Night After Night (21 page)

In that moment, all she wanted was to show him with her mouth, hands, and body how much she cared and what he’d come to mean to her. That despite all reasons not to, she was falling in love with him.

Placing her palm on his stubble-roughened cheek, she leaned in to kiss him and was gratified when he didn’t pull away. At first touch, his mouth was firm, unyielding, but that didn’t last long. A slow, sensual lick of her tongue, followed by a gentle tug of her teeth on his bottom lip, and he groaned deep in his throat and let her inside, right where she ached to be.

Feeling triumphant, she fisted her hands in his shirt, reclined against the corner of the sofa, and pulled Sean along with her. He followed, his strong body moving over hers, his hips settling between her thighs while his mouth ravished hers. Desperation radiated off him in waves as he tangled his fingers in her hair and angled her head for a harder, deeper, more possessive kiss.

And then, just as quickly, he stopped. He was off of her and standing by the couch before she realized what had happened, leaving her breathless and aroused but not entirely surprised that he’d put an end to things before the desire between them had spiraled out of control.

Disappointed, she slowly sat up, already knowing what he was going to say, even before he spoke.

“Zoe, we can’t do this,” he said, his voice a tortured rasp of sound while his eyes expressed a wealth of frustration…and a deeper, more personal agony, too. “You and I…it’ll never work out, and I’m not going to take advantage of this, of
you,
because when this case is over and your father is in jail and we go our separate ways, I don’t want you to walk away with regrets.”

As if she could ever regret being with him.

For a man who thought so little of his own self-worth because of his past, he was very quick to protect her from himself. Clearly, he respected her and had a conscience and morals that proved he’d reformed over the years—even if he didn’t believe he’d changed so drastically and for the better.

He scrubbed an agitated hand along his jaw, his entire body vibrating with sexual tension. “I’ll be in my room if you need me for anything. Otherwise, I’ll see you in the morning.”

Even as Zoe watched Sean leave the living room, she knew that letting him shut her out tonight wasn’t an option. If he thought he was doing her a favor by walking away, she was about to prove otherwise, because she was going to follow him into the master bedroom and demonstrate exactly what she
needed
from him, in a way he’d be hard-pressed to deny.

Without further hesitation, she stripped off all her clothes and tossed them onto the couch. Completely naked, with her pulse beating wildly in her veins, she headed in the direction he’d just disappeared.

For her, this wasn’t a seduction tactic as much as it was an intimate, emotional message to Sean—that he meant something more to her than just a fling. She’d never felt so vulnerable in her entire life, so laid bare for a man, literally and figuratively. Her heart, body, and soul were his for the taking, unconditionally. All he had to do was trust in his own feelings for her.

With a final deep breath to bolster her courage, she opened his bedroom door without knocking and stepped inside. He was facing away from her, and he’d already taken off his shirt and his hands were in the middle of unzipping the fly of his jeans.

He jerked his head around, a dark, agitated glare in place. “I told you—”

Realizing she didn’t have a stitch of clothing on, he snapped his mouth closed and stared in shock, his words forgotten as pure male instinct took over, just as she’d hoped. His expression darkened with lust as his gaze roamed hungrily over her firm, full breasts, down her flat stomach, to the apex of her thighs. Everywhere his eyes traveled she felt singed by the sweetest kind of sensual fire, and she shivered in response.

He forced his gaze back up to her face again and swallowed hard before attempting to speak. “Jesus, Zoe,” he rasped. He sounded as though he were being strangled.

He didn’t move, his entire body rigid. And aroused, judging by the outline of his erection straining the front of his jeans. His jaw clenched, and she could clearly see the desire and denial warring within him. Unwilling to give the latter the chance to take root, she slowly closed the distance between them.

“You said if I needed anything, you’d be in your room,” she said, and smiled when she realized how hard he was trying to keep his gaze above her neck. “Right now, I need
you.
I also want you. And before you say another word about regrets, I can guarantee you that the only thing I’ll regret in the morning is
not
making love with you.”

He looked like a man so tormented and torn, but ultimately he didn’t tell her to leave his room. Zoe took it as a positive sign, that Sean wanted this night together as much as she did, even if he didn’t believe he deserved what she was offering.

Stopping in front of him, she placed both of her hands on his bare chest. The firm muscles beneath her palms bunched and rippled, and his skin was hot to the touch. “Give us tonight, Sean.
Please.
”

She lifted her lips to his, and with a harsh groan of surrender he crushed his mouth to hers in a wild, greedy, tongue-tangling kiss that stole the breath from her lungs and set the tone for what was about to come.

A fast, frenzied mating.

Liquid heat surged between her legs at the thought.

His fingers delved into her hair, tugging on the strands as she quickly dragged her hands down his abdomen, then lower. She finished unzipping his jeans and broke their frantic kiss so she could push the denim and his underwear down his legs. He stepped out of the restricting clothing and kicked it aside, and she gave herself only a second to admire his thick, jutting shaft before she made herself comfortable on his bed and waited for him to join her.

He opened the nightstand, retrieved a foil pack, and she watched in anticipation as he deftly rolled the condom in place. He climbed up onto the mattress and his hands pushed her legs wide apart to make room for him in between. He didn’t waste any time with foreplay, and she was glad because she was already so hot for him, so wet, and beyond desperate to feel every inch of him inside her.

He moved over her, his hard body covering her soft curves, and she lifted her hips as the broad tip of his erection slid along the slick folds of her sex. Bracing his forearms on the mattress beside her head, he looked down at her, and the helpless need she saw in his eyes was her undoing.

She locked her ankles at the back of his thighs, urging him forward. “Take me, Sean,” she whispered.

With a hard, powerful thrust, he filled her full, and she gasped as she adjusted to the sudden penetration. Her fingers clenched into the sinewy muscles along the slope of his back, and she instinctively arched into him, taking him deeper still.

They both moaned in unison at how perfectly they fit together, how amazingly good it finally felt to be as one, before Sean dropped his mouth over hers and began to move in earnest. He kissed her with a feverish heat and passion that matched the aggressive way he claimed her body. Primitive and raw, he pumped in and out of her in a steadily increasing rhythm, possessing her completely with a relentless, demanding urgency that pushed her closer and closer to climax.

She wanted to wait for him but couldn’t. She cried out against his lips as her orgasm crashed over her like a wave and she was awash with the most exquisite, overwhelming pleasure. Her body rippled with the force of her release, and her inner muscles tightened around him as she came.

He wrenched his mouth from hers and stared into her eyes, all of the defenses he’d shored up against her stripped away in that moment. He seemed to know it, too, and didn’t fight the emotions he was so obviously feeling.

“Oh, God,
Zoe,
” he said in a reverent whisper, then let his head drop back as he thrust into her with a renewed sense of purpose and finally succumbed to his own soul-shattering orgasm.

Standing in the back of the Kids Zone playroom at the children’s hospital, Noah watched while Jessica held a group of young kids enthralled as she read them a story. She sat on the floor with her young audience, her entire demeanor animated as she gave each character in the book a distinct voice and personality. Even Noah was captivated by her storytelling ability.

Or maybe he was just mesmerized by the woman herself, along with her generosity and selfless, giving heart, both of which he’d seen in spades the past couple of hours. After spending the last few days rekindling their romance, this morning Jessica had invited him to join her at the children’s hospital, to see for himself how his charitable donation would benefit one particular recipient of her Wishes Are Forever organization. He hadn’t been able to resist being a part of something she was so passionate about, and he was grateful for the invitation to this glimpse into her private life.

Jessica lowered her voice to imitate the sound of the gruff giant in the story, and Noah’s own chuckle mingled along with the giggles and laughter erupting from the little people sitting around her. The children allowed in the Kids Zone were the healthier ones who were on the road to recovery and would soon be released from the hospital to be with their families again. But there were other young patients who weren’t as fortunate and were confined to their rooms and beds because they either were too weak or lacked the immunity to mingle with the other sick kids.

For those more unfortunate children, Jessica had already paid each one of them a special visit in their room, where they had her undivided attention and she did her best to bring a smile to their face. Upon request, she had sung one of her most popular songs to a young boy suffering from leukemia, then shown him how to play her guitar. In another private room, she had braided the hair of a little girl who was awaiting a kidney transplant, and somewhere from the bag of gifts that Jessica had brought with her she had withdrawn a sparkly princess crown, a small tea set, and a pretty new doll. The little girl’s pale eyes had brightened with delight as the two of them enjoyed an impromptu tea party with graham crackers and apple juice. There were many more, and Jessica had treated them all as if they were friends. She had an easy, sweet way about her that drew out even the shyest of personalities—and it didn’t hurt that Jessica came bearing presents for every single child. Toys, puzzles, books, videos, and even electronic games for them to pass the time.

As she turned the page on the book, she glanced up and met Noah’s gaze from across the room. Then she sucker-punched him with a slow, intimate smile just for him before she continued her story. She looked so happy, vibrant, and beautiful—so reminiscent of the girl who’d been his high school sweetheart. The girl he’d fallen head over heels in love with.

The more time they spent together, the more comfortable they became. And as long as he didn’t bring up the past and her reasons for leaving him, everything remained fun and flirty, and very, very sexy.

It was becoming increasingly clear to Noah that for Jessica this was a temporary fling with an old flame until her concert tour began in a few weeks and she was back on the road. But for him, every moment they shared was heartfelt and real and made him crave more of her. He didn’t want a casual sexual relationship with Jessica and refused to settle for anything less than her whole heart and the truth of what had torn them apart.

Only then, with the past resolved, could they work on building a future together.

“She’s amazing with the kids, isn’t she?”

A female voice pulled him from his deep thoughts, and he glanced at the smiling nurse standing beside him, who obviously appreciated Jessica as much as the patients did.

“Yes, she is,” he agreed, not at all surprised that Jessica was so at ease with the younger ones. Way back when, he and Jessica had talked about having children when they married, and he’d always known she’d be a wonderful mother someday. Her doting nature and affectionate interaction with the sick children today proved she possessed those maternal instincts.

The nurse smiled as the kids laughed at something Jessica said to them. “Whenever she drops by the hospital, she’s like a bright ray of sunshine for those kids in an otherwise quiet and lonely day filled with shots and chemo and surgery and other unpleasant procedures. The kids absolutely adore her.”

“It’s hard not to,” Noah said, and grinned.

“True,” the woman agreed, then tipped her head curiously at him. “Jessica has been coming here for years, and she’s
never
brought a guy before. Are the two of you dating?”

Noah didn’t know if Jessica would classify what they were doing as
dating,
but he definitely did and he didn’t mind saying so. “Yes, we are.”

The nurse appeared pleased to hear that bit of news. “Well, good for her. That certainly explains the extra sparkle in her eyes and the flush on her cheeks every time she glances your way. She looks very smitten with you.”

He liked the way that sounded. And hearing it from an impartial bystander gave him hope that Jessica was letting down her guard, and her emotions, with him.

A soft beep pierced the air, and the nurse checked the pager on the waistband of her uniform, then sighed. “Duty calls. Enjoy your time with the kids today.”

“Thanks. I already am.”

The woman left the area just as Jessica finished the storybook—much to the kids’ disappointment. She spent a few more minutes giving them hugs and ruffling their hair before grabbing her guitar case and a colorful gift bag, then making her way to the back of the room, where Noah was waiting for her. He smiled as she neared, because her green eyes
were
bright and joyful and her complexion seemed to glow with a happiness that radiated from the inside out—just as the nurse had observed.

Today Jessica was wearing a yellow summer dress and flat white sandals. Her auburn curls fell softly down her back, and she’d applied minimal makeup to her features. Without all the flash and fanfare of being Jessica Morgan the pop star, she actually looked very young and a lot like the girl he’d known in high school.

Before everything had changed between them.

As soon as Jessica reached him, she hooked her free arm through his and guided him down a hallway and away from the Kids Zone. “Before we leave, there’s someone special I want you to meet. His name is Timmy, he’s eight years old, and he has Batten disease.”

Noah had never heard of the condition before. “What’s that?”

“It’s a disorder that affects the nervous system of a child, usually between the ages of five and ten,” she explained, her voice more somber than it had been all day. “Timmy has been in and out of the hospital over the past few months because of increasing seizures, and now he’s starting to show signs of mental impairment, too, so they’ve been putting him through a battery of tests to see how far the disease has progressed.”

“Is there a cure for this Batten disease?”

“Unfortunately, no. Statistically, the disease is often fatal by the late teens or early twenties. So, since Timmy’s condition is worsening, I decided that it’s time to grant him a wish.” She came to a stop in front of a closed door and looked up at Noah. “I know it sounds bad, but despite what Timmy is going through, he’s a cheerful, happy kid. And he’s so excited about having his wish granted.”

“What did he ask for?” Noah asked curiously.

Jessica gave him a secretive smile. “I’ll let Timmy tell you himself, since it’s the donation
you
made to Wishes Are Forever that’s going to fund his wish. Are you ready to meet him?”

Noah grinned back at her. “Absolutely.”

She pushed open the closed door, and he followed her into a hospital room that was situated farther away from the children’s ward. Inside, a young boy was sitting up in his bed, watching the Disney movie
Toy Story
on the TV mounted on the wall in front of him. At first glance, he appeared to be a perfectly normal eight-year-old, wearing blue pajamas and wire-rimmed glasses and giggling at something Woody had just said to Buzz Lightyear.

“Hey, Timmy,” Jessica said.

As soon as the little boy saw her, his eyes lit up with excitement and a big lopsided grin split across his face. “Jessica! You c-c-came to s-s-see me!” he stuttered.

“Of course I came to see you, silly boy,” she chastised in a fun-loving tone. “Today, I saved the very best visit for last. And that’s
you.
” After setting her guitar case and gift bag down on a nearby table, she went to Timmy’s side and gave him a warm, affectionate hug that he returned with equal adoration, though a bit clumsily.

Once the embrace ended, Jessica motioned for Noah to move closer to where she was standing by the side of the bed. “There’s someone I want you to meet,” she said, speaking slower than normal. “This is my friend Noah, and he’s the one who helped to grant you your wish.”

Up close, there were subtle things about Timmy Noah noticed that were most likely part of Batten disease. While the boy seemed physically healthy, behind the thick lenses of his glasses his eyes tended to roll back, and he twitched occasionally, as if he couldn’t control the neurological disorder.

“Hey, buddy,” Noah greeted Timmy, with a smile. “So, what did you wish for?”

Timmy’s eyes widened behind his glasses, his face expressing his enthusiasm. “I g-g-get to g-g-go to Disney World,” he said, struggling to get the words out around his stuttering. “I g-g-get to have b-b-breakfast with B-b-buzz and Woody!”

Noah chuckled at Timmy’s growing excitement. The best part for Noah was feeling a sense of pride and satisfaction that his donation had helped to give this sick boy something that meant so much to him. “Wow, that’s quite an adventure. You are so lucky!”

“Isn’t he, though?” Jessica agreed. “He gets to go with his mom and dad and his other brothers and sisters for a weeklong vacation to the happiest place on earth.”

“With B-b-buzz and W-w-woody!”

Jessica laughed and picked up the colorful gift bag she’d brought into the room with her and placed it by Timmy’s side on the bed. “So, guess what I brought for you to take to Disney World with you?”

“Toys?” Timmy asked guilelessly.

Pulling a wrapped present from the bag, Jessica placed it on Timmy’s lap for him to open. “No, something much better,” she promised.

When the boy struggled with the task of tearing off the paper, Jessica helped him unwrap the gift. Once it was uncovered, Timmy stared at the box with a confused frown, and Jessica immediately explained what it was.

“It’s a video camera,” she said, pointing to the image on the box. “That way, your mom and dad can record a video of you meeting Buzz and Woody and having fun at Disney World, and when you come back home, you can show it to me so I can see what a blast you had.”

Understanding now, Timmy grinned. “C-c-cool!”

“And this other gift is all for you.” Jessica retrieved another item from the bag, and this time she placed her hands around Timmy’s and helped him through the motions of tearing the wrapping paper away, then opening the box until the present inside was finally revealed.

Timmy released a squeal of glee as he pulled out a replica of Woody’s hat, along with the rest of the entire cowboy costume—a vest, a bandana, boots with spurs, and a shiny sheriff’s badge. Jessica settled the cowboy hat on Timmy’s head and pinned the badge on his pajama top.

Beyond happy, Timmy gave Jessica a hopeful look. “Will you guys st-t-tay and watch the r-r-rest of
Toy Story
with m-m-me?”

“We’d love to.” Jessica helped Timmy move over so she could sit on the bed beside him while Noah sat in a nearby chair.

They finished watching the Disney movie together, and while Noah had never seen the animated flick before, he was truly amused by the story line and laughed right along with Jessica and Timmy. But during the quieter moments Noah found himself casting surreptitious looks at Jessica, drawn to her warm and caring spirit and the ease with which she interacted with Timmy and the rest of the children in the hospital.

When the movie ended, Jessica brought out her guitar and sang a few of her songs to Timmy, until he began to yawn and his eyelids started to droop. She fluffed his pillow and tucked the bedcovers around the little boy and told him to have the best time ever in Disney World before she and Noah left Timmy’s room and headed to the parking structure where Noah had parked his car.

What amazed him the most was while many people would have walked away from a similar experience feeling sad, or despondent even, she was smiling and appeared cheerful and content. Obviously, she chose to make her visits a joyful thing and creating a fun, playful atmosphere for the children, even for a few hours, made her extremely happy.

Once she and Noah were both in the car, she reached across the console separating them and placed her hand on his arm to get his attention before he backed out of their parking spot. He met her gaze and lifted a curious brow.

“Thank you,” she said softly.

“For what?”

“For coming with me today.” She trailed her fingers along his forearm, her sensual touch raising the level of awareness between them. “There’s not many people I’d share this part of my life with because it’s very personal and it means so much to me, but I knew you’d appreciate seeing up close everything Wishes Are Forever does for those children.”

Her strolling fingers reached the back of his hand, and he turned it over so her palm slid over his, skin to skin. “Actually, what
you
do for them,” he corrected her, and entwined his fingers through hers.

She gave a modest shrug. “I’m just the spokesperson for the organization.”

Jessica was so much more than that, especially when it came to the kids. He loved that she’d trusted him enough to allow him to be a part of something that meant so much to her. It was a step in the right direction, a definite sign that she was gradually letting him become a part of her life again.