She shrugged. “Maybe that’s all I want, Trev. Don’t worry,” she said and ran her hand down the front of his uniform in a calming gesture.
Tommy arrived at just that moment and followed that slow stroke of her hand. “Is everything okay, here?” he asked.
“Totally, man,” Trevor said, raising his hands as if in surrender before facing her. “Just call if you need the cavalry.”
She rose on tiptoes and skimmed a brotherly kiss across his cheek. “I will. Now go enjoy yourself.”
With a spirited salute, Trevor pivoted on one heel and sauntered away.
Tommy watched his retreating back and asked, “What was that all about?”
She tucked herself against him and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She eased her hand beneath his tuxedo jacket and rubbed it back and forth across his chest. “Probably the same thing you’re little talk with Jase was about, namely, what you and I are doing together.”
He dipped his head to meet her gaze. “What are we doing together?”
“Having fun,” she said, grabbed hold of his hand, and pulled him toward the dance floor.
Chapter 7
During their absence from the reception, the live band had been replaced with a DJ who was spinning one fast dance song after another. Many of the older guests had left, leaving only the younger crowd for an after-party that was becoming increasingly raucous.
The excitement and joy was infectious. Jasmine danced like there was no tomorrow and for them, there probably wasn't. She let herself enjoy moving to the heavy bass beats with Tommy, who luckily wasn't doing an imitation of Drunk Dad Dancing. He moved with grace, sexiness, and the ever present humor, smiling and laughing with her as they danced and even sang the choruses of some of the more popular tunes.
When the DJ finally offered the crowd a break with a sensual slow tune, Tommy didn't hesitate to reach out and wrap his arms around her waist to urge her close.
She went willingly, caught up in the magic of what had been an amazing night so far. Enjoying the feel of his strong body moving in time to the beats and the brush of his legs against hers.
She pressed herself closer, needing to feel all that male strength and against her belly, his cock slowly hardened and became an insistent press.
She met his gaze and was surprised by the mixed emotions there. Certainly desire, but also possibly embarrassment. As she narrowed her gaze as if to ask “Why?” he quickly explained.
“You must think I'm a tool and all I want from you is sex,” he whispered so only she could hear.
“And that would be bad because?” she shot back because she didn't want to feel guilt about what they'd done. She'd wanted it and he'd wanted it. Maybe his sister's wedding might not be the best place to scratch that itch . . . Okay, definitely not a maybe, but she still didn't want to regret what they'd experienced together.
When he didn't answer right away, she pressed him. “Tell me why it's bad.”
He locked his gaze with hers and only determination filled his features. “Because we both deserve more than a one night stand.”
She couldn't argue with that. They did, but what they'd had so far felt like so much more than a simple hook up. Reaching up, she combed her fingers through his hair and smiled. “You've made me feel more alive than I have in a long time, Tommy. That's a very special thing to me.”
“Special enough for you to consider staying the night?”
Staying the night. She hadn't thought about the night ending, but as she snuck a quick peek at her watch, she realized that it was almost time for her to go if she was going to catch the last train back to New York City.
Tommy tracked her gaze and as he saw the time on her watch, he said, “Last one is in half an hour. I can drive you to the station if you'd like or . . . ”
“I didn't bring any clothes for an overnight.”
“Nickie's shorter, but otherwise you're about the same size,” he said and then quickly added, “And we haven't tried out the Venetian bar yet to satisfy your sweet tooth.”
She shot a glance toward the terrace where what seemed like mountains of desserts and pastries sat waiting to be devoured. But what called to her more was the very sweet and sexy man beside her, looking hopeful and anxious and all too seductive.
“I can stay,” she said, kind of surprising herself since she wasn't normally the kind to do the morning walk of shame.
A broad smile erupted across his face and his dark eyes glittered with contentment. “Why don't we get some of those pastries and head to the pool house. You can stay there tonight. Plus it's not as noisy there so we can talk.”
Not as noisy meaning more alone time for them.
She knew how they'd spend that alone time and as much as she wanted it, there was also fear there at revealing all of herself to him. No one beside the Navy medical personnel treating her had seen her body and the wounds caused by the mortar blast. Even she avoided looking at herself in the mirror, hating the sight of them.
“It'll be okay, Jasmine. I just want to spend more time with you. If you don't want to do anything else, I'm cool with that,” he whispered against the shell of her ear and drew her close, obviously sensing her unease.
She appreciated his honesty and understanding, but more importantly, she knew she could trust him to keep his word. She stepped away from him, but twined her fingers with his. “Let's go find that quiet spot.”
“And those pastries,” he said with a tender brush of his knuckles along her cheek.
“And those pastries,” she echoed. Anything to keep their hands and mouths busy until she could work up the courage to consider being with him again.
Hand-in-hand they walked to the terrace, swinging hands mischievously. At the table for the Venetian hour, Tommy grabbed a plate and she loaded up an assortment of Italian pastries, working as a team while still holding hands. When they had a small mountain of cannolis, cream puffs, éclairs and other goodies, Tommy guided her across the terrace and around one corner of his home where a locked gate barred entry to another terrace.
Tommy punched in a few numbers into the keypad and the gate popped open. “Dad was worried about the guests and the pool,” he explained as they strolled into the area and he shut the gate behind them.
Just a few yards away, the silhouettes of patio furniture dotted the area. The strong reflection of the full moon played across the waters of the unlit pool. To the right of the pool was a structure that was small compared to the immense home beside it, but larger than the apartment she shared with her family.
With a gentle tug, Tommy led her to the pool house and then inside, where he snapped on some lights to reveal the space inside.
It was an open layout with a vaulted ceiling that made the interior appear even more spacious. To one side of a central living room was a bedroom with a queen-sized bed. To the other, an eat-in kitchen was equipped with the latest in stainless steel appliances and gadgets.
“This is a pool house?” she asked, a little awed by the luxury, but then again, the glimpses she had gotten of the main house should have warned her that this would be just as over-the-top.
With a sheepish shrug, Tommy said, “It started off that way, but we have a big extended family. We would run out of room at the house, so my dad decided to build this.”
“Very nice,” she said, still intimidated until Tommy said, “It's a little much, but that's my dad. He'd do anything for family.”
“Just like you would,” she said and followed him to the living room. Tommy placed the plate with the pastries on the coffee table and plopped onto the couch, tugging her down with him and tucking her against him.
“I would,” he said with conviction.
She had no doubt he would. Combined with everything she'd known from the stories Jase had told her and what she'd discovered about him over the course of the night, it made her wonder why he was still seemingly unattached.
“So no family plans for yourself? No girlfriend? Significant other?
” she asked.
Clearly uncomfortable, he reached out for a cannoli and offered it up to her. She bit off half and sweetness exploded in her mouth from the creamy ricotta filling. But she still pressed on.
“You are not going to distract me that way, Tommy de Salvo.”
* * *
No, I can't avoid the discussion, he thought, but tried to anyway.
“Shit, I thought I could.” He popped the remainder of the cannoli into his mouth and after a long pause, said “No girlfriend or anything else, otherwise we wouldn't be here.”
“I find it hard to believe that your sexy charm hasn't worked on anyone else,” she teased.
He realized she wasn't going to let up, so he finally confessed. “It did for a few years. Then she decided I was all work and no play Tommy and found herself someone else.”
Jasmine cradled his cheek and tenderly urged him to face her. “You deserve better, Tommy.”
Her words dragged a half smile out of him. “You think so?”
She ran her thumb across his lips, the caress both comforting and sexy. “I totally think so.”
“Are you the kind of better I deserve?” he asked and immediately checked himself. “I'm sorry. I know this isn't supposed to be more than just this night.”
She sighed heavily and threaded her fingers through his hair again, bringing that mix of emotions once more. “No, it isn't, but I like you, Tommy. I know you shared your hurt with me, but I'm not ready to share mine. I don't know if I'll ever be ready.”
He nodded, but couldn't quite leave her answer where it was. “You said you wanted to get on with your life. To do that – ”
“I need to deal with this. I know. The counselors in the hospital all said the same thing.”
“One small step at a time,” he said. He nuzzled her nose with his and added, “So who's going to take the first step?”
Chapter 8
The first step, Jasmine thought. She'd taken so many of them in her life.
Her first step into a charter school for a better education.
Her first step into the military to reach for her dreams.
It was time to take her first step toward the start of her new life.
She applied gentle pressure on his skull and urged him closer. She rubbed her lips across his in a lazy back and forth and whispered, “Please shut off the lights.”
Without missing a beat, Tommy leaned toward her to shut off the closest light and then left her for only a second to lean back and snap off the second, plunging them into partial darkness. The full moon spilled light in through all the windows facing the beachfront while some weaker light filtered in along the far wall from the lights on the patio.
“Thank you,” she said and pulled away to examine his features in the dim light. His deep brown gaze flitted all about her face, as if to ask if this was really going to happen, while a hesitant smiled played around the corners of his lips.
She offered up her own grin while skimming her thumb across his mouth again, needing the feel of it, so hard and soft and warm. Wanting to have it against her mouth. Who was she kidding, against all of her.
Trailing her hand down his arm, she took hold of his hand, rose, and walked with him toward the bed. While she'd enjoyed their impromptu lovemaking, she wanted more this time. So much more.
At the side of the bed, they faced each other, both of them uncertain until she just couldn't wait anymore. “Take your clothes off, Tommy.”
One side of his mouth tilted up boyishly and he said, “Yes, ma'am. I'm yours to command.”
Her insides did a flip flop of need and heat flooded her body at the thought of being in control of this man. “Do you really mean that?”
He was in the midst of shucking off his tuxedo jacket, but paused and said a little more seriously, “Whatever you want, Jasmine. I'm all yours.”
God damn, she thought as image after image pounded her brain of everything she'd want him to do throughout this one special night together. Trying to keep the mood lighthearted, she chuckled and said, “Then hurry up and get naked de Salvo.”
He laughed out loud, grinned, and began the slow striptease she had only imagined earlier. He fulfilled her fantasy by ripping off the jacket, toeing off his shoes, and kicking them aside. He bent to yank off his socks and toss them at her feet.
She watched and waited, eager to see all of him, her hands fisted at her sides as she fought the temptation to reach out and hurry him up. In truth, she was enjoying his little act all too much as he leisurely undid the zipper of his pants and the long hard ridge of his erection poked out, all covered with tidy whitey.
She licked her lips at the thought of going down on him again. Her nipples tightened into painfully sensitive nubs and between her legs, a world of wet and heat came alive. She had to shift her legs as her clit throbbed with need as with a sexy little shimmy, he dragged the pants down his legs and tossed them aside.
Her impatience won out and she stepped closer and undid the first few studs on his shirt, fumbling with them in her eagerness. He solved the problem for her by grabbing hold of his shirt and tearing it open, sending studs flying. They landed with soft little pings on the hardwood floor.
He had on a t-shirt beneath the shirt and as he pulled off the tuxedo shirt, she reached beneath the hem of the soft cotton and drew that up and over his head as well, pausing along the way to trail her hands all over his sculpted muscles and the light smattering of hair across his chest and down his midsection.
His chest shoulders were broad and tapered into a lean waist.
He stood there patiently as she took her time exploring all of him before slipping her hands beneath the fabric of his briefs. She slowly dragged them down and he stepped out of them as she rose to stand before him again.
“Tell me what you want, Jasmine,” he said, the tones of his voice low and slightly rough.
“I want to touch you. Taste you.” She leaned forward and skimmed her lips across his chest. Bent a little to put her mouth on his hard masculine nipple, lick it, and then give a playful bite.
“You taste . . . salty, but so good,” she said before covering his nipple again and sucking on it. Against her belly, his dick jerked and she reached up and encircled him, drawing a low groan from him.
“Do you like that, Tommy?”
“Fuck, yes, Jasmine. I like that,” he said and as she stroked him, he groaned from deep in his throat again.
That sound made her insides clench on emptiness. She didn't want to wait much longer to have him filling her. Taking her with hard sure strokes.
She moaned at the thought and tightened her hold on his cock, drawing her hand up and down his long shaft. “Undress me, Tommy. Please.”
Her gaze dipped down to his large hands. They shook as he carefully undid each of the buttons down the front of her dress until it hung loosely on her. Uncertainty gripped her again as he swept his hands up and eased the dress off her body, until she realized that with the lights off, he'd be hard-pressed to see the start of the burn scars on her upper shoulder and arm. Thankfully most of the damage was along her back and shoulder.
“You're so beautiful,” he said and gently cradled her waist as he bent and trailed a line of kisses along the upper swells of her breasts. Beneath the nylon of her bra, her nipples grew almost painfully sensitive and she let go of his cock only long enough to get rid of her bra.
“Kiss me there, Tommy.” She arched her back, pushing her belly against his erection and exposing her full breasts to his mouth.
He cupped her breasts in his hands and kissed and licked and sucked on her nipples, shifting from one to the other while she held his head to her, urging him on with soft cries of pleasure. As he took one nipple deep into his mouth and bit the tip gently, she reached down and guided him toward her center, but he softly urged, “Not yet, Jasmine. Not yet, babe. The night has only just begun and I want you to have it all.”
“Tommy – ” she began, but he cut her off with a rough ki
ss and the slide of his tongue into her mouth.
She accepted that penetration, tasting and dancing her tongue against his as he rotated and tweaked the tips of her breasts in his hands. Each tug of his hands and thrust of his tongue drew her ever closer to a climax. He must have sensed that since he dipped his hand beneath her panties and found the center of her, so wet and swollen and needy for his touch.
At the first bold sweep of his fingers along her clit and into her pussy, she almost came. She fought it back, cried out his name against his lips, and tightened her hold on his dick.
“Tommy, please,” she nearly begged, but he shook his head and met her gaze. His cocoa-brown eyes were even darker, his pupils wide with desire. “I want to taste your climax. Feel it against my mouth. On my lips, Jasmine. Then I want to fill you and feel you come all around me. Can I do that?”
* * *
Tommy waited, nearly undone by her response, but he wanted her to be in control. He hadn't thought himself ready to trust another woman again, yet Jasmine brought out that part of him that wanted to believe that he could. That he could expose himself, emotionally and physically, and not be hurt again.
“Yes, Tommy. I want that, too,” she said and stepped back until her knees hit the edge of the bed.
He urged her to sit and kneeled before her. His hands shook as he peeled away the panties and exposed the darker caramel of her curls. He kissed the soft skin at the side of one knee and then the other. Then he trailed kisses along the sensitive skin of her inner thighs until he was at her center.
Gently he parted her lips to expose the swollen pink nub of her clit. He blew on it softly and she jumped in anticipation and cupped the back of his head, confirming her acceptance of his request.
He hadn't had time to look before, so he took his time to explore her, parting her soft curls to expose the swollen and flushed nub, and her dusky and moist lips. “Beautiful,” he said and licked her clit, drawing a rough cry from her.
“So so alive,” he repeated as he buried his head against that sensitive spot and tasted her. Sucked on the tender nub until she was lifting herself to his mouth and her needy whimpers filled his ears. He drove his tongue into her pussy, relishing the salty juices of her release. Against his mouth, the fast pulse of her need urged him on and he licked and bit her clit while shoving two fingers into her to stoke her climax.
Take a Chance Erotic Romance Box Set Page 12
