Eve Vaughn

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Copyright ©2008

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ISBN: 978-1-59596-667-4

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Sydney didn’t need to turn around to see who’d entered her bedroom. She’d become so in tune with Jack over the past weeks she could feel his presence without having visual contact with him.

“You were quiet over dinner tonight.” Jack closed the door behind him and the loud click which followed indicated he’d locked it.

As he drew closer, her breath came out in quick stilted bursts. She found it disconcerting how easily he affected her by simply being close. Jack dropped his hands on her shoulders and nuzzled the side of her neck.

With a sigh, she leaned against the hard wall of his six foot three frame, but kept her eyes on the starry sky outside the window. “I guess I had a lot on my mind,” Sydney finally answered.

“You must, otherwise, you would have yelled at me for not knocking as you normally do.”

A small smile tugged the corners of her lips. He was right. Jack was capable of taking her through many emotions all at once: anger, annoyance, happiness, jealousy, and pure unadulterated lust. Sydney prided herself on being able to control her emotions in most situations, but Jack made that impossible. Her uncertainty of how she felt for him often made her lash out when there was no cause for it and she wanted to hate him for it, but she couldn’t.

He kneaded the tense knot in the back of her neck. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Her head lolled bonelessly back and forth. “Mmm, that feels wonderful. Don’t stop. You have magic hands.”

6

Jack gripped her shoulders and turned Sydney around to face him. “You’re avoiding my question. You might feel better if you get it off your chest.” How could she tell him, even though they were going to partake in what would probably be the most important meeting of their lives tomorrow morning, all she could think about was how he made her feel? She didn’t think she was ready to let him know how much he’d gotten under her skin. “It’s nothing. I guess I’m anxious about the summit. It’s one thing to create a plan, but it’s quite another to act on it.”

“I know what you mean. If the other groups come to an agreement…” She closed her eyes against the implication of his statement. Not long ago she’d had a comfortable life and was starting a new job which she thought would get her places. Unfortunately, Sydney hadn’t known the place would be here on the outskirts of the city, or that she’d be labeled a criminal because of it. “Then it’s war.” Jack nodded with a grimace. From the concern she saw etched on his chiseled face he was worried about what would happen as well, but Sydney knew he wouldn’t admit it. He was the type of man to suffer in silence while remaining strong for those in his charge. It was a trait she admired in him. “It’s quite possible we could lose some men, but it’s the price of freedom.”

She nibbled her bottom lip for a brief moment, her mind processing this inevitability. “You’re right. If we don’t act now, there’s no telling what the Cyrellians will do next. According to Dar, they were outlawed from his galaxy years ago for exploiting planets in the guise of helping them, as they have with Earth. The only difference is, Earth is the only planet with intelligent life in the Milky Way. We don’t have the advantage of being surrounded by neighboring planets with inhabitants to warn us.”

“Exactly. We were the perfect targets for them. Dar mentioned he’d heard about their attempt to blow up another planet in a different galaxy. That leads me to believe they’ll try the same with us once they’ve taken all they can from us.”

“You do realize there’ll be a lot of opposition. Some people may not be ready to hear the truth about the so-called saviors. I’m a prime example. When Holly tried to

7

dissuade me from taking the job at Cryo Cor, I wouldn’t listen, because at the time I believed the Cyrellians to be good guys.”

“Probably not, but with the help of the pictures Holly took of them loading bodies and jewels and other material onto their spaceship, people may realize they’re not all they seem. I’m sure there are those who already have their suspicions but are too afraid to voice them.”

“So what do you plan to do with these pictures?”

“We’ll send a team out with Holly’s digiamara and upload the photos to the network in the city. People will have to draw their own conclusions but at least it could garner some much needed allies.” Jack brushed her cheek with the back of his knuckles.

“We’ll have plenty of time to discuss that tomorrow. I’d much rather you tell me what you’re really thinking about,” he said gently.

Heat flamed her cheeks at how easily he could see through her. Sydney turned away from his perceptive gaze. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Jack grasped her chin, forcing her to look at him. “Sydney, you’re an awful liar.”

“I’m not --”

He dropped a kiss on the tip of her nose. “When you lie, that adorable nose of yours wiggles.”

Sydney’s hands flew to her face. “No, it doesn’t.” Jack threw back his head and released a loud belly laugh. The sound was so rich and masculine it sent a secret thrill down her spine. “Yes, it does.” His obsidian eye twinkled in his merriment. “Won’t you please tell me what’s obviously bothering you?

You’ve barely said two words most of the day, and even now you have this forlorn expression on your face. I know we have a daunting task ahead of us, but I sense there’s more.”

She shook her head, scared to reveal her feelings to him.

Jack took Sydney by the hand and led her to the bed. Unexpectedly, he sat down, pulled her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her. “I’m not letting you go until you really tell me what’s going on.”

8

Despite the heaviness within her heart, Sydney laughed. “You’re a pain in the ass, did you know that?”

Jack brushed his lips against hers. “But you love it. Admit it, Sydney.”

“I admit nothing.”

“Okay. If you have the time to sit here all night then so do I.” By the determined expression etched in every line in his face, Sydney knew he meant what he said. “Everything is just so overwhelming,” she blurted out.

“What is? Us?”

She nodded. “I know we decided we’d explore our feelings for each other. But everything seems to be happening so fast and too soon.”

“I see. I thought we had a pretty good thing going.” He actually sounded hurt, and it hadn’t been her intention to do that to him, but Jack was the one who’d forced her to tell him what she was thinking. Now she wished she’d kept her thoughts to herself. “It seems all we do is fuck, but while no one has ever been able to tap into my sexuality quite the way you have, I don’t think I’m any closer to figuring out how I feel for you.”

“I see.”

“Please don’t take it the wrong way, because it’s not my intention to hurt your feelings, but I think the sex is confusing the issue.”

“The sex is pretty damn earth-shattering if you ask me,” he muttered.

Sydney nodded. “I can’t argue with that, but it also makes it difficult for me to think straight. I want to get to know you outside of the bedroom.”

“What do you want to learn about me? I’ll tell you.”

“It isn’t that simple, Jack.”

“You’re wrong, Sydney. It is that easy if you let it be. I think you’re complicating the issue more than it has to be. I’ve had reservations as well, but when I think about the danger ahead of us and losing the opportunity of telling you how I feel, that scares me a hell of a lot more. You infuriate me to no end, but I look forward to seeing you every day. My feelings for you must be strong. Otherwise, why would I rather argue

9

with you than not be around you at all? Sydney, I know you feel it too. I see it in the way you look at me when you don’t think I’m looking, and how you touch me, kiss me.

Admit it.”

Sydney wanted desperately to agree with him and push aside all her doubts, but fear kept the words stuck in her throat. She couldn’t meet his gaze if her life depended on it.

“Look at me, Sydney,” he whispered against her ear.

She shook her head.

Jack didn’t seem ready to accept defeat. He pressed his lips against the side of her neck, sending a jolt of pure passion racing up her spine. “Look at me.” Sydney forced herself to raise her head. “There. Are you satisfied?”

“Not really, because I don’t understand why you’re fighting so hard. I believed you wanted us to happen. Why are you getting cold feet all of a sudden?”

“I don’t know. Maybe I’m scared this won’t last, that I’ll get so caught up in you I won’t be able to tell if I’m coming or going. What’s worse, if I let myself fall for you completely, something will happen.”

“Like what?”

“Perhaps you would stop caring for me.”

“Maybe I will, but I can say the same thing about you. But I’d rather find out firsthand than wonder what if.”

“You’re probably right, but I think we should slow down a little. Get to know each other better without sex.”

Jack scowled, his eyebrows flying together. “No sex? Are you serious?”

“Yes. I think sex only clouds the issue. Let’s give you and me a chance without it hanging over our heads.”

“Like hell I will.” He shifted her off his lap and stood to pace across the room.

“You’re asking for a lot, Sydney.”

“Why? Don’t you want to make this work? Or are you too scared to find out where this is going? Maybe all we have is sex and that’s what I want to find out. I need

10

to know for sure this could be a viable relationship without us constantly falling into each other’s arms.”

Jack didn’t look happy at all. In fact he was pissed. Anger seemed to radiate from his every pore and he clenched and unclenched his fists as if he wanted to hit something. Though Sydney instinctively knew he wouldn’t, she could tell by the expression on his face he was probably thinking of strangling her.

She was willing to stand her ground however.

“So you want things to remain strictly platonic between us?” She shook her head. “That isn’t what I’m saying. Just no sex, so we can explore other aspects of the relationship.”

His nostrils flared and the muscle in his jaw twitched, underlining his annoyance. “Fine,” he bit out. “I’ll agree to this, but only for two weeks. After that all bets are off.”

“Make it four.”

“Three.”

Sydney wasn’t sure if that would be enough time, but it was better than none at all. “Okay, you have a deal.”

“I have one more condition.”

“What’s that?”

“I think we should have one more night together before you impose this sentence of abstinence on the both of us.”

“Can’t we just talk?”

Jack stalked toward the bed and pushed her down on it before falling on top of her. “We can talk afterward,” he groaned before covering her mouth with his.

She should have protested, but like always, whenever he touched her, Sydney’s body burst into flames. The press of his hard body against hers was enough to send her senses into a tailspin. She reveled in Jack’s strength and masculinity. Sydney pushed her tongue forward to meet his, circling and dancing with it.

11

The taste of his was titillating, reminding her of mint and fine wine. Her pussy tingled with the need to have his long, fat cock stretching its walls to their limits. Lifting her hips to grind her pelvis against him, Sydney dug her fingers through his long silky locks, deepening their kiss.

She couldn’t get enough of him.

It was Jack who finally turned his head away with a chuckle full of masculine pride. “Easy, honey. We have the rest of the night. You see? We’re already compatible in one area.”

“Don’t ruin the moment by talking.”

“That’s fine with me, babe, because I can think of better uses for my mouth at the moment, like this.” He pressed a light kiss in the hollow of her neck.

Sydney gasped at the gentle contact.

“Or this.” He brushed his lips against her jaw line and began to unbutton her shirt. “And this.” Another butterfly kiss followed, this time between the valley of her breasts.

Sydney shivered with her uncontrollable need for this man. She arched her back, offering herself to his questing mouth as he pushed her shirt completely aside. “Jack,” she moaned.

“Mmm, you’re not wearing a bra. I like that.”

“What’s the point of me wearing one when you’re just going to take it off anyway? I thought we decided on less talking.”

“Oh yes. I can certainly get behind that.” He brushed his thumb over one nipple, caressing it to a hardened tip. Jack replaced the digit with his mouth, suckling on her with fervent tugs. He raked his teeth against her nipple, teasing her until she was insane with lust.

Sydney writhed and wiggled beneath him, unable to keep still. Desperate to feel his bare skin beneath her fingertips, she grabbed his shirt and pulled it from inside his waistband. She ran her fingertips up and down his tight, hard back, but it wasn’t enough. She wanted more. Craved it.

12

With practiced ease, he removed the remainder of her clothing and tossed it aside. She shivered under the heat of his stare. Jack had a way of looking at her with such an intensity it almost felt like he was actually touching her when he really wasn’t.

She moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue.

Jack groaned. “When you do that, it drives me wild.” A grin split her face. “Does it really?”

“You know it does. I think you do it on purpose.”

“You can’t prove it.” She poked her tongue out at him.

“No, but I can fuck you until you beg for mercy.”

“Promises, promises.”

He raised one dark brow. “Tease me, will you?” Jack grasped Sydney by the hips and rolled onto his back, pulling her on top of him. “Now you can do it properly.” His smile was wide.

Sydney stifled a giggle. “I’ll see what I can do.” She unbuttoned his shirt with shaking hands. Her gaze roamed the broad expanse of his chest, from the toned pectoral muscles to the ripples and valleys of his tight abdomen. Not only was his body drool inducing, but he had the kind of features that would make people look twice, from the fine structure of his jaw line to the straight, hawk-like nose and his well-shaped, sensual lips. The eye patch he wore over his left eye gave him a dangerous appeal most women would find intriguing, herself included. He was so perfect in form and shape he seemed almost too good to be true.