Sleeping with the Playboy (9 page)

“Sounds great.”

If his steak was half as good as his chicken and lemon sauce, and he continued to be such an enjoyable dinner companion, Jocelyn was going to find it very difficult to remember that she was not here on a quest for pleasure. Epicurean or otherwise. She was here to do a job.

 

That evening after dinner, they walked down to the beach. The water was calm, except for tiny, circular ripples from fish bobbing to the surface. The sun was setting just beyond the treeline on the other side of the lake.

It was a hot night, so Jocelyn had changed into a black T-shirt and khaki walking shorts with Nike sandals, but Donovan still wore his jeans. Jocelyn spread a blanket on the sand.

“Listen to the crickets,” he said. “What a gorgeous night.”

He began to unbutton his shirt.

“What do you think you're doing?”

He unbuttoned it all the way down and shrugged out of it, then hopped on one foot while he pulled off a shoe. “I'm checking out the lake.”

“Are you wearing a swimsuit under those?” she asked, pointing to his jeans, trying not to stare at the sheer magnificence of his bare chest in the glimmering, red twilight.

“Nope.” He pulled off the other shoe.

“Hold on a second!” Jocelyn blurted out, realizing what he was doing. “You can't do that here!”

“Why not? It's a scorcher tonight, and there's no one here but us.”

“
Us
being the operative word! I'm here, and I don't particularly want to see your—”

Good God.

He pulled down his jeans, and she caught a flash of his bare hip just before she shut her eyes and whirled around to face the other direction. The next thing she heard was the sound of bare feet running onto the wharf and a huge, resounding splash.

Jocelyn opened her eyes, turned and looked down at Donovan's clothes on the blanket at her feet.

All of them.

Right down to the baby blue boxers.

She walked to the edge of the wharf just as Donovan resurfaced. “The water's great!” He flipped his
wet hair back off his face. He was one beautiful man. “You gotta come in!”

“I will most certainly
not
come in!”

He laughed. “Why not? It's a gorgeous night, Miss Executive Protection Professional. There's no one here. Relax for once, just for a little while.”

“I've said it before and I'll say it again, Donovan—that's precisely when something would happen—as soon as I relaxed in my duties. You've hired me to do a job, and I intend to do it. I'll watch.”

She chose not to tell him that watching felt equally as dangerous. For her, anyway.

“Have it your way.”

He dove under the water, and she saw more than she wanted to see—a tight, muscular bare butt to die for. Her insides quivered with excitement. Was he trying to drive her mad on purpose? She cupped her forehead in her hand and shut her eyes again.

Feeling slightly desperate, she glanced all around, looking for anybody who might suddenly appear for some unknown reason. The owners, perhaps? A lost hiker? Of course there was no one—it was only wishful thinking on her part—so she looked back down at Donovan, frolicking in the water and damn well driving her insane with both exasperation and yearning.

He treaded water and looked up at her with a tempting smile. “Sure you won't change your mind?”

“I'm sure.” But she wasn't sure. What she really wanted to do was dive into that lake and cool off. Because she sure as hell needed to.

“I can see you're changing your mind,” he said teasingly, still treading water.

How in God's name did he know that? she wondered miserably. Was it written on her forehead in great big letters—I'm Hot For You, Doctor Knight?

He continued to try to coax her in. “Just for five minutes. You said yourself no one could possibly know we're here. Why can't you just enjoy yourself?”

Now he was making her feel like a prude. A boring old stick-in-the-mud.

Which she was! When was the last time she'd enjoyed herself? Or gone out on a date that didn't involve work? When had she laughed, outside of these last few days with Donovan?

“I'd like to, but…”

“No more buts. Just dive in. I'll even turn around while you get undressed.”

She stood for a few more seconds, considering it while Donovan continued to tread water with his back to her. Oh, what would it hurt? Five minutes. He was right. She'd done her job and done it well. No one could possibly find them here.

“All right,” she said reluctantly, pulling her T-shirt off over her head. “But I'm not getting naked. I'm wearing undergarments that are perfectly respectable for swimming.”

She was glad she'd worn the new black bra and matching panties that Doris had picked out for her, to go with the black dress. It almost looked like a real bikini.

He laughed. “Whatever floats your boat.”

Shaking her head, Jocelyn stepped out of her shorts and folded everything neatly in a pile. She walked to the edge of the wharf.

“Okay, you can look now.” She reached her arms
out in front of her, paused, then did a double forward flip through the air into the water.

As soon as she surfaced, she heard Donovan clapping and whooping. “That was amazing! What, you were an Olympic diver in your past life?”

She rubbed the water from her eyes. “No, but I was on a recreational swim team when I was a kid.”

“You do everything well, don't you?” He swam closer.

She shrugged, trying not to think about the fact that he was completely naked in the water, not two feet away from her now, and she was in her underwear. If she moved any closer, she'd be able to touch him.

Lord, how she wanted to. Her body was practically humming with the desire to wrap her arms around his neck. To feel his cheek next to hers.

She wanted to let go of all her inhibitions—just this once—and do what Tess had suggested. Take advantage of this romantic summer night with the most handsome man on earth here beside her….

She took a deep breath and dunked her head, still trying to cool off, but realizing it was hopeless and she might as well resign herself to a painful, heated lust for the next half hour or so.

They dipped and dove and swam around each other as the sun disappeared behind the trees. The sensual feel of the water on Jocelyn's skin was sinfully erotic.

After a few minutes, Donovan came closer, treading water. “I have a goal,” he said. “Concerning you.”

She managed to keep her breathing steady as she
spoke. “What is it? You're not going to teach me to cook, are you?”

“No.”

“To perform heart surgery on a raccoon?”

He laughed. “No.”

“What then?”

Donovan's eyes smoldered with determination. “I want to make our time here pleasant for you.”

As she gazed into his glimmering eyes, she couldn't think of a single thing to say. She wasn't quite sure what he was suggesting, though something about it made her feel warm inside.

Thankfully he elaborated. “The last two times you were here were some of the worst times in your life. This is a beautiful place, Jocelyn, and you should have happy memories of it. Feel as if those sadder times are over.”

Beginning to understand his meaning, she slicked her wet hair back. “You mean you want to
cleanse
the cabin of its past for me?”

“In a matter of speaking, yes.”

She was now treading water, very close to Donovan. “Why?”

He slowly blinked. “Because I want to see you smile.”

“You've seen me smile.”

“Not very often.” The way he was looking at her now—with tenderness and caring—it was softening all her female powers of resistance. She didn't think she could keep herself from touching this incredibly charming man.

Yet it wasn't a sexual seduction that was going on here. He was just being inconceivably nice to her.

“What's this about?” she asked.

“It's about me wanting to make you happy.”

She grinned at him. “That fortune cookie was right. You do like to fix things. It's why you want to open that grief counseling center to help children. It's why you became a heart surgeon. It's why you want to work on me now.”

“I don't want to
work
on you.”

“Yes, you do, but I'm not complaining. It's nice. No one's ever wanted to make me happy before. They always wanted to use me for their own happiness. But what about you, Donovan? You deserve joy in your life, too. Maybe I should have a goal as well.”

They swam in circles around each other. “What are you suggesting?” His voice was a low murmur.

It was almost completely dark now. The moon was high in the sky, stars were sparkling. “I'm suggesting that if you feel the need to do something nice for me, I should do something nice for you in return.”

“You already are. You're here, protecting me from a stalker.”

“And you're paying me to do that, so we're even in that department.”

“But if I try to make you happy while we're here…”

“Then I should do something similar for you.”

Her heart was pounding against her ribs now. How far was she going to take this?

“And how do you intend to do that?”

She swam closer until she was nose-to-nose with him in the water. The magic of the night enveloped her; a brief shiver rippled through her body, followed by a juicy, delectable arousal between her legs.

She was tired of being the consummate professional, day in and day out, every minute of her life.

For once, she just wanted to be a woman.

“Like this.” Then she slowly pressed her lips to his.

T
he kiss was hot and wet and way overdue, Jocelyn thought, as she stroked her hands over Donovan's dripping hair and settled them on his shoulders. He folded her into his strong embrace, and in response, she let go of her reserve and wrapped her legs around him. His erection was already rock-hard, pressing against her, sending waves of wicked pleasure straight to her womanly center.

Before she knew what was happening, she was spinning slowly and deliciously through the water, then he was carrying her toward shore.

They emerged out of the water onto the beach, her legs still wrapped around his torso, his hands supporting her behind. Kissing deeply and passionately, they reached the blanket and Donovan sank with ease to his knees. He laid her on her back and came down smoothly on top of her.

Jocelyn opened her legs for him and tipped her head back and whimpered, while he kissed her neck and shoulders and heated her blood, and made her feel free and out of control. She could hardly believe this was happening—a beautiful, wet, naked man wanted her and was kissing her, outdoors beneath a star-speckled sky.

“Donovan, this is crazy,” she whispered. “What if someone comes by?”

His discerning gaze scanned the yard around them. “I'll be listening.”

All at once, she was on the other side of the fence, laying her safety and comfort in the hands of another person. It was peculiar to her, and infinitely wonderful.

Satisfied that he had eased her worries, Donovan pressed his lips to hers again and she swung eagerly into the pleasure he offered. He slid his hands down the side of her body, over the curve of her hips and back up to her breast, where he unhooked the front clasp of her bra, then began to stroke her. Tingling waves of delight moved through Jocelyn, followed by a sharp, intense ecstasy when he took her nipple into his mouth and brought her to the brink.

“Are you cold?” he whispered in her ear a few minutes later, his hot breath sending glorious little shivers down her spine.

“No, I'm burning up.”

His gaze found hers and he smiled—warm, open and adoring. “Then I'll try to cool you down, though it won't be easy, love, considering I'm on fire, too.”

He was still smiling when he kissed her again, and she cupped the strong muscles of his buttocks and pulled him tight against her. He continued to kiss and
stroke her until she felt a surge of wild, impetuous lust. Her patience dissolved like sugar in liquid. She took his hand and guided it down, and like a skillful, insightful artist, he began to pleasure her with his finger.

She took him in her hand as well, and tried to give him the kind of pleasure he was giving her, but soon it was not enough and she wanted more. She wanted to feel him inside her. She was tired of holding back.

“Please tell me you have protection in your wallet,” she said breathlessly.

“As a matter of fact, I do. I was hopeful about this.”

She smiled while he reached into the pocket of his balled up jeans, pulled out a condom and put it on.

Jocelyn wiggled out of her panties and slid them off. She sat up, gently pushed him onto his back on the blanket, and straddled him. “I just want to make sure you know that this is me making you happy tonight, and not the other way around.”

He smiled wickedly, taking her hips in his big hands and shifting beneath her. “Ah. You're trying to set this up so that I
owe
you.”

“Absolutely. And I'll expect payback as soon as you're able.” She reached down to place him where she wanted him, then let her body glide down.

He filled her with a tantalizing completeness that sent her passions soaring.

His voice became breathless. “Don't worry, it won't take me long to be able.”

He pushed her hair back from her face and pulled her down for another deep, soul-drenching kiss.

Their bodies moved in the moonlight, thrusting and withdrawing. Jocelyn's thoughts seemed to come
to her on a floating cloud. How long had it been since she'd made love? Years. Not since Tom, and quite frankly, that had never been like this. Tonight she was overcome with rapture. She felt beautiful and erotic. Like a real woman. She felt cared for and protected, all of which was unfamiliar to Jocelyn, who was always on the other end of that spectrum.

This was pure bliss.

She plunged herself down and rubbed against him, again and again until a rushing flood of sensation overwhelmed them both. Jocelyn threw her head back and cried out; Donovan ground his hips forward, pushing into her with all his might. They climaxed simultaneously. It was the most incredible orgasm Jocelyn had ever experienced.

Weak and out of breath, she collapsed upon him. He held her for a few minutes, then rolled her over onto her back. She gazed up at him adoringly for a long, long time.

He leaned on one elbow looking down at her, caressing her face, playing with her hair. “What changed your mind about this?”

She took a moment to think about that. “It wasn't really a rational decision. If I was being rational, I wouldn't be here like this, naked and completely vulnerable on a beach with you. It was more of a surrender. I just couldn't fight it anymore.”

“
It
being…?”

She ran her fingers through his hair. “The way I feel about you. The way you make me forget what I've somehow become, and make me remember that I'm a woman.”

“You're
all
woman, Jocelyn. Even when you're pointing a gun at a stalker or speeding through the
streets of Chicago. You turn a guy on. Don't ever forget it.”

She smiled up at him, wishing this moment could last forever, but knowing it couldn't. She had to go back to being on guard. She could not relax like this again. Or at least not without some preparatory safety precautions.

“Tell me,” he said in a low, sexy voice, “when would you like your services returned? I'm willing, and surprisingly enough, considering the brevity of our conversation just now, I'm quite able.”

Jocelyn laughed. “
You
may be, but
I
need a break. My legs are like jelly!”

“Not to worry. You don't even have to move, just relax and stay on your back.”

She slapped his chest. “You sound like you'd have me sleep through it.”

“Your comfort is my first priority. If you want to sleep, that would be fine.”

“While you're doing
that?
”

He laughed again. “I'm joking Jocelyn. Why don't we go for another swim before we go inside?”

She gazed up at his warm, friendly eyes and felt relaxed. Safe. It was an unfamiliar sensation indeed. “All right.”

He stood and helped her up. Jocelyn pointed down at her bra and undies on the grass. “I guess I don't need those now.”

“Definitely not. Let's go.” She took his hand, and laughing, they dashed naked across the dark beach and splashed with abandon into the lake.

 

Later that evening, after Donovan had a shower, he went downstairs to make popcorn. He could hear
the shower still running in Jocelyn's bathroom, so he took his time getting things ready—lighting some candles, pouring their drinks, fluffing up the pillows on the blue chintz sofa.

She was taking a long time in the shower, he thought, as he opened the popcorn jar and went searching for cooking oil. He hoped she didn't regret what they'd done. He certainly didn't. In fact, he'd never been so ecstatic about making love to a woman before. Then again, he'd never known a woman like Jocelyn.

He found the oil and poured some into the heavy pot he'd set on the stove, then stood and stared down at it while he waited for it to heat up.

What was it about her that drove him so unbelievably wild? He wanted her, but more than just sexually. He wanted to be close to her—to get to know her and to reveal himself to her as well. He wanted to know everything about her childhood and her adulthood and her job and her personal life. He wanted to tell her about all his shortcomings and all his successes. Everything. He wanted her to know everything.

His insides stirred with an odd mixture of elation and fear. Was this love, or the beginnings of it?

Maybe it was, but how could he be sure? He'd never loved a woman before. He'd felt lust for them, yes, and been infatuated with girlfriends during high school and med school, but never had he loved any of them. He'd never felt a desire to enter into a commitment, or spend every waking minute of every day with them. He'd never felt connected to any of them, not like he did with Jocelyn. Perhaps it was her down-to-earth nature. She didn't put on any false
airs. She was real, and he felt like he knew her as deeply as he knew his own soul.

An unfamiliar warmth moved through him, and he exhaled a deep sigh of tranquillity. It was one of the most pleasant sensations he'd ever experienced. He smiled.

A half a second later, something deep inside him warned him to be careful. He'd never given his heart to anyone before, and it wasn't so easy to let go of years of independence. There was also the fear that a relationship with Jocelyn might not work out. How the hell would he handle it if she disappeared from his life?

He'd been there before, to that devastating place.

In fact, he'd
always
been there. The sense of being alone was a part of his identity, even when he was with other people.

Except for Jocelyn.

A ripple of apprehension flowed through him. This was dangerous. In addition to his skepticism, she was still his bodyguard and he knew she wouldn't be ready or willing to shirk her responsibilities in order to become his full-time lover. She'd made it clear that she didn't like to get involved with clients, nor was she looking for a committed relationship. How many times had she told him that she didn't need anything in her life outside of her work?

Feeling suddenly nervous and uncertain about what was going on between them, he poured the popcorn kernels into the pot and covered it.

Jocelyn came out of her room a moment later, wearing a white terry cloth bathrobe and huge white socks that pooled around her ankles. She was rubbing a towel over her wet hair.

Donovan was mesmerized. “How is it possible you can look so good, just coming out of the shower?”

She gave him the bright, sparkling smile he'd been waiting to see. It almost knocked him backward into the pot.

Relief poured through him. He'd been worrying that she would feel awkward and uncomfortable when she came out, or be full of remorse. He'd been preparing himself for her to avoid meeting his gaze entirely.

“You're a charmer.” She moved toward him and kissed him on the cheek. He wanted to laugh out loud with joy.

“What's cooking?” she asked.

“Popcorn.”

She glanced at the pot. “You're making it on the stove? What a treat.”

“
You're
the treat,” he replied, enjoying the way she winked flirtatiously at him, then turned around and walked, hips swaying, into the living room.

He returned his attention to the stove and shook the pot continuously until a mouthwatering, movie-theater aroma filled the kitchen and the popcorn raised the lid right off the pot. He poured the popcorn into a bowl, then he melted butter to drizzle over the top.

Jocelyn was sitting on the sofa, twirling her hair around a finger, waiting for him. As soon as he set the bowl down on the coffee table, she pulled her legs up under her. “Donovan, we really have to talk about what happened between us tonight.”

He was about to sit down, but found himself fro
zen on the spot. He couldn't move. “You asking me to politely back off is becoming a regular routine.”

She took his hand. “I know, I'm sorry. Please sit down.”

He gave in and did as she asked, though he would have preferred to go back to the way he'd felt five minutes ago when she'd given him that dazzling smile.

“Sounds like you did some thinking while you were in the shower.”

He tried to fight the dread that was seeping into his gut, but it was worse this time. There was more at stake. The other times, his feelings for her hadn't had the chance to burrow too deeply inside him. He hadn't made love to her. He hadn't felt her warmth in his hands and in his heart. But now…he was too far over the edge.

“Yes, I did, and I think we need to set out some parameters.”

“Parameters?”

Damn, he wasn't ready for the disappearing act yet. Despite his fears, he wanted more of her. He wanted to get inside her soul. He'd certainly come a long way toward that end, but as of now, there was still so much he didn't know about her. “I don't like the sound of that.”

“I know, but it's important, considering the situation. I can't risk your safety.”

He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. “Look, I know you feel like you lost control down there at the lake, and I'm sorry if I pressured you into coming in, but you have to admit, what happened because of it was pretty great.”

She squeezed his hand. “I'm not denying that at all. It was incredible, Donovan.”

At least she was giving him that.

“We can manage this,” he said. “You told me that we're safe here, that it's low-risk. The chances of anyone finding us are—”

She touched a finger to his lips to hush him. “You don't have to talk me into anything. I had a great time, too, and I want to do it again. I have every intention of it, actually.”

His whole body flooded with relief, followed by heat and desire, in response to her blatantly sexual confession. “I beg your pardon?”

“I told you I'd done some thinking in the shower. I decided that because this is a low-risk detail at the moment, and since we've already broken the ice, so to speak, that we should set out some parameters to make sure that we can work it out. To make sure that we can make love again, and still exercise caution.” She waved a hand toward the lake. “That was definitely
not
cautious.”