The quick flash of guilt that passed across her features was his answer, even though she didn’t deny or confirm his question.
“I figured there was a good reason the charges were dismissed. I also pointed out to the guys that they don’t have sterling pasts, either, and not to jump to conclusions they know nothing about.”
“Thank you.” The fact that she’d so staunchly defended him without knowing any of the facts of his arrest stirred something emotional in Jackson’s chest. He wasn’t used to anyone standing up for him. “If it was an issue, why didn’t
they
just fucking ask me?”
“Because they’re men, and therefore they’re stubborn and hardheaded,” she said as if that explained their actions.
He gave her a quick, sidelong glance at her description of the male population in general. “Just in case it’s escaped your notice,
I’m
a man.”
“Oh, yeah, I noticed. Quite a few times today.” Her sweet, seductive voice stroked along his senses before she added more impartially, “And I’m sure you’re not impervious to being obstinate about certain things yourself.”
Okay, that was true. For the most part, men
were
stubborn creatures, and pride sometimes got in the way of rational thinking. He was definitely guilty of that a time or two over the years.
Reaching Tara’s house, he pulled into the driveway and parked next to her compact car. He shut the engine off, and when she unbuckled her seat belt and moved to get out of the vehicle, he gently grabbed her arm to stop her.
She blinked at him questioningly.
“You wanted to know about the assault charge,” he said, not wanting to bring this conversation into the house with them. Because once they stepped through the front door, there was only one thing he wanted between them . . . pure, unadulterated pleasure. And sinning. An entire night of it.
She shook her head. “Jackson . . . you don’t have to tell me.”
Without knowing
why
he’d been accused of a violent attack, she trusted him. The knowledge humbled him like nothing had in a very long time. He smiled and skimmed the backs of his fingers along her soft cheek, the caress tender and gentle. “If I tell you my secret, will you tell me one of yours?” he teased.
She stiffened ever so slightly. “What makes you think I have a secret to tell?”
That night at the donut shop, she’d been evasive about a few things he figured were personal and private. “Don’t we all?”
She swallowed hard, and he didn’t miss the pained look in her gaze. “I don’t want one secret to depend on the other. So if you don’t want to share, I understand.”
“You’re right.” Okay, maybe she wasn’t ready to tell him what had put those shadows in her eyes, and he decided he was willing to wait until she was, of her own accord. “But I do want to tell you what happened to me.”
She settled back into the leather seat and turned her body toward him. The street lamp in front of her house bathed the interior of the car in a soft glow of light, just enough for him to see the genuine kindness and caring etching her features.
“I was married a while ago,” he started, and didn’t miss the surprise that flickered in Tara’s eyes at the admission. “Collette and I met at a work party and dated for about eight months before getting engaged. I honestly thought we had the same vision for our future, and we both talked about starting a family soon after we got married. I thought we were trying for a baby, that everything was great and wonderful, until I came home from work early one day and found her in our bed fucking a colleague. The guy was a cocky asshole. But he also had a shitload of family money that made me look like a pauper in comparison, and for Collette, that made his dick look a lot better than mine.”
Tara quietly placed her hand over his, and he expelled a harsh breath.
“Was I angry to find her screwing another guy in our apartment? Hell, yes. But all I did was tell the prick to get the fuck out of my house, and he literally got in my face and shoved me, as if it was all somehow my fault. He was this short little shit with a Napoleon complex, and as soon as his hands touched me, my first instinct was to throw a punch to defend myself. That one and only blow shattered his perfect fucking nose and had blood streaming down his face.” Jackson smirked in satisfaction.
Tara tried stifling a giggle behind her hand. “I know I shouldn’t be laughing, but anyone stupid enough to pick a fight with you shouldn’t be shocked when you flatten them. You’re a big guy.”
He shrugged. “It was just an instinctive reaction, and I didn’t touch him after that, but the damage was done. Collette was screaming at me like I was a monster, and Brad called the cops to have me arrested for assault. A few weeks later, he dropped the charges because his family didn’t want the publicity. I was grateful not to be dragged through a trial.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I filed for divorce from Collette, and I can’t say I was surprised when she married rich, trust-fund baby Brad as soon as the divorce papers were signed.” He shrugged. “A short while after that, they had a kid, which was probably the hardest thing for me, since I believed that’s where
my
marriage had been heading.”
“I’m sorry,” Tara said softly.
“It is what it is, right?” he said, and they both smiled.
He shook his head. “You know, I feel like most of my life has been a series of blindsides. Just when I feel complacent or comfortable, something comes along to shatter that illusion.”
She tipped her head to the side. “Like what?”
Where did he start? The list was a long one. “Being an only child and my mother doting on me until my brother, Oliver, was born and that all changed without me understanding why. Getting married only to have my ex-wife cheat on me with someone with a bigger, more attractive bank account than I had. Finding out I was adopted and had a twin and other siblings I knew nothing about and having to prove myself to them. It seems like whenever I feel good about my life in general, something else happens to shake everything up all over again.”
She leaned over the console and surprised him by placing a warm, endearing kiss on his lips. “It’s a good thing you’re resilient,” she murmured affectionately as she started to move away.
Those generous words stirred something in him, and he slid his hand around the back of her neck, drawing her mouth right back to his for a hot, deep, hungry kiss that conveyed his desire for her and the feelings of undeniable need she evoked whenever he was with her. As their tongues chased and entwined and she moaned against his lips, Jackson realized that
she
was that good thing in his life, and damned if he didn’t want to hold tight to her and protect what was growing between them so it didn’t get taken away, too.
Eventually, he ended the kiss. Her lashes fluttered open and she smiled at him like a vixen. “So . . . are you coming inside?”
He grinned wickedly at the unintended double entendre. “Care to elaborate where?”
Her laugh was both husky and naughty as she nipped playfully at his bottom lip. “Coming inside the house . . . coming inside me . . .”
His dick swelled beneath the zipper of his jeans. “Fuck yeah. To both.”
“Then let’s go.” She moved back to her side of the car, opened the door, and sent him a coquettish look over her shoulder. “If I remember correctly, you promised me many different ways to sin.”
He groaned and quickly retrieved the strip of condoms he’d put into the glove compartment earlier to make sure he was prepared so they didn’t get to the point of no return only to realize neither one of them had any protection. He stuffed them into the front pocket of his jeans, got out of the vehicle and set the alarm, then grabbed her hand as they walked up to the door. Once they were inside the house, she switched on one of the lamps in the living room and set her purse down on the couch.
Suddenly, she looked nervous and unsure, very unlike the confident woman he knew her to be—and even had been a few minutes ago. He had no idea what to make of her unexpected anxiety or what had prompted it.
“Is everything okay?” he asked.
She twisted her fingers in front of her and wouldn’t meet his gaze. “Before we do this, there’s something I need to tell you.”
Concerned, he closed the short distance between them and gently grabbed her hands, pulling them apart and forcing her to look up at him. “What’s going on, Tara? Are you having second thoughts about us tonight?” He hated to think that was a possibility, but he’d respect any decision she made.
“No . . .” She shook her head, causing her silky hair to swirl around her shoulders. “It’s just that . . . I haven’t had sex in six years.” Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
Her confession momentarily rendered him speechless, but it certainly wasn’t any kind of deal breaker for him. “That’s a long time,” he said, rubbing his thumbs along the pulse point in her wrists. “Is there a specific reason?”
Her shoulder lifted in a bashful shrug. “Honestly, there hasn’t been anyone I’ve wanted to be with . . . until you.”
His breath left his lungs as he stared at her in stunned disbelief.
Fucking hell
. She was so beautiful, so sexy and goddamn tempting, it was hard to imagine that in six years no other man had had the pleasure of fucking this gorgeous woman. That she hadn’t been attracted to any other man enough to give her body over to one. Until now. With him.
She shifted uncertainly on her feet. “I just wanted you to know, in case things are . . . awkward at first.”
Remembering how she’d responded to him when he’d kissed her outside of the donut shop, how she’d nearly spontaneously combusted in his arms, there was no worry that anything about tonight would be even remotely uncomfortable. “Six years is a hell of a long time to be celibate,” he said, humor suffusing his voice. “Are you sure you’re ready to break that dry spell?”
“I’m sure, unless you’re suddenly having performance anxiety?” She raised a sassy brow, provoking him just as brazenly, back to the self-assured woman he enjoyed.
He chuckled. Oh, yeah, they were going to be just fine.
“Fucking tease,” he said on a low, sexual growl. “I’ll show you a performance.”
Gripping her waist, he took a few steps forward, at the same time guiding her backward, until her shoulders were pressed against the nearest vertical surface. He slipped his hands beneath the hem of her blouse and pushed the fabric up her torso and over her breasts. She automatically lifted her arms as he pulled the top over her head and dropped it to the floor. He reached around to unclasp her bra and added that lacy piece of lingerie to the pile next to her feet. He took a moment to look his fill of her gorgeous tits, round and full and perfectly shaped, watched for a few more seconds in avid appreciation how they trembled with each ragged breath she took.
Her anticipation was palpable, and he finally gave in to temptation, filling both of his hands with her soft, lush breasts and plucking her already stiff nipples with his fingers.
She moaned deep in her throat, her eyes glazing over with lust. “Jackson . . . my room is down the hall.”
“Right here is fine for now,” he murmured huskily as he lowered his mouth and kissed the side of her throat. “If I get you anywhere near a bed, I’m going to fucking lose control. There are way too many things I want to do to you before I have you spread out on a mattress for me to enjoy.”
She pushed her fingers into his hair, clutching the strands tight in her fists. He traced his tongue along her neck and felt the goose bumps rising on her skin and puckering the velvet-soft flesh of her areolas.
He smiled against her ear as he lightly skimmed his fingers down her stomach to the waistband of her jeans. “Just lean back against the wall and let me get you ready for my cock. I want your pussy nice and wet and slick, so a few orgasms before I fuck you ought to do the trick.”
Her breathing hitched, and already he felt her melting, her body yielding to his seduction just like he wanted. He unsnapped her jeans and lowered the zipper, letting his fingers graze over the silky fabric covering her mound in a lazy, promising caress.
She made an impatient sound in the back of her throat and pushed her hips against his hand. “Jackson . . .
please
.”
He lifted his head so he could look at her face, her full lips parted and damp from the sweep of her tongue. Her cheeks were flushed with desire, her eyes dark and delirious with need. A need he was solely responsible for, and that arousing knowledge made him harder than fucking granite.
Ignoring the insistent throb of his dick, he continued to slide his hand into her panties, watching the rapturous expression on her face as he glided two long fingers along her damp sex and lightly tweaked her swollen clit. She gasped and attempted to rock against his touch, brazenly trying to control the pressure and friction she needed to climax.
“Not yet, greedy girl,” he said, refusing to allow her to top him from the bottom. He wanted to be the one to give her every orgasm she had tonight. Wanted each and every one to be so fucking intense she’d crave more of him.
“Put your hands on your breasts,” he ordered in a low, deep voice. “Lift them to my mouth so I can suck on your nipples while my fingers fuck your pussy.”
She was quick to follow his command, pushing her tits up to his parted lips, presenting them like the offering they were. He licked across one pebbled tip, then the other, before drawing one deep into his mouth. Between her legs, he stroked her soft, wet flesh, his fingers mimicking the dip and swirl of his tongue on her breast.
Her head fell back against the wall, her entire body shuddering from the dual assault. She moved shamelessly against his palm, her hips instinctively thrusting, and this time he let her fuck his hand, let her ride his fingers as he pushed two deep inside her tight, slick core and rubbed the tips against that sensitive spot that made a soft cry escape her lips.
Knowing she was about to come, he lifted his head from her breasts with one last scrape of his teeth to her nipples, wanting to watch her expression as she climaxed. Wanting her to see him and know that he was the one making her fly apart.