Chapter Eight
Jade held on to that tantalizing thought for the rest of the night, wanting Kyle with a restlessness that hummed through her body in a thrilling, provocative sort of way. In a way she knew wouldn’t ebb until Kyle satisfied the burgeoning desire he so skillfully roused within her.
After rubbing peach-scented body lotion on her freshly showered skin, she donned a light-weight lavender nightie with a ruffled hem that skimmed her calves. As she stared at her reflection in her dresser mirror and traced the lacy bodice that dipped low enough to reveal a swell of cleavage, she found herself wishing Kyle was there, touching her so sensually.
Her need for him had flourished to awesome proportions over the few weeks they’d spent together, grown past friendship to something stronger and more promising. And while at one time she would have panicked at such emotional and physical intimacy with a man, she no longer feared the unknown with Kyle, but welcomed it instead.
When her thoughts strayed to her relationship with Adam, instead of the belly-churning turmoil that usually accompanied such a recollection, Jade only experienced a mellow kind of acceptance for something that had happened in the past.
Kyle was nothing like Adam, and she was so tired of being alone. So weary of solitary nights with only a fantasy lover for companionship. She had no idea how her relationship with Kyle would end. She couldn’t predict the future, but she could live for the present. And that meant taking risks. And trusting the instincts that told her Kyle was a good, honest man.
Pulling back the covers on her four-poster bed, she retrieved her sapphire blue journal from her nightstand and settled herself into the mounds of pillows against the headboard. Opening the book to the next blank page, she began writing:
He is the perfect lover in every way. Physically he is a woman’s dream come true, a cross between a reckless rebel and a delightful rogue. Emotionally he is tender, caring and kind. No longer is he a fantasy, but a real, flesh-and-blood man. A man who senses my deepest secrets and understands my biggest fears. A man who knows my wildest desires and makes them reality. The bond between us is unspoken, but almost tangible in its strength.
My longing for him is like nothing I’ve ever experienced. He looks at me and I shiver in anticipation. He touches me and I’m breathless with need. His fleeting caresses and rapacious kisses are no longer enough. I yearn for that deep, physical joining that makes two people one.
Fantasy becomes reality.
I can feel him sliding his powerful, naked body over mine, settling between my parted thighs, then moving deep inside me in a way that is both fierce and tender. His eyes are a brilliant blue as he watches me come undone, his tousled hair as warm as gold. His smile makes me feel like the most beautiful woman on earth.
Kyle.
I’m his, and he is mine. Heart, body and soul…
Heart pounding, body aroused, Jade closed her eyes and hugged her leather-bound journal to her chest. Oh, Lord, she’d done it. Not only had she finally consummated a fantasy, but she’d given her lover a real face and a name: Kyle.
The significance of what she’d done wasn’t lost on her. For three years she’d avoided the ultimate act of intimacy with her fantasy lover, choosing instead to keep her entries as safe as real life, by keeping herself emotionally detached and completely in control.
She was still in control, she realized, and ready to move on. Ready to let Kyle into her mind, her body and possibly into her heart. And by doing so, her fantasies would never be the same. The thought was exciting enough to make her quiver.
The cordless phone on her nightstand rang, and she smiled. Even before she answered it, she knew who it was.
Her every fantasy.
Her lover.
Kyle.
She reached for the receiver.
* * *
“Hello?”
The sound of Jade’s hushed voice washed over Kyle, the sexy, husky nuances making his tired body come alive. “Did I wake you?”
“No, I couldn’t sleep.” He heard a rustling sound, a drawer open and close, then she said, “Are you home?”
“Yeah.” Moving to his sliding door in his bedroom he opened it and stepped out onto the balcony. Across the courtyard, a light illuminated Jade’s bedroom, and although he could see the foot of her bed, he couldn’t see her. “I debated whether or not to come by your place, but it’s after midnight and I thought it best if I didn’t.” If he had, he would have finished what they’d started earlier on his couch, before they’d gotten interrupted.
“I understand. Busy night at the bar?”
Deep, incredulous laughter rumbled in his chest. “It was crazy. Insane. Everybody’s talking about the new restaurant and stopping in to find out when the grand opening is. I posted the menu, and it’s getting a great response. Only the critics’ reviews will tell, though.”
“Don’t sweat the small stuff, Stephens,” she teased. “Another few weeks and The Black Sheep will be swamped.”
He smiled at her faith in him. “In another few weeks I’ll have enough employees to handle the overflow.”
“You’re moving up in the world.”
There was a sassy smile in her voice that made him grin in return. “Or at least in Santa Monica.”
“Everyone needs to start somewhere, and considering what you started with, I think you’ve done pretty darn good.”
It was a heady, overwhelming feeling. Kyle Stephens, responsible, respected business owner. Too bad his family wasn’t impressed with what a moral, upstanding citizen he’d become.
Rubbing at the tense muscles along the back of his neck, he resolutely dismissed that line of thought, not wanting old resentments to intrude on his time with Jade. Not tonight.
“So, what are you doing up this late?” he asked.
“Writing a…a letter.”
He caught her hesitation, and wondered if she’d stopped herself before saying “fantasy.” He was positive she’d been writing in her journal…and felt a stab of jealousy, which was ridiculous, considering her fantasy lover was nothing more than a figment of her imagination. But dammit, he didn’t want to be runner-up to someone who didn’t even exist! Not anymore.
He searched the shadows in her bedroom, and guessed she was still sitting on her bed. He needed to see her, if only at a distance. “Are you on a cordless phone?”
“Yes.”
“Go out on your balcony.”
“I’m hardly dressed for that.”
Her sudden bout of modesty was endearing and frustrating. “It’s late and dark. Nobody else is out. I want to see you, Jade.” He wanted more than that, so much more, but this glimpse of her would have to do for tonight.
“All right,” she murmured.
He waited until she came into sight, watching intently as she rounded her big, four-poster bed and headed toward the door. A translucent gown the color of pale lavender swirled around her body, down to her calves. She looked soft and ethereal, like an angel. He was feeling anything but saintly.
Opening the screen door, she stepped out onto the terrace. “Hi,” she said, her voice shy.
“Hi, yourself.” He braced his forearms on the railing. “I missed you tonight.”
A soft sigh drifted through the phone lines. “I missed you, too.”
Good God, had anyone besides his daughter ever really missed him in his lifetime? He didn’t think so. And to think that Jade cared that much was enough to humble him.
His gaze traveled down the length of her, visually outlining the curve of her full breasts tipped with dark centers, the indent of her waist, the flare of her hips and her long, slender legs. He smiled when he saw the gold shimmering at her ankle.
“Do you know,” he began, his voice low and hushed, “with the light from your bedroom, I can see your body perfectly silhouetted beneath your gown?”
“Do you like what you see?”
A slow grin curved his mouth. “Very much.” He sensed a change in her, that acquiescence he’d so patiently waited for. He planned to take advantage of it. “I like everything about you, Jade. Your smiles, your laughter, your spirit and the sweet, breathless sounds you make when I touch you. It makes me wonder what sounds you’ll make when I’m deep inside you.”
“Kyle…”
It wasn’t a protest. Not really. His name on her lips held an arousing combination of excitement and shivery need. “Close your eyes, Jade. I want to tell you one of my fantasies.”
Even from across the moonlit courtyard he could see her body tense. “One of your fantasies?”
There was enough hesitation in her voice to warn him he’d touched on something sensitive. He was feeling reckless enough to push limits. “You inspire fantasies, Jade. Are your eyes closed?”
Another pause, then, “Yes.”
“Good. Imagine my mouth on your neck, trailing warm, damp kisses on your skin. My hands on your breasts, caressing you, making your nipples hard and sensitive. Can you feel me?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
He watched her shift restlessly on her feet, watched her diaphanous gown shift over her lush curves. His body grew hard, aching, but that was nothing new. He’d been wanting Jade for over seven months now.
He drew a deep, steady breath and continued. “My mouth is on your breast, my tongue curling around your nipple. You taste sweet, Jade, like peaches and cream. I want to taste you everywhere…along your belly, the inside of your thighs and where you’re honey sweet and warm. Is your body quivering for me?”
A quiet groan reached him, the sound as erotic as the fantasy he wove. “Yes.”
His heart thudded in his chest, and the muscles in his belly pulled taut. “That’s exactly how I want you, Jade, but I wouldn’t leave you wanting for long. I’d kiss you softly, lingeringly…until you came for me. Then I’d be deep inside you, with your legs wrapped tight around my hips. Me a part of you, and you a part of me. Do you want that, too?”
“Oh, yes.” He watched her hand flutter to the neckline of her gown, heard her labored breathing over the phone. “I’m ready, Kyle.”
“Ready for what, sweetheart?” he prompted gently.
“To make love with you.” Her voice was strong and undeniably confident, clear of any uncertainties or doubts.
A deep, internal shudder ripped through him, primitive and raw and filled with masculine satisfaction. “Do you realize it’s taking every ounce of willpower I possess not to be there in ten seconds flat and spend the entire night inside of you?”
“What’s stopping you?” she asked, a husky challenge in her tone.
She was a witch…a sassy, sensual witch he was hard-pressed to deny. But deny her he did. “I want to do it right.”
“Oh, I don’t doubt that you will.”
Her double entendre made him chuckle. That she felt comfortable enough to be so playful with him gave him hope for their relationship. “You can count on it, tiger. Have sweet dreams.” He disconnected the line and watched her do the same. She lifted a hand to her lips, blew him a sultry kiss from across the courtyard, then slipped back inside her bedroom and out of sight.
Kyle shook his head. He had to be completely nuts to refuse such a tempting invitation. She wanted him, was more than willing to take that next step with him. And he wanted that so badly his body throbbed with the knowledge. But physical pleasure was no longer his main goal. Somewhere along the way a simple, no-strings-attached affair had evolved into something deeper and more complex.
He wasn’t crazy. What he was, he realized in a dazed state of awe, was in love. There was no other explanation for the strange, roller coaster of emotions he experienced around Jade. Or the worthy, invincible way she made him feel. And for the first time in his life he wanted to put someone else’s needs above his own selfish desires.
If that wasn’t love, he didn’t know what was.
Giving himself time to adjust to this newest revelation, he stood out on his balcony, gazing at Jade’s condo long after she’d turned out the lights.
A smile touched his mouth. Yes, it was time for them to make love. And he planned to give Jade a fantasy she’d never forget.
* * *
“So what are your plans for the weekend?”
Jade glanced up at her sister and continued cleaning off her desk. It was Friday afternoon, and while her weekend plans once consisted of spending an occasional evening at Roxy’s, the nightclub scene no longer appealed to her. Now she found she preferred spending her time at The Black Sheep, even if it was just sitting at the bar listening to country tunes and watching the clientele while Kyle worked the lounge.
She gave a noncommittal shrug. “I don’t really have any plans.”
Mariah strolled deeper into her office. “No hot date with Kyle?”
“’Fraid not” She stuffed a client file into her attaché, just in case she had time to work on it this weekend. It was a depressing thought, but a distinct possibility considering she hadn’t seen much of Kyle that week, despite their very seductive and promising conversation out on the terrace the previous Saturday.
“Kyle’s been pretty busy at The Black Sheep,” she explained to her sister, who’d made herself comfortable in one of the chairs in front of her desk. “The construction of the restaurant is in its final stages, and he’s been conducting interviews for chefs and waiters all week.” Kyle had even told her he’d offered Bruce the position of managing the restaurant and bar, which the other man had accepted, much to Kyle’s relief. He trusted Bruce implicitly.
“How’s everything going with the decorating?” Mariah asked.
“Right on schedule.” Jade set her attaché on the carpeted floor and tossed a few invoices back into her IN basket to review on Monday. “Kyle decided to shut down the bar all of next week so we can knock everything out at once and keep the liability risk to a minimum. I have a company going in to strip and refinish the floors and bar, and another crew set up to re-upholster the booths and bar stools. The window treatments and fixtures are going in, too. By the time the bar is refurbished, the restaurant will be ready to start decorating.”
Mariah’s eyes sparkled enthusiastically. “I can’t wait to see the portfolio on The Black Sheep when it’s done.”
Jade grinned, pleased with herself and the project. “Will you and Grey come to the grand opening?”
“Are you kidding? We wouldn’t miss it. Besides, it’ll be the perfect excuse for us old married folk to go out on a date.” She winked at Jade, a sly smile lifting her lips. “I’ll get Mom and Dad to baby-sit Kayla, maybe even convince them to keep her overnight. Grey’s been hinting around that Kayla needs a brother or sister before she’s too old to play with them.”
Jade laughed, though she experienced a healthy dose of envy for what her sister shared with Grey, for the family Mariah had created with such love and care. As much as she denied needing anyone, and tried to convince herself that her independence was far more important than the confinements of a committed relationship, it was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the maternal emotions creeping up on her. Since turning thirty, her damned biological clock was starting to tick with disturbing clarity.
She’d known when she’d agreed to an affair with Kyle that he wasn’t interested in anything beyond a mutual pleasurable fling. That had been her goal, as well. But somewhere along the way her emotions had gotten tangled up in what should have been a simple and satisfying arrangement between lovers.
“Did you ever find that book you were looking for?”
Jade blinked and lifted her gaze to Mariah. “No.” She’d decided she was being paranoid about the journal, especially when she’d started to imagine Kyle’s seduction tactics were suspiciously similar to fantasies of the past. “With all the cleaning and shifting of furniture I did before the yard sale, it could be anywhere.”
Mariah nodded thoughtfully. “Since it sounds like you’re going to be solo this weekend, what do you say we go shopping together, get our nails done and do lunch?”
“I’m not sure, Riah.” The offer was tempting, but if Kyle had a spare moment, she wanted to spend it with him.
A delicate brow rose. “You’re actually turning down a day to shop? Boy, you must have it bad for Kyle.”
She frowned. When had her sister become a mind reader? Not willing to elaborate on emotions she felt so uncertain about, she said, “I’ll think about it and let you know tomorrow morning, okay?”
“Sure.”
Pam’s voice cut through the intercom on Jade’s desk. “Jade, there’s a man here asking to see you. He says he’s here to deliver a private message.”
Since Pam had met Kyle before, she knew it wasn’t him. And if it wasn’t Kyle, then who was this mystery courier? And what kind of message was he attempting to deliver? “I’ll be right there.”
Smiling, Mariah stood. “Hmm, sounds intriguing.”
Jade rounded her desk and headed out of her office with Mariah following close behind. “It’s probably just a note from a client.”
“Probably.” Mariah’s tone was dubious.
The older man waiting in the reception area wasn’t your normal messenger. He wore a black suit, black gloves and a black bill cap. When she identified herself, he handed over an envelope. Her stomach fluttered when she recognized her name written in Kyle’s bold scrawl.
She thanked the man, but he didn’t seem inclined to leave. Instead he clasped his hands behind his back and told her he was supposed to wait for a response.
Curious, as was her avid audience of two, she opened the envelope and withdrew the floral-embossed card tucked inside. Mariah leaned close to read the message, but Jade tilted the card away and gave her sister a look that conveyed she wasn’t about to share the personal note.
Jade,
The man delivering this message is a hired driver.
There is a limousine waiting outside for you to take you on a special adventure, a fantasy, if you will. Do you trust me? If so, go with the driver, as you are. If not, tell him his services are not required and I’ll understand.
Kyle
Jade put the card back in the envelope, trying to still the wild beating of her heart. Her decision was an easy one, driven by her feelings for Kyle.
“Well?” Mariah asked, her exasperation and impatience evident.
Jade glanced at her sister and laughed, feeling carefree and reckless and more than ready for Kyle’s adventure. “It looks like my plans for the weekend have just changed.”
* * *
The adventure Kyle sent her on consisted of a fun and playful scavenger hunt. The first stop the limousine driver made was to a florist, where two dozen dark red roses awaited her, arranged in cellophane so she could enjoy the rich, floral fragrance. The attached card read: This is only the beginning.
On the driver went, this time parking the long stretch limo in front of a candy shop. He returned minutes later with a gold foil-wrapped box secured with a wide gold ribbon.
While he headed to their next destination, she opened her newest surprise. As soon as she lifted the lid, her mouth watered at the delectable fragrance teasing her senses. She grinned, then laughed to herself when she realized the contents: Peach wedges dipped in chocolate. She was tempted to sample one, but the enclosed card read: To share later, so she waited.
Her journey continued on to P.J.’s Lingerie and Things, a lavish and exclusive boutique. She watched through the tinted window as the driver entered the establishment, then returned with a box tucked beneath his arm. He opened the back door, set it on the seat opposite where she sat, then retrieved a small envelope from the breast pocket of his coat and handed it to her.
As the limousine merged back into traffic, Jade read Kyle’s latest offering. The short note was enough to send a prickle of apprehension skittering along her nerves.
Wear this for me tonight.
There was no doubt in her mind the box contained his selection of intimate apparel. She didn’t reach for it, too lost in the past, and another man’s slow and methodical transformation of her appearance. Just like this note, it all had started so innocently…subtle suggestions that gradually escalated into specific demands that eventually shaped and molded her into a compliant, docile woman.
She chewed on her bottom lip as she stared at Kyle’s note, rereading his command. She’d sworn three years ago that she’d never let another man have that kind of control over her, would never let another man dictate her choices.
She looked at each one of his decadent gifts, knowing this last present, like all the rest, was just a part of the special evening Kyle had planned—no other ulterior motives involved. Kyle wasn’t trying to change her, would never manipulate her emotions or steal her self-confidence. She’d like to believe she knew him that well. She’d like to believe her judgment hadn’t failed her again.
The limousine came to another stop, and Jade resolutely tucked away the doubts and fears that had kept her so isolated and lonely for three years. She wanted this evening with Kyle, and whatever the night might hold.
Her door opened, and the driver smiled down at her. “This is your final destination, Ms. Stevens.”
Placing her hand in his gloved one, she stepped from the limo and gazed up at the posh, elite hotel towering in front of her, feeling breathless with anticipation. A bellboy automatically stepped up to the curb and loaded her few items on a cart. The limo driver handed the friendly young man a key and a tip, then another envelope to Jade, instructing her to read it once she was in her room.
“Right this way, miss,” the bellboy announced, and led the way through a lobby inlaid with marbled floors. A gorgeous gold-tone fountain dominated the center of the hotel, and a huge, sparkling crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, casting incandescent prisms all around her. The hotel was exquisite, the furnishings rich and opulent. So was the suite she ended up in. She couldn’t help but think how much this wonderful adventure of Kyle’s had cost him. A fortune, no doubt.
Once the bellboy unloaded her things and placed her roses on the coffee table, he graced her with a pleasant smile. “Enjoy your stay,” he said, then closed the door behind him as he left.
“Wow,” Jade murmured, in awe of the extravagance of the suite. She stood in a living room twice the size of her own with a couch, loveseat and huge screen TV—which she guessed wouldn’t get much use during their stay. Plush cream carpet covered the floor and complimented the other accents in the room. There was an adjoining dining area with a table set with fine china, gorgeous cut crystal goblets and gleaming silverware. There was even a small kitchen area with a stocked refrigerator.
There certainly was no need for them to leave any time soon. The amenities were fabulous and extravagant and made Jade feel like a queen. The only thing missing was Kyle.
Remembering the note she held, she opened the envelope and read the enclosed card. Go into the bedroom and follow the trail of rose petals.
Intrigued and excited, she opened the double doors just off the living room, revealing a master bedroom with a four-poster Victorian bed covered with a beautiful floral spread and lacy, frilly pillows. An armoire was situated against one wall, along with a matching oval dressing mirror. A chaise longue sat in the far corner. She smiled when she saw the trail of silky red petals sprinkled on the carpet. Breathing in the subtle scent of roses, she followed the path into a sumptuous bathroom.
She gasped, enthralled and delighted by the romantic ambiance someone had so painstakingly created. The sunken tub, large enough for two, was filled with steaming, fragrant water, a froth of bubbles, and topped off with more rose petals. Candles were lit around the tub, soft music played from the speakers built into the ceiling, and a bottle of wine chilled in an ice bucket on the second step leading into the tub. Propped against the fluffy cream towels placed on the rim was yet another brief note. Relax and enjoy your bath. I’ll be with you soon.
Smiling at that thought, she went back into the living room and brought the box from the boutique into the bathroom, leaving the contents to be revealed later. Pouring herself a glass of chilled wine, she kicked off her heels and curled her toes into the plush carpet. Leisurely she slipped out of the blouse and skirt she’d worn to work, then stripped off her underthings.
She switched off the vanity lights, leaving the flickering candles as the only source of illumination, then slid into the bath. The warm, silky water, the wine and the music lulled her until her entire body felt boneless. Sighing blissfully, she closed her eyes and sank shoulder-deep into the water.
Her mind drifted, recalling a fantasy she’d written long ago. The setting was similar, the atmosphere drenched with the same provocative sensuality. A steamy, fragrant bath…candles…and strong hands sliding over her slick skin…
Something brushed along the curve of her breast beneath the frothy water. She thought she’d imagined the fleeting caress until that same something glided along her belly. Her eyes flew open on a startled squeak the same time her hand swept through the water, latching on to a wrist that wasn’t hers.
Heart lodged into her throat, she stared at the golden-haired rebel who’d become her fantasy lover, in her mind and in reality. He sat on the second step of the tub, his blue eyes filled with heat and sin. And a tenderness that made her ache deep inside. He was shirtless, his chest magnificently bare, his skin warm and inviting looking.
“Close your eyes,” he murmured.
He waited for her to comply, his intense gaze never leaving hers. Go with the fantasy, her mind urged. With a shiver that stripped her reserve, she did. Releasing his hand, she reclined in the tub and let her lashes drift shut.
The next sensation she experienced was the big bathing sponge she’d seen next to the spigot. The texture was soapy soft and luxurious as he dragged it along her shoulder, then dipped beneath the water, lightly grazing her skin from the peaked tips of her breasts, down her belly and between her thighs that automatically parted for him. He took his time washing her, and arousing her, stroking along sensitive, aching places without fulfilling the promise of his touch. She bit back a moan, feeling feverish and too close to the edge.
Her body hummed and her breathing grew ragged. She was so lost in sensation, so caught up in the fantasy he orchestrated with such unerring accuracy, that it took her a few moments to realize he was no longer touching her. She waited, then slowly opened her eyes and looked around.
Her fantasy lover was gone.