Chapter Ten

“Okay, go ahead and stand up. See if the dressings hold…and don’t forget to breathe.” Jo stepped back from the chair, thankful for a moment without the sparking electricity that ignited between them when they touched. It made it hard to be helpful when all she wanted to do was run her fingers over his body until he used those huge muscles to carry her all the way upstairs and introduce her to bliss.

Nick did as he was told, standing and stretching gingerly to the left, then the right, then leaning forward. With no shirt on, Jo was painfully aware of how each movement flexed a different muscle group, his entire body rippling like ocean waves trapped beneath his skin. “Breathing appears to be top notch,” he declared with a lopsided grin.

“All in a day’s work, sir,” she replied, repeating his earlier words with a smile, but she had to turn away at the last moment. That smile was just too much. She decided to busy herself with cleaning to keep from making eye contact. “So, do you have any shirts here? You’re probably going to need one.”

“Oh, yeah. Upstairs. I keep a few stashes of spare clothes in case I…” He trailed off for a beat, and she glanced at him inquisitively. “In case I need to get away, you know?” He laughed at his umpteenth blubber, and it made Jo smile. She liked a guy that could laugh at himself from time to time. “Sorry. That’s, two shirts I’ve ruined and left here.”

Jo shrugged, deciding to go for the plunge. “Oh, I don’t mind… besides, it’s not like I’d wanted you to leave last night, or anything…” she finished, her sentence trailing off as she finished up the last of the cleaning.

She watched satisfactorily as a shudder ran through him, and he tilted his head to the ceiling. “I know, I know, but I had to,” he replied, his voice soft and slightly husky. “I can’t do this, Jo.”

“Why not?” she snapped back softly, trying not to convey the full hurt that his words had caused. “Look, Nick, I get it. I mean, I understand why you might have… reservations.”

“You do?” Nick asked, looking thoroughly perplexed and mildly alarmed.

She laughed at his expression. “Yes. I know I’m…” she looked away, a bit of shyness in her gaze. “I know I’m only here for four more days, max. And I mean, I’ve never really been a fan of the quick and easy, either, but honestly, Nick, what harm could it do?” she asked.

She gently ran a hand over his good shoulder, sliding it down his chest as she watched his face intently. She took pride in seeing the raw need he had for her in his eyes and feeling the way his body shuddered against her touch. “I know we just met, and this probably all sounds totally crazy, but it’s obvious that there’s something between us, Nick. There’s no denying that.” She slowly brushed her fingertips down his torso, lower and lower. “So what’s the harm in seeing where a bit of fun takes us,” she murmured seductively, barely speaking above a whisper.

She saw him, so close to the edge that he could topple end over end at any moment into passionate oblivion with her at any moment, and then with a deep breath, she watched as he took a big mental step backward. He closed his eyes and pressed her hand firmly against his chest before finally pulling it away and placing it back in her lap. “That’s not it,” he said, softly.

Defiantly, Jo curled her hands back around him, watching him react in ways he couldn’t control. “Then why?” she pleaded.

“I just can’t”

Her fingers curled around his back, and she contemplated if kissing his full lips would seal the deal. “That’s not a reason, Nick.” Her voice was husky with desire, her lips an inch from his. She could feel his breath coming quicker and quicker, panting against her lips as he fought the wants and needs inside of him

He groaned deeply, the sound resonating through his entire body. “I can’t… be myself with you, Jo,” he tried to explain, neither daring to pull away. “It’s dangerous.”

A thrill sizzled down her body, making her shiver, and something must have shown in her eyes, because she watched with exhilaration as Nick’s grew dark with arousal. She leaned in even closer, their lips just barely brushing. “Maybe I like dangerous,” she whispered into his mouth. She let their lips meet, pressing her herself up against him.”

A growl rippled from Nick’s throat, she felt every vibration as he shuddered and finally lost control. He grabbed her and spun her around, pushing her down against the dining table. Jo could hardly breathe as he pulled her shirt up, his hands exploring the soft warmth of her skin. He nibbled roughly down her jawline, each time bringing a small whimper to her lips. He worked his way lower and lower, biting down on the tender skin along her shoulder. His hands roamed lower still, as if he were starving for her body. And boy did she want to give it to him. Excitement coursed up her body as he tugged hungrily on her waistband.

“Nick,” Jo breathed, yanking his head back up by the hair so that she could kiss him again. “Promise me you won’t stop again this time.” She hated to ask, but she had to know, had to be assured that he wouldn’t run away from her again. Last night has been terrible in a way she never wanted to repeat.

“I…” Nick faltered in his efforts to remove her pants. His bear roared angrily, and everything screamed within him to stop thinking and keep going, but he knew it wasn’t right. “I-I want you, Jo.”

“Then don’t stop,” she whimpered, leaning back against the table and pressing the soft mounds of her covered breasts up to his face.

“I have to,” Nick gasped, and he looked to be in physical pain. “This isn’t right, Jo. I’m so sorry.”

Jo pulled him down against her, ignoring his denial. Every ounce of her was calling for him, growing louder every second, and she knew he couldn’t help but answer. His lips and hands moved almost instinctually, exploring whatever bare skin was available to him. Kissing his way up her stomach, he grabbed the hem of her shirt in a vice and to lift it above her head.

“Nick,” Jo breathed, sliding her arms around his neck. “Don’t stop this time.”

Nick bit back a roar as pain blasted through his recently bandaged shoulder. Before Jo could even thing to apologize, Nick tore the thick fabric of the university sweatshirt to ruins, nails scratching her body as the material of the shirt gave way.

“Ouch!” Jo exclaimed, jumping up with a start from a sudden pain just below her neck. She pushed him back a moment with a small frown. “What happened?”

Nick looked off for a moment, curled over her body and breathing roughly, but at the sign of her pain, he finally stepped back. She lifted her chin, touching what felt like two long raised lines on her collarbone.

A haunted look flooded Nick’s eyes, flushing every last trace of arousal that had been there only a moment before. “Jo, I’m so sorry,” he breathed, staring at the marks in horror. “I didn’t mean to.”

Jo shrugged. “No, no, it’s okay. It’s just a little scratch, don’t worry. You just do things a bit more rough than… I’m used to, but I like it,” she reassured, trying to pull him close again. “I like that you want me so much that you lose control.” She tugged him toward her with seductive eyes. “Come back. Don’t you want to carry on? Maybe finish what we started this time?”

Nick’s mouth worked as he floundered for a response, but none came. She knew that his lust for her was still in him somewhere, but by the look in his eyes she could tell that he was done searching for it for the time being. “I shouldn’t have done that,” he whispered.

“Oh, come on, it’s just a couple of scratches!” she exclaimed in frustration as she jumped down from where she’d been perched on the dining table. “It’s nice to feel wanted, I definitely take it as a compliment, Nick, so don’t worry about it.” She gave him direct, heavy eye contact. “I mean it.” Her eyes slid towards the stairwell, suggesting playfully that they move things to the bedroom.

Nick wasn’t paying her any attention. He couldn’t take his eyes off of the inflamed marks he’d accidentally put on her chest. He shuddered, and Jo noticed that it was definitely not in arousal.

It was in fear.

“Nick, come—”

He was already shaking his head. “No, I—”

A tinkling melody sounded soundly from the upstairs bedroom.

“Why don’t you go ahead and get that,” Nick suggested sadly, “I’ll go grab another shirt.

Jo looked down at the torn remains of her own shirt. “Same.” She smiled at him tightly, her eyes filling with disappointment. Two times he’s pulled away from her and he won’t tell her why. What the hell could he possibly have to hide?

Upstairs, her phone stopped ringing, and then started up with the same mechanical tune, yet again. With one last worrisome glance at Nick, she took the steps two at a time. She stepped into the room, taking an irritation-filled dive-bomb into the bed. As expected the number was unknown. “Hello?”

“Jo?”

Her heart sank. Brian. He must be borrowing a phone or something, she thought miserably. Her freedom didn’t last very long at all. “What do you want?”

Of course, that response granted her a long expansive phone rant about how she was ungrateful and rude and how unprofessional she’s been, all made worse by his fake British accent. “Yes, Brian,” she murmured noncommittally, not entirely sure what she’d just agreed to. She’d started tuning out his rant a while ago; it was obvious that he was making up for all the hours he’s had him blocked. She could already feel her face falling back into familiar lines, the old stress of her job setting in like usual.

“Okay, Brian,” Jo submitted, weakly. “I think you’ve said enough by now, don’t you think?” She just wanted to go and enjoy the rest of her free time.

“Enough?” Brian screeched, taking a deep breath—a telltale sign of another lecture coming on. “It has hardly been enough, as you say, or you wouldn’t continue to be so dizzyingly incompetent! Am I getting through to you at all, Jo? Hmm? Hello? Am I?”

Surprisingly, tears sprang to Jo’s eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, but she didn’t trust her voice to not crack. She’d never shown weakness to Brian, and she wasn’t about to start now. She allowed herself a couple moments of silent composure before trying again.

As she opened her mouth to speak, Nick snagged the phone right from her hand. His eyes were dark with anger as he placed the screen to his ear. “Don’t call back until you can treat your employee with at least an ounce of respect,” he barked angrily into the phone, promptly ending the call without another word. He tossed the phone back on the bed, stomping back downstairs and muttering something about coffee.