by Kwan, Coleen
“Just say the word,” he said into her hair, “and I’ll stop.” If he was strong enough.
Still, she remained mute. The soft material rustled as he stroked the lower swell of her breasts before he drifted his fingers across the tip of her mounds. His hands shook when he registered her pert nipples stiffening to attention. Holy Moses. He was stiffening to attention himself.
“You like that,” he said, stating the obvious. In reply she merely whimpered. He repeated the movement, and a shudder ran through her. He could feel her defenses weakening, her body ripening, opening. Need swelled in his groin.
With his other hand he explored her thigh, scrunching up the silky fabric to expose her smooth flesh. For a second he thought she’d object, but he saw she was too far gone. Her head lolled back against his shoulder as she guided his hand toward her breast, her thighs wriggling in time to his wandering fingers.
For a second he was spellbound by her reflection. Christ, how amazing she looked, so abandoned in the moment, her wild, tousled sensuality such a contrast to her competent professionalism. The urge to pull that five thousand dollar dress off her body and take her right there in front of the mirror rushed over him. He pushed the dress higher, his fingers reaching a soft, damp triangle of cotton between her legs.
“Lex...” she moaned so softly he almost missed it. “I—I—”
He forced his fingers to still. The need was evident in her panting voice, in her sinuous movements, but he wanted to hear the words and savor her surrender.
“Yeah? Tell me what you want.”
“I want...I want—”
Still, she didn’t utter the words he wanted to hear. Damn, she was stubborn, but so was he. He let his fingers drift away from her panties, saw the frustration flash in her eyes. Without warning, she grabbed his hand and pressed it between her thighs.
“This...” she hissed.
She was so smoking hot. He could hardly breathe he was so riveted by her boldness. Her hand guided his, showing him how she wanted to be touched. But he didn’t need any reminding. He took over, cupping her greedily and using the friction of her panties to pleasure her. Her eyes turned to hazy toffee, and he knew she wanted more. Swallowing, he pushed aside the cotton as his fingers followed her heat. His head spun.
As he eased a finger into her wetness, she moaned his name, sending a thrill down his spine. His pounding erection pressed urgently against the curve of her ass. He stroked her softly and slowly, his body shaking with the struggle between lust and self-control. She rolled herself against his finger, hair tangled around flushed cheeks, nipples erect against his palm. He twisted his wrist again, seeking out her sensitive clit so he could unravel her even more. He gulped in the sight of her in the mirror. How was it that she looked so completely at his mercy and yet it felt like he was the desperate one? Desperate to string out her pleasure, eager to watch her as she climaxed under his caressing fingers. Any moment now she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from coming...
A brisk tap at the door shattered the dream. “Hello?” the shop assistant trilled. “Is everything okay in there? Can I help you with anything?”
Jacinta sprang free, frantically pulling at the hem of her dress. Strands of mussed hair clung to her cheeks and neck. Her eyes were dazed and panicked.
Lex had to take a few breaths before he trusted his voice. “Everything’s fine here. We’ll be out in a minute.”
By the time he’d finished speaking, Jacinta had ducked behind the velvet curtain again.
“Hey, where are you going?” He stepped toward the curtain, lowering his voice. “Let’s finish what we started.” Heat roused him again as he recalled how close he’d gotten her to orgasm. Just give him sixty seconds, and he’d make every one of them count.
“No, I can’t,” she said, her voice muffled. “Why don’t you wait for me outside?”
For a moment he considered following her behind the curtain before sanity prevailed. He glanced down at the throbbing bulge in his trousers. “Uh, yeah, in a minute.”
He should be grateful the store assistant had interfered at the right time. He hadn’t meant to go that far with Jacinta, but there was just something about her that infiltrated his self-discipline. Something unique.
Suddenly, she sighed. “Why does this always happen with us? We seem to have no...no sense of propriety.”
Yeah, what they shared was pretty explosive. Dangerous, too, but so intoxicating. “I’m not complaining.”
“Of course you aren’t.” She sighed again. “I’m only doing this because of Kevin.”
Why did she have to say it like that? Like she needed to remind herself of her main goal.
“I hear his interview is set up for next week,” he said. “He should get a phone call soon.”
“That’s great.” He heard her take in a deep breath. “But—but from now on, I want you to keep your hands to yourself.”
He cleared his throat. “Uh, excuse me, but you grabbed my hand and shoved it between your—”
“I know what I did,” she interrupted heatedly. “I just—I just don’t want it to happen again.”
“You’re making a big deal over nothing,” he said. “It’s just sex. Nothing but biochemistry.” His chest twinged as he uttered the plain, undisputed facts. He waited, but she didn’t say anything.
He sighed. “I’ll be outside,” he added and left the changing room.
Just sex, he thought. That’s all it is. As for that pang buried deep in the region of his heart, he’d ignore that.
…
Lex returned to his office to find Carl waiting for him together with one of his accountants, Stephen, who, judging by his hangdog expression, had done something wrong. He’d used some incorrect formulas for the figures Carl had given to Lex, Carl explained.
Lex pinned his frown on the accountant. “I’ve already used those figures. You telling me I’ve got all my numbers wrong?”
Stephen’s face turned green. “I-I’m afraid so.”
“And I’m going to have to stay back to fix them when I’m supposed to be taking my girlfriend out to dinner?”
The guy looked like he was going to vomit.
“I can help you,” Carl jumped in.
Lex eyed his friend for a moment. “Yeah, sure.” He eyeballed Stephen one more time. “Okay, we’ll take care of this. And don’t screw up again.”
Pale with relief, the guy slunk off.
“Whew,” Carl whistled. “Must’ve been a good shopping trip to put you in such a charitable mood. Usually you’d be chewing strips off that guy.”
“Yeah, well, don’t grin like that because you’re staying here with me to fix those numbers.”
“Don’t worry. You’ll make your date tonight.”
They sat down to work. He was lucky to have Carl here, Lex mused. Pity he couldn’t tell him all the worries weighing him down. Couldn’t tell anyone. He had to fix this on his own, do the right and fearless thing, unlike his dad, who was responsible for a lot of this mess.
He sighed. Why had he been so soft on Stephen? Was it because of Jacinta? He scoffed at the idea and focused his attention on his work.
“You’re humming,” Carl said after a while.
“Huh? No, I’m not. I don’t hum.”
“You were just then.” Carl grinned at him. “Sounded like ‘Hard to Say I’m Sorry.’” He sang a few lines. “See?”
Dammit, he had been humming that damn song. It had been stuck in his head for days. Thanks, Jacinta.
Carl pulled out his cell phone, tapped on it for a while, and seconds later Lex’s phone beeped.
“Was that you?” Lex picked up his phone to read the message.
“I sent you the lyrics of your song. Just in case you screw up and need to sing it again.”
Lex scowled. “You’re such a pal.”
“You’re welcome, buddy.”
…
“It’s great news,” Jacinta said to Kevin. It was Friday evening, and earlier that da
y Kevin had been asked to an interview at Jubilee Holdings on Monday.
“I hope I don’t let you down,” Kevin said.
“You’re going to do great.”
“If I get this job, I don’t have to see Dr. Portland anymore.”
“Well, we’ll talk about that later.” Dr. Portland was the therapist Jacinta had persuaded her brother to see after he’d finally acknowledged he might have a few behavioral problems. Progress had been slow, but she didn’t want him to stop altogether. He needed professional help as well as sisterly support. “Let’s go out and celebrate,” she added.
“Great idea.” Kevin rubbed his hands together. “But it’s Friday night. Aren’t you seeing Lex?”
Jacinta shook her head. “I’ll be with him all weekend...” She trailed off, wondering if her anxiety was showing. There was nothing to be worried about. It was only two and a half days, and they’d be surrounded by lots of other people. Nothing was going to happen. She just had to stay focused on her goal. A week had passed, so she had only two more weeks to catch the mole if Kevin was to get this job.
Kevin screwed up his eyebrows. “Is everything okay with you guys?”
She made herself smile. “Of course. What makes you think it’s not?”
“Nothing. It’s just that the last time you two broke up, you were pretty upset. I’d hate to see you go through that again.”
“Oh Kevin.” Blinking, she gave him a quick hug. “That’s not going to happen. Not this time. I’m being careful.”
He didn’t seem convinced. “You’ve spent a hell of a lot of time together this past week.”
She couldn’t deny that. After the dinner date on Tuesday, she’d seen Lex twice more to analyze the tracking logs. She’d been on her guard against his advances, but he hadn’t made a single move on her. The scene in the changing room hadn’t been repeated, and though she told herself she was relieved, a part of her was disappointed. He really was a devil with those hands of his... How long could she fight her base urges before she gave in? Would it be so terrible if she surrendered? Maybe if she did, it would help her get him out of her system once and for all. Oh hell, now she was looking for excuses to sleep with Lex! She really had it bad for him.
“Don’t worry about Lex and me.” She patted her brother’s arm before glancing around for her purse. “Now come on, where should we go? How about that new Indian place on Irving Street?”
She ushered him out, determined that for one evening, at least, she wouldn’t think about Lex.
Chapter Seven
Alice Rochester, Lex’s grandmother, lived near St. Helena in Napa Valley on a two hundred acre estate called Mariposa. Jacinta had visited the wine country before, but never like this. From the company helicopter in which she and Lex traveled from San Francisco, she had a bird’s-eye view of the rolling hills and rich countryside. They flew over farmland, forests, vineyards, and little towns until they reached Mariposa, a sprawling, stucco and clay-tiled mansion surrounded by exquisitely manicured gardens.
The helicopter landed in a nearby paddock, where a Land Rover waited to take them and their luggage up to the house. They drove up a gravel driveway that wound its way through formal gardens framed by box hedges and stands of mature trees. Lawns as green and smooth as a billiard table rolled down to the edges of a lake.
Jacinta could barely take it all in. “It’s so beautiful here,” she murmured.
Even Lex, who had never struck her as impressionable, seemed to be affected by their surroundings. “Yes, it’s something, isn’t it? I spent a lot of summer vacations here.”
They drew up outside the Mission Revival style mansion. The driveway was packed with delivery vans, while people scurried back and forth with crates of supplies. Above a tall row of hedges, the top of a vast gazebo tent billowed out.
Lex had already briefed her on the party arrangements. His grandmother was renowned for her charity work, and the guests at the Sunday garden party would include plenty of socialites and business people, a few celebrities, the odd judge, and some politicians.
As they walked into the house, Jacinta smoothed down the seat of her brand-new linen pants and said to Lex, “Should I know about any unresolved issues between you and your grandmother?”
“Nana Alice couldn’t hold a grudge against anyone. She’s the sweetest person I’ve ever known.”
That’s a relief, Jacinta mused. They entered a cool, lofty hallway with terra-cotta tiles and a staircase sweeping up to the upper floors. A neat, middle-aged woman greeted them with a smile. Lex introduced her as Hazel, his grandmother’s housekeeper and friend. Hazel told them to go through to the conservatory, adding that she’d take care of their luggage.
“Hazel’s been with my grandmother for decades,” Lex said as he steered Jacinta down the hallway and opened a door. “Here we are.”
He ushered her into a huge space suffused with light. For a moment, the vast proportions of the room tricked her into thinking it was empty, before a small, white-haired woman rose from her chair and began to hobble toward them as quickly as her walking stick would allow her.
“Lex, how wonderful to see you, my dear boy!” she exclaimed, her face glowing with pleasure.
Lex hugged his grandmother carefully, the solidness of his physique highlighting her frailness. He greeted her in a voice gruff with feeling that Jacinta found unexpectedly touching. He drew her forward, and she found herself the focus of a pair of lively blue eyes.
“And you must be Jacinta. I’m so happy to finally meet you.” Nana Alice clasped Jacinta’s hand, her grip surprisingly firm, her smile wide and generous. “Welcome to Mariposa.”
“Thank you for having me,” she replied, taken aback by the effusive welcome, so unlike Lex and the rest of his family.
“Oh, it’s good to see you.” Nana Alice squeezed her hand again. “I’ve been hearing all about you.”
Had Lex already discussed her with his grandmother? Jacinta darted a look at him, but he merely lifted his shoulders.
“You can thank me for that,” a voice piped up across the room. From a high-backed couch that had partially concealed her, Holly rose to her feet and pushed back the razored tips of her bangs. “I came up last night. I’ve been telling Nana all about you two.” She sauntered toward them, smiling enigmatically. “So now she knows everything.” She rolled her eyes in exaggeration. “Everything...”
Was Holly hinting at something? Did she suspect Jacinta and Lex’s relationship was fake? Jacinta found herself edging closer to Lex, as if to convince everyone they were a couple.
“Don’t pay any attention to Holly’s teasing.” Nana Alice tugged at Jacinta’s hand and led her toward the group of couches arranged under the glazed roof. “Come and sit down, and you can tell me all about yourself.”
“You’ll scare Jacinta off if you subject her to the third degree,” Lex said, following after them.
“Nonsense. She looks like she knows her own mind. If she thinks I’m being too nosey, I’m sure she’ll tell me off.” She turned her bright gaze to Jacinta. “Won’t you, dear?”
Jacinta responded with something noncommittal as she took a seat on the couch opposite Nana Alice. Lex sat next to Jacinta and took her hand in his, his body pressing against hers, and her heart skipped, though she knew it was just for his relatives’ benefit. Nearby, Holly examined her fingernails, her studied nonchalance giving nothing away.
Nana Alice began to ask Jacinta questions—what she did, where she lived, if she had any family. She answered as best she could, skimming over her job—IT consultant was truthful without giving too much away—and talking about Kevin as if he were just a normal younger brother.
“You sound as if you’re very close to your brother,” Nana Alice said.
“I am.” Glancing at Lex, she met his gaze rather defiantly. The quirk of his eyebrow was his only response. “We’ve had to rely on each other.”
“You poor things.” The elderly lady’s brow crinkled up. “You’ve lost
both your parents?”
“No,” she was startled into replying. “My mother’s still alive.”
Next to her, Lex tensed. She’d never mentioned her mother to him. She knew that, because she never mentioned her mother to anyone. Except now. Somehow Nana Alice had gotten it out of her.
“Oh?” Nana Alice blinked, clearly puzzled.
Jacinta ran a finger down the front of her linen pants and moistened her lips. “Uh, she lives in Mexico, but we talk now and then.” A couple of times a year, if she was lucky. Everyone was still gazing at her, but she had nothing more to say. She glanced at Lex with growing unease.
“Here’s Hazel with the coffee,” Lex said as the housekeeper fortuitously arrived with refreshments. He rose to his feet and went to help her. Coffee and pastries were passed around, and the subject of Jacinta’s mother thankfully faded to the background.
But she should have known Lex wouldn’t forget. Half an hour later, they left the conservatory and climbed the staircase to their guest bedroom. As they walked down a long corridor, Lex said in a mild tone, “Why didn’t you ever tell me about your mother?”
“You never asked.”
He paused then said quietly, “I’m asking now.”
She stopped by a window and saw a maze in the garden just below them. How many gardeners did it take to maintain this place? She turned back to face Lex. “I really don’t see how it’s any of your business.”
“I’m not prying just to be nosey. When we broke up you said it was because you had to stick by your brother. That family loyalty was everything. Now I find out you have a mother who’s still alive, and you barely talk to her. Don’t you think that screams of hypocrisy?”
He was offended, it dawned on her. Not spitting angry, but a low-pitched displeasure. His lips were pulled into a tight line, his eyes were narrowed. Her heart tripped up; she didn’t want him to be angry with her over this. Not this.
