Bought His Life (16 page)

“Jack,” she repeated and tapped a soft finger on his shoulder. He didn’t respond.

She reached ahead of him, and the light came on. Sitting on the windowsill over the kitchen sink, with a broken coffee cup on the counter, was a marmalade-orange cat hissing at him.

“I’ve been trying to tell you it was probably just Navel.” Emily wet her lips as she smiled. “What were you, a spy or something in a previous life?”

Shit! He’d made a fool out of himself, but heck, it was a logical deduction with the noise and the unlocked door. What if it really had been an intruder? Someone out to hurt her? She was exposed, alone, no man around for proper protection.

“Bond, Jack Bond,” she said and laughed.

“Carter, it’s Jack Carter,” he responded, puzzled with the amusement Emily’s face portrayed.

Laughing harder, she doubled over and held her stomach. She caught her breath and wiped at the ends of her eyes. “You’re really cute. Thanks. No one’s made me laugh like that in a long time. I don’t know why, but your aura is strong and hot, yet still inviting. I like hanging with you.”

Seeing it through her eyes, he enjoyed the comedy in the situation. Maybe not so much from what happened, but because he liked watching her face grow more animated as she talked. She wrinkled her nose just so when she’d called him cute, then her eyes had gotten very big as her hands had indicated his
aura
. She was so full of life, gorgeous, and he wondered why there wasn’t a line of suitors pounding on her door.

Then again, hell! Why should he care about their loss? He was standing well inside that same door. With her.

“I just saved you from that wicked Belly Button there. And all you can do is laugh.”

“He’s not Belly Button. He’s Navel, like the oranges,” she insisted and stroked the cat’s fur.

“Belly Button, Navel, whatever his name is, he’s pure trouble. I can tell from his paws and the sly slant of his eyes,” Jack teased. “Anyway, I think you owe me your life and that beer you promised.”

“Of course, my knight in shining armor. I shall get that beer immediately, sir.” She curtsied before turning toward the refrigerator, and it was Jack’s turn to grin.

How did she do it? Make him feel like that. He’d met many beautiful women before, but he’d never enjoyed anyone’s company as much. There was something about this Emily he couldn’t place a finger on. And it wasn’t just desire. He felt energized in her presence, happy to sit and enjoy the moment. No other woman had ever made him feel like that.

“Why thank you, milady.” Bowing in an exaggerated gesture, he took the beers and grabbed a bag of corn chips she’d placed on the table. “Where shall we enjoy this feast?”

Lightly swiping at his arm, she motioned her head toward the kitchen door and led him outside into a backyard on the ocean. His feet crunched small pebbles as he followed her to a huge hammock hung between two palms.

“From the front, I wouldn’t have guessed you were on the water.” He held the heavy canvas steady as she sat. “Fishing good out here?”

“I guess,” she said. “The Keys are known for it, but I don’t touch live, slimy things with scales.” She raised those gorgeous shoulders and leaned her head toward him. “When my daughter was younger, she used to fish off the dock with her friends. I like to sit out on the edge at sunrise and let the golden rays play at my feet as the day begins.”

“It’s great out here.”

“So true. I fell in love with this fixer-upper because of the view and the sound of the water lapping on the rocks. I haven’t been able to do much work, yet, but I plan on getting around to it as soon as
Emy’s
is redone.”

Getting comfortable on the hammock, he rested his back and turned on his side to watch the new moon reflect off her hair. “I can see why you love it here. The place fits you.”

Alongside him, she brought her feet beneath her legs. The sweet smell of her hair brushing over his shoulder made him want to tangle his hands in it, pull her close and taste her sensuous lips. Adjusting herself, her hand landed on his thigh and a low groan escaped deep in his throat.

“I’m sorry. Did I hurt you?” Emily tucked her hand against her body.

He reached out and wrapped his fingers over her long slender ones. “No, not hurt.” Pulling her hand against his chest, he decided on a gamble. “Emily, I don’t have the luxury of time. At the risk of being forward, I must tell you, I want to get to know you. On a personal level. Out here, where we’re not working, and we’re not ‘the boss lady’ and ‘the dishwasher’. Just two people who are very attracted to each other.”

Emily blushed. He could watch her for days and never feel the need to look away. Placing her palm against his heart and satisfied that she allowed it to rest there, Jack reached to touch the silky temptation framing her face.

“You have an addictive beauty I’ve never experienced before.”

Her mouth opened to a small, tempting circle, and he couldn’t resist sealing his lips on hers. Sweeping his tongue over the smooth surface of her teeth, he waited for her to grant him access into her sweetness.

Lost in the kiss, he pulled her against him, molding her body to his. His lips touched her cheeks, brushed her closed eyes, then trailed over her jaw and down her neck. Nuzzling behind her ear, he heard her moan and intensified his kiss, letting his hands roam down her back to rest on her enticing heart-shaped bottom.

If she hadn’t pushed off his chest and pulled away, they might have stayed close forever. Sitting up, she dropped her legs over the canvas and turned from him. Chest heaving, she looked straight out over the water.

Damn. Now, he’d offended her.

“I barely know you,” she said.

“Emily, I’m sorry. I went too fast.”

Never before had he lost his head with a woman. With her, he felt things he thought he never could. It was as if he was compelled by some force to brand her as his. He liked just breathing and sitting beside her.

“Don’t pull away and grow uncomfortable. I promise not to touch you if you don’t want me to.”

She continued to stare out over the water.

He’d messed it up now. “This is out of character for me,” Jack said, rubbing the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger.

“You don’t kiss like a gay man.”

“Why do people keep thinking I’m a homosexual?” He took a breath and turned her face to look into those pretty eyes, not allowing her to respond. “I’m not gay. I like women.”

Her pupils widened, and her stance relaxed, but her hand was still balled between them. “What about Lawson? The Flaming Flamingo?”

“Lawson? We’re coworkers is all. The Flaming Flamingo was recommended to us, so we took a room.”

“Recommended?”

“By your raven-haired friend from the sale on Sunday.”

She chuckled and gave him a toothy smile. “That sounds like my sister-in-law, Kimber. She’d do that, but why would you guys fall for it?”

“Not me. Lawson’s the smitten blind one. Besides, it was in our budget,” he lied, not wanting to admit they’d all fallen for the bait the spirited Kimber had set. He ran his hand through his hair. “Who cares what the other guests do? It’s not in my bedroom, so I don’t mind.”

“So let me get this straight.” She angled her body toward him and tucked one leg beneath her. “You’re not gay, and you followed me from the sale.”

Grinning, he raised his hands next to his head. “Guilty as charged. But you did have a job for me.”

True enough, he didn’t need to elaborate just yet. Reading her expression, Jack guessed her resistance and the no employee dating rule was quickly fading. He ached to kiss her again but would wait for her to decide it was okay.

“So much has happened in the past few days. I never expected to be in this sort of situation, needing to explain myself over and over, and having very little control of the circumstances.” He ran his thumb over her palm. “In the most inopportune moment of my life, I find you.”

“Oh my God. Are you sick? Are you dying?” Her voice cracked and her face paled as she vocalized the thoughts.

“No.” Jack laughed and closed his hands over her warm ones now clenched in her lap. “At least I don’t think so. But thanks for caring.”

“Then why were you all serious and pensive? Are you into something illegal?”

“No, nothing like that either. I actually work for the government,” he said reassuringly and shook his head.

For some peculiar reason, he was struggling with the desire to tell her what had happened, but he knew, no matter how accepting she was, she wouldn’t want to hear that he’d been ricocheted seventy years through time. He didn’t see any evidence of time travel in that paper he’d read from beginning to end in the hot sun this morning.

“Are you an escaped convict?” she asked.

“No.”

“Are you wanted by the law?”

He considered the previous day’s events and wondered if borrowing the MB qualified. “Not that I know of.”

“Are you, or have you ever been, under psychiatric care?”

This question was harder. If he answered truthfully, she would wrongly suspect he had mental issues.

She spared him the dilemma. “Jack, have you ever been diagnosed as mentally unstable?”

“No! My God, Emily. What are you thinking?”

A small smile curved on her lips as she asked the next question. “Do you have any contagious diseases I should know about?”

“No.”

She lifted her arm and splayed her fingers into his hair. “Then stop talking and kiss me.”

Her soft lips met his, and he needed no further invitation. He claimed her tempting mouth and kissed her deep.

Entwining his fingers in her hair, he pulled her head back and exposed her neck. He nipped on the tasty treat as he breathed in her intoxicating scent. “Does that cute little house of yours have one of those big beds?”

She laughed and stood, taking his hand into hers. “Come see for yourself.”

* * * *

Emily snuggled closer and placed a kiss beneath his jaw. He liked the feel of her long, beautiful leg interwoven with his and smiled as she ran her palm over his chest. Jack groaned and stretched his legs to make room for her over him.

“You shouldn’t stir the embers if you want to sleep, sweetheart.”

“Why?” She played with the hair on his chest and scattered small tender kisses over it. “It’s the first time I’ve have a man in my bed since Jen was born. And she’s at her grandpa’s, I think I’d like to take advantage of you. Unless, of course, you’re too tired. Are you tired?”

She fit herself atop his body and rose up on her hands, pressing her heat against his erection and rubbing her moist center from the base to the tip of his cock.

His fingers gripped the rounded flesh beneath her waist, and he adjusted her hips so he nudged her opening. He entered her in one smooth move.

“Mmm, you’re a talented man.” She licked her lips and lowered her mouth to his. “A girl could get used to three times in a row.”

“I’m counting on it.” His hands splayed over her curves, and he set a tempo that would have them riding to ecstasy with the intensity of the first time.

She sat, took in his full length to the base, and rounded against his thrusts.

“Touch yourself,” Jack said, giving her room to play with the tight collection of nerves at the top of her sex while his palms cupped her soft breasts. He reached up to suckle her, wanting to hear her luscious moan fill his ears.

She didn’t disappoint him. The melodic sound escaped her perfect mouth.

“Emily, I can’t get enough of you. Every time I have you, I want you again.”

She laughed, a sensual and erotic laugh, and rolled her head to the same rhythm her hips moved and her finger circled her clit. “You’re so beautiful, so very beautiful,” he said, replacing her hand and caressing her hard nub.

Her long flaming hair brushed over her pert nipples, and he gathered the silk into his other hand.

A quake rumbled deep within him as she fell over his body and offered each breast to him in turn. He devoured them like a starved man, and fanned his fingers over her rounded bottom as she rode him.

He felt like a twenty-year-old, able to bury himself inside her warmth repeatedly and want more. Everything he’d been through was worth the look of erotic bliss on her face.

A neat line of teeth bit the soft pink lips he’d drank from for hours. Her gaze melted like chocolate, inviting him to sink in.

Her breath was short and rapid as Jack thrust upward. Her body tensed and she trembled in his arms as she came undone and her pleasure squeezed him like a glove.

Rising to bury himself deeper, he needed more. He held her as the first tremor passed, then tenderly flipped her onto the mattress.

Thrusting deep, he lost himself in her. She clamped around him, the spasm of pleasure ensuing again. As she moaned her delight, he gathered her in his arms and spilled his release within her.

* * * *

Emily placed the mugs on the counter and dropped a sugar cube in each. Stirring the coffee, she added milk and picked them up to carry the coffee into the bedroom.

A sleepy and tousled Jack grinned his appreciation. “Good morning, gorgeous.”

She handed him one of the cups. “I’m not sure how you like it.”

“I like it anyway you chose to serve it, as long as you give it to me with that sexy look on your face.” Taking the mugs, he leaned across the bed and placed their coffee on the nightstand. “Now come and give me a proper morning greeting.”

His strong, sculpted arms were the most welcoming sight she’d seen in years. She fell into them and crushed her lips to his. Her hands snaked under his shoulders and her mouth trailed down his neck and over his chest. Tasting his potent male flavor and the soap from their midnight shower had her senses singing with hope of more. When her tongue swirled over his tight abdomen, his fingers tangled in her hair.

“Don’t we need to open the restaurant?” he asked, a guttural sigh escaping his throat.

She continued her oral exploration of the body she’d become intimately acquainted with the night before.

“It’s Monday,” she said, raising her eyes to meet his dark gaze. “Ricky and Betty open.”