Had she really been that desperate? Sad but true she had, as her brain replayed the memory over and over in those few seconds, like a bad DVD that kept skipping and wouldn’t shut off. While standing in that doorway, desperation had kept Lucy focused on one thing.
Eating.
At least it had until Jack passed by with a gorgeous babe on his arm. And for those few seconds, as his scent rose up in his wake and filled her soul with hope, the drive for food had been replaced with romantic thoughts of him as her knight in shining armor. Unfortunately, she’d then caught his date’s perfume and reality had snapped back to punch her in the stomach in the form of hunger pains. She’d scolded herself for such stupid sentimentality—a sentimentality repeating itself now.
Lucy had never forgotten the woman’s lemony scent. So much so that after earning her first paycheck, her first big splurge was a similar-smelling perfume. The scent made her feel special. Allowed her to identify with someone she envied.
Funny what people buried in the recesses of the mind, Lucy thought, glancing into Jack’s laughing eyes while swaying to the music’s beat. Until this very moment, she’d forgotten that for a nanosecond in time all those years ago, she’d developed a small crush on him. The memory didn’t make it any easier to relax in his arms.
Lucy had to be the most foolish person on the planet. She hadn’t forgotten the nickname, Lucy-goosey. No doubt, Jack remembered it too, which was another reason she should head for the hills. Nothing had changed in more than twelve years. She might not scrounge for food any longer, but she didn’t see how he could view her as anything but a waif, or worse, a pariah to society, both then and now.
Yet she couldn’t muster up the energy to scold herself for wanting the unattainable. Why not enjoy herself?
Refocusing on a point beyond Jack’s shoulder, Lucy worked to keep from tripping. Like the night before, he held her firmly and led her around his living room with the graceful ease of a man who’d danced his entire life. Soon she lost herself in the music. Following his lead seemed so easy. Like floating on air, she thought dreamily, pushing out the last remnants of the past and smiling at his warm expression. Never in a million years would she believe a time like this, one where she would even contemplate a night of passion with the guy holding her like he would never let go, might be possible. Not her, the quintessential have-not. Not with someone like him, a man who had it all.
Lucy dismissed Jack’s earlier warning about not wanting to get involved, unable to keep from responding to his touch. She couldn’t help feeling as if she were about to embark on a journey that would change her life, and not for the better, because most of all, she couldn’t stop this need he elicited from her soul so easily. It felt too damned good to be in his arms and too damned wonderful to pretend, if only for a while, that he found her the most desirable person on the planet. Besides, if she were honest with herself, a relationship wasn’t on the top of her want list either. Not one with him. It would be too weird.
Yet after kissing him, sex was definitely on the want list. Sex was the perfect solution to taking her mind off everything. The perfect escape. Dealing with all the other later became only a fleeting consideration as his head lowered and their lips touched for one hell of a kiss. Oh yeah, she thought, as her insides melted. Kissing Jack was becoming habit-forming, and dancing while kissing had to be the most romantic thing she’d ever done. That was her last coherent thought as the music swirled inside her brain and sensations of bliss swamped her while she met his insistent mouth and tongue with his same intensity.
When the music slowly faded, Lucy realized they’d stopped moving. But as they continued kissing, her eyes remained closed in order to hold on to the spell. She didn’t want their magical kiss to ever end. Jack had taken her away to never-never land with those lips, to a world where she was a different person. A world where, for these few moments at least, she was a have. She had Jack.
“Lucy,” Jack whispered, long seconds after lifting his head to end the kiss.
Ignoring the sense of loss, she sighed and opened her eyes, only to look into his. At that exact moment, she felt a connection that went all the way to her soul.
Jack quickly averted his gaze and silently studied her shoulder. Then he cleared his throat and released her, taking a step back. “The buzzer for dinner is going off. If I don’t get to it, we’ll be eating burnt fish.”
Lucy nodded as the buzzing registered and heat warmed her face. Having been so engrossed in kissing him, she hadn’t even heard it. How Jack could be thinking of eating right now was beyond her when everything in her body was screaming for him to make love to her. To finish what the dancing had started. It stung a bit to realize he might be backing off, using the interruption to break the spell, especially when she could have sworn he’d felt the same connection.
Lucy had no time to obsess, because totally oblivious to her embarrassed musings, Jack grabbed her hand and headed for the kitchen. Practically yanking her behind him, he said over his shoulder, “You’ll really like this. It’s one of my specialties.”
His voice was so nonchalant, as if the kiss had never taken place.
“Your specialty?” she asked, striving for normal. But the feat required every bit of acting skill she possessed to pull off.
Jack shrugged. “I like to tinker with food.” Then aiming that thousand-watt gaze her way, he added, “I guess I shouldn’t get too cocky, since you haven’t tasted it yet.”
Lucy laughed, latching on to his teasing tone. As far as she was concerned, he could get as cocky as he wanted. It wouldn’t change a darn thing as to the specialty she most appreciated. The guy could kiss.
Brushing a strand of hair out of her eyes, she rocked on the heels of her feet, praying her face didn’t resemble the color of a stop sign. Blushing wasn’t exactly what a woman on the make did. Definitely projected the wrong attitude. If only she’d grown up playing these types of games, she wouldn’t feel so out of her comfort zone right now. “So, what’s on the menu?” Thankfully her voice remained level, betraying none of her trepidation. “I saw you mess with asparagus. And what looks like fish.”
With an abashed grin, Jack jabbed at the vegetables in the pan now sizzling on the stove. “It’s not just asparagus and fish. The asparagus is sautéed in garlic, a few spices, and olive oil. And the tilapia is lightly battered, then seared before roasting for twenty minutes in the oven along with some new potatoes, glazed with the same garlic, spices, and olive oil.” He opened the oven and reached for an oven mitt.
Already the kitchen smelled like one of those Italian restaurants as more of the heavenly scents of garlic, butter, and basil filled the air. Lucy’s stomach gurgled in response and her mouth watered. Suddenly she was ravenous. Apparently for more than just a bout of lovemaking.
Jack nodded to the drawer, then opened it after placing the hot dish on a trivet. “You’re in charge of setting the table and I’ll get the rest. Prepare to be totally satisfied.”
“I like the sound of that.” Laughing, Lucy dove into her task with zeal.
After deciding on green and blue napkins and placemats from a drawer, Lucy gathered all the necessary utensils and used a spark of creativity to make a bold statement. Dressing up a table made her feel normal and gave her something to do with her hands at the same time. The chore also gave her time for a quick mental pep talk. She could do this. It was only sex. How hard could it be?
“Looks great,” Jack said, as he set two plates filled with his efforts on the table.
“I like to tinker with decorating,” she admitted, remembering his earlier words about cooking. Lucy moved to sit in the chair he politely pulled out. But before her butt had a chance to hit the seat, he placed a hand on her shoulder. His touch drew her attention as chills of pleasure danced up her spine. “Did I tell you how good you look standing in my dining room?”
Mesmerized by those teasing blue eyes, she shook her head, sinking the rest of the way and watching him bend from the waist
until his lips hovered over hers. He brushed almost kisses back and forth and for the longest moment Lucy forgot to breathe…forgot where she was…forgot what she’d been about to do.
Straightening and stepping back, Jack chuckled, then shook out her cloth napkin and stretched it across her lap.
Having totally regressed to the level of blithering idiot, Lucy reached past the topped-off wine for the water goblet he’d filled earlier, and took a long, soothing drink. Wine would only worsen her dilemma. Her brain turned to mush every time his mouth got within an inch of hers and she wasn’t sure how or why it happened, but it did. Must be some kind of intense pheromones at work. Either that or the fact that it had been awhile since her last sexual encounter was playing havoc with her system. Yet for the life of her, Lucy couldn’t fathom the latter scenario. Heck, none of the short list of men she’d slept with caused her to forget her name with just a kiss.
Lucy held the glass in front of her face to hide her interest and observed Jack, trying to decipher the reason he did.
“What? Do I have food on my face?”
She blinked. Rats, he’d caught her staring. “No.” She shook her head and took a drink. “I was just wondering…” Lucy broke off and continued her silent scrutiny. Jack was good-looking. He was funny. He was caring. But all three described ninety percent of those other guys she’d tried and failed to have a relationship with.
“Well? Are you going to enlighten me?”
Still eyeing him, she offered a secret smile. Her thoughts were on both his question and her own question she hadn’t yet answered. Maybe the explanation was simple—no expectation of a relationship. The more Lucy thought about it, the more sense it made. They could both enjoy each other and then walk away guilt-free when it was over. No harm, no foul. No one would be hurt because neither would have expectations of the other. A win-win situation all around. Her grin spread. “No. I think some things are better off left unsaid,” she replied in answer to his question.
“Ah. I see.”
If only those intense eyes accompanying his wide smile weren’t so attractive. Lucy sighed. Her newfound conclusion had to be the appeal. That and she darn sure liked kissing him. She could handle Jack.
Her gaze moved lower to focus on his right hand now fingering the stem of his wineglass, and her breath hitched in her throat as a warm, fuzzy feeling permeated her tummy. While staring at those fingers, her resolve stiffened. Oh, yeah. She’d be handling him and he’d be handling her. After dinner, she’d darn well get her wish and those hands would do magical things to her, or her name wasn’t Lucy Maddox.
Chapter 15
Jack studied Lucy unobtrusively as he ate. Hadn’t he learned anything from his experiences with Ginny? Apparently not, since his determination to have Lucy in his bed—tonight—only grew stronger while watching her.
“What are you thinking,” he asked a second time after a few minutes.
“Nothing worth mentioning.”
“Has to be something, to have you smiling like that.” If Bogie swallowed a canary, he might sport a similar one, if cats could smile.
Lucy only shrugged, meeting his eyes with a purposeful gaze, a disconcerting one that invited him in. Jack didn’t like the connection he felt or the sense of familiarity that flooded his system just then. He’d experienced the same sensations earlier, after their impromptu kiss once the music had died.
He averted his gaze and concentrated on cutting the last two bites of fish.
Remember, Finnegan, Lucy’s not long term.
That he had to keep reminding himself of that little detail concerned him even more. Jack shoveled a forkful of food into his mouth and chewed, stewing over the obvious. He knew damn well he should get out now, while the door to getting was still open, but somehow he couldn’t quite take the initial step to sanity because he was caught in a trap of his own making. Lust.
Jack swallowed. “Just remember, I have ways of making you talk,” he said to fan the flames, now knowing without a doubt there was no way in hell he was stopping.
“I can’t wait to find out what those are.” Lucy’s amused laughter rose up, floating across the room with the words, and both wrapped around his heart, dispelling any lingering common sense.
He reached for his wineglass and sipped, his concerns no longer a roadblock to his lust. Jack wanted her and he’d have her. Worrying could come later. Much later.
Standing, he started to clear the table. Lucy tagged right behind, helping. He could feel her nearness, as intoxicating as ever, especially when he caught a whiff of her lemony perfume every now and then. The light, flirty fragrance suited her, he decided, as she handed him more dishes.
Together they finished loading the dishwasher, working in companionable silence as if they’d done the same for years.
“Thanks.” After placing the last dish she’d given him on the rack, he closed the door and set the dial to begin the cycle. At the same time, she grabbed the dishcloth, rinsed it in the soapy water, and wrung it out, before moving to the table.
While Lucy finished wiping down the table and the countertops, Jack dried his hands on a dishtowel, then reached for the wine and filled both glasses.
“Here.” He handed her one and picked up the other. “You deserve this.”
Lucy’s answer was another throaty laugh. She took a sip and grinned. “I think I’m getting tipsy.”
Jack chuckled. “Maybe you shouldn’t drink any more then. I don’t want you saying I got you drunk and then took advantage of you.”
She observed him from under her lashes. “Is that what you’re doing?”
The heat simmering in her gaze warmed his insides. His grin was quick. “Is that what you want me to do?”
“And if I said yes?” she replied, teasing him with the same question he’d used earlier, having much the same effect on him as he imagined it had on her. A rush of blood pounded in his ears and his desire soared. Hell, Jack was starting to think the game he’d been playing had come back to bite him in the butt…or more aptly, his balls. He was the one left needy and wanting. Not her. He took a sip watching her do the same. A heartbeat later their eyes connected, and he felt the zing all the way to his hard-on. Judging from the heat flashing in that coffee-colored gaze, she’d felt the same zing.
Jack lifted the glass out of her hand. “I’d have to say, I’m ready and willing, and I think you are too.” For the second time that night, he set it aside and pulled her into his arms.
“See how well we fit together?” he murmured, leaning down and kissing her neck. Her head moved an inch, granting him more access to that delectable, swan-like neck. He didn’t hesitate to take advantage. Her moan floated above them as he kissed his way to her ear to spend a long moment licking, nibbling, sucking, and biting. More moans followed. He tamped down the desire to lift her into his arms and head straight for the bedroom.
“And see how naturally your body flows when you quit thinking about controlling every element?” he asked, moving with her to the music again. Only he didn’t want to just dance. He wanted to be inside her while he danced. Her lemony scent rose up and hit him with a blast of pure lust and he couldn’t control the impulse to rub against her. In a heartbeat, he was taken back to his senior prom. He’d never thought about it before, but rubbing against a woman you knew you were going to make love with made for some hellacious foreplay.
When Lucy responded in kind, he couldn’t suppress a groan of pleasure. The woman knew how to move in his arms and it was as erotic as hell. Eventually their mouths met, only this kiss was greedy. On both their parts. He couldn’t seem to get enough of those luscious lips. When the music died, he couldn’t stop kissing her. Instead, he started undressing her as another slow ballad filled the air.
First he relieved her of her top, which exposed the fullness of her breasts, pushed high with a stretchy nothing of a bra. He reached around and unclasped it, then slid the flimsy fabric aside. As she shook out of the straps, he finally had full access t
o those small breasts that fit perfectly in his hands. His mouth moved lower. Nibbling on her neck and working his way to her ear, he whispered, “God, you’re perfect for me. I’ve never wanted anyone the way I want you at this moment.”
Her moan was his only response, which sent hot need racing through his blood. Through the haze of pleasure, he felt her hands slide down to undo his belt. He hitched a breath and stifled a groan of pure pleasure when she unzipped his pants and pulled him free from his boxer briefs. With one hand she pushed both trousers and underwear down past his butt. When her cool fingers possessed him, cupping his balls, he almost came. He moaned, lost in a sea of hot sensation that was Lucy Maddox. Her scent, her touch, her drugging kisses as she locked lips with him again and began sucking emotion from him kiss by kiss, pulling emotion from him touch by touch. She’d drugged him with need, the urge to plunge inside her heat and start pumping all encompassing.
He broke the kiss and struggled to find a condom before he lost all coherent thought. In seconds, they reconnected again. The next thing he knew, they were on the carpet, lying prone and completely naked. Seconds later after rushing to secure the condom, he couldn’t stop from plunging inside her. Jesus, she was damned tight, and for a moment he thought he’d sunk into heaven. She felt so right. Yet nothing so far had prepared him for how he’d feel as Lucy began moving in slow motion beneath him. He endured the exquisite torture for as long as he could stand it before instinct had him moving faster, striving for release.
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