He’d always had fantasies about her but lately they’d been worse. Exponentially worse. His dreams were vivid and 3-D, including tastes, sounds and scent. Right down to the coconut shampoo she used. The sounds were probably the worst because in real time when he saw her he could picture her moaning underneath him, on top of him, on his couch, his bed, wherever.
Everywhere.
Anywhere.
The game finally ended and his cock was still straining against his jeans in painful awareness. “Jade.” He flipped off the television and gently touched her arm. On the short loveseat he didn’t have to stretch far. Instead of opening her eyes, she just pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders and mumbled something unintelligible. “Jade, the game’s over.”
This time he shook her a little harder. When she didn’t move, he fingered a loose tendril of hair and lightly caressed her cheek, letting his hand trace down her delicate jaw. Her skin was satiny against his calloused fingers. He’d pay for it later, late at night when she consumed his thoughts, but he wanted to feel her. To experience the torture of touching her skin.
“The game’s over, Jade.”
Her green eyes fluttered open, and she stared at him in slight confusion. She ran a hand through her rumpled hair and partially sat up. She stretched her legs out across his lap. “Is the game already over?”
He nodded because he didn’t trust his voice. As if they had a mind of their own, his hands grabbed one of her feet. The most primal part of him savored holding onto her like this. She was his and it felt right to touch her this way.
Her lips slightly parted as he started to massage her foot. “Wow.”
“Feel good?” he murmured.
Jade’s green eyes flared as she mutely nodded.
Using the base of his palm, he increased pressure as he kneaded the underside of her foot. As he worked her pressure points, her pink tongue darted out and drew a slow line along her bottom lip.
His cock pushed against his pants like a battering ram as he watched her. He wanted to feel that tongue trace down his hard length. When her breathing became more shallow he knew she was getting turned on. Hell, she might not even realize it but he could see the subtle changes in her body language.
She squirmed against the couch as she stared at his hands on her foot. As if she were mesmerized.
David wanted to say something. Anything. Nothing he came up with sounded particularly suave. And he didn’t want to break the moment. He couldn’t believe she hadn’t pulled away yet. Besides, he was better with his hands. He decided to let them do the talking.
Taking a chance, he moved higher until he held on to one of her calves. She tensed for a moment but didn’t struggle or pull away. When he started to rub the firm muscles of her lower leg she leaned back and pushed out a slow, unsteady breath. His touch wasn’t necessarily intimate but every single one of his muscles tightened as he ran his hands over her smooth skin.
Jade wasn’t sure what David was doing but she couldn’t tell him to stop. It was as if she’d gone mute. That dream had really rattled her, but this was definitely no dream. This was real. Very, very real.
Inside she felt as tense as a spring but what he was doing with his hands was amazing, soothing. The way he handled her was so gentle and caring she couldn’t tear her gaze away from his hands on her body.
He pushed the afghan blanket up as he worked on her calves, slowly revealing more of her skin. In that instant she was thankful she’d shaved.
Her pussy flooded with warmth as he moved to the next leg and continued the same torturous assault. He was the first man to touch her in two years and everything about what he was doing felt right.
So right it scared her.
Some part of her thought she should tell him to stop. Pull her feet away and simply sit upright. But she couldn’t. She ached for him to keep going all the way until he reached the juncture between her thighs.
She could just imagine one of his skilled hands covering her pussy. Teasing her lips open. Rubbing her clit and pushing deep inside her. It had been too long since she’d felt that sort of connection with anyone. The thought made her want to moan out loud. If he did, she wondered if it would feel better than what she’d imagined.
She dug her fingers into the loveseat when his fingers inched higher. Why couldn’t she tear her eyes away? Her nipples strained against her bra but she was thankful she wore one. She slightly shifted and the peaked buds rubbed against her bra cups. The action was mildly arousing. It would feel a whole lot better if it was David’s tongue flicking over her nipples. The thought sent a burst of heat surging through her.
Now he was most definitely edging into dangerous territory. There was nothing friendly about the way his calloused hands moved up until he was rubbing her inner thigh. He was closer to her knee than the junction between her thighs but he’d crossed that invisible line. Friends did not touch each other this way. Not above the knee.
It was too intimate. Too…something. Her eyes were heavy-lidded as she watched him push the blanket up even farther. He could probably see her panties by now. Instead of embarrassment, she felt empowered. Wondered if he liked what he saw.
She also wondered what they were doing. Dreams didn’t have consequences. If they took this further, things would change between them.
When his fingers trailed a few inches higher, her gaze snapped up to meet his. She found him watching her intently. His dark eyes were heated and full of lust. It made her brain short-circuit. What was she supposed to say when the feel of his fingers inching higher and higher made her wonder if she might dissolve into a puddle of mush if he didn’t keep going?
He lifted one of her legs and moved so that he was now sitting in between them. It didn’t even cross her mind to tell him to stop. His fingers were no longer massaging her.
Now they were boldly trailing up her inner thigh with determination. His dark eyes stayed on hers the whole time. She wanted to look somewhere else but couldn’t. In a weird way she felt as if she were looking at a stranger.
A really hot stranger she trusted with her life. This was a new side to him. One she found she wanted to get to know.
When one of his fingers played with the edge of her panties she jerked. But he didn’t stop. He cupped her mound and rubbed his palm against it. The pressure was so perfect she gasped. He wasn’t even touching her clit but the grinding motion of his palm was almost enough to make her lose control.
With his free hand he pushed the afghan blanket completely off her and onto the floor. Before she hadn’t been able to see what he was doing but now she was exposed.
Vulnerable.
Her throat clenched as she stared at the display they made. Her legs were spread and her dress was pushed to her upper thighs. Almost exactly like she’d fantasized. David’s strong hand disappeared underneath the edge of her dress.
“What…” She didn’t know what she wanted to ask. Maybe what he planned to do. The words wouldn’t form on her lips though. She didn’t want to ask because she didn’t want him to stop. And she was afraid if she said too much, she’d start thinking too much and realize how crazy this was.
Suddenly he moved so that he was kneeling on the floor next to the couch and he withdrew his hand. The loss of his touch made her feel cold.
He patted the ground next to him. “I want you stretched out here.”
His deep voice sent a tremble rolling through her. He’d never talked to her like that before but the command in his tone guaranteed she’d do practically anything he asked. Or ordered, as it were.
As she moved, the leather against her bare skin felt cool but did little to douse her raging insides. It was as if the blood in her veins was scorching and she’d burst into flames at any moment if he didn’t… She didn’t know what she wanted him to do. She just needed that ache burning deep inside her to be eased.
When she moved to the floor as he ordered, she lay back. Before she could think about what they were doing, he slipped his hands
under her dress again and grasped the edge of her panties. He quickly tugged them down and tossed them somewhere. She didn’t really care where.
She tried to sit up, but he shook his head. “Lie back and just enjoy what I’m doing.”
There he went again with that commanding voice. She liked this side of him.
Two strong hands settled on the inside of her thighs and she trembled. She couldn’t help it. The shudder just rolled through her all the way to her toes. The not seeing, the not knowing what was coming next was a strange aphrodisiac. It was weird, they hadn’t even kissed yet but she was letting him touch her most intimate area.
David stared at the folds between Jade’s legs and fought to breathe. Somewhere in the back of his head he wondered if this was even real. If he was possibly having one of those damn dreams again.
With his finger, he traced his finger down her slit.
She jerked at the sudden touch and let out a tiny panting sound. And she was wet. Very, very wet. Yep, this was real.
Breathing in her sweet scent, he leaned forward and tasted what he’d been dreaming about for longer than he wanted to admit. He ran his tongue up her slit and she rolled her hips against his mouth.
The action made him smile. He’d worried that he might be taking things too far but it was obvious she was into this. Into him.
This was going so much better than he’d hoped.
As he traced his tongue around her pulsing clit she let out this erotic sound he couldn’t describe. It was something between a sigh and a moan. “David.” She said his name loud and clear.
Hearing his name on her lips did something to him. It was so primal it scared the shit out of him. He wanted to claim her. Mark her somehow. Make it so that any man knew she was his. And instead of his tongue, he wanted to sink his cock into her. Wanted to feel her tight sheath clench around him as she raked her fingers down his back.
For now, this would do. He was going to play this right. He had to if he wanted a repeat performance.
Using his tongue, he increased the pressure on her clit. Over and over he circled and teased the hard bud. With each flick she trembled even more.
“Just like that.” Her voice was hoarse, unsteady.
She was so close. With every tremble and jerk she made he could tell it wouldn’t take much to push her into climax. Part of him wanted to stretch this out as long as possible but she was like a live wire and he desperately needed to see her come.
He inserted his finger and couldn’t stop the groan that erupted when she clamped around him. One wasn’t enough. He slid another one in and she vaulted upward. He placed his free hand on her abdomen and pressed down. He didn’t want her trying to hold on to her control. She was like that. Wanted everything in her life nice and tidy.
Nothing about what they were doing would fit into her orderly world but that was all changing. Slowly, he started to move his fingers in and out of her. It was gradual but he could feel the tension leaving her body.
Feel her letting go of all that control.
Her inner walls clamped around his fingers and her back arched so he continued teasing her clit. Tighter and tighter she clenched until finally she grasped onto his head. Her fingers threaded through his hair and she squeezed lightly.
With a muted shout her hips lifted off the ground as her juices covered his fingers and her climax rolled through her.
“No more. Too much,” she gasped out as she fell back against the carpet.
Though he didn’t want to, he pulled his fingers out of her as she came down from her high. As she panted, he placed soft kisses along her inner thighs and down her legs. The scent of sex and her desire surrounded them. It was almost enough to make him come then and there.
This had definitely changed everything between them. He’d known it was coming but hadn’t expected it tonight. Definitely hadn’t expected this. Damn, he hadn’t even kissed her properly yet. What a way to start things.
That was about to change now.
Sitting up, he moved so that he was on top of her. Using his elbows he kept himself propped up. His covered erection moved against her mound and her legs widened around him. If only he didn’t have jeans on. He could slide right into her. She’d been tight around his fingers so he knew she’d clamp around his cock like a vise.
Panic glittered in her wide eyes as she stared at him. He’d seen that look before on the battlefield. It was fear. Raw and real. Something he’d never wanted or imagined to see from her. It happened so suddenly he hadn’t expected it.
“Jade. I—”
“Oh my God,” she breathed out. “Oh. My. God.” Moving lightning fast, she shimmied out from under him and scrambled to her feet. She tugged on her dress and looked down at herself in horror.
He followed suit and tried to track her movements as she hurried around his living room. “Jade, what are you doing?”
She wouldn’t meet his gaze as she scooped her purse up from underneath the coffee table. “That was so not a dream. That was real. Real, real, real. I can’t believe we just did that.”
“Well we did,” he ground out.
She muttered something under her breath as she shoved her panties into her purse.
“Jade? I have your shoes.” His words forced her to turn around. He held out flat sandals, which she took without saying anything.
“Thanks,” she mumbled, but still wouldn’t meet his gaze. She fumbled around in her purse for her keys.
He reached out and closed his hand around hers once she pulled them out. She wasn’t leaving like this. “Are you so surprised this happened?”
The past couple days, hell, months, had been building up to this moment. She might not be prepared for the truth, but they were right together. He was sick of carrying this burden and sick of denying his feelings for her.
“This was a mistake.” Long, heavy lashes lifted and their gazes collided. The words came out as a whisper and almost seemed to stick in her throat.
“Mistake?” he growled.
She took an involuntary step back. The small action was a clear message to him. He moved back to give her room. He knew her better than anyone. All his instincts told him to crowd her, make her talk, but she looked like a scared animal. The fear in her eyes almost pissed him off though.
He wasn’t sure what the hell she was so afraid of. “You liked what I did.”
Her face flamed bright crimson. Her brow crinkled together, and she opened her mouth to speak, but all she managed was, “I’m sorry.”
He watched her turn and leave. She paused once in the entryway to the front door but didn’t turn around. Whatever she’d been contemplating, she changed her mind.
David started to go after her but stopped mid step. He’d been hiding his feelings for years. Even if she’d had some sort of awareness of him the past couple days, the feelings were definitely new to her. And he knew she hadn’t let a man touch her in two years so while every primal instinct inside him told him to chase after her and kiss her until neither of them could think, he resisted. She needed to clear her head. He’d give her some time—a day at most—but then he was staking his claim.
Things weren’t over between them. Not by a long shot.
Chapter Six
Jade took a steadying breath and bent to retie her running shoes. She cranked up the volume to her iPod and continued jogging. The blaring music drowned out the typical early morning sounds. Unfortunately, it couldn’t silence her thoughts. Nothing could do that.
She was the worst kind of coward. Last night David had given her the most intense orgasm she’d had in a while and when he’d moved on top of her she’d known without a doubt he was going to kiss her. He’d been looming over her and all she’d been able to think was this is David. David. She’d let him kiss her most intimate area then when he’d simply wanted to kiss her lips she’d freaked.
A rush of guilt had bowled her over as she thought about kissing her dead husband’s best friend. She knew Aidan was gone and wasn�
��t coming back but something in her head had screamed red alert and she’d shut down. Now she just wanted to cry over the hurt she’d seen in David’s eyes. Instead of explaining things she’d run out.
David deserved better than what she’d done. So much better.
The sun peeked out from behind one of the dangerously dark clouds, and a glance at her watch reminded her she needed to get back home soon if she wanted to get to work on time. More importantly, she wanted to stop by David’s first. She owed him that courtesy. And a heck of a lot more. If she didn’t see him immediately, she wouldn’t be able to think of anything else all day. It didn’t matter that she had no clue what to say. All that mattered was seeing him. And apologizing.
Profusely.
An hour later, she steered into David’s gravel driveway and reminded herself to breathe for the hundredth time in the past ten minutes. She stopped the engine and held onto her keys so tightly she was afraid she’d draw blood.
Though sorely tempted to turn around, she ordered her legs to move. The walk down the stone steps to his front door was a short one. Too short. Her stomach roiled, but she managed to lift her leaden arm to knock. After what felt like an eternity, the door flew open.
“Can I help you?” A tall, lithe, blonde woman stood in front of her wearing a haughty expression and not much else. Every inch of skin not already bare was visible through the black matching bra and panty set. The sheer material wrapped around the woman’s supermodel form like a second skin, showcasing perfect breasts and curves.
Jade had to blink to make sure she wasn’t seeing things. The woman was real all right. Bile and an unexpected surge of potent jealousy rose in Jade’s throat. It hurt to speak but she found her voice. To her horror, her words came out hoarse and scratchy. “I came to see David.”
“He’s in the shower, but I can get him for you if you don’t mind waiting.” The woman lifted a perfect, waxed eyebrow, leaned against the doorframe with her perfectly toned body, and crossed her perfect arms over her perfect chest.
Tempting Target Page 6
