“Fuck, yeah.” Jax groaned the words, sensation building deep at his core. “Baby, that’s so incredible.”
His hands fisted in her hair. He tried to be gentle, but he was nearly out of his mind. He couldn’t keep himself from pulling her in, pushing his hips forward. Just to feel that perfect stricture pump him. Just once. Or twice.
Stop. Stop.
Stop.
He forced himself to pull back. He was going to choke the poor girl, and he’d never see her again. Jax was still trying to get himself back under control when Lexi’s nails dug into his hips, pulling against his hold. He immediately let go, a zing of fear heating his chest.
“Sorry…sorry…” He panted. “Sorry, Lex. I didn’t—”
Her fingers covered his mouth. “Let me suck you off.” Her voice was soft but low, thick with desire. “I can and I want to.”
His brain was spinning. His body shaking with the need to explode. He turned and sucked her fingers into his mouth. “Lexi,” he murmured, “you don’t have—”
She pulled her hand from his mouth, reached up, and took his head in both hands.
When her mouth closed over his, he froze in a second of surprise. Her tongue swept in and demanded response. Jax’s brain went right back into the clouds. She tasted musky from loving him, pleasing him. His chest tightened with a sensation completely different from what spilled through his body. One that was going to cause trouble for him. He knew.
She pulled back. “I love the feel of your cock in my throat. I love feeling you moving me the way you like it.”
This was a fantasy. It couldn’t be real. She was just too hot.
She kissed his lips, whispered, “I want to feel you come in my mouth.”
His cock surged. A wicked need consumed him. “Lexi…”
“I want to taste you.”
He grasped handfuls of her hair. Pulled her forehead to his. “You’re a fantasy.”
“Let’s finish it off right, then.” Her hands slid into his hair, down his neck, and she whispered, “Say yes.”
He didn’t have to think about it. “Yes.”
She kissed him again. Long, slow, sweet. Lovingly. She kissed him like he hadn’t been kissed in years.
Then she eased back on her heels and took him into her mouth again. Jax was already shaking when she opened her throat and took him in.
“Ah, God, Lex…”
She kept her mouth loose around his cock, and all the sensation focused on the squeeze and thrust of his head. Lexi varied the speed. The depth. Seemed to sense when she’d brought him to the edge of release, then backed off, sucking his length from her mouth. Until he thought he’d go insane.
He gritted his teeth and growled her name. “Lexi.”
She licked his head, the feathery touch ridiculously tantalizing as a contrast to the abusive strength of her throat. “Maybe you should show me how you like it.”
Dark innuendo lilted her voice. Jax’s mind tilted. His hands fisted her hair. She gasped. Her hands slid around his hips, dug beneath the edge of his jeans, her nails scraping his skin.
She took him back into her mouth, and Jax pulled her close, driving his cock straight into her throat. A surprised sound bubbled from her chest. He held her steady, his head against her closed throat. Reflexive, he was sure. He hadn’t given her a chance to adjust. Gently, he moved his hips, rocking his cock against the tightness of her throat.
“Open, baby,” he said, his voice darker than he’d ever heard it. Realized he liked it. Liked the way she made him feel so…alive. So…dark. So…okay to be dark. “Take me in.”
Her throat slowly released with each nudge of his cock until she was open and oh…so…perfect.
His grip loosened in pleasure, and Lexi moved with him, syncing with his thrusts until he was deeper than he’d ever been, the sensation like nothing he’d ever known, ever imagined. The sounds she made acted as both a vibrator to his cock and a stimulant to this new sexual shadow.
He was going to explode. He hadn’t come in a woman’s mouth in a long time. Damn fucking long time. He couldn’t think about why this seemed so important to him. Could only feed the need to get closer to her.
He bent at the waist until he pressed his face to her head, held her head between his legs. Completely sexual, yet…somehow it felt like more.
“Lex,” he scraped out, fisting her hair. He wanted to give her a chance to change her mind. This was intense. Was going to get more intense. “I’m gonna come.”
The sound she made in her throat was so deep, so filled with lust it shattered over him. Before he could come on his own, Lexi swallowed. Her throat closed on his cock in a slow, rolling motion that shot him out of his skin.
“Jesus Christ…”
The orgasm blasted his body with fire and pressure. All Jax’s muscles constricted, and he let go, gave himself over to it. Lexi’s throat continued to close and compress and rock around his cock as she swallowed again and again. Continuing to suck and tongue him through the breaking waves of sensation.
The pleasure rode up his chest, out his limbs. Cleared his mind of everything. Jax’s hands fell from her hair; he leaned sideways against the back of the sofa. Lexi gentled her mouth as the orgasm eased. But kept loving him, holding him in one hand, pressing gentle kisses to his length.
If that wasn’t sweet, he didn’t know what was.
As the last shivers skittered through his body, Jax groaned and dropped his head to the side, against the back of the sofa. His chest continued to heave with quick, heavy breaths, heart hammering. He coughed, and the resulting spasm knocked him backward off the arm of the sofa. He landed on the cushions on his back, knees hanging over the arm. His jeans tugged lower on his hips.
“Shit.” Hell, that was smooth. Good thing the lights were out.
Lexi started laughing. The giggle turned into a full belly laugh as she gripped his knees from the other side of the furniture. “Are you okay?”
Jax’s chest swelled with a sweet emotion he didn’t recognize. He used the last of his strength to curl up, grab her arms, and drag her down on top of him. Her squeal only pushed his happiness deeper.
“Think that’s funny, huh?” Her weight, her heat, her curves all felt delicious. He wrapped her in his arms, nuzzled her neck, and opened his mouth against her skin.
“Jax.” She groaned his name. “You have to go to work, remember?”
He hummed against her skin, moved his mouth lower.
“I’m already hot from sucking you.” Her hands fisted in his T-shirt. “Don’t make me call your boss and tell him you can’t come in because I fucked you blind.”
Laughter rolled from his chest and exploded against her neck.
She giggled and pushed away. “That tickles.”
He grabbed her back, his hands seeking other ticklish spots.
She squirmed and squealed. “Jax, stop!”
“Hell.” He wrapped her tight in his arms again, and she relaxed against him. “You’re too damn much fun.”
She sighed. Lay against him another decadent moment. Her hand stroked the bare skin of his abdomen where his shirt had ridden up. “I better let you go.”
“See you tonight?” He brushed her hair off her forehead. “I didn’t scare you off?”
A low, sexy laugh sounded in her throat. “You’re kidding, right?”
“Don’t laugh like that. I’m getting hard again.”
Another moment passed.
Another sigh.
“I should let you go,” she murmured again.
“Yeah.”
Neither of them moved.
And Jax couldn’t stop smiling.
She took a slow breath, held it a second. “Jax?”
Dread pierced his cloud nine. His smile dropped. His throat tightened. This was that moment. That fucking moment—after sex, after a woman had given him what he wanted, or what they thought he wanted and that too sweet “
Jax?”
came. Followed by a request.
“Can you introduce me to producer x, director y, casting director z?”
“Can you invest in my latest indie movie?”
“Can I be your date to the Oscars this year?”
Or the latest:
“Can I drive a stunt car in this Bond movie?”
He lifted a hand from her body to rub his eyes and readied himself before asking, “Yeah?”
“Do you want me to get your clothes cleaned? That coffee will stain and smell terrible after sitting all day. I have time before my meeting.”
He rested his hand on his forehead, stomach clenched, still waiting for the punch.
But nothing came.
Her head moved on his chest. The hand on his arm shook. “Hey, don’t fall asleep. You’ve got to get your ass on a horse and wield a sword.”
He laughed again. He hadn’t laughed this much with a woman in forever.
She pushed up and rolled off him, getting to her feet. The absence of her weight left him craving it again. He groped for her in the dark. Caught her arm and tugged her close. Felt for her face and pulled her in for a kiss.
“Thanks,” he murmured against her lips, “but I called the desk. They’re going to take care of it.”
“Okay.” She kissed him again and straightened. “Have fun today. Don’t cut off anyone’s head. And…don’t hurt yourself doing…whatever you do. I have plans for you.”
He smiled. Held on to her hand, reluctant to let go. “God, you’re cute.”
“Cute. Sweet. Hmm…”
“And you’ve got the mouth of a goddess. That’s the best I’ve ever had, Lex. Seriously.”
“You’ve got the best cock I’ve ever sucked. Seriously.” She squeezed his hand. “I’m leaving now.”
He pulled her back in, put a hand to her face, and whispered, “Knock that big designer on her—or his—ass today.”
“Thanks.” She kissed him one more time before she straightened and adjusted her clothes. Then slipped out of his room.
Jax struggled to see more of her as she opened the door. But with the light coming from the hall, he couldn’t catch sight of anything more than when she’d come in—a killer silhouette and the gleam of blonde hair.
And, hell, it couldn’t have mattered less.
Ten
Lexi tried hard to focus on the women sitting around the table with her. They’d been doing the casual chatting thing while they’d waited outside for their table at Gotham Bar and Grill in Manhattan, but now that they were inside the ornate space, Lexi found herself craving simplicity and relaxation.
When she’d been told by one of Galliano’s assistants that they would be having their lunch meeting here, Lexi had been relieved. Even pleased. With her caliber of clientele, she spent way too much time in these fancy settings and had really been looking forward to a different atmosphere for a business meeting for a change.
But, there was nothing “bar and grill” about this place. Dark wood, elegant fabrics, and pristine china. Extravagant floral arrangements that surely cost the monthly rent on her Sunset Boulevard studio. Starched waiters with impeccable manners. Patrons in Brooks Brothers suits and Dolce and Gabbana dresses.
The Gotham Bar and Grill was exactly what Lexi had originally dreaded. Though, she had to admit, Martina Galliano and her assistants, Beth and Casey, made it seem as if the restaurant was nothing more formal than a neighborhood café.
“I haven’t gotten a chance to see your designs in
American Bride
,” Casey said, drawing Lexi’s attention from a gilded mirror across the restaurant the size of her loft. The dark-haired, dark-eyed woman cast a sidelong smirk at Beth. “Someone’s been hogging the advanced copy you sent.”
“I’m not hogging it,” Beth said. “I told you I wasn’t going to let you get Cheetoh dust on the pages.”
Casey gasped, but grinned. “You lie.”
“No, she doesn’t,” Martina said, grinning from directly across the table from Lexi. “Why do you think I haven’t shared mine with you?”
“Fine, fine.” Casey lifted her brows and folded her hands with an expression of mock insult. “I’ll just have to wait for a week until it hits the shelves to get my own copy. But don’t be surprised if I call in sick that day.”
“I’ve told the girls all about how I’ve been watching you grow your business and develop a very sophisticated style for years,” Martina said.
The older woman hadn’t stopped complimenting Lexi since she’d hugged her on the sidewalk out in front of the restaurant like they were old friends. She was used to hearing customers, fashion reporters, and media rave about her work, but to hear Martina Galliano say these things to her would be the equivalent of Rubi being showered with praise by the likes of Steve Wozniak.
Martina was handsome—in that exotic Mediterranean way. Not beautiful, but attractive. And stylish, though Lexi could tell the woman lived a tug-of-war between her reputed natural tendency toward conservatism and the current, youthful trend of self-expression. The cut of her suit was too flippant and careless for her age, the extremely bright eggplant silk blouse a forced color spot beneath the cool silvery-blue suit jacket.
“I think the magazine might have been distributed to select locations early,” Lexi told Casey, reaching down for her portfolio beside her chair. “It wasn’t supposed to be circulated until next week, but I found it on stands in the airport. You can have this one.”
Casey gasped. “Really?”
“Of course.”
Casey squealed and clapped her hands. Lexi laughed.
“As you can tell,” Martina told Lexi, “they’re very excited about this new line.”
Casey thanked Lexi, her dark eyes caressing the image on the cover lovingly. She pulled in a gasp. “Look at that detail.” She pulled the magazine close and inspected the photograph. “Is that appliqué?”
“No,” Lexi said. “It’s all hand sewn.”
Casey’s eyes rounded. Her mouth curved in an O as she gazed at Lexi. “
Hand. Sewn.
”
Lexi grinned. “Thousands of Swarovski crystals in six different colors to create the ombré
effect in the pattern.”
Casey’s eyes grew wider. Her mouth rounder. “
Thousands?
”
Lexi nodded. “They cover the entire bodice and blend into the top of the skirt.”
“I think you should do that for your final project,” Beth told Casey with a teasing look. “If you start now, you might finish by the due date.”
Casey choked out a laugh. “Yeah, a year would be about right.”