Jessica E. Subject BUNDLE (Intergalactic Heat) (19 page)

The ding of the elevator brought her back to the moment. She followed her escort down a long hallway until the woman stopped at one of the many doors. Were they all private suites? Soundproof? Security running in while she screamed with pleasure would ruin the moment.

The concierge handed her an envelope. “Your key is inside, along with everything else you’ll need for the day. I will return to deliver your lunch, at twelve-thirty, right before the game. If you require anything else, dial the suite staff. The button is labeled on the phone.”

Swiping her own card through the reader, the woman opened the door and smiled.

Paige walked into the suite, and then turned and handed her escort a tip. “Thank you.”

The concierge nodded then left Paige on her own to get ready for the man who would make her forget her non-existent social life, even if for one day.

After removing her shoes from the bag, she placed it underneath the small desk. She took off her runners, wedged the heels on, and hurried to the bathroom to use the mirror, her date due to arrive in a couple of minutes. Spinning around, she took in every angle. Flawless, or at least, that’s the image she wanted to portray to her date. He didn’t need to know all of her faults if he’d never see her after their date. Would he arrive on time?

Yanking her fingers away from her mouth, she cursed the bad habit of nail biting she’d developed since the end of her marriage. She hadn’t been this tense since her first day of training with the Space Service. Maybe watching the teams practice would calm her nerves and kill time before the rendezvous began.

Running her hand along the oak chair rail, she strolled toward the windows facing the rink. She stepped down the stairs, aiming for the front row of the theater-style seating.
Take it slow.
She didn’t need to trip and do a face-plant into the window. Maybe it would have been easier if she’d taken the heels off, but what if her date walked in? She hoped the shoes would accentuate her ass and long legs, making her more appealing. If her date took one glance at her and walked out, she’d be crushed.

Lowering her seat, she sat down. Both teams practiced below, players coming onto the ice, stretching, and then skating around. Yum, would her date be a hockey player from the other team? A secret fantasy come true.

Her heart raced as locker room visions flooded her mind. Parading around in his hockey jersey, sex on the bench, in the showers…. Sudden warmth swallowed her up. She fanned herself. If she didn’t control her overactive mind, she would need to pleasure herself before her date arrived. How embarrassed would she be if her date caught her fingering her pussy?

The door clicked open. She spun around in her seat to catch a glimpse of the man she’d spend the rest of the day with before he saw her. A rush of excitement fueled her fire. Her heart hammered in her chest.

He wore a jersey, but not from the team she cheered for. He wasn’t a hockey player either. Her panties grew wet as she stared at his full, luscious lips, imagining them traveling all over her body, bringing her so much pleasure. Madame Eve could not have picked a better match for her. Every one of her recent fantasies would become reality.

She stood, grabbing the back of the chair to ensure her steadiness before making him aware of her presence. The shoes were bad enough, but her shaky legs—from anxious anticipation—could leave her humiliated.

The man glanced around the room. Would he be happy with her as his one-night stand? Could she satisfy him?

His eyes locked on hers.

“Hello, Jared.”

His scowl came like a quick punch to the gut. He didn’t want her. All hope she had for the date skittered away. His rejection stung almost as bad as the end of her ten-year marriage.

“I can’t believe you stooped so low to get me to join the Space Service. And to get Mrs. Collins involved? This is the last time I’m going to tell you; I’m not interested.”

“No.” Shit, he had the wrong idea. “I’m here for a date. This has nothing to do with work.”

His glare softened, yet his eyebrows remained drawn together. “A date?”

She chewed her bottom lip, her heart thudding. “Yes, I applied to a dating service…. The owner, Madame Evangeline, led me to believe my date would meet me here. I thought…?”

So much for her fantasies. She was too old for him, too different…not his type. Ducking in front of the seats seemed like the best option at the moment. Or leaping out the window.

“You thought I was your date.”

She nodded, her chest constricting. No, she couldn’t cry. The day was already bad enough without reducing herself to a blithering idiot in front of such an enigmatic man. With a deep breath, she regained some of her composure. “There must be some mix-up.” She spun away from him. “I’ll leave you to watch the game.”

On her way to the door, she grabbed her bag. Before she left, Jared clasped her shoulders, electricity zinging through her body from his touch.

“Wait. Let me call home, check on the kids, and get this situation straightened out.” He spun her toward him, brushing his hands down her arms. “I thought…. Doesn’t matter. I’m glad you’re here.”

As much as she rejoiced in his change in attitude, the mention of children left her mind reeling. Nowhere in her notes had there been mention of Jared having any children. Had she missed that important piece of information, or had her handler left it out? The Space Service never sent her after prospects with offspring. Never. What the hell was going on?

***

Jared hung up the phone, grinning. His niece and nephew were still alive. Mrs. Collins, too. That sneaky woman had led him to believe his buddies would meet him at the game. Instead, she and those fuckers had set him up on a blind date—a one-night stand through Madame Eve, who Ms. Brown also mentioned. Whoever Madame Eve was, the woman had to be magic. He couldn’t have asked for a more perfect woman to be set up with—as if she’d been plucked from his deepest fantasies. God, his date exuded sexuality without even trying. And that red dress clung to every one of her delectable curves. Her long brown hair flowed down her back and across her shoulders in glossy waves. The right length to grasp while she….

Grrr.

If he understood the purpose of this date—a one-night stand—he would see every inch of the woman hidden underneath the scarlet fabric. His cock stirred at the thought.

Yet, he wore jeans and his hockey jersey.
Shit.
He should have listened to Mrs. Collins.

Would Ms. Brown—he didn’t even know her first name—hold his attire against him, seeing as how she looked so damn hot?

He stepped forward, anxious to find out, and to touch her soft, creamy skin again. “I—”

She spun around, her brows knitted together. “I’m sorry, Jared. If I had known you had children, I never would have approached you about joining the Space Service. It’s contrary to our policy to recruit parents.”

Needing some contact with her, he rested a hand on her waist.
Oh, yeah.
“They’re my sister’s kids. I left the Marine Corps to take care of them when their father passed away.”

She shook her head, her shoulders hunched. “Still.” Her voice cracked. “I should have known.”

Brushing his hand across her cheek, he yearned to see the sexy look she’d greeted him with. “I thought this was a date. Let’s not talk about work. Besides, if you hadn’t come after me, I would never have had the chance to fantasize about you.”

Her posture relaxed as she raised her eyebrows. “You fantasized about me?”

No turning back. “Yes, and let me tell you, you were amazing.”

A smile spread across her lips and into her mesmerizing brown eyes, sending shivers down his spine.

“Really?” Her sultry tone made him want to rip that red material off her. “Because you always left me satisfied in mine, every time.”

His cock sprang to life, painful inside his jeans. He had to have her, feel her curvy body underneath his. No, not quite yet. “What’s your first name, Ms. Brown?”

“Paige, why?”

“Because I needed to know before I did this.” Wrapping one arm around her waist, he drew her next to him. He salivated as he took in her vanilla scent.
How ironic.

He leaned forward and claimed her mouth, drawing her sweetness into his. Even better than he’d expected. And he wanted more. Lining her glossy lips with his tongue, he sought entrance. She moaned and opened for him, gripping his jersey. She ground her pelvis against his shaft. No point in denying what they both yearned for.

He reached around her back for the zipper of her dress.
Time to get it off.

The zip of the teeth letting go was overshadowed by her soft sighs as he kissed his way down her neck. He dipped his hands under the straps to slide the outfit down. Without a bra, her breasts spilled over the seam of her dress. How he’d longed to touch them, lick them, like he wanted to do to every inch of her body. She arched her back, launching her creamy mounds even closer to his face. His. All his, at least for today.

Cupping both breasts, he licked one of her pebbled tips.

She cried out, throwing her head back. “Oh, Jared. Do you know how long it’s been?”

As long as it had been for him? After leaving the Marine Corps, he’d spent all his time focused on getting custody of his niece and nephew, ignoring his sexual urges, relying on his fist. How many women wanted a guy with young ones attached? But would he want a female role model for them someday? Didn’t matter. He had Paige’s tit in his mouth and a hard-on that could break wood.

She twisted away from him. “Did you hear that?”

Fuck.
“No. We’re at a hockey game. It could be anything.” He’d go mad if she stopped at every sound.

“I swear I heard someone at the door.” She yanked up the straps and tucked her boobs back into the material.

No, no, no.

And then he heard it, too. The snap of the lock disengaging before the door opened.
Shit.

He spun Paige around, hoping she looked presentable, and zipped her dress up. In front of him, she could hide the bulge in his pants. Yet he made sure she felt it pressing into the crack of her firm ass cheeks. Glancing over her shoulder, he clenched his fists as her cleavage heaved, resisting the urge to take them in his hands again.

The woman who’d escorted him up to the suite peeked in. “I have your lunches.”

The woman had told him she’d return with their meals. When he’d seen Paige, though, he’d forgotten everything else. What were a few more minutes? As soon as the woman left, he’d strip the dress all the way off and leave it on the floor until he’d experienced all of Paige.

Chapter Three

The interruption came as a blessing, a way for Paige to slow things down. She wanted to get to know Jared, aside from what she’d read in her notes, which lacked some important information. And she hoped he’d learn more about her as well. She didn’t jump into bed with a man on the first date—usually. Then again, she hadn’t had time to meet guys. Hence, why she’d arranged the one-night stand.

With Jared, she wanted more than sex. She’d felt a connection from the first time he’d answered his door. The reason she’d returned to his house, in an attempt to recruit him a third and a fourth time. Unlike telephone solicitors, Space Service policy had her walking away and filing a report of refusal after two nos. For some reason, she’d gone back, hoping he’d change his mind, or maybe to see him again. And when she’d given up, he’d come back into her life.

For one day. Tomorrow, though, she would hop on a plane to visit her next prospect.

Jared slipped out from behind her to tip the concierge and then secured the chain across the door as the woman click-clacked down the hall. “I thought she would never leave.”

He returned to stand behind her, his warm breath grazing the fine hairs on her neck. He swept his fingertips down her arms. “Now, where were we?”

As much as it pained her, she stepped away from him. “Why don’t we eat? I’d hate to waste all the food.”

He released her. “I’m sorry, I guess I misread you earlier. I thought you’d signed up for a one-night stand.”

Guilt and hurt clenched her gut. Was that all he wanted, now that he knew why they were there? She spun around, unable to meet his gaze. “I thought, maybe, we could talk, get to know each other first.”

Lifting her chin, he smiled down at her. “Really.”

Was he making fun of her?

“Jared, I’ve never had a one-night stand before. I can’t even remember the last time I went on a date.” Talk about leaving herself vulnerable, but she had to make him understand.

“I’m okay with waiting, so long as you make me a promise.” He grazed a thumb along her bottom lip, the simple gesture leaving her weak in the knees. She thought of taking it into her mouth, of taking him into her mouth.
Oh God.
She nodded, unable to voice any response.

“Promise me that before we leave, I’ll have you out of that dress, and we’ll continue what we started.”

“Yes,” she responded in a breathless whisper. How much longer could she resist him and her own urges?

He spun her around, resting his arm across her back, and guiding her to the rectangular bar table behind the theater seating. “Why don’t you sit down, and I’ll bring the food over.” He squeezed her ass and strolled to the other side of the room.

She sighed, hopping up onto a high stool. Taking a deep breath, she attempted to regain some control. How would she look if she tackled him to the floor after telling him she wanted to wait? Desperate. And she was. For Jared, and no one else, making the wait that much more imperative. The entire day had to be right.

Jared arranged two plates on the table and then slipped onto the stool beside hers. “I must say, I’m glad I was set up with you.” Resting his hand on her leg, he gripped her thigh. “I didn’t know what you wanted, so I brought a little of everything. Feel free to eat off my plate if you see something you like.” Instead of removing his hand to sample his own food, he toured farther up her leg, sliding under the skirt of her dress and grazing the wet silk cloth covering her delicate flesh.