Closer to My Heart (6 page)

She was watching his mouth as he spoke. His red lips were full and rounded, and wet from where he’d swiped his tongue a moment ago. She could smell his cinnamon toothpaste. Her pulse hammered against her throat in a quick staccato rhythm.

“My what, Jane? What did I cover?” His voice was an octave lower than usual, deep and sensuous. Seductive. She stood so close she could feel it rumble against the diamond-point tips of her breasts.

She made a choked sound and swayed toward him, grabbing onto the rounded, succulent muscles of his shoulders. She squeezed lightly and hummed in excitement. The buzz of her sexual haze was drowning out all of her common sense, yet when she shifted her gaze to the cocky grin on his mouth, she shook her head, trying to clear it.

“Oh, just stop it,” she snapped. “You made me nervous and self-conscious, and—and then I couldn’t get out of my stutter.” She blew a frustrated breath. He was still making her nervous.

Lucas just shook his head and continued smiling at her. He shifted his hands down to her hips and squeezed gently. His palms were so large, and her hips so beautifully dainty and sculpted with just the right balance of muscle tone and curvy girliness that he moved his long fingers around to settle at the crease of her buttocks. Sweat gathered at the small of his back as he wrestled with his conscience. If he shifted his hands down an inch lower, his fingertips could curl down between her thighs and trace the seam of her shorts.

He could really kick things into high gear if he ran his finger along the crease of her buttocks, right over her perineum—one of his personal favorite spots on a woman’s body. Would she have a natural bush, as her active earthy outdoor lifestyle might suggest, or would she be cosmopolitan and bare? The wondering was driving him wild. She was nearly at a full pant now, and she practically vibrated in his arms. Slowly, slowly he pulled her in closer against his body, giving her time to pull away if she wanted.

“Answer me, Jane.” He shifted his head and gently licked the hollow of her throat. She moaned when he opened his mouth and ran it along her collarbone. “Now.”

His mouth was scorching hot. Her body shuddered and he tightened his hold on her, moving his hands up to her back and pressing her tightly against his torso. His erection, long and thick, pressed against her body, stretching from the vee of her thighs up along her belly, knocking at her gates for entry. He’d been seducing her for weeks, but in all the time they’d spent together, he never crossed the line of propriety. Today, he was forging ahead full steam and it took her a second to adjust to this new restless pace.

He nipped her chin and she yelped. “Lucas!” She moaned and pressed her hips closer, squirming around so she could climb into his lap. He went still for a moment and then exploded into action. Lord, it had been so long since he’d felt desire for a beautiful woman; in truth, he was worried that he’d either botch the whole event with Jane or he’d screw her so hard that he’d plow right through her. Neither was a promising scenario, but he couldn’t avoid it any longer.

When he grabbed her by the backs of her thighs and pulled her tighter onto his lap, sealing her against his cock, he growled. Lucas dropped his head back and his eyes closed in sheer bliss. His heart was beating so fast he thought he might pass out.

She leaned forward and sucked on his throat, in that sensitive junction where his shoulder curved upward. He jumped, and she leaned in and did it again. “Lucas,” she whispered against his ear. He pulled her hips tighter against him and moved her slowly, sensuously, against the ridge of his erection.

“Hmm?” His was lost in sensation, and his ears were buzzing.

“I was really only looking at your legs until your hand brought my attention to your impressive. . .” Lucas sucked in his breath and waited for her answer, feeling like he was teetering on the edge of a yawning fissure.

“Cock,” she said and closed her mouth over the bulging tendon in Luke’s neck. She bit him hard, and the tight pain of it drove him out of his reclined position against the bookcase, standing straight up. Jane licked the spot she’d just bitten and tightened her legs so she wouldn’t slip. A second later, he turned and slammed her against the heavy, ornately carved Oak front door and pinned her with his body.

“Goddamn! I can’t believe you bit me.” He roared into the air.

He sealed his mouth over hers roughly, plundering her beautiful plump lips and all the sweetness they held inside. His opened his lips wide over hers, running his tongue along the serrations between her teeth, getting his first taste of her. She sucked on his strong tongue when it moved deeper into her mouth, and he began to rock his hips. The vibration of her low moan tickled his lips, urging him on. He pistoned his hips faster against her, hitching her up higher so that their pelvises aligned perfectly. He was so hard and so determined to get inside of her, he pumped like he could drill through two layers of pants and underwear. God, if he didn’t stop she was going to come. Right there, in her foyer.

But the more he pumped, the more control he gained over himself and his emotions. This wasn’t what he wanted—just a quick fuck against the front door. Christ, he wouldn’t even relegate a stranger to that treatment, let alone the woman of his dreams.

Crap! Now that he’d said it, he knew in his mind and, realistically, in his heart that he couldn’t take it back. He was falling hard and she was the woman he had dreamed of sharing his life with…he just never deluded himself that
she
was actually out there. There was definitely something special about Jane, and he intended to find out what it was. He pulled back and drew a deep, shuttering breath into his laboring lungs.

Lucas opened his eyes and saw the tears gathering in her expressive eyes. He slid his hands to her knees and helped her down. He took two giant steps backwards when her feet settled on the ground.

“Oh, God, baby. I’m so sorry.
Shit!
” he swore. Jane jumped and he wiped his hands down his face. They both breathed heavily, drawing in air like they’d run a run a marathon, squared off like gunfighters.

“Sorry? For what?” She looked confused.

His eyebrows drew closely together, processing her question. He reached out and gently wiped a stream of tears from her cheek with his forefinger. “I, uh, didn’t mean to be so intense.” He turned away from her. “Did I hurt you…when I slammed you into the door?”

Jane walked up behind him and slid her small hand into his grasp. She pressed her body against his side and laid her face against his chest. It was a very animalistic gesture of tenderness and trust.

And it was just what they both needed.

“You didn’t scare me Luke,” she said in a small voice. “It’s just—it’s just that it’s been a while since I’ve been with a man, and I’ve never,
ever
—even in my hottest encounters—been kissed like that. It was overwhelming.” He felt her smile against his shoulder. “I hope you’ll kiss me like that again.”

He stretched his arm back and wrapped it around her hip and just held her quietly for a minute. “God, Janie, I almost came right there, fully dressed. I haven’t come in my pants since I was in the eighth grade.” Jane burst into laughter, and he chuckled along with her. It was embarrassing, but it was true.

“Well I’ve never come in my pants and I don’t intend to start today. But I’m starving. I don’t want to stop, but I don’t want to miss our picnic, either.”

“I’m sorry, honey, but my body took over. It’s screaming for release. Wouldn’t you rather just stay here and go to the park tomorrow? We can save our picnic for dinner.” He turned into her body, and moved her hand to cover his erection. He groaned when she cupped her fingers and drew them from his heavy sac up the long, long length to the plump head. One more stroke like that and he’d need to change his pants.

“No, I don’t want to stay here. It’s too pretty outside and I’ve been cooped up inside for the last two weeks finishing up this new
Super Duper
book. I’ll make it up to you. I promise”

Jane looked up into Luke’s eyes and gave him a smoldering grin that made his heart stop beating, then squeezed him again, a little harder this time.

“I’d much rather simmer this afternoon so we can come home tonight and really fuck each other’s brains out. I don’t know about you, but I don’t intend to wait any longer to have you.” He choked.

When he whipped his head down to stare at her, shocked, she was waiting for his eye contact. She moved around him and popped him on the ass, then started laughing again. “I have always wanted to say that.”

“Oh, you mean you were only playing with me?” He feigned a pout, but winked at her with good humor. She’d held out for nearly a month before finally taking the ball into her own court. She’d sensed his need for solitude, but enough was enough.

“No, I’m not playing with you, It might be what we do with each other, but I’m not that crude.”

He grabbed her hand and held it against his chest and smiled gently down at her. “I didn’t think you were. And I agree with you. Let’s simmer for a while. It won’t kill me to wait another couple of hours, and it’ll sure as hell make later more fun.”

“I’m going to run to the bathroom before we go. I’ve got a soccer ball, a Frisbee, the blanket I’m knitting for my sister-in-law, and the new Peter Mayle novel. Oh, I’ve also got a big blanket for us to lay on the ground. What else can I add in for you?”

“Nothing. I’m good with what you’ve got. We gonna drive to the park or ride bikes?”

Jane called through the bathroom door, “If we were going straight to the park we could ride, but I think we should drive since we’re picking up lunch. Will you grab the sunscreen off my dresser and put it in the bag?”

“Yep. I’m going to hit the head before we go, too.”

Jane held the door for Lucas, whose arms were full of picnic goodies, and followed him back to her Atlas gray Audi Allroad Quattro. “Sure you don’t want to drive,” she asked.

“Baby, I’ve got no problem letting you cart me around. Hit the road!” They both laughed.

A few minutes later, they turned onto Anderson Street and parked the car. Lucas took a minute to shift the food around so it would fit into Jane’s oversized LL Bean canvas bag, then he put it on his shoulder and Jane grabbed the blanket. A wedding was being held at the Pergola, which was covered in bright purple wisteria blooms and climbing vines, so they headed over to the goldfish pond. Luckily, the small patch of grass between the cedar trees was open so Jane spread out the blanket. Lucas watched her stooping down to straighten the edges. She settled down on her knees and reached her hand up to him.

His gaze was a little far away, as it often was. He’d been living in hell for nearly two years straight, never having a minute to let his guard down. Watching Jane complete such a simple task for their comfort and enjoyment snapped something inside of him, deep in his heart. It was hard to relax.

He pressed his palm into his chest to make sure it was still beating. This last month with her had him dreaming of a life he’d long given up on. He’d never been in love, even before the Gacha assignment—the one that turned his life to shit—but he knew this was more than a simple physical attraction. Making love with her tonight was sure to shatter the final restraint he had on his heart, which he feared already belonged to Jane.

After a minute, she called his name softly and he blinked. “Jane,” he croaked. He looked so serious and weighed down. She kept her hand up, waiting quietly.

“What’s wrong Lucas? Are you okay?”