The Passion Price (9 page)

He was relieved to join her on the bed, stretching out beside her and propping himself on one elbow so that he had one hand free. His right hand.

‘Wait,' she whispered, and before he could stop her she wriggled out of her panties and tossed them away, her face flushed by the time she glanced back up at him.

He didn't dare look down there. Or to think about how much he wanted to slide over between her legs and just do it. Now.
Without
preliminaries. He ached to be inside her, to feel her hot wet flesh tight around him.

At least he could touch her there. And his free hand stroked down the centre of her body and slid between her legs.

Her moan echoed his own feelings. Already she was panting, her legs growing restless, her hips writhing as a woman's did when release was near. The selfish part of Jake wanted to stop so that he could be inside her. But experience warned him that things didn't always work out that way for a woman. Better he give her a climax this way first.

‘Jake,' she cried out, her eyes dilated and desperate.

His mouth crashed down onto hers, smothering her cries as she came apart under his hand. He kissed her with a desperation of his own, his tongue echoing what he would rather be doing to her with his body. Its job done, his hand moved to play with her breasts,
his still wet fingertips encircling her taut nipples. Jake kept kissing her, and playing with her nipples, elated when in no time her back began to arch away from the bed in that tell-tale way. Moaning, she clung to him, her left leg lifting up onto his hip, inviting him in.

Jake needed no further invitation, groaning as his flesh slid home to the hilt. The sensations as he pumped into her were a mixture of agony and ecstasy, for he could not possibly last very long. Yet he wanted to, wanted to feel her come again with him inside her.

Her muffled moans were encouraging, as were the movements of her body. She followed his rhythm, her hips rising with his forward surge and sinking back when he withdrew. He stopping kissing her and cupped her face instead, looking deep into her glazed eyes.

He didn't say a word, just concentrated on her, slowing his rhythm appreciably but going deeper with each stroke.

She gasped, then groaned.

‘Good?' he asked.

She nodded, then grimaced.

He was in his stride now, no longer balancing on that dangerous edge, determined to make her come again. She drew in more sharply with each successive stroke, her mouth falling even wider apart. Her hands tightened around his back, her nails digging into his flesh.

He felt no pain, only pleasure. The pleasure of pleasing her.

Her climax was imminent. He could feel it, deep inside. The tightening. The quivering. The rush of heat that always preceded the first spasm.

‘Jake. Oh, Jake,' she cried out, and then she was there. But so, astonishingly, was he. Instantly. Brilliantly.

Poets often spoke of stars exploding when two people in love made love. Jake always thought that was just so much crap.

But this time, it
was
not unlike stars exploding. His body trembled and his head did cartwheels. His mouth found hers again and he knew that this was where he wanted to be for the rest of his life. With her. No one else. Just Angelina. And he didn't mean living together, either. He wanted her as his life partner. His wife.

Angelina Winters. Till death them did part.

It didn't occur to Jake till much later, when he was lying quietly with her sleeping form in his arms, that Angelina might not be altogether cooperative in his achieving that goal.

‘I might not want what you want, Jake,' she'd said to him earlier that day.

Jake thought about all she'd told him about herself so far. Her insistence that she was independent-minded career woman. Her claim to not want marriage and children.

And then he thought of her eyes today as he'd carried her into this bedroom.

Bulldust, he decided. All of that other stuff. Dorothy was right. Angelina had marriage and motherhood written all over her. She'd been burnt, that was all, by the wrong kind of man. Some sleazebag, probably. All it needed was the right kind of guy to come along, someone who really loved her.

‘Me!'
he pronounced out loud.

Jake still wasn't sure about becoming a father, but heck, he hadn't thought till now that he'd ever fall in love, or want to get married himself. But he did. And when Jake wanted something, he made it happen.

Angelina Mastroianni was going to be his wife, no matter what she thought she wanted. Because Jake knew what she really wanted. He'd seen it just now. And felt it. What he needed to do was make her feel it again. And again. And again. He had one weekend to cement his position in her life, and in her heart. Given that was a pretty short time span, Jake decided that the best way he could achieve that was through her body; her warm, luscious, possibly neglected body.

That pathetic boyfriend of hers hadn't been doing the right thing by Angelina. Jake was sure of it. Which was fine by him. It gave him an advantage.

Just thinking about making love to her again turned him on. Retrieving a condom from where he'd shoved a few under the pillows, he slipped it on, amazed but pleased to see that he was as hard as he'd been earlier, confirming his belief that this was a once-in-a-lifetime relationship.

Scooping her naked body back against him in the spoon position, he gently stroked her breasts till she stirred in his arms, then his hand slid slowly further down her body.

‘Oh,' she gasped when his fingers started softly teasing the centre of her pleasure.

But there was nothing soft, or gentle, in Jake's mind. It was full of hard resolve, as hard as his desire-filled flesh.

As soon as she moaned, and began wriggling her bottom against him, he eased himself inside her from behind.

 

Angelina stiffened for a second, only to melt as soon as he started rocking back and forth inside her. She would never have conceived of making love like this, on their sides, with him pressed up against her back and his hands on her front, playing with her.

It was nothing like last time; that tender and romantic position where Jake had kissed her all the while and held her like a true lover. This was entirely different. This felt…decadent. Yet oh, so exciting.

Her head whirled as a wanton wildness overtook her.

‘Harder, Jake,' she bit out in a voice she didn't recognise. ‘Harder.'

He groaned, then increased his tempo.

‘Yes,' she groaned, her body immediately rushing towards the abyss. ‘Oh, yes. Yeesss!'

A
NGELINA
knew she was in trouble the next morning. Deep, deep trouble.

It was not long after sunrise, Jake was still fast asleep in the bedroom and she was curled up on the red leather sofa, her naked body wrapped in Jake's bathrobe, her hands cradling a not-too-hot mug of coffee, her eyes taking in the sun-drenched terrace, and the bridge beyond. The traffic on it was only light at this early hour, she noted.

But not for long. The day promised to be as bright and warm as yesterday.

Yesterday…

She took the mug away from her lips and sighed. Dear heaven, what had she done?

A small, dry laugh escaped her lips. What
hadn't
she done? more like it. Her behaviour in bed was bad enough, but it hadn't been confined to Jake's bed, had it? She'd been bad in the spa bath as well, and in the kitchen whilst he'd been microwaving them a meal. And here in this very room, on the rug, in front of the television.

It was as though Jake's making love to her that second time had released something in her, and suddenly she was hungry for it all. Every experience possible with Jake.

He hadn't minded, of course. Though she'd had the impression he was a bit surprised at one stage. Not with what she did. Perhaps he was just surprised that
she
would what she did, and with such avidness.

But as much as Angelina was worried sick by where this would all end, she could find no real regrets in her heart for the actual events of last night. How could you regret something that made you feel the way she felt this morning? Like a real woman for a change. A desired and desirable woman who had been made love to very, very well.

At least now she knew what Wilomena meant by having fun. It
had
been fun. At least, it had been with Jake. The man was the very devil with women all right. If she'd shocked him once, he'd shocked her a dozen times. Thrillingly, though.

The memories made her quiver with remembered pleasure.

‘What are you doing up this early?'

Angelina almost spilt her coffee again, her whole body jumping at Jake's sudden appearance behind her.

As she glanced up over the back of the sofa at him, he bent to kiss her, one of his hands sliding down the front opening of the robe at the same time.

Angelina didn't know how she
didn't
spill the coffee this time.

‘Mmm,' he murmured by the time he'd straightened. ‘I know what I'm going to have for breakfast. Fancy a shower together?'

‘Not till I've finished my coffee,' she replied with
creditable control, considering. Angelina had already decided that, whilst yesterday had been marvellous, today was another day entirely. Today, she had to start getting some control back over herself.

Watching Jake walk over to the nearby open-plan kitchen didn't exactly help that resolve, given that he was stark naked. She told herself not to look, but look she did. By the time he'd made his coffee and returned to sprawl in an adjacent chair, sipping his coffee with apparent nonchalance, her control was definitely at risk.

Gulping down the rest of her coffee, she uncurled her legs and made some excuse about seeing to her clothes, which Jake had actually popped into the washer and dryer at some stage last night. She was just hanging her fortunately crush-free dress on a coat hanger in the beautifully appointed laundry when Jake's arms went round her waist from behind.

‘Methinks the lady is suffering morning-after syndrome,' he whispered as he started unsashing her robe.

‘Not at all,' she lied coolly. ‘I'm just a bit concerned about today, that's all. I really need to go over to the hotel this morning, change into some casual clothes and check out. Then I have to drop in at the expo and see how we're doing.' She really couldn't go home without knowing if this venture had been a success. Arnold would ask, and so would Alex.

‘When's check-out time?' Jake asked, those busy hands of his not missing a beat as they drew erotic circles around her stiffening nipples.

Angelina swallowed. She really couldn't allow him to seduce her again so easily. But of course that was his talent, wasn't it? Seduction. And sex. Tender sex. Rough sex. Imaginative sex. Whatever was required. But still just sex. She had to remember she wasn't anything so special. Just more of a challenge than his usual chicky babe.

Or she
had
been.

‘Ten-thirty,' she told him, swallowing again. Why didn't he stop that? On the other hand, why didn't
she
stop him? She was just so weak where he was concerned.

Was it love making her weak? Or could she take some comfort in hoping this was just sex for her as well? In a way, this made some sense. She'd lived a celibate life for so long that surely it was only natural that she'd go mad for sex, now that she'd discovered it. Maybe she wasn't madly in love with
him
, after all.

‘We have plenty of time yet,' Jake said throatily, cupping her breasts and pulling her back hard against him.

She could feel his hardness through his bathrobe.

‘I'll drive you over to the hotel around ten,' he murmured as he pulled the robe further open and nuzzled at her neck. ‘And take you personally to the expo. Then we can go have lunch and do some shopping.'

‘Shopping?' she echoed somewhat blankly, having reached that point when intelligent thought was nigh-on impossible.

‘Didn't you say you wanted to go shopping?'

‘Did I?' The robe slipped off one shoulder, then the other, before dropping to the floor. Suddenly, she felt more naked than she ever had been with him. And more vulnerable.

He was smiling when he turned her round in his arms.

‘I dare say you've changed your mind, like a typical woman. But I have a fancy to buy you something really sexy to wear. Something…naughty.”

She stared up into his eyes, which were gleaming hotly down at her.

‘You're still a very bad boy, aren't you, Jake?' she choked out.

‘I haven't noticed you objecting,' he replied with a devilishly charming grin. ‘Now, come have that shower with me, gorgeous.'

She went.

 

‘Sydney really is a beautiful city,' Angelina said as they walked, hand in hand, through Hyde Park.

Jake glanced across at her, thinking how beautiful
she
looked today. Beautiful
and
sexy. Those jeans hugged her curvy body like a second skin. Too bad about that loose white shirt she was wearing over them. Though perhaps it was as well she wasn't wearing anything too revealing on top. Jake's possessiveness of her had increased overnight, along with his desire. He only had to touch her and he wanted to make love to her again.

Jake thought of what was in the plastic shopping
bag he was holding. The sexiest black corset he'd ever seen. Angelina had refused to try it on in the shop, but he knew there would be no such objections once he got her home.

‘Sydney always looks great in the summer,' he agreed, very pleased with the way things were going.

‘I guess the good weather is one of the reasons the expo has gone so well,' she remarked.

‘Perhaps. But it always pays to have a good product. Your wines are going to be a big hit down here in Sydney, by the sound of things. Wayne was over the moon with the orders they'd already taken and the interest shown.'

‘Men like Wayne are exaggerators,' Angelina said drily. ‘But it does look promising.'

Jake had to admire the way Angelina's feet were firmly on the ground when it came to her business. She was no pushover, in lots of ways.

Sexually, however, she was putty in his hands. Jake couldn't wait to get her alone again.

‘I work not far from here,' he pointed out. ‘My office is in that tall bluish building over there. If the sun's out, I come over to the park and eat my lunch here. Right here, in fact.' And he pulled her down onto a seat under a huge tree that provided almost an acre of shade.

His arm wound round her shoulders and his lips pressed into her hair. ‘Want to make out?' he whispered.

‘Jake Winters, behave yourself. I don't think we
need to make out in public, do you? We've been at it like rabbits. A breather is definitely called for.'

‘Not rabbits,' he said. ‘
Lovers.
Once is never enough for lovers.'

‘Once! How about one times twenty? I didn't know it was possible to have so much sex in one weekend.'

‘Amazing, isn't it?'

 

Angelina glanced up into Jake's grinning face and took a mental photo of it for her memory bank. He looked so handsome today. And so happy.

She doubted he'd look quite so happy once he found out about Alex.

‘What?' he said, his grin fading.

It constantly surprised Angelina, the way he seemed to pick up on her inner feelings, without her having to say a word. It was almost as though he could read her mind sometimes. He certainly knew whenever she wanted him again.

Unfortunately, this was almost continuously. She simply could not get enough of him. Even now, she wanted him to take her home. She wanted him to strip her off and lace her into that decadent-looking corset and do whatever it was he had in mind to do to her whilst she was wearing it.

Hopefully, he couldn't read her thoughts. She seriously needed this breather so she could think.

‘What is it?' he repeated. ‘Tell me true.'

‘Nothing much. I was thinking how handsome you were. And how much I like you with short hair.'

‘And I like you with long.'

She flushed as she thought of what he had done with her hair on one occasion last night. He really was a wicked man.

No, not truly wicked, Angelina conceded. But seriously naughty. A very good lover, though. Very knowledgeable about women's bodies, and totally uninhibited when it came to using that knowledge. How on earth was she going to find the strength to tell Jake about Alex, when it meant she would have to give up his lovemaking?

Because it was all going to end once the truth came out. If there was one thing the last twenty-four hours had proved to Angelina, it was that Jake only had one need for a woman, and that was as his sexual partner. His plaything. Even his calling her his lover just now was telling. Why not girlfriend? Lover had that for-sex-only connotation about it.

No, Jake hadn't changed in that regard. His aim had been to sleep with her. And now that he had, any complications would have him running a mile.

And Alex, let's face it, she thought, was one big complication.

‘What a shame today has to end,' she said with a sigh.

‘Does it have to?'

‘Time marches on. Nothing can change that.'

‘You could always stay the night with me, go home tomorrow.'

She was seriously tempted. If she'd been in bed
with him at this moment, with his hands on her naked body, she probably would have said yes.

‘Sorry,' she said crisply. ‘No can do. I have to get back home tonight. Work tomorrow.'

‘Yeah. Same here. I'm due in court first thing in the morning.'

‘On that case you told me about?' Angelina asked, grateful for the opportunity to get her mind off sex. ‘The lady who's dying of lung cancer?'

‘That's the one. I have to deliver my closing address.'

‘Are you ready?'

‘I should hope so. I've been living and breathing that case for months.'

‘Do you memorise your speeches?'

‘Not really. I do write my ideas down. But I never try to remember them word for word. That's the sure way to go blank and stuff it up. No, I prepare well and then I talk from the heart. You do make the occasional stumble over words that way, but the jury never minds that, if they know you're being sincere.'

‘I hope you win,' she said with feeling.

‘Don't worry,' Jake returned with a little squeeze of her shoulders. ‘We will.'

Angelina abruptly jumped to her feet. ‘Come on, let's walk some more. I want to go see St Mary's Cathedral.' And she yanked a groaning Jake to his feet.

‘More walking? Can't we just sit here and cuddle?'

‘You've had more than enough cuddling for one weekend.
Up!
'

‘Wow. I like it when you're bossy. Would you like to be on top when we get back to my place?'

‘Get that bag and come on!' She was already off, walking in the direction of the cathedral, not giving him the opportunity to take her hand again.

‘Oh, look!' she exclaimed when they emerged from the park directly across from the main cathedral steps. ‘There's a wedding car just arriving. Let's go over and watch, Jake. I love watching weddings.' Anything but going back to his place yet.

‘Why?'

‘Because!'

‘That's no reason from a girl who says she doesn't want to get married.'

‘I don't want to be an astronaut, either,' she argued, ‘but I like watching their exploits.'

‘I suppose you could compare marriage to flying into space.'

‘It's certainly a risky venture.'

‘But risk can be exciting.'

Angelina arched her eyebrows. ‘This, from a man who said
he
never wanted to get married?'

‘Maybe I've changed my mind.'

 

Jake saw the shock reverberate in her eyes. ‘You…you don't mean that,' she said stiffly.

Jake immediately regretted his possibly ill-judged words. If he rushed her, he might lose what he
wanted most. After all, this was just their first weekend together. Best stick to sex for now.

‘Never say never about anything,' he remarked nonchalantly. ‘That's my motto.'

‘For the record, I never actually said I would
never
get married. I just said it wasn't a priority of mine.'

Jake felt heartened by the carefulness in her wording.