Chapter 15
Caitlyn watched Jack disappear into the other room. She'd known all along that he'd been in the army, but for some reason it really hadn't sunk in until he'd made that last comment.
His tone had been light, but there'd been a lot of weight in those words. Not regret, just a statement of fact, and a burden that he willingly carried. She couldn't imagine all he'd seen and done over the course of his time in the military and now wasn't the time to ask.
It just made her more aware of another important component of a man who absolutely fascinated her.
She quickly dished up their pie and grabbed their drinks out of the fridge. Time to go see what movie he'd picked out for them. Jack sat sprawled in the corner of her couch with the remote control in his hand.
"Which do you like better-sci-fi or legal thrillers?"
Then he named a couple of movies that had both done well at the box office. From what she knew of them, the space opera was a fun adventure. The other one he'd picked out looked pretty dark. "Let's go with the sci-fi."
She set his pie and drink down on the coffee table and then joined him on the couch. As the credits started to roll, Jack made quick work of his dessert. Caitlyn managed a few bites of her own, but her nerves were strung a little too tight for her to really enjoy the rich chocolate. Finally, she set it aside.
Jack frowned. "Not hungry?"
She was hungry all right. "Not for pie."
Jack took her plate and set it next to his on the coffee table along with their drinks. Then, in a surprise move, he angled himself into the corner of the couch and lifted her onto his lap. Okay, then, never let it be said that a former soldier was slow to respond. Before she could do much more than squeak in surprise, he tipped her face down toward his. Their mouths came together, but in their rush, didn't line up quite right. She shifted a bit but went too far in the other direction. Jack solved the problem by anchoring her head in one position while he zeroed in on the right fit.
When his mouth finally settled into place, he smiled and then teased her lips apart with the tip of his tongue. She welcomed him in and savored the flavor of his kiss, an odd mix of chocolate, beer, and something that was unique to Jack. His fingers continued to cradle the back of her head while his other hand settled over her breast. The kiss might have set off the first sparks between them, but that first gentle squeeze definitely fanned the fire into full flame.
When she moaned, Jack froze. "Was I too rough?"
She traced the worried lines on his forehead with a fingertip, soothing them away. "Not at all. That was definitely a happy sound, not a protest."
"Good" was all he said as his big hand resumed kneading each breast in turn and then tugging gently on her nipples until they beaded up into achy points. When he licked the sensitive spot at the base of her throat, she arched her neck back to give him easier access. She was on fire, and she wasn't the only one. There was impressively solid evidence of that right under her bottom.
Jack tugged on the collar of her shirt, moving it aside. She took the hint and shrugged out of the shirt. While she was at it, she went one step further and peeled off her tank top as well. Underneath, she wore a lacy cream-colored bra that matched the high-cut panties she had on under her jeans. Jack's appreciative grin was all the thanks she needed.
"Beautiful," he murmured as he nuzzled the valley between the curves of her breasts. Then he caught the tip of one in his mouth and worked it hard with his lips and just a hint of his teeth. Even through the thin layer of fabric, the sensation was amazing.
She wrapped her hands around his neck to hold him closer, asking for more without words. Once again, he used his amazing strength to lift her up. This time he turned her so that she straddled his lap, at once giving him better access to her breasts and bringing her core in more direct contact with his erection. When she rocked against him, Jack threw his head back against the couch and briefly closed his eyes. A few seconds later, he opened them just enough to reveal their hungry glitter.
She moved forward and back, this time more slowly. When she started to do it again, he caught her hips with his hands and held her still. "We need to slow this down a bit."
Rather than argue, she pulled up his shirt and ran her hands over the warm skin of his chest. To aid her efforts, Jack stripped off his shirt and tossed it aside. She'd been dreaming of the chance to get skin to skin with this man. Right now the only thing between the two of them was the thin lace of her bra. When she reached for the front clasp, he caught her hands in his.
"How badly do you want to watch this movie?"
Not sure she could string together enough words to form a coherent response, she picked up the remote and hit the Power button.
"Good answer." Jack unhooked the front of her bra and pushed it aside. She let the straps slide down her arms to land on the floor.
His mouth had felt wicked and sexy through the lace, but that was nothing compared to when his lips settled on her nipple, suckling to just the right side of pain. It was too much and so not enough.
She tugged his head back and kissed him hard and fast. Jack gave as good as he got as he unbuttoned her jeans and tugged the zipper down. When his fingers found their way inside of her panties, she pushed herself up off his lap to make it easier for each of them to get what they wanted. His fingers stroked her softly at first, teasing and tempting her. When he settled into a steady rhythm, concentrating his efforts on the small nub at the center of her passion, tension deep within her started building to an unbearable level.
"Jack … please."
His smile was fierce when he withdrew his hand, leaving her disappointed and wanting. "We need to get horizontal. Here or your bed?"
It was tempting to stay right where they were, but the couch would definitely impose a few limits on things. "My bed."
The second the words were out of her mouth, Jack muscled them both up off the couch in an amazing display of strength. The sudden movement startled her, but then she laughed and wrapped her legs around his waist and held on for dear life as he carefully maneuvered around the coffee table. He stopped just shy of her bedroom door to press her back against the wall and steal her breath with another kiss.
Before he carried her across the threshold, he paused one last time. "Tell me you want this."
She managed to nod, but he remained still, evidently wanting more from her. "Oh, yeah, I want this, Jack. I want you."
Seconds later, he tumbled her down onto the mattress. He remained standing as he reached for her feet. After removing her sandals, he tugged her jeans and panties down her legs and tossed them aside. Then he stripped off his own jeans, taking boxers with them. Afterward, he removed a packet from his wallet. Even if she wasn't worried about pregnancy, it pleased her that he wouldn't be careless about such things.
"Thanks for thinking of that."
Jack nodded with a small smile as he turned on the bedside lamp. Then he stretched out beside her, lying on his side with one leg over hers. "I've been hoping for this moment from that first day when you knocked on the door. My imagination didn't come anywhere close to the reality. You're just so damn beautiful."
Caitlyn blushed. She wasn't sure how true that was, but there was no mistaking the hunger in Jack's expression. She lifted her hand to his shoulder and traced the line of his muscles with her fingers.
He caught her hand in his and kissed her palm. Funny how such a simple thing could send a jolt of heat straight through to the heart of her. He knew it, too, because he smiled again as he let go of her hand to settle his right at the base of her throat. From there, it stroked down her body, stopping along the way to follow the curve of her breast, the flow of her waist out to her hip, before finally coming to rest just short of the curls at the juncture of her thighs.
-
Jack was almost out of his head with the need to take this woman hard and fast. But it had been a long time for Caitlyn, which meant he had to take his time and do right by her. He studied the gorgeous tangle of her long hair spread out on the pillow. Brown was such a boring word for such a glorious mix of shades of gold and brown with an enticing hint of red thrown in for good measure.
"Now, where was I when we stopped to move in here?" His fingers gently teased her slick folds. "Oh, yeah, I remember."