Chapter Ten
O nce inside, the ma?tre d’ led them past the crowded restaurant to the back. The chairs and tables were made of mahogany wood, which also lined the walls, and deep leather cushioned the seats. The lighting cast an amber glow, giving the room a yellow tint.
They stopped at a closed door, which when opened, led to a private room.
Jared surprised her at every turn.
She waited until they were seated and alone in the room before speaking. “Thank you but this is over-the-top! We could have had a table for two outside with everyone else.”
He tapped her nose with his finger. “But then I wouldn’t have you all to myself.”
His comment affected her, warming her inside. After their deep conversation about her past during the ride to the restaurant, she was grateful when their dinner conversation remained light. She told him about her upcoming interview and he was thrilled for her.
The meal was delicious. They each started with an iceberg wedge, smothered in Roquefort dressing and bacon sprinkled on top, minus the blue cheese for Charlie. She followed the salad with filet mignon while Jared had a dry-aged porterhouse. It didn’t surprise her there were no prices on her menu. Was she uncomfortable? Yes, but the amazing food overrode her discomfort that she couldn’t afford this place on her own. Instead, she devoured everything she could, with gratitude.
She even ate an entire loaded baked potato and Jared grinned. “Eating for two, huh?”
“I’m proud to admit I’d do the same thing if I weren’t pregnant. I am not, nor will I ever be, one of those women who eats salads for dinner and says it’s her favorite meal.”
He nodded in approval. “Good, then you won’t mind that I pre-ordered dessert.”
As if summoned, the waiter walked in and set down a plate he explained was devil’s food cake with whipped ganache, which she was told was glaze and chocolate curls. Curly crunchy pieces of chocolate.
One taste and she was in heaven. It helped that the taste came from Jared’s spoon.
He scooped her another piece and she let him feed it to her again. “Mmm. God, that’s good.”
“Do not make orgasmic sounds when I can’t be part of them,” he said, his eyes darkening.
“You did not just say that in public.”
He let out a low, sexy chuckle. “We aren’t in public, and yes. I said it.”
They finished dessert and he rose to his feet, pulling out her chair as she stood. Again, no surprise to her, she didn’t see the bill and assumed he’d left his credit card when he made the reservation.
Back in the limousine, so stuffed she was bursting out of her pretty dress, she leaned back and turned her head toward him. “Since we’re back in the talking zone, does your family know I’m pregnant? Other than Noah and Fallon, I mean.” Somehow the limousine had become their intimate sharing space.
He clasped her hand, running his thumb over her wrist. “They all know and they’re happy for us.”
She glanced at her lap. “Did they judge me? For, you know… oops, she did it again?”
“You didn’t oops alone, and no one is judging you. Least of all my family.”
An unexpected tear fell from her eye and he wiped it with a finger before she could.
“Damn pregnancy hormones,” she muttered, embarrassed.
He slid a hand beneath her chin and raised her head so she looked directly at him. Then, his lips met hers.
What started gentle quickly turned hot and intense. His tongue rubbed against hers, his lips moving against her mouth. She grasped his jacket lapels and pulled him closer, the kiss spiraling out of control. Before she knew it, her legs were on either side of his hips and his hard cock rubbed against her sensitive sex.
She moaned, curling her fingers into the shoulders of his sport coat, wishing it were his skin, and was tempted to remove it. Before she could try, the car came to a stop.
“We’re at the hotel,” Jared said, his breath warm against her neck.
She drew a deep breath and nodded, climbing off his lap. “Sorry,” she muttered.
“I’m not.”
She waited for the driver to open the door and help her out. Jared joined her and escorted her to her room.
Once they were outside the door, she turned toward him. “Thank you for a wonderful night.”
He brushed her hair off her cheek. “Thank you for joining me.”
“Jared, do you want to come in?” She’d thought about nothing else since exiting the limousine, walking through the lobby, taking the elevator to her floor, and now staring into his green eyes.
He braced his palms against her cheeks and tipped his head down. “I was hoping you’d ask.”
She turned, key card already in hand, and let them into the room. Housekeeping had been in for turndown service. She could tell from how clean everything looked in the outer room. Without stopping, she walked into the bedroom and placed her bag on the dresser.
Tonight had been lovely, at times intense, but she’d opened up to Jared in ways she’d never done with anyone else. Just talking about her father was like slicing a vein and though she hadn’t told Jared much, she’d explained to him what mattered. Which meant she trusted him enough to sleep with him again.
Aware they were treading on thin ice with their relationship, given they were having a baby, she still couldn’t resist.
She pulled her hair back and looked over her shoulder to find him leaning against the wall, looking sexy in his jacket and the white shirt he’d already unbuttoned.
Her panties grew damp at the sight of him. “Unzip me?”
He shrugged off his jacket and his shirt followed, and she couldn’t tear her gaze from his sculpted chest lightly sprinkled with dark hair.
He stepped closer and unzipped her dress, his fingers trailing along her spine as he eased it down as far as it would go. His determined touch, his warm body heat so close, had her body vibrating with need, her nipples puckering against the flimsy lace bra she wore.
He slid the dress down her body, the garment pooling at her feet. Stepping out, she kicked it aside and pivoted to face him. His heated stare told her all she needed to know. Of course, if she’d looked down sooner, his rigid erection would have let her know the same thing.
He reached out and deftly unhooked her front-clasp bra and when she shook the undergarment down her arms, he cupped her breasts, palming them in his big hands. She glanced down and noticed the contrast between his tanned hand against her pale flesh. Before she could process the sight, he rolled her nipples between his thumbs and forefingers and she couldn’t think at all.
Pleasure suffused her, taking control of her body until her knees nearly buckled. He caught her around the waist and lifted her into his arms. He liked to play and she expected him to lift her up and toss her on the mattress. Instead, he was so gentle the sweetness brought a lump to her throat. He was being careful because she was pregnant and though she understood, she liked his gruffer ways in bed.
“I won’t break, you know, and neither will the baby. Stop thinking so hard,” she said, propping herself up on her elbows.
“Okay then.” He hooked his fingers in her panties and pulled them down, leaving her naked on the bed.
He rose and rid himself of his pants and boxer briefs, his thick erection standing upright and ready. Grasping his cock, he gripped and pumped his hand up and down, a drop of precum coating the tip.
He put one knee on the bed and climbed on. “Spread your legs,” he said in that gruff, commanding tone that turned her on. Wetness oozed out of her as she complied.
He climbed over her and positioned his cock at her entrance and without waiting, thrust into her. He filled her so she felt him everywhere and he began to pound into her hard, giving her no reprieve.
Nor did she want one.
She loved the feeling of him inside her, sparking every nerve ending and immediately causing her to climb toward a fast orgasm. She’d asked him not to go easy on her and he wasn’t. But he knew exactly how to make her come.
Grasping her hands, he drew them up and over her head, not allowing her to hold on to anything as he continued to drive into her. She squeezed her inner muscles around him and he groaned at the sensation. So she did it again.
“You’re a tease,” he said.
“I’m doing my best,” she told him, then bent her knees and dug her feet into the mattress, hoping it prevented her from falling headfirst off the end of the bed. Not that she thought he’d let her.
The movement of her legs shifted their hips and suddenly he hit her G-spot with every thrust. Pleasure consumed her, causing her to soar, losing track of time and place. From far away she heard a low groan as Jared came right after her.
Her heart pounded in her chest as she tried to catch her breath.
He rolled off her, staying close.
“When I said I wouldn’t break, I didn’t mean to test me,” she managed to say, a light laugh escaping her lips.
“You gave me permission to let go. I didn’t hurt you, did I?” He sounded concerned and rolled to his side, propping his head up with one hand.
She reached out and rubbed the worry lines between his brows. “Of course not. That was incredible.”
“It was, wasn’t it?” he asked with a grin.
She’d already lowered her arms and now stretched them again over her head.
Taking her off guard, he placed his hand on her belly. “It’s really happening,” he said, as if in awe.
She covered his hand with hers. “It really is. I hope you and I get along as well as I do with Noah.”
“Our relationship is not going to be anything like yours and Noah’s.”
“What?”
“It’s going to be better because we have feelings for each other. No panicking,” he said before she could do just that.
She looked into his perfect face, his expression calm, no stress in sight. “Jared—”
“Nope. Let’s go shower.” From his firm tone of voice, she knew she wouldn’t get him to talk about this anymore.
But she wasn’t about to forget what he’d said.
***
Jared kept Charlotte too busy to talk last night and she’d passed out from physical exhaustion before she could question him about his having feelings comment. The words had just come out and he didn’t want to give her time to decipher them any more than she’d wanted to hear them. Sex had been the perfect distraction.
Charlotte was in the main area of the suite prepping the coffee machine and making him a cup before he needed to leave for home, to shower and get to work. He walked in from the bedroom wearing his suit pants and shirt from last night just as the hotel phone rang.
Charlotte picked up the receiver. “Hello?” She listened, then said, “Oh! Sure! Send him up!” she said, excitement in her voice.
“Who’s the visitor?” he asked.
She turned toward him, a cup of coffee in hand. “My brother, Dan. I left him a message the other day and gave him my new address and the hotel info. Listen, he’s not like me.” She handed him the cup. “He works as a delivery guy unless he’s out of work because he’s been fired. But deep down, he’s a good person. He just… drops out of touch too often. I haven’t seen him since I’ve been back,” she explained quickly, because her brother was on his way up.
He took a sip of his coffee, dark, no sugar, the way he’d told her he liked it, and the doorbell rang.
Obviously excited, she rushed out of the room to greet her sibling. He put his coffee cup on the counter and followed at a slower pace. She skidded to a stop in her socks and opened the door.
“Dan!” she exclaimed as she opened the door, and a gaunt-looking man walked in, taking Jared off guard. He wore ripped, old pants and a faded T-shirt and looked as if he hadn’t slept in days.
“Are you okay?” Charlotte asked him, pulling him into a hug.
He patted her briefly on the back and stepped away. “Fine.”
“Well, come in. Dan, this is Jared Sterling. Jared, my brother, Dan.”
Jared extended his hand and the other man gave him a limp-wrist tug. “Yeah, hi.”
“Come sit so we can catch up! Do you want coffee?”
Jared stepped up beside her. “I think he’s jittery enough,” he said, whispering in her ear.
She stiffened but gave him a curt nod. “How about water?” she offered her brother, who was looking around the expansive suite she’d booked so the twins had room when they stayed over.
He shook his head. “Nah. Nice digs, though.” He nodded as he checked out the view.
“Did you get my new address I texted you? I’ll be moving in soon.”
Dan nodded. “Swanky address. How many bedrooms?” he asked, his eyes lit with interest.
“F… Three,” she said, changing the truth.
Jared knew enough to go along. “But the girls use them and if they share one, the other is Charlotte’s office.” He didn’t want this strung-out man to get any ideas of moving in. In fact, he didn’t want him anywhere near Charlotte or the girls. Obviously, she’d decided the same thing and didn’t mention the extra bedroom if the girls shared theirs.
Dan ran a hand through his clearly unwashed hair. “Charlotte, huh? Are you fancy now, Charlie?” he asked, gesturing around the apartment.
She shook her head, her shoulders drooping. “Jared just likes my full name.”
She was deflating with every negative insinuation out of his mouth. “We were just getting ready for the day. What are you doing here so early?”
He shifted from foot to foot. “I need a couple of Benjamins and I figured you wouldn’t mind helping out your brother.”
“You need money,” she said, her voice suddenly dull. “Don’t you have a job?”
“I got laid off. You know how it is. Bosses who don’t understand I got other obligations.”
She shook her head. “You mean you don’t understand the idea of being punctual or someone relying on you.”
“No. Besides, I owe people.”
“Dammit!” Stomping into the bedroom, she quickly returned with her purse. She dug through the small bag and came up with her wallet, pulling out the bills inside. “Here. I went to the bank yesterday. This is all I have. Don’t come back for more.”
“You’re the best, Charlie.”
Jared glared at the man. “Read the room!” He turned her brother around to face him. “Your sister was excited to have you come visit but instead of talking or asking her how she is after not seeing her for God knows how long, you come to grub money.”
Dan turned and snatched the money out of her hand. “Who is this loser, Charlie? Never mind. I don’t care. Thanks, sis.” He started for the exit and Charlotte let him go.
The door slammed closed behind him.
Face flushed, she spun to face him. “Well, that was humiliating.”
He reached out a hand and touched her warm cheek. “You aren’t responsible for your brother’s behavior. But, Charlotte, you can’t keep bailing him out.” He shoved his hands into his pockets. “He probably owes dangerous people money and I don’t want that blowback on you!”
Her eyes grew wide at his loud tone.
He’d raised his voice and caught himself immediately. “Sorry. It’s just, the last time someone lost their mind thanks to drugs, my mother was killed. And I don’t want the same thing to happen to you.”
She met his gaze and extended her hand. He clasped his palm in hers. “Let’s sit and talk.”
He nodded and she led him to the couch where they settled side by side. He knew he was about to tell her the most painful part of his life. The one he pretended he’d gotten over but instead he’d just pushed to the back of his mind.
But if he could share with anyone, it was Charlotte.