by Lynn, Janice
“Yes, but—”
“No buts. You know I’m right.”
“Maybe we should hold off until I’ve had more time to—” she stopped, unable to go on at the look in Randi’s eyes.
She was a professional. She could do this. She bit the inside of her lip. “You’re right. Go ahead and pull the plug. Today. Whatever will happen will happen.”
“You’re sure?”
No. Yes. Her temples throbbed. Damn she needed an aspirin.
“I’m sure. Let’s finish this.”
Randi nodded her approval. “You coming to the apartment tonight?”
Avery thought about it for a milli-second. “No, I’ll be with Jude.”
“Good girl.” Randi smiled and shook her head slowly back and forth. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
* * *
Jude worked through lunch to make up for the time he was gone to Marcus’ apartment. He’d been grateful Angela had already left for lunch when he returned to the office.
Earlier, she’d barely spoken two words before he’d rushed out to Marcus’.
What could be said? He wanted her. She wanted him. Work wasn’t the appropriate place, but then, his angel was every bit as inappropriate as he and had enjoyed their all-too-easily-caught morning tryst.
Not even the cracked doorway had been enough to resist Angela’s charms. Fortunately no one had come looking for him. The fact they could have provided extra oompf to their romp.
He’d locked himself in his office, handled a buttload of work, and even managed to alleviate Simon’s concerns about Hustled scooping some of their top upcoming stories.
Something he would check more closely into, though. If the competition was really scooping their stories that meant the company had a mole. A mole Jude would take great pleasure in squashing.
He glanced at his watch. It was after quitting. Damn. He hadn’t meant to work late, had meant to invite Angela for drinks. Now she’d be gone, and he didn’t have a way to get in touch with her other than sitting outside the skyscraper she lived in.
He leaped from his chair, planning to make a mad dash to the main lobby of the building. Perhaps he could catch her waiting for a taxi. No way did she walk to work in those dynamite heels she wore.
He burst out of his office and came to a halt. His Angel leaned against her desk, hair down. How had she known he was coming out or had she been waiting like that for him since five?
“Hi.” She almost sounded shy, but the look she gave him was pure seductress. She’d been waiting for him.
“I thought you’d be gone,” he admitted.
She shook her head, straightening from the desk. “We started something earlier, something that needs finished.”
She advanced toward him and Jude’s feet adhered to the spot where he stood.
“Do you want me?”
Was this a trick question? “Hell yes.”
“Marcus, well, I should tell you,” she stood inches in front of him and looked into his eyes, “he called to tell me all vows were off.”
“He got laid.”
She smiled. “That’s what I heard.”
“Apparently he’s cured.”
“Of?”
“Love.”
Angela’s eyes dropped to his throat. “And you? Are you cured of whatever this is between us?”
“Cured?” He laughed. “You make it sound like a disease.” He regarded her sassy expression. “I suppose it is. One where I crave everything about you.”
She nodded her agreement. “I think sex is the cure, Jude, for both of us.”
“If it’s not?”
“Then we’re no worse off than we are at the moment and have a night worth remembering to look back upon.”
Why was he letting her talk him into this? He didn’t need talked into this. It’s what he wanted, what he’d hoped for. What he’d planned to talk her into.
“You’ll go home with me?”
She nodded, then glanced toward his office. “Unless you want to stay here.”
The thought of bending her over his desk and taking her luscious ass from behind tempted, but Jude wanted more. Wanted to spread her in his bed and make her his without possible interruption from a cleaning crew. Although, he knew she’d get off on the fact they might get caught, he didn’t want anything distracting him.
“Not this time.”
She traced her hand down his black knit shirt. “Let’s go. I feel like I’ve already waited a lifetime for this.”
“Then, we didn’t have sex last night?”
She lifted sultry eyes to his and smiled a wicked smile. “Ask me again later and I might tell you.”
* * *
Excitement buzzed through Avery’s insides while Jude led her to the elevator bank. His palm pressed into her low back, burning through the cotton of her shirt.
They only passed one person in the hallway, to which Jude nodded acknowledgement, but didn’t slow their pace.
He hit the down button, then pressed her against the wall. He leaned close, his lips a mere centimeter from touching hers.
“I don’t think we did.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Because if I’d had sex with you all night I wouldn’t be so wound up over the thought of tonight.”
A smile played on her lips. “Are you so sure about that?”
She saw the flash of surprise, the wonder in his eyes.
His mouth touched hers, gentle, caressing, sucking her lower lip into his mouth, and teasing her between his teeth.
Avery twined her arms around him, arched into his body.
“You’re right,” he trailed kisses along her jaw, at her ear, “I’m not sure.”
She shivered. From the inside out.
The elevator door dinged open. Without checking to see if the car was full, Jude pushed her inside, never breaking their embrace.
Fortunately the car was empty.
He slammed her against the elevator wall and ground against her. Avery lifted her chin, giving him free access to her throat, which he took full advantage of and tasted.
“Jude,” she whispered, rotating her hips against him, relishing that she was pinned between a wall and a hard man.
“Hmm?” He kissed her collarbone, ran his hands down her sides to cup her bottom. He jerked her tight to his pelvis.
“Yes,” she mouthed, embracing his head between her fingers. Was the plunging sensation in her belly from the elevator’s descent? “Oh yes.”
They ground against each other. Jude’s fingers worked up her skirt. Since she wore no underwear to impede him, he immediately stroked his finger across her dampness.
She whimpered and arched deeper.
“You like that?” He spread her and stroked the moisture over her. “Tell me what you want, and it’s yours.”
Was he kidding?
Avery hiked her leg to wrap it around his waist. “Kiss me.”
Jude’s eyes bore into her. “Where?”
“You know where.”
“Tell me.”
“There.” She shifted her pelvis. “Right there.”
Jude kissed her mouth, hard, then lowered to his knees, angled her thigh over his shoulder, pushed her skirt all the way up, and kissed her. A deep passionate kiss that had Avery’s head spinning back and forth against the advertisement board on the elevator wall.
His tongue danced over her, lapping at the moisture he’d caused, driving her insane with need and memories of his making her come this way just the night before.
The elevator dinged, indicating they’d reached the main floor. Jude planted a quick kiss on her mound, stood, and tugged her skirt down.
The door slid open.
True to form, he bent, whispered in her ear. “It’s not often I get dessert before dinner.”
Dinner? Avery didn’t care if she ever ate again. Just so long as she had Jude inside her soon.
She walked across the lobby, how she wasn’t sure because
her legs were jelly and her knees so weak they threatened to buckle. Perhaps Jude’s firm grasp on her hand, pulling her along kept her moving.
He hailed a cab, opened the door, and helped her slide inside. The second he’d given the cab driver his address, his mouth covered Avery’s.
He kissed her. Deep and tender and reverent and to where Avery forgot everything except the man holding and kissing her.
When the cab pulled up in front of Jude’s apartment building, Avery blinked.
Either they’d amazingly missed every Manhattan traffic jam or she’d totally phased out the entire trip, because this had been the quickest trip ever.
Jude paid the driver and rushed Avery to his building. In seconds, he entered the codes to get them inside and back into the elevator. Unfortunately, this time they weren’t alone.
No matter. Jude made love to her with his eyes on the trip up. Undressing her, telling her that he was mentally on his knees tasting her, pushing her further and further. That soon he’d be inside her.
Her hands gripped around the hand bars to keep her on her feet, Avery’s gaze remained locked with Jude’s.
When the elevator dinged at their floor, Avery felt frenzied with need. Like a shark in blood-filled waters she craved to sink her teeth into Jude. Desperately.
Without looking at her, Jude bee-lined for his apartment, unlocked the door, and jerked her inside.
He shoved the door to and bumped her against it.
“This first time is going to be a fast, hard ride. If that’s not what you want, say so now, so I can slow things down.”
“Slow things down? How?” she teased, knowing she wanted him as fast and hard as he’d deliver.
“A cold shower. Dunking my head in ice water. Both. Something.” He stared down at her. “Is that what you want?”
Slowly, she shook her head. “I want you. Inside me.”
That’s all it took. Her shirt disappeared somewhere in the foyer. Her bra quickly followed. Jude’s shirt was tossed to the floor in the hallway. Step-by-step, clothes disappearing, they made their way to his bedroom.
Avery kicked off her heels, shucked her skirt.
Jude pulled back to stare at her naked body. “Beautiful,” he whispered.
Avery resisted the urge to laugh. She wasn’t beautiful, but when he looked at her that way, she felt as if she was.
She wanted Jude to feel beautiful, too, because he was. So beautiful. More beautiful than any man had a right to be.
With trembling fingers she undid his buttons, slid her hands inside his pants and pushed them down his lean hips.
He lifted one foot, then the other to allow her to remove his pants. Naked they stood before each other and stared.
A wave of awkwardness washed over Avery.
What was she doing?
“Don’t.”
Her gaze lifted to his. “What?”
“Whatever it is you’re thinking. Don’t.”
“I-I,” she closed her eyes. “I want you now.” Before logic set in and started arguing all the reasons why this was a bad idea. Randi knew where she was, approved even. Avery was true blue TGEA. She could sleep with a mark and walk away.
She shouldn’t, but she could.
Jude picked up his pants long enough to grab a condom and lowered her to the bed. Avery scooted back on the pillow and watched while Jude rolled the rubber over himself.
Her eyes met his as he came to her, rested above her.
He took her mouth, worshipping her lips, her tongue. Avery burned with need to be closer. What was he waiting for? They’d had four days of foreplay. She wanted him inside her. Now.
Feeling him nudge her, she lifted her hips.
Jude thrust. Deep. All the way. To heaven.
Avery met him, enjoying the slap of his flesh against her. He pounded her body hard, driving toward a goal that swirled to life within her and trickled outward from her belly, building in heat and intensity.
He cursed, groaned and rammed hard, then collapsed.
His forehead dropped to roll back and forth over hers.
Avery held back a disappointed cry. Almost. Almost she’d came with a man inside her. What was that old saying? Almost was but to fail?
She bit the inside of her lip, not wanting it to be over. Not satisfied. Sure, it had been better than anything Scott ever did, but she’d expected more. After all, Jude made her come through her blue jeans; she’d expected great things with him inside her.
Great things that hadn’t happened.
“I’m sorry.”
She met his gaze. He looked sorry.
“I’ve never, well, you know, had this problem before. It’s been so long, I couldn’t hold back.”
There was his answer to his questions regarding the night before. Did he realize?
She’d given him an allergy pill, just in case his reaction was really trying to come back. So she’d not felt free to act on his desire. Not even when his dreams turned vivid, and he called out her name.
“It’s okay.”
“The hell it is.” He rolled over, removed the condom and tossed it onto the open foil package on the night stand. “Give me a minute.”
Feeling more awkward than she could recall having ever felt, Avery stared at the ceiling. What was she supposed to do, just lie here and wait for him to recharge?
She’d been on the edge of something great when he’d come. Something amazing. She wanted amazing.
“No,” she informed, rolling on top of him to stare down into his startled eyes. “I’m not done yet.”
His look of surprise quickly morphed into one of amused desire. “What is it you expect of me, Angel?”
“Make me come, Jude. I know you can and I want it. Don’t hold back.”
He laughed. “You think I was holding back? You felt so good I responded like a kid on his first go around.”
Avery frowned and squeezed his hips with her thighs. “Quit talking and love me.”
He strained off the bed and kissed her. Avery met his kiss, sighing with pleasure when he placed his hands on her hips and guided her onto him.
Her eyes widened. He was still so…hard, big, aroused.
“A condom,” he said, reaching for another foil packet.
He felt so good inside her. So right. A perfect fit. She moved back and forth, finding a rhythm that rubbed just right and rekindled that magical heat. Rekindled the warmth and burst her insides into open flames.
“Oh,” she cried, riding the wave of her orgasm.
Jude grasped her hips and lifted her, guiding her movements when she shuddered above him, keeping the fire stoked until she collapsed on him.
“Yes,” she praised, pressing kisses to his cheek. “Yes, yes, yes, that’s what I wanted.”
“Only guess what?” he breathed into her ear, his warm breath a caress all its own. “I’m not done.”
Chapter Thirteen
Avery lay in the crook of Jude’s arms and knew exactly what her friends meant about wanting to stand up and sing hallelujah. She wanted to scream at the top of her lungs.
Jude was amazing. Okay, she’d gotten short changed the first time, but oh my, had he made up for it since.
Up being the key word.
If she didn’t know better she’d swear a magic pill flowed through his system.
That last time had been mind-numbing. Her brain had turned to total mush and she was pretty sure she would have promised the moon had he asked it of her.
“I think I’m falling in love with you.”
Jude’s words startled Avery to the point her blood froze in her veins.
He couldn’t love her.
He was just saying it because of the amazing sex—-the utterly amazing sex—-they’d just shared.
He rolled onto his side to look at her, but Avery didn’t budge, just pretended to be asleep.
“I’ve never felt this way before. Like nothing else matters except being with you.”
He probably said that to all t
he girls. That’s why women like Mandy Sims and Sara Brown had trouble letting go. They believed his words of love.
Good thing Avery didn’t.
She swallowed and opened her eyes. “You know nothing about me.”
“I know you have the most remarkable smile, you never bore me, and when I look at you my heart beats so wild it bruises my ribcage.”
“That’s lust.”
“Is it?” He brushed his fingers over her lips. “I’ve been in lust before, Angel. This is different.”
Angel. He didn’t even know her name.
“Different because you prematurely ejaculated?”
He winced.
Okay, so she was being defensive, but he deserved her cattiness. How dare he spout words of love? No wonder women wanted revenge once he slipped out of their life.
“You can lie there and analyze us all you want,” he said. “But there’s something out of the ordinary going on here. I know you feel it, too.”
She scowled at his cockiness. “How would you know that?”
“It’s in the way you look at me.” He dropped a kiss onto the tip of her nose. “The way you touch me.” A kiss on the corner of her mouth. “The way you held on to me after we made love.”
“Sex,” she corrected. “We had sex.”
He shook his head. “We made love.”
Enough of this garbage. She didn’t need his false platitudes, and he didn’t need to say them.
“I don’t love you, Jude.”
Her words didn’t faze him. “Yes, you do.”
Avery couldn’t believe his arrogance. Someone really should pop his bubble. Wait, that was her job. To destroy Jude’s cockiness.
“No, I don’t.”
His eyes glittered with danger. He lowered his head to her chest, pressing his ear against her heart. For a few pulse pounding moments he listened. When he rose up and looked at her, he nodded, but this time without smiling. “Yes, you do.”
Avery rolled her eyes and fought the urge to hit him. “You’re trying to tell me you think I love you by listening to my heartbeat? That’s ridiculous.”
“You should try it.”
She frowned. “Try what?”
“Listening to what your heart’s telling you.”
No, she couldn’t do that. The past couple of days her heart had been saying some off-the-wall stuff. Things that might inflate that over-sized ego of his even more.
