by A. Valentine
“Listen,” he muttered in her ear so only she could hear. “How about I propose something? Let’s talk tonight, here, with everyone present and if you find you don’t want to go on that winner’s day out with me, then I’ll drop it. Simple as that.”
Jenna turned to look at him incredulously. Of course she didn’t think he was doing it to be nice or considerate; she saw this as him being full of himself in at least two ways. To begin, he was just showing how easily he could give away money all under the guise of being a man who cared about a worthy cause. Another thing was he probably thought so highly of himself he had no doubt she would want to see him again. Jenna was determined not to give him that satisfaction but she nodded anyway and told him it was a deal.
“Well, well,” he said with a smirk. It was the same smirk he’d worn at the restaurant, the very one that had immediately made her detest him. Jenna swallowed but did not reply; she’d agreed to talk to him for the night and she decided to try her best to channel Kelly’s energy. “Looks like we are having a treat tonight after all.”
Jenna snapped to look at him, taken aback by the statement. What, exactly, was he insinuating? Whatever it was, he’d just reaffirmed everything she’d already been thinking as a result of his proposal. He subtly cocked his head as he appraised her, gaze lingering on her chest. Jenna scoffed. There was a limit to how much of a chance she’d give him but she saw no reason to have to put up with his crass insinuations or lingering gazes.
“So you’ve met little Fay,” he said, catching her off guard. Jenna nodded slowly. “She’s darling, isn’t she? She calls me ‘Mr. Black’ even though I never asked her to. I think she just likes calling me that for some reason.”
Jenna thought she should have found it charming for him to talk about Fay but she could only think it was a play he usually ran on women and, moreover, she could not help but think he was still doing an awful lot of talking about himself. Still, she decided to run with it. A deal was a deal, after all, and she’d struck one up with both him and her best friend.
“I’ve only met her briefly but, yes, she is darling.”
“I’ve actually told little Fay we are on first name basis but she always just giggles.” Michael laughed, catching Harrison’s eye and making him chuckle. It started a brief but spirited conversation about Fay, one that Jenna actually found entertaining.
“She always protests saying she doesn’t know what I mean,” Michael said, going back to the way Fay called him ‘Mr. Black’ even though he’d told her they were on a first name basis.
“She always says she can’t ask us or else it’s cheating,” Tara giggled fondly.
“At least she’s honest,” Kelly piped in before excusing herself to get back to work.
“So, Jenna, it was a surprise to see you up there tonight,” Harrison said.
“Blame it on Kelly,” she muttered shyly.
“I wouldn’t say blame is the right word,” Michael opined, smug as ever.
Jenna turned to look at him with a small, very forced smile. She could see right through everything he was saying and doing but when their eyes met she had the distinct feeling he knew she was not falling for any lines. She thought he might have even known she didn’t like him.
“Our friend Cole wanted to join but work pulled him away,” Tara said, mostly looking at Michael. She then turned to Jenna and said, “He’s a funny man who loves benefits. Harrison and Michael here met through him years ago, actually.”
A server came by and placed a tray with glasses of iced tea set neatly on top, a full pitcher beside them. Harrison quickly handed out a glass to everyone at the table before Tara asked how Jenna had met Harrison. Instantly, Jenna’s cheeks turned a bright red.
“She did that last time too,” Michael noted.
Jenna turned to glare at him before she could stop herself. He was not offended, however. If anything, it seemed like getting a rise out of her was exactly what he wanted.
“Well, we officially met at the restaurant but I count the park,” Harrison declared.
“What do you count, Jenna?” It was clear Tara had some inkling of the story already but she wanted it from Jenna’s point of view.
“I, uh, haven’t thought about it,” she muttered, patting her cheeks.
“Oh, dear, why are you so red?”
“I’m embarrassed,” Jenna admitted.
“Little Fay caught her attention and I noticed her looking so I guess she feels embarrassed about it,” Harrison told Tara.
The three of them laughed but Jenna had to force a small chuckle so as to not be a bad sport. “It’s just awkward, isn’t it? To get caught staring.”
“Michael here gets caught staring all the time but doesn’t care,” Harrison joked.
Michael shrugged and took a sip of his iced tea, pointedly staring at Jenna. He then reached out to grab the pitcher of iced tea and served some in her glass to top it off before filling his own. She watched him carefully out of the corner of her eye. He seemed like the type to try disarming a woman by old-world charm when least expected to make her fall into his trap. She stopped and realized she’d pretty much accuse him of being any type of man she could dislike; but when he reached forward to place the pitcher closer to the others and his arm brushed against hers, she felt an unmistakable and inexplicable shiver run down her spine.
She snapped and turned to look at him as if he’d shocked her. He arched one of his eyebrows and looked at her questioningly. It was only at that moment when she noticed just how gorgeous his hazel eyes looked; now she knew their color. She gulped and he smiled and goodness did she find it to be a charming smile.
“Thank you,” she muttered before turning away. Looking at him for too long at such close proximity was obviously messing with her head for some mysterious reason.
His smile was replaced by his smirk and what she’d found charming was no more– for the most part. Michael adjusted his chair, ending up closer to her, but it didn’t bother Jenna. What did bother her was that her aversion to Michael was decreasing for no real reason. Was this part of his game?
Chapter Five
“That was delicious,” Cole complimented after Harrison had cleared away the plates.
Harrison and Tara had invited Jenna over to dinner the following Friday, an invitation she’d happily accepted before realizing there was a good chance she’d see Michael there. After the bachelorette auction she’d been even more eager to take his offer at calling off the winner’s day out but it wasn’t because of her intense dislike– it was because as the night had progressed, she’d found that dislike dwindling mysteriously. What had thrown her even more for a loop was the couple of strangely charged moments between them; she hated those. Kelly had started to get on her case about calling it off but quickly dropped it when she noticed how serious Jenna was.
“Thank you. I’m glad you enjoyed it,” Tara replied.
Fay had gone up to her room earlier having gotten bored, and fussy, when the adult conversations had taken over. About halfway through the main course Jenna found herself sitting even closer to Michael, whom she’d ended up sitting next to for dinner much to her dismay, and speaking quite freely with him. In fact, she found she was actually enjoying chatting with him much as she hated to admit it. It was not until Tara and Harrison playfully fought over who would clear the plates and bring out dessert that it hit Jenna what had been going on. She turned abruptly to look at Michael only to find that he was already staring at her.
“Yes?”
“I’d ask you the same thing,” she countered.
After all, he was already burning holes into her face before she even turned to face him only she had not exactly noticed it. She wondered if he’d sensed something about her realization and attitude. There was no doubt in her mind he’d noticed her shift in behavior toward him over the course of the meal but it did not mean anything– at least she did not want it to mean anything. Looking into his eyes now, though, made that resolve crumble a bit. Never
had she been so captivated by a pair of large and gorgeous hazel eyes like she was now; it was too bad they belonged to Michael, of all people.
He chuckled and shrugged, “I was starting to wonder if you completely lacked that sense most of us have to detect when we’re being looked at.”
“And why were you looking at me to begin with?” Jenna was being snappy enough that even she was taken aback by it. Michael, however, seemed unfazed.
He smirked and replied, “I don’t think you really want me to answer that.”
Jenna was saved from having to reply by Tara walking in with a giggle and setting dessert plates in front of everyone. She’d made a delectable pecan pie that Jenna even wanted seconds of but was too shy to ask for. “We’ll have to give you all a slice to take home,” commented Harrison and Jenna smiled, thankful for it. She knew that slice would probably not make it through the night. It was right around the time when they suggested moving to the den that Jenna’s phone rang with a call from Carly. Being that she rarely called, Jenna excused herself and took the call out on the back patio, where Harrison assured she’d have privacy.
It turned out to be a mistake from a very drunk Carly, which Jenna found amusing for about a minute. She’d just ended the call and taken a deep breath, looking up at the night sky, when the door opened and Michael walked out onto the patio to join her.
“Congratulations,” he muttered.
“On what?”
“I know how thrilled you must feel to be alone with me out here especially after you rejected me last time,” he replied.
“Rejected you?”
“Well, I guess rejection isn’t the right word. I’m talking about the winner’s day out.”
She turned to look at him with near disgust written all over her face but it quickly fell off. Under the shine of the stars and moonlight she had to admit he looked more attractive than ever. It was as if the natural glow gave him some sort of dazzling effect she had never quite seen on anybody else. It almost gave him this aura of being otherworldly or supernatural. It would have been eerie if she did not think it complete codswallop and had she not found him incredibly attractive right then.
“We’ve practically just met and you already know me so well,” Jenna said dryly.
Michael groaned slightly but quickly covered it up with a sarcastic laugh. Jenna turned to face him and was, once again, disarmed by how intently he was looking at her.
“Why do you dislike me so intensely?”
He was dead serious. She could have just as easily lied about it or tried to worm her way out of answering but she saw no real point in doing so.
“You’re smug. You’re arrogant. You’re a womanizer. You think–”
“Wow,” he interrupted, “Sounds like you know me pretty well, huh?”
Jenna took pause. He was right. She had drawn conclusions about him and taken them as fact without actually bothering to get to know him. Even if he was not as bad as she assumed, that did not mean he did not grate her nerves from the moment they met. He took a step sideways to stand closer to her, his arm grazing slightly against hers. She felt a jolt run through her and she clamped her eyes shut, trying to clear her mind. The thing was she would not succeed in doing so as long as he was around her. She was physically attracted to him, point blank. She had no idea if he was trying his game at her or had any real interest in making her his next conquest; but if she decided to go for something that meant it was on her, right? Jenna gulped and opened her eyes before turning her entire body to face him.
He glanced down at her but said nothing. Their eyes met. The electricity between them was undeniable and that was all it took for Jenna to just give in to her cravings.
She gripped his arm and held it tight, not breaking eye contact even to blink. She could see his lips curling around the corners into a smirk but there was nothing behind it to indicate he thought he was winning some sort of game. Maybe he had not been going for her or maybe he had been expecting to work harder; maybe, just maybe, she was actually catching him by surprise. Any of them were possible but in that moment Jenna knew she would not find out which of them were the truth. She also knew it did not matter; she had initiated the very thing she’d been craving much to her dismay.
Jenna let out a low sigh and let it all go. Just for tonight she would give in to the strong, innermost desires coursing through her. Just for tonight she would run with it.
Chapter Six
Jenna pushed on his arm until he turned to face her. She was tall but he was still quite a bit taller. She looked up into his eyes, the pair of them shining brilliantly even in the dim lighting of the night sky. Something about them and even his aura was like a gorgeous, wild animal. She knew it was dangerous territory but it was all so damn intoxicating it seemed worth the risk. His large hands settled on the thick of her waist and she shuddered.
The question, “What are you trying to prove?” clung to the inside of her lips but she did not want it to spill. The talking was done for now. It was time to act and get lost in the action. She stretched her neck upward and he finally got the hint to lean in until his lips were pressed against hers. It was not warm and sensuous. It was not affectionate. It was lustful and surprising and a totally different start of a kiss than any other Jenna had ever experienced.
He pressed his lips further into hers until she finally opened her mouth, his tongue sliding in and over hers. He tasted sweet like the pecan pie mixed with something else. It was something she could not figure out, exotic and delicious. She felt her skin blaze up with heat unlike any other she’d experienced even in the throes of passion and it was all from just a kiss. He took a step forward and then another and she knew he was walking her back to the wall but she did not want him to take the reigns. She had made this decision so it was she who had the control. She planted her feet firmly on the ground and gripped his shoulders, slowing the kiss that had quickly evolved into a fiery one. He pulled back just enough to look her in the eyes; he was searching them for an answer to a question she did not want to hear.
Pressing her index finger to his lips, Jenna pushed him back until he was against the fence of the patio without any regard if the edge was cutting into his back. He flinched slightly but did not complain so she figured it was not bad or he was, at the very least, okay with the tradeoff. She walked her fingers up his torso and over his chest until settling her hand on his shoulder, standing on the tips of her toes to press her lips against the side of his neck.
He let out a low breath and she knew he liked how it felt. She pressed her curvy body against his, her very large breasts pushing into his chest, and he wasted no time in placing his hand at the small of her back to hold her tightly. He kissed her, tongue sliding swiftly over her lower lip so that she opened her mouth and he deepened the kiss. It almost felt like he was preparing to devour her and she liked it, she liked it a lot. He ran his hand up her back, the other up her side until it rested at the side of her chest, and he let out what sounded like a low growl in her mouth as he increased the intensity of the kiss.
Jenna shifted and that was when she felt his rock hard erection press up against her leg. She trembled and he broke the kiss, looking deep into her eyes trying to figure out how she felt about it. She wanted more of him. She wanted to keep going with it and so she ran her hand down his torso, resting it on his belt buckle with the sound of their labored breaths reaching her ears. He was not looking at her expectantly; he was waiting to see what her next move would be. There was curiosity in his eyes and excitement. She felt that same excitement run through her veins, stronger and stronger, until her fingers were fumbling to unbuckle his belt and open up his pants. She ran the palm of her hand on his erection over the thin fabric of his boxers. Michael groaned, intense desire filling his eyes.
She was sure it was mirrored in her own blue eyes. He ran his hand through her long, chestnut brown hair and kissed her. He took her mouth by surprise but before she knew it their tongues were sliding over each other’s
and her fingers were skating over his skin along the waistband of his boxers. It took all her self-control not to plunge her hand underneath and take hold of his erection. She wanted to know how he felt. She wanted to know how he tasted. Jenna broke away from kiss and looked into his eyes as she hooked her index finger just underneath the waistband of his boxers.
Michael held his breath and it felt like minutes they were staring into each other’s eyes in silence. Jenna could feel her racing heart rate and hear every one of their inhales and exhales. When he finally opened his mouth as if to speak, Jenna was quick to place her hand over it to silence him. Maybe she thought talking would break the spell or make her question everything she was doing and was about to do; maybe she thought it would ruin the mood. The point was she wanted nothing but the sounds of breathing and pleasure to reach her ears, not of words. She felt something warm and wet glide across the palm of her hand– he was licking her. She pulled her hand away and recoiled slightly on instinct. That was not anything she was used to and, quite frankly, was unsure if she’d liked it at all.
But it was far from enough to stop her from moving forward. Jenna slowly slipped her hand under his boxers until she felt the tips of her fingers graze his erection. Michael tensed in anticipation. She wanted to tease him, keep him waiting a little longer, but not so much that she was willing to delay her own gratification. Never had she longed so much to feel and taste a man like she did in that moment. Jenna wrapped her hand around the base of his shaft, noting how incredibly thick he was. She drew in a quick breath with a gasp, her eyes lighting up. He must have known what her reaction was to because he had a smug look on his face, one she squashed out by stroking the length of his erection up to the tip.
He tensed and gulped, tilting his head upward to look into the night sky. She felt so much in control of his pleasure and there was something so damn satisfying about it. It was all the more thrilling because there was not a doubt in her mind Michael was a playboy, just used to having his way whenever and however he wanted. She stroked him up and down a few more times, tantalizingly slowly, before running her thumb over the sensitive tip. He let out a groan and exhaled before looking at her in the eyes again. She did not know what made her do it but right at that moment she dropped to her knees in front of him, not breaking eye contact, and pulled his erection out from his boxers.
