“Her granny is Josephine Grace Clarke!” Karen clapped her hands together with excitement, as if she just couldn’t hold it in any longer. “They’re practically twins!”
“Nice to meet you both.” Sly dipped his head in a nod before walking around us and out the front.
“He doesn’t say much,” Karen explained. “Thankfully, I say enough for both of us.”
She showed us to our rooms, which were joined by a Jack and Jill bathroom. I was staying in the Crown Jewel and Jackson was in the King Suite. Before she left, she reminded us that there were fresh brownies in the kitchen and that breakfast would be ready at seven sharp.
When my door closed, I lifted my suitcase onto the large four-poster bed and pulled out my pajamas, which consisted of cut-off sweats and an old, V-neck T-shirt. I wished that I’d packed something sexier, but since I didn’t own any lingerie, that would’ve been impossible.
My grandmother had a running commentary on my “schlubby” nightwear. She maintained that women should always wear a matching bra and underwear, a coat of lipstick and mascara, and sleep in silk or lace. For the first time in my life, I wished I would’ve heeded her advice. If I had, then moving this night in the direction that I wanted it to go would be a no brainer. All I’d have to do is put on a slinky number, cover it with a robe, walk across the hall, and when Jackson opened the door, I would open my robe.
I wouldn’t have to say anything. It would be more of a show-not-tell moment.
But as things stood now, I knew that I’d have to come up with another plan. Or I could do nothing except cross my fingers and toes that he made the first move. I was weighing my options as I grabbed my toiletries bag and opened the door to the bathroom. When I did my jaw dropped.
Jackson was standing at the sink with his back to me brushing his teeth. Just like the night before when he’d saved me from the killer scorpion, he was shirtless, wearing only a pair of gray sweats with a white drawstring.
My mouth watered at the sight.
I’d seen memes on social media in the fall and winter of men in sweats and women declaring it hashtag sweats season, but I’d never understood the appeal until I’d seen Jackson Briggs in sweats.
He lifted his head and caught me staring at him in the reflection of the mirror. The corners of his mouth turned up in a wolfish half-grin. The sexy sight sent the butterflies that had been hanging out in my stomach migrating to more southern regions of my body.
“Oh sorry.” I took a step back. “I didn’t know—”
“You don’t have to go.” He rinsed his toothbrush under the water and turned the faucet off. “I’m done.”
I stayed in the doorway and watched as Jackson wiped his mouth with a hand towel. My eyes travelled down his masculine physique in the reflection of the mirror. I hadn’t meant to stare but his broad shoulders, muscular arms, and chiseled abs made it impossible to look away.
My eyes journeyed back up the herculean landscape of his body and our gazes met. “If you keep looking at me like that, I’m not going to be able to turn around.” His voice was rough and deep.
The old Josie would’ve gotten embarrassed at him calling me out on my gawking. But the new Josie was bold—or at least I was with Jackson. I couldn’t imagine being like this with any other man.
My pulse was racing, and my body tingled with anticipation as I asked, “How am I looking at you?”
“Like you want me to make you sore again.”
My sex clenched at his response and I could feel my cheeks heat with arousal, not embarrassment.
“Is that what you want?” he rasped.
The intensity in his stare and the gruffness in his voice sent a shudder through me. My throat was tight, clogged with arousal. Not trusting myself to speak, I nodded.
He turned to face me and closed the distance between us in one long stride. I blinked and he was standing in front of me. My eyes lifted to his, causing my chin to rise. His hands cupped my face as his mouth captured mine in a soul-twisting kiss. His masterful tongue speared between my lips and explored my mouth. I met him lick for lick as my arms snaked around his neck.
Keeping my face cradled in his large hands, he stalked forward causing me to retreat backwards into my room until the back of my knees hit the bed. When they did, I sat down, the motion breaking our kiss. Jackson used the opportunity to strip me of my shirt.
I watched the cotton T fall to the floor. When I looked up and saw that I was near eye level to his erection tenting his sweats, my mouth watered once more. My hand trembled as I reached out and pulled at the white drawstring on his waistband before pushing his sweats down his strong thighs.
His fingers threaded through my hair as he stepped out of his sweatpants. With a boldness I hadn’t known I possessed; I wrapped my fingers around his thick shaft. His erection pulsed in my grip, causing my palms to tingle.
I licked my lips before leaning forward and pressing a kiss to his engorged tip. A deep moan vibrated through his body and I could feel it against my mouth. Wanting to feel more, taste more of him, I parted my lips and sucked him into my mouth.
His hands knotted in my hair, causing a sting to travel from my scalp to my core. My sex throbbed in need. Jackson guided my head up and down, and each time I sucked him in a little deeper until I could feel him hitting the back of my throat.
I kept my grip tight as I moved my hand in tandem with my mouth up and down his rock-hard length. With each pass I could feel him growing larger, his body was radiating heat.
I reveled in the power of affecting him. It was intoxicating. I felt drunk off the ability to please him. And I never wanted to stop.
Chapter 25
Jackson
“Darling, once love is involved, there is no going back. The only way out is through it.”
~ Josephine Grace Clarke
Watching myself disappear in and out of Josie’s mouth had me careening toward my release like a runaway freight train. I knew if I didn’t pull the brake, I’d be crashing into it at full speed. One more pump of her full lips sucking me into her wet, welcoming mouth and I’d blow. I didn’t want to come like that.
With more force than I’d meant, I hastily picked Josie up and laid her on the bed. Actually, it was more of a toss. Her body bounced on the mattress and her hair fanned out.
I looked down at her naked breasts and moved over her, taking one nipple in my mouth and then the other. Her back arched as her fingers gripped my head holding me in place. My hands massaged her plump flesh as I bit each of her taut nipples lightly before licking the sting away.
When her hips began to buck against me, her breaths came in shorter and shorter pants. I shifted down her body, my mouth trailing kisses over her ribs, belly, and hips. My fingers dipped beneath her shorts and I rose up so I could pull them off, taking her panties with them.
I watched as I slid them down her thighs, calves, and then off her feet. She was totally naked, her eyes looking up at me with anticipation. Urgency flooded through me as my balls tingled with release. This wasn’t going to last long.
“Spread your legs,” I commanded roughly.
She inhaled sharply and did as I asked. Her thighs parted, revealing the glistening folds of her sex. I kneeled down and placed my hands on her inner thighs. My tanned skin was a stark contrast to her lily-white complexion. She looked so delicate, so precious beneath my touch, inspiring a tenderness in me that I hadn’t felt a moment ago.
I gently pressed her thighs causing them to move farther apart. Her hands fisted in the comforter beside her and she lifted her head to watch me. I moved my hands up her thighs until my fingers grazed her feminine folds. With a featherlight touch, I stroked her with the roughened pads of my thumbs.
She sucked in a shaky breath as I glided up and down her sex. With each pass I added pressure and avoided her swollen pleasure button. Her body was squirming beneath me and my thumbs were coated in her arousal before I finally leaned forward and covered her mound with my mouth. My tongue
flicked back and forth over her clit as I pressed my thumbs at the base of her opening.
Within seconds she was exploding. Her body shook with release as she ground her sex into my mouth. Before she was done riding out her climax, I moved so I was hovering above her and thrust into her in one forceful push.
Her body enveloped me in a tight, slick heat as her inner muscles milked me.
“Yes!” she cried out as she clung to my shoulders.
The sting of her nails digging into my flesh shot right to my balls, causing them to tingle with release. I only managed to pump in and out of her three times before my orgasm slammed into me. I surged once more, filling her to the hilt as the hot pulsing rush of unrestrained release flowed through me. White-hot bursts of pleasure exploded as I rode out my climax.
After the last tremor quaked through me, I collapsed on top of Josie. Her legs and arms wrapped around me, holding me close as my dick twitched inside her body. Her fingers raked through my hair as I caught my breath.
I loved the feeling of her nails grazing my scalp. I loved the feeling of being in her arms. I loved feeling her heart beating against my chest. I loved the sound of her breathing against my ear.
I was starting to think I loved her.
“Is this how it always feels?” Her voice was a small whisper.
I pushed up on my forearms and stared down at her. There was so much vulnerability in her large eyes as she looked up at me.
“What do you mean?”
“Never mind.” She shook her head and looked away, obviously growing uncomfortable.
“No.” I didn’t want her to hide from me. “Tell me. Please.”
“I just…I know this isn’t, I mean, I know what this is…”
If she did, I wished she would tell me, because I had no idea.
“But I just feel so close to you.” I could hear the uncertainty in her voice as she rushed to explain, “Not literally because you’re still inside of me. I just mean…what I feel…forget it. It’s stupid.”
“It’s never been like this before. For me. With anyone.” I wasn’t just saying that. I meant it. It wasn’t a declaration of love, by any means, but it still felt like I’d revealed something private.
“Really?” I could see a glimmer of hope spark in her eyes.
“Yes. Really.”
She smiled and my heart felt like it expanded to capacity in my chest.
“I don’t know if you’re just saying that, but thank you, either way.”
It broke my heart that her first thought would be that I wasn’t being sincere. I understood why she would feel that way. I didn’t take it personally. Why should she trust me? She barely knew me. We’d spent two nights together and we both knew that this arrangement was temporary, even if we hadn’t come right out and said that.
But none of those things changed what I was feeling for her. It didn’t change that I’d missed her the few moments that we’d been apart before she’d come into the bathroom. It didn’t change the fact that every minute I spent with her made me fall deeper under her spell. And it didn’t change the fact that I didn’t have any idea what to do about it.
Not able to express what I was feeling for her, I did the only thing I knew to do. I rolled over on my back and pulled her close to me. Her body molded against my side and she rested her head on my chest. I stroked her hair as her breathing slowed and her body relaxed into me.
My heart was beating against her cheek and I wanted to tell her that it was beating for her. I wanted to tell her that I had thought I might be falling in love with her. I wanted to tell her how special she was, how special what we had was.
But what was the point? Nothing would come of it. She deserved the world, and I wanted to promise it to her, but all I had to offer was a few more nights. Maybe I should tell her that. Maybe I should tell her exactly what I was thinking. At least then she’d know how I felt. That had to count for something, right?
“Josie,” I rasped, my throat clogged with unspoken emotion.
When she didn’t answer I looked down and saw that her eyes were closed, her lips were parted, and she was sleeping soundly.
I had to admit, I was a little relieved.
We were headed to California tomorrow, then back to Wishing Well the day after that. I had forty-eight hours to figure out what to do, what to say. I just hoped that was enough time. I’d talk to her tomorrow. I’d tell her how I felt and then, at least, whatever happened, I’d know that I tried.
Tomorrow. I’d talk to her tomorrow.
I’d just closed my eyes when Josie’s phone vibrated on the nightstand beside us. She didn’t budge. I glanced over and saw that it was her grandmother calling.
“Josie,” I said quietly, but her eyes remained closed.
“Josie.” This time I gently nudged her.
Nothing. She was out cold.
I wasn’t surprised, she’d been going non-stop for days. And last night I knew for a fact that she’d only gotten a few hours of sleep. I figured that I’d let it go to voicemail. If it was really important, I was sure she’d call back.
As soon as her phone stopped buzzing, I heard my phone ringing. Thanks to my brothers being smartasses, my ringtone had been changed to “I’m Too Sexy” by Right Said Fred.
“Shit,” I whispered under my breath.
As stealthily as I could, I slid out from under her, grabbed my sweats and walked back to the bathroom. On the way I pulled out my phone from the pocket and saw that it was a number I didn’t recognize. Under normal circumstances, I would’ve ignored the call and checked to see if they’d left me a voicemail.
But since we had so many moving parts to this production, I figured it best to answer it in case it was someone who needed something.
I hit accept and held the phone to my ear. “Hey.”
“Hay is for horses, dear.”
It sounded like Josie’s grandmother. But how did she get my number?
“Ms. Clarke?”
“Yes, my strapping young stallion, it is Josephine Grace Clarke. Are you by any chance with my Josie?”
“Um,” I glanced over to the bed where Josie was now softly snoring. “She’s asleep. Did you want me to wake her up?”
“No, darling, no need. It would be best if she dealt with this after a full night’s sleep.”
“Is everything okay?”
“I just received a call from my publicist. It appears that Mr. Alexander has decided to piggy-back on the rebirth of the show and he went on TMZ claiming that Josie leaked the tape and then tried to make him the bad guy because he’d tried to end things with her. He’s claiming to have receipts.”
“Receipts? From her getting paid for the tape?”
Ms. Clarke chuckled. “Receipts are what young people call proof, darling.”
I had to admit it felt odd that a ninety-year-old woman was teaching me the hip slang. Although, the mere fact that I’d called it hip slang may have been the reason that she had to.
I walked to the other end of the bathroom and back, unable to stand still. “I think I should wake her up.”
“What, pray tell, would that do? There is absolutely nothing to be gained from her losing a night of sleep. The interview will be posted online tomorrow. And that’s not all. My team found several sites that the video is back up on. And between all of them there are over a million views. I have the best legal minds working on how to proceed. There’s nothing else to be done.”
My stomach turned as my blood boiled. The thought of anyone having access to such a private moment in Josie’s life made me want to punch a hole in the wall and throw up.
“I do have one favor to ask. I don’t think our Josie should be alone when she is brought up to speed on the unfolding events. I assume you have access to her room.”
The way she said it made it clear that she assumed we’d be sharing a bed tonight. “Yes, ma’am. I do.”
“Wonderful! Then please instruct her to give me a call the moment our Sleeping Beauty aw
akes.”
“Yes, ma’am. I will.”
“One more thing, I know that our Josie puts on a brave face, but she feels things deeply. Please honor her heart and handle it with care.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
We ended the call and I found that I was still pacing. I felt like a caged lion ready to attack. I’d never been a particularly violent person. Having seven brothers meant that I’d gotten into plenty of fights, but those were more roughhousing than anything else.
I wanted to pulverize Gio Alexander. I wanted to beat the shit out of him. If he were standing in front of me right now, I didn’t trust myself not to beat him to death. If we had five minutes alone in a room, only one of us would be walking out alive.
The only thing that cut through the red-hot flames of my anger, was the knowledge of what Josie was going to wake up to tomorrow. She’d had a panic attack just two days ago, triggered by teens she thought were viewing the video. And now this. Not only was the video up on more sites, Gio was trying to paint her as the villain instead of the victim. And there was nothing I could do about it.
Helpless didn’t scratch the surface of what I felt. I wanted to protect her. To shield her from all the ugliness in this world. But I knew that was impossible. The only thing I could do was be there for her. She wasn’t going to walk through this alone.
Yeah, until you leave next week, my asshole inner voice piped up.
“Fuck.” I sat down on the edge of the bed and ran my fingers through my hair in frustration.
The answer to my dilemma seemed simple enough. Back out of the job. Don’t go. Stay with Josie.
That’s what my instincts were telling me. But what person does that for someone that they’ve only known a few days? A crazy person. I didn’t want to scare her away, but I also didn’t want to leave her.
Hello, rock. Meet hard place.
Chapter 26
Loving Jackson (Wishing Well, Texas Book 10) Page 16
