Scandalous (18 page)

Swallowing hard, I reached for him. He stood close enough that my hands slid over his jeans, feeling the hard length hidden, contained under the fabric. Groaning, he said, “Good. Stay.”
And stepped away.
I felt like I was intoxicated with Jack, and yet I still wanted more. I remained still, feeling the pull on my breasts as the sting built in my arms. He moved the lights, repositioned the back of the skirt and shot. The shutter clicked, snapping shut closer and closer to the end of the shoot.

“One more
pose
.” I looked at him with desperation in my eyes. I wanted him so badly. The
soreness I’d felt earlier was gone and nothing but my word was keeping me from attacking Jack, peeling off his clothes, and climbing on top of him.

Jack saw the passion in my eyes, as the lusty thoughts I didn’t bother to conceal played across my face. He smiled, saying, “Kneel.
Knees apart.”
I scooted in front of him, getting up on my knees, spreading my thighs. The cold air met my wet warmth and made me shiver.

Jack watched me, his lips full and open. He pressed his eyes closed, snapping himself out of the seductive trance we both fell into and moved behind me. He fanned the crinoline skirt so that it billowed from my waist, pooling behind me like a sea of ink. He leaned over, standing in front of me, meeting my gaze. “Last set, okay? As soon as I have it, you’re going to come fast and hard—and not make a sound.” His lips twisted into a smile. I couldn’t take my eyes off of them as he pulled away from my face.

“Hands over your head, Tyndale.”
I draped both hands on top of my head, thinking that was what he wanted, but it wasn’t.
“Almost done.
Now, take one hand and stretch, reach as high as you can. Thrust your chest toward the light, and close your eyes.”

I closed my eyes, and did as he said. Stretching as far as I could with one hand, I reached over my head.
It made my body curve and forced my breasts toward him, the silver chain swaying between them as I bent my spine back. My long hair tickled my bare back. The shutter snapped several times, moving around me. I didn’t move. I could hear Jack breathing. My legs were trembling, wanting him, needing him to sate the lust that was beyond agony. Every inch of my skin burned, longing to be touched.

Without a word, Jack was behind me, on his knees whispering in my ear, “Come for me Abby.” One hand moved between my legs, sliding in the damp heat. The other reached around and yanked gently on the chain strung across my breasts. The intense feelings spread through me fast. The shutter clicked once, then twice. Jack rigged the camera to keep shooting. I didn’t know where it was, but the thought of Jack having pictures of me coming in his arms pushed me over the edge.

I screamed his name, “Jack,” as I thrust against his hand, finding my release in his arms. Sinking back into him, I laid there, my back to his front for a moment, breathing heavily.

His hands slid around my middle, under the rows of pearls, feeling my soft flesh beneath his hands. “That was so sexy, but we’re not done yet.” He turned me around, his fingers squeezing my tender
nipples, “We need to take these off.” As he squeezed, he loosened the clamp. I closed my eyes and soon felt his lips coaxing, sucking me hard. I gasped. It almost felt like he nipped me. Jack continued to massage the hard flesh with his tongue, becoming gentler and gentler until he lifted his head and said, “Now for the other.” He did the same thing, repeating every step, making me a hot mess, laying in his arms, arching my back, begging for more.

With the nipple clamps gone, he slowly removed the jewelry, laying it next to us on the floor. The last thing he did was
untie
the skirt and push it back. He
laid
back on the floor, pulling the fluffy skirt under his head like a pillow. “Come here, Abby. I want to kiss you.”

I leaned down, about to press my lips to his, when he grabbed my hips, sinking his strong hands into my skin. “Not like that. Spread your legs, kneel over me.” He pulled me to him, and I was half delighted, half horrified. The delighted part of my mind won the logic debate hands down. The sensible girl that usually called all the shots was promptly ignored and before I knew it, my legs were parted over his face as I straddled his head.

Jack’s breath assaulted me, making it hard not to move, but he’d asked me to be still. “Abby, you smell
good enough to eat.” His voice was deep, husky. I started to answer but lost the ability to speak when I felt his mouth start to kiss me. It was gentle, each caress soft and strong, taking me right back to the intoxicated Jack-high I was on before. His mouth moved magically against me. Without realizing it, my hands were over my head, as Jack licked every drop of me from my sensitive skin. I was trying hard to stay still. I didn’t want to hurt Jack, but the sensations that were building within me wanted to sway my hips above his lips, and press down hard.

As if he could read my mind, Jack breathed, “Ride me Abby. Move how you want. You won’t hurt me.” He words were the freedom I wanted. His tongue teased me into
a frenzy
. My body slid over his kisses, the slick warmth of his tongue making me cry out again. As I froze, feeling the perfect pulsating sensations within me, he thrust his tongue inside me, drinking me in. I gasped, surprised.

When he rolled me onto my back, I saw the lust still
gleaming
his eyes, “You make me want you in every possible way. I’ve never wanted to do that so much in my life. Every inch of you is divine, like you were sculpted for
me,
and me alone.” He brushed the hair out of my face, kissing my face gently.

In my post-coital glow, I leaned into him saying, “This feels like a dream, and I’m afraid I’m going to wake up.” My heart was slowing, beating in time with his. I could feel it beating as if we were the same person, as if he were my other half.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Jack joined me in the shower, kissing my neck sweetly before vacating the space and leaving me alone to my thoughts. Things were so different than I thought they’d be, and it was wonderful. As the water poured over my body, I felt like I was happily floating along like a little fluffy cloud. I took time getting dressed, wanting to look as beautiful as Jack made me feel. A little over an hour passed by the time I was ready.

When I stepped into the studio, Jack’s eyes wandered over my body like he still hadn’t had enough. A blush rose to my cheeks. I had no idea how it was possible to do the things we did, and then blush about it later. It was like my blusher was broken or something.

Jack pulled me into his arms, his forehead touching mine, “What on earth could you
be
thinking
to redden your beautiful face so much?” He grinned at me in a way that made my heart flutter.

Taking a deep breath, I smiled, teasingly pushing him away, “Everything you do makes me blush—no specific memory is needed.”

He pulled me back into his arms, his fingers tickling my waist gently, his lips a breath from mine, “We should really go into town before I peel this dress off of you.” Jack pressed his lips to my ear, gently kissing me, before pulling away.

Nodding, I said, “Just let me grab my purse.”

As I opened the desk drawer, Jack said, “Grab your check, too. It’s in the top drawer.”

I removed my purse from the desk, and found my check. It felt kind of weird, spending the day with our naked bodies intertwined and then taking money from him. I hesitated, my hand hovering over the check. “Jack, maybe I shouldn’t work here anymore.”

He grabbed his keys and was pulling on a leather jacket. “Don’t be silly.
Why not?”
I watched the narrow band of skin at his waist when he lifted his arms. He was gorgeous.

“I don’t know, it just feels odd.”

“Then you won’t work here anymore,” he smiled at me, zipping his coat. “Abby, I wanted to wait to ask you this, but I don’t want you to think that you
don’t belong in any part of my life. What’s mine is yours. What’s yours is mine.
The good and the bad.
I want all of you. I want you forever,” he knelt, taking my hand in his. My heart thumped in my ears, nearly exploding in my brain, “The last few weeks have meant everything to me. I’ve adored every moment we spent together and when you’re away, I can’t wait until you come back. It was a miracle that you walked through those doors. After all these years, I thought I’d never see you again, and the last few days have made me never want to let you go.” His hands were in my hair, gently touching my curls, his blue eyes soft and perfect as he spoke. “Abby, let me spend the rest of my life loving you. Let me take care of you. Let me be a part of your life in every way possible. Abby Tyndale, will you marry me?”

My jaw dropped. What came over him? I just said something about the check. I didn’t want to leave, but this—this shocked me. I’d known him forever, but we’d been apart so long. Staring at his beautiful face, I knew he was right. I felt it too. It was like we never left. Things were better than they ever had been. Despite my shocked silence, my mind was already scrawling Mrs. Abigail Gray with lots of bubbly hearts. Life with Jack was everything I ever
wanted. My lips trembled as I tried not to smile, and refused to cry.

Jack rubbed the back of my hand, looking up at me,
waiting
. A gleeful sob bubbled over my lips as I beamed, throwing my arms around his neck, kissing him furiously, not coming up for air even when my lungs burned. When we managed to break apart, I was shaking, crying, and laughing.

Pushing my hair out of my face, he held me in his arms, smiling so hard. “I take that as a yes?”

Nodding and wiping tears from my eyes, I said, “Yes!”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Jack wasn’t kidding when he said that he planned on proposing. When we went into town, he took me to a stunning waterfront restaurant. It was crowded, but the waiter took us in, walking past many jealous eyes, all the way into the back. We passed through carved oak doors that lead to a private room that overlooked the water. And the room was totally empty.

I glanced at Jack surprised, but he only shrugged, “I wanted to be alone with you. I had an important question to ask.” He grinned, taking my hand in his, holding it tighter.

My eyes were wide, “How much did you have to pay them to leave this space open? Jack!” I was smiling too much. My face hurt, the muscles felt overused, but it was a welcome soreness like I had in other parts of my body. I sucked at taking gifts graciously, but I was trying. During dinner, I could
barely stay on my side of the table. His eyes moved over me like he wanted me for dinner, not the beautiful meal on his plate.

About half way through the meal, he took his phone from his pocket. Flicking the screen, he said, “Would you like to see your shoot, Mrs. Gray?”

Two things happened simultaneously. First, I flushed, hushing him like people would hear, but no one was around. Second, my smile couldn’t be contained when he called me Mrs. Gray. It felt like someone squeezed my heart, making that empty space in my chest fade into oblivion. In a hushed voice, I asked, “You brought them with you? When did you even look at them?”

He grinned, “You take long showers.”

A coy smile laced across my lips, “I was very dirty, Mr. Gray.” He smiled harder, the little lines at the corners of his eyes crinkled. Jack was so beautiful.

The waiters stayed away, out of sight but ready to come if Jack turned his head in their direction. I squirmed a little. I didn’t know how I felt about seeing the portraits, or about viewing them in public. However, I did like that Jack had them with him, hidden on his phone. It made me feel daring and free. He nodded, a tapered finger flicking the screen, the
expression on his face becoming sexier by the moment. “Come over here.”

I walked around the table feeling like we shouldn’t be doing this, but Jack didn’t seem to care. He pulled me on his lap, warm arms wrapping around me. I could feel how much he wanted me, and closed my eyes enjoying the sensation. His hand draped across my knee, before the other one produced the iPhone. “Now, let me warn you. This is the sexiest shoot I’ve ever seen in my entire life.” Leaning closer, brushing his lips to my ear he whispered, “Are you sure you want to see?” His eyes glinted as his sexy smile widened.

“Jack,” I was ready to ride him right there. The entire day passed and he sated me again and again, but he still hadn’t been back inside of me where I wanted him. Fighting the urge to writhe on his lap, I pressed my knees together and said, “Show me before I wiggle on your lap so much that I leave an embarrassing little wet spot.”

He flushed, “Abby!” Jack’s face had the most delightful expression, part awe and part embarrassment. Trying to knock me off-kilter, he held up the phone, and the screen illuminated, showcasing me, decked out in pearls and silver. The way the light lit my body, the dark pearls and inky
skirt draping off of me, the glittering chain that went from one nipple to the other—I squealed and ripped the phone out of his hands. He laughed, taking in my reaction.