Distinguished Service & Every Move You Make (Uniformly Hot!) (5 page)

7

T
HE
WAY
M
ACE
SAW
IT
, she could have dumped the contents of his coffee cup down the front of his slacks and she couldn’t have surprised him more.

“I’m sorry. What?”

She sat back on the flowery sofa that boasted a ton of pillows and tucked her legs under her, looking sexier now than she had earlier. Which, considering what she’d just said, was a bit of a feat.

She picked up her coffee cup and shrugged lightly, although he got the impression there was nothing light about the question she’d just thrown at him.

“I don’t know. The way I see it, if you’re not truly interested in someone, then you feel indifferent toward them. And I think indifference is the furthest thing you feel when it comes to Janine.”

Mace rested his forearms on his knees, cupping his coffee in his hands, carefully considering her words.

“Does that make sense?” she asked.

“To a certain extent, yes.” But that wasn’t all of it. “I suppose what you’re saying is true in some ways. But not in the way you mean.”

“Then in what way?”

He looked at her, hating the idea that she believed he still might be harboring emotions for his ex. “What remains in my feelings for Janine is hurt. And maybe confusion.” He shook his head. “No, definitely confusion. A lot of it…”

He sat back as well so he partially faced her.

The apartment was feminine, but not overpoweringly so. While the sofa they sat on boasted a chintzy flowery upholstery, the rest of the furniture was almost mission style, and there wasn’t another flower in the place. He’d noticed the dining room didn’t boast the traditional table, but was rather an office…and a working one at that. He recalled her telling him she was also a graphics designer and that she had nearly built her client list up to the point where she could permanently quit working Rocky’s. But she said she liked the routine, and could see herself still working part-time for some while yet, if just to make sure she got out of her apartment regularly.

Besides, she’d told him, some of her best ideas came while she was watching a customer’s face as he or she tried to decide between the open-faced roast beef sandwich or the closed.

Of course, he could have done without that particular comparison; it made him think of edging something else open…

“It’s complicated,” he said, continuing his thread of thought. “I mean, I loved her. God knows I loved her. I would never think of doing to her what she did to me. It just wasn’t a consideration. My parents…well, they’ve been married for over thirty years and to my knowledge, neither of them have ever looked at anyone else, much less been unfaithful.”

Geneva nodded. “I understand. When you love somebody, well…”

She left her sentence unfinished.

So, he tried to put a period on both. “What I’m trying to say, I guess, is that yes, in some ways, you’re right. I’m not over it. But the emphasis is on the ‘it.’ Not Janine herself, but what happened between us at the end of our relationship.” He sipped his coffee. “I thought I was over it, had moved on. Until…”

“Until she called.”

He held her gaze. “Yeah. Until she called.”

“So I’m guessing you just tucked those feelings away into a neat little box—or tried to, anyway—and now, well, now the lid’s off and they’re tumbling back out at you again.”

“More like a lasso around my ankles.”

Her expression was so soft, so understanding, he felt something shift inside him merely looking at her.

“I wish it wasn’t that way. I mean, who in their right mind would want to feel this way? But…”

“But it is what it is.”

“Yeah. In a nutshell.”

He watched the way she smoothed her hand over her tucked legs, back and forth, forth and back.

“Have you ever been in love?” he found himself asking.

Her hand stopped midcalf. “Pardon me?”

He smiled, knowing by her reaction that she’d heard him.

She looked down into the contents of her cup. He wanted to tell her she wasn’t going to find the answers there. Then again, who was he to say? Maybe that’s where they’d be. And he might be better served looking into his own cup before asking stupid questions like the one he just did.

“Yeah,” she said. “Or at least I thought so at the time. The guy I followed here…”

The chirp of his cell phone didn’t so much as cut her off—he guessed she hadn’t intended to go any further—as it did give him the reprieve he was looking for.

“I’m sorry,” he said.

He took the phone out: Jonathon Reece.

“I have to take this.”

“Go ahead. No need to apologize.”

He got up. “Harrison,” he said simply.

Upon leaving the Denver hotel earlier, he’d appointed Jon as contact. So he wasn’t surprised now to hear that tomorrow morning’s pre-event route run-through had been moved up a half hour by Norman’s people.

“See you fifteen minutes before then.”

“I’ll be there. Oh, and look for the changes you suggested in your email box by day’s end.”

“Thanks.”

He disconnected and turned to find Geneva staring off at something he couldn’t see. A result of his question? Her earlier comment? Or something else entirely?

He couldn’t be sure.

What he was sure of was he wanted to know more about went on in her mind.

“Sorry about that,” he apologized again.

“That’s all right. Everything okay?”

“Yeah.” He sat back down next to her. “A friend of mine—Darius? I think you know him from the diner—asked me to take over a security detail for a visiting personality in Denver while I’m here.”

“Anyone exciting?”

He told her.

She made a face. “I was hoping for Taylor Swift.”

He chuckled and picked up his coffee cup only to find it empty. When had that happened? He glanced at his watch to find the hour later than he thought.

“Wow.”

“I know. I was just thinking the same thing.”

“I never really understood the whole ‘time flies’ thing, but…well, I guess it’s true.” He put his cup back down. “Well, except for the past half hour or so. That part of the night I could have done without.”

She laughed softly. “Oh, I don’t know. It’s something you need to think about maybe. I mean, if you are still holding even an ounce of love for Janine…well, you owe it to both of you to find out.”

“And do what?”

She shrugged slowly. “That’s for you two to decide.” She rubbed her belly, which was flat and unfairly showed no signs of the baby growing within her. “Then again, we all make mistakes. Maybe yours is fixable.”

He squinted at her, wondering if she was trying to fix him and Janine back up.

But that didn’t make any sense. Why would she try to do that?

Either it was the most unselfish thing a woman had ever done…or the dumbest.

He decided the first one was the case because if anything was clear, it was that Geneva was no dummy.

“So, you’re saying I should give her another shot, then?” he asked quietly.

She dropped her gaze and something flittered across her beautiful face.

That’s what he was looking for. Disappointment.

She didn’t want him to reconcile with Janine at all. Rather, she was trying to make sure it was not something he wanted.

And he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he didn’t.

As for what either of them did with that information from there…

He firmly tugged his thoughts away from that particular trail.

“I should be going,” he said, getting to his feet. “Dawn comes early and I’ve got to be awake to greet it.”

“Me, too.”

She walked with him toward the door. He turned to face her.

Without her shoes, the top of her head came to his nose.

Perfect.

“So,” he asked. “What’s the next step in the dating game, other than that dance you told me about?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “Maybe you can stop by the diner tomorrow night, say around dinnertime, if you wanted to?”

“It would have to be late. I probably won’t be getting back from Denver until after seven or so.”

“Okay. I’ll hold some pie for you.”

“Deal.”

He knew he should be reaching for that door handle, letting himself out, but, dammit, he was having a hard time convincing his feet to move.

“Thank you again,” he said. “You know, for tonight.”

“You’re welcome again. And thank you.”

They both laughed at the sweet ridiculousness of their exchange.

He took a deep breath. “Okay, I guess this is the part where I leave.”

“Yes, I guess it is.”

His gaze fastened on her face. “Can I kiss you good-night?”

She was clearly amused by his question. “Is that something friends do?”

“It’s definitely something friends do. You know, on the cheek.”

“Okay.”

He took her hands in his, the subtle scent of her perfume surrounding him as he leaned in. But somewhere between his genuine intentions and the actual act, right when he might have brushed his lips against her cheek, he rerouted and hit her full-on on the mouth instead…

8

W
OW
…

Geneva didn’t quite know how to respond.

She’d be lying if she said she hadn’t imagined this, what it might be like to experience Mace’s kiss. She’d dreamed about it last night. Thought about it all day. Then each time, she’d told herself to stop because there was no chance it was going to happen.

Yet here he was…kissing her.

She stared straight into his open eyes as his lips pressed against hers. The meeting was soft…sweet…unexpected. Then something within her sighed and her eyelids drifted closed, allowing her to fully appreciate the sensations tingling outward from where they touched, however briefly.

He slowly pulled back and she nearly whimpered, only to feel him press against her again.

Geneva couldn’t be sure how it happened… One moment they were saying good-night and he was joking about a friendly kiss on the cheek, the next their kiss pole vaulted into wickedly hot territory, with no mats around to cushion the fall.

Oh, wow. Just…wow.

He released his hold on her hands and she felt his fingertips on either side of her jaw. She skimmed her hands up the thickness of his forearms, heat unfolding deep in her belly like a long-forgotten love note. His tongue dipped out and she welcomed its wetness in her mouth, inviting him as far as he wanted even as she hesitantly explored his openness.

Had she ever been kissed like this? She felt breathless and so vividly alive she could barely stand it.

Then he touched her breast.

She was pretty sure the gasp she heard was her own. But she wasn’t entirely clear. Somewhere over the past few minutes, she’d stopped being herself. Stopped being aware of anything but the thick pulsing of blood through her veins, the wetness between her thighs, the need for more—much more—building in her belly.

Yes…

Mace cupped her breast through the fabric of her bra and dress, seeking for and finding her stiff nipple. She bit her bottom lip briefly and continued kissing him. She was so very sensitive, so very aware of every nuance, every touch, in ways she hadn’t been before.

He reached for the buttons that ran down the front of her dress and she shivered as his fingertips met with her bare skin. He found her breast again, tunneling underneath until her bra cup gave and her confined flesh popped free.

His barely audible groan fed the flames flicking over her, but paled by comparison when he ran his tongue over her nipple.

Geneva moved her hands to his shoulders for support, just in case her knees decided to give out under his slow, concentrated attention. His lips tugged at her, his tongue teased, his mouth tasted. By the time he moved back up to her mouth, leaving her fully damp and shivering, she was pretty sure she couldn’t remember what her birthday was, never mind her name.

Then she felt the backs of his fingers against her stomach…

She sucked in air. She honestly didn’t know if she could stand it anymore without…without…

His fingers touched the damp curls between her thighs through her panties.

She nearly passed out from sheer pleasure…

* * *

M
ACE
COULD
SMELL
Geneva’s scent, thick and musky, as fully as her perfume. And it was driving him beyond crazy with need.

No, he hadn’t planned to kiss her.

No, he hadn’t anticipated his hand moving to her breasts.

No, the thought of touching her womanhood hadn’t been part of tonight’s schedule.

But he’d be damned if he could stop himself.

Especially since she seemed to want to be touched as much as he wanted to touch her.

His fingers found the crotch of her panties and he groaned. She was soaked.

If he needed any more impetus to continue, that was it.

But as he worked his index finger inside the elastic to run the length of her, he knew a moment of pause.

He forced himself to drag his mouth from hers and pull his hand away. She made a small sound that nearly sent him straight back in.

Instead, he drew away to stare into her heavy-lidded eyes. “Is this…okay?”

“Okay? Yes. Oh, yes…”

He waited for her to register what he was asking.

“Oh.” Her cheeks flushed even deeper as comprehension dawned. “Um, yes. I’m a fully functioning female for at least the next six months.”

He couldn’t help his grin. “Good.”

He leaned back in and reclaimed her mouth.

God, she tasted, felt, smelled so good…

Of course, what he was avoiding was asking himself a very important question: whether or not he should be doing this.

He groaned inwardly, not wanting to stop. It had been a good long while since he’d wanted someone so intensely.

The touch of her hand against the front of his slacks chased the air from his lungs. He held it there, waiting, wondering. Her fingers lightly traced the outline of his erection and it was all he could do to keep his hips from bucking forward, seeking more.

He restlessly turned her, pressing her back against the door and reaching back between her thighs, his need surging to urgent within a blink. Geneva’s return affections intensified his building need as she tucked her fingers into the waist of his slacks.

So hot, so wet…

Mace dipped his index finger inside her dripping channel, stroking back and forth before coming to rest at the delicious bit of flesh at the apex. He gave a gentle squeeze…and she made a sound deep in her throat and shuddered in a way that made him think she’d come.

Sweet heaven, he wasn’t going to be able to stop himself.

He fingered her opening, then slid his index finger into her. Her tight muscles immediately contracted and she moaned, making his erection even harder.

If he had any doubt of her having achieved orgasm, he didn’t now. He caressed and stroked her until her shudders began to subside and she melted against him, her beautiful face flushed, her lips trembling, her eyes huge pools of sated bliss.

He couldn’t remember a time when a woman had been so easy to please. He didn’t know if it was him…or her…or perhaps even them together, but whatever the reason, he decided he liked it.

Perhaps a little too much.

He slowly removed his hand from between her legs and kissed her deeply, leisurely tangling his tongue with hers, finding even that simple action almost painfully erotic.

His cell phone chimed once.

Geneva smiled at him. He smiled back.

“I have to get that,” he whispered, kissing her again.

She nodded. “Okay.”

He slowly removed his weight from her, making sure she could stand on her own before reaching into his pocket for his phone.

The text was from Reece: he had emailed him the promised travel routes for tomorrow.

“Important?”

He ran his hand over his face, the fog of desire slowly dissipating and reality returning. But not so much that he didn’t register the scent of her on his fingers…or stop to appreciate it.

“Yeah,” he said.

He searched her face, looking for what, he couldn’t be sure. Something? Anything? Everything?

“I’ve got to go,” he said quietly.

A brief flash of regret crossed her features then she smiled again. “Okay.”

He lifted his hand and brushed her curls back from her face. She was still flushed, her lips plump and well-kissed, her eyes sleepy and sexy. “See you tomorrow?”

She nodded.

“Good.”

She stepped away from the door and opened it for him, appearing to lean against it for support.

Damn, but she was beautiful. He’d give anything not to have to leave her.

“Good night,” he said.

“Good night.”

He forced himself to move through the open doorway, then down the hall, and the stairs, every step seeming to take superhuman strength to make until he reached the parking lot and his rental car. Before getting in, he glanced up to find her watching from her living room window. He raised a hand to wave. She waved back.

Then he climbed in and drove away, trying not to think about her going into her bedroom, stripping down and climbing into bed…alone.

Oh, boy. If this was what friendship was doing to him, he’d hate to think what would happen if they dated.

Then again, what passed between them felt absolutely nothing like friendship.

Oh, boy.

He lifted his fingers to his nose and breathed deeply.

Oh, boy, indeed.

He smiled and switched on the radio…