Vulnerable (Morgans of Nashville 4)

The toaster dinged and popped out its bread. He set both slices on a plate, buttered them, and placed them in front of her.

“Five star, Bishop.”

“Aim to please.” He popped more bread into the toaster.

She bit into the toast, which quieted her restless stomach. By the time he’d buttered his bread, she’d gobbled hers up. “Hit the spot.”

“Good.”

He was the perfect host and gentleman as he took her empty plate, rinsed it, and set it in the dishwasher alongside his. “You got a full day?”

“I don’t have to be in until eight.” His spicy aftershave tugged at her.

“Good, you’ve got a few hours. Feel free to hang out here. Front door locks behind you.”

“I’ll need a ride back to Rudy’s to get my car for work. Can you take me?”

“Sure.” He tossed her a smile. “I’m headed to the Reeds’ residence this morning. Time to talk to Amber again.”

“Right.”

Such the gentleman. No flirting, touching, or bantering. Nada. Zilch.

When he moved out of the kitchen to the side table drawer where he locked up his gun, she realized he was going to do exactly what he said. He was going to leave. Not touch her.

She smoothed her hands over her thighs. “Amber won’t be up for hours.”

“I’ll run by the office. I want to read over the files again before I talk to her.”

She set her cup down and moved toward him. “Why haven’t you made a pass at me?”

Calmly and with no hint of emotion, his gaze rose. “Because I said I wouldn’t. I don’t lie, especially to friends.”

She nibbled her bottom lip. “You always keep your promises?”

His gaze trailed over her, absorbing all the details. “I do.”

She moved closer, not touching him but close enough that the energy of his body mingled with her own. Her fingers curled into fists, as if she stood on the banks of a deep lake, ready to take the plunge.

A muscle pulsed in the side of his jaw. “What are you doing?”

Consciously, she unfurled her fingers. Time to take the plunge. She took his hand in hers, caressing his calloused palm with her thumb. “You can’t figure it out?”

A wry smile softened his stern features, but he made no move to touch her. “You’ve called me a hound dog more times than I can count.”

“I know.” She turned his palm over and traced the long lifeline.

His hand tightened around hers.

“Maybe, I’m rethinking my opinion of you.”

He watched her so closely. “How so?”

Damn, he was really going to make her work for this. “I’d like to get to know you better.” The words rasped as if they’d been wrenched from her throat. She stepped to within inches of him. “That okay?”

His hand rose up to gently trace the line of her jaw. “I think that might be acceptable.”

He tugged her toward him, cupping his hand at the base of her spine. His chest felt hard under the smooth starched fabric of his shirt. His hand slid to her bottom, pushing her against his erection. She wriggled closer against him, savoring the fact that he wanted her so much, and pressed her lips to his.

He tasted warm and salty. Kissing him sent a thrill through every nerve in her body. She wrapped her arms around his neck and rose up on tiptoe and teased his lips open with her tongue.

A growl rumbled in his chest as he squeezed her bottom. “You’re trouble.”

“I like to think so.” Her hand slid down his chest to his belt buckle. Without breaking the kiss, she unfastened his belt and reached the band of his boxers, suddenly feeling an urgency to have him inside her.

Jake tugged her shirt free of her waistband and slid his hand up her chest to her breasts. Rough fingers deftly pushed away the bra’s cotton fabric and teased the tip of her nipple until it was rock hard and aching. She moaned, unashamed and so horny she really thought she just might explode.

“You like it?” he whispered against her ear.

“A lot.”

“What do you want from me, Georgia?”

“I want this.”

“Is this all you want?” Tension rippled through corded muscles.

Embarrassed by her emotions, she tried to slide her hand lower, but he manacled his fingers around her wrist.

“What do you want?” he demanded.

Frustration boiled inside her veins. She’d denied herself this kind of pleasure for so long and now the dam was bursting and desire was flooding all around her. “I want you.”

He released her hand. “I’ve wanted this since I saw you onstage at Rudy’s six months ago.”

Her fingers moved below the waistband, wrapping around him. “I didn’t think you noticed. You never said a word to me.”

“I noticed.” The intensity in his eyes darkened as she began to stroke. “You were singing ‘Breathe,’ like last night.”

Pleased, she whispered, “Now every time I sing that song, I’ll be thinking about this.”

“Good. Because I’ll be thinking the same thing.” He ground out the words, drawing away from her as if he couldn’t take the sweet torture any longer.

He pulled her to the bedroom and pushed her down on smoothed sheets. She tugged her shirt off, tossed it aside, and then reached for the clasps of her bra nestled between her breasts. Cool air brushed her nipples as she shrugged off the undergarment and watched him yank the knot in his tie free and unfasten the buttons of his shirt. He tossed his shirt onto the floor next to hers. The morning light peeked through the closed slats of window shutters, and cut across his wide muscled chest. A gold chain and a ring hung around hi

s neck. Tattooed on his right bicep was a bold Celtic cross made of thorny vines. Woven between the barbs were the words Honor, Family, Justice.

Seconds after she wriggled out of her pants, he climbed on top of her and settled between her hips.

He reached into the nightstand for a condom and with practiced efficiency slid it on as she watched with growing need.

When he pushed inside of her, she was so tight. Groaning her name, he braced one hand on the bed while the other slid up her flat belly to her naked breast as her body molded and stretched.

When he began to move, her heart pounded against her throat. She allowed her hands to move over his muscled back. She squeezed. Raised her hips.

“God, I’ve wanted this,” he said, his breath hot against her ear.

Tougher emotions came easy to her, but the tender ones left her feeling vulnerable, exposed, so she rarely spoke them aloud.

When she didn’t speak, he asked softly, “Do you want me?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

“Louder. And I want you to look at me when you say you want me as much as I want you.”

She opened her eyes and stared into the depths of his gaze. “Just you. I want just you.”

He kissed her on the lips, pushing his tongue into her mouth as he began to thrust faster and faster. She allowed the walls to drop and she could feel every bit of sensation that this moment offered. She wanted to make this last and to savor the build, but the need pushed her too fast. Before she knew it, her nerves lit on fire.

In the next instant, Jake came in a nerve-splintering moment.

He collapsed against her, his heart thudding against her chest and his breath warm against the crook of her neck. “Damn.”

She smoothed her hand up his back to his wide shoulders. “Wow.”

Jake rose up on his elbow and brushed the hair from her face. He kissed her gently on the lips. “I could get used to this.”