This Time Forever: Second Chance Romance (Finding Forever Book 3) Read online

  Not wanting to dwell too long on his physical attributes, she dragged her attention back to the room around them. This is a job, she reminded herself, just a job. “I would think a man like you would want to be relaxed when he’s in his living space. You’re an architect, so you probably appreciate clean, strong lines. But you’ll also want warmth, some softness even, to be able to unwind when out of the workplace.”

  Seeing him nod, she grinned mischievously. “How did I do?”

  “Sounds like me,” he replied.

  She flipped her notebook open with a professional flourish and made a few notes. “Let’s move on to the kitchen.”

  For the next twenty minutes they made their way around the small house, debating the purpose of each room and deciding on the best combination of adjectives. It turned out their tastes were quite similar, which made the exercise more enjoyable than she’d expected.

  Whether Jake kept the master bedroom for last on purpose, or because it happened to be at the other end of the house from where they started, she wasn’t sure. But when they entered the room, gaudy as it was with its flowery cream and gold wallpaper, Kelly held her breath. The last time she and Jake were alone in a bedroom together had been the night they’d made love.

  Memories assailed her as she looked at the large bed dominating the room.

  “Christ, Kelly.” One strong arm clutched her to him, his breath heavy on her neck. “If we don’t stop soon, I’ll never be able to let you go.”

  “Don’t stop, Jake. Please, don’t ever let go.”

  She smiled a little sadly. It hadn’t occurred to her, in that moment long ago, to answer him any other way.

  He’d been so gentle with her. She had felt worshipped beneath his mouth and hands. Despite the brief pain that had accompanied his initial entrance, the feel of him moving inside her body has been a revelation. That night she’d given him everything she had to give. Her first true sexual experience had been exactly how she’d always hoped it would be, and she’d wanted it to last forever.

  Then morning had arrived. In its garish light, everything had come crashing down around her. When Jake left, her trust in love, and her own sense of feminine power, had gone with him. Recently, she’d begun to think she’d never get them back.

  “Is this the part where I think about what I want to do in this room?”

  She looked up at his provocative words and saw the lust he took no care to hide. She knew he expected her to ignore his blatant innuendo, or rebuff it with denial and sarcasm. It’s what she always did. She reacted to his words, always on the back foot, always on the defensive.

  It occurred to her then, even after all these years she still allowed Jake to take the lead whenever they were together. Doing exactly what he expected of her. Performing for him like a good little puppet on a string.

  Suddenly, she felt compelled to do the complete opposite. To put herself firmly in charge for a change and see how he liked it.

  She wanted to do something he would never expect.

  Seduce him.

  The words whispered through her mind, causing heat to flare low in her belly. It would be the perfect way to reclaim her flagging sense of power. She would make him want her the way she had once wanted him—desperately. At last, she could show him what a mistake he’d made by walking away from her. As for trust, that wasn’t really a part of the equation.

  A sultry smile curved her lips. Oh yes, she’d make him beg for it.

  Dropping her notebook onto the bedside table, she sauntered across the room, refusing to give herself the opportunity to change her mind. “Tell me, Jake,” she said as she stopped in front of him, her breasts brushing against his chest. “In this room. What do you want to do?”

  Chapter 8

  Kelly smirked at the shock on Jake’s face. He hadn’t seen that one coming.

  Before he had a chance to respond she reached out with long-fingered hands and tugged at his loosened tie until she could move it aside to undo the buttons on his shirt. Her heart pounded, but her hands were steady. She wanted this.

  Looking up at him through dark lashes, she asked, “Do you want to kiss me, Jake?”

  “Yes.” The word came out on a heavy sigh. “Hell, yes.” His hands rose to cup her face as he leaned down to capture her lips with his own, but she turned her head to avoid him.

  “Uh-uh. I didn’t say you could—yet.” She held her breath, waiting for his reaction. This single moment could easily make or break her newly conjured plan.

  His gaze held hers for a long moment, as if searching for something, then he straightened with a nod. “If you say so.”

  Satisfied, Kelly returned her attention to his shirt. One button after another fell open beneath her questing fingers and she parted the material to reveal his muscular chest. A moment’s hesitation made her pause as she drank in the sight of him. Once she touched him, there would be no going back. She was about to open her very own Pandora’s Box with an eagerness bordering on insanity. So be it, she decided, as long as she got to lift the lid.

  Spurred on by the idea, she leaned forward to press her lips against him. His skin was warm, and when her tongue sneaked out to steal a taste she found him slightly salty and all Jake. He made a strangled noise in the back of his throat and every part of her thrilled at his discomfort.

  A new boldness stole over her and she trailed her fingertips lightly over his skin, working her way back up his chest. His flat, male nipples stiffened under her touch and she circled them with her thumbs as she leaned up to place a small kiss below his left ear.

  “Do you want to undress me, Jake?”

  He swallowed hard as he nodded, hands kept firmly by his side. His fists were clenching and unclenching, as if only sheer determination prevented him from stripping her naked. The sense of power she’d been craving flooded her body. This was everything she hadn’t realised she needed. Jake Caine at her beck and call, bending to her will. “Good boy,” she purred, relishing his reluctant obedience.

  He gritted his teeth and a frustrated groan escaped him as he levelled her with hungry eyes. “Be careful how far you push, Kelly.”

  “Oh, scary.” She caught her tongue between her teeth in a cheeky grin. It never would have occurred to her seducing a man could feel so playful. And the idea of pushing him past his limit was just delicious.

  He chuckled in response to her words. “Minx.”

  Circling behind him, she dragged his shirt off his shoulders and tossed it to the floor. Her fingers ran down over the muscles of his back, all the way to his tapered waist, before she moved closer to place a lingering kiss between his shoulder blades. One hand continued downward over his buttocks as she moved around him again. Her breasts brushed against his right arm and her nipples hardened in response.

  She had to credit him for his control, despite his warning. He practically vibrated with need while she all but rubbed herself against him, and yet there he stood allowing her the freedom to do anything she wanted. A single thought twisted sinuously through her mind. What would she have to do to break him?

  Standing in front of him now, she brought her mouth to his until they were almost touching. “Do you want to lay me naked across the bed and fuck me senseless?”

  He pulled back, though his eyes widened with lust. One hand reached out to catch her chin between gentle fingers before he replied, “I want to make love to you, Kelly.”

  Surprise made her blink. That wasn’t exactly the reaction she’d been going for, but she wasn’t about to be distracted by his choice of words. She lifted his tie away from his now bare chest and turned away, using it as a leash to lead him to the bed while she tossed his own words casually back at him. “If you say so.”

  Strong hands landed on her waist, forcing her to turn around to face him. His lips quirked upward as he pulled her into his arms. He bent his head to hers and she could feel the warmth of his breath on her lips. “I say so.” Then his mouth was on hers with all the pent-up ferocity she’d seen
smouldering in those eyes.

  His kiss was a drug, threatening to overwhelm her. She felt like her senses were suddenly being reawakened by a barely-there familiarity with the very essence of him. His unique scent. His taste. The way his body fit against hers. Every sensation conspired against her, urging her to forget her real purpose here. Even as she melted into him, she felt the beginnings of panic rise. This was supposed to be about her domination over him, not the other way around.

  She forced herself to break away, taking several deep breaths in an effort to calm the pounding of her heart. When she looked up again, he smiled. It was the smile of a man who was getting exactly what he wanted. The sight of it tempered her passion in a way nothing else could.

  It was time to up the ante.

  She placed her hands on his shoulders and guided him to sit on the bed in front of her before nudging his knees apart so she could step between them. Then, with the kind of care she normally reserved for arranging flowers and unwrapping Christmas presents, she began to remove her clothing. She watched Jake’s face as she exposed each centimetre of flesh to his gaze, enjoying the play of emotions. Delight. Anticipation. Craving. The combination made her lightheaded.

  By the time she stood before him in nothing more than her white lace bra and panties, her breath came in shaky gasps. She never would have believed she would be here again—about to give her body to Jake Caine. At least this time she would go in with her eyes wide open. This time she would get the chance to experience the physical pleasure without the pain of emotional attachment.

  Gathering her courage about her like a scarlet cloak, she climbed onto the bed, straddling his lap. She lowered herself onto him with deliberate slowness, her bare skin sliding across his, her lace-covered breasts coming dangerously close to his lips. His erection pressed against her through what remained of their clothing and her eyes slid closed on a blissful sigh. She rolled her hips against him once—and again.

  He groaned loudly, dropping his forehead to her shoulder. His fingers dug into her waist as if he were in agony. Which was exactly how she wanted him.

  Threading one hand through his hair, she tugged his head back and placed a chaste kiss upon his lips. “Do you want to be inside me, Jake?” The words came out as little more than a broken whisper, but they had the desired effect.

  His mouth took hers, his tongue delving inside to coax hers into an erotic dance. She moaned, deep in her throat, as her body responded with a rush of moisture.

  She had to get him naked—now.

  Sliding her hand between them, she undid the clasp on his pants and reached inside to grasp his erection. He felt hot and smooth in her hand as she stroked the full length of him.

  He made a harsh sound as he tore his mouth from hers. “Damn it, Kelly. Are you trying to kill me?”

  She hummed in delight. “Maybe.”

  Before she knew what was happening he stood and laid her down on the bed. He quickly shed the rest of his clothes before joining her. When he hooked his thumbs in her panties and began to slide them down her legs, her breath caught in her throat.

  “Holy hell, you’re beautiful.” His whisper sounded almost reverent and Kelly cupped his face in her hands, drawing his mouth to hers. She luxuriated in a slow exploration of his mouth as he slipped one leg between her thighs and began to undulate against her.

  Kelly’s whole body was on fire for him. His hands seemed to be everywhere. His mouth a brand on her neck and chest. His body moving against hers in an imitation of sex that made her open wider for him, inviting him in. She groaned—loudly. The sound of it, so filled with need, slammed her back into reality. Oh no, you don’t, she thought. It’s my turn to run the show.

  She pushed at his chest until he rolled over, determined to reclaim her right to the top spot. She reached back to unclasp her bra, revealing her breasts as the straps slid down her arms. Then, as his eyes drank their fill of her naked body, she reached down to take his hands and place them over her hard, aching nipples.

  Shocked by the heat of his hands, she slid her eyes closed and arched into him. Knowing her own excitement would only enhance his, she allowed herself to wallow in the sensations filling her. Her arms rose to lift her hair away from her neck, before letting the long strands sift through her fingers to tumble wildly about her shoulders. He ran his palms over her nipples and again she found herself rubbing against him. Her hips rolled as she slid the wet lips of her vulva over his hard cock. The movements stimulated her clitoris, driving her higher.

  She leaned forward to capture his mouth, pouring herself into the kiss, imagining she infected him with an insatiable need for her, a dark craving he would never quench. This was what she needed, what she yearned for. To bind him to her with a sensuality so hot he would be scarred for life.

  “Kelly, wait,” he whispered, his voice hoarse with unfulfilled desire. “Wait a minute.”

  She froze, confusion seizing her by the throat. He was stopping now?

  Her mind screamed in denial. What about the craving and the binding and the freaking scarring? If he sent her away now she’d die of embarrassment.

  Wary of what she would see, she pulled back far enough to look him in eye.

  “What is it?” She prayed he wouldn’t notice the way her words quivered with apprehension.

  “Protection.” One arm reached toward the bedside table. “I can’t reach,” he added as his fingers brushed against the drawer handle, just a touch too far out of reach.

  Kelly laughed in relief, her head dropping onto his shoulder. “Allow me,” she said as she leaned over to open the drawer. Feeling around inside, she found a foil packet and held it up between two fingers. “Now you have to say thank you,” she said with a smirk.

  Taking it from her hand, he dropped it on the bedspread beside them in favour of concentrating on her. “It would be my pleasure.”

  Strong, masculine hands began to stroke her body with long, broad sweeps and Kelly placed her hands on his shoulders, allowing him to explore at leisure. Every touch, every caress, left her panting for more. She knew she was supposed to be the one in control, so letting him have free rein like this wasn’t really a good idea. But one look at his face assured her, in this moment he existed to do her bidding. Anything she wanted from him, she could have. A smile stole across her lips at the thought.

  Urging him backward across the bed, she crawled over him until she straddled his thighs. Excitement surged through her as she found the condom and ripped open the packet. She took his cock in one hand and stroked him lightly, delighting in the way he pulsed under her touch. His breath hissed in and out of his chest and his hands clutched her thighs as she unrolled the condom down over his length.

  The moment she finished, his hands hooked under her arms and he dragged her up his body. Delving into her mouth, he turned them over so he nestled between her thighs.

  “Need to be inside you, baby.” His breath, hot on her face, came in quick bursts. “Please.”

  “Yes,” she responded. “Now.”

  She felt him at her entrance and willingly opened herself to him, a soft whimper escaping her throat when he slid, slow and careful, into her body. She wrapped her arms around him as she felt him shudder.

  He scattered small kisses over her face and neck. “Kelly, it’s been so long.”

  She stiffened, surprised by his words. She hadn’t expected him to mention the last time they’d had sex. Not now, when they were right in the middle of doing it again. Was he comparing her to her younger self? Despite her determination to keep this whole experience casual, the possibility stung.

  Snapping back to her original intention, she rolled them over so she could be the one to set the pace. By the time she finished with him he wouldn’t be able to form a thought, let alone analyse the developments in her technique.

  Her body clenching hungrily around him as she began to move, riding him with a slow rocking motion. His hands landed on her hips and she allowed them to guide her, loving every
sound she wrung from his throat. Every gasp, every sigh.

  As the pressure built within her, she gave herself over to it. She could feel her release approaching and she placed her hands on either side of his head, leaning forward to whisper in his ear. “Come for me, Jake.”

  He bucked into her, the speed of his thrusts increasing even as she clutched him tighter, rode him harder.

  “Now,” she cried, flinging herself over the abyss. Warmth and strength flooded her limbs as she watched him follow. He drove up into her one last time, his hands clutching at her waist. Her name fell, like a prayer, from his lips.

  Chapter 9

  Kelly lay in Jake’s arms, refusing to move so much as a muscle until she knew what to do next. The moment the mind blowing orgasm she’d experienced wore off, her mind had headed straight for freak-out mode. This had all happened so fast, and she was totally unprepared. One thing she did know, she couldn’t stay here.

  Here being stark naked in Jake Caine’s bed.

  This wasn’t exactly where she’d expected to end up when she’d walked up to the front door of this house an hour ago. Not that she regretted it. On the contrary, she felt pretty damned good about her accomplishment. Not only had she successfully seduced Jake, she had made him call out her name in the throes of ecstasy. Never again would he remember her as the timid little virgin who would have happily catered to his every whim. Instead, she was a demanding vixen, set on taking her pleasure in any way she wished. The idea made a languorous kind of satisfaction seep into her bones.

  On the other hand, now it was over she felt kind of… awkward. After they’d recovered enough to move, Jake had covered them both with a light blanket he’d had folded across the end of the bed. He’d pulled her back into his arms, then pressed soft, lazy kisses upon her neck, sighing in contentment. He’d drape one leg possessively over her right thigh as he stroked her body with his hand. He used a soothing but thorough touch, as if he wanted to learn every dip and curve, burning them into his memory. The whole scene was far too tender for her liking. Now the fun part had ended, the time to refocus had arrived.