Maddy's nerve endings shorted out. She couldn't get enough air. Her heart was smashing so madly against her ribs that surely he must have heard the wild thumping.
She'd made the decision to come tonight. She couldn't go back and yet she didn't know if she had the strength-the courage-to go forward. She felt small, unremarkable, like she had the day she walked into that woolshed. Jack was a thousand times more than any man she'd known. And despite the confident act, she was just Maddy.
And Maddy was less than perfect.
But when he drew her close and his mouth slanted possessively over hers, the trillion stars in the sky joined with the stars in her head. Sensations, glorious and absolute, spiraled through her, around her, and she dissolved then surrendered.
Her acceptance and commitment was complete. There would be no turning back. Now the only question seemed to be …
Would she ever want to stop?
He and Maddy arrived at their suite twenty minutes later.
During the cab ride, he'd held her hand in the back seat while she'd chatted on about how much she'd enjoyed the evening. Despite succumbing to him on the balcony-assuring him with the honesty of her caress of how she felt-she was nervous, and he wondered …
She was a city girl, mid-twenties, and worldly with it. He'd assumed she was practiced where men were concerned. Was it possible she was a virgin? He did know that she looked incredible in that gown, particularly with her pale silky hair loosely swept up off her neck. Sensuous flowing fabric and glittering gems were her territory. She shone so brightly, she might have stepped off a New York runway. He'd had trouble keeping up with the conversation at the table, he'd been so bewitched by her grace and her beauty, and he didn't give a damn who'd known it.
Tara Anderson had appreciated glamour to a degree but she'd preferred breeches. He could identify. He was no stranger to tuxedoes but nothing topped the comfort of a pair of jeans and worn-in boots. Escorting Maddy tonight in that spectacular designer dress, however, had him revisiting that long held truth. He'd happily don a stiff collar if it meant having Maddy on his arm.
But, he had to remember, this wasn't an ongoing thing.
Inside the suite, she moved to the center of the expansive living room and rotated to face him. With her hands clasped high at her waist, the hem of her gown floated out and settled again around her slim ankles.
"Do you usually stay here for the gala weekend?"
"Always."
Although not in this room. He hadn't been to Clancy in three years. Hadn't been anywhere much at all. When he wasn't at Leadeebrook, he felt irritable. Out of sorts. Home was the only place that seemed to give him any reprieve from the constant rumble of regret that tagged him.
Rubbing his jaw, Jack crossed to the wet bar.
Did no good to let his mind wander in that direction. He'd loved his wife and where she was now, he was certain that she knew it. Long and hard he'd thought over his feelings for Madison Tyler. Hell, he'd over-analyzed them into the ground.
But he was happy with his decision. He wanted her here with him tonight. He only regretted that their time alone would be so brief. No use thinking about her next visit though-if there was one. Women of Maddy's caliber didn't stay free for long.
From the overhead rack he retrieved wine glasses.
Maddy's gesture caught his attention.
"You go ahead," she said. "But I'm fine."
He slid the glasses aside. He didn't want any more to drink. What he wanted was Maddy raveled up in his arms. He wanted to enjoy that heady, high altitude buzz she consistently whipped up inside him.
He wanted to feel her body, naked, beneath his.
Every minute they spent on small talk was one more precious minute wasted.
Intent, he moved toward her, tugging his bow tie free. When Maddy's eyes widened and her bodice rose on a silent breath, his step hesitated. What the devil was she afraid of? That he'd throw her down and take what he wanted? He didn't operate that way. If she'd only relax he'd be more than willing to show her.
He was an arm's length away when she spun on her heel to face the view of the town lights visible beyond the wall-to-wall window.
"I wonder if we'll see any Min Min lights tonight," she said. "You said they bob up around these parts all the time."
Jack rubbed the back of his neck. More than instinct said she wanted to be here. The way she'd danced with him, clung to him, wasn't manufactured. Yet something kept touching on her brakes. He'd assured her every way he could. With words, with affection.
Flicking back his jacket, Jack set his hands low on his hips. There were two ways to handle this … slow and ultra steady, or cut to the chase and let this push and pull game be decided upon once and for all.
He wound around to block her view before he folded his hands over hers. Bringing her cool knuckles to his lips, he warmed them with a heartfelt vow.
"Whatever you're worried about, believe me, Maddy, you don't need to be."
He meant that promise to the depths of his soul. He wouldn't hurt her for the world. He never wanted to cause harm to anyone again, consciously or otherwise.
She rolled her teeth over her bottom lip and Jack frowned. After coming this far he wondered if she might tell him now that she'd been wrong. That she didn't want to be with him as much as he wanted to be with her.
When she sucked in a breath and finally nodded, relieved, Jack smiled and nodded, too. At the same time, his glance dropped to her lips. Lips he'd remember forever.
His gut kicked with a familiar pleasant tug. This was right. She was right. Beyond ready, he lowered his head and claimed her.
Heat rose up his thighs, igniting a trail of flash fires over his skin. The urge to probe deeper, savor more, was alarmingly powerful, near impossible to resist. They were alone. His blood was booming. In his mind she was already writhing beneath him.
Kissing her still, his hands ironed up the curves of her waist. When he reached the bodice of her gown, his fingers encased her sides while each thumb stroked the underside of her breasts. As the kiss grew in intensity, his thumbs circled higher. While she whimpered in her throat and leaned in, he clenched every muscle to stop from satisfying the primal urge to pry those red cups apart.
Instead his mouth reluctantly left hers.
Her eyes were closed, her breathing labored. Her fingers dug into his biceps for support. The delectable burn smoldering below his belt expanded. These past days-watching her, wanting her-had been a bittersweet torture.
Angling, he scooped her off those dainty silver heels and up into the cradle of his jacketed arms. Her lashes fluttered open and his chest grew as she peered up at him with large, dewy eyes. Beyond a set of opened interior double doors, the master bed was in full view. The covers were turned down as he'd instructed. He'd find protection in the bedside drawer. With every cord in his body wound tight, he delivered her into the bedroom.
The room was dark, its open glass slider doors inviting in a cool breeze. Standing in shadows, he was vaguely aware of the moon's silver claw hanging in the sky, the night song of cicadas and a faint rustling of leaves. He set her on her feet, released his dinner shirt's top buttons and then stepped forward to find the zipper at her back. His hot gaze fused with hers, he eased the zipper down.
He felt her slight tremble as he edged one gossamer light sleeve off a slender shoulder then encouraged the next. The gown fell over her curves and landed in an airy puddle at her feet. Hungry, but patient, he soaked up the ethereal vision of her porcelain frame … her high full breasts, scanty red panties, long milky legs ending with sexy spiked heels. He inhaled to the bottom of his lungs then his gaze went to her hair.
"Let it down."
She hesitated only a heartbeat before reaching with both hands to release the pins. Her hair cascaded but she didn't shake out the kinks. Rather she looked to him as if waiting for his next move … or approval.
Stepping into the space separating them, he skimmed both sets of fingers up the column of her warm slender neck, carrying the hair high enough to leave ample access. Then he lowered his mouth to her throat and flicked her fast-beating pulse with the tip of his tongue.