Playing for Keeps/A Tempting Stranger (12 page)

Read Playing for Keeps/A Tempting Stranger Online

Authors: Lori Copeland

Tags: #Fiction, #Romance, #General, #Contemporary, #Westerns, #test

 
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the lily pad he wants to sleep on tonight.'' His mouth touched one of the pink pliant crests gently.
Jessica was instantly aroused by his searching mouth, her laughter dying a sudden death. "Jason, don't," she pleaded breathlessly. She couldn't stand this sort of teasing for very long. If he kept it up, she was afraid she would shock him speechless by ripping off his clothes and fulfilling
all
the fantasies she had dreamed up during the last eight years.
Jason moaned again, burying his face in the white fleshy mounds, breathing in the sweet, flowery fragrance of her soft skin. With deliberate slowness his mouth began to make its way toward her throat, his tongue tasting her, his breathing becoming heavier. His hand traced along the curve of her thigh, over the softly rounded hip, searching its way upward once again to claim the voluptuous mound of her breast. He could feel her heartbeat pounding against his fingertips.
Jessica's body had gone totally limp as waves of pleasure enveloped her, her hands reaching out to grip the sides of Jason's heavily muscled arms, her breathing matching his now as his lips moved up her neck, pressing slow, languid kisses along the way. When he reached her ear, the moist warmth of his mouth and tongue sent cold shivers coursing through her trembling body as he pleaded huskily, "Jessie, this is getting out of hand. Stop meplease!"
Jessica's arms came up around his neck as her body strained closer to his, her breath catching as she became aware of the hard warmth of his arousal against her bare leg.
Stop him? Who does he think I amWonder Woman?
Closing her eyes in hopeless surrender, she reached to bring his mouth down to meet hers, murmuring, "I can'tI don't want to. I've waited eight long years for this night." She tightened her hold on him as she continued, "I
want
you to make love to me. Please don't make us stop."
 
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Their eyes met for a fraction of a second as the fires of awakening desire burned brightly between them. Jessica sighed blissfully as his mouth lowered to capture hers in a tender, hesitant kiss, then opened more fully over hers, their tongues mingling in a sweet, rapturous reunion. She smoothed her hands over his head, entwining her fingers in the thickness of his hair, pulling his face closer, forcing the kiss to deepen, swirling them into a whirlpool of passion. Shuddering, Jason broke away shakily, then buried his face back in her neck, kissing her hungrily. ''Do you know how long I've dreamed of doing this to you?" he rasped, his hands aggressively beginning to explore every inch of her body, sliding her gown up to give him better access to her perfectly shaped thighs.
Moaning softly, Jessica reached for the buttons on his shirt, aching to feel the touch of his bare skin against hers. She unbuttoned the buttons hastily, her fingers trembling in anxiety. She spread his shirt apart, her hands catching in the thick mat of golden-brown hair on his chest. Tears sprang to her eyes momentarily as she brushed her lips lovingly along his rough skin, feeling that she had at long last come home.
Jason brought her mouth back to his roughly in a series of hot fiery kisses, his hands assaulting her hips, her abdomen, her thighs in deliciously swirling motions. Cursing softly, he shrugged all the way out of his shirt, throwing it on the floor. He stood by the side of the bed to rid himself of his jeans and briefs, and Jessica watched with delight the lithe movements of his tall muscular form in the shadowy room, the faint rays of moonlight from the window touching his sun-bronzed body.
He looks like a Greek god,
she thought hazilymore desirable than she remembered. Her body ached, burned, for his return, her arms reaching out to touch his taut thighs with her fingertips, not wanting to lose a moment's contact with him.
As he crawled back into bed he impatiently jerked her
 
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thin gown off and pulled her back into his arms, his mouth seeking and finding hers once again.
The night took on a magical glow as they lay in each other's arms in the small bed, their mouths hungrily devouring each other, their hands eagerly becoming reacquainted with the delightful secrets of each other's bodies. Jason, seeking the sweetness of her warmth, gradually created an overpowering tension within Jessica as she gently caressed his firm flesh with her fingertips. Jessica would not permit herself to think beyond this moment. She would face tomorrow when it came, but tonight was hers and Jason's and she would allow nothing to take that away from her.
Their bodies blended in perfect harmony as Jason moved to cover her slender body with his. He entered her swiftly, driving deeply as their desire for each other reached unbearable proportions. Soaring high on a swelling tide of rapture, Jessica dug her nails deeply into Jason's back, feeling his hard muscles as they tensed and flexed. Their bodies cried for release as they scaled the mountain of ecstasy together, their hot fires becoming consuming, searing, nearly intolerable, until they both found sweet ecstatic relief. Their quiet erotic moans of beautiful, torturous release blended together, and their mouths clung helplessly together. Jason held her securely and lovingly in his arms as they both tumbled gently back to earth.
The sounds of the summer night surrounded them from the open window as they lay locked in each other's arms, stunned by the intensity of what had just taken place.
Jessica sighed blissfully, snuggling in closer to his heavenly body, planting tiny kisses along his clean-shaven jaw.
''If you don't mind, this toad is going to sack out here for the rest of the night," Jason whispered tiredly.
"Not at all. My toad changed into Prince Charming, and who could refuse to sleep with Prince Charming?" Jessica teased lightly.
 
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''Good night, Angel."
"Good night . . . toad."
Jessica was happily putting the biscuits in the oven when Jason came into the kitchen the next morning. Without saying a word he walked over to the coffeepot, pouring himself a large steaming cupful before returning to the table.
"Hi," Jessica said brightly.
"Hi," Jason grumbled.
"What's the matter? Didn't you sleep well last night?" Jessica's eyes sparkled mischievously. "Well, I did. The most relaxed sleep I've had in . . . a long time."
"No, I slept well . . . Damn it, Jessica! Last night should never have happened."
Jessica felt like he had thrown cold water in her face. "What . . ." she murmured, confusion racing through her mind.
Jason stood up straighter, slamming his coffeecup down. "I said, dammit, we shouldn't have slept together last night, Jessica!"
"But why? You asked me to sleep with you when I first moved in, Jason. What happened? Is it Monica?" She hesitated for a moment, searching his eyes for an answer. "It is, isn't it?" she persisted.
"Of course I'm concerned about Monica, but that isn't the main reason." Jason was visibly upset as he stalked across the room to stand in front of the patio door. He ran his hands through his thick golden-brown hair, the muscles in his back tensing.
"I thought I had made it perfectly clear when you moved in here, Jessica, that I do
not
plan on getting involved again . . . with you."
Jessica's eyes blazed. "We just slept together, Jason. I didn't hog-tie you and drag you to the altar!"
"No, but many more nights like last night and I'd probably be dragging
myself
down the aisle, and there's
no way,
 
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lady, I'm going to give you a chance to walk out on me again!''
"Ohhhhh . . . " Jessica sputtered, grabbing the flaky brown biscuits out of the oven and slamming them down on the kitchen table. "Sit down and eat your breakfast, Jason. I certainly have no plans to molest you ever again. Besides, you're the one who started it."
"I sure didn't see you begging for mercy," Jason said tightly, reaching for a biscuit.
"Well, of all the . . . you're sure no gentleman!"
"Well, you're sure no lady!"
Jessica's temper was boiling as she slammed the plate of eggs and ham down violently in front of him. "Do you want more than one egg . . .
toad!
"
"One's fine," Jason said, calmly picking up his fork to eat, "and you can just simmer down. I simply wanted to get things straight with you . . . all right? No need to get all bent out of shape." He salted his eggs casually.
"I'll try to control myself," Jessica said sarcastically, reaching for a biscuit. "I can do anything when I put my mind to it."
"Fine, then how about hustling your fanny over to the refrigerator and getting me a glass of orange juice . . . housekeeper," he taunted.
"Sure . . . boss." Jessica shoved back from the table, causing his coffee to slosh all over his plate.
Grabbing to retrieve a biscuit, he shot her an infuriating grin as he got up from the table. "Changed my mind. I think I'll clear out while I can still walk!"
"You're a lot smarter than you look, Jason," Jessica heckled.
He breezed by her, giving her a pinch on the derriere before he bolted out the back door chuckling. A few minutes later he stuck his broadly grinning face back through the door, saying mischievously, "Remember, hands off,
Cole!
"
 
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Jessica picked up a dish towel and flung it at the door as he banged it shut.
The month of June sped by with Jason keeping a safe distance from Jessica. Outwardly they laughed and talked, but inwardly they were both aware of a tension betwem them. Jason continued to date Monica, a source of deep irritation to Jessica. Rick Warner continuously hung around Jessica's doorstep, a source of deep irritation to Jason.
The Fourth of July dawned hot and muggy. Jessica sat in front of the kitchen fan, drinking a glass of tea, thumbing through her recipes. She was trying to decide what to take to the annual picnic and Fourth of July dance that had been a standing tradition in this small town for over fifty years. In fact it was the highlight of the year, second only to Christmas. Jessica was especially looking forward to it this year, having been away from home for so long. The meal was always served in the open air unless it rained, in which case it was moved to the covered pavilion. The tables groaned under every type of food imaginable, each woman bringing her own particular specialty. It had turned into an unspoken contest to see who had the most sought-after recipe at the end of the day. Cakes, pies, breads, jams, jellies, fried chicken, hams, big buckets of corn on the cob dripping with homemade butter, freezers of fresh-turned ice cream, watermelonsthe list went on and on.
The men would all try to out-eat one another, and the women would throw their diets out the window for the day, only to pay a heavy penalty the rest of the week. Then, after every button on their pants had popped, the old fiddlers would start tuning up their instruments, along with the guitar and banjo players, getting ready for the dancing. Before long every foot would be tapping, hands would be clapping, and couples would start pairing off for the dance. From then on the old pavilion would fairly rock
 
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on its foundation until around midnight, when the merchants of the town would put on a spectacular fireworks display, signaling the end of another happy, successful Fourth.
Then came the job of gathering sleepy, tired, slightly grimy children into parents' arms, rounding up all the empty dishes, and heading for home, tired but happy.
Well, she mused, she could always take her German chocolate cake. That always seemed to be a hit wherever she went. Just then she heard Jason's truck drive up and its door slam. A few minutes later he opened the back screen and poked his head in. ''Can you come out here a minute, Jessie?"
Jessica looked up in surprise, since he rarely was around the house during the day. "Sure," she readily agreed, closing the recipe file. She got up from the table and trailed him out into the yard. She saw his tractor sitting by his truck, jumper cables lying beside it.
"The tractor's battery is as dead as a doornail. I want you to drive the truck. I'm going to try to pull-start it," he stated calmly.
Jessica felt the first stirring of panic rising in her throat. "I don't know, Jason," she began uneasily. "I'm not very good at things like this. Can't you get Sam to help you?"
"Sam's over mending fence in the south section today," he informed her curtly.
"What about Rick?"
"Everyone's busy right now, Jessie. Just do what I tell you, and you won't have any problems," he said, walking around to hook a thick, heavy cable to the front of the tractor. "Just jump in my truck and drive it. It'll only take a minute."
She walked slowly to the truck, still protesting, "I don't think this is such a good idea, Jas"
"Just get in it and back it up to the tractor so I can hook this chain on."
She climbed onto the plush seat of the truck and turned

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