The Next Play: Part Three Page 11

  When Jonah took the next right, then flicked on his turn signal, she leaned forward to look through the windshield. “We’re at your building,” she said with surprise, since she’d assumed they would be going to a restaurant and then a fancy hotel.

  He slid her a worried look. “Is that all right? Would you prefer we stay somewhere else tonight?”

  “No! No, this is perfect. Honestly, I just… I wasn’t sure you’d want me to be in your, you know, bed is all,” she finished awkwardly, blushing again.

  He shook his head a little, as if he didn’t know what to make of her. “Jocelyn, you’re not just some woman I’m hooking up with. You’re mine. And I fuck my woman in my bed. Or her bed. Or our bed. I don’t take her to a fucking hotel room.”

  She bit her lip as he parked, not sure what she should say. He solved the dilemma for her when he slid his hand around the back of her neck, tugging her toward him as he leaned over and gave her another one of those wicked, sin-drenched kisses that made her pulse race and her nipples tighten. When the interior light automatically turned off, he swept his tongue over her bottom lip and pulled away, the smile kicking up the corner of his beautiful mouth so freaking sexy she had to blink a few times before she could look away.

  He told her to sit tight, then came around and opened her door for her, helping her out, and grabbed her bag from the back, slinging it over his broad shoulder. They held hands as they rode the parking elevator up to the lobby, and exchanged greetings with the doorman as they walked to the bank of elevators situated behind the circular front desk. Two enormous flower arrangements stood on pedestals on either side of the elevators, their rich scent filling her nose each time Jocelyn pulled in a deep breath, and she tried not to let nerves get the better of her as Jonah slid her another smoldering, heavy-lidded look.

  When they stepped onto an open elevator, she noticed that he hit the button for the top floor, before typing in a special code on the keypad with his free hand. Then she remembered that he had an outdoor swimming pool, so of course he lived on the top freaking floor.

  Feeling like an idiot for not figuring it out sooner, she held his hand a little tighter, trying not to be intimidated by his wealth. After all, it wasn’t like he acted like a rich snob, and he seemed to have no problem enjoying himself at her modest apartment.

  Still, her eyes went wide as the doors opened onto a beautiful glass-roofed hallway that was lined with lush potted plants, an ornate wooden door on their left.

  Jonah let go of her hand so that he could unlock the door with his key, and then he swept her up into his arms and carried her inside, her surprised gasp melting into a shy laugh. He kicked the door shut behind them, and carried her into the high-ceilinged living room, where the exterior walls were made completely of glass, the city spreading out like a forest of lights down below.

  The view was stunning, the apartment exquisite—with deep leather sofas and dark wood furnishings accented with hammered metal—and as if he could read her mind, he lowered his head and rubbed his nose against hers, saying, “It’s just a place to live, baby. And a lonely one at that.”

  A wry smile twitched at the corner of her lips. “Was I that transparent?”

  His reply was as gentle as the warm look in his eyes. “Naw. I just like to think that I’m getting good at reading you.”

  “You’re good at a lot of things, Mr. Cartwright.”

  He smiled as he tilted his head a bit, brushing his firm lips over hers. “I’m glad you think so, angel. Because all I want is to be good for you.”

  He carried her into the kitchen, then set her on her feet and placed her bag on the marble-topped breakfast bar. Something was being kept warm in the oven, and there were two bags from one of the most famous restaurants in San Francisco sitting on the far edge of the counter. What Jocelyn assumed was their dinner smelled mouthwateringly delicious, but she was relieved when he simply took a bottle of champagne out of the refrigerator, since she was still too nervous to eat. He poured their drinks, and as they carried the champagne flutes out to the pool/patio area, she gasped when she saw that he’d strewn bright red rose petals over the stone paving, creating a breathtaking walkway from the glass door to the sturdy metal railing.

  “Ohmygod, Jonah, they’re beautiful,” she said breathlessly, her throat burning with emotion as he grinned and took her hand, leading her along the flower-covered path, the crystal blue water of the pool shimmering in the moonlight. “This is honestly the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me.”

  “It’s what you deserve, Jocelyn. I want this night to be perfect for you,” he husked, pulling her into his side as they reached the railing. And despite the spectacular view spreading out for as far as the eye could see, they were both focused completely on each other.

  “So what did you do today?” she asked with a grin, after taking a sip of the crisp champagne. “Other than making sure you created the perfect date for your girlfriend?”

  Bracing an elbow on the railing as he faced her, he said, “Lucas dropped by this morning and apologized for being such a jackass last night. And then Gabe, Nic, and Jack showed up, and we all played some basketball before they took off.”

  “I’m glad Lucas came by. I exchanged a few emails with him today, and it was obvious that he feels awful for showing up drunk last night and acting the way that he did.”

  “He wrote to you?” he asked, his dark brows lifting.

  “Yes.”

  “He likes you,” he said roughly, before taking a drink from his glass, and it was clear from his tone that he didn’t mean as a friend.

  “Hey, don’t do that,” she murmured, placing her free hand against his chest as she stared up into his handsome face. “Don’t create drama where we don’t have any, Jonah. There’s already enough of that to go around.”

  “I’m sorry,” he sighed. “You’re right.”

  “If I have to accept your friendship with Denny, then you need to accept my friendship with Lucas.”

  “You’re right again,” he said with a wry, grim-edged smile.

  “And you know you can trust me, right?” She rubbed her hand over the heavy pounding of his heart. “I swear I would never do anything to hurt you.”

  She expected him to deny feeling that way, so his graveled response was a shock. “Doesn’t mean I’m not terrified of losing you.”

  “You don’t need to be,” she told him. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  “Thank God for that.” His dark gaze was heavy and burning. “Though I’ll probably still act like a jealous shit when you spend time with men who I know think you’re a fucking catch.”

  Her lips curved in a teasing smile. “A catch, huh?”

  “Christ,” he laughed, shaking his head. “I sound ancient, don’t I?”

  “Well, you are a lot older than me,” she said with a smirk.

  “Hmm, well, you can call me ‘Daddy’ later tonight,” he drawled, and even though she knew he was only playing with her, the wicked curve to his beautiful mouth still made her shiver with arousal.

  “Actually,” she said, after taking another sip of her champagne, “as much as I hate to rain on your jealousy parade, I’m pretty sure that Lucas is crazy about Keaton.”

  “You picked up on that?” he muttered.

  “Uh, yeah,” she laughed, lifting her brows. “I think the only one who doesn’t see it is her. But I’d bet money on the fact that she likes him too.”

  He grimaced as he took another drink.

  “What’s wrong? Don’t you like Keaton?”

  “Of course I like her. She’s like a little sister to all of us. Well, to everyone except Lucas. Their relationship has always been a bit strained.”

  “If you like her, then what’s the problem?”

  “Lucas is…” He trailed off as he took a deep breath, then slowly let it out, looking as if he were searching for the right words. “Hell, Lucas is complicated, and as badly as I want the guy to be happy, I’m not sure that I trus
t him not to hurt her.”

  This time, she was the one grimacing. “Oh.” She lifted the flute back up to her lips, took a sip, and then said, “Speaking of complicated men, are you ever going to tell me about your relationship with your father?”

  He looked down at his glass, and there was a tightness around his eyes and his mouth as he muttered, “I will, when the time’s right.”

  Softly, she asked, “And when will that be?”

  His dark gaze lifted, locking hard with hers, and there was a bitterness in his voice that hadn’t been there a moment ago. “It’s an ugly story, Jace. And I fucking hate the idea of touching you with that shit.”

  “I won’t push,” she said, giving him a gentle smile. “It’s got to feel right for you, Jonah. But this is what couples do. They share their burdens and help carry the weight.”

  He finished off his champagne in one long swallow, then set the glass aside. “I don’t want to burden you, damn it. I just want to protect you and make you happy.”

  “And you do. But I’m an adult and I’m tougher than you give me credit for. The only way this will last is if you trust me to be strong enough to stand beside you. I don’t want, or need, to be carried. Do you understand what I’m saying?” she asked, searching those beautiful blue eyes.

  “You think I’m babying you,” he muttered with a frown.

  “Only because you’re worried you’ll scare me away.” Another soft smile touched the corner of her lips. “But if I haven’t run yet, then guess what? I’m not running.”

  “I hear what you’re saying. I do. But I… I have this constant struggle in my head,” he told her, his deep voice rough with emotion, “of knowing I’m not good enough for you, but that I’d fucking kill anyone else who tried to take you away from me.”

  “Jonah, you don’t need to worry about that. I don’t want you feeling that way.”

  “Yeah, well,” he muttered, “that’s enough about all of that. This night is meant to be about the future, not the past.” He took her glass and set it down beside his, then caged her in against the railing with his arms, his hot gaze locking tight with hers. “So right now, Miss Brenna, I don’t want you worrying about anything. The only things you need to be thinking about are what you want, and how hard you want it.”

  “Well, what I want is you,” she said, leaning up and nipping his chin as she placed her hands at his waist, his warm, addictive scent filling her head. “And I have a feeling I’m going to want it really hard.”

  “That’s my girl,” he drawled with a husky laugh.

  “And before we go inside,” she said, her voice breathless with the excitement that was pulsing through her veins, “I want… I wanted to tell you, to let you know, that I’m, um, on the Pill.”

  His blue eyes went wider than she’d ever seen them. “Are you serious?”

  With a little nod, she said, “I am.”

  “Are you…” He ran his tongue over his bottom lip, and she noticed the way his corded throat worked as he gave a hard swallow. “Are you saying that I can ride you bareback?”

  “Ride me what?” she asked with a nervous laugh, having no idea what he was talking about.

  He grinned like a devil. “It means to fuck without a condom.” She blinked, and his grin got a little more wicked as he told her, “Because I’ve never done that before, Jocelyn. Not once. Not ever.”

  “Are you serious?” she said, repeating his earlier question back at him.

  He nodded, looking like he might start ripping her clothes off at any second.

  “Well,” she whispered, her pulse so hard and fast she could hear it rushing in her ears, “do you want to?”

  Leaning down, he rubbed his nose against hers again, this time in a playful caress that seemed completely at odds with the rigid tension she could feel pulsing off his big, magnificent body. “Baby,” he rasped, “are you really asking me if I want to fill up your sweet little pussy with my cum?”

  “Believe it or not,” she said with an embarrassed laugh, “I am.”

  He pressed his forehead against hers, a harsh groan on his lips as his tall frame shook with a powerful shudder.

  “Jonah?” she murmured, wondering why he wasn’t already carrying her up to his bed. Why he wasn’t already buried a mile inside her. And then he lifted his head and looked her right in the eye, his own eyes such a hot, violent blue they almost looked as if they’d been lit from within.

  “You give me this,” he growled, “and I’m taking it 24-7, Jocelyn. I’ll want you full of me every goddamn day. Every night. You won’t ever be able to get rid of me.”

  She lifted her trembling hands, curling them over his broad shoulders, and said, “Okay.”

  His eyes darkened and his nostrils flared. “Are you saying you’re ready for that, sweetheart?”

  She bit her lip, her heart pounding so hard she thought it might burst from her chest. But no way in hell was she backing down now. No way did she even want to. “Jonah, I’ve been ready since I opened my door.”

  She had a feeling the delicious meal in his kitchen was going to have to wait, because in the next second she was in his strong arms again and he was carrying her inside, the beautiful apartment passing by in a blur as he took the stairs to the second floor two at a time. They entered a sprawling master bedroom, two of its four walls made of nothing but glass, the floor a beautiful gray stone that must have cost a freaking fortune.

  There was a massive king-sized bed covered in varying shades of gray linen pressed against one wall, but Jonah didn’t take her there. Instead, he set her on her feet right in front of one of those transparent walls, the city glittering like a sea of lights behind her, while in front of her stood the most sexual, provocative man she’d ever known.

  The man she was helplessly in love with.

  And the one who was about two seconds away from fucking her brains out.

  “You look so goddamn sexy in this,” he said in a low, gritty voice, his masculine hands running down the sides of her dress, “that I almost hate to take it off you.” His lips twitched with another wicked smile, and he slid his hands around to her back, the quiet hiss as he pulled her zipper down making her shiver. “But the dress has gotta go, angel, because I need to get to what’s underneath.”

  They both sucked in sharp breaths as the strapless dress fell to the floor, pooling around her feet, the sexy heels still giving her a bit of height.

  “Fuck, Jace. Are you trying to kill me?”

  His deep voice was even gruffer than before, and she couldn’t help but smile. The black satin and lace lingerie set she’d bought earlier that day was worth every penny, just to hear him sound like that. To feel the molten heat of his greedy gaze as he ran it down her trembling body.

  “Christ, baby. Look at you.” He exhaled in an audible rush. “You’re the most beautiful fucking thing I’ve ever seen.”

  “Shut up,” she mumbled, loving the way he was staring at her, consuming her, the stark emotion on his handsome face making her eyes prick with tears.

  “Like hell I will. Just stand there for a minute and let me soak you in.”

  “I want the same,” she sniffed, desperate to see him. “Right now.”

  He smirked like the cocky, alpha sex god that he was, then started unbuttoning his shirt, tossing it carelessly to the floor, followed by his shoes and socks. Then he was standing before her in nothing but his bespoke trousers, and as he began undoing his leather belt, Jocelyn thought she might actually start to drool, he was that freaking gorgeous. He pushed his tight black boxers down with his pants, kicking them both away, and she just stood there and panted, drinking in the sight of him like it was something she needed to live, stunned by the sheer perfection of him. By the long, masculine lines of bone and sinew and the sharp indentations of muscle beneath his golden skin.

  And his huge beast of a cock was mouthwatering in its rugged beauty, the long, engorged shaft thick and dark and already slick at the broad, flushed crown.


  “Honestly, Jonah,” she breathed, melting and shaking with need. “You’re so perfect it’s unreal.”

  He made a hard, visceral sound in the back of his throat, and then he was close, his big hands pushing her up against the glass as he took her mouth with violent need, kissing her like he was already fucking her, her nails digging into his sleek, hard shoulders as she held on for dear life. She kissed him back with every bit of raw, aching hunger burning inside her, until he broke away and turned her to face the glass. His hot hands moved down her arms and gripped her wrists, lifting them over her head. Then he pressed her hands flat against the glass, making it clear that he wanted her to keep them there.

  He trapped her there against the transparent wall, the thin pane of glass the only thing separating her nearly naked body from the endless night, and then he lowered his head, his mouth at her ear as he whispered, “Is this okay?”

  “Y-yes.”

  “God, Jace. I can’t wait to get inside you,” he growled, and she gasped as he reached around her front, one hand tugging down the right side of her bra to curl around her heavy breast, his thumb and forefinger working her swollen nipple, while his other hand stroked down the center of her body.

  “I can’t fucking believe that you’re here,” he muttered. “Can’t believe this is real.”

  His low voice was guttural and strained, barely human in its intensity, and her body reacted as much from his tone as it did from the words he was saying. His hand moved lower, between her trembling legs, his rough fingers playing over the drenched lace of her panties, and she could only stare in helpless need at his reflection in the glass, his hooded gaze sharp and possessive. His silky hair was wine-dark in the moonlight, his rugged features looking as if they’d been carved from stone.

  He was so much taller than her.

  So much broader.

  Stronger.

  He could take anything he wanted from her—and yet, his greatest goal seemed to be her pleasure.