Hometown Love (18 page)

Before he could make the next move, she closed the gap between them. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she stretched up on her tiptoes, crushing her breasts against his chest, and kissed him.

Although he’d let her make the first move, his demanding lips revealed how difficult a task it had been as they moved over hers, ravishing her mouth. His hand slid down her back, his fingers burning her already tingling skin. When they reached her butt, both hands settled on the skin exposed by the lacy thong she’d worn for the first time.

Using her body, she propelled him back toward the bed, coming down on top of him. “You like being in charge, don’t you?” He pressed his lips against her neck and made a path toward her bra strap.

“Sometimes.” The one word answer came out in a ragged, sensuous voice she didn’t recognize.

Mack placed a last kiss on her shoulder and stopped. “You can be in charge whenever you want.” His hand closed on her breast, the heat further exciting her already taut nipple. “I have one request for right now.” He kissed the skin exposed just above her bra. “Can you get rid of this?” He tugged at a bra strap.

Rather than answer with words, she gripped the clasp between her breasts and released it.

“Damn, they’re perfect.”

If there had been noise in the room, she would’ve missed Mack’s response, and she had the feeling he didn’t even realize he’d spoken aloud. Regardless, his response thrilled her. At a size D, she’d always wished for smaller breasts. Her ex hadn’t helped matters by always complaining that other men checked her out because her breasts were so large.

Mack’s hand on her waist moved upward, his touch feather-light as his fingers caressed her. Then he dipped his head, taking her nipple in his mouth. An immediate rush of desire and longing shot outward in every direction, and before she could stop herself she moaned. Then, when he repeated the same thing on the other side, all she could do was grip his shoulders and hold on.

“Tell me what you want, Jessie.” His warm breath caressed her breast and she struggled with a coherent answer.

Pulling away just a little, she slipped her hand beneath the waistband of his briefs and touched him. “You.”

Mack made no effort to contain his groan. “Be right back.” He lifted her off his lap and disappeared into the master bathroom. When he came back, he tossed a box of condoms on the nightstand and stripped off his briefs before he rejoined her.

With him lying there naked and oh so ready, Jessie couldn’t look away. After several seconds went by, though, and he didn’t reach for her, she tore her gaze away and looked at his face. “What’s wrong?” She fought the urge to cover up as she waited for an answer.

His right hand traveled down her arm more—a kiss than a touch. “Nothing. You’re in control now. I’m just along for the ride.”

Jessie’s eyes flicked toward the condoms. She’d never put one on a man, not to mention, she’d never instigated sex. Then again, that Jessie no longer existed. Grabbing a condom, she tore it open, prepared to show Mack just how much she loved him.

He’d untangled the sheet enough to pull it up and over them, more for Jessie’s sake than his when he noticed the goose bumps on her arm. “Can I get you anything?” His own stomach kept rumbling. They’d eaten at the wedding reception, but that had been hours ago. Before he called it a day, he needed one more meal. “I don’t know about you, but I’m starved.”

Under the sheet, she shifted onto her side, her soft skin rubbing against his, and his body began to get ready for round two. She’d been smooth and silky soft everywhere and he wanted her wrapped around him again very soon.

“I’m a little hungry, too. What time is it?” Her fingers wandered over his chest and down his stomach. Before they could go too low, he covered her hand with his.

“Seven,” he answered, checking his watch. “How about I order us a pizza and we can have our own movie night? I picked up
Morning of The Dead
yesterday.”

She moved her head back and forth, her hair tickling his shoulder. “The pizza sounds great, but I don’t do horror.”

“Really? We can find something else then.” Climbing out of bed, he grabbed his cell and called the pizza place in town. Halfway though his order, Jessie threw back the sheet and stood, and as the guy on the phone read back his order, he only heard a jumble of words. Never in a million years would he have guessed she had a body like that. Yeah, sure he’d known that she’d changed from the way she’d looked before, but nothing prepared him for her tiny waist and cute ass. Then, to top it off, she had breasts to drool over: large, exquisitely shaped, and best of all, real. He’d always gotten hot and bothered by women with large breasts or a cute ass; if they had both even better. His ex-wife had had both. It had been one of the first things that attracted him to her, but hers hadn’t been natural. They’d been well done, but he could still tell her breasts were not real.

He watched Jessie re-clip her bra and almost touched his chin to make sure there was no drool there. After the pizza guy promised to be there in twenty minutes, he tossed the phone aside and watched Jessie collect her pants and sweater.

“Something wrong?” She pressed the sweater against her chest. “You’re staring at me.”

With a little tug, he pulled the sweater away. “I like what I see.” Her uncovered skin called out to him and he ran his fingers down her flat stomach. Her muscles tensed, but he continued downward, only stopping where lace met skin. When she’d stripped off her clothes, her choice of underwear had left him speechless. He’d expected something more along the lines of cotton panties and a plain bra, not the black lacy matching set. “Whenever we’re alone, you should go around just like this.”

“I only picked up a few sets last week, but the next time I’m at the mall, I’ll get a few more.”

She’d picked them out for him. Such a simple thing shouldn’t mean that much, yet it did. He ex-wife had never done anything with him in mind. If she went shopping for new clothes, it hadn’t been because she wanted to look good for him, but because she wanted to impress everyone else around her.

Taking Jessie in his arms, he pulled her against him. “I can’t wait for the fashion show. Make sure you get red.”

Jessie kissed the skin over his racing heart, then grabbed her sweater back. “Maybe you should consider getting dressed, too, unless you plan on greeting the delivery person like that.”

“Good idea because if I do, he’ll never deliver another pizza here again.” Mack released Jessie and grabbed a pair of jeans from a drawer.

“And if they send Theresa, we’ll never get her to leave,” Jessie added, referring to the one female delivery person the restaurant employed.

Disappointment descended on him when she pulled her sweater on depriving him of the view. No question about it, once the movie was done, the damn thing was history. That, of course, was assuming it even made it that long. There was a good chance he’d rip the thing off again once they’d eaten. “Trust me. There’s only one woman in this town I want hanging around, and it is not Theresa O’Leary.”

Jessie bent down and grabbed her leggings, and he couldn’t deny himself. The skin on her backside screamed
touch me!

He pressed his palms against the warm flesh and then slid his hands up and over her hips before returning to where he started.

“Mack, stop.” Her words came out on a ragged breath. “We don’t have time.” She straightened, but remained with her back to him.

Ignoring her words, he pulled her back against him as his other hand disappeared under her sweater. “Are you sure?” He teased her nipple with his fingers.

“Positive.” Her answers sounded more like a moan than a statement. “Later, I promise.” She pulled his hand and he removed it.

Before he let her go, he kissed the side of her neck. “I’m holding you to that.”

***

The pizza box remained open, half of it gone. A raging fire filled the room with heat, and Mack stretched out on the couch with his head in Jessie’s lap. On the television screen, the movie’s hero shot his way out of captivity and hot-wired a car. Soon, he had half a dozen bad guys chasing him through the streets of New York. While the action scene was designed to build the audience’s adrenaline, utter calm radiated inside Mack. He sat in his own home with the woman he loved; not much could make it a better night.

“I’d forgotten about this chase scene.” Jessie’s fingers ran through his hair the movements almost hypnotizing. “I haven’t been to New York in a long time.”

His gaze drifted to her face. “I was there in June when I dropped Grace off to see Bethany. Next time we go, come with us. We can stay and do some sightseeing while Grace visits her mom.” At the thought of his ex-wife, he remembered that he needed to prepare Jessie. “Bethany might be at Grace’s birthday party next weekend.” He watched for any sign that his news bothered her.

“Makes sense.”

He picked up on the disappointment in her voice, but otherwise she took the news well.

“It wasn’t the original plan. Grace was supposed to spend the following weekend with Bethany, but the school has its annual picnic scheduled for then. Grace doesn’t want to miss that.”

To the best of his knowledge, the night Bethany had picked Grace up had been the first and only time she and Jessie had met. While Bethany had shared with him her thoughts on Jessie and her friendship with Grace, Jessie had kept her opinions locked away.

“None of the kids ever want to miss that. I remember being disappointed when I started sixth grade and could no longer go.”

“It doesn’t bother you that Bethany will be around?” In a reverse situation, he’d be less accepting.

Jessie’s hand left his hair and her fingertips brushed his cheek over the facial hair that had grown in since the morning. “She is Grace’s mother. She has more right than me to be there.”

In one motion he sat up and switched off the television. “You’ve acted like more of a mother to Grace than Bethany ever does. You belong there just as much because we both love you.”

“And I’ll be there regardless of who else is because I love both of you.” She kissed him, a mere touch of her lips against his.

He knew she loved both him and his daughter. Her actions had told him that a while ago. Still, his heart swelled at her admission. “You make me a happy guy. Do you know that?”

She flashed him a suggestive smile, one he’d never guess she was capable of, and leaned closer. “If you want, I could make you even happier.”

Her comment scorched his body from the inside out. Since they’d dressed earlier, he’d wanted nothing more than to strip them both naked and pleasure her until she fell asleep. But now, like before, he held back. Jessie not only wanted, but also
needed
control tonight. She hadn’t said that in words, but his gut told him that letting her control everything tonight was best for both her emotional state and their relationship as a whole. Besides, he’d enjoyed every second of their time together with her in control.

“Sounds good to me,” he answered and then waited, his body growing hard at the thought of making love again.

She didn’t keep him waiting long. Standing, she moved in front of the fireplace and pulled off her sweater then slid her leggings down. The flames from the fire danced across her skin, making it glow. Then she walked toward him and he took the opportunity to stare at her as his heart hammered away in his chest. When she reached him, she straddled his lap and sat.

His erection jumped against her through his jeans and power surged through her. When she’d arrived here tonight with her mind made up, anxiety had filled her—as had a million questions. Thanks to Mack’s love and willingness to relinquish control, none of that remained. Eager for the feel of his skin again, she pulled his t-shirt up. In silence, he took it from her and pulled it off. Jessie ran her hands across his chest. Under her fingertips, she felt his uneven breathing, and she let her hands linger for a few seconds. Then, she removed her hands and reached for the clasp between her breasts. She’d noticed earlier how he’d stared at them, and already her nipples tightened at the mere thought of him touching her again.

When her hands gripped the clasp, he swallowed, his eyes fixed on her fingers. With a simple flick, the bra opened, and she let the material slip away. Mack’s hands shot forward, his fingers caressing one breast while he held the other, and then lowered his mouth to it.

Pleasure flowed through her body as her passion grew. When she thought she’d burst into flames, she pushed on his chest. “Enough.”

His lips released her and his eyes met hers. Rather than use words, she slid from his lap, grabbed his hand, and tugged. Before she took another step, he lifted her, and she locked her legs around his waist.

Mack walked toward the stairs. “Damn, you’re sexy.” His mouth came down on hers only to break away a second later. “What the hell?” He looked down at the floor then kicked aside the pink building block he’d stepped on. “I thought we’d found all of those,” he said before his mouth came down on hers again and this time, he didn’t stop moving until they reached his bedroom and he lowered her to her feet.

Much like earlier, he allowed her to lead. “One of us is over-dressed,” she said.

His gaze swept over her and then he cocked an eyebrow. “I think it might be you.”

“I disagree.” She undid the button and zipper on his jeans. Then she pushed his jeans and boxer briefs down, leaving him naked from the knees up.

Mack freed his legs and then closed in on her. “You like taking my clothes off, don’t you?” He kissed a path down her neck to where her pulse beat, and words escaped her. Instead, she reveled in the heat building up inside her.

“I like when you do it,” he said.

She heard the hunger in his voice, and her need for him exploded. With a step back, she fell onto the bed, taking him down with her. Done with words for the moment, she used her body to convey her intentions, and he moved onto his back. Free from his weight, she grabbed a condom from the nightstand. It took her two tries, but she managed to open the package and roll it on him. Then, after one last passionate kiss, she showed him just how much she loved him.

***

She chopped the mushrooms for omelets and Mack took care of the onions while a fresh pot of coffee brewed. If an outsider viewed the scene, they’d think the two of them prepared breakfast together every morning. “Tomatoes?” he asked as he pushed the plate of chopped onions toward her.

“Let’s skip them.” She added the mushrooms and onions to the scrambled eggs in the bowl. She’d feared that things might be awkward this morning considering the previous night. However, just the opposite was true. Waking up with Mack and cooking breakfast just felt right, as if they did it every day.

Something she could imagine them doing every day.

“Fine with me. While you take care of that, I’ll get us coffee.”

Before he walked away, she touched his hand and kissed him. In return, he smiled and said, “Too bad you’re working this afternoon.”

As much as she loved spending time with Mack and his daughter, she figured it was a good thing she was scheduled to close the store. Since she and Mack had started their relationship she’d been taking time from Mack and Grace’s alone time. While Grace never showed any signs she resented it, guilt still bothered Jessie. “You and Grace will have fun without me. You two always do.”

Mack placed her coffee near the stove while she kept an eye on the omelets. “I know, but we’ll still miss you, and next weekend is going to be crazy with the party and everything.” He leaned against the counter and crossed his arms. “Especially with Bethany here.”

For the most part, he shared little about his ex-wife. While Jessie understood that, she still wondered about the reasons behind their divorce. Mack was everything a woman could want in a husband and Grace was a great little girl. Jessie couldn’t understand why anyone would leave them. “Can I ask you something?” In the past, it had never seemed the appropriate time, but now felt right.

“You can ask me anything.”

Careful not break the omelet, she flipped it before she said another word. “Why did you get divorced? Was it because of Bethany’s job in New York?” Something like that didn’t strike Jessie as enough of reason, but who knew? Some people got divorced over sillier reasons.