Jade smiled excitedly and got on her back.
He chuckled, his heart warmed by her eagerness, just as his body heated up a few more degrees. Nothing turned him on more than knowing Jade was aroused and craving for his touch.
“Come,” he said, taking her hand and pulling her off the bed.
“Where?” she asked in surprise.
He led her to the bathroom, but only to take a clean towel. Then he guided her to a sofa with a thick, chunky back rest that was against the window. He laid the towel on the top of the back rest and patted.
“Sit here.”
She raised her eyebrows and peered outside.
“No one will see us unless they have binoculars,” he said.
Jade’s lips curved and she stepped on the sofa to perch herself on top of the back rest, her feet on the seat.
“Now what?” she asked impishly.
“Now what do you want me to do?” he asked seductively.
She blushed, then opened her legs.
He grinned, heart pounding. Jade was the only woman who’d ever made him feel like his heart was just as excited as his dick during sex.
He’d never understood the meaning of intimate connection before her, because he’d never felt it. Only Jade had breached the physical barrier to take him to an altogether different level. Sex with her was... special. Incredibly special.
“Are you just gonna stand there?” she asked. “Or did you want to watch me?”
She put her hand between her legs.
He moaned and strode to the sofa. Then he knelt in front of her.
“Yes, I want to watch,” he said, running his hands on her thighs.
Jade gulped, pinking.
“Show me, baby,” he said, giving her leg a swift kiss. “I don’t want there to be any embarrassment between us. I love you.”
She smiled and opened her legs wider. Then she wet her fingers with her juices before rubbing her nub, gasping as she did so.
His breathing shallowed, his tongue poking out of his mouth as he watched the most erotic thing he’d ever seen. Oh, other women had done this in front of him. But this was his Jade.
Ah, he simply couldn’t fathom how special she was compared to all the others. It still blew his mind.
And now he wanted to do more than watch.
“Keep rubbing, baby,” he murmured as he licked around the lips before pushing his tongue into her slit.
Jade moaned loudly, taking her finger off her nub and raking his hair with both hands.
He was glad to fully take over and set his tongue loose on her clit.
“Lucas!”
With his mouth not missing a beat, he reached up to tweak her nipples.
“Oh God,” Jade cried, panting out loud with each breath.
He loved doing this to her, loved getting her all soaked and hot.
“Honey... so good...”
“Mmm,” he responded, sucking gently on her nub while lightly pinching her nipples.
Jade’s legs started to tremble. Then with a loud cry, her whole body convulsed.
Argh, that was so hot. He needed her now. He got up and looked for his wallet to get a condom. Then realisation hit.
“Oh, shit.”
“What’s wrong?” Jade asked, looking flushed and beautiful against the window, blue skies and the city skyline behind her.
“I don’t have a condom on me.”
Jade giggled. “But you’ve always been prepared.”
“I haven’t had a need for it since we broke up,” he said with a frown.
Jade could make him come with her hands and mouth, but he’d been dying to be inside her. Maybe he could withdraw when—
“You have a clean bill of health, right?” Jade asked.
“Of course, baby. I’ve always been careful.”
“I went on the pill when I started seeing you.”
He grinned, relief washing over him. “And you’re still on it, right?”
“Uh-huh,” she said.
“In that case...” He stalked to where she was and positioned himself between her legs.
“I’m glad I don’t have to miss out on this,” he murmured, running the tip of his erection on her nub.
“I’m glad, too,” Jade said breathlessly.
He rained kisses on her face and neck while he continued to rub her clit with his cock, building her next arousal.
It wasn’t long before Jade’s hips were undulating against him.
He sought her entrance and pushed in.
They moaned together, revelling in the most intimate of connections.
“Jade, you feel incredible, sweetheart,” he grunted as he tried to go slow. He wanted to savour this, wanted to prolong the delicious skin-to-skin friction, wanted to drown for as long as he could in her welcoming wetness.
But before long he was driving into her faster, unable to help himself.
“Yes... Lucas... yes,” Jade panted, grasping his shoulders and meeting his thrusts.
He lost all control. He clutched her hips and pounded, straining from his efforts.
“Lucas!” Jade called out, her body clenching tightly around his cock.
With that he erupted inside her, his eyesight dimming from the force of his release.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Ten months later...
“Yay!” Jade said to Lexie, clapping, as her friend sat back down on her chair.
“I can’t believe I won it,” Lexie said with a laugh. “I was sure Rick had it in the bag.”
“Wanna swap?” Rick teased. “My expensive bottle of Carmichael Cabernet Sauvignon for your gift certificate.”
“I’m surprised you want to part with that,” Lexie said. “Isn’t it special, with only a small number of bottles produced every few years or so?”
“Yes, it’s special. But I’m hoping to score one from my cousins.”
“Oh, of course,” Lexie said, blushing. “I guess when it’s your cousins’ own wine label, you can always get one.”
“Not always,” Rick said. “Sometimes they’re so limited that they can’t just give them away to anyone who asks.”
“I’d say you’re lucky you won it, Rick,” Lucas said. “When I asked the brothers if I could buy one as a runner-up prize for our Halloween dinner pantomime, they happily donated that bottle. But I couldn’t get another one even if I wanted to pay for it. They were all gone.”
“Oh. I better keep this then,” Rick said. “Sorry, Lexie. In a few years, this wine could be worth more than the amount of your gift certificate.”
“Aw, you’re not gonna swap with me? I was going to,” Lexie said with a cute pout.
Jade glanced at Lucas, giving him a meaningful look. Lexie had been flirting with Rick more and more. But unfortunately, Rick was so used to getting that kind of attention from women that he simply hadn’t noticed how Lexie had become more overt.
“Everyone.” Thomas Bilton’s voice boomed through the speakers. “Before we get our wonderful DJ to start playing the dance music, my son, Lucas, wants to say a few words.”
Jade raised her eyebrows. Lucas hadn’t told her anything about speaking in front of everybody today.
She smiled as Bilton Machineries employees and business partners gave Lucas a thunderous applause as he made his way to the stage.
It had astounded everyone when Thomas announced his true relationship with Lucas at last year’s staff Christmas party. The moment was touching and poignant, with father and son standing side by side on the stage, both vowing to continue the company culture that had fostered productivity and creativity.
In a moving moment that had brought copious tears to Jade’s eyes, Lucas had paid tribute not only to Thomas, but also to Diana, his stepmother. He’d said that without Diana’s contributions, Bilton Machineries couldn’t be the success that it was now. It was a humble, heart-rending speech that had every person up on their feet and dabbing the corners of their eyes.
And here was Lucas again, up on the
same stage. Jade wondered what her boyfriend was about to say.
“Hello, everybody,” he started. “I promise not to make you cry tonight.”
Someone cheered and the audience laughed.
“Just over twelve months ago, my life changed. Most of you here already know the story, but what I haven’t shared yet was how it all started.”
Silence cloaked the room, the air filling with anticipation.
“Until that point in time, I wasn’t prepared to listen to a single word Thomas Bilton had to say. I avoided him at all costs. I detested him.” Lucas said.
Jade’s eyes filled. She knew what he was talking about.
“If it weren’t for one particular moment, things would have been very different,” Lucas continued. “I wouldn’t have known the love of my father and the support of my new family. My mother would still be looking over her shoulder, her heart holding on to some misplaced anger. And I would have been just plodding along in life—missing out on the greatest, sweetest love I’ve ever known.”
Tears flowed down Jade’s cheeks. Damn him. Why didn’t he warn her about this speech so she could have prepared herself?
“That moment was when this beautiful, blushing woman asked me to read Thomas Bilton’s letter. ‘Please, just read it’, she said, because her boss expected her to come back with my answer. I was mad at her then. I thought I’d been manipulated. But I did read the letter for no reason other than... well... I couldn’t say no to her. Just couldn’t say no. So ladies and gentlemen, please raise your glasses to the irresistible Jade Tully.”
“To the irresistible Jade Tully,” everyone said, holding their wine glasses up.
Jade flushed furiously, smiling through her tears. How embarrassing!
“Aw, honey,” Lucas said, looking at her. “I made you cry.”
“You said you weren’t going to make anyone cry tonight,” she called out.
“Come up here,” Lucas said.
What?
“Go, Jade!” Rick cheered, clapping. Then everyone else was clapping with Rick, encouraging her to join Lucas.
With a sigh, she got up.
“Here, take these,” Lexie said, handing her some tissues.
“Thanks,” she said, then made her way to her boyfriend. Sure, this was sweet and all, but he’d still have to pay for this later.
When she reached him, Lucas put an arm around her and kissed her temple. A chorus of ‘aww’ and ‘how sweet’ filled the room.
Lucas went back to the microphone. “Last year, I won a prize for being runner-up in the pantomime contest. Jade chose the item herself, and I know it means a lot to her. Dad said back then that it was something to give to the woman of my dreams. Well, here she is, and I’ve been waiting for the perfect moment to present it to her.”
Lucas took a box from his pocket.
“You said you gave it to your mum,” she whispered.
“I only said that so you wouldn’t keep asking about it,” he said.
She smiled, thrilled to be getting her necklace back. It was even more special that Lucas was giving it to her.
“Thank you,” she said as she took the box from him.
“Open it,” he encouraged.
She untied the bow wrapped around the box and lifted the lid. More tears rushed to her eyes and she pressed her hands to her lips to stop herself from sobbing.
The necklace lay in the velvet box. But in the middle, where the heart-shaped hole was, sat a large and very beautiful diamond ring.
Lucas knelt down on one knee. “I love you so much, Jade. You’ve captured my heart from the very first moment we met. I can’t imagine living the rest of my life without you. Will you marry me, please?”
She tried to control her silent sobbing. “Yes,” she managed to croak out.
The room erupted in rapturous applause. With cheers and whistles from the audience, Lucas put the ring on her finger, then he stood up and clasped the necklace around her neck.
With heart bursting, she kissed him, not caring that everyone was watching.
*
“Hey, are you two forgetting you’re at a company party?”
Jade stopped kissing Lucas and smiled at Lexie. “No. We just thought that since we just got engaged, no one would mind if we kissed while everyone else danced.”
“Be honest, babe,” Lucas drawled. “You really just wanted a good snog right now.”
She rolled her eyes. Yes, it was true. She didn’t want to wait until they got home to get a proper, long kiss from her new fiancé.
Lexie chuckled. “Oh, Jade, how you’ve changed from being flustered around Lucas to not having a care in the world if you get caught making out with him in public.”
“Hey, we weren’t making out,” she said with a laugh. “And this isn’t exactly public. This is a private party.”
Lexie shook her head good-naturedly.
“Drinks!” Rick said, approaching them with his limited edition Carmichael wine.
“You opened the bottle?” Lucas asked.
“Of course. When else would you consume a wine like this but on special occasions? We just need to be quiet so others won’t notice. There’s not enough for everyone. Ah, here are the glasses.”
A waiter placed a tray of crystal wine glasses on their table.
“You know,” Jade said as Rick poured. “No one won the bet on who was going to be captured by love first among you bachelors.”
“I know,” Rick said. “Who’d think that Lucas would be the next guy to come off the market?”
“That sounded like an interesting bet,” Lexie piped in.
“Yeah,” Jade said. “No one bet on Lucas because they all thought he’d be last.”
“Well, they were all wrong, weren’t they?” Lucas murmured, pulling Jade to him and kissing her hair. “I heard, though, that they’re starting a new round.”
“Really?” Jade asked. “Who’s got the shortest odds?”
“Simon, I think,” Lucas said. “And yet again, no one bet for Rick.”
Rick laughed. “Smart women.”
“Can anyone join?” Lexie asked, grinning. “I bet you’ll be next, Rick.”
“What makes you think that?” Rick asked with an incredulous laugh.
“Because sometimes the most unexpected answer is the most obvious,” Lexie said.
“I’ve never heard of that line before,” Rick said. “But I’m sure I couldn’t be next, because the unexpected just doesn’t occur regularly enough.”
Lexie paused to consider Rick’s words. “I’d still bet on you.”
Rick smirked. “It’s your money, Lexie. I warned you.”
Jade snuggled closer to Lucas. “I think Lexie will win this bet,” she whispered in his ear.
Lucas chuckled. “Really, sweetheart? You don’t know Rick as well as I do. There’s a good reason why he wants to stay single. Lexie’s chances are super slim.”
“What’s the reason?”
Lucas shook his head. “I love you and I trust you. But I’m afraid I’m not at liberty to say,” he said in a serious tone.
“Really? Hmm. Intriguing. But I have a good feeling about Lexie’s prospects of winning.” She might be biased, but she knew that once Lexie had made up her mind about a guy, he had little hope of resisting.
“No. Rick won’t be the next to fall,” Lucas said, sounding certain.
“You want to put your money where your mouth is?”
“Sure, babe,” Lucas said with a grin. Then he leaned in to whisper. “But I bet we both know where I want to put my mouth right now.”
Jade blushed. Ah, she couldn’t wait to be alone with him.
###
Thank you for reading!
Rick and Lexie’s love story is next. Click here to pre-order your copy of The Unyielding Bachelor (Captured by Love Book 2).
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Lucas first appeared in the book Again, Book 3 of the Time for Love series, which features the love story of Connor and Amanda. The Time for Love series started with one of the Carmichael brothers’ romance. Enjoy the first chapter of Forever (Time for Love, Book 1) in the next pages.
Forever (Time for Love Book 1) Extract
Rebecca Andrews and Zach Carmichael
CHAPTER ONE
Extremely lucky. How else could Rebecca Andrews describe what she should be feeling for the new work offer she'd recently received? But somehow, she couldn't muster the same excitement that radiated from her friend and colleague Sarah Daley.
"I understand why you're not ecstatic about this, Bec, but I still think you should grab it with both hands," Sarah said, her wide eyes magnifying the intensity of her belief.
Rebecca thanked the server, who placed two mango smoothies on their table, before responding to Sarah. "I know. But the client is Magda Carmichael."
"Yes. I know that's a big deal for you. But you love Magda, don't you? She's asked for us. She doesn't want anyone else to go with her."
Sarah, one of Rebecca's four best friends whom she'd known since primary school, had been ready to pack her bags from the moment they got the call from their nursing agency. They had both been personally selected by Magda Carmichael—a very wealthy and absolutely sweet lady—to be her private nurses during her month-long holiday aboard one of the most luxurious cruise ships in the world.
"You have to go with me, Bec," Sarah pleaded. "We've both never been on a cruise before, and we'll get to visit some exotic Asian cities. It'll be fun!"
"Fun?" Rebecca said with a laugh. "We're not being hired to have fun. We're being hired to work, remember?"
"I know. But we won't be working twenty-four/seven. That's why they want the two of us there, so we could work on shifts looking after Magda. We'll still have some private time to enjoy what promises to be an incredible trip."
"I do wonder why she needs two nurses with her?" Rebecca mused. "She'd fully recovered from her hip replacement surgery, and according to the agency, she's not currently suffering from any illness or injury."
"She's almost eighty, Bec. Magda and her family probably prefer to have two professionals with her on the cruise in case something happens. Besides, she could very well afford to pay for our salary and our trip."
The Unwilling Executive Page 17
