AllTangledUp (2 page)

Rising, she gathered the wrappings for her lunch and took
them over to the garbage can. Jesse followed her, dumping his own trash in the
bin. He turned his head toward her just a bit and pitched his voice low enough
so only she could hear. “Hang on a minute before you go.”

“Sure.” Curiosity zinged through her, but she waited until
everyone cleared out, since Jesse obviously didn’t want them to listen to what
he had to say.

“Thanks.” When they were alone, he scrubbed a hand through
his short hair but didn’t speak.

Damn, he was gorgeous, all dark-blond hair and bright-green
eyes. Tall and muscular, with the face of an archangel. Clearing her throat,
she arched her eyebrows at him. “What’s up, Kasen?”

His eyes met hers, rueful resignation shining in their
depths. “It’s not working, you know. Pretending this thing between us isn’t
there.”

Sighing, she glanced away. She wasn’t going to be childish
and deny the truth of what he was saying. They both knew the score. “There’s
not really a better option. I value my job, and hooking up with someone on one
of my shows will undermine my ability to do my work.”

A bit of surprise flashed across his face, as if he was
shocked she might take pride in her work, but he nodded. “I understand. I’m not
a fan of being the subject of gossip, or of accusations of unprofessionalism.”

“So we keep ignoring this…thing.” Attraction, desire,
boiling hot lust.

“What if no one ever knew about it?”

“Reno’s not that big a city, and I don’t rely on good luck
to keep someone from seeing you leaving my place or me leaving yours.” A cheap
motel would look even sleazier, but she didn’t say that out loud. Best that he
not know how often she’d thought through and discarded ideas for how to get
away with knocking boots with him.

His broad shoulder dipped in a shrug. “I’m not suggesting we
stay in Reno. It’s Friday and we’re finishing this job early, so we’ll all be
off until Monday morning. I was planning to go to my dad’s cabin on Lake Tahoe.
It’s a nice spot, and a half an hour drive to the nearest town. Come with me.”

She opened her mouth, and closed it. Here it was, the
perfect excuse and venue to get laid, to burn off this crazy hankering she had
for Jesse Kasen. No one could be as good as she’d built him up to be in her
head. Once she found out what the real thing was like, she could finally put it
behind her and move on.

There were a million reasons not to; she’d run them through
her mind so often she had them memorized. It could hurt the show and make
working together afterward uncomfortable. If he was really good in bed, she
might want more, and she wouldn’t be allowed to have it. If he was really bad
in bed… Well…awkward would take on a whole new meaning for her.

It was insane. It was the stupidest thing she could do under
the circumstances. But she
had
to know what it was really like. Just
this time.

“Okay. This weekend only.”

“This weekend only. Out of our systems and over with. I’m on
board with that.” His gaze dropped to her lips and he leaned into her space. He
moved slowly, giving her plenty of time to back away.

She didn’t. Her heart fluttered like a hummingbird, her
breathing picking up speed. She was going to do this. She was really going to
do this. “Good. We’re on the same page.”

His breath brushed her skin, but he didn’t kiss her. It was
a disappointment and a relief that he respected her need to keep work and play
separate. She hadn’t expected that level of sensitivity from a man who didn’t
take anything he did with women seriously. Andi had given her that little piece
of advice when Lola had first started producing
Revved Up
. Andi had said
Jesse was a no-strings-attached kind of guy. Lola was counting on it,
considering she could only commit to a weekend.

His eyes pinned her in place, they were so intense. “Yep.
I’ll get you the directions before we leave today. I’m going straight there
after I head home to pack, so show up whenever you’re ready.” A small smile
tucked a dimple into his cheek. “I’m looking forward to it.”

So was she. Oh God, so was she.

Chapter Two

The sun was just sinking behind the Sierra Nevada Mountains
when Lola pulled up to the cabin. It was a small log building with a long porch
that appeared to run all the way around it. Light filtered through the pine
trees and sparkled on the lake behind the house. She thought she could see a
small dock jutting out into the water, but the cabin blocked her view.

And Jesse’s car was parked in front, so she was in the right
place.

Nerves twisted in her belly. She drew in a slow, calming
breath and resisted the urge to spin her Mustang around and peel out down the
dirt driveway. But then the door to the cabin opened and Jesse stepped out. He
wasn’t wearing a shirt, and the view was pretty spectacular. Broad shoulders
sloped down into heavy pecs sprinkled with hair, and hard ridges of abs tapered
to a narrow waist. She wanted to slide her hands over his naked skin, wanted to
know if the curls on his chest would be crisp or soft under her palms. Warmth
pulsed through her body, settling in to ache between her thighs.

She wanted him. She always wanted him.

He propped his long, muscular form against one of the porch
posts, his gaze meeting hers through the windshield. There was a challenge in
his expression. Daring her to go through with this.

She’d never been one to back down from a challenge.

Easing up on the brake, she steered her Mustang in to park
next to his classic Porsche Spyder. The car was almost as pretty to look at as
the man. Almost. She grinned, slipped the key from the ignition and gathered
her purse and overnight bag from the passenger seat. Then she squared her
shoulders and climbed out.

Jesse made no move toward her. His gaze slid over her while
he waited for her to come to him. He did nothing to rush her, just let her
decide when she was ready. But a slow smile curled his lips, flashing straight
white teeth. The sight set her heart to fluttering, which made her roll her eyes
at herself and move toward the house. Time to put up or shut up. Or put out, as
the case may be.

“I’ll take that,” he said as she mounted the porch steps,
reaching for her small duffel.

She handed it over, electricity sparking through her as
their fingers brushed. When he turned for the door, she caught his arm, pulling
him around to face her. “Wait. I need to…”

Rising up on tiptoe, she brushed her lips across his. It was
their first kiss. And she’d already agreed to sleep with him. Clearly, she was
insane. That knowledge didn’t even make her pause. She swept her tongue along
the seam of his lips, dipping in to taste him. She curled her fingers around
his shoulders, testing the resilience of flesh and muscle there. Heat over
steel. His fingers came up to bracket her jaw, drawing her closer as he thrust
his tongue into her mouth. The breath tangled in her chest and her heart
thumped against her ribs. His hot, masculine flavor filled her mouth, and she
moaned. Excitement exploded deep inside her as their tongues twined together.
Her nipples beaded tight. The muscles in her thighs loosened, her sex going
slick. More. That was the only thought that crossed her mind.
More.

She arched toward him, trying to tell him what she needed
without breaking the kiss. Suckling his bottom lip, she bit down on the soft
flesh. A groan reverberated through his chest. He snaked an arm around her
waist, hauling her flush against him. It was the first time they’d ever had
full-body contact, and it left her breathless. Desire washed over her, and her
nipples chafed against the lace of her bra, her sex contracting on emptiness.
The intensity of it shocked her. She curled her nails into his shoulders, not
sure if she wanted to push him away or pull him closer.

It didn’t matter, in the end. He slanted his mouth over
hers, twining his tongue with hers. The heady flavor of him burst over her
taste buds again—coffee, hot male and something that was uniquely Jesse. He
spun her around, left her dizzy and clinging to him. The creak of the door’s
hinges and the thump of her bag hitting the floor told her he’d backed her into
the house.

He pressed her up against the wall beside the door, every
delicious muscle rubbing against her softer curves. Dipping forward, he slid
his tongue down the side of her neck and nipped at the sensitive tendon at the
base of her throat. She moaned and let her head fall back against the smooth
wooden wall.

“Jesse…”

“Yeah?” His palms skimmed down her sides to curve over her
hips.

A breathy laugh escaped her. “Shouldn’t we…I don’t know,
have dinner or something? Not just get straight to sex?”

He paused for a moment. “Why?”

She had no clue, not one good reason why they shouldn’t go
at it like rabbits. Her hormones did a happy little tap dance at the thought.
“Never mind.”

“I made lasagna. It won’t be done baking for another
forty-five minutes.” He scraped the edge of his teeth against her neck. “Let’s
use the time wisely.”

She chuckled. Now that he mentioned it, she could smell
dinner cooking. The aroma of spices in the marinara sauce curled into her
nostrils. The scent just hadn’t registered while he’d been kissing her. Nothing
except him had impinged on her consciousness. “Okay.”

“Okay. Great.” Then he pressed his lips to hers again and
the rest of the world melted away. He settled his weight on her, holding her to
the wall. Her breasts flattened against his chest, and her nipples became
aching peaks under the pressure. She wanted his mouth there. The idea alone
made her whimper. She threaded her fingers through his hair, savored the rough
silk of it.

The hard ridge of his cock pressed into the juncture of her
thighs. She tried to part them for him, wanting him where he could do the most
to ease her needs, but her skirt hampered her. Waves of lust crashed over her
and she arched into him. Her body throbbed, her sex fisting on nothingness. She
wanted to be filled. His palm curled over her breast, thumbing her nipple.

It was too much, a lightning strike of sensation from her
breast to her pussy. A harsh sound broke from her throat, and she tried to
climb him. She needed his cock inside her. Right now. She sucked in a ragged
breath, her nails clawing into his shoulders. “Jesse!”

“Damn, Lola.” He wrestled her skirt up and her panties down
while she tugged at the button on his jeans, jerking open the zipper. He fished
into his pocket and came out with a shiny foil packet before he shoved his
pants off and kicked them aside.

“Hurry,” she gasped. It was the only thought she had left.
Hurry.
Now
.

He sheathed himself in the condom with quick efficiency and
lifted her against the wall. She wrapped her legs tightly around his waist, and
then finally,
finally
she felt the blunt probing of his dick at her
slick opening. She squeezed her legs around his flanks, urging him onward. His
fingers dug into her buttocks painfully, but it only sharpened her pleasure.
Easing his grip, he let her sink down on his broad dick.

The stretch was exquisite, reminding her just how long it
had been since she’d had sex. Too long. Tingles raced over her skin and she
shivered at the hot ecstasy streaking through her. When he withdrew, she
moaned. The amazing glide made her cunt clench in reaction.
More
. She
wanted more. Needed it.

Arching his hips, he slammed back inside her, seating
himself to the hilt. Shock robbed her of breath, and she raked her nails down
his back. He hissed, the muscles in his shoulders jerking. But he didn’t stop
what he was doing. He pistoned in and out of her pussy, riding her hard against
the wall, and she moved with him. The way he filled her to the limit each time
made her gasp, but she loved it. Pressing her hips forward, she tried to take
him deeper. Her thighs protested the sudden workout but she ignored the
discomfort. Her entire world had narrowed down to the need to come. Only orgasm
mattered.

The breath rushed in pants from her lungs and sweat slipped
down her skin. He buried his face in the crook of her neck and his stubble
abraded her flesh. Every sensation shoved her closer to the edge of climax. He
sank inside her, rotating his pelvis against her hardened clit. A whimper broke
from her and gooseflesh skittered down her limbs. She tightened her sex around
his cock in revenge and he groaned, the sound ragged with desperation.

He turned his head and bit the side of her throat. Stars burst
behind her eyelids as she came in one explosive rush of ecstasy. She threw her
head back and screamed as orgasm took her. Her cunt fisted tightly around his
dick, milking his length, and each time he thrust into her sent another wave of
climax crashing through her. “Jesse!”

His hands jerked her thighs wider apart, and he fucked her
harder, driving toward his own orgasm. His flesh slapped against hers as he
moved. She cried out as his cock slid deeper than it had before, and he rotated
his hips, grinding into her. A great shudder passed through him and he groaned
long and loud as he came.

Silence fell over the room, broken only by their panting
breath. Her muscles relaxed and she slumped against him, her cheek resting on
his broad shoulder.

“You had a condom in your pocket.” Her voice emerged soft,
bemused.

He hummed a little. “I put it there when I saw you drive
up.”

A breathy chuckle escaped her, and she patted his shoulder.
“Good thinking, sugar.”

“I aim to please.” He dropped his forehead to hers, his
teeth flashing in a smile.

She grinned back. “Your aim is excellent.”

He laughed outright at that, stepping back to let her feet
slide to the floor. He tugged away what remained of their clothing, dropping it
to the floor. Then he scooped her into his arms and carried her to the big
leather sofa to lay her down.

“I need to clean up. One second.” He walked away and a few
minutes later, she heard the toilet flush.

When he came back, he sat down beside her and tugged her
into his lap, maneuvering them until he stretched out on his back and she
sprawled across his chest. It shouldn’t have been a comfortable position, but
it was. A sigh eased out of her, and she closed her eyes, letting the
post-coital bliss wash over her. She drifted in that haze of pleasure for
endless moments while he stroked light circles over her back.

Beeping sounded from the kitchen, making them both jolt a
bit. “That’s dinner. I’ll be right back.”

Jesse dropped a quick kiss on the top of her head, set her
on the couch and rolled easily to his feet. She enjoyed the view of his naked
ass retreating, and she also got an unobstructed look at the tattoo that
started at the base of his skull, spread down his shoulders and covered most of
his back. She’d had no idea it was so large. With the shirts he wore at work,
she’d only ever seen the very top of it. It looked like Japanese art she’d seen
in pictures. There was a huge red dragon at the top, surrounded by swirling
black marks that she thought might symbolize clouds. The scales of the dragon somehow
merged with the orange scales of an intricately detailed koi fish that swam
through water at the base of his spine, and lotus blossoms floated on the
water. It was beautiful, unlike anything she’d ever seen. She’d never been one
for tattoos, but she liked his.

She wanted to lick her way from one end of it to the other.

* * * * *

Jesus, it had been incredible. Worth the buildup. Jesse’s
body still buzzed with the aftermath, better than any drug. He grinned, pulling
the lasagna out of the oven to let it cool. He uncorked a bottle of red wine
and poured a couple of glasses. Nothing like some good booze to add to the high
of good sex.

Dishing out a green salad onto two plates, he made sure to
leave room for the main course. He called over his shoulder. “How hungry are
you?”

Her voice came from right behind him. “That’s not a frozen
Stouffer’s meal.”

Glancing back, he lifted an eyebrow. “I said I
made
lasagna. It’s not that hard. It just takes a little time, which I had to kill
waiting for you.”

“That’s a lot of Italian food. You must have been really
confident I’d show.” She propped her hands on her hips, which made her bare
breasts bounce. “What if I hadn’t?”

“Then I’d have had leftovers to last the whole weekend,
wouldn’t I?” He brushed his lips over hers, and he was rewarded when she fitted
her lush body to his, deepening the kiss. Filling one palm with her breast, he
tweaked the nipple before he stepped back with a smile. “But I had hoped you’d
decide to take me up on my invitation. And here you are.”

“Here I am.” She spread her arms, sweeping them down to
motion to herself. “Here, and ready to eat.”

“All right, then.” He used a spatula to give them both a
good-size portion. “Grab the wine and the forks, I’ve got the plates.”

“Silverware drawer is…?”

“To the right of the fridge.”

She got the utensils out and followed him to the living
room. He set the food on the coffee table and settled on the sofa. His stomach
rumbled, reminding him of what he’d just done to work up an appetite. And what
he had plans to do in order to work up an even bigger craving for breakfast.

“This is delicious.” Lola dug into her food with gusto. “I
can’t believe you cooked this from scratch.”

He took a bite of his dinner. Yeah, it had come out just
right. Cheesy, meaty, just enough spice to give the marinara some tang. “Don’t
get too excited. This is one of the few dishes I know how to make. This,
waffles and chicken noodle soup.”

“That’s a pretty random combination.” Her gaze danced with
amusement as she sipped her wine.

Shrugging, he forked a cherry tomato from the salad into his
mouth. “My dad was an amateur chef. He used to win the chili cook-off at some
of the local festivals every year.”