Sweet Seduction (The BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES Series) (11 page)

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Sam settled back in the passenger seat, closed her
eyes and smiled.  The last few weeks with Jake had been some of the happiest of
her life.  She knew, without a doubt, that she was in love.  It didn’t matter
to her that their interaction was focused primarily on the charities and had
had nothing to do with love or a relationship.  All that mattered to her right
then was that they’d been spending so much time together.  At least she could
say with confidence that their new relationship had gone past that of business
associates.  They had become friends.  Of course, she wanted a lot more than
that, but for now she was happy.

It had been so funny, though, when the investment
banker had walked over to compliment her on the brief speech she’d given when
she’d handed over the check.  ‘Eloquent’ he’d called her, and ‘inspiring’.  And
then, in an instant Jake was by her side, his face dark and serious, looking
for all the world like he was ready to pummel somebody into the ground.  She’d
almost laughed.  She wasn’t stupid.  She could see the jealousy plain as a
poster on his face.  And she’d been pleased.  He wouldn’t be jealous if he
didn’t have feelings for her, right?  All in all, a good sign.

And now, as he drove her back to his house where she
would pick up her truck, he was silent and solemn, staring straight ahead and
not speaking.  If you asked him he’d probably say he was just thinking but Sam
knew better.  Typical man, he resented the appearance of what she would call
‘healthy competition’.  She, on the other hand, was enjoying it.

Then a mischievous thought popped into her head. 
Sometimes it didn’t hurt to let a man know what he was up against.  Or at least
give him the impression that there was something going on.  Keep him slightly off
balance, so to speak.  It was never a good idea to make a man think he had you
all bagged up and ready to go.  There had to be a hint of uncertainty or else
he’d just take you for granted.  And tonight’s little turn of events had given
her the perfect opportunity to insert that little pebble of uncertainty.

Sam smiled to herself. Like the story of the princess
with the pea under her mattress, all it took was the tiniest doubt to make a
man so uncomfortable he felt he had to make a move.  And now that she had her little
pea of doubt she was going to work it to her advantage.

She put up her hand and pressed her fingers against
her mouth to hide the smile that tickled her lips.  This would be the second
round in her sweet seduction of Jake McKoy.  Her mother would be so proud.

“Mark thought I looked very nice tonight.”  She turned
her face toward Jake as he drove.

“Mark?”  He gave her a quick glance then turned his
attention back to the road.  “The man who came over to speak to you?”

“Yes.  He said my dress brought out the beauty of my
dark eyes.”

Jake was scowling now.  Several seconds passed before
he spoke.  “I could have told you that,” he said in a rough growl.

Well, why didn’t you?
  She didn’t bother to ask
the question that popped into her mind.  Instead, she just smiled and waited
for him to make the next move.

“Do you know him from somewhere?”

“Who, Mark?  We just met.”

Another round of silence, this one longer than the
first.  Sam could just imagine what was going through his mind.  But still, she
remained silent.  The ball was in his court and she was going to leave it
there.

“I think you look stunning tonight.”

Sam raised her eyebrows and looked across at him. 
“Why, thank you, sir,” she said in her best Southern belle voice. 

That brought a smile to his face.  “No, really,” he
said, his tone more relaxed.  “You were the most beautiful woman there
tonight.  Hands down.”

Sam didn’t know what to say to that one so she just
smiled.  Luckily she was saved from having to find an appropriate answer when
they turned into the driveway of his home.  When he switched off the engine and
turned to her she knew what to expect – a thank you and a quick peck on the
cheek and so she would be summarily dismissed.

But that was not what happened.  To her astonishment
Jake reached for her and pulled her none too gently into his arms.  Her lips
parted in a gasp and before she could move his mouth descended and covered hers
in a kiss that robbed her of the little breath she had left.  He kissed her
urgently, hungrily, almost angrily as she clung to his shoulders, helpless to
resist.

He released her lips and slid his fingers up into her
hair to cup the back of her head with his hand.  “You are mine, Samantha Fox,”
he said in a harsh whisper.  “Only mine.”  And then he was kissing her again,
punishing her with his lips, until she moaned her answering passion.

When the kiss finally ended Samantha was weak and
trembling, sprawled halfway across Jake’s lap, her dress exposing a length of
thigh.

As Jake stared down at her in his arms he was panting
and there was a dark flush to his face that told her that the kiss had affected
him as deeply as it had affected her.

It took several seconds for their breathing to return
to normal.  Then he stroked her arm and reached down to straighten her skirt. 
He helped her slide back into her seat.

He gave her an apologetic look.  “I’m sorry.  I don’t
usually employ such…caveman tactics.  I guess my emotions got the better of
me.”

Poor Jake.  He probably didn’t even know why he'd
reacted the way he had, but she most certainly did.  Which proved her point.  A
little competition was a good thing.

“Would you like to come up for a drink?”

She tilted her head.  “Are you sure?  Not too tired?”

“Of course not,” he scoffed.  "It’s not even nine
o’clock yet.”

“Hmm, I don’t know,” she said, pretending to give his
invitation serious thought.  “I’m not sure it’s such a good idea.  I do have to
get up early tomorrow.  Maybe some other time.”

“Come on,” he said.  “Just a few minutes.  I’m sure
you can spare me that.”

“Well,” she said, dragging out the word.  “Alright,
just for a few minutes.”

He seemed pleased at her response.  He was smiling as
he hopped out of the car to open the door for her.  Then they walked side by
side up to the house.

Inside, Sam relaxed into the sofa as Jake went to get
their drinks.  She straightened her skirt around her and tried to look composed
but inside she was all jittery Jello.  Now that she was in the house with him
she wasn’t quite so sure of herself.  She wanted him to kiss her again but
would he?  And what if he didn’t?  Should she make the first move?

She was still pondering her best course of action when
he walked back into the room carrying two glasses of champagne.

“In celebration of our tenth charity,” he said as he
handed her a glass.  “Congratulations.  You’ve done me proud.”

“Thank you,” she said, her body growing warm with his
praise.  She took the glass from him and their fingers touched.  A thrill ran
through her.  Had he felt it, too?  Her eyes darted up to his face and yes, she
was sure he had.  He was looking down at her with an intensity that left no
doubt in her mind that he’d felt exactly what she had.  And he wanted her.

As if in confirmation he dropped his lean frame onto
the couch beside her.  When he leaned forward she lifted her face to meet him. 
She was disappointed when he gave her a peck on the cheek then leaned back and
took a sip of champagne, his eyes never leaving hers.

She almost frowned but then she lifted her glass to
her lips, partially hiding her face from his gaze.  What kind of a kiss was
that?  She'd expected passion, maybe fireworks, but a peck?  No, not good. 
This man was exercising too much restraint.  It was time for her to make her
move.

She took another sip then another, then she tipped the
glass and drained it.  She needed all the courage she could get and maybe a
touch of bravado.  The champagne just might do the trick.

He was still watching her, of course, and she could
see he was surprised that she’d downed her drinks so fast.  Well, he was in for
a lot more surprises.  Although he’d only drunk half  its contents, Sam reached
out and took the glass from Jake’s hand and rested both on the coffee table. 
Then she turned back to him.

Before he could figure out what she was up to, she
rested her hands on his shoulders and pressed him back into the sofa then,
riding on the high from the champagne, she sank into the chair beside him and
pressed her lips to his.  “Kiss me, Jake,” she whispered against his mouth.  “I
want you to kiss me.”

Immediately, his arms snaked round her back and he
dragged her up against him, crushing her breasts against his rock-hard chest. 
Then he was kissing her, plundering her mouth with an ardor that made her head
spin. 

Dear God, he wanted her.  She could taste it in the
desperation of his kiss, hear it in the pounding of his heart, feel it in the
hardness that pressed against her thigh.  When Jake broke the kiss to catch his
breath Sam slid her hand inside his shirt to caress the smooth skin of his
broad chest.  She took his moan of pleasure as license to go farther.  Fingers
trembling in her eagerness, she undid button after button until Jake’s upper
body was bare to her heated gaze.  He looked like he was going to put his hand
up.  Whether to hold her or to resist her, she did not know, but she knew what
she wanted and nothing was going to stop her.

Without hesitation she dropped her head and covered
one flat nipple with her lips.  She nipped it with her teeth until it hardened
and peaked in her mouth.  At Jake’s groan she smiled then she moved her head
over to the other nipple and did the same there.  This time Jake shifted
beneath her and she knew it was to ease the tightness in his groin.

When he reached up and slid the spaghetti strap from
her shoulder she did not resist.  She arched her back and pressed forward,
giving him greater access, and when he released the clasp on her bra and his
lips captured her nipple she moaned.  It felt wickedly delicious, his lips
sending waves of pleasure rippling through her body with his sensual caress.

Oh God, she wanted more.  Sam straddled Jake’s hips
and, gripping his head with both hands, she guided his mouth to her other
breast where he suckled so sweetly that she almost cried – literally.  Oh
heavens, could there be anything so sweet?

She let Jake lick and nibble and suck at her sensitive
buds until she grew so hot she began to throb – right at that sweet spot
between her legs that was now pressed down on his hard maleness.  As he suckled
she pressed down, squeezing herself against him, desperate to ease the pressure
building there.

Then she felt it, the moisture against the seat of her
panties.  Her body was totally ready for him.

Sam sucked in a deep breath then she slid off Jake’s
lap.  What he was doing to her was sheer ecstasy but still it was not enough. 
Right now she wanted it all.  She kneeled down between his legs and began to
undo his belt.

She was wrestling with the buckle when two firm hands
descended on hers.  She froze.  Her eyes flew up to his and to her horror, he
was shaking his head.

“No,” he said, his face grim.  “Not like this.”

Sam felt red-hot blood rush to her face and her heart
sank in shame.  He was rejecting her.  She had thrown herself at him, was right
this minute kneeling at his feet, and he said no?  Oh, God, not again.

She felt her face crumple and she pulled her hand from
his to cover it and hide herself from him.  She couldn’t bear to look at him,
to see the scorn on his face, to know how he felt about her right now.  As soon
as she could gather herself together she would leave.

“No,” he said again, as if she hadn’t heard him the
first time, “not this way.”

He reached down and pulled her hands away from her
face then he lifted her off her knees and onto his lap.

Sam lowered her head then dropped her gaze, refusing
to look at him.  She’d had enough humiliation for one night.  She didn’t need
to see the look in his eyes.

Then he did something very confusing.  He wrapped his
arms around her, almost as if to protect her, then he rested his chin on top of
her head.  “I don’t want to make love to you, Sam,” he whispered.  “Not
tonight.”

“I think I guessed that by now,” she said in a low
voice then she gave a little laugh that sounded sad and hollow.  Pathetic was
probably the better way to describe it because that was exactly how she felt.

“Do you know why, Sam?”  His voice was surprisingly
calm, with not a hint of anger or reproach.

She nodded, her cheek resting against his chest. 
“Yes,” she whispered, crestfallen, “because you’re not ready.  You can’t love
anyone else right now.”

With her ear pressed against his chest she heard a low
rumble.  How could he laugh at a time like this?

“No, sweetheart.  You have it all wrong.”  He hugged
her tighter.  “I don’t want us to make love until we're married.  Call me old
fashioned but as far as I’m concerned you’re worth waiting for.”