A Wishing Moon (30 page)

She nestled back into the corner of the huge sofa. Jade was getting crystal glasses from the kitchen and had turned on a television the size of a theater screen. Ripples of desire were competing with twinges of uncertainty. Jade was still Jade, and she worshipped the ground he walked on, but this place was so big and perfect she felt like the country witch had come to town and she wasn‘t dressed properly for it, she knew. She pulled her legs up under her in an involuntary defensive position, feeling out of place in soft, worn blue jeans and a simple cotton camisole. She played with the buttons on the front of her shirt and longed for Dior, or even Dolce and Gabbana.

Jade reappeared, completely oblivious to her silly discomfort. “I can’t believe we are finally alone,” he said as he poured her a glass of the renowned champagne. She took the goblet and sipped, enjoying the way the bubbles danced across her nose. “Don’t get me wrong, I adore your family but here, we can make love in the kitchen and on the dining room table, on the rug in front of the TV, on the pool table in the game room—and have you seen the Jacuzzi in the bedroom?” His words made her shiver. “Which one would you prefer?” He smiled at her, eagerly waiting to see which one intrigued her the most.

“
All of them, please.”

He threw back his head and laughed. “You are absolutely irresistible, baby. I am positive that can be arranged, but first let’s do justice to this five hundred dollar bottle of champagne.” At the price, Arabella looked dismayed, but he warned her with his eyes to not say a word. “I want to give you the best of everything.” The bubbles went straight to her head, Arabella had not tasted alcohol very often and tonight she was already so high on love the champagne gave her courage she had not known she possessed.

She was sitting next to the wide arm of the sofa; the end table was at her side. Jade had turned the lights on dim and a fire in the fireplace cast dancing shadows around the room. When he finished the last drop in his glass, she took it from him and set both of the glasses carefully on the table—she knew Waterford when she saw it. Then she took him by one of his wide shoulders and gently pressed him down until she could cradle his head in her lap. “I’ve always wanted to do this.” She looked deep into his eyes, conveying all the passion and depth of feeling a look could possibly give. Laying a gentle hand on his hair, she stroked its soft silkiness. “Do you know how wonderful you are?” With the other hand, she traced his full, sensual mouth, remembering the pleasure these lips had given her during the weeks they had been together.

“
You make me feel wonderful and horny,” he teased her.

“
Jade, you’re so bad.” She made a face at him, but continued tracing his brow, marveling at the rich, unique shade of his eyes—dark greenish brown with a perfect sunburst around the black pupil, making the eyes appear golden and rich like a coin in a fountain.

He slowly unbuttoned her blouse and then unhooked the front closure of her bra. Her breasts spilled out and he captured one already taunt nipple in his mouth. He began to pull on it sensuously with his lips. Every tug at her breast seemed to be echoed by a tug in her loins. His left hand worked the other breast, giving her such pleasure her toes began to curl. Several times, she tried to stop him, so they could move on to things she knew would bring him pleasure, but he persisted, seemingly, deriving as much satisfaction from the suckling and laving as she did.

She withstood the temptation as long as she could, but she finally gave in to the temptation to lay her hand over the huge bulge in his jeans and begin her own brand of sweet torture. “Oh yeah,” he groaned. “Touch me, baby.” As he sucked, she rubbed, molded and stroked him through his pants. He wasn’t wearing jeans so the linen fabric gave her much greater access to his manhood than the thick denim fabric would have.

“
I love to touch you. You’re so hard. I can’t wait to feel you inside of me.” He grew impossibly large as she worked him through the soft material. At last, Jade let her nipple slip from his mouth and he rose up to devour her lips. She had him revved up to high gear.

“
You’re not going to have to wait long. My control is fast slipping away.” His tongue plunged between her lips, coiling around her own, letting her know exactly how much he wanted her. “Let me get you to some place where I can get serious about this sex business.”

That was one thing Arabella loved about Jade. With her, he never lost his sense of humor. He picked her up from the couch and laid her down on the thick rug in front of the fire. Standing over her, he began to undress. His shirt went first, exposing the massive chest Arabella longed to caress. The pants and under shorts were shed in a minimum of movements and the result of Arabella’s handwork came into heart stopping view. He jutted straight out, thick and bold, ready to occupy what he had already conquered.

Arabella did not stay where he placed her. As he stood there, she could not resist rising to her knees to come and pay homage to a part of him that thrilled her beyond belief. “You know, I never knew that I could desire a man so much or that I would want to touch his cock. But, I can’t seem to keep my hands off you.” She placed one hand around his shaft and with the other she cupped his steel-hard balls, delicately letting him know she adored every part of his body. Her lips closed around the head of his penis and she lovingly swirled her tongue around and around before beginning to take more of him in her mouth. His hand went to the back of her head, pressing her even closer, yet careful not to push himself so far into her mouth she would experience discomfort.

“
That’s it, baby. Suck him. I love how your mouth feels on me.” She loved him with all she had, her hands moving up and down the hair roughened muscles of his thighs. His whole body stiffened and the next thing she knew she was flat on her back and her jeans and panties had been thrown to one side.

“
Now. I’ve got to have you now.” Always taking care of her, he applied the condom and took time to insure with his fingers that she was as wet as she would need to be to accommodate the raging bull her lips had created. Finding her soft and ready, he spread her legs wide and lowered himself between them. He was about to guide himself into her when she commandeered control from him, grasping his cock and lifting her hips to welcome him home. Sighs of contentment escaped from her lips as he sank deep within her. “You make me lose control, Bella. Making love to you is out of this world.” Raising himself up on his arms, he began driving into her with deep sensuous strokes. She elevated her hips so she had an unhampered view of his member pumping in and out of her vagina. The luscious friction of his pelvic bone against her clitoris caused Arabella to moan with rapture and she began to tremble with release.

The sweet sounds escaping her lips triggered an explosive climax for Jade and he drove himself deep and then ground his member around in a sensuous motion that savored every last spasm of her vagina. “You are perfect. Absolutely, perfect.” Their lips met in a hot, sweet kiss, which celebrated the devotion each had for the other.

* * * *

Jade had the whole night planned out. Tonight was Friday, so he had arranged a romantic evening at home. As the night progressed, it became a celebration of love for Arabella and Jade. They had been through so much and now it seemed all of their problems were behind them and they could begin to just enjoy one another. After their loving, they cuddled on the couch and watched a family movie about a dog. Soon she was in tears and he had the best time comforting her, wiping her eyes and making her blow her nose.

The food Jade had delivered was scrumptious. Austin was known for its barbeque and Jade loved to watch her lick sauce from the corners of her mouth only to find it spread all over her cheeks and nose and fingers. He enjoyed cleaning her up.

Tomorrow would be a different story, however. He had tickets for a University of Texas college theater performance. Evangeline would be there and even though it wouldn’t be the most romantic of situations, Jade knew Arabella would love being with her cousin and seeing her enjoy the college she had always wanted to attend. Evangeline was especially eager for Arabella to meet one of the actors in the play; she swore he was a young, Elvis Presley look-a-like, with enough southern charm to melt honey on a winter’s day. He had been her Orientation Adviser when she had visited the campus a few weeks ago and they had instantly hit it off.

After that, Jade planned to take Arabella out for a romantic dinner at Aquarelle Restaurant Francais, Austin’s premier gourmet French restaurant. There, he planned to ask her to marry him. He couldn’t wait to see her face when he gave her the ring. But that awaited them tomorrow—now, he intended to thoroughly enjoy the present.

Never let it be said he disappointed her. She had asked for him to make love to her all over the house and he did his best to make it happen. He made love to her on the granite countertop in the kitchen, finding it was just the right height for him to enter her standing flat-footed on the marble floor, cradling her head on his shoulder with her legs wrapped around his waist. He made love to her in the wide Jacuzzi bathtub, utilizing the tantalizing water from the jets to drive her crazy. Then he made love to her in his bed, laying claim to the most precious possession he had ever found—the love of Arabella Landry.

* * * *

Saturday morning, Jade received a phone call he wasn’t expecting. He apologized profusely but there was a quick meeting he had to make time for. He told her to remain in the bed and he would be back before she realized he was gone.

She tried to do as he said, but the big bed held no attraction for her once he’d left her all alone. Making herself at home, she showered and dressed. The doorbell startled her and she ran to the door, thinking maybe Jade waited on the other side intending to surprise her, returning far sooner than he had expected.

She was a bit startled to find Reese Phillips standing there. “Hello Reese,” she greeted him cordially. “Jade isn’t here, but he will be back shortly if you would like to wait.”

He stepped through the door a few feet, and then he let her have it. “I see it didn’t take you long to make yourself right at home.”

Arabella didn’t understand his tone. “This is a very beautiful apartment.”

Reese walked on into the living room expecting her to follow. “I don’t have a lot of time, Miss Landry, so let me come right to the point.”

What was this about? Suddenly, she would have given anything for Jade to walk through the door. She didn’t think this man would try and hurt her, but she did dread hearing what he had to say.

“
I would appreciate it if you would.” Arabella gave him permission to speak.

“
Jade Landale has a bright future in Texas politics, maybe even on the national scene. I have worked tirelessly to ensure he meets all the right people and has every opportunity to go as far and rise as high as he wants to. He’s talented and has just the right charisma. Frankly, there is nothing standing between him and the governor’s mansion, but you.”

Arabella didn’t say a word.

“
You are toxic to his chances to succeed. You will never fit in with the movers and the shakers in the party. He had the right woman, and I know the accident was partly responsible for their breakup, but he will never succeed with a new-age bimbo like you on his arm.”

“
I would never do anything to hold Jade back.”

“
You don’t have to do anything, the harm you’re causing is already beginning to show up. Your name has been linked with his several times over the last month. I’m already getting phone calls. You make people nervous. Witchcraft and family values don’t mix.”

Arabella wanted to tell him her family had very good values, but she knew there would be no convincing him of that. “I won’t stand in his way, Mr. Phillips. I don’t force Jade to stay with me.”

“
What do you mean, lady – you bought and paid for him twice! I don’t know what role you played in his recovery, but he gives you and your family full credit. And then you go and take a bullet for him. My God, he will never leave you. But be aware; gratitude makes a rocky foundation for marriage. Has he proposed to you yet?”

She shook her head no.

“
Well, doesn’t that tell you anything? He’s with you simply because he doesn’t know how to walk away from you. He owes you too much.”

As Arabella’s heart broke into a million pieces, she had to confess to herself that Reese Phillips made perfect sense. She hung her head in defeat.

“
Look, I know you love Jade. I know you would do anything for him. God, you’ve certainly proved that beyond a shadow of a doubt. But if you really love him, the greatest gift you could ever give him is to just walk away. Give him his freedom and let him go back to the life he had before the accident, before he ever met you. Let Jade go back to where he belongs.”