His to Possess (17 page)

She was tired, and she’d had a little too much champagne, and she definitely didn’t
want to think about what all this meant, so she just nuzzled against him and allowed
herself to relax until soon sleep took her.

*   *   *

Dane woke up and instantly knew he was in trouble. Jessica’s face was pressed against
his chest, her soft breath caressing his skin, her warm naked body so close, acting
like an aphrodisiac.

Damn it, he couldn’t be falling in love with the woman his brother loved. It was idiocy.
It would ruin everything he’d done to mend fences with Rafe.

He could tell the instant she woke up … and stiffened in his arms.

“Good morning, Jessica.” His lips brushed the top of her head.

“Good morning, Mr. Ranier.”

*   *   *

Dane’s arm tightened around Jessica’s waist and she felt herself rolled back, then
she gazed up at Dane Ranier, him gazing down at her in turn, his large, masculine
body covering hers.

“Not Mr. Ranier. Call me Dane.” His deep blue eyes bored into her, demanding acquiescence.

Her breath caught and she nodded. “Dane,” she said breathlessly.

Then his lips brushed hers. Coaxingly. Until, with her heart pumping erratically,
hers moved, too, as she was swept away by his sublime tenderness. His tongue swept
into her mouth and she opened, welcoming him. Wanting him to devour her in this loving
onslaught.

He deepened his kiss and her arms slid around him, pulling him closer, wanting to
eliminate any distance between them, wanting to absorb him into her body. Her need
for him grew so intense, she thought she’d die from the ache in her heart.

Then his lips slipped away and she wanted to protest, but he kissed along her cheek,
then nuzzled the base of her neck, sending tingles of joy flooding through her.

He eased back and gazed at her body. Her breasts swelled and her nipples elongated.
He smiled and stroked a finger down the middle her chest, between her breasts, then
over one mound to the tight nipple at its peak. When he touched it, ever so gently,
she gasped. He leaned forward and licked the hard nub, then gently took it in his
mouth and drew on it lightly. The exquisiteness of his touch made her want to weep.
His tongue swirled over it and she arched forward, needing to be even closer to him.
Needing to be completely possessed by him.

“Oh, Dane. I need you.”

He drew back his head and his simmering navy eyes caught on hers. She could see a
depth of longing there she’d never seen before.

“I need you, too,” he murmured.

His hand stroked down her belly toward his swollen, rock-hard cock, then she felt
his hardness press against her. She widened her legs, opening for him. His mesmerizing
gaze holding hers captive, he pressed into her. His masculine member, so thick and
hard, filled her in an exquisitely slow glide forward. Her body opened for him, welcoming
him.

Once he totally filled her, she clung to him, holding him close, nearly gasping for
air.

This felt so right. It was nothing like the thrilling, highly erotic lovemaking they
usually enjoyed. This was deep and poignant. Leaving her vulnerable and open.

With his gaze still holding her captive, he began to move, his big member sliding
back, then slowly propelling forward again. Filling her with his thick, hard length.
Filling her with a joy that threatened to overwhelm her. She could feel tears well
in her eyes.

She said nothing, but she knew her eyes laid bare her soul. Oh, God, she loved this
man. He had to see it.

She moaned and her eyelids fluttered closed as he glided deep. She squeezed him as
he withdrew and then he pushed inside again. Her whole body thrummed with vibrant
pleasure.

“Dane, yes.” She tightened her arms around him as he drove into her a little faster,
but still excruciatingly slower than she wanted. Until the buildup started, and the
pleasure turned to joy. Then blissful sensations shuddered through her.

She sucked in a breath, hovering on the edge. “Dane, I’m going to—”

But his lips covered hers, preventing the words, as he thrust again, flinging her
to ecstasy. She moaned into his mouth and it was as if he swallowed her joy, then
jerked tight against her, groaning his own release.

But he kept driving into her, faster now, driving her pleasure higher. Extending her
orgasm until she lost track of time. With a sense of wonder, she rode the wave of
sensation, gasping and moaning until reality faded away.

*   *   *

Dane stared at the prone, still body of Jessica below him. The woman had fainted in
his arms. He’d heard of such a thing, but never experienced it before.

His cock was still deep inside her and he so wanted to stay that way with her snuggled
close against him, but it didn’t seem right. He drew away, his member sliding from
the warmth and comfort of her body, and he sat on the bed beside her and stroked her
cheek.

“Jessica, are you all right?”

Her eyelids fluttered open and she gazed at him. Oh, God, the warmth in those eyes—that
was there now and had been during their intense lovemaking—told him more than he wanted
to know. More than he could allow.

Those open, expressive green eyes of hers radiated with love. A love he felt burning
in his own chest.

A love he couldn’t allow.

*   *   *

As soon as Jessica woke up, she felt the absence of Dane’s body next to hers. After
their poignant lovemaking earlier this morning—when she’d fainted, no less—Dane had
wrapped her in his arms until she’d fallen asleep again, cozy in the protective cocoon
of his embrace.

Her stomach quivered at the thought of what had happened between them. Could it be
that Dane was falling in love with her? Was she falling in love with him? But this
wasn’t supposed to happen. She’d only wanted a physical thing. No commitments. No
feelings getting in the way.

After what Storm had put her through, she wasn’t ready to get involved again so soon.
And, oh, God, she still had to deal with Storm when she got home. He seemed to want
to pick up where they’d left off and she couldn’t just ignore him. How was he going
to react when he found out she was involved with Dane?

She pushed aside the covers and stood up, then showered and towel dried her hair.
After brushing it out, she slipped on the terry cloth robe the hotel supplied and
walked from the bedroom to the main area of the suite. Dane sat at the table reading
a newspaper, a thermos jug of coffee in front of him.

Even though she couldn’t see his face, the sight of him set her heart thumping. Maybe
she hadn’t wanted to fall in love with him, but this morning had been wonderful. She’d
felt so cherished and … loved. Maybe this wasn’t a bad thing after all.

“Good morning, Dane.”

He lowered his newspaper and folded it, then set it on the table. “What happened to
calling me Mr. Ranier?”

She smiled. “Yes, Mr. Ranier.”

She gazed at him, remembering the warmth of his arms around her, the passion of his
kisses this morning, and she wanted to leap into his arms again.

He sat there impeccably dressed in his suit and tie, and she wore only the terry cloth
robe, with nothing underneath. She could just open this robe and stand before him,
and he would doubtlessly order her to her knees to take care of his body’s natural
reaction.

She walked to his side and rested her hand on his shoulder, needing to touch him.

“Maybe we should talk about what happened this morning,” she ventured.

His gaze locked on hers, flat and expressionless. The way he’d look at an employee.
In fact, with a harsh glint, as if she’d displeased him in some way.

She drew her hand away and walked around the table, then drew in a calming breath
as she sat across the table from him.

He shrugged. “There’s nothing to talk about.”

She gazed at him over the thermal jug as she poured coffee into her cup. “What happened
this morning was different than what we’ve done before. It was … I don’t know … deeper.
I think we should talk about how our relationship is changing.”

He leaned forward. “Jessica, I’m your boss. You’re my assistant. We have a sexual
relationship but it’s a no-strings-attached affair that either one of us can walk
away from any time we wish. What more is there to discuss?”

Her heart stammered at his cold words.

“Unfortunately, the change of setting seems to have blurred the line for you, but
let me remind you what
you
originally proposed. This is a physical relationship only.” His gaze slid down her
body and lingered at the tie at her waist. “If you’d like to drop that robe and fuck
right now, I’m happy to oblige, but don’t read anything more into it than shared sexual
release.”

Her hand slipped to the front of her robe and she had to stop herself from pulling
it tighter around her.

He glanced at his watch. “In fact, we’re running short of time. Go to your room and
get packed, then meet me back here. You’ve got twenty minutes.”

“Packed? But I thought we were here until the end of the week?”

Dane’s lawyers were flying in today to join him while they finalized the details of
the contract negotiations.

“I am. You, on the other hand, are going back to the office. I’ve arranged a driver
to take you to the airport, then someone to meet you at the other end.”

*   *   *

Jessica climbed aboard the private jet and slumped onto the buttery-soft leather seat.
The steward helped her settle in by stowing her briefcase and purse in a compartment,
and instructed her to buckle up once the pilot was ready to be underway.

She spent the flight staring at her tablet, trying to review her list of goals for
the week and determine how to spend the rest of the day once she got back to the office,
but her head ached with the effort. She knew that if she put it aside, however, thoughts
of Dane and his rejection would overwhelm her.

“Would you like something to drink?” the friendly young steward asked.

She returned his warm smile. “It’s tempting, but I have to go into the office when
we land.”

“That doesn’t stop most of our passengers.” His smile broadened.

“But most of them are executives.”

“True, I guess they don’t have to worry about their boss getting on their case.”

She frowned at the reminder of her boss and how he’d rejected her.

“You know, a glass of wine won’t hurt, and it might help that headache.”

“How did you know?” She gazed at the young man and realized he was quite attractive.
And he was flirting with her.

He shrugged. “You seem stressed and you were rubbing your temples.”

“Well, maybe I’ll just go directly after the problem and take a pain killer if you
have one.”

“Of course.” He disappeared for a moment, then returned with two caplets in a small
cup along with a glass of water.

She took the pills and spent the next hour chatting with him. Her headache diminished
and his conversation helped the time speed by. When they finally landed, she said
good-bye with a smile and headed across the tarmac to the terminal. Once inside, she
glanced around, wondering where to find her ride.

“Welcome back.”

She started at the sound of Storm’s voice behind her. She turned to see his smiling
face. She wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to seeing him in a tailored suit rather
than the tattered jeans and tank tops she was used to.

He took her briefcase and then pressed his hand to the small of her back. She had
to remind herself this was not the Storm she knew. This was Rafe Ranier.

“This way.” He guided her through the crowded airport terminal and then outside to
the waiting limo.

“You’re who Dane sent to pick me up?”

His eyebrow arched. Damn, she’d used his brother’s first name again. What was wrong
with her?

She settled into the cozy seat and Rafe settled in beside her. The limo moved into
the airport traffic.

“Have a good flight?” Rafe asked.

“Fine.” She glanced out the window, gazing at the sunlight glinting on the cars traveling
beside them, her thumb gliding over the worry stone in her pocket.

She knew he would take this opportunity to open up their past and discuss why he’d
left—he’d already tried to before she’d left for Chicago—but she wished he wouldn’t
do it right now.

“I’d like to talk to you about something important,” he said.

“Please, not now,” she said, continuing to stare out the window. But the quaver in
her voice betrayed her.

“Jess, what’s wrong?”

His gentle hand on her shoulder was her undoing. Tears welled in her eyes and she
tried to blink them back, but didn’t quite succeed.

“I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I know I let you down when I left—”

She waved him away. “It’s not that. It’s…”

He cupped her chin and turned her to face him. When he saw the two small tears that
had escaped down her cheek, his face etched with concern.

“Did Dane do something? Did he make a pass at you?”

She shook her head. “No. It’s just been a really exhausting trip, that’s all. Just
really exhausting.”

Her throat closed up and she couldn’t manage anything more. And she didn’t know what
she’d say if she could. What had Dane done, anyway? Reminded her what their relationship
actually was. She was his employee and they shared a purely physical relationship.
Exactly what she’d told him she wanted.

But now … what
did
she want?

“Come here.” Rafe folded her into his arms and held her.

She rested her head against his broad chest and let the comfort of his arms lull her.

She knew she shouldn’t be taking comfort from him. He was her ex-lover. The man who
had broken her heart. But despite that, he was a good man, and right now, she needed
this.

He stroked her hair and she closed her eyes, letting the warmth and protectiveness
of his body, paired with the relaxing motion of the vehicle, calm her.