The Met was lit up like a golden beacon. It could have passed for a temple of old. Charlie followed Stacia out of the limo, trying not to shake or snag her dress. The sheath was white shot with gold, and it hugged her curves with in a way Charlie would have never allowed a few short months ago. Her wrap floated around her shoulders in a diaphanous gold. She clutched at it as Stacia dismissed the car.

“Wow.” Charlie’s whisper was awed as she looked up at the famous building with its marble pillars and wide steps.

“It is pretty impressive.” Stacia was her own usual impressive and elegant self, draped in midnight-blue velvet. Then she smiled. “But wait until you see the Louvre.”

“I’m not booked for the damn Louvre.” Charlie gave an amused laugh, which died away when Stacia raised an eyebrow.

“Yet. They’re doing a modern art showing early next spring. I’ve already been bending some ears.” As Charlie sucked in a breath and stumbled over her own feet, Stacia laced their arms together with a chuckle and pulled her toward the stairs. “Never say never, woman. Six months ago, could you imagine standing here? Knowing your paintings were inside?”

The Met wasn’t Charlie’s show, but two of her paintings had been picked for an exhibition on modern painters. Stacia was definitely earning her keep. Of course, the art world had its fickle side, and all this could be nothing but a dream a year from now.

A wonderful dream. Some parts of it anyway. She pressed her lips together. Nope. Not tonight. She wasn’t going to think about him tonight.

A sudden stiffness in Stacia’s spine drew Charlie’s eyes around. Even before she saw him, she knew. Jake stepped into the light, smiling gently. Her expression went blank. Deliberately, she looked away as Stacia stepped forward.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jake’s sister lean up and kiss his cheek, but Jake was staring over her head at Charlie. Their gazes caught. Held.

When Stacia pulled away from her brother, the woman glanced at the two of them, then huffed out a breath. “Let’s pretend I see someone important I have to go talk to, all shall we? I’ll catch you kids later.”

Silence descended, awkward and thick. For once, Jake’s silver tongue seemed to fail him. He said nothing, just watched her, his expression unreadable. Her palms itched and she had a sudden urge to slap him.

Finally, he cleared his throat. “So—”

“You left.”

He winced. “There was something I needed to take care of. Charlie, I . . .”

As quickly as it had come, her urge to lash out vanished. She felt tired. Just tired. What did it matter anyway? Jake wasn’t hers, he’d never be hers.

Her phone buzzed with a text. The show was beginning.

She glanced back at him, forcing a smile that felt cold and stiff on her lips. “Well, then, you shouldn’t mind if I use the same excuse.” Her chin lifted as she turned her back to him, the click of her heels loud in her own ears as she strode away.

---

Charlie had a better time at the show than she’d expected. Hobnobbing was never going to come as naturally to her as it did to Jake and Stacia, but at least the abject terror was gone. Of course, it might have been that her disappointment with Jake had numbed her normal nerves.

Her lips tightened.

How dare he. Showing back up as if nothing had happened. As if she hadn’t shared a piece of her soul with him just to have him . . .

Do what people always did. Let her down.

Stupid girl.

Well, thankfully she wouldn’t have to see Jake again tonight. One of her new admirers had invited them to a private party. Stacia had been thrilled, Charlie less so. Especially when she found it was to be a pool party. Seriously, those had never gone over well, even in high school.

At least it was an excuse to stay away from Jake.

She shook her head and made her way farther from the main crowd. This place was magnificent, though she found it a little sickening people lived like this. Pools of every shape and size were scattered throughout the huge structure. But not pools like at your typical YMCA. Oh, she supposed there was an Olympic-sized one somewhere about, but mostly they were small glittering lagoons, landscaped like they were outside in some tropical night. Stars even shone ahead, courtesy of a dome to rival any planetarium.

The pebbled path was smooth and cool under her bare feet as she made her way through the milling people.

Her eyes were cast down, one hand clutching a wobbling pile of warm towels to her hip. Her almost bare hip.

What had she been thinking, letting Stacia talk her into this ridiculous suit? It wasn’t a bikini, which she’d flatly refused, but Stacia only used that refusal to force what she called “a compromise”: a tankini. In screaming red, with deep side cutouts that left most of her navel bare. The laughable “tank” part of it was a lethal scarlet ruffle that pretended at demure, falling from the dip of her cleavage to skim the middle of her tummy until it managed to cling lightly to her hips just in time to avoid legal issues.

She laughed when Stacia told her to buy it. “Please. I’m way too average to pull this off. And that is just fine by me.”

Stacia’s jaw tightened in that way it did when she was going to dig her four-inch ice-pick heels in. “Even if that were true, which it’s not, I don’t believe that the woman who painted those canvases of yours can ever be satisfied with average.”

Charlie pursed her lips. “I don’t like being the center of attention.”

“Why the hell not?” Stacia flicked her waterfall of black silk over one shoulder, looking back at Charlie in the mirror with one eyebrow raised.

Charlie shook her head. Stacia could never understand. She was a woman born for the spotlight. Not Charlie. Attention was dangerous. But somehow the infernal woman had talked her into buying the stupid suit and she didn’t have another.

With a fervent sigh of relief, she darted behind a thick jungle wall to find a small pool hidden away from the rest of the party. There was no one in sight. She dropped the towels and sat down by the pool’s edge, drawing her knees to her chin. Alone at last.

She let out a grateful sigh and leaned back on her elbows.

A splash from the pool had her snapping upright again. It was someone surfacing from beneath the water. A man, his head thrown back, taking a deep breath.

Wet hair rippled down to lick darkly at the sculpted muscles of his shoulders, slick black hair that matched the shadow on his jaw, the sprinkling over his deep, powerful chest. She wrapped her arms back around her knees and cursed.

Jake turned his head, shaking like a big dog, with just as much lazy indifference. Water droplets sprinkled over her like falling rain.

She should’ve known he’d wangle an invite. Damn the charming bastard.

“What are you doing here, Jake?”

“Trying to make up with you, of course.”

“Don’t hold your breath.” With another vile curse, she yanked one of the towels from the snow-white mound that had fallen around her.

“Oh now, that’s quite a mouth you’ve got there, Ms. Gracen.” For some reason, Jake seemed amused, his blue-gray eyes dancing over hers, darkening as they fell to her lips for an instant, before dipping lower. “And quite the togs you’re hiding under that towel.” He raised an eyebrow and kicked over to the edge of the pool, pushing up on his elbows as he watched her. The movement made every bronzed muscle in his upper body flex and roll. Her mouth went dry. Even as her lips thinned in anger.

“I’m not hiding my togs or anything else.”

Jake threw his head back and laughed. So long and loud conversations nearby stumbled to a stop before amused voices continued on.

“Togs is just a word for swimsuit, you grumpy little shit. What did you think I meant?”

“Fuck you, Jake.” She threw off the towel and glared at him. It was a look he didn’t return as his eyes became very quickly preoccupied. She could practically feel the weight of his gaze on her skin as he took in his fill of her. She was flushing before that stormy gaze lifted back to hers.

“I do believe I offered. An offer that was declined. Vigorously, as I recall. I’m prepared to up my bid, though.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. Jake’s jaw tightened as the movement had her breasts nearly spilling from the scrap of vibrant red fabric. She dropped her arms again, blushing furiously. “Oh for heaven’s sake. We both know you don’t give a damn about me. You’ve proved that.”

“You’re so very wrong, darl.” The sincerity in the low words startled her. But she refused to accept them. Refused to let him sneak past her guard again.

“Am I?” she sneered. “I know how it feels to be discarded quite well. You might recall I told you as much. Or maybe you’ve forgotten that conversation already.”

His face fell and his voice went soft. “Charlie. I was an arse. I left it to Stacia to explain because I had to . . . take care of some things.” He took a deep breath. “Not that that’s any excuse. But then I didn’t think I could do this properly on the phone—”

“Doesn’t seem like you’re doing any better in person,” she muttered.

“—and then it took me a while to figure out what I wanted myself. But I know now.”

“Do you? Plan on clueing me in anytime soon?”

“You.” That one word was spoken so fiercely she froze in place. “That’s what I want.”

She rolled her eyes, forcing an impatient snort that fluffed her bangs. “Sure, you do.”

He frowned and gripped the edge of the tile. “If I get out of this pool, woman, you’ll see exactly how serious I am about wanting you.”

Her breath hitched as they locked eyes. The burn of honesty in his scorched her.

A tendril of flame slid down her body, licking over her breasts, tightening her nipples before working its way deep into her belly and lower. Her throat closed and she had to swallow before she could speak again.

“Stay in the water, please.” Her voice was a scratchy whisper. “Jesus, Jake. You don’t play fair.”

His nose wrinkled as he gave her a slow grin. “Hell no. I play to win.”

He stretched out an arm, clasping one big hand over her calf. “Give me another chance. You won’t regret it.” He stroked her skin with his thumb, watching her face before pulling her closer with a jerk that had her squealing in surprise as her bottom bumped lightly over the tile laid at the water’s edge.

She opened her mouth, intending to protest further.

“Shhh,” he hushed her in a rough growl that had her biting her lip.

Jake yanked her closer yet, until his body was floating between her outstretched legs dangling in the water on either side of him. His palms were warm on the bare skin just above her hips, his eyes level with her breasts as he treaded water, his arms brushing her inner thighs.

“Damn it, Charlie. You look good enough to eat. In fact . . .” He glanced around.

Night was pressing against the walls of glass surrounding them. Lush foliage hid the pool from all but the most persistent passersby. The dim lighting heightened the feeling of isolation even though conversation murmured softly all around them. He pulled her closer, ducking under her briefly so that her legs fell now over his shoulders.

Her eyes widened. A blush the night wouldn’t hide flared over her cheeks. He didn’t . . . surely he couldn’t mean to . . .

His eyes were storm dark as he pressed a light, sucking kiss to the side of her knee. She gasped at the instant onslaught of sensation. Her nails scraped over the cool mosaic tile of the pool deck as she tried to pull back. This was insane. “No, Jake. You can’t—”

His grip on her tightened, the tone of his voice even more captivating. Warm and rich, it pulled at her. His accent thickened as he leaned closer, rubbing his rough cheek against her inner thigh. She bit back a whimper. “But I’m so curious. You smell like peaches, did you know that? Hell, you even feel like peaches.”

His fingers danced over her skin, dipping under that useless ruffle, raising goose bumps as he circled her bellybutton.

“All firm and soft and silky. I just want a nibble, a little taste to ease this craving of mine. What do you say?”

His mouth moved up her leg, slow, hot and hypnotizing. He stole her will to move with every inch, melted her ability to sit upright. She sank down into the pile of towels behind her, trembling as Jake worked his way higher.

Her head fell back when his breath warmed her through the thin material of her suit. She stared at the green fronds above her, unable to believe she was letting him, that he was . . .

He tugged her swimsuit aside. There was a sharp hiss, followed by a groan she felt all the way to her toes, which were curled over his broad, muscular back. The throbbing timbre of his voice rumbled through the air and into her skin.

“You’re wet for me already, Charlie? Talk about not fucking playing fair.”

His lips brushed her naked sex. She made a soft keening sound as her stomach tightened. His tongue flicked, warm and insistent, teasing her apart for him. He worked her over inch by inch, taking his time until she was utterly pliable. This was madness, she knew that. But such a delicious madness. 

Jake used his fingers to hold her open, his mouth warm, exploring and greedy. He sucked and licked at her like a man determined to savor some rare and delectable morsel set in front of him. Hot and wild, desire tingled along her spine to settle pulsing in her core.

Her hand flew to her mouth as his name escaped her lips.

She bit the heel of her palm to stop the cries, her back arching and twisting as the unbearable pleasure built. Jake groaned as she writhed in his hands. He used the flat of his tongue to stroke her clit and then the tip to torment her into begging softly, her fevered whispers escaping around her fingers as she tried desperately not to scream.

But she couldn’t help bucking hard when he drove his tongue inside her. She quivered as his hands cupped her ass, pressing as deep as he could. She almost lost her mind as he thrust in and out. Her body tightened around him and she felt, more than heard, his low curse. With a growl he pulled back; she couldn’t see, could barely breathe, but she could hear his ragged voice.

“You need more, don’t you, darl? Just a little more of me to send you over? Come on, Charlie.” His hand felt unsteady against her, as if he were shaking, too, which was crazy, but then his finger worked inside of her. She forgot everything, lost in the sensation of Jake parting her, the slow penetration stealing the air from her lungs. Her legs tightened on his slick, warm shoulders and her muscles locked on him. He moved his finger in and out, his breath a teasing coolness over her drenched skin as he added a second finger.

She whimpered low in her throat, a primitive, desperate sound.

“That’s it, baby, lose it for me. Just let go.” His voice was harder now, urgent as his fingers pumped inside of her. His soft, firm lips circled her clit once again, and that, with the slow flick of his tongue, did her in. Charlie’s hips snapped up, out of control as the orgasm broke over her at last.

In slapping, violent waves, the pleasure took over, a delicious heat that surged and then rolled away, trickle by trickle, leaving her shaking and limp and sated. Jake leaned his head against her thigh, his gaze bright in the gloom.

There was a scrambling noise in the bushes, the sound of voices. Charlie’s heart, so recently almost flat-lined, kicked up again with a vengeance. Before she knew what was happening, Jake had pulled her down into the water with him with a splash. The sudden shock of cold stole her breath. Her body was blocked by his bigger one curling around her. His mouth was warm on her neck, effectively hiding her face. She could sense the burn of his gaze on the strangers she could only hear. The sounds stopped.

“Oh, well. Excuse us.” There was a purr of amusement. “Having your fun for the night, Jacob, sweetie?”

Jacob? Who was this?

She tried to move, but with Jake’s big hand palming the back of her head, Charlie was trapped.

“Nothing wrong with having fun, Bri.”

“Of course not. But when you want some real entertainment, you know where to find me.” There was a snort of laughter, then more scrambling as their intruder moved away. Charlie caught the glitter of blond hair out of the corner of one eye before silence descended once more.

After a long moment, Jake moved back a hair, looking down at her. Their legs were tangled together in the sweet coolness of the water, the pulse of her release still ticking in every pleased muscle of her body.

“Goddamn, Charlie. You were . . . that was . . .” Jake pressed her back into the edge of the pool as if the interruption had never happened. His hips grazed her belly and she sucked in a breath as the rigid length of him dragged over her. “I lied.”

“What?” She was too dazed yet to think properly.

“I lied. I can’t be satisfied with just a taste. I need more. Please.” His fingers slipped under the water and around her ass, pulling her into him. The vertigo increased as this time she felt every hard inch of him fit snug and throbbing between her thighs.

For a minute she went limp at the thought of Jake inside her. Really inside her. Not just his tongue, not just his fingers. All of him. Fucking her right here, right now. How devastating would that be? She shuddered.

Would she even survive it?

He would. His “fun for the night.” Because that’s how a man like Jake operated, wasn’t it? Something distracting, something new, and then on to the next flavor of the week. She’d shared her past with him and he’d left. If she shared her body, the same thing was bound to happen.

It was excruciating to fight the languid pull of him, a pull that called to every atom in her protesting body, but she slipped back out of his arms and pulled herself up onto the edge of the pool.

“No, Jake. Just . . . no.”

“No?” His head tilted and his hands tightened on the lip of the pool on either side of her legs, but his tone was quiet.

“No.” She flushed, feeling guilty, remembering the thick strain of his cock against her even as she pulled away. She stood over him and reached for a towel, not quite able to meet his eyes. “I know it isn’t exactly fair—”

“I don’t expect payback, Charlie. It was my pleasure. In every way. I know how to deal with any fallout, trust me.” There was laughter in his voice, though she could sense the underlying tautness there. His words only left her more uncomfortable.

“Well, okay then.” With no words for whatever the hell this situation was, she turned to go, her face burning. His fingers gently wrapped around her ankle, freezing her in place. Automatically, her gaze fell to his.

He was smiling that big easy grin that did funny things to her insides. “You do taste like peaches. But even better, you taste like peaches and caramel. If there’s one thing I love even more than peaches, it’s caramel. You do know what they say about a man’s stomach, don’t you?”

Her eyes narrowed and she forced him to release her with a kick.

But Jake’s laughter made her stomach dance all the way to the changing area.

---

He was going crazy. But he hadn’t been able to resist. She’d been there, so prickly and distant, but so delectable. It’d been like a dare at first. He’d told himself he just wanted to get her to relax around him again, but that wish had ended with her coming on his tongue.

Jake shuddered despite the boiling heat of the shower. He’d orgasmed twice already, thinking of the way she’d tasted, the way she felt . . . but it was really the way she sounded that had him so hard he couldn’t get his stupid dick to go down. The breathless way she’d begged, the sound of her moaning his name.

Fuck.

For a moment, he had the sudden urge to leave again. Get the hell away from this woman before she yanked his heart right out of his chest. But that was fear of the unknown talking.

He’d made up his mind. Maybe he had even started making it that night he’d snuck into Charlie’s room. Lucjan may be a twisted motherfucker, but the man was also right. Jake had spent his whole life chasing revenge, risking his life, his freedom and his fucking soul. For what? He couldn’t get his mother back, and he wouldn’t risk Charlie. Not for anything.

No. For once in his goddamn life he was going to get it right. He was going to protect her, no matter what it took.

If that meant letting go of his mother’s killer forever, so be it. He stared into the billowing steam with an ache in his heart, but an unmistakable lightness there as well.

He had to hope Stacia would understand. Darnell would get the message when he backed off, without the heat, the man would eventually decide they weren’t worth it.

And he had to believe Mum would understand. Maybe her more than anyone. She’d lost her life because of Dad’s business, his reckless stupidity. Jake wouldn’t be that man to Charlie.

Somehow he’d convince Stacia to see the light.

In the meantime, he would treat Charlie better than any man had treated a woman since the goddamn beginning of time.

Jake was almost thirty and he’d never even been in love. He chased women he didn’t care about, women who didn’t interest him, because he didn’t want to be tempted. He didn’t want to be distracted.

Now he had a woman in his life who distracted the hell out of him. Tempted and beguiled him at every turn. She was a puzzle he might never get to the bottom of. But he’d sure have fun trying. Jake grinned. A lot of fun.

Tonight had given him an idea of where to start. His Charlie wouldn’t trust pretty words or flowery gestures. No fucking way. If he tried to work his way into her heart with romance, his little cynic would suspect an act. Her armor would come down and he’d be shut down on the other side of it. Locked out forever.

But as the incident at the pool tonight had shown, his little lifesaver had a passionate nature she’d obviously subdued for far too long. He could appreciate that—and exploit it. His lips curved.

Jake had a feeling Charlie had never been on the receiving end of a man who was hell-bent on making a woman crazy.

He smiled and reached for a towel. He was going to be that man.

Heaven help her, Charlie would be his by the end of the week.