Falling Star (16 page)

"Don't be such a smart-ass."

Both sets of feet came closer to the door, and Jade stood up. She didn't know who she would be meeting, but the African-American man in a dark suit that followed Adam filled the doorway, blocking the light from behind. Not an ounce of fat, this man was probably three hundred pounds of pure muscle.

Adam introduced her to Tyrell Jackson, his
Close Protection Officer
. Jade raised an eyebrow, and vowed to Google that when she got home.

"Good to finally meet you, Miss Graham. I was beginning to get a complex when Nash kept you from us."

Jade smiled at Adam, who scowled at Tyrell's words. "Please, call me Jade. I'm pleased to meet you too." Her hand was dwarfed by his. Tyrell's bicep was as big around as her thigh.

"Did he drive like a madman and make you sick?"

Adam put his arm around her, pulling her close.

"No, Adam is a perfect gentleman." She smiled up at him.

Tyrell gave Adam a long look. "I thought you said you told her everything. What's this 'gentleman' crap?"

"Don't I pay you to keep your mouth shut?"

Tyrell turned serious. "We've got eight 'lookie-loos' at the car. We'd better get moving before they multiply. I'll take her up first, then maybe they'll disperse."

"Right." Adam turned to Jade, and kissed her on the cheek. "Are you ready for this?"

"We're just going to the car, right?" Jade wasn't sure she was ready to leave Adam on the boat. He handed her the sunglasses and then her duffle bag. "Yeah, but you'll have to carry this yourself, Tyrell needs his hands free, and…well…so will I. You go with him. I'll be right behind you."

She followed Tyrell, but not without a long look behind her. Adam smiled encouragingly, with a hint of pride behind his eyes.

Tyrell scanned the dock, then took her elbow in a grip that told her he was in charge. "Down the dock, turn right, we take the first staircase up to the parking lot, okay?"

"Okay." Adam wasn't kidding. His life was a lot different than the average person. She'd never been escorted to her car. Tyrell didn't say another word as he closely followed her, their footsteps clacked on the wooden boardwalk. She didn't have to ask which car. As she reached the top of the cement stairs, she saw the long black limousine with a small crowd facing it. A tall suited man stood by the rear door, obviously waiting for Tyrell and his charge, and ignoring the mob. He wore dark glasses like Tyrell and Adam, and the parts of his long face that showed were expressionless.

"Don't say anything. Just get in the car. They won't be able to see you from the outside, no matter what they do. Feel free to make faces at them, or flip them off if that's your style."

Jade wasn't sure how Tyrell spoke in a voice that went beneath any other sound, almost like he spoke directly into her ear.

Tyrell gave the driver a nod, and took her duffle bag from her. The driver opened the door for her, and Jade was glad she had her sunglasses to hide behind as she walked through the small crowd.

"Who is she?" one man asked.

"She's that lady on the news."

"News ladies don't have limos," a woman chided.

She sat down in a seat that would put her back to the crowd, and the door closed firmly behind her, muting any other discussion about her fame. The driver moved in front of the door, and Tyrell put her duffle in the trunk before retracing his steps down toward the
Aquadesiac.

Jade peeked over her shoulder, and from around the driver she saw the crowd craning their necks to see inside. One couple walked away, obviously disappointed that Jade wasn't important.

Inside the car was nice and cool. Like a little kid, she took advantage of her first time in a limousine to look around for gadgets. She ran her hand across the tan leather seats, as soft as a baby's bottom. An oak roll top covered something to her right, taking up the entire rear, but she didn't have the nerve to scoot down there and open it for a peek. There was a small bench seat up against the interior window, and the seat she sat on ran perpendicular to that, facing a long window. It was luxurious, but not so much that she felt overwhelmed. Maybe she could get used to this.

There was a disturbance behind her, excited chatter from the crowd, and even a feminine squeal. Jade turned in her seat to look through the window that the driver wasn't blocking.

Adam and Tyrell barely cleared the steps, before they were surrounded. Jade watched, not quite believing that the man causing such a stir was the same man who shared intimate hours with her.

He signed autographs, smiling and chatting the whole time, even while Tyrell scowled, his gaze sweeping the area, and keeping Adam within reach. The last woman, who all but fell out of her bikini, offered her ample bosom for his signature, and when he was finished, she grabbed his head and kissed him full on the mouth.

Jade bristled, and waited for Adam to push her away. When he didn't, she looked to Tyrell. Finally, Adam lifted his head away from the buxom woman and they again walked toward the car, amidst cell phones shoved in his face and shouted declarations of biggest-fan status.

The car door opened, and Adam crawled in and plopped down beside her, but not before she heard someone ask, "Who's the new lady Adam?"

As soon as the door closed, he took off his sunglasses and grinned at her. The grin disappeared quickly though, when he saw her frown. "Was it that bad?"

"You have lipstick all over your mouth." She folded her arms across her chest.

In typical male fashion, he lifted the hem of his tee shirt to wipe his mouth. "Did I get it?"

"You kissed that woman!" Jade glowered.

"No I didn't. She kissed me. There's a difference. And then I walked away," Adam said seriously, giving his mouth another swipe. "Did they bother you?"

Jade waited for him to clean the rest of that woman's lipstick away before she unclenched her teeth. "No. They decided I wasn't important."

Adam took her hand, and the car backed out of the parking spot. "That's why we sent you ahead. Until your face is plastered on the news, they won't bother you much."

"Hmm, I wonder if I'll have men throwing themselves at my feet." She wasn't going to let it go, even though he was right. It wasn't as if he participated.

"Maybe if you walked with me they'd lay off." He nudged her with his elbow.

Jade could see herself walking hand in hand with Adam, and could even see herself scratching the eyes out of Big Boob Lady, which made her feel a little better.

"Mind if we have dinner at my place? Elaine apparently made some big feast for us."

Jade glanced down at her faded denim shorts and sleeveless camp shirt. "I'm not really dressed for dinner."

"We can run by your house, I thought we'd invite Dean." He kissed the back of her hand. "Unless you're ready to get rid of me."

"Not quite yet." She brushed up against him.

By the time the car pulled into her driveway, Jade's lips were wonderfully sore. She couldn't remember ever enjoying simply kissing a man.

Tyrell opened the door, and Adam led the way to her porch. Jade noticed Tyrell stood by the car, and the driver sat behind the wheel. She wasn't sure of the protocol or she would have invited them both inside.

"Dean? I'm back." When he didn't answer, Jade walked through the house and out back to the greenhouse. Dean had his earphones in as he sprinkled some of the more thirsty plants with an extra shot from the hose. He saw her and put the hose away.

"Hey, beautiful. I wasn't expecting you for a few hours." He kissed her cheek, then offered his hand to Adam.

"Adam said there was a storm coming, so we came back a little early. I got to drive," she boasted.

Dean narrowed his eyes. "So did everything…come out all right?" He gave Adam a pointed look.

"Everything came out. Eventually all right." Adam pulled Jade into his arms, and looked down at her meaningfully.

"That's good. Saves me an ass-whipping."

"That's what you think." Jade stuck her tongue out at her roommate. "I can always get you in your sleep. But for now I'm changing into something more suitable for dinner at Adam's. Want to join us?"

"Really?" Dean's brown eyes lit up. "That sounds great. I'd just planned on a bowl of Cap'n Crunch."

Adam and Dean talked boats, and Jade hurried through a shower, knowing Adam's employees were waiting on them.

While Dean showered, Adam sat on Jade's bed, watching her dress.

"I liked it better when you ate dinner in your bikini."

"You don't like my dress?" It wasn't anything fancy, just the little black staple to every woman's wardrobe. This one was backless, so she had to forsake a bra. She finished pinning her hair up, keeping one eye on his hungry expression through his reflection in her mirror.

"I love your dress. Come here."

She put her hands on her hips and sauntered over, deliberately taking her time. When she stood between his knees, his hands immediately went to the hem of her skirt, then skimmed up her bare thighs. "Your tan got darker over the weekend."

"I did spend a lot of time in my bikini."

"And a fair amount of time out of it."

She held on to his shoulders, loving his touch. His thumbs met at her inner thighs, and slipped beneath her panties to discover her moist center. When they joined forces to send a jolt of pleasure from her clit straight to her heart, she almost crumpled onto the ground.

"How do you feel about playing with toys?"

She couldn't think very clearly. "You mean like—"

"Vibrators, dildos…do you have any of those?" One thumb pressed tantalizing circles on her clit, the other slipped inside her folds.

"Oh! Adam…"

"Do you?"

"Yes…Adam…hmm…"

"I want to play with you. I want to buy you something, just for me to use on you. Would you let me?" His words were hot and moist on her cleavage.

"I would love that."

"You're beautiful when you come Jade. Your face gets a rosy flush, and the way your eyes almost close, but you still watch me…and when your lips are swollen and wet from my kisses? God, you have no idea how hot you are." He slipped two fingers inside her, and left his thumb to tease her erect nubbin.

Jade moved her feet apart, giving him room, but he was still hindered by her underwear. She laid her cheek against his, and breathed in his scent, now mingled with the salty air from the ocean. His shoulders were so muscular and hard, she held on to them for dear life.

"You're better than my toy," she whispered.

Apparently fed up with fighting his way around her undies, he hooked his fingers under the waistband, and dragged them down, and Jade stepped free, then put one knee next to his hip on the bed. Adam's long fingers played with her, discovering every dip and fold of her sex. She curled her arms around his head, and held his face to her breasts. She buried her own mouth in his hair. Her hips moved in a pagan dance against his hands until he stopped her with a tight grip on one thigh.

"Hold still. I don't want to mess you up. You look beautiful. You smell great."

With her last rational thought, she was able to whisper, "I don't have any protection."

"This is all I want right now. To feel your pleasure in my hands. Let it go Jade. Relax and come for me."

His soothing voice did it for her. The same voice that seduced millions upon millions of radio listeners, put Jade over the edge of sexual sanity. With two fingers stroking deep inside her, and two others giving a talented dance on her clit, Jade came in an undulating release.

"Oh yeah. That's it. That's beautiful baby." His slow strokes sent tiny tremors swimming upstream through the intense contractions working their way down from her womb.

"Mm, not very fair to you though," she panted against him.

"You can make it up to me later. I don't mind waiting."

Jade backed a step away. "Oh God, your car is outside…"

"I sent them on home. Dean said he'd drive."

She bent down to retrieve her underwear, but he took them out of her hand, and stuffed them in the front pocket of his shorts.

"Give those back!"

"Nope. You're going without tonight. Besides, I need a souvenir."

Did he know about his tee shirt in her duffle bag? "I can't go without underwear!"

"Why not? I'll be the only one who knows, and I won't risk my reputation as a gentleman by telling anyone." He stood, and lifted her chin, running his thumb across the bottom curve of her lip. She could smell herself on his hands, and she purred like a content jungle cat lying in the sunshine.

* * * *

Dean drove, with Adam sitting in the passenger seat and Jade in the back.

"So how did he finally break the news? Did he have to get you drunk first?" Dean spoke to her through the rear-view mirror.

"He played a song."

"Ah, very slick." Dean gave Adam an approving nod before glancing again at Jade. "I'm betting you were pissed."