Give it to me Spicy (2 page)

In the end, she’d succumbed and masturbated in bed by way of a Jay-themed fantasy. A temporary assuagement—her womb clenched around the hollow ache every morning.

Once she’d settled herself into her office with a large cup of coffee, she went through the usual routine of checking her mailbox and updating her agenda. Then she finished the leftover work from last Friday.

There was a knock on her door and she looked up to see Beverley, one of the graphic artists assigned to create a package design for Sauber. “Morning, Tara.”

“Hey, Beverley. How are things going?”

“Pretty good.” The young woman came in and handed her a proof. “I’m pleased with this one, and Penny proofread it this morning.”

After a moment, Tara nodded. “I like it, too. Good job.”

Beverley smiled. “Thanks. I hope Jay likes it.”

“I’ll show it to him. Thanks.”

When Tara was alone she dialled Jay’s extension.

“Hi, Tara,” he answered. The deep timbre of his voice melted over her like butter. She wasn’t even immune to that.

She cleared her throat. “Hi, Jay. I’ve got a revised proof here for Sauber. Do you have time to see it now?”

“Yes. Bring it over.”

She grabbed a pen and headed up the short flight of stairs to Jay’s office. His door was open and her pulse quickened with a mixture of anticipation and trepidation as she stepped inside the room, which was a lot bigger than hers and furnished with a small table for meetings.

She’d been working here for six months, but every time she saw him a fresh rush of desire slammed into her. She steeled herself as he looked up from the document he was reading and met her gaze with a warm smile that she felt all the way down to her toes.

“Come in, Tara. Oh, close the door, will you?”

Tara hesitated, not wanting to be ‘trapped’ in here with him. But staff often had private meetings, so she couldn’t object. She turned back to close the door and when she looked at him again he was already walking towards her with a raw, manly confidence that threatened to scatter her logic.

God, how was she going to get through the week?

She took a few steps forwards. “Um, here’s the proo—” She let out a tiny cry as her heel caught on a snag in the carpet, catapulting her directly against him. Paper and pen went flying as she grasped his arms for support. The shock of hard muscles crushed against her squeezed a gasp from her throat. His arms came around her as she tilted her head back to look at him.

Naked desire flickered in his eyes, sending a charged frisson through her.
Oh, God
.
Don’t do this to me.
When her gaze fell to the seductive curve of his mouth, the current of sexual tension coiled around them, locking them into a remote place.

Her initial stab of surprise lasted only seconds, then her insides went limp. He seemed to sense this, too, and pulled her closer with a low moan. Her body melted against his while her fingers curled into the taut flesh of his upper arms. Her nipples tightened, poking into his hard chest. His head dipped, bringing his mouth close enough that she could almost taste him—those fresh, aqua notes of his cologne mixed with his personal, earthy maleness. He was going to kiss her, the knowledge sending an excited flutter through her. Next came the tremble that signalled the need to succumb.

His gaze fixed on her mouth. “Tara.” Her name came out in a rough whisper. “Now, this is more like it,” he growled softly as he tugged her hips against him, bringing his hard groin flush against the swell of her belly.

His mouth crushed her weak protest, claiming hers with skilled pressure before coaxing her lips apart to stab inside with his tongue. They shared a deep moan as sensations went off like firecrackers in her body. She’d known all along that one touch would be her undoing, leaving her helpless against the demands of her flesh, against this mindless desire that had her in its clutches.

Not breaking the kiss, Jay walked her backwards until she felt the round edge of the table press against her backside. With his mouth locked on hers, he slid his hands over her thighs to the hem of her skirt. Then, in one swift motion, he yanked the skirt up to her hips.

A shocked gasp escaped her and she leaned away from him while trying to push her skirt back down. “Jay, no. Someone might walk in,” she said breathlessly.

“Not when my door’s closed.” He drew in a raspy breath. “God, you drive me crazy, Tara.”

Before she could respond, his mouth dipped to her throat, where it teased her sensitive skin, alternating between flicks of his tongue and nips of his teeth. Warm shivers darted across her flesh as her neck arched. Unconsciously, her fingers slid up and curled into his thick hair, pressing him closer. Arousal pooled in her sex.

“You smell so sweet,” he murmured against her throat.

A ragged breath pushed through her lips. Her arousal was escalating to a dangerous level.

He caught her earlobe between his teeth for a little bite. “Tell me how wet you are.”

“Please…”

Please stop? Please continue?

A groan rumbled in his throat as he pulled away. Their eyes locked while he reached down and cupped the back of her knee, lifting her leg up and over the armrest of a chair that was tucked next to the table.

Alarm pierced the haze of her mind and she pressed her hands against his chest. “We can’t do this.”

Arousal burnt in the smoky depths of his eyes. “I won’t take you…not now. But I’ll make you come.”

She frowned. “What? How…?”

“Trust me, baby.” One hand slid to the small of her back while the other moved between her parted legs and cupped her sex through the satiny material of her panties.

She drew in a shaky breath as her flesh pulsed. Tara knew her wetness had seeped through her panties. “I…don’t think I’ll come like that.”

“Shh…relax and let go.”

He caressed her in long, soft strokes, gradually increasing the pressure and focussing on her aching clit. Her teeth sank into her lip as her hips jerked forwards. She pressed her palms against the table top for balance and stifled a deep moan as her pussy slickened, heightening the sensation of his touch.

“That’s it, baby…” Jay rasped. He slanted the angle of his fingers and rotated with perfect pressure, coaxing her clit from its folds. A bolt of pleasure shot through her flesh and this time the moan escaped her.

His warm breath fanned her ear. “I fantasise about you every day. Pleasing you like this…”

She shut her eyes against the onslaught of tremors that began rocking her body, surprised by the
speed of her climax.

“Bending you over this table and sliding my cock into you…”

“Jay…ohh…”

“Listening to the wet sounds of your pussy as I fuck you hard…”

She peaked seconds later, sensation rippling from the bud beneath his fingers, bowing her off the table, while his mouth smothered her cries of pleasure. She clung to him, panting, as the final tremors subsided. The stroke of his hand on her back stirred her out of her erotic state. Blinking, she pulled back and stared up at him, the reality of the situation pelting her conscience like little bullets.

Angry colour flooded her face as she tore her gaze from his and brought her foot back to the floor. His hand came up to her face but she turned away. “Damn you,” she muttered. He’d used her weakness and turned her body against her.

He caught her chin and forced her to meet his gaze. A challenging flame danced in his eyes. “Why, Tara? Because it felt so good?”

The muscles in her jaw tightened. “Yes. No.” She edged around him but he caught her hand.

“I suspect you’re afraid to acknowledge what’s happening between us, but it
is
happening, Tara.”

She dislodged her hand and walked over to the pen she’d dropped on the floor, to buy some space and time to think. Yet her weakness towards him, along with his audacity, stoked her anger. She turned to him. “I acknowledge it, Jay. But I’m not going to be another one of your trophies…like Rebecca.”

His brows knotted above his nose. “What are you talking about?”

She averted her gaze to hide the swell of unwanted feelings. “I saw her coming out of your office last week, buttoning her shirt.”

Surprise flitted across his handsome face before he frowned. “You actually think I was screwing her?”

Tara turned towards the door, wanting to end the conversation. “Email me your feedback for Sauber.”

“Tara, you’ve got it wrong, damn it.”

His repressed anger bounced off the walls as she slipped through the door.

Chapter Three

Morning, Tara

We revised two of the Sauber designs yesterday evening and I’d like your opinion. Let’s meet in the small boardroom around 11:30.

Jay

Tara read the email a couple of times and exhaled hard. This was something he’d normally discuss with Evelyn, the art director. He was playing a subtle predator’s game with her. She realised with a stab of anxiety that for every side-step she’d take, he’d chase her with two. No man had ever pursued her like Jay. No man had ever revved her hormones like Jay. Her desire for him was so intense it unsettled her. One touch—
hell
—one
look
from him and she’d come unravelled.

She gave herself a mental shake. His pursuit was flattering, but she was sticking to her guns.

Tara deleted the email. If he brought it up, she’d say she never received it. With that, she stood up and headed into the studio. Apart from Sauber, she was managing two other projects, plus a load of administrative work that had piled up. She stifled a groan, put a smile on her face, and got updates from her team. Tight deadlines were the norm here, so she was used to the quick pace.

Penny approached her with a marked proof. “This one’s been proofed to death, so I hope JQ doesn’t make any more changes.”

“Thanks, Penny. How are your eyes holding up?”

“Not too bad. The eye drops help.”

Tara shook her head. “It’s a difficult week. Can’t wait till it’s over.”

“A small group from the studio’s going to dinner after work. I know you’ll probably be tired, but we’ll be at Flynn’s if you’d like to join us.”

“Sounds good, but I doubt I’ll be out of here before seven.”

Penny pouted. “Poor you. Well, at least Josh is back from vacation next week.”

“Thank God.”

Penny glanced at her watch. “Oh. I’d better get downstairs before the line-up for the microwave hits.”

Tara chuckled and took the proof back to her office to give it a final look before signing it. Just as she eased into her chair, the phone rang. She answered without taking her eyes from the sheet.

“Tara speaking.”

“Tara, you missed our meeting.”

Her heart skipped a beat. “Oh, hi, Jay. Um, what meeting?”

“I sent you an email about it. I wanted your opinion on a couple of Sauber designs.” There was no mistaking the thread of disappointment in his voice.

“Well, I didn’t receive any message from you.” She chewed her bottom lip, knowing she wasn’t a good liar.

He chuckled. “You’re pretty cute when you lie.” A little pause followed. “I just wanted to talk to you.”

Here we go again
. “I’m not having this discussion, Jay.”

“Let’s have dinner this Friday. I promise to be on my best behaviour.”

She released a curt sigh. “Why are you pushing it?”

“It’s dinner, Tara. In a public place.”

She squeezed her eyes shut as she stirred with longing for this man. Yesterday’s encounter had lingered in her body like an incessant pulse, depriving her of a good night’s sleep. It was so tempting to spend some private time with him. A part of her screamed,
Say yes!
Yet the rational part of her countered with,
What about Rebecca?

“I’ll think about it.” She wasn’t sure if she was placating him or giving herself time to actually consider it.

“All right. I guess I can accept that for now. In case I haven’t mentioned it, you guys are doing an amazing job with Sauber.”

She couldn’t help the smile. “Thanks, Jay. I appreciate that.”

When they rang off, she realised that no matter what, she liked him, particularly his earthy nature and charming sense of humour. She worried her lip. Perhaps she was being too critical. He was a grown, unmarried man with healthy sexual needs. Perhaps she could make him forget about Rebecca—the woman was downright arrogant.

“God, Tara, listen to yourself,” she groaned, then got up and went down to the cafeteria for another strong cup of caffeine.

At around seven fifteen, Tara signed off on the final round of work for the evening, slid it into a large envelope and placed it in the outgoing mailbox. She heaved a tired sigh, eager to get home. She glanced around the empty studio—everyone else had gone home. The only sound was the gentle roar of a vacuum cleaner at the far end of the room.

In her office, she logged off her computer before walking over to the clothes hanger to fetch her shawl. A rap on the door startled her and she looked over to see Jay standing in the doorway, causing an extra skip in her heartbeat.

“Long day, eh?” he said.

“Um, yeah. I was just ending it.”

When he stepped inside the room and closed the door, her stomach fluttered with a mixture of anticipation and nerves. She tried to school her features. “What are you doing?”

He stood there, his broad frame, clad in a grey shirt and dark slacks, shrinking the size of the room by about half. “I need you to hear me out,” he said with a sober note, closing the distance between them in a few long strides.

Awareness crackled between them, delivering a shock to her senses.

“About Rebecca—” he continued, but she shook her head as the woman’s name jabbed her in the chest.

“Please, Jay—”

“She came to see me requesting a—”

“I told you—”

He moved so quickly she didn’t have time to react as he trapped her face between his hands and crushed the rest of her words with his mouth. Sensation exploded through her body even as she tried to push away from him. His lips moved against hers with firm strokes, coaxing them apart for his skilful invasion. Unconsciously, her hands travelled up to his shoulders.