Kiss Me Page 4

  She nudged her nose against his and latched onto his biceps. He drew his mouth back, only a fraction, but with the sexual tension coursing through her body, the space between them felt as wide as the Grand Canyon.

  “Look at me,” he coaxed and ran his hand over her shoulders, then brushed the side of her breast. She sucked in a breath and forced her gaze from his lips.

  What she saw in his eyes had her stomach doing flip flops and her heart stuttering. Passion, powerful, and forceful, along with an emotion she couldn’t name, bored into her. Her clinical brain didn’t want to analyze the depths he allowed her to see, yet the woman in her couldn’t stop the severe longings she’d kept bottled inside for too many years.

  “What do you want?” he asked softly.

  His tone might have been gentle, but beneath her palms, his muscles bunched with tension. He was holding back. The thought hit her as if someone had just dunked her into the lake. In that moment, she realized she had two options. Tell him the truth, that sex was her sole focus in their relationship. Or, do as Darci suggested this morning. Let things ride. Go with the flow. Stop thinking and overanalyzing.

  Jenna cupped his cheek, relished the feel of his hard, angular planes against her palm. She wanted to simply say “you.” Tell him how she’d wanted him from the moment she’d laid eyes on him. That she wanted to enjoy his company, in and out of bed, for however long it lasted. Instead, she said, “Can’t we just have fun and see where it leads?”

  He shifted his weight and sat on his heels. A gleam of disappointment flashed in his eyes then quickly disappeared.

  She curled her hand into a fist. Why couldn’t she have kept her mouth shut? Why couldn’t she, for once, just go with the flow? But she couldn’t help herself. She liked neat. She liked tidy. She liked everything organized, understood and controllable.

  What Luke asked, implied, were none of those things. While his kiss last night promised what her body craved, his actions today left her confused and uncertain. What happened to having your cake and eating it too? What happened to this commitment-phobic man, who oozed raw sensuality and promises of utter satisfaction? She had no answers and didn’t want to literally rock the boat by asking him questions that would only embarrass them both.

  Unable to hold his gaze, she looked to the horizon. Another boat, loaded with a group of guys, sped toward them, trailed by a couple of jet skiers. She couldn’t tell what they were up to, but it appeared as if they were heading straight toward them.

  “Luke, um, are they supposed to be doing that?” She pointed to the oncoming boat, which gained speed by the second.

  He turned his head. “What the hell?”

  As he made to move, the boat swerved past them. The guys onboard hooted, hollered and high-fived one another, then sped back out into the open lake.

  Luke’s Sea Ray suddenly lurched to the left. Unprepared, Jenna fell back against the cushioned bench seat, arms and legs sprawled out like a broken ragdoll. Poor Luke, worse off, even on his knees, tried to maintain balance. He flapped his arms like a bird, then tumbled forward, his head landing, oh Lord…right between her legs.

  Chapter 3

  With his head where he’d fantasized night after night, Luke didn’t want to move. He didn’t want to think about anything, except stripping off Jenna’s bikini bottoms, and burying his mouth between her legs.

  Unable to stop himself, and knowing this went way beyond his no-sex rule, he brushed his lips where her bikini bottom met the hollow of her thigh. Baby soft and silky smooth, just as he’d imagined. The urge to lick and nip and kiss, had his heart kicking out of tempo and blood surging to his cock.

  He stilled. Kissing was allowed. Technically, neither of them had specified where a kiss could be placed. So, technically, hecould kiss Jenna the way he wanted. A thin line of justification, but at this point, Luke didn’t care. He needed to taste her, touch her, feel her heat against his lips.

  Massaging her hips with his hands, he swept his tongue along her inner thigh. Goosebumps instantly covered her skin. She sighed and widened her legs a fraction. The subtle movement revealed the outline of the split of her sex, and the swollen, puffy lips, hidden beneath her bikini.

  His arousal thickened as he skimmed his mouth up the soft fabric of her bathing suit. When he reached her belly button, he stopped and raised his head. “Look at me.”

  She pushed onto her elbows, and met his gaze. He sucked in a breath and fought hard to control the hunger, the need, burning inside. Her golden eyes glittered with desire. The rapid rise and fall of her chest drew his attention to her breasts, where the tips of her nipples pierced her top. When he finally forced his gaze back to hers, she cocked a brow and tilted the corner of her mouth. So sultry, so sexy, and, if he wasn’t mistaken, she’d just challenged him.

  Jenna wanted sex, no-strings attached. He wanted sex, with plenty of strings. But instead of getting busy with her, he was busy trying to decipher his emotions. He didn’t like it, but he loved the way she rested the arch of her foot on his shoulder and spread her legs wider.

  Unable to deny her blatant invitation, he swirled his tongue over her belly button. “So you want to have fun,” he said, purposefully using her words, then nipped her skin.

  Her only response was a quick intake of breath.

  He ran his hand from her calf to her hip, then settled his fingers on the straps holding her bikini bottom together. “I think we could have lots of fun.” He plucked at the ties until they loosened and gave way. The bright blue material instantly sagged, but not enough to uncover her. While trying to maintain some decorum of control, something hard to do with only a scrap of material keeping him from fulfilling his fantasies, he ran the tip of his fingers along her skin until he grazed soft curls. Before he shoved the bikini aside, he feathered his fingers into those curls until he found her swollen, slick opening.

  She sucked in another breath, raised her hips a fraction, and shifted her eyes to where he worked his fingers. The way she watched him, eyes glimmering gold, lips parted, had him hard and shaking. But he had a point to prove. One he wanted to make before he took this so-called kiss further.

  He inserted a finger, she gasped.

  “Oh yeah,” he said. “I think we can have lots of fun and I can’t wait to see where this leads.”

  She met his gaze then. “So what are you waiting for,” she challenged and pressed herself against his hand. The subtle shift caused his finger to drive deeper.

  At this point, he didn’t think his penis could become any harder. But his dick wasn’t allowed to come out and play today. As much as he wanted to have sex with Jenna, he wouldn’t. Otherwise he’d prove nothing to her, or to himself. He refused to be her boy toy and worried that once he gave her what she desired, a little carefree fun and multiple orgasms, she’d be on her way. Back to her regular routine, her regular life, a life that didn’t include him outside of friendship.

  She hitched her hips higher, pressed against his hand.

  Then again, maybe he should give her a taste of what’s to come. Give her the sexual satisfaction she craved. Not to string her along, but to take the edge off and leave her begging for more of his kisses, and his alone.

  Decision made, he couldn’t resist sinking a second finger into her. So tight, so hot, he couldn’t wait for the day when his cock would replace his fingers. Not today, though. Today was about her pleasure. And he planned to do everything within their no-sex, kissing-only guidelines, to give her that pleasure.

  He drove his fingers deep. The bikini bottom gaped open and gave him an eyeful of dark blonde curls. Unable to resist, he slid his fingers in until her wetness coated him, then he drew his hand to his mouth.

  She widened her eyes as he licked his fingers. On a moan, she drove her hands through his hair and applied pressure to his head, urging him between her thighs.

  With a hint of a smile, he bent his head and kissed her inner thigh, edged his way closer to her soft curls. But the sudden pressure in his che
st made him pause. This was all wrong. Binding her to him with sex, or even a variation of it, wasn’t part of the plan. Rather something he was trying to avoid and the whole reason he’d set up his rule in the first place. But what if she grew bored? What if she sought sexual release from someone else?

  Something inside him shattered. The thought of another man, cradled between her thighs, had him more coiled than a Slinky and more determined to give her every reason to remain involved with him alone.

  Throwing his rules overboard, he licked and sucked her labia. Drove his tongue deep, then latched onto her clit.

  Jenna groaned. She’d wanted fun, and Luke was giving her what she’d asked for. Her inner thighs trembled, her nipples felt as if they’d stab right through her top. She twined her fingers through his hair and held him between her thighs. She wasn’t about to let him go, not until the fun was over. Even then, she wasn’t sure if she could. His skillful mouth, his tongue, his lips, she’d never experienced anything more amazing.

  Oral sex had never been her thing. She’d never had a problem giving it, but had always seemed to come up short on the receiving end. Not today, though. Luke had her mind spiraling, her heart beating out of pace. She couldn’t stop a moan from escaping when he inserted his fingers again, then honed in on her clit. Toes curling she let the moment build, let him work his magic. Then he slid a third finger inside. White-hot heat radiated through her body, coiled in her belly, then burst.

  While she lay against the cushion, utterly satisfied,a fat raindrop hit her nose. She opened her eyes and looked to the sky. More drops of water plopped onto her chest and face.

  As if he didn’t notice or care about the rain, Luke leisurely tied her bikini back in place, then kissed his way up her belly. Caressing her breasts with his rough hands, he pressed his lips between her cleavage, then dipped his tongue.

  She shuddered and twined her legs around his back, drawing his big body on top of hers. His arousal nudged at her thigh, and despite the glorious orgasm he’d given her moments ago, she wanted another. And another and another…

  Running her hand down his rain slicked back, she grabbed his tight rear, then urged him on by spreading her thighs wider.

  He wrapped her ponytail around his hand, eased her head back, then dragged his lips along her neck and jaw. She groaned. Goose bumps rose over her skin. She melted against him, crushing her breasts to his bare chest.

  As he captured her lips, the light sprinkle turned into a down pour. Rainwater cascaded over their bodies. Slick and wet, he slid his hands along her hips, urged her heat against his arousal. She gasped, pulled his head closer with one hand and gripped his hip with the other.

  The wind kicked up, spraying rain across their bodies. The boat rocked. Her heart rocked. Her whole world turned upside down. Being with Luke felt so right, so —

  A grumble of thunder boomed in the distance. He drew his lips away and rested his cheek against hers. “We better head back.”

  “Are you sure about this no sex thing?” sheasked, then nipped his earlobe.

  His erection strained underneath his wet shorts, and pressed against her bare stomach. “Yes. No,” he chuckled, then leaned back.

  “You don’t sound so sure.”

  Heat simmered in his eyes as he plucked a strand of wet hair from her cheek and cupped her face. “I’m sure of one thing…”

  “What’s that?” she asked and rested her head in his palm.

  “I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of you.”

  Still boneless and sated from Luke’s loving, the seriousness in his tone caught her off guard. She tensed, unsure of his meaning. “Not even after that kiss?” she asked, hoping to keep things light.

  He shifted his eyes to her now drenched bikini bottom. “Which one?”

  Which one? All of them, she wanted to scream. As she was about to open her mouth and tell him exactly that, lightening splintered and another rumble of thunder cracked in the distance.

  Luke mumbled something under his breath, then pressed a quick kiss to her lips. “We have to go. Now, before the storm gets worse.” He led her to the chair next to his in the cockpit, then turned the ignition. “I’m sorry about the weather. I should have known, should have been paying attention.”

  “But you were…distracted.”

  “Yeah.” He shot a glance at her soaked top. “It won’t happen again, you deserve better,” he said, then shifted the throttle.

  It won’t happen again?

  Not if she could help it.

  *

  Luke hung up with Margie Benson, then leaned into his office chair. Lacing his fingers together, he rested the back of his head in his hands and grinned. He normally hated Monday’s, but he had a date with Jenna tonight, and the deal with Benson Steel & Fabricating was as good as done.

  Margie would be arriving in Cleveland, Wednesday, to go over the contract. Once that was signed, the bonus and promotion would be his.

  Releasing a deep sigh, he spun his chair toward the only window in his office. While he’d been lucky enough to obtain an office with a window, the view was hardly desirable. Buildings obstructed the Cleveland skyline and the only points of interest were a bus stop and the alley dumpster. That would all change with his promotion. Partners had plush offices, and he secretly hoped for the vacant one on the thirtieth floor.

  But the move to partner wasn’t the only move he planned on making. This morning, Darci had called him to discuss his interest in purchasing her house.

  The woman was something else. Saturday night, before meeting Jenna, he’d already agreed to Darci’s asking price and had told her that he’d made an appointment with his mortgage broker for Monday evening.

  Her call hadn’tbeen about the house, but a ruse to find out how things had developed with Jenna over the weekend. Considering Jenna and Darci were as thick as oatmeal, the woman,who Jenna claimed had a penchant for playing Cupid, probably knew more than he did. Now that he thought about it, he should have drilled Darci for answers.

  Jenna’s seesawing moods had him feeling as if someone had shackled concrete shoes to his feet and thrown him overboard. Before he’d put the “dating” label on their relationship, and they were simply friends, she’d been relaxed and fun-loving. While she still showed that playful, talkative side, she’d grown guarded. Cautious with her words, hesitant to react and more restrained than usual.

  Except when he touched her.

  When they’d kissed, she’d molded her body to his, embraced him with an intense passion that belied her “can’t we just have fun” attitude. Her hungry kisses, her soft encouraging moans, the dark desire, and the raw emotion that had burned in her eyes, was unlike anything he’d ever experienced before. While he wanted to repeat those erotic kisses, make her come apart while he drove himself into her, he wouldn’t. Still new to this relationship stuff, he had to make sure Jenna wanted him for him, not for the orgasms he could give her.

  Luke wheeled his chair back to the desk just as Jay Duncan, also a Senior Manager, paused outside of the office door. He glanced around the hall, then stepped inside, dropping his overstuffed briefcase to the floor.

  “Have you seen Gwen?” Jay asked as he angled his head toward the hall.

  Luke avoided Gwen Prescott as much as possible. One of the firm’s few female partners, she also supervised both he and Jay, along with Wendy Shandler. For whatever reason, she’d chosen Wendy as her protégé, despite her consistent mistakes, and had made it crystal clear she didn’t like either he or Jay.

  “Not for a while, why?” Luke asked and reached for his briefcase.

  “She’s been riding my butt over the Millson account, and I don’t want her to know I’m leaving early. David has a baseball game, and I’m not about to miss his pitching debut.” Jay had four boys, ranging from thirteen to seven. With the workload Gwen placed on him, Luke wondered how the man had found any opportunity to spend time with his kids.

  Luke shoved a stack of files into his briefcase. “
Early my ass, it’s almost six, and about damn time you left the office before the sun goes down.”

  Jay smiled. “Ain’t that the truth?” He took his steel rimmed glasses off, then rubbed his eyes. “I’ll end up having to pull an all-nighter in order to have this report to Gwen by the morning, but seeing David play will be worth it.” He replaced his glasses. “I take it your outta here, too?”

  Luke shut down his laptop. “I have an appointment with a mortgage broker,” he said, then leaned back in his chair. “Remember the house I told you about? My buddy’s fiancée’s? Well, we agreed on a number.”

  “Let me guess. With the Benson deal and partnership looming you decided to jump.”

  Luke grinned. “Something like that.”

  Jay shook his head. “Might as well, I know you’ve been itchin’ to move out of your condo. I wish you the best of luck. You deserve partner, and after a few more years of busting my butt.” He kicked his briefcase. “I hope to be there myself.”

  Jay probably deserved the promotion more than he did, but unlike Luke, Jay wasn’t the type to push for what he wanted. He never made waves, took Gwen’s crap, and in return, she used and abused him.

  “You will, and speaking of partners, are you going to Peter’s barbeque next Saturday?”

  “Wouldn’t miss it. Although, between you and me, a real barbeque consists of burgers, ribs and beer, not hoity-toity finger food and champagne. But the wife likes that kind of stuff. And I’m not about to turn down an invite from a guy who could make or break my career.”

  “I hear you on that,and I’m glad Julie’s joining you.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “I’m thinking about bringing someone to Peter’s.”

  Jay widened his eyes, causing his brows to rise above the frame of his glasses. “Really? Wow.” He cleared his throat. “I mean, you never bring anyone to these sorts of things.”

  “I know.” The women he usually ran with weren’t the type one would escort to a corporate affair. While the men might appreciate a little eye-candy, the female partners and board members would frown upon abundant cleavage and bubblegum conversation.