by Lyric James
“It’s just for the weekend.” He heard the desperation in his own voice, but inside him lingered a willingness to do almost anything to get her join him.
The driver opened the door, and Jade stepped out. Rhys followed her to the front of her house but when she made a move to put her key in the lock, she dropped her keys.
“Let me,” Rhys said, bending to pick them up. As he found the key to open the door, her heated gaze seared him. If they hadn’t just made love in the limo, he’d attempt to go in with her. But he suspected she needed a little space, which he was willing to give her, but not for an entire weekend. “Is it going to be a problem for you to come with me to Chattanooga?”
Jade leveled her gaze somewhere over his left shoulder. “I don’t think it’s a good idea. Not after…” Her statement trailed off as she looked toward the limo.
“We still have to work together, Jade. No matter what happens between us personally. I hired you to find out who’s sending the letters, and part of finding out who’s doing it is being by my side. Well, my side is going to be in Chattanooga this weekend. You need to be there.” Before she could protest, he dropped her keys in her hand and strolled off.
When the limo pulled away, she was still standing inside her front door staring toward the road.
Friday morning, Jade tossed the rest of her toiletries into a case and placed it in the zippered side of her suitcase. She didn’t know why she’d agreed to this. Rhys had hounded her all week about it, and it didn’t help that Karyn called to check in and agreed with Rhys.
Plus, she’d spent the last couple of days interviewing the other women Rhys had dated and just as she thought, they had nothing but good things to say about him despite their break up. How did he do it? How did he have relationships with these women and they still liked him in the end? It was crazy. For some reason, he had a knack for picking non-confrontational women who didn’t mind that he was a love-them-and-leave-them type of guy. Well, she did. She wasn’t going to be one of them. Maybe they walked into the relationship knowing it wasn’t going to be anything more than a few dates or a few months and it was over. How in the hell had she fallen into the same trap? Normally, she wouldn’t have agreed to something so asinine. But here she was, involved with him in some type of relationship that confused the hell out of her.
Despite it all, she’d cleared up any doubt an ex-girlfriend might be behind the letters and that only left something related to work, to being the lieutenant governor. What disappointed her was the fact that she didn’t get a chance to chat up the senate pro-tem’s secretary, Cecily, because she’d taken a couple of days off and was enjoying a long weekend somewhere with her husband. Therefore, she didn’t have any objections left to give Rhys for not going with him to Chattanooga.
She lugged her bag downstairs and left it by the front door. Moving around the house, she made sure all the lights were off and the trash was taken out. The last thing she wanted to come back to after a weekend away was a stinky home.
Jade glanced at the clock. He was supposed to pick her up at ten, and it was almost that time now. Their flight was scheduled to leave at one so they had plenty of time to get to the airport, check in and wait for take-off. Thank goodness they weren’t driving. It was almost a six hour drive to Chattanooga from Memphis, and she didn’t know if she could sit in a car with him that long. How in the world was she going to spend the next seventy-two hours with him?
She was dangerously close to falling in…something…with the man. She liked him. Really liked him. Not to mention the awesome sex, even though he hadn’t attempted to seduce her again since their limo ride the other night. She was almost disappointed. Dumb, she knew, but damn it all to hell, she couldn’t help it. The man twisted her inside and out and got under her skin.
When her doorbell rang, she turned to answer it even as a sense of heated expectation wrapped around her heart. Before she turned the knob, she inhaled deeply and swung the door open, her smile freezing on her face the minute she saw him.
A bright blade of sunlight pierced the room even though it was cool outside. Heat began to sizzle through every part of her body as she took stock of the man standing on her doorstep. She moved back when he crossed the threshold. When he flashed a sexy smile she immediately became weak in the knees. It was going to be a long weekend. Would she be able to keep her hands off of him? Did she want to? He had just that kind of effect on women. On her. Standing in a pair of khakis that tapered down muscular thighs, a red polo-shirt and leather jacket covering his broad shoulders, he looked every bit of sexy, and it didn’t help her libido one little bit. For a split second, all she could do was stand there and slide her tongue over her lips as if he were a bite of chocolate she’d love to slide her mouth around.
“Good morning, Jade.”
It took her a moment to find her voice and respond, but watching him had made her vividly remember all the things his body was capable of. “Good morning, Rhys.”
“Are you ready?”
A memory of being ready for him the first time they were together flickered through her mind, but she forced it away. “Yes, I just need to grab my purse and coat.”
“All right. I’ll take your suitcase out to the car.”
Jade quickly headed back into her kitchen to collect the items she’d tossed over a chair earlier that morning. She glanced around one more time, turned on her alarm, then shut and locked the front door. The air between them began to thicken the minute she slid into the limo across from him. She explicitly remembered what happened between them the last time.
Every nerve in her body did a little dance when his gaze slid over her in an appreciative glance, as if he could see through her clothes. Of course, he’d seen her naked several times, had tasted every inch of her body, and he knew each hot spot that would make her moan.
She swallowed, wondering if he was thinking about the same thing. Was he remembering the night of the wedding when he pushed in and out of her so deep it made her head spin? Or the time in the hotel lobby when he inched his finger inside of her and made her forget where she was? From the darkening of his eyes, she figured he was, and she turned away to stare out the window, wishing she had a glass of water.
“Are you still upset about coming with me?” he asked, breaking the silence, his voice deep and husky, making her nipples bead into tight buds.
Jade pulled in a deep breath and chanced a look back into his stormy gray eyes. “No. I understand why I need to go with you.”
“But you don’t want to.”
What the hell was she supposed to say? Yes, I’d love to fly away with you and spend a glorious weekend in your arms and in your bed. But it’s a bad idea because I’ve already fallen half-way in love with you and I know that as soon as this case is over I’ll never hear from you again. I’m afraid you’re going to break my heart. No. She couldn’t say any of that. “It’s irrelevant whether I want to go with you or not. I have a job to do, and I’m going to do it,” she said with a stubborn lift of her chin.
A day and a half later, Jade and Rhys entered the lobby of their hotel after the luncheon fundraiser he’d spoken at. His presence alone helped the Multiple Sclerosis Society raise over a hundred thousand dollars. The man had more depth than she knew what to do with. Each moment she spent with him, he seemed a little more extraordinary and she didn’t know if her senses could stand it any longer.
They moved over the beautiful Italian marble floor till they reached the elevator, Rhys’ hand at the small of her back.
“So, what would you like to do the rest of the day? Have you ever been to Chattanooga before?”
Small flutters coasted around in her stomach as his fingers made small circles down her spinal column. For some reason, he kept touching her and God help her, she liked it. “No. I’ve never been here before.”
He touched the button for the elevator and looked over his shoulder. “I saw one of those tourist brochure cabinets by the front desk. I’ll go take a look. Why do
n’t you go on ahead upstairs and I’ll join you in a few minutes.”
“Okay,” she said as the elevator doors glided open. She stepped inside and watched his retreating back. They had an empty day in front of them, and night.
When they’d arrived yesterday, she found out she would indeed have her own room, but it was in the same suite as Rhys’. All night he’d been just a few steps from her closed bedroom door, only a couple of couches and chairs between them.
As she slipped the key card into the slot and stepped inside, Jade stopped and smiled. Two dozen red roses, in a large crystal vase, sat on the table by the entrance to their suite. A silver embossed white card was propped against it with her name on it. She stepped toward them and as she leaned down to smell the bouquet, she picked up the card.
Thank you for coming with me. Rhys.
It seemed every day he slowly chipped away the ice around her heart. What was she supposed to do when he tied it in knots, made her body scream for seduction, and suckled at her lips as if he were a descendent of the person who invented the kiss? Rhys was a man who used his influence to make sure the boys and girls club had computers and text books and school supplies. Not to mention raising money for an organization so young people who suffered from a life altering illness had the adequate medical treatment and support they needed to lead happy and fulfilled lives.
Who wouldn’t fall in love with a man like that?
Looking out the hotel window, Jade wondered if she’d made too big of a deal about the child he’d kept hidden from the rest of the world. Didn’t he deserve his privacy? Didn’t she deserve hers? It wasn’t as if he hadn’t taken care of her all these years. Obviously, the mother didn’t object. From their conversations about the young lady, she knew he loved her deeply and would do anything to protect her. Why should she criticize him for something that happened to him when he was still only a child himself? Hell, for all she knew, the mother wanted to keep it a secret.
She heard the soft click of the door and turned, a smile radiant on her face. He glanced at the side table and a grin spread across his too handsome cheekbones. “The flowers are beautiful, Rhys. Thank you.”
Jade didn’t stop and allow herself to think. She untied the belt of the asymmetrical dress she wore and allowed the dress to fall from her shoulders. When he reached her, she stood in front of him in a black lace bra and panties. She would have taken off the stiletto heels she wore, but she remembered that he liked seeing her in them. A muscle twitched in his jaw. “Do you mind?”
His answer was to pick her up in his arms and carry her into his bedroom. Light from the window bathed the room in gold. After he laid her down, he pulled back and unbuttoned his shirt. He threw it and his jacket toward a chair in the corner of the room. Once he was gloriously naked, he came down beside her and smoothed his hands over her feet, moving up her legs to rest between her inner thighs.
“Rhys,” she moaned. Little by little he’d worn her down. Every minute she spent with Rhys was a reminder he was what she secretly hoped for, wished she had someone all her own.
When he found the juncture between her legs, she lifted her hips, seeking his touch.
His mouth lowered to her stomach, and he kissed her lightly just to the right of her belly button. “We finally made it back to a bed,” he said as he began to slowly, seductively, remover her underwear.
After, she reached for his shoulders and drew him onto the bed until her breasts brushed the hard wall of his chest. Each hour in his presence intensified her attraction like a link of pearls did for a simple black dress. It was difficult to resist a man when he kept up a consistent swarm of chatter, made you laugh, and was just so damn irresistible.
“You are so beautiful,” he gasped on a jagged breath before he reared up and licked the shadowed valley between her breasts.
He found each peak and teased them with his fingertips before cupping each in his palms. Could he feel the hammering of her heartbeat against his flesh? With a delicate, deliberate touch, he brushed his lips over her nipples until she began to move frantically above him. Heat exploded deep in her belly. Her muscles clenched, ready to grip and hold and never let go. “Now,” she begged. “Rhys, please. Now.”
With some effort, he leaned back against the bed and tossed her a condom before linking his hands behind his head. “You take control.”
A grin on her face, Jade rose on her knees and took Rhys’ length in her hands and moved her fingers up and down his girth. The slickness of his pre-cum slid between her palms. Rhys gritted his teeth, and Jade reveled in the power she held over him as her fingers slid down.
Deep inside, tension mounted to an unbearable crescendo, Jade’s whole body shuddering with need. Lost to everything but want and desire, it was as if every flower in the world, in every imaginable shade of color, bloomed around her. And only Rhys was capable of bringing her to such a place. She’d never wanted anyone as much as she wanted him.
No more waiting.
After she slid the condom down his length, she lifted and on a whimper, guided him inside her. As his fullness completely filled her, an orgasm ripped through her. Jade squeezed him tight and moved up and down, up and down until the agonizing pleasure subsided.
When her gaze found his, he gripped her hips and rocked back and forth, slowly drawing himself in and out. “It’s my turn now.”
She skimmed her hand over his ribcage with tantalizing ecstasy, savoring every nuance of bone and muscle beneath her. The scent of his skin, familiar in a way that almost frightened her, zinged through her as she rose and fell, gripping him tight.
“Heaven help me, I can’t hold it back any longer,” he rasped.
He drove deep into her body as she worked her hips over him. When he growled his release, she covered his lips with hers and took his growl into her mouth.
Chapter Twelve
To Rhys’ surprise, the Chattanooga air was uncharacteristically warm outside. So much so, he and Jade only needed a jacket to keep away the chill, and he enjoyed the lazy Saturday. He’d gotten used to spending his weekend afternoons alone, preferring the solitude. But not today, and the woman sitting next to him was the reason for that. Sure, he’d had to attend the afternoon luncheon, but the last few hours had made him forget all about that. Their afternoon together in the hotel room had been incredible.
He glanced over at Jade. She looked beautiful sitting next to him in the limo, the last of the days’ sunlight dancing off her features. In a pair of snug fitting jeans and a bright purple sweater, she looked relaxed and happy. Rhys wanted to kiss her so badly he glanced away in an attempt to allow the rest of the day to flow at her pace.
He’d been surprised and thrilled when she’d simply dropped her dress after he entered their suite. So he decided to allow her to make the sexual overtures the rest of the weekend. If she came to him, he wasn’t pushing her or manipulating her. It was of her own free will. Jade would be doing it because she wanted to, and he hoped she wouldn’t regret it.
He’d done his best to show her he respected her and valued her and that he didn’t just want her for sex. It wasn’t easy, but in the end, if it made her fall in love with him, it would be worth it. He was determined to stick with it and show her he was just a regular guy, not a playboy, and he was ready for a serious relationship. With her.
As the limo pulled up to the aquarium, the bright lights of the top of the towering glass structure lit up the sky. While he’d been down in the hotel lobby, he’d picked up a brochure and realized one of the exhibits at the aquarium would delight Jade to no end, so he’d called and requested a special showing. The director had agreed to temporarily close down the one exhibit for about thirty minutes so he and Jade could tour it alone.
When the limo stopped, she looked out the window and asked, “Where are we? I thought we were going to dinner.”
Rhys stepped out of the limo and stood back to help Jade out. “We are. But I wanted to stop here first. There’s something I want you to see.
”
“These buildings are beautiful.” She pointed. “I love the odd shaped glass pyramids at the top.”
Rhys took her hand. “Come on. There’s something better you’ll like inside, I think.”
Even though they wouldn’t stay to see the entire facility, Rhys did pay for tickets, and by also donating a large sum of money, used his influence to do something special for Jade he hoped she’d really appreciate.
He led her toward the entrance where they were ushered directly inside, and a guide led them to the exhibit he wanted her to see. Rhys held her hand because he knew the lights would be dim once they arrived as he’d requested.
“Here we are,” the young man announced. “Enjoy.”
The air was humid, so Rhys helped Jade remove her jacket. When the lights shimmered on, Jade gasped. She let go of his hand and twirled in a slow circle. She made two more turns around him before she stopped and took one of his hands again, the other lightly touching the necklace and charm around her neck. The scent of foliage and tropical flowers filled the air. “How did you…it’s so…they’re so beautiful. There are so many of them.”
Rhys reached forward and grazed the tip of his finger over the white gold and amethyst butterfly charm lying against her chest. “You always wear one,” he said. “A butterfly charm. You wore a sterling silver one the day you came to my office to interview.” He paused as she slid forward and wrapped her arms around his neck. Her skin against his fingers jolted through his body like an electric current. So smooth and silky. Her scent was subtle and complex without being overpowering. “A diamond one the night of the Multiple Sclerosis dinner. But most days, you wear a simple gold one. I think this is the first time I’ve seen this one.”
“I can’t believe you noticed.” She leaned forward to kiss him.
He pulled her close, lost to everything but the softness and warmth of her lips, and deepened the kiss, allowing his passionate need for her to speak for itself.
