Everything You Need: Everything For You Trilogy Book 1 (42 page)

Then I remember nail polish remover. Why didn’t I think of that last night? I recall all the sex initiated trying to remove a single word and know why.

I use Jack’s bathroom to shampoo the tangles out of my hair and shower. Faced with only a comb to work with, I simply towel my hair and leave it hanging in damp disarray. Finding new toothbrushes in the cabinet, I use one with Jack’s Brazilian Lime toothpaste. A quick squirt of Clive Christian No. 1, where the mandarin and bergamot notes dominate on my shower-warmed skin, then I head for Jack’s walk-in wardrobe. Pulling a pale grey t-shirt from a pile of neatly ironed and folded ones, I idly wonder at his perfect laundry. I drop it over my head where it falls to mid-thigh, hiding the remaining two gemmed words and my behind.

Stopping in my tracks, I realise I’m surrounding myself in Jack Keogh again. It’s exactly what I did as a teenager before I got so badly hurt. But this time, I tell myself, it’s only until I can decently get to my own stuff. It doesn’t mean a thing. Everything’s different now. This time round, neither one of us is in love with the other.

The smell of good coffee hits me as soon as I open the door. Closing my eyes, I inhale. Thinking that I really would enjoy some of that, I glance up to catch Jack watching me. He’s sitting at the large dining table, the scene of some of last night’s debauchery, tapping at his laptop. My eyes are drawn to his naked torso first and the pot of coffee second. He’s dressed only in a pair of low-slung black track pants.

He smiles as I stare at him. “Sleep well, kitten?”

“You should have woken me.”

“You looked too sweet, I didn’t want to disturb you.”

He watched me sleeping? Naked? I pull the t-shirt down to my knees as Jack stands and walks across.

“Good morning, Tabby cat.” He pulls me into his arms, kissing me softly. His hands run down the hollow of my back until he cups my behind pressing me into him.

I melt straight away. “Hi.” I feel shy again remembering what we did together last night. So many times. So many places.

“Great, you’ve brought me a t-shirt.” Jack grasps the hem and whips it over my head before I can react. He turns it right side out, sticks his arms through the sleeves, dragging it over his head. “Thank you for warming and scenting it,” he purrs.

I stand there stark naked in front of him, in total disbelief. “I can’t believe you just did that.”

“Evidence speaks for itself.” He laughs, tweaking at the garment, unrepentant as his eyes travel up and down my naked body. My blush blossoms.

Mustering all my dignity, I spin about to walk back to my bedroom and get my own clothes.

“Stop right there.”

I do.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

I don’t turn, aware enough that I’m presenting him my naked backside and the last two times he saw that he had me squirming. My breath hitches.

“It seems you have sharing issues.” I’ve no intention of mentioning the Clive Christian and the Brazilian Lime.

“Look at me when you speak to me.” The
Boss
reminds me of the real relationship between us. In case I forgot. I’d better not kid myself.

I turn slowly and stand stock still but I arch my eyebrow challengingly in a pathetic attempt at self-defence.

“Wipe that off your face, Tabitha.”

My eyebrow descends along with my carefree mood. He wants me to remember why I’m here. The only reason I’m here. To get a shot at his stupid contract. Last night meant nothing to him. He probably has hot sex with women all the time.

“Sit and have coffee first,” he says sounding perfectly reasonable.

“I have no clothes on,” I remind him.

“I’m hardly blind to that fact. I like naked breakfast.”

“You’re not naked,” I squeak defiantly.

When I get the
Look
. I sit.

“I like breakfast with
you
naked. It’s a true pleasure in my life.” Jack returns to his seat, snaps the lid shut on his laptop shoving it to one side and gives me his undivided and now unwelcome attention.

He pours coffee. “Milk, no sugar?” he asks.

He remembers the way I used to drink it at CaidCo when Harry was alive. The way I still drink it. “Please.”

He fixes my cup and slides it across. My hand shakes a little as I lift it.

“Careful,” he warns on a smirk. “It’s hot.”

I glare venomously at my coffee for want of glaring at him.

As I sip, I’m conscious his eyes are all over me.

“So you haven’t removed the rest of my gems.”

His gems? “Not yet. Nail polish remover might do a better job.” I try not to think about Jack’s provocative efforts last night which is hard the way he’s staring at me. He only managed to rid me of one three letter word while I squealed but he made me come three times doing it.

“Leave them.”

My eyes fly to his. I’m aware both my eyebrows arch this time. I lower them slowly hoping he hasn’t noticed.

He does. “You really need to learn to hide that little reveal,” he says. “It’s a complete giveaway. You don’t always want to let people know what you’re thinking.”

“Good point.” I refuse to be fazed but I feel abjectly stupid for believing last night changed anything between us.

“You’ve granted me four weekends, Tabitha, to improve your chances. So to simplify things, there’s only one rule.”

I look across making damn sure I don’t arch my eyebrows. I won’t give him the satisfaction.

“One?” I query.

“One rule,” he informs me. “I decide how we proceed. You comply and learn from it. Unless you choose to give up.”

My eyebrows are so beyond wanting to arch at the notion I give up on the idea of using them. Now is all about keeping a poker face. But it deserves challenging. “Exactly what am I meant to be learning here?”

“Anything I decide you need to know.”

“To get the Zee-Com contract?”

“To bid for it.” He puts me straight immediately. I nearly forgot. He doesn’t do mixed messages. Right.

Yet I might do all the things he demands and find nothing changes anyway. He may still award the contract to Advance. Which reminds me of Amanda. I take a gulp of scalding hot coffee but I don’t even wince. I’m hurt enough by all this.

“What was last night meant to teach me about running a business?” I keep my game face on. We both know he was marking his territory after catching his little protégée with Benn Gunn.

He doesn’t expect that question, yet recovers in a split second. He’s a player of world-class status. “Sex was something you needed to get out of the way before you could begin to focus properly.”

Me? God almighty. Is he implying I was so horny he’d never be able to teach me a thing? That I’d never be able to resist any man who happens along? No wonder he blames me for Ben Gunn.

“You’re just too used to women throwing themselves at you.” Like those at last night’s ball. Like Amanda. He kissed her. But he fucked me. It meant nothing, just like Amanda informed me in the bathroom. I’d be an idiot to think otherwise.

He watches me intently like he wants something from me but I’ve played to his ego long enough.

“Can I get dressed now?” I need to be away from this before the tears start.

He stares, probably trying to decide if I’m likely to challenge him on anything else so he can shoot me down in flames. As I’ve no intention of doing anything he expects from now on, I keep quiet; keep him guessing.

He sighs. “Go and put on a pretty dress. I’m taking you out for brunch.”

“Yes, sir,” I say sweetly. Far too sweetly. I offer a completely false smile.

“Come here.”

He swivels his chair round, moving it back from the table. I stand and cross reluctantly, stopping in front of him.

I feel small, feminine and vulnerable, standing naked before this clothed, muscular male. He pulls me between his open thighs and stretches up to place a kiss on my lips. “I find I want you again. Are you too sore?”

I shake my head and swallow hard. No matter what I told myself a moment ago, I want him too. He takes my hand and leads me willingly to the white sofa where he positions me kneeling on the seat, facing the back.

“Lean over,” he instructs. “Stretch your arms out along the sides and part your knees.” He runs his hands over my shoulders, along the indented curve of my waist and over my haunches. He strokes me over and over, sensitising my skin to his touch.

Is this one of the thousands of ways he wants to enjoy me? “Don’t you ever have sex in bed?”

“You want to try that next time?” He pauses, pleased.

In my peripheral vision I catch the grey t-shirt he flings along the sofa as my pulse races.

He kneels behind me, caressing my breasts, tweaking my nipples to stiff sensitivity. I gasp as his hand dips suddenly between my legs and his fingers shimmer over my sex. I release a low moan of arousal.

“You’re ready so quickly,” he observes.

“Maybe I haven’t got all that distracting lust out of my system yet,” I reply, reminding him of his accusation about being diverted by my horniness.

“Maybe that’s it.” He laughs tightly.

Jack rubs his naked body against mine. Divested of clothing, his hard length settles against my lower spine, his naked chest covering my back, skin on skin. He’s going to take me again.

Jack nuzzles along my neck up to beneath my ear as I shiver beneath him. “Do you want me, Tabby?” Does he seek reassurance too? That idea seems ridiculous.

“Always.” I tremble beneath his caress.

He cups my breasts and squeezes them firmly, his thumbs teasing my nipples until I’m panting, needy for more.

“Lean further forward.”

He sheathes himself in a condom as I comply, stretching over the soft leather back, holding my arms wide. He rolls himself against my buttocks growling instinctively.

“How slow do you want this?” he teases.

As I shake my head he penetrates with sudden unbridled fury until I’m shoved halfway over the back of the sofa, moaning. He almost totally withdraws then beds his solid length home again forcing me up and over with each delicious assail.

His fingers explore the gem letters like a blind man reading Braille. “You knew I’d find this hot, didn’t you? I can’t stop thinking about it. You’re a distraction beyond all reckoning.” He tauntingly sweeps lower, encouraging me to whimper. “Allow me to distract you, a little, instead. Do you like this?”

“It’s okay,” I joke. I move my head aside so he can continue to nuzzle my neck as my blood thickens sluggishly in my veins. My hips thrust against his hand.

“Are you coming for me, already, Tabby?” He knows it. He can feel my internal muscles clenching and my high-pitched murmurs betray me.

“Yes.”

“So untutored. I want you to learn to hold back.”

I can’t play that game right now. I’m sprung into a tight coil readying for that divine moment of release.

“I can’t,” I cry.

“You will,” he orders.

I plunge one hand between my thighs to halt Jack’s tormenting fingers. He swiftly swaps places, forcing my fingers below his, making me tease and slide over my own wet silk. My mewling persists, elevates.

“Draw out the tension. Make it last.”

He withdraws and flips me onto my back along the sofa. Pressing my knees wide apart, he settles between them, using one hand to tease the length of his erection. I look down, reckoning he’s pretty close to orgasm too as his eyes roam my body.

“Do you want to come with me inside you?” he asks.

I nod and grind my teeth together.

“What if I deny you?” His fingers sweep my parted flesh to force me to that terrible edge.

“Why are you being so cruel?” I know what he wants me to say but I don’t want to give him that power over me.

“Say it.” He’s close. So close. I’m holding everything inside, even the power of speech. He keeps the awful potential, to deny me, alive with each teasing stroke of his fist up and down the length of his erection. “Tabitha?” His jaw locks as he holds himself in check.

“One rule,” I cry. “You decide.” Decide right, Jack.

The wait is an eternal heartbeat before he lowers himself, compelling his length inside my body as I tighten up and grip.

“What are you waiting for?”

I climax. Scream. Two strokes later with a look of almost painful concentration on his features, he erupts as my tight muscles spasm repeatedly, thrilling him to utter completion.

It’s as if being apart for four years, never knowing each other’s bodies, has made us insatiable. He rests against me while we carefully descend our personal Everest.

The kiss he gives me is grateful and reveals the other half of this complicated man. As his heart recuperates from its frantic moment of seizure I relish every moment of his recovery, hugging him deep within me. Whatever I pretend, I want Jack like I’ve never wanted anyone before and every time we do this together, my need for him increases.