Midnight Kiss (14 page)

“And good morning to you, darlin’ Jordan.” Rinsing the soap from his face, Will turned to her, broad smile and dimples her reward. “Merry Christmas.”

Jordan wrapped her arms around his neck. “Top of the mornin’ to you, Tweety Bird.”

He grinned, and she plastered her body against his.

His response was instantaneous. Strong arms wrapped around her and lifted her up for a long, heated kiss, his body’s reaction to her as powerful as it had been the night before.

Jordan’s own hunger answered his. She wove fingers into his hair and twined one leg around his muscular thigh. As though she weighed nothing, Will pulled her higher, wrapping her legs around his waist. Pressing her back against the wall of the shower, he thrust inside her in one powerful stroke.

“Damn, I love you,” he gasped, then stopped any protest with his mouth as he took her once more to the refuge only Will had ever shown her.

Jordan’s ability to think incinerated in the heat of her response to his hands, his lips, the feel of him inside her. Bliss roared through her veins and snuffed out all rational thought.

In the aftermath, Will held her tightly, his heaving breath against her throat triggering tiny aftershocks that sent goose bumps over her body. He was an assault on her senses, giving her both thrilling release and a sense of safety she’d never known. Jordan tried to remember why she was bad for him, but she could only feel the sweep of delight through her body.

Will pulled back and grinned, his eyes still dark with passion but sparkling with good humor. “You have
a way with a shower, Ms. Parrish. I don’t believe I’ve ever had my back scrubbed with fingernails before.”

Jordan was surprised to feel heat rush to her cheeks. She pulled away slightly.

“Don’t,” he admonished, refusing to let her go. “Don’t ever be embarrassed with me, Jordan. There’s nothing forbidden to us, and it makes me feel grand to have you lose yourself so completely.”

His good humor was infectious. “As if your monumental ego needs any stroking,” she complained.

Crooking one finger under her chin, he pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. “Ah, but you make a strong man weak, love.”

Her mouth opened to put him on notice to protect himself, but before she could, he sidetracked her with one more quick, hard kiss.

“Now, my Delilah, let us get washed up. You have not one decent morsel in this place, and I need my strength.” He paused to waggle his brows at her. “As will you.” His grin killed her, just demolished her. “We’ll adjourn to my place, since there are no stores open. One of us, at least, has the sense to stock up on more than yogurt.”

“I wasn’t planning on company.”

“But you had it, anyway, now, didn’t you? Enjoyed it, too, eh?” His smile was smug.

“Some people just can’t take no for an answer,” she grumbled.

Will turned her under the cascading water and began to soap her up. “Someone wakes up grouchy, does she? As I’ve not yet done enough, apparently, to remedy that, let us see what tricks I might have up my sleeve.”

“You don’t have any sleeves. You’re naked.”

“And isn’t that the handiest thing?” Will’s hands slicked over her body, teasing and taunting.

Jordan laughed and set her own fingers to work.

“I
S THERE ANYTHING
you don’t do well?” Jordan asked, prostrate on Will’s sofa after devouring a trucker-sized breakfast.

“Let me think on that, darlin’.” A quick, slashing grin. “But doing so might take a while, I’m warning you.”

She burst out laughing. “Careful you don’t scrape that monstrous ego on the ceiling.”

“Ah, but ’tis not bragging if it’s true, now, is it?” He lifted her feet and sat down, then resettled them on his lap and began rubbing.

Jordan was pretty sure her eyes rolled back in her head.

“There was the one time when my sister Brigid asked me to help her fix a dye job on her hair without Mum finding out what she’d done to herself.”

Jordan smiled. “And how were you as a hair-dresser?”

He shrugged. “Was it my fault that I chose to be, shall we say, creative with the mixing?” His eyes twinkled. “Brigid wound up with purple hair.”

“You did that on purpose.”

“So she accused. Me, I’d merely claim it as her just deserts after all the times I’d been forced to play silly
girl games with her when I wanted to be out with the other lads.”

“I’d bet you played those games with her because you were a good boy.”

“I’m thinking you’ve just insulted me. I am not a tame rabbit.” Then he chuckled. “Anyway, I’d like you to be telling my mum that. She’d be of a different opinion. I was a hooligan, and that’s a fact.”

His eyes caught hers, and warmth spread through her, a sense of contentment she’d never before experienced.

It should scare the living daylights out of her.

In some ways, it did.

“What are you thinking, love?” Love.
I love you,
he’d said in the heat of their joining.

Oh, Will, don’t do that to yourself. I won’t be good for you.

“Nothing.”

“Somehow I doubt that.” He lifted one foot and slowly peeled down her sock like a striptease. “But whatever is putting that frown on your face, let’s see if we can change it.” Never taking his eyes off her, he placed a slow kiss on her arch.

Jordan’s nostrils flared. She couldn’t help squirming in delight.

“That’s more like it,” he said smugly.

“You think you have me right where you want me.”

He waggled his eyebrows, then turned and began to prowl his way up her body. “And do I not?”

Jordan closed her eyes. Drank in the feel of him
popping the snap on her jeans, lowering the zipper, micron by micron. “You’re killing me,” she said.

He bent his head, nipped at the curve of her hip. “Now, why would I want to do that, love?”

Love.
“Will…” She had to warn him. “This is just…we’re only…”

His jaw tightened. “Your protests grow tiresome, Jordan. You care, I know that. I feel it. I see it in your eyes.”

But I don’t want to. Can’t afford to.
“But…” she began.

He hushed her with a kiss.

Just then, his phone rang.

“Bugger that,” he muttered and melted her bones with another kiss.

The phone soon stopped. He slid his fingers into her panties, and Jordan moaned.

The phone rang again.

Will dropped his head. “’Twill be my family.” Blue eyes apologized. “I must take it.”

She found a smile. “I’ll be right where you left me.”

His eyes were serious. “Will you?”

She made her smile bright. “Are you kidding? I’m not done with you, lover boy.”

He examined her closely, too closely, then shook his head. “I’ll be back. Stay right there.”

Then he was gone.

Jordan felt too exposed, lying there half-dressed. Quickly she pulled up her jeans, refastened them.

Her sock, though, she clasped in one hand as if she could feel the warmth of him.

And maybe transfer it into her heart.

“Yes, Mum,” she heard Will say from the kitchen.
“It’s only midmorning here, you know. I’ve not yet had Christmas dinner, but I will.”

A silence. “No, I’m not alone. As a matter of fact…”

No.
Jordan tensed.
Don’t do it.

“There’s someone special,” he finished. “You’ll like her.”

Will, you can’t…

Bits and pieces drifted in.

“She’s a lawyer.”

“No, Mum. She’s not Catholic. I don’t think.”

“I doubt she wants to live in Ireland. It’s too soon to ask that.” Exasperation. “Mum, you’ll meet her when she’s ready, not before.”

Will, don’t do this to yourself. To me.

A sigh. “I love her. That’s all you need to know.”

Jordan jumped to her feet. Slipped on her shoes. Looked around for her purse, so she could get her keys and—

Will had driven her here in his truck.

She could walk. Or call a cab. Surely they operated on Christmas Day. But she hadn’t brought her phone. She’d been so sated on sex she hadn’t even noticed.

With mounting horror, she listened as Will exchanged greetings with others in his family, and she heard the homesickness in his voice. Cringed when she heard herself mentioned.

She had to make him stop. Right now, before—

“Yes, Da,” she heard. “There’s someone special now.”

A chuckle. “Not exactly. She’s…maybe not the type of girl you expected me to marry, but Da, she’s exactly what I want.” Another pause. “No, she doesn’t—I don’t know. I’m working on it.”

Jordan chided herself for listening in, but someone had to look out for him. His family, who obviously adored him, was too far away. They couldn’t prevent him from making this mistake.

This
huge
mistake.

She had to break things off immediately, before he got more involved.

Because she couldn’t bear to disappoint him, and she would. Not intentionally, no. If anyone had ever tempted her to give love a try, to forget all she knew about how it could go wrong, how unrealistic the notion was…

Will was that person.

But it would come to no good end, and that big heart of his would suffer.

She was hardly an angel, and most times she didn’t really care about the fallout of her actions, but—

This was Will. She had to be better, for his sake.

Jordan watched him pace the kitchen, sometimes laughing, sometimes with the saddest expression on his face.

She wanted to run, without a word. But if she did, she was positive he would chase after her, the thick-headed fool. He brought new meaning to the word stubborn.

She would have to break his heart a little now so that later, she wouldn’t break it more by not measuring up to his cockeyed vision of her.

She knew who she was.

But Will—stubborn, blind Will—refused to see it.

So she stood her ground and waited for him to get off the phone.

W
ILL HUNG UP AND LOOKED
out the kitchen window for a moment, picturing them all there together, one big, messy crowd. The kitchen would be full of women and wonderful smells. On the stoop would be his da and grandda smoking the smelly pipes that weren’t allowed inside. Outside there would be children running around, dogs barking…

What he wouldn’t give to be there in the thick of it.

And how horrified would the woman in the other room be if she could see it?

A wry smile curved his lips. It would be good for her, though. Jordan Parrish was the loneliest person he’d ever met.

He glanced at the clock. He’d been invited to the Prestons and knew she had, too. Though a part of him wanted her all to himself, they were her friends, and truth be told, being there would make up for some of what he was missing back home.

He turned and walked toward the living room. “We’d best be on our way if we’re to make it to—”

Jordan was not on the sofa where he’d left her. Where she’d promised to remain.

She stood near the front door, stiff and waiting. “I need to go.”

It didn’t take a genius to know what had happened. “Eavesdropping?” He cursed himself for speaking his heart to his family. Hadn’t he known she was far from ready?

“You weren’t exactly whispering.”

He leaned one shoulder on the doorframe, crossed his arms over his chest. “And I take it you didn’t like what you heard?”

“I can’t marry you. Why would you say such a thing to them?”

“Can’t…or won’t?” He kept his voice resolutely casual, his smile wide to hide his sinking heart. “Perhaps I should have waited—all right,” he responded to the protest springing to her lips. “I definitely should have waited, but that doesn’t change the fact of what’s right for us.”

“You are insufferable. You couldn’t be more wrong.”

He advanced on her. “Lie to yourself, Jordan, but don’t lie to me. There’s something between us, something powerful.”

She lifted one shoulder. “The sex is great, I’ll admit.”

“Don’t you dare cheapen this by making it about sex.”

“Damn you, don’t do this.” Her casualness vanished.

“Don’t do what?” He straightened as well.

“Don’t you ruin what’s happened. I’m not ready to let you go yet.”

“Who says it’s your choice? I’m going nowhere.”

“You have to now.”

“Perhaps you’d care to explain that.” He stepped closer.

She jammed a finger into his chest. “Back off. I warned you, Will. You can’t say I didn’t. If you refuse to listen and get hurt, it’s not my fault.”

Fury simmered. “Now who has the ego? You’re so sure I can be hurt so easily?” Deliberately he kept his tone lazy and amused, though he was anything but.

“Don’t you patronize me. I told you I’m not the
marrying kind. Marriage is an obsolete institution. People who like each other, who have a good time, they get married and everything goes to hell from there.”

Ah.
“We’re not your parents, love.” This was fear talking.

“Don’t be a simpleton. I’m not talking about my parents. Look around you—divorce is everywhere. Marriage is a hidebound tradition that doesn’t work today. People need to be free to come and go as they please.”

Anger sparked again. “And being with me would diminish you somehow?”

She lifted her chin. “Yes.”

“How?”

“That’s not the point.”

“What
is
your point, exactly?”

“I won’t marry you, Will.”

“I haven’t asked you yet, now, have I? You’re frothed up for nothing.”

“Frothed up? Don’t be insulting. Look, I don’t want to argue. We’re too different, that’s all.”

“Because I’m not hysterical?”

“Hysterical?” Jordan turned around and headed for the door. “I do not get hysterical. This conversation is over.”

Over, was it? Be damned if it was.

In her outrage, she didn’t hear his steps behind her. He closed the gap, swung her off her feet and slung her over his shoulder. “Do you think I asked to fall in love with you?” he growled. “You are a spoiled, petulant child with no more vision than an old blind dog. You refuse to see what we could have.”

“Let me down, you—you baboon.” Jordan pounded his back, wriggling and kicking wildly. “I hate you.”

“You do not.” Will dumped her on his bed.

She scrambled to her feet, and he stepped in her way. “Don’t push me any further, Jordan. You sit there and you cool off.”

“You’re insane. Haven’t you heard one word I’ve said?”

“If I am insane, ’tis you who’s driven me there. Yes, I’m listening, but all I hear is drivel and fear.”

“Fear? Me? I eat guys like you for breakfast.”

He looked at the ceiling and prayed for patience. “Of course it’s not men you’re afraid of. It’s yourself. Your brain, Jordan darlin’, is your worst enemy. You think too much. Love isn’t reasonable or logical. The heart doesn’t care if it makes sense. The heart wants what the heart wants, it’s that simple.”

“The heart is only an organ that pumps blood. Everything else is self-delusion. People want to believe in that fantasy because they’re afraid to be alone. It’s not real.” She paused for a minute, and he waited to hear what would pour out of her next.

“Look, let’s be reasonable about this. You and I are different, but we have a good time together. That doesn’t have to go away if you can simply accept that’s all this is. We can agree to disagree about sentimental matters.” He could almost see her in court as she dared him to dispute the logic of her case. “Now, I’d like to go home, please.”

“What about Marly and David?”

“I’ll just tell them I don’t feel well.” Her chin jutted. “It won’t be a lie.”

“This is a mistake,” he said quietly.

“It is.”

He was certain they didn’t mean the same thing.

“I won’t come after you again, Jordan. The next move is up to you.”

Her eyes were huge and dark and serious. “It doesn’t have to be this way.”

“Relationships have to grow…or they die.” Couldn’t she see what she was doing to them? What they could be? “Don’t act like a child.”
Please.
But he was sick to death of being the only one to believe.

Jordan watched him, and in her eyes, he thought he saw the stirrings of doubt, perhaps of regrets. “I wish I could make you understand,” she said so faintly it was barely a whisper.

“What I understand is that you’re going to let your fears win.”

He saw her flinch from his words, but she didn’t argue. Instead she put one hand on the doorknob. “Shall I call a cab?”

His heart was lead. “Very well,” he said stiffly. “Suit yourself.” He drew his keys from his pocket and reached past her to open the door for her.

The way a man did for the woman he loved, Will thought bitterly.

But he wouldn’t beg for her to love him back.