Jackson's Rise

by Tielle St Clare

  It was from Dani. Inviting him to dinner. His cock jumped and he groaned. Damn, just her voice was enough to make him need.

  “Leave a message after the tone,” the mechanical voice said in his ear. Message? Oh, right. Mandy.

  “Hi, Mandy—”

  “Jackson, if you want to do dinner, call me.” Dani.

  Silence hung in the air and he realized he was supposed to be speaking.

  “Oh, Mandy, sorry just listening to another message.” Great, his mind and his dick were focused on Dani and he had to find a way to apologize and sound coherent. “Uh, anyway, listen, I wanted to call and apologize for last night. I’m really sorry. I hope I didn’t screw things up completely.”

  Lame, but the best he could do on a machine.

  “There is a really good explanation—or at least, it’s some kind of explanation. I just…I’d rather talk to you in person. Anyway, I’m sorry about last night and I’ll call you later.”

  He clicked the phone off. Mandy was adaptable. She’d have figured something out.

  His gaze fell and he stared blankly at the answering machine. The light was no longer flashing. Dinner with Dani. A bad idea all around but the other option was spending the night here, alone. Max must be out of town and Jackson should call him, leave him a message. Tell Max where he was.

  But for the first time in years, Jackson had little desire to talk to his brother. Max was damn perceptive—at least where Jackson was concerned—and he wasn’t entirely sure Max wouldn’t be able to tell something had changed. Like the fact that he lusted after Max’s woman.

  The best thing for him would be to hide in Max’s apartment or go home. His intention in coming to Vegas was to check on his brother. Max wasn’t here. He was obviously fine. Though why he hadn’t mentioned he’d broken up with Dani…

  “They aren’t broken up,” he said aloud, just to make sure every part of his body heard. “They’re on a break. Whatever the hell that means.”

  The phone rang and Jackson compulsively picked it up and answered.

  “Jackson?”

  His cock perked up. Any softness created by calling Mandy disappeared. He thumped his dick, hoping the shock would make the damn thing back down.

  “Dani. Hi.”

  “You okay?”

  “Yeah. Sure.” Fuck. Why did I answer the phone?

  “I’m calling back—I’m not stalking you or anything—but I realized I didn’t leave my phone number.”

  “I didn’t hear the phone ring earlier. I must have been asleep.” Just tell her the truth. You were so wrapped up in the fantasy of fucking her that you didn’t hear it.

  “No stress.” She laughed and he closed his eyes, trying not to groan. Damn, if the sound of her voice and laughter could make him this hard, he was going to be rock solid when she finally touched him. “Did you find Max?”

  “Not yet.”

  She hesitated for a moment and he imagined her biting her lip, thinking before she asked…

  “So, do you want to do dinner tonight?”

  “I’d like that.”

  The words fell out of his mouth but he couldn’t regret them. He wanted to see her.

  “Great.” She gave him the details and directions again to her condo before they hung up.

  Jackson put the phone down and shook his head. If going home was the best thing he could do, going out with Dani was the worst.

  So why did it feel so damn right?

  Chapter Three

  Jackson looked at the door but stalled. All he had to do was knock, let her know he was there. Or he could take the coward’s way out, retreat back to his car and call. Tell her something had come up. That aliens had landed in the desert and he needed to go investigate. Anything.

  He shouldn’t have accepted in the first place.

  It’s just dinner. Nothing more. Two casual acquaintances enjoying a meal. Right? Nothing sexual about it.

  As long as he didn’t think about last night.

  Which immediately took his brain to last night.

  His cock twitched. Damn, it didn’t take much to recall the memory of her on the floor, legs spread, her deep pink pussy wet and open. Fuck. But that liquid lust hadn’t been for him. And he wasn’t fucking a woman who wanted his brother’s cock between her legs.

  But even as he listened to his own mental diatribe, he remembered the way her lips had glistened after their single kiss. Damp and soft. That kiss was for him, not his brother. God, he wanted to kiss her again, let his tongue fill her mouth and taste. Then he wanted all of her.

  She’s your brother’s woman.

  But they were “on a break” and Jackson knew his brother. When he took a break, he never returned. Max was probably even now fucking some sexy blonde with legs that stretched for miles.

  Probably.

  And it was that small percentage of doubt that had Jackson hesitating. If only he’d been able to connect with Max. He’d talked to their sister Kiki, who’d spoken to Max today and seemed to think he was alive and well. Though she did say he sounded odd. She actually said he sounded guilty. So, he could be fucking another woman. Which would explain why he wasn’t answering whenever he called.

  It wasn’t like he could leave a message on his twin’s phone asking permission to fuck his woman. Not the kind of thing you left on a voice mail.

  You’re not going to fuck her. You’re just going to have dinner with her.

  Right. No sex. Just dinner.

  So why did he have a condom in his pocket?

  Before he could justify slipping into Max’s bedroom and grabbing an extra condom, or two, the door opened and Dani filled the space.

  Every male instinct—human and wolf—went on full alert. She looked positively edible. Her shiny red skirt hung to mid-thigh, leaving the luscious expanse of her lower legs bare. The top was a halter, slick material draping across her curves, molding to her breasts and defining each perfectly rounded edge. The bottom half fell away in loose folds that made him imagine her mounted on him, dressed, the skirt teasing his skin as she rode him, his cock sliding in and out of her pussy, hidden from sight by the soft material.

  The outfit and the body in it was the perfect temptation. Sexy without being overt. Flirtatious. Enough that he wanted to strip it from her body and take her to the floor.

  God, it was going to be a long evening.

  “Jackson? You okay?”

  He blinked and found his voice. “I’m fine.” The words came out strained. “You look lovely.”

  She smiled, like he’d given her a gift, and ran her fingers along the skirt. “Thank you.” She hesitated for a moment then shrugged, the tops of her cheeks turning a delightful shade of pink. “I saw you walk up but you didn’t knock. I didn’t know if you’d forgotten which unit.”

  He grimaced and shook his head. “I wrote it down.” He pulled out the piece of paper with the specific directions just to complete his confession.

  Her smile broadened and the tension in the center of his chest eased.

  “Well, I’m glad you found me.”

  So am I. He didn’t say the words out loud, knowing they would come out much more serious than she was prepared for. Hell, it was more serious than he was prepared for. But somehow it seemed right. He’d found her. And he was keeping her.

  The sentiment should have shocked him. Instead a strange calm invaded his chest. That nagging voice in his head again reminded him that she belonged to his brother, but it had no influence on the certainty of his conviction.

  “I’ll get my wrap and we can go.” She disappeared and returned moments later, a black lacy shawl draped over her bare shoulders. The tiny triangles in the filmy material revealed hints of her pale skin, creating a shimmer of light and dark.

  She stepped outside and locked the door. A strange tension rattled between them as they walked toward Max’s car. They’d been so easy with each other last night but then they hadn’t been on a date.

  They stopped at the car and Dani t
urned to him, blocking the door so he couldn’t open it.

  “Are we okay? I don’t want to make this weird for you and your brother.”

  She’d given him an opening. He could gracefully back off, get a hold of Max and then come back to Dani with a clear conscience. But he wasn’t prepared to leave her for the night.

  “We’re good,” he said, forcing his lips into a smile. She raised her eyebrows. Damn. She’d seen right through his false charm.

  “It’s not like we’re doing anything wrong.”

  “Right. Just friends going out to dinner.”

  “Right.”

  “So we’re good?” he asked.

  She smiled and it turned his false grin into a real one. “Yeah.”

  He opened her car door because even if this wasn’t a date, his mother had reared him right. She settled into the front seat and the skirt rode up her thighs.

  He jumped back and closed the door with a heavy thud. As he walked around to the far side, he pushed the wolf further back into his brain. He didn’t need the animal’s heightened senses. Didn’t need to smell her arousal or hear the tiniest catch in her breath. He needed to go full human for the evening.

  The wolf grumbled its displeasure but retreated. Jackson’s relief eased the strain his chest.

  He settled into the driver’s seat and turned the key in the ignition. The engine came to life, growling. The animallike sound reverberated in his chest. He took a deep breath, the faint floral scent of Dani’s perfume filling his head. The wolf responded, releasing a growl of warning.

  So far, the animal remained in the background. But Jackson knew that wasn’t going to last.

  * * * * *

  If at some point later Dani thought about when the evening changed—when it shifted from a friendly dinner to a date that would end in bed—she’d be hard pressed to pick the exact moment.

  It could have been during the meal. They’d started with drinks and dinner at one of her favorite restaurants. Like Max, Jackson had ordered the largest, rarest cut of meat they had. But that was where the similarities between them ended. They’d found plenty to talk about—books they agreed on, politics they didn’t—and soon they’d consumed dinner and dessert and were lingering over coffee.

  Or possibly it had happened after dinner. They’d decided a walk would help dinner settle and she guided him downtown to Fremont Street. The crowds were different there, less focused than on the Strip. People walked and talked, stopping to watch the light show overhead.

  The conversation remained friendly, even when she’d told him about the tattoo on her ass. He’d stared at her butt for a few seconds as if trying to see through the shiny material of her skirt. Heat bounced between them but then she wiggled her ass and the mood snapped. Jackson laughed and they started walking, heading back toward the car. He’d taken her hand as they strolled down the street.

  Or maybe it was the drive out to Red Rock Canyon, where they’d parked away from the city lights. Mellow and a little lazy, they got out of the car and leaned against the front hood, staring up at the stars. His shoulder touched hers. The slight breeze had been too much for her lace shawl and she shivered. Jackson had taken off his coat and draped it over her shoulders, then pulled her close to add his warmth. The heat from his body melted the layers of clothes between them.

  Definitely by the time they headed back to her condo, the best intentions of a platonic evening were gone and it was all she could do not to slip her fingers under her skirt and stroke her pussy. Her panties were soaked, slick with her pussy juices. She pressed her knees together, trying to keep a ladylike pose during the final few minutes of the drive.

  Jackson turned the car into the parking lot and stopped. Her heart started to pound and for one breathless moment she thought he might wish her good night then and there and drive away. Was she the only one to feel their connection?

  He opened his door and came around to her side of the car. She stood, fighting the urge to rub up against him and purr as he helped her out. Before she had a chance to press forward, Jackson took a step back, the tension between them returning. They strolled along the walkway toward her condo, the conversation slowing with the silence surrounding them.

  It was as if the closer they got to her house, the faster reality returned. And with it all of the reasons for not sleeping with him. Still she didn’t want the night to end. Even if all he offered was just another kiss on her doorstep, she wanted—needed—a few more minutes with him.

  They stopped on her front step and Dani fumbled with her purse, digging to the bottom to get her keys. Her hands shook, unexpected nerves making her tremble. Clutching the metal ring in her fist, she pulled the keys free and looked up, her gaze landing on Jackson’s mouth. She was assailed by the sweet memory of their one kiss. Her pussy clenched and the low heat that had built in her core all evening blazed at the memory and the possibility of more.

  “Would you like to come in?” She forced the words out through a tight throat, the effort making them sound husky and deep. “For coffee?” she clarified, though unsure herself what she was offering.

  A moment passed, long enough she was sure Jackson would say no. They’d both agreed it was a friendly dinner and he considered her off limits.

  “I’d like that.”

  His voice was low and strong. She hoped the surprise—and the lust—didn’t show on her face. God, did he know how sexy he sounded? Probably not. It seemed to be instinctive. He isn’t trying to seduce you. He doesn’t intend to take you to bed and fuck you until dawn.

  It was better to let her hormones hear the message directly. She couldn’t and wouldn’t expect anything besides coffee and more conversation when she let him inside. Ignoring her disappointment, she led the way inside, tossed her shawl over the back of the dining room chair, dropped her purse on the table and headed to the kitchen. Jackson didn’t follow. He wandered through her living room, making comments on how he liked the room, liked the style.

  That made her smile. She’d worked hard on her condo. It was small, but elegant in a way that still felt comfortable.

  She scooped coffee into the French press and placed cups on a tray. She worked quickly, wanting to spend as much time with Jackson before he felt the need to leave.

  Letting the water heat, she went back into the living room. Jackson stood to her right, staring at one of the paintings on the wall. A violent mixture of colors that should have been offensive but somehow blended together. Power radiated from it.

  Like the man standing in front of it.

  Bad idea. You’re still semi-engaged to his brother.

  She glanced around the room to distract her thoughts. The message light on her phone blinked with an even pulse. She hit the button and waited. She hadn’t moved yet to electronic voice mail. Everything else in her house was pretty high tech but she’d kept the answering machine. She liked being able to walk in and see that flashing light. Few people called her house anyway. They usually found her on her cell.

  The tape wound back and Reign’s voice filled the room. Detective Reign. She didn’t know his first name. Everyone just called him Reign. The image of the man attached to the voice flickered through her brain. Tall, blond and freakin’ gorgeous. She glanced over her shoulder to Jackson. He’d be a little shorter than Reign and darker, but God it would be a panty-creaming experience to have both men in the same room.

  In the same bed. With her. She suppressed a chuckle, keeping the thought in her head. That’s what fantasies were for, yes? Funny she’d never imagined Max and Reign in bed together with her.

  She shook her head to clear it and listened to the message.

  “Dani, it’s Reign.” She sighed, loving the mellow sound, the slight accent. “I just got word that Winston’s back in town and he’s doing business at a party tomorrow night. Are you still up for this?” Though the effect was muted—not nearly as powerful as Reign actually being there—the sound of his voice made her toes tingle. From their first meeting, ev
en though she’d been dating Max, she’d flirted and teased Reign, had wanted him. Something just clicked inside her when he was around. When she’d been mad at Max, Reign had been the perfect fantasy revenge.

  “Listen, it looks like Max is out of town but I can’t miss this chance. I’ll come by tomorrow morning, maybe around eleven? It’s a little complicated and we need to talk about it. Have a good night.” His voice dropped low, the seductive sound more instinctive than directed at her, she was sure.

  She sighed again and realized Jackson had grown still listening to the message as well. She looked up and saw him watching her, his eyes curious.

  “Friend?”

  “Sort of.”

  “Lover?”

  “No.” Not yet. But maybe now that Max was out of the picture. And who knew if Jackson was going to stay around beyond a few days.

  “Not yet,” he said, echoing her thoughts. The lines at the corners of his eyes deepened. He crossed his arms on his chest. “But you’re thinking about it.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  This time the change in his eyes was accompanied by a slight smile. “Your body. I’ve spent all night watching you and I know when you’re thinking about sex. Or something sexual at least.” A neutral tone filled his voice sparking a hint of defiance in her chest.

  “I’m not sure I like being read so easily.” She strolled forward, feeling the sensual atmosphere invade her body, giving her hips an extra sway. “But yes.” She lifted her chin and met his eyes. “There is something about Reign.” She stepped close. “I get around him and I have the urge to rip off his clothes.” She leaned in, her lips close to Jackson’s ear. “Toss him to the ground, climb on and ride.” She stretched out the words, making them last, letting her lips brush his skin. “Long and hard, all night.”

  Tension rippled through his muscles and Dani couldn’t contain her smile. Feeling just a little smug that she’d shocked the hell out of him, she took a step back, intending to use the excuse of coffee to make her exit.

  She didn’t get far. Jackson reached out, wrapped his hand around her waist and pulled her back. She landed hard against him, chest to chest, their faces inches apart.