Legal Ease (Sutton Capital Series) (14 page)

Kelly’s face pinched in pain as her friend spoke. “I never meant to. I never thought this would be a problem. I mean, I’ve dated a lot of really great guys, some for a long time, even. They were sweet and fun and things with them were always great, but they just never really made me feel…more, you know? I never felt this way about any of them. With Jack, things are different somehow. I feel more comfortable with him than I’ve ever felt with anyone. And every time he kisses me….” She broke off as her face turned red.

“I thought I could handle it and keep my distance,” Kelly went on, trying to justify her feelings for Jack to Jennie, “but he’s just so much more amazing than I thought he’d be. Every time he takes me to dinner or we watch movies curled up on the couch, or go for a walk, I just seem to fall deeper and deeper. I just can’t resist him. He acts like we’re a real couple. I wasn’t ready for that – you know, Jennie? I wasn’t prepared to have to defend myself. My heart, I mean.”

Jennie watched her with a puzzled look on her face. “I don’t understand, Kelly. If this is a fake marriage and Jack knows that, why is he doing all of those things? I mean, why would he snuggle with you or take you out places? Are they things he needs to go to for work and stuff?”

“No,” said Kelly slowly, “we just go to dinner or for a walk. When we don’t go out, we eat dinner here and then sometimes watch a movie after dinner. Sometimes the snuggling is for Aunt Mabry’s sake, but sometimes it’s just us.”

“Kelly, that makes no sense,” Jennie said. She looked at Kelly for a long time before saying what she was thinking, not wanting to get her friend’s hopes up. “The only way that makes sense is if he likes you. If he wants more.”

Kelly’s eyes started to well up with tears but she shook her head and blinked them back. “I know. I’ve thought of that, but that’s a far cry from falling in love with me or wanting something more at the end of our deal. Jack’s used to having women around and being able to go out with anyone he wants. Obviously, he can’t go out with his usual floosies during the marriage so he’s taking me out, but that doesn’t mean he’d want to turn this into forever.” Kelly’s voice fell still as she realized that she wanted forever.

“Floosies?” laughed Jennie, lightening the mood.

Kelly grinned at her friend. “You know what I mean.”

They sat together for a few minutes and stared out past the pool and down the lawn to Long Island Sound, watching the water lap at the edge of the beach. Finally Jennie spoke.

“Have you slept with him, Kelly?” she asked her friend.

Kelly nodded and struggled to find the right words. She didn’t know whether she wanted to cry or grin like an idiot. “It’s just somehow hotter and more passionate than it’s ever been with anyone else. And it’s like we were made to fit together – like our bodies are just two parts that make up a whole.”

“Maybe he’s feeling the same things you are, Kel,” Jennie said hopefully.

Kelly thought about what Jennie was saying and sipped her tea. “I don’t know if you’re right, Jennie, but I do know this. I like the new me I’m becoming. I like being more daring and going for the things that I want. It started when I walked into Jack’s office and I want to keep it going.” She whooshed out a breath. “So, I’m just going to grab onto this year and enjoy it with Jack. If it goes further, that will be a bonus. If it doesn’t I’m going to have to get over it,” Kelly said with all the confidence she could muster… But she knew that getting over Jack Sutton just might kill her.

***

Kelly felt wonderfully confident in her decision until a few hours later when Aunt Mabry cornered her in the living room. Kelly sat reading a book on the couch when Jack’s aunt walked in.

“It won’t last, you know,” Mabry started in with a sneer on her face. “It starts out like this with the sudden ‘business trips’ and it just goes downhill from there.”

Kelly looked up from her book and dismissed Aunt Mabry’s concerns. “It’s just a trip to save a deal that’s in trouble. I don’t think it’s the beginning of the end of our marriage,” she said confidently, giving Mabry a puzzled look.

Mabry’s eyebrows shot up. She’d planted a seed that she knew would fester and grow. “Hmm. Then I wonder why he was speaking to Caroline Harridan just before he left? I thought he was through with her, but I guess not.” And with that, Mabry spun on her heel and left the room, a smug smile playing on her lips. Kelly watched her go, feeling a small insecure hesitation at Aunt Mabry’s last words.

Kelly went upstairs and sat in the room she shared with Jack. Mabry had left her feeling insecure and unsure of her place in Jack’s world. He hadn’t seemed to be interested in Caroline Harridan when they saw her at lunch the other day, but if he hadn’t talked to Caroline, how would Aunt Mabry know to pull that name out of thin air? Which meant Jack must have talked to her. Could his blasé attitude toward Caroline at lunch have been an act?

Jack had sworn to her that he wouldn’t be with anyone else while they were married and Kelly had believed him at the time. He seemed so genuine and sure. But it was well known that Jack Sutton could bluff better than anyone when he needed to. Maybe he was just bringing his boardroom tactics home to their bed.

Kelly hated the sudden insecurity she felt. She had never been the jealous or suspicious type when dating someone but as she thought about it, she realized that was because she always knew where she stood with her previous boyfriends. She was confident in the status of their relationship so there was no need to be catty and check up on them. With Jack, the only thing she really knew was that their whole relationship was based on a fake marriage. A lie. Where did that really leave her?

Kelly sat on the bed and tried to think of a way to know for sure whether Jack was with Caroline without having to flat out ask him. If she did that, he would know she didn’t trust him. Kelly bit her lip between her teeth and picked up the phone. She dialed the number of the hotel that Jack was staying at and put on her secretary tone from her days as a temp.

When the front desk answered the phone, Kelly launched into her spiel. “Yes, this is Jack Sutton’s secretary. I need to reach his wife right away to confirm some details for a fundraising event that just can’t wait. Can you tell me if she checked in there with him? She wasn’t planning on traveling with him but I’m wondering if she may have tagged along at the last minute because I can’t reach her here.” Kelly had learned that if you spoke confidently enough and spoke as if you simply expected your questions to be answered, they often would be and she was right.

“No, ma’am. I checked Mr. Sutton in myself and he’s traveling alone. Let me double check with the bellhop for you. Hold one moment, please.”

Kelly waited on the line, holding her breath and chewing her lip as she waited to hear whether Jack had been joined by a woman. It was several minutes before the concierge came back on the line.

“No, ma’am. Mr. Sutton has not been joined by anyone, I’m afraid.”

Kelly breathed a silent sigh of relief as she continued to play her part. “All right, I’ll keep trying to track her down here. Thank you for your help,” she said and then hung up the phone. Kelly felt relieved that Jack didn’t seem to have Caroline with him but that relief was short-lived when the guilt at having checked up on him kicked in. Kelly felt a nagging regret in her stomach that stayed with her into the evening.

That night, Kelly went up to bed early and started a bubble bath to soak in. There was nothing she loved more than soaking in water so hot it almost burned and she filled the tub with bath salts that smelled of jasmine and roses. Kelly stripped off her clothes and sank down into the heavenly mixture. She sighed as she felt her tension begin to melt.

She had no one to blame for it but herself. She was tense because she felt like she had betrayed Jack by checking up on him and she was angry with herself for letting Aunt Mabry get to her. She knew better then to listen to that hateful old hag.

Kelly sighed as she thought about Aunt Mabry. She knew that Jack didn’t want to confront Mabry because he and Chad had this overdeveloped sense of protection where Mabry was concerned and in many ways knowing he was like that made her care for Jack all the more. It wasn’t your average man that would put his family above all else, especially when that family member was attacking him at every turn.

Kelly took a deep breath and submerged herself under the bubbles, in the hot water, and then lay there floating while the bath salts and hot water worked their magic. Jack’s bathtub was like heaven on earth. It was large and deep enough that she could lay completely submerged without scrunching herself up and it had excellent temperature control. Thinking that she would turn on the jets for a bit, Kelly came up out of the suds and swiped a hand down her face. Then she opened her eyes.

Kelly let out a scream as she saw Jack standing in front of her watching her come up out of the water. “Jack! What are you doing here? You’re not due home until tomorrow night,” Kelly sputtered. Her guilt made her feel like he had caught her doing something wrong.

***

Jack let his eyes skim over the water where her breasts crested out of the water as if they wanted to give Jack a very nice welcome home. He didn’t answer Kelly’s question as he honed his sharp gaze on her vulnerable body in the hot water. She looked guilty as sin sitting there staring at him and he now knew without a doubt that it
had
been Kelly who called the hotel. Jack had stayed in that hotel on a number of occasions so the concierge was quick to let him know that someone had called to check up on him.

Jack was surprised to find that he wasn’t upset or angry with her
as he would have been with one of his girlfriends if they had pulled that kind of crap. In fact, he wasn’t even annoyed. It puzzled him that the moment he saw the confirmation in Kelly’s eyes, he felt concern for her. He was concerned about what had caused her to feel the need to call.

Without saying a word, his eyes on Kelly the entire time, Jack stripped down to nothing while Kelly stared up at him, her eyes wide, her breath coming in short pants.

Jack kept his gaze locked on Kelly’s as he stepped into the tub with her. Jack sat in the tub and pulled her over the top of him so she straddled his lap and plunged into her in one deep stroke, never taking his eyes from hers. He wrapped his arms around her and her legs came around his back. Jack buried his face in Kelly’s neck and slowly buried himself in her over and over, marveling at the softness of her skin and the way her body welcomed his without question or hesitation.

“So beautiful. You feel so right.” Jack whispered against Kelly’s soft skin.

***

Kelly put her arms around Jack’s neck and lost herself in the feel of him between her thighs, in the way his body made hers sing with pleasure as if he had been made for her. Kelly moaned in Jack’s ear and felt his body pour over the edge with his release, Kelly tumbling after him, completely satiated in his arms.

They stayed locked together…Kelly’s limp body collapsed on Jack’s for several minutes before they slipped from the tub, rinsed off in the shower and then snuggled up in bed together.

Kelly lay in Jack’s arms for a few minutes before she realized Jack hadn’t answered her question. She raised her head and looked into his eyes.

“You’re home early.”

Jack smiled at her. “I wrapped up the deal and decided to come home. I missed you,” Jack sai
d with a grin and then couldn’t resist teasing Kelly a bit. “Besides, the hotel said that my secretary was looking for you. She needed to confirm some fundraising details with you so I thought I should run home and track you down for her.”

Kelly let out a small squeak in Jack’s arms and Jack laughed. He curled a finger under Kelly’s chin and tipped her head up so that she looked into his eyes. “Why did you need to check up on me, Kelly? I told you I wouldn’t be with anyone else and I meant it.” There wasn’t anger in his voice. Just concern.

Kelly flushed red when she answered. “I’m sorry, Jack. As soon as I did it I felt like an idiot and I was so angry with myself, but I let her get to me.”

“Ah,” Jack said. “Aunt Mabry. What did she say to you?”

“She told me you were with Caroline, that she heard you talking on the phone with Caroline. I should have known it wasn’t true.” Kelly shook her head as she spoke. “It just seemed so odd that we had just seen Caroline. I figured she couldn’t have just coincidentally pulled Caroline’s name out of the air so she must have actually heard you.”

Jack thought for a minute. “Remember when I said it wasn’t a coincidence that Caroline found us at the restaurant? I’d be willing to bet it was Aunt Mabry that told her we’d be there. That’s the only way she would know to plant Caroline’s name in your head the next day.”

“And I fell for it like an idiot,” Kelly said, burying her head against Jack’s chest.

Jack smiled and began a careful exploration of Kelly’s body with his mouth. He spoke to Kelly as his lips caressed her soft, creamy skin. “I think I like that you cared whether I was with another woman. Not enough that I want you to ever worry about something like that again, but a little,” Jack said as he kissed Kelly along the inside of her thighs. “You don’t need to worry like that again, Kelly,” Jack said as he placed his final kiss in the spot Kelly needed the most and Kelly’s moan was all the answer he needed.