Billionaire Unmasked(7)

In the end, it was her own heart that betrayed her. “Okay. I’ll meet you out front. But I’m not sleeping with you, so if you just want to get laid, don’t show up.” Something troubled Jason, and she wanted to know exactly what was going on with him. Besides, she wanted to be with him. They were both leaving tomorrow, and it would probably be a long time before they ran into each other again. Even though being alone with him was dangerous, it was also such a compelling temptation that she couldn’t resist. Beyond the lust, she’d missed him.

I only have tonight.

“That’s not all I want,” Jason answered ominously as he opened the door for her.

Apprehension ran down her spine like a cold finger as she noted the deep timbre of his voice and the fact that he didn’t deny that he wanted to sleep with her. She handed his jacket back to him. “So you won’t try to seduce me?”

“I most likely will at some point because I won’t be able to stop myself, but you can always say no,” he told her gravely.

That was the crux. I’ll have a hell of a time saying no.

She straightened her shoulders, and gave him a disapproving look. “I have no problem saying no,” she lied as she skirted the room to avoid the crowd.

“Hope?” Jason caught her arm gently from behind.

“Yes?”

“It will still be a good night, even if you do say no. I just want us to spend some time together.” His voice vibrated with intensity.

Damn. Damn. Damn. I’m sunk.

He’d sealed her fate with those words. Just that statement tore through her defenses like no other words could. Jason actually wanted her company, too, and it touched her. She could sense his loneliness, and she wanted to assuage it by letting him know she just wanted to be with him.

Without another word, Hope turned on her heel and went to say goodbye to her four brothers and Emily before she grabbed her jacket and exited the Youth Center where the party was being held.

By the time she arrived outside, Jason already waited for her. As she took his outstretched hand and felt the zing of electricity spark between them, she hoped to God she wasn’t going to regret this night.





I’m never going to live through this night.

Jason Sutherland had to swallow a groan as he watched Hope sit in front of the fireplace in her house and moan as she took her first bite of the s’more he’d created for her. He watched her eat the graham cracker, melted chocolate, and toasted marshmallow concoction: her eyes closed, and her tongue darted out to catch the drops of chocolate and marshmallow that stuck to her lips. Never had chocolate seemed so erotic.

Fuck. I want her.

Jason’s possessive instincts nailed him in the gut, and he could barely contain the gnawing desire to have her closer, lick those delectable lips himself. He’d be at the task long after the damn chocolate and marshmallow were gone.

I shouldn’t have come to Maine tonight. I knew she’d probably be here.

Yep. He had known, and if he were honest, he’d admit that her being here was part of the allure that had brought him to Maine. Sure, he wanted to see the Sinclair brothers, especially Grady because he wanted to meet the woman who had captured his reclusive friend’s heart. But he’d be lying to himself if he didn’t admit that knowing Hope was going to be here was both a deterrent…and a temptation. The appeal of seeing her again had won, the victory against his willpower coming pretty damn easily.

Disgusted with himself, Jason had tried to forget the tortured lust that had hit him when he’d seen the eighteen-year-old Hope. Christ. She’d just graduated from high school, and although he had only been twenty-three then, it had still seemed…wrong. Hope was Grady’s baby sister, and Jason was friends with the entire Sinclair clan. Hope had been a sad, shy little girl, an adorable redheaded, freckled child with a big heart who Jason had always wanted to coax into smiling. He’d adored her like the sister he’d never had, and had protected her like any big brother would. Even so, everything had changed when he’d stopped by her high school graduation party. The sight of her threw him off balance and confused their whole relationship. He’d wanted to claim her then; now, eight years later, the desire was a damn obsession. Unfortunately, his dick hadn’t forgotten Hope either. He hadn’t felt that kind of all-consuming carnal lust since he’d seen her at eighteen, but his cock had immediately come to attention once again with the same fervent adoration the minute he’d spotted her across the room tonight.

Over the years, he’d cringed every time he heard from Grady that Hope was seeing someone. Jealousy nearly ate him alive every time he saw her, knowing another man was touching her. But he’d coped with it by working and fucking other women; he hoped that eventually that niggling fear that she’d end up permanently taken by another man would pass.