by J. A. Coffey
Until now. There was no formula in the world that could explain away the fact that he wanted Jessica Barlow for his own—without any fancy matchmaking.
"You'd better care." Seneca jabbed a red painted fingernail in his face. "Because she can track Abuela Tina right to you. To us. The whole family's welfare is at risk. Is that what you want?"
He didn't want to jump to any conclusions, not until he had irrefutable proof. An image of Jess' face blazing with passion flashed in his mind. No, he didn't want to believe she wasn't as good as he thought.
"It's public knowledge. Maybe she did a little digging before she signed up for the program." He suggested weakly. A girl like Jess would be cautious before entering into any agreements. He didn't want to believe his earlier suspicions were true, that she was just using him for stud services while she infiltrated his company.
"Do you really believe that, Bro?" Her voice was lower now. Concern wrinkled her forehead.
Matteo paused. His ultimate woman might just be out to ruin him after all. The thought pissed him off, badly. How could he have misjudged her?
"You're falling for her, Matteo. I can see it in your face. You're not yourself. You're not thinking clearly. And you're not...."
"Unhappy?" His temper flared. He didn't want to be right about Jessica's motives for being with him.
Seneca gave him a wounded look, and he clamped his mouth shut. That was uncalled for, and he knew it. Seneca had only ever wanted him to be happy.
"Impartial." Her lips compressed. "You'd better figure things out, before she figures them out for you. Our whole family fortune is tied to this venture. Is one woman really worth risking everything for?"
Matt rubbed his palm over his chin. His heart did a slow spiral to the pit of his stomach. "No," he said softly. "Of course not. It's all about business. Don't worry. I'll take care of it."
"You'd better, Bro." Seneca's eyes softened. "I'm sorry, Matteo. She really did seem like she was into you, you know? And you've always been there for the family, especially after Mom and Dad died. Maybe you can turn this around so everyone gets what they want."
Matteo shrugged. "Maybe." Somehow, he didn't think so.
"Well, if anyone can, it's you." Seneca gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder before she walked back into the lodge.
Matteo waited, trying to give Seneca time to clear out before he went in looking for Jess. His chest ached as if he'd run for miles, and his neck felt hot and prickly. He just didn't want to believe that Jess was up to something. He closed his eyes, picturing her luscious curves trembling beneath his fingertips. Something deep inside him still wanted her. Desperately.
Now, he desperately needed to make her want him.
The worst part was knowing he would have to keep up the charade, to keep his family safe. The fact that loving her might not be a lie after all, made his throat tighten.
"Idiot." He cursed and shook his head. "Stupid idiot. Time to go to work."
He opened his eyes and turned to see Jess staring at him from across the patio, her slim figure silhouetted in the fading sunlight like a pony about to bolt.
Chapter Nine
Her inner alarm returned with a raging vengeance.
At the sight of Matt arguing with Seneca, her chest seized up and her fingers went numb. Doubt began to surface, even though he motioned over. What was going on? Jess squared her shoulders and headed towards him. This was one alarm she wouldn't ignore.
"Am I interrupting something?" she asked, neutrally. She didn't like the looks of the conversation. Or the expression in his eyes when he noticed her watching them.
"Hey, beautiful." Matt gave her a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"What's going on? Were you two arguing?" Jess glanced after Seneca's rapidly departing figure.
"Oh, you know. Just the usual LoveLines grilling." His expression was guarded, and if she didn't know better, a little hurt.
Had Seneca given him hell? "I didn't realize Seneca was your personal love consultant, too."
"Yeah, how about that?" Matt slipped an arm around her. "You look great, by the way."
Even on high alert, she loved the territorial way he drew her toward him, the heat that surrounded them both.
"Thanks. So, things are okay?" Had he told Seneca about their afternoon encounter?
Matt grimaced. "Well, she, uh, she likes you. I think she was just concerned things were moving too fast for you." His cheeks flushed a little and his mouth was set in a firm line. He seemed perturbed and on edge.
"And what do you think?" she asked.
"I don't think we were moving fast enough." He stopped and gave her a wicked hot glance that ran from her high heeled shoes, up her short pencil skirt and focused just below her neckline, and she cursed the visceral reaction to his heat. "You really do look amazing. Good enough to eat...again."
Jess blushed. Her alarm faded away. Maybe Seneca had given him an earful about seducing her. The LoveLines staff was very "hands-on" especially when it came to a money back guarantee. While it was nice that her personal love consultant was watching out for her, Jess felt more than capable of handling Matt herself. He was definitely someone she wanted to get her hands, and other parts, on.
"Are you sure?" Something about him still seemed...off.
"Yeah, I'm sure. It's none of her business what happens between us." He sounded gruff. "We're both consenting adults."
Jess couldn't suppress the shiver of delight that he referred to them as a couple. "And what are two consenting adults going to do about eating?"
His eyes blazed. "What do you say we skip dinner and head straight to your room? We've got a missing date with a chocolate soufflé, that I believe, at this early hour can be delivered in under twenty minutes."
Skip dinner and head straight for dessert? At this rate, she was going to lose ten pounds before the weekend.
She wet her lips, more than hungry for him. "Why not? There's just so much you can do with a sexy man and chocolate." Matt smiled, and took her hand, but didn't laugh.
They moved through the hall with matched eagerness.
"So, you never told me what you do for a living in Atlanta?" Matt's voice sounded tight. No doubt his encounter with Seneca left him a little tense.
"Oh, well, it's the strangest thing. I...uh...I'm an investigator of sorts."
Matt did a little chin jerk. His hand tightened on her back. "Like a private investigator or something? Should I call you Barlow P.I.?"
"Not exactly." She felt a little silly at the presumption.
His chuckle sounded forced as they approached her room. "Sounds dangerous."
Jess turned, fishing for her room card. "No, nothing like that. I'm far more boring. Just a mid-level certified fraud examiner for a large corporation out of Atlanta. I just kind of check things out, white collar stuff, provide litigation support."
"You sure I shouldn't frisk you? You might have a weapon stashed away," he suggested. Fire started to kindle in his eyes.
She slipped the keycard into the slot. "I don't even own a gun." Her eyes roamed over his body as he turned and shut the door with a soft click. "And if either of us is packing heat, baby, it's you."
Matt's expression was unreadable as he followed her in. He shut the door with a little more force than necessary. Jess wet her lips, as he crossed the room in seconds, staring into her eyes for a long moment that made her a little uncomfortable. Then he cupped his hands under her chin and placed a searing kiss on her mouth. Her alarm pinged once, and then fell silent under the onslaught of his persistent mouth. She was just on the verge of giving into the flames of his seduction when Matt broke off the kiss abruptly.
Jess paused. "Is something wrong?"
"No, not at all. Why do you ask?" Matt shrugged out of his jacket and tossed it aside, uncharacteristically careless.
"Your expression. You look a little serious." Maybe he was regretting the time they'd spent together. Maybe he didn't really want to be here.
&
nbsp; "I am serious. I want you, Jess," he said simply. "All the way. Right now. Do you want me?"
She nodded. His words sent a hot thrill through her body. She'd never been with a man that seemed so intent on having her. And it was exactly what she'd fantasized about since they met.
She was sexy and confident. Her inhibitions with him were gone.
"Here I am." She felt deliciously wanton as she tossed her keycard on the long dresser next to her briefcase. "I'm not going anywhere."
Matt closed the space between them. "Neither am I," he admitted.
His gaze meeting hers, he lifted his hands to the collar of her cashmere sweater and gripped it, pulling her hard up against him. She moaned as his lips covered her mouth. His kiss was hot, deep and completely consuming. Fire raced through her. The world tilted and spun as his tongue slid into her. Only his hands gripping her clothing kept her upright. She couldn't wait for him to be touching her bare skin.
This is it, she thought. It's really going to happen this time.
She knew there was no going back, not with Matt. She pressed herself against him, desperate to feel his hands on more than her shirt. Her fingers skimmed over his chest, running lightly over the muscles rippling beneath his clothing.
Matt moaned into her mouth and she felt a thrill of power and excitement. "Oh, god, Jess. You drive me wild."
"I love making you feel that way," she whispered breathlessly as she drew his shirt up and over his head. His mouth left hers, a void that left her aching for more, until he returned. His lips moved down her neck blazing a white hot trail against her skin. His tongue swirled in the hollow of her throat, tasting, tempting. He dragged his lips over her chin, down to the valley of her cleavage.
"Only you, Jess. Only you do this to me." His voice was a husky tortured rumble that made her knees weak. His hands pawed impatiently at her buttons and traced the line of her bustier underneath her sweater. Matt pulled back and arched a brow. "Is that a...?" His eyes darkened like melted chocolate chips. Jess wet her lips with the tip of her tongue.
"It is." She was desperate to get out of her clothing and show him. To show him everything. Making love with him wasn't going to change anything, she told herself. She couldn't afford to forget her job, but the way he made her feel, all hot and in control, she suspected Matt was exactly what she needed.
Except she wasn't in control.
He growled and tugged open her sweater. Buttons shot off in three different directions, but she didn't care. He was different tonight, feral and wild. All that mattered was the look on his face as he took in the high thrust of her breasts above the black sculptured silk.
Matt's hands cupped her through the bustier, before running down her sides to the waistband of her skirt. The sensation of his big, warm hands cupping her breasts made her shudder in anticipation. Moisture beaded between her thighs, wetting her matching black lace panties. She couldn't control it.
Jess spread her legs, nudging his thigh between her soft folds. She pressed against him arching her back to give him better access and a better view of her curves pillowing on his bare chest.
Matt kissed her again, harder this time. Her knees trembled. His hands roamed down her thighs to bunch in her skirt. He twisted and the skirt hiked up the expanse of her leg until it was almost exposing her aching, wet crotch.
The panties that covered her moist core rubbed deliciously over the erection straining against the front of his slacks. Jess wanted to rub like a cat against that wondrous hard rod of flesh.
He shifted, deepening the kiss and her knees buckled. He caught her hard against him, every inch of her leaning into his hard, tanned body. She couldn't stand this blazing temptation anymore. It had been so long since she'd had good sex, and Matt was better than good.
"Matt..." Geez, she was practically purring. His eyes were glazed with lust. She could stare in them for hours. Jess suddenly realized she was falling for him, hard. She shook her head, unable to speak.
"Yeah?" He drove her over the edge. "You want me, Jess? Tell me...how do you want it?"
"Hard," she said in voice she didn't recognize. She sounded breathy, like a porn star geared for action. "Hard, fast and now."
He backed her up, until they were against the wall by the dresser and continued to kiss her, oblivious to the torture of his lips on hers. His fingers slid down to stroke her damp panties. Jess moaned and bucked her hips. She wanted those fingers inside her, spreading her wider.
As if in answer to her silent plea, Matt teased one finger along the side of her undergarment, slipping between her soft folds to thrust inside her. She bucked her hips and spread her legs, all of her weight now suspended, trapped between him and the cold, hard wall. It felt wonderfully wicked.
His tongue thrust into her mouth, in and out, in time with his fingers inside her. Jess whimpered again. She was so hot; she wanted to melt right into him.
"You like that, querida?" He murmured against her mouth. Jess nodded and made a strangled noise of protest as he withdrew his fingers.
"Then how about this?" This time two fingers went in deep, his hand cupping her outer mound with the force of the thrust.
Jess went supernova as she rode his hand, her hips pumping in time to his thrusting. Her hands stole around to cup his ass as he worked her with his fingers. Saliva flooded her mouth as she felt an orgasm overtaking her. She was an animal. She wanted to taste him, bite him. She nipped the side of his neck, just below his jaw, reveling in the citrusy, musky scent of his skin. Matt groaned as she sucked and nibbled her way around his neck while he teased her.
"Jess, I can't wait." Matt withdrew his hands again and set her on her feet. "I've wanted you since the moment I saw you."
He gave her a ferocious look, before spinning her to face the wall. Then he placed his foot between her legs, forcing her to spread them with her back to him, like a criminal.
"What are you...?" Her breath caught in her throat.
"You're so good at being good, Jessica. But you're even better at being bad." His hands pulled at her wrists, placing her palms up against the wall. She couldn't see him this way. Nothing but the broad, cool paneling of her room and their shadows intertwined. This position was naughty and totally exciting. In this stance, with her skirt pushed up above her hips, her backside was totally exposed. The air conditioning raced over her skin and she shivered.
"Trust me." Matt breathed in her ear. He leaned in tight against her and burrowed against the nape of her neck. His chin pushed her hair aside as he gently bit the back of her neck. His hands roamed over her backside, cupping and squeezing before he yanked her panties off in one swift brutal motion.
Jess gasped. Her skirt was yanked off in a second tug. She was almost completely undressed, except for her bustier, gartered stockings and high-heeled shoes.
"Such a nice view," Matt whispered. "I want to hear you moan, Jess. Tell me what you like." His fingers slipped along her lower seam, rubbing in the moisture that pooled between her thighs. Jess groaned. This was a new sensation with Matt. No more terms of endearment.
This was pure, unadulterated lust.
Rough, dangerous and infinitely exciting. She wanted him desperately. She wiggled her hips, trying to entice him into slipping those fabulous fingers deeper into her core.
Matt breathed hard, and bit down on her neck, just as his finger entered her from behind. Her hair stood on end and for a moment, she was his prey, captured by his wild passion. Pleasure exploded behind her eyes. Jess cried out.
Her body tightened against him as he probed in and out with one finger. She wanted him, wanted him inside every part of her. She felt the nudge of a second at her ass, and then he was there, dipping and teasing her at both orifices while she rode the hard palm of his hand.
"Oh, god!" The pressure of his fingers was too much. Jess came, hard and fast, unable to even whisper a warning.
When she was finished, Matt gave a satisfied grunt and spun her around. He unzipped his pants and let them fall
to the ground.
"Again." He ordered. "I want to make you come again."
"I can't. Not so soon." She felt weak, but alive. Every nerve ending sizzled like lightning.
"You can. And you will," he promised.
The man had superhuman strength. Two seconds ago and he'd looked ready to spear her up against the wall. Now he was tracing soft patterns over her naked skin and looking at her like he'd never see her again. Her crotch throbbed with pleasure, which sharpened to rousing desire when he bent over and began tonguing slow circles on her exposed breasts. His tongue slipped between her bustier seeking her beaded nipples. She sucked in a sharp breath.
Jess had the sudden urge to satisfy him. Utterly and completely.
And tonight, there was no holding her back.
He was an animal.
He'd been wounded and angry by Seneca's assertions that Jess was investigating LoveLines. What started out as a determined effort to seduce her left his soul raw and aching for more. He wanted her. Damn, how he wanted her!
The way she clung to him while he fingered her, biting and nipping as she climaxed, Matteo realized he was in way over his head.
She was more than trouble.
She was his ideal mate.
Hot and primed after her orgasm, she was dripping between her thighs. He wanted to lick up every drop of her creamy sweetness, but Jess had other ideas. She pressed against him, clearly wanting more.
Matteo spared a moment to kick his slacks aside, retrieve a stashed condom and roll it on quickly before anything more could delay them. Then he settled his hands around her waist, marveling yet again and glorious sight of her long pale legs clad in gartered black stockings, her breasts mounded like creamy pillows thrust out of the top of her silken bustier. Her eyes were heavy and deep with desire.
"Oh, yes. Take me," she whispered. Her backside slid up against the wall as he lifted her onto him, wrapping her thighs around his waist, as he balanced them both. He wanted to prop her ankles over his shoulders and pump and pump himself into her, as if spilling himself inside her would make her his.
