Amorous (The Lincoln Series Book 1) (8 page)

Warren looked over at her when he stopped at a red light. Her head was down and she was toying with a strand of thread the same color as her sweater. He reached across and poked her ribs. “Hey, I’ve matured. I didn’t punch him this time.”

Marie looked up at him and smiled.

He winked at her and turned his eyes back to the road as the light turned green. “By the time we got to high school Jake had given up trying to hang around me and AJ and started chasing girls. The problem there was he couldn’t find anyone willing to go out with him unless he bought their affection.” He snickered. “I had no idea high school girls could be so expensive. He threw a lot of his parent’s money around back then.”

Warren checked the rearview mirror and Jake was still following. He was a few cars back and in another lane but Warren knew him well enough to know Jake wouldn’t give up so easily. He reached across to squeeze Marie’s leg and remembered her reaction to his touch, so he adjusted the flow of air on the vents instead.

“After high school, AJ and I left for college and I hadn’t seen Jake since.”

“How long have you and AJ been friends?”

“As long as I can remember, probably since kindergarten or first grade. We lost touch the last six years or so and I was surprised to see how much he’s changed. It’s been…interesting reconnecting with him.”

“Interesting?”

“Yeah…interesting.” He drummed his fingers nervously against the front of the steering wheel. “How about you? What was it like for you growing up?”

“Boring.”

He laughed. “No. Seriously. What were your friends like?”

“I really didn’t have friends. I was one of those nerds who thought she was too mature for the other kids my age.”

“Marie, everybody has friends, even the nerds.”

She looked at him and shook her head. “Not me. My mother used to tell me I was too serious. She said I needed to learn to be a kid or one day I was going to be grown up for real and realize I had missed all the fun.”

“Well, girls do mature faster than boys.”

“Yes, they do. But I got more than my fair share of maturity at an early age.”

“Okay…so you were the first one to mature.”

“No. I was born mature. Ever since I can remember I wanted to be an adult. I used to practice walking and talking like an adult in front of my mirror. And when I was old enough to understand what my father did as a CEO I started planning my career in business. I thought having fun was a waste of time.”

“Some people know what they want to do from a young age.”

“Really? Did you ask Santa for a briefcase and business cards for Christmas?”

Warren tried not to laugh but he couldn’t help it. “Please tell me you’re kidding.”

Her face turned bright red and he could tell she was trying hard not to smile. “I wish I was.”

He watched her look out the window. Her smile faded and she shook her head at a thought.

“A penny for your thoughts?”

She continued to stare out the window as she spoke. “I just wish I hadn’t been such a nerd. My mother was right.” She turned and looked at him.

“What about high school? I bet you had a lot of boyfriends.”

“I had friends in the academic clubs but no boyfriends. I was too busy dodging the ones my sister was always trying to set me up with.” She shivered.

He laughed at her look of revulsion. “What was wrong with them?”

She hesitated. “My sister didn’t put much thought into the guys she asked me to go out with.”

“She asked you to go out with guys?”

“She expected me to be the blind date for her date’s friend.”

He pulled into his driveway and smiled to himself. “Don’t worry. I won’t ask you to go out with any of my friends.”

The beautiful old Victorian took Marie by surprise. She figured Dr. Jackson for the sleek modern type, especially judging by his car. He pulled into the garage and turned the engine off.

“Wait here?” He flashed another one of those irresistible smiles as the garage door began to close.

She couldn’t help but smile back despite the disappointment she felt. Obviously she was right, he wasn’t going to invite her in. He was going to see if Jake had driven off so he could just back out of the drive and take her home.

She had told him too much. Not only did she admit she was a maladjusted, antisocial child, she had pointed out that most men didn’t find her sexy and attractive. She was the ugly duckling who needed to be set up on a blind date.

She watched him walk around the car with a spring in his step. He opened her door and offered his hand.

She hesitated a second then took it and stepped out of the car. He pulled her close and she could feel the familiar heat of his body as it penetrated her. He entwined his fingers with hers and pulled her along as he backed his way into the house.

The kitchen was modern and had little resemblance to a Victorian design. The warm colors and simple elements were inviting and comfortable. He stopped at the sink and turned toward the window into the backyard.

“This was my parents’ home. I grew up here.” He smiled and turned to her. “Liz rented it out for years to a family and when they moved out two years ago I bought it.” He squeezed her hand. “Somehow I knew I’d move back here.”

Marie looked at the beautiful old trees peppering the yard. The sun was setting but she could still see the tire swing hanging from the large oak in the center of the lush green turf.

“This would make a great house for kids.”

“Yeah. Liz’s kids love it. They stay here when she comes in to town.”

He led her into the den. “Make yourself at home and I’ll get us something to drink.”

“Just some pop for me.”

“One diet Pepsi, coming up.” She watched him walk back into the kitchen.

She looked around at the décor and giggled. This must be his man cave. There were more electronics in this room than she had in her whole apartment. She sat on the overstuffed sofa and chewed on her bottom lip while she waited.

A vision of him pressing her into the soft cushions with his body materialized in her brain. She let out a soft sigh and hugged her middle. She would give anything for him to take her right there. But, that wasn’t very likely…unless she pulled him down on top of her. She wanted more than just sex and someone like Dr. Jackson would never fall for her.

A few minutes later he came back from the kitchen with a glass of soda and a beer in his hands.

She grabbed the glass from his hand and took a sip. “You like diet Pepsi, too?”

“No. But you do.”

He chose to sit on the coffee table in front of her. For long minutes he just sat there smiling at her. He rested his elbows on his knees and dangled the beer bottle in front of him.

Marie felt like a zoo exhibit and started to fidget. “What?”

He took her glass and set both their drinks down beside him. With a sigh he grabbed her hands with both of his. “Marie, can I ask you a personal question?”

She felt her pulse quicken. She wasn’t so sure she wanted to answer a personal question. Her heart felt vulnerable and open as it was and she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to keep it safe if she revealed much more.

“Maybe. It depends on what you want to know.” She cleared her throat when her voice faltered.

He looked down at where their hands were joined and hesitated a moment before he spoke. “How close are you and AJ?”

“What?”

She tried to pull her hands away but he gently tightened his hold. He continued to stare at their joined hands.

“He’s my boss. I’m his Executive Assistant…I just work for him.”

Her heart began to race. Did he think she was one of those EAs who slept with their boss? He and Dr. Carrington were good friends and Dr. Carrington preferred it when she called him AJ. Did he think it was because she was sleeping with him?

“So your relationship is strictly business?” He began to rub small circles on the backs of her hands. The action generated heat and it was starting to spread through her.

Dr. Jackson knew she was attracted to him. That much was more obvious than she wanted to admit. Maybe he just wanted to use her. A lot of department heads at Central Valley used their EAs as mistresses. AJ was one of the few who didn’t have that reputation and he certainly hadn’t made any advances toward her, but maybe he condoned the practice and told Dr. Jackson he could have her.

Regardless of what AJ said or didn’t say, she had no intention of becoming anyone’s mistress.

“I don’t have any personal feelings for Dr. Carrington. I respect him because he’s my boss. Our relationship is strictly business.” She tried to pull her hands free again. “And I do a damn good job for him too.”

Dr. Jackson looked up at her with a devilish grin on his lips. “And you don’t find him attractive?”

“No! Dr. Jackson, I work for him that’s all. I fail to see how my personal feelings would matter anyway.”

“They matter to me.” His expression turned sensual and he leaned closer to her. “Do you have any feelings for me, Marie? Do you find me attractive?”

“What? I…uh…I don’t know…I mean, no. I don’t.” Her heart was hammering.

“I think you do.” He started moving closer. He let go of her hands and put his on the couch on either side of her hips.

“I’m not like that.”

“You’re not like what?”

“I’m not his mistress…I don’t sleep around.”

Damn, he smelt good. She could feel his heat start to surround her as he caged her in with his body, his mouth only inches from hers.

“That’s good to know.”

She tried to focus on what to say, or rather what not to say, but her thoughts kept circling back to his lips. “I don’t want to be a mistress.”

‘He’s going to kiss me. Please don’t kiss me, I won’t be able to stop you.’

He gently grabbed her shoulders and laid her down on the couch. She watched him follow her breasts as they rose and fell with each labored breath she took.

“I’m not looking for a mistress, Marie.” With one hand supporting his weight he slid the other around her neck and covered her mouth with his.

‘Please don’t hurt me.’

The kiss was soft and gentle and she knew in an instant she had lost. Instinctively she opened for him and a firestorm raged. He slid his hands into her hair and supported his weight on his elbows. He kissed her like he was starved for her.

She couldn’t concentrate on what was happening. All she knew was how right it felt. For once in her life she didn’t think about what she was doing, she just let herself get caught in the moment. A small part of her thought she might regret this, but she couldn’t muster the strength to care. Her mind was focused on only one thing, having him inside her. The need for his possession was consuming her until nothing else mattered.

He nudged her legs apart with his knee and gently settled his weight on her. He dropped his hands to the sofa on either side of her head and gently ground his hips into hers.

Marie felt his erection press against her lower stomach and moaned into his kiss. She felt her hips rocking to the rhythm he was setting. She ran her hands up his arms and gripped his shoulders, loving the feel of his body pushing hers into the soft cushions beneath her.

He broke the kiss and stared down at her with a teasing smile.

“Sorry. I can’t help it. Fred has a mind of his own.” He kissed his way along her jaw and down her neck as he massaged his erection against her thigh. “Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?”

He lowered his head and kissed the hollow of her neck. He grabbed her hands and placed them on the armrest above her head. Getting up on his knees he began pushing her sweater up.

She was on fire. She wanted to submit to him, to do anything to have him conquer her. She was feeling desperate to touch his skin and she suddenly felt as if her life depended on this connection with him.

He pushed her sweater over her head and left it at her elbows. Her arms were trapped above her head in her tight sweater and to her surprise she liked the feeling of being bound. Wanting to be dominated was one thing, but she never thought being tied up would feel so good.

She arched her back and moaned as he roughly pulled the cups of her bra down pushing her breasts up together for his viewing pleasure. He groaned and looked down at her.

“My God, you’re beautiful.” He reached down and gently caressed the silky flesh of her breasts. “They’re perfect…more perfect than I had imagined.”

She felt him run his finger around her large soft, rosy red areolas before he gently ran his thumb over her rock hard nipples. She whimpered and pushed her breasts into his hands.

She whispered, “Please, I need you.”

He came down on her quick to suckle the nipple of one breast and pinch the other with his fingers. His free hand started working on the clasp of her jeans.

She cried out his name and lifted her hips to grind her clit against his hand. Somehow she had been transported from earth to a world of pure sensation. Her mind ceased to function and she only felt.

She began to writhe beneath him. She could feel her body heating and moisture pooling in her pussy.

He pulled his mouth from her breast with a popping sound. “God, Marie. I need you too.” His breathing was ragged.

He unzipped her jeans and pushed the material past her hips. When she tilted her pelvis up, he smiled and pulled her panties aside.

“I can’t wait to be inside you.”

He thrust two fingers into her.

“Yes!”

“God, you’re so soft.”

He began to move his fingers at a quick but gentle pace and his cell phone chirped loudly.

“Fuck!”

He froze and stared down at her with an expression of disgust.

As if being jolted suddenly out of a dream, her feelings of ecstasy evaporated in an instant. She held her breath in shock, quickly followed by humiliation as she realized the position she was in and what she had just done. She was letting him make her his mistress.

Warren slowly, reluctantly pulled his hand from her pants and pushed himself off her to sit on the end of the sofa. Running a hand through his hair he pulled his phone from his pocket with the other. Looking at the text he knew it was from the medical center. He was on call this weekend. He dropped his head back against the couch.

He heard Marie’s breath hitch and felt her struggling next to him. He looked over at her. She was trying to get her sweater off her arms and back on her body.

“Shit! Sorry Marie.”

He reached over and awkwardly repositioned her bra then helped her pull her sweater back down over her head.

God she was beautiful. His body vibrated with the need to ignore the hospital and take her now. Like a gawky teenager hyped up on hormones, he watched her wiggle her pants back up. He nearly whimpered when she pulled the zipper up on her jeans.

Now that his control was back in place he could see how he had gotten so caught up in the heat of passion with her. She was so damn sexy. He sighed. So much for taking it slow and showing her she could trust him.

An uncomfortable silence fell between them. He cleared his throat and stood up.

“I have to call the ER.” He walked to the kitchen and punched in the number to the hospital.

Marie replayed the events over in her mind and was suddenly mortified at her reaction to being restrained. How could she have enjoyed that? She had even pleaded with him, told him she needed him when she was completely at his mercy. She remembered how turned on she had been when Jake had dominated her, but he hadn’t technically restrained her, had he? She pictured Dr. Jackson doing what Jake had. She groaned.

“My God, Marie what is wrong with you? He did restrain you. He just used his hands and body.” She leaned over and hugged her knees. “You are a slut.”

She hadn’t hesitated at all with Dr. Jackson. “Maybe all you needed was a bit of conversation to put out. Jake definitely wasn’t much of a talker back then.”

When Dr. Jackson had time to think about it later he would decide she was nothing more than a whore with a fetish for domination. The kind men used then threw away. She could feel her face heat with embarrassment. He said he wasn’t looking for a mistress. This was nothing more than a one night stand.

She looked at the kitchen then at the front door. She could call a cab. Maybe if she did it now she could be gone before he finished talking to the hospital. But if she snuck out, how would she deal with him at the office? No. It would be better to wait for him. Better to endure the embarrassment now rather than in the office on Monday.

Warren hung up the phone with a disgusted groan. The last thing he wanted to do right now was leave Marie. He needed to try and fix this. He knew he had moved too fast but he just couldn’t help himself. The need had been too urgent, too strong to resist. And when she had whispered her plea, telling him she needed him, his control had disintegrated.