Chapter 21
Twenty-One
Kayla stared at Jack from her crouched position in the passenger seat. Anger rolled off him in waves, though he hadn’t uttered a word. Once the hotel was out of sight, she sat upright. “What’s wrong?”
Jack clutched the steering wheel and kept his gaze on the road. “What’s wrong? It was your idea to have an escape plan, but it took forever for you to leave!”
“You tugged on the wrong ear. I thought you had an itch!” To anyone else, their conversation would have sounded ridiculous. “You’re mad because I misread the sign?”
Jack sighed.
“I don’t get it. You seemed like you were having a fine time,” Kayla continued.
“I was not having a fine time,” he growled.
“How come?”
“Well, let’s see. For starters, Gillian stuck to me like glue. I was worried she was going to follow me into the men’s room.”
Kayla chuckled.
“It’s not funny!”
“She has a crush on you. Big deal,” Kayla said.
“Apparently, she’s not the only one,” Jack muttered.
“Did something else happen?”
“When I was drying my clothes, Todd came into the bathroom.”
“So.”
“I was shirtless. He complimented me, and his face turned red.”
Kayla laughed. “You know he’s gay, right?”
“I thought it was just a rumor.”
“Why are you so upset? Usually, you enjoy all the attention.”
“Not tonight,” he grumbled.
“Obviously.”
“What about you? You were having a fine time with Grayson.” Jack’s voice dripped with sarcasm.
Is he jealous? No. Why would he be? “Grayson seems nice.”
“I caught him staring at your cleavage.”
Kayla raised her eyebrows. “When?”
“Only every chance he got.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive. A man knows when another man is looking at cleavage.”
“Why? Because you were looking too?” she teased.
“I was keeping an eye on you in case you wanted to escape.”
“I was having an okay time.”
“Obviously,” he said, repeating her sentiment.
They were quiet for the duration of the ride home.
Once inside, Kayla kicked off her shoes, and plunked down on the couch, anxious to get off her feet.
She wasn’t used to wearing heels for that length of time.
Jack removed his jacket and laid it over the back of the couch.
He loosened his tie and sat down beside her, leaving some space between them.
“Did he ask you out?” Jack blurted out.
“Who?”
“Grayson.”
She furrowed her eyebrows. “No. Why?”
“Because he said he was going to.”
“He did?” Grayson hadn’t given her any indication he was interested in her other than as a coworker.
“He asked if you and I were dating. When I said no, he told me he was going to ask you out.”
“Well, he didn’t,” she said.
“Would you have said yes?”
Kayla eyed him closely. “Would that have bothered you?” She was very curious to hear his answer.
Jack shoved his hands in his hair and averted his eyes.
“Answer the question,” Kayla prompted him.
Jack was debating something. Finally, he met her gaze. “Yes.”
It was only one word, yet it held enormous weight. “How come?” She was really poking the bear tonight.
Jack shook his head and looked away again.
Kayla scooted a little closer to him. “Tell me why, Jack.” A vein ticked in his neck, and she stared at it with fascination. She suppressed the urge to reach out and touch it.
He met her gaze again. “Because I don’t like the idea of you going out with anyone else but me.”
“You told Grayson we weren’t dating.”
“Only because that’s what you would have wanted me to say. You didn’t want anyone thinking we were together, remember?”
Kayla glanced down at her hands that she’d clasped in her lap to keep from reaching for him.
“Do you want to go out with him?” Jack asked, his voice thick.
She slowly lifted her head. “No.”
“Right before we left, it looked like you two were exchanging phone numbers,” Jack said.
“We were, but only because Jim wants Grayson to shadow me for a couple of days.”
Jack’s relief was palpable. “Jim asked the same of me.”
Kayla nodded. Now what? She waited for him to say something else.
“I was jealous tonight,” Jack admitted. “You look gorgeous, and I hated that every guy in the room was staring at you.”
She smiled softly. “You’re exaggerating.”
He shook his head. “You were the most beautiful woman there.”
“What about you? You had your share of admirers too, including Todd.”
Jack chuckled. “No offense to Todd, but he’s not my type.”
“What about Gillian?”
“No,” Jack said. Then he reached out and fingered a section of her hair that lay over her shoulder. “Only you.”
He said it so quietly, she wasn’t sure she heard him right. Then, he trailed his hand over her shoulder and down her arm, leaving a path of goosebumps in its wake.
Kayla swallowed hard. “Jack?”
“Hmm?”
“Are we really doing this?” She didn’t have to define what ‘this’ was. Understanding and desire flared in his eyes.
“I want to. I want you,” he said, his voice low and breathy.
“I want you too,” Kayla admitted.
She was prepared to make out on the couch again, but Jack stood, and offered her his hand. This was it. The moment of truth. If she took his hand, there’d be no turning back. To his credit, Jack waited patiently. After a moment, Kayla slipped her hand into his and stood.
Jack led her into his bedroom and paused beside the bed. “Before we do this, I have to ask. How much did you have to drink tonight?”
Kayla playfully swatted his arm. “I had one cocktail over the course of two hours. I’m fully aware of what’s happening here.”
Jack smiled widely. “Good. Because I want you to remember everything.” He reached out and placed his hands on the tie of her dress.
Kayla sucked in a breath and watched as Jack slowly untied the sash. Her dress gaped open, revealing what was underneath. On her shopping spree with Josie, Kayla had bought a red bra and panties to match her dress. Glancing down, she saw her nipples protruding against the sheer fabric.
Jack’s chest heaved. “All night long, I wondered what you had on under that dress.”
“Now you know,” she said, her voice laced with desire.
Placing his hands on her shoulders, Jack carefully removed the dress, and draped it over the chair beside the bed. He reached for her again, but she stopped him.
“Wait. I don’t want to be the only one standing here naked.”
He grinned. “Why not?”
“Because it’s not fair. You need to get naked too.”
“I plan on it.”
“Let me help you.” She placed her hands on his tie. Jack dipped his head down, and she lifted it overhead. She flung it over her shoulder, and it landed on the chair.
“Good shot,” Jack teased.
Smiling, Kayla placed her fingers on the top button of his shirt, and noticed her hands were shaking.
Jack glanced down at them. “We don’t have to …”
She shook her head vehemently. “I want to.”
“Okay then.”
Kayla unbuttoned his shirt to his waist. Then, she untucked it from his dress pants, and finished the job.
Before removing his shirt, she gazed at the sliver of smooth skin that showed through the opening.
She’d always admired his physique, but now she could do it openly.
Kayla removed his shirt and tossed it onto the chair.
She smoothed her hands over his chest, relishing his warmth and hard muscles beneath his skin. “You’re amazing,” she whispered.
Jack smiled as she trailed her hands down the center of his chest, following the trail of hair that disappeared into his pants.
“Wait.” Jack nudged her hands away. “It’s my turn again.”
He slid his hands around her back. If she had any qualms about him seeing her naked, now was the time to stop. But she wanted him to see her, feel her, and know her. All of her.
Kayla nodded her assent, and Jack deftly unhooked her bra and slid the straps down her arms. A whoosh of cool air tickled her breasts, and her nipples puckered.
She waited for Jack to touch her, but he didn’t.
He stood there, staring, and breathing hard.
She let him look until she couldn’t take it anymore. “Jack?”
“Hmm?”
“Aren’t you going to touch me?”
“Can I?”
“That’s what we’re getting naked for!”
Finally, he reached out and cupped her breasts, his thumbs flicking over her nipples. “Best. Breasts. Ever.”
Kayla decided to accept the compliment instead of wondering about all the breasts he’d seen.
Soon, she was too distracted by his tantalizing touch to worry about it.
As he fondled her, she began to feel damp between her legs.
Suddenly, she felt an urgent need to get naked.
Kayla reached out and placed her hands on the button of his pants.
“I guess we’re moving on.” Jack reluctantly removed his hands from her breasts.
Kayla unbuttoned and unzipped his pants, revealing his black boxer/briefs underneath.
Jack’s erection was clearly outlined beneath the silky material, and she sucked in a breath.
The last time she’d seen him aroused, it had been an accident.
But this was no accident. She couldn’t wait to feel him inside her.
“Kayla?”
“Hmm?”
He looked amused. “It’ll be better if you take them all the way off.”
Kayla slid his pants down his legs, and he stepped out of them. Facing each other in nothing but their underwear, she was keenly aware they were on the cusp of something huge. Literally, Kayla thought, glancing at his bulge.
“How about if we remove our underwear at the same time?” Jack suggested.
She nodded.
“Ready? On the count of three.”
Kayla frowned. “Math doesn’t belong in the bedroom.” She placed her hands in the sides of her panties and pushed them down her legs.
Eyes sparkling with amusement, Jack did the same. Finally, they were naked.
They gazed at each other, taking it all in. The next thing she knew, Jack scooped her into his arms, and tumbled onto the bed with her. Overcome by desire, their lips crashed together, limbs entwined, and hands roamed. It was more fumbling than finesse, but neither one cared.
Kayla pressed her body against his, feeling him everywhere. He touched her face, her breasts, and between her legs. “Oh. Jack.”
Jack buried his face in her neck and sucked on her sensitive skin, as he expertly stroked her. His erection lay hot and heavy against her thigh, but she couldn’t reach him. She was trapped, in the best possible way.
Trailing kisses down her chest, Jack captured a nipple in his mouth.
He sucked it in deep, before gently tracing it with his tongue.
Then, he repeated the move on her other breast. His mouth and hands never stopped moving, and soon, she was bucking her hips with sheer abandonment.
Her core clenched, and she exploded like a brilliant fireworks display.
Clutching Jack’s back, she held on and enjoyed the ride, climbing to the peak of ecstasy, before drifting back down.
Her eyelids fluttered open, and Jack smiled at her. “Hi,” he said.
“Hi.” She smiled back at him.
“I’m going to get a condom, okay?”
Kayla nodded and watched Jack take a condom out of his nightstand and roll it down his hard length.
“You might not like math in the bedroom but get ready for your second orgasm,” Jack said as he positioned himself over her.
Kayla giggled, happy that being naked hadn’t stripped him of his sense of humor. Soon her laughter turned into a sigh as he lowered himself down and eased inside of her.
Second orgasm indeed.