Revenge for Hire (The Get Even Agency) (12 page)

“Is he okay?”

“Just too much to drink. Again.” Avery placed Jude’s arm over
her shoulder and the taxi driver did the same with the opposite.

Jude sagged between them.

“He’ll be all right?” The driver didn’t look too sure.

“He does this kind of thing all the time.” Avery winked at the
driver and together they walked Jude to the building.

Under normal circumstances, she wouldn’t have been able to get
inside the coded entrance. These weren’t normal circumstances. She was TGEA.

She punched in the code she’d stored to memory, along with a
lot of other useful information regarding Jude. Like his bank account numbers,
his computer passwords, his birthday being on January 6th, his favorite color being
maroon. Silly stuff, yet she could recite everything she’d ever read on the man.
She’d always had a memory that allowed her to store details.

Too bad she hadn’t known he was allergic to shrimp.

The lock released and they walked Jude inside the building. Once
they reached the elevators, Avery dug in her purse and pulled out a hundred and
handed it to the driver.

“Thank you for your trouble.”

The man eyed the bill, then grinned. “Thanks.” He motioned to
Jude. “You okay with him?”

“Until I decide to strip him naked and have my wicked way with
him.”

The man’s eyes bulged. He raked his gaze over Avery’s green
dress, then gave a small envious wave and left.

Avery smiled and managed to keep Jude propped between her and
the wall while she punched in the code to get the elevator.

“I swear you’re growing heavier by the minute, Jude Layman,”
she complained when the doors swung open. She pulled him into the elevator and tapped
his floor number.

He mumbled something, but she couldn’t make it out.

Avery pressed him against the wall and used her body to hold
him up. The elevator walls were mirrored and reflected their image.

They looked good pressed together. Her tall and dark. Him taller
and fair-haired. Almost sexy if the circumstances were different.

Only they weren’t. She’d been reminded of that while sitting in
the hospital emergency exam room with Jude. When she realized she’d been the
one to do this to him. Unknowingly, but she had fed him the pate.

She sighed when the elevator door dinged, announcing their
arrival to Jude’s floor. She wrapped his arm back around her neck and walked
him to his apartment.

“I need your key, Rip,” she informed, forcing him against the
wall with her shoulder and digging in his pocket for his keys.

His eyes opened.

“Find anything you like?” His words were mumbled, but
unmistakable.

“I don’t think you’re in any condition to be making such
comments, Mr. Van Winkle.” She wrapped her fingers around the warm keys
snuggled in the bottom of his pants pocket. Movement brushed her fingertips. “Then
again, I could be wrong.”

He grinned. “Baby, I’m always in the condition for some
things.”

She had to laugh because he looked absolutely adorable playing
the game, with drool running out the side of his mouth and his eyes hazy from
the allergy meds.

Avery unlocked the door and led him inside.

Apparently, he’d wakened some with the jostling about, because
he pretty much stumbled into the apartment by himself.

“Come on, Casanova, let’s get you to bed.”

“No.” He shook his head, squinted, pointed toward the sofa. “I’ll
be right back. Wait for me.”

“Are you sure you don’t need help?”

“Not unless you’re going to hold it for me while I take a
piss.”

Eww
yuck. Men could be
such disgusting creatures. Adorable, but disgusting.

Avery sat on Jude’s sofa and waited for him to come out of his
bedroom.

They’d spent three hours in the emergency room and it was well
after midnight. Most of the time had been spent waiting since Jude’s swelling
abated a great deal following her administration of the
Epi
-pen.

The allergy meds and steroid shot had been precautionary.

After seeing his beautiful face swollen and gross, Avery liked
precautionary.

She glanced around his apartment. Like his office it was a
classy blend of style and comfort. The living area and dining room were a combo
package similar to TGEA’s New York apartment. The kitchen however was smaller,
visible through the open bar and looked as if it were rarely used. Probably
wasn’t.

A photo of an older couple, probably his parents, rested on a gas
fireplace mantel. She checked out the photo, seeing the strong resemblance
between Jude and the couple. He had his father’s looks, but his mother’s blue
eyes. No other personal photos adorned the room. Just still life shots.

Avery twiddled her thumbs and waited some more.

She’d never been a patient woman. She swore not a sound was
coming from Jude’s bedroom.

She promised the doctor to keep an eye on him.

Just a quick peek. To make sure he was okay. That was all.

She walked to the door Jude disappeared through fifteen minutes
before and knocked.

No answer.

She turned the handle and pushed open the door.

There, on the bed, lay her Sleeping Beauty totally zonked out
to the world.

Avery laughed.

So much for suave, charm, and sophisticated seductions.

Now what?

She wasn’t leaving him.

Nor was she sleeping on that sofa.

She eyed the big king-sized bed he lay on. Plenty of room for
two. She’d lie next to him. Just for a little while. Until she knew he was
going to be okay. Then she’d go back to her apartment.

She’d even leave the lamp light on. Just so he’d know she
wasn’t staying.

* * *

Sleep evaded Avery. Jude’s masculine scent, however, did not.

No wonder she couldn’t sleep.

Why would she possibly want to lose consciousness and miss out
on a single second of lying in Jude’s arms? Being able to study his face
without his being aware? Being able to curl against him without having to worry
about his response or expectations?

Jude asleep and at her mercy was quite the turn on.

How deep of a sleeper was he?

Ha, the man was medicated and passed out. She could probably
screw him and he wouldn’t crack an eyelid.

Well, maybe an eyelid.

She snuggled closer and was impeded by her gown yet again.

Only one thing to do.

Careful not to disturb Jude, she stood, unzipped the side of
her dress and let the silky green material glide to the floor.

She glanced down at her semi-naked body. Too bad Jude was
asleep and missing the view. He’d like the expensive lacy black strapless bra
and matching panties Randi and Cassidy bought her. A getting laid gift they’d
called the fancy package they’d presented.

She closed her eyes and ran her hands over her arms, rubbing
away goose-bumps caused from the thought of Jude seeing her, wanting her,
having to have her.

She opened her eyes and for the briefest of seconds thought
he’d been watching. Must have been her hopeful imagination that he was awake because
his chest rose and fell in the synchronous rhythm of deep sleep.

Avery watched, realized she’d never seen a man sleep before
tonight. Never witnessed that at peace with the world expression.

She touched his face, tentatively at first, as if she were
afraid he’d awaken. Then more confidently when he seemed oblivious to anything
outside his slumberous world.

She traced the planes of his cheeks, the cut of his jaw,
brushed her fingers through the thick locks of his hair.

Jude didn’t budge.

Shivering, she crawled into the bed next to him and curled into
his body heat. She inhaled, drugging her senses with his muskiness, deciding
she wanted to explore more.

Tentatively, she undid button after button of his tuxedo shirt.
He’d lost his bowtie at the emergency room and his jacket somewhere between his
trip to the bathroom and passing out on the bed.

When the last button gave way, she pushed his shirt open, and propped
herself on her elbow to look at him. Really look at him.

She’d never seen his chest uncovered. It was beautiful. A work of
art. Something more worthy of honor than anything Michelangelo ever sculpted.

As with his face, she ran a tentative finger over the sinewy
muscles, exploring every aspect, enjoying the rough feel of the light
spattering of chest hair. A light spattering that narrowed into an arrow that
pointed into his tuxedo pants.

A sign, for sure.

Avery didn’t believe in wasting a good sign.

She scooted into more of an upright position and placed her
hand over him.

He was hard.

Was he dreaming in his sleep? Of her?

She smiled at the thought and stroked her palm back and forth,
thrilling that he grew harder, larger at her touch. She wanted more. She wanted
to know what he’d feel like in her hands. Really in her hands. Skin to skin.

She undid his pants snap, then lowered his zipper, taking care
to not catch anything vital.

He wore white briefs beneath his pants.

That surprised her. She’d expected boxers or perhaps colored
briefs. White seemed to imply a dependability she didn’t associate with Jude.

She grazed her fingertips over the cotton, then eased the
material down enough to free him.

Holy mother of…she gulped. Wow.

Impressive.

As she had through his clothes, she touched and explored,
amazed at how something could be so silky soft and yet so hard. She circled her
hand around him and squeezed, relishing the feel of him in her palm.

That’s when she realized something had changed.

Jude’s breathing.

The tension in his body.

She glanced up and her gaze collided with blue. Her hand
stilled.

“You’re awake,” she accused.

“Don’t let that stop you.”

When she went to pull away his hand covered hers. “I’ll close
my eyes again if you won’t stop.”

Close his eyes again? She gave him an evil glare. “You’ve been
faking?”

He squeezed her hand, reminding her of the hardness she held. “Does
that feel fake to you?”

“No.” She couldn’t say it did. Fascinated by the play of desire
in his eyes she squeezed again, and again.

Jude groaned. “I thought I was having one hell of a dream,” he
admitted, his buttocks tightening and lifting into her embrace.

Avery smiled. “Do you like that?”

“Hell yes.”

“Do you want me to stop?”

“Hell no.”

“Perhaps I should. You’re probably under the influence of those
allergy pills.”

“What’s my excuse for the other seventy-two hours I’ve known
you?”

She arched a brow, stroking her hand back and forth, measuring
her movements by his reactions.

His eyes remained locked with hers. “I’ve wanted you from the
moment I met you.”

Nervous butterflies danced in her stomach. This wasn’t like
being seduced. It was her hands on his body, her doing the seducing. Admitting
that she wanted him. That she wanted to have sex with him.

She did.

Outside of her TGEA roles she hadn’t propositioned a man since
Scott. A proposition he’d laughed at.

Avery steeled herself and pressed forward.

She wouldn’t let ghosts stand between her and what she wanted. Not
tonight.

Scott had been eons ago. She was a stronger, more confident
woman now. It was time to move on with her life. To experience sex again.

Tonight she wasn’t going to worry about TGEA or being an
avenger or the past or anything else. Tonight she was a woman and was with a man
who made her feel beautiful and sexy.

Tonight she’d make love and not worry about what daylight would
bring.

Which was quite a lot. Unfortunately.

Some things could be helped, some couldn’t.

She and Jude had tonight.

Day after tomorrow, she and the TGEA girls would head home to
Nashville. Away from Jude forever.

“I want you, too.” She increased her pace and was rewarded with
a low-throated growl. “But I shouldn’t take advantage of your feeble
condition.”

“Angel, you’re killing me.”

“Want me to quit?”

“That would kill me.”

He reached out, touched her face, seemed to notice what she
wore for the first time.

“You. Are. Stunning.”