Tiffany

 

 

 

“Love? Really, Tiffany?” I said to myself in the mirror of the hotel bathroom.

I was naked. Having just taken a shower, I felt it the perfect time to dissect the night before when I told Jagger that I loved him.

“You must have been high on strip club fumes,” I said to the mirror as I grabbed the tiny complimentary toothbrush and swiped on some toothpaste.

Shoving the brush into my mouth, I pointed my finger in the air. “One, you have known him for just over a month.”

I scrubbed my teeth before spitting and putting up another finger. “Two, he’s jobless. Which, before that, he was a government agent that did classified stuff that involved taking down powerful criminals. Which is good for our country but bad when it comes to a safe, dependable mate.”

After wiping my face and pulling a brush through my hair, I held up my third finger. “Jagger has lied to me in the past. While I can overlook the other things, as time would take care of number one and number two has been wiped out from him not working for the government anymore. Number three is sticky.”

I walked over to the bathroom door to open it but turned to my reflection once more. “And I hate being sticky.”

Jagger had gotten up early this morning and left. I knew because I heard him leave. I pretended to be asleep and listened to him stumble around trying to find his shoes. Once he was gone, I sat up in bed realizing I made a terrible mistake.

I never should have said I loved him. It’s not that I didn’t feel that for him, because I did. It may have been over ten years since I felt that twisty, heart thundering explosion that love for another man does to my body, but I could recognize it the moment it happened.

When he opened up last night, all I wanted to do was resurrect his father so I could punch him in the balls. I wanted to hold Jagger and kiss him and never stop. That’s when I knew.

I stupidly got swept up in that moment, letting my heart spill it all for him. And maybe it helped him get through his grief last night. For that I am glad, but last night isn’t today. What about tomorrow or all the days after?

It’s out there, and I can’t take it back. I can’t unravel my heart and pick out the burgeoning love that thrives in his eyes as they sweep down my body. Or gain strength from his fingers as they curl into mine so I can push him away.

Just because I felt this way didn’t mean it should happen.

Nothing about this was safe. Even the smallest risk could crack a life in two. My heart may suffer and yes, the guilt of telling him how I felt will eat away at me when I take it all back. But this can’t go on. We can’t go on.

I stepped out of the bathroom and came to a full stop when a pair of green eyes grew wide, darkened, and focused on my chest.

“Jagger. You came back,” I said like an idiot who was naked and only a foot away from a fully clothed man.

The way his gaze swept my body held me captive. I should have turned around and ran back into the bathroom, but I didn’t.

“Yes. I guess I should have called. I went home to change but wanted to return before you woke.”

My nakedness was glaring. But we talked like two normal people where one happened to be without clothing.

“I might not have heard you if you were to call, as I was in the shower.” I nodded and thought putting my hand on my hip would make the situation less awkward.

It didn’t.

“Are you cold?” he asked.

Not at all. I thought I might pass out from the heat traveling up my neck. Worried that any moment I would move my arms and an ocean of sweat would flood the room.

“It’s just that . . .” He stepped closer and brushed his finger across my intensely erect nipple.

I shook my head trying to ward off the flood of pleasure that came from his touch. When I opened my mouth to deny him, what escaped was a mistake. The moan that came out was so wrong.

I shouldn’t be naked. My body needed to stop reacting to his fingers. And I had to start forming words. Words to stop this. Words to end us.

But I couldn’t find them so I moved. My feet inched backward but the man followed.

“And you have goose bumps all over. You must be freezing.” Jagger slipped his hands around my back, pulling me flush against his hard body preventing me from taking another step away from him.

God, everything about him was hard. I wanted to rub myself against all that was firm on him. Especially what was hiding beneath his pants.

No, Tiffany. Stay strong.

Holding up my hands, I tried to push away and I was successful. It felt like a gulf was between us and my spine straightened with the strength I had been seeking. But when I looked down there was barely an inch between us.

I should have kept my head down or turned and ran back into the bathroom. But my feet wouldn’t move. So, I held up my hands to push him away again but this time my fingers curled into his shoulders, pulling him down. When Jagger’s lips slid over mine, any fight I had was gone.

His fingers curled into my hair which made me do the same, but when he groaned, everything changed. I had forgotten why it was so important to stop him, to run away from him. As much as I feared it before, it all melted into a deep want.

But then he stopped. Jagger pulled away. I knew as he closed his eyes taking gulps of air, he was warring with himself, just as I had in the bathroom.

“I came back here to tell you something. And before this can go any further, I need to let it out.” His eyes opened and reality began to fall back into place.

“I’ve been thinking about what you said to me last night.”

“Jagger, you were in pain and I wanted to help you. Don’t worry about—”

“No.” He cupped my head and with a deep breath he continued, “I was in love.”

Tears were prickling at the corner of my eyes, and I didn’t know whether to push my lips back onto his or run back into the bathroom and lock the door.

“I had been falling for you from the first moment I met you, back in Vegas. Maybe that’s why I didn’t immediately track you down and get a divorce. The way you looked at me . . . it was different.”

He stood a little taller and swallowed. “I wasn’t the relationship type, and maybe women could sense that because I never had trouble finding a woman who wanted anything more from me than sex. And then you took my hand and we danced and you proposed.”

He chuckled before continuing, “And I wanted that. I think I was lonely at first but the more we talked, the more you wanted me. I told you my real name that night. I even mentioned a few things about my father. But nothing I said stopped you from gazing at me as if you only wanted to know even more about me. You saw me as fascinating, and I saw you as the best thing that could have ever happened to me.

“Please, whatever happens, know that I love you,” he said.

“I do. I love you,” I whispered kissing his cheeks and his neck and pulling at his shirt.

It didn’t take long for him to take his clothes off but it felt like forever. His fingers slipped between my legs after he pushed me back onto the bed and I wondered why we hadn’t done this the moment I walked out of the bathroom.

When his head slipped down until I could only see his shaggy brown hair, I gasped and prayed David was sound asleep. My mouth was going to wake him, I knew it. I pressed my teeth onto my fist, fighting Jagger’s tongue. That was his secret weapon.

That tongue, when it slipped and flicked my clit, while his fingers pumped into me, it had to be magic. Because I came. Was it seconds or minutes? I had no idea because time seemed to melt over on itself.

“I need you,” I said as I sat up and pulled his arm.

He grabbed his jeans and managed to find a condom. But he was taking too long. I pushed him back and ripped that foil apart like a pro, even though it had been a long time since I opened one.

When I rolled the latex over his dripping cock, I pushed my legs to either side of him, ready to mount. Jagger’s nails, as they gripped my hips, felt sharp and needy. I slowly eased my way onto him—rocking back and forth, inch by desperate inch.

Until I was lost. The sounds of grunts and skin slapping filled the air and I wondered if anything sounded sweeter. He captured my nipple in his mouth as I leaned forward. I thought it was all I needed until that sneaky spy slipped his finger down to brush my clit.

Over and over, his tongue, his finger, his thick cock. I was chasing some body-tingling wave and Jagger was helping.

He was really good at helping.

“I’m going to come,” Jagger said as he released my breast.

His finger faltered so I replaced it with my own. I watched him come undone as I let my climax roll over me. Jagger cursed his undoing, and I begged for only him.

I collapsed on top of him, our bodies slippery and spent.

Even as he was regaining his breath and I could still feel the tremors between my legs, he pulled me to the side, turning to kiss me. The kisses were lazy but bursting with serenity.

“I’m glad you came back.” My voice rough as I traced my fingers over his damp chest.

“I’m glad I married you,” he said.

My lips curled. “Well, now that I know you, I’m glad I married you too.”

He could hear the hesitation in my voice.

“Tiffany, you know I won’t ever let anything happen to you or your son. I’m afraid you are stuck with the most well-trained ninja at your side for as long as you’ll have me.”

He was right. Anything could happen to David or me. That was glaringly obvious when a week and a half ago someone attacked me in broad daylight. Jagger saved me. He stopped the guy so he couldn’t hurt anyone else.

I wanted a man that could protect my son, and well, it looks like I got my wish.

“Is that a promise?” I asked bringing my finger to his lips.

“It’s more than a promise. It’s a fact.”