Meant To Be (10 page)

"Then why am I still dressed?"

A punch of lust hit Garrett so hard he wanted to rip her dress off in one mighty yank. It was a nice dress, though, and she'd probably brain him if he ruined it. Instead he slipped his hand beneath her and attempted to unzip it. Jessica leaned toward him to give him better access, and he had the dress off in record time.

He thought he might explode as his gaze feasted on her matching black strapless bra and panty set. Her full breasts were held in the silky tube of material by miracle alone, and his hands itched to strip away the lacy scrap covering her mound. He leaned down and pressed his lips to the warm flesh just above her bellybutton. Jessica cupped the back of his head and arched against him with a wanton sigh of contentment.

Garrett worked his hands beneath her and unclasped her bra, then tugged it off and tossed it aside. Her beautiful milky white breasts fell free, her luscious pink nipples pebbled and begging to be touched. Garrett leaned down and took one taut nipple into his mouth while his fingers found and tortured the other, rolling it between his thumb and forefinger.

Jessica whimpered, her neck arched, her hands clenched in his hair.

Garrett released her nipple with a loud suck and switched his assault to her other breast. Her movements became urgent, and Garrett knew he was dangerously close to embarrassing himself. He twirled his tongue around her nipple one last time before releasing both breasts so he could sit up.

Gazing down at her, Garrett's breath caught in his throat. He'd never seen a sexier sight than Jessica spread out before him, breasts bare, nipples puckered and wet from his mouth. Naked except for that tiny scrap of black lace.

He shrugged out of his shirt, then stood so he could remove his slacks, socks, and boxer-briefs, all while Jessica watched him through heavy-lidded eyes. His erection sprang free, and he chuckled when her eyes widened. He stretched back out on the bed beside her.

"Very impressive,” Jessica purred, her voice low and provocative. She wrapped her fingers around him, nearly putting him through the roof.

Gritting his teeth, Garrett fell back onto the pillow and let her stroke his hot flesh. He knew he couldn't let her explore for long or he'd come to an embarrassing end—literally. But the word “stop” wouldn't form in his mouth. She leaned forward and tongued his nipple as her thumb rolled over the head of his penis. Garrett captured her wrists with a silent curse and took a deep, shuddering breath. He guided her until she was astride his waist, his throbbing length nestled against her backside, right between her sweet cheeks.

"Sorry, sweetheart, but I want to be inside you when I come."

Her answering smile was knowing and sexy as hell. “I'd prefer that myself. But Jamison,” she splayed her hands over his stomach and lowered her voice to a whisper, “you'd better hurry up. I can't last much longer."

Christ, that did it. He'd be lucky to get two strokes in before the party was over. He worked his fingers under the scrap of black lace, wet with the proof of her desire, and tore it off her in one quick jerk.

Before she had time to complain, Garrett tossed it aside and used both thumbs to find the glistening nubbin beneath her folds. “I want you more than I've ever wanted anyone ... anything,” he said, his voice reverent and thick with desire. He stroked her with tiny circles, and a raw cry of pleasure escaped her as her head fell back on her shoulders. He was hard as stone and pulsing against her backside.

Meeting his gaze, Jessica lifted up, grabbed his hard shaft, and slowly lowered herself onto him. Garrett's teethed clenched, his breath held in anticipation as she took him inside her with exquisite care, inch by torturous inch.

He cupped both her breasts, stroking her nipples with thumbs still wet from her own dew. Their moans of pleasure mingled as they joined together.

It took every bit of self-control he possessed, but Garrett managed to lie still while she worked her way down. She hadn't quite taken him all in when she started to lift back up. Her eyes had been closed, but she opened them halfway, swallowed and let out a sob of frustration.

"I wanted to make this good for you,” she admitted in an agonized whisper, “but I can't wait. I swear, I'm going to come any second."

"Jesus,” he breathed capturing her wrists again. “I think my heart just stopped.” He placed her hands on his chest, then grasped her hips. “Ride me, Jessica,” he instructed, his voice low and guttural.

Eyes closed, head hung low, she did as instructed. Using his chest as leverage, she moved slowly up and down his thick shaft. After no more than four strokes, her nails bit into his chest and she cried out his name, her hips moving in frantic rhythm. Garrett grasped her ass with both hands and drove inside her, hard and fast. His shout of release echoed off the walls as he experienced the most intense orgasm of his life.

Once their breathing slowed, Garrett wrapped his arms around her and rolled to his side. He reached down for the comforter and covered them both. He'd never felt as peaceful and content in his entire life as he did at that moment.

That's when he realized he'd never put on protection. He blew out a silent breath and reached up to swipe his fingers through his hair. Truth be told, it may not have been a complete accident. Maybe on some subconscious level he wanted to get Jessica pregnant. He knew he wanted her in his life. And having a child together would certainly accomplish that.

He also knew it was wrong, and if a woman had ever tried to trap him in such a way, he'd have been out the door in a heartbeat. Yep, he was some kind of hypocrite all right. But he'd also never been more sure of anything in his life. He and Jessica belonged together.

He could only hope that after tonight, she'd come to the same conclusion.

Jack Sutton flew into the lot of the seedy Starlite motel and threw the old Buick LeSabre he'd bought just that morning into park. He beat the steering wheel as a round of curses poured from his mouth. He rubbed his eyes, hard, with his thumb and forefinger, then dropped his head back against the headrest.

Dammit to hell, he'd had the bastard right in his sights! The bitterness and vengeance that had burned in his soul for seven long years should've been fuel enough for Jack to mow the sonofabitch down without a single twinge of regret. Only it hadn't. At the last second, it was as if the hand of God had given the wheel a mighty jerk, and he'd swerved away with no time to spare.

Jamison deserved to suffer long and hard, just as Jack had suffered all those years, rotting in a prison cell for a crime he'd never have committed in a million years. The public defender hadn't given a rat's ass about a nineteen-year-old punk with a five page rap sheet for every crime under the sun. Except for the one he'd been charged with—cold-blooded murder.

With a sigh of disgust, he opened the car door and climbed out. He worked the bent key into the lock of room number eight, gave it a hard twist and shoved the door open. He'd left the lamp on because the distinctive scratch of cockroaches scurrying back into the woodwork every time he flipped on the light made his goddamn skin crawl.

Jack tossed his keys on the nightstand, then grabbed a can of cola out of the ice bucket and popped it open. After guzzling down half the can, he tore open a bag of cheese puffs, turned on the television and made himself as comfortable as he could on the ratty, stained olive-green bedspread that was no doubt twice as old as he was.

Okay, so seven years behind bars hadn't turned him into the ruthless killer he'd suspected it would. When push came to shove, he'd no more been able to mow Jamison down than he'd been able to pop a cap into Eddie Morales, the drug dealer he'd been convicted of killing.

But as he'd fled from the restaurant, another idea had formulated in Jack's mind.

And this one would be so much more fun than the last.

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Jessica nestled her tush into the warmth of Garrett's body with a smile of contentment so wide her jaw hurt. They'd made love and it had been the most incredible experience of her life. He'd been gentle, but not too gentle, and her face grew warm as she recalled every kiss, every touch, every caress. He'd played her body like a finely tuned instrument, and even now, less than an hour later, she wanted him again.

As if the man could read her mind, he grew hard against her backside. “You awake?” he murmured in that deep, sexy voice, his hand cupping her breast, his fingers working her nipple into a tight bud.

"Like I could possible sleep through this."

Garrett abandoned her breast to run his hand down her belly, through the triangle of damp curls until his fingers found and gently spread open her wet folds. She moaned softly as he sank one finger into her slick passage, easing it in and out in a slow, steady rhythm. Her neck arched and her hips moved in beat with his finger. He used his thumb to stroke her swollen clitoris as he eased a second finger inside her. Jessica's breath hitched. She bit down on her bottom lip to keep from crying out.

"Lift up your leg and drape it over my thigh,” he instructed, his breath warm against her ear. Jessica did so without question. The position opened her up to him, and before she knew it, his fingers were replaced by his rock-hard erection.

Jessica closed her eyes as he filled her, slowly and with care. Garrett Jamison was a giant in every sense of the word. She could barely accommodate him comfortably. She recalled that old saying about the size of a man's foot being in proportion with his manhood. Judging by the size of this man, there was no doubt in her mind the adage was true.

He grasped the top of her thigh as if to hold her steady while he slid himself in and out, slowly at first, entering her only a few inches at a time. But as their breathing became faster so did his movements, and he sank himself deeper with each sweet stroke. Without warning, Garrett pulled out and laid her flat on her back. The expression on his face fierce, he spread her thighs, captured her lips, and sank inside her to the hilt.

As their tongues and mouths mated with wild abandon, so did their bodies. No longer concerned with crushing her, Garrett made love to her as if it were their last day on earth. Jessica wrapped her legs around his waist and held on for dear life as he rode her, their heated flesh slick with sweat.

They reached climax together. He tore his mouth free just as the second most incredible orgasm of her life rippled through her, their mingled raw cries of satisfaction filling the room. Garrett held himself up on his elbows, their hips still moving and straining as delicious little aftershocks rolled through them.

"Jesus, am I still alive?” Garrett uttered once their sated bodies lay in blissful numbness.

Jessica caressed his back with both hands and managed a shaky chuckle. “If your racing heartbeat's any indication, yep, you're still in the land of the living."

He struggled back to his elbows. “I'm sorry, I must be crushing you."

"Just a little,” she admitted.

She let out a monster yawn as Garrett sat up and stretched his arms over his head. He climbed to his feet and headed for the master bathroom on wobbly legs. “Hell, woman, you wore me out,” he teased as he stumbled inside and flipped on the light.

Jessica listened as he turned on the faucet and wondered if he was washing up because he planned to head home. Her heart sank at the thought. She'd hoped to sleep in his arms all night. She sat up and leaned against the headboard, praying her disappointment didn't show on her face.

He turned off the light and returned to the bed, leaning over to flip on the lamp. He cocked a brow at her before sprawling out beside her on the bed. “Hungry?"

She shook her head and pulled her legs up, wrapping her arms around them and resting her cheek on her knee. “I'm good. You can head home if you want."

"Are you kicking me out of bed? Damn, I feel so ... cheap."

He grinned, and her lips twitched. “No, I want you to stay. I mean, if you want to.” Good Lord, did that sound as pathetic to him as it did to her?

Garrett ran the pad of his thumb over her lips. “I want to,” he assured her. “But I'm friggin’ starving. Got anything to eat?"

Jessica smiled and climbed out of bed. Now that her good mood had returned, she slipped into the fuzzy powder-blue robe that hung on a hook behind her door and skipped toward the kitchen. Garrett followed her in a moment later. He'd pulled on his crumpled slacks but hadn't bothered to button them.

"So, what are we having?” he asked, taking a seat at the table and kicking his feet up onto the chair directly across from him.

He was so unbelievably handsome it nearly took her breath away. “Grilled ham and cheese sandwiches. And there's a bag of potato chips on the cupboard behind you."

He looked over his shoulder before leaning back to snag them off the shelf.

Jessica listened to him munch and, frankly, she was glad he wasn't in a chatty mood. She just wanted to enjoy this little bit of domesticity. It had been so long since she'd truly enjoyed a man's company. And she didn't mean sex, although
that
had been unbelievable beyond words. But just this comfortable companionship. It was nice. Something she'd truly missed over the last couple of years.

Oh, who the heck was she kidding? Her relationship with Wade had been nothing but volatile from the moment they'd met. At sixteen years old, his brooding, bad boy act had been sexy as hell. After four years of living in a one-room efficiency apartment with barely enough money to keep the electric on while he lay on his lazy ass all day, the thrill had definitely worn off.

"Those almost done?” Garrett asked, popping her back into the present.

She slid the grilled sandwiches onto plates and carried them to the table. Her mouth crooked at the sight of Mr. Louie sprawled across Garrett's lap getting the scratching of his life. She'd experienced those magical hands herself, so she could certainly relate to the loud purring and eyes closed in ecstasy. Garrett continued to scratch Mr. Louie while wolfing down his two sandwiches, which made him an even better catch in her estimation.