Kiss Me (13 page)

“Shhh,” Jenna soothed the girl, and held her close. “You’re none of those things. You’re bright and beautiful, and have so much ahead of you. This is nothing but a blip on the radar.”

The girl half-laughed, then pulled back and wiped the tears from her face. “Is that what it was for you?”

“Absolutely,” Jenna confirmed, and tucked Casey’s hair behind her ears. “No more tears, and no regrets. We’ll work through this…together.”

“Do you really mean it?”

“Sure, how else am I going to get a TV movie of the week deal?”

Casey laughed and hugged Jenna again. “Thank you,” she said, then quickly pulled away. “What about this stupid tattoo?”

Jenna moved the girl’s arm and looked at the ink stain. “It’s not that big, and won’t cost all that much to remove it.”

“Yeah, but I can’t afford —”

“Consider it an early Christmas present.”

Casey stared at her. “Really, you’d pay for that? For me?”

“As long as you stay away from that crowd you
used
to run with, yes.”

Smiling and looking more like a teenager, Casey grabbed Jenna’s hands and swung them up and down. “Thank you, Miss Cooper,” she gushed, then kissed Jenna’s cheek. “You’re the best.”

“All right,” Jenna said with a smile. “Now go grab some lunch before your next class. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

As the two women embraced one last time, Luke snuck down the hall, his heart swelling with pride. Jenna had reached Casey, and it appeared as if she’d set her on the right track.

He’d always respected Jenna. After witnessing her in action with one of the kids she counseled? Damn, that was something else. She’d managed to show the troubled teen she wasn’t alone in the world, just as she’d done with him.

If it was even possible, he loved her more than ever…

*

Stripping off her clothes, Jenna ran into the bedroom. On most Fridays, she normally left work early, and was home by four thirty. Not today. The Laws of Nature had struck again, first giving her a flat tire, then sticking her in a traffic jam and making her nearly two hours late.

Whipping open the closet door, she pulled out the dark chocolate halter dress she’d bought on impulse a few months ago, then quickly dressed. Hopped on one leg, then the other, securing a pair of strappy gold heels in place, then dashed into the bathroom to touch up her make-up.

She eyed the clock in the bathroom. Six twenty. Great, Luke would be by in ten minutes, and while she couldn’t wait to see him, she wished she had more time to primp. Although after yesterday, she didn’t think an hour worth of primping would matter.

She still couldn’t believe he’d come by the youth center to take her to lunch. He’d said the lunch date had been an impulse, but then had cupped her cheeks and told her the truth. He’d known he wouldn’t be able to be with her later that night due to a dinner meeting, and couldn’t stand to let a day go by where he couldn’t see her face or tell her how much he loved her. He’d obviously had no idea how much she’d needed to hear him say those things. Her confrontation with Casey had left her drained. Although she’d finally broken through to Casey, drudging up her past, admitting her own personal mistakes — out loud — hit a dark chord. The little she’d admitted to Casey, were things no one, except Darci, had known.

One day she’ll have to tell Luke. She’d tried, last weekend before they’d made love for the first time, but he’d silenced her with a kiss. Maybe her past really didn’t matter to him after all. Maybe it was time for her to accept her mistakes. Instead of being ashamed of herself, let go of all the excess baggage she’d been carrying around, and love the person she’d become. Luke certainly did. From the moment he’d admitted his feelings, a day hadn’t gone by where he didn’t tell her how much he loved her.

A smile spread across her lips as she applied a little blush to her cheeks. He loved her so much, had been so sure of their relationship, he’d even asked her to move in with him once he’d settled into his new home. Although she’d told him that she couldn’t imagine being anywhere but with him, she’d asked him to give her some time to think it over before she committed. Living together was indeed a huge commitment, especially for someone like her. A closet commitment-phobe, who’d been afraid to love.

Not anymore. Tonight she planned on accepting his offer.

The doorbell rang. Her belly immediately zinged with dozens of butterflies. Would they ever stop? She hoped not. After all the times she’d given Darci crap about finding true love, she finally understood. Because that’s what she had a case of…true love. Unconditional, lasting, strong enough to span a lifetime love. While she’d already admitted her feelings to Luke, tonight, she’d commit herself to him.

She rushed to the front door. Taking a deep breath, she tried to steady her racing heart, but the love pouring through her wouldn’t allow it. Without hesitation, she opened the door then drank in the sight of him.

The shade from the porch made his hair appear darker than usual, and his green eyes sparkled with admiration and mischief. But it was the slow, sensual smile playing on his kissable lips that had her toes curling in her sandals.

“Hi,” she said, then leaned forward to press a lingering kiss to his lips. “I’m ready when you are.”

He shut the door behind him, then pulled her against his chest. Sliding his hands down her back, he cupped her rear and squeezed. “What are you ready for?” he asked, then nuzzled his lips against her neck.

His breath tickled her skin and she released a giggle. Until Luke, she’d never giggled. What had she become? Love struck, she supposed and gave into the pleasure of being held in his arms.

“You look beautiful,” he said before capturing her lips with a soft, gentle kiss that belied the tenseness coursing through his body.

“Is something wrong?” she asked and ran her hand over his bunched biceps.

“Yeah, I’ve missed touching you.” He gripped the back of her head and seized her lips again. This time the kiss wasn’t soft or gentle. This time he kissed her with the carnal, animalistic edge she craved. Delving his tongue deep, possessing her lips, her mouth, as he moved his hand to cup her breast.

Liquid warmth pooled between her thighs. She reached for his groin, ran her hand over his jeans, over his thick erection and grew wetter just imagining him inside of her. As she was about to unzip his jeans, he tore his mouth away.

“Our reservation isn’t for another hour. What do you say we have a drink before we head out?”

That wasn’t what she’d had in mind, but she went along with his suggestion anyway. “Sounds great, let’s head into the kitchen.”

She made herself a vodka tonic, then began to pour gin on the rocks for Luke. As she fixed their drinks, she couldn’t tear her eyes off his hands. Big hands that had cupped her bottom while she’d rode him Wednesday night, calloused palms that had tickled her rear as she bounced on him like a rodeo star. Wild, uninhibited until she came with explosive force and took him right along with her.

She cleared her throat and clenched her thighs. “Do you want a twist? I think I have lemons.” Before she moved away from the kitchen counter, Luke cradled her from behind. She rested the back of her head against his chest and moaned when he cupped her breasts.

“What about our dinner reservations?” she asked, then sank her teeth into her lower lip when he brushed his thumbs against her nipples.

He reached beneath the hem of her dress. “We have plenty of time. Let’s consider this an appetizer,” he said, then ran his palm along her thigh. Higher and higher, then stilled. “No panties.”

She shifted her bottom. “You don’t expect me to walk around with panty lines do you?”

“Not at all.” He nipped her earlobe. “But you do realize now that I know there’s nothing under this dress, I’m going to be thinking about your gorgeous ass all night.”

“That’s the plan.” She rubbed her rear against his arousal, not caring whether they made their dinner reservation or not. She’d forgo a five star meal and settle for bologna sandwiches. All she wanted was to be alone with him. Share the intimacy they’d created, bask in the new love they’d found.

As she was about to turn and embrace him, he dropped to his knees and held her still. He placed her hands on the edge of the kitchen counter, then ran his palms over her arms, her breasts, then lower.

“Stay like you are,” he urged and raised the hem of her dress over her rear. “Perfection.” He kissed a cheek. “Now bend a little for me.”

She gripped the countertop, and did as he asked. A week ago, she would have felt utterly open, exposed, and insecure. She might have had a lot of sex in the past, but it had always been with the lights off and under the cover of darkness. After the first time she’d been with Luke, where sunlight spilled into her bedroom and across the mattress as they’d made love, she’d realized she’d been hiding. From commitment, from love, and from herself.

She no longer had anything to hide. Luke might not know everything about her past, but once she did tell him, she knew in her heart he wouldn’t care. He understood her like no one else, accepted her with love and friendship.

As he spread her cheeks and dipped his tongue between her thighs, she braced the countertop. Loved every hot
touch, loved the deep intimacy, loved him with every ounce of her soul.

Her knees buckled, as he stroked her clit with his tongue, and she couldn’t help the moan humming from her throat. But when he slipped his fingers past her folds, then drove deep, she shuddered and cried his name.

Her climax took her by surprise. She’d never experienced a millisecond orgasm in her life.
Because you’ve never been in love with those other guys
, her sex-dazed mind reminded her. So true, she realized. Sex was sex, but making love, even against the countertop, qualified as not only hot, but romantic and loving and…damn, she wanted to return the favor. Drop to her knees and enjoy her own appetizer before they ran out of time.

She started to move. He stopped her, kept her pinned against the countertop.

“Not yet,” he said and brushed his lips against the back of her neck, unbuckled his belt and unzipped his fly. He released his erection and kissed her sex with the head of his arousal, then entered her.

Their moans echoed throughout the kitchen as he gripped her hips and rocked forward. He pumped. Her entire body shuddered as she pressed back and met every hard thrust.

“Baby, you’re making it hard for me to last. I don’t want to come until you do.”

“I already did,” she panted, as she edged closer and closer to another climax. “I’m ready again. Come with me.”

He stopped instead, kept himself buried between her thighs and untied the halter at the base of her neck. The dress immediately pooled around her waist. He cupped her breasts, brushed his thumbs across her nipples, and surrounded her with his big body.

The scent of his cologne heightened her desire. The way he caressed her breasts, kneading them, teasing her nipples with his rough hands, and his slow, deliberate thrusts, had her entire body pulsing, begging for release.

She glanced over her shoulder. The intensity and love in his eyes ripped through her soul. “Harder,” she urged and captured his lips.

As she twined her tongue against his in a hot, open-mouthed kiss, he pushed deeper. Giving into every glorious sensation, she fluttered her eyes shut, moaned against his mouth, and tightened her grip on the countertop.

“Is this what you want?” He clamped his hands over her hips and quickened the pace, increased the tempo, rocked into her over and over.

“Yes,” she hissed. “Just like that.”

Her body trembled. Her thighs shook. Tremors quaked from deep within her core. They spiraled and exploded. She dropped her head against his shoulder and released a harsh cry as her climax shot through her body.

With a stifled groan, he released his passion between her thighs, then cradled her against his chest. “I love you,” he whispered against her ear.

She twisted around, disengaging their bodies and cupped his cheeks. “I love you too. And, I’ve been thinking…” She drew in a deep breath, and brushed her fingers along his jaw. “I can’t stand not waking up to you each morning, going to bed with you every night.” Taking another breath, she looked away for a few seconds before meeting his gaze again. “If the offer still stands, I’d love to move in with you.”

“You would?” Laughing, he lifted her off the tile and spun her around. As he let her drift to the floor, he kept their bodies in full contact. With his hand gripping her dress, now bunched at her waist, he held her tighter, then grew serious. “You have no idea how happy you’ve made me. I can’t wait to share every day and every night with you.”

Tears blurred her vision as she kissed him with all the love pouring through her body and soul.

Chapter 9

Luke scrubbed a hand down his face, then pushed the Benson documents he’d been working on aside. He’d had enough coffee to keep the Columbian’s in business for a year, but couldn’t shake off the fatigue.

Last night, he’d planned on taking Jenna out for a nice dinner. Instead, he’d taken her against the kitchen counter. Afterward, her dress looked as if she’d slept in it. While he’d nursed his drink, she’d gone into the bedroom to change. Minutes later, she’d called for him, shouting she’d needed help with the zipper of her dress. When he’d entered the bedroom, he’d found her naked and lying on the center of the bed. All thoughts of making their dinner reservation had gone out the door.

They’d made love again. Ordered a pizza, then had spent the rest of the night in her bed. He was lucky to have had four hours of sleep, not that he was complaining. He’d never grow tired of being with Jenna, and couldn’t wait for the day when they were finally living together.

He swiveled in his office chair and looked out the window. Today, the disgusting dumpster and stupid bus stop didn’t bother him. Even the chance of losing his promotion or the worry over what to do about Wendy’s involvement with the Benson account didn’t weigh on his shoulders like it had a week ago.

Jenna was incredible. They’d been seeing each other as more than friends for only two weeks, but for some reason it seemed as if he’d known her his entire life. He trusted her, depended on her, loved her more than he’d ever thought possible. He’d always figured someday he’d meet the right woman he could share his life with, but hadn’t anticipated on it happening at this point.

After he had earned his MBA, he’d mapped out his career plan: Auditor, to supervisor, to manager, then partner. As for his personal plan: House, marriage and kids five years after making partner.

Running a hand through his hair, he leaned back in the chair. He didn’t want to wait another five years. Hell, at this point, he might not even make partner. Although he cared about his career, the path he’d originally chosen didn’t seem as important anymore. No doubt he wanted the promotion, the bonus and pay increase would help with the new house and possibly Jenna’s group home venture. But if he was passed over, it wouldn’t be the end of the world. Not when he had someone like Jenna behind him.

“You’re still here?”

Luke rotated the chair away from the window, then nodded to Jay.
“Yeah, I was just going over the Benson account again.”

Jay leaned against the door jamb. “It’s been a busy week and we haven’t had a chance to talk…what did you decide to do about their auditing discrepancies?”

He blew out a deep breath. “Thursday morning I sent Margie Benson everything I’d found.
She needed to know. Before we can take her on as a client, the situation has to be rectified.”

“What about Wendy? Are you going to tell Gwen about her past involvement?”

He held his head in both hands now, then fingered his scalp. “I’m going to tell her and notify the board on Monday.”

“Good plan.”

The plan didn’t feel good. He held Wendy’s career in his hands and Gwen could lose face with all the support she’d given the woman. “I wish I felt more confident about it.”

Jay moved into the office and perched himself on the lone chair. “Look, I get that you’re in a shitty situation. If you rat out Wendy, you could look like a total A-hole, pissed about your chance of making partner. On the other hand, let’s face it. Wendy isn’t partner material. Not yet. You and I both saw that
before
you’d discovered the inconsistencies with the Benson account.”

“I know, and you’re right…still. I hate coming off like a disgruntled bastard, which is exactly how Gwen could spin it.”

Jay rose from the chair. “You don’t know that. Gwen’s gotta cover her ass, too.”

“True.” He shrugged. “It’ll be interesting to hear what Margie has to say when I see her tonight at Peter’s barbeque. I just need to make sure Gwen stays away from her.”

“Buddy, you should have told Gwen what was going on. What if Margie and Gwen end up chit-chatting and all of this comes out? Gwen will be totally pissed.”

Damn, he hadn’t thought about that. Then again, he’d have Jenna with him. He could point out both women to her, and have her be his eyes and ears when needed. “I’m not worried.”

Jay rose and moved toward the door. “I sure as hell would be. The board plans to meet next Wednesday, to discuss who’s up for promotion.”

“Since when do you pay attention to office gossip?”

“Since the source is Peter’s secretary.”

“No shit?”

“Nope, and I hate to say it, but you’re under the gun. If you don’t disclose this information about Wendy, and she makes partner, screws up down the road…”

“I look like an A-hole either way, right?”

“Pretty much.” Jay heaved a deep sigh and adjusted his glasses. “Look, do what’s best for you and the firm. You know I have your back on this.”

“Thanks, I appreciate the advice.”

Jay looked at his watch. “Anytime, but I better head out of here. The only reason the wife’s not pissed I’m working another Saturday is because I’m taking her to Peter’s fancy barbeque.”

“Yeah, I need to shut things down myself. I told Jenna I’d pick her up around four, and I still need to stop home and change.”

Jay shook his head and smiled.

“What?”

“Nothing…well, to be honest, I never thought I’d see the day when you finally fell for a woman. Welcome to the club, my friend.”

Luke grinned as heat prickled his cheeks. “Get out of here and go spend time with your family. I’ll see you later.”

After Jay left, he filed the Benson paperwork in a folder. As he was about to shut down his computer, he checked his email one last time. Twenty emails stared him in the face, but only one subject line stood out amongst them.

Before Cupid stepped in…

Intrigued, because the sender was Darci, he opened the email, then hit the download key. Seconds later a picture Darci had taken during a party, a month after he’d met Jenna, filled the screen. Luke had his arm draped around Jenna’s shoulder, hugging her close to his side. They were both grinning, laughing actually, now that he thought about it, at something asinine and hilarious Nate had said just before Darci had snapped the picture.

He’d known, even then, Jenna was different, special. Maybe he’d been half in love with her then, but simply didn’t have the nerve to admit it to himself.

“Hey.”

Luke glanced over the laptop. “Mitch, what are you doing here on a Saturday?”

“Brownie points, dude,” he said and moved toward the desk. “I’m no dummy, the entire board is going to be at Peter’s tonight and, like you, I gotta make sure I’m seen at the office on a Saturday now and then, even if it’s a pisser.

“I’m not here for brownie points, I’m here to work. So if you don’t mind.”

Mitch didn’t take the hint. Instead he leaned across the desk. “Whatever, man…holy shit, how do you know J.C.?”

Luke slammed the laptop shut. “What are you talking about?”

“That picture…it was of you and J.C.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Again, if you don’t mind, I have a few work related things to finish before I leave.”

Mitch shoved off the desk. The jackass puffed his chest and did some sort of weird rooster strut across the office. “Are you trying to tell me that staring at a picture of you hugging my ex-girlfriend is work related?”

Ex-girlfriend?
No way. Jenna would never have been with a douche bag like Mitch. She had too much class to even waste her time on him. “You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. The woman in the picture is Jenna —”

“Cooper,” Mitch finished, with a smug smile. “Yep, I know all about her. She’s the J.C. I’d been telling you, Jay and everyone else about. Dude, put it together.”

He did. All those stupid, crude stories of raunchy sex and threesomes collided together. But it couldn’t be true. Mitch couldn’t be one of the men she’d referred to last weekend. Sure, he could understand why Jenna might have found his bullshit charm appealing, but she was smarter than that.

She fought for the young women she counseled at the youth center. Ranted about how they’d been wronged by their parents, or boyfriends who’d used them for sex then threw them away…

Oh my God, Casey.
Jenna had told Casey about the men she’d been with, how she’d been labeled a slut. Hell, she’d tried to tell him last week and he hadn’t listened. He hadn’t cared, until now. The thought of Mitch touching Jenna disgusted him. What sickened him more than that was the thought of her enjoying sex with Mitch.

His heart pounded. He couldn’t see straight. Anger and rage tore through him, along with jealousy and revulsion. He wanted to punch the frickin’ wall, punch Mitch in the face.

Curling his hands into fists, he tried to rein in his anger. This had to be a mistake. Mitch could have only caught a brief glimpse of Jenna. Maybe she just looked like this J.C. woman he’d bragged about.

But he knew her last name.

“Hello, Earth to Luke,” Mitch said, waving his hand.

Luke shoved the chair back, then stood. “Get out.”

“Okay, okay,” Mitch said with a nervous chuckle and took a backward step toward the door. “But, I’m tellin’ you. That…” He pointed to the laptop. “Was J.C. And I’m not sayin’ she wasn’t a lot of fun, but…”

Luke’s temper flared. He unclenched his fists, too tempted to knock Mitch out, regardless that the ass, for once, might be telling the truth. “Get out. Now.”

Mitch held up his hands as he backed away, a smug smile still crossing his mouth. “Okay, bro. I get it. It’s not every day that a guy finds out what his girlfriend really is.” He stroked the woodwork lining the office door. “Just so you know…J.C. doesn’t just stand for Jenna Cooper. There were a few other nicknames that matched. But I don’t suppose you want to hear about them now.”

“Out.” Never before had he ever wanted to kick someone’s ass enough to put them in the hospital. But Mitch just topped the list.

“Gotcha,” he said, then winked. “See you at Peter’s. Hope you bring your girlfriend along. It’ll give us a chance to reminisce on old times.”

Mitch ducked out the door before Luke had a chance to round the desk. Drawing in a deep breath, he went to the door and scanned the hallway. No one was around and both offices on either side of his were empty for the day. He exhaled the breath he’d been holding.

A part of him didn’t give two shits about Jenna’s alter ego, J.C., or that she’d dated Mitch. He plopped in the office chair. Okay, the fact she’d dated Mitch, slept with him, shared a frickin’ threesome with him, did piss him off, and now had him wondering about all the others. How many men had enjoyed her body, her kinky side? And how in the hell could she have sat there, time and time again, let him confess his past indiscretions and keep her mouth shut?

Luke opened the laptop. Seeing Jenna’s smile made his stomach twist. He’d trusted her. Told her things he’d never told another woman, or anyone for that matter, and she’d kept quiet about her own past. Let him think she was a good girl. Something special, different from all the others.

She still is.

True. But knowing her past, he sure as hell had lost some respect for her. She might be classy and sophisticated, a lot of the woman he’d dated were. But her lack of promiscuity had drawn him to her from the start. To find out she wasn’t any better than those women he’d ranted about when he’d basically given her his sexual resume…

While waiting for his computer to shut down, he finished gathering the Benson files, then shoved them into his briefcase. How could she have kept this from him? What else was she hiding? She’d told Casey her parents had divorced, but told him her father was dead. Was that a lie too?

She had to know he’d eventually find out about her past. Hell, she was a psychologist. As a professional who counseled people, didn’t she think, consider, how this might impact their relationship?

Now what was he supposed to do about the company party? He couldn’t take her. No way. Mitch had made it perfectly clear what he’d intended to do should he see Jenna tonight. Margie Benson would be there, along with every member of the board, every partner within the firm, including Gwen.

She of all people couldn’t know about Jenna. Not when he was about to drop the bomb about Wendy. Gwen would use Jenna’s reputation against him. Plant a bug in the other female partners and board members ears — prudent, rigid, judgmental women who held personal discretion higher than a Baptist minister.

Luke left the office, marched out of the building, then climbed into his Explorer. He squealed out of the parking garage, and instead of heading for home to change for the party, he headed for Jenna’s.

Cancelling over the phone wasn’t an option. While angry that she hadn’t been forthright from the start, he still owed her a face-to-face explanation. Last night, they’d decided to move in together at the end of next month. Now he had to explain why he needed to distance himself and take time to process
the bomb Mitch had dropped on him.

He pulled into her driveway. Knocking the gear into park he reined in his anger, and all the spiraling emotions twisting him in two, then stomped to the front door.