Shattered Dreams (21 page)

Wait! Stop. This isn’t a good idea. Think, Roberts, think. Get the words out and stop this madness, his mind shouted.

With a labored breath, he said, “Maybe on some subconscious level, that’s what I had in mind. I don’t know. I get around you, and all I can think about is being inside you.”

Fool. Don’t tell her that. Stop!

But his body ignored the command. Instead, his hands wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer. Lips met lips before need and want slammed into him, causing his mouth to plunder, begging for more.

The softness of the earlier action was long over as she yielded, offering all he was pleading for. And more.

His tongue and mouth thoroughly explored hers, invading, taking pleasure as well as giving it. Hands joined in the exploration, touching only smooth, soft skin as they roamed up and down her body. Claire personified the perfect woman, and he was dying to be inside her.

Stop before it’s too late!
He heard the command his brain yelled, and somehow he responded.

How he found the will to pull away, he wasn’t sure. But it took supreme effort on his part to keep her at arm’s length once he did. He was breathing heavily as he watched her push back her unruly red hair and sigh before looking out into the darkened waters of the Atlantic.

He chuckled softly, marveling at his restraint, torn between finding humor in her forlorn expression that mirrored his own feelings, and giving in to the driving need to take her fast and furious as he’d been about to do. It wasn’t lost on him that this seemed to happen more and more frequently.

Jason placed a hand under Claire’s chin to bring her attention to him. “This isn’t over. Not even close. I meant what I said. It’s not happening tonight,” he whispered.

He kissed her temple before nodding toward the jib. “Prepare to come about. It’s time to head home.”

Chapter 25

After coming about, Claire carefully made her way back to the stern and sat, watching Jason at the helm.

Her body still tingled. Need engulfed her. How could she be so affected when he seemed so unaffected? And why did she feel so disappointed?

It shouldn’t matter. Her life was a total mess right now. She should be relieved because Jason was being so strong. Yet somehow that bothered her more.

“How can you stand there so calmly as if nothing’s happened?” she finally asked, not caring that she sounded ill-tempered and pouty.

His attention flew to her face, and he studied her. She could barely make out his features in the darkness, but she could see his gaze as it bored into hers.

“You’re not ready for what I have in mind.”

“I disagree.” She sent him a fuming look. “It’s not your call to make. I thought we’d established that.”

“Oh?” The air crackled as if with electric current, and the fine hairs on her body responded. “My mistake,” he murmured, not letting go of her gaze.

A rush of pleasure washed over her. The intensity of those eyes as well as the sincerity in his voice had her inhaling a deep breath.
Okay. He’s not so unaffected.

“It’s a moot point. When we make love the first time, I want no interruptions. I’ll need all night and I’d rather be on dry land, not heading for the Bahamas.”

How was she supposed to respond to that? Anticipation spread throughout her. He made sense, and so she did her best to follow his lead and act as if nothing had happened. But it was harder to do than she thought.

The sail back to the marina took forever. Her senses moved into overdrive, becoming more acute. The balmy air smelled sweeter, contrasting with the saltier taste, while the sound of water lapping against the sides of the
Seawind
swirled in her ears. The shapes she made out in the darkness appeared more vivid, and the pinpricks of sensation running over her every time Jason moved gave her a firm impression of his presence.

Her nostrils took in the spicy smell of him at the same time. He had a definite scent, combining deodorant and a slight smell of aftershave. All male and totally arousing.

Somehow she got through those stressful moments of closing the boat, working side by side with him as she ignored the signals her body insisted on responding to. The drive to her house seemed to take forever because in the close quarters of his car, her sense of awareness only grew in intensity.

Claire didn’t know whether to laugh or cry when, after opening her door and giving her another earth-shattering kiss, Jason murmured his good-byes and pushed her inside.

Once he left, she paced the living room, still feeling edgy. Finally, she made her way into the kitchen and pulled out the brownies. She bit into one, thankful she had plenty of chocolate to drown out her misery.

When she felt calm enough, she headed for bed.

After tossing and turning for two hours, Claire got up and went back to the kitchen. In the dark, she grabbed the plastic bag containing the remainder of the brownies and took them to the patio. She plopped into a chair and put her feet up, nibbling on brownies as she planned Jason Roberts’s seduction.

The rest of the night Claire spent in abject wretchedness, wanting Jason, only to wake the next morning with a firmer resolve. She climbed out of bed and quickly showered.

Exiting the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her head, she headed to her phone and punched buttons.

“Crystal?”

“Claire?”

She heard the grogginess in Crystal’s response and smiled.

“I guess I woke you. Sorry. Thought you’d be up by now.” Claire headed to the kitchen and the coffee she’d set up earlier. She grabbed a cup and filled it before adding cream. “I need a favor.”

Crystal groaned. “This isn’t a good time.”

“I won’t keep you then.” She took a sip of coffee before adding, “I was hoping you had Jason’s address.”

“Why?”

“I need a reason?”

• • •

Crystal sighed audibly into the phone. “I need a compelling reason to give out privileged information.”

“You can’t mean that. You always break the rules.”

“Not when my livelihood is involved.”

“Please? You know I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t have a compelling reason.”

“Okay. What is it?”

“I have to tell you?”

“Yes, if you want the address from me.”

“I can’t.”

“Then my advice to you is look in the phone book.”

“Come on. I googled it, but only could find his work number, which I already have. Please?”

“Hold on.” Crystal cradled the phone and reached over to shake Jimbo. “Wake up, hotshot.”

“What?” He sat up and shook his head. Confusion clouded his eyes for a moment as he looked around, getting his bearings.

Crystal stuck the phone in his face. “Give Claire Jason’s address, will you?”

“What?” The bewilderment in his expression deepened.

“Consider it a favor,” Crystal whispered as she put her hand over the receiver. “I can’t give it to her, but you can.”

“You’re not making sense, darlin’.”

“Just give her the address, and I’ll make it worth your while,” she purred, kissing his neck.

He looked at her with a question in his eyes, clearly at a loss as to what she was saying.

Crystal sighed and spoke slowly. “I want you to talk into the phone and give her Jason’s address.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know why. Probably for the same reason you came here last night. To stalk him.”

“Oh.” Now fully awake, Jimbo took the phone and his eyebrows lifted as his hand went over the mouthpiece. “So you’re gonna make this worth my while? How?”

“Give her the damn address,” she said, glaring at him.

He chuckled.

“Ma’am,” he said after putting the phone to his ear. “You want Jason’s address?”

“Yes,” Claire replied.

“You aren’t really thinking of stalking him, are you?”

His comment earned a slug on the arm from Crystal as she whispered, “That was a joke. She’s not going to stalk him. Like you couldn’t give her lessons.”

“Stop that.” Jimbo pulled the phone away from his ear and told Crystal, “I’ll deal with you and your interesting proposition later.”

• • •

Claire overheard their conversation and laughed. The world had tilted on its axis. She’d gone crazy.

The strangest part was, she embraced the sensation of power washing over her at that moment. Never in her life could she imagine a time when she’d come to the point of being taken for a stalker after asking for directions to a man’s house.

In essence, that was her plan. She had every intention of stalking Jason until he became her lover. Failure wasn’t an option.

“You still there?” the man asked, pulling her attention back to her reason for calling.

“Yes. I appreciate your help.”

“No problem.” He stopped abruptly and then asked, “What’d you say your name was?”

“Claire.”

“As in Carter?” Amusement spilled out in the question.

“Why, yes. I’m Crystal’s sister. I don’t believe we’ve met.”

“No, not yet.” He chuckled and murmured, “To be a fly on the wall,” before saying in a louder voice, “You got a pen?”

Chapter 26

When the call ended, Crystal accepted the phone from Jimbo. She set it on the nightstand and turned to climb out of bed, but a hand on her thigh stopped her.

“Where you goin’?”

“To shower.” She pulled out of his reach to stand. Feeling his heated eyes on her naked body, she stifled a warm flush and grabbed her robe, quickly covering herself.

“No problem. I’ll join you.”

“Not this time, hotshot.”

“What happened to ‘I’ll make it worth your while?’”

“I lied.” She threw his shirt at him and nodded at the door. “Get dressed and go.”

“You don’t mean that, darlin’.” He caught the shirt and leaned back in naked splendor, sporting a lazy grin and making no effort to move.

“Yes, I do.” She headed for the shower as she said over her shoulder, “I expect you to be gone when I get done.”

“Damn woman!” he said to her departing back. “Still prickly, even after a night of lovemaking.”

When Crystal came out of the bathroom, Jimbo and his clothes were gone. She heaved a relieved sigh and strode toward the kitchen with an easy step. After turning the corner and spying what appeared to be a fresh pot of coffee, she stopped and glanced at the center island.

“I thought you left.”

“Couldn’t,” Jimbo said with a grin. “Never had that talk.”

She snorted and moved to open a cupboard and pulled out a mug. After pouring coffee, she retrieved half-and-half from the fridge, purposely ignoring his sexy presence. Even sporting a day’s beard and bed head, Jimbo still looked scrumptious, and still made her heart skip a beat.

Barefoot, he sat drinking coffee on a stool wearing worn, body-hugging jeans, his shirttail out, and had her morning paper spread over the counter. The guy had definitely made himself comfortable, and she grabbed on to the twinge of annoyance his presumption stirred.

“We are not talking,” she said, enunciating every syllable. She might as well have been speaking to the wall, because he continued reading the paper.

“Let’s just say we had a great night and end things before they go any further.” Her curt tone got no reaction. While pouring the cream into her cup, she added, “That way, neither of us says or does anything we’ll regret.”

When she realized he was still ignoring her, all patience fled. “Will you quit being so goddamned stubborn and leave?”

“I’ll leave after we talk,” he murmured, and lifted the mug to his mouth.

“Talking won’t change anything.”

He shrugged. “Then it won’t matter if I say my piece.”

“Go ahead.” She slammed her coffee mug onto the counter, not caring that half the contents sloshed out. “Give it your best, hotshot.”

“Aren’t gonna make this easy, are ya, Red?”

“I’m waiting.” She crossed her arms and glared, ignoring him and his sexy smile. The cowboy was delusional if he thought a mere conversation could sway her.

“Didn’t think so.” He took his time closing the paper, appearing to be reaching for words as he did.

“Well?” she prodded.

He sighed heavily. “I should’ve listened to you.”

“Really? And you think listening now will change anything?”

“Damn it all! I’m trying to say I was wrong.” He rubbed at the stubble on his face as his gaze sought hers. “I’m sorry.”

“Okay.” Those bedroom eyes of his oozed sincerity, but they would
not
affect her. “It doesn’t matter.”

“I was all twisted up inside after seeing those pictures.”

“You had no business snooping through my stuff. How could you?”

“You got me there.” Jimbo flashed her a sheepish grin. “I was being a jealous ass, okay?”

“You got the ass part right.”

“Well, what’d you expect?” he yelled, his demeanor changing lightning-fast from contrition to irritation. “We’re tight one day, spending every possible minute together, and the next you’re too busy. I had to find out why.”

“Why didn’t you ask?”

“I couldn’t.”

“You couldn’t? And why is that?”

“Too risky.”

“I don’t understand. What were you risking?” Crystal’s gaze narrowed while watching his expression turn sheepish. She snorted in disgust. “Oh, I get it. Didn’t want to risk doing something foolish by asking me a direct question about our relationship. That might alert me to the fact that you cared. So you decided to make a bigger fool of yourself instead.”

He winced, putting up his hand to interrupt, but she was on a roll and wasn’t about to stop.

“And let me guess? Jason filled you in on the real reason why, and now you see the error of your ways?” She shook her head and met his gaze without flinching, letting the honesty of her meaning show in her eyes. “You blew it, hotshot. After screwing up, you wouldn’t listen to my explanation. Now it’s too late.” She nodded at the door. “You’ve said your piece. I’ve said mine. There’s nothing left to say. I’d like you to leave.”

“Come on, Red. You don’t mean that. Not after last night.”

“Yes, I do.”