He pressed closer to her trapped body and a whimper escaped her throat as the feel of his hard shaft meshed against her belly. Oh, wow. Her heart hammered fiercely, his arousal unleashing her own dormant desires. Awakened now, and so in tune with him, her nerves jumped for joy against her skin. Every brain cell that normally clicked in overtime, shut down completely. As he kissed her thoroughly, mating their tongues, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer and earning from him a guttural groan of approval.
Tension sizzled in the air; their kisses grew hotter, heavier, going long and deep, tantalizing every single inch of her body. And just as she was thinking it, feeling it, down to her very soul, Jack backed away, his mouth no longer on hers and the loss of his departure was sharp and keen.
He touched their foreheads and took several long steadying breaths. “Babe, I’m not sure this is gonna work.”
It was working just fine a few seconds ago. “Why not?” she asked, breathless.
“You’re gonna be moving into this house soon. Should probably already be living here.” He rasped. “And those rules of yours…”
As if to prove his point, he set his hands on the sides of her torso and the pads of his thumbs grazed over her breasts. Even through the material of her dress, the heat and pressure surged her nipples to a rosy rounded point. She shuddered visibly and moaned. “Jack.” His name came out as a plea.
“I can’t abide by your conditions, Jillian. I thought I could, but it’s too hard. It’s too much to ask of me, when all I want to do whenever I see you, is…”
She lifted her lids to give him her full attention. “Is what, Jack?” she whispered.
“You want me to say it?”
His hands cupped her breasts now and the ache in her belly drifted further south. “Yes. Say it.” She pleaded, loving the feel of his palms flattened on her chest.
“I want to be inside you, baby. I want to make love to you all night long. It would be so fucking good between us.”
Images immediately raced to her mind, of Jack doing that very thing to her. Of her lying with him, giving herself up to him. Being inside her. Oh, yeah. She’d dreamt of it, fantasized about it and now Jack had finally admitted how much he wanted her. In this moment, anyway.
“I like it when you talk dirty, Jack.”
His head jerked back and his eyes rounded. “Shit, Jillian.” He couldn’t seem to hold back laughter. “You are too much.”
She batted her eyes. “I am. Let me show you.”
Another groan erupted from his throat and then his arms were under her knees and she was being lifted and carried effortlessly by this big, strong man toward his bedroom.
*
Jack didn’t care that he was breaking rules all over the place, the conditions Jillian had set up when they’d agree to this ruse, tossed out like yesterday’s trash. He wasn’t going to feel bad about this. About her. She’d been a torment on his brain since the moment he’d met her all those years ago and he was through trying to keep things sane and rational. Maybe what he needed right now was a little insanity. A little wild and crazy. He could do wild and crazy, in the bedroom. Sure. With Jillian, he got the feeling all things were possible on that score.
As he stepped into his bedroom, her clinging to his neck, her sweetly sensual scent filling his nostrils, his rock hard body grew even harder. How was that even possible? It must have something to do with the beautiful woman hanging onto him, bestowing mind-blowing kisses onto his throat, her long blonde hair tickling his chin. Holy crap. How was a man supposed to think straight?
He lowered her down until her feet hit the floor. He wanted her on the bed, but not just yet. Not until he peeled off her clothes. Not until she stood before him stark naked, a blank canvas that he would paint tonight with his hands, his mouth, his cock.
Hell, she wanted it wild and dirty. He could accommodate.
Jillian wasn’t the only one who could do shock and awe.
Her arms still clung to his neck and he unfolded her, taking her hands in his and bringing his mouth to hers in a quick firm kiss. Then he let her go and walked behind her. His lips caressed her shoulder blades at her back, first one then the other, and his fingers found the zipper of her dress. Slowly, the teeth of the zipper pulled apart to expose the creamy softness of her back and the sexy pink lace bra that housed two perfect breasts. Jack unhooked the fastener and scooped his hands inside to cup the soft globes. He gave them a little squeeze.
Her breath hitched.
His cock surged.
God, Jillian was killing him. And he hadn’t even gotten her dress off yet. “I would dream about doing this to you,” he said, not worried about admitting this to her.
“So would I,” she confessed.
Jack smiled and spread his hands wide, allowing the dress and bra to fall to the floor, bunching around Jillian’s high heeled shoes. Everything she wore tonight was pink, including a pair of panties that wasn’t quite a thong. The lace that touched her cheeks dipped down to a vee into her crease. He spun her around then, anxious to see the front view. He wasn’t disappointed. The lace was sheer at the apex of her thighs, barely hiding the tiny layer of curls that were sculpted and shaped into a heart. Good God.
He almost hated removing them, they were that hot, but then he reminded himself of the blank canvas of his dreams and off they went, his finger hooking the thin waistband and lowering them down all the way to her toes. She gave them a little kick and they vanished from sight.
“You blow me away, Jillian,” he murmured.
“And you have too many clothes on, Jack.”
He shook his head. “Not yet, babe. We’re not rushing this.” He wanted to gaze at her, memorize her, drink her in. She was tall and blonde and beautiful, with intelligent eyes that sparkled like blue gems and hair that cascaded in waves of gold.
Blood pulsed through his veins as he moved closer and finally touched her, on the shoulders, framing her beautiful form, and then slowly he moved his hands down her torso, grazing the outer edge of her breasts, the nipples he’d touched before, instantly forming twin, tight lovely pink buds.
He took a gulp of air. Pressure built in his groin. It was a bit of torture for him and maybe for her too, but he needed to do this, wanted it so badly and didn’t have the willpower to stop on his own accord. Luckily for him, Jillian wasn’t stopping him either and she appeared as turned on as he was.
His hands found her waist, the indent that shaped her female body and then went lower still, to where the beauty of that heart shape met with the soft folds of her skin. He trailed his finger along that path and touched her entrance.
She swallowed a cry and when he slid his finger across the delicate sensitive folds, he met with moisture. She was wet for him. Goddamn. “You don’t know what it does to me, to have you like this.”
He slammed his mouth over hers and took her in a hot heady kiss. She tasted slightly of chablis and he licked at her lips once, twice, and then got busy stroking her, one hand cupping her ass, holding her steady as the fingers of his other hand tantalized and teased her folds.
She started making gasping noises, but he wasn’t through exploring her body. He had so much more to do and he dropped to his knees, gripped her ass in both hands now and kissed those heart-shaped curls until he was nearly drunk on the taste of her.
She moved and rocked her body, swaying and jutting her hips. He didn’t let up, the tension mounting and her gasps of pleasure coming quicker now, louder.
“I’m so close, Jack.” She gritted out. “I’m, ah—” Her voice elevated and her gasps turned to unrelenting moans.
Seeing her passionate, vulnerable, and at the peak of pleasure was the sexiest thing Jack had ever witnessed. Her hands were in his hair now, tugging, holding him in place, as she gave in to the sensations, surrendering to the climax taking control now.
Her sounds vibrated in his ears and turned him inside out.
“Jack, oh, Jack.”
“I’m he
re, babe,” he said as she finished. Then he rose to give her a kiss and take her into his arms. She was soft and pliant, limp against him. “You okay?”
She sighed. “I’m better than okay.” And after a minute, she whispered, “And you still have too many clothes on.”
Even though he was aching with the hardest hard-on, a chuckle pushed out of his mouth. Then he got down to business, unsnapping his shirt, kicking off his boots and Jillian was right there with him, pushing his arms out of his sleeves and unbuckling his belt. Once he was naked, a fleeting thought of the rules that they were breaking flashed, for half a second, before he discarded them and backed Jillian to the edge of the bed.
*
Jillian had never made love with an unselfish lover. She was only just realizing that right now as she lay across Jack’s big bed, waiting for him. He was so tall, so powerful, a man broad of shoulders and muscled to the point of glory. A glimpse of him below the waist, thick and hard and beautiful, and oh, so ready, gave her pause. Jack had taken care of her needs first. He’d been generous and loving and sexy as hell as he brought her to completion. No man had ever put her first like that. No man had ever been this generous in bed. Not that she’d had many lovers, less than she could count on one hand, but the last one, Enrique, had been arrogant, so full of himself, that he’d taken what he’d wanted first and foremost without giving her needs consideration. She’d been a fool where Enrique was concerned. And she wouldn’t waste another thought on him, not when Jack was approaching the bed, all Adonis beauty and grace.
Nothing about this man made her timid. In fact, she was as bold as she had ever been whenever she was with Jack and tonight was no exception. She could be generous too. She rose up on her knees and Jack’s brows lifted, the expression on his face of surprise and… hope.
She touched his chest first, gazing up into his eyes, holding his stare as she explored, her palms flattening on the tight planes, the deep sea of muscle that rippled under her fingertips. She breathed in a musky all-male scent emanating from his skin as she grazed over his body inch by inch.
Then she sat down, her rear end on her legs and took hold of Jack and his gasp of anticipation echoed in her ears. She wanted this. She wanted to touch him and bring him pleasure too. There had been too many fantasies about him to warrant any hesitation on her part. She stroked him, earning her a grunt from deep down in his throat. Her hand covered his shaft and moved ever so slowly, measuring his ample size, sliding, gliding, stroking. He leaned way back and she molded her hand around his base, positioned herself and took him inside her mouth.
“Fuck yeah.” He hissed and she smiled inside, loving this wilder, looser Jack, the rule breaker.
His hand threaded through her hair as he guided her until he was grunting loudly and then finally he’d stilled and immediately backed away. “Lay down, baby. Or this is gonna end quickly.”
The desperation in his tone was clear; she was feeling it too. She made herself comfy on his bed, reaching up for him. He was busy wrapping himself in a condom and, once through, he joined her on the bed. Taking her hands in his, he bent his head and kissed her thoroughly. Their tongues mated and played havoc with each other, and then he was kissing her cheek, her chin, her shoulder. His mouth moved to her breasts and he lapped at them, leaving sweet moisture on the very tight budding tips. His legs moved between hers in a parting motion she was only too willing to allow.
“It’s been a long time coming, Jillian,” he said softly.
“And worth the wait, Jack,” she answered, lifting her hips and urging him forward.
“Jillian.” He breathed out and then he breached her entrance, filling her full, his cock taut and hard inside her.
She closed her eyes to the beauty of that, of finally joining their bodies. It was as if she’d waited her entire lifetime for this moment and it felt amazing and glorious and right. And he hadn’t even moved yet. He hadn’t done anything but unite them.
“So damn perfect,” he said through tight lips.
Keeping her pinned to the bed, his one hand covering hers above her head, he kissed her again and again. Her heart pounded like a jackhammer, the thudding sounds reaching her ears. She loved being trapped in his embrace, being at his mercy. She trusted him and anything he would do to her.
And then began to thrust, slowly at first. And, oh, already the walls of her body were beginning to give way, to coil into something powerful, to feel every shred of sensation. She moved with him, in rhythm to his deliberate precise grind. He was above her, surrounding her, his presence all consuming.
“Jack, Jack.” She wanted to squirm and wiggle, ask for more, but he wasn’t going to rush this. He was savoring her body, making it last, making it good. He wasn’t taking only what he wanted from her, he was making love to her.
The distinction would eventually break her heart. When she had to leave him.
And then, he picked up the pace thrusting her harder, lifting her ass to get a better angle, to make her feel more, to make her enjoy more and all other thoughts emptied from her head. Jack was in the zone, and she was right there with him.
Until the very end as they both reached for the highest ground and cried out. Their bodies rocked and rolled at the same time, their powerful shuddering release coming in mind-blowing unison.
And then there was silence. A quiet that let her absorb what just happened. To let her recoup some of her spent energy and say farewell to every highly sensitive sensation leaving her.
Jack was probably doing the same.
“Damn,” he finally said, in awe, but also with a hint of regret. As if he knew what they had here, wasn’t destined to last. As if he knew, this was a fleeting union of bodies and hearts. That their paths were headed in two different directions.
“Damn,” she uttered too. Bittersweet emotions threatened to break the spell. She wasn’t ready to do that. She wasn’t ready to concede the night.
Jack climbed off of her, and then she was being swept up into his arms and curled into his body on the bed. He held her close and kissed her forehead several times.
“After tonight, your rules and conditions don’t apply,” Jack said in his lawman voice.
It was sorta sweet that he used that tone, as if unequivocally admitting he had no willpower when it came to her and that there was no need for further discussion. If she disagreed with him, she’d fight him on the point, but he was right. After tonight, how could they go back to pretending they weren’t hot for each other? How could she possibly live with the man, and not want a repeat performance night after night? “Do you think that’s wise?”
“Hell no. It’s not wise.”
“But necessary?”
He lifted above her, elbows braced on the bed and lowered his mouth to hers. And when the kiss ended, he stared into her eyes. “Touch me,” he said.
She knew what he meant, where he wanted her to touch him.
“Jack.”
“Do it.”
She touched his shaft, already thick and fully aroused again. A shudder thudded through her. She wanted him again too.
Satisfied he’d made his point, he said, “Necessary, babe.”
And so, not wise.
Chapter Seven
“This is a pretty one, Jillian,” Maddie said, lifting a wedding gown from a dressing rack, the plastic bag crinkling as she brought it in view. “Ivory lace and look at that sweetheart neckline.”
Jillian hated to burst Maddie’s bubble while standing in the middle of Brides Galore and Much More, surrounded by wall-to-wall wedding gowns and a saleswoman at the ready in case Jillian nodded in approval. “Uh, it is pretty but maybe a bit too much for a small ceremony. There’s a lot of lace there.”
“Spoken by a woman who deals in lace all day long.” Maddie teased, but relented and put the dress back.
Jillian laughed. “You’re right. But that’s lace in the right place.”
Maddie grinned and the saleswoman stepped forward. “Perhaps I can show you so
mething in a little simpler design?”
“Yes,” Jillian said, offering Maddie some sympathy.
So far, Maddie had pointed out half a dozen dresses and Jillian had loved every single one, including the lace gown her new friend had just put away, but she couldn’t let on that she loved satin or lace or sequins. If she had to wear a gown for her faux wedding, it needed to be simple and understated. She didn’t want it to scream permanence. She didn’t want a gown that said, I’ll love you forever or you’re my soul mate. Because it was all one big fat lie. And fooling her friends, Maddie recently included, was bad enough without adding more deception to the mix. “I think that’s best.”
Maddie’s shoulders slumped. “At least I talked you out of buying a plain old white suit to get married in.”
Jillian took hold of her hand. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you bringing me here, Maddie. I don’t have many friends in town and it’s fun having you with me.” That much was true.
She was having a good time with Maddie Walker. She enjoyed her company and talking about the baby’s arrival and all of the plans Maddie and Trey were making to welcome the little one. It was inspiring to see true love in action, something Jillian wasn’t much privy to while growing up or in L.A. where it was a rare thing to see couples make it to a happy ending.
“Ah, here’s one I think you’ll like.” The saleslady walked over with a plastic bag doubled over in her arms and when she unfolded it, Jillian took one look and knew she had her dress.
It wasn’t fancy or lacy. There were no satin buttons or sequins, no long train, no bustle. The dress was just right for a fake wedding day with no fuss or muss.
“I’ll try it on.” She didn’t dare look at Maddie. She would be cringing. This wasn’t the dress of a woman with hopes and dreams and aspirations of a long blissful marriage. Jillian walked straight into the dressing room without pause because to see Maddie’s face and the disappointment there, would only reflect her own.
Two nights ago, she and Jack had had move-the-earth sex. It had opened her eyes to what she’d been missing, to what making love was really all about. Jack had done that for her and she would never forget their first night together. But it had left questions in her mind. What should she do now? Should she move into the house? Should she wait until they were married? Would sex be a part of their deal now? Was she to assume that making love with Jack was going to happen every night?
Loving the Texas Lawman Page 9
