Jared felt the tension in Kim’s body as he stroked her cheek. Her skin felt as smooth and creamy as it looked. Her hair was the quality of the finest golden silk. What was there about this woman that inflamed his desires beyond the point of reason? He wanted to make love to her—to taste her skin, touch every place that excited her, intimately know every inch of her body and then get to know it all over again. He slid his hand around to her nape and gently drew her head toward him as he brushed his lips against hers.
A moment later her body stiffened, her eyes popped open and she took two quick steps backward, putting herself out of his immediate reach. He saw the uncertainty in her eyes and the apprehension that covered her features. A wave of disappointment washed through him. As much as he wanted to pursue what he had started, he didn’t want to create an awkward ongoing situation.
He reached out, lightly touched her cheek for a brief moment, then withdrew his hand. He searched the depths of her eyes, took a calming breath and shifted his gaze from her beautiful features and far too tempting mouth.
He responded to her unspoken words. “You’re right, we need to pay attention to dinner.” He pulled the bottle of wine from the rack and gestured toward the stairs.
After a few uncomfortable minutes they settled into the preparation of dinner. Jared opened the bottle of wine, then put the steaks on the grill while Kim made a salad. Initial conversation was polite but strained. When everything had been dished up and they were about to sit down, he caught her hand and pulled her toward him. His voice was soft, his words caressing her cheek.
“I really enjoy these long summer days where daylight lingers into the evening. It looks like it’s going to be a beautiful sunset. Let’s take dinner out onto the deck.”
Jared placed both plates on a tray along with two glasses and the bottle of wine. They went from the informal dining room through the sliding glass doors to the deck. He placed everything on the table, then indicated a chair for Kim. He poured them each a glass of wine.
Jared held up his glass. “Here’s to a productive summer.” He paused, his glass raised, as he cocked his head and gave her a questioning look. “And to an educational one?”
Kim wrinkled her brow. “An educational one?”
“An opportunity to learn something about each other…and maybe put aside some of the old issues of a family feud that have no relationship to us or apply to our generation?”
He clinked his glass against hers, then took a drink of his wine. The glow of the setting sun highlighted her golden hair and made her blue eyes sparkle. He had never seen anyone more beautiful than she was at that moment. He watched as she hesitated as if unsure what to do, then followed his lead and took a sip of wine.
Kim set her glass on the table. It would have served no purpose to take exception to his statement about trying to put aside some of the issues of the long-standing feud between their families. In fact, it would have been petty on her part to do so. But her skepticism made her suspicious of his motives. What was he really after? Was it just another ploy by a Stevens to take advantage of a Donaldson? Lull her into a sense of security, then play out his underhanded scheme? She hoped not, but experience, history and her father’s constant harangues told her she could not dismiss the possibility.
Kim’s gaze drifted to the horizon. It was, indeed, going to be a beautiful sunset. Streaks of red and gold filled the sky, enhanced by the sound of crashing waves on the sand. The city lights had started to come on, ringing the edge of the bay like sparkling diamonds. Dozens of small lights twinkled along the edge of the deck railing. The underwater lights in the pool sent a shimmering flow across the water’s surface. She leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes and took in a deep breath.
Everything about Jared had her confused. Nothing had gone as she had anticipated it would. He hadn’t actually lied to her, but he had most certainly manipulated her with half truths and veiled deceptions. And a man like that couldn’t be trusted no matter how handsome and sexy he was…no matter how much he made her pulse race and her heart pound with excitement.
She opened her eyes and nervously cleared her throat. “What’s on your agenda for me to do tomorrow?” She quickly took another sip of wine. She had come within a breath of asking what tedious little errands he had in mind for her, but quickly realized that it would not be an appropriate question under the circumstances. He had opened the forum of the feud, of setting aside some of the long-held beliefs. If it had been an olive branch of sorts, she would be out of line in not responding to it.
“I haven’t put together a list yet. Why don’t we postpone any business discussions until the morning? For this evening, I’d rather talk about you.”
“Me? There’s nothing interesting about me.” She nibbled at her salad as she tried to cover the embarrassment his statement caused.
Jared took a couple of bites of his steak as he studied her. “I wouldn’t say that. For instance, why did you decide on teaching as a career? There are certainly lots of career paths that would be far more financially lucrative than teaching.”
She stiffened in her chair, her indignation rising to the occasion. “I don’t believe that money is the all-important factor in life. There are other things to consider when seeking a fulfilling occupation.”
“You’re right.” He ignored her tone, maintaining an upbeat attitude. “Money is not the be-all and end-all of life. But that doesn’t answer my question.”
His quick agreement to her statement took her by surprise. It was totally out of character for the person she had painted him to be. She tried to provide an answer that would convey her true feelings.
“I find teaching very satisfying. I like the challenge it provides and the emotional fulfillment when I can see a student conquer something that has been a problem for him or achieve recognition for hard work. And I enjoy it. I like to think that I can make a difference in their lives, help them to achieve their potential.”
He regarded her thoughtfully over the rim of his wineglass as he took a drink. Even in the rapidly fading daylight he could see her nervousness, but he also saw the glow of contentment in her eyes as she talked about teaching. It was obviously important to her, something she found gratifying.
He reached across and put his hand on top of hers. “I admire your dedication and purpose. How fortunate you are to have been able to find your place in life as early as you did and to be so certain about it.”
As the last remnants of daylight disappeared, some of the outside lights came on, casting a soft glow across the table. She was very aware of his hand on hers but did not pull away from his touch. Something about his tone and the expression on his face touched her emotions more than she wanted it to. She cocked her head as she stared at him. “That’s a rather sad statement. Does it mean that you don’t find any of this—” she gestured with her free hand, indicating the lavish surrounding “—fulfilling for you? That you don’t enjoy having all this at your disposal?”
Was this yet another glimpse behind the facade of a man she was finding more complex with each passing hour? Perhaps an insight into a character that truly baffled her? She wasn’t sure. Was she letting her physical attraction to him offset what she thought she knew to be true of his character? She was becoming less sure about what she thought she knew.
“Sure, I enjoy the money and what it can buy. But it’s not what life should be about.”
“Then perhaps—” she withdrew her hand from his as her voice took on a sharp edge “—you should do something with your money beside indulging yourself.”
He showed no reaction to her pointed barb other than a slight narrowing of his eyes, but she immediately berated herself. It was a stupid thing to have said and totally uncalled for. She wasn’t even sure why she said it. She wasn’t jealous, but could it be she resented him for what he had? What should have been her grandfather’s and her father’s?
She missed the warmth of his touch even though she was the one who pulled away. “I…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for that to sound the way it did. It’s certainly none of my business what you do with your money.”
“That’s all right. No harm done.”
She heard it in his voice. He may have verbally dismissed her comments as inconsequential, but he had not eliminated them from his mind. “I’m sorry…really. I had no right to say that.”
Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I don’t even know why I said it.” Were her words and actions nothing more than a defensive reaction to a desire to be with him? She wasn’t sure. She wasn’t sure of anything anymore.
“Don’t worry about it.”
The soft light played across his handsome features, sending a wave of desire coursing through her veins. She didn’t know how to respond to his words or what to do about the sensual pull he exerted on her, so she concentrated her thoughts and conversation on an area where she did have some control.
“This is an excellent wine, and the steak is delicious.”
“Thank you. I’m glad you’re enjoying it.”
“And you were right about having dinner out here. The view is beautiful.” Inane words…mindless chitchat. The awkwardness of the situation permeated the air. And she knew she was responsible for creating that awkwardness. Yet underneath that was a tingling layer of sensual desire that was drawing her closer and closer to him. She was growing more uncomfortable as the sexual tension increased.
Again she wondered what it would be like to make love with Jared Stevens. She had never been in the inner sanctum of a true playboy’s lair. Her thoughts turned to their bodies entwined on what she imagined were the silk sheets adorning his king-size bed. Her bare skin touching his along the length of his nude torso. Her fingers caressing his broad shoulders. She became aware of her breathing. If the thrill of his kiss was a sample of his skills, it would be an experience of a lifetime.
“Tell me what you know about this feud that our families have been engaged in for several decades now.”
His words interrupted her thoughts, sending a wave of relief through her body. She didn’t like where those thoughts had been headed, thoughts bordering on the erotic, and hadn’t been able to control them. But the subject he had chosen caused her body to stiffen and her jaw to tighten.
“I’d rather not discuss it. All my life I’ve heard about this feud. It ruined my grandfather’s life. It ruined by father’s life. It made my childhood miserable. I want to bury it.” She leveled a serious look at him, took a steadying breath, then asked him what was on her mind. “Why do you insist on pursuing it?”
He reached out and took her hand again and offered her a soft, sincere smile. “I think we may have found something to agree on. I want to put it behind me, too. Whatever happened is over and done and can’t be changed. It’s in the past, and the sins of past generations should be left there.”
He felt it in the air, the sizzle and crackle of sexual energy that filled the space between them. He could still taste her on his lips. He wanted more of her, yet every time he made an advance he ended up backing off rather than pursuing what he wanted. What was there about this woman that made her so different from all the others?
There was one thing he had been able to discern about Kim Donaldson. She would never be receptive to a casual affair based on nothing more than physical desire, and there certainly was no way he would ever be interested in anything that hinted at a commitment. He would never allow his emotions to be involved, at least not any emotions beyond lust. She was just the type who could trap a less resourceful and savvy man into some sort of commitment that would end up ruining the rest of his life. That was not for him. The example of his father’s many marriages and affairs had shown him that a committed relationship wasn’t worth the trouble to try and make it work. So why did he still want to pursue her? He gave her hand a little squeeze, then brought it to his lips and kissed the inside of her wrist.
The uncomfortable tension based on an adversarial conflict had been broken. It was as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders when she heard his simple and heartfelt statement about wanting to put the feud behind them.
He held up his wineglass and looked questioningly at her. “To the end of the feud?”
She clinked the rim of her glass against his. “To the end of the feud.” They each took a drink to seal the pledge.
For the rest of the evening they settled into conversation about personal likes and dislikes…travel, movies, books, television. Jared turned on the stereo so the music would filter to the deck from the house. He stood, took her hand in his and coaxed her out of her chair. Then he pulled her into his arms and moved to the soft strains of the music. The previous tension and stress melted away as they became more comfortable with each other—except for the sexual tension that jumped into high gear, sizzling through the air and crackling like electrical lines on a foggy night.
It was Kim who reluctantly made the move to put an end to the evening. “It’s getting late. I should be going home. Thank you for dinner. It was very nice.”
Jared took her hand as they walked into the house and continued to the front door. “It was my pleasure. Thank you for sharing it with me. I enjoyed the opportunity to be able to talk without guarding every word.”
They lingered at the front door, a soft feeling of sensual warmth permeating the air. He pulled her into his arms and brushed a soft kiss against her lips, then fully claimed her mouth. He may have intended it to be a simple kiss, but a second later the full force of his passion took control of his actions. Everything about her excited him. He wanted more of her…he wanted all of her.
His kiss deepened. He brushed his tongue against hers, the texture and sensation adding to his already heated desires. He held her tighter, her body pressing against his. The rise and fall of her breasts matched his labored breathing. She was everything a man could want.
His breath tickled her ear as he whispered the soft words, “Stay the night with me.”
Myriad thoughts and feelings swept through her mind, not the least of which was her repeated fantasy of making love with Jared Stevens. Did she dare surrender to his invitation? Was there any way she could be anything more to him than just another sexual conquest? Somewhere in the back of her mind she latched on to the conscious realization that her concerns told her how much she had already allowed herself to become emotionally involved with him. She had to put a stop to it before she started falling in love with him…if it wasn’t already too late.
“No…I don’t think that’s a good idea. I should…I need to go home. I’ll see you in the morning.” A somewhat shaken Kim Donaldson hurried out the front door.
Jared watched as she drove down the driveway. It was the second night in a row he had stood at his front door watching her drive away. This time, however, they had parted without anger. Far from it. His breathing might have slowed to normal, but his body still surged with unfulfilled desires.
He closed and locked the front door, then slowly walked down the hall to his bedroom. Confusion ran rampant through his mind. There was no doubt he wanted her more than he had ever wanted another woman, but he was very unsettled about exactly why and for what. Was he looking for a casual liaison? A summer affair? Some sort of arrangement that would be for a longer term? Or was it more…much more? The question frightened him almost as much as the possible answer that he refused to acknowledge.
Kim paused at the curb across the street from the entrance gates to Jared’s house. She had spent another long and troublesome night with her emotions in turmoil. Dinner with Jared had been enchanting, and once the animosities had been set aside she found there was much more to him than a killer smile, devastatingly good looks and an easy charm. She had been given a peek into the inner workings of this man, a depth of character she had not known was there. He had turned out to be someone she truly wanted to be with, but was wanting anything more than what they had already shared merely asking for trouble? She didn’t know what to think. With a sigh, she drove around to the office entrance. The confusion continued to swirl in her head.
As soon as she entered the office Jared pulled a startled Kim into his arms. His voice was soft, warm and inviting.
“Good morning.”
A moment later his mouth found hers. It was a brief kiss, but hot enough to sizzle her senses and curl her toes. It ignited all the embers of passion that still smoldered from the previous night.
She managed to force out some words. “This isn’t getting any work done.”
“But it’s much more fun.” He stole one more quick kiss before relinquishing her tempting presence from his arms.
Jared had several things for her to do, most of them keeping her in the office rather than out running simple little errands. Kim was pleased to find that her work assignments included more serious tasks, some of them involving his clients and current business functions. She took it as a gesture of trust that touched her on the deepest levels.
Things between them grew more comfortable with each passing day. Jared surprised her one noon with a picnic lunch in the backyard. As the week went by they settled into getting to know each other as friends rather than adversaries—something beyond the underlying sexual tension that continued to pull at each of them with passion-filled kisses whenever they were together and sensual fantasies when they were apart.
Even though Jared continued to ask her to spend the night and she yearned to have him make love to her, she had steadfastly maintained her need to go home. She knew she was afraid, but wasn’t sure exactly why. Was it the thought of all the other women Jared had wooed and bedded? Was it her concern that he would think she considered making love just a game without taking the implications seriously? Was it her fear that he would think of it as nothing more than a game? Or was it that she suspected she was falling in love with him and didn’t want to be? It had turned into an ongoing battle between her desires and her fears.
One week turned into two and two became four. By the end of the month she was so confused in her feelings for Jared she hardly knew which way to turn. Every time he touched her, waves of sensual desire swept through her body. And each night as she went to bed alone at her father’s house she wondered how much longer she could hold out against Jared’s subtle seduction and her own not-so-subtle desires.
Friday evening finally arrived. Kim finished her work for the week and put her desk in order, preparing to leave for the weekend. Jared had asked her to wait until he returned from a business meeting with his bankers in San Francisco. She glanced at her watch but didn’t know what time to expect him. She decided to feed Lurch while she waited. She assumed Jared had asked her to wait so they could do something together that night, maybe dinner out. She had dressed in teal blue silk pants and blouse with her favorite gold necklace anticipating they would go somewhere nice since he had dressed in suit and tie for his meeting.
She returned to the office just as Jared arrived. There was no doubt about how handsome and dynamic he was. Her heart beat a little faster, and her blood coursed hot through her veins. The added dimension of the custom-tailored charcoal gray suit, silk shirt with French cuffs and gold cuff links and the charcoal gray Gucci loafers said the man standing in front of her was powerful, wealthy and a force to be reckoned with.
“Kim…I’ve been thinking about something and I want to discuss it with you.”
“What is it?”
He knew he hadn’t been fair in giving her so many menial little tasks and errands the first few days, even though the month had settled into a smooth running working relationship with her spending most of her time in the office. He needed to do something about the charity fund-raiser his client wanted him to organize. He had been putting it off, but the more he thought about it, the more it seemed like a perfect project to give to Kim. It would be a great help to him. It would be something they could work on together. It would also keep her at his house for long days, perhaps long hours that would extend late into the night.
“How are you at planning fund-raising events?”
“Fund-raising events?” His question caught her by surprise. “What kind of fund-raising events?”
“You know…food, drinks, dancing and entertainment followed by the solicitation of large checks payable to the charity. Just your typical run-of-the-mill type of fund-raiser attended by the socially prominent and business elite.”
“Which charity are you talking about?”
“Well…” He ran his hand across the back of his neck. “I don’t recall the name of the organization, but it has to do with shelters for battered women and abused children. It’s the favorite charity of the wife of one of our biggest clients. I’m sort of on the hook to put on a fund-raising event for them and I was considering just hiring a service to handle it, but if that’s something you know about, perhaps you could help me with it. If I didn’t have to hire a service it would cut down on the expenses of putting on the event and leave more of the money for the charity.” He paused long enough to pull her hair aside and place a tender kiss behind her ear. “We could work on it together.”
A shiver of delight darted across her skin. “I do have a little bit of experience in event planning. I’ve been in charge of a couple of fund-raisers at the high school where I teach, but that’s pretty far removed from the socially prominent and business elite.”
His smile lit up his face, that devilishly sexy smile that never failed to set her heart a-flutter. “That sounds good enough to me. I think we can consider that your primary assignment for the rest of the summer. I’d like to hold the function in San Francisco in September or early October at one of the major hotel ballrooms.”
She couldn’t hide her elation. “You want me to work on this with you? To plan and organize a function of this size and importance?”
“Yes, I have confidence in your ability to handle it.” He held her eye contact for a long moment, his smile fading and a new depth of intensity filling his eyes.
His request was totally unexpected. The change from menial little errands the first few days to helping plan a major charity fund-raising event just a month later was a huge leap in responsibility. His words settled a soft glow of pleasure over her. He had said he had confidence in her and they would be working on the project together.
This was certainly different from the passionate kisses and lingering touches they had shared over the past few weeks. It was much more than his attempts to get her to stay the night at his house. She experienced a shortness of breath caused as much by the excitement of the charity project and his obvious trust and confidence in her abilities as by the sensual warmth spreading through her veins.
She tried to force calm into her voice. “When do you want me to start on the charity project?”
“If you don’t mind, maybe we could start work on it in the morning? I know you aren’t supposed to work on Saturday, but it will give us an opportunity to work without interruptions. We can at least get a feel for what needs to be done.”
“That’s fine. I don’t mind working Saturday morning.” Her excitement over the new project continued to tingle through her body.
“I have a few pamphlets about the charity. I think they’re on the coffee table in the living room. Come on, you can look them over before we start work on it.”
Kim followed Jared to the living room. She looked around, her gaze moving from one beautiful object to another. She recalled when she had glimpsed this room from the entryway upon her arrival for her first day of work. A full week had gone by before she could actually take in the magnificent surroundings.
He crossed the room to the coffee table and picked up the brochures. “Here—” he held them out to her “—this should give you information about the background and current organization of the charity.”
She took the material, but before she could say or do anything else he grasped her other hand and brought it to his lips. He captured her gaze and held it as he kissed her palm.
“My offer for you to stay the night is still open.”
She shook her head. She finally forced out a breathless word. “Please…” Her resistance to his charms weakened with each breath she took, aided by her desire. “I really can’t. The real estate agent is holding an open house on Sunday. I need to make sure everything is in order. I need to sell my father’s house.” Did he have any idea how tempting his offer was? How much she wanted to stay the night with him? And not just because he had dangled a challenging project under her nose, either.
“I think you should stay.” Jared gave her hand a squeeze. It was precisely the intimate gesture of reassurance she needed. A moment later his mouth was on hers, and the last of her resistance evaporated. The desires she had been fighting for the past month, ever since she met him, had finally won. She circled her arms around his neck, allowing the brochures to fall to the floor, and returned his passion with an equal amount of her own. Whatever objection she might have had no longer mattered. Her resolve melted in his arms.
The moment she put her arms around his neck a hard jolt of something unexpected hit Jared like a bolt of lightning. His libido had been in overdrive from their first meeting, but now she touched far more than his sensual desires. She touched a place so deep inside him he wasn’t even sure exactly where it was.
And he wasn’t sure he wanted to know.
He cupped her face in his hands. His words came out in a husky whisper. “Do you have any idea how beautiful and desirable you are?”
Before she could answer, he brought his mouth down on hers as he wrapped her in his embrace. He pulled her body tightly to him. His lips nibbled at the corners of her mouth, then he twined his tongue with hers. With one hand he ran his fingers through the silky strands of her hair before caressing her shoulders. The other hand slid across her hip and cupped the roundness of her bottom. He snuggled her hips against his.
His fingers made their way to the top button of her blouse. He paused to kiss the bare skin exposed each time a button slipped through a buttonhole until her blouse was completely unfastened. He ran his hands inside her blouse, caressing the smooth skin of her back, then unhooking her bra. He removed both garments, dropping them to the floor.
A little shiver darted across her skin as the cool air hit her body, but it was quickly replaced by the warmth of his arms as he enfolded her in his embrace again. She slipped her feet out of her shoes and kicked them aside. There wasn’t any use pretending that nothing was going to happen or trying to convince herself she could put a stop to what was taking place. She wanted Jared to make love to her more than she had ever wanted anything in her life. Even her fingertips tingled at the thought of running her hands over his bare skin.
She loosened his tie and pulled it from around his neck, then dropped it to the floor. Her fingers worked at the buttons on his shirt until they were unfastened. She slid her hands inside his shirt, reveling in the hard planes of his chest. She felt his breathing, the ragged intake matching her own. His mouth was on hers again—hot, demanding and tantalizingly sensual. But he didn’t demand any more than she was willing to give. He interrupted the kiss just long enough to yank his shirt off and toss it on the floor on top of his tie.
He kicked off his shoes and took a couple of steps backward, taking her with him as he fell onto the sofa. He leaned into the corner, holding her body on top of his as he caressed her bare shoulders and back. His tongue meshed with hers, exploring the dark recesses of her mouth. Their legs tangled together. The feel of her bare breasts pressing against his chest sent a heated surge through his body. His hardened arousal strained against the front of his trousers.
His words were barely audible. “You are exquisite.” He twisted so his body covered hers, one of his legs between hers and the other hanging over the edge of the sofa. He cupped the firmness of her breast, her tautly puckered nipple pressing into his hand. He captured her other nipple in his mouth. A soft moan of pleasure filled the air. He didn’t know if it had come from him or from her. Perhaps it was from both of them.
Her hands were at his trousers, trying to unfasten his belt and unzip his pants. He reached for the waist of her slacks. Their hands collided as each frantically tugged at the other’s remaining pieces of clothing. Jared released her nipple from his mouth and raised up on his elbows. He gasped for air and finally managed a few breathless words.
“Let’s go to my bedroom.”
He rolled off the sofa, his chest heaving with his labored breathing. He grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet. Then he impulsively scooped her in his arms, carried her up the stairs to his bedroom and laid her on the bed. He gulped in several deep breaths as he shucked off his trousers, socks and briefs.
Kneeling on the bed, he unfastened her slacks as quickly as his trembling hands could function. She arched her hips upward, allowing him to pull them off along with her panty hose and lacy bikini panties. He stared at the beautiful woman who had dominated all his thoughts from the time he met her. Her slightly parted kiss-swollen lips and mussed hair gave her an earthy look of wild abandon and exotic sensuality. Her blue eyes sparkled with the same passion that coursed hotly through his veins. She raised her hand toward him, beckoning him to join her.
The last vestige of control he had been able to muster flew out the window. He snuggled his body next to hers. He teased her nipple with the tip of his tongue before drawing it in and gently suckling. Her mouth…her skin…every touch and taste inflamed his senses. He ran his hand up the smooth skin of her inner thigh until he reached the moist heat of her femininity.
A gasp followed by a sensual moan of pleasure escaped Kim’s throat when he inserted his finger between her feminine folds. She splayed her fingers across his hard chest, then trailed her fingertips down his body. She stroked his hardened arousal, the sensual delight sending a wave of excitement through her body that rapidly combined with the strong sensations produced by his touch.
She wrapped her leg around his, threw her head back into the pillow, closed her eyes and allowed the delicious waves of euphoria to surge through her body. A moment later his mouth came down hard on hers. She circled her arms around his neck. His hot kiss infused her with an intense sexuality that emanated from his every breath and gesture. No one had ever set her passions on fire the way he did.
Jared reached for the drawer of the nightstand and withdrew the condom packet, his movements almost frantic in his rush to rip open the package. A few moments later he nestled his body between her legs and slowly thrust his manhood inside her. He held her tightly as a hard jolt of something as emotional as it was physical claimed every corner of his consciousness. He fought to keep the emotional side of what was happening under control. He set a smooth pace, each of his strokes being met by a thrust of Kim’s hips. His mouth captured hers again, as much in an attempt to prevent him from saying more than he wanted to as it was a need for the intimate contact and a desire to experience her taste.
Kim’s emotions vied for control with the physical rush surging through her body. Everything about Jared excited her more than she believed it could…every place he touched her, every word he said. The pace of their lovemaking accelerated as layer upon layer of intense rapture built toward the ultimate ecstasy. She tightened her arms around him. His kiss demanded more, and she gave everything she could until the convulsions totally claimed her body in a climactic euphoria more intense than anything she had ever experienced. She clung to him as the waves surged through her again and again. It had been everything she knew it would be, everything she had anticipated…and more.
Jared wavered between wanting to prolong the delicious sensations and giving in to the rapture that rushed to claim him. He gave one final deep thrust. His body shuddered, followed by hard spasms of release. There was so much he wanted to say, and every bit of it frightened him more than anything in his life ever had.
Jared kissed Kim’s damp cheek, brushed his lips tenderly against hers and continued to hold her. He didn’t want to let go of her warmth or break the physical contact that continued to radiate to him.
He had been with women who immediately wanted praise for their performance, to be told that they were beautiful and desirable and that it was the best lovemaking he had ever experienced. Others wanted him to make a commitment to a relationship, even though he had made no such promises or even hinted at the possibility. Others felt a need to tell him about their lovers in an attempt to impress him with their vast experience. He hadn’t been interested in any of it.
But Kim was different. She didn’t do any of those things. She seemed strangely quiet, as if there were many thoughts going through her mind, secrets she chose not to share. It left him very uneasy and at a loss about what to do or say to her. A wave of apprehension jittered through his body and flowed into the one area where he had no experience—a previously unknown insecurity.
Making love had never before had an emotional impact on him the way it had with Kim. Every fear he had ever harbored about commitment and relationships, every negative thought he had ever held about his father’s many failed marriages, came rushing at him. Foreign feelings coursed through him, feelings that frightened him…feelings that told him to run before it was too late.
Feelings that told him it was already too late.
So he continued to hold her tightly while he tried to convince himself that nothing had changed, that everything was okay even though he knew things would never be the same again.
Kim remained folded in his embrace, the glow of total contentment resonating through every fiber of her being. Before they had made love she suspected she might be falling in love with him. Now she knew it for sure. What she didn’t know was how she felt about the revelation. He was the type of man whose lifestyle and existence shouted for all to hear that he would never allow himself to be tied down to one woman in a committed relationship.
Could she be happy as his lover knowing she could never be anything more? One thing was definite—whatever relationship existed between them before they made love, even if it was only a contracted work arrangement, had been irrevocably changed.
What just moments ago had been total elation was suddenly dampened by so many doubts and fears. Had she done something she would live to regret? She hoped not, but she feared so.
Jared kissed her cheek, drawing her out of her thoughts. Then he nuzzled her neck as he caressed her breast. A renewed tingle of excitement quickly made its way through her body. He slowly tickled his fingers up her inner thigh, and she was once again poised on the brink of a rapturous experience.
It was another hour before they basked in the afterglow of their intense lovemaking for a second time. If Jared had been uncertain earlier about where the impact of their lovemaking would lead, now he was in a state of total confusion. He wrapped his arms tightly around Kim’s body and held her to him. Maybe things would be clearer in the morning. He closed his eyes and tried to put the negative thoughts out of his mind while gently stroking her skin.
Kim delighted in the little tremors of excitement that followed in the wake of his fingertips. She had never felt so at one with another human being as she did at that moment. How was it possible for Jared to become so important to her, so much the emotional center of her existence in only a month? She snuggled into the comfort and security of his arms. Her thoughts became fewer and less clear as sleep claimed her.