As I walked to the door, I realized my nipples were already hard, pressing against my shirt. I tugged it looser to hide them. I'd waited years for this, and no matter how ready I was, I was going to make this last.
I cracked open the door. "Bastard."
His brows shot up. "What did I do now?"
"Pretending you were staying downstairs. Faking being asleep when I slipped down there."
"I've been outside since you first went upstairs, Jaime. I was talking to the officers on duty, then scouting to ensure I could still get up here without being seen." He paused, lips twitching. "So you came back down? Hoping to do what? Sneak me back up to your room?"
"Of course not. I was getting an aspirin and a glass of water."
"You have a headache?"
"No-yes. A bad headache. So sorry. Better luck tomorrow."
I started to close the door, but he wedged his fingers in the gap. A tug and it opened a little farther. Then, one hand still on the door, he reached the other in, fingers brushing my cheek, hand going behind my head to pull me to him. For a second, I hung there, straining for his touch, aching for his kiss… and knowing, if I let him get me closer right now, I wasn't going to make it as far as the bed. And as delicious as that thought was, it wasn't quite what I had in mind. So I stepped back and snapped the lock down, stopping it at a six-inch gap-
"Headache, hmm?" His expression went serious. "Do you know what's the best cure for that?"
"What?"
"Orgasm."
He said it so matter-of-factly I had to sputter a laugh.
"Multiple, if possible," he continued. "It's a proven medical fact that one physiologic event, like orgasm, can cancel out the effects of another physiological process, such as a headache."
His expression was perfectly serious, but I said, "You're full of shit."
"Perhaps. If so, you should call my bluff. Just open the door and we'll test it out."
He gave me a look that was almost enough to let me test it without so much as a touch. Which gave me an idea…
"You're right. Maybe I should." I backed up to the bed, then settled onto the edge. "But I think I can manage by myself. I'm a strong believer in self-reliance."
"I see."
I smiled. "Not yet."
As I eased back onto the bed, my skirt hiked up until it was bunched at my hips. I ran my fingers along the hem, then under, to the inside of my thigh.
"You wouldn't dare," he said.
"That's what you said last night and, as you may have noticed, I'm not the sort of woman to let a challenge pass."
I leaned back and brought my feet up to give him a better view. I stroked the inside of my thigh, fingers climbing higher. A surreptitious look his way. He was pressed against the gap, his nostrils flaring, eyes glinting. His lips parted, tongue slipping between his teeth-
I shuddered and pulled my gaze away. I was already so wet I'd need to peel these panties off.
I slipped my fingertip under my panty leg, running it along the edge, tugging it up just enough to give him a peek at what lay beneath. Then, holding the panties aside with one hand, I teased myself with the other, gasping and arching my hips.
Jeremy gripped the edge of the door frame, fingers flexing as if readying for that lock-breaking yank. But he didn't do it, just stood there, watching me, nostrils flaring, holding back-controlling it and drawing it out until the last possible moment-
I stopped before I hit my last possible moment. I let go of my panties, but kept my finger under them, where he couldn't watch.
"You could open that door, Jeremy," I said. "But that would break it, and then you'd have to explain things and, well, that just wouldn't be proper, would it?"
I leaned back on the bed, fingers still teasing us both. His hand tightened on the door frame, but he only said, "Open the door, Jaime."
"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" I slid a finger inside myself and gasped. "I'm doing just fine on my own."
"I can do better."
"Think so? I'm pretty sure I have more practice."
A laugh. Then a roll of his shoulders, as if trying to snap out of the mood. He glanced over his shoulder.
"You really should let me in, Jaime. Before a guard walks by and sees me. That's trouble we don't want."
"Oh, so now you're getting all responsible on me. I thought you said it was safe."
"For climbing up, not camping out."
I walked to the door, stopped at the opposite end-out of his reach-and peered into the night.
"All anyone can see from this angle, in the darkness, is a very big tree."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Absolutely?"
"Yes, so you're not using that as an excuse to come inside."
"I wasn't thinking of excuses. I was thinking of a little show you promised me in the alley this afternoon."
"I never promised-"
"An implied promise, cut short by a phone call, which I never complained about."
"You're such a gentleman."
He stepped back, leaning against the railing.
"Please," I said rolling my eyes. "You expect me to strip in front of a patio door? What kind of woman do you take me for?"
His lips twitched in that sexy, crooked smile, gaze locking on mine. "I dare you."
"Bastard."
"Keeping calling me that and I might get offended and leave."
I mouthed the word, checked the lock on the door, then backed up and started tugging my blouse from my skirt, slow and deliberate. Then the unbuttoning. I shrugged and the blouse slid down my shoulders, but no further. Reaching behind, I unzipped the skirt. A shimmy and it went down to my waist and caught at my hips.
"See, I told you it was too tight."
I gave a halfhearted tug. It fell a half-inch. Another shrug and my blouse slid to my breasts and stopped.
"Hmmm, seems that's a little tight too," I murmured.
Another shimmy. Another half-inch. The lace on my panties showed over the waistline. I plucked at it with one hand and ran the fingers of the other under my bra.
"Seems I could use a hand."
"I believe I already offered that."
I laughed, then tugged off the shirt and let it float to the ground. The skirt followed, pooling at my feet.
"Is this okay?" I asked. "Or do you prefer au naturel?"
"I didn't get much of a look at au naturel last night. You turned away before the dress came off, if you recall."
"Did I? Nasty." I stepped out of the skirt and moved closer to the door. "I suppose you want to do a comparison."
He nodded, but his gaze kept traveling over the sheer lace bra and matching G-string panties. I backed up, then bent, picked up my discarded clothing and headed for the bed. As I turned, he made a low noise deep in his throat.
I leaned over the bed to lay my clothing on the far side. Then, still bent over, I glanced over my shoulder at him. His expression was enough to make me lean over farther, feet spread a little wider.
"Seeing something you like?" I said. "A position maybe? Judging by that look you're giving me, I think you're more of a wolf than you let on."
A low chuckle. "Normally, I wouldn't say it's a preference, but at the moment I believe I could be persuaded."
I stretched farther, arching to enhance his view… and the invitation. My hand glided between my legs. I pushed the fabric aside, then slid a fingertip in again.
"Jaime…"
I pushed the finger the rest of the way in. Jeremy grabbed the door frame. I smiled.
"One tug, that's all it'll take. I'll be right here. Waiting and…" I slid my wet finger out for him to see. "Ready."
His grip tightened on the door and I braced myself. Then he stopped short, nostrils flaring as he glanced over his shoulder. I backed off the bed and hurried over.
"Is someone down-?"
He lifted his finger to his lips and stepped to the edge for a better look. He frowned, then gaze still riveted to something below, eased back to the door. His lips moved, but I caught only a murmur.
I moved to the gap and whispered, "What's that?"