The Pleasures of Winter (20 page)

Now all Jack could think about was that scrap of pink silk moulded to that spankable ass. He wondered if she was wearing a matching bra. This evening, he was going to add an order that she describe the bra she was wearing as well as the panties.

Just as long as nobody else got to see either of them.

Jack excused himself from the mayor, ducked round the corner and rang Kev. ‘Well, how was lunch with Abbie?’ He tried to sound casual.

‘Oh, we didn’t go.’

Jack stood up straight. ‘Why not? Did she change her mind?’ He fought to keep the elation out of his voice.

Kev laughed. ‘No, nothing like that. Something came up and she had to work today, so we’re meeting for dinner instead. She told me about this amazing little Italian restaurant near her apartment, Mamma D’Inzeo. I’ll tell you all about it if I get lucky.’ He hung up before Jack could react.

Jack clenched his fists, so furious he could barely
contain it. Kev, the traitorous bastard, was going out to dinner with Abbie. Lunch could be a casual thing, just a couple of friends meeting up. Dinner in an ‘amazing little Italian restaurant’ on a Saturday night was a date. And Abbie was wearing pink silk panties with black lace.

‘And now, please welcome our guest of honour, Mr Jack Winter.’

An assistant of the mayor came round the corner, hustled Jack back to the podium and thrust a microphone into his hand. Hell, he had to do this first. He grabbed the microphone. ‘Thank you for inviting me. It is with great pleasure that I declare this –’ he took a quick glance around. Where the hell was he? ‘– arts project open.’ He whipped the flowers out of the hand of the astonished child in the white dress, kissed her on the cheek, posed just long enough to have a few photos taken and headed for the exit.

There was no way Kev was going to get near Abbie’s silk panties.

By the time Jack found Mamma D’Inzeo that evening, it was dark and the restaurant was already full. He peered in through the window at the diners and saw Kev leaning over to say something in Abbie’s ear and her laughing in response.

It was a scene he had seen countless times over the years. When he broke up with the latest model or starlet Zeke pushed in his direction, Kev was there to console her and assure her that she was desirable and attractive. They made a great double act. But not this time. He and Abbie were not finished. Kev was not having her.

He pushed the door open and headed for their table. A short, round Italian woman with steel-grey hair stood in his path, blocking him. ‘Do you have a reservation, sir?’

It was so long since Jack had needed a reservation that it took him a moment to understand the question. He tried to brush past her, but she moved in front of him. ‘Your reservation, sir?’

‘I’m not eating. I just need to go over there.’ He pointed at Abbie’s table.

‘Miss Marshall’s table? I’ll see if she is expecting guests. Wait here.’

Jack followed her to the table, to be met with twin scowls. ‘What are you doing here?’ Kev asked.

Jack drank in Abbie for a moment before he answered. She had done something to her hair. It was caught up on one side and glittered with health. Her mouth was wide, red and alluring. Oh, the things he yearned to do to that mouth. Her eyes snapped up at him, and every annoyed breath caused her breasts to swell. The thin silk of her blouse was modest enough, he supposed, but on Abbie, it was an invitation to sin.

Kev was sitting too close to her in a quiet booth of the aromatic little restaurant – sitting at such an angle that he could look right down Abbie’s blouse.

‘I’ve come to join you,’ he told Abbie. ‘After all, I figured you were talking about me, so I might as well give you the inside information.’

He was delighted to see a deep flush on Abbie’s cheeks. She had been talking about him. She shot him a look that would melt iron. ‘Well, I see that the ego has landed.’

Kev glared at him. ‘Yes, go away, Jack. I’ll see you tomorrow.’

Jack wanted to sit beside Abbie, but the determined Italian blocked his path, so he slid in beside Kev. ‘No, I’m good. I haven’t eaten anyway, I’ll join you.’

Abbie was speechless. The Italian maître d’ looked to her for confirmation that she should bring another menu. She was too shocked to do anything but nod.

She and Kevin had just ordered. They had water and a glass of wine each, but no food yet. Jack had timed his arrival well to make sure they didn’t get past the small talk.

He turned to her. ‘So, have you recovered from your time in the jungle?’

She nodded. She wondered when she was going to recover the power of speech.

‘Did Zeke replace that bra of yours? Gotta say, I loved watching you without it.’

Her fingers were trembling as she picked up her water glass. She sipped slowly, hoping to buy enough time to calm her nerves.

‘I’ll ignore that, and try to pretend that we’re all polite adults,’ she said finally.

She hated scenes and this had all the makings of a very big scene. Jack had a nasty smile on his face and Kevin looked furious.

‘So, Kev, didn’t you say you had somewhere to be?’

‘Yes, I did. Right here, having dinner with Abbie. Go away, Jack, you’re being a prick.’

‘I thought we discussed this in the gym?’

Kevin fished a sliver of ice out of his water and held it up. It obviously meant something to them.

‘So we did,’ Kevin said. ‘If you want more ice, just tell me. Until then, go away.’

‘Let’s ask the lady what she wants. I bet she wants me to stay, don’t you, Abbie?’

She wanted Jack all right – she was wet just looking at him – but she was also mad as hell. Who did he think he was?

‘Right now, I’m tempted to tell both of you to go away. Kevin at least had the manners to invite me out for a meal, instead of just barging in and interrupting a perfectly nice dinner.’

He picked up her hand where it grasped the water glass, felt her pulse and looked into her eyes. ‘You don’t want a man with manners. You want someone who will let you walk on the wild side, who knows what you’re really like.’

She pulled her hand back. ‘You have no idea what I am really like,’ she said, sounding prim even to her own ears.

‘I know you like wearing pink silk panties,’ he said.

It felt like her entire body blushed. How did he know that?
Oh god – no!
Oh god – it couldn’t be.

‘You’re D?’ she said incredulously. ‘You’ve been stringing me along all this time.’

Jack shrugged.

She felt as if the air had been sucked out of the room. Time seemed to stand still. Jack just looked back at her, expressionless. Kevin was looking from her to Jack and back again.

She picked up the jug of water, poured it over Jack and
then grabbed her bag and dashed out of the restaurant. He caught up with her before she got to the end of the block.

‘Abbie, wait,’ he said, reaching out to touch her arm.

She whirled and she barely recognized her own voice as she shouted at him.

‘Don’t touch me. You’re a lying bastard and I want nothing to do with you.’

‘And you’re the one who’s just soaked me.’

He did look a mess, as far as Jack Winter could ever look a mess. She felt a brief moment of satisfaction.

‘I did, didn’t I? And I’ll do it again if you annoy me.’

‘First we talk.’ He refused to let her get away from him and held her wrist as they turned into the entrance of her building.

‘You’re not coming up with me,’ she said.

‘You owe me a towel at least.’

The concierge was busy helping an elderly woman in a wheelchair, so she couldn’t get him involved. And there was no other option. She’d just have to let him up to dry off.

As soon as the elevator door shut behind them, he grabbed her, hauled her against him and slammed his mouth down on hers. No, no, no – it wasn’t going to be that way. For a second, she defied him, pressing her mouth shut.

He traced the seam of her lips with his tongue, demanding entry. She held out for as long as she could and then it was over. She had to have him. She kissed him back, just as ravenously. He tightened his arms around her. His tongue and his lips feasted on her. She arched against his
long, beautiful body, her fingertips digging into his shoulders.

They were lost in each other when the elevator jerked to a halt and the doors opened. Jack seemed oblivious. Then he raised his head a bare half-inch from her mouth. ‘What number?’

She was dazed from his kiss, her mouth soft and slightly bruised. She had to think for a moment. What was her number? ‘Four-two-three.’

Her hands shook when they got to the door so he took the key from her hands and put it into the lock. As soon as they were inside and the door closed, he grabbed her again.

This time the kiss was open-mouthed and voracious. Jack fisted his hand into her hair, holding her still so that he could devour her. Abbie fought to put her arm up around his neck so she could pull him closer. Her lips sought his and matched him move for move. One of her hands was trapped between their bodies and she shoved it in between the buttons of his shirt so she could touch his skin.

He dropped one hand to her ass, caressing and kneading it, forcing her to feel his erection. She rose on tiptoe and rocked.

‘Oh god, Abbie,’ he said, before burying his face in her neck. He sucked it, then pressed open-mouthed kisses against it, as if to soothe the small hurt. He was marking her, but she didn’t care. She wanted him to mark her.

Abbie felt like she was on fire. She shoved her hands up through his hair, tugging him back to her mouth. When she had him where she wanted him, she yanked his shirt out of his trousers and pushed her hands up under it. Her
hands slid up his back and then round to the front, tangling in the springy hair on his chest.

He nipped at the spot under her ear and she moaned, tipping her head to offer him that vulnerable point again. He obliged, harder this time, and she moaned again.

She could feel his erection jerking. She had to touch it. She slid her hand down to his zip but before she could do anything he shoved his hands up under her silk blouse and caressed her skin. Then he dropped his hands and pulled at her skirt.

‘You didn’t tell me about these,’ he said suddenly.

Abbie had no idea what he was talking about. She was just hypnotized by his mouth.

‘No pantyhose,’ he said. ‘Horrible stuff.’

He tugged and she heard them tear. He continued to rip them from her. The sound of the tearing was electrifying. She wanted him to tear everything off her body. She wanted to feel him all over her.

Suddenly he stopped and looked around. They were in her sitting room, which was large and sparsely furnished. He pulled her over to the end of the couch.

‘Bend over. Hold on to that cushion, don’t move your hands.’ He eased her into position as he spoke.

‘What are you doing?’ she said.

‘Eyes front.’ He was back in control now. She could barely imagine the picture she made. Her pantyhose were in ribbons but she was still in a pair of heels that forced her ass up in the air. Moving slowly, he took his time, easing the skirt up until it was around her waist, leaving her bare except for the pink panties.

Jack moved in closer, so that he was standing almost
between her feet, and tapped them. ‘Wider.’ Obediently she shuffled her feet apart. He did it again. ‘More.’ She struggled to move them another few inches and still stay in position.

‘Good girl.’ He caressed her ass, and then with a ruthless jerk, tore the panties off her. ‘I’ll buy you more.’

She heard the tear of a condom wrapper and then felt him fall on her. The first lunge was mind-blowing. He possessed her so completely, it was like nothing she had ever known before. Her nerve endings felt as if they would melt under so much pleasure. She let out a shuddering cry that seemed to make Jack hesitate. She pushed back, silently begging for more. He thrust into her again, holding her hips, controlling the tempo. He wouldn’t let her rush ahead as she wanted.

All she could think was that this was what she longed for, what she needed. She begged him to keep going.

He raked his nails along her back and she groaned. When he pinched her nipple through her silky lace bra, she gasped and reared up.

‘Stay in position,’ he growled. ‘Hold the cushion.’

Obediently, she dropped back but her grip on the cushion was so tight it threatened to tear it apart.

‘Yes, Sir,’ she said.

That was what it took to get what she craved so desperately. Jack couldn’t resist speeding up, lunging into her faster and harder. He drove into her again and again and she rose to meet him.

‘More, please,’ she cried.

That was the end. Jack hammered into her, without finesse or skill, but she was too far gone to care. With a wail that could be heard in the street, she came.

Oh dear god, what just happened? Abbie’s fingers clutched at a handful of feathers from the burst cushion. Jack’s warm body lay on top of hers. He was still inside her, still breathing heavily. He dropped a light kiss on her shoulder.

‘You OK, Abbie?’

‘Yes … I …’ She had actually done it. Made love with Jack.

She felt a sense of loss as he withdrew from her and stood up. ‘Let’s get you into bed,’ he said.

‘No.’ Ouch, she hadn’t meant to sound whiny. He would think that she was one of those needy women who would beg him to stay for the night.

Jack picked her up and set her on her feet. He pulled her against his chest, using one hand to tilt her head back. ‘Did I hurt you?’

‘No, you didn’t hurt me.’

‘Would you like me to?’ A wicked grin dispelled his serious expression. Abbie remembered the cave in the jungle, the slap of his hand against her tender flesh. The sudden heat of impact.

‘Do you know that your pupils have just dilated?’ Jack gave a low laugh. ‘I’ll take that as a yes.’

He bent and hooked his arm under her knees, lifting her against a wall of solid muscle. ‘Bedroom?’

‘Through there.’ She pointed.

He deposited her on the bed, and before she could ask, he closed the curtains and turned on the bedside lamp. His hot stare made her tremble and Abbie moved her hand to cover herself.