The gathering went by uneventfully. There were other people over whom Jenna hadn’t previously met and she was occupied chatting them up so much that by the end of the night Michael caught up with her outside the front door to protest.
“If I didn’t know any better I’d think you were avoiding me,” he joked.
“Since day one,” Jenna replied cheekily.
Michael laughed good-naturedly and Jenna had to admit it was quite a pleasant sound. It felt so easy to talk to him quite suddenly and she decided it was her who’d been silly about the whole ordeal. It had been her decision, he’d enjoyed it, and it was done. Except she realized just how much she didn’t want it to be done; Jenna gulped.
“Everything alright?”
“Huh?”
“You seem kind of nervous or something,” Michael observed.
Jenna froze. Not once had it crossed her mind he would actually notice something subtle about her, especially if it was in relation to her feelings. Jenna was not the type to lie but this was not exactly the kind of situation she often found herself in.
“I’m fine,” she finally told him benignly. She turned to look at him and saw he did not quite buy it but he was not going to bug her about it either.
“Let me give you a ride home,” he offered.
Jenna turned to face him, willing herself to look into her eyes while debating his offer. It sounded genuine. Probably for the first time since they’d met Jenna did not think he was suggesting anything. This time she thought he was just being kind. Jenna bit her lower lip and cast her gaze to the floor beside his feet. The stars specking the sky reflected on the shiny black surface of his dress shoes. When the word “yes” fell from her lips she realized it was probably her working with an ulterior motive; in her mind she’d said “to hell with it” and immediately nullified her previous decision. One thing remained– it was her choice; She was the one ultimately in control here. Michael Black was not playing her like any other woman.
She marveled at the luxury of his car and the speed. They talked about Harrison and how Michael knew him. They touched briefly on Michael’s job; Jenna learned he’d founded one of the top social media sites and thought it explained his wealth. It didn’t matter. They pulled up in front of her place, the upper corner of the building, which was her living room window, dark.
“Would you like to come inside?”
Michael sighed and shook his head. “I should get going.”
Chapter Nine
To say Jenna was angry and embarrassed would have been an understatement. What made matters worse after being so unexpectedly jilted the night of Harrison’s celebratory gathering was that it was going on a week now since she’d heard from Michael.
“Maybe he did manage to play me after all,” she vented to Mac.
He remained silent, which she took as a confirmation. This only upset her further and by the time she left the restaurant at the end of her shift she was worked up enough that she was ready to ask Harrison about it. She’d made it a point not to bring it up with Kelly but Mac hadn’t made things any better wither. In her state of upset, she called Harrison up and invited him to a quick lunch. He told her he’d already eaten but was doing a store run for a project he was working on; it was the perfect excuse to meet up with him and bring up Michael in a more organic way.
They met at the store and she walked around to help him find everything he needed, ticking off each item on the check list after carefully comparing prices and quality. Even though the list made no sense to her she did not ask what kind of project he was working on. What she did do was ask if he’d been given an expense account or was to be reimbursed.
“Expense,” he replied easily. “It’s a smooth ride, I’ll admit.”
“It’s the work version of Michael’s car then,” Jenna joked.
Harrison laughed before asking, “He gave you a ride back last week, right?”
Jenna nodded as she reached out to grab a small storage box with print on it. She pretended to be quite interested in it as she asked, “How’s he been? Haven’t talked to him since.”
“You’re not the only one,” Harrison responded.
Jenna furrowed her brows and clutched the box. She was caught in a limbo between feeling relieved it was not her being ignored and being concerned. Had he really disappeared for a week? If Harrison worked with Michael it made no sense for them not to have spoken. Harrison must have noticed her change in facial expression, and energy, because he sighed and tapped one of the boxes on the shelves with his index finger.
“He hasn’t even come into the office,” he informed her.
Jenna was unsure if he’d picked up on anything between her and Michael and he was trying to ease her worries. Either way, there was a spike of panic in her chest. What she could not help but wonder was why Harrison did not seem at all concerned about the fact his friend and co-worker had gone missing for pretty much an entire week. At least, it had been an entire week for her. She did not want to ask if he’d spoken to or seen Michael over the weekend after the gathering. Her desire to know how Harrison knew about the ride home had dissipated.
“I hope he’s okay,” was all she mustered after the long pause. She set the box back on the shelf and turned to look Harrison. When her gaze met his she knew in an instant that he was no fool; he was quite aware something was going on between her and Michael. That was also the moment she realized he was holding back from saying something. It was like he knew a big secret and that was why he was not worried; but why wouldn’t he fill her in?
Then Harrison’s phone rang. He scurried to answer it and when she heard him greet Tara, Jenna knew the moment to convince him to spill was gone. Heaving a sigh, she mouthed that she had to go and walked hurriedly to her car, speeding out of the parking lot and driving home. She threw her keys on the kitchen counter and flopped down on the couch feeling more frustrated than ever. Sure, Michael was not specifically ignoring her but Harrison knew what was going on yet refused to tell her. Was Michael hiding some sort of big secret? Jenna groaned in frustration and balled up her fists.
“I knew he was a mistake,” she muttered angrily.
Then there was a knock at her door that made her jump off the couch.
She turned to look at the door, struggling to catch her breath; her heart was beating quickly and there was a surge of adrenaline running through her veins. She took a step forward but then gasped sharply when there was another knock. It had just taken her by such surprise that she momentarily felt like someone stuck in a thriller movie. Once she’d come to her senses and settled down somewhat, she walked over and pressed her eye to the peephole.
“Michael,” she breathed against the wood of the door, hand settling on the doorknob. She yanked the door open and looked at him, puzzled.
“Jenna,” he greeted. Something was different. Something was off.
“Come in,” she told him in spite of herself.
He stepped inside and as soon as she’d turned to face him after closing the door she noticed, poking out from under the sleeve of his shirt was a long, thin scar. It looked like he’d been cut a few days ago and then it clicked– one week ago. “Michael, what–”
Michael shook his head vigorously, pressing his index finger to her lips. She pressed her hand to his finger and stared into his eyes for a moment before moving his hand away. Without thinking, she started to unbutton his shirt. He did not stop her, not even when she pushed it off his shoulders. The shirt fell to the ground, leaving his upper body completely exposed. Jenna could not help but marvel at the sight; his golden skin glistened under the light of the living room, the taut muscles of his abdomen subtly lined, his muscular arms strong and inviting. Jenna let out a long, low breath. Her eyes roamed over every inch until finally settling on the scar, which ran from the top of his shoulder until about an inch above his elbow.
“What happened,” she muttered, tips of her fingers running along the scar.
Michael flinched. She stopped
and drew her hand back but he made a grab for it. It did not seem like he was in pain but he did look uncomfortable and tense. He clutched her hand tightly and took a step forward, eyes looking into hers intensely. Against every thought she’d previously had and any will she’d forced earlier on, she felt insanely attracted to him like she had never felt with any other man.
Then he kissed her. Before she knew what was happening, his strong arms were around her, bodies pressed together, lips moving with each other like it was something they’d done a million times over. He pressed his hand on the small of her back and deepened the kiss, tongue running playfully along hers. It was passionate but fun in a very unexpected way but, like before, there was some sort of wildness to Michael.
“I came to make sure you knew I am interested in you,” he whispered against her lips.
Jenna felt her knees weaken so she held tight onto his broad shoulders.
“I’m supposed to just believe you,” she told him flatly.
“I’ll prove it to you,” he responded.
“And just how will you do that?”
He kissed her deeply. It was a fiery kiss that almost made her miss the moment his hands slipped under the hem of her shirt to push it up off her body. He broke the kiss just enough time to pull her shirt off but his lips were attached to hers again a second later, his hands working the clasp of her bra. He expertly removed it, letting her very large breasts be free. He pulled her in until her breasts smashed into his chest and she shivered in excitement. Everything was moving so fast but in the best possible way. As he continued to kiss her she felt like his wildness was entering her, covering every inch of her skin and running through her body.
He walked her back until her knees buckled and she was sitting on the couch. She looked up at him, towering over her and enjoying the sight of her bared breasts. He let out a low growl and dropped one knee on the couch, leaning in and expertly taking one of her nipples in his mouth. Jenna mewled, enjoying the way his tongue slowly worked around her nipple. It was like he was barely touching her but it was not teasing. He nibbled it once, very gently, before sitting down and pulling her onto his lap. He must have seen the alarm in her eyes, being she was not exactly used to sitting on men’s laps this way, but he eased her down by gripping her waist tightly and running a thumb over her soft belly.
Jenna was not his usual type but, in that moment, she was more of anything he ever wanted than any other woman he’d ever slept with or dated. He let her know how sexy he found her in the way he kissed her chest and ran his hand up her back. He made it clear how attracted her was to her by pressing his hard bulge up against her and growling into her mouth at the same time, initiating another fiery kiss.
He placed his hand between her breasts and slowly dragged it down over her belly, eyes looking intensely into hers. He ran his fingers over the waistband of her shorts and tugged at the drawstrings, pulling the material just a bit off her skin. He swiped his fingers over the smooth skin of her thick thighs and leaned in to lick the lobe of her ear.
“Jenna,” he whispered, “If you don’t already believe me…”
He did not need to complete the sentence. She knew exactly where it was going, just as sure as the direction of his hand running up her thigh. He tickled the skin below her belly button and held her gaze as he slipped his hand under the waistband of her shorts. Jenna held her breath but soon let it out in the form of a mixed gasp and sigh of relief. He gently palmed her center over the fabric of her panties, working her up even more than she already was. She wondered if he wanted to feel her moisture soak through the fabric before moving forward. He licked the side of one of her breasts, licked her neck, and then took her lips as he pressed against her center with more pressure. She pushed her hips forward against his hand and moaned into his mouth.
With such a simple thing he was already making her feel so good. It was the kind of buildup she welcomed, the kind she even longed for but rarely received in her sexual experience. Michael Black was a natural at turning her on and unleashing her innermost desires. It did not even matter anymore if it was all part of his game or if she really was some sort of exception to him, just like he was to her.
Just when she thought there was no way for her to get any wetter, she felt him slip his hand under the waistband of her panties and make his way down to her slit. He tickled her wet lips and she giggled against his mouth; but when he ran the tip of his index finger from the bottom of her slit right up to her clit the giggle turned into a mewl. She tossed her head back, bare breasts in his face, as he massaged her outer lips with his fingers and ran his middle finger up and down the slit, pushing it in more and more with each pass.
When he finally let his entire finger slip inside her, thumb grazing over her clit, she gripped both his shoulders and moaned louder. It was like every bit of the buildup was finally culminating in what she most wanted right down to her core. He slipped in another finger and worked them both inside her, hooking them upward and circling them and intertwining. He moved them in and out of her, making sure to rub her clit each time, until she was made a mess of loud moans and cries and trembling body.
He expertly slipped in a third finger and pressed against her clit more insistently. He thrust his hips up, effectively pushing his hand harder against her and fingers deeper in all while she felt just how hard he was. He played with her breasts nipples using his free hand and tongue. He worked his fingers in and out of her at varying paces, angling them differently and hitting just the right spot until she tensed up and immense pleasure took over her entire body. That was when Jenna bit down on his shoulder and screamed, entire body shaking violently with orgasm.
Chapter Ten
Michael did not spend the night. He had not even let her finish him off. He’d just kissed her on the cheek and muttered, “I always return the favor.” He’d winked and before she knew it, he was dashing out the door into the night putting his shirt back on.
She hadn’t even had a chance to regain strength from the amazing orgasm he’d just given her, much less piece everything together. She shut the door and slid down to curl up on her living room floor. He had certainly proved he was interested in her, at least up until the point in time he’d made the tryst feel like a dine and dash sort of situation. Was this classic Michael? He’d thrown her for a loop after their first tryst as well. She rolled onto her back and stared up at the ceiling, still breathing heavily from what had just happened. He was obviously physically attracted to her and she figured it was safe to say he had some sort of interest in her.
“That’s it,” she said strongly, getting up from the floor and trudging to bed. She was not going to make a big deal about this. She was just going to enjoy and see where it led.
The following morning, however, she awoke to find a message from Michael waiting on her phone. It was Saturday morning and he wanted to go on a Saturday night date with her. He wanted a real date. She smiled; no, she beamed. Against all odds and her instincts, she’d gone for the guy she would have sworn was wrong and he’d gone for her. Now it was time to tell Kelly at least something vague about what was going on.
“I’m going to tell you something but you have to promise you won’t ask questions.”
“What the heck?” Kelly sounded miffed.
“Come on. I’ll fill you in when I’m ready. I promise.”
“Fine,” Kelly huffed.
“I’m going on a date with Michael,” Jenna finally confessed.
“What?”
It made perfect sense for Kelly to be incredulous but she kept her word and did not push the issue further. She did, however, express her immense excitement to hear the next chapter of this incredibly fascinating and unexpected story. She also filled her in on the very thing she’d wanted to tell her at the bachelorette auction but had been interrupted.
“You’re going out with a billionaire,” Kelly said dreamily.
“A… An actual billionaire?”
“Yes,” Kelly breathed.
Jenna ended the call and walked to her closet, pulling out the first dress her eyes landed on. It was all black with a fitted bodice and flared skirt but the selling point was the cutout neck with straps. While some cleavage actually showed, it was more the allure of the black straps against her sun-kissed skin showing off little triangles of flesh that made it perfect for the date night. What she liked even more about it was that she could pull it off without a bra, even with her very large DD-cup breasts. That was an extremely rare find.
Jenna tossed it on her bed and pulled out her favorite pair of blood red pumps to pull the outfit together before opting for her sexy white lace undies. She looked at the outfit on her bed and smiled in satisfaction. If Michael had liked her in everything else he’d seen her wear, he would be a puddle of longing when he laid eyes on her in this. She had to keep her mind of his level of wealth; she’d agreed to a date with him because she liked him and that was all that mattered. There was no reason to focus on or be intimidated by his financial status.
He picked her up right on time, just as the sun was setting, and she could see in his eyes just how much liked her dress but he did not say it. Offering his arm, he walked her to the passenger door of his car and pulled it open for her.
“How do you feel about typical dates?”
“I feel like I don’t want to start any date by answering a trick question,” she replied.
Michael chuckled. “How was that a trick question?”
“Both answers can be wrong,” she told him simply.
Michael chuckled again before saying, “Fine, fine. Well, I don’t think tonight will be a typical date anyway.”
“No matter what we do that’ll be true,” she agreed.
Romance: My Stepbrother's Plaything Page 32
