by Nana Malone
Besides try not to fuck her? “Plan is to tell her the truth after the gallery opening.”
“Look, I’m not telling you to lie, but I’m asking you to do your job. We need proof on Fenton. That bracelet could be it. If she can bring it in, we might be able to bring this guy down, and when we do, we’ll get the forger and his whole network. But it means you playing Samson again.”
Right now, it looked like all roads led to Samson.
Chapter 13
“I am not nervous, I am not nervous. I am not…” Ah who the hell was she kidding? Jessica was nervous. What the hell had possessed her to say yes to a date with Eli? Because you wanted to, and because he makes you feel alive in the most delicious ways. That, and he'd been so sweet to her last night.
As the cab dropped her off, she eyed the fancy downtown L.A. building. Since the city had started to clean up the area, the developers had steamrolled into the city, erecting towering, hip lofts and apartments. How the hell could Eli afford this? It struck her then that she didn’t know much about him, except that he was a gifted artist. Most artists she knew shared their workspace with their living space, and there were paint splatters and boxes and canvases everywhere. Kind of like his studio had been, with its small kitchen area.
None of the artists she knew had the funds to afford a loft downtown. Unless someone was funding him. “Don’t get ahead of yourself, Jess,” she muttered to herself as slid into the lobby.
The doorman greeted her at the front desk. “Ms. Stanton, Mr. Marks would like you to go on up. His number is 1122.”
Miss Stanton. Jessica reigned in the desire to snort. Instead, she murmured a ‘thank you’ and made her way to the elevator on the right. The interior lobby was steel and glass and marble. Cool. Modern. Nothing warm here, except for the paintings on the walls. They were warm and embracing with their oranges and mustards and soft golds, but they weren’t that visually appealing. Still, it was better than concrete.
As she hit the button for the 11th floor, she tried not to fidget. Unfortunately, there was no telling her palms not to sweat. And of course, she'd worn satin. Satin and sweaty pits did not a hot look make.
When the elevator slowed and came to a halt, the doors slid open, and there was Eli in all his glory, wearing cream-colored linen pants and a soft green sweater that brought out the jade in his eyes. Jessica dragged in a shuddering breath. “Hi,” she mumbled feeling suddenly self-conscious.
“Hi, yourself,” he muttered as his eyes drank her in, starting at the top of her roots, lingering on her face, before slowly traversing to her breasts and then downward. “You look incredible.”
“Thanks.” She looked around. Speaking of incredible... “Nice digs.”
He grinned and took her hand. “Wait till you see the view.”
“Oh, there's a view?” As he pulled her closer, she drank in everything about him. The feel of his large hand wrapped around hers, cocooning her in heat and welcome. That cologne of his tickling her senses, daring her to do naughty things. And his overall sex appeal—she suddenly lamented having poured herself into a skin tight dress. They were notoriously difficult to take off without a little assistance.
Eli hung a left at the hall and led her into a spacious loft unit that overlooked the city. Floor to ceiling windows covered the place; she could see as far as the night sky would allow. Her breath caught, and she stumbled.
“Are you okay?” His soft words brought her out of her shock.
“Jesus, yeah. I mean, would you look at this place? I'm starting to wonder what you need me to be your manager for?”
His brows furrowed. “Jess, I sublet this place. A friend of mine is letting me stay while I find somewhere permanent to live. I'd stay at the studio, but I need some separation.”
“Oh, yeah, okay. I mean, it's beautiful.”
“Yeah, it is. I worked in insurance before I decided to go back to art, so I can afford the rent here for now, but I probably won't stay, no matter how gorgeous that view is.”
She took stock of the rest of the apartment: cherry hardwood floors, ultra-modern furnishings, everything neat, everything had a place. The cherry dining room table and granite counters all sported burning candles, which cast the apartment in a soft glow.
It was only after she'd done a complete one-hundred-and-eighty degree revolution around the house that her other senses kicked in. As soon as she smelled the rosemary and thyme, her stomach grumbled. “What’s for dinner?”
“Chicken picatta. I take it you’re hungry?”
She giggled. “It's like you read my mind. But here’s a hint. I’m always hungry.”
“Noted. Wine?”
“Yes, please.”
***
For the rest of the dinner, they danced around each other like two strangers who hadn't already spent a whole night screwing their brains out. She remembered past etiquette training, and he was the consummate host. It wasn’t until he’d filled her with chicken picatta and wine that she said, “So, are we ever going to talk about that night?”
He shifted his angle against the window to give his full attention to her. “I thought you said it was off limits.”
Jessica shook her head. “I changed my mind. The enigma of you is too intriguing.” She rolled her lips in to moisten them. “That night, you held onto me tight. You were so controlled one second, and the next, you were so…”
“Like a maniac.”
“I was going to say raw. So, what are we going to do?”
“You mean besides screw each other senseless?”
His response shocked her a little, and she giggled. “Yes, besides that. I'm not into doing the hook-up thing. Contrary to what happened the first night, I don’t currently make sleeping with random men a habit.”
His expression serious, he nodded. “Neither do I. I prefer women.”
She blinked as if trying to decipher his joke. Had he intended to make one? He was so serious she could never tell.
She indicated the room across the hall. “You keep looking over there. Why?”
He shook his head. “I'm focused on you, I promise. I'm doing my level best to keep my hands off of you and not rip that dress to pieces.”
Jessica sputtered around her glass of wine. “Nice deflection, but what is that room? Is that where you lure your dates then chop them up into little pieces?” I swear to God, no more serial killer TV shows for me. “You going to tell me?”
Eli twisted his lips, looked at the closed-off room, then back at her. He caressed her arm with the backs of his fingertips before taking her hand and tugging her toward the door. “I guess you can call this place my telltale heart.”
When he opened the door and turned on the light, Jessica gasped. In the corner, there were large to median slabs of soapstone, alabaster, and marble. There was a table with chiseling tools with a well work chair. On another table in the corner sat several finished pieces of the female form that were as seductive and provocative as his paintings. “Are these yours?”
He nodded. “Yeah, it's only, a, hobby though.”
“Oh, Eli, why didn’t you tell me?”
“Tell you what? There’s nothing to tell. I'm not a sculptor.”
“Yes. You are.” Jessica fingered the finished pieces and stared at him in awe. “These are incredible. I’d love to use this for the opening.”
He gave her a firm shake of his head. “Forget it, Jessica, not happening.”
She studied him for a long moment. “Okay. It's your call. We don’t have to show these.” He might not want to show these pieces, but they were excellent. She simply needed to get him to understand. She had time though, no need to shut him down. Jessica understood artists and their insecurities, if nothing else.
The serious frown was back between his eyes, and she tried to distract him. “Since you’re giving the world tour, isn't there anywhere else you want to show me?”
***
“Once we do this, I can’t go back to merely being friends.” Eli
’s hands were shaking, he was so on edge. He shook his head, trying to clear it. “I thought we agreed that it’s not the best idea.”
Jessica’s slight shoulders lifted and fell. “I can’t seem to get you out of my head. And honestly, you make me feel something different. I-it scares me.”
Eli frowned. “Why? I would never hurt you, Jessica.”
“No, I know. It’s just so intense with us. We burn so hot that there’s no way something like that can be good for me.”
Eli fought the inner battle with himself. He made a commitment to Samson before he even met Jessica. He wasn’t being truthful with her, but he wanted her. Bad. “Jess, we—” He swallowed hard. He took a step back. “We should go have dessert.” Then realizing what he said, he amended, “In the kitchen.”
Jessica pursed her lips. “Okay. So you’re being the good guy. Carry on. I’m right behind you.”
He led the way back into the living room. “So do you want some wine or—” The sound of a zipper broke the silence in the room. Eli whipped around to find Jessica with the zipper of her hot little number down. Fuck. All tenuous threads of nobility ended there.
“What are you waiting on, Eli?”
His gaze flicked to her lips. “To be honest, I haven’t the foggiest.” Eating up the expanse of hardwood with his strides, he pulled her up against him and dipped his head to place a soft kiss on her surprised lips. He didn’t devour, but he savored. Even though the pumping need inside him urged him to take, he seduced. All his rational protestations smothered.
The kiss had a tender intensity to it that broke something inside him. He could care about her. If he let himself, he could fall hard for this girl with the feathers in her hair and the sassy mouth.
When he pulled back to look at her, he met her slumberous gaze and whispered, “Last chance to run.”
Her lips parted into a wide smile. “You’re stuck with me, for now.”
For now. Those words burned, but he’d deal with them later. “Fair enough then.” He tugged up her dress, giving her room to move her legs freely.
He scooped her up so she wrapped her toned legs around his hips and carried her into the bedroom. He deposited her on the bed and followed her down. When his lips returned to hers, it wasn’t quite a kiss, instead he used the tip of his tongue to trace the outline of her heart-shaped lips. Beneath him, she shuddered.
Jessica reached her arms around him, lacing her fingers in his hair and keeping him close. She writhed underneath him, and he moaned. His dick burned in his jeans, like he’d spent hours on foreplay. That’s what she did to him—made him feel like he was burning from the inside out.
With a frustrated moan, Jessica dragged one of his hands to her breast. A chuckle rose from his throat. “All right, all right, I get the message.” Settling his body between her thighs, he caressed her breast. As he circled a thumb around her nipple, she moaned into his mouth. Teasing the turgid tip, he rolled it between his fingers before tugging on it gently.
Jessica’s hips bucked, and she tossed her head back. Eli took advantage of the exposed column of her neck and placed hot open-mouthed kisses along her throat. She wrapped her legs around his waist clasping them tight around him as she aligned her hot, slick core with his aching cock. Her hands moved from his hair to score down his back and shoulders. Everywhere the pads of her fingers traced, his muscles bunched.
When she switched from the pads to her nails, he growled, “God, Jessica.”
“Yes?”
Reaching for the hem of her dress, he scooted back. “I want to feel all of you. We’re wearing entirely too many clothes for that.”
“You’re right. I’m wearing way too many clothes. We both are.”
Eli grinned crookedly. This was the minx he was used to. Sassy. The one who had tempted him on the dance floor.
He agonizingly raised the hem of her dress until it just reached the top of her head. From that position, he had clear access to her breasts, but her hands were secured. He leaned down and breathed soft kisses first on one, then another nipple, each responding to his caress by instantly budding into a hard little peak. God, she was responsive. Unlike their first time together, he wanted to take his time. Not rush it. Taste every inch of her.
He tugged the dress the rest of the way off and went straight for her white thong. The brief material had barely covered much, but at the sight of her nearly naked, he hissed and stared. It wasn’t like he hadn’t seen her naked before, but seeing her petite frame laid out for his enjoyment made him ache to have her. He stripped the thong down over her thighs and heard the soft fabric tear. “Shit. Sorry.”
“You don’t sound sorry.”
He grinned. “Maybe you should stop bothering with underwear all together.”
Jessica ran her hands over his back and pulled his sweater up and over his head. Her eyes roved hungrily over his chest. She leaned over and pressed a delicate kiss to his pec as she traced each muscle in his stomach.
Eli squeezed his eyes tight and tried to rein in the need. When Jessica reached for his belt, a devilish grin spread across her face. “There’s something I’ve been dying to try since the other night.”
“I do hate to disappoint a lady, but it’s my turn. Now hold still.” Unable to get enough of her taste, he continued to trail open-mouthed kisses along the column of her neck, nipping selectively and soothing the nips with tiny licks.
When he reached her breasts, she arched her back, effectively putting them on a platter for him. He knew what she wanted. Her breasts were so sensitive. Just him sucking the rosy tips had been enough to bring her near orgasm. He blew air across them and gently tugged on her nipple ring with his teeth, before continuing his travels downward. She tried to drag him back, but he stayed her hands. “Tsk, tsk. I’m very busy. You’ll get your turn eventually.”
Gripping her trim waist, Eli placed kisses in her navel and abdomen, swirling his tongue inside her belly button. He tickled and teased her by placing soft kisses on her hip bones. Occasionally scraping the flesh with his teeth. She squirmed beneath him. Her breath came out in ragged puffs as her hips rose and fell in desperate abandon.
Eli ran his hands down the inside of her thighs, careful not to touch her dew-slick lips and splayed Jessica wide. She smelled spicy and tangy, and she was all woman. His. Need drove him as patience abandoned him. Seeing her like this, all open and wet for him, slick with need, made his blood roar, and he couldn’t think.
Her hips rocked forward, seeking attention. Instead of kissing the slick, dewy button that begged for attention between her parted thighs, he placed soft kisses on her inner thighs. Left, then right. Flicking his tongue over her burning flesh.
“Jesus, Eli. Please hurry.”
Chuckling, he slid back up her thighs and positioned his mouth at her center. Slowly, with long, meandering strokes, he explored her swollen folds. When he reached her clit, he traced his tongue round it, once, twice, three times, until she was mewling and calling out his name. “Eli, Eli. Eli.”
He continued even while she begged. Stroke, lick, tease, flick. When he could feel her thighs start to quiver, he backed off, gently kissing her lips, never allowing her release. She raised her hips in time to the ministrations of his tongue, trying to urge him to go faster.
With his fingers, he gently separated her folds and explored all of her secrets. Using one finger to slowly penetrate her slick core, he flicked his tongue again and again over her clit.
“Yes, Eli…” Her voice trialed as she started to moan.
With his middle finger he stroked the flesh deep inside her over and over again. He inserted another finger and gently probed in time to his flicking tongue: in, out, insert, withdraw. Jessica’s thighs quaked. “Oh…My…God…Eli…”
The demon of lust that rode Eli hard, stopped screwing around. He needed Jessica to come. When the walls of her pussy started to quake around his fingers, he quickened his pace and began gently suckling her clit.
Writhing and cal
ling his name, Jessica shook and convulsed in his arms for a moment, then collapsed against his pillows, spent.
Eli gritted his teeth against the need churning his gut and held Jessica while she dozed. He’d never experienced anything like that before. She’d completely trusted him and let herself go. It was the most arousing thing he’d ever been a part of in his life. Every inch of him craved release, but he’d be damned if he rushed it. He’d suffer a million nights of torture if it meant he could see her respond like that again.
Forcing his mind to relax, he held her to him and stared up at the ceiling. His erection bobbed against his abdomen, but he ignored it. After thirty minutes of torturing himself, thinking about all the ways he could have her, he drifted off to sleep.
As he slept, his lust-crazed mind conjured imagery to torture him. He imagined Jessica’s lips wrapped around him and giving him a taste of heaven. Her tongue caressed the length of him, stopping just short of the most sensitive spot at the underside of the tip, and then gently flicking that spot with her dexterous tongue over, and over, and over again. Eli grabbed handfuls of the sheets as she caressed him.
Jessica worked her tight, wet mouth around him and sucked until his eyes had rolled into the back of his head. One of her delicate hands stroked the base of his cock while the other one massaged his balls. God, damn.
Her hot little mouth sucked him in again, taking all of him to the back of her throat, then relaxing enough to take him just that much further. Ah God. So sweet. So hot. So willing.
Eli’s muscles bunched, and blood rushed through his veins. He jerked his eyes open as the tingle in his balls signaled impending orgasm. His eyes met directly with Jessica’s bright blue gaze as she once again bathed the length of him.
She smiled up at him. “What? Did you think I was going to let you have all the fun?”
He had to get inside her. He couldn’t take much more of this. With gritted teeth, he pulled her away from her ministrations and shifted her so she lay beneath him again. He smiled down at her. “You have a wicked tongue.”
