“Pretty formidable.”
She shrugged. “I’m a corporate lawyer underling with an eye on a partnership. Research is my life.”
He leaned forward. “So, why did you walk away from it?”
“Not because I wanted to.” She took a moment, then finally met his eyes again. “It’s a family matter.”
It stung that she didn’t tell him. But then, what did he expect? It was just an example of how little they re ally new each other. But they could change that fact.
“It’s your family, isn’t it,” he said quietly.
She instantly became wary. “What do you know about my family?”
He looked directly at her. “Your family has been around since dirt and probably invented it. You have two older sisters and one older brother. He and your two brothers-in-law work for Holcomb Industries, your sisters work equally hard to keep the family name in the society columns to the best of their abilities, which are as formidable as yours are in research. Your mom passed away when you were a kid, your dad never remarried. You got an academic scholarship and put yourself through college and law school even though your family probably could have put most of your graduating class through college.
“You graduated early and in the top twenty in your class. Then, unlike your siblings, you moved away from the family manse to the big city, otherwise known as New York. You passed the bar on the first try and landed a job with Maxwell & Graham. You’re the family black sheep because you don’t work for Daddy, but his health has been in question of late, although your family has done an equally formidable job of keeping that information out of the press. I’m guessing none of them can function without you and probably drive you crazy.” He leaned back and sighed. “And you’re right. Our families are as different as night and day.”
She looked stunned. “And you say I’m formidable?”
“I told you I wasn’t playing by the rules. I’m a troubleshooter for an international company and not with out some research abilities of my own. Unfortunately, none of this answered any of the real questions I had.”
“What the hell else did you want to know? My bra size?”
He grinned. “That I knew.” He tightened his grip on her hand, when she went to yank it away. “I’d say we both did some digging and came up short of our real goal. Which was to get to know each other better.” He leaned forward now and tugged her forward, too. “I want to get to know you better, Natalie. I don’t want to play by these stupid rules. I want us to see each other beyond just the occasional meeting in a hotel. I want to be part of your whole life and I want you in mine.”
Tears sprang to her eyes, but they were not the tears of joy he’d hoped for. “Jake.” She pulled his hand to her mouth and kissed his fingers, then gently disentangled hers. “If this were another time in my life, I might try to make this work. But right now, I don’t see how we can. Your life and mine, especially now, are so different. I think it would just be too frustrating and too difficult, and we’d both end up suffering for the attempt.”
“Natalie—”
“No, listen to me. I’ve thought about this a lot. Nonstop it seems. I was going to just send a note here, but I couldn’t do that to you. No matter what you felt for me, you’d become too important to me for me to just walk away without a word. You deserved—we both deserved—a personal goodbye. You’ve meant more to me, shown me more about myself, than anyone ever has.”
“Then, don’t do this. Whatever the situation is, we can find a way.”
She shook her head. “I don’t think so. And even if you could, I don’t think I can. Not right now. My life is completely upside down. For how long, I have no idea.”
Jake wanted to argue with her. But words would be wasted. She was as stubborn about things as he was. So he’d go about it another way. Just as he’d shown her sides of herself, he’d show her how it could be for them if she’d only try.
“How long are you in town?”
His question seemed to catch her off guard. “My flight goes out tomorrow at noon.”
“Then, we have almost twenty-four hours.”
“Jake—”
“We started this relationship as a means to escape from reality. Your reality doesn’t sound too wonderful at the moment. If you’re not willing to give me more, at least let me give you twenty-four hours away from it. Let me give you—us—this.”
“I don’t know.” But it was clear from the leap of excitement in her eyes that while her mind might not be sure, her heart definitely was.
He stood and pulled her into his arms, thanking God and every other deity he could think of, when she didn’t push him away this time. “Please, Natalie,” he said, brushing her lips with his. “Give yourself this. We can say goodbye tomorrow.”
Unless, between now and then, he could convince her otherwise.
He kissed her then, taking her mouth and reveling in her instant response. “Say yes.” She was breathless, and he could feel her heart pound against his chest. He nipped at her mouth, trailed his lips along her chin, then kissed that tender spot just beneath her ear. “Say yes.” He didn’t care if he seduced it out of her. He was a desperate man. He ran his hands up along her back, then down her sides, brushing his fingers alongside her breasts, then cupping her to him. She gasped as he pushed against her, and he had to swallow the deep groan of satisfaction in his throat.
“Say yes, Natalie. Stay with me one last night.”
And every other night I can convince you to give me.
“Say yes.” He turned and leaned against the railing, pulling her between his legs. “Say it.”
“Yes,” she said, trembling hard against him. “Yes. Now, can we please go inside?”
He grinned and wrapped her up in his arms. “Oh, yes.”
14
NATALIE’S BODY was on a rampage. She wanted all of him, right now. Her mind was so clouded with need, she couldn’t think straight and didn’t bother to try. She had until tomorrow to regain her sanity and her strength to walk away from his man.
But for now, his mouth was on her and nothing had ever felt so damn good.
He tossed her so she landed in a fluffy heap of duvet and pillows atop the high double bed that dominated one end of the room. The muslin draping fluttered shut behind him as he climbed up on the bed after her. She distantly realized he’d left the balcony doors sitting open, but she didn’t care. The sultry air filled the room, making her clothes stick to her skin. As Jake moved toward her, she didn’t think that was going to be a concern for very long. And she was right.
He moved his hands to her sweater top, but something made her stop him. “No, let me.”
She crawled to her knees and pushed him against the headboard. “There,” she directed.
If this was truly to be their last time together, then there was more exploring she wanted to do. She’d intended to take the upper hand in Chicago, when it had been her turn, but it hadn’t ended that way. They’d both been too hungry for one another. Well, her appetite hadn’t abated, not a bit, but she was nothing if not determined to have her way this time.
Jake smiled at her, pushed some of the multitude of pillows up against the headboard and leaned back against them, propping his head on his hands.
“And keep them there,” she said, nodding to his hands.
“Anything you say.”
She couldn’t help but notice the formidable bulge pressing against the front of his jeans. The same sweet bulge she’d felt against her out on the balcony. She almost lost her nerve right then, the ache between her legs intensifying.
She looked to his face instead, and there she found what she needed. He wanted her, badly, but he was also willing to let her do what she wanted. It was this trust between them that would be the hardest to walk away from.
She didn’t think about that now; she reached for the hem of her sweater and slowly pulled it over her head. She had to smile as she realized what she had on. Plain bra and panties, no lace, no frills. “Not exactly the siren apparel I’d have worn if I’d known we’d end up like this.”
“You’re just fine,” he said, his voice hoarse. “Fine.”
Right then, she’d never felt finer.
She straightened on her knees and slowly unbuckled and unzipped her trousers, sliding them down her hips. Then she turned and laid on her back across the bed, lifting her hips and undulating as she pushed them down her legs, along with her hose and shoes, until they fell off the bed to the floor. She rolled toward him then, wearing nothing more than her panties and bra. She had no idea where her boldness came from. Actually, she did. As long as she looked him in the eyes, she had the power to do anything.
She rolled to her back and lifted her chest so she could unhook her bra from the back, then she slowly peeled the soft white cups over her breasts. She sighed as she covered them with her own hands, letting the straps trail down over her arms. A sudden groan from Jake made her jerk her eyes open. She hadn’t even been aware of closing them.
“You’re breaking the rules,” she said on a stunned whisper. He was stroking himself through his pants.