She composed her features and went to the head of the stairs to look over the bannister. "Yes?"
Jace came up from behind her and stood close. From below it would look as if they shared one body, but had two heads. She smiled at the thought.
"What's so funny?" Harry asked.
"Nothing," they both said.
"Then why do you look like that?"
Katie turned her face up to look at Jace. He looked back, the picture of boyish innocence.
"Like what?" he asked Harry.
Harry harrumphed. "Don't get me any supper. I'm going out tonight."
"What?" Katie squeaked. "You can't go out."
Harry's expression of affronted pride was enough to silence both of them. He straightened to his full height. "I'm visiting a friend."
Jace nodded slowly. "I'll drive you."
"No, I'll drive myself. It isn't far." Harry shifted his gaze away from them and reached for his hat quickly. Too quickly, Katie thought, wondering what her boss was really up to.
"Harry, you're not going to play poker, are you?" Suspicion dripped from each word.
He looked straight up at her and stared her in the eye. "No, I'm not playing poker." With that, he strode casually out the front door, but his hurt pride was clear enough. Kate leaned back against Jace's solid chest.
Jace's arms encircled her waist. "Don't worry. Harry can take care of himself."
"But isn't it too soon for him to drive?" she asked, concern driving her recent passion out of her voice.
"I don't think so. I suspect he's been sneaking out when we're not home anyway."
"You do?"
He kissed her on the top of the head. "We are talking about Harry Johnson, Kate. You didn't expect him to behave, did you?"
"No, I guess I didn't," she admitted, still not convinced she shouldn't chase after the old geezer and haul him back where she could keep an eye on him. She turned in Jace's arms and smiled up into his eyes. "Now, weren't we about to spend time, uh, together?"
"I'd love to, but I'm afraid your mind is on Harry right now. I say we eat and see what happens afterward."
They ordered the promised pizza from a local place, not a chain. While they waited for delivery, they strolled the front yard admiring each other's handiwork. Polite conversation ceased when the car pulled up and the smell of fresh, hot cheese and pepperoni wafted by their noses. Jace paid for the food and raced Kate into the living room.
"Survival of the fittest, eh?" He laughed and swooped down on her and the pizza. Maybe his other, deeper hungers would have to wait, but not this one.
"But your pieces were bigger than mine," Jace complained, noticing her eyeing the last piece half an hour later. "They didn't cut them evenly."
"Boo-hoo. I was the one who raked and snipped all afternoon. Does that count for nothing?"
Jace shrugged. "Well, I guess..." He grabbed the last piece and bit into it.
"You cheated." She feigned a look of shock and punched him neatly in the arm.
He pulled off a slice of pepperoni. "Open your mouth and I'll share."
She did as she was told and waited.
Jace slipped the piece of meat between her lips and watched her chew it through a smile. When her tongue reached out to lick her lips he couldn't take anymore. He had to kiss her.
He bent his head toward her and Kate went still. Her eyes closed and her lips parted lightly, waiting. He traced her soft mouth with his tongue before entering. She drew him in deeper, to coax and discover.
Kate's hands touched his chest an instant before he pulled her closer. The soft pressure of her breasts against him was incredibly erotic. Her hand roamed across his shoulder. Her neck smelled of woman and soap. The pulse just under the flesh at the base of her throat beat strongly, quickly. Blood surged through him, blood that had risen once and been denied. He could have her right here, right now, on the floor. He shoved away the coffee table and it toppled onto the rug.
Kate lay back and held her arms up to him in invitation. Her eyes were heavy, her lips moist. He leaned over her and she shifted her legs to let him settle between them.
When he didn't kiss her she looked quietly up at him. He could watch her like this all night, watching her want him, knowing what waited just ahead. She believed this would be an interlude for them because she'd said as much. Nothing more than a brief affair. And if he wanted to dream his little dreams, who was she to tell him no?
And he wanted more. He wanted a lifetime with her. A lifetime of loving, of wanting, of Kate. But how to convince her? Talking wouldn’t do it. Kate Calhoun was all about proof.
That’s how she handled Harry: by proving to him what they needed to do.
His mind raced, considering all the ways to show her how strongly he felt, but he couldn't settle on a definite plan.
"Jace? Are you with me?"
He dropped his mouth to hers and let her wrap herself around and through him.
He nestled between her thighs and smiled into her eyes, pressing his erection against the denim of her shorts. She moved her hand down between their tightly wedged bodies. She fired bolts through his body with every touch. He jerked and hauled in a sharp breath.
"Yes, there... Touch me there," he whispered hoarsely.
She undid the tab of his jeans. He tensed as she explored again. He’d been so close upstairs that he was a hair trigger now.
"Is this what you want?" Her fingers traced the line of coarse hair that disappeared into his waistband. His skin burned with her touch as she teased the curls.
With a groan, Jace covered her hand with his. "Kate, we've got to go upstairs." He held her fingers still. "Anymore of this and I'll... snap. We don't want that to happen here."
He zipped his jeans before dropping an apologetic kiss on the tip of her nose. She bit her lip lightly and looked up at him.
"I want..." she whispered, but she didn't finish the sentence.
He moved against her center and she matched his rhythm. "Yes," she whispered.
He had to get her to a bed. Now. Kate didn't seem to want to let go of his neck, so he bent and scooped her up into his arms. She was light and warm and fit perfectly. He climbed the stairs and walked the long hallway to his bedroom. The door was pulled shut so he kicked it open. He set her down beside the bed.
Kate's eyes fluttered open and she smiled softly—a woman's invitation to her lover. The deep hunger in her eyes equaled his.
She reached to undo the buttons on his shirt. He clasped her elbows loosely, trying to steal a few kisses as she worked.
"You won't be this smug when it's my turn to take off your clothes."
"You're right, I won't." She smiled up at him and caught her breath at what she saw in his eyes. The muscles across his stomach clenched as she traced her fingertips along his skin. But he didn't stop her exploration.
She seemed fascinated by his body, smoothing her hands across his skin. He burned under her sensitive palms. She rested her forehead against his chest, and breathed in deeply. She kissed a nipple. When she nipped him Jace tensed and groaned. She chuckled at his reaction and kissed the other one.
He tugged her close until his arousal pressed into her belly. She shifted against him.
"I'm not frightening you, am I?" Her hesitancy spoke of inexperience and as much as she seemed tough and ready to take on all comers, he doubted she’d slept around. There was nothing about Kate that was easy.
"You scare the hell out of me, Jace. But not because of this. This is exactly right." She bit her lip and closed her eyes.
His chest sank beneath her cheek as he expelled a breath.
"I won't hurt you," he murmured against her hair. "Not ever." He shifted their positions so he sat on the edge of the bed, holding her in front of him. "My turn. I want to undress you now." His fingers were already on the top button of her shorts.
Katie was touched to see the trembling in his fingers as he worked. She tugged off her T-shirt as her shorts drifted down to her ankles.
His eyes widened at the first sight of her lace thong.
Jace's mouth settled on her right nipple. Desire shot along her nerve endings. His ragged breath tickled her stomach just before he kissed it. His fingers traced the lines of her thong from front to back. He traced the material down the cleft to her moist center.
She tilted away from him to give him more room to explore. He took advantage and pressed a finger into her center and then brought his other hand to her front. She widened her stance and he found her burgeoning bundle of nerves. Moisture coated her and shuddering arousal wracked her.
He groaned, and tugged the scrap of lace down her legs. When he bent to kiss her moistness, it seemed too much, too soon, and Katie pushed him back onto the bed. She smothered his face with kisses to distract him, shy about how much she wanted his mouth on her, and how much she wanted that particular first to be with him.
But stopping now was impossible. Right now, she needed him. Inside. She needed his weight on her body, her legs wrapped around his hips, his chest pressing hers. The rest could wait. Like dessert.
He smoothed his hands over her buttocks and thighs. His curious fingers stroked her again and she arched with the exquisite pleasure of his touch.
He rolled her onto her back, kissing her deeply, giving her what she craved. His eyes held desire she never thought he'd have for her. All for her.
"I'm going to slide into you now, Kate. I need to touch you from the inside."
Finally. "Oh, Jace." Her voice came out a husky whisper. She'd never been more ready in her life. All she wanted was to love him, to give him everything he needed.
Jace shifted away, and stretched to reach the night table. As she watched him sheathe himself, protecting them both, Katie's heart swelled. So much caring, she thought. She inched closer. Before he could reach for her, she straddled him and traced his face with shaky fingers.
Chapter 8
"May I?" Katie raised herself over Jace, open and vulnerable and oh, so wet.
"Yes... ohh..." His last word ended on a moan as she pressed downward.
Afraid to move, she stilled and watched him. His eyes drifted closed and hid the battle he fought for control. His chest glistened as he pushed deeper into her. She wanted to remember this moment forever. Settling, widening, accepting his intrusion completely, she wanted to laugh and cheer and let the moment stretch.
He looked at her with quickening heat. "That's right, wait until you're ready." He caressed her with the soft pad of his thumb and the pressure inside her eased.
As one, they moved together. He sat up and held her close and she went: heart full of Jace, of this, of him, only him.
He suckled her, sending heated sparklers to her womb. She gripped his shoulders and leaned over him to respond to his every movement.
Building tension coiled as she rocked with him and at the pinnacle she held fast just before she tipped into the abyss of climax. With an urgent cry she shattered.
Jace caught and held her, murmuring tender things. Katie filed them away with her memories, unsure if she'd ever hear them again. He rolled her onto her back and shifted her legs to hug his hips. His eyes were on fire as he kissed her.
"There's more. I'm giving you everything, just as I promised." He tilted her hips and plunged again. She wrapped her legs higher and took all of him deep. She moaned encouragement.
As Jace moved over her, Katie licked and nipped at his neck, loving the salt of his skin. His scent had changed, had become more erotic as his excitement increased.
Soon she spiraled out of control again. “Again,” she cried. Thoughts eclipsed by physical release, she clung to him as he crooned in her ear.
Her muscles felt like porridge, and still he hadn’t . . .
"Tell me how to please you," she begged hoarsely. She'd failed him while she’d been greedy. So very greedy. She palmed his cheeks, made him look at her. “Tell me, Jace.” She rolled her hips up to meet his.
He bucked. "Rock me," he demanded. "Hard."
She caught him and held on as he cried her name. Everything about him stilled as tension rose and hardened his muscles. After a long moment, he broke as the tidal wave took him.
She couldn't be sure which of them trembled as she smoothed his powerful back. Tension left his body as the last of his shudders ebbed. He moaned a deliciously explicit description in her ear that made her smile.
Jace kissed her deeply, and then disengaged. As he left her, he dropped a reverent kiss to her stomach.
She let her fingers drift across the place he kissed. There couldn’t be a more generous, caring lover on earth. She smiled, shy now that the urgency was gone.
Jace grinned back at her and opened his arms in invitation. She scooted in close and warm. He tucked her head under his chin as they rested quietly together. She could feel the deep, even rhythm of his breathing, and his heart slow to normal.
"Making love has never been like this for me," he said. "And just think: we've got the rest of our lives for more."
A cold chill tiptoed along her spine. She sat up and covered her chest with the tangled sheet. "You can't be serious. Jace, please don't say things like that."
For a long moment Jace couldn't believe what he'd heard or understand why she looked stiff with fright. She stared at him incredulously.
Then he got angry.
"Damn it, Kate." He swept a hand across the rumpled bed. "This meant something to me." He whacked the mattress. "You gave me sex while I thought we were making love?" His frustration resonated.
"I can't give you more than that." Her voice, hollow, broke over the pleading in her tone. “Can’t we just enjoy each other without the phony words?”
“Phony?” He shook his head. “Get out.”
He was sorrier than he'd ever been in his life as he watched her gather her clothes and leave.
* * *
Three days later, the late afternoon sun burnt through her T-shirt as Katie stretched to clean a spot she'd missed on a second-story window. Jace's window. His bed was made haphazardly and mismatched socks and other laundry sat on his dresser. A pang assaulted her at the normalcy of his room. He never should have ruined what they had by saying they could have more.
She’d tried to show him how different they were. He’d accused her of doing exactly that.
His laptop stood open on his bed, proof that he'd been spending time on-line with his new job. Being able to do some preliminary work extended the time he had available for Harry.
Which would only make things harder between them than they had to be. She stretched a titch farther, and the ladder rocked. She grabbed onto the window ledge and eased her weight back slowly to where she’d been.
The sweet scent of the grass she'd cut earlier was suddenly sharp. Must be the scent of fear, she thought, as her palms broke out into a sweat. Her knuckles whitened as she tried to loosen her grip and failed.
She counted to ten to let her brain unfreeze from the total fear that gripped her. After her breath returned to normal, she moved up a step to reach the top of the window. She sprayed it liberally with cleaner. The glass squeaked as she rubbed it in a wide arc.
She stretched higher still and the ladder moved again. She clutched at the window frame with another white-knuckled grip. Okay, time to get down. Just as soon as her legs could move.
"What the hell are you doing?"
Jace. She closed her eyes in relief. She wouldn’t fall, not with Jace there for her. She looked over her shoulder and down at him, her neck stiff with fear. The ladder hadn’t rocked, Jace had steadied it.
His lips pursed as he glared up at her. Her dirty washrag fell and clung to his shoulder. She stifled a crazy urge to giggle.
"Washing windows," she said evenly.
"Alone? On an extension ladder? Are you insane?"
"If I was, I wouldn't know it, would I?" She began an unhurried descent, desperately trying to seem calm. What was eating him? She hadn't asked for his help, had she?
Jace stepped back
, allowing her room to jump from the second rung. The ladder bounced against the house and his jaw clenched so tight a muscle ticked.
"I'll be finished in no time—"
"You're not going back up there. Why the hell didn't you tell me you had this planned for today?"
"You haven't been around all that much." In fact, he'd been gone for three long days—and nights. "Besides, I'm about done and—"
"Why can't you ask for help?"
"—then we can talk."
"Talk?"
"Help?" He'd offered to help her?
"I'd help you with anything around here if you'd ask me."
"I didn't think you wanted me to ask you for anything. Not after..." She trailed away.
"Brushing me off?"
She shifted, uncomfortable with the truth. She'd as much as called him a liar immediately after sex. Then she’d made the situation worse the next morning when she said she'd sleep with him as long as they kept their emotions out of it. “I didn’t mean to brush off what you said.”
He looked at a spot over her shoulder, refusing to meet her eyes. "I have to admit, you shook me up. I haven't had a woman dismiss me so easily before." His rueful smile pierced her heart. “I thought you wanted me the way I want you.”
Kate clasped his neck and stretched her fingers into the warm silk of his hair. "I do want you. For as long as I can have you. But there's no point pretending this is forever. We're too different, from different places, different lives." She looked up into his face and read concern and fear. She had to make him understand. "We get what we expect out of life. For me, it's been best not to expect too much." Oh, damn, her voice quavered.
Jace ran his hands over her breasts, her ribs and around to her back, heat following each caress. "It's too much for you to expect love and commitment? A family?"
She tried to twist out of his reach. "That's the biggest difference between us. You nailed it in one short sentence. I’ve learned the hard way how easily those things can disappear as if they never existed. It's easier for me to believe those things don't exist at all. That they're a fantasy." She turned her back to him and hugged her chest. “What’s that saying? You can’t miss what you never had.”
Spring Into Love Page 60
