Switched, Bothered and Bewildered (28 page)

She was quite beautiful. Like an artist's model, nude and round and silky soft.

She greedily unbuttoned his Brooks Brothers button-down blue-and-white-striped shirt and rolled her hands down his bare back, his chest, and over his arms. She wrapped herself around him, and he pressed into the sweet, burning heat between her legs. Those panties of hers were all pale pink and lace and wetness. He felt his body go into second-stage arousal, and her big, blue eyes registered the fact that she was aware of that.

He took the moment he needed to free himself from his nicely pressed gray slacks. Only his own silk boxer shorts and her pale pink lacy panties were between them now.

Somehow, things got a little more heated after that. She kissed him slowly and sweetly, running her tongue in tantalizing circles around his own. He put his hands on her full behind and lifted her slightly, strategically, until he could feel her lose control even more. She pressed herself against him. Her breath was jagged and sweet with excitement.

He could feel her desire for him ready for the taking. He didn't know how, but he had to have all of her. He wanted to see those blue eyes of hers drunk with the pleasure he was going to give her, and he'd barely gotten started with that.

He slowed down and smoothed his hand over her cheek, then kissed her softly. Jackson felt like he'd waited for this moment a long time—not just

this last week of battling but for perhaps his entire life. He was going to make love to a woman he had truly let himself fall in love with. She'd pried him open like a can opener. There was nothing left for him to keep from her.

"Wait, wait, Jackson." She tried to talk through his sweet, soft kisses. He had her lower lip in his mouth. She put her hand on his arm and shook him.

"Oh God,
what?"
he groaned with pleasure.

"There is something really important I need to tell you. I can't let you . . . you need to know." She stumbled over her words. There was no way she could let him do this thinking she was Jillian.

"What is it? Tell me." He leaned back and put his arms around her waist. "Is it important like . . . for our health?"

"Not really. I'm completely fine. It's just that I think you should know more about me."

"What about you? No, don't tell me. I don't care. I'll love you anyway." He put his mouth on her bare shoulder and kissed her.

She was shocked by what he said. He didn't care! He would love her anyway! So shocked that she hesitated just a moment, then grabbed his silk-boxer'd hips and pulled him into her. He made a movement that drove her wild. She had to have him, secrets be damned. She was going to be crazy for once in her life and let this man who was obvi-

ously in love with her give her the pleasure she wanted so badly.

He leaned back and moved his fingertips over the slinky panties, right over her most vulnerable spot. Right where she wanted him to. Jackson slid back the fabric and slid his fingers into her. She grabbed his shoulders and let herself fall into the sweet, uncontrollable movement of his touch. His mouth on her breast, his fingers stroking her, she arched against him and disappeared into the pleasure until the heat ignited her and she pushed against him, hard, and harder.

As soon as she'd regained the tiniest sensibility she wanted him all. She
must
have him inside her. She shoved him away for a moment, stood up and took off the pink silky panties. He held her and helped her and whispered, "Leave on the high heels." She practically had an orgasm right there, again.

Jackson let his silk boxers drop, then made sure he was protected. He'd wanted to take longer, but she was crazy with heat. She barely let him finish before she ran her fingers slowly and tantalizingly over his erection until he was ready to lose his mind. He wanted her. He ached for her. Her touch drove him crazy. Jackson looked in her eyes and knew that they both had to have each other right that minute. They could make love a dozen times

in the next week and take hours, but this time, it was now or never.

She slid herself over him, and, with the most beautiful, loving motion, he joined her, deep inside, together in a tangle of emotion and pure sexual need. He kept his eyes open, and she did too. She looked so beautiful that he lost himself in watching her. Those eyes were telling him how to move and what each touch did to her.

She danced against him, he pressed his thumb against her heat, between them, until she cried out and vibrated around him once, then twice, and he heard her cry, "Oh,
Jackson"
through the fog of his own sensations.

He felt the soft leather of those shoes against his back, her pink high heels. He dove deeper and lost himself, and let her pull him harder again and again until he yelled out loud and let go, swirling in her wet, amazing, hot body until he could hardly move. His thighs shuddered. He crushed her against him and felt every moment of her soft, voluptuous skin mingling with his own.

She held him like she understood everything he'd ever felt or wanted. He breathed her in and let himself be intoxicated by her scent.

For the second time that day, the office door slammed open. Jana Lee let out a true scream, not the scream of pleasure she'd just finished with.

She tried to hide her nakedness behind Jackson. Jackson discreetly repositioned them both.

"Oh, isn't this cozy." The voice was female.

It had never occurred to Jana Lee that Jackson might be
married.
Oh my
God,
she hadn't even asked him! That would just figure. She peeked over Jackson's shoulder and saw a perky-looking blonde with very strong bare arms, who looked like she was ready to take them both on. She stood there, hands on hips.

Jackson turned himself quickly to face her. She was sure getting the full Monty there. He shielded Jana Lee at the same time. "Where the
hell
do you get off barging in here like this?"

And where was Oliver when she needed him? He must have stepped away from his desk just long enough for this crazy woman to make her entrance. And hadn't he locked the door? Jana Lee was thinking fast. She did that in a crisis. Obviously this woman had followed Jackson. Maybe she was stalking him. She held up a set of keys and jingled them in the air with a mocking smirk.

"Before you wet your whistle in yet another Pitman employee, maybe you should know she's
not
Jillian Tompkins."

Oh God, not like this, not when she was just about to
tell him herself.
Jana Lee leaned her forehead against Jackson's back in misery.

"Get out of here, Gloria. You have no idea what

you're talking about." Jackson's voice was calm, but firm.

"Oh, yes I do, you're just too dense to see it. I sent you plenty of clues, but it looked like your willy wasn't listening." She pointed to his bulging shorts, which he'd now slipped into. "She's Jil-lian's twin sister, Jana Lee Stivers, you idiot. Looks like you've finally been screwed yourself, Jackson. How does it feel having the crap you've dished out all these years come back and hit you in the face?"

Jana Lee felt Jackson's body stiffen. She rested her hands on his shoulders and pressed her cheek on his back. That would no doubt be the last time she felt his warmth. Tears slid slowly down her face.

"Get
out,
Gloria," Jackson yelled this time. Jana Lee looked up long enough to see Gloria stare at him, then turn and leave, slamming the door behind her. Then she heard some really nasty, loud words coming from the other side of the door. Oliver must have come back to his desk.

"You lied to me." Jackson didn't even bother to ask her if it was true.

It wasn't a question, it was a statement. Yes, she had lied to him. He was putting on his clothes, not looking at her.

She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and stayed sitting on the desk. The fact that she had no top on didn't even enter into the picture.

"Yes, but my sister was having a nervous breakdown. I had to help her. She loves this job, she loves working here. She just needed a
break.
Besides, I was just about to tell you. Then you said you didn't care, that you'd love me anyway." She heard her voice start to crack. She would
not
sound pathetic.

When Jackson had jerked his pants on, buttoned up his shirt, tucked it in and fastened his belt and zipper, he stood for a moment and looked at her as if he was taking in every tiny inch.

"Jana—Lee." That was all he said. As if he were trying to learn it. But the tone, the tone was disdain.

Her old anger rose up twenty times stronger than it ever had. She grabbed her blouse and pulled it on herself.

"Oh go ahead, run away. That's your style, isn't it? Don't stick around and hear anyone else's side of the story. That's what I bloody get for helping out my stupid sister. I should have known better than to get mixed up in this. And why she'd want to work for an arrogant jerk like you is beyond me, let alone ask me to
warm you up
for her! Like you could be warmed up. You're a coldhearted bastard, Jackson Hawks."

She marched past him to get her skirt, then grabbed it up and shimmied into it, jerking the zipper up to her waist. "And to think I actually fell for you. I am one first-class fool. Obviously I'm not

the first, as evidenced by our little
surprise
visitor!"

She headed toward the door, because damn, there was no way Jackson was going to walk out on her. She'd do it first. She'd walk out on this whole thing. Screw Jillian, screw Jackson and
screw
this whole stupid plan.

But for some reason she felt a little tipsy, like the floor wasn't even. She looked down to see if the carpet had rippled, or if she was stepping on some leftover item of clothing, but no, the floor seemed to be rolling all on its own. She grabbed for the edge of the counter. She looked up and saw the large center light fixture swaying back and forth.

There are moments in life when things get turned upside down and nothing prepares you for what to do. Jana Lee was definitely having one of those moments. She screamed and held onto the counter top. Ceiling tiles fell down around her and she could see the windows buckle.

Jackson grabbed her and dragged her underneath the desk, much to her protestations.

"Shut up, will you? It's an earthquake. This is San Francisco. Didn't your sister warn you things get crazy here?" Jackson scrunched next to her, holding onto her so she wouldn't bolt.

"She left out a few details." A ceiling tile dropped on the desk, scattering pieces around them. She yelped.

"Look, it's over now. These buildings are built to withstand a little rattle and roll."

Jana Lee only had one thought—to get the hell out of there, away from Jackson, away from everything. She coughed dust and tried to back out from under the desk.

"Don't!" he cried as he dove for her.

A terrible creaking sound started almost as if it were in slow motion and got louder and louder.

She heard Jackson yell out her name.

Everything went black after that.

Jackson didn't know a thing about her. Not a thing. Except that he loved her. He'd had one stupid moment regarding her rather huge deception. Just one.
God, don't let that be the last moment between us,
he prayed.

He ran beside the gurney and climbed into the ambulance even when they tried to stop him. Oliver had run into the office right after the ceiling had collapsed, and Jackson hadn't heard most of what Oliver had said. Jackson had been throwing debris off Jana Lee.

Oliver must have called 911, and they'd both worked on her, trying to revive her and bandaging some of her surface wounds. Jackson had wanted to pick her up and get her out of the room, but Oliver had stopped him and reminded him not to move her. They'd pulled the credenza across where she lay in case of aftershocks. The last thing Oliver had done before the medics had burst through the door was hand Jackson a cell phone.

He'd shoved it in his pocket and then helped move the furniture aside to make it easier to get to Jana Lee.

The medics had her hooked up to some machines, and Jackson watched as they got her to wake up. He'd never been as glad as when those blue eyes of hers opened. He reached over and took her hand. She was groggy and kept trying to talk, but they put an oxygen mask over her mouth.

He leaned over her. "Don't worry, you're going to be fine, everything is going to be okay. Oliver will call your sister."

She looked frightened and tried to move her arm to push the mask away, but they had strapped it to a splint board. Jackson was pretty sure it was broken. She also had a big, scraped lump on her forehead that had been bleeding but now had a bandage.

He should have stopped her from crawling out. He couldn't believe she'd actually slipped through his fingers. But not in a million years would he have imagined the Pitman building not being safe. The trouble was, if she hadn't been trying to get as far away from him as possible, she'd be okay right now.

Jackson was a mixed-up guy, that was for sure. She'd deceived him. Jillian Tompkins was crazy to have made her sister do this! Jillian could have just asked for a leave of absence. What an insanely misled woman she was to think she couldn't get her job back at Pitman if she needed to mend her