One Special Night (4 page)

Jim was clearly the “old man” of the group even though all six of the men were pretty much the same age. Trevor, with his boyish looks and easy-going personality, seemed far younger, although all of the men seemed older than their years, maybe because of what they'd seen during their service.

As for Jasmine, she truly was an unknown commodity to him although he was eager to find out why she ran so hot and cold.
 
Especially since he liked it when she was running hot, although the warning bells in his head said that she was the absolute worst kind of woman for him.

She was too strong and determined.
 
A woman used to going it alone.
 
He had no doubt she'd be leaving to pursue whatever it was she wanted out of life.

He had no desire to get involved with another woman who would leave him
, he thought again as the waiters brought over the main course.
 
But one night.
One special night.
Yeah, I could handle that
, he thought
.

She licked her lips after a sip from her drink and he swallowed hard, wondering how they'd feel against his.
 
Would they be hot or cold from the soda?
 
Sweet or demanding?

He dipped his gaze down to avoid more thoughts of those lips on his, but he was in equally dangerous territory at the sight of her sexy tits and all those dangerous curves.
 
He remembered how that gorgeous womanly body fit against him so perfectly.
 
Imagined tasting her full breasts and sucking the hard tips that had felt so good against his body just moments earlier.

His balls tightened and his erection flared to life again, but luckily the table hid his renewed reaction to her as he attacked the main course, a delicious surf and turf combo, with feigned interest.
 
He'd much rather be kissing Jasmine than eating, but there was a time and place for everything.

She dug into her meal with gusto and it was nice to see a woman who wasn't afraid of the calories piled on her plate.

“It's good, isn't it?” he said as she polished off the last of the lobster and licked a bit of melted butter from her lips.
 
In his pants, his cock did an excited little dance at the thought of her licking him like that.

“I love lobster, not that I get to eat it often,” she said and since he still had most of his tail on his plate, he motioned to it.

“Have mine.
 
I'm not really a fan,” he replied even though it was one of his favorites also.

She narrowed her gaze and examined him before smiling playfully.
 
“Liar, but I won't pass it up.”

He scooped the lobster tail onto her plate, appreciating the relish with which she ate.
 
Certain she'd give that kind of eagerness to other things in her life since she didn't seem like the kind to shy away from things.

Except maybe me
, he thought.
 
When there was only one piece of lobster on her plate, she looked up and met his gaze.
 
Misunderstood the hunger there since she forked up the morsel, dipped it in butter, and offered it up to him.

“Hungry?” she asked.

“Yes,” he answered quickly and thought,
But
only for you.

She brought the lobster to his lips and he surrounded it with his mouth.
 
The melted butter
  
dripped onto his lips and she swiped it off with her thumb, sending a blast of desire straight to his groin with her touch.

He quickly swallowed and when she went to wipe off another smear of butter, he grabbed hold of her hand, licked his lips, and then licked the tip of her finger.

She sucked in a deep breath and met his gaze.
 
Watched as he kissed his way down her finger to her wrist, where he dropped another kiss and smiled as a soft moan escaped her.

She shot him a glance full of both innocence and daring.

Since the rest of the couples were luckily involved in an animated discussion about which branch of the service was best, Tommy decided it was time to explore what he was feeling for the exciting woman next to him.

“Would you like to go for a walk?” he asked.

Chapter 4

Jasmine knew that their walk was going to involve a lot more than just a s
troll on the beach.
 
Common sense told her it would be crazy to go, but with every cell in her body alive and humming with need, there was no way she'd say “No.”

It was time to take a chance and the consequences
be
damned.
 
She'd deal with the aftermath of her decision later.
 
Much later
, she thought.

“I'd love to go for a walk,” she said, her voice sounding surprisingly husky even to her own ears.

He popped out of his chair eagerly, that tempting smile on his
face,
and she realized that he was a man who'd never be good at hiding his emotions.
 
He'd always be open and honest and full of life, and she found that undeniably irresistible.

She'd spent too much time around so many strong silent types in the military.
 
It was refreshing to find a man who was so open and unrestrained.

She accepted the hand he held out to her and walked with him past the many tables filled with guests and toward the short boardwalk that led down to the beach.
 
With the main course finished, there were other couples moving about the lawn and terrace, letting them pass unnoticed to the boardwalk.

They crossed up and over the dunes that were covered with sea grasses and aromatic wild roses and which protected his family's home from storms.

At the base of the stairs, she stopped to take off her sandals.
 
She grabbed them in one hand and continued to hold his hand with the other as they slowly ambled down the beach and away from the party, although a few guests were starting to filter onto the beachfront.
 
It was quieter on the sand, with the distant noise from the guests and the music muted by the dunes.
 
The sounds of the waves rushing toward shore and the occasional squawk of a seagull filled the air instead.

Above them the sky was darkening quickly as dusk advanced in the late summer night.

They walked in peaceful silence for about fifteen minutes before Tommy paused by the boardwalk leading to another large mansion. With a gentle tug on her hand, he turned her to face him and her gaze connected with his as it skipped over face.

The barest hint of a smile was on his lips as he raised his hand and skimmed the tips of his fingers along her cheek.
 
“You’re very beautiful,” he said, the tones of his voice low, strumming alive need deep inside her.

It had been too long since she’d done this dance and worse yet, she knew he wouldn’t feel the same way if he ever saw the scars on her body.
 
Because of that, she tried to downplay the comment.
 
“I bet you say that to all the girls.”

He grinned and chucked her under the chin.
 
“Only the pretty ones.”

She chuckled and met his gaze again.
 
A playful glitter filled the dark cocoa brown of his eyes, but there was more there.
 
Definitely more
, she thought and he confirmed it by slipping his thumb up across her lips before he bent and kissed her.

Sweet lord, but his mouth was heaven
, she thought.
 
Soft.
 
Hard.
 
Warm. Cool.
 
Delicious
, she thought as his mouth invited her to play until they finally broke apart, both of them shaking with need.

He gestured toward the dunes and said, “Would you like to sit for a moment?”

After a nervous glance at the sand and growing awareness of what might follow, she nodded.
 
Together they moved toward the protection of the dunes and as they neared a spot thick with grasses and the fragrant roses, Tommy whipped off his jacket and laid it on the ground for her.

“It'll get ruined,” she said, fearing the worst for the fine fabric of the tuxedo.

“Don't worry.
 
It can handle a little sand and I don't want you to get your dress dirty.”

Her dress which probably cost only a fraction of what his designer duds did.
 
The thought made her hesitate and prompted him to ask, “What's wrong, Jasmine?”

She motioned between the two of them and said, “This.
 
You and me.
 
I don't normally do this kind of thing and even if I did, now is not the right time.”

He jerked a hand through the wavy strands of his hair with obvious frustration and looked away toward the surf.
 
It had grown darker, but a full moon was emerging, casting all kinds of shadows along the chiseled lines of his features.
 
Those mobile and sexy lips were a harsh line amidst all those shadows.
 
As he faced her again, those beautiful brown almost almond-shaped eyes were filled with pain.

“I don't normally do this either, Jasmine.
 
And for shit sure this isn't what I expected for tonight, but I want you.
 
I thought you wanted me, too.”

She had never been one to play games.
 
“I do want you, but . . . I’m not normally into one night stands.”

“Me, either, but maybe it’s time to be different.
 
Maybe it's time to give in to something we both really want,” he countered and cradled her cheek in his big hand.
 
He skimmed his thumb across her cheekbone and said, “We can take it slow, Jasmine.”

She had no doubt about that.
 
Despite his assertions that he didn't normally do things like this, he struck her as the kind of man who knew just what to do to bring a woman pleasure.
 
Deliciously toe-curling pleasure and if only for this one night, she was going to let herself feel alive again.

“Slow is very
very
good, Tommy,” she said with a smile and the tightness in his features evaporated like the wash of the ocean against the sand.

Together they scooted down onto his jacket and sat there for a long moment, anticipation building between them.

As the breeze picked up and blew her hair across the side of her face, Tommy brushed it away and then lingered, his fingers threading into her hair to cradle her skull.
 
He urged her to meet his gaze as he tardily lowered his head until his lips were so close that his warm breath spilled against her face.

“You are amazing,” he said and softly brushed his lips across hers.
 
So softly that for a moment she wondered if he'd even done so, only her lips were tingling and that feeling was spreading down throughout her body as he returned to nuzzle her lips again.

“You're not so bad yourself,” she teased back and his smile grazed across her mouth.

“I was worried you hadn't noticed what a sexy guy I am,” he said with a chuckle that vibrated against her lips and heightened the rush of awareness coursing through her body.

Before she could reply, he covered her mouth with his, deepening the kiss.
 
His lips warm and inviting as he coaxed hers to open and accept the slide of his tongue.

He tasted decadent, like the rich foods and wines they had savored during the meal.
 
Clean and crisp from the lemon ice the waiters had brought around to clear their palates before the next course.

She dipped her tongue in to explore him, stroking it all along his tongue, and laid a hand on his strong shoulder to steady
herself
as she leaned into the kiss.

He grasped her waist,
then
languidly moved upward until his hand rested beneath her breast.
 
Her nipples tightened in anticipation, but he didn't rush, content to kiss her like there was no tomorrow.

Which there wasn't
, she reminded herself.
 
There might not even be a later, so she
enjoyed
 
the
kiss because damn he was an amazing kisser.
 
She relaxed against him until the tips of her breasts teased the muscled wall of his chest.

He groaned and pulled away only long enough to
say,
“Touch me, Jasmine. Please touch me.”

She didn't need another push. She trailed her hand down the smooth, almost chill linen of his shirt.
 
The muscles of his arms were rock hard, but beneath there was a fine trembling from his restraint.
 
When she reached his chest, she palmed his well-defined
pecs
and tweaked the tight little nipples beneath the fabric.

Her own nipples beaded into even stiffer nubs and she whispered against his lips, “I need you to touch me, too.”

He raised his hand those last few inches and cradled her breast.
 
Rubbed his thumb across the hard tip in a lazy caress until she moaned and begged, “More, Tommy.
 
I want more.”

* * *

Tommy's cock jumped eagerly at her words, but he held himself in check.
 
He urged her down onto his jacket and met her gaze
directly,
wanting to be sure she was ready.
 
While there was some hesitation in the cinnamon-streaked hazel of her gaze, there was also determination.

The front of her dress had a row of tiny little buttons that ran from a few inches below her neck to the bottom hem.
 
While he leaned on one arm, he fumbled to open the buttons with just one hand.
 
She quickly assisted, undoing them until the dress parted down to her navel and he eased his hand beneath to draw away one side of the fabric.

Her skin was a creamy color beneath the daring red of her bra and panties.
 
A rosy flush swept over her skin as he rubbed the back of his hand up her lean abs and to her breasts.
 
He shifted his hand to her right side to draw away that part of the dress, eager to see all of her, but she snared his hand and panic swept across her features.

“Not there,” she said, almost pleading, and in his mind's eye he recalled her earlier wince on the dance floor.

“Is that where you were
– ”

“Yes-s-s-s,” she replied in an urgent hiss.

He wanted to tell her that it didn't matter, but it did to her.
 
Or at least it did right now.
 
Maybe in time her wounds would heal, but for tonight, he knew he had to handle her gently.

Tenderly he cradled her breast and skimmed his thumb across the taut dusky nub visible beneath the filmy fabric of her bra.
 
“I want a taste of you,” he said as he continued his caress.

Her body trembled beneath his touch and he leaned down, skimmed his lips across the swells of her breasts.

She moved her hand from his chest up into his hair and held him to her, enticing him to continue with a soft satisfied cry as he rotated her nipple between his thumb and forefinger.
 
He repeated the action and then shifted down to gently nip the nub with his teeth, drawing another pleasure-filled mewl from her.

Easing down the lacy red cup of her bra, he kissed the tip, licking and sucking it before drawing it deep into his mouth for a harder pull.

“Oh, God, that feels good,” she said, but as he risked a quick glance at her, he saw that she was biting her lower lip to keep from crying out.

“You can let go, Jasmine.
 
No one will hear you.
 
No one but me,” he said and repeated the action, sucking and pulling on the sensitive nub until she was almost writhing beneath him.
 
She held him close with her hands and while he wanted her to bring him similar pleasure, he wanted her to find her release first.

He trailed one hand down her center until he reached the hem of her dress and slipped between her thighs.

The heat of her there and the musky smell of her desire as he shifted the dress upward nearly had him coming in his pants, but he wrestled down his own wants.

She parted her thighs for him, giving him entry until he reached the rough lace and slick fabric of her panties.
 
They were drenched from her need and beneath the fabric, her body was hot.

So hot
, he thought as he eased his fingers down beneath the panties and found the wet swollen nub of her clit.
 
With one quick press of his thumb, she came, crying out his name and grabbing hold of his hand to keep him from moving against her again.

“Tommy, I'm sorry,” she keened as her body shook from the force of her release.

“No worries, babe.
 
I'm here for you. I'm here to make you feel good,” he said, sensing from her quick response that it had been a long time since she'd taken care of business. Because of that, he gentled his touch, barely grazing her clit and lips with the tips of his fingers.
 
Dipping his head down to nuzzle her breast lightly before licking the tip of it again.