"So you and Jack never . . . you know?" Grace didn't know why she was asking. It didn't really matter. Only it kind of did.
"Hell no! Don't get me wrong, Jack is a gorgeous man, but like I said, I thought he was gay. I've only ever seen him with men." Rachel took the exit and stopped at the red light at the bottom of the ramp. She turned to look at Grace. "So . . . you and Jack?"
She wasn't going to get out of telling Rachel. Honestly, if they were all going to work together Rachel probably should know they had a past. "Jack and I had a thing during our senior year of college. He wasn't ready to be monogamous, especially given his attraction to men and women, and I wasn't able to play nice with his other lovers. I just couldn't share. That's it. I hadn't seen or heard from Jack in five years."
"I get the feeling there's more to it than that." The light turned green and Rachel returned her attention to the road. Grace didn't respond. The rest didn't matter now.
They reached the Fairmont and Grace checked in while the bellboy unloaded her luggage from Rachel's minivan. They made plans to meet in the morning so Grace could ride into the office with Rachel.
Her suite was larger than she'd expected with a sitting area and dining table. Grace was staying for at least two weeks, so it was nice to have room to spread out. She collapsed on the plush king-sized bed. It was a relief to know Rachel and Jack had never been a couple. It would make working with Rachel much easier for the green-eyed monster lurking behind Grace's eyes. She'd never been a jealous woman, unless Jack was involved. It seemed some things hadn't changed.
****
"Grace."
His voice came to her through the darkness. Jack's large hands roamed hungrily over her body in the darkness. Jack was in her bed. How had he gotten into her room? He was massaging her breasts and tasting her throat. Oh God, yes! Fuck! She was hot for him already.
"Grace." His hand moved down her body and she held her breathe. He moved slowly, teasing her with feather light brushes over her sides and belly. He cupped her mound over her panties. Grace's hips bucked and pressed into his touch. She wanted him to stroke her aching clit.
"Fuck, Jack, please." She writhed and begged him to keep going. And he did. He moved down to suckle her breasts until her nipples were taut points of pleasure. His hand slipped beneath her panties and she shuddered.
"Grace." Jack's voice was more forceful now as his fingers separated her wet folds. Oh shit! She was going to come. He'd barely touched her and she was already too far gone to stop the impending orgasm. Jack felt her muscles ripple with the first waves of her release. Two of his thick fingers delved deep into her pussy. She rode his hand, wanting every drop of pleasure he could provide.
"Grace!" Bang, bang, bang. The door to her suite vibrated. "Grace, are you okay in there?"
Grace jerked awake with her hand in her panties. Jack was in the corridor calling her name. Fuck! Really? A wet dream? She was mortified by her own behavior.
"I'm coming," she hollered, and then winced. She wasn't coming anymore, but she had been. A peek at the alarm clock told her it was still early. Rachel wasn't due to pick her up for two hours. She was exhausted. She spoke to Luke the night before but he was uncharacteristically quiet and he made some bullshit excuse to get off the phone. Grace had lain there for a long time thinking about what it would be like if she left Luke behind. Was that how it would be between them? She hoped and prayed that wouldn't be the case.
She leapt from the bed and went to open the door. Jack stood there looking concerned and downright tasty. He wore a charcoal suit with a white shirt open at the throat with no tie. He looked her up and down just as she did him. Grace blushed crimson, as if he could just by looking at her know that she had just stroked herself to orgasm while dreaming of him.
"What's wrong?" she asked. "Is the hotel on fire?" she snapped to cover her embarrassment.
Jack's frown lifted at the corners. He shook his head. "No, smartass, there's no fire, but I was calling your room and you didn't answer. So I became concerned and came up to check on you. I was banging on the door for five minutes."
Grace left the door open for Jack to enter while she went into the bedroom to check the phone by the bed. "The last person must have turned off the ringer." She turned the ringer up. Then she scurried into the bathroom to brush her teeth. Yuck! Morning breath!
Her reflection in the mirror over the sink made her wince. Her ponytail was crooked, her eyes were puffy from sleep, and she wore only a pair of boy shorts and camisole to bed. She hadn't thought to grab her robe before she ran to the door. Now that her mouth didn't feel like a desert and she'd donned her robe she went back out to the sitting room. Jack was watching the news and scrolling through emails. He looked up and gave her a heated look complete with the heart stopping grin that she had no defense against.
Jack came to his feet and moved toward her. His eyes moved to her mouth and she knew he was going to kiss her. He would kiss her and she would let him. She wanted to feel his hot mouth on hers, demanding she submit to his will. But he stopped just inches from touching her. His nostrils flared and he cursed.
"Meet me downstairs in the lobby. We'll get breakfast before we head to the office," he said and swiftly moved to the door.
"I thought Rachel was picking me up?"
"Change of plans. I've got you now," he told her as he pulled the door closed behind himself. She was afraid to admit to herself exactly how true the statement really was.
****
Grace climbed out of the passenger side of Jack's 1968 Mustang Shelby GT 500KR and let out a whoop of delight. Jack had taken her for an early morning spin in the little silver rocket that ended at Pikes Place Market. Grace thought Jack would own a luxury vehicle, given his wealth, but that really wasn't his way. Instead of purchasing something sleek and new, he drove a classic car he'd restored himself to the best of his ability. The work that was beyond Jack's experience with fixing cars was done by professionals.
She filled her lungs with cool sea air. It was just after seven and the market was still quiet. The parking lot was practically empty. He came around to her side and linked his fingers with hers. Grace looked down at their joined hands and back up at Jack. He looked down and seemed to be surprised at what he'd done.
"I, uh, I'm sorry about that, Grace. I guess old habits die hard." He tried to release her hand but Grace held on to him.
"It's okay. I missed you, too, Jack." She went up on her toes and kissed Jack's cheek. Jack's eyes drifted back to her mouth and he cursed. She licked her lips and his nostrils flared. She knew it was coming and Jack didn't disappoint her this time. He backed Grace into his car and kissed her with all of the pent up emotion they were both fighting to contain. She knew this was wrong and she should push him away. She should be focusing on the business she was there to conduct. Her life was hanging and the biggest decision of her life was yet to be made. She knew all of this, but when she was there in Jack's arms it was like no time had passed. As soon as they touched it was like a flash fire that couldn't be contained. Jack ate at her mouth, relearning her flavor, tracing every dip and curve of her mouth as she went about tasting him.
"You know what I want, Grace?" he asked against her lips.
"To fuck me hard on the hood of your car?" It was what she wanted, too.
Jack shivered at the shared memory, "I want to show just how much I've missed you, baby. I want to take this hot little body and taste every inch of it until you beg me to fuck you long and hard. That's what I want to do." He kissed her again, sucking her tongue into his mouth. He pressed his hips into her belly and the evidence of his excitement made itself known. Christ! She was ready.
"Damn." He looked into her eyes with a guilty expression. "I promised myself I wouldn't do this, not yet anyway." He stroked her cheeks with his thumbs as he gently held her face cupped in his hands. "I wanted to give you time to take a look at the company and be sure you'll be happy here in Seattle. Fuck, baby, I couldn't even get through breakfast."
He kissed her softly, sweetly, and Grace felt tears burn her eyes. She was afraid, terrified. After all of these years she was still under Jack's spell. Here she was, with her tongue in his mouth, and she had no idea if he was even single. She was doing it again.
"Get a room!" Someone shouted from across the parking lot. The spell was broken and Jack and she both laughed out loud. He ran the back of his finger down her cheek and placed one last little kiss on the corner of her mouth.