She nodded.
“Once someone found out it was a fake, I’d be the first one to blame—well, I guess maybe you, too, apparently, though I never would’ve guessed that. Leonard, hell, everyone knows I want the stone. And since I knew you’d be here, you’d be able to point the finger at me. So, I knew I’d have to leave.”
“Where are you going?”
She trusted Jake with her life. She knew he’d never betray her. But she didn’t want to make anything harder than it had to be either. “Away.”
“Will I see you again?”
She struggled to blink back the tears threatening to fall. She shook her head because she couldn’t force the words.
He nodded and stood abruptly.
Was this it? Goodbye already?
“Do you have a plane ticket?”
She swallowed hard. “No. Private plane. We’re supposed to leave just before dawn.”
She wasn’t wearing a watch but could practically hear the ticking of time passing. She didn’t want to go. She could go through her life forever, this night never ending.
Jake walked over to the trash can and tossed the remnants of the food they’d eaten. He pulled out his wallet and tossed a bill on the counter. Of course. Jake had been planning to steal a several-million-dollar necklace, but paid for day-old food that was probably going to be thrown out.
“Come on, Princess,” he said, extending his hand for hers. She unquestioningly grabbed it. “I think we’ve got more to do tonight.”
She desperately hoped it included getting naked again.
They walked slowly back through the darkened museum, neither one of them wanting to make it to the necklace display any sooner than they had to. There were gemstones and jewels everywhere but Ana didn’t see them. The only thing she was aware of was her hand in Jake’s and his thumb caressing her.
“You had to know the stone would be guarded overnight. How did you think you’d make the switch?”
She didn’t want to answer that question.
He didn’t push for an answer until they’d made their way back to the main gallery and stood in front of the empty pedestal.
“Ana,” he said.
When she still didn’t look his way, he grasped her chin and forced her gaze up to his. She tried to keep her face blank, but Jake knew her too well. His eyes widened.
“Wow,” he said, releasing her chin and stepping backward. It was just a step, but it still hurt. “Were you going to seduce anyone guarding the necklace or just me?”
She didn’t like that he could read her so easily.
Only you.
That part she hoped he could read. Because really, she wasn’t sure either answer was acceptable.
“To be fair, it turns out I didn’t have to do much seducing since you came on to me.” She pulled her hand from his and crossed her arms over her chest. Or tried to, but the stupid necklace got in the way. She reached back and tried to find the clasp.
“No.”
“Excuse me?”
“Don’t take it off, yet.”
“But—”
“We’ve still got several hours until dawn. I’m not finished with you yet.”
“Not finished with...oh.”
The heat, the passion in his eyes made it crystal clear what he wasn’t finished with yet.
“Thank God.” She stepped toward him again, closing the gap he’d widened a moment ago.
She expected Jake to wrap his arms around her, pull her close, kiss her, but he didn’t. Ana didn’t mind making the first move, she was more than happy to actually, but she didn’t expect him to do nothing in return. Not to mention, she liked when he got all dominant.
“Jake?”
“Just savoring the moment,” he said, his voice husky. “I never want to forget the way you look right now, with your skin all flushed, your hair a mess, and the stone right there between your breasts, but pressed against me at the same time.”
She wanted him more than she’d ever wanted anything in her life.
But she didn’t want him sweet like this. She couldn’t do this. Taking the diamond was going to be hard enough. She didn’t need her feelings for Jake to make it even harder.
“Should we go back into the other gallery? The one with the chaise?”
He shook his head. “Right here. Under the spotlight. Where the necklace should be.”
He reached up and pushed his suit jacket off her shoulders, letting it fall to the ground. Her dress followed and once again Ana was naked in the middle of a midtown Manhattan museum. Well, naked except for the necklace and Jake’s socks.
“You are so fucking beautiful, Princess.”
The huskiness of his voice was nearly her undoing. Her knees wobbled. He reached out and pushed the diamond to the side. When he let go, it fell back, swinging between her breasts.
“Turn around.” His voice was back to the demanding tone and Ana felt herself being pulled under his spell.
As much as she wanted to keep looking at him, she complied with his demand.
“Fuck me,” he muttered, brushing his hand over her ass. “The back view is almost as good as the front. I don’t know what you do to get this ass, but you should definitely keep doing it.”
She made a mental note to increase her StairMaster time at the gym. Assuming her new island home had a gym. Maybe she’d have to get one for her house.
“Bend over.” His breath was warm on her ear when he spoke.
Ana bent at the waist. He positioned her the way he wanted her, making her lean on the stand that held the plaque describing the Staffordshire Diamond and necklace. It could’ve been written in hieroglyphics for all she could make out at the moment.
One of his hands rested on the small of her back, warming her, big enough to practically span the entire thing. The other hand slid down between the globes of her ass. He rubbed his finger over the forbidden spot again, but this time, instead of pulling away, she pushed against his finger.
He laughed behind her.
Jake was an arrogant ass.
Unfortunately that was one of the things she loved about him. Or liked. Liked about him. A lot.
His finger slid down further between her legs. She was wet for him, hard to ignore since she wasn’t wearing any panties. She never had found them, either, but she didn’t care when he slipped a finger into her. There was no teasing, no preamble, he just thrust into her.
“Jake!”
“Don’t pretend you don’t like it.”
She wouldn’t. She loved it. But that didn’t mean it wasn’t a surprise.
He pulled one finger out and then replaced it with two. She squeezed him and was rewarded with a deep moan.
“I want your cock inside me,” she said. “Not just your fingers.”
She wasn’t prepared for the smack that hit her ass cheek. It stung, for sure, but it wasn’t entirely uncomfortable.
She tried to stand, but he pushed her back where he wanted her and spanked her again. This one was harder. Or maybe her skin was just overly sensitive.
“Ow,” she moaned.
“Then stop doing stuff to deserve it.”
His voice was remarkably calm considering he was spanking a naked woman in the middle of a museum, his fingers deep in her pussy, after a conversation about stealing a necklace worth several million dollars.
“I don’t think—”
“Good,” he said, delivering another smack, this one to the other cheek. “Don’t think.”
He spanked her again and she frowned. She wasn’t sure about this. It didn’t feel bad, but it didn’t feel good, either. She didn’t think. Though his fingers thrusting in and out of her felt amazing.
“What the hell was that one for?”
“For pouting.”
“I wasn’t pouting.”
Smack.
Her ass really stung now. She should be pissed that he was treating her like this. It wasn’t like you tried hard to get away.
“I know you like it. I wouldn’t have kept going if you didn’t like it.”
“I don’t like it. My butt hurts.”
He soothed her burning skin with one hand, the other still busy fucking her with his fingers. How had she missed the sound they were making as he thrust in and out of her?
“Your body says otherwise. Your pussy is dripping, and not just because I’m fingering you. You should’ve felt how tight you squeezed me when I spanked you.”
Oh hell, betrayed by her own body.
“Are you going to be good when I remove my fingers?” he asked.
“What? No! I mean, yes, I’ll be good, but don’t stop.”
His masculine chuckle infuriated her, but she brought it on herself.
“Can’t take my clothes off without this hand.” He flexed his fingers and found a spot inside her that apparently led straight to her knees because they almost buckled.
“I...I could do it for you.”
“Not with my fingers inside you,” he said. “If I turned you around and kept fucking you with my fingers, my hand would brush against your clit. And I know how much it wants attention right now. And then you’d be coming. Hard. And I don’t think you’d be able to work buttons with your orgasm pulsing through your body. And I wouldn’t stop. So you’d just keep coming and coming and coming. Your cream would be dripping down your legs.”
He leaned over her as he spoke, his warm, still fully clothed body blanketed over her.
He kept thrusting his fingers in and out of her. She was so damn close to the edge.
And then he pulled out.
What. The. Hell.
Not only were his fingers not inside her anymore, his body was no longer on top of her. Logically she knew that if he were to move away and take his clothes off they could move on to bigger and better things, but she wanted more now, damn it.
She stood up and spun around to see him working on the buttons of his shirt.
Oh shit.
She’d messed up.
The look in his eyes was...feral. If she thought she’d gotten spanked before, it was nothing compared to what the look in his eyes was promising.
“I, uh, I didn’t mean to.” She spun around again and bent at the waist. Unfortunately, she was afraid that maybe the damage had already been done.
“Stand up, Princess,” Jake said, his voice abnormally controlled and Ana was actually nervous for the first time.
“I’m okay,” she muttered.
“Ana.” His voice was a low warning.
She swallowed hard, but slowly rose to standing again.
“Now turn and face me.”
She kept her eyes down turned when she spun around, afraid to look at him. He’d finished taking his shirt off. She looked around but didn’t see it.
“Jake,” she said. “I’m really sorry. I’m not... I’ve never...”
She stopped speaking when he stepped toward her, put his finger under her chin and forced her to meet his gaze. She swallowed hard when she looked in his eyes. She’d always known Jake was a serious guy. That was one of the things she liked most about him, he only seemed to lighten up with her. But there was no lightness in him at the moment.
“Ana,” he said, and she shivered at the use of her real name. “You’re going to stop talking now.”
She breathed deeply. “I’m going to stop talking now.”
* * *
Damn it.
He tried to be serious and the woman had to go and make him laugh. Jake tasted blood as he bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing at her.
“Give me your arms.”
“My arms?”
“Fuck, Princess, do you ever do as you’re told?”
“Right,” she said, her eyes going wide as if she really couldn’t seem to stop the words. “Sorry.”
She put her arms out in front of her like she was waiting to be handcuffed. Again, he tried not to laugh.
He grabbed one arm and lifted it above her head. Like he’d thought, her breasts were thrust out. He slid his hands down her body, savoring her shivers, to grab her other hand. He then lifted that arm, too.
He’d kill for something to restrain her to, but a quick glance around the gallery showed nothing. He’d have to trust her to keep her hands where he put them. It was a win-win for him because if she didn’t leave her arms where they were, he’d punish her.
He would, if they had the time.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t looking like they’d have the time.
No use thinking about that now, though, because he had an incredibly sexy woman in front of him waiting to do some very naughty things.
He grabbed his tie from his pocket and wrapped it around her arms, marking her, decorating her, tying her arms together.
“Keep your arms where they are, Princess,” he commanded when he finally finished tying them together.
She simply nodded, keeping her mouth closed.
“Good girl.”
He ran his hands up and down her body. Her skin was so soft. He could touch her forever and not get enough. But the clock was ticking.
He wanted to make her suffer, touch every part of her, drive her crazy, not let her come. But they didn’t have time for that.
Moving on, he brushed his hand down her body one more time and then moved to her nipples. With her hands above her head, her breasts looked even more amazing than he’d thought. They were so perfect, round and taut. He tweaked her nipples, squeezing them a bit harder than necessary.
She hissed through her teeth but remained quiet, otherwise.
“Good girl.” He’d give anything to be able to train her further, desperate to see what her body could take, desperate to know how many ways he could please her.
“Jake,” she whimpered. “Please...”
Shit.
She was so delightful he’d not been paying attention to how hard he was squeezing her nipples. He immediately let go, watching the blood rush back to the distended peaks. He lowered his mouth to soothe the hurt skin, licking and kissing.
While his mouth moved back and forth between her breasts, he slid his hands over her stomach and between her legs, just resting them there. Then he walked them back two steps until she bumped up against the platform that held the necklace. As soon as her back touched the display, he thrust two fingers deep inside her.
Damn, he loved the way she squeezed him.
“Jake.”
His name was a plea on her lips.
He screwed his fingers in and out of her, her wetness coating his hand. When he could tell she was on the edge of that precipice, instead of making her come, he removed his fingers.
“What the hell?”
He chuckled at her disappointment. He desperately wished he could take her over his knee to punish her.
“Consider yourself lucky we’re on a timetable, Princess.”
He spun her around and pressed her forward again, though this time they were facing the other direction. He quickly removed his pants and kicked them aside. He thought for a moment about sheathing himself in a condom. Being inside of her bare had been the most amazing thing he’d ever felt in his life. He was desperate to feel it again, but at the same time, he knew he’d suffer for the rest of his life knowing that he’d never feel it again.
He was a bit of a masochist so skipped the condom and thrust inside her.
She was so damn wet, her body offered no resistance. He’d never been deeper in anyone before. She was made for his cock.
“Please, more. Please fuc
k me.”
Gladly.
He fucked her hard.
He leaned forward, covering her back with his body. Her arms were in an unnatural position, resting on the display, still tied up like they were, but she didn’t complain.
“So fucking tight, Princess. I’m not going to last.”
Her ass was still slightly pink from her earlier spanking and he couldn’t help giving a few more gentle swats to give it extra color.
His body tingled and he knew his orgasm was close. She squeezed him from the inside.
“I need you to come on my cock, Princess.”
“Yes.” She practically screamed as her orgasm washed over her. He followed, spilling all of himself into her.
He wrapped his arms around her from behind and pulled her close, hugging her, never wanting to let her go.
“Amazing. You’re the most amazing woman.”
“I...”
“Shhhh.”
He didn’t want to hear what she was going to say. He couldn’t. He was in too deep as it was. He needed to figure out how to keep Ana out of trouble. Pulling out of her was the hardest thing he’d ever done. He ran to where he’d kicked his pants and grabbed the handkerchief out of his pocket before running back to clean her up again. He was surprised she didn’t argue this time.
Bent at the waist, her arms still trussed, she was the sexiest thing he’d ever seen. He rubbed his chest, surprised to still feel the mark the diamond left. This might be all he’d ever have.
“You are glorious, Princess.”
Completely sated, he had difficulty untying her arms. When they were free, he tossed the tie aside and rubbed feeling back into her arms.
Her silence alarmed him.
“You all right?”
“I...what...I don’t know,” she said.
Fuck.
She was having second thoughts about stealing the diamond. Was she going to let him steal it? Did she want it? Of course she did, it was the most important thing in the world to her. But if she wasn’t completely, one hundred percent behind her plan, he couldn’t let her go through with it. She had to look completely innocent.
“Do you trust me?”
She looked at him. Her eyes, what he’d learned were her post-amazing-sex eyes, were light and sparkly instead of their usual sapphire color. Right now, they were widened in surprise.
Caught in the Act: A Jewel Heist Romance Anthology Page 15
