The next day, Jill got to work a little earlier than normal hoping to beat any other employees and wanting to see Owen.
To see how he reacted around her.
To see if he was different or maybe...more.
She’d given herself one hell of a pep talk this morning that she was stronger than she was before. That she didn’t need a man in her life and she didn’t need one to make her happy.
Sure, Owen made her happy when he was around, but she was telling herself that maybe she needed to dial it back a touch.
In her mind, they’d had a fabulous night, and she’d thought he felt the same way. So then why not at least text her last night to let her know that it was as special for him as it was to her?
Saying it to her face, in the heat of the moment...that was all fine and dandy. But the morning after...that was the moment of truth.
She was telling herself he wasn’t using her. Unfortunately, it was hard to get beyond that this morning when he’d failed in her eyes the day before.
When she pulled into the parking lot, she only saw his SUV. Good, they might have a moment to talk, if he even made an attempt to.
She walked down the hall and past his office, turning her head to look in, trying to play it cool. Trying to play it sophisticated.
She’d like to think he sensed it was her walking by since he was looking in the hallway already.
“Hey,” he said, moving his hands around his head in a silent way, asking if anyone was around.
She strutted forward like the confident woman she was trying to be.
“I was the second car here. I think it’s just us,” she said, desperately wanting to lean in and give him a kiss. Not that she would, because even though he wasn’t acting frigid toward her, he wasn’t exactly sending her a charming smile that warmed up her blood.
He didn’t seem like the same man that blew her mind with fantastic sex Saturday night either.
“I’m sorry I didn’t call or text you yesterday. When I got to my parents’, Luke was lying on the couch running a fever. I don’t know why my mother didn’t call me.”
“Is he okay?” See, she’d totally overreacted. Typical of her.
“No fever this morning, but he had a bellyache. I figured it was best to keep him home for the day. I’m hoping to get out of here early or finish anything I need to do so I can leave.”
She took a risk and walked closer, putting her hand on his shoulder, and when he laid his larger one on hers quickly, it was enough for now. “Let me know how he’s doing.”
She jumped a few feet away from him when they heard voices, then walked to the doorway, looked around, didn’t see anyone and skirted out fast.
The next three weeks were much of the same and she was trying not to be hurt over it. They’d been on a whopping two more dates. One because his sister Lacy took Luke bowling with Sadie and gave Owen a few hours alone. She was touched he’d called her right away and asked if she was available. That maybe that was his first thought when he could have used the time to get something done without interruption around the house.
She was ready, willing, and able, and those two hours spent rolling around on her bed had been so worth it. She was trying to tell herself to not look for more, even though she wanted it so badly.
That maybe she was showing her cards too soon or being too accommodating for him. That maybe she should have said, “No, I’ve got plans, don’t think I’ll jump when you want it.”
The second date had been for lunch, which of course meant they had to keep their hands to themselves. She was surprised he’d even suggested it a few days ago, but she guessed he knew she was a little miffed about the way things were going.
Not that she’d be upfront and tell him that because that would be a clingy girlfriend and she vowed never to be that again.
They never went more than two nights without talking on the phone, even if it was only for five minutes. That was something at least.
But now it was Black Friday and they both had the day off with plans to spend some time together. He’d told his mother he was trying to get some Christmas shopping done but wanted to see her too. She supposed she should be flattered she was part of it, or at least that he was willing to fib to his mother in order to get away.
If she was annoyed it was still a secret, she kept it to herself and reminded herself he’d said slow. This was definitely slow.
He knocked on her door a little earlier than she expected. It wasn’t even noon and he’d said closer to one. “Hey. Everything okay?”
“Yeah. I was just anxious to get out and see you.”
It was statements like that that eased her annoyance of their situation and reminded her that she needed to chill out and stop being so insecure.
“I’m glad. I’ve been waiting for you too. Did you want to go out and get some lunch, or maybe order in?”
He reached for her quickly, his hands cupping her cheeks, then lowered his mouth to hers. “I’d rather stay in and just spend some time together. Pick a place that delivers and it works for me,” he said.
“How about pizza?” she asked, wondering how she was able to form that thought with his mouth moving all over her neck. She was so weak when she told herself she needed to be strong, but who knew the man had lips on him that turned her legs to Slinkies. “Does that work?”
“You work,” he said, picking her up and starting toward her room. Yep, there were those words again that told her he really did care…in his own way.
“The couch,” she said. “I can’t wait.”
He laughed and moved one foot to her couch. “It’s not that far to your bed, but I can make any piece of furniture work.”
When he went to lay her on the couch, she stood back up and nudged him down. “I’m thinking I’m hungry right now,” she said, her eyes and hands going right to the button and zipper of his jeans. “Are you good with that?”
He nodded his head and if she wasn’t mistaken he might be holding his breath a little. Imagine that. He could probably have any woman he wanted and yet he was spending the little time he had with her. She was going to put all that self-doubt aside and show him that she appreciated what she could get for now.
Her hands made quick work of freeing him, then stroking him, and dipping her head down and tasting. He was all male and so much for her.
He slid down a bit more giving her better access and she took advantage of it, lowering her mouth and going to work. Gliding up and down, licking and sucking, nibbling and making him jerk.
It was a powerful feeling to know she could do this to him. That she could bring him to a point where his legs were shaking like he was standing at the top edge of the Empire State Building looking down with the wind blowing and no harness on.
“Jill,” he said, his voice harsh. “You need to know I’m pretty close.”
“Good to know,” she said. “I’m going to get you even closer then.”
It was sweet he warned her, but she wouldn’t have started this if she didn’t plan on finishing it. Her hands were nice and slick from her mouth and she put them to work just as fast as her lips and her tongue.
In the deep recesses of her mind, she heard his breathing increase, his hand going into her hair and setting a nice pace that she had no problem keeping up with. If he was going to fall off the edge, she was going to be the one to send him on that journey.
He was tensing, he was right there, and she wasn’t about to stop, not until she heard him shout her name out, proving that he really could lose control like she’d been doing all along with him.
When that moment came, when he let himself go, she knew that he understood what she felt when they were together and would know that she was putting him first.
She sat back on her heels and looked at his face. There was a days growth of beard making him almost look rakish. His eyes were shut, his head back and his chest rising and falling.
“You look like you just ran a marathon, which is funny since I did all the work.”
He opened one eye and smiled at her...part tender and part something else she’d never seen before from him. She wanted to ask what he was feeling, what he was thinking, but she knew better than to do that right now.
Sometimes when you asked questions you had to be prepared for answers that you might not want to hear. She put too much of herself out there already, best to let it go.
He reached for her quicker than she thought possible and ended up shrieking when he tossed her on her back on the couch, then was rapidly lowering her jeans and pulling them off.
“Payback time,” he said, smirking at her. Talk about a sexy look. About a promise. About something she was dying to see the end results of.
There was no chance to say anything once he put his mouth to her. He knew what to touch, what to taste, and how to send her so far and so fast over the realm of reality, that all her doubts were lost while he showed her he could make her lose control so much faster.
That he could make her fall off the ledge like him, no harness, no control, no parachute to slow her down. Just him there with her, letting her know she wasn’t alone.