He pulled her tighter against him, his teeth and tongue grazing her jaw, her neck, her shoulder. “Oh, God, Jade,” he groaned into her ear. “You’re so warm, so soft…so wet.”
His blatantly erotic words, the skill of his fingers ruthlessly stroking, sliding persuasively, then slipping intimately, deeply, into her body sent her soaring. She came on a soft, keening cry. Her entire body convulsed with the wondrous, voluptuous pleasure, her head rolled back to his shoulder.
She trembled in the aftermath, the intensity of her orgasm stunning her. The way he wrapped both arms around her when it was over comforted her. The words he whispered in her ear were sweet and endearing.
She waited as her heart rate slowed, fully expecting him to take their foreplay to its logical conclusion. And even though she wasn’t completely certain she was ready for that ultimate act of intimacy with him, she knew she wouldn’t stop him, either.
But once again he seemed to sense her doubts. He eased her skirt back down her hips and gently turned her around to hook her bra and button her camisole. She let him tend to her disheveled clothing, baffled by his restraint. He had every opportunity to take advantage of their very erotic situation, but the fact that he’d held his own raging desires in check was proof that she could trust him.
The prospect wasn’t as scary as it once had been.
Kyle finished with the buttons on Jade’s blouse and finally risked a glance at her face, which was still flushed with passion. Supreme satisfaction filled him, making his own sacrifice worth what he’d gained. Her confidence in him.
She pulled in a steady breath, looking slightly embarrassed. “That was very one-sided.”
“I’m not complaining, tiger. I thoroughly enjoyed myself, and you.” He dragged his thumb across her bottom lip, regretting that he hadn’t had the opportunity to spend more time kissing her. He loved her mouth, the soft texture, the honeyed taste and the silky heat inside. “You’re an incredibly sexy woman.”
Her face flushed a deeper shade of pink, but she didn’t shy away from him or his light caresses. “But what about you?”
He grinned. “I’m a patient fellow.” Though he couldn’t ignore that he was still rock hard and more than willing. “As much as I want you, this isn’t how I want our first time together to be. When we make love, the time and place needs to be as special as you are.”
Her expression softened, and she gave him a sultry, teasing smile. “You’d better be careful, or I could really fall for you.”
He knew she was just humoring him, but he was surprised to realize how much he liked the way that sounded. How much he wanted it to be true. “I’m counting on it, tiger.”
* * *
She couldn’t concentrate, and it was all Kyle’s fault.
Knowing it was futile to continue working on the fabric and tile order for the Briar Estates account Casual Elegance had recently acquired, she closed her invoice book and put the file into her briefcase to take back to work tomorrow.
So much for bringing work home to get ahead on orders. It was too quiet in her guest bedroom/makeshift office, and there weren’t the continual interruptions and distractions the office provided to keep her so busy that thoughts of Kyle couldn’t intrude.
Ever since their encounter at The Black Sheep four days ago, he’d occupied her thoughts during idle times, as did the fact that he’d managed to seduce her on three separate occasions. And every time, usually in some subtle, obscure way, their encounters had reminded her of old fantasies she’d written.
She was certain her mind was playing tricks on her. After three years of being alone and sharing intimacies with a fantasy lover, her subconscious was accepting those fantasies as reality.
It was the only explanation that made sense.
So why was it when she closed her eyes and thought of the fantasy lover she’d created she no longer saw his face, but Kyle’s instead? It was as if the two were merging, illusion evolving into a flesh-and-blood man who made her feel real emotions she hadn’t allowed herself to contemplate outside of her fantasies—passion, desire, need. And most important, with Kyle’s easy persuasion, she was gaining confidence in herself as a woman and lover.
She was beginning to trust him, and her own judgment of him.
Desk cleared and files and sample books put away, she snapped off the lamp and left the office. With the thought of her old journal of fantasies on her mind, she headed toward her bedroom in search of the book, curious to see how similar those fantasies were to the three episodes with Kyle.
It had been over a year since she’d started writing in her sapphire blue journal, and she couldn’t remember where she’d last seen the burgundy one. She checked all the obvious places: in her nightstand drawers, in her dresser drawers, and rummaged through the floral boxes on the top shelf of her walk-in closet where she stashed personal stuff.
Nothing.
Thinking she’d possibly misplaced it when she’d bought her new bedroom furniture, she continued her pursuit, looking in conspicuous places and not-so-obvious nooks and crannies. Her search included the guest bedroom-office, where she kept trade books in a walnut case, and the new hutch in her living room.
The burgundy journal was nowhere to be found.
Chapter Seven
Jade turned her car into her parents’ circular drive and parked behind Grey and Mariah’s SUV. She killed the engine, but made no move to exit. She stared out the windshield at the big house she’d been raised in, a house where she and her sister had shared so many hopes and dreams for their future.
At least her sister’s dreams of having a husband and family had come true. Hers had been shattered three years ago. She shuddered to think where she’d be now if she hadn’t come to her senses and ended her relationship with Adam. If she hadn’t had the support of her family who’d helped her through the most devastating period in her life.
“Are you sure you’re okay with me being here today?”
Jade blinked away her thoughts and glanced toward the passenger side of the car, where Kyle had folded his large frame into the compact seat of her sports car. Despite the cramped quarters, he hadn’t once complained that he couldn’t stretch out his long legs, or that the top of his head nearly hit the ceiling of the car.
Although he’d provided her an out, she’d decided there was absolutely nothing wrong with bringing a male friend to her birthday barbecue. Besides, she wanted him there. It was her parents’ problem if they made more of her relationship with Kyle than there actually was.
She pulled her key from the ignition, her mouth lifting in a wry smile. “How can you expect me to be sure of anything? I’m thirty years old today.”
Reaching across the console, he sifted his fingers through her short hair, his gaze full of the teasing charm she was coming to adore. “If it makes you feel any better, you don’t look a day over twenty-one.”
She couldn’t contain her light laughter, nor could she help the special way he made her feel, all from a touch and a few words. “You’re a wonderful liar, but it does make me feel better. I hope you’re still around when I hit forty.”
He lifted a brow. “Do you think I plan on going somewhere?”
His question didn’t really require an answer, because she knew what he meant. And as much as Kyle being a permanent part of her life was beginning to appeal to her, she knew their versions of “permanent” differed vastly. For him, it meant that they’d be friends months and years from now, long after their affair ended, but they’d each have their own separate lives that didn’t include each other on a regular basis. No commitment, no ties, no obligation to the other.
Her chest tightened, right in the vicinity of her heart. Oh, Lord, when had all those emotional connections started to matter? And when had having an affair with Kyle begun to have a deeper meaning than an outlet for her attraction to the man? They hadn’t even slept together, and already she was falling deeper than was wise.
“Jade!”
Welcoming t
he diversion from her wayward thoughts, Jade glanced to the front of the house. Mariah waved and walked down the front steps, her soft, floral dress swirling around her legs. Kayla, perched on her mother’s hip, imitated her mother and waved, too. Grey followed at a more leisurely pace, then her parents filled the doorway, no doubt anxious to meet her guest.
“Looks like the troops are closing in.” She grabbed her purse and took a deep, fortifying breath. “As much as I’d like to spend the day drowning my woes in a half gallon carton of Rocky Road, my family refuses to let this day pass uncelebrated.”
Kyle’s deep, rich chuckles filled the small confines of her car. “I’ll do whatever I can to make the transition from the twenties to thirties as painless as possible.”
She gave him a grateful smile as they exited the car and headed toward the house. They walked side by side, and she deliberately kept her purse in the hand brushing his so he wouldn’t attempt to hold her hand and give her family the impression they were an item. But that didn’t dissuade the rogue from touching her, and giving their avid audience something to speculate on.
He lightly splayed his fingers on her back, bare from the backless halter top she’d worn. An instantaneous heat and electric awareness flared within her, making her breath catch in her throat and her breasts swell in shameless abandon. Her body’s complimentary response to his no longer shocked her; it excited her beyond anything she’d ever experienced.
It had been a week since the morning at The Black Sheep, and they hadn’t had any quality time alone this past week because they’d both been busy with their hectic and conflicting schedules—hers during the day, his at night. But that hadn’t stopped Kyle from taking advantage of every moment they did seem to find together, no matter how brief. Whether it was in passing in the lobby when she came home from work and he left for the bar, or a brief visit from him in the morning or during her lunch hour. In the span of seconds, he drove her crazy with one of his deep, silky kisses, or a bold caress that left her wanting more. And his phone calls always seemed to take a provocative turn, as well.
The building anticipation was driving her crazy!
Mariah met them first and wrapped Jade in a hug that made Kayla squeal in delight.
“Happy birthday, sis,” she said, then welcomed Kyle into the fold with a brief, warm embrace, which, Jade knew, was her way of stating she fully approved of Kyle.
Grey gave Jade a hug, too. When he pulled back, his dark brown eyes were filled with feigned shock. “Ohmygod! Are those wrinkles I see around your eyes?”
Jade shot Mariah a dark look. Obviously her loving sister had told Grey she was going into the next decade kicking and screaming, and he was taking advantage of the situation. She’d grown fond of her brother-in-law since he’d made an honest woman out of her sister, not that she’d ever admit that to him.
Lifting her fist, she playfully cuffed Grey on the chin. “You’d better watch yourself, Nichols, I’m not so old that I can’t put a few wrinkles on that handsome face of yours.”
He grinned. “And here I thought you’d mellow with age.” Before she could summon a response to that smart remark, he extended his hand toward Kyle and introduced himself. “I’m Grey, Mariah’s husband.”
Kyle shook his hand. “Kyle Stephens. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Grey nodded toward Jade, a devilish grin touching his lips. “Maybe you’ll have better luck mellowing her.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” he said, meeting Jade’s gaze, and giving her a slow wink filled with all sorts of wicked insinuations. “I happen to like her just the way she is.”
Grey shook his dark head, oblivious to the sexual undercurrents sparking between them. “You’re a braver man than most.”
Kyle merely smiled that winning smile of his, and Jade had the thought that most men weren’t as persistent as Kyle. And not nearly so patient and understanding of her needs and fears.
They continued up to the porch, where she introduced Kyle to her parents, Jim and Donna, as a friend and a Casual Elegance client. Her mother was her usual sweet, courteous self, though there was a fair amount of curiosity sparkling in her blue eyes. Her father openly sized Kyle up while shaking his hand. To Jade’s relief, they got through introductions with a minimum of embarrassment and not one question about Kyle’s intentions.
But that didn’t mean her father wouldn’t take advantage of an opportune moment later.
They all headed to the backyard, where her father had the barbecue heating up. Her mother brought out marinated chicken and ribs, issued instructions for Jim to start cooking the meat, then told Jade and Mariah that she needed their help getting the outside table set, and the side dishes out.
“Will you be okay?” Jade asked Kyle, casting a surreptitious glance at her father, who was behaving himself so far.
Grey handed Kyle a cold beer and grinned at her. “Don’t worry about Kyle, he’ll be just fine. I’m sure we can find something to talk about.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” she muttered, and gave her brother-in-law a warning look. “Behave yourself, Nichols, or there will be hell to pay later.”
He chuckled, having been on the receiving end of her version of hell. “I don’t doubt that in the least.”
As she walked across the covered patio, she heard Kyle say to Grey, “Jade tells me you’re in the security business. With the new restaurant coming in, I’ve been thinking of updating the current security system I have. What can you suggest?”
Knowing business would keep the boys distracted for a while, Jade slipped inside the cool house. She walked into the kitchen, where her mother was mixing the potato salad. A smorgasbord of food lined the counter, enough to feed an army. Her mother always enjoyed their family get-togethers and usually went all out in the food department, trying to make everyone’s favorites.
Donna rinsed her hands in the sink, her gaze traveling out the kitchen window to the backyard. It wasn’t hard to figure who she was looking at. “Kyle seems like a nice man,” she commented.
Snagging a carrot stick from the relish tray, Jade dipped it into the accompanying ranch dressing. “He’s very nice, Mom.”
Donna glanced over her shoulder at her, the speculation Jade had been waiting for bright in her mother’s gaze. “Is it serious between you two?”
Jade munched on her carrot. She supposed it depended on one’s version of serious. Their attraction was as serious as anything she’d ever experienced—intense and hot. But there were no promises between them, no deep, lasting commitment. Kyle was a rebel, a maverick, a man who lived for the moment. And at the moment, she was what he lived for.
“He’s just a friend,” Mariah offered as she came into the kitchen from the adjoining family room, where she’d put Kayla down for a nap. “Or at least that’s what Jade tells me.”
“He’s a friend and a client,” she confirmed.
“A client you’re dating,” Mariah added.
They hadn’t managed to go out on a date yet, but she didn’t bother to argue the point with Mariah. Instead, she just rolled her eyes, and prayed that Kyle wasn’t receiving the same interrogation. Picking up the Crock-Pot of baked beans, she headed back outside. Mariah followed with plates and silverware, then went back for napkins and glasses.
As she and Mariah set the table, Jade glanced toward the barbecue where her father, Grey and Kyle were engrossed in conversation. Knowing the guys were out of earshot, she gathered the courage to ask her sister a question that had been bothering her for nearly a week now.
She drew a deep breath, and released it, along with her sister’s name. “Mariah?”
Her sister looked up from the napkin she was folding and smiled. “Yes?”
As casually as she could manage, she asked, “Remember when you were helping me put things out for the yard sale last month?”
Mariah nodded.
“Well, you didn’t happen to come across a journal, did you?”
There was no sign of recognitio
n on Mariah’s face. “What kind of journal?”
A book of intimate fantasies and her most private, secret desires. “A personal journal,” she said, keeping her description vague. “It’s about half an inch thick and has a burgundy cover.”
Mariah thought for a moment. “I can’t say that I did. Besides, I didn’t go through your personal things.”
“I didn’t mean it that way.” She put a fork and knife at each setting. “I can’t find it and thought maybe you’d seen it when you were taking those books out of the old headboard.”
“Not that I can recall.” She tilted her head, and her silky blond hair swung over her shoulder. “Where did you put it last?”
Mariah’s practical question sparked a bit of annoyance. “If I remembered, I wouldn’t be asking if you saw it, now would I?”
“Geez, you don’t have to get so sensitive about it,” Mariah replied in a droll tone. “It’s just a book.”
Not just any book, she wanted to refute, but kept her mouth shut, unwilling to share something so personal. Even with her sister.
“It has to be somewhere,” Mariah went on. “How many times have you stashed away something personal or important then couldn’t remember where you’d put it?”
Mariah knew her faults too well. “Too many times to count,” she admitted reluctantly.
“It’s not like you’re the most organized person in the family,” Mariah pointed out, then soothed that sibling wisecrack with a little reassurance. “I’m sure when you least expect it, you’ll come across your journal.”
She sighed. “You’re probably right.”
Mariah grinned broadly. “About you being disorganized, or eventually finding the book?”
Jade couldn’t contain a sheepish grin. “Both.”
A teasing light shone in Mariah’s eyes. “You know, I kind of like it when you admit to your faults.”
Jade feigned indignation. “I did no such thing!”
Her Sexiest Fantasy (The Sexiest Series Book 2) Page 11
