He hesitated, giving her the opportunity to pull away. But she didn’t. In fact, her fingers tightened, pulling him against her. He took that as an invitation and kissed her again, reveling in the feeling of her lips against his.
Control vanished. Her lips moved under his as he scooped her up in his arms, fitting her soft curves against his body, feeling her softness press into his muscles. With a groan, he set her on the island countertop, weaving his fingers into her hair, tilting her head to the side so he could deepen the kiss as her thighs tightened around his hips.
It wasn’t enough. He wanted more. He wanted all of her. And now that she was in his arms, he couldn’t stop. With one hand still in her hair, his other smoothed down her back, cupping her bottom and pulling her closer. Close enough that her core pressed against his aching erection.
Megan couldn’t believe this was happening. She’d ached to touch Jake like this again and never thought she’d have the chance. But he was here. He was a kissing her! She shifted her legs, needing him closer. Wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, she kissed him back with all of the longing she’d carried for so many years.
“Please!” she begged when he pulled away, her fingers tightening on his shoulders, not wanting him to stop. Pressing closer, she shifted against him, showing him how much she needed him. When she felt his hands on her legs, tilting her backwards slightly, she almost sobbed with relief. But she couldn’t risk him stopping. She needed this too much. Lifting her mouth up, she kissed him, wanting to distract him from pulling away as she frantically tugged at the buttons of his dress shirt. They wouldn’t come open fast enough and a couple of them pinged off to the side, falling among the lettuce and tomatoes. But she didn’t need salad for dinner. She needed Jake.
Her summer dress was gone, whipped over her head and then his hands were against her skin. She would have sighed, but she couldn’t pull back long enough. Her fingers moved over his chest, up to his shoulders, and then down his arms. But then she felt her bra pulled down, exposing her breasts only moments before his hot mouth covered her nipple. Gasping at the intense heat, she arched into his mouth, offering so much more. Even then, it wasn’t enough. She fumbled with his belt, but couldn’t get it undone.
He pushed her hands away and she would have argued, but he removed his belt and dropped his pants for her. She almost cried at the beauty of him, heavy and thick in her hands. Stroking his throbbing length, she wanted to explore, to remember everything that this part of Jake could do.
But it was not to be. His hands were just as demanding, just as needy, and he ripped her black lace underwear out of the way. She heard something else tear, but didn’t know what it was since she was fighting to keep her fingers on his erection. He kept pushing her hands away, but when she looked down, she noticed that he was a trying to roll a condom down his thick length.
“Let me help!” she pleaded.
“Next time,” he promised, then grabbed her hips and yanked her forward, right to the edge of the countertop. “Look at me!” he growled, poised right at her opening. “Megan, look at me now!”
When she lifted her lust-drugged eyes, she lost herself in his gaze, seeing her desire echoed there. As their eyes locked he pressed into her. Hard! She gasped, freezing at the sudden invasion. There was a startled moment as her body adjusted to his size, but she needed all of him. He felt too good!
“Too long!” she whispered, closing her eyes as he started to move. Slowly at first, but she didn’t want slow. “Too slow!” she wiggled, trying to get him to move faster. When he obliged, she cried out as the sensations built. And not slowly! Fast! Too fast! She was going to…!
“Jake!” she screamed as the orgasm hit her. It was so hard and so powerful, she was lost, digging her nails into his shoulders as her only anchor in a world that had disappeared into wave after wave of pleasure so intense, it was almost blinding.
Or maybe that was because she’d closed her eyes. Megan wasn’t sure.
His strong hands tangled in her hair again, tilting her head back so that he could kiss her. This was more gentle, but still wonderful.
“You okay?” he asked softly.
Megan smiled, wanting to laugh with the sheer joy of being in his arms after so long away.
“Yes!” she sighed and leaned her forehead against his shoulder. He nuzzled her neck, teasing the sensitive skin, sending ripples of pleasure throughout her whole body.
Without another word, he pulled out of her. She would have protested, but he kissed her, stopping her words. She felt him doing something lower, and then he lifted her into his arms and carried her out of the kitchen.
“Where’s your bedroom?” he asked.
For a fraction of a second, Megan thought about telling him that they shouldn’t do this. But instead, she pointed down the hallway. “Through that door.”
He carried her into her bedroom, placing her in the center of the bed before peeling the rest of his clothes off. She watched, her mouth open as she appreciated the sight of him. All of those muscles she’d felt with her fingers, her eyes could now explore.
No words were spoken. When he was naked, he grabbed another condom and tossed it onto the bed next to her, then came down over her. Still silent, he kissed her. Slower this time. More thoroughly. The kiss started out as a gentle caress, but quickly turned hotter, the pulse of desire building between them.
He took his time this go around, his mouth exploring and savoring every inch of her. When his mouth returned to her breast, she sighed with happiness. His tongue made her mind spin with need while his other hand teased her nipple, tweaking it, and smoothing gently over the hard tip. His mouth moved over to that one and his other hand took over teasing the previously tortured nipple.
Megan let her fingers slide into his hair, holding his mouth in place until the sensations became overwhelming. But he wouldn’t let her move away. He only moved lower, spreading her legs and feasting on her. Over and over, he brought her so close she could taste it, but wouldn’t let her tumble into the pleasure she knew was so close. So incredibly close. He paused to roll the condom down over his shaft. Pinning her hands over her head with one hand, he spread her legs wide and slowly, inch by inch, entered her body, pressing deeper and deeper. Filling her up, Megan lifted her legs higher so she could take him deeper, arching into his invasion as she reveled in the feel of him where he belonged.
Not a word had been spoken, but they knew each other well, knew the secrets of each other’s pleasure. When their orgasm poured over them again, Megan clung to Jake, wanting to give him so much more, but knowing that this was all she had.
Chapter 6
Jake woke up feeling better than he had in…years! Megan was in his arms. Last night had been incredible. Over and over again, he’d made love to her. The way she’d touched him had set his body on fire.
But the memory of how tender she’d been after the last time stopped him from repeating that pleasure again this morning. Megan’s body wasn’t used to marathon rounds of sex, he realized. He wasn’t sure why that pleased him, but it did. Perhaps he was more possessive than he’d thought. Or maybe, he was only possessive of Megan.
He realized he was cupping her breast, his arm wrapped around her. Instinctively, he wanted to move his fingers, to toy with that sensitive bud and make love to her all over again. She was the most responsive lover he’d ever had, both now and years ago. Although, years ago, he’d had to show her how to release that sensuality. As a nineteen year old, she’d been more than a little shocked by her sexual needs, trying to hide them from him. It hadn’t taken long to teach her to embrace her needs and tell him what she wanted. But once she felt free to do that, she’d become amazing.
Unfortunately, he’d gone too far last night and now she was sore. She’d tried to hide it from him during the last time they’d made love, but he’d caught her cringe. He’d tried to stop, but she’d pleaded with him to keep going, assuring him that she was okay.
But no more. She needed time to recover. And he needed to head over to his parents’ house for lunch. A command performance, apparently. Deni Hughes rarely commanded all of her children to be home for any reason, but when she did, they complied without question.
So, instead of making love to Megan with his mouth and giving her one more round of pleasure, he slipped out of bed and grabbed his clothes. While he dressed, he watched her, enjoying the way she stretched and especially the way the sheet fell away from her breasts, giving him a nice view. Jake smiled when she rolled over, her arm reaching out, obviously searching for him.
“Megan,” he whispered softly, after he finished dressing.
Her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at him, a smile breaking through her sleepiness. “Jake,” she sighed.
“I have to go, but I’ll be back tonight, okay?”
Megan stretched and it took a great deal of effort to keep himself from pulling her into his arms.
“Okay. Tonight.”
A moment later, her lashes drifted down and she was back asleep.
Jake chuckled as he pressed a kiss to her bare shoulder, then curled his fingers into tight fists to stop himself from sliding his hands down her sleep-warmed body. That would only start things. Things that he couldn’t finish, he mentally reminded himself.
Tonight, he promised himself silently. Tonight she would have recovered enough so that he could make love to her again. Hopefully, she wouldn’t be so tender. But even if she was, he’d just make love to her in other ways. He had a vivid imagination.
Three hours later, he walked through the front door of his parents’ house. There was noise in the back so he headed down to the rear of the house where the kitchen was located. It was a big house, but not nearly as huge as the house where his father had lived with Jake and Jackson’s half-sister, Chloe. Apparently, that house had been a monstrously huge mausoleum. At least, that’s the way his mother described it. The way his mother told the story, Deni had hated that house from the moment she’d stepped in. She’d called it a zombie house, or something along those lines. A house with no soul, she’d explained.
Of course, she’d been coerced into stepping through the doorway that first day in order to save the man Jake and Jackson called their grandfather. Grandpa Mark had been saddled with heavy medical bills and had lost his job after losing his wife. He’d been about to lose his house as well, but their mother had agreed to marry their father, a fake marriage that had turned real very quickly, in order to gain custody of five year old Chloe.
Yeah, his father might come across as cold and heartless to some, but he was actually a big ole softy. At least where his family was concerned. He loved with his whole heart – although, he ran his bank with his head. Jake knew that a lot of people still called Sebastian Hughes heartless, but that cold attitude was tempered now. Besides, the small group of close-knit friends who knew Sebastian Hughes best knew he was generous and caring.
“You had sex with her!”
Startled, Jake whirled to confront his brother, ready to slug him for being so crass about Megan.
Jackson shook his head and stood his ground. “Don’t you dare get huffy about my phrasing! This is about you getting back with Megan Carmichael!” he hissed quietly so that the rest of the family wouldn’t overhear.
Jake wasn’t in the mood to deal with his twin brother’s admonishments. He felt too good and was too eager to get back to Megan. “Mind your own damn business,” he growled, prepared to walk by and ignore him.
Jackson might appear to be the more laid back brother to the outside world, but it was just a façade. Jackson was just as merciless as any of the Hughes clan. When crossed, he gave no mercy. In business, he protected their company and their employees, the projects, and clients with a fierce determination. No one messed with Jackson Hughes!
In this case, his family was in danger, and he took his family’s protection just as seriously as his parents did. And Chloe for that matter. Jake wouldn’t allow anyone to mess with his family either, but being on the receiving end of his brother’s protectiveness didn’t sit well with him. Especially since Jackson was talking about his Megan.
Jake might have concerns about Megan and where she’d been for the past several years. And yes, he fully acknowledged that Megan might leave again. But that didn’t mean he would allow anyone to say anything negative about her. Not even his own brother.
Unfortunately, Jackson wasn’t to be brushed off. He stepped determinately forward, glaring at Jake. “You are my business,” Jackson hissed, poking Jake’s chest. “You’re also my only brother as well as my best friend. So, don’t tell me to stay out of whatever is going on because I’m in it. All the way and I always will be. I’m the one who had to pick up the pieces the last time. I’m the only one that you let see what that woman did to you all those years ago.”
Remembering Jackson’s patience during that painful period, Jake relented slightly. Putting a reassuring hand on Jackson’s shoulder, he released some of his anger. “Nothing happened the last time. I was fine.”
Jackson stared at Jake as if he’d lost his mind. “Are you kidding me? You wouldn’t talk to any of us. You worked like a demon, barely eating, living either at your computer or at the gym! You ran yourself ragged, nearly killing yourself, all because of her!”
Jake rolled his eyes. “You’re exaggerating, Jackson. It wasn’t that bad.” But Jake knew that it had been. Really bad! He couldn’t remember a lot about those first few months. He’d focused on his first software game and hadn’t really come up for air for months. He was too overwhelmed with the pain of Megan being gone to do anything more than function. So, maybe his brother had a point. Not that he’d admit it. “I don’t want to talk to you now,” Jake snapped, ready to push his brother out of his way.
Jackson put a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “I get it. She’s special,” he said softly. “But…”
“She’s back.”
The whispered, horrified word came from Chloe, their half-sister. She stared at Jake from across the room, her grey eyes, so similar to their own, full of deep concern.
Mentally, Jake groaned, wishing that they would all just mind their own business. “Who?”
Chloe shrugged and stepped closer without taking her eyes from Jake’s. “I don’t know who,” she whispered. “I just know that she hurt you several years ago.”
Jake threw his hands up in the air with exasperation. “I wasn’t hurt. I was angry because she left me without an explanation.” He put a hand out, resting it lightly on Chloe’s shoulder. “I was never emotionally involved and I won’t…”
“Bullshit!” This from Jackson. “You were head over heels for Megan last time, Jake! And she just up and left. No explanation. You heard nothing from her and it ripped you apart.”
Chloe nodded sadly. “When you are hurt, you show it through anger and by working,” his sister said softly. “Several years ago, we lost you.”
“I was creating my first software program,” he emphasized. Turning to Jackson, his eyes warned his brother to back off. “It was the program that you released to the world and we made millions, if I remember. Millions that launched our company. So don’t tell me…”
“No!”
All three of them turned to face Deni Hughes, the loving, beautiful woman who had tamed Sebastian Hughes, brought Chloe back to joy and gave birth to Jake and Jackson. Their mother.
All three siblings quieted as their mother walked into the room, her green eyes glued to Jake. “Tell me she’s not back,” she urged.
Seriously? Did everyone need to ask this same damn question? He glared at Jackson for a long moment before turning to look down at his mother. “I’m seeing someone,” he finally admitted.
Their mother knew her children extremely well. She might not have given birth to Chloe, but even their half-sister couldn’t hide anything from Deni Hughes. Their mother always knew what was going on. She might not know the specifics, but she always “knew”.
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“Is it the same woman who hurt you years ago?”
Jake didn’t roll his eyes this time, but only because this was his mother. “She didn’t hurt me.”
“You retreated into yourself.”
At her concern, he relented slightly. Pulling her into a hug, he murmured into her hair, “I was here every time you called a family dinner.”
Deni rested her cheek against Jake’s chest for a moment, closing her eyes. Then she took a deep breath and stepped back, taking Jake’s hands in hers. “You were only here physically, Jake.” She lifted a hand, cupping his jaw. “You weren’t really here.”
“I was working. I developed my first program and…”
“Don’t.” She said the word softly, shaking her head for emphasis.
Jake stopped. He knew that his mother wouldn’t agree with him. “I’m fine, Mom,” he told her firmly. He could tell she didn’t believe him. But he hugged her anyway, showing her with actions that he wasn’t in jeopardy.
For a long moment, she hugged him hard. But then she straightened and stepped back, looking at him for another long moment before she nodded. “Okay, let’s have lunch.” She walked out of the room, heading towards the kitchen at the back of the house.
Jake was about to follow, but Chloe stepped up and gave him a hug. “You come to me if she hurts you again. Okay?”
He was irritated, but hugged her back, knowing that she cared. “I’m fine.”
“Promise!” she snapped, glaring up at him. “Promise, or I’ll bring over the kids and you’ll be in charge of them for the whole weekend.”
Jake laughed. “You’re using my niece and nephew as punishment? Bring both of them over next weekend. I’d love to have them!”
“We’re going camping next weekend,” she huffed, irritated that he called her bluff. She released him and stepped back. “Speaking of my hellions,” Chloe turned toward the kitchen. “I have no idea what Girad is doing to them.”
“Be afraid,” Jackson muttered, referring to the big brute of a man that had married their sister. He might be sheik of some powerful country, but Jake and Jackson would take him down if he ever hurt their sister.
Inconveniently Tempted (The Diamond Club Series Book 10) Page 7
