If I Loved You (Harper Falls Book 1) (17 page)

Rose sat up in her chair. That was happening
in Harper Falls? Peering closer she realized that the field did
look vaguely familiar.

“You guys ready to pay up?” a voice off
camera asked.

Jack. That had to be Jack holding the
camera. And that was a practically naked Drew giving Jack the
finger.

“Uh, Rose.” Never taking his eyes from the
screen, Frank reached for the bowl of popcorn. “You never did say
what the stakes of that bet were.”

“I never found out.” She recognized some of
the guys who had been at the tavern Saturday night. “Oh, my God.
They’re going to run the obstacle course. But why aren't they
completely naked?”

“Honey, the last thing a guy wants is for
his man bits to flop around.” Len leaned in closer. “And some of
those things they’re jumping over and under, not to mention
crawling through, look like they might scrape things up pretty
bad." Both men grimaced slightly.

“Would you look at that red haired giant?”
Frank sighed. “I’d consider giving you the boot if he came
calling.”

“I’d consider giving you the boot if any of
them came calling.” Len gave Frank an affectionate kiss and then
whispered, “Or maybe I’d keep you and invite them to join us.”

“We’d have to get a bigger bed.”

Rose had tuned out their banter. This was
fantastic. By themselves every one of those guys was pretty
spectacular. But as a group those muscular, well-toned bodies would
cause a sensation. Women were going to be stampeding to Harper
Falls by the thousands. And since Drew was the only one who
actually lived there he was going to be a busy boy indeed. She
picked up her phone and sent a quick text. Tyler and Dani had to
see this.

They'd ended up running it three times
before finally turning off the TV. It had been better than any of
the movies they’d planned on watching. Rose was still laughing when
she suddenly realized that today was only Friday. Why had they paid
off the bet two days early? She was mulling the possibilities when
her phone chimed signaling that she'd just received a text. Seeing
that it was from Jack, she quickly opened it.

Schedules are going to
be crazy for the next month, so the guys got together today to pay
off the
bet. You should get a kick
out of this
. After the message he left a link to the
video. Smiling, she saved the text knowing it was something she
would want to look at again.

“So at the risk of you biting my head off
I’ll ask again. What are you doing here when you have a man waiting
for you? A man, I’ll remind you, who has nothing to keep him from
jumping the first available woman who walks by.”

“I hope you aren't suggesting that Jack
would wait three weeks to be with me and then give it up to another
woman?” Rose looked at Frank as if he’d lost his mind. She had no
doubt that Jack would remain celibate until she got there. But
Frank was right about one thing. What was she waiting for? Why
didn’t she get online and book the first available flight home?

“I’m going to clear up the dishes and then
go to bed.” Len gathered everything onto the tray and headed for
the kitchen.

“It’s not about the sex, is it, Rose?” Frank
patted the cushion next to him. Rose didn’t hesitate. She snuggled
into Frank’s embrace; her head resting on his shoulder. “If that’s
all it was you would have been gone by now.”

“Jack is different, Frank.”

“You mean he’s not boring?”

“Definitely not boring,” Rose confirmed. “He
makes me…”

“See the possibilities?” Frank finished for
her.

Rose sighed. Possibilities she hadn’t
thought existed. At least not for her.

“No offense? But why aren’t you one of those
stereotypical gay friends that women have in the movies?”

Frank laughed. “You mean the ones that flit
around wearing pink spandex and give the heroines fabulous
makeovers?”

“Exactly.”

“First of all," he pointed out, "you don’t
need a makeover. Second, I gave away my pink spandex about the same
time I quit flitting.”

“So I’m stuck with the smart friend who
thinks he’s always right and usually is.”

“And that makes me stuck with the beautiful,
talented friend who better get packed so she can get to the
airport.” He reached over and opened the side table drawer, pulling
out a piece of paper. “This says your flight leaves in two hours.
If we hurry you should just make it.”

“I love you, Frank.”

“Of course you do,” Frank called after her
as raced out of the room. “What’s not to love?”

Frank had been lucky enough to find the man
he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. He wanted the same
for Rose. But to get it she had to open herself up. She needed to
let someone into her life. Maybe Jack was that person. Maybe it was
finally Rose’s turn.

JACK WAS TIRED. Tired of looking at the
clock, tired of worry about when Rose would come home. And when she
did would she come to him. She hadn’t answered his text. Should he
be worried about that?

Going for a run had been a good idea. Work
off some excess energy, clear his mind. His favorite music was
blasting. No earphones necessary. He was on his property. There was
no one to complain about the noise. As he and Edgar started up a
particularly steep hill, he felt himself begin to relax. He
couldn’t will Rose to return any sooner so he might as well give
into the joy of nature and a ridiculously happy dog.

Jack didn’t like letting the puppy go out
into the woods alone; there would be plenty of time for that later
when he was full grown and no longer afraid of his own shadow. So
every morning when the two of them set out for their five mile run,
Edgar was in canine heaven. He slowed down as he approached his
house, stopping to look at his panting companion.

“You go get yourself a drink and something
to eat.” Jack let them in and headed for the stairs. “I’m going to
take a shower and then work for a few hours. You know where to find
me if you need me.”

“Has he started talking back or is his
answer implied?”

Jack had imagined Rose right there, in his
bed, so many times that he blinked a few times, afraid he was
seeing things.

“You’re naked.” At least he hoped she was.
Rose was sitting up in his bed; the sheet tucked underneath her
bare arms.

“I hope that’s okay.” Rose was enjoying
Jack’s slightly stunned reaction her unexpected appearance. It
helped dispel the nerves she’d been battling ever since her plane
had touched down. “Drew let me in and he told me to make myself at
home so…”

Fascinated, Jack watched as Rose traced the
edge of the sheet with her index finger. He suddenly became aware
of everything. How the dark blue of the material made her skin look
like fresh cream, all warm and smooth. He wanted to lap up every
inch until they were both so crazy with need that they forgot there
was a world outside this bedroom.

“I’ve missed you.” His voice sounded deeper,
raspy. Almost desperate. Yes, desperate. He hadn’t known if she
would come back to him and now that she was here there were so many
emotions running through him. He was a jumble of lust and relief.
But there was also something new. Something he wasn’t ready to
name. It was too soon. Too soon for both of them. Jack felt a shift
inside of himself. This moment was important, it was a beginning
that was about so much more that sex.

“I’ve missed you too.”

Rose couldn’t take her eyes off him. Big,
strong, beautiful Jack. He was sweaty from his run and outrageously
sexy. Was it weird to want him to skip the shower so he could cover
her with his hot, glistening body? She knew how he would taste.
Salty, masculine. Like Jack.

“Rose…”

“Are you nervous, Jack?”

Was it possible? Smooth, funny, oh so
confident, Jack. Could he be feeling as jittery as she was?

“A little bit,” he admitted.

They smiled at each other. It felt good to
know they that they were both a little unsure, that this meant
something.

“I’m going to take a shower,” Jack said,
pulling his sweaty shirt over his head. “When I get back? Well, I
hope you haven’t anywhere to be for next forty-eight hours because
I have weeks of fantasies built up and we are going to do them
all.” He paused before going into the bathroom and looked over his
shoulder. He met her gaze his blue eyes full of promise. “On second
thought, make that seventy-two hours. You never know what new
fantasies might occur to me.”

As the door shut, Rose fell back against the
pillows. Now that was the Jack she remembered. Hearing the shower
start she settled down under the covers, her hand smoothing a
wrinkle from the ultra-soft cotton sheets. She felt her body begin
to relax, maybe for the first time since she’d gotten on the plane
for New York.

The flight home had been uneventful giving
her plenty of time to run scenario after scenario through her mind.
Should she call Jack and let him know she was coming? Should she
just show up at his door? What if he wasn’t home? What if he was
with another woman? Okay, forget the last one. She wasn’t worried
that Jack would give into his pent up lust and sleep with someone
else. He knew she was coming home. Eventually.

And that was what made her nervous. She
hadn’t responded to his text. She hadn’t been in touch all week.
Jack had told her he understood. But she wondered if the situation
had been reversed would she have been okay with Jack going off and
not talking to her? Maybe Jack was just a better person than she
was. Or maybe he was pissed and was one of those people who kept
their anger inside until it built up to one huge explosion.

Rose groaned. She knew what she was doing.
She was making problems where there weren't any. She’d promised
Frank and herself that she would be open to the possibilities, and
that’s what she was going to do. For once she was going to live in
the moment and see what it would bring.

She heard the shower stop. Rose shivered
with an anticipatory tingle. Jack didn’t seem like the kind of guy
who spent a lot of time on his post-shower activities so she knew
there were just moments until he would come through the door. Other
than that all too quick preview of him without his shirt this would
be the first time Rose would see him naked. Good, God. She was
salivating. And why not? Jack was amazingly drool worthy with his
clothes on. The thought of him clean and slightly damp from the
shower was causing her entire body to heat. She shifted again but
suddenly couldn’t find any comfort. She needed Jack. Knowing he was
near and that soon he would be with her was almost too much for to
take.
Open the door
, her mind
screamed.
Now, open it now.
She
gasped when the door swung open as though she had willed it to
happen. She grinned. Maybe she had.

Then Jack emerged, and she couldn’t think at
all.

She drank in the sight of him, sure that
anything so perfect had to be a dream. He seemed bigger with just a
towel wrapped around his waist. It was amazing what wonders
clothing could hide. Over six feet of long muscled male. Bronzed
skin, lightly dusted with hair seemed to glow as he walked towards
her. He moved like an athlete. Strong, confident strides that ate
up the distance between them in no time.

Her hands wanted to touch him, anywhere,
everywhere. His impossibly flat, firm stomach seemed to call out
for her mouth to trace the ridges; her tongue eagerly memorizing
every smooth, muscled inch.

“Lose the towel.” She wasn’t asking, she was
pleading.

Jack let the cloth fall to the floor. Eyes
wide Rose gasped. Mother Nature had been very kind to Jack Winston,
and she was about to be a very grateful beneficiary.

“Rose, sweetheart,” Jack stepped back when
she would have touched him.

“Oh, come on, Jack,” she groaned in
frustration. “I’ve been a very good girl. Now it’s time for my
reward.”

“It’s just…” Jack grabbed her hand before it
could touch his erection. “You know it’s been a while. I need to
warn you that this first time might be fast.” He met her gaze with
obvious embarrassment. “Really fast.”

“You don’t think I’m ready to go off like a
roman candle on the fourth of July?”

“It’s just that I pride myself on my ability
to last a lot longer than a minute. But the way I feel right now,
I’m not sure I’ll make it
that
long.”

She was touched that even now, hard and
needing release, he was thinking of her pleasure. Deliberately,
Rose pulled her hand from his and ran it lightly up his arm. She
shifted to her knees letting the sheet fall away, leaving her as
bare as he was. She brought her hands to his face and cupped it.
Feeling the smooth skin beneath her thumbs Rose realized he had
taken time to shave away his morning stubble. Hard and soft, strong
and gentle, he was a delight of different textures. Leaning in,
careful not to bring their bodies into contact, she traced the line
of his firm jaw with her lips. She took his earlobe between her
teeth and bit just hard enough to elicit a growl of pleasure from
him. The bite hadn't been hard enough cause any real pain but just
to be sure she bathed his entire ear with her tongue, ending right
where she'd begun, at the lobe. She pulled it into her mouth,
sucking like it was a different part of his body, one that she was
dying to get her mouth on.

“Christ, Rose,” Jack hissed. “I love what
you’re doing but I’m about to embarrass myself and come all over
your stomach. You have to stop, now.”

Rose made a protesting sound in the back of
her throat but let Jack pull away. Who knew an ear could be so
sweet?

“I love the way you taste,” she breathed
running her hands across his chest. She knew he was in a state of
high arousal and she was trying to be good, really she was. But she
kept finding these wonderful places to play with. Ah, his nipples.
It had felt so amazing when he had bitten hers, would he like it if
she did the same?