First Taste of Darkness (9 page)

Jess nodded.

“They’re bright. Free. Happy.”  But his tone was stilted and hard. “Just like you, right?”

She wanted to be in his arms, but something held her back. “Blake, is everything all right?”

His head cocked as his gaze came back to her once more. He studied her with a critical stare. “That depends…”

“Y-you’re making me nervous.” Because something was definitely
off
about him.

He stalked toward her. “You know all about my past, Jess. Maybe you should be nervous.”

No.  Her chin lifted. “I trust you.”

His eyelids flickered. “Do you?”

“Yes.” It was an instinctive response. The way she felt about him went past any surface pretenses. It went straight to her soul.

Too fast? Too hard? Yes, that was the way she’d fallen for him.

Another step and Blake was in front of her. “Why were you in the hotel bar that first night? Were you just looking for any man or were you looking for me?”

Her hand rose and traced over his jaw. The sexy stubble was still there. He’d rushed right after her.  “I didn’t know what I was looking for that night, not until I found you.”

His hand caught hers, the grip strong.  “Why did you let me fuck you?”

“Because I wanted you more than I wanted my next breath.” There weren’t going to be secrets between them. They’d already made that vow. “Why did you fuck me?”  Jess asked him, holding his gaze, all too aware of the tenseness of her body.

“Because I wanted you more than I’ve ever wanted any damn thing in my whole life.”  His head lowered toward hers. “I still want you that way, and I think I always will.”

The nervousness fled.  The joy came back.

She rose onto her toes, and she kissed him.

His kiss was rough and wild and she loved it.
Loved.

He stripped away her skirt. Ripped her panties.  She laughed at that because she’d never been so out of control. Only with Blake. Just him.

His fingers slid between her legs. Parted her folds and she gasped.

“I want you wet for me,” he said, the words hard and sexy.

She was already getting that way. 

“Yes, Jess, yes…let me know it’s not a lie…”

His words pushed through the growing desire she felt. Jess blinked and gazed up at him. “It’s no lie.”  Then she realized…he’d been the one always giving her pleasure.

It was her turn.

She pulled from his arms.

“
Jess…”
A demand.

She dropped to her knees before him. Then she reached for the button on his pants. Eased down the zipper.

Blake didn’t wear underwear. She’d already learned that about him. His fully erect length sprang toward her.  Moisture beaded on the thick, broad head of his cock.

She leaned toward him.  

But Blake stopped her. His hand curled under her jaw. “You don’t have to—”

“I want you,” she told him.  She wanted all of him.  She pushed forward. Her mouth closed around his aroused flesh. Jess tasted him, licking and kissing, and his hands sank into her hair.

She’d never enjoyed this before. But with Blake…she found that she craved his taste. Loved it. Loved—

He lifted her into his arms.

“But I wasn’t done!” Her breath heaved out.

He had her pinned against the wall. “No,” he agreed, eyes narrowed, voice clipped, “we aren’t.”

Then he drove into her.

She gasped because he was in so deep. He filled her and it was—
amazing.

“I want to see your pleasure. I want to know…” He withdrew. Thrust again. Again. “I need to know it’s real.”

Her climax was already coming. Building. Growing closer and closer as he thrust into her, again and again.

Her nails bit into his flesh. She kissed him—and she came.

“Yes.
Yes.”
He was with her. She could feel the hot burst of his release inside of her.

She could feel…

Her eyes flew open. She found Blake staring at her, the same stunned recognition in his eyes.  “Jess…” Her name was a growl. “I-I’m sorry…”

She tried to smile at him even as her heart raced. “I told you before—”

“I’m clean, too, but I still should have protected you.” He withdrew from her body. “But I could have just made you pregnant!”

Her legs slid down his hips. Her knees shook as she tried to stand firm on her own. “You didn’t.”

His head jerked toward her.

“I’m on the pill, Blake. I was getting married, remember? I took precautions.”

His breath rushed out. “You did. I didn’t. I didn’t care, I—” He shook his head. Yanked up his pants. “No, I did care. You want to know the truth? No secrets, right?”

That wild, dangerous look was back in his eyes.

She stood there, wearing only her shirt and bra, her legs trembling, and waited.

“I wanted to mark you. To prove that you’re mine. A kid—hell, part of me wanted that, too.”

The heart that had just slowed began to race again in her chest.

“I want everything I can get from you…even knowing what happened—fuck, it
doesn’t matter.
” He backed away from her and yanked a shaking hand through his hair.

She should move. Jess knew that. But she was frozen. “I don’t understand…”

“But it’s good to know there isn’t the risk of pregnancy.” He kept talking as if he hadn’t heard her. Maybe he hadn’t. “Especially since I can’t seem to keep my damn control around you.”

She rushed toward him and caught Blake’s arm. She’d
make
him hear her. “Why are you so different tonight? What’s happened?”

His smile was bitter. Cruel once more. “I still look into your eyes, and you know what I see?”

Jess shook her head.

“Hope. Innocence. Why can’t I see the lies?”

Her skin iced. “Because I’m not telling you any. Because I’ve never told you any lies. No secrets, no lies.”

His smile faded. His gaze seemed to see
through
her.

“Ready for some more truth?” Jess demanded. He probably wasn’t, but screw that. Whatever was happening right then, between them, she was saying how she felt. “The idea of having a baby with you doesn’t terrify me. I know, I know—we need to do the whole song and dance of a courtship and getting to know each other better…”
Blah, blah.
She
knew
him. “But when I look at you, Blake, you’re the only man that I could imagine having kids with.  I look at you, and I see a future.”

He bent his head and put his forehead against hers. “You’re not supposed to be like this.”

“I don’t know how I’m supposed to be. I only know how I am.”  She wanted to wrap her arms around him. Wanted to hold him close, so she did.  As she held him, Jess felt some of the tension drain from his powerful form.

“I need you,” he rasped the words.

“I need you, too.”

One truth for another.

His arms came around her. He was so warm and strong, and the rest of the world seemed to fade away as they held each other.

She’d gone to Vegas in order to escape, but now, now it actually felt like she’d been going to Vegas just so that she could run to him.

Slowly, very slowly, he eased away from her.  The fire was banked in his eyes now, and Blake looked tired.

Still sexy, but weary.

“I think we both need to crash,” she said, swallowing a bit to ease the tightness in her throat. “I’ll just…I’ll go in the bedroom and get things ready for us. Give me a second, okay?”

He nodded.

She backed away, trying to remember if her bedroom was truly the disaster zone that she recalled. Oh, yes, it was. She stepped inside and saw the discarded clothing—including her wedding dress—littering the floor.

As quickly as she could, she grabbed everything and shoved the items into her closet.

Then Jess hurried back into the den. “It’s all ready—”

Blake was bent over her bags. His hands were
in
one of those bags.

“What are you doing?”  Jess demanded. But the answer was right there. The guy was searching through her stuff. 
Why?

Blake’s hand rose from the bag. She saw that he had one of her t-shirts in his grip.  He dropped the t-shirt and revealed a black, draw-string bag. One that was thick, bulky.  

In silence, he opened the bag.  When his fingers lifted, he had something dark in his hands. Something big and dark and—

“Th-that’s a diamond,” she heard herself say.

His head inclined toward her. “A black diamond. Very rare. The only one of its size in the whole world.” No emotion entered his voice.

“It’s the Night’s Heart.” Now the name made sense to her. Black, like the night.  And so big—it did look like a heart.  The cold, hard heart of the night.

His gaze held hers.

“Why was that in my bag?” Jess demanded as she finally managed to make her legs unfreeze and she headed toward him.

His fingers curled around the diamond. Jeez, the thing was as big as his hand.

No wonder the kidnapper had been willing to kill for it. The rock had to be worth a fortune. Several fortunes.

“That’s a good question…” Blake murmured. “But how about you tell me the answer. Tell me…
why the fuck the diamond was in your bag
?”

Her mouth dropped open. “Wait, you think
I
took it?”

“It was in your bag.  I don’t see anyone else here.”

Rage built, twisting her guts. “That’s why you came after me.”

He shoved the diamond back into the drawstring bag and tossed the bag onto her couch. “You mean because you stole a priceless diamond from me?”

“I didn’t steal it!”  She’d nearly died for that rock. She sure hadn’t played some kind of light-handed thief game. “You’re the jewel thief, not me.”

Blake was right in front of her now.  It wasn’t just rage twisting inside of her. The pain was there, too, cutting like a knife. So much for him rushing after her because he needed her. He’d just wanted his diamond.

How did it get in my bag? How? 

“Is your lover coming over?” Blake asked her, the faint lines near his eyes deepening.

“My lover is right here! Being an asshole, and standing in front of me!”

“Joe Burns,” he snarled.

“What?” Her head was spinning. She jabbed her finger into his chest. “Listen up, hotshot.
You
are my lover. Joe is history, and if I ever see his cheating butt around my place, that would be the last mistake the guy made.”

He glanced down at her finger.  Then back up at her.  “Joe is Hayden Finn’s cousin.”

She shook her head.  “Joe doesn’t have any cousins. I know his mom and dad—they run the local diner. Neither of them have brothers or sisters.”

His hand lifted and curled around hers. He pulled her jabbing finger away from his chest. “Why did you take the diamond?”

Actually hearing him say those words
hurt
so much.  “I didn’t take your diamond. I don’t know how it got into my bag!”

His hold tightened. “You were in my suite. You were the only person to have access to the diamond.  You found me in that bar so that—”

Laughter broke from her. Wild, disbelieving laughter. “You think I seduced you?  No way. I was out of my league with you from the moment you said hello.  And the first time you kissed me…” The first time she’d tasted him… “I was lost.”

His eyes snapped closed. “Why can’t you ever look as if you’re lying?”

“Because I’m not!” Her words were a yell. No, a scream. She felt broken inside right then.
The diamond. The diamond.
It was there. And Blake—he’d come after her because he thought she was a thief.

Just like him?

“I’m supposed to believe you’re what you say?” His eyes flew open, and, yep, the green was blazing again. “A woman who gave me everything I wanted, everything I needed, with no questions? A woman who was willing to risk her life for a man she’d just met? A woman who damn well burned in my arms as if I were the sun?”

She swallowed, trying to choke back her pain.  “Maybe you should try trusting me, the way I trust you. Wh-when you said that you were different, that you were trying to be a better person, I believed you.”

“The diamond was in your bag. You were the only one in the room.”

Translation—
he didn’t believe her.
 

“Call the cops then,” Jess forced herself to say. “Get them over here.”

But he shook his head. “You know that’s not how it works. I don’t get to call them on a diamond I already stole.” He exhaled. “The fucking thing that gets me…
I was falling for you. 
I let you get closer than I’d ever let anyone else get.”

“Blake, I didn’t—”

He stepped away from her. Grabbed the drawstring bag.  Shoved the diamond into his pocket. “No cops, and, for your sake, I’d better not see you again, Jess.
Never. Again.”

Oh, the hell no, he didn’t get to say that to her.

Blake wheeled toward the door.

“Hey, asshole!”
Jess yelled.

Blake whirled back toward her, his expression shocked. Good. He deserved to feel a little shocked. He thought they were done? 

Think again.

Jess lifted her chin. Glared at him. “I don’t care about your diamond.” A diamond as dark as his heart. “I care about
you.
I didn’t take it. Someone set me up, and if you’re too blind to see that, well, it’s your own fault.”  She put her hands on her hips. “What you should’ve seen—hell, you should have seen
me.
Because I was right in front of you the whole time. I was offering you everything that I had, but you were the one too blind to take it.”

Her breath heaved out, and, dammit, she still didn’t have on her skirt—or her panties. But since he’d ripped her underwear apart, the panties wouldn’t do her much good now, anyway.

“Why couldn’t you see me?” The rage slowly drained from her, turning her voice into a hoarse whisper. “I always saw you.”  Her shoulders sagged.

Let him leave. Let him just take that diamond and go.

She’d thought Joe’s betrayal had hurt. That pain was nothing compared to the way that Jess felt right then.  “Go,” she ordered him as she turned away.  “And believe me, I never plan to see you again.”

Jess headed into her bedroom.
Put one foot in front of the other. Keep going. Don’t look back.