Inspiration lit. He smiled, the thrill of what he could do for her sending a rush through him.
He cut the restraints and let his hands roam freely to her br**sts, lush from carrying his child. Her response was immediate and gratifying as she moaned, arching into his palms.
Her eyes drifted closed, her panting breaths pushing her against his hands again and again. “ Jordan , the no-sex problem. Remember?”
“I remember.” He would never do anything to risk her health or that of their child.
Sure he wanted her, but he was man enough to wait for his own gratification.
“We’re not going to have sex. I’m just going to help you feel less…restless.”
His hand slid to her hip to caress high and higher still on her thigh. “If that’s what you want.”
She edged closer, guiding his fingers. “I definitely want, but what about you?”
“We can worry about me another time.” He tucked a finger inside the band of her low-cut panties and rubbed along the smooth skin of her stomach. “Tonight’s about you.”
He covered her mouth with his while sweeping away her underwear. Sighing into his kiss, she kicked free the scrap of satin. He sought, found, the tight bud between her legs. His thumb teased back and forth, eliciting another happy hum from her.
As much as he wanted to watch her face, he enjoyed kissing her too damn much to stop, took pleasure in the feel of her frantic hands grasping at his shoulders, her fingernails digging into his skin.
Soon, sooner than he’d expected, her chest rose and fell rapidly. She moaned repeated don’t-stop urgings as she pressed more firmly against him. The speed of her response to his touch surged through him. He opened his eyes to take in the beauty of her face as she found her release, her grip digging deeper into him.
Three gasps later, she sagged onto her back, her head burrowing into her pillow.
Puffy breaths slid between her lips. And yeah, he took plenty of satisfaction in knowing how much he affected her. He might have transferred a boatload of her restlessness to himself, but it pleased him no end to see the way she relaxed into his arms now, her cheeks still flushed and her mouth swollen from his kiss.
“Better?” he asked, unable to take his eyes off her.
She smiled slowly. “Much.”
He gathered her close until she settled with a final sigh. He stroked her hair away from her face while she relaxed against him, her breathing evening out with sleep.
“Good night, beautiful,” he whispered against her hair.
He knew how right it was for her to be in his bed. Why couldn’t she understand it, as well? As much as he wanted to take reassurance from her presence here, from her joy over the painting, he couldn’t forget their argument earlier. He’d never met anyone as stubborn as Brooke in a quiet, determined way that crept up on a person.
Jordan glanced at the clock—4:00 a.m.
He knew without question sleep wouldn’t be coming to him as easily as it had for Brooke.
It would be a long three days until her next visit to the doctor.
Brooke settled in the back of the limo after her OB appointment and allowed herself the huge sigh of relief she’d kept restrained at the clinic.
Thank goodness she could do away with being chauffeured around now that the doctor had cleared her. All looked good with the baby and her blood pressure.
She wished Jordan could have been there with her—knew he wanted to be—but he’d been stuck in traffic blocked off by an accident. He’d called once the wreck was cleared, but she’d already been on her way back to the exam room. There simply wasn’t time for Jordan to make it across town to meet her.
At least she could surprise him with all the good news—and an ultrasound photo of their son.
A baby boy.
She let images of playing on the beach with her little one stir in her head. She allowed those dreams to shift with Jordan stepping into the scenario. For the first time she could imagine a future with him, a happily-ever-after where they let love grow between them.
Love.
The word still gave her heart an uncomfortable squeeze, but she waited through it rather than shying away as she’d done in the past.
She concentrated on all the good news she would share with him soon. Not only was she okay to attend her sister’s wedding and return to work, but she’d been cleared by her doctor to resume all normal activities.
Including sex.
After their steamy encounter the night of her dream, they’d begun sharing a bed, a tormenting pleasure. She’d wanted more during those nights, yet took comfort in the strength of his arms. Without question, she slept better with him at her side.
Tonight, they wouldn’t sleep, not for a long while, anyway.
And tomorrow? She would worry about that in the morning. Because right now, she couldn’t think of anything other than making tracks to locate Jordan and find the nearest bed. Lucky for them both, the Hotel Victoria offered plenty of options.
Jordan glanced at the time on his computer screen, wishing he was with Brooke rather than at the Hotel Victoria. He would have been if not for the traffic jam on the causeway that had eventually sent him back to his desk.
He wanted to find Brooke and hear about her visit to the doctor. He’d tried to call her, but she wasn’t picking up her phone.
He glanced at his clock again. What was keeping her? Memories of that terrible night in the E.R. tormented him. He shoved up from his chair, ready to start checking the roads if she didn’t show up soon. Maybe he’d misunderstood her earlier, and she’d simply gone to his house.
Jordan reached for the phone to call his housekeeper just as the door began to open.
Relief socked him. Dead center. “Brooke—”
Except the woman in the doorway wasn’t the mother of his child. Instead, he found the last person he expected—or wanted—to see right now.
His ex-lover, Sheila McKay.
He put up his guard as fast as he rose to his feet. She’d been persistent the past few weeks, trying to get in touch with him. Apparently she didn’t accept rejection easily. “Sheila, my assistant shouldn’t have let you up here.”
He’d tried to be calm and civil when he’d stopped dating Sheila over six months ago, but she’d continually attempted to jump-start their relationship. Shortly after he had broken up with her, she’d taken a job as a receptionist at Garrison Inc.—and promptly worked to lure him back with valuable insider information.
Sheila sashayed into his work area on spiky high heels. “Your assistant must be taking a coffee break, because I didn’t see anyone except a few whistling construction workers.”