control his expression. His voice quavered when he finally spoke.
“Mom and Dad are never home these days. When they are, they’re fighting. About money, their jobs and stuff, about me getting in trouble at school. I’m worried, I mean, I think they’re serious this time. They keep yelling about a divorce.”
Damn. It seemed Michael and Diana had been building towards this for a while. Chris wished he could say he was surprised, but none of the three London kids had done well in their relationships. Neither his parents nor Gabe’s seemed to realize how deeply their decisions left invisible scars.
He reached over to wrap an arm around Gabe’s shoulders. “I’m sorry, kiddo. I don’t know what to say. But I’ll tell you this much—been there, done that and lived to tell the tale.”
Gabe leaned toward him, accepting the comfort for a brief moment, before shrugging off Chris’s arm and moving away. “Got anything for dessert?”
A half gallon of chocolate almond vanilla ice cream later, Chris sat near Gabe on the couch, not really watching TV so much as just being there. When Mike called to say he was home, Chris drove Gabe back to Richmond in a silence that intensified the closer they got to the house.
“I know you don’t believe this, G-man. But, whatever happens, you’re going to be okay.”
“I guess.”
On impulse, Chris grabbed his nephew around the neck and planted a kiss on his forehead before Gabe got out of the truck and walked up to the door.
NINE O’CLOCK and he had the long stretch of a night alone ahead of him.
As he got closer to home, Chris drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, his eyes on the road visible in his headlights but his mind on his empty condo. It was late to get together with friends and he wasn’t in the mood to sit at a bar or go to a club….
Inevitably his thoughts turned to Jade, the exotic temptress with the sultry eyes, the memory of whose sinuous movements and incredible sensuality had dominated his daydreams. Dreams of holding her on his lap while she rubbed against him, moaning in that breathy way of hers.
He reached down and adjusted his aching erection. What was wrong with him? It wasn’t as if he’d never been with a beautiful, sexy woman before. He’d dated some real lookers, slept with some total knockouts. But none of them had affected him like Jade. He wanted to kiss her again. For about a week. Then he wanted to strip her bare and kiss every inch of her delectable little body. Then he wanted more, much more….
The quick chirp of his cell phone interrupted his fantasy. The ringing continued as he lowered the window to let the cool air blow against his face. He picked up the phone and flipped it open, his voice raspy as he answered.
“Um, hi, Chris. This is—Jade.”
“Jade?” His brain took a few seconds to process the reality of hearing her voice.
“Yes, from Divas!”
Wow. Fantasies came true? The next thing he knew, cash would rain from the sky and his pickup truck would transform into a vintage Corvette. His face split into a wide smile, but he tried to keep his voice casual.
“How could I forget? This is just kind of a surprise.”
“Is it?” Her tone implied the call had been inevitable. And as he remembered the electric instant they first touched, maybe it had been.
What should he say? Something about the previous evening? Something about being unable to forget her? Something about being glad she called? Something about wanting her so badly it hurt? Whatever he said, it had to be smooth.
“So…How are you?”
There was a brief hesitation before he heard her take a breath. “Last night you said that what we’d shared was just an appetizer. Well, tonight I’m hungry, Chris. Very hungry.”
5
HE GOT A speeding ticket. He didn’t care.
Chris had turned the truck around and made it from one end of the city to the other in just under twenty minutes. Chris careened into the parking garage of the Fieldcrest Hotel, tossed his keys to the valet, jogged toward the elevator then turned back for his parking stub, before taking the stairs two at a time to reach the lobby.
Once there, he took a minute to catch his breath. Jeez, you’d think he’d never been on a date before. He wanted Jade under him, over him, any and every way he could have her. But she didn’t have to know all that the second they met again. Chris walked across the marble tiled lobby to the Hearthstone Pub. His gaze immediately picked her out of the crowd.
She sat at the bar, her hair upswept and her ankles crossed. But there was nothing prim about the way she looked. Metallic threads in the gold sweater she wore caught the low light. The deep cut neckline teased him with a hint of cleavage and her black silk pants flowed along her legs like water.
Amid the noise and hum of voices, Jade seemed utterly prepossessed, sitting patiently on the bar stool and ignoring everyone around her. Chris walked up and brushed a hand along her shoulder, both in greeting and for the pure pleasure of touching her. She didn’t even startle, as if it never occurred to her that anyone else might touch her.
Jade looked up at him and smiled. “Hi, again.”
“Hello yourself. Can I buy you a drink?”
She considered it for a second then nodded. “Sure.”
Chris looked at the bartender. “A draft beer for me and the lady will have…?”
“Maybe a shot of tequila, I think.”
He chuckled at the contradiction of her decisive tone and uncertain words. “Really? I would have guessed you were a white wine drinker.”
Jade gave him an enigmatic smile. “I’m trying new things.”
“All right. Then go for the best. Two shots of Cuervo 1800 Gold, please, and a glass of ice water.”
They sat in a surprisingly comfortable silence, not touching and yet hyper-aware of each other. Chris was perceptive to the heat from her body, the scent of her skin and the hint of uncertainty in her eyes even though she kept them averted. She glanced at her hands then around the bar, looking everywhere except at him. Jade seemed less confident than she’d been at their first encounter and he wondered what had happened.
Practicing what he preached to his clients, Chris set out to put her at ease. “I’m glad you called. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you.”
She finally looked up and the heat of her gaze seared him. “You’ve been on my mind as well. Last night was…hard to forge
t.”
He laughed, having noticed where her eyes had focused.
The bartender set two small glasses, a shallow dish of salt and a bowl of limes in front of them. Chris paid the tab then stopped Jade from reaching for a lime wedge. “This is premium quality tequila, aged to be much smoother. So we don’t need the taste killers.”
“If you say so.” She tipped her head, lifted her glass and touched the rim to his.
Watching her with veiled amusement, he knocked back the shot and began silently counting. One, two…He didn’t wait long. Jade’s eyes widened then started to tear as she dropped her shot glass on the bar top and gasped for breath. He handed over the ice water and grinned.
After several sips, the bright color in her cheeks receded and she was able to talk. “Smooth, huh?”
“I spent a wild drinking weekend in Tijuana back in college. Trust me, this is smooth.” Chris shook his head when the bartender gestured for another round, thinking she’d probably opt for a different drink next time. “Do you still want to try something new?”
Jade dropped her gaze again, a slight frown between her brows, and didn’t answer. She toyed with her shot glass, rotating it between her palms one way and then the other. Her expression fascinated him. Despite her sexual confidence and provocative outfit, her long dark lashes couldn’t shield her insecurity.
It would seem that the exotic temptress had an unexpected conservative side.
Chris stroked his fingers along her arm before offering her an out. “You said on the phone you were hungry. We could have a light dinner at the place across the lobby.” He angled his head in the direction of Shrewsbury’s. “Or would you rather go somewhere else?”
Just when he figured they’d be going to the restaurant, she raised her head and he watched her draw a deep breath. She looked right into him and in her gaze he saw both hesitation and longing; caution and white hot desire.
Whoa. Apparently he’d misinterpreted her expression. Jade was definitely a bad girl trying hard to be good—and failing.
“I’d rather go upstairs.”
His stomach clenched, as did other parts of his body, but he didn’t let his reaction show. He just nodded slowly, playing it cool. “Okay—”
“But first we need to talk.”
Chris reached out to take her hand. Her fingers were warm within his grasp and once again he felt sparks of attraction travel along his nerves. “I’m not seeing anyone right now but, when I was, I was careful.”
“Thanks for answering what I couldn’t ask.” Jade smiled at him and relaxed a little. “But the other thing we need to talk about is what you expect of…this?”
He knew better than to put up boundaries at this early stage, thereby limiting what could be. This was exactly what he cautioned his clients against. Hadn’t he recently chastised Grant about only wanting to get laid? But since she was being honest, he would be, too.
“I recently ended a relationship and I’m not looking to get into another one.”
The rest of the tension in her shoulders released along with her breath. “Great. And since there’s obviously a strong attraction between us, I thought maybe…”
“Maybe we could have some fun, just enjoy each other?”
She laid her other hand on his thigh. “And you’re okay with that, right?”
“More than okay. I told you last night I wanted you and I’ve only wanted you more in the past twenty-odd hours.”
“I want you, too, Chris. More than I expected. But what I don’t want are any…complications. Can you handle the idea of just mutual satisfaction, no promise of anything more?”
He allowed a slow grin to spread over his face. “Are you propositioning me, Jade?”
She raised their joined hands and brushed her dark pink lips across the back of his, all the while holding his gaze. “Absolutely.”
He leaned forward on his bar stool and cupped her cheek in his palm. He brushed his mouth over hers until she parted her lips and returned the kiss. He explored her mouth slowly, thoroughly seducing her in public without getting them arrested. Finally, he moved back.
“I’ll go and see if there are any rooms—”
Jade stopped him with the lightest touch on his arm. “I took the liberty of making a reservation after we hung up earlier.”
He grinned at her forthright expression. “You figured I was a sure thing, huh?”
“I’d hoped you might be.”
Chris stood up and held out his hand. “You were right.”
SHE WAS ABOUT to have a one-night stand.
The elevator doors slid shut without a sound and yet Rei heard a definite slam in her mind. Was she really going to have sex with a man she’d just met and still didn’t really know? This went beyond dirty dancing and fondling in dark corners. Slowly, the elevator began its ascent, moving her inexorably toward the point of no return.
The electronic room card burned in her hand. Of course Chris would be a gentleman about it if she said she’d changed her mind. When she glanced up at him, he was already looking at her. He didn’t speak or touch her, but simply held her gaze in the same quietly passionate way he had at the club. Then he slowly smiled.
Seeing it should have paralyzed her with self-doubt. Oddly though his smile had the opposite effect. In that instant, her insecurity vanished. She wanted this, she wanted him, and gladly threw out the imaginary key that would keep her real persona locked away. She chose “Jade” over “Rei” tonight. Jade the confident seductress. The bad girl.
Acting on pure impulse, she turned and threw herself into his arms. When he bent down and pulled her closer, she traced the edge of his lip with her tongue before sliding inside to explore his mouth. The tequila tasted better on his lips than in the glass.
Her hands fisted in the soft material of his shirt as she deepened the kiss. He pulled the clip from her hair, allowing it to tumble down her back before threading his fingers through the long strands. Holding the back of her head, he thrust his tongue in and out of her mouth. It was a blatant promise of things to come.
Slanting her mouth over his, she tugged his shirt out of the waistband of his jeans then slid one hand beneath the cotton fabric. Her fingers brushed over the light dusting of hair on his belly. He groaned against her lips when her hand grazed his left nipple and it beaded in response.
Cupping his hands over her butt, he held her against his rock hard erection, leaving no doubt as to how much he wanted her. Her entire body came alive and the rush of pleasure almost brought her to her knees. Not a bad idea, actually.
Omigod! Had she actually just contemplated…? Rei broke the kiss, her breath ragged. “How much further?”
Chris chuckled softly. “All the way, just as soon as we get to the room.”
“Until then, go stand over there.” She pushed him with a lighthearted shove.
He did as she asked, crossing his arms and resting his back against the wall, but his green eyes glowed with mischief. She felt his stare practically burning holes in her clothing as he swept his gaze up and down her body. The look was thrilling and not without challenge.
Chris grinned and dropped one hand to the waistband of his jeans. He held her gaze then looked down as he leisurely slid his hand lower. She followed the movement then caught her breath. Her eyes widened at the sight of his large hand cupping his zipper even as her belly clenched in pure lust.
But two could play that game. Rei’s usual pre-sex anxiety had been stifled by the bravado of her new persona. Feeling bold, she parted her mouth and deliberately traced her index finger across her lower lip. Watching his expression, she glided her fingers along her chest and beneath the edge of her sweater to circle the side of her breast. Her nipple hardened at the touch and as she watched his lips part, she longed to feel his mouth on her flesh.
His eyes darkened and her pulse fluttered in primal recognition. She tensed, awaiting the moment when he claimed her and suddenly liking the idea of going at it right on the carpet. If she was going
to be daring, she might as well find out how far she could go. Chris seemed to have the same idea. He’d just pushed away from the wall when the elevator dinged. They had reached their floor.
“Saved by the bell, lady.”
The sigh that escaped her was more frustration than relief. “I thought it signaled the beginning of the first round.”
Chris laughed and took her hand as they counted room numbers along the corridor. “The first one, huh? Your confidence will either inspire me or kill me.”
“Don’t worry.” She slid him a flirtatious glance. “I know how to give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.”
“Want to test your skills, just to make sure?”
Chris tugged her to a stop in front of their room, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. His lips pressed down on hers then his tongue slipped between them. She kissed him deeply, desperately, wordlessly expressing how much she wanted him.
Her whole body was throbbing when she finally managed to shove the electronic card in the slot and open the door. Chris stumbled inside with her, his mouth still sealed to hers, then lifted her against the wall and held her there while they kissed some more. Oh man.
The need for him was so great she trembled as she pushed at his shoulders and gasped for breath. He set her down and backed away, stripping off his jacket as he moved into the room. Rei followed, tossing her coat and purse into the closet and kicking off her shoes.
By the time they stood together in the center of the room, she had stepped out of her satin pants and he was barefoot as well as gloriously bare-chested. The faint golden light from the doorway illuminated the ridges of muscle along his torso as he held out his arms.
In the time it took for her heart to beat, she was back in Chris’s embrace. Giving in to a tactile impulse, she stroked both across his broad chest then up over his wide shoulders. Hot velvet skin stretched over hard lean muscle, the kind that spoke of active fitness instead of a gym membership.
