Matt hesitated for a moment. She wondered if he’d be a jerk about her reticence.
Then, his teeth flashed white against his skin. “I won’t do anything you don’t want me to do. Let me know when you’re ready for more, okay?” He leaned in and brushed his lips against hers.
That’s the problem, she thought. Jess licked her lips, savoring the taste of him. Based her on her body’s reaction to him, she was more than ready for more. But inside she just couldn’t let herself go—not yet.
***
He released her.
As she walked a few paces away, repositioning her clothes, he rested his hand on the tree and turned away. He wanted her with a ferocity he’d never experienced before. She was so sexy with her damp hair curling on her dewy skin. His muscles tensed from restraining himself. Even now, his cock ached so badly, he wanted to sheath himself between her legs and pump for all he was worth. But he couldn’t.
For once, he was glad he didn’t have his wallet, or the condom inside, within reach. Once he’d realized how much Jess warred between distrust and desire, he knew that anything that happened between them had to be on her terms. Even if she was investigating LoveLines, she’d need a little encouragement to loosen up and confess her part in the plot to undo him. Maybe he could talk her into dropping the whole thing. Once she was able to open herself to pleasure, he reasoned, she’d be able to find success in the matching system and thus render her testimony useless. Jess glanced at him as she struggled to button her blouse, with a look that made him very much want to encourage her.
He closed the space between them and kissed her again, marveling at the hunger that shot through him like a bullet. He pulled her blouse back open. Pleasure fogged her eyes and he couldn’t resist cupping her bared breasts and massaging her nipples. Jess made a purring noise in the back of her throat, something between desire and frustration. He was just going to kiss her, he reminded himself. Just a little enticement to get her to relax. Test her motives.
Her body rubbed against his stiffened cock and his heartbeat began to throb in his temples. And other, less visible places.
To hell with her motives.
Another flame of desire burned through his consciousness and he bent to kiss her soft full mouth again. She was the perfect combination of firm and soft. He ran his tongue between her lips, wishing he was slicking her lower seam with the same intensity. Jess moaned and he forgot his good intentions. His response to her surprised him. It wasn’t just the greedy way she returned his kisses. The slightest pressure of her lush body against his drove him crazy.
“Matt,” she whispered, as he tongued the sensitive spot below her ear.
“Mmmm?” What if he just kept kissing his way down her body?
“Matt,” she repeated. Her voice was sharper. “I think we’re moving a little too fast. I-I want to be sure before….” She trailed off, her cheeks flushing even more.
Matteo closed his eyes, almost choking on the lump of desire that made his throat ache. She almost sounded legit. With superhuman effort, he forced himself away from the magnetic pull of her velvety skin. “We can take this as slowly as you need to,” he said. “Whatever it takes.” He needed time to clear his head, anyway. She was far too intoxicating for his liking.
His heart skipped a beat when she rewarded him with a relieved smile. He wasn’t supposed to care about her feelings, damn him.
“Thanks.” She yanked her bra into place before scanning the clearing as if she’d never seen a forest before. “It stopped raining.”
Matteo swiped a palm over his face, trying to control his raging desire. “So it has.”
“We should be getting back.” She folded her arms over her chest, hiding those delicious mounds from view.
“Yeah?” He tugged his shirt closed. His jeans rubbed painfully against his erection with every movement. Why was he still hard? He never had trouble disengaging himself from a female before.
Jess seemed edgy. “They might come looking for us.”
No chance. Seneca was under strict orders.
“Not likely, but it will be dinner soon. I don’t know about you, but I’m famished. You up for it?”
She began to button her blouse again. He stifled the urge to rip it off her, lay her back into the dried leaves and dirt to continue their interlude. He closed his eyes and counted silently backwards from fifteen to calm the rush of longing coursing through him. By three and a half, his cock still hadn’t returned to normal. Damn. He opened his eyes.
“Um….” Jess gave him a shy smile. “I could eat.” Her eyes flickered over his lower half.
His cock pulsed at the double entendre. Was it intentional? Matteo grabbed his jacket and shook the dirt and fallen leaves off it before offering it to her. One interlude did not translate to helping Jess overcome the inhibitions that prevented her from finding a successful match. He needed more, if only to prove his system, and her intentions, were legit.
“Want company?” he asked. Getting her out here had been a stroke of genius, but for things to progress she’d have to agree to more. Would she? Even after this afternoon, he couldn’t be sure.
“Depends,” Jess wrapped his coat around her shoulders and fluffed her damp curls off her forehead.
“On?” he prompted.
“On who’s asking and what’s on the menu.” Jess brushed the tree bark off her backside.
Matteo grinned. She hadn’t said no. He pushed away the niggling concern they might be moving too quickly to extricate from her later. If he was completely honest, he desired Jess more then he wanted to admit.
He needed more time with her. If things progressed as planned, Jessica Barlow would be primed and ready for a real relationship. Not with him, but a guaranteed LoveLines match. A relationship wasn’t something he could give her--or any woman for that matter.
He’d dated plenty of terrific women and had plenty of opportunities, but love hadn’t come. He wanted to find it as much as the next guy. Settle down, maybe start a family. He just hadn’t been able to get involved in a relationship long enough to build something lasting. Not ever. Had to be him—something wired wrong in his emotional code. The most he could provide these days was a little amusement and the proverbial stud services, until his companions eventually tired of his lack of commitment and moved on to greener pastures.
Well, he was providing a service to Jess, damn it. Stud service. He’d do more, if it meant success for her and his company. Business and love were two things that never mixed well, but the business of love…it was everything to him and his family.
“I could meet you at your room in a half hour,” he promised, ignoring the guilty ache in his chest. “We can dine there.”
“Great,” Jess said as they moved onto the gravel path toward the lodge. “I love room service.” Her hand was warm in his as they headed toward the lodge.
Score three for LoveLines.
Chapter Four
She’d lost her freaking mind.
There was no other way to rationalize her behavior. As arousal faded from her system, Jess became edgier than a cat cornered in a dogfight.
She couldn’t do it. She wasn’t brave and brazen like Suze or sexy and sensual as Caro. She was just Jess. Jilted, cautious, cynical Jess.
Dinner had seemed like such a good idea. A way to back things up and give her a chance to talk to him one on one. Her throat closed as they neared the lodge. She slipped her hand out of Matt’s grip. The rush of dusk air struck her with a bracing chill that set her teeth on edge. Her clothes were still damp. She rubbed her hands up and down her arms.
Her body still tingled from the touch of his lips and hands. The bulge in his pants hadn’t put a damper on her desires. If she didn’t watch out, she’d blow this whole situation by falling for exactly the wrong type of man.
He was unbelievably gorgeous. Way out of her league. She really shouldn’t be doing this. She needed a guy who wouldn’t do a number on her…a guy who would be faithful and devoted. M
att was just too much. Over-the-top, panic inspiring, hot fudge sexy too much.
Jess sighed. No matter how many times she replayed the afternoon’s events in her mind, she couldn’t explain her wild behavior. There was no way around the fact that she wanted to have sex with Matt or that she’d invited him, a complete stranger, to her room. Discomfort gnawed her stomach as they drew closer to the lodge entrance.
Making out.
With a stranger.
In a rainstorm. In the middle of a forest.
Thunder rolled in the distance. Matt put an arm around her, drawing her closer to his body. His heat infused her. For a moment, she wondered what else his body could do to her in the sweet protection of her room. What other fantasies could he fulfill?
An image of his naked body suspended over her flashed behind her eyes. Her legs splayed, his tan form covering her torso, the dark flutter of his eyelashes on his cheeks as he came….
Her thoughts were a rambling jumble of emotions and images. Images that would have made Suze proud. Way to bag him, Suze would say. You’ve finally moved into the new millennium.
It was nice fantasy, but in real life? No way. Not her.
In real life, Jess was mortified.
She stumbled away from his side as they crossed the stone patio. She was a careful woman, a planner. She didn’t go on wild sexual escapades with handsome strangers, no matter how badly she wanted to. This afternoon was so out of character for her that she almost couldn’t bear her own reflection as they pulled open the glass doors and entered the side lounge.
“Everyone’s gone,” Matt said, as if sensing her embarrassment. “Should I walk you to your room?” He ran a hand through his dark hair.
“No, I’m fine.” She gave him a weak smile and edged toward the safety of her hall, not feeling fine at all.
“Is an hour long enough for you to get ready?” he asked.
She nodded slowly, completely at a loss for words. He smiled and the tightness in her chest eased a fraction.
Could she go through with this? They were only here for a week. It was one thing to play the part of a seductress in the relative seclusion of a stormy wildlife preserve, but in the harsh light of the lounge, she felt bedraggled. She hadn’t planned on making love to a strange man on the first night, not even one that set her senses on sizzle. She wasn’t sure how this would play into her investigation…if things worked out between them, did that mean her litigation support wasn’t valid? She wasn’t sure, and asking Maxwell would be beyond mortifying.
At least Matt wasn’t a staff member.
Even now, he looked so good she wanted to throw herself in his arms and kiss every inch of him. No doubt about it. She’d lost her mind. Must be Montana, the thinner mountain air and all.
“Fine.” She swallowed a lump of panic. “Just fine.” Her voice sounded unusually high and squeaky. She took another step toward her room.
A bartender wiped out glasses behind the counter, taking no notice of them. Matt gave her a sidelong glance and halted in the center of the empty lounge. He was so damn handsome with his tight jeans and his confident stance. She was torn with indecision. Her body wanted him, that was no lie. She was practically moist with anticipation that had nothing to do with her damp clothes. She really wanted to peel her jeans off…and she didn’t want to do it alone.
No one knows you…what you’re really like, Suze had said.
“You know, we don’t know each other very well,” Matt said, neutrally. “Yet.”
Understatement! “Uh, yeah.” She laughed nervously and bit her lip. Did she dare?
“Why don’t we have a drink before we order room service?” Matt suggested in a low voice. “We could talk for a while.”
“Why not?” Jess breathed a sigh of relief. Anything to delay the uncomfortable moment when she would have to choose between holding onto her fears or giving into her desires.
This is ridiculous, she thought. Stan hadn’t been her first. Why was she so nervous at the thought of spending the night with another man? She was here to rekindle her passion, right? See if this system worked. Her heart turned flip-flops. A good bracing drink or three didn’t sound half bad.
Matt waved to signal the bartender. “Order whatever you like. I’ll be back in a minute.” He excused himself and headed toward the rest rooms.
She slid onto a barstool, eyeing his well-formed backside until he was out of view. He sure knew how to fill out a pair of pants. The guy was hot. Drop dead gorgeous. She loved the way he moved with a combination of casual nonchalance and predatory grace.
Even if he ended up being a playboy, she’d be crazy not to take advantage of this opportunity, right?
If he was a good as he appeared, she could schedule a little non-sexual interaction and scope him out for potential longer term contact. Texas wasn’t all that far away from Atlanta. Air travel was well within her budget--and his, if the designer labels on his clothing were any indicator. As a LoveLiner, he was screened as both reasonably compatible with her and healthy. Couldn’t ask for more than that. Maybe her client’s allegations were all wrong. It wouldn’t be unheard of for some crackpot to solicit legal support for an unfounded claim.
And it’s not like she was some inexperienced ingénue. She knew her way around a man, even if she hadn’t exercised her abilities in over a year. Her body flushed with anticipation as the bartender approached.
“What’ll it be?” He wiped his hands on his hand towel.
“Um,” Jess hesitated. She hadn’t thought to ask. “A cold imported beer for him and a vodka tonic with extra lime for me. Top shelf, please.” She could use a little fortitude. “Better make mine a double.”
The bartender nodded and moved away.
Jess scanned the sky behind the windows while she waited, marveling at how quickly the storm had cleared. It was still early enough to watch the sun set. Maybe they could dine on her patio. She wasn’t above taking advantage of the breathtaking scenery to create a romantic mood. She needed all the help she could get.
The bartender slid her drinks across the polished wood surface, following her gaze. “Storm’s blown over.”
Jess shivered, thinking of Matt’s hot kisses trickling across her neck. “Something tells me it might start up again.” She could feel her cheeks warm.
The bartender jerked his chin. “Usually does this time of year. Every afternoon right around 3:00. Just like clockwork.”
“Every afternoon?” Her stomach dipped in a sudden sinking sensation that had nothing to do with the drink in front of her. Matt seemed to know a lot about this part of the country. Had he known about the impending rainstorm? “Are you sure about that?” Jess squeezed her limes against the side of the glass and swizzled her cocktail straw.
The bartender shrugged. “Pretty much. Let me know if there’s anything else you need.”
She slumped in her seat. “Thanks.” She gulped half her drink, feeling a little sick.
Matt had been exciting company so far, but the rain could have provided him with ample opportunity to get her alone and vulnerable—the hallmark of a playboy. Was she paranoid? Jess had learned to listen to her intuition. Ignoring it had led her to her scummy ex-husband Stan. She squared her shoulders, preparing for confrontation.
“Excuse me, Miss. Is this seat taken?” Matt chuckled and slid onto the stool next to her.
Her inner alarm buzzed a warning, even as his aftershave enveloped her in a seductive embrace. She’d always loved a clean scent on a man. Electric shivers crackled up her thigh when his knee brushed against her.
“Feeling better?” He cocked his head and gave her a smile that made his eyes dance.
Hot fudge with a cherry on top.
Maybe she could shut off her alarm, just for the evening.
“A little.” She took a sip of her drink. God, he did look good enough to eat.
He tapped the frosted beer bottle in front of him. “This for me? Good call.” He tilted the bottle back and she watched his
Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed.
She wanted to run her tongue along his throat. Jess swallowed hard. Her warning meter pinged again in her ears. She tried to ignore it. “So, what’s your story? Ever been married?”
“Nope.” Matt shook his head.
She couldn’t imagine someone not snatching him up. “Why not?”
“Never found the right girl, I guess.” He fiddled with the label on his beer bottle and gave her a look she couldn’t read, not with all her years of experience as an investigator. “How about you?”
“Oh, you know. Typical cliché. Married too young, for all the wrong reasons.”
Matt’s brows rose. “Yeah? Like what?”
This time Jess shrugged. “Security? I don’t know. My mom was divorced, a couple of times. I think I just wanted the fantasy of a white picket fence, a great career and a handsome husband completely devoted to me.”
Matt took a swig. “What went wrong?”
My husband was a cheating pig? No, she couldn’t say that. “Uh, I was too busy building my career.”
“So what? He didn’t like you outshining him?”
Jess squirmed. Time for a little truth. “Let’s just say Stan wasn’t the devoted type.”
“Ah.” Matt nodded. “Very foolish man. If you were mine….” He stopped suddenly as if realizing what he was about to say.
Jess felt her heart flutter. What if she was? She didn’t dare think it.
After an uncomfortable pause where Jess didn’t know what to say, he downed another healthy swig, looking as if he wanted to wash the taste of the words out of his mouth. Poor guy was dangling in the wind with that last comment.
He was adorable. She wanted to kiss him senseless.
LIAR LIAR (Sexy Southerners series) Page 5
