“How about we order dinner and talk for a bit?” he asked.
“I like the sound of that.” She smiled, which made him forget for a moment just how young she really was. She was fucking gorgeous.
He walked into the kitchen to get the number for the Indian place down the street. It gave his body a chance to relax, otherwise there would be no way he'd be able to sit next to her and hold any kind of conversation. Memories of the way her lips felt against his were going to be hard enough to overcome, so he figured a few minutes’ distance would help, too. After he ordered, he made his way back to the living room where he found Nora looking at the pictures on his bookshelf. Jackson moved up quietly behind her and slid his arm around his waist. Her body stiffened for a moment before relaxing back into him.
“When was this taken?” she asked, pointing to a picture of him and his brothers at his youngest brother's wedding. He thought his little bro was crazy for getting married so young, but he kept insisting that when Jackson found the right one, he'd never be able to let her go. With his fixation on the young daughter of a client, he wasn't sure that marriage was written into his future anytime soon.
“Wow. I guess it had to be about two years ago at my brother's wedding.”
“You two could be twins. How old is your brother here?”
“Twenty-eight. We all made fun of him for getting married so young. We joked that he needed to test all of the flavors before he settled on just one. But they are perfect together, and my family absolutely loves his wife, Lisa. To this day we laugh about how much we picked on him before the wedding.” He chuckled.
“I'm never getting married,” Nora said. There was a sad quality to her voice that made him want to protect her from anything that could cause her pain. Gripping her shoulders, he turned her around to face him. The pain in her eyes hurt him more than he expected it to.
“Why not?”
She laughed without humor. “Seriously, you've seen my parents. Why would I want to end up like them some day?”
As a divorce lawyer, he knew what she was talking about, especially after meeting her mother. But that didn't mean Nora was destined to follow the same path as her parents. Shit. Even with all the horrible marriages he'd seen, he still believed in love and finding someone to share his life with, just not yet. His fingers lightly brushed her cheek. “Nora, not every marriage turns to shit. Just because your parents’ marriage failed doesn't mean you're doomed to make the same mistakes. This is your chance to learn from them and find someone who'll make you happy.”
Her gaze dropped to the floor. “Except my parents’ divorce is my fault.”
The idea that this beautiful woman blamed herself for her parents’ divorce left him wanting to wring her parents' necks. “Why would you think such a thing?”
Nora lifted her wounded eyes to his, and he could see the glistening of tears she was adamantly trying to fight back. “Because I was the reason they had to get married in the first place.”
When she could no longer keep her tears from sliding down her cheeks, he leaned forward to kiss them away. “Your parents did not have to get married because of you. That was a choice they made.”
She scoffed. “Yeah, how much of a choice do you have when you get pregnant as a freshman in college?”
So that explained the age difference between her and her siblings, but at the moment, he was so glad for the gap. “That's ridiculous. They made the decision. You weren't born in the 1950s. They had so many other choices in the 90s, and while I'm glad they made the choice they did, you can't blame yourself for their mistakes.”
Wanting to take her mind off the conversation, he moved in and slid his tongue across her bottom lip, hoping she would give him access to her delicious mouth. When her lips parted, he slipped his tongue inside to tangle with hers. As the passion between them increased, Jackson found himself pushing Nora up against the bookcase while his hand slid up her rib cage to play with her nipple through her sweater. He could feel it harden beneath his touch, and a moan sounded from the back of her throat. This heat between them increased... at least until the doorbell rang.
His mouth slowly pulled away from hers. “That must be the food,” he said between deep breaths.
Stepping back from her, he reached down to adjust himself before answering the door. Even though he wanted to skip dinner and move straight to dessert, he didn't want to send her running the way he did earlier. So he put the food onto plates and brought them out to the living room, hoping his dessert wasn't too far away.
Chapter Seven
She couldn't believe how much she'd already told him. It seemed so easy to talk to him. Hearing him say her parents’ divorce wasn't her fault was extremely comforting. Plenty of people had tried to tell her the same thing—Kara being the most vocal—and while she listened, she never really felt the truth in their words until today. Dinner was amazing, and there was no shortage of conversation between them. Mostly they talked about her and school. Even though Jackson knew nothing about chemistry, he still listened as she spoke about the one thing she loved almost as much as she loved her brother and sister. The longer they talked, the more relaxed she became about being there. She could feel the apprehension leave her body only to be replaced with desire. The few times he’d kissed her since they’d gotten there had warmed her body like the embers of a fire—still hot, but not full-fledged flames. With each passing second, those embers were slowly coming to life, and her need to feel his hands on her started to overrule everything in her brain.
The way his hands moved as he told a story about the time Jackson and his brother put plastic wrap all over his brother’s car had her imagining those hands on her once again. “My father probably should have grounded us for it, but he was too busy laughing as Jake had a meltdown in front of the house because he was going to be late to pick up his girlfriend.”
They both laughed, but there was a husky quality to the sound. Jackson must have heard it because his eyes darkened with lust. He took the glass from her hand and set it on the table before he slowly stood up, never taking his eyes from her face, and held out a hand to her. This was it. There was no more time for fear or repercussions. They both wanted to finish what had started in his office earlier;, Nora just had to reach out and take what she wanted. She lifted her hand and placed it in his, holding no delusions as to where this night would end. Helping her up from the couch, he pulled her into his arms, his mouth descending quickly to take hers. This kiss wasn't like the ones from earlier. Those kisses let the passion build slowly between them. Instead, she felt this kiss all the way to her toes. His mouth possessed hers as he pushed his tongue past her lips only to suck her tongue back into his mouth. Her nipples hardened, begging for his touch, but as quickly as the kiss began it ended. She groaned at the loss of the warmth of his lips. Bending down, he nibbled lightly on her ear before whispering, “Oh, we're not done. I'm just taking you to my bedroom where we can be more comfortable.”
She shivered at the sensation of his breath on her skin and allowed him to lead her up the stairs to the master suite. The room was huge with a definite masculine touch to it. A large mahogany bed sat in the center of the room, and Nora’s body trembled with need at the sight of it. She wanted nothing more at that moment than to be naked in his bed. Seconds later he returned his mouth to hers, claiming her as if he had the right to do so and, she loved every minute of it. Just like this afternoon, his hand snaked down her body to the bottom of her skirt and skimmed back up her thigh until he reached the front of her thong. The warmth of his hand as it slipped around to cup her ass sent her arms up to fist his hair as his mouth continued to consume hers. The feel of his hand as it pushed her thong to the side so his finger could tease her wet swollen lips was almost more than she could take. Every nerve ending tingled like pins and needles, her body so sensitive to every movement of his hands. After stroking a few times, but never touching her clit, his finger slipped deep inside her and thrust in and out. Her hips began to
move to the rhythm he'd created. Groaning, he withdrew his finger from her body to grab the hem of her shirt and pull it over her head, exposing her lacy pink bra. Wasting no time, his hands went to the zipper on the back of her skirt, and with a quick flick of his wrist, it fell to her feet. He sucked in a breath, his gaze roving over every part of her exposed form and stopping at the thigh-highs she still wore under her boots. Slowly he lowered himself to his knees, and with his tongue he traced a line at the top of the fabric. With little nips to her inner thigh, he used his teeth to lower the stocking until it reached the top of the boots she still wore. Reaching up to the zipper, he made quick work of her footwear. His teeth returned to where they left off bringing the thigh-highs down past her knees. Turning, he did the same thing to the other leg and helped her step out of the garments.
There she stood in the middle of the room, her stockings still partly on her legs and feeling slightly self-conscious. He pulled the stockings off of her legs, caressing them until she was left in only her bra and thong. Jackson sat back on his heels with a look of admiration and lust in his eyes.
“You're fucking gorgeous,” he said and released and appreciative sigh..
He leaned forward and placed his tongue along the base of her panties. “You taste amazing, too.”
The room started to spin. Even though he'd stopped touching her with everything but his tongue, she could still feel the sexual tension radiating between them.
“Jackson?” she whispered, and his eyes snapped to hers. “Please touch me.”
He didn't have to be asked twice; his hands reached up to lower her panties to the floor. Trembling, she moaned with satisfaction when his tongue flicked out once again, this time rubbing over her clit. Need coursed through her, and she wasn't sure she'd be able to stay on her feet much longer as her legs trembled beneath her. Jackson stood up, swept her into his arms, and carried her over to the bed. Using his elbows to hold up his body weight, he leaned up over her and took her lips with his.
Embarrassment flushed her cheeks red, but Jackson continued. “I need to get rid of this troublesome clothing.” His hand took hold of one of hers and guided it down to where her need was greatest. “Start without me,” he whispered against her lips.
Nora had never done that before, but need had taken over her brain as she slowly stroked her clit. He undressed and watched as she touched herself, which had her feeling wild and carefree. He tore open a condom and rolled it down his long, steely length, his eyes never leaving her body. When he made his way back to her, his mouth immediately joined her fingers, licking up and down her folds and eventually taking her clit into his mouth. His tongue swirled around it and lightly sucked, driving her mad. The beauty of watching him as he worshipped her body was more than she could explain. There was something decidedly erotic about having a man lick your pussy and bring you to the height of desire. His eyes focused on her as her breathing became more labored with each pass of his tongue, but her world exploded when his tongue thrust deeply into her. The thrusts of his tongue continued as he helped her ride out the aftershocks of her body. Taking his time, he nibbled a path up her body, making sure to stop and pull each nipple between his teeth. While there was sharp sting, the pleasure was off the charts. When Jackson reached her lips, he lowered his, taking possession of hers once again. With the first swipe of his tongue her lips opened to the wildly erotic kiss. His lips moved down her neck to suck a hot, wet path across her chest, leaving a burning sensation everywhere his lips touched. Reaching her breast, he sucked her nipple into his mouth, causing her back to arch off the bed.
“Jackson, I need you now,” she begged between labored breaths.
His tongue licked out to swirl around her nipple never touching. “Not yet, my sweet Nora.”
She wanted him inside her, but he was busy worshiping her body and she didn't want to deny herself the sensual feel of his tongue as it flicked her nipples, tantalizing every nerve ending. After he tortured her for what seemed like hours, his mouth moved back to hers. After rolling on a condom, he settled between her legs, his dick stroking her pussy but never allowing himself inside her. Her head thrashed on the pillow in her need for him to fill her.
“Jackson, I need you.”
He groaned, capturing her lips with his as he plunged full length into her. “Oh my God, you're so fucking tight and warm,” he groaned into the curve of her neck.
Needing him to move, she thrust her hips up. His head was thrown back, a muscle twitching in his neck as he fought for control. “Please don't move, just give me a minute,” he hissed between his clenched teeth. He sucked in a deep breath and lowered his head to look at her. “I never expected you to feel this good.”
With that his body started to move in deep, driving strokes, bringing her back to the edge.. Her nails dug into his flesh as she reached for the orgasm she knew was dancing right before her, just out of her grasp. It wasn’t until his fingers slid down her stomach, into the folds of her pussy, and stroked against her clit that she practically blacked out from the pleasure coursing through her body. Somewhere in the midst of her orgasmic bliss, she felt him thrust a few more times before joining her. His body collapsed against hers, his arms no longer able to hold up his weight. Slowly their breathing returned to normal, Jackson stroking his fingers down her ribs in a sleepy caress. A few moments later he had enough strength to stand up and dispose of the condom. Her body felt limp and deliciously sore. The fear that had pierced the beginning of the evening was now long forgotten. Returning to the bed, he pulled her over to lie on his chest and kissed the top of her head.
“You're absolutely amazing,” he whispered into her hair.
She snuggled in closer. “Thank you for convincing me to come over tonight and for making me feel better about my parents’ divorce.”
He lowered his head to look at her. “You don't have to thank me. No one should ever take the blame for something they have no control over. Especially you.”
Smiling, her eyes closed, Nora was content to lie in the arms of the first man to not only set her body on fire, but to listen and care about her feelings as well. The only stumbling block to Jackson being perfect was their age difference. But that was something she would deal with another day. At that moment, she just wanted to enjoy one of the most mind-blowing sexual experiences she'd ever had.
They lay in silence, lightly caressing and kissing each other, when Nora's phone sounded an alert Leaning up on her elbows, she looked at the clock on the cable box. Shit. It was one in the morning, and she had no desire to do the walk of shame in the morning. Jackson was nibbling on her ear as she tried to get his attention.
“Jackson?” He sucked the lobe of her ear into his mouth. “Jackson?”
Finally, she had to roll away and look him in the eye for him to listen. When he reached out to bring her forward again, she grabbed his wrists. “Jackson, listen to me. It's one in the morning, and I live on a college campus.”
“And?” He looked confused.
“And I have no desire to do the walk of shame tomorrow morning. I need you to take me home.”
“Just stay for a little while longer,” he begged.
She leaned over and kissed his lips. “No.” Before he could try again, she got out of bed and started collecting her clothes from the floor. Muscular arms slipped around her from behind as she lowered her shirt over her head. He kissed her neck and moved up to her ear.
“Say you'll see me tomorrow night.”
Turning in his arms, a bit of the fear from earlier snuck its way back in, and she leaned up and kissed him on the lips to hide what she was feeling. He pulled out of the kiss and looked down at her. She averted her eyes, but it was too late. “Nora, I can see the fear in your eyes. Neither of us expected to have feelings for the other, but we can't deny what we feel. And I don’t want to.”
With those words, her gaze returned to his. “I’ll pick you up, pack a bag and stay with me. Just please say you'll see me tomorrow night.”
Her resistance was battered. She wanted him, and if he was willing to stay out of the public eye with her, she had to do her best to adjust and enjoy whatever was growing between them. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Yes, okay. I'll come over tomorrow, but I’ll drive over and meet you here.” He wrapped his arms around her, breathing in her scent. She giggled at his reaction. “Now take me home. You'll see me tomorrow anyway.”
He nodded and started getting dressed. Nora wasn't sure what she was getting into, and the thought of her father finding out had her freaking out a little bit. But for now it was between them and no one else's business. She'd worry about it when she had to.
Chapter Eight
A week had passed since Nora walked into his life. Seven days and nights of her sexy body and beautiful mind. By the second night, he’d begun to understand that his feelings for her were more than sexual. Even though he wasn’t sure if they could navigate the muddy waters they were in, he wanted to attempt an actual relationship with her. Nora was willing to try, but she still wasn’t ready for everyone to find out about them. Jackson wanted to shout to the world that they were together. There was no denying there would be negative reactions to the age difference, but he didn't care. It was all new and exciting to him. Things he'd almost forgotten about. But all of it still scared Nora.
Even after spending days with her, Jackson still couldn't believe that she'd come home with him that first night or his body's reaction to her. Not only was she sexy as hell, but she was witty and mature—way beyond her years. Her worry for her brother and sister because of their parents’ screwed up mess was more than any nineteen-year-old should have to shoulder, but she did with a smile.
Forbidden Fruit: Volume 1 Page 25
