Nightmares from Within (11 page)

“What is all this?” I asked with a laugh.

“Popcorn, sodas, hotdogs and the pièce de résistance,” he said as he shook a yellow box in his hands. “Milk Duds.” He sat next to me, unwrapped a hotdog and handed it to me along with a few condiment packets. I didn’t get to eat any of my dinner at the restaurant and I didn’t realize until that moment how hungry I actually was. I dove right in like I hadn’t eaten in days, devouring the hotdog and going straight for the popcorn.

When I looked up at Jordan, I saw him grinning at me.

“What?” I asked around a mouthful of popcorn.

He chuckled and shook his head. “Nothing. You’re just adorable is all.”

Cue the blush.

“So you want to tell me what this is?” I indicated with a swipe of my hand toward to field.

“I thought it was kind of obvious,” he replied. “See that tiny, white ball that guy over there is holding? That’s called a baseball.”

“Oh. He thinks he’s funny,” I said, laughing at his playfulness.

He gave me a shy smile before lowering his head and looking almost unsure. “You said you never got to go to a baseball game in high school. It seemed like you felt like you’d missed out on a lot of things when you told me about your childhood earlier so I wanted to try and give that to you.”

I felt tears building up and blinked rapidly to keep them at bay. He was unbelievable. He’d known me less than a week, and in one night, he had already done more for me than anyone else had in twenty-three years. He took me to a high school baseball game because I’d never been to one. Not only that but he had set up a private little spot away from the other people to make sure I was able to enjoy it fully. I knew at that moment exactly how easy it would be to fall for him.

The uneasiness remained on his face as I just stared at him. He fidgeted with the collar of his shirt and cleared his throat. “Will you say something? I’m kind of having trouble reading your reaction.”

I opened my mouth and snapped it closed again. I struggled to find the right words to express how amazing he made me feel. “I just…I can’t…” I shook my head trying to come to grips with what he’d done. “No one has ever done anything like this for me.”

I didn’t give him a chance to respond. Before I could even think it through, I wrapped my arms around his neck and smashed my lips against his. He sat frozen for a few seconds before his body relaxed against mine and he returned the kiss.

I’d never kissed a guy before so I let him take the lead and allowed myself to follow, gratefully absorbing the feel of his lips against mine. When his tongue dipped out and ran across my lower lip my mouth opened on a gasp. Jordan took that as an opportunity to deepen the kiss. I swallowed his moan and his arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer so that I was straddling his lap as the kiss went to a whole new level. There was a desperation that was intoxicating. I was consumed by it. My hands went from the back of his neck to his hair and I grabbed hold of the blond strands, relishing the soft texture of it as I ran my fingers through its silkiness.

God, this man did things to me. When we pulled back we were both breathing heavily. We’d been so wrapped up in each other that all of the other people at the field had disappeared. He rested his forehead against mine as we tried to steady our breathing. “Christ, Taylor. I’d love nothing more than to keep making out with you, but this isn’t really the place for it.”

I instantly realized we were in the middle of a high school campus surrounded by students. I couldn’t contain the laugh that bubbled up when I realized that we’d just been making out like teenagers while surrounded by teenagers.

It took me several seconds to get my laughter under control, and when I finally did and turned to look at Jordan, he was smiling at me affectionately. “There it is,” he whispered as he trailed his thumb across my lower lip.

“What?”

“That smile. I’ve been dying to put that smile back on your beautiful face all night.”

I turned my cheek into his palm and soaked up his affection. “Thank you for putting it back.”

He pressed his lips back to mine in a somewhat chaste kiss. “I’m starting to think there isn’t much of anything I wouldn’t do to see you smile.”

Yeah, I was definitely in danger of falling for Jordan Donovan.

We spent the rest of the evening cuddled up together on the blanket. I sat between his thighs with my back resting against his chest as he trailed his fingers up and down my arms. The date went from being an epic fail to the best date in the history of dates. And it was all because of Jordan.

He’d given me normal. Even if it was for just one night.

I was hit with an unexpected sense of disappointment when Jordan pulled his car in front of my apartment building. I’d had so much fun that I didn’t want the night to end.

Staring up at the glass and steel structure, I made a decision that had butterflies exploding in my belly. He’d made me feel normal for the first time and all I could think was that I wanted that feeling to continue.

I looked over at Jordan and admired his attractive profile as he put the car in park.

It was now or never.

I reached for my locket and started rubbing a circle with my thumb. “Uh…do you want to come up?” I asked nervously.

His face lit up and all my nerves disappeared. That expression told me all I needed to know. He wanted the night to continue just as badly as I did.

“Yeah. I’d like that.”

He hopped out of the car and came around to collect me from the passenger seat. I started walking toward the building when Jordan gave my hand a tug and pulled me back into his solid frame. I tilted my face up to meet his gaze, and as soon as I did, his lips came down on mine in a kiss so hungry I felt my knees give out. He wrapped one arm around my waist to hold me up and plunged his free hand into my hair, tugging just enough to cause a moan to break loose from my throat.

After several seconds he pulled back slightly and traced the tip of his tongue across my bottom lip. “I’ve been dying to do that since we left the ball park,” he whispered against my lips.

Shyly, I pulled back and reached for his hand, lacing our fingers together and led him into my building. As we made our way to the elevator Gary looked up from his book—
The Shining
this time—and shot me a knowing grin. “Nice evening, Taylor?” he asked cheekily.

I felt the heat creeping up my neck and face as Jordan wrapped an arm around my shoulder. I could feel his body shaking with silent laughter.

“Yes, Gary. Thank you. It was fantastic.”

The corners of his mouth tipped up a little more and I heard him mumble, “I bet,” as he looked back down at his book.

When we got into the privacy of the elevator Jordan pulled me to him, wrapped both arms around my waist and gave me a peck on the lips. “I think I kind of like that guy.”

I smiled against his lips and replied, “I kind of like him too.”

We stayed wrapped around each other until the elevator opened on my floor. I had twenty floors to decide exactly how I was going to make a move on Jordan and I’d come up with nothing. Not a single damn thing.

My hands were shaking so much that I had trouble getting the key in the lock. Seeing my tenseness, Jordan placed his hand over mine and gently guided the key into the lock. I finally got my door unlocked and open with his help. I turned the lights on and dropped my purse on the entryway table. My palms started sweating again and I had to rub them on my dress as I turned back to face him. “Um…do you want something to drink? I have water, soda...oh! I might have a bottle of wine or some beer or something…” Now that he was in my apartment, I didn’t have a clue what I was going to do. I’d spent so much of my life avoiding other people that I’d never even been with a man before. I’d had a taste of what it was like to be normal because of Jordan and I desperately wanted more. I wanted to be with him.

“Sure, whatever you’re having is fine.”

I was definitely having something stronger than water; I was going to need it. I opened the fridge, grabbed two beers and handed one to him before opening the other and taking a long pull.

Oh God, I don’t think I can do this.

I turned my back on him and rested my hands on the island trying to calm my nerves when I felt the hair being brushed off the back of my neck. His breath tickled against my bare skin. My head fell to the side to allow better access. “You know, we don’t have to do anything if you’re not ready,” he whispered.

With just the brush of his nose against the shell of my ear, he’d eradicated all of my anxiety. Overwhelmed by what he was doing to my body, I spun around and kissed him. I poured every ounce of need I had for him into that kiss. My head started spinning when his tongue dove into my mouth and tangled with mine. He tasted like mint and a hint of beer; it was absolutely intoxicating.

I melted further into the kiss when he trailed his hands down my waist, past my ass and to the back of my thighs. Using those delectable muscles, he lifted me off the ground and wrapped both of my legs around his lean hips as he hoisted me up and planted my ass on the island.

On instinct, my nails raked lightly down Jordan’s back as his lips left mine and glided down my neck to my collarbone.

There was no way of holding back the moan that escaped. “Oh God, Jordan.”

“Bedroom, baby,” he said into my neck. “Where is it?”

I needed him. Now.

“Down the hall,” I flung my arm carelessly in the direction of my room and before I could register his movements I was lifted back up and being carried out of the kitchen and into the bedroom like I weighed nothing.

I had no clue what I was doing but I gladly let Jordan take the lead again. I wanted him more than my next breath. The fear of what I was about to do was drowned out by my overwhelming desire for him. Even if I had been second guessing myself earlier, it was pointless now. I was lost in Jordan’s touch, unable to see anything but him.

I felt him kick the bedroom door open and we stumbled in. Just as I thought he was about to drop me, he turned and landed on my bed on his back with me on top, straddling his hips. I kept kissing him as he sat up and reached around the back of my dress and started patting around for what I could only assume was the zipper.

Laughter bubbled up when he let out a frustrated growl and ripped his mouth from mine. “Where’s the fucking zipper on this damn thing?” he said, practically spinning me around on his lap so he could find it.

I couldn’t stop it; he was just so damn frustrated that it was funny as hell. The laugh I’d been trying to suppress came out in a snort and there was no stopping it once it started. “It’s on the side,” I wheezed out.

He turned me back around and looked up at me with amusement in his eyes. “I’m so glad this is funny for you. I’m going out of my head trying to get you naked and you’re cracking up.”

I snorted again. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry…but you should see your face. It’s hilarious!”

I could feel his body shake as he began to chuckle along with me. “I’m just going to rip the damn thing off.”

“No!” I shouted as I hopped off his lap. “It’s the only dress I own.”

He stood and stalked after me like a lion stalked its prey. His normally light hazel eyes had grown dark with lust; seeing him so turned on made it difficult to breathe. “I’ll buy you a new one,” he hissed as he lunged at me. I let out a startled screech as he lifted me up and threw me onto the bed. Before I could blink, the dress was gone and I was lying there in nothing but pale blue lace panties and a matching bra.

I felt my entire body turning red as his eyes scanned over every inch of bare flesh. I lifted my arms in an attempt to cover myself but Jordan grabbed hold of my wrists, his eyes hitting mine. “Don’t do that. Please don’t cover yourself around me.” The lust that had been in his eyes seconds earlier disappeared and had been replaced by something deeper…something I didn’t quite recognize. “You’re so fucking perfect,” he whispered as he leaned over me and pressed his lips to the center of my chest.

I never thought anyone would ever say those words to me. I was the complete opposite of perfect, but the passion in his voice made me want to believe him. It felt as if everything with Jordan was moving at warp speed, but it all seemed so familiar, almost natural. His voice, his touch, how he looked at me, all of those things broke down my barriers and erased any doubt I might have had.

I sighed against his lips and realized I was at a complete disadvantage. There I was, lying underneath him practically naked, while he was still fully clothed. I reached for his shirt and started working the buttons but the tremble in my hands made the task nearly impossible. “I need to see you,” I said in a frantic plea, barely recognizing my voice. “Please, Jordan.” The man had reduced me to begging after just one date. Either he was that good or I was just that desperate. I hoped it was the former.

“Anything you want, baby.” He sat back on his haunches, still hovering above me and made quick work of the buttons on his shirt. As he pulled it from his slacks, his abs flexed and his biceps bulged as he stripped it off. It was official. Jordan Donovan was a freaking Adonis. No man on earth should ever look that good.