Born to Be Wild: Welcome to Paradise, Book 3 (13 page)

Ribbons of heat unfurled inside her, washing over her skin, settling between her legs and the tips of her nipples. The scrape of his stubble on the top of her mound had her hips thrashing. The warmth of his mouth as he neared her wet slit made her moan. Her muscles tensed, craving relief.

“Jake,” she squeezed out. “No teasing. I need…”

“This?”

He captured her clit between his lips and suckled.

Bree’s ass shot off the couch.

Chuckling, Jake grasped her hips to steady her, then resumed his torturous ministrations. He teased her with his tongue, drawing out her pleasure. Every long, lazy lick brought her closer to the edge. When he pushed one finger inside her, her inner muscles greedily clamped around it, and her hips began to rock in a desperate rhythm.

Her brain went hazy, her body hummed, but just as the first flutters of release threatened to break the surface, Jake stopped what he was doing. And laughed.

“Not yet,” he said mockingly.

The pressure between her legs was so unbearable she thought she might actually die, but Jake refused to take pity on her. Instead, he brushed his tongue over her clit one last time, then climbed up and covered her body with his.

Bree moaned when she saw his face. Taut features, silver eyes glittering with arousal. He must have rolled on a condom during his sensual assault on her sex, because he was already sheathed when he slid into her in one achingly slow stroke.

The cushions squeaked as he started to move, but the pace he’d set was too freaking measured. Long, languid thrusts, filling her only to withdraw before he could hit that sweet spot deep inside.

“More,” she begged.

“No,” he muttered.

His restraint impressed the hell out of her. From the hungry look in his eyes, she knew he was dying to quicken the tempo. Dying to explode, just like she was.

But he dragged it out, his hips thrusting and releasing so carefully that beads of sweat broke out on Bree’s forehead. When she tried to wrap her legs around him, he reprimanded her by biting her neck and withdrawing completely.

“Damn it, Jake…please. Please, please,
please
.” Great. He’d reduced her to begging.
Begging
, for Pete’s sake.

A deep laugh rumbled out of his chest. “You know, sweetheart, I think I like tormenting you.” To punctuate that, he plunged his cock into her again and rotated his hips in a slow, sensual circle.

Bree was in total agony. Every nerve ending in her body crackled with impatience. Her breasts, crushed against Jake’s solid chest, felt full, achy. Her nipples were harder than icicles. And the throbbing between her legs refused to cease. The feel of Jake’s cock filling her, stretching her, was too much. Too good.

“Jake…God, I need to come.”

She expected another taunt, but what she got was a cheerful “okay”.

And then he thrust so deep that the pressure in her core shattered and an orgasm more powerful than any she’d ever experienced sent her soaring.

She might have blacked out for a bit because when she opened her eyes, she was no longer on her back but draped over Jake’s big, strong body. His hand tangled in her hair, stroking the silky strands, and a wide grin played on his sexy mouth.

“You’re back,” he teased.

Bree blinked. She shifted her head and noticed the spent condom on the coffee table. “Did you come?”

“Sure did.” He rolled his eyes. “I guess I should be insulted that you failed to notice, but you were moaning and thrashing all over the place, so I’m not surprised.”

She rested her cheek on his shoulder and sighed. “I think I passed out.”

His laughter tickled her forehead. “Does that mean you like slow and sweet as much as hard and rough?”

“Yep.”

They went silent for a long time, as Jake toyed with her hair and ran his hand over her back. Bree couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt this relaxed. The steady beating of Jake’s heart vibrated in her ear. His warm breath heated the tip of her nose. She kinda liked this cuddling thing, though she’d never dreamed that she’d be cuddling with Jake Bishop, of all people.

The thought gave her pause, made her uneasy enough that she propped herself up on her elbow and searched his gorgeous face. “What are we doing here, Jake?”

He didn’t ask her to clarify, which told her he’d been thinking the very same thing. “I don’t know,” he murmured. “But I like it.”

“Me too.”

You like it too much
, a little voice warned.

Bree swallowed. Might be some truth to that. This past week, she’d lowered her guard around this man. She’d stopped viewing their time together as only sex, but something…deeper.

But how could they possibly have anything deep? Jake might be opening up to her, but it wasn’t like he’d magically become a man she could have a future with. If anything, he was going out of his way to avoid thinking about the future. He’d told her about the job offer on the base in Colorado Springs, but as far as she knew, he hadn’t made a decision yet and his hesitation spoke volumes. He had this great opportunity right there in front of him, yet he seemed to view the job the same way he might view prison time.

“Why haven’t you given the colonel an answer yet?” she asked quietly.

Jake stiffened. “Because I haven’t made up my mind yet.” He paused for a beat. “But I did make up my mind about something else. I want to keep seeing you, Bree. Even after you leave on Sunday.”

She faltered. “How will that work?”

“If I take the job, I’ll be thirty minutes from Denver. If I decide to stay in Paradise, I’ll be an hour away. Either way, we can commute, or I’ll commute, if you’re not up for the drive.”

Her breath hitched. “Why would you want to do that?”

“Because I like being with you.” He sighed. “I’m starting to think I was a real idiot back then. I wish we’d spent as much time out of bed as we did in it.”

“It wouldn’t have changed anything,” she said with an answering sigh. “We would have said goodbye eventually. You were set on the army, I was set on law school.”

“Do you truly like it? Being a lawyer?”

“You know, nobody’s ever asked me that,” she confessed, feeling dismayed.

“Well, do you?”

She pursed her lips. “Yes. I do. I love it, actually. My parents might have encouraged me—okay, browbeat me—into the field, but I would’ve chosen it on my own. Everyone thinks it’s about the money, but for me, it’s not. I like knowing that I’m making a difference, fighting for people who can’t do it alone. Like this latest case I’m working on.”

“Representing the widow of the man who died from that blood pressure drug?”

Anger jolted through her. “Because the pharmaceutical company didn’t bother disclosing the fatal side effects. Their only concern was fast-tracking the drug to get it on the market as soon as possible. Bert Smithson died because a bunch of greedy executives were more concerned with making money fast rather than taking the time to produce a safe product.”

Jake cocked his head. “And it isn’t greed that compelled the widow to sue?”

“No,” she said firmly. “Mrs. Smithson doesn’t care about the money. She’s already pledged to donate any punitive damages she’s awarded to Denver General’s cardiology department. She’s suing to send a message. If the company is forced to shell out big bucks this time, then they’ll think twice before screwing anyone else over again.” Bree let out a rushed breath. “Sorry. I tend to get passionate about my cases.”

“I’ve noticed,” he said with a chuckle.

“But we’re getting off-topic here.” She swallowed. “I can’t see how this will work once I leave Paradise. Relationships can be hard work, Jake.”

“I know that,” he said gruffly.

“And I can’t have a half-assed relationship either.” She sat up, shoving a strand of hair out of her eyes. “If we keep seeing each other, you need to be fully invested. Open, honest. Communicate instead of shutting down. And…” She hesitated.

“And what?”

“And I would want us to get to know each other’s families.”

He blanched.

Bree bristled. “See, that’s what I’m talking about. I know my parents aren’t your favorite people, but if we’re together, I’d expect you to make an effort. Same way I made an effort with your mother. If you and I start dating, you bet your ass I’d keep in touch with Della, and your brothers, too. Hell, I reached out to Austin the other day, and I barely know him.”

Jake looked surprised. “You spoke to Austin?”

“Right after that disastrous lunch,” she confessed. She didn’t mention that Austin had yet to take her up on her offer to talk, but she knew he hadn’t spoken to Jake or Owen either, so she didn’t feel insulted.

“You didn’t have to do that.”

“I know, but I did it anyway. And if you’re serious about seeing where this thing between us goes, you’re going to have to suck it up and play nice with my family.”

The vulnerability that flickered in his silver eyes floored her. “Your folks despise me, Bree. They despise my whole family.” He made a disgruntled sound. “They think me and my brothers are cut from the same cloth as my asshole father.”

“Then change their minds,” she said breezily.

“While they try to change yours,” he countered, sliding up into a sitting position. He dragged one hand over his close-cropped hair. “They won’t approve of us dating, Bree. They’ll poison your mind, tell you how you can do better, bitch that I’m not wealthy.”

“So? They can say whatever they want—doesn’t mean I’ll believe them. I don’t care that you’re not rich, Jake. I don’t care if you accept the instructor job, or decide to work construction with Owen instead. I’ll support whatever you choose to do. As long as it makes you happy, I’m happy.”

His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “Jesus. You really are the sweetest person I’ve ever met.”

Her heart did a funny little flip. God, if she wasn’t careful, she might actually fall for this man again.

“All right. Let’s do it,” Jake blurted out. He shook his head, looking a little shell-shocked. “If you’re serious about giving me a shot, then I’m willing to make the effort. I’ll invest myself a hundred percent in this, sweetheart.”

A smile tugged on the corners of her mouth. “Really?”

“Really.”

He leaned in to kiss her, but she pressed her index finger to his lips, stopping him from making contact. “Then you’re gonna have to put your money where your mouth is.”

Jake raised a dark brow. “Meaning what?”

“Meaning I’m officially inviting you to dinner with my family tomorrow night. And you, Jake Bishop, had better be on your best behavior.”

Cooper couldn’t say he was surprised to find Lexie on his porch when he stepped outside to have a smoke. But he
was
surprised it had taken her three days to show her face. Not to mention that she was here on a Friday night, at the time she normally ate dinner with her folks. He also didn’t expect to find her on that shitty-ass wicker chair instead of knocking on the damn door. Judging by the redness of her cheeks and nose, she’d been sitting there for quite some time.

“How long have you been out here?” he asked roughly, flipping open his Zippo so he could light his cigarette.

She sighed. “Twenty minutes.”

“Why didn’t you knock?”

“I was gathering my courage.”

Cooper inhaled a lungful of nicotine and leaned against the splintered wooden railing. He didn’t make a move to greet her with a hug or kiss. And he tried valiantly not to notice how beautiful she looked. With her classic features, cornflower blue eyes and pale golden hair, she really did resemble the princess she pretended to be. Her tight-fitting gray wool coat screamed
designer
, as did her knee-length leather boots. Cooper had always dismissed her when he’d spotted her around town in the past, until the night he’d found her tipsy in the parking lot of Nate Bishop’s pub.

The night he’d discovered that underneath her icy exterior, Lexie burned hotter than a five-alarm blaze. And he’d discovered a lot more once they started spending time together. She was eager and passionate in bed, had a silly sense of humor that she only revealed in private, a stubborn streak that ran a mile long.

But she was also a big fucking coward, not to mention a total daddy’s girl.

“So you’re here to apologize, huh?” he said bitterly.

“Yes.”

He took a long drag, then flicked ash over the side of the railing. “Don’t bother. It’s not like I’ve been sitting here for the past three days, sulking and sobbing about how you ignored me in front of your mommy.”

Liar
.

Fine, so he might have been sulking. But not sobbing. He wasn’t
that
much of a pussy.

“I panicked,” she said, slowly getting to her feet. “I already told you, I’m not ready to tell my parents about us.”

“Us?” he echoed. “There is no us, Lexie. There can’t be until you’re willing to acknowledge—publicly—that we’re actually a couple.”

A cold hand touched his jaw. “I’m sorry, Coop. I should have said hello to you on the street. I just need some more time, all right?”