Page 17 of Agent of the Heart (Hearts in Hawthorne #3)

Chapter

Ten

D arby saw his eyes widen slightly, followed by desire flaring in them. His eyes were hazel, the same as hers, but they turned almost the green of a cat’s as he slid into place next to her.

Suddenly, his mouth was on hers. Hot. Demanding. Aggressive. Unlike before, there was no warming up to more heated kisses. Jace came out of the gate as if he were on fire, and it lit a fire within Darby, as well.

Without missing a beat, he lifted her into his lap, their mouths fused together. She wrapped her arms about his neck, wanting to be as close to him as she could. Her breasts pressed against his chest, which seemed harder than granite. Already, her nipples were tightening, as was her core.

He eased her mouth open, and she gave way, admitting him.

Their tongues began mating immediately, both fighting for control of the kiss.

But there were no losers tonight. Every stroke of his tongue against hers brought satisfaction pouring through her.

She pushed her fingers into his thick, brown hair, marveling at the softness of it.

They tightened as he deepened the kiss, and she held on for what was the wildest ride of kisses ever.

They were all-consuming. Drugging. Invading her very soul.

She wasn’t shy, either. She gave as good as she got, taking from him as he did her.

He broke the kiss, giving them a moment for a quick breath, and then he dived into it again.

His hands now roamed her back. One fell to her thigh, rubbing up and down it, only the thin material of her sundress between them.

His hand went lower, capturing her calf, massaging it, causing her to moan.

“You like that?” he asked against her mouth, his hand moving higher, slipping under the hem of her dress. It rode higher, reaching her thigh, kneading it.

Sparks began igniting within her, and she felt as if she were out of control, running for the edge of a cliff, ready to dive into the abyss without thought.

His hand skimmed up her thigh and down it, then moved between her legs. She let out a whimper as he dragged a finger along the seam of her sex. It tightened, and she wanted his finger inside her. The thought shocked her. Surprised her. She didn’t take the idea of sex with any man lightly.

But she wanted Jace Tanner in her. Now.

His mouth was on hers again, devouring her, keeping her from asking him for that very thing. His finger continued to tease her, sliding up and down her slit, causing her to whimper. Then he moved it to the edge of her panties and seemed to hesitate.

Breaking the kiss, she panted, “Do it,” frantic for the feel of him.

He did as she asked, sliding his finger beneath the silk material.

And into her.

She gasped at the intrusion, tightening about it.

“You’re wet for me. Dripping,” he said, his voice low and raw. “I want to touch you. Taste you.”

“Do it,” she echoed, need coursing through her.

Instead of continuing what he’d started, Jace came to his feet, bringing her with him.

He was a good foot taller than she was and lifted her easily.

He left the living room and went down a hallway, entering his bedroom, which was in the dark.

Gently, he placed her on the bed and turned on a light sitting on the nightstand beside the bed.

His eyes were dark now, a dark gray-green, glowing like liquid heat. As she lay there, he peeled off his jacket. Unknotted his tie and slid it from his neck. Slowly unbuttoned the starched dress shirt, all while she watched, her breathing shallow.

He was bare to the waist now and the most beautiful man she had ever seen, his chest sculpted with muscle, his belly flat, ridged into an eight-pack. He reached out, pulling her to her feet, pressing his body against hers. She could feel his stiff cock pushing against her.

“I want to give you the best orgasm of your life,” he said. “May I do so?”

Again, he asked. He wanted her consent. That was about as sexy a thing as she had ever heard.

“Yes,” she said breathlessly.

“Good.”

He took a small step back, his hands going around her to unzip her sundress.

He peeled it away from her pulsing body.

It pooled at her feet. He lifted her from it, placing her on the bed again.

She hadn’t worn a bra with the dress and only wore the scrap of silk panties.

Leaning down, he slipped his fingers into the top and worked them over her hips and down her legs, tossing them over his shoulder. She watched each move he made.

Wetting her lips, she swallowed, her heart racing madly. Jace lay down beside her, propping his elbow up and bracing his head in the palm of his hand.

“I want to watch you,” he said.

“All right.”

He moved his free hand, placing it flat on her belly. The heat was immense. Slowly he dragged it downward, his fingers finding and parting her. One finger slowly entered her, causing her to gasp.

And him to smile.

“You’re so beautiful,” he said.

“I’m pretty. Not beautiful.”

Giving her a wolfish smile, he said, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And I think you are stunning.”

As he spoke, his finger moved within her. Stroking her. Stretching her. Another one joined it, and she began to writhe from his touch. Then whimper. She begged him to hurry. He only smiled.

Then he stroked her deeply, causing her hips to rise. His finger pressed against the perfect spot, and she sighed.

“You like that.”

“I do,” she said, trying to sound playful, but what he was doing to her was slowly driving her out of her mind.

He pressed hard, then began circling the place. Her breath quickened. Little mewls came from her. All the time, he watched her, satisfaction on his face.

Then the pressure mounted, building inside of her, pushing her over the edge.

His fingers continued to move as she cried out his name, her body no longer hers.

The orgasm slammed through her, flooding her, making her dizzy and then causing her to float on a cloud of pure bliss.

She finally came back to earth, her gaze meeting his.

“How was that?” he asked.

“Better than anything I can ever recall,” she said truthfully.

“I think we can do better.”

With that, he got off the bed. His fingers wrapped around her ankles and tugged, pulling her across the bed until her feet dangled from it. Her bottom was at the very edge.

Grabbing a pillow, he placed it on the floor and knelt on top of it. His lips brushed against her inner thigh, traveling slowly upward. She held her breath for a moment and then forced herself to take a breath, afraid if she didn’t, she would pass out and miss all the fun.

His fingers kneaded her thighs, their heat scalding her bare skin. Then he moved closer to her. Rationally, she knew what oral sex was, but no man had ever performed it on her before. Excitement raced through her.

His tongue licked her inner thigh, moving closer to where the pounding was at her core, the beat sharp and fast and demanding. Then his tongue stroked her seam, and she cried out. Her fingers plunged into his hair, tightening in the thick locks. He pushed his tongue inside her, causing her to jump.

The next few minutes passed in a blur. He used his tongue.

His teeth. His fingers. The combination of all three turned her into a pleading mess.

She begged him, holding him close, feeling his smile against her body.

Then the wild sensations tore through her again, and she rocked her hips, crying out, taking the ride of her life.

When the orgasm ended, she was completely limp.

She couldn’t have lifted a finger and didn’t try to do so.

Jace removed his shoes and socks and stripped off his suit pants, leaving him in boxer-briefs.

Again, she marveled at his sculpted frame.

His legs were incredible, thick, muscular thighs and beautifully shaped calves that made her want to sink her teeth into them.

He climbed into bed with her, dragging her up to where the pillows were. Then he wrapped his arms about her. She was being held tenderly, yet possessively, and it made her eyes sting with tears.

“Sleep,” he urged, kissing her hair.

“I … want … but I can’t move.”

“Close your eyes, Darby,” Jace ordered.

So, she did.

Jace was in deep trouble. He’d played with fire, thinking he was invincible.

Darby Montgomery had brought him to his knees.

All his life, he hadn’t needed anyone. Hadn’t wanted to need anyone. He was strong. Independent. Unemotional. Focused. While he had always wanted to reunite with his older brother, he hadn’t made room for anyone else in his life. The closest thing he had to family, beyond Eli, was his office staff.

Darby had waltzed into his life and changed everything.

Suddenly, nothing seemed important. Not the business he’d built from scratch or the fat bank account he had. The condo. His investment portfolio. He could kiss everything goodbye and never miss it—if he had Darby.

That frightened him to his core.

He lay in bed now, holding her in his arms, listening to her even breathing as her light, floral scent danced up to tease him. He wanted to make love to her. Possess her. Never let her go.

How could that be?

They’d only met days ago. If you considered tonight a date, then they’d been on a grand total of one.

Hell, he hadn’t even had sex with her yet.

Oral, yes, because he’d wanted so bad to get her off.

To hear his name come from her lips. And oh, it had.

She had been like lighting a candle. Watching it begin to flame and then burn, higher and higher. And she had.

He’d kissed her. Brought her to orgasm twice. And he was already thinking about making things permanent.

He’d gone bat-shit crazy.

Yes, she was attractive. Yes, they had sexual chemistry.

And yes, she had a brain. A good one. She was quick-witted and could easily carry on a conversation about all kinds of topics, unlike the vapid beauties he usually hooked up with.

Jace didn’t want something quick and easy with her.

A brief, torrid affair. No, he wanted more.

But that wasn’t going to happen.

They were cut from very different cloths.

She had made the choice to return to her hometown, a place that seemed as All-American as the mythical Mayberry of TV.

Hawthorne was a good place. A small town with nice, decent people.

Darby would easily weave herself into its fabric.

Teaching kids. Making a difference. Finding someone to love and marry. Having kids and her happily ever after.

That was not the kind of life he wanted.

He was all about glitz and glam. Fast cars and Michelin star meals.

Custom-made suits and first-class air travel.

Going for the jugular and scoring a victory.

Making millions for his clients and himself.

The idea of giving all that up to rot away in a small town was not his style.

He’d come from less than nothing and had made it big in the world.

His name meant something. He could buy whatever he wanted.

Whoever he wanted. He didn’t want slobbery babies or dropping kids at soccer practice or attending piano recitals.

He wanted to push himself to the fullest. Live life on the dangerous side.

He and Darby Montgomery simply did not mix.

Jace told himself she was simply the new, shiny thing he’d seen.

Something he thought he wanted. But he couldn’t have her and give up who he was.

He must be true to himself. Even as he told himself this, he glanced down, seeing Darby slumbering in his arms. Wanting to wake her. Kiss her. Make love to her.

Whoa. He was not a making love kind of guy. He was a have hot sex and stay uncommitted man. The more time he spent with Darby, the more he would crave her. He needed to cut ties with her now. Before it was too late. Because Jace knew they would both be burned if he didn’t.

Still, he let her sleep for another hour. Was content to keep her in his arms because it gave him the most satisfying feeling he’d ever experienced.

When he did wake her, he did so gently. He turned her, kissing her softly, pushing aside the thought that it would be incredible to wake up to this woman every day.

She kissed him back, causing a deep yearning to fill him. He tamped it down and broke the kiss.

“I should get you back to your hotel.”

He ignored the flicker of disappointment in her eyes.

“Yes. Good idea. Let me freshen up a moment.”

She gathered her clothes and headed into his bathroom. Jace quickly dressed, combing his fingers through his hair, thinking how she had held onto it tightly.

When she came back into the bedroom, he opened his mouth to tell her that he’d enjoyed this evening but that he didn’t want to see her again.

Instead, he heard himself saying, “Since you’re in Dallas for another day, how would you like to spend it with me?”