FIFTEEN

The catamaran trip was a success by all accounts. Sadie had waved it off from the beach, carefully avoiding Jasper and trying to ignore the fact that Jack and Mark were nowhere to be seen. But, whatever was keeping D&A’s co-founders from the evening’s celebration, it didn’t appear to dampen anyone else’s spirits. Dan, sweat caught in his chest hairs where he’d failed to fasten enough buttons, was as ebullient as always, his guffaws and back slaps audible from the beach even after the boat had left the dock. Peter and Davy had managed to supply the bartending staff with enough fresh coconuts for everyone on board to have one of their own. And Sadie was surprised to see that even Jacklyn was wearing a weak smile.

She didn’t wait on the beach for the boat to return. They’d be out for hours and she knew Peter would call if they had any problems. Despite everything else that had caught her off guard that day, Sadie knew one thing for certain: Peter and the crew were skilled at keeping the bar stocked and the guests happy – and on board – for as long as they were at sea.

So after they pulled away from the dock, Sadie retreated to her room with no other plans than ordering room service, crawling into bed, and wishing Jack absent from her dreams. If that was at all possible.

Despite his promise, he hadn’t called again. Not to tell her that he and Mark weren’t going to be on the cruise. Certainly not to give her any indication if later meant tonight. So when Sadie realized sometime that night that the soft but incessant knocking was coming from her door and not the depths of her dreams, she stumbled from her bed half asleep with little thought to who was disturbing her and every desire to get them to stop.

Only as she swung the door open did Sadie think that she should have checked the peep hole. And made sure that she wasn’t about to flash whoever happened to be on the other side.

But the instant Jack stepped across the threshold and silently scooped her up in his arms, both those thoughts, and any others lingering about, died. If she’d been capable of it, Sadie would have chided herself for relaxing into him so easily. For forgetting how many times during the day she’d paired his name with a number of unflattering epithets. And for how, only a few hours before, she’d given herself a stern talking to about not, under any circumstances, thinking about Jack Avery as she drifted off to sleep.

As Jack gently set her down in front of the bed and captured her mouth in a searing kiss, if she’d been able to think, Sadie would have reminded herself that this was nothing. That she and Jack meant nothing to each other beyond these heated moments on this far away island. And that she shouldn’t even want this from him, let alone anything else.

That’s what Sadie would have told herself if she’d been able to think. But none of that mattered. Because she couldn’t. Not for one second. Not while Jack’s fingers tugged at her hair, gently angling her face so that he could lick and nip at her mouth in the most thrilling way. Not while his large hands traveled the terrain of her back with heavy, confident strokes, settling to wrap around the curves of her ass, squeezing her in a way that threatened to knock her legs out from under her. And certainly not when he hauled her so tightly against his own body that she could feel every single hard inch of him from chest to stomach to hip to thigh. No, in those first silent minutes after Jack barged into her room, Sadie thought of nothing at all, except the glaring truth that she was so happy he was there.

And that’s what did it. Sadie’s brain gripped the one salient thought strong enough to break through the lust-filled haze that enveloped her whenever Jack was close. She gathered what strength she could and gave him a hard shove.

“Do you never start with a simple ‘Hi’?”

Jack reached out to pull her back but Sadie dodged him. Jack watched her, eyes now wary, as she began to pace little circles across the tile floor.

“Sadie?”

Ignoring him, Sadie kept up her little laps, wondering if Jack would eventually leave if she didn’t respond.

“Sadie,” Jack moved to touch her again, but dropped his hand as she paced by. “Something wrong?”

“Hmmm.” Perhaps if she didn’t use actual words he would get the idea. Or just give up.

“Sadie.”

Sadie paused at the worry in his voice. She kept her back to him as she placed her hands on her hips, hoping the stance would offset how vulnerable she felt wearing nothing but her short, thin sleep shirt. At that moment she couldn’t be exactly sure how much of her ass was exposed. She hoped none. But she didn’t think she was so lucky.

“It’s been a long day, Jack. Is there a reason you are here? If you needed something you could have called. Or emailed.”

“Sadie, the one thing I need I can’t get with a call. Or an email.”

He wasn’t touching her, but Sadie could feel Jack move closer, the heat from his body washing down her back. And her only partially covered butt.

“Do you want to know what it is?” Jack continued.

“Jack. You are standing in my hotel room. Uninvited. In the middle of the night. Unless I am wildly misjudging this situation, I’m pretty certain the answer is clear.”

“Then why did you ask?”

Sadie dropped her head to her chest and puffed out a sigh. “Fine. I know what you want, Jack. Is that what you want me to say?” She turned and caught his gaze lingering on the lower half of her body before he hastily met hers. “I just don’t know why. Why now? Why here?” Sadie squeezed her eyes shut and tried to subdue the longing thudding through in her veins. “Why me?”

Sadie kept her eyes closed as she felt Jack run his fingers across the top of one of her hands. She even managed to keep them closed when she felt the brush of his chest across hers. But she gave up when she felt his breath warm her lips.

“Because it has been a long day, Sadie. A horribly long and stressful day.” Despite the dimness of the room, Sadie caught the glimmer of defeat that passed across Jack’s face before he continued. “And the one thing that has gotten me through this awful day is knowing that I would see you at the end of it. For everything that didn’t go the way it was supposed to – the way I wanted it to – I knew that it would all be better, that I would be better, once I was with you.”

As Jack fell silent his lips relaxed into a small smile, but Sadie could see the sincerity in his expression. The same serious look that he’d had that morning before he’d rushed off. Sadie, her mind and body at war with each other – one telling her to step back, the other trying to push her forward – stood motionless. Neither reaching out to Jack, nor pushing him away. Jack’s eyes flicked down her body and she wondered if he could tell that she was shaking under the strain.

“Why was it so awful? Your day?”

Jack’s lips flattened into a firm line. “Mark and I got some bad news this morning and had to spend the rest of the day trying to limit the damage.”

“Would talking about it help?” Sadie’s nerves flickered as she considered everything that Lizzie had told her over the phone. “I’m a pretty good sounding board. If you want to vent.”

Jack swept his eyes over Sadie’s face and she didn’t miss how the bed behind her distracted him for a second before he returned his gaze to hers. When he wrapped the strong fingers of one hand around hers, Sadie couldn’t stop her pulse from speeding up.

“That’s a very kind offer, Ms. Carter. And as skilled as I’m sure these are,” he lazily traced a finger around the edge of one of Sadie’s ears, “I’ll admit that at this precise minute I’m much more interested in some of your other skills.”

“So interested, apparently, that you appeared without any warning at my room in the middle of the night.”

Jack’s sigh cast warm air across Sadie’s cheek and lips before he dropped his forehead to hers.

“I’m sorry,” Jack murmured. “I’ll admit, I was desperate. I didn’t even think about it, Sadie. The second I could, I left Mark and came straight here. It didn’t even cross my mind that you might not want me here.” He closed his eyes as he drew a deep breath. “That you might not want to see me as much as I want to see you.”

Shit, shit, shit. That little war that was waging inside of Sadie – Jack’s words were distracting her mind and her body was getting ready to breach its defenses.

 “Sadie,” Jack whispered her name across her lips and this time Sadie was helpless against the tremor that tumbled through her. “Do you want to see me?”

Jack looked so hopeful, as if it was the easiest question in the world. As if Sadie hadn’t spent the better part of her day convincing herself that she didn’t want exactly that. As if she hadn’t pretended that it was the furthest thing from her mind. When it was, in fact, the thing she wanted most. In that split second of hesitation Sadie saw some of his hope fade and loneliness darken his eyes. This was something harsher than what she’d glimpsed earlier. This was deeper, more bleak. And Sadie suddenly wanted nothing more than to wipe it away.

“Yes,” she pressed the word against the skin of his jaw. “Yes, Jack. I want to see you.”

“Thank god,” Jack’s relief fell into her mouth as he pressed his open lips to hers. Sadie barely had time to wrap her arms around his neck before he crushed her to him, his hands and arms working in tandem to pull Sadie as tightly to him as he could.

Under the heated pressure of his tongue, Sadie felt the frustration and anger that had built over the day morph into a raging desire. The litany of reasons why she should stay away from Jack were silenced by the innumerable ways his body felt right against hers. And the delicious images that exploded across her brain as Sadie thought of how they would consume the hours of darkness.

Her own words echoed in her mind. She had told Jack the truth. She did want to see him. All of him.

Sadie’s already rapid breathing hitched as she unwound herself from Jack, her lips trying to form words even as his tried to keep her anchored to him.

“Jack….” His name died on a gasp as Jack dropped his mouth to her neck and nipped at the sensitive skin that protected her pulse. But Sadie wouldn’t let him distract her. “Jack,” she started again. “You thought about me today….”

“Yes,” his lips brushed against the hollow at the base of her throat. “I can’t tell you how many times I found myself thinking about you. Even when I shouldn’t.” Jack’s voice formed a dark melody as it floated up from where he was kissing the thin fabric covering her breasts. “Especially when I shouldn’t.”

“Tell me.” Sadie dropped her head back, her lids fluttering shut. “Tell me what you thought about.” Sadie opened her eyes as Jack’s chuckle reached her ears.

“You, Sadie.” Jack’s voice got louder as he retraced his path up her neck. “How you smile, how you smell. How you sound. How you laugh. How you feel. How you feel against me, around me.” Jack’s words caused Sadie’s heart to flip, a warmth blossoming in her chest at his sincerity. A warmth born of something finer, something far more troublesome than simple need. Sadie could feel the panic skirting the edge of her brain, her synapses trying to fire off warnings between every stoke, every caress. Persistence. That was what Jack had called it. Her persistent brain, with all of its cautions, its admonitions. Its lectures. Her brain needed a distraction.

Sadie pushed against Jack’s chest, forcing his arms to loosen enough to allow her to step back and meet his hooded eyes. She saw confusion pass through them and quirked up a corner of her mouth in response, the sultry curve of her lips pulling Jack back towards her. But before he could kiss her again Sadie rested her palms against the planes of his muscles.

“What do you do, Jack? When you think about me?” Sadie didn’t let her voice waver. No matter how much it wanted to, or how she could feel a blush blossom and dampen her skin. Sadie kept her voice even, if not quiet, her question fading off in suggestive lilt.

“What do I do?” Jack’s response was low, liquid in the air between them. Sadie knew from the glint in his eye that he understood her question. He wanted to know how much she actually wanted his answer.

“Um-hmm.” Sadie let one of her hands wander down his chest, his muscles twitching, tightening as her fingertips grazed over them. Jack’s hands bracketed her waist but he didn’t make any move to stop her as she reached the waist of his pants and continued to drift lower. “Tell me, Jack.” Sadie paused with her hand resting at the base of his torso, her fingers running slowly along the line where his upper thigh curved away from his hip. Jack could feel the heat of her touch through his pants mere inches from where he wanted it most. Sadie looked up at him, her eyes dark green pools of desire. “Tell me what you do.”

Jack moved quickly, his hand gripping hers where it rested on the top of his thigh, pressing it against the hard curve. Sadie watched transfixed as his gaze swept her face, watching her so intently. As if he could know her reaction before he even decided what to do next.

“I think, Sadie…,” Jack released her hand and stepped back, allowing the breeze from the fan above to slip between them, “that I can do better than that.”

This time it was Sadie’s turn to follow when Jack beckoned her. He headed to the foot of her bed and the upholstered bench that stood before it. It was backless, the rise of the mattress providing support behind it, two arms curving up at each end. It was a delicate thing, the white cushion glowing faintly in the low light of the room. And it suddenly looked so small as Jack stopped in front of it, his back to the bed. Sadie followed then took a few steps past him, coming to a stop at the dresser several feet away. Turning back to him, Sadie leaned against the dresser’s edge and watched Jack slowly slip the buttons of his shirt free.

When the last button came loose Jack’s shirt fell to the floor, exposing the solid strength and smooth length of his torso. Even in the dim room Sadie could see his stomach muscles ripple and contract as he continued to undress. Sadie licked her lips. She couldn’t help it.

“As much as I love the view, Jack, I was hoping you’d have a bit more to say.” Sadie was trying to tease him. To banish any embarrassment that might be lurking under her bold request. At least on her part. In nothing but his boxer briefs, Jack wasn’t suffering from any embarrassment. Not in the slightest.

Staying silent, Jack’s lips spread into a charmingly devilish smile as he dropped his last piece of clothing and sprawled naked across the white bench. His legs spread out in front of him, one hand pressing into the mattress as it took his body’s weight, Jack rested the other on one solid thigh. Just where Sadie had last touched him. Only a hairsbreadth from where his erection rose up, thick, pulsing, and proud.

“Sadie,” Jack’s voice was soft, low. “You want me to tell you. What I do. What I’ve done. All those times I’ve thought of you. But I don’t want to tell you. I want to show you.”

Jack paused, watching the flicker of emotions that colored Sadie’s face. She was scandalized. Or, at least she thought she should be. Jack was laying himself bare to her. Literally. Sadie enjoyed her body, enjoyed sex, enjoyed the pleasure it brought her and her partner. God knew that she was just as capable of enjoying herself on her own as with a man. And Jack was healthy, virile. Sadie had no doubt that he knew how to satisfy his own cravings. But to show her, to perform for her? That was a step further into an intimacy that Sadie was certain she shouldn’t want.

But she did. Want it. Badly. She could feel her heart race and her eyes widen and her core clench as she absorbed the sight of Jack stretched naked before her. And Sadie knew that she wanted to see it – she wanted to see what thoughts of her did to Jack Avery. Her mind needed a distraction, after all. And Sadie was certain that she would never find one better than Jack succumbing to his desire for her.

As she’d deliberated Jack had watched her. His chest rising and falling in steady but hurried breaths. His hand curved but motionless on his leg. But as Sadie nodded she saw the tension ripple through him, his body betraying the anticipation he held at bay.

“Say it, Sadie. I want there to be no mistake.” Jack’s words reached her easily even though they were no louder than a whisper.

“Yes.” Sadie licked her lips again, Jack watching her tongue flit out and retreat. “Yes. I want you to show me.”

Sadie thought Jack nodded. But she wasn’t sure. Because she was distracted by the sight of him wrapping one strong hand around his cock, his fist squeezing once before he ran his palm up to the tip and back down again. Sadie couldn’t tell where the heat of her blush ended and the burn of her desire began. Her eyes fixed on Jack’s slow, rhythmic movements, she felt a longing rush through her like nothing she’d experienced before. Every stroke of his hand, every twitch of his thigh muscles. Every hitch in his breath. Sadie absorbed them with utter fascination.

Slowly dragging her eyes up his exposed body, Sadie met Jack’s eyes. Despite the distance she could see his craving for her explicit in their depths. Again, he was watching her. His eyes flicking from her lips to her breasts to her thighs where they emerged from under her shirt. And after each pass down her body Jack’s breathing sped up a bit more, his chest rising a little higher, his throat rippling as it became harder to drag in air.

Without thinking, Sadie took several steps towards him, closing the gap between them. With just a few feet separating them now, Sadie could appreciate every shift and pull of Jack’s body. The subtle twist of his shoulder. The tautness of his abdomen. The flicker of his forearm as he stroked himself over and over. Sadie watched as Jack brought his hand up to the swollen head and caught the drop of liquid at the tip, smoothing it across his own flesh before stroking down harder.

“Sadie.” Her name escaped Jack’s throat on a gravelly murmur and Sadie’s breasts ached at the unvarnished lust in his voice. Her nerves racing with the thrill of it all, Sadie curved her fingers under the hem of her shirt and slowly lifted it up her body, her skin prickling under Jack’s heavy gaze. The second the cool air hit her nipples Sadie gave the shirt a quick tug and shook her hair loose as she dropped it to the floor. She stood before him wearing nothing but her black lace underwear and a bewitching smile.

“God,” Jack’s mouth fell open on a gasp, “you are the most incredible thing I have ever seen.”

Feeling bold, Sadie brought her hands to the smooth curve of her stomach and lightly brushed her fingers across it.

“Tell me, Jack,” Sadie pressed her palms to her skin and began to slowly drag them up towards her breasts. “Tell me what you think about.”

Jack’s head fell back for a moment, his eyes fluttering shut, his hand pausing, his fingers squeezing the base of his erection before he resumed the strokes. They were quicker this time. Rougher. The head of his cock disappearing into his fist with the slick sound of skin against skin.

“I think,” Jack ground out, “about the curve of your breasts. Of how they feel in my hands, how soft your skin is.”

As Jack spoke Sadie brought her hands to her breasts, cupping them, gently squeezing. “Hmmm, yes,” Sadie let out on a sigh. Jack’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he watched Sadie caress herself.

“Of how your nipples glisten,” Jack groaned, “after I’ve kissed them, licked them, sucked them. Of how you offer yourself up…how you beg me…to take them into my mouth.”

Sadie saw Jack’s pace increase as she worked her nipples between her fingers, her flesh desperate for relief as the pressure built between her legs.

Even as she continued to stroke one breast, her fingers pinching and tugging the aching peak, Sadie lifted her other one, offering it to Jack, despite the distance between them. She wanted him to see how his words, his voice, the sight of him aroused her. How swollen those heavy globes were, how hard her nipples. Jack moaned at the sight and Sadie couldn’t hold back her answering gasp.

Jack was close to panting now. He was working his hand furiously over himself and his hips were rising in tandem, thrusting his cock up as he pushed his fist down. He was magnificent, Sadie thought. Unabashed. Bold. So large, so strong spread out before her. And so unafraid to show her exactly what she did to him.

Sadie was trembling in response. Her skin was burning under her hands and she could feel the liquid pooling between her thighs. Sadie released one breast and skimmed her hand down her torso, Jack’s eyes fervently following her progress. When Sadie rested her fingers on top of her panties she saw Jack’s other hand fist into the sheets behind him and his eyes squeeze shut. Sadie waited for him to lift his lids before she brushed her fingers across the swollen flesh hidden by the lace.

“And this, Jack?” Sadie could barely form the words around her rapid heartbeat. “Do you think about this?” Jack’s tongue flicked across his lips as Sadie slipped her fingers beneath the fabric. She thought she heard him groan as she moved lower but Sadie couldn’t be sure because she gasped loudly when she skimmed her tender clit.

“God, yes. Sadie….” Jack’s voice was rough, guttural. “Of how wet you are. How hot, how slick. How fucking amazing it feels to be inside you.”

His words pushing her on, Sadie dipped her fingers between her folds and sighed when she sank into her own heat. She could feel her pulse thrumming from within her depths, her body strung tight in passion. And even though she was still covered by her underwear, Sadie knew Jack knew what she was doing. Where her fingers where. What it felt like. And that knowledge was close to breaking him.

“So wet, Jack. You make…me…so…wet,” she barely got the words out between pants.

Sadie watched Jack’s hips jerking faster, the muscles in his legs flickering, the tension radiating out from his abdomen. His head was tilted back and his breath was coming out in gasps. But Jack was looking at her, still watching. The sight of her, all but naked and unbelievably aroused, driving him on. And suddenly the distance was too much for Sadie.

She moved quickly, not giving him a chance to react. Sadie stepped forward and dropped to her knees in one fluid movement, only drawing Jack’s suddenly lax fingers away as her lips replaced them, enveloping his cock almost to the base. Jack swore harshly, the words catching in his throat even as his hips reflexively pushed him deep into her throat. Sadie hollowed out her cheeks and bobbed her head fervently. With one hand cupped beneath him and the other wrapped tight around his base, she worked her fingers, tongue and lips with the same urgent rhythm.

“Fuck,” Jack groaned. “That feels. So. Fucking. Good.” Jack spread his hand across Sadie’s head, his fingers tangling in her hair, his body bucking with need. “Christ, Sadie, I’m gonna come.”

Jack expected her to back away, to let him slip free. But Sadie took him as deep as she could and hummed her encouragement around his throbbing length. Jack’s chest heaved under the intensity of his groan and Sadie’s body pulsed with desperate hunger as she felt his release flood her mouth.

Sadie had only just pulled back when Jack looped his strong hands under her arms. In the next second Sadie found herself sprawled on the bench, her back pressed to the bed and her legs slung over Jack’s shoulders as he kneeled in front of her. He didn’t even bother to remove her underwear. Instead Jack hooked his fingers around the fabric and pulled it back just as he set his mouth to her exposed core.

Sadie gasped in surprise before clamping her bottom lip between her teeth, hoping to hold in the scream that was building in her lungs. Oh, god. Jack was fervent. He held her open with one hand, his tongue, lips and teeth caressing, sucking and nipping at her trembling clit.

It didn’t take much. Sadie’s body was wound so tightly after all they’d said and done, that she was on the edge of falling even before his mouth touched her. So the speed with which Jack brought her crashing down didn’t surprise Sadie. But the power of it did.

Sadie felt her stomach clench the split second before the knot in her core exploded, wave after wave of nerve-tingling sensation rocking from beneath Jack’s mouth to the tips of her fingers, curling her toes, forcing her neck to bow and her head to press into the mattress. Sadie tried to scream. But even that died under the force of her orgasm, her breath leaving in such a rush it left her mute. Her lips parted in silent wonder, Sadie let herself fall into the darkness and linger there, unable to tell if the heady warmth enveloping her was a result of the intense pleasure she’d just experienced or the man who’d been with her every step of the way.