Creating Merry Hell (3 page)

“Honestly? No idea. But if you want me to hazard a guess, then I’d say it’s because you find me so devastatingly handsome you need to stay as far out of temptation’s reach as possible for fear I’ll lure you over to the dark side.” Swirling the whiskey, he tipped the glass to his lips and drank. He looked sideways at Merry and asked, “How’d I do?”

Merry rolled her eyes “Not even close. But here’s a tip—lay off the
Lagavulin
, it appears to be skewing your reality.”

“Deny it all you want, Princess, but the way you’re looking at me right now is making a liar out of you.”

“And how exactly am I looking at you?” she asked, eyes wide with indignation.

“Like you want me to fuck you,” he said, eyeing her over the rim of his glass before he took another deep swallow.

Merry gave a little gasp, which wanted to be outrage but came out sounding more like excitement.

“Aw c’mon, Merry, all this time and you haven’t thought about us together—not even once?”

She wanted to tell him yes. Yes, yes,
yes
! She had entertained far too many indecent thoughts about the two of them over the years but she’d never confess that to Jack. “No.”

Knowing it for the lie it was, he said, “Aw shucks, I’m hurt. Just so you know, I’ve thought about you.”

Shock jolted through her at his revelation. Tamping it down, Merry reminded herself that none of this was real—it was the spell. Grace mentioned it lowered inhibitions—between the magic and the whiskey Jack hardly stood a chance. She should stop this now, get up right away and head for the relative safety of the house. Instead she asked, “You have?”

Eyes flashing with mischief, Jack dipped his head close to hers as though sharing a much coveted secret. “Oh yeah, Princess, I’ve carried an Olympic-sized torch for you since we were kids.” The words were whispered softly in her ear. “We have a lot in common you and me.”

Goosebumps scattered down her arms and spine. Slowly she turned her head so that she faced him, lips close but not touching. “We hung out for a while, that’s all. It’s not as if we actually went out or anything.” She eased away from him. He was too dangerous.

“The only thing we have in common is my mother and your father. And look how well that turned out. Your mother may have forgiven your father for his indiscretion but it blew my family apart.” Merry hadn’t seen her father since the night he discovered his wife in bed with Malcolm Campbell but she was pretty sure he’d stroke out if he knew she was here with Malcolm’s son. “Hardly something in common to boast about.”

Relaxing back, he rested his arms along the bench. “Is that why you push people away?”

Right on cue, the sound of people laughing floated down from the house, reminding her of the other happy couples inside and what she was missing in her life. “Haven’t you got somewhere better to be?”

“Not really. I saw you come outside and I gave you one minute before I was coming after you. Your minute is well and truly up, Ms. Lewis,” he said so matter-of-factly that it took a minute for the implication to sink in.

“You followed me?”

“Seemed like the only way I’d get any time with you.”

“And why would you want to do that?”

“Fishing?” he asked softly.

Faking indifference, she shrugged a bare shoulder and took another sip of her drink.

“I haven’t been able to think straight since I saw you this afternoon and the way you look in that get-up doesn’t help much either. Especially after that little performance you and Grace put on inside—”

“We were dancing.”

“If you say so. Got me hard just looking at you.”

Merry’s
eyes widened at his confession.

Jack tilted his head, the sexy smile spreading across his face as he watched her response. “What?”

“Nothing’s going to happen, Jack. We barely even know each other anymore.”

“That’s not the problem, Princess—you want me just as much as I want you. I thought we’d already established that and don’t embarrass us both by denying it again.” He moved in closer, his voice was calmer now, almost tender. “I didn’t miss the way you looked at me today or the way you’ve been looking at me tonight whenever you thought I wasn’t watching.”

Intense blue eyes flicked down the length of her body and Merry actually felt his breath quicken as he took in the bared silky mounds supported by the corset. He was now so close their lips were almost touching. “You want me,” he declared, a hint of smugness in his voice. “I can smell it on you.”

Merry leapt to her feet. “You’re disgusting, you know that?” Not giving him the chance to say anything further, she marched in the direction of the house. How dare he follow her outside looking all gorgeous in that get-up and accuse her of wanting him. Oh God, was she really that transparent?

Before she managed more than three steps he’d caught her wrist and tugged her back around to face him. “Am I?”

The glass in her hand fell to the grass with a dull
thunk
, the ice chinking excitedly as it spilled on the grass. The breath jerked in her throat at the forced change to her plans.

His eyes searched hers, penetrating, willing her to be honest with herself. There were no words in her defense—everything he’d said was true. She might live to regret it but God help her she wanted him. He must have sensed the moment she surrendered her feelings for him because the hand covering her wrist loosened. He slid his hands up her arms and let them rest on her shoulders. A thrilled gasp escaped her parted lips when he dipped his head and pressed his lips to the tender flesh of her throat. A bolt of pure pleasure shot through her body, her nipples tightened painfully and her silk-covered folds oozed with need.

Before she could protest, he cupped a hand between her thighs and gently slid aside the fabric of her panties, tunneling a finger along her creamy slit. Lips nuzzled her neck beneath her ear. “So smooth. I like the feel of your bare pussy against my fingers, Merry.”

Back and forth he teased and tormented until the friction was unbearable. His thumb brushed against her clit as he pushed his finger inside. Merry groaned and bore down, wanting him deeper. Harder.

He withdrew his hand.

She sighed in protest, her lips parted on a shaky breath. Then he did something that made her pussy clench, her need rocket. Bringing his hand to his lips, he sucked every drop of her shimmering juices from his fingers. Fascinated, Merry could only stare.

“Hmmm, you taste like peaches, all sticky sweet and ripe.”

The same strong fingers caught her jaw, and before she could catch another breath, his lips were on hers, parting them, coaxing them wider so that she could taste herself on him. It wasn’t a gentle kiss, but then it wasn’t supposed to be. He was hell-bent on proving a point and oh
what a delicious point it was.
Merry’s
eyelids fluttered closed when he pulled her further into the kiss, his tongue sliding inside, stroking against hers, retreating, stroking and teasing her with the perfect rhythm. Jack’s fingers tangled in her hair and held her in place while he plundered her mouth. No man had ever kissed her the way he was. Hard. Passionately. Thoroughly. When he groaned deep in his throat she felt it at her very core. Then with a gentle nip to her bottom lip he released her. Merry swayed without his arms to anchor her, her eyes still closed, her wet kiss-swollen lips parted in an O. Years she had waited for his kiss—he didn’t disappoint.

“Now, I’m sure you’ll be quick to correct me if I’m wrong, but you don’t look all that disgusted to me.” His voice was rough, his breathing uneven. “In fact, I’d go so far as to say you rather enjoyed that.”

“Doesn’t matter either way. We need to stop this—it shouldn’t be happening—it isn’t natural.” Merry struggled to get her own breath under control.

One black brow arched skyward, an amused grin played on his lips and warm fingers trailed back down her arm until he gripped her wrist once more. “Feel this.” He slanted her hand over his impressive erection. “Now tell me that isn’t natural.”

Oh Boy! She’d realized earlier he was big but
this
—he felt heavy and thick and unbelievably hard in her hand—she swore he grew even more solid under her touch. It took all the control she had left not to give him a gentle squeeze. She was supposed to be protesting, after all, not sizing up the goods.

“No, you don’t understand.” Merry tried to focus her thoughts and remember all the reasons not to do this, but the burn of his stiff cock was making that difficult. “All of this, what we’re feeling, it’s one of Rose’s spells. It isn’t real.”

Snagging his other hand around her hip, he pulled her against him. “It’s very real,” he ground out, rubbing the evidence against her.

The heat of him called to her, her pussy slick from need. She wanted nothing more than to feel him deep inside her, thrusting her higher, making her forget everything but him and the way he made her feel.

Merry tilted her hips toward his, an involuntary movement, and smiled up at him. “Really, Jack. You have to believe me—this is Rose’s work. Grace warned me earlier tonight—that’s the reason I’ve been staying out of your way…”

“Knew you couldn’t resist me, huh?” Both hands now fastened on her waist, he pulled her close.

“
Fishing
?”

In answer he thrust harder against her.

“Apparently it doesn’t last long… If we just go back inside and stay out of each
oth
—” When Jack did another slow rotation of his hips, her head tilted backward and the rest of the words dried in her throat.

“
Shh
. I’ll let you in on a little secret,” he murmured against her neck. “I don’t believe in magic, not Rose’s kind anyway, and this is no spell. This is you and me and some good old fashioned lust.” He licked behind her ear, slowly, excruciatingly, before nipping. Merry melted a little more beneath his touch when he kissed along her
jawline
.

By the time she thought to protest, her voice was small and breathless. “It’s a spell, Jack. That’s all—just a spell.” If she said it often enough maybe he might actually start to believe her. Maybe he’d have the sense to stop this because, God help her, she didn’t. Merry didn’t know what it was about Jack. He made her feel things that other men didn’t. Never had. She couldn’t control her emotions, let alone her body’s traitorous response when she was near him the way she could with other men. Maybe it was because she couldn’t control him. There had always been a wild streak in him—apparently the years had only served to widen it.

Lips curling in a devilish smile, mischief dancing in his eyes, he said, “The hell it is. But if you need more proof I’d be more than happy to oblige.”

His thumb traced the curve of her jaw, where only moments before his lips had been. Fingers trailed over her throat and wandered lower, across her overflowing cleavage. Then lower still to flick across the hard nub of her nipple. “Stop fighting this —whatever it is between us. Give in. Take what you want.” Jack raised an eyebrow, slowly lowering his head, giving her enough time to pull back if she wanted to. His lips clasped hers once more.

Merry was done fighting. Whatever was responsible for the force of their feelings—be it magic or downright lust—she had given him ample warning. They would just have to live with the consequences from here on in and be damned. Merry wound her arms around his neck and pulled him harder against her mouth.

They were really going to do this.

Jack turned with Merry still in his arms, he walked her backward until she was pressed up against the garden wall. His eyes searched hers, seeming to give her a final chance to end this. She reached up to frame his face with her hands, stroking his cheek, she rubbed her thumb over his kiss-swollen lips, making him groan. This time there was no holding back. When their lips met, it was all teeth and tongues, raw and dangerous.

Jamming a muscled thigh between her legs, he forced her thighs open giving him as much access as he needed. But it wasn’t enough, hooking one arm beneath her knee Jack spread her leg wider. His lips never leaving hers, his finger whispered beneath the lace trim of her panties and rested for the sweetest second against her swollen clit before cupping her pussy in his hand. “God, you’re wet.” For this moment he owned her and he made sure she got the message loud and clear.

With her fingers tangled in his hair, she pulled him harder against her and tilted her hips invitingly toward him. He slid a finger inside her. Merry cried out, barely able to believe he—Jack Campbell—was touching her so intimately. He added another finger, the thick cream sliding onto his hand and down her thighs as she rode them. The heel of his hand smashed against her clit until the waves built, rolling over her in exquisite pleasure. Tighter. She bucked and groaned surrendering to him. Gripping. The pleasure spread. Spiking. Legs spread wide, shoulders thrown back, she came with an explosive shudder.

“That’s it, Merry. Let it go. Come for me.”

If Jack had barely been keeping it together before, he lost it now. Not giving her so much as a second to recover, he tugged at the corset and demanded, “As pretty as this thing is and as beautiful as you look in it, tell me—and you better make it quick—how the fuck does it come off?” By the time he’d finished, his voice was little more than a growl.

In that moment she didn’t care if he tore the underwear off her—in fact she wanted him to rip it off, to tear the silk from her body and expose her fully to his gaze. She wanted him to worship her with his eyes and see the longing that lurked there. She wanted him inside her. Now! Hard and fast, any way he wanted, as long as that magnificent cock was finally deep inside her.

“Let me.”
Merry’s
shaking fingers scrambled to unhook the corset.

Hook.

Eye.

Hook.

Dammit, it was taking too long. She gave a little tug and the offending garment slipped lower to reveal her breasts. They both gasped. Merry in relief and Jack in awe. “Oh Jesus, you’re beautiful.” He dipped his head and licked a pebble-hard nipple. Her fingers dug into his scalp, holding him against her breast as he laved the aching nub. So good. She moaned and he did it again.