CHAPTER TWO
Erin relaxed into Jake’s arms, letting a slow waltz wash across her body. It was late, people were leaving, and she had a decision to make. She could go back to safeville or grab hold of the hussy deep inside her and push her forward.
Jake wanted to sleep with her. She wanted to sleep with him. But good Lord, how did you go about telling a man you were ready for a night a mindless sex, when you’d never done anything mindless in your life?
“Jake?”
“Mmm…”
“Umm…about my question.”
He stopped dancing.
Erin cleared her throat. “Well, the thing is…I’m umm…ready to do something about your answer.”
A dull flush spread across his cheeks. “Just to make sure we’re perfectly clear, is that a yes to my yes, or a no to my yes?”
Erin grinned, relief pouring through her body. He knew what she wanted and he looked as though he was ready for her answer. She took half a step forward, reaching up to drape her arms over his shoulders and press her body against his. “That’s a definite yes to your yes.”
Jake wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her even more firmly against him. He bent his head and brushed a light kiss against her lips.
Erin didn’t want light and flirty, she wanted hot and heavy. After three hours of imagining the taste and feel of his body against hers, she needed more. A whole lot more. She opened her mouth, capturing his lips under hers and showing him just how much she needed him.
Jake groaned and pulled his mouth away. “Let’s go. Do you want to come to my place?”
Erin nodded. The hussy inside of her purred.
Jake held her hand, pulling her off the dance floor. He moved quickly between the tables, grabbing her shawl and bag before putting his jacket on. Erin smiled as he patted his pockets, searching for his keys. Someone else felt reckless tonight and that made some of the nerves fluttering in her stomach disappear.
“Did you drive here with Nicky or did you bring your own car?”
Erin stopped. Oh-My-God. Nicky. How did a girl tell her best friend she’d decided to go home with a man she’d only just met? To his place. For a night of hot sex.
She didn’t. She lied like her life depended on it. “I came with Nicky. I’ll just tell her I’m leaving.” Erin disappeared before Jake got a chance to say anything. She had to keep some of her reputation intact. She didn’t want Jake to see how low she’d dropped in the honesty stakes.
The last time Erin had seen Nicky, she’d been pushing Sam around the dance floor. Sam had perfected the slow shuffle to such an art that no one looking at them would have guessed he had trouble working out his left foot from his right. Nicky, on the other hand, loved dancing and figured it was some kind of warped fate that had sent her the ballroom phobic Sam as the love of her life.
“Hi, guys, sorry to interrupt.”
Sam wrapped his arms around Nicky, pulling her against his body. “I can’t take another step. Tell me you’ve come to save me from this slow torture?”
Nicky looked worried. “What’s wrong?”
“Jake’s not well.” Good grief, where had that whopper of a lie come from? Nicky looked unconvinced. “He’s got a migraine and all his pills are at home. I’ll drop him off and get a taxi to my place.” She bit her lip, hoping like crazy Nicky had her own man on her mind and not the whereabouts of her runaway friend.
A frown crossed Nicky’s face. “Are you sure you want to go home with Jake? What if Sam drops him off and then comes back here?”
Erin hadn’t thought about that in her two-second brainstorming session. She didn’t want Sam anywhere near Jake. “I’ll be fine. He’s totally harmless.” Well, sort of. If you discounted massive lashings of undiluted sex appeal that were aimed straight at her.
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Nicky muttered. “And what on earth made you bid four thousand dollars for a date with him?”
Erin glanced at Sam, hoping for some male support. All she got was a cheeky grin. “I’ll tell you about it tomorrow.”
“Promise me you’ll be careful. And call me when you get home to let me know you’re okay.”
Erin rolled her eyes. “You’re worse than my mom used to be.”
“All ready?” Jake’s arm wound around her waist, holding her against his side.
Nicky pursed her lips, sending Erin an evil glare. “How’s the headache, Jake?”
“Headache?”
Sam winked at Erin before grabbing Nicky’s hand. “Come on twinkle-toes, it’s time to teach me some new moves.”
Nicky sent another worried frown in Erin’s direction, then followed Sam into the center of the dance floor.
“What’s that about a headache?” Jake looked confused.
“It’s a long story,” she sighed. “I’ll tell you about it on the way to your place.”
“In that case, your chariot awaits.”
Erin held Jake’s hand as they walked out of the hotel. The night air was crisp against her skin, washing away some of the heat from her not so brilliant fib. She looked up at the sky and wondered if anyone else was about to throw every rulebook they’d ever created out the window.
Maybe she wasn’t ready to be kissed senseless. Maybe this hadn’t been such a good idea. Maybe the hussy inside of her needed a stern talking to.
They stopped beside a black pickup. “Is everything all right, Erin?”
She glanced at Jake. He’d undone the top button on his white shirt and his black tie hung around his collar. He looked tired. But he also looked concerned, and that made her feel slightly better. She turned toward him, kissing the edge of his mouth. “I need some positive reinforcement,” she whispered.
He smiled and pulled her into his arms, nudging her mouth open with a gentle caress. His lips were tender. They teased her mouth until she felt herself melting against him, absorbing the heat and strength of his body like a second skin.
Jake lifted his head. “Did that help?”
“Can we do it again?”
He kissed her cheek. “Only in small doses, otherwise I might not make it home in one piece.”
His sweet smile made her heart race. “I’ll let you know when I need more encouragement.”
“You do that.” Jake tapped the end of her nose with his finger. “Just give me some warning. I tend to get distracted when your lips touch mine.” He unlocked his pickup and opened her door.
She bunched the skirt of her dress in one hand and pulled herself into the front seat. Jake hadn’t moved from beside her open door. His blue eyes watched her rearrange her dress, folding yards of red satin around her legs.
With a grin on her face, she tweaked the bodice up a notch when it pulled tight against her back. “If you ever wear a strapless dress, be careful when you sit down.” She looked at Jake, satisfied that at least for the time being, her dress wouldn’t be going anywhere.
“I’ll be sure to remember that.” A frown slipped across his face. “I’m happy to take you back to your place if you’ve changed your mind.”
Erin stared at his handsome face. She needed to be honest with him. Needed to let him know that tonight wasn’t a typical Saturday night in the Erin Reynolds dating calendar. Not that she needed a calendar.
The amount of dates she’d been on since Matthew disappeared out of her life hadn’t required careful coordination. They hadn’t required anything but a polite smile and a peck on the lips at the end of an unmemorable evening.
“I haven’t changed my mind. I just want you to know that I don’t usually sleep with men I’ve just met.” Try never, her inner hussy yelled. She fiddled with the silky fringe on her shawl, trying to boot the little hussy out of her brain.
Jake rubbed his hand along the side of her hot cheek. “It’s not something I make a habit of either.” His fingers were gentle and soothing, the smile on his face reassuring. “Since I’ve been home, most of my free time involves running around after my nephew.”
&
nbsp; His life sounded as exciting as hers. By eleven o’clock on most Saturday nights, she was either watching a movie with her friends or sound asleep in bed. On her own. And that suited her just fine. The only problem with her happy single status was that it wouldn’t lead to marriage. Or babies.
She had a great job and a beautiful home. The only thing missing in her life was a man. Jake was all man, and for the moment, he was all hers. “Let’s go. But if you tell me you live more than thirty minutes away we might need to stop for an extra helping of positive reinforcement.”
“If the traffic lights are working in our favor, I’ll have you there in half that time.”
***
The restaurants they drove past were overflowing with people sitting at outdoor tables, enjoying the still evening air. Erin didn’t pay much attention to the busy road or the galleries and craft stores lining Main Street. Her concentration stayed fixed on the man beside her.
Jake looked in the rear view mirror and changed lanes. “We’re nearly there. How am I doing for time?”
“You’ve got six minutes and ten seconds left. Not that I’m counting.”
Jake smiled and reached for her hand. “Do you need some positive reinforcement?” He held her hand, rubbing his thumb against her hot skin until her whole body tingled.
“I’m good on the positive reinforcement front for now. But if we don’t get back to your place soon, I might have to kiss you senseless on the side of the road.”
“Sixty seconds to go. This is my street.”
Erin gazed at the houses in Jake’s neighborhood. They were expensive, exclusive and everything Erin’s budget couldn’t afford. Her confidence started to slip. A man that lived in this neighborhood didn’t need to meet someone on a blind date. All he needed to do was flash his credit card and women would come running.
A garage door slid open on the side of an ultramodern glass and steel house. Jake drove into a large concrete basement filled with gym equipment and sports gear.
She waited for him to turn off the engine. He unbuckled his seatbelt.
She stayed exactly where she was.
“Are you okay?”
Erin cleared her throat. “You live in a nice neighborhood.”
Jake frowned. “I’m renting this place. By this time next year, I’ll be living in my own home on the ranch.”
Erin breathed a sigh of relief. He was more cowboy than corporate high flyer. Maybe this might work after all. She reached down to unclip her seatbelt.
Jake’s hand collided with hers. “I can do that for you.”
“Thanks.” The belt zipped back into the side of the cab and Erin pulled the door handle forward. It slipped out of her fingers. She wiped her hand on the side of her dress and tried again.
“Backward,” Jake said. “You push it backward.”
“Oh.” Erin stared at the door handle, wishing it had opened the first time. Wishing she could skip all the in-between bits and get naked with Jake. She wanted to look confident, in control, not scared silly that she was about to make the biggest mistake of her life.
She scrunched the bottom of her skirt in her hands, holding it away from her legs. Skidding on the edge of her dress and falling flat on her face wouldn’t look confident, it would look ditzy.
She made it safely to the ground. “I like your garage.”
Jake moved around the back of his truck. “It’s…well…it’s a garage.” He waved toward a pile of boxes stacked in one corner. “I’ve still got some unpacking to do. Do you want a cup of coffee?”
“No, thanks. If I drink any caffeine now, I’ll be up all night…” Oh, Lord, she wanted to be up all night, but not because of a cup of coffee. She dropped her arms to her side and felt the heavy weight of her dress anchor her to the floor.
“How are you feeling?”
“I’m good,” she whispered. “Really good.”
Jake held her hand. His skin felt as hot as hers. “I’ll show you the rest of the house.”
Erin nodded. It seemed a lot easier than trying to string words together. They walked up the stairs, their feet echoing on the wooden steps. Jake hesitated in the hallway, gazing around his home as if he couldn’t remember which way to go.
She watched a frown slide across his face and her fingers itched to reach forward and rub the lines gently away. She didn’t know Jake very well, but she wanted to know more. For once in her life she wouldn’t plan her whole life around what happened in the next few hours.
Tonight wasn’t about long-term commitment. It was all about need, and her body needed Jake like she’d never needed anyone before. No questions asked, no second guesses.
She turned toward him, running her hand along the front of his shirt. His muscles flexed beneath her touch. “I don’t mind making love to you in the hallway,” she said softly, trying to ignore the rush of heat to her cheeks. “But you could show me your bedroom first.”
He took a deep breath, devouring the smile on her face with one hungry look. His hand tightened around her fingers, drawing her close to his body. “Are you sure?”
“I’m sure.” Erin ignored the voice inside her head telling her to be careful. She’d listened to that voice her entire life and it hadn’t gotten her anywhere.
“Follow me.” Jake’s arm wrapped around her waist, holding her tight as they moved through the house. She breathed in the scent of the man turning her world upside down and felt dizzy with longing.
They stopped outside a bedroom and she couldn’t help the grin that slid across her face. Two suitcases were open on the bed, clothes thrown all over the place.
“I’ll just tidy up. I threw my bags in here when I got home from the airport.” He moved into the room and flung his clothes into the suitcases and flipped the lids closed. They thumped to the ground, echoing in the quiet room.
“You’ve been away?”
“I’ve been at a conference in Los Angeles.” Running his hands through his hair, he stared at a chair overflowing with boxes of kids’ toys. His carry-on had tipped on its side, spilling a book and magazines onto the floor.
Erin walked over to him. She didn’t care about his suitcases. She cared about the man standing in front of her looking like he’d suddenly found the end of a rainbow and didn’t know what to do next.
Reaching up, she softly kissed his warm lips. He bent his head and sighed, nudging her lips with his mouth, almost as if he was giving her time to decide if she wanted to be with him. She didn’t need more time. She knew what she wanted and she wanted him.
***
Erin woke to the first rays of sunlight peeking through the window. Panic raced through her body. She looked at the unfamiliar room and the mound of man lying in a tangled heap of cotton sheets beside her. She took a deep breath.
Charity ball. Jake’s house. Sex. More than once. Hot, glorious sex that left her breathless and wanting more.
Lifting her arm to her face, she peered at the little numbers squished onto her ten dollar watch. Nearly five o’clock. No wonder she was still half asleep. Most of the world was sound asleep, including the man snoring softly on the other side of the bed.
Erin slipped off the mattress and her foot landed on one of her shoes sitting forgotten on the floor. She blushed, remembering how much Jake had liked her high heels. How much she liked seeing those red heels wrapped around his waist.
Her dress sat in a crumpled heap beside the bed, not far from Jake’s clothes. She scooped the ball of red satin into her arms and quickly slipped it over her head.
As she walked through Jake’s house, Erin peered into other rooms off the hallway, looking for the kitchen. She grinned when she found it, realizing more money had been spent on this home than she’d ever be able to save.
Sunlight streamed through the floor to ceiling windows. Glass, stainless steel, and a chunky white marble counter filled the lavish kitchen in the open plan living area. An enormous crystal chandelier hung over an antique dining table, giving the room character beneath a
shell of urban sophistication. His home was incredible, the views outside breathtaking, and the night in his arms unforgettable.
Erin filled a kettle with hot water and plugged it in. She found some tea bags lurking in the back of a cupboard and added one of those to a mug of boiling water. Rubbing her eyes, she enjoyed a huge stretch before taking her steaming cup across to the balcony. She yawned again. So much for party girl central. Long gone were the days of staying out until dawn with Nicky and Emily, then sleeping the rest of the day away in bed.
Nicky. Erin dropped her mug of tea to the counter. She’d promised to call her and she’d forgotten. She turned toward the hallway, ready to run downstairs to get her cell phone.
Oomph. Her body staggered backward, bouncing off a wall of male muscle standing between her and the doorway. She took another step backward, catching the hem of her dress under her bare feet. Jake put his arms out, catching her before she fell flat on her bottom.
“Are you all right?”
“I’m fine,” she croaked, lifting the hem of her dress off the floor. “How are you feeling?”
He still looked tired, but drop-dead gorgeous in a sleep-tousled kind of way. He’d changed into faded blue jeans and a well-worn t-shirt. Damp mahogany hair curled around his neck, and he smelled divine. “You’ve had a shower?”
“Yep. Shaved too.” He took a step closer. “Want to feel?”
Oh, Lordy. She’d had lots of feeling time last night, and she already felt deprived. Erin rubbed her palm along his jaw, then moved closer, rubbing her lips along his smooth skin. He smelled like peaches and cinnamon. Good enough to eat. So she did.
His hands pulled her into his body, as her tongue swirled around his earlobe. He groaned as her teeth did a little more nibbling. His skin tasted as sweet as he smelled.
Jake moved in her arms, rotating his hips against her body while he licked her lips clean. Whoever thought multitasking was a bad thing hadn’t met Jake. He moved his legs, catching the bottom half of her dress under his feet. Her lips shot out of his mouth and landed on his chest. She giggled.
Forever Wishes (Montana Brides, Book 4) Page 3
