Witching Hour (9 page)

She shook her head, making for the adjoining door. “I’m still pretty wiped from last night. If you don’t mind, I’ll just shower and hit the sack. Maybe we can go out for breakfast tomorrow.”

“You really should eat.”

She merely shrugged, cresting the doorway before huffing and turning around. She placed one hand on the frame as she drew herself up, determination firming her jaw. “Just answer me this. If you weren’t attracted to me back then, why the hell didn’t you just say something? Anything would have been better than wondering all these years. Wishing.”

Her words stopped his heart. Dead.

He choked back a cough as he pushed to his feet. “Come again?”

She tilted her head, staring at him as if he’d spoken a different language. “Look. We’ve got seventy-two hours to get through together. And I don’t want to spend it agonizing over whether I’m the only one here feeling anything. I’m not eighteen anymore, Cal. Just say it, and I can move on.”

It took several seconds before his head caught up to her declaration and he growled, striding across the room. He barely paused as he wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her up. She gasped as he moved into the room, kicking the door shut behind him before spinning and pinning her against it. Her eyes widened as he pressed his body into hers, his cock hard against her hip.

He leaned in, brushing his lips across the soft shell of her ear. “Are you nuts? I think I seriously need to call that doctor. Because sweetheart, you must have hit your head harder than anyone thought if you’re going to stand there and try to convince me you weren’t aware of how damn crazy I was…am…about you.”

Her brow furrowed as she glanced away for a moment. “Then why the hell did you leave?”

He lowered his head, resting it on hers. “Because I didn’t have the courage to face you after letting that
thing
get Dave.”

“But it wasn’t your fault.”

“Wasn’t it? I was there. Avery and I were both there, and yet Dave’s the one who didn’t come back. I knew how close the two of you were. How the hell was I supposed to ask you to trust me in a relationship when you couldn’t trust me to keep your brother safe?”

“He was a grown man. It’s not like you pushed him out that window. Do you think I wasn’t listening when you said both you and Avery tried to get to him? But Dave wasn’t like you.” She sighed. “He wasn’t strong.”

Cal contemplated her words as he remembered Avery’s concerns from that night. But either way, it didn’t change the fact the man hadn’t thought he was good enough for his sister.

Jordan ran her fingers along his jaw, drawing his attention. “That’s not the only reason, is it?”

He chuckled. “Now who’s annoyingly observant?”

“Did Dave say something to you? Forbid you to date me or something?”

“Not exactly.”

Her face brightened. “So you’d asked him?”

“Of course I asked him. He was more than just my best friend and business partner. He was like a brother to me. I couldn’t risk hurting him for my happiness. And it’s not like there wasn’t a long line of guys wanting to take you out.”

“I wouldn’t have noticed because I couldn’t see past you. So if he didn’t say no…” She stopped, studying his face as if it’d give her the answers she was looking for. “Oh god. He said something worse. Didn’t he think I wasn’t good enough for you?”

Cal shook his head. “Are you serious? Dave loved you. It was me who didn’t measure up, sweetheart. Not you.”

“He actually said that? That you weren’t good enough?”

“More along the lines of that I wasn’t your type and that you’d only be settling. Something about me being too superficial and too much of a playboy.”

“Dave never would have said that about you. Maybe Avery at the time, but not you.”

“Ordinarily, I wouldn’t have worried too much, but after that night…” He leaned into her caress. “I’m sorry. I should have told you this before, but…”

She offered him a sweet smile. “Maybe neither of us were ready to hear it back then. But now…” She tiptoed up and nipped at his lip. “Now I can’t seem to think of one good reason why this should stop.” She frowned. “Unless you’re seeing someone.”

He grinned at the disappointed look on her face, dipping in to give her a quick brush of his lips. “Afraid not. So you’d best be sure because otherwise…” He gazed down her body. “You’re seriously overdressed.”

Chapter Six

Jordan stared at Cal, her heart pounding, her breath held tight. She didn’t know what had possessed her to corner him regarding their seeming attraction. To confess that she’d felt more toward him for longer than she cared to admit. But whatever the reason, the outcome surpassed anything she’d ever hoped for.

Now here she was, his body pressed against hers, his eyes darkened with desire. His cock had been hard the moment he’d trapped her between him and the door, the thick shaft nudging into her hip. But somehow, the firm bulge had gotten impossibly harder, making her hands itch to touch it.

Cal’s breath feathered across her neck as his lips brushed the top of her shoulder. She closed her eyes, tilting her head to the right, granting him better access. He didn’t waste the opportunity, nuzzling beneath her shirt and giving her muscle a light bite. She gasped at the sudden sensation, hissing out her breath when he laved the spot, moving his mouth along her skin until he reached her ear.

“God, Jordan. Do you know how long I’ve wanted to do that? To have just a taste of your skin? It’s even sweeter than I’d imagined.”

He kissed his way up her jaw, hovering in front of her mouth. His breath tickled her skin as he gave her time to change her mind. But how could she? While she’d had a few lovers over the years, they’d never been serious. Never made her feel half the anticipation and excitement just standing there with his body touching hers did. Never made her want for something far more frightening than any place she’d ever investigated.

Cal smiled, taking her silence as permission to continue. He eased forward, closing the last breath of distance as his mouth covered hers. He didn’t force her to open her lips, tasting her soft flesh until she sighed, giving him access. He accepted, tangling his tongue with hers. She moaned into the kiss, freeing her hands from between them and wrapping them around his neck. She threaded her fingers through his hair, savoring the feel of the thick strands as she tugged on them, enjoying his groan of pleasure.

Cal released her, once again resting his forehead on hers. “Damn, sweetheart. Another kiss like that and I’ll embarrass myself.”

She smiled, inhaling the rich aroma of ocean fresh cologne and male musk. “The sun’s just setting. As I see it, we’ve got all night. And after waiting ten years, I think I can be patient enough for you to
recover
.”

He tsked at her, giving her ass a light tap. “That’s a lot of sass coming from a girl who’s just as desperate as I am.” He shook his head at the tilt of hers. “Please. I can smell your need from here. And your nipples have been hard since you woke up. Or are you going to try and convince me you’re merely cold?” He chuckled. “I didn’t think so. Now I believe I’ve already said that you’re overdressed.”

Jordan laughed as he picked her up and turned, walking the few steps to the bed and launching them both onto the mattress. She landed encircled in his embrace, one of his hands cushioning her head while the other held her beneath her shoulder. He braced most of his weight on his elbows, his body covering hers. She shifted her legs, straddling them on either side of his hips, nestling his groin in hers. He groaned as his cock rocked against her cleft, the firm caress sending a spike of pleasure straight to her core.

She closed her eyes for a moment, allowing the feel of his body on hers to temper some of her need. Just thinking about what was yet to come had moisture collecting along her slit as her pulse thrummed erratically in her head. Cal kissed her eyelids, smiling down at her when she dared to open them.

She took in the perfect symmetry of his face. The brilliant blue of his eyes and the way his stubble shadowed his jaw, enhancing the rugged beauty of him. His nose had a slight bump along the bridge, from when he’d broken it skateboarding. It was one of the only physical differences between him and Dylan, though she could tell the brothers apart with her eyes closed. Cal oozed sensuality while Dylan was far more of the textbook alpha, conquering anything that got in his way. Not that Cal wasn’t dominant. He just didn’t seem to need to show the world at every given opportunity.

The simple thought made her realize how in tune she was with him, and how long she’d been waiting for him to notice her.

Cal shook his head, dipping down to place a light kiss on her nose. “Are you still questioning the depth of my attraction to you inside that pretty head of yours?”

“How could you possible know that?” She gasped. “Holy shit. You’re like Avery.”

He chuckled. “Hardly. It’s more along the lines of years of reading people’s expressions and body language. And yours is clearly telling me that you’re still not convinced that I’ve been crazy about you since we were both kids.”

“But you never once made a move, other than that single kiss at the funeral.”

He sighed. “I was young and in love with my best friend’s sister. I can assure you those two qualities don’t go well together.”

Jordan froze beneath him, the word
love
echoing through her head until she thought it’d explode. Words gathered on the tip of her tongue, but all she managed to do was breathe.

Cal smiled. “What’s wrong, sweetheart? The truth more than you bargained for?”

She shook her head, still trying to get her mouth to work when he kissed her again. Only this time, he took complete control, twisting her mouth open and diving inside. He didn’t wait for her to join him, but simply took what he wanted, leaving her breathless when they finally parted. Heat seared through her veins, and for a moment, she thought she might ignite.

Pleasure burned hot in her belly as he peppered kisses along her jaw, nipping and licking at the sensitive skin. Doubts and worries faded into the press of his lips on her flesh as he released her, pushing onto his knees. Pure masculine desire raged in his eyes as he swept his gaze up and down her body.

“Fuck, you’re beautiful. I seriously can’t believe I was ever foolish enough to let you out of my sight.”

She swallowed hard at the dangerous gleam in his eyes, finally finding her voice. “Sounds like that’s a habit we both should break.”

“You might want to wait until after we make love to decide on that. I could be far less impressive in the flesh.”

“I damn near came when you kissed me. I’m hardly worried that you’ll be anything less than mind-blowing. Me, on the other hand…”

“Will likely be the death of me.”

She smiled, raising her hand to caress his jaw. “Did you mean what you said?”

“That I’ve been in love with you for years?” He grinned, nodding. “I don’t think I even realized it until just now. But if I’m going to be honest with myself, you’re the reason I’ve never been more than a brief memory to any other woman. Why I was never able to give more than my body. Turns out, you already had my heart. And after realizing that I could have lost you to that house last night…” He cupped her hand, kissing the palm. “I’ve wasted ten years to the words of a ghost. I won’t waste another moment.” He bent down, hovering over her again. “There’s no pressure to say what you don’t feel. Just because I—”

She silenced him with a kiss, taking control as she traced every inch of his mouth before allowing him to grab a quick breath. She smiled up at him, lifting her hips to press her cleft against his shaft. “I think the fact it was your name I called out says it all. I fell in love with you long before my brother died, and time hasn’t changed that.” She ground her pussy against him, smiling at his groan. “Now how about we worry about the mushy stuff later and get down to screaming.”

Cal didn’t seem to need to be told twice. He dipped in for another kiss before rearing up and placing his hands at her waist as he shuffled until his legs were straddling hers. He tugged against her sweater, smiling when she lifted enough he could drag it over her head and toss it behind him. His gaze fell to her shirt, and she read his intentions before his fingers snagged the vee at the front, yanking the sides apart. The material gave beneath the force, the sound of the fabric tearing filling the room. Her mouth gaped open in shock as he tore the garment off her, throwing it over his shoulder with casual disregard. As if it were every day her clothes were ripped from her body.

She gave him a raise of one brow, but he just shrugged.

“I’ll gladly buy you a new shirt tomorrow. Now I suggest you help me get you out of that bra and these jeans, or they’ll suffer the same fate.”

Jordan slapped at his hand when he reached for the bottom of her sports bra. “Good ones are hard to find.”

He shrugged again as if he couldn’t care less about whether she had a bra she liked or not, but waited as she sat up in the confines of his legs, lifting her arms so he could pull the white cotton over her head. His gaze was centered on her chest when she finally looked back at him.

“God. You’re stunning.” He reached out and gently ran his fingers across one distended nipple. “So hard and tight.” He leaned forward, bending his head so he could blow a heated breath across the taut nub. “I wonder if they’ll taste as sweet as your neck?”

Her breath caught as he ran the end of his tongue across the tip, making it contract against her skin. Shivers chased along her spine only to ignite into liquid fire when his lips encased her flesh as he drew the small bud into his mouth. He moaned, his left hand rising to palm her other breast.

Jordan whispered his name, once again threading her fingers through his hair, determined to hold his head exactly where it was. God, she could climax from his mouth on her breasts. On the way he nipped and laved her nipple while squeezing the other between his finger and thumb.

He switched sides, giving the other hard peak the same punishing treatment, making her pussy clench emptily as a flurry of desire coiled low in her groin, heating her from the inside out. She cried out when he bite harder, taking her to that fine line between pleasure and pain. But even before he could raise his head to stare at her, the slight sting morphed into something hotter than she’d ever felt.