Born Ready (12 page)

His limbs stiffened.

What was wrong?

Wrong?
How do you expect him to react?

Like a guy. Take her right now here on the bottom of the boat. Just as she hoped. Yeah. That’s what she wanted.

Stupid. You don’t have a condom. Why did you start this? You’re coming across as a sex-crazed lunatic—

And then his mouth came to life beneath hers. His tongue darting between her teeth like blushing wrasse—quick and stealthy. Stealing precious air from her lungs in hungry sucking gulps.

Okay, so it wasn’t the smoothest kiss ever, but man, was it potent. Full of lusty energy and the flavor of the sea. Salty. Fierce. Just what she needed.
Yeah, baby. Take me down.

Scott pulled her off her feet, pressed her hard against his body. He was aroused. No doubt about it. His erection poked insistently beneath his swim trunks. She tightened her arms around his neck, slackened her jaw. Gave him full access.

He kissed her hot and hard. Just like she wanted it. No hint of romance. All pure, hot sex.

Yes, yes.

His tongue was a thing of wonder. She had no idea that tongues even knew tricks like that. Stroking, gliding, tickling. She moved her pelvis against his, knocking him off balance. He tumbled back, but never let go, breaking her fall as they landed on the bottom of the boat with Jackie straddling him.

“Hurricane Jackie,” he croaked.

She leaned down to kiss him again, heedless of everything except her desire.

“Whoa, hold on.” He turned his head and her lips landed on his cheeks.

“What?” she gasped.

“Much as I want you, mermaid, this is neither the time nor the place.”

“Why not?”

“For one thing, anyone could motor by at a moment’s notice.”

“So?” she said. “That’s what makes it so exciting.”

He raised a palm. “I’m not a wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am kind of guy.”

“You can change your M.O. this once.”

“Sorry. I’m like a manatee. Slow and careful. For another thing, we have no protection.”

She groaned. He had her there.

“You don’t fool around. When you want something, you go for it.”

“Yeah, well.” She rolled off him, lay splayed on her back staring up at the white clouds puffing and swelling in the sky. “I’m coming to my senses. Thanks for putting the brakes on. The last thing we need is to have sex.”

“No, no.” He sounded alarmed. “That wasn’t the direction I meant for this to go.”

“Look, when you’re hanging out with me, you take it where you can get it, when you can get it.”

Scott’s expression ironed flat. “Am I with you, Jackie?”

She blew out her breath. “You’re here now. Let that be enough.”

He said nothing, but his eyes darkened.

Unsettled, her stomach listed. “What?”

“I think we could find a compromise in there somewhere, don’t you.”

“Nope.” She hopped to her feet, experiencing so many emotions at once that she felt claustrophobic. “You had your chance and you blew it.”

“You’re not serious.” Scott sat up.

She shrugged. “I am.”

“Hmm.”

“Hmm, what?”

“We’ll have to see about that. No one runs this hot and cold.”

“I’m not a woman who normally follows my impulses, so when I have them and I do follow them, it’s a one-shot deal. Now that I’ve had time to think this through I see what a really dumb idea this was.”

“Jackie,” he coaxed.

She blew out her breath. “What?”

“You’re playing games.”

She shook her head. “I’m not a game player.”

“Maybe not normally, but you are right now.” He pulled himself up on the bench seat. She couldn’t help noticing that he was still as hard as a steel rod.

“We can discuss this like rational adults.” He patted the seat beside him. “No freaking out required.”

“Fine.” She sat beside him. Crossed her legs. Forced herself not to look at his boner. “What do you want to talk about?”

“You. Me. This.”

“Do we really have to talk?”

“I want you. Clearly you can see that.”

“Um, yeah.”

“And from that kiss, I surmise that you want me, as well.”

“Wanted. I wanted you. It passed. I’m over it.”

“Your nipples are still as hard as pebbles. I can see them through your bikini top.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “Stop looking.”

“There’s nothing wrong with having sexual desires.”

“I never said there was.”

“What are you so afraid of?”

“Complications. I don’t do complications. I’m a single-minded grad student.”

“It doesn’t have to be complicated.”

She raised an eyebrow. “No?”

“You’re surprised?”

“You just seem like the kind of guy who needs to take care of a woman. I don’t want to be taken care of. Other than in a sexual way.”

“Jackie Birchard.” He held out his hand. “I’d love to dive down to the bottom of the sexual sea with you.”

“That’s it? Nothing more?”

“Nothing more.”

“You won’t try to take care of me?”

“Promise.” He kept his hand extended. “Hot sex. No strings attached, if that’s what you want. Agreed?”

“No strings attached,” she echoed, sank her hands into his, feeling as if she’d gotten a great deal for a rock-bottom price.

WHAT HAD HE AGREED TO?

As Scott drove the boat to the Dry Tortugas, where he’d planned to spread out the picnic lunch he’d prepared for their outing, he couldn’t help feeling like he’d stepped off a high-diving board and was tumbling to the bottom of an endless sea. What was it about Jackie that pulled him down into a headlong descent?

From his position behind the wheel, he sneaked a glance over at her.

She sat on the bench seat beside him, her head thrown back, her eyes closed, gorgeous face upturned to catch the wind. Her long damp hair whipped wildly in the air. A faint smile tipped the corners of her mouth. She looked completely happy.

Mermaid.

His ravenous gaze traveled from her face down the column of her long, slender neck to the hollow of her throat. He could see her pulse beating strong and steady. He moistened his lips. His tongue still tingled from the heady taste of her. Salt and sea. It was his favorite flavor. He’d finally found a woman who loved the sea as much as he did. Maybe more. And he’d just vowed to keep their relationship strictly sexual.

So what’s the problem?

His gaze tracked lower, took in the gentle swell of her breasts beneath the functional black bikini. It wasn’t a particularly sexy swimsuit, but in Scott’s eyes she couldn’t have looked more like a pinup queen. Sweat popped out on his forehead and it wasn’t from the heat. The day was pleasant. Warm, but not hot. He brushed the back of his hand over his brow.

Jackie shifted, her lithe body moving.

Oh, hell. What had he gotten himself into?

Her flat, taut belly had him wanting to spread the picnic over her skin and nibble it off.

Pervert.

Yes. He was. His mind filled with images of all the things they could do with the food in the picnic basket. He imagined pouring champagne into the delicious scoop of a navel and then dipping fresh strawberries into it.

Bam!

His boner was back with a vengeance.

He thought about the way she’d come at him earlier. Kissing him with such passion that she’d knocked him on his ass. The woman was a hurricane. She might be smart and keep herself isolated behind a wall of books and knowledge, but she had a wild streak that he was just itching to explore.

“Are you still making love to me with your eyes?” she asked lazily, her own eyes closed.

“How…” His voice cracked. “D-did you know?”

“Please. You’re a man. I’m a half-naked woman. You do the math.”

“You’re not timid about sex.”

She arched her back. “What’s to be timid about? Sex is sex. As long as you don’t mistake it for something else, there’s nothing to be scared of.”

Yeah, see, that was the thing. Scott could visualize this being about far more than just sex. At least for him.

Then for hell’s sakes, Everly, don’t make love to her.

But six months celibate, he was hurting so badly that he could barely think.

Jackie opened one eye and studied him. “You look pale.”

“Me?” He bluffed. “I’m fine.”

“You sure?” A sly smile crinkled her eyes.

She was so enticing. “Jackie…”

“Having second thoughts?”

“No.” He rushed to assure her. The thought that she’d withdraw her offer of an affair scared him more than the no-strings-attached option. He could do this. He just had to have the right mindset. Three years ago he would have celebrated finding a woman who had no expectations from him beyond lots of orgasms. So why was he feeling conflicted now? What was it about her that scared him?

Because you’ve never met a woman who intrigues you, challenges you and stirs you all at the same time.

Okay, he would admit she was special. Anyone could see that. And the fact that he’d managed to break through at least the edge of her crusty outer shell was an accomplishment. He did not have to have feelings for her beyond sex.

Sex. Yeah.

Problem was, as long as they didn’t make love, he could walk away unscathed. But Scott knew himself. It wasn’t until after he’d done the deed with a woman those lusty feelings could turn tender.

“About this no-strings-attached thing,” he murmured.

“Changing your mind?” She sounded disappointed. Both of her perceptive blue eyes were on him now. Staring straight through him as if she knew everything he was thinking.

“No, no.” His penis would never forgive him if he turned back when he had such a gorgeous, willing woman on his boat. “Not backtracking.”

“What is it then?”

“Shouldn’t we lay down some ground rules to…” He hesitated. He didn’t want to sound like an ass. “Um…prevent hurt feelings?”

She sat up, caught sight of his boner, smiled smugly.

Yes, yes, you’ve reduced me to my most basic instincts. Proud of yourself?

“That’s sweet,” she said. “But don’t worry. I’m not going to fall for you.”

That hurt his feelings a bit. “I was just worried about you.”

“Worried that I’d fall in love with you?” She snorted.

“No one said anything about love,” he retorted hastily. “But when things get intimate, people can sometimes feel possessive.”

She shrugged. “Not me.”

“Not ever?” He found that hard to believe.

“Nope,” she said mildly. “But if ground rules make you feel better, then sure, why not. I’m fine with it. What do you have in mind?”

“I’m thinking no spending the night with each other. That can lead to increased intimacy.”

“No problem. I get that. No spooning, no cuddling, no spending the entire night.”

“Exactly.”

She seemed unfazed by his condition. “Anything else?”

“Can we date other people?”

“Of course.”

“No long, deep intimate conversations.”

“No worries there on my part.”