Stroke of Sapphire (3 page)

“It don’t think so, bitch.” His fingers bit into her shoulder hard enough that she knew they would leave bruises.

“Let me go.” Their voices were pitched low and no one passing them on the street would see more than a man and a woman talking.

“You owe me and I plan to collect.”

Sapphire slapped her hands against his chest and tried to push him away. She managed to shove him back a few inches, but he grabbed her other shoulder and yanked her against him. His mouth descended but she turned her head aside and brought her knee up quickly. Wearing a short skirt had one plus—it enabled her to move her legs freely and quickly.

Ivan barely jerked back in time to keep from getting smashed in the family jewels. His expression darkened and Sapphire swallowed hard, getting ready to scream for assistance.

“Hey, Sapphire. Great to see you.” Like a dark avenging angel, Jake Knight swooped out of the night, appearing from seemingly out of nowhere. Relief swamped her. She might be angry with him, but right now she was glad to see him. He was the lesser of two evils. Better the devil she knew than the one she didn’t. Besides, as angry as she was with Jake, she knew he’d never physically hurt her. He might shred her heart and damage her self-esteem, but he wouldn’t harm her. Ivan had already proven he had no problem with manhandling a woman.

“Who the hell are you?” Ivan demanded.

“Jake Knight. You?”

Sapphire compared the two men, noting how Jake seemed to dwarf Ivan even though her date was only an inch shorter.

“Ivan Gregor.” He said his name like everyone in the free world should know who he was. Then he drew back his shoulders and practically sneered at Jake’s plain black jeans and black shirt that he’d topped with a leather jacket. “I’m her date. You?”

Jake slung his arm around her and pulled her into the curve of his body. “Me, I’m practically family. Her sister is marrying my brother. Which reminds me, babe, we need to discuss the latest change in the wedding plans.”

Sapphire didn’t know whether to laugh or to stamp on Jake’s foot with one of her new spiky heels. Ivan, on the other hand, looked about ready to have a stroke his face was so red.

She jumped into the breech. “I really should be going, Ivan.”

“I’ll call you,” he said stiffly.

She shook her head. “I don’t think that would be wise.” The way he glared at her made her very happy for Jake’s presence. Her shoulders still throbbed from where he’d grabbed her and she knew she’d had a lucky escape tonight.

“I’ll call you,” he repeated. He swept Jake with a glare filled with disdain and fury.

Jake only smiled and gave him a short wave. “Have a good evening.” He used the bulk of his body to block her from Ivan’s view, for which she was extremely grateful. She didn’t want to see the nasty expression on his face. She inserted her key into the lock and opened the door.

“Let’s go up to your place and talk about the wedding.” Jake stepped into the foyer beside her, letting the door close and lock behind them.

Now Sapphire was totally confused. Why would Jake want to talk to her about the wedding? He put one hand on her back and urged her toward the elevator. Even though she told herself not to look, she couldn’t keep from glancing over her shoulder. She caught sight of Ivan on the other side of the glass, watching them. His expression wasn’t pleasant at all. In fact, he looked downright enraged.

Another shiver snaked down her spine as the elevator door came open and Jake ushered her inside. When the door slid shut, he removed his hand and took a step back. Stupidly, she felt bereft and abandoned. But he’d already abandoned her, she reminded herself.

“Thank you for getting rid of Ivan,” she began, but stopped speaking when she got a good look at Jake. He was furious. She could see it in the slight tick under his left eye and the taut muscle in his jaw. Funny, she wasn’t the least bit afraid of him, not like she’d been of Ivan.

Jake stared down at her, legs splayed, hands on his hips. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

Ivan stood on the sidewalk and watched as Sapphire disappeared into the elevator with the ruffian with more brawn than brains. He knew the type well. That she’d go upstairs with a man like that and not with him was infuriating.

How dare she! She’d smiled at him prettily all evening long, flashing her cleavage and long legs, batting her eyelashes at him. She was begging him to fuck her, promising him his due, only to renege at the last minute. She’d learn that no one cheated him in a deal. No one. He’d have restitution one way or another.

Her protector might be around tonight, but he wouldn’t always be there. Of course he wouldn’t. There was no way she was fucking a guy like Jake Knight. It was obvious the man had no culture or breeding and he certainly didn’t know how to dress.

No, Sapphire was simply playing hard to get. She was nothing more than a tease. He’d have to show her the error of her ways and then he’d move on. He never allowed a woman to become a permanent fixture in his life and why should he? There were so many of them just waiting to be fucked, and most of them could be had for the price of a good dinner and a few glasses of wine.

It was laughable that Sapphire thought herself any better than the rest of them. His phone rang and he pushed her out of his mind, for now. He looked at the number and smiled. He’d been waiting to hear from this particular city official. “Hello, my friend. Do you have good news for me?”

Chapter Three

Tonight had been a complete and utter disaster. All Sapphire wanted to do was forget her less-than-stellar date with Ivan. But her body had other ideas. It was coming alive, every nerve ending sparking with desire the longer she stood next to Jake. He looked so big and sexy standing there with a scowl on his face. So solid. So…hers.

She swallowed and looked away, trying to ignore the heavy throbbing between her thighs. It did no good to remind herself that he wasn’t hers, had never truly been hers in spite of the fact they’d slept together.

“Hey, are you okay?” His voice gentled and she had to blink back tears. Even though it had been a close call with Ivan, she was safe now. There was no reason for her to be upset. Her emotions were on edge these last few weeks. So many changes and no time for her to really settle into the new life she was trying to build for herself.

Jake cupped her chin and tipped her face up so she was forced to look at him. Wearing high heels brought her closer to him than she normally was. “I’m fine.” She was proud of the way her voice stayed steady when her insides were quivering.

“Then what the hell were you thinking to go out with a guy like Ivan Gregor?”

It was her turn to frown. “What do you mean? He’s a friend of a friend.”

He released her face and she missed the warmth of his skin against hers. “You need new friends, babe. This guy is bad news. A lot of his business practices are questionable and not all his associates are nice guys.”

The elevator bell dinged and the doors slid open. She stepped out and started down the hallway. Part of her wondered what Jake was alluding to and how he knew it, but the other part of her really didn’t want to know. The last thing she needed in her life was more trouble and turmoil.

“No need to worry. I don’t plan on seeing him again.” She tightened her fingers around her keys and the metal dug into her skin. The quicker she could get inside, the quicker she could get rid of Jake.

All she could think about was their last time together. How he’d left her lying naked and completely sated in bed without a backward glance. Both her heart and her pride were still hurting.

A sense of relief swept over her when she unlocked her door and stepped inside the quiet of her new apartment, grateful she’d left a lamp on in the living room. The dim light provided her with a sense of comfort.

She turned to say goodnight. “I’m tired, Jake. We can talk tomorrow.” Preferably over the phone so she wouldn’t have to see his ruggedly handsome face.

She smiled and tried to close the door, but he literally picked her up, shifted her to one side and shut the door, with him on the inside.

Okay, being subtle wasn’t going to work. “I think you need to go. We have nothing to discuss.” She removed her jacket and tossed it over the back of a chair. She wanted to kick off her shoes and rub her poor, abused feet, but felt the added height gave her more of an advantage. And she needed every advantage she could get when it came to dealing with Jake.

He shook his head and wandered into the living room. His black jeans hugged his butt to perfection and his shoulders looked as wide as a mountain range in his supple black leather jacket. His hair was a bit longer than it had been the last time she saw him. It fell past his shoulders now and was sexy as all get out.

Jake took his time wandering around the room, his fingers trailing over the back of the chocolate-brown sofa she’d purchased when she moved into her new place. Bookshelves filled one wall and held pictures, small mementos and, of course, books. They also housed her stereo, flat-screen television and DVR. She’d made the space as cozy as possible.

“Jake?”

He turned and his laser-blue eyes landed on her, freezing her in place. His gaze skimmed over her blouse, reminding her that it was cut much lower than she was used to wearing. Her breasts swelled and her nipples puckered under his intense perusal. She barely restrained herself from crossing her arms over her chest. No need for him to know just how much his presence was affecting her.

He stalked toward her like a panther hunting a small rabbit. She resisted the urge to back away from him, holding her ground. No way would she allow him to intimidate her, especially not in her own home. He ran a finger down the deep vee of her blouse, his touch searing her skin. “Pretty.”

She barely managed to suppress a shiver of desire. She marshaled her defenses, swallowed hard and managed to speak in a casual manner. “Thanks, it’s new.” She’d liked the way the dark-brown col
or matched her eyes. She just wished it didn’t dip quite so low.

His fingers flowed between her breasts, over her stomach and hip and finally landed on the top of her thigh. The temperature in the apartment felt as if it had jumped at least twenty degrees in the past ten seconds. Her skin tingled where he touched her and her pussy throbbed with need.

“A lot about you seems new since we last saw one another.” His voice was low and seductive, but she wasn’t allowing herself to fall under his spell again, not after the way he’d hurt her.

His hand caressed the hem of her skirt before dipping beneath it to caress her thigh, and she forced herself to take a step back. “I decided there were a few things I needed to change in my life.”

And that was an understatement. After he’d demolished her confidence, she’d taken a long, hard look at her life and decided she needed to break out of the boring rut she’d allowed her life to become. Moving into her own place, buying new clothes and dating were supposed to change that. Problem was, she was still the same woman inside, and that woman was content to stay home in her comfortable jeans and work on her jewelry designs.

She’d changed the outside packaging, but inside nothing had changed. It had been silly to think a man like Jake would be interested in her for long. He lived life on the edge and she’d always sensed a smoldering darkness simmering within him. The most dangerous thing she’d ever done was move out on her own. Even when she and her sisters had started their business together, they’d had one another to depend on.

And she was acting pathetic, something she most definitely wasn’t. She might not be enough of a woman for Jake, but she’d come to the conclusion tonight over dinner that she was good enough for herself. No more trying to change who she was for any man.

He was staring at her, his eyes hot and smoldering. She had to get him out of here. “You said there was something about the wedding we needed to discuss?” Which didn’t make any sense. Topaz would have called her if there was some major change.

One corner of his mouth kicked up, making him appear impossibly handsome. Her heart skipped a beat before it took off at a full gallop. “I just said that to get rid of your date.”

Her shoulders started to throb at the reminder and she rubbed her hands up and down her arms to comfort herself. No, her dating days were over for the foreseeable future. “Good thing you just happened by.”

Jake didn’t say a word and his silence spoke volumes. Her brows drew together and she frowned. “You weren’t just passing by, were you?”

He shook his head. “I was following you.”

His stark honesty took her aback for a brief moment, but anger quickly ensued. “What do you mean you were following me?” She stepped up to him and drilled her forefinger against his chest for emphasis. She suddenly remembered the feeling of being watched back at the restaurant. “Were you there when we were eating?”

He inclined his head. “Guilty.”

His blunt sincerity left her almost speechless. “Why? I don’t understand.” The guy had dumped her. Why was he following her? Her family had already dealt with one stalker, and she certainly didn’t need one of her own. But it didn’t feel that way. For one thing, she trusted Jake with her life, if not her heart.

Jake wanted to wrap Sapphire in his arms and assure her that he’d never let anything harm her, but he’d given up the right to do so. He clenched his back molars together, wanting to kick himself for how much he’d hurt her. His intentions had been honorable, at least partially so.

He wanted to protect her from the dark side of his personality, but he’d come to realize over the past few lonely weeks that he’d been protecting himself as well, maybe even more so. He hadn’t wanted to expose all of himself to her for fear she would reject him. So he’d rejected her first.

He was a fucking idiot.

From the moment he’d left Sapphire all soft and warm in her bed, all he’d wanted was to be back there with her. He wasn’t sleeping, was barely working. It felt as though a vital part of him was missing.

“I know you don’t understand, babe.” She looked totally bewildered but incredibly sexy in her killer heels, short skirt and low-cut blouse. Breathtakingly beautiful with her luminous brown eyes, red pouty lips and curly black hair all bundled up in a fancy do. Damn, he wanted her in his arms and his bed.

But first he had to win back her trust.

“Jake?”

He reached out to her but she took a step back. It hit him like a fist to the gut, but he deserved it. He raked his fingers through his hair and took a deep breath. “I’ve been keeping tabs on you since the night I left.”

She shook her head and he could easily read the confusion in her eyes. “Why? You were very blunt the night you left. So why do you care who I see or what I do?”

How to explain so she wouldn’t kick his butt to the door? “Can we sit down?”

She skirted by him and turned on another lamp before perching on the edge of one of the chairs, making sure there was no way he could sit next to her. He crouched in front of her instead, needing to be as close as she would allow him. He took her hands in his. She resisted slightly, but eventually relented. A rush of pleasure filled him when she acquiesced to his touch.

Her hands were so small next to his, but he knew how skilled, how creative they were. He’d seen the intricate earrings, necklaces and bracelets she created in her studio. The woman was incredibly talented.

“I hurt you and I never meant to,” he began.

She tugged at her hands until he was forced to hurt her or release her. He let go of her hands and she folded them demurely in her lap. He immediately missed the feel of her skin against his. “You did, but the past is the past.”

Her eyes were steady and calm and a sick feeling filled his stomach. Maybe she truly had moved on. Maybe he’d blown his only chance with her.

“But that doesn’t tell me why you were following me.” She sat up straighter and a flush of anger tinged her cheeks pink. “How many of my dates have you been on?”

“All of them.” He wouldn’t lie to her, not ever again. Not that he’d lied to her that night. He’d honestly believed he was doing what was right for her by leaving.

No, the person he’d been lying to that fateful night was himself.

“All of them.” She seemed totally bewildered by his confession. “This is crazy.” She rubbed her hand over her face, appearing extremely tired and confused.

Jake took heart from the fact she wasn’t screaming at him or calling his brother to come get his sorry ass out of her home.

He hurried on, hoping to make his case before she decided to evict him. “You changed after that night. You moved out of the apartment you shared with your sister.” He’d felt better knowing she had Topaz close, but that hadn’t lasted long after he’d left her.

She shrugged. “She moved in with John, and Emerald lives with her husband in Maine now. Didn’t seem right to keep such a large place just for me. Besides, I wanted a fresh start.”

The unspoken words were that she wanted a new start because of him. He eased from his crouch and sat on the corner of the coffee table, praying it would hold his weight. Wouldn’t exactly be suave if he broke it and ended up sprawled across her floor.

“You changed your wardrobe too?” he pointed out.

She stood and walked away, not stopping until she was standing by the window in the dining area. The heels she wore made it seem as though her legs went on forever. His balls drew up tight to his body and he forced himself to look away from Sapphire and study their surroundings instead. The tiny dining space held a table big enough for four, if they didn’t mind being overly friendly. The apartment was much smaller than the one she’d shared with her sisters, but it was all hers. The quiet colors and comfortable furniture reflected her personality.

“I decided I didn’t like being boring or unsophisticated.”

Pain ripped through his guts. He was responsible for that. “Babe,” he began, only to have her hold up her hand to stop him from saying any more.

“Don’t call me that.”

He stood and went to stand beside her. “I never thought you were boring or unsophisticated.”

“No? Oh, that’s right. You just thought you were too much for me to handle in the bedroom. Translation, I’m not enough woman for you.”

He’d really fucked things up. “That’s not what I meant.”

“Sure it is. Don’t start lying now, Jake. Not when you’ve been so honest up until now.” With her hands on her hips and her head tossed back, she was the sexiest thing he’d ever seen. And she wasn’t done bringing him to task yet. “So honest in fact, you’ve been watching me and following me on my dates. Did you enjoy the art film last Tuesday?”

Jake winced. He’d dug himself a hell of a hole. “Ah, not particularly. And I know you didn’t either. You prefer older movies.”