dying for more, holding her hands behind her back while he decimated her with his mouth, his hands, his body.
“Let me,” he whispered again, when finally, finally, he stripped her down to her skin. This time, he murmured with pleasure over every inch he uncovered, taking the time to touch her, to taste her.
And then he just took her, which he did in the hot tub.
“Again,” he repeated later when he took her on the counter.
Then the rug on the floor.
And then even later, on the chair by the window overlooking the bright lights of the city that never sleeps.
They finally fell onto the bed somewhere around three, where Jacob pulled her against his warm, hard body and fell instantly asleep.
She stared into his face, relaxed as he slept, and felt her heart click into place. She could love this man. She could love him forever, if he’d let her.
But she already knew he wouldn’t. He might think he’d kept the reins tight on his emotions tonight, hiding from her how he was starting to feel, hiding his fear of letting go, of giving her control and losing his, but he hadn’t really kept a thing from her.
A surge of emotion for him welled up and filled her heart and her eyes. Leaning in, she put her lips softly to his. “Night,” she whispered.
He hummed in pleasure and tightened his grip on her without waking all the way. With a dreamy sigh, she snuggled in and let sleep claim her, too.
AN ALARM WENT OFF and Jacob jerked awake. He was in a bed, a strange bed, with a delicious, warm, naked female body plastered to his side.
Not just any bed, and not just any woman.
Hush.
Em.
He had a handful of breast with a nipple pebbling in his palm, his other hand cupping a warm buttock.
“The alarm,” she gasped.
Reaching out, he knocked the clock to the floor and it went mercifully silent.
“Auditions,” she mumbled, eyes still closed. “I have to-
Having sucked a nipple into his mouth, he teased the tip with his tongue, smiling at her moan, at the way she clutched at him with her hands, her legs.
“Jacob-”
Lightly he bit down on her nipple, then flicked it with his tongue.
Her fingers dug into the muscles of his shoulder, her body arching up into him.
Oh, yeah. Good. His slid his hand down her side, spreading his fingers wide to touch all that he could, her ribs, her belly, her hip. “Wait,” she gasped.
He palmed her sweet ass, then dipped his fingers in-
For the first time he heard the tone in her voice. The reluctant tone. The tone he’d used often enough the morning after when he’d had enough of a woman and needed out.
That was when he woke all the way up and smelled the news.
She was done with him before he’d been done with her. That had never happened, not once, and a feather could have knocked him over he was so shocked. “Right.” Without looking into her eyes, he rolled off her and off the bed all in one move. Reached for his jeans.
“Jacob.”
Where the hell were his shoes?
“Don’t get up,” he said, shoving his legs into his jeans and grabbing his shirt. “I know my way out.”
Did he ever. He always knew his way out, and was pissed he’d stayed.
Sex with a woman, he could do that. He knew how to do it, extremely well.
Seems he’d broken all his own rules last night.
That’s what he got for thinking with the wrong head.
The paper bag on the dresser mocked him. It was open, the packaging of the vibrator strewn over the glossy wood.
They’d put that thing to some fun, sexy, outrageous use, and if his heart hadn’t been pounding heavily, uncomfortably, the memories of what they’d done would have made him smile.
As it was, they made him hard.
Because after her initial shyness, Em had gotten into it. Very into it. The batteries were close to dead.
Damn, he was thinking again.
He made it to the door before he felt her hand on his arm, trying to tug him around. He stared at his own hand on the handle. “Don’t, Em.”
“Look at me,” she said softly, her hand rising to glide over his back. He felt his muscles quiver at the touch.
“Please?” she whispered.
Gritting his teeth, he turned only his head and met her eyes. They were deep and full not of discomfort or irritation at him still being here but hope and joy and, damn, that knee-knocking affection again.
She hadn’t run off like a scared little bunny at the depths of his passion. Hadn’t run from anything he’d shown her, as he’d assumed-and half hoped-she would. He didn’t understand what drew him to her, why he suddenly wanted to toss her back into that bed and follow her down, why he wanted to keep her.
He couldn’t keep her. Even thinking it was the stupidest thought he’d ever had. He’d never managed to keep anything in his life, not a place, not a thing, and sure as hell not a person.
“Last night,” Em said, searching his gaze for something, God knew what. “It was…different.”
He let out a harsh laugh. “Yeah. I’m guessing not a lot of guys would take you to a porn shop.”
“That wasn’t all that was different.”
“You probably don’t do a lot of barhopping, either. At least the kind of bar I took you to.”
“I didn’t mean different bad.” She looked at him as if she could see right through him, damn it, into the very black depths of his soul. “I meant different…scary.”
Scary? He’d scared her? Christ. “Em…” He squeezed his eyes closed tight. “I didn’t mean to…I wouldn’t-”
“No.” She turned him to face her, both hands on his arms. “No.” She smiled. “Scary good. I’m trying to tell you that I had the most amazing time, and yes it was different, and yes it scared me because it was different. Different as in more meaningful. What we shared last night when we made love-”
“Wait.” He shook his head. God, he couldn’t let her finish. “I think you should stop right there. Before you say something you’re going to regret in the name of lust.”
“It wasn’t just lust.”
“Yes,” he said. “It was. It was just a normal night of lust.”
“Oh.” She blinked once, the hurt in those depths unmistakable. “I see.”
Hell. He should have left last night. He was a complete idiot. “I don’t want to hurt you-”
“No. No, it’s okay. I understand. It was a casual thing.”
“That’s right. Just a normal night out-”
“I get it.” She nodded. She took her hands from his arms. Backed up a step. Even curved her mouth into a smile.
Though it didn’t come close to reaching her eyes.
“Don’t worry,” she said, trying to soothe him, which made him feel even more like slime. “I’m fine.”
From somewhere behind them her cell phone rang and she jerked as if she’d been shot. “Excuse me, I’ve got to get that-”
