Jackie opened her eyes to find Eddie curled around her. A smile pulled at her lips as she snuggled tight. In twenty-six years, she’d never felt this safe or comfortable in her skin. Everything shifted into place when they made love.
Eddie’s lips curved as his eyes opened. “Morning, Jackie.”
“Mmm.” She stretched her arms and legs, and he pulled her closer. A glance at the clock made her wince. Brent would be getting up anytime, but she wanted to spend the morning forgetting their problems.
Unable to resist the lure of his body, she kissed his collarbone while trailing her fingers down ridges of muscle. Licking his nipple, she smirked up at him before gently biting.
“Shit,” he gasped, his hips jerking.
Her brow arched. “Don’t like?”
“Love. But Brent. He won’t wait long to wake us.”
“We’re awake.” She nibbled down the shadow between muscles before trailing her tongue up the vein along the underside of his cock. “Need this,” she murmured.
“Jackie, you don’t have to do that. I’d rather have you.”
She kissed his crown, then traced her tongue around the ridge. “I’ll make love to you before you finish. First, I crave a taste.”
Eddie’s hands fisted in the sheets as her mouth closed over him and took him in. She couldn’t tear her eyes from his face. Watching him lost in pleasure was the hottest thing she’d ever seen.
His muscles jumped under smooth brown skin. Black hair fanned across her white sheets. A strangled moan escaped his full lips as his hips flexed.
“Damn it, Jackie. I’m close.”
She pulled off with a pop, climbed up the bed to straddle his hips, and slid down over him. After he’d worshipped her the night before, she wanted to return every ounce of pleasure.
She looked into his eyes as she rose over him, and crashed back down. Eddie sat up, his hands tangling in her hair as he brought her mouth to his.
They connected on every level. Their bodies in sync. Each wave of love pulsed through him as strong as the desire that quickly escalated to the point of no return.
Everything she never thought she could have was right here. She flew apart as his release filled her. He held her tight, his forehead pressed to hers as he stared into her, their souls touching.
“Promise me, no more guilt. Either of us,” he whispered.
“Not anymore. This is too right.” Didn’t matter what anyone else thought. For now, they would keep this quiet, but there was no way she could ever pretend like what they shared wasn’t the real thing.
Banging on the door made her jump.
“Come on, get out of bed, take a shower, and get dressed. No more bumping uglies. We have a lot to do before Jackie goes to work tonight.”
Eddie groaned. “Don’t want to train today,” he murmured. “Want to stay here in bed, and keep you all to myself.”
She sighed heavily. “Unfortunately, we have to. There’s so much I need to learn. You thought what I could do before was awesome.” She shook her head. “It’s a whole new ballgame now. Isa and Jayde are meeting me out in the forest, while you hang out with the guys.”
He groaned. “Yeah, Brent mentioned learning how to fight the right way. Watch them kick my ass.”
Jackie laughed. “I bet they don’t. You’ll learn a few tricks.” She leaned in and whispered against his ear, “I’ll let you pin me down and have your wicked way with me afterward.”
His cock hardened further and she wiggled with a moan.
Brent banged again. “Seriously, you two, don’t make me come in there and pull you apart. There are some things I never want to see.”
“Be right there,” Eddie called, before rolling Jackie to her back. They made love as quietly and quickly as they could manage.
* * * *
Once Jackie drove away with Eddie, Brent made the trip to Tiana’s shop. He needed to talk to her without interruption, and with Stefano at the bookshop, it had to be in person so he could seal the sound in the room.
He’d been a fool for not seeing the signs sooner. Stefano was a fucking loon. His mask slipped easily and the true monster showed itself when he bared his fangs at Jackie.
He strode into Tiana’s Reads and found Stefano at the counter. “Hey, Stefano. Where’s your aunt?”
“Basement. Is Jacqueline all right?” A flash of anger passed through his eyes, though he smiled brightly.
Bastard was scheming. He wished he’d asked more questions about Stefano and his past. Though Tiana clearly hadn’t wanted him to find out about Eloise.
“She’s out with friends today. Don’t worry, she’s safe. Tell me something, Stefano. What is it you really see when you look at Jackie?”
His face lit up. “I admit I was first drawn to her resemblance to my late wife. Jacqueline is so much stronger, confident. Seeing a woman stand up for herself is refreshing.” There was a snarl to the last. “She won’t fall victim the same way my wife did.”
“And what will you do if she doesn’t choose you?” Not that she ever would.
His smile chilled. “Let her go. No one can change her mind once she makes a decision.”
“You’d do well to remember that.”
He hurried down the stairs, tossing up a shield at the top when Stefano attempted to follow. Brent pushed through the door and found Tiana looking through a stack of books.
“What are you researching?”
“Ways to free Jared from his master’s control. And ways to remove the effects of being faerie struck.” She looked up and shook her head. “I didn’t realize how lost in the past Stefano was. I never suspected he would be so obsessed over a resemblance.”
“Jackie could be his wife’s twin. Their eye color appears to be the only physical difference.”
Tiana gave him a hope-filled smile. “He claims he’ll let her go if she doesn’t want him. I hope he means it.”
“But you don’t believe him.”
She shook her head sadly. “Unfortunately, he hopes to charm her. He seems unusually determined to prove he’s the better man by being her friend.”
He leaned against the workbench. “Tell me you understand how twisted his mind is. I want to hear the words from your lips.”
“Definitely twisted and wrong. He’s all the family I have left, but as much as I want him to be happy, I don’t want it at the expense of another’s happiness.”
“Yeah, we need to find a way to stop him from doing something stupid.”
“Agreed.” She glanced down at the books. “Want to help me find a solution?”
“I do. Let’s hope there’s some way I haven’t considered yet.”