CHAPTER SIX
Upon their return from town, Damian sequestered himself in the den and flipped on the television to watch the Boston Red Sox play the New York Yankees. Since he hadn’t invited her to join him and she was exhausted anyway, Micki retreated upstairs for a nap.
She woke an hour later and headed for the kitchen, intending to cook them dinner. She wasn’t a gourmet chef, but she could whip up a passable meal for two. She didn’t have to. An older couple was already at work.
She cleared her throat and walked into the room.
A gray-haired woman greeted her with a smile. “You must be Mr. Fuller’s guest. I’m Rosa, and this is my husband Tino.” She gestured to a man who resembled Dom DeLuise. Robust and cheery, he waved, his hands full with a carving knife and breast of chicken.
“Micki Jordan,” she said by way of introduction. “Can I help?” But even as she asked, she realized they were extremely at home in the kitchen. They worked in tandem, helping each other and knowing exactly where to find things in the drawers and cabinets.
“No, thanks,” Tino said, just as Micki had expected. “Go relax and we’ll let you know when dinner’s on the table.”
“Okay.” She lifted her arms in a halfhearted gesture, thinking she’d prefer to socialize than go off alone. “So have you worked here long?”
“For the last five years, every time Mr. Fuller comes to town,” Rosa said.
“What do you do between visits?” Micki asked.
“If his family’s here, we cook and clean for them. If not, we come in weekly to freshen the place up and keep it from getting musty while nobody’s living here.”
Micki nodded, though she wondered how they made a living on Damian’s sporadic visits alone.
“When Damian was young, we were his neighbors in New Jersey,” Rosa explained as she chopped tomatoes. “I’d do babysitting for his mother while she worked. She helped his father out at his car dealerships. Damian made it big, bought this place about the same time Tino had a heart attack.”
She spared a loving glance at her husband. “He needed warmer weather and Damian needed caretakers. It’s a win-win situation, though a much bigger win for us,” Rosa said, clearly embarrassed.
“Don’t sell yourself short,” Damian said, joining them.
He stepped closer, his big body overwhelming Micki from behind, his heady masculine scent sending warning signals to her brain. If she thought she’d slept off the effects of last night, she’d been sadly mistaken. Her reaction to the man was as potent as ever, which meant her plan to seduce him was still in full force.
“I see you met the best people around,” Damian commented, affection in his tone.
“We met,” Micki said warmly.
“We’re almost finished,” Tino said. “Do you want us to come back and clean up?”
Micki shook her head. “No thank you. I can take care of—”
“I’d appreciate it.” Damian interrupted her.
He eased closer and leaned his head near hers. “They’ll be insulted if they think they aren’t needed,” he whispered quietly into her ear. His breath was warm and his lips brushed against her hair. He might not have intended anything except imparting information, but the result was erotic all the same, and she shivered.
“Well, I need my rest anyway,” Micki said.
Rosa nodded, pleased. “Dinner will be ready in a few minutes, so why don’t you go sit and have a drink?” She gestured in the direction of the dining room.
Micki had expected a casual dinner, but as she headed to the other room, she found the rectangular table set with a delicate tablecloth, good china and two glasses of sparkling water poured and waiting for them. Surprised, she turned to question Damian.
He stopped short, nearly walking into her. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, except…why the formality?”
He shrugged. “Rosa thinks company’s a reason to use the good dishes.”
“I would have thought this room was for show,” she said, laughing.
“If it were up to me, that’s what it would be for. My sisters decided if I was going to have a big house and help, I shouldn’t be serving on paper plates in the den.”
“They have a point.”
He strode around her, pulled out a chair and waited for her to be seated.
Suddenly, nerves took over as she found herself next to Damian at the end of the table. In the silence that followed, the atmosphere around them grew more intense. She became aware of the ticking of the clock on the wall behind her, a synchronized accompaniment to her heart as it beat heavily inside her chest.
She searched for an easy topic of conversation. He had his prearranged doctor’s appointment the next day and Micki knew he put a lot of stock in the doctor helping him get back to work soon.
“So how ’bout them Renegades?” she asked to break the tension.
It worked. He grinned and raised his glass. “To the division championship, then the NLCS and finally the World Series.”
She lifted her water and clicked her glass with his. He seemed pleased at the topic of conversation and she didn’t want to mess up by getting too serious. “I spoke to Sophie and she said the camp ran smoothly.”
He nodded. “It always does. You Jordan girls have a knack for PR.”
“Thank you. It’s something we all enjoy, which I’m sure helps a lot. Nobody wants to get up and go to work every day and be miserable.”
“Amen.”
She smiled. “You love what you do, too.”
“There’s nothing more fulfilling than baseball.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Nothing more fulfilling, huh? Are you absolutely sure? Because I can think of a few things that at least come close.” And in case her insinuation wasn’t clear, she reached out and ran her foot up and down his leg.
He blinked, obviously startled. Well, so was she. She hadn’t thought she’d have the nerve to pull off Sophie’s first suggestion.
“Micki Jordan, are you flirting with me?” he asked, stunned.
She tried for a relaxed smile. “I believe I am.” Because she might never get another chance like this again. A rush of excitement flooded her veins.
Damian, meanwhile, still looked stunned.
“What’s the matter? I can’t imagine I’m the first woman who’s propositioned you.”
He placed the glass back onto the table and leaned closer. “Is that what you’re doing? Propositioning me?”
She nodded slowly. “The question is, Are you up for the challenge?” Because Micki wanted him at peak levels.
Damian stared at the woman next to him. How had she gone from embarrassed ingénue to seductive vixen? And how did he get the shyer Micki back? No way did he want to be alone with the bold Micki, who seriously threatened his tenuous restraint.
“Oh, Rosa,” he called. “Is dinner almost ready? I’m starving.”
Micki met his gaze and chuckled. “I’ll be sure to keep that in mind.”
“Is everything a sexual innuendo where you’re concerned?”
She propped her chin on one hand. “Only since I met you.” She paused in thought. “Actually, only since Carter got me drunk, then you kidnapped me to a remote island off the coast of Florida.”
“I tried to talk you out of the strip joint,” he reminded her.
“That brings me to another point. I thought you were a fun guy.”
“I am a fun guy.”
“You’re going to have to prove it,” she teased, and his groin tightened with immediate need.
“Dinner,” Rosa said, arriving with two plates, heaping with delicious food.
He’d hoped Rosa and dinner would break the tension, but as they began to eat, Damian realized they were just inching closer to the end of the meal and time alone—when he’d have to decide whether or not he wanted to meet Micki’s challenge.
“Rosa, this is delicious,” Micki said.
The older woman blushed. “Thank you. Steak, potatoes and green beans. All Mr. Fuller’s favorites.”
“So he ate his vegetables as a boy, did he?” Micki asked.
Rosa shook her head and laughed. “No, but we’ve been piling them on his plate anyway. If we call them his favorites, we figure one day he’ll forget and believe it.”
“His mother’s idea,” Tino said, striding into the room with a wine bottle in his hand. “Wine, anyone?”
Damian placed his hand over his glass. “No, thank you.”
“Me neither.”
Without warning, Micki ran her foot up and down his leg once more, blatantly teasing him. His gut twisted and he broke into a sweat. No way could he withstand a serious post-dinner assault.
“Our daughter Sara called,” Rosa said.
“The one who’s getting married in a few months.” Though he’d never been close with their children, Damian knew all their life stories and the depth of Rosa and Tino’s love and pride in their brood.
“Well, not according to her. She had an argument with her fiancé and just like that, she called off the engagement.” Rosa snapped her fingers.
“As if a promise means nothing,” Tino said, his disappointment and concern clear in his tone.
“I’m sure she didn’t break the engagement lightly,” Damian said.
“That’s what we need to find out.” Rosa glared at her husband. She obviously wanted him to withhold judgment. “So we need to leave early, but I promise to come back and clean in the morning.”
“That’s not necessary.” Micki waved a hand, calling attention her way. “You help your daughter. I’m happy to clean up.”
“Are you sure?” Rosa asked.
Damian had every intention of letting them go to their daughter. “We can handle it,” he assured her.
“Thank you,” Tino said.
“Both of you,” Rosa added. She untied her apron as she quickly walked back to the kitchen. A few minutes later, the door slammed shut behind the couple, leaving Micki and Damian alone.
Using caution, Damian turned to Micki. “I thought you wanted to get out of here as soon as possible.” He hoped his reminder would get her to think about leaving again before he did something stupid. Like sleep with her.
“I changed my mind. I’m not so sure leaving is best for me after all. I like it here. It’s relaxing, it’s away from the press…and you’re here.”
Damian glanced toward the ceiling. How much could a normal guy take? She was sending out blatant signals and he couldn’t deny his interest. Hell, he’d been interested for too long, and now she was all but offering herself to him.
He’d never denied that he’d been spoiled, the baby brother of sisters who catered to his every whim and the athlete whose money assured him that any woman would do the same. Until now, he’d always known when to draw the line and respected the need to do so.
Micki deserved that same respect, but she so obviously didn’t want it, and damned if he could stop himself from acting on what they both desired.
“You’re serious?” he asked because he had to be sure.
“About you?”
He nodded.
“I can spell it out for you if you’d like,” she said, leaning closer, her fresh scent enticing him. “I’m deadly serious about wanting you. About understanding your rules and not expecting anything beyond this. In fact, I’m so busy at home, I wouldn’t have time even if you came crawling on your hands and knees.”
He raised an eyebrow, wondering if he’d read her wrong in the past and she really was into short flings, or if she was telling him what he wanted to hear.
Either way, she’d given him a green light. He pushed his chair back and stood. Towering over her, he slid her chair back, too, then braced his hands on the armrests and leaned close, his lips inches from hers.
She swallowed hard and he sensed her nervousness, reminding him that despite the show of bravado, she wasn’t the experienced, easy kind of woman he was used to. Somehow it made him desire her more.
He clenched his fingers around the hard wood. “I want you, too.”
Her eyes grew wide, the blue pools deepening with pleasure. “So what’s holding you back?”
“Not a damn thing.” Without hesitating, he sealed his lips over hers and gave into the temptation he’d been fighting.
She sighed, the sound soft and full of complete relief as her lips parted and she took him inside. She tasted of pure woman. He slanted his mouth for better access and thrust his tongue deep and hard.
A part of him realized he was testing her, seeing if his unleashed need would scare her off, because he knew if he took this woman to bed there would be no holding back. He even wondered if a part of him hoped she’d retreat before it was too late.
But she wasn’t running away. Instead, she pulled him closer, wrapping her arms around his neck so he could continue his assault. And as he circled the warm, moist recesses of her mouth, their tongues tangling, their teeth grazing, he realized they shared an equally overwhelming desire. One that had to be sated immediately.
He reached back, untangled her hands and brought them down to her sides, while breaking the kiss slowly. Gently. In a way that let him savor every movement. The brush of his lips over hers, the soft licks of his tongue across the moisture they’d created, and the light nip of his teeth on her flesh.
She moaned and tried to entice him back into a soul-searching kiss, but he couldn’t take another minute of kissing and teasing like they were horny teenagers who couldn’t complete the act. Because they most certainly could.
“Let’s go upstairs,” he said, his voice hoarse with desire.
She nodded. “I think the dining room would be awkward.”
“Not to mention hard on my back.”
Micki grinned. “Not as young as you used to be, are you, Fuller?”
He laughed despite how true that statement was. With Micki, he didn’t feel the need to hide the painful truth. “Just keep that little secret to yourself.”
She met his gaze, the moment suddenly too serious.
“I’m not too old for this.” He bent down, lifted her into his arms, favoring his good hand, and carried her straight to his bed.
* * *
Be careful what you ask for, Micki thought as Damian swept her off to his bedroom in true fairy-tale form. But if he was her prince, he wasn’t the permanent, happily-ever-after kind. Just the fantasy she’d dreamed about for most of her life, and one she had every intention of enjoying.
His bedroom was large with oversize shuttered windows, dark wood furniture, and a navy-and-cream color scheme, all dominated by a California king-size bed. When he laid her back against the pillows, butterflies filled her stomach, but no second thoughts raced through her mind. Apparently, he had none either. He straddled her lower body with his thighs and his gaze never left hers as he pulled his shirt up and over his head.
Micki swallowed hard. For a woman who’d spent a lifetime in male locker rooms, she would have thought she was immune to a muscled body. No such luck. The man was sculpted and gorgeous, from his stubbled beard, sexy chest, down to the sprinkle of hair disappearing into the waistband of his jeans.
She’d examine what lay beneath that denim in a little while. For now she wanted to focus on his exposed upper body. “You have a golfer’s tan,” she mused. With one finger, she traced the tan lines that cut his forearms where his uniform sleeves ended.
He visibly shivered, reacting to her touch. “I’d prefer to call it a ballplayer’s tan.”
“Semantics.” Emboldened, she drew an imaginary line beginning on his arms and traveling straight across his chest where his tanned neck abruptly changed to the paler hue.
She shut her eyes and continued to run her palm over his flesh, letting her senses take over. The texture of his hair-roughened skin, so different from her own, caused tremors of awareness to shoot through her body. As for Damian, when her fingertips touched his nipples, he sucked in a sharp breath. The sound echoed in her ears and gave her yet another taste of feminine power.
In the past, Micki had had her share of lovers. The relationships hadn’t worked, not for her and not for the guy with whom she was involved. Most of the men had been sports guys she’d met through her job. Some had wanted an in with her powerful uncle; others had been interested in a short fling. The sex had been fine, but had never been fulfilling. There hadn’t been much give and take, and the relationships had left her empty in ways she hadn’t understood.
As a result of those brief and ultimately unsatisfactory affairs, Micki could never have imagined affecting any man deeply on a physical level. Especially a man as sexual as Damian.
Once again, she smoothed her fingertips over Damian’s hardened nipples, lingering this time, teasing him with her touch and lightly scraping her nails across his skin. He let out a groan of satisfaction that sent ripples of arousal straight to her sex. She affected him. And the arousal in his voice caused dampness to pool between her thighs.
He touched her chin, urging her to meet his gaze.
She found herself looking into his chocolate-colored eyes. Warm and sexy, his stare was focused solely on her. “That’s better,” he said in a husky voice.
“Why?”
“I want to see your expression when I reciprocate.” With a wicked grin, he eased her shirt upward.
She leaned forward to help and quickly her shirt ended up on the floor, leaving her in a bra that was quite different than what she was used to. Where she chose lacy fabric that left a lot to the imagination, the garment she’d found in the drawer showed everything to anyone who cared to look.
Damian did, his eyes growing wide. When Micki glanced down to see what had him so fascinated, she received a glimpse of her own breasts, plump and full inside the sheer material, her clearly visible nipples fully puckered and erect. Self-consciousness had her lifting her hands to cover herself, but he stopped her. He trapped her arms at her sides, holding them in place with his strong thighs.
“Do you want to know exactly what you do to me?” he asked. “Why I’m breaking a self-imposed promise to keep my hands to myself? Why I’m here when I should be with the team, injury be damned?”
Mouth dry, she merely nodded.
She expected him to cup her breasts in his hands and braced herself for the onslaught of sensation. He leaned forward and captured her nipple in his mouth instead.
Micki sucked in a startled breath. She glanced down to see his dark hair against her chest, tickling her skin. She felt a rush of warm breath and accompanying moisture in her sex, and a moan escaped her throat.
“I get it,” she choked out. This was worth breaking the rules for.
He lifted his head and cool air brushed her damp skin. “No, you don’t. Not yet.” He placed his thumb over one distended nipple and pressed hard and deep until her hips bucked beneath him and she cried out with need. “But you will,” he promised.
He obviously wasn’t finished, and she didn’t know whether to beg for mercy or let him continue until she couldn’t take any more. He grazed with his teeth, laved with his tongue, and finally suckled her nipple for a long, leisurely time until she writhed beneath him. The sensations tackled her body with unprecedented force, and with shaking hands, she reached for the button of his jeans.
Stripping off their clothes was a blur—who pulled off whose pants, who unhooked Micki’s bra, she had no idea. All she was aware of was haste born of desire and building need. A need they both shared to get closer, to let skin touch skin with nothing in between.
She hadn’t realized the implications of being so close to Damian. His heated flesh branded her, and as he came over her the silken strength of his erection pressed hard and hot against her thigh. This wasn’t sex, this was intimacy, and she’d have to live with that knowledge for the rest of her life, when Damian was long gone.
But while he was here, he was hers and she intended to savor the moments. Hooking her leg around his, she adjusted their positions, shifting him so that not only was he on top of her, but his member was poised at apex of her sex.
“I was right,” he said, his gruff voice rumbling in her ear.
“About what?”
He paused for a deep, wet kiss, his mouth melding with hers. God, she thought, the man was good.
“No matter how hard you tried to hide it, you are one hot woman.”
Pleasure raced through her, chiseling away at the insecurities she’d harbored for as long as she could remember. His words also freed her to act on her desires and she slid her arms around his back, placing her palms against his ass.
“How long are you going to make me wait?” she whispered in his ear, letting her tongue glide along the outer shell.
He shivered and reciprocated with a nibble on her neck along with a teasing thrust of his hips. Their lower bodies met at exactly the right place. His erection ground into her clit, setting off orgasm-like tremors that were a mere prelude to the real thing.
In case he needed incentive, Micki reached down and wrapped her hand around his cock. He was smooth with subtle ridges, and oh, so hard and long.
“That’s it.” Damian had had enough. Enough teasing, enough foreplay, enough restraint. There was just so much a naked man could take.
Pausing only to grab protection, he then rose above her and spread her thighs with his hands. She met his gaze, eyes wide and imploring, with a trust that was humbling. But he wanted this woman as he hadn’t wanted any other, and as long as she desired him, too, he wasn’t about to stop.
Unable to wait another second, he nudged the head of his aching cock into her moist, warm sex. She let out a sigh of longing at the same time he gritted his teeth and drove deep inside her. Her wet heat molded around him, cushioning him in a tight, suctioning hold. He thought he’d died and gone to heaven. He didn’t know he could feel so good so fast, or so connected to another person.
Before he could dwell on that thought, Micki distracted him by wrapping her legs around him and hooking her ankles at the small of his back. Her hips jutted upward, their bodies met at exactly the right spot, and after that there was no going slow.
He pulled out, then plunged fast and deep. Micki cried out but had no trouble keeping pace. Their rhythm was perfect, their bodies in unison. He pumped inside her and she met him thrust for thrust, her legs still wrapped around his waist. He couldn’t resist kissing her again as they climbed higher and higher toward climax. She breathed harder in his ear, becoming more vocal with each successive bump and grind of his pubic bone against her clit.
He wouldn’t have believed she was so loud and expressive. Damn, but he liked it. Seconds later, everything inside and outside of him exploded as he came. And came and came.
He thrust in and out, drawing out every last incredible sensation and triggering Micki’s release. She locked her ankles tighter around him, dug her nails into his back and lifted her hips high and hard.
She called out his name and touched a place he hadn’t known existed. For the first time, a woman touched his heart.