He climbs to his feet and reels me into his arms. “Thank you for what you did. It feels so good to have your support. To know I’m not alone in this.”
“It felt good to do it. You’remine, J. I protect what’s mine in the same way you do.” I was seething after his conniving ex went to the press. I still don’t understand why she didn’t rat me out. Maybe she was planning to blackmail Jared by threatening to reveal my identity. Or she was timing it to make a few bombshell announcements one after the other. Either way, I wanted to steal some of her thunder.
I took back some control, and it feels good.
It’s all out in the open now, and I got Jared off the hook.
Even the ton of reporters camped outside both our houses hasn’t dampened the euphoric feeling swirling through my veins.
“I won’t ever tire of hearing that.” He playfully pinches my ass.
“Good, ’cause you can’t get rid of me now, rock star.” Snaking my arms around his neck, I lean in and kiss his full lips. I love that I have free rein to kiss and touch him now. We still need to have that other conversation. I’m dreading it. But I can’t keep putting it off.
Which reminds me.
I break our lip-lock, laughing when he pouts. “I did something else I need to tell you. If you don’t like it, I’ll tell Sawyer and Xavier to drop it.”
“I have a feeling the massage is meant to make me more pliable.”
I laugh again as he starts unbuttoning his shirt. “If that was the case, I would have waited until after. There is no ulterior motive. I just want to help you destress.”
“Okay. Lay it on me.”
I have a hard time keeping my eyes on his face as he continues unbuttoning his shirt, slowly baring his delectable chest and abs. Damn. I want to lick every part of his body and then go back for seconds and thirds.
“Syd.” Jared smirks, knowing exactly where my mind has gone.
I blink to clear my head. “I called Sawyer yesterday and asked him to dig into my dad. To find dirt I could use to get him off my back. I called him back today and said there was a new priority. I asked him to investigate Vittoria to see if he can find anything we can use to our advantage.”
He goes preternaturally still, and I worry I’ve just fucked up. “I’m sorry,” I blurt. “I should have asked you first. I—”
He silences me with a passionate kiss that curls my toes. His bare chest brushes against my clothed one, sending lusty tremors cascading over my body. His large palm possessively holds the back of my head while his other hand rests on my lower back as he controls our kiss, and I’m here for it.
I’m panting like I just ran a marathon when we finally surface for air. “Not that I’m complaining, but what was that for?”
“I love the way you love me. Having you go to bat for me is everything, Syd.” He stares adoringly at me. “You’re everything.”
“You’re not mad?”
“Not even a bit. It’s a smart move. One I should have done before now. I just wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt.”
“That’s because you’re a good person. But we’ve got to up our game, and if we have to be stealthy to beat her, then that’s what we must do.”
Jared pounces on me, and I squeal as he tosses me on the couch and crawls over me. His shirt is quickly discarded, and he leans down in all his bare-chested glory. I’m enraptured, and my body moves of its own accord, my legs wrapping around his waist as I yank him down to me. His lips descend in a hard claiming kiss, and we’re devouring one another as my hands roam up and down the velvety-smooth skin of his back.
I whimper into his mouth when his fingers find their way under my silk blouse and begin exploring. Every touch is like flames searing across my skin, and I’m writhing and moaning like someone who hasn’t had sex in years. Deft fingers unbutton my blouse as we continue kissing. My jean-clad legs naturally part, and I almost come undone when Jared presses his pelvis against mine, the feel of his erection straining against his zipper and pushing into my core nearly enough to send me shooting to the stars.
When his mouth finds my nipple over my lace bra, I close my eyes and arch my back, stuffing him full of my breast. Liquid lust floods my panties when he pulls my bra down and his hot mouth suctions on my hardened tip. “J,” I moan.
“Baby, I’m so hot for you.” He thrusts his hard-on against me. “Feel what you do to me.”
Baby.
The word registers in my lust-addled mind, and though I don’t want to, I know I need to stop this before it goes any further. I’m internally crying as I gently shove his shoulders. “Stop. We need to stop.”
Lifting his head, he frowns as he studies my face. “What’s wrong?”
Tears stab my eyes as I contemplate all I have to tell him. “We need to talk,” I whisper as I cling to his shoulders. “There is something from the past I haven’t told you. Something you need to know before we take this to the next level.”
