The Gentlewoman (11 page)

As she began to drift, her mind was brought suddenly awake
by the clicking of the front door. She slowly eased onto her elbows as Jackson
appeared at her bedroom door.

“Holy hell!” she gasped, slapping her palm to her chest.
“How the hell did you get in here?”

“You left the damn door unlocked again,” Jackson said as he
approached her mattress. “It’s a wonder somebody hasn’t stolen you blind or
worse.”

“Well, I’ll lock the door after you leave.” She began to
rise from the bed.

Jackson pushed her down with one hand as he straddled her
body. “I don’t think so.”

She began to protest, but he covered her mouth with his. His
lips came down hard and he forced his tongue into her mouth, tasting her and
demanding more. He grabbed her wrists and held them in one hand above her head.
Erotic sensation slammed through Rory’s body, heating her blood. Feeling
vulnerable, she began to buck with her legs, and as she did, he spread out,
covering her body with his from head to toe. With his full weight upon her, she
couldn’t move, and after another moment of his voracious tongue, she didn’t
want to. His heat sank into her skin and warmed her from the inside out. Her
anger flared, as did her body’s reaction. She was still so mad at him, but it
did nothing to stem her body’s desire. She responded to him as she had never
responded to anyone in her life.

He trailed kisses down her neck, licking and sucking as he
went. His hand moved underneath the tank top she wore and cupped her breast. A
gasp escaped Rory’s throat as his thumb and forefinger found her nipple and
pulled on the hard tip. He moved to lift her shirt over her head, and Rory took
the opportunity to push hard on his chest, forcing him away from her at least a
few inches.

“Stop it, wait!”

Jackson lifted himself and hovered over her, looking deeply
into her eyes. “Rory, I want this. I don’t think I’ve ever wanted anyone so
much in my life.” He studied her eyes for a moment then bent to recapture her
mouth.

“No, wait,” she said, twisting her head. “I can’t do this.
I’m not into the kind of stuff you are. I don’t think I’ll ever be interested
in doing what you do.” No matter the heat he sent coursing through her body,
she didn’t want to get into the wrong situation with him. If what Durand had
described was what he wanted, she wouldn’t do this.

“Listen to me, Rory. I can imagine what Jennifer must have
said to you, and yes, I’ve done a lot of different things in my life. But
that’s not what I want with you. That has nothing to do with anything I need
from you.”

“What do you need from me?” she whispered, wide eyed.

His palm slid down her throat, between her breasts. “Let me
show you.”

She stared up at him. She was so turned on she could feel
her taut nipples and the throbbing between her legs. Her skin burned in the
wake of his touch.

“Rory, please trust me.” She didn’t know why, but she wanted
to believe him. She wanted to trust him.

“Okay,” she breathed and his mouth swooped down. He tore her
shirt off, throwing it to the floor. She cried out as he sucked a nipple deeply
into his mouth. He palmed the other, worshipping her full breasts. Rory
breathed rapidly and tried to keep from writhing with each new touch.

He shrugged his shirt off and grabbed Rory’s hands, placing
them on his sculpted chest.

“Touch me,” he breathed. “I want to feel you.” In her
unaccustomed and surprised state, she hadn’t made a move to touch him. She
gently massaged her hands over his chest and onto his muscular back as he
returned his wet mouth to her breasts. She moaned, breathing deeply and slipped
her hands down his back to the waistband of his jeans. All hesitation
abandoned, Rory slid her hands underneath the waistband and over his tight ass,
squeezing and kneading. A groan escaped from his throat.

He went lower, trailing kisses down her torso and sucking
and biting at the skin on her belly. The thought of her scarring skipped across
her mind, but she made no move to stop him. She let go, freeing herself to
follow where her body led. Her hips thrust against him.

He spread his palm over her sensitized sex and gently
rubbed.

“Oh God,” she moaned as she raised her hips, seeking more.
He pulled away and removed her pajama bottoms, tossing them aside. Bracing
himself on one elbow, he drank in the sight of her.

“You’re so fucking sexy, Rory,” he breathed with wonder. He
trailed his fingers up her body and wrapped his hand around her neck, looking
deeply into her eyes. “I’m going to have you. All of you,” he demanded as he
kissed her again.

He nuzzled and sucked her skin as his fingers slowly
caressed the soft folds of her sex. As he felt her wet core, he slowly inserted
his middle finger and raised his mouth to her lips to absorb her cry. She
became wetter as his long finger impaled and massaged inside her. As he
finger-fucked her rhythmically, he pulled back and looked into her eyes.

“Does it feel good, baby? I want to make you feel so good.”
He gazed at her as she fought to control her breathing. “This is where I want
to be. I want to be inside you so badly, Rory.” He continued as he watched, and
then he shifted low and ran his tongue up her clit.

Her whole body jumped as she cried out. He settled in and
began rhythmically laving her clit, sucking her into his mouth, then releasing
and teasing with his tongue. He was relentless and she spread her legs wider.
He applied more and more pressure until finally she burst into an orgasm that
left her weak and seeing stars. Jackson leaned up and applied his fingers to
her clit, gently massaging to prolong the pleasure.

When she opened her eyes he was hovering over her again. “I
have to have you, baby. Are you ready for me?” he asked huskily, unfastening
the buttons on his jeans. He stood and quickly removed them. Rory got just a
quick glimpse of his thick erection before he was on top of her, his large
hands spreading her legs. He placed her thighs around his hips and grasped his
cock, slowly sliding it up and down her hot, wet clit.

“I’ve been fantasizing about doing this to you ever since I
met you.” He leaned forward and kissed her on the lips before lifting and thrusting
the full length of his cock into her. Rory cried out and when she opened her
eyes, found that he was staring at her with a look of reverent pleasure. He
slid out of her completely and moved slowly back inside, moaning deeply as he
exhaled. He lowered his body and began to thrust deeply inside of her. He
impaled her again and again with his hard, long erection, pounding into her as
he quickened the pace. Soon, she was crying out as she found a new release,
more intense than the first, and as it hit, Jackson shouted, grinding into her
several more times before his back arched and he froze, coming hard and
pressing into her.

Neither of them moved for several minutes, their breathing
rapid. Jackson’s face rested against Rory’s neck and he felt her elevated
heartbeat. He blew out a hard breath, wanting to stay this way, with Rory lying
underneath him, so soft and warm, cradling his cock inside her. After several
minutes, he leaned to the side, still not withdrawing. He looked into her eyes.
She was even more beautiful with her tousled hair and pink cheeks.

He raised her hand in his and brought it to his lips. He
kissed it in a most gentlemanly manner, before turning it and kissing her palm.
He kissed the inside of her wrist as she watched him, her big brown eyes
intense. He continued kissing up her palm, gently biting the skin until he was
at her fingers. He took the tip of her middle finger between his teeth and bit,
looking back at her erotically. He gently dropped her hand and leaned down to
take her lips.

He kissed her with a passion he couldn’t ever remember
feeling with any other woman in his life. Their tongues brushed together
seductively and it didn’t take long before he was once again fully erect and
ready to take her. He rocked against her gently and slowly, savoring the
feeling of his dick sliding in and out of her tight pussy. Nothing had ever
felt this good. No other woman had ever been so hot on his cock or underneath
him. As the intensity built, Jackson quickened until he was plunging deeply into
her. She keened with each thrust, his long, thick erection completely filling
her, and he felt her shudder as she climbed toward her surrender. She clung to
his neck and ran her hands into his thick hair, damp with sweat. He didn’t know
why, but he felt he was losing himself to this woman. He knew he had never felt
this before and would never feel it again with any other.

Rory woke and breathed deeply of the masculine scent of
Jackson’s skin. She snuggled closer and kissed his warm neck, reveling in the
affection, and the way his light chest hair tickled her breasts.

Memories of the previous night flooded her mind, and her
breath caught. She smiled broadly when she thought of him waking her again in
the middle of the night for another go. She was amazed at his prowess and
stamina. She finally lifted her head and opened her eyes to check the clock.

“Damn it!” she exclaimed, shooting up. A heavy arm clamped
over her back and held her down.

“You’re going nowhere; you’re my prisoner,” he moaned
huskily, smiling into her eyes.

“We are so freaking late, we have to get up now!”

“Nope, I’m not letting go.”

“It’s Monday, we’ve overslept, it’s eight o’clock! I never
oversleep!” She struggled against his grasp. He held her, smiling and enjoying
the resistance. “I have a meeting in an hour.”

“Cancel it. Stay with me.”

“I can’t!” she squirmed against his hold.

He crushed her to him and kissed her deeply. “What would it
take to get you to cancel your day and spend it with me?” he asked, lingering and
kissing her seductively several more times.

She slowly broke the contact, breathing heavily. “I can’t. I
have too much to do.”

He leaned up and gathered her into his arms, pulling her
back down and rolling over onto her. He stared into her eyes. “Please, let’s
just do this. Just today, just the two of us for one day. No Congress, no
constituents, no budgets or bills and no politics. Let’s just spend some time
enjoying each other’s company…please.”

Rory was entranced by Jackson’s heartfelt plea and wanted to
give in. She knew she didn’t have any meetings or business that couldn’t be
rescheduled, nothing urgent or earth-shattering. She sure wasn’t used to this
though, interrupting her work, much less her life, to spend time with a man.

“Please, Rory, just you and me today,” he urged again
against her lips.

She searched that gorgeous face, those blue eyes, that
straight nose and those luscious full lips. She placed her hand on his cheek.

“Okay. But just today.”

He smiled and kissed her hard. “Get showered and dressed,
I’m taking you to breakfast,” he announced as he left for his apartment.

They sat in a booth at Milo’s café in DuPont Circle, sipping
coffee and waiting for their breakfast orders.

“I like how you look in jeans,” Jackson said, reaching under
the table and putting his fingers through the ripped knee of Rory’s favorite
pair. “Your ass looks fantastic in them.”

“You must be an ass man, huh, Dorn?”

“I do like a nice ass, Rory, and you have one fine behind.”
She bet he did.

“So tell me what Durand said that got you so upset last
night,” he said, leaning back and bracing with a staunch look.

Rory gave him a steely gaze. “I believe the implication was
that the two of you were a kinky item and that I was invited to be her new toy,
a gift from you.”

“Wow, interesting.”

“I thought so. She made it sound as if it was a foregone
conclusion.”

“I’m sorry, she was completely out of line, and I told her
so. Although I have to admit that I should have set her straight before your
arrival, so it’s partly my fault.”

“So it’s true, your relationship with her?”

“I don’t have a relationship beyond friendship with her.”

“But you had sex with her.”

“Many times. I won’t lie to you. But not for a while.”

“So were you more than friends when you were having sex with
her?”

“No. We’ve only ever been friends, even when we were sexual
partners. I haven’t had a relationship with a woman that went beyond friendship
since I was married. Since then it’s only been sexual partners and friendship.”

“Oh.”

“There are others we may run into, women I’ve had sex with.
But no longer. It’s just you. I don’t want you to think I’m still having sex
with anybody else.” She wondered why it was so important that she know that,
what that meant to him. He made it clear enough that friendship was his modus
operandi.

“Jennifer made it sound like a night at the circus, going to
bed with you. Threesomes and such…” She faded, shrugging.

He looked her in the eyes. “Yes, I’ve done a lot of
different things with a lot of different people. Threesomes, ménages, a number
of different things. Does that bother you?”

She felt like a virgin in headlights. “No, I don’t think
so.” She couldn’t really say because she’d never considered it before. Did it
bother her to be with a man-whore? What was one supposed to feel about this?
She drew a blank. Except for one thing.

“Are you clean? I mean, no STDs?” She was embarrassed. It
was a little late to ask.

“Oh yes, I’ve been very careful and I’ve always gotten
tested regularly.” He considered this for a moment, fiddling with his roll of
silverware. He looked up and leaned forward, speaking quietly. “Except with
you, Rory. Last night I didn’t wear a condom, and I came inside you every time.
Was that a mistake?”

She paused and looked into his eyes. After a moment, she
answered, “It’s okay as long as you’ve been safe.”

He pondered her answer and seemed to push further. “I was
more worried about pregnancy. I haven’t had a vasectomy.”

“Don’t give it a second thought,” she said coolly, her gaze
steely. She wanted him to steer clear of that topic.

“Okay, good.”

They were both quiet and the waitress arrived with their
breakfasts. After a few bites of her biscuits, Rory readjusted her mindset to
move forward.

“So, you were pretty impressive last night, I mean, for an
old man and all.”

Jackson snorted, trying not to spray orange juice through
his nose. He swallowed and started laughing. “Gee, thanks, that means a lot to
someone of my advanced years.”

“Well, you know, sexually speaking, most men tend to slow
down in their forties, or so say the commercials. Do you take Viagra?” She held
back her laughter.

He balked, feigning insult. “I’ll have you know I have never
had reason to enhance my natural performance, thank you very much.”

“Well, just thought I’d ask. You never know with the
middle-aged men.” She raised her orange juice to cover her smile.

Jackson reached under the table for her knee and leaned
forward until they were nose to nose. “I’ll give you middle-aged when we get
home, little girl.” He slid his hand up to the heat of her crotch.

“Hmmmm, I can’t wait.”

“Do you have anything special you’d like to do on your day
off?” Jackson opened the car door for her and took her hand as she lowered
herself in. Rory smiled. She was very unaccustomed to the touches, but she
liked it.

“I didn’t plan the day off, remember?” she said.

He chuckled as he climbed into the driver’s seat. “Oh yeah!
Well, there’s a new bookstore that I’d like to check out in Georgetown. What do
you say?”

“Sure, I’m game,” she said, getting comfortable in her seat.
She liked Jackson’s BMW. She relaxed and enjoyed the city view as they drove.

Her cell phone rang and she pulled it from her purse,
checking the caller ID. “Hi.”

“How’s your day off going?” Nicole said in a mock
seductively low voice. “I’m not interrupting anything dirty, am I? Do you have
clothes on, or am I talking to you while Jackson’s naked?”

“Very funny, yes, we’re both fully dressed. What’s up?” Rory
looked at Jackson, who smiled at her as she rolled her eyes.

“Oh that’s too bad. Well, I want you to enjoy your day, but
I also wanted to warn you that Landon’s looking for you. He called here, says
he left a voicemail on your cell too.”

Rory had ignored his call. She didn’t want to deal with
Landon, especially today, when she was committed to enjoying her impromptu day
off. They hadn’t spoken since their tense lunch and Rory hadn’t backed down on
her refusal to give in and serve on Homeland. She glanced again at Jackson,
wondering but quickly dismissing the question of whether he had anything to do
with that request. She didn’t want that idea in her head now.

“I’ll talk to Landon tomorrow. I’m not going to be available
today.”

“Happy to hear it. Enjoy the day and we’ll talk in the
morning.”

Pressing end, Rory tucked her phone back into her purse and
stared out the window. Funny how quickly all the politics and worries had been
banished from her thoughts while she had been concentrating on Jackson. Ironic
how fast it all came racing back to the forefront with just one phone call.

Jackson pulled into a parking spot on a street with quaint
Victorian storefronts and turned off the car. Leaning over, he pulled her to
him and nuzzled her ear.

“Not today,” he whispered in between nibbles on her earlobe.
“Don’t let it enter your thoughts today. It’ll all be there tomorrow.”

She turned her head and captured his lips in a passionate
kiss. He knew exactly what she needed to hear. It felt good to know that
somebody else understood what she was dealing with, maybe understood her a
little.

They shopped around the little bookstore and made a couple
of purchases each. They then toured the antiques store next door. Rory learned
that Jackson had quite an eye for antique furniture, which he credited to his
late grandparents being avid collectors.

They checked out a fine clothing store on the same block,
and Rory balked at the prices. Jackson laughed at Rory’s look of shock when a
scarf she was admiring had a price tag of three hundred dollars. It reminded
her of his wealth. She hadn’t thought about it, he didn’t wear it as a badge,
and so she had forgotten.

At noon, he suggested they head over to a French café and
order takeout. They weren’t exactly hungry yet, but they ordered French bread,
soup and cheese and headed for home. It started snowing as soon as they got
back to the car.

Stomping the snow from his feet, Jackson insisted they go to
his place instead of hers. They set the shopping bags on the bar in his
apartment and stored the food in the refrigerator. She laughed, wondering if
Jackson actually believed that she wasn’t on to his game.

“So you want to fuck in your bed, is that it?” she said as
he snaked his arms around her and kissed her ear.

“Well, among other places. Come with me.”

He led her upstairs and into his bedroom. It resembled the
lodge feel of the rest of the place, large heavy furniture with thick
carpeting. The bed was huge. A super-king-size four-poster. She wondered what
he had gotten up to in that bed and didn’t want to think of with whom. It was
covered with a plush maroon duvet with thick pillows stacked on either side.

Jackson left her standing next to the bed and ducked into
the bathroom. She heard him start water running into the bathtub and poked her
head around the door.

“You want to take a bath?” It seemed a very romantic thing
to do for one who so adamantly stuck to a regimen of friends with benefits. He
was even lighting candles.

“I thought we could relax, soak and have a little fun. I’ll
give you a massage,” he offered, smiling as he began unbuttoning her shirt.
Rory looked down at his deft hands. Honestly, she felt like such a deer in
headlights at times. She was simply unused to any type of contact or anything
remotely romantic. She closed her eyes and forced the panic that had become a
natural reaction back down while taking a deep breath. She reminded herself to
just go with it, reciting the words in her head over and over again as her new
mantra. She had been so proud of herself for not freaking out over anything so
far. And it wasn’t hard to enjoy what he did to her.

Jackson lifted the shirt from Rory’s shoulders and stood
back to remove his own. Then he removed his pants and boxers. The sight of his
aroused body freed her mind of any residual hesitation. Desire immediately took
over as she admired his perfect physique. His shoulders were broad and strong,
his arms muscular and his chest hard and firm.

Transfixed on his perfect form, she touched his abdominal
muscles, a nice tight six-pack. He backed up against the counter and put his
hands around her small waist, welcoming her to continue. She let her hands
glide very slowly across his tight muscles and around his erection onto both
upper thighs. She felt the heat of his skin and the way his muscles tensed and
released under her hands. Her right hand smoothed over his erection from the
base, all the way to the head and back again. As Jackson inhaled sharply, she
looked up into his face. His eyes were on fire and she felt her blood heat even
further.

“There are things I want to do too. Come back into the
bedroom,” she whispered.

Jackson leaned quickly over the tub and shut off the water.
He followed Rory into the bedroom and she removed her bra. She was naked from
the waist up, her nipples hardened and her skin flushed with arousal. He seemed
stunned when she pushed him down to sit on the edge of the bed. She licked and
sucked her way down his neck and chest, finally kneeling in between his legs
and taking his erection in hand.

“My head’s going to explode,” he moaned as she gently and
slowly squeezed and pumped his throbbing cock. After a moment she looked into
his eyes. She licked up the underside of his hard cock, and felt empowered by
his ragged breaths and how he fisted the comforter.

Rory was dying to know if he tasted as good as he felt, and
when she licked her way up his cock, she wanted more. She sucked him all the
way in. Jackson groaned and she went down again, sucking him to the back of her
throat. She could taste his musky masculine flavor and it made her nipples
throb and her clit quiver. He leaned back on his elbows, watching her mouth on
his dick. She bore down on him again and again, sucking hard and enjoying the
way he fought his impending orgasm with tight control. She pulled back and
licked the underside of his head and sucked up the side of his cock with her
lips. He breathed heavily and moaned with each stroke, his body tight and
tense.