Craving Jess Read online

  And she wished he'd kept his mouth shut.

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  Craving Jess: Chapter 6

  Damon plopped the squeegee back into its bucket and stood with his hands on his hips, admiring the bright sunshine streaming through the large plate glass windows on the front of The Body Zone. The music stream on the ceiling speakers went silent, but the tune stayed in his head.

  He returned the cleaning supplies to the large janitorial closet, not minding the smell of the strong chemicals today. After shutting the door, he ducked into his office to catch up on paperwork, but within a few minutes his brother Rick knocked on the doorjamb. He didn't speak, just stood with a goofy smirk on his face.

  Damon stopped whistling and shook his head at his brother. “What?"

  Rick pushed away from the frame and strolled around behind Damon. “Have a good evening?"

  Damon spun his chair to face his brother. “Is it that obvious?"

  "Um-hm.” Rick crossed his arms and leaned his backside against the printer table. “You do realize you washed the same window twice?"

  Damon mushed his eyebrows together. Come to think of it, he didn't recall having to climb over the large shelves to get the left window. He held his hands in the air and laughed. “Oh well. I'll get the other one twice tomorrow."

  Rick checked his watch. “Don't you have to be somewhere?"

  Oh yeah, he knew where he wanted to be. He'd made love to Jess three times last night and he still hadn't gotten enough of her. Had she not insisted they get her car this morning, he'd have stayed in bed all day long with her, other responsibilities be damned. He rubbed his shoulders, tender where she'd scratched him, and smiled.

  Rick's fingers snapped repeatedly in front of his face. “Hello? Come back, little brother. Think. It's almost two o'clock. Where are you on Wednesdays at two?"

  His volunteer work! “Shit.” He sprang from his chair and grabbed his gym bag. “Call them and tell them I'm on the way."

  Rick's chuckle followed him down the hall. “I don't think they'll mind if you're late. You do their p.t. for free."

  * * * *

  "I'm sorry, she's a virgin."

  Laurie apologized for the third time to the small blond woman sitting at Jess's feet. Jess hadn't wanted a pedicure, but after much wheedling by Laurie, she'd agreed to give it a try.

  "Come on, Jess. I promise, it'll be fine."

  Jess raised one eyebrow as she kicked off her shoes. “Fine. Have your way with me."

  The blond, who had to be at least sixty-eight, giggled like a little girl and shoved Jess's feet into some sort of mini-bath.

  Laurie smiled and sat back in her chair, dipping her tiny feet into a similar bin. “You'll see, Jess, this is so relaxing—we'll come up with tons of ideas. I do my best thinking getting mani-pedis."

  Jess rolled her eyes. She enjoyed Laurie's company, but she didn't know if she could survive this. She'd hidden her size nines from the world as much as possible. Big feet ran in her family, big ticklish feet. When the blond patted her dry and started massaging, Jess erupted into laughter.

  After twenty minutes, she hadn't managed to get polish on anything but her big toe, but it was clear and no one was the wiser. And Laurie had been right. They'd come up with a few really sharp ideas, and she'd needed the stress relief. Between being worried about her job and walking a tightrope that was her libido with Damon, she'd been a woman ready to explode. Now she was just a woman ready for a nap.

  Out in the parking lot, she rubbed her eyes and tried to wake up for the drive home. She sat behind the wheel and hugged her arms against her chest.

  She'd had the most wonderful night with Damon. When he woke her after it grew dark, she'd forgotten all about what he'd said, and how sad she'd felt when she heard him. In fact, she hadn't recalled the words until this morning when he asked if she wanted breakfast.

  "Three more days."

  He'd sounded weary when he said it. Well, if he had to count down the days he'd promised her, why didn't he back out when he could have done? No, she thought, he definitely desired her. He might not have feelings above friendship for her, but he'd worshipped her body like she was the only woman he wanted.

  She turned the key to start the engine and shifted into drive. She passed a gray Avalon like Damon's and laughed quietly. She was definitely falling hard for the guy. For Pete's sake, now she thought she was seeing him at the nail salon.

  * * * *

  Rick met Damon at the door to The Body Zone. Since his brother held the door open for him, Damon knew something was up. From the scowl marring Rick's normally expressionless face, it wasn't anything good.

  "Your girlfriend was here."

  "Jess?” Damon straightened his shoulders.

  "No, dolt, your other girlfriend. The blond?"

  Damon hooked his thumbs in his jeans pockets. Blond? He hadn't had a serious girlfriend in years.

  "She works with Jess.” Rick waved him toward his office. “She was in here looking for her. Name's Laurie Starr."

  Damon relaxed. Rick worked himself up over nothing every once in a while. Thank goodness that was all it was. He'd been scared by that storm cloud Rick called an expression. He knew Laurie only from a brief conversation when the woman had tracked him down a few days back. She'd said Jess needed him, so he shown up at the café where she ate lunch.

  Once Damon and Rick seated themselves, Rick passed a sheet of paper to him. Damon scanned it. An ad for National Gym.

  "Yeah? So what?"

  "The company Jess works for is doing an ad campaign for National Gym.” Rick pressed back in his chair, his hands resting on his thighs.

  "And your point?"

  "Sorry to burst your bubble, little brother, but don't you think it's odd that this girl Jess, who knows you're crazy about her, pops in to join your gym the very day she gets this assignment?"

  Damon placed his elbows on his desk and flipped one of his pencils. He caught it and put it back in the ceramic canister. “She said she was doing research for work. She's not out to get me."

  "You sure? She could just be using you."

  Damon smiled, picturing Jess's naked body as she rode his cock the night before. “Mm. No."

  "National Gym could put you out of business. Don't you get it? They've got a bigger facility, more equipment, perks."

  Damon snorted. “I'll be fine. Some people like coming to a place where they aren't just a number in the computer. I'm not worried. You shouldn't be."

  After regarding him silently, Rick's jaw flexed. He stood, keeping his eyes on the wall behind Damon. “I finished the electrical upgrade you needed. I've got a landscaping job to work on, so I'll see you at Mom's on Sunday."

  His hand to his forehead, Damon scrunched his eyes. Rick changed subjects rapid-fire, the way Jess changed channels with the remote. “Landscaping? An estimate for a corporation?"

  "No.” Rick turned and strode toward the door. “This is a personal job."

  Damon stared at the door after it closed. He knew Rick wasn't as angry as he seemed. He just wanted Damon's gym to do well. His own landscape design business had taken off right from the start, and he appeared to feel responsible for the rest of the family's success.

  He pinched a handful of files from his In box and turned on his computer. His part-time help could handle things out front while he started his new tracking system.

  Damon entered numbers and names without paying much attention. His mind was on Jess. She had told him about the ad campaign. Hadn't she?

  And last night, she'd mumbled incoherently while he kissed her in places he'd only dreamed of. He'd wanted to know what she said. He'd wanted to hear her cry out his name. He'd wanted—

  Shit, he wanted her to admit she cared for him.

  * * * *

  At half past six that evening, Damon switched off the television. He rose from the couch and habit made him look out his back window toward Jess's house.

  She was on his back dec
k. Pacing. Talking to herself. His tongue touched his top row of teeth as he considered interrupting her. Instead, he tilted his head and watched her, waiting for her to notice he'd seen her.

  Jess stopped abruptly and darted a glance into his living room. She just barely jumped back when she spotted him. She gave a small wave and a sheepish grin.

  He let her in and she hugged him around the waist. After closing the door, he put his hands on her back. “What's this?” His calm voice belied his pounding heart.

  "Every time I think I know all about you, I find out something that makes me l-like you even more.” She patted his abdomen and circled behind him past the kitchen area to sit on his carpeted stairs.

  He lowered his eyelashes, not sure exactly what he'd done, but glad it had brought her to him. He had plans for her. “What, exactly, are you talking about?"

  "Laurie came to see you."

  "I wasn't there."

  "I know. Rick told her you did volunteer work on Wednesdays.” She smiled a very small, very cute smile with those soft red lips of hers. All women should be required to wear dark lipstick. All the time. He hoped she'd hurry up and tell him why he was wonderful and let him take her upstairs.

  "You go to a nursing home every Wednesday and do rehabilitation exercises with the residents.” Her eyes glistened.

  "Jess, I do have a degree. I didn't just wake up one day and think ‘oh, hey, I like doing push-ups, I think I'll start a gym'."

  She shrugged, stood, and moved to hug him again. “I know you have a degree. I just think you're an incredible man. That's all."

  He blinked. “I have something I want to show you.” His cock twitched just thinking about it. He grinned at her wide expression. “It's upstairs."

  She coughed. “Really? Then by all means, lead on."

  Just inside his bedroom, Damon laced his fingers through Jess's and began kissing her. She tried to lift her arms, but he kept them firmly at her sides. He opened his eyes to check her reaction. He'd noticed her small moans of pleasure when he'd pinned her hands above her head the night before, and he had a suspicion she might like something more.

  Jess narrowed an eye curiously and smiled, one dimple showing. “What are you up to, Damon? You look very naughty."

  He suppressed a grin. “Very.” He maneuvered her back toward the bed and pressed her down on the mattress.

  When he spied her on his deck, she'd been barefoot and wearing a short denim skirt with an off-the-shoulder blouse. He continued to grip her hands in his and used his teeth to hitch up her shirt.

  "I can do that for you. Let me.” Her back arched, and he resisted the urge to free her hands. This night was his. She was his. And if she didn't know it already, she certainly would by the time the night ended.

  He shook his head and edged her body farther up the mattress with his knees. She wiggled accommodatingly, still eyeing him with suspicion.

  The pillows normally at the top of the bed lay on the floor in a pile. As Jess turned soft on him under his kisses, he again stretched out her hands, this time bringing them away from her sides and toward the headboard.

  He managed to slip her right hand into a velvet loop and tighten it without her knowledge. But when he captured her left hand, she tried to move her right. Instead of finding it free, she discovered he'd bound the arm. By the time understanding dawned on her face, he'd restrained the second hand and was sitting back on his feet.

  Her pretty face went blank as she observed him. Seconds ticked past.

  Damon experienced a moment of panic. If he'd been mistaken—

  But then she inhaled deeply and relaxed in her bonds. If he didn't know better, he'd have sworn she looked at him with love rather than lust. He moved closer to kiss the tender skin near to her eyes. She sighed and her lashes fluttered closed.

  "Oh, no. You're going to keep your eyes open.” He dipped his head and took a nipple between his teeth through the material of her blouse.

  Jess's eyes flashed wide. One hand lifted against the rope, fist clenched. She drew it back down onto the bed.

  Damon pretended to ignore her reaction. He eased her shirt and bra upward, the cloth bunching above her pert breasts. He used his hands to circle the mounds and pushed them together, laving them with his tongue.

  Her eyes drifted shut. When he stopped the sweet assault, she seemed to remember his request and reopened her eyes.

  Damon licked his lips, then took one dark areole into his mouth and suckled her. He stared into her eyes as he took the other nipple and circled the taut peak with his tongue. She wet her lips and exhaled a ragged breath.

  One hand still on her left breast, Damon slid lower and gripped one of her thighs. He sent his long fingers beneath the denim and almost choked. She wasn't wearing panties.

  A glance told him she was pleased with his response. He inserted a finger between her legs and her cocky grin disappeared as her head tipped back in ecstasy. He withdrew, ignoring her whimper of protest. He wanted that damn skirt gone. He found the zipper hidden on the side and made short work of dragging the garment down her legs and off her body.

  His erection pressed hard against his own zipper. Uttering a curse of impatience, he stepped away to remove his own clothing and put on a condom. He returned to her, gliding his palms over her chilled legs. He lay over her, supporting his weight on his elbows and placing random kisses across her upper body.

  His hot sex rested at the apex of her thighs and she writhed beneath him, trying to take him inside. Her wrists chafed slightly from her attempts to grab him with her hands. He reached to untie her, not wanting to see her beautiful skin reddened by the ropes.

  "Leave them.” She angled her head away and looked at him from the corners of her eyes.

  Damon smiled and dragged his lips across hers. “I thought you might like this."

  "I like you.” She struggled weakly, still moving her legs, sliding them apart to give him better access.

  Damon groaned. He fought the urge to drive deep into her. There were more important things than sex, he reminded himself. “Jess.” He took her lower lip between his teeth, sucked, and finally released it. “I gotta know something."

  Jess tasted her lips and leaned up, trying to kiss him on the mouth. “Anything."

  Her pink tongue tapped her front teeth and Damon ground his mouth on hers, knowing he couldn't last much longer. The feel of her wet and hot on him was making him lose the power of speech. He forced himself to ease back.

  "Do you—could you love me, Jess?"

  Maybe she jumped, maybe he did, but his cock slid inside her. Once wrapped in the tight center, Damon was lost. Her ankles stroked the backs of his thighs and she squeezed him as he moved against her. When she stiffened and cried out his name, he allowed himself release, blood pounding in his ears, fire roaring through his veins. God, what this woman did to him.

  He reached for her hands and freed the velvet loops. Jess curled into his side, a perfect fit. Her tongue traced a pattern on the edge of his left pectoral muscle. She shivered and snuggled closer.

  Damon snagged the blanket with two fingers and covered her lower body. “Cold?"

  "Not anymore."

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  Craving Jess: Chapter 7

  Jess shoved her boxed salad off the side of her desk and into the trash. She hadn't eaten much, but worry kept her appetite down. She and Laurie needed to present Jackson with their ideas in thirty minutes.

  Another team had borrowed the graphic designer who normally worked with her on projects. She was reduced to making hastily drawn sketches of their ideas. Though Jess's art skills were better than average, she knew this was too important to show up with half-assed work.

  She rubbed her wrists, thinking someone must have adjusted the height of her chair because her hands didn't usually ache from using the computer thanks to her ergonomic keyboard and chair.

  Her face heated. She'd been so absorbed in the frantic work, she'd forgotten why her wrists bothere
d her. Damon.

  She beamed at her monitor. Her thighs were sore too, but since she didn't use those to type, she hadn't made the connection. Her brain must be totally fried. Too little sleep and too much lovemaking with Damon.

  Too much? She didn't think she could ever get enough of him.

  Last night when he asked if she could love him, she'd nearly blurted it out. He made her feel beautiful, confident. Definitely not a cold fish. Her heart fluttered, recalling the intensity of his golden brown eyes. If it wasn't for the possibility that the question meant he'd come to care for her, this day at her job might just drive her over the edge.

  She detested having to fight for her job. She was good at copywriting, and that should be enough.

  "It's three o'clock."

  Jess glanced at the clock and then at Laurie. “Okay. Let's take what we've got.” She wasn't completely pleased with their ideas, but Jackson should find something that appealed in the ten they'd fleshed out.

  Once they arrived at his office, she raised a hand to knock, but the door swung open before she could complete the action.

  "Let's see it.” Jackson took the boards from Laurie and spread them on the table. He leaned on his fingertips, hovering over the drawings, his face like granite.

  Jess's mind wandered back to Damon and his question. Yes, she could love him. She already did. She wondered when she'd fallen for him so hard that she couldn't even see it herself. She flicked a stray eyelash from her lapel and made a wish.

  Jackson muttered and smashed the boards back into a haphazard stack. “Too bad you didn't concentrate on one of these and actually produce something decent. These are useless."

  Damn. Wrong wish.

  "We worked for hours on those, Jackson. Can you at least find something to like? Something to point us in the direction you want us to focus?” Jess clenched her fingers together, trying to keep her voice even.

  He frowned past her. “No. There's nothing here. Start over. The final deadline is ten tomorrow. You've got to have something I can use by then."

  Laurie hissed behind her. Jess looked over her shoulder. Laurie's face bore bright red streaks across her cheeks. She was fuming. Jess wrinkled her forehead. Interesting. Jess ushered Laurie into the hall.