SIXTEEN

Somehow they had found their way to the top of the bed. Jack wasn’t sure how or when, but glancing at the clock through half-opened eyes he realized only an hour had gone by since they’d collapsed against the pillows. Shifting up onto his shoulder, Jack looked down at Sadie. She was tucked into his side, his larger body curling around her smaller one. Her dark hair fanned out across the pillow, spilling down her bare chest. A few strands shivered every time she exhaled, her breathing soft and deep in sleep.

Jack had a powerful urge to trace the lines of her body. To run a finger along her delicate hairline and down the slope of her jaw to her neck. To brush his hand from the curve of her shoulder down the dip of her waist and back up over the swell of her hip. To let his fingers convince his brain that Sadie was really there with him.

Remembering the first few times their bodies had touched, Jack was still amazed they weren’t dreams. The way Sadie had welcomed him, responded to him with such openness and enthusiasm. The way, once their skin met, Jack could feel a reflection of his own desire running through her. Jack swallowed a burst of laughter as he shook his head. He had never been accused of being overly modest, especially not where women were concerned. He was aware of his attributes. His good looks. His charm. His success and his wealth. But while he was unfailingly sure of other women, he always found himself off-kilter with Sadie.

Jack let a ragged breath escape as he thought of the years he had craved this woman. He didn’t lack self-awareness, not completely. He knew it had been physical. At least at first. Even now he still felt the tell-tale thrum in his blood when Sadie was near. But the more often he’d seen her, the harder it had become for Jack to write it off as simple attraction. Her pull on him had morphed from the merely physical to something much deeper. And, he had worried, something much more permanent. Which was the definition of complicated, regardless of how he looked at it.

So by the time Jack had seen her in Colorado he’d been on the brink of doing one of two things. Either confessing everything to Sadie and completely freaking her out with what she would probably consider stalker tendencies. Or, writing off the entire thing as a horrible idea and trying to forget every detail of Sadie Carter that he feared was burned into his brain.

But when he’d pressed her to his guest room door and she’d actually kissed him back, Jack had experienced something he thought he’d run out of: Luck. Luck that Sadie hadn’t pushed him away. Or slapped him. Or worse. And luck that, at long last, some piece of his soul had calmed. Which, in and of itself, had been a surprise.

If Jack was being honest, he’d half expected to turn Neanderthal, capturing Sadie then and there and refusing to let her go. It would have made sense given how tightly wound he’d been. But, instead, when Sadie had returned the pressure of his lips, one little part of his brain had stuttered to a stop. It had halted, wallowing in relief and pleasure and peace. But then it had come back to life and had started plotting, beginning to see a way around the barrier of their work relationship. To erase all of the reasons he’d stayed away for so long. To acknowledge that, despite his doubts, Sadie was attracted to him. To strategize a way to finally, finally develop a relationship with the one woman he’d never thought he’d have but had wanted for so long.

But even as the plan had come together in his mind, Jack still hadn’t been sure. And that’s when he’d sent the letter. He’d written it partially so that Sadie would have a constant, physical reminder of him, of the world of possibility they’d opened up with that single kiss. But, once in her hands, it also prevented Jack from abandoning his plan. Because once she had the letter, he wouldn’t be able to turn back. It was his fail-safe, his life vest in case he decided to jump ship.

But she hadn’t responded. Nothing. Not a single word.

He hadn’t expected an email. Or even a call. He knew that would’ve tread too close to their work relationship. But was he insane to think she might actually write him back? Probably. It was as if he’d regressed to passing notes in home room and couldn’t understand why the girl he liked was shoving his into her desk, unopened and unread, without a second glance.

Even now, Jack wasn’t certain if she’d read it. Sadie hadn’t said anything to him. After all that had happened over the past several nights, Jack hadn’t thought to bring it up. He wasn’t even sure if it mattered. Not now that they were wrapped up in each other in bed, their skin still glowing from the earth-shattering euphoria they’d found together. Letting his gaze roam freely across Sadie’s sleeping body, Jack thought it could still just be a dream. A fiction his mind created so that he wouldn’t go entirely mad. Because the idea that they were there together, at last, was something his brain was still having a hard time grasping.

But then Sadie moved, her hips wiggling slightly as she burrowed herself deeper into the mattress. A small sigh escaping her lips as she pressed herself against him. Jack felt a shiver race down his body at the contact but held his baser impulses in check. Sadie needed her sleep. So did he. And he couldn’t think of a better place to do it than in her bed.

Jack wrapped an arm around Sadie’s waist and slung one leg over hers. Sleep tugged at him and he felt himself relaxing back into the mattress. And for a moment Jack felt absolute peace. He forgot about everything that had happened that day. The look of frustration on Mark’s face, the argument they’d gotten into about how to handle Max, even the deafening silence from the other board members. All of it disappeared as he gently kissed Sadie’s neck before tucking his chin above her shoulder.

But just as he was drifting off a memory jostled to the surface and Jack felt Sadie’s hair slide across his lips as his mouth tightened into a grim line. He’d known who was calling before he’d even glanced at the screen, before he’d silenced the ring. Even if he hadn’t been in a rush to get to Sadie’s room he still wouldn’t have answered. Not tonight. Not this week. Jack knew he’d have to tell Sadie. There was no way to keep it from her forever, despite how much he wished he could. But he didn’t have to tell her tonight. Not now, not yet. Jack’s face relaxed and sleep finally pulled him under as he told himself that, as far as Sadie was concerned, he had all of the time in the world.

***

Sadie hummed deep in her throat as she opened her eyes. Her room was still dark, the first glimpses of sunrise only just visible through the thin fabric of the top curtain. Tugging the sheet up her chest, Sadie reminded herself for the millionth time that she really should remember to close the heavy drapes at night. And, her mind helpfully added as she registered the weight of the arm across her waist and the solid chest behind her, check the peep hole before opening her bedroom door. Reflecting back, she was lucky it had just been Jack. Thanks to their little walk yesterday, Jasper knew which room was hers. And she didn’t put it past Marcus to try a repeat performance of his machete-wielding skills under the cover of darkness. She shivered at both thoughts.

Jack must have noticed because the arm around her tightened and he pulled her closer. Sadie couldn’t stop the smile that stretched across her face when she felt Jack’s lips tickle the sensitive skin behind her ear.

“You realize it isn’t even morning yet.”

“Hmmm,” Sadie nodded. “And do you realize there was a rather selfish person hogging my warm covers most of the night?”

“Selfish?” Jack pulled the sheet free from Sadie’s grip and spanned his fingers across her bare stomach. “That, I think you’ll find, wasn’t selfishness. It was courtesy. Because that same person happened to know that you had your very own, very personal heat source keeping you warm all night.”

Sadie tipped her head down so that Jack wouldn’t catch her grin as he peered over her shoulder. She could feel laughter start to rumble deep in his chest so she wiggled her bum backwards, casually brushing it across a certain part of Jack’s anatomy that was very warm indeed. Jack danced his fingers along the side of her ribs and Sadie nearly jumped from the bed with a squeal of laughter.

“Don’t!” she managed to get out between choked giggles. “Please … don’t.”

Jack hovered above her, his heavily tousled hair and wicked grin making him look as debauched as Sadie knew he could be. “Ticklish? Sadie, you’ve been holding out on me! Oh, the things I could have been doing…,” Jack had to roll away as Sadie flailed her arms at him wildly while trying to protect her midsection from his wandering hands. After she resorted to an unintentionally well-placed elbow jab, Jack raised his hands in mock defeat. “I give up, I give up.”

Sadie flopped stomach down onto the sheets and gave him a wide grin. “After last night I might need a break before you find new ways to torture me.”

Jack turned her so that they were nose to nose, his eyes a warm chocolate in the early morning light. “Sadie, last night…,” he dropped his eyelashes quickly and Sadie thought she caught a light flush rise to his cheeks. His voice came out scratchy as he continued. “I didn’t plan on that. That isn’t something I do often.”

Sadie’s lips curved as Jack gave her an earnest look. “Do you mean the touching yourself part? Or the exhibitionist part?” Sadie knew her own skin was turning bright pink as she relived the salacious minutes of their night together, but she kept her eyes steady on his. Her question caught him off guard and Jack had to suppress a cough before he could respond. When he did his voice was thick with a mix of arousal and self-consciousness.

“The exhibitionist part.”

“So you don’t make a habit of showing yourself off to other women? I guess that makes me special,” Sadie couldn’t help nibbling at his lower lip as it bent into a self-effacing smile.

“No. And, yes. Definitely yes.”

“So the other part,” Sadie was enjoying teasing Jack too much to stop. “The touching yourself part. So that you do often?”

“Sadie…,” her name came out on a half-groan, half-laugh, but Jack sobered as he contemplated her for a few seconds. “The other night, in the cabana. When I told you that I’ve been interested in you, attracted to you. For a while.”

Sadie nodded her head, encouraging him to continue. She could feel the force of his heartbeat pick up where their bare chests touched.

“I wasn’t exaggerating.” Jack snuck one arm under her pillow and wrapped the other around her back, spreading his fingers across her shoulder blades. Sadie found herself cocooned in his warmth, his eyes studying hers intently. “I have wanted to do this,” he pressed a lingering kiss to her lips, “and this,” he traced the fingers of one hand down her spine, “and this,” he pulled her close as he lazily rocked his hips into hers, “for so long. Sometimes it feels like forever.”

“Jack,” Sadie struggled to keep her voice even, fighting the yearning building in her chest, “are you trying to tell me that you’ve been saving yourself for me?” She almost wanted to laugh at the idea. And she almost did at the surprise that flashed across Jack’s face.

“Sadie,” there was humor in his voice, “you’re giving me far too much credit. I’m not trying to tell you I’ve been celibate. No.” Jack shook his head ruefully and Sadie was surprised to find herself battling an odd pang of disappointment. “But,” he continued, “there have been times, more times than I want to count, when I couldn’t find relief from it. From my want of you. Times when,” Jack swallowed a self-conscious chuckle, “I had to find an alternate solution.”

His formal phrasing of such an informal act forced Sadie to laugh. Jack screwed his face up at her, unsure about which part of their conversation she found so amusing.

“No,” Sadie managed to get out between breaths, “Jack, I’m not laughing at you. Promise.” Sadie pressed a hand to her chest and felt Jack’s eyes follow her movement before his attention returned to her face. Sadie loved it. She knew she shouldn’t, knew it was such a precarious situation. But she couldn’t help it. She was tucked so securely in the arms of an intelligent, successful, incredibly attentive man who was openly confessing not just his overwhelming attraction to her, but to pleasuring himself while fantasizing about her. For years. And he couldn’t keep his eyes off her.

Sadie felt something akin to power crackle across her skin. On the face of it, she was vulnerable when it came to Jack Avery. She was physically smaller. Younger. Not as accomplished. Not as established. Not as wealthy. And, the most damning of all, for all intents and purposes his employee. But letting his confession sink in, compounded by the intimacy that had intensified between them so explicitly the night before, Sadie felt some of the advantage shift her way. And, with it, some of those warning signs that her brain persistently flashed at her began to dim.

Though Jack’s fingers softly traced little patterns across her back, he was otherwise still and Sadie wondered if he’d dozed off, escaping her playful scrutiny under the cover of sleep. But she saw his eye flash behind his partially closed lids and knew he was still watching her. Still trying to gauge how she felt about what he’d said. What they’d done.

A deep rumble escaped him as Sadie pressed a kiss to Jack’s mouth. She was gentle, soothing, her tongue gliding softly against his lips without asking for more. And she felt some of the apprehension that had gripped him leak away under her touch.

“I loved it, Jack,” she murmured after she pulled way. “What we did last night.” Tucking her forehead against the hollow beneath his collarbone, Sadie sighed. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt anything so thoroughly satisfying in my entire life.”

“Me neither,” Jack’s breath tickled her hair. “I would never have guessed it, Sadie. I don’t think I’ve even imagined it. And, trust me. When it comes to you, I’ve done a fuck-load of imagining. But that, last night,” Jack’s voice trailed off as he feathered kisses against her temple. “You never cease to surprise me.”

Sadie felt a current of satisfaction run deep in her veins at the affection in Jack’s voice. A languid silence settled over them and Sadie found herself more relaxed than she’d been in a long time. Snuggling into the luxurious mattress, Sadie wiggled one leg between Jack’s and they fell asleep like that, tangled up in each other from head to toe, no space for air between them.