JACK’S BODY HARDENED at the thought of Mallory’s soft hands on his straining erection. “And I know you were satisfied.”
“Typical man.” She laughed. “Come on. Let me have the oil. We can’t have you taking that body in the sun without adequate coverage.”
Coverage. He liked that thought. Jack passed the bottle toward her. “Careful, it’s slippery.”
“Oh, I think I can handle it.” Her fingers deliberately touched his before wrapping around the top of the bottle neck, in a provocative grip meant to show him she knew exactly how to handle a slippery appendage.
Then she crooked a finger his way.
He swallowed a groan. “You sure you want to continue this on the bed?”
She shrugged. “I’m not sleeping here, just fulfilling fantasies. Quit stalling, Jack.” She leaned back against the pillows and spread her legs wide, patting the space in between.
Though her skirt covered everything, his imagination and those memories she mentioned were vivid. As he slid into the welcoming vee of her legs, he recalled her warm moist heat around his hand and her soft sighs of satisfaction.
“Relax.” Her slick hands gripped his shoulders. “I’m just going to protect you from those harsh rays you talked about.”
But who would protect him from her potent allure?
He shut his eyes and let her work. Her coating of his back and shoulders went fine. He enjoyed her gentle ministrations and had just begun to relax as she requested…when her fingers slipped around his abdomen and lingered, palms splayed against his ribs and her fingers inches from his nipples.
His breath caught in his throat.
“What happened to relaxing?” Her soft voice blew in his ear, strengthening his arousal.
“You’re joking right? You want me to relax when a beautiful woman’s got me wrapped in her arms?”
Her hands stilled and her arms tightened around his chest. “You think I’m beautiful?”
The hesitancy in her voice touched him in a place precariously close to his heart. “How could you not know?”
She laughed and he sensed if he turned, he’d see more emotion than he could handle. He already knew he was drawn to her, but if he saw the vulnerability in her eyes and the sensitivity in her gaze, he’d be in deeper waters than he could comfortably tread.
“For one thing, you admitted it in the restaurant when you said you wouldn’t have expected to fall for me at first glance.”
He cringed. “I didn’t mean it that way.”
“I didn’t take it as an insult. You reacted to me exactly how I want people to react. I’m Mallory, the office ice queen. I get up in the morning and pull my hair into a bun. I splash cold water on my face, put on some moisturizer and I head out the door. In conservative suits and sensible shoes.”
“And I now know why. What I don’t know is why continue? You’re a smart, intelligent woman. Why play the part when you don’t need to prove yourself to anyone? And don’t tell me because that’s the real you, or start playing games about which Mallory is real, okay? Considering what we just did, you can answer that one question.”
He felt rather than saw her shift uneasily. “I have my reasons.”
“Not good enoug
h.”
She started to push away, to withdraw.
“Don’t go.”
She paused, then relaxed behind him. He leaned back, letting skin touch skin. He wanted to feel her and he knew maintaining a physical connection was his only chance of getting an honest answer.
When she remained silent, he dove in with his best guess. “Because after years of dressing the part, you don’t know the real you either?”
He felt her slight nod. “Maybe.”
Her hair fell forward, brushing his shoulders. The sensation, soft and feathery light, caused him to shake with renewed desire. But he sensed her need for reassurance and maybe something more.