His Christmas Virgin (11 page)

He pushed her shirt out of the way and took off her boots, then peeled away her leggings and panties before moving up to kneel between her parted thighs. ‘You're so beautiful here, Mac,' he murmured throatily as he looked down at her hungrily. He reached out to touch her naked thighs, fingers gentle as he parted her ebony curls.

Mac moaned as she felt Jonas's fingers move against
her in a light caress, heat coursing through her body as that pressure increased, that moan turning to a breathless keening as she felt a burning, aching pressure building inside her, demanding, wanting, needing—

‘Jonas!' she cried out at the first intimate touch of his mouth against her, the moistness of his tongue a soft caress against her tender and aching skin.

Her hands moved restlessly, fingers threading into Jonas's hair with the intention of stopping that unbearable torment, but instead finding her fingers tightening her hold as she pressed him closer still, arching into him as she felt the probe of his fingers against her entrance, so close, so very close, and yet circling just out of reach.

‘Yes, Jonas!' Mac groaned her torment as she pressed urgently against those tormenting fingers. ‘Please…!'

God, how Jonas needed this, wanted this; the taste of Mac in his mouth and the feel of how hot and ready she was beneath his caressing hands.

He entered her slowly as he continued to use his tongue to flicker against her. His fingers began to thrust, slowly, gently to the rhythm of Mac's low encouraging groans as she moved urgently until her muscles tightened and she climaxed in long and beautiful spasms that caused her to cry out in mindless pleasure.

Mac had never felt anything like this in her life before, the pleasure so incredible it bordered on pain. Wave after wave of heat coursing, singing through her body as Jonas continued the relentless pressure of his lips and tongue until he had extracted every last vestige of her climax.

It seemed minutes, hours later, that Mac finally collapsed weakly back onto the chaise, her breath a choking
sob, her body so alive to his every touch, so tinglingly aware, that she almost couldn't bear it. Almost…

Jonas began to kiss his way up the flatness of her belly, unbuttoning her shirt to expose her naked breasts to the ministrations of the heat of his mouth, first one breast and then the other, the rasp of his jeans against her inner thighs as he lay half across her an added torment to her roused and sensitive body.

His hair looked so dark against the whiteness of her skin as Mac looked down at him, his lips fastened about one nipple as his fingers caressed its twin.

Incredibly Mac felt her pleasure rising again. More intense this time, deeper. Every touch, every caress causing her body to quiver in awareness. ‘I want to touch you, too, Jonas.' She moved until she was sitting up slightly. ‘I need to touch you,' she added achingly as he looked up at her, his eyes dark and heavy with arousal.

Jonas studied her searchingly; her eyes were fever bright, her cheeks flushed, her lips… He had never seen anything as sensual as Mac's pouting, full lips, could feel himself hardening to steel as he easily imagined those lips about him and her hair falling silkily across his hips and thighs as she pleasured him.

The image was so clear, so urgent, that Jonas offered no resistance as she sat up fully to push him down onto the chaise beneath her before unbuttoning and unzipping his jeans to slide them and his boxers far enough down his thighs to fully expose his hard and jutting erection. He groaned low in his throat as he saw the way Mac looked at him so hungrily before she reached out tentatively and wrapped her fingers about him.

She loved caressing him and learning what gave
Jonas the most pleasure as her hand began to move up and down.

Jonas's hands clenched at his sides as that pleasure held him as tightly in its grip as Mac did. His focus became fixed on the expression on her face as she continued to touch him. The fascination. The pleasure. Then the eroticism of seeing the moist tip of her tongue moving over her lips before she slowly lowered her head towards him, before she finally took him into her mouth.

Jonas's back arched as he thrust up into that heat, the past week or so of wanting this woman, making love to her so far but never taking her, making it impossible for him to temper his own response. That response spiralled out of control as she took him deeper into her mouth before slowly drawing back. Then repeating it all over again. Setting a rhythm, a tormenting, heated rhythm that Jonas had no will or desire to resist.

Jonas became lost in that bombardment of sensations, breathing hard, and then not breathing at all when he felt his exquisite release in mindless, beautiful pleasure.

M
AC
could feel and hear Jonas breathing raggedly beside her as her head lay against his chest. Jonas's arms were wrapped tightly about her as the two of them lay side by side on the chaise. Her thoughts were racing as she wondered what happened now. Now that Jonas knew her—and her body—more intimately than anyone else ever had. Now that she knew Jonas's body more intimately than she had any other man's…

That she had been able to give him the same pleasure he had given her filled her with an immense feeling of satisfaction. But it was a satisfaction tempered by uncertainty. By the knowledge that her emotions, while she didn't want to look at them too deeply here and now, were most definitely involved. And she had no idea whether or not she would ever see Jonas again after tonight…

Neither of them had spoken as they'd adjusted their clothing into some semblance of order before they lay down together on the chaise. Mac knew her own silence was because she felt a somewhat gauche awkwardness following the intensity of their lovemaking. But she had absolutely no idea what Jonas was thinking or feeling as he lay so silently beside her.

‘This is usually the awkward part.' Jonas's chest rumbled beneath Mac's ear as he finally spoke.

Mac could feel the rapid beat of her own heart. The plummeting beat of her heart. Surely this could only be awkward if Jonas didn't intend seeing her again?

‘Extracting oneself without embarrassment, you mean?' she guessed huskily.

‘Something like that.'

He hadn't intended things to go as far between them as they had. He had wanted to make love to Mac, to give her pleasure. But he hadn't expected to receive that same pleasure back, or for that pleasure to be given so completely. So beautifully. So erotically he had been unable to stop himself from climaxing.

There had been many women in Jonas's life the last fifteen years. Or, rather, in his bed; he didn't allow any woman to actually be a part of his life.

In the past those relationships had always been based on Jonas's need for physical release, and the woman's need for a bed partner who was wealthy enough to treat them out of bed in the way they enjoyed, to be wined and dined and bought the odd piece of expensive jewellery. As far as Jonas was concerned, it had been a fair exchange of needs. Almost as cut and dried as a business proposition, in fact. Something he could definitely relate to.

He didn't understand this relationship with Mac at all…

In fact, Jonas shied away from even calling it that.

That they had met at all had been purely accidental, a business necessity. Their meetings since had, for the main part, been just as incidental. Oh, Jonas had known it was her exhibition he was attending, and after their unsatisfactory conversation a few days earlier he had
enjoyed seeing her discomfort when he'd arrived at the gallery with Amy.

But the number of times the two of them had met since weren't so easily explained away.

His desire to see her again after tonight was even less so…

It would be insanity on his part to ask to see her again. A complication he didn't need in his life; Mac was nothing at all like any of the women he had known in the past. Jonas doubted he would be able to extricate himself from a relationship with her as easily as he had with those other women.

No, he couldn't see Mac McGuire again.

Not couldn't,
wouldn't
!

He had told Mac more about himself in the time he had known her than he had ever confided in anyone. Even Joel Baxter, who had become a good friend the past twelve years. He had allowed Mac to get below his defences, Jonas realised. To reach him, know him, better than anyone else ever had.

Sex was one thing, but it was definitely time to sever the unwitting friendship that had been developing between them.

Mac looked up just in time to see the grimness of his expression. And to guess the reason for it. Well, she might have been stupid enough to lose her heart to Jonas Buchanan, but that didn't mean she had lost her pride too!

‘You needn't look so worried, Jonas,' she assured him dryly as she pulled out of his arms to stand up. Luckily her shirt was thigh length, long enough to hide her nakedness beneath. ‘This evening was—different. But I'm in no hurry to repeat the experience.'

Jonas scowled darkly as he sat up and smoothed the
untidy thickness of his hair back from his face. Hair that had felt silky and soft beneath Mac's fingers only minutes ago!

‘Are you trying to tell me you didn't
enjoy
it?' he growled incredulously.

Mac raised a cool eyebrow. ‘That would be rather silly of me, wouldn't it? No, Jonas,' she added firmly, chin raised. ‘I'm not saying that at all. Only that while this evening was—pleasant, sexual gratification is no reason for the two of us to see each other again after tonight.'

It was exactly the same conclusion that Jonas had come to only minutes ago, but hearing her echo that conclusion so emotionlessly irritated the hell out of him. Mac thought the evening had been
pleasant
! Damn it, he had never, ever lost it in the way he had with her tonight. Had never allowed himself to lose control in the way he had earlier when Mac took him into her mouth.

Jonas could still feel that pleasure. The most gut-wrenching, soul-deep pleasure that he had ever known. He knew the memory of it was going to haunt his days and fill his nights for longer than he cared to think about.

He stood up, eyes glittering angrily. ‘In other words, you've had your fun, and thanks for the experience?'

She eyed him mildly. ‘You seem angry, Jonas. Isn't this what you wanted?'

Yes, damn it, of course it was what he wanted!

Jonas had wanted to be able to extricate himself from this situation with as little unpleasantness between them as possible. Except he had discovered it was something else entirely for Mac to want to do the same thing!

‘Whatever,' he snapped coldly. ‘I suggest—what the
hell was that?' He scowled darkly as he heard a loud crashing noise coming from outside.

Mac looked totally bewildered. ‘I have no idea…'

Jonas strode quickly over to the window that faced over the river, looking out into the darkness. He couldn't actually see anything, or anyone, and his car was still parked in the street below, but he was pretty sure that crashing noise had been the sound of glass breaking.

He turned quickly, his expression grim as he hurried over to the spiral staircase. ‘I think your intruder is back!'

Mac had been rooted to the spot, shocked into immobility by the loud sound. But she moved now, hurrying over to stand at the top of the staircase and look down at Jonas as he reached the bottom step. ‘You can't go out there alone, Jonas—'

He paused to look up at her. ‘Of course I'm going out there,' he said.

‘You can't.' Mac shook her head worriedly. ‘What if they have a knife? Or—or a gun—'

‘You've been watching too much television, Mac,' he said gently.

‘There was a stabbing in this area only a couple of weeks ago,' she protested.

‘Reportedly rival gangs sorting out the pecking order,' he reassured her.

‘Yes, but—'

‘Just put some clothes on and call the police, and then wait inside until I come back and give the all-clear,' Jonas told her grimly.

‘But—'

‘You are
not
to come outside, Mac,' he instructed firmly. ‘Do you understand?'

Mac felt her cheeks warm with displeasure, both with
Jonas's high-handed attitude and the reminder that she still didn't have all her clothes on. ‘I'm not stupid, Jonas. Neither do I intend just cowering in here while you go outside and face goodness knows what!'

‘You'll do as you're damn well told if you don't want me to come back and deal with you once I've dealt with what's going on outside!' he growled.

‘You could try,' she seethed.

Jonas's mouth tightened as there was another sound of glass breaking. ‘I really don't have time for this right now, Mac. Just do as I ask and don't complicate the situation by forcing me to worry about your safety when I should be concentrating on putting an end to this!' He didn't stay to argue with her any further before disappearing from the bottom of the stairs.

Mac heard the outside door closing seconds later, her heart pounding erratically as she quickly grabbed up her leggings and panties before hurrying down the metal staircase to use her mobile and call the police, her hand shaking so badly she could barely press the right three buttons.

She had to calm down. Had to at least try to be coherent when she gave the necessary information to the police.

Despite those inner warnings Mac knew she sounded slightly hysterical as she talked to the dispatcher who answered.

She hadn't just sounded hysterical, Mac acknowledged after she had ended the call and hurried over to the picture window to look outside. She had sounded frantic.

Because she didn't care who was outside, or what damage they had done to her home this time. All she
cared about was Jonas. That he should come back safely.

Mac might have been uncertain about her feelings for Jonas until tonight, but she had absolutely no doubts now that she had fallen totally in love with him…

 

Jonas knew he was white-faced by the time he wearily accompanied Mac back up the stairs and into the living area of her home almost an hour later.

Who would have guessed it?

Who could have known?

He gave a heavy sigh. ‘I told the police I would join them down at the station as soon as possible.' He picked up his jacket and slipped it on, all without looking at Mac.

He couldn't look at her. Couldn't bear to see the accusation that was sure to be in her face.

It had all been his fault, he realised numbly. The initial break-in. The graffiti. The windows broken this evening on Mac's Jeep parked downstairs in the garage. All of it was Jonas's fault.

He hadn't known. Hadn't realised. Despite Mac's teasing remark earlier in the week, he had still never guessed that Yvonne had feelings for him; the sort of feelings that had prompted his PA into trying to scare Mac into selling the warehouse to Jonas.

‘Drink some of this first.'

Jonas looked up to see that Mac had refilled his wine glass and now held it out to him. As if wine were going to erase the horror of finding Yvonne downstairs systematically breaking the windows on Mac's car. Or numb his disbelief at the conversation that had followed. The hysterical conviction Yvonne had that she was help
ing him. That she loved him. Was sure the two of them were meant to be together.

All of it made worse by the fact that Mac had disobeyed his instruction by then and come downstairs to join him, hearing every word Yvonne said. Along with the police who had arrived only minutes earlier.

Nothing could ever erase the horror of any of that from Jonas's mind!

He grimaced. ‘I don't think it's a good idea for me to arrive at a police station smelling of alcohol.'

Probably not, Mac acknowledged as she put the wine glass down on the table.

What an evening! She and Jonas had made love. Mac had realised—and still shied away from looking at it too deeply—that she was in love with Jonas. And now this.

By the time she had dressed and hurried downstairs to the garage, Yvonne Richards had been in full spate, professing her love for Jonas, explaining that she had only terrorised Mac because she wanted to help him. That she had only done those things in an effort to convince Mac into selling the warehouse to Buchanan Construction.

This whole evening had been surreal from start to finish. And it wasn't over yet!

‘Would it help if I told the police I have no intention of pressing charges?' Mac asked softly; Yvonne Richards seemed more in need of psychiatric help than prosecution!

Jonas's expression was bleak. ‘I have no idea.' He gave a slightly dazed shake of his head as he sat down suddenly. ‘I— Do you think Yvonne has done anything like this before? Tried to “help me” like this before?' He frowned darkly as the possibility occurred to him.

Mac shrugged. ‘Let's not even go there, Jonas. It's the here and now that we have to deal with,' she added cajolingly. ‘Perhaps I should come to the police station with you—'

‘No!' Jonas refused harshly as he stood up. He felt humiliated enough for one evening, without Mac having to hear—yet again—how Yvonne had only done the things she had because she was in love with him.

How or why that had happened, Jonas had no idea. Yvonne had worked for him as his PA for almost two years now. She had proved to be particularly good at her job, and as far as Jonas was concerned the two of them had an excellent working relationship. Obviously there had been business trips they had taken together, as well as long hours spent alone together, but Jonas was sure there had never been the slightest suggestion on his part that the two of them had any sort of personal relationship.

He looked across at Mac. ‘I've never given Yvonne the slightest encouragement to feel the way she says she feels about me.' He rubbed the back of his neck. ‘To my knowledge I've never so much as touched her or spoken to her in a way that could possibly be misconstrued as sexual interest.'

Mac knew that her gaze didn't quite meet his. ‘I'm sure you haven't—'

‘Don't patronise me, Mac,' Jonas rasped harshly, eyes narrowing to steely slits. ‘I do
not
have relationships with the people who work for or with me. Besides complicating things unnecessarily, it's bad business practice.'

‘And why bother when there are so many other women willing to give you what you want?' she came back tartly.

‘Was that comment really necessary?' Jonas snarled.

Was it? Probably not. But Mac was feeling less than composed herself after their lovemaking earlier this evening.