"Like what you see?" he asked, a cocky grin curving his lips.
She stared directly at his rock-solid erection. "I like what I see very much."
"I'm thinking this time should be fast, to give us both some much-needed relief," Jed said as he walked over and laid one of the condom packets on the nightstand. "And then later, we'll take it slow and easy… and make it last." He ripped open the packet in his hand.
Flushed with excitement, Grace watched as he sheathed his sex. Her femininity tightened and released, throbbing, sending sexual longing through her whole body. What was it about Jed that made her want him all the time? She was aching so much she didn't think she could stand it another minute. Getting up on her knees, she crawled to the edge of the bed and reached out for him. She grasped his hands and tried to drag him into bed with her.
"Eager, aren't you, Blondie?" His voice was husky, exuding a mixture of amusement and desire.
"Didn't you say we'd do it fast this time?" She yanked on his hands. "Let's see some action, big boy." Her gaze settled on his impressive erection.
Jed grinned. "You want action?"
He reversed roles by grabbing her and flipping her around so that her back faced him.
When she yelped in surprise, he slid her to the edge of the bed and pressed his sex against her buttocks. His arms went around her waist, clenching her tightly. As she rested back against him, letting her body melt into his, he kissed her neck. One hand slid down her belly and covered her mound. She rubbed against him, slowly, sensuously. He groaned. She sighed. When he nudged her thighs apart, she cooperated fully, giving him full access. Two fingers glided inside her moist feminine lips and across her sensitive nub. She whimpered when he eased his fingers inside her and brought his thumb down to caress her intimately. She rode his hand, undulating against the friction as he petted her.
While she lay back against him, one of his hands worked magic between her legs and the other rose to her left breast, cupped it, lifted it, then stroked the tight, tender nipple. She cried out when hot, clawing sensation shot from her breast to her core, then rippled along her nerve endings. She was on the verge of climaxing. So close she could do nothing to prolong the pleasure. Giving her simultaneous attention above and below her waist, Jed bit her neck with tender passion. And Grace unraveled, coming apart like a tightly wound ball of yarn. She whimpered as Jed manipulated her body so that those orgasmic sensations continued… on and on, until finally he'd drained every ounce of sexual tension from her body.
Or so she thought…
Suddenly, Jed dragged her backward so her knees rested on the edge of the bed. Before she realized his intent, he positioned himself to align his body to hers, then he took her from behind, ramming himself to the hilt inside her wet, welcoming depths. When he jackhammered into her, she clutched the bedspread and braced herself for the onslaught. His big hands held her hips, keeping her in place. Unbelievably, her body responded, awakening anew to a hunger she had thought already appeased.
With one hand on Grace's hip, holding her steady as he thrust in and out, Jed slipped his other hand between her thighs. He increased the speed of his lunges and his fingers stroked repeatedly until she heard him groan and knew he had reached his limit. His release came quickly, wildly, and the last few thrusts jolted her with the force of a body slam. But what she felt-all she felt-was fulfillment claiming her once again. Within seconds after Jed came, she did, too. A second time.
He toppled her into bed, the two of them still joined, his sex still hard and hot between her legs. He nuzzled her neck.
"I'd like to stay this way until we fall asleep," he whispered hoarsely. "But…" He pulled out of her, got up, then leaned over to kiss her before he headed for the bathroom.
Grace felt lost without him. She wanted him back in her arms, back in her body. Now.
In the sweet, dark hours of predawn, it was easy to believe that nothing and no one existed outside this room. The whole world had shrunk to encompass this sixteen-by-sixteen bedroom, this big oak bed and the man who had given her unparalleled pleasure.
Gone only a couple of minutes, Jed came out of the bathroom carrying a damp washcloth. When he sat on the bed, he spread her legs apart and cleaned her, then planted a kiss just below her navel. Before she could say thank you, he left her again. But within seconds he reemerged from the bathroom.
"You're not leaving to go back to your room, are you?"he asked as he stood by the bed.
"Not unless you want me to." Her heartbeat hummed inside her head.
Jed lay down beside her and pulled her into his arms. He kissed her temple and said, "What I want is you to stay right here, as close to me as you can get."
"That's what I want, too."
She cuddled against him, feeling more alive in her sated, drowsy state than she'd ever felt in her entire life. And in that moment she knew-she couldn't deny it any longer, at least not to herself. She was in love with Jed Tyree. Head over heels, madly, passionately in love.
Jim Kelly sat alone in his room in the Fortier house gazing out the window at the dawn sky. He couldn't sleep, couldn't even rest. He'd wanted to do more to help Charmaine Fortier after the sheriff had informed them of her brother's death. But he couldn't go to her, couldn't stay with her without arousing suspicion.
He had been part of the Louisiana Mafia for nearly two years, his credentials forged, his identity falsified. He'd been able to stay in contact with the Bureau without any problems, up until six months ago when he'd been assigned to Booth Fortier's inner circle of bodyguards. A real stroke of luck, but with definite drawbacks. With his movements restricted, his every waking hour spent with others, he had little or no opportunity to even make a phone call or mail a letter. He was determined to do nothing to jeopardize his position, because when the time came, his firsthand knowledge of Fortier and the syndicate he ruled would prove invaluable. He'd managed to make a few phone calls when he was away from the house, but he'd been tied to his bodyguard duties twenty-four-seven for months now. All he could do was wait for the Bureau to come to him. And he knew they would. Moran would send in an agent-whether Federal or independent-to make contact. They'd have to let him know when they were ready to strike, ready to bring Fortier and his crime empire down.
But lately things here had gotten really complicated. Ever since he'd moved into Fortier's private residence, he had suspected that Booth abused his wife. Now he knew it for sure. The most recent beating had left Charmaine horribly battered. Jim wondered how her brother had been able to stand by all these years and watch Booth use her like a punching bag. Then again maybe he did understand, After all, what had he done to help her? But he couldn't help her-not yet. He didn't dare do anything to jeopardize his undercover work. More than his life or Charmaine's depended on the success of his mission, He couldn't take the chance Jaron Vaden had taken-taken and lost. But when the operation came to a close, when Fortier was arrested, Jim intended to make sure Charmaine was protected.
Jed kissed Grace's shoulder, then ran his tongue up her neck to her ear. She roused from sleep and moaned softly. His open palm skimmed over her belly, past her navel and covered her mound. She turned and draped her arm across his chest, pressing her body to his side.
"What time is it?" she asked, her eyes still closed.
"Almost daylight." He lifted himself over her just enough to kiss her lips.