Take Me (Take Me 1)

“Jude…” Kate let out a soft sigh. Gave this a moment’s contemplation.

How far did she dare to go with him? What sort of deep-dive into her life was he interested in taking, for that matter? And exactly how much carte blanche should—would—she grant?

Likely not enough to appease him. She knew Jude that well.

Kate was certain her look turned piercing as she told him, “I’m not sure there’s any relevancy here. I had to reroute my grandiose expectations in med school, when I finally accepted I wasn’t part of the norm and my name wasn’t going to be on the family practice letterhead.”

“You’ve built a successful career out of going it alone,” he offered.

“Yes. But I also had to put significant and careful thought into how to shape my future, my way, and without a partnership with my father and brothers.”

“Do you resent them for carving you out?”

“No,” she adamantly said. “Though they take exception to me for always making things so difficult—in their minds. They waste a lot of time and energy wondering why I have to go against the grain. Why I can’t enjoy dinner parties and spa days and manis and pedis with their wives/fiancées. Worse, they question where my ambitions come from. As though having them is what dictates I’m not a true female Stockman. Just some ‘redheaded stepchild’ they tolerate, adore, even…yes. When I’m not inconveniencing them. But they don’t really understand me. Choose not to relate to me, mentally.”

“That is compellingly tragic and fascinating at the same time,” Jude murmured as his lips glanced over hers. Against them, he whispered, “Everything that perplexes them is everything that draws me to you. Well…” He let out a low, titillating groan. “Your free spirit, intellect, ambition…and this sexy-as-sin body. Which I need to feel beneath me again, Kate.”

11

His head inclined to the side and his mouth crashed over hers. Jude kissed her passionately, in that unique way of his that made her forget they were even having a serious conversation. That made Kate lose all concern over what others thought of her and how she wasn’t as easily definable as her family and friends wished her to be.

Jude had the swoon-worthy ability to take her somewhere completely different. Another world. Another universe. One where Kate Stockman was sensual and desirable…and her decisions were neither questioned nor scrutinized.

As Jude eased her back onto the mattress and she settled atop the plump down comforter, Kate let all the doubts and dismay from earlier in the evening vanish once more, concentrating solely on the feel of Jude’s lips pressed to hers, his tongue delving farther, sweeping over hers. The gliding of his fingertips along her outer thigh, over her hip, into the dip of her waist. Up her rib cage to her breast.

His thumb whisked over her beaded nipple, tightening it further, making her tingle. Then he more assertively palmed the full mound, squeezing with just the right amount of pressure to cause her to writhe beneath him, raising her pelvis to grind against his. His erection slid along her slick folds and she anticipated with mounting need and excitement that one fantastically delicious moment when he’d slowly penetrate her.

Jude took his time. Increasing that anticipation. Until Kate was dying to feel him inside her, desperate to clench him firmly and let him stroke that mystical spot no other man had ever commanded so masterfully.

Tearing her mouth from his, she pleaded, “Stop toying with me, J

ude. Take me.”

“Jesus, Kate. You get me so damn hot.”

“And you feel how wet I am for you. I want you, Jude. Every inch of you, buried inside me.”

Without a word or even a span of a breath between them, he flipped her over, onto her stomach. Excitement seized her.

He kissed the nape of her neck, sending a shiver of delight through her. Then his lips and tongue glided downward, along her spine, in tantalizing, feathery strokes that had her squirming and moaning.

Jude scooted south on the bed, parting her legs and settling partially between them. His large hands cupped her ass cheeks and he spread them, his thumbs peeling away her dewy folds. Then his mouth was on her and Kate cried with pleasure.

He’d told her when she’d invited him to the engagement party that it’d be a real date and that he’d have her begging him to give her everything she wanted before the night was out.

Damned if he hadn’t been wholly correct and intuitive in his arrogant assumptions.

His wildly sexy assumptions.

“Make me come again,” she insisted.

As his tongue teased her most sensitive parts, flitting over her lips, fluttering against her clit before pressing into her, Kate’s heart pounded and little pants of air blew from her lungs. Her fingers c around the thick comforter and her hips lifted another inch or so, giving Jude more access to her.

“Kate,” he muttered against her quivering flesh. “I love how you respond to me.”

His fingers rubbed the tingling bud between her legs. Then slipped inside her and pumped as he bit her ass.

Actually bit her!