Heart Robber (Lifestyle by Design Book 2) (20 page)

A radiant smile with a hint of bashfulness formed on Jessa's beautiful face. "Really?"

"Really. I'd go crazy with frustration without you for five straight days, week after week. I'd miss you so damn much." He brushed a strand of hair from her face.

"Me too. I'm glad your plan is much better than mine."

His heart was so full he couldn't help his next words. "I love you, Jess."

He saw Jessa gasp and he hurried to release the pressure on her before she decided she wasn't ready for that. "You don't have to respond to that. I know you care for me, but I also know that's a big statement you're not ready to say. I'm just happy we're together."

Jessa shifted so she could stare more intently at him. "And what makes you say that?"

He was nonplussed. Did he say something wrong? He didn't want her to run away because he might be moving too fast, especially when it was obvious she wasn't as into him as he was into her. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, what makes you think I don't love you?"

His face registered confusion. Now what did
that
mean? Did she mean she loved him? His heart raced at the thought but logic didn't support it.

"Well, I'm new to this love thing, but I'm assuming people in love pretty much react similarly to situations."

"Hmm," Jessa was noncommittal but her stance indicated she was waiting for him to continue.

"You really want me to say how I know you don't love me?" he asked in disbelief.

"Yes."

God, this is cruel, but okay.
"First, I know you care. We've already shared a lot of things together," he started in a quiet tone. "When we had our break, I couldn't believe I agreed to it. I didn't want to date anyone else and I certainly didn't want you to date anyone else. If I had known you were going out with that James guy, I would have done everything I could to stop you. But I didn't know until I called Clarise that night because you weren't answering my calls."

He took a deep breath to steady himself. That pain from his heart that travelled all over his body was back again. His palms tingled with it.

"When you told me you
saw
Andrea kiss me and yet you still went home, I questioned whether you'd really mind so much if you lost me. The fact that you went out on a date with someone else the day after you saw my ex kiss me, and let this man give you roses, and let him
kiss
you, that's when I knew you didn't love me."

Saying those last words out loud to Jessa was equivalent to twisting a knife in his own heart.

*******

Jessa felt a hundred laser-sharp claws rip her heart at hearing Rob say those last words with such conviction. Her hands fell to her lap and her eyes burned with hot, stinging tears. She tried to speak, to explain to him the truth, but the big lumps in her throat choked back the words. All that managed to come out were the soft sobs she couldn't hold back.

"Hey, sweetheart, it's okay," Rob crooned as he pulled her to his lap and rocked her.

"No, it's … not. I … hurt you," she blubbered between laboured gulps of air.

"Shh. It's okay. I can handle it as long as you're with me."

"No, it's … not okay. I … love you," she sobbed against his neck.

"I know you don't love me, Jess," Rob croaked. "Not yet. It's okay for now. Please, just give us time. That's all I ask."

She whipped her face up to look at him. "What?"

"I said just give us time."

"I said I love you." Her sobs quietened down but her tears continued to fall.

Rob gaped at her. "What?"

A smile slowly formed on her lips. "You heard me."

"Say it again," he demanded.

"I love you, Rob," she said, sincerity pouring out of her eyes with her tears.

"Oh, Jess," he whispered and kissed her with love, reverence and unrestrained passion that took her breath away. Literally.

She pulled back. "Baby, I can't breathe," she giggled. "My nose is blocked. I need a tissue." She wiped her nose with the back of her hand and moved to get out of his lap.

Rob held her back, stood up and carried her in his arms. "There's a box in the bedroom." He strode there purposefully, planting soft kisses on her face along the way.

Jessa gently blew her nose and wiped her eyes as Rob caressed her hair away from her face. When she was done, Rob resumed kissing her with such hunger she almost forgot she wasn't done clearing things up with him.

"Baby, let's finish our talk first," she rasped. "I need to explain about James and Andrea."

Rob gave a low groan and pulled away. He sat cross-legged beside her on the bed and looked at her expectantly.

She took a deep breath and gazed back at him. "When I asked us to go on a break, it was because I wanted you to be sure you really wanted to be with me. The thing is, you can have any woman you want and sometimes I still wonder why it's me you chose."

Rob opened his mouth to say something but she put a finger on his lips. "Let me finish." She gave him a quick peck on the lips to soften her request.

"I was missing you so much and I wanted to call you, but I wanted to give you that time. I was moping around, waiting for that week to end when I got that call from Andrea."

Rob's face darkened but he kept silent.

"She told me you met her at Bondi and she was practically giggling like a schoolgirl when she mentioned how much she loved the waffle she
shared
with you. She said she wanted to make friends here in Sydney, starting with your
friends
. That really hurt me, Rob. I thought you took your first opportunity to date other women, and the fact that she was your ex made it even worse for me."

"I'm sorry about that, baby. I didn't go out with her to have fun. She was bugging me and I thought seeing her might remind me why I didn't want commitment. I needed to clarify that for myself, too. I didn't see that as a date at all."

She gave him a smile that told him she understood. "I was really upset so when James asked me out I said yes but not before I informed him I just broke up with you. He said he accepted that I was only interested in friendship but it became obvious he was trying to woo me."

"Fucking idiot," Rob muttered.

She rubbed his thigh. "I will put him in his place, but I need to do it tactfully. His firm is still one of our biggest buyers of advertising space."

"I wanted to land my fist on his mouth when he kissed you, Jess."

"It didn't mean anything to me. It was supposed to be a friendly kiss on the cheek by a guy who agreed to be just my friend." She visibly cringed as she remembered how James pretty much nuzzled her cheek.

Rob gave her a crooked smile and leaned to kiss her on that cheek.

"I wanted to gouge Andrea's eyes out when she kissed you." Her voice was tight as an image of the two of them kissing - or rather Andrea kissing Rob - flashed in her mind. "But the feeling that won was fear. She was just so … stunning that I didn't know how I could compete. So I ran away instead," she said in a low voice.

"That's the craziest, stupidest thing I've ever heard you say, Jess. As far as I'm concerned she has nothing on you. I don't want one inch of her, baby. But I want all of you."

Her heart sang in glee. She lunged at Rob and toppled him backwards on the bed. "You're so sweet, Rob Granger," she said as she settled herself on his chest.

"Only because I love you, Jessa Allen."

Her eyes misted again. Her heart was bursting with love for this man. "I love you, too. And you better believe that."

"Well, it would be great if you could show me just how much," he said huskily as he ran his hands down her bottom and squeezed her butt cheeks. His eyes blazed with love and passion that had her heart pounding hard and fast.

Jessa placed light, feathery kisses on Rob's eyelids then ran her lips over his jaw. She moved to his mouth and tasted his bottom lip with the tip of her tongue. Rob's tongue poked out to meet hers. She captured it and sucked on it in a way that drove him crazy. Rob moaned and in one swift movement, he rolled them and she was under him.

Her fingers moved to unbutton Rob's shirt, her fingers fumbling in her haste. Impatiently, Rob pulled his shirt over his head and went for her buttons. His burning lips explored the smooth skin he exposed from undressing her. His mouth eagerly nibbled her neck as his fingers busily unzipped her skirt. She lifted her hips off the bed to help him.

Rob pushed her bra straps down her arms one at a time to display her aching breasts, making her pant in anticipation. He placed soft kisses on her shoulders and neck before straightening next to her on his side and putting a hardened nipple in his avid mouth, sucking on it gently.

She mewled as pleasure and desire raced in her veins.

Rob's hand moved downwards and crept inside her panties. He teased around her folds lightly before parting them to feel her wet entrance. "You're so wet, baby," he said against her erect nipple before hungrily continuing to lick and suck it as his finger found her swollen clit.

"Rob!" she cried as her hips moved to perfectly match the rhythm of his stroking finger. Shifting slightly, her hands found his fly and she freed his iron-hard erection. She tugged and stroked him as he continued his lavish attention on her nipples and sensitive nub.

She tensed. This was going to be quick and she didn't want to come this way, not after they just confessed their love for each other. "Baby, I want you, please."

"You have me, sweetheart," Rob panted.

"I want you inside me now," she moaned.

Rob lifted his head. "Do you now?" he murmured seductively.

"Mmmm," she begged wordlessly, her hips still arching against his hand.

"You're so hot," Rob whispered fervently as he sat up to divest both of them of the rest of their clothing.

She parted her legs and Rob settled himself between them. Slowly, he rubbed his cock on her clit, driving her wild with need. Rob first did this to her when they made love without a condom for the first time, after she'd taken responsibility for birth control.
 
He loved her reaction so much that now he always teased her like this before giving her what she craved the most. He just loved to drive her crazy.

But she couldn't wait anymore. She reached down, grabbed his throbbing shaft and positioned it in her waiting core. Rob grunted and pushed slowly, stretching her and filling her deliciously. Their gasps and love sounds filled the room as Rob moved inside her unhurriedly. He leaned down and kissed her on her lips, on her neck, on her nipples as his aroused member moved in and out of her with just the right rhythm and at just the right angle. With each thrust, they spiralled up into the stars and soon reached their heaven.

"Oh God, Rob … baby … ohh!" she cried with sheer pleasure as her body gripped his hot cock repeatedly.

Rob joined her in ecstasy. "Oh, Jess … love you … ahhh!"

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

ONE AND A HALF MONTHS LATER…

Jessa stared at the red brick, one-storey house with a beautifully maintained front garden as Rob parked their rental car in front of it.

"You look more nervous that I do, baby," Rob commented.

She bit her bottom lip and did not attempt to get out of the car, even after he had turned off the engine.

"Well, this is the first time I'm bringing a boyfriend home to my parents," she reasoned.

Rob took her cold, sweaty hand in his. "It'll be fine, baby. I'm sure it won't be so different from last night, when I introduced you to my brother and his family. It was my first time introducing a girlfriend to them, too."

"Siblings are different from parents," she contended. "And your brother and his wife were really cool and fun."

"They loved you. But then, who wouldn't?" Rob said softly.

She smiled at him. "I loved them, too. And their kids are wonderful."

"Do you think your parents will like me?"

"Absolutely. They'll probably just faint with surprise."

"Why?"

She shook her head as if to banish some unpleasant thought. "Nothing. Well, we better go in."

She attempted to steady her nerves during the short walk to her parents' front door. She had no doubts her parents would be warm and hospitable. They were wonderful people. But if it was her sister, Jasmine, who was bringing Rob home, her parents would have taken it in their stride. Jasmine was the beautiful daughter who attracted the handsome men. She'd brought home many of them—in fact, too many for her parents' liking. They'd much rather Jasmine would settle down with one than fall in and out of love a few times a year.

She just didn't want to be embarrassed in front of Rob when her parents' astonishment that she was able to snare someone as hot as him became evident.

Oh hell, who was she kidding? She was nervous because Jasmine would be there, too. She hadn't gotten over the fact that when they were in their early twenties, four guys she was interested in ended up wanting Jasmine rather than her. It was a big blow, after big blow, after big blow, after big blow. She could only hope Jasmine had brought a hunky boyfriend with her today. She would really crack if her man-magnet personality turned towards Rob.

"Darling, it's good to have you home!" Alice cried as she enveloped Jessa in a big hug.

"It's good to be home, Mum," she replied sincerely. She might love living in Sydney, away from her family, but that didn't mean she didn't miss them. She loved coming home to Melbourne - to this house.

"Oh, look at you." Alice held her at arm's length and looked her over. "I love your new hairdo, and you are glowing," she said, eyes shining with a mother's love.

Jessa blushed. She wasn't used to her mum complimenting her on her looks.

"This is Rob, Mum," she said shyly. Then turning to Rob, she introduced her mother to him. "This is my mum, Alice, Rob."

"It's great to meet you, Mrs. Allen," Rob responded, kissing Alice on her cheek.

"Please call me, Alice, Rob. And it's a pleasure to meet you. Come on in, come on in. Your sister hasn't arrived yet, Jess. But Dad's in the kitchen cooking up a storm."

Dutifully, they followed Alice to where fragrant smells were coming from.