Slow Hands (15 page)

Her bald refusal to even consider letting him close without paying him, however, had quickly squelched that idea. He didn’t entirely understand her reasoning, but he had at least a suspicion about what was driving her.

Maddy’s self-protective walls had been built brick by brick with the help of her father and her hard-edged sister, not to mention all the jaded people she’d been surrounded with all her life. Then there was whatever secret hurt she’d suffered in a past relationship—he knew there was one. She hadn’t opened up about it yet, but he didn’t doubt she’d been burned. Badly.

So she was protecting herself. In the only way she knew how. She was hiding behind the wall built of her money and her icy reputation, keeping him on the other side. Not about to genuinely trust anyone enough to try a real relationship—especially not someone she thought was a damned male whore.

If she set the boundaries, went in expecting no emotion, no true feelings, she couldn’t be hurt.

God, his heart ached for her. He wanted to take her into his arms and hold her, assure her that not every man was like the ones she’d known before. Let her know she could trust him—that he was
not
who she thought he was, not by a long shot.

Part of him suspected she’d be relieved, happy, willing to accept that he was an average guy who was falling for her. Another part of him feared she’d shove him off the boat…and out of her life for good.

Jake wasn’t about to take that chance. And
that
was why he’d gone along with the insanity.

“I didn’t. And I’m here,” he finally said, thrusting away the momentary guilt about not opening up to her. He would…soon. Just as soon as he’d convinced her to give him a shot—a real one—and made sure she knew he would never intentionally hurt her. As
someone
obviously had.

“I’m glad.”

She pulled her sunglasses off as she leaned toward him. Jake met her halfway, brushing his mouth across hers, tasting a bit of the grape juice on her lips. Deepening the kiss, he tasted a bit more, swirling his tongue against hers, falling right back into that deep well of warm, sensual pleasure he’d been missing since Wednesday morning.

Maddy shifted a little in the lounge chair, but he didn’t realize she’d reached around to untie her bikini top until it fell into her lap. He sat back, watching the sun warm her breasts. She appeared almost pagan, despite the fragile paleness of her skin. “You’re doing more than waving hello to the sun out your window today.”

“Yes, I am.” She smiled, obviously also remembering their conversation in her office.

He reached for the bottle of sunscreen they’d both applied earlier. “You’d better let me help you put more lotion on. I couldn’t even imagine you getting sunburned here.”

“Thank you
so
much for thinking about my well-being,” she replied sweetly, a hint of wickedness in her eyes.

Jake squeezed a small handful of the milky white fluid into one palm, then rubbed both hands together to spread it between them. Inhaling the tropical scents of citrus and coconut, he reached out and touched her breast, smoothing the protective coating over her sensitive skin. Maddy’s head dropped back, her mouth opening on a deep, sensual sigh. “Mmm.”

Her nipples grew taut as he lotioned her, and he allowed himself a few pleasurable strokes, tweaking the puckered skin that demanded his attention. “Jake,” she whimpered, “please, more.”

“I’m not quite finished.” He kept on stroking lightly, not giving her the more urgent caress he knew she was dying for. The woman really needed to learn patience.

Reaching again for the bottle, he started over again on her other breast. But this time, once he was sure he’d protected every luscious inch, he bent low, close enough to scrape his tongue across the rock-hard tip.

She jerked. “Yes!”

Still cupping her, caressing her, loving the complete absence of friction the lotion provided, Jake gently sucked her into his mouth. Soft at first, he increased the tension when she arched up against him, demanding it.

“Oh, please,” she groaned, twining her hands in his hair as he went back and forth, kissing, laving, suckling her hard enough to draw a series of shocked gasps from her mouth.

Knowing the arms of the chaise lounge would soon get in the way, Jake let Maddy go long enough to toss a large, colorful beach towel down onto the deck. Jake rose to his feet, reached for her hand and tugged her up, too.

Rather than leading her to the towel right away, however, he began kissing his way down her body, much as he had the other night, until he was on his knees in front of her. This time, however, when he reached the fabric of her string bikini, he did not veer away. Catching the elastic in his fingers, he pushed it down, nibbling his way all the way down to the juncture of her thighs, rubbing his lips against the soft thatch between them.

Her hands fell to his shoulders. She made no effort to pull away. They’d come much too far for those kinds of inhibitions. “Taste me, please,” she said.

Taste her? He intended to devour her.

He was smiling in pure hunger as he spied the glistening pearl of flesh half-concealed by her soft curls. Still smiling, he dipped close, flicked his tongue out. Her nails clenched into his muscles and she groaned.

Reaching for her calf, Jake gently encircled it with his hand, lifting her foot onto the seat of the lounge she’d just vacated. Opening her for his most intimate dining pleasure.

Maddy groaned, the sound low and desperate. “I think the ground would be shaking even if we were on dry land.”

Holding her by the hips to keep her steady, Jake tilted her closer, right where he wanted her, and explored her pretty, slick folds with his mouth. As he’d expected, she nearly buckled at the sensation, but he kept her steady, completely in control. And he didn’t relent, just kept pleasuring her until he heard her cry out her climax a few moments later.

“Beautiful,” he murmured against her thigh, watching as she shook from the power of it.

He let go of her hips, pulled her down and onto her back on the deck. She stretched again, easing this way and that, her body warm and pliant and, he would suspect, still pulsing from her powerful orgasm.

Usually he liked to go very, very, slow, but right now, Jake wanted to share the moment, to be part of her deep pleasure. So he pushed his trunks down, not even kicking them all the way off. Using his teeth to tear open one of the condoms he’d brought up from the galley, he sheathed himself and moved between Maddy’s legs. Her eyes remained closed, her mouth open, her entire body flush with satisfaction.

And Jake joined right in. Pushing into her. Watching the way her hungry smile widened, and her brown eyes opened to stare up at him as his cock filled her, stretched her, mated with her.

He drove home. Hard. She thrust up to meet him. Hard.

As he’d expected, the afternoon sun sent blazing heat into his back, but it couldn’t compare to the heat of Maddy’s steamy, clenched core. She squeezed him from within, holding on so tightly he felt wrapped in a fist of the softest, smoothest velvet.

A cooling breeze washed over them, providing relief. Soft waves lapped against the side of the boat, making it rock beneath them. Gently. Up and down. Setting a natural rhythm to which they both began a slow, sultry dance.

Maddy’s breaths grew choppy, her cheeks flushed with color. Between deep, lazy thrusts, she said, “You know, I really do like the way you pay attention.”

He didn’t follow at first, then suddenly remembered the terms of their deal. His demand that he be the one to call the shots—to
pay attention
as he saw fit.

“Good. Because I am an attentive guy.

Wanting to see her beautiful face above him, her brown hair haloed by sunshine, he wrapped an arm around her and scooped her against him. He rolled onto his back, settling her onto his groin without ever losing their deep connection.

“Mmm,” she said, lifting her hands to her hair, scooping it back, holding it off her neck to cool her skin.
Beautiful.

She remained still, sitting straight up on him and not moving, visibly savoring the new position. Jake reached for her breasts, stroking and playing with her nipples while Maddy began to ride him. With restraint he didn’t know she possessed, she pulled up until he almost slid out of her entirely. He actually felt the cool breeze blowing on his wet cock, before she slid back down to wrap him in her warmth once again.

“You’ve learned the value of slowing down,” he murmured, unable to prevent a smile as he watched her.

Maddy nodded. “Mmm, hmm. I’m a fast learner.”

“I’m glad to hear it.”

Maybe she’d be open to learning a few more things from him. Things that had nothing to do with moments like this—moments of pure sensual bliss. Perhaps she’d someday allow him to teach her a little more about relationships, romance, the human heart. Maybe even the existence of love.

He had thirty days in which to try. And so far, Jake thought he was off to a pretty good start.

O
VER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS
,
Maddy remembered what it was like to be a woman. A sensual—sexual—woman. Rather than a bank drone, a dutiful daughter, a supportive sister.

She and Jake had spent the entire weekend together, staying out on the boat Saturday night rather than coming in to shore. Whatever his
obligations
were, he’d at least had Saturday and Sunday free. They’d sailed and laughed, talked and made exquisite love. But on Monday, he’d disappeared again, saying he’d be busy for the next two days—another forty-eight hour commitment—and promised to see her in a few days.

She’d forced herself not to think about where he was, who he was with and what he was doing. Jake had given his word that he’d have no sexual contact with anyone else, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t
seeing
anyone else. Professionally. Or personally.

Lord, she hadn’t even asked him if he was involved in any kind of relationship. She’d focused solely on his, um,
job.

Let it go
, she’d reminded herself many times. No way would he have agreed to the terms if he was seriously involved with another woman. Besides, there was nothing she could do, anyway. She simply had to trust him.

Honestly, she did. The man had taken her check, which had both relieved her and broken her heart a little. Mainly, though, it had been a relief, because it had sealed their bargain. While trusting any man was not easy for her, especially after Oliver, Maddy
did
have confidence in her business judgment.

He’d stick to his end of the deal. She knew it.

And
that’s
how she managed to get through the forty-eight hours without driving herself crazy wondering if he was on the arm of some rich old hag like Bitsy Wellington, explaining that he couldn’t provide any more
intimate
services.

Fortunately, all those worries had disappeared on Wednesday night. He’d shown up at her door with a new-release DVD, a big bag filled with popcorn, Lemonheads, Gummi Bears and other movie-theater type candy, and informed her they were having a movie date.

Since she’d answered the door in nothing but an emerald-green teddy, however, he’d decided the date could wait.

They’d made love right on the living room floor and they’d been wild, rolling helplessly across the carpet, absolutely ravenous for one another. Maddy had, as usual, been surprised by both his patience and his stamina, not sure where the man got his strength. Eventually they’d ended up right in front of the windows overlooking the twinkling lights of the city.

He’d taken her from behind, the two of them kneeling in front of all that glass and all those stars, an enormous orange moon hanging like a paper cutout right above them.

Talk about wanting to howl at the night like a wild, untamed creature. When she saw the handprints all over the windows the next day, she’d decided untamed had been a very good description.

There’d been two full nights of laughter and whispered conversation and sexual bliss, then another two nights of secretive silence. Until now. It was Sunday again, and she was driving to meet him at a local restaurant.

He’d offered to come over. But they’d both known from the other night that if she allowed that, they wouldn’t eat anything until morning. Well, except each other, that is. And frankly, while that thought was incredibly appealing, she was starving for real food and her kitchen was, as usual, pretty empty.

Besides, they had all night. For now, she just wanted to enjoy his company, in public, as if they were any other couple.

You’re not
.

“Yeah, yeah,” she muttered to the skeptical voice in her head as she entered the restaurant promptly at seven o’clock, her gaze traveling the crowded establishment in search of his familiar broad shoulders and short, thick hair.

“What?”

She hadn’t even realized he’d been standing in the vestibule until he’d stepped beside her and touched her arm.

“Hi.”

“Hi yourself.” Despite the crowd, he bent and brushed a gentle kiss across her lips. When it ended, instead of pulling away, he brushed his nose against hers in a sweet, tender gesture—an Eskimo kiss, she remembered from her childhood, having dim memories of sharing them with her mother. She melted a little on the spot.

“Shall we get a table?”

“Absolutely! I’m famished.”

“That mean you’re not having a salad?”

Maddy elbowed him in the ribs as they approached the hostess station to request a table. Before they reached it, however, Jake’s cell phone rang. “I’ll turn it off,” he muttered, “I’m not on call tonight….”

Maddy put her hand up to stop him from saying anything further. She did not want to know about his “on call” time. “It’s okay.”

“Uh-oh,” he said, reading the number. “I probably should take this.”

Maddy smiled at the hostess, requesting a table for two while Jake stepped to the corner to take the call. Trying not to listen, she couldn’t help overhearing a few snippets of the conversation. Words like “sweetie” and “honey, it’ll be okay, you know I’m here for you,” making her ears perk up as if she were James Bond’s partner in spying.

The words were bad enough. The soft, gentle tone, however, truly bothered her. She did not like to think of him using
that
voice with any other woman. And she had no doubt it
was
another woman he was talking to.

“You know, why don’t you give that table to someone else?” she told the hostess, her back stiffening. She’d lost her appetite.

“That’s a good idea,” Jake said, snapping his phone closed and giving her a grateful look as he returned to her side.

Huh. She wondered how grateful he’d be if she took the phone from his fingers and pitched it into the restaurant’s tropical fish tank.

“We’ve got to go.”

“We?” Her brow arching, she added, “Are you sure you don’t need to go alone? I’m quite capable of seeing myself home—I have my own car.”

He shook his head, taking her arm to lead her outside. “No, I’m not letting you get away, I’ve been looking forward to this date since I left your place Friday morning.” He opened the door for her, waited while she exited, and followed her out into the night. “It shouldn’t take long.” Frowning, he added, “I hope.”

“Look, Jake, I know this is just business and everything, but if you have to go deal with one of your other…clients…I’d really prefer not to go along for the ride. I’m not the type of woman who’ll wait in the car while you dash inside and explain to Mrs. Robinson that you can’t be at her beck and call tonight.”

He froze, his jaw dropping open. Which was when she realized she’d made a big mistake. “I thought…I mean…”

“You honestly thought I was going to take you along while I went to meet a
client.
”

“You were so
tender
on the phone, I assumed…”

“It was my baby sister, Jenny. She just had a big fight with her boyfriend. He drove away and stranded her down at the Navy Pier. She was bawling her eyes out and asked me to come get her and take her back to her dorm.”

Jake shook his head, disappointment so clear in his expression she could almost feel it washing over her. “I’m
so
sorry. I can be such a bitch.” She swallowed and stepped toward her own car. “Why don’t I go home and you can call me later…if you want to.”

Grabbing her arm, Jake stopped her, stepping in close and cupping her face in his hand. He pressed a quick, hard kiss on her lips. “Shut up. Just drive me there. My truck’s not big enough, and you, at least, have that little backseat. We’ll take care of Jenny, then go back to your place.” His eyes narrowed and he kissed her again, licking roughly at her tongue, then muttering against her lips, “And I’ll pay you back for your lack of faith in me.”

So relieved that she hadn’t ruined their evening completely, she smiled tremulously. They got in the car, Maddy behind the wheel, as she started the engine and backed out of the parking lot. Before they’d even reached the street, her good mood had returned. “How are you going to pay me back?”

“I’m going to torture you,” he replied, his tone bored, his attention out the window.

“Torture?”

He finally looked over, his eyes shimmering in the light thrown off the car’s dashboard. “I know it drives you crazy when I go slow. Well, tonight, I’m going so slow you’ll think I’m moving backward.”

Her thighs quivered. “Monster.”

“Yeah. That’s me.” He dropped a hand on her thigh. “Drive quick, okay? She sounded pretty upset.”

“You said this is the youngest one? How old is she?”

“Twenty. There’s an eight-year gap between her and me. My older sisters and I call her the accident.”

Hmm…that made him twenty-eight. Just her age.

“Funny that she called you, rather than one of your sisters,” she mused. Whenever Tabitha had a breakup, she always showed up at Maddy’s place with a bottle of tequila and a thousand dollars’ worth of cosmetics from Sephora, for the “girl’s night” she needed to get over it.

“She’s embarrassed. My sisters can’t stand the guy she’s been dating and they’ll say ‘I told you so.’ And my parents would hold it against him, if and when they do get back together. Which, knowing Jenny, will probably be soon.”

Her father was exactly the same way. The one time they’d run into Oliver after he’d done Maddy so wrong, her dad had called him a scum-sucking, lowlife, bootlicking coward. For starters.

Maddy had stopped his tirade. Eventually.

“But you like the guy?”

“Hell, no. He’s a lazy punk and I can’t stand him.”

“Then why did she call you?”

“Because
she
doesn’t know I can’t stand him. I know how to keep my mouth shut and mind my own business.”

“Unlike your sisters—women—is that what you mean?” she asked, not really offended but enjoying putting him on the spot.

Not that he ever stayed there for long.

“Your words. Not mine. Speaking of which—I don’t have to ask you to keep the details of our, uh, arrangement, private, do I? My family doesn’t know about…”

“Enough said.” She wasn’t bothered by the question. Of course, he had to be sure. Besides, he didn’t sound as though he was truly worried she’d out him as a hooker to his kid sister. “I’m just your dinner date.” The words provided her a good opening to do a little sneaky prying, and she wasn’t about to let it go. “They won’t think it’s strange, uh, you being with me? I mean, you don’t have anyone they usually see you with?”

He saw right through her. As usual. Laughing softly and tucking her hair behind one ear, he murmured, “I haven’t been involved with anyone for a long time.”

Why it so relieved her that he hadn’t had a girlfriend, she didn’t want to think about.

“And Maddy? You’re more than just my dinner date,” he whispered. “Much more.”

Keeping her eyes on the road, Maddy couldn’t help smiling a tiny bit, if only on the inside.

Because Jake was already ever-so-much-more to her, too.

“W
HY ARE GUYS
such assholes?”

“Like I’ve always said, babe. A.M.A.S.,” Jake replied. “All Men Are Scum.”

“You’re not!” Jenny scooted up from the tiny backseat, her elbows on her knees as she leaned between him and Maddy. “He’s not, right?”

“Definitely not,” Maddy replied, entering the conversation for the first time.

Not that she could have gotten a word in before now. They’d picked up Jenny ten minutes ago. From the moment she’d gotten into the car, she’d been crying and blowing her nose into a Taco Bell napkin she dug out of her purse. Then babbling and raging, explaining the fight—something about a girl named Liz and a party and a kiss—and generally acting like the high-strung twenty-year-old she was.

Maddy had remained quiet, driving, making occasional commiserating noises and frowning in sympathy with the slightly hysterical young woman she’d never laid eyes on before. She was calm and reasonable, totally in control, as always, but warm, too.

Well, almost always in control. He’d definitely made her lose it on a few occasions. And he could hardly wait to do so again.

“Who are you, anyway?” Jenny asked, finally distracted from her tale of woe. “Is this your car? It’s wicked sweet. Jake, is she your girlfriend? How long have you been together?” She sighed deeply, the melodrama oozing out. “Oh, God, I interrupted your date, didn’t I? Why is he
such
an asshole?”

She threw herself back into her seat.

“This is Madeline Turner…I introduced you when you got in, remember?” Jake asked, unable to hide his amusement.

Jenny just sniffed. “Sorry. Wasn’t listening.”

“No kidding.”

“It’s all right,” Maddy said. “I’m glad to meet you, but I’m very sorry it’s under these circumstances.”

“Men suck.”

“They certainly do.” Maddy cast him a quick, apologetic glance and clarified. “Some of them.”