The night flew by in a daze. They downed a fair share of fruity cocktails before Rebecca decided to switch over to Jack’s simpler drink. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so free and normal outside the confines of her own property.

She really liked Jack. It felt as if she’d known him for years. And she couldn’t deny the attraction between them.

Whenever Jack joked with her or flirted in an offhanded manner, she felt Mona’s eyes on her. But every time Becky looked at her, she quickly flitted her gaze away.

At one point, she caught her eye for a moment. And she wished she hadn’t.

Go for it, Mona mouthed.

Becky merely shook her head and grinned.

Just when the alcohol flowing through her veins got her thinking Mona’s idea wasn’t all that bad, Jack’s phone rang.

“Sorry, I need to take it, it’s long-distance.” He excused himself and walked downstairs.

Mervyn was the first to say something. “What is wrong with you?”

Becky frowned. “Excuse me? What are you on about?”

“Becky, if you don’t jump his bones, I will. I’m renowned for making straight men dip into the gay side.”

“That man is giving you every signal in the book, but you’re completely oblivious,” Mona hissed at her.

“He’s throwing fireworks your way, Becks. You have to know that,” Mervyn added.

Her cheeks warmed, and she laced her fingers behind her head. “You think?”

“What are you still doing here?”

“He’s on the phone, Mona.”

“And you are Rebecca-fucking-Finlay. You can interrupt whoever you want.” Mervyn huffed.

“Oh, stop that! This is so out of my comfort zone, but…you only live once, right?” Not expecting an answer, she sighed and stood up.

Like children, they cheered her on, which only made her smile.

Nervously, she took a deep breath and headed downstairs.

“Go get him, girl,” Mona hollered.

Becky chuckled.

Her head was spinning from the alcohol, but she was merely tipsy, not drunk.

It was quiet when she reached the bottom of the stairs, but as she walked down the hallway, she heard Jack’s voice coming from the kitchen.

Standing on the tips of her toes, she looked through the small, round window in the door. She could just make Jack out. He was standing with his back to her.

He moved the call from his phone to his laptop.

She struggled to hear what he was saying.

Her heels touched the floor again. The voice was male.

Opening the door just an inch, their voices became clear.

“Tell me you changed your mind.”

Jack laughed.

“Jack, c’mon. Don’t leave me hanging.”

Becky frowned.

“You know I can feel it.”

“Shut up. I told you to tune out.”

Feel it? What the fuck were they talking about?

Her head was telling her to go back upstairs—after all, she was eavesdropping on a private conversation—but it was too intriguing.

Her writer brain started working overtime.

“You are happy.”

“Adrian, seriously, leave it.”

Adrian—Jack’s brother, the one who lived in Australia.

“Still the status thing, then?” The voice, which came across as tinny because of the laptop, sounded so much like Jack’s.

“No. When I’m with her like this, that doesn’t really factor in.”

“That’s your problem.”

She sucked in her bottom lip. Was she the topic of their conversation?

It was quiet for a while.

“What now? I can see that look on your face.”

“I don’t think she’s into me like that.”

Becky’s mouth dropped open. She hated when Mona and Mervyn were right. She hadn’t even seen the signs. And although she’d felt the attraction, she’d been scared it was all because of her writer brain, or wishful thinking.

“Dude, she’s going to write you into one of her novels. This chick must think you are interesting.”

“She could also think I’m a villain.”

Becky stifled a laugh. If only he knew how far he was from being the villain.

“Man, Anna is going to piss herself.”

Jack laughed. “Don’t tell her.”

“C’mon, she’s going to see it on my face. I can’t lie to her.”

“Thank heavens she’s still asleep.”

The laughter that came from the laptop sounded nearly identical to Jack’s.

“Back to business tomorrow, right?”

“Yes, finally. The past few days have been rough. The phone hasn’t stopped ringing. I had to unplug it for tonight.”

Becky took this as her cue to pretend she had just arrived looking for Jack. She pushed through the door as he spoke.

“Still on the call?” she asked.

Jack stopped talking, a broad smile spreading across his face. He looked down at the screen just as Adrian was about to speak. “Talk to you later,” Jack said, cutting off whatever his brother was going to say, then shut his laptop. “I’m done.”

“I was only joking,” Becky said. “Did you just cut your brother off? That was your brother, right?”

“Yes, and yes.”

“Why’d you cut him off?”

“Because he’s as insane as the rest of my family. I think I’m the sanest member. Jury’s still out on my niece. But the truth is that we never say goodbye.” He smiled.

“I like that.” She smiled back. Walking over to one of the fridges, she asked, “Do you have ice cream or anything? I’m in the mood for something sweet.”

“Something sweet?”

Nodding, she said, “I need to eat.” She opened the fridge, but there were only ingredients.

“How about I whip up something sweet for you?”

“That sounds dangerous.”

Jack smirked at her.

“We are still talking about eating, right?” Becky asked, her tone turning suggestive.

“Yes, to eat. What other kind of sweet is there?”

“Oh, I can name one or two things that aren’t edible. Though, I’m not sure you want to hear it.”

“Is that the guy in you talking again?”

“Must be.”

“You are such a pig,” Jack teased.

“I’m not. I’m blaming it on the alcohol.”

He laughed. “I can make brownies.”

“Brownies sound delicious.”

“Great. I’ll make a batch so the weirdos upstairs can have some as well.”

He took out the ingredients he needed, while Becky asked him questions about Adrian. He answered her as he worked, cracking eggs with one hand and switching the oven on behind him with the other.

He was like a robot in the kitchen.

“Don’t tell me you’re going to write him into your story as well.”

She laughed. “No, I’m just interested in learning more about your brother.”

“He has a wife.”

“I didn’t mean it like that.”

Jack winked at her. “Just wanted to make it clear.”

“How long has he lived in Australia?”

“Almost five years now.”

“Why’d he move there?”

“Because she is a bit crazy, too.”

Becky hopped onto the counter across from Jack. “Not everyone can be insane, Jack.”

“She has many fears. USA is one, and so is flying.”

Becky pursed her lips and crossed her legs at the ankles. “When do you see him, then?”

“We usually go there.”

“You guys are really close, aren’t you? It must suck not being able to have him close.”

“Yeah. We’re close. And it does suck. I mean, Adrian isn’t just my brother. He’s my best friend.”

“At least you can see each other on Skype.”

“There is that.”

Jack started whisking the contents of the bowl, and Becky nearly salivated at the sight. Men cooking was such a gloriously attractive sight.

Looking at him now, she understood why he had agents beating down his door with offers to turn him into a celebrity chef. With his skills and dimples, he would be the cause of a few wet floors in the kitchen.

She asked him more questions, mostly just to get that image out of her mind before a puddle of drool collected around her. She slid off the counter and walked over to where he was working.

When he went to get a baking pan, she dipped a finger into the mixing bowl. On his return, he caught her licking the batter off her finger.

She saw his Adam’s apple bob up and down as he swallowed.

He cleared his throat. “You dipped your finger in my bowl.”

She nodded, flashing him a naughty grin.

A smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

“Mmm. It’s delicious. How do you get it so creamy?”

“My secret.”

“I hate secrets,” she mumbled, dipping her finger back into the bowl.

“Stop that.” He playfully grabbed her hand, and the world seemed to stop. With a scorching look filled with desire, he put her finger into his mouth.

The heat from his mouth was going to make her melt.

She bit her lower lip as he sucked the batter off her finger. Her stomach flipped with arousal, and her legs trembled.

He was so hot.

Turned on, she grabbed a fistful of his shirt and pulled him closer. Their lips collided in animalistic hunger. His hands circled her waist as hers delved into his thick, dark hair, pulling his head down so she didn’t have to stand on tiptoes.

His lips molded to hers perfectly. Goosebumps cascaded over her skin. Tentatively, his hands roamed over her ass, and once he had a firm grip, he lifted her off her feet.

Her legs wrapped around his waist of their own accord, and she rocked against him. She inhaled his scent—he smelled so fucking good. Breaking contact with her mouth, his lips moved to her neck, kissing and licking his way along.

Gasping, she brought his mouth back to hers. The cold steel of the counter touched her ass as Jack set her down, not once breaking the kiss.

She hadn’t been kissed like this in a long time. It was the kind of kissing she wrote about.

Her mind was clouded with Jack, only Jack. His scent, his kisses, his hands.

She wanted him—badly. He brushed his hand over her face, cradling her cheek in his palm. The fingers of his other hand curled around the back of her head, and a new flurry of tingles broke out over her skin.

She’d always had a thing for men with big hands. All her male protagonists had that feature.

But none of her characters could compare to Jack.

She couldn’t stop, didn’t want to stop. She wanted him. And from the hunger in his kisses, he felt the same. He wanted her, too.

“The brownies,” Jack murmured against her lips, breaking the kiss.

“To hell with the brownies,” she whispered. She clenched his sweater in her fist and tightened her legs around his waist.

He chuckled. “Fine. Get rid of Crazy Two and Crazy Three.” He took her bottom lip between his teeth and sucked, then he pinched her thigh and backed away so she could get down.

She groaned at the loss of his body, but she slipped off the table. “Give me a second.”

Tugging her hoodie into place, she fanned herself as she walked out of the kitchen. On an exhale, she wiped her palms on her jeans, then headed upstairs.

She stopped in her tracks. Mona and Mervyn were passed out on the couches.

Just her fucking luck.

---

He took the brownies out of the oven while waiting for Rebecca.

He’d most definitely been wrong that she wasn’t into him. He adjusted the front of his jeans. Fuck, he hoped Adrian’s twin ESP hadn’t picked up on that. He’d never hear the end of it.

The rest of the boat was silent. No sound of anyone readying to leave. He’d have to go check on them. He didn’t want anything to ruin tonight.

Taking a step forward, he pushed open the kitchen door—which slammed into Rebecca.

“Ow, fuck,” she cussed, cradling her face in her hand.

“Shit! I’m sorry.” He pulled her into the kitchen.

“My face is on fire, Jack.”

“I’m so sorry,” he reiterated. He quickly grabbed some ice from the freezer and wrapped a cloth around it, then placed it on her face.

She chuckled even as she winced.

“This isn’t funny, Becky, I could have really hurt you.”

“No, I’m laughing at something else. They passed out. I’ve tried everything, and I can’t wake them up.”

Fucking assholes.

“I really need to get them back to the hotel.”

“Fuck, no. They passed out…leave them be. I’ll go close everything up, turn off the lights, and grab some blankets. No one is going to ruin tonight.”

It seemed her no-filter attitude had rubbed off on him.

He brushed his lips over her forehead. “I’m so sorry I hurt you. I’ll make it up to you. I’ll only be a few minutes. Don’t leave.”

He took the stairs two at a time, then shook his head when he saw them passed out on the couches.

“Stupid idiots.” He sighed and started closing up the deck. Retrieving two blankets from the cupboard behind the wall, he walked over to the sleeping pair and covered them. Next, he hit the light switches, turning off all but one light, then headed back downstairs to where Rebecca waited.

She was still leaning against the prep counter.

He didn’t speak, simply took her in his arms and lowered his mouth to hers. She returned his kiss with fervor, their lips waging war.

Belatedly, he realized she was still holding the makeshift ice pack to her face. Taking it from her, he set it on the counter. And without wasting another second, he pulled her flush against him and picked her up again.

Her legs wrapped around him, her thighs clenching his waist. She was so light and small, fitting perfectly to his body.

He walked as they kissed, his lips never leaving hers. Holding her with an arm around her torso, he slid open the panel leading to his bedroom with one hand. The steps leading down were trickier to manage, and he sure as hell didn’t want to fall with her causing her more pain and bruises—he was certain she’d have a shiner tomorrow from the door. Somehow, he managed to get them to his bedroom without incident.

Leaning slightly forward, he dropped her onto his bed. Becky yelped softly, which made him laugh as he climbed on top of her, pinning her down.

She broke her gaze from his and looked around the room. “Shit, this is stunning, Jack.”

“Now’s not the time to talk,” he grunted, his lips finding hers again.

Slipping an arm under her lower back, he pulled her tight against him and she rocked against his erection, wrapping her legs around his waist. Her hands roamed over the expanse of his back, her legs tightening around him.

He trailed kisses down her jaw to her neck, then swept his tongue over the hollow between her neck and collarbone. She smelled sweet, innocent, but she was far from it.

He needed more of her. So much more.

Leaning back, he balanced himself on one arm to slip his shirt over his head.

“Holy fuck,” she breathed.

“I’m learning there’s more to your vocabulary, and I don’t mind it one little bit.” Jack laughed huskily. “Guess you’re not the only one with a seductive body.”

“Chefs are supposed to be fat. How do you convince guests to trust your food?”

“It’s all in the product.”

He skimmed his fingers along the hem of her shirt, but then stilled. He had to stop. A groan rumbled from his mouth. “Shit.”

“What? Are you on your period?” she teased.

He shook with laughter. “No. I don’t have condoms with me.”

“Don’t worry.” Her voice was throaty. “I have some.” She trailed her hand down his arm and slipped it into her pocket between them.

“You came with expectations,” he teased.

“No.” She chuckled. “I always carry them—you know, in case there’s ever a situation where they’ll be needed. No rhyme or reason, really.” She shrugged, blushing. “Not much different than me carrying pepper spray in my bag in case I get attacked. You just never know when things might come in handy.”

Her words were like ice water flooding his veins. He moved off her, because all that really sunk in was the latter part of her explanation. “You carry pepper spray, too? Which is actually a good thing. But what do you mean by ‘in case I get attacked’?”

She blew out a gush of air. “I had a scare a few years back. I received some creepy fan mail, which is why Cass and Mona screen everything now. That particular fan started stalking me and there was an…incident, I guess you’d call it. Nothing bad happened, thank goodness. This random person grabbed me, but that’s all. I screamed, and security came running. But I ended up taking self-defense classes as a result, and always carry protection.”

Jack stared at her. He was struggling to contain the anger he felt at the asshole who had made her feel unsafe.

“Mervyn is going to kill me for telling you this. He wants me to make my lifestyle sound glamorous, but it’s far from it.”

“I’m sorry that happened to you.”

“I’m fine.” She laughed. “A much better and stronger person came out on the other side.”

Silence—silence Jack didn’t want—filled the air between them.

Becky took a deep breath. “I guess I should get my ass back to the hotel.”

“What? You’re fucking insane,” Jack growled, twisting them around and falling onto his back, pulling her on top of him in one fluid move. He trailed gentle kisses over her jaw before crushing his mouth to hers again.

Impatiently, he pulled off her hoodie and pushed her tank top up, his fingers kneading her skin as he rolled her over. He lifted her arms and pulled the tank top off, his eyes drinking in the sight of her laying beneath him, clad only in her black satin bra and jeans. He lowered his mouth to her skin.

Frantic now, they toed off their shoes and fumbled with the buttons and zippers of each other’s jeans. He pulled her up and unclasped her bra as she shimmied her jeans off her shapely legs. Hooking two fingers under the elastic of her thong, he slipped it down her legs.

Mesmerized, he took a moment to admire her nakedness, then feasted on her body with his mouth and his hands, worshipping every curve, every crevice and every freckle.

How was it possible that this woman was forty? She was in perfect shape.

Her fingers tangled in his hair, guiding his head. Without warning, she wrapped her legs around him and rolled him over so she was on top. With eyes gleaming, he skimmed his hands along her body, watching as she tore the condom wrapper open.

She was going to kill him with desire. Jack admired women who weren’t afraid to take the initiative.

Gliding down his body, she knelt between his legs and took his dick into her mouth, her tongue sliding along its length. She paused for a second to slip the condom on, her hand firm along his erect shaft.

He groaned and tangled his hand in her hair, gazing at the erotic sight. She slid up his body again, her bare flesh igniting a path of flame. She found his lips and flicked her tongue out.

He grabbed her wrists and swiftly rolled her under him, pinning her arms above her head with one hand. His other hand trailed down her body until it reached the apex between her legs.

She let out a moan.

He nipped her earlobe as his fingers found that holy grail.

Sweet sounds of ecstasy rolled from her mouth. Goosebumps spread across her skin.

He planted a kiss on the soft skin just below her jawline, close to her ear.

Her breaths came in pants as he licked her lips. Groaning, he covered her mouth with his, deepening the kiss, at the same time replacing his fingers with his cock, plunging into her.

Her tightness made him grunt with pleasure. “There is no fucking way you are forty.”

She blushed. “Shut up and fuck me.”

Her language singed his ears, but she was right—at this moment, what he wanted to do with her wasn’t have sex. Fucking her was exactly what he wanted to do.

This was lust on steroids.