Jason watched her stir next to him, her skin radiant in the moonlight filtering through the bedroom window. If anyone told him a week ago, he’d be married, have a son, and be totally enamored by his wife, he would’ve laughed. He would’ve placed a bet on it, in fact, because the chance would’ve been nil to none. But he’d not counted on meeting Jessica Addison.
His eyes followed the graceful incline of her
thighs to the exposed smooth curve of hip that narrowed fluidly and dipped to a
slender and taut waistline.
The dark blue satin sheet was draped seductively
across the flawless flesh of her stomach, and he drew deeply as his gaze swept
her partially covered breasts. He wanted her again, to hear her sob with
pleasure and feel her tremble against him. To know she wanted him as much as he
wanted her.
He steeled himself against the overwhelming
desire to touch her and kiss her parted lips.
His father was behind Tom’s death. He was tying
up loose ends, reminding him he could get to Jessica whenever and wherever he
wanted. His marriage to her had indeed prompted the desired effect. It’d forced
his father’s hand, yet he wasn’t wholly prepared for the consequences.
Then, there was Detective Inspector Drew Mahon’s
dogged determination to see him behind bars for literally just being his
father’s son.
Jason reached to brush away the silky errant
strand covering Jess’ face. Her eyes opened directly into his.
“You’re here. I was afraid I’d dreamed this.”
He dipped his head and brushed his lips lightly
across hers. “It was no dream. I’m here.”
She touched a finger to his brow and smoothed
the skin there. “What’s the matter?”
His fingers gently skimmed the smooth contour of
a partially exposed breast. “There’s something I need to tell you, Jessica,
about me. About my father.”
“Can’t it wait?”
“No.”
She shook her head, placing her fingers against
his lips. “Give me this night for us. Please.” She smiled sadly. “Let me hate
you tomorrow if I must.”
“I want you to know it was never my intention to
hurt you, Jessica.”
“I know,” she whispered. Her eyes shone bright
with her tears. “But you’re going to do it anyway and destroy us when we’ve
only just begun. I thought tonight meant something to you.”
“It does. You know it does.”
Jess turned from him. “Couldn’t you have grown a
conscience before we had sex?”
He gently drew her back to face him. “We didn’t
have sex. We made love.”
“Is there a difference then?”
“Yes,” he said, pushing a knee gently between
hers. “Someday, I’ll show you the difference.”
He kissed her and pulled her close as he felt
her fear and tasted her tears. “I’ll move heaven and earth to make it right
again between us.”
“And if you can’t?”
“I just want you to give me the chance, Jessica.
Promise me.” She nodded. “No. Say it. I want to hear you say it.”
“I promise,” she said, parting her thighs and
welcoming him into the moist warmth of her body with the fierceness of his own
possession. “Whatever it is, make me understand,” she whispered. “Make me
listen.”