“Something only you can give me,” he growled next to her ear before claiming her lips.
She responded to his touch, to his kiss with a fiery passion he’d never encountered in any other woman. Tess clutched his shoulders, pressing herself against him with obvious desire. She always came to him willingly, and she always made him stop. He didn’t know why, but she held him at arm’s length, especially when it came to taking their relationship to the next level. She’d allow kisses and caresses but never anything more.
Slipping his hand beneath the hem of her old t-shirt, he cupped one full breast in his palm and tweaked the already budded nipple through the thin scrap of material she considered a bra.
She shivered and arched into his caress while sliding her hands inside his shirt and up his back to graze her nails lightly across his heated flesh.
He knew they needed to take this interlude someplace more private but couldn’t stop. What if he did, and she stopped him completely?
Reaching between them, Jack cupped her sex and pressed firmly.
She moaned into his mouth, then just as quickly as she’d came to him hot and ready, she stopped him.
“We have to stop,” she panted. “We need to get back to Robbie and Patrice before they come looking for us.”
Taking a deep breath in an attempt to get himself under control, he kissed her once again, set her back on her feet, and smiled at her reassuringly.
He knew she was afraid of something; he just didn’t know what. He wouldn’t press her to do anything she didn’t want to do. She’d come around. It would just take time. He had no doubt that she desired him every bit as much as he did her. He would have to wait and try to help her get over whatever obstacle kept stopping her from giving in to their passion.
“You’re right.”
Bending down, Tess snatched up the tube of silicone.
As she stood, Jack smoothed a stray lock of hair behind her ear then followed as she led the way down stairs.
* * * *
A week had passed since Jack and Tess had picked Robbie up at the airport. While Jack remained in the guestroom at Tess’s house and Robbie had taken up residence in Jack’s, Robbie spent most of his time helping Jack, Patrice, and Tess with her house.
It didn’t bother Jack. Robbie’s presence was more protection for Tess should a situation arise, not that one had since the kidnapping attempt, but it did hinder his quest to become intimate with Tess. There seemed to always be someone in the house with them.
They’d also been so busy repairing Tess’s house that he and Robbie hadn’t sat down to discuss Robbie’s recent case. Which was why they were now holed up in Jack’s room going over some files while Tess and Patrice hung some pictures in one of the guest rooms.
“How’d the meeting with the client go? I should have asked when we got back to the house that first day you arrived but didn’t really get the chance with all of the deliveries and what-not.”
“It’s cool; Tess keeps us all on our toes. She has some big plans for this place,” Robbie said lightly.
“Yes, she does.”
“It actually went easier than I initially thought it would. I guess she’d suspected him of cheating for so long she’d resigned herself to it. She looked over the video and pictures and didn’t so much as blink,” Robbie said with a shake of his head.
“That’s nothing new. I’ve seen a lot of women respond to the truth like that. It’s sad, but it happens,” Jack said wearily.
Leaning back in the desk chair, Jack laced his fingers behind his head.
“Now, back to Tess,” Robbie began.
“What about her?”
Leaning his hip against the windowsill, Robbie shoved his hands into his pockets. “I’ve been here a week, and all I’ve seen is us and those ladies remodeling this house. Are you sure someone’s after her?” Robbie asked. “There hasn’t been so much as a stray leaf fall from a tree and hit her in the head.”
Letting his feet drop from the top of the desk to the floor, Jack shook his head. “I’m not sure of anything anymore. There were two attacks on her the first day then nothing. I’m thinking that the people who set those attacks up just got spooked when I foiled their kidnapping attempt and they’re waiting for the right time to strike again.”
Robbie shook his head. “I still think the partner has something to do with this.”
“That’s highly unlikely, seeing as her partner’s very much dead,” Jack countered.
“It doesn’t have to be him in particular,” Robbie said easily. “It could be someone he knew or was related to. I looked him up like you asked, and it turns out he’s from a very prominent family.”
Jack nodded. “I know. His father’s some big oil tycoon. What’s that got to do with anything?”
Robbie stared at him as though he were an idiot. “You know yourself that where there’s money, especially big money, there’s someone out to get their hands on it. Isn’t it possible Dean’s family made some shady dealings and now they’re coming back to haunt them?”
Scowling, Jack let Robbie’s words roll around in his head before nodding. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, Robbie’s suspicions could be right.
“I guess you could be right, but we don’t have any evidence. Our suspicions are just that, suspicions. Besides—” Jack lowered his voice, “—Dean’s dead, so this can’t be someone out to get revenge on him by killing his wife and taking Tess, although it would explain a lot were he alive. But that just isn’t possible. So, why would his shady dealings come back on Tess?”
Robbie looked thoughtful for a long moment, and Jack continued. “Besides, if Tess knew we suspected her lifelong friend or his family of being behind the attacks on her and the murder of said friend’s wife, she’d kick us out on our asses so fast we wouldn’t know what hit us.”
“Maybe so,” Robbie said with a smile. “But I wouldn’t be the one losing anything.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Oh, just that if Tess wants to kick me out, if she gets her ass in the air at me for doing my job, my part to protect her, I wouldn’t give two licks. But the way you drool all over her, if she pitched you to the curb, I fear I’d spend the next year nursing you back from a broken heart.”
Tossing a wadded ball of paper at Robbie, Jack shook his head and smiled reluctantly.
Over the last couple of weeks he’d come to like Tess more than he ever expected.
Every chance he got—which weren’t too many—he clutched her to his chest and kissed her thoroughly. She always came to him willingly, and for that, he was grateful. He knew she wanted him as badly as he wanted her. The only reasons he hadn’t taken that next step was because they never seemed to have a moment alone together and she always put on the brakes.
Someone was always there with them. If it wasn’t Patrice and Robbie helping with the house, it was the plumbers—the Marsten’s—replacing pipes or some delivery guys bringing in more material for whatever projects Tess had taken on. The only time they were alone was at night, and by the time night fell, they were both so exhausted they collapsed into their beds. Tess really was quite capable in her remodeling abilities. If she decided not to go back to work as a cop, she definitely had a future in the remodeling business.
“There’s nothing the matter with that, by the way.”
Glancing in Robbie's direction, Jack cocked a brow. “What do you mean?”
Turning his back to the window, Robbie leaned against the windowsill again, and his expression sobered. “You’ve been doing this job for a long time. I know it’s not the ideal job for someone who wants to settle down and start a family. All I’m saying is, if you like Tess the way I think you do, there’s nothing wrong with trying to make a go of it.”
Jack pondered Robbie's words. Did he want to make a go of it with Tess?
Yes, he did.
When he pictured his life ten years from now, he pictured Tess by his side. She was the first thing he thoug
ht about in the morning and the last thing he thought about as he drifted off at night. If he didn’t know any better, he’d say he more than liked Tess; he loved her. But that couldn’t be right. Love didn’t develop in such a short period of time … or did it?
The question, and the possibility this might be the case, put his mind into a whirlwind of commotion. He’d never been in love before and wasn’t sure that was what he was presently feeling. All Jack knew was that he’d never felt this way about a woman before, and he wasn’t sure he liked it. Perhaps it was an intense infatuation, one easily shaken by a round of bed play. He tried to convince himself, but it was no use. He knew what he was feeling was stronger than any infatuation. He was falling, and he was falling fast. This was a dangerous course he was currently navigating, and he had no idea where it would lead or what would happen once he got there.
“What has you looking like you just ate an entire lemon?”
Blinking back from his wayward thoughts, Jack shook his head and frowned. Robbie wasn’t the best person to ask for advice when it came to relationships. But, at this point, Jack needed all the help he could get, especially if he wanted to take his relationship with Tess to the next level, which he most certainly did.
“So, what do I do?” he asked wearily as he scrubbed a hand through his already disheveled hair. “Tess is still very vulnerable. She just lost her best friend a little more than a month ago, and now with all the changes going on in her life and with her job, remodeling this house, the attempted kidnapping and so on, I’m not sure she’s ready to start a relationship.”
Robbie nodded thoughtfully and ran his hand over his mouth.
“Has she ever turned you away when you pull her to the side for one of those kisses you like to sneak in during the day?”
Jack raised his eyebrows. “How’d you know about that?”
Robbie laughed. “It isn’t really a secret. One minute we’re all working right along together, and the next, the two of you are gone.”
Jack shook his head and smiled. He thought he’d been so brilliant when he’d used the excuse of going to help Tess to sneak out and proceed to devour her. As it turned out, he hadn’t been fooling anybody.
“That, and I saw the two of you on the stairs yesterday. I was afraid clothes were going to start flying over the rail at any minute, so I went back into the kitchen to distract Patrice. I’m certain you aren’t fooling her, either.”
Shaking his head, Jack admitted, “No, she hasn’t pushed me away. In fact, she seems just as eager until things get a little too hot. Then she slams her panty drawer.”
Crossing the room, Robbie grabbed his jacket and shrugged into it. “In that case, my advice is to get her alone and do what comes natural. Perhaps her anxiety to get naked with you is just because of everyone running in and out of her house while you’re trying to climb into her panties. Maybe she’s just nervous. This cute little game of cat and mouse you two seem content on playing isn’t helping matters any. Once the deed’s done, perhaps you’ll both have a better idea of what exactly it is that you're feeling and wanting from each other.”
Zipping up his jacket, Robbie said, “I’m looking into Dean Camillo’s family a little further tomorrow, so I might not be around much. I’m hoping I can clear them and drop this suspicion for Tess’s sake.”
“Sounds good.”
“I’ll call you before I come by in the morning.” Turning, Robbie grasped the doorknob. “Oh, Jack?”
Peering back at Robbie where he stood by the door, Jack asked, “What is it?”
“Don’t take too long where you and Tess are concerned.”
“What do you mean?” Jack asked curiously.
“You never know what’s going to happen.”
Jack noted the faraway look in Robbie's eyes and couldn’t help but wonder what had caused such emotion to bubble to the surface of his normally lighthearted friend. “I won’t,” he assured Robbie.
Nodding once, Robbie turned and exited the room.
Standing, Jack moved to the window and watched as Robbie crossed the street and let himself into Jack’s house.
As much as he didn’t want to admit it, Robbie was right about everything they’d discussed. Especially where he and Tess were concerned.
Toeing off his shoes, he headed into the bathroom and showered quickly. He had a lot on his mind and a limited amount of time to come up with the answers he needed. He wanted Tess, but how to proceed eluded him. Every time he attempted to press her further than their shared kisses or caresses, she stopped him. He knew what she was doing and understood. Tess had a kind heart and already feared he was in danger just staying with her. She had enough guilt on her plate. She didn’t need any more. Or at least that’s why he thought she was holding him at arm’s length. Of course, he could be wrong, which was exactly what he feared the most. What if he went to her and she pushed him away completely? Or worse yet, what if she didn’t have the same feelings for him? Rinsing the shampoo from his hair, he shut off the water. He was exhausted. Perhaps a good night’s sleep would help him come up with some much-needed answers.
Chapter Fourteen
“Are you sure?”
Gazing at the captain, Tess couldn’t contain the rush of relief coursing through her veins.
“Yep. It’s been two weeks, and there’ve been no more attempts to kidnap or harm you. So, we’ve decided you were right and there wasn’t a connection between Melanie’s death or your attacks.”
“What a relief,” she said with a shake of her head.
“I imagine so.”
Danny had come to the house with the captain to relay the news. So far, neither he nor she had mentioned his being in the airport, or what he’d been doing there. To her, it’d looked rather nefarious, but if he was undercover as she suspected he was, that’s exactly how he was supposed to look.
“I bet you're ready to get back to your own life, Jack,” Danny said lightly.
Looking to where Jack sat next to her, Tess couldn’t miss the grim expression clouding Jack’s handsome features.
“Actually, Tess has kept me quite busy, and I’ll be here just as often until the house is finished. I honestly can’t think of anywhere I’d rather be.”
Tess felt her heart stutter in her chest at his kind words. Over the last two weeks, Jack had done his best to steal more than a kiss or two from her, but she was afraid. What if someone was after her and took him in an attempt to hurt her? It was a chance she couldn’t take, so she pushed him away before things got too hot and heavy. It pained her, as a heavy ache had settled between her thighs and stayed there no matter what she did.
“Well, isn’t that nice?” Danny grumbled.
She frowned. Both men were currently engaged in a stare-down that the captain seemed impervious to. Gently, Jack reached out and snared her hand in his, and Danny quickly looked away, but not before she was able to catch a look of disdain upon his face.
Danny had asked her out countless times before, but she wasn’t interested. When she finally landed herself in a relationship, she wanted it to be real and for the long haul. Danny was a ladies’ man, much like Robbie, and Tess had no interest in being someone’s wife for the night. Unless, of course, that person was Jack, and it was for more than one night.
The thought startled her, and she jerked as the captain began speaking once again.
“We dug around as much as we could but found nothing suggesting Melanie’s death and your kidnapping had anything to do with each other. There are so many things like this that happen all over the city. It’s nearly impossible to solve them all, you know that. But I’m confident you’ll be fine now. I’ll order a car to patrol your place for a few days just in case, but other than that, I think you're in the clear. Now, we gotta get going. Call if you need anything.”
Tess stood and thanked the captain and Danny as they moved toward the door.
Once the men were out of the house and climbing into their car, Jack’s voice sounded behind he
r.
“Do you think they’re right?”
Turning, she came face-to-face with him.
“You heard the man. There’s nothing to connect the murder to my attempted kidnapping, and there haven’t been any more attacks on me. So, yeah, I think it’s all right.”
Jack reached out and snared a piece of her hair between two fingers.
“I guess that means I’ll be moving back to my place now.”
Leaning forward, he brushed his lips across hers.
“I guess so,” she purred at his touch.
Walking forward, Jack pressed her against the door.
“Of course, you could stay one more night, just in case.”
Jack smiled and kissed her again, this time with ferocity.
Clutching his shoulders, she fought the questions filling her passion-fogged mind.
All this time she’d been pushing him away, despite her decision to go with the flow. The danger looming over her had prevented her from taking all he had to offer and giving him what she possessed in return. But that danger was gone now. There was nothing stopping her from taking what she so desperately wanted.
Raising his hand, Jack cupped her breast and squeezed. Gasping into his mouth, she arched into the caress brazenly before his hands lowered to grasp her ass and lift her. Instantly, she wrapped her legs around his waist, and the hard bulge pressing incessantly against her already wet center sent her desire into overdrive.
Tightening her legs, she pressed against him suggestively. She grinned as he growled low in his throat.
Turning, Jack had started toward the stairs, still holding her against him when, suddenly, the door swung open and Patrice entered, hands loaded with paint supplies.
“Tess, delivery guys just pulled in behind me and—Oh my God, I’m so sorry!” she said in a rush as Jack dropped Tess back to her feet.
Tess could feel the blush that burned her cheeks but fought to tamp it down.
“I’ll just come back later. I’m so sorry; I should have knocked,” Patrice said in a ramble.
The Stranger Next Door Page 11
