She shrugged. “The business thing was a phase. I was consumed with money for a while.”
“Aren’t we all?”
She smiled, startled to realize how natural if felt being with him. No awkwardness after their session by the sink. No leering. He looked her in the eye when he spoke and waited for her answer, listening to her. She liked him all the more for it and remembered he’d always been that way—unselfish, interested in her as a person.
Not a good thing to realize since she still planned to bump and dump.This is about teaching him a lesson, isn’t it?She shelved a returning case of the guilts.Remember, he has it coming.
“Ann? You okay?”
“Yeah. Why?”
He frowned. “You have a funny look on your face.”
“You mean, like this?” She stuck out her tongue and made a face several of her students had perfected.
He made a face back at her, then they traded juvenile insults about mothers that had her laughing so hard she almost spit her wine all over him.
“Quit nursing that glass. You’ve been on the same one since you sat down to dinner. I’m on my third beer already.” He shook his head, smiling at her. “But then, you always were a lightweight.” Pushing away from the table, he gathered his plate. “You done?”
She nodded and moved to stand.
“No, I got this. You just sit pretty and let me wait on you.”
“Hey, a man wants to serve me. I’m not going to say no.”
“Exactly.” He cleared the table, then brought her favorite dessert with him and set it in front of her. “New York style cheesecake with cherries. And no, I did not make this myself. I bought it from Riley. The minute I stepped into her place, she glared holes through me, even when I confessed I was there for you. That’s probably the only reason she didn’t spit in the dessert.”
She laughed. “No way. Riley would never mess with one of her masterpieces of confection, as she likes to call them. She might have spit atyouwhen you left the store though.”
“Hadn’t thought of that.” He sat next to her instead of across from her. Way too close.
“Um, I’m good. You can go back to your seat.”
“Nope. I can’t. A good host sees to his guest. Open up.” Damn. He had taken a forkful of the sweet stuff and held it to her lips. “Go on. Take a bite.”
“Said the witch with the apple,” she added, making him laugh. She watched him while she put her lips over the fork. The fork came back sparkling clean, and his gaze went dark. He took a bite for himself, not looking away from her.
“More?” he asked, his voice husky.
“Maybe a little.”
“Maybe a lot.” He gave her another bite.
When she finished, he didn’t take any more for himself. He stood and pulled her to her feet, then backed her against the wall and caged her between his arms.
“Um, Jack?”
“What’s that, angel?” Oh boy. Not the smoky voice.
“I wasn’t done my dessert.”
“Good, neither am I.”
What she feared came to pass, because her control of the situation shifted dramatically when he kissed her. With only one and a half glasses of wine in her, she couldn’t blame the alcohol. No, it was all Jack seducing her into a pliant ball of need.
She didn’t know when she’d put her hands on his shoulders or dragged them through his hair.
His hands found her bra and unfastened it before she could think to protest. Then he was touching her breasts, teasing her hard nipples. He kissed and nipped his way to her throat, where he sucked until she moaned, lost in lust.
