Chapter Twenty

JACK WAITED FOR JESSIE AT the hotel bar later that night.

She was in the room getting ready and she had kicked him out. She had said he was getting on her nerves watching her.

He didn’t mean anything by it. There was nothing more interesting to look at except maybe the porn channel which he had discovered they got on the television in their room. But Jessie was not okay with him watching that in her presence.

He laughed a little, remembering the look on her face when that channel had popped up as he scrolled through them with the remote. Of course he had automatically paused when some hardcore porn action came on.

They had both stared at it for a few seconds before Jessie had cried out, “Oh my God Jack! Turn it off!”

Her face had turned bright red and she had averted her eyes from the big-breasted blonde getting pounded from behind while sucking off some other dude.

He had laughed and changed the channel, putting on golf instead.

“What do you have against porn?” Jack couldn’t help but ask.

“Nothing, I guess, but I don’t want to watch it with you!”

“READY?” JESSIE APPEARED BESIDE HIM. “Do I look okay?”

His eyes swept over her in a sexy little black dress and heels. It was very short and hot as fuck, yet she still managed to pull off classy.

She looked expensive. Untouchable.

She looked fucking amazing.

He sighed and signaled to the bartender to close out his tab.

He turned to her and nodded, saying only, “You look fine.”

“Thanks,” Jessie said sarcastically. “You really know how to pump up a girl’s confidence.”

Jack stared at her blankly.

He stood up and they headed to the party in silence.

Jessie clasped his hand as they walked up the steps to the front door of the beach mansion where the party was being held.

They were supposed to be engaged. They should probably try to act like a couple.

Kyle introduced them to a few people and they got drinks.

After a few drinks, Jack started having a little too much fun with the fake couple thing. Jessie dug her finger into his palm as a warning the third time his hand ended up gripping her ass.

“It’s not a free pass for you to put your hands all over me,” Jessie hissed in his ear.

She kissed him briefly on the lips so anyone looking would think they looked like a happy couple.

He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her close to him, pressing his lips against hers, hard. That familiar taste of whiskey on his mouth sending a tingle between her legs. She pulled away.

“Come on, Jessie. Don’t be like that. I’m just trying to make it look real,” he whispered back to her before sliding his lips across her neck.

Christ, she smelled incredible. Three drinks and he was already forgetting why she was off-limits. It had seemed so clear to him this morning, but now… not so much.

Why was his cock so set on finding out what this girl felt like? Why couldn’t he stop wondering what she would taste like between those pretty legs?

He was sure her pussy would be sweet as all fuck. She practically oozed sugar from that perfect, soft-looking skin.

Jessie felt her face burning and her skin was buzzing where he had touched her. She knew he was just joking around with her, but he didn’t realize that the way he was touching her and innocently kissing her was actually turning her on.

Or maybe he did realize it. The slight throb between her legs was making her face so red it was probably giving her away.

Jack smirked and let go of her. He shouldn’t be fucking with her. He knew he shouldn’t be exploiting her attraction to him for an ego boost but he loved watching her get all flustered and trying to pretend like he had no effect on her.

Jack noticed Violet first, of course. He always had one eye out for a sexy girl.

Violet Davis stood out in a crowd for sure. Jessie couldn’t help but feel a little jealous when she saw the admiration on Jack’s face as he checked her out.

She was blonde and blue-eyed, like Jessie, but edgier, exuding a more overt sexuality. She was tall with a spectacular body that she didn’t mind showing off. The dress she wore was something more akin to what a stripper would wear while working the pole.

But then, this was clearly a pretty wild crowd.

Already two girls were standing on tables dancing, topless and occasionally kissing each other, while a group of guys gathered around them and cheered them on.

In a corner, a girl was practically having sex with a guy while a few people sat around, watching.

Jack seemed unsurprised by any of this, although his eyes had definitely been drawn to the naked dancing girls and the couple getting it on, his interest obvious. But now his eyes were fixed on the stunning Violet Davis.

Jessie elbowed him. “You’re being super obvious.”

He reluctantly returned his gaze to Jessie. “Sorry. Hard to look away. She’s pretty easy on the eyes, huh?”

“I suppose so. If you like that kind of girl.” Jessie pouted.

Jack grinned at her. “Pretty sure every guy I know likes that kind of girl, Jessie. Even the perfect Chris isn’t immune, whatever bullshit lines he might feed Zoey.”

“Whatever,” Jessie grumbled, rolling her eyes. “Thought you weren’t into blondes.”

“I’m not… usually. But there are occasional exceptions.”

Kyle executed the casual introduction perfectly.

“Violet, this is my buddy Jack Turner and his beautiful fiancé, Jessie. Jessie, this is Violet Johnson.”

They shook hands and exchanged appropriate greetings.

“Jack and I did two tours in Iraq together,” Kyle told her.

Violet was very obviously checking Jack out, her eyes admiring and curious as they scanned his powerhouse body, every inch of him hard as steel and cut, rugged good looks and incredible blue eyes.

Jessie noticed their eyes lock and could sense the mutual attraction between them. Although she felt an irritating jealousy rush through her, she kept her expression friendly and unsuspecting.

“He and Jessie are planning to have their wedding here, Violet. I told Jessie that you might be able to make some suggestions to her… you know, locations, caterers, all that stuff. You always throw the best parties.” Kyle knew Violet as a socialite who couldn’t resist the opportunity to show off to newcomers how connected she was.

Violet managed to look flattered and smile condescendingly at Jessie at the same time. She threw another quick glance Jack’s way, as if sizing up what benefits might be in it for her. “Sure, why not?”

Violet took Jessie’s hand and led her to a long white sofa where they sat together. Jack and Kyle went to get them drinks.

“Your dress is amazing! I love it!” Jessie gushed.

Violet responded well to adoration. “Thanks, sweetie. So when are you planning to get married?”

“Well I think destination weddings are nice over the winter, don’t you? People just love a good excuse to get away. So I was thinking February, maybe the weekend before or after Valentine’s Day.” Jessie chatted happily.

“As long as he doesn’t try to combine your anniversary gift with your Valentine’s Day gift, right?” Violet winked.

Jessie smiled. “Well, actually, I don’t care that much about gifts, so I don’t think it will make much difference.”

Violet looked at her as if she suddenly grew a second head. She shrugged and launched into a description of several location options that might be appropriate.

By the time Jack and Kyle returned with their fresh drinks and sat across from them, they were chatting easily with each other. Violet clearly enjoyed being the center of attention and Jessie was happy to let her take the lead. She acted suitably impressed with all of the people Violet knew, how knowledgeable she was about the island and it’s most exclusive and privileged options.

Jack and Kyle held their own conversation, uninterested in wedding talk.

Jack purposely avoided looking at Violet. She was definitely a tempting piece of ass, although she gave off a bitch vibe. If he had been on this case alone, he would probably be angling to get her in bed right now. He wouldn’t have minded a bit. She wasn’t pretty, like Jessie, but she had that provocative, in-your-face kind of sex appeal that Jack found so arousing.

By the end of the evening Jessie had made plans to meet Violet for lunch the next day.

Jessie knew girls like Violet. They didn’t have friends. They had puppets, an entourage hanging around telling them how wonderful they were. Jessie played the part to perfection, complimenting her, letting her lead the conversation and agreeing with everything she said.

On the way back to the resort, Jack and Jessie were both quiet.

“You okay?” Jack asked.

It was unusual for Jessie to not chatter incessantly.

“Yes, I’m fine,” Jessie answered. “I guess I’m just tired.”

“Yeah, rough life. Laying on the beach all day and then going to a party,” Jack joked sarcastically.

“You try talking to Violet Davis for two hours. She sucked the life out of me. I swear to God if I had to listen to her brag about one more thing I was going to throw up.”

Jack didn’t answer. He had overheard enough of their conversation to get that Violet as annoying as fuck. Not that he wouldn’t have still wanted to hit it, but he certainly had no interest in having a conversation with her.

“Honestly, Jack, I really don’t think you would like her. Can’t believe you think she’s so hot.”

“I don’t need to like her to want to bang her. Didn’t say I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. Who cares what her personality is like? Bet she’s hot in bed.”

“Well I guess if all you want is sex…”

“Trust me, that’s all I want. With any girl,” Jack said firmly. “What about you? What hoops do you make a guy jump through to have a go at you?”

He imagined that Jessie was probably very high-maintenance.

She shrugged. “Well, first of all I need to be in a relationship. I don’t just sleep around.”

He nodded. “Yeah, I already figured that out. What kind of guy do you go for?”

“I want someone who is… considerate, affectionate, fun. I want someone that makes me feel special.”

He rolled his eyes. “So what exactly does this imaginary future guy have to do to make you feel special?”

His emphasis on the word made it sound stupid.

She shrugged. “I guess it’s about the little things, you know, paying attention to me, remembering stuff. Also, I want to be the only one…”

“The only one, what?”

“The only one he wants to be with. You know… the only girl in his life.”

They were both quiet for a few minutes. Then Jessie spoke again.

“So no matter how awful Violet Davis is as a person, you would still have sex with her, just because she has a great body and she’s pretty?”

Jack thought for just a second. “I never said I thought she was pretty. But, yeah. I would. I don’t care what kind of person she is, Jessie. The only thing that interests me about her is getting between her legs and how well she can suck my dick.”

Jessie rolled her eyes, hating herself for the jealousy that pierced through her. He was so impossibly vulgar and yet her heart pounded wildly for him. “You’re so broken. You know that, right?”

Jack nodded his head slightly. “Yeah,” he replied. “I know.”

RETURNING TO THEIR ROOM AT the resort, Jessie slipped into the bathroom with her pajamas.

Jack heard the shower start and he picked up the remote control to turn the television on.

He sat in a chair, trying to focus on Top Gun, and trying not to think about Jessie naked in the shower.

She emerged from the bathroom in her pajamas, which consisted of little white shorts and a dark blue tank top. When she walked past him, Jack’s attention centered on the back of her shorts, where her perfect little ass cheeks were peeking out.

“Going to take a shower.” Jack jumped up quickly and disappeared into the bathroom.

He was horny as hell and needed to settle down. Rubbing one out in the shower seemed like the best course of action.

When he wasn’t feeling sexually frustrated by her, he was actually enjoying his developing friendship with Jessie.

She made him laugh.

No girl had ever made him laugh before.

He admired her. It was rare for Jack to admire a woman for anything other than the way she looked or how good she was in bed. There was a lot he admired about Jessie.

She was a good investigator. Really good. Someday she could be great. Probably even better than he was.

He had been worried that he might have to carry her. That she might turn out to be a hindrance rather than a help, but she had proven him wrong.

She had blown him away in New York. The fact that she hadn’t been intimidated by a hardcore criminal like Tony Martinelli and had landed a job singing in his bar was more than impressive.

He could drink beer and watch a baseball game with her almost just like he would with one of the guys. She was apparently a football fan as well, so he assumed she would up for that when football season started soon.

He also enjoyed the fun back and forth thing they had going on, teasing and joking with each other. He liked talking to her. He never talked to women, or anyone, really. Never wanted to.

She was warm and caring. Usually those qualities didn’t matter to him, because he never spent enough time with any woman for it to matter. But all of the time he had been spending with Jessie lately had sparked an appreciation for those things.

She was so thoughtful, always thinking of others and doing whatever she could for the people in her life, including him.

He came out of the bathroom wearing shorts and no shirt. He lifted his arm behind his head and pulled his elbow down, wincing a little.

“What’s wrong?” Jessie sat on the bed, rubbing lotion on her legs while watching the famous beach volleyball scene in Top Gun.

Jack’s eyes automatically rested on that smooth skin as she rubbed her fingers over it again and again.

“Nothing. Just a knot or something in my back.”

Jessie patted the edge of the bed. “Come here. I’ll rub it out for you.”

Jack smirked. “Yeah?”

Jessie’s face turned bright red as she realized that she used the phrase “rub it out” and she laughed. “Your back! I meant that I’ll rub the knot out of your back!”

Jack laughed. “Thanks, Jessie, but I doubt you’re strong enough to do any good.”

“Hey!” Jessie protested. “I’m really good at giving massages. Sit down, I’ll show you.”

Jack shrugged and sat down. He felt her get behind him, on her knees, her warm breath against his back.

She gently stroked her hands against his skin before she started to massage him, finding the spot that was bothering him and focusing her attention on it.

Jack bent his head down and made a noise in his throat indicating that it felt good.

“Damn, Jessie. You are good at this.”

Jessie was enjoying the opportunity to put her hands on his unbelievable body. He was so fucking ripped. He took her breath away, really. She could feel her heart beating a bit faster, just being so close to him.

“If you lay down I could get a better angle and do it harder, if you want,” Jessie offered.

“Yeah? Okay, thanks. I’ll be happy to return the favor if you want.” Jack laid on his stomach, his arms under a pillow.

He had never given anyone a massage, but how hard could it be? He’d had a few massages at some places that specialized in happy endings, but the focus of those had been the happy ending part rather than the half-assed back rub.

He smiled to himself. He was totally sure that wasn’t the kind of massage Jessie had in mind tonight.

Jessie hesitated. “Now you have to promise to behave. I’m going to sit on you but it’s just to get the right angle and pressure, so don’t get any of your perverted ideas.”

Jack laughed. “I’ll try to control myself, princess.”

He was teasing her.

Jessie was glad he couldn’t see her blushing. Of course Jack wouldn’t be tempted by her. After all, he preferred women like Violet Davis, or that sexy girl he had been with that night in New York, or that Latina swimsuit model he hooked up with fairly regularly.

She straddled herself over his ass, which felt rock hard against her softness. She began massaging him again, hovering over his back, using her body weight to work out the knot he had complained about. When she finished, she worked on a few other knots she found as she let her hands explore all of the muscles and every inch of skin on his back.

Jack was definitely enjoying the massage. Jessie was good at it, like she claimed. He couldn’t help but also enjoy feeling her straddling him, the light weight of her body, her smooth skin brushing against the roughness of his, the heat from between her legs.

As his cock swelled harder against the bed, he had to shift to adjust himself. The temptation was definitely there. He wanted to turn over, flip her on her back and grind against her.

On the other hand, she had him so fucking relaxed he could fall asleep.

“Okay,” Jessie whispered. “All done.”

She rolled off of him and lay beside him on her side.

That might not have been the smartest idea she had ever had. Pressing against Jack that way had turned her on so much that she felt an aching emptiness inside. She could feel a throbbing heat between her legs that seemed so strong she was half-afraid that Jack might have felt it against his skin through her thin cotton shorts.

“Want me to do you now?” Jack asked, not moving.

“No, that’s okay. Just relax and go to sleep. I’ll sleep in the chair tonight. You can owe me.” Jessie forced a shaky laugh.

The last thing she needed right now was Jack’s hands on her. Her thighs were already trembling with excitement. There was no way she would be able to hide her reaction to him if he was touching her that way.

Jack’s voice was sleepy when he replied. “Deal.”

JESSIE WOKE THE NEXT MORNING to Jack hovering over her, his lips next to her ear.

“Jessie,” he whispered. “Wake up.”

“What’s wrong?” Jessie tried to sit up.

“Nothing. Come watch the sun with me.”

She nodded.

He pulled her out of the chair and led her by the hand out to the patio and across the beach. He let go of her and sat down on the sand. She sank down next to him.

Jessie leaned back on her hands and they sat quietly, watching the sunrise over the horizon, flaming orange in an almost cloudless sky.

“Did you sleep good?” Jessie asked quietly after the sun had finished its mesmerizing show.

She turned to look at Jack, liking the stubble on his face. She resisted the urge to reach out and touch it.

He nodded as he turned to face her. “Yeah, like a fucking rock. I think it was your magic hands.” He stared into her hypnotic blue eyes for a moment. “Are your eyelashes real?”

Jessie laughed. “What? Of course they are. Why would you ask that?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. Just never saw eyelashes so long before, in real life.”

“Real life? As opposed to what? A mascara commercial?”

He nodded.

“Yeah, those eyelashes are fake,” Jessie confirmed to him.

“I figured.”

“Really? Most guys are too dumb to realize that,” Jessie joked.

“I’m not like most guys.”

“Yeah, I know that. Thank God. I’d be in real trouble if you were.”

They sat quietly for a few more minutes before Jack stood up.

“I’m going to change and go for a run. Want to go with me?”

“No, thanks. I hate running. I’ll probably be the weak link of our group in the event of the zombie apocalypse.” Jessie giggled.

Jack laughed with her. “Don’t worry. You don’t weigh much… I’ll carry you on my back.”

JESSIE TOOK A DAINTY BITE of her salad. Violet was showing her web sites of her two favorite caterers on the island, describing the pros and cons of each choice. Jessie was asking appropriate questions and making comments as they discussed her vision for the perfect wedding.

“For the ceremony I was thinking of an arbor decorated with pink orchids, overlooking the water. And for the reception I was thinking a clear-top tent right by the beach, chandeliers and twinkle lights. I also love the idea of fireworks and a live band. What do you think?” Jessie engaged her enthusiastically.

“Oh pink and gold is very trendy right now.” Violet stopped talking abruptly as Jack approached their table. Jessie could practically hear her suck in her breath.

God, he was sexy. No wonder women dropped their panties for him the way they did. He looked so good in white shorts and a short-sleeved, blue button-up shirt, with a deep summer tan. His dark hair was a bit messy and he had a day’s worth of stubble on his face.

Jessie felt her heart skip a beat as he placed his hand on her back and leaned down for a chaste kiss on the lips.

“Hi babe,” Jessie greeted him warmly. “Violet was just giving me some great tips on caterers and other wedding stuff.”

Jack flashed Violet a panty-melting smile. “Thanks. We appreciate your help.” He turned to Jessie and tangled his hand in her silky blonde hair. “Kyle and I are going to go out on his jet skis. Be back later… okay?”

Jessie nodded. “Of course, baby. Have a great time.”

He leaned down to kiss her again and she tried to turn her head to give him her cheek, but he turned with her and got her on the lips again, kissing her harder this time. He was really pushing this fake engagement thing as far as he could.

After lunch, Violet took Jessie to see some possible wedding locations. Jessie slid onto the plush seats of her brand new Range Rover convertible.

“Nice car,” Jessie commented, running her hand along the leather.

”Thanks,” Violet said. “It was a birthday gift from my husband.”

Jessie tried not to show her surprise. “I didn’t know you were married.”

Violet nodded. “Yes, I’m a newlywed myself. Hank doesn’t care much for parties, but he lets me run around and have my fun.”

JESSIE WAITED IN THE ROOM to hear from Jack. She hadn’t heard from him since he had left to go jet skiing with Kyle.

When he didn’t show up or call by eight-thirty she gave up and ordered herself some dinner from room service.

After she ate, she filled the soaking tub with hot water and bubble bath. She sunk into the bubbles and turned on the jets, enjoying the relaxing massage against her back.

She soaked in the bath for a half an hour or so and was just getting ready to get out when she heard the door to the room open.

“Just me,” Jack said through the bathroom door. “You okay?”

“I’m fine. Just taking a bath,” Jessie said as she pulled the drain stopper up so the tub could empty.

Jack sat down in the chair and picked up the remote control so he could channel surf. He had gone for drinks with Kyle at a beach bar after spending the afternoon jet skiing.

Jack had hooked up with a tall, dark-haired, exotic-looking girl, just his type. She had walked him down to a secluded part of the beach and fucked him. Afterward, they had walked back to the bar and parted ways as if nothing had happened.

So all in all it had been a pretty good day.

Jessie came out of the bathroom in pale yellow pajamas that left little to the imagination. Tiny, thin cotton shorts with some kind of lacy trim and a matching tank top.

Jack sighed as his eyes greedily took in every inch of exposed skin and tried not to stare at the outline of her pussy lips in between her very tempting and tanned thighs. The tank top was so thin he could almost clearly see her nipples through it.

Being around her after the large amount of alcohol he’d consumed with her dressed this way probably wasn’t very smart. Why the fuck was she always walking around dressed like that? It was almost as if she was purposely trying to push him.

“Hi.” Jessie smiled shyly. “How was your day?”

“It was good.” He avoided her eyes. “How was yours?”

“Seems kind of unfair that you get to go have fun and play all day while I work,” Jessie complained, plucking the remote control from his hands and hopping up on the bed.

She lay on her stomach, stuffing a pillow under her chest and bending her knees so her legs and bare feet stuck up in the air. She started clicking through the channels looking for something good to watch.

He stood up. “If you’d rather, you can go jet skiing with Kyle next time and I’ll hang out all day with Violet. I have other methods of getting the information I want.” He gave her a lascivious smile and started for the bathroom.

Jessie threw her pillow at him, hitting him in the head before he caught it. “You’re such a pig! I’m sure she’d be happy to give you anything you want. I saw the way she was checking you out today. Your friend Kyle is cute… I’d much rather hang out with him.”

“You shouldn’t have done that, princess.” Jack laughed, coming toward her and swinging the pillow at her.

She moved fast, grabbing another pillow from the bed. They swatted at each other with the pillows, Jack laughing and Jessie giggling and screaming as he overpowered her and smashed the pillow into her a few times.

He easily grabbed the one she was holding out of her hands and tossed it aside. He dropped his pillow and flipped her on her stomach on the bed, switching to merciless tickling, hovering over her as she laughed hysterically and squirmed underneath him, trying to get away.

He stopped tickling her and held her down against the mattress, pressing his hands into her back, his fingers hovering in position, ready to start tickling her again any second.

He looked down at her ass, so close and easily accessible if only she weren’t off-limits. His cock was rock hard, staring down at her as she continued to try to wiggle away from him. He flipped her around again so she was on her back and pressed on her stomach to hold her down.

“Why do you smell like a girl?” Jessie caught the unmistakable scent of a woman coming off of him.

He smirked but ignored her.

She supposed she didn’t need to ask. What else did she think he’d been up to all evening?

“So you like Kyle, huh?” Jack’s voice was hard, maybe even a little angry. “I’m sure he’d love to throw an iron in this fire.” He ran a hand down her thigh and pushed it open a little, staring in between her legs. “I can hook you up if you want to break your goddamn rules for once and open these legs for him. He likes blondes… has a thing for the sweet innocent ones like you.”

Jessie tried to squirm away from him. “What makes you think I’m so innocent? Coming from the man who reeks of cheap perfume and pussy, I’m surprised you even know what the word innocent means.”

Jack’s eyes flew open wide, shocked to hear her use the naughty “p” word. He laughed out loud.

“Aren’t you, though?” Jack asked, his eyes all over her scantily clad body. His hand was softly rubbing her thigh, and he felt her tremble slightly under his touch. “Innocent? I already know what a sweetheart you are.”

“Jack, you’re drunk. What are you doing?”

She stopped laughing when she saw the knowing smirk on his face. She hoped he couldn’t tell how shaky he was making her with his hands on her body. Her heart was racing and she felt nervous as hell.

“You should know that he’s like me. Just wants one thing.”

He was still looking pointedly between her legs. His smile faded, replaced by an intense, heated look that made her feel vulnerable as she peered up at him. She felt too exposed, wearing only her little pajamas and Jack’s eyes all over her body like he wanted to eat her up.

“Maybe I just want to have some fun for a change… like you said.”

“If only that were true,” Jack replied.

If it was, he’d take her himself, right now. He would satisfy his curiosity about her delectable little body while giving Jessie the fuck of her life. There were so many things he was sure she had never done. Could be fun to show her what she’d been missing out on.

He let his eyes drift over her as he continued to hold her down on the bed. He leaned over top of her, so close that his lips were only inches from hers. Her body felt tiny and delicate under his rough hands.

He gazed at her soft pink lips and thought of the night he had kissed her. His dick was so hard it hurt, swelling against his zipper. There was no way she couldn’t feel him against her through those thin pajamas. He was too drunk to care.

The thought of Kyle and Jessie together had sparked a possessiveness that he’d never experienced before. It was uncomfortable. It pissed him off. Sex would be the perfect outlet for all that anger right about now. All his instincts were telling him to make this girl his. To experience every inch of her, make her feel every inch of him, make her feel everything he was sure she had never felt before.

“Jack,” Jessie whispered his name and looked up at him expectantly, hopefully, willing him to kiss her.

His lips hovered close to hers. His hands grasped her wrists, and he pushed her arms above her head and against the mattress, his lips finally touching hers lightly. He felt her legs wrap slowly around his hips, pulling him closer against her.

His kiss intensified, his tongue swiping against hers, her soft lips clashing against his as she responded to him.

Her hips rotated and lifted slightly to grind against him. He thrust against her in return. Fuck, she felt good.

Jessie couldn’t think straight with Jack’s lips on hers and his body pressed against her this way.

She could feel his erection pressing against her. It felt huge. Intimidating.

Her body was alive, every nerve ending on high alert and responding to every provocation.

One of his hands had let go of her wrist and was roaming over her body. Across her full, perky breasts, her sensitive nipples through her pajama tank top.

He could feel her breath come harder, faster. He felt her tremble under him. The little whimpering sound in her throat made his cock strain so hard against his shorts he was sure it was going to bust through the zipper.

He resisted the urge to slide his hand under that barely-there tank and settled for gently tweaking a small, hard nipple through the fabric before he moved his hand away.

Down over her flat stomach, then clutching her hip briefly and pulling her tighter against him before sliding it across the top of her bare thigh. Fuck, her skin was so goddamn soft.

He groaned against her mouth.

Was this really happening? A little voice in her head was telling her that they shouldn’t be doing this, but her body was in control now. No way could she tell him to stop.

He was too drunk to be playing around with her like this. He shouldn’t be putting his hands all over her this way. A minute or so more and he would be giving in to his urges, which would undoubtedly have negative consequences, for both of them.

He pulled away, breaking the kiss. He stared for a moment into her blue eyes, fighting for control of himself.

“Yeah, right.” Jack rolled his eyes, playing it off as if nothing had happened. As if he hadn’t just been kissing her and grinding his erection in between her legs. “You’re full of shit.”

He released her and got off the bed. “Forget it. Even if I thought you were willing to let him sample the goods, which I know goddamn well you aren’t, trust me, you don’t want to hook up with him. He’s as bad as I am… maybe worse.”

Fuck that. If anyone was going to find out what Jessie was like, it was damn well going to be him, not one of his buddies. It was irritating to him how much he hated the thought of one of his friends hooking up with her. He had shared women with his friends before and never given it a second thought. But Jessie was different. The thought of any of his friends putting their hands on her seriously pissed him off.

He disappeared into the bathroom and closed the door.

She heard the shower turn on and she rolled back over on her stomach, clutched a pillow under herself and sighed. She was so confused. Why had Jack stopped kissing her and pulled away from her so abruptly?

She had clearly felt his erection against her, so she knew he had been excited. Had she done something wrong? She felt entirely out of her league with Jack. He was used to women who knew what they were doing.

She would have let him go further if he had tried. She couldn’t help but wonder if she had inadvertently done something to turn him off.

In the shower, Jack jerked himself off for what seemed like the hundredth time since they’d been here. As he fucked his hand, he imagined what it would be like to push himself into her, what she would look like on all fours, that pretty ass in the air, horny and ready for his cock to pound into her. He came hard, a low grunt escaping from his lips as he imagined filling her pussy up with his cum as she moaned underneath him.

He sighed, feeling somewhat better. At least now he might be able to sleep tonight.

JACK WOKE UP WITH ANOTHER knot in his back from sleeping in that damn chair. Jessie had offered to switch with him again and let him take the bed, but he had declined.

He had asked for another room the day before and the front desk had let him know that one would be available starting tonight. He was beyond glad.

Not only was sleeping in the chair uncomfortable, but so was the almost constant hard-on he’d had the past few days sharing a room with Jessie. She seemed to have packed nothing but short sexy dresses, tiny bikinis and shorts and tops so small she practically wasn’t wearing anything at all.

Glancing at the bed, he saw that Jessie was still sleeping. She was laying on her side, arms cuddled around a pillow, partially covered by the white sheet.

Jack moved around the room quietly, putting on shorts and running shoes. He slipped out the door to their patio and then to the beach to go for his morning run.

When he got back, Jack found Jessie lying in bed watching television.

“Good morning.” She smiled sweetly.

He was dripping sweat as he kicked off his shoes and headed straight for the shower.

Jessie’s eyes were glued to the naked top half of his body.

“See something you like?” Jack teased.

Jessie blushed and averted her eyes.

He smirked and slipped into the bathroom for a shower.

Jack emerged from the bathroom in a cloud of steam and the exhilarating scent of his body wash.

“What’s the plan for today?” he asked, partially dressed in shorts but still shirtless.

Was he purposely trying to torture her by walking around like that?

“We’re going to Violet’s house. She invited us for lunch and we’re supposed to go over some wedding details.” Jessie got her clothes together to take into the bathroom with her.

“Okay. We’re both going?”

“Yeah, no more running around playing with Kyle all day while I do all the work,” Jessie joked. “So it turns out that Violet is married. She mentioned her husband, Hank. Said he’s not really into the party scene but he gives her carte blanche when it comes to her social life.”

Jack’s interest was kindled. “Really? She told you that?”

Jessie nodded. “Yeah. Weird, huh? Did you find any evidence of her being married when you were researching her?”

Jack shook his head. “No.”

“Well, it will be interesting. Maybe we’ll get to meet her mystery husband today.”