when his mouth captured hers. His tongue slid past her teeth, sank into the warmth of her mouth, and stroked the roof.
He pressed her back against the couch. “You taste so good,” he whispered, his mouth and tongue exploring hers again and again, delving deeper each time. He tasted like heaven.
“What ya doing?” Matt asked.
Her heart pumped double-time as her eyes popped open and she stared into Matt's curious gaze.
“Jeez!” Jared shot away from her, breathing heavily, and he started laughing. He held his hand over his heart. “I was trying to convince your mom to go to a formal office party with me this Saturday night.'
Matt plopped down on the couch, turned and grinned at her. “You going on a date with Mr. Randall?'
Her face flamed and she wanted to hide behind her hands. Two pairs of eyes awaited her reply.
Did she really want to go on a date with Jared? Or should she throw cold water on the forest fire he had ignited on this couch and decline? Logic argued with her emotions. A tenderness and excitement filled her as she stared into his warm blue eyes. She felt a longing for his touch that pierced all her resistance and reached to the very depth of her womb.
“Yes,” she croaked. Inside, she couldn't help but admire the way he asked her for a date.
Jared's heart soared.
He wasn't sure if Katherine had agreed to go to the dance with him tonight because he'd asked her in Matt's presence, or not, but he wasn't about to say no to the gift he'd received. And Katherine was a precious gift.
Glancing down at the wrist corsage, he rang Grace's doorbell and stared at the closed door. He felt like a kid on his first prom. He smiled as the handle moved and the door cracked ever so slightly.
“Wipe that smile off,” Paul snarled. He gulped down the drink he held in his hand. “Katherine's not ready.'
He started to shut the door in Jared's face, but Jared's hand shot out and shoved it open. He strode into the entryway. “I'll wait inside.'
Slamming his glass on the table, Paul walked toward him. “I'm warning you to stay away from my wife.'
Jared stared down at him. “There's an ‘ex’ in front of that word. It's been there for two years, but you have a habit of forgetting that.'
Paul's face retracted into a sneer. “You'd do anything to get her in your bed, wouldn't you? I'm offering her marriage.” He laughed. “What are you offering?'
Jared could smell liquor on Paul's breath. Sighing, he glanced up the stairs. “Where's Matt?'
“You can't see him. He's upstairs with Grace waiting for me to play computer games. Stay away from my family.” Paul fisted his hands.
Jared walked away, nonchalantly, ignoring Paul's fury. He suggested Paul follow him into the adjacent library. Jared laid the florist's box on the desk, shut the French doors and turned toward Paul. “You tell Katherine about Ann Young, or I'll do it for you.'
Paul's skin paled. “I don't know any Ann Young. You're making this up to come between Katherine and me.'
“There is no Katherine and you. For someone you don't know, you took Ann Young three times last night. You really shouldn't be so noisy with those thin hotel walls.'
He stared at Jared and finally comprehension dawned. “You had me followed.” He raked his hands through his hair.
Jared took two steps closer to Paul and glared down at him. “You're a low-life, disgusting, two-timing bastard who brought your mistress into Katherine's home while you were still married to her.'
Paul slumped into a chair, his skin paled again. Hatred poured out at Jared from Paul's bloodshot eyes, but his face wore a beaten down expression. “I'll tell her tomorrow,” he whispered between clenched teeth.
Jared stared at the shadow of a man. He would have a copy of the photographs Carl had taken ready in case Paul needed more persuasion. “You do it, or I will.'
Jared caressed Katherine's back, kneading her muscles gently as they slow danced to the last song of the party, “Help Me Make It Through The Night'. Other than the brief time when they had stopped dancing to eat, he'd held Katherine like this all night. He closed his eyes and felt her body shiver. His fingers moved across her velvet metallic lace dress. It played havoc with his imagination as he pictured the sweet body beneath the fabric.
No one else existed for him as they moved across the dance floor. Several of his employees gave Katherine an appreciative eye during the long night, but they could eat their hearts out. Tonight, he wasn't sharing her with anyone.
“I think the music stopped,” she whispered, slowing and moving out of his arms.
He turned to find people putting on their coats and smiling at them. “Oh.” “Help Me Make It Through The Night', still ghosted through his mind.
He and Katherine retrieved their coats. They weaved through his staff members and business associates with ease, dropping farewells and Christmas wishes to everyone along the way. They walked arm-in-arm to the underground parking. He settled Katherine in his Lexus and got behind the wheel. Once he started the car, he popped in a romantic CD before exiting the garage.
With a deafening sound, a torrential downpour pounded the roof. He turned his windshield wipers on and they beat full-force against the Texas size raindrops that hammered them from every direction. Rivulets of water streamed across the glass, preventing a clear view of the road and traffic lights.
After traveling two miles through the haze, Jared pulled off the main road and parked under a grove of tall oak trees. He cut the motor.
“We'll stay here till it slacks up some. If you're cold, I can turn the ignition on and run the heater awhile.” He moved closer and folded her into his arms.
“I think it's romantic,” she said, her voice echoing in the car.
“Did you come with me tonight because of Matt?” he asked, lightly fingering the curls at the nape of her neck.
“No,” she said. “How about you?'
He found her erratic pulse with his finger. Her tongue darted out and he bent to claim her moist lips. She sighed softly. He slanted his mouth, deepened the kiss and moaned when her tongue thrust forward, skimming his teeth and stroking the roof of his mouth.
All thoughts of slowing the pace died when her lush body leaned into his. He crushed her against him. His tongue delved into her ear. He whispered, “I've wanted you for so long, Katherine. An eternity.” Her body arched. He teased her earlobe with his teeth.
Their breathing became heavy as they kissed again. The air inside the car warmed and the windows fogged, forming a private cocoon.
Her lips trembled. He drew back and watched her face as his hands moved to cover her breasts. They swelled even fuller.
“I don't know if I can please you,” she said around gasps. “I want you, but I've never had an affair.” Her hand began to shake. “Paul's the only man I've been with. I'm sorry I'm not more experienced.'
He closed his eyes as guilt washed through him. Paul's words stabbed him, ‘What are you offering Katherine?’ Making love to her would be perfect, but it would still be an affair. One he knew she would regret in the morning. Although she wasn't married to Paul anymore, she was married to her values, and to her son, and to her idea of the ‘right’ kind of relationship, which would never be what Jared could offer. And she wasn't the affair type. She was the forever type, and he wasn't ready for anything permanent.
His body ached. He took a deep, calming breath.
“If we went all the way, you'd regret it. I don't want to hurt you, Katherine.” Damn. “I think the rain's slacked up,” he said, straightening and moving back to the steering wheel. Her face turned to the side and she stared out the window as he started the car and slipped it into gear.
He heard her sniffle and knew she was crying.
