Her hands clenched around her steering wheel. She hadn’t let go. “I’m not acting like a child,” she said, almost petulantly. He snorted, and she couldn’t hold in the nervous giggle. “Really, I’m not.” She played a hand through her hair. “It’s just that…I have to go.”
“Why?”
Rita wracked her brain for an excuse. “Work stuff,” she said finally. “I would have called, but I didn’t have your number.”
Jared obviously didn’t believe her. “Work stuff?” he parroted.
She nodded. “Yes. Brian needs me to go over some plans before tomorrow.” It wasn’t entirely untrue—they needed to discuss some of the upgrades this new project would need to make the home wheelchair accessible—but they had an actual meeting scheduled for tomorrow to have that conversation. Brian would likely be home with his partner by now, and he wasn’t big on calling her about work-related things after hours.
Jared pulled out his cell and checked his messages. “You sure about that?” he asked. “I’m pretty sure we have a meeting on the Google Calendar tomorrow.” He held up the phone for her to see. “Brian added me to it today.” Tossing his phone on her dashboard, he turned to face her. “That’s two,” he said quietly.
“What’s two?” Rita squeaked out, fearing that she already knew the answer.
He held up a finger. “One, you’re late.” Holding up a second finger, he added, “Two, you lied. Do you want to go for a three?”
Rita let out a huff. “It’s just that...” Before Rita could finish, Jared reached over and clicked open her seatbelt. He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her onto his lap. She sat, stiff, in his lap as he nuzzled her neck. His teeth raked over a particular sensitive spot on her collarbone, and Rita squirmed. “Jared, this just isn’t going to work—”
Jared didn’t relent. He bit her again, harder this time, and her breath caught in her throat. “I know you feel this connection between us. Why are you fighting it?”
“There’s not a connection,” Rita whispered, eyes slipping closed. “It’s just…heat. Nothing more. It’ll go away.”
Jared scowled. “And that’s fucking three.” He opened his door and climbed out, dragging Rita with him.
Rita yelped. “What are you doing?” she demanded.
“Pointing out the obvious,” Jared said, shutting the door and pushing her against the side of her car. He brought his hand up and cupped her breast; he smiled at her, a savage bearing of his teeth, when he felt her nipple already hard against his palm. “Your body doesn’t lie, Rita. You can’t deny how well we…connect.” He popped the top three buttons on her blouse and slid his fingers inside. He dragged the cup of her bra down and teased her nipple until it was straining and aching. Rita sucked in her breath, trembling. “Your brain is denying that there’s anything between us right now, but your body is practically screaming to be fulfilled.” He leaned down so that his mouth was right next to her ear, and she shivered again as his hot breath tickled across her skin. “I fully intend to give your body exactly what it wants.” Kissing across her jawline, Jared licked the corner of her mouth.
As Rita opened her mouth to deny what her body was screaming, Jared captured her lips. Biting her lower lip, he pulled it into his mouth, tangling his tongue around hers in a twisting dance that left her breathless. Jared leaned into her, and she couldn’t help but part her legs. She whimpered when he ground himself against her. “Come inside with me, Rita,” Jared whispered. “Let me show you what your body wants.” She couldn’t fight it or him; she wanted it too badly. Nodding, Rita buried her head against his chest. “No.” Jared grabbed her chin and tipped her face up. “Say it.”
Sliding her hand up, Rita, clutched at his shirt. “Let’s go.”
“Go where?” Jared taunted as he lazily rubbed her nipple with his thumb.
Groaning, Rita twisted his shirt in her hand. Her body tingled in places she hadn’t felt in a long time. Her brain had stopped fighting her, and the hairs on her arms stood on end as her body tingled. “Take me to your place,” she whispered.
“And?” Jared asked.
“Whatever you want,” Rita replied.
“I like that answer,” he said and kissed her lightly. It was a stark contrast to the rough ministrations to her breast. “Don’t move.” Leaving Rita propped against her car, he went around to the driver’s side, opened the door, and grabbed her car keys and purse. When he came back around, he saw that she had packed an overnight bag as well. He slid the bag onto his shoulder, locked her car, and held out his hand. Rita took his hand, grateful for its warmth, and marveled at how sexy he looked carrying her floral tote bag.
* * *
Jared’s ankle twinged. He did his best to ignore it. The orthopedic surgeon who had put it back together was a master at his craft, but the repair still wasn’t perfect, and it liked to flare up sometimes to remind him that he was broken. That he’d never be a SEAL again. He shook his head and refocused on the hand in his.Rita. Ever since he took Rita in the dressing room, he couldn’t get her out of his mind.
He had meant for their romp at the department store to end there, but the way she’d moaned and squirmed so prettily on his fingers was permanently burned into his mind. When she turned up to the jobsite, he couldn’t believe his luck, and Jared decided that he had to have her again. Properly and in his bed this time. He glanced at her, and the uncertainty that he’d seen in her face when he’d come upon her car was back. Jared wondered how upset she would be if he threw her over his shoulder and sprinted for the house before she could change her mind again.
They finally turned up the walk to his house. “This is nice,” she mumbled.
Jared shrugged. “It’s a place to stay,” he said. He didn’t want to make small talk about his house. Keeping his grip on her, he grappled with the lock one-handed and tugged her inside. They weren’t three steps in before he was on her. “Get naked,” he ordered as he rummaged around in her bag, finally pulling out the items he’d been looking for. “And put these on.”
He stood back and watched as she quickly shed her clothes. Rita slipped on the shoes that he’d requested. He watched Rita sway as she found her balance in them. She strapped on the pink leather tool belt and giggled. “This really doing it for you?” she asked. From her tone, it was clear that she thought she looked ridiculous.She has no fucking idea.
Jared crowded her against the wall. “You want to know what’s ‘doing it’ for me?” He reached out and pinched one of her dusky pink nipples, and she let out a little yip of surprised pleasure/pain. He watched her hand move on its own volition to rub between her thighs. She circled her clit, throwing her head back against the wall.
He could have stood and watched her touch herself all night, but as pleased as he was at how turned on she’d become so quickly, this was his house. His show. His rules. He wanted to enjoy every minute of it, and that meant he needed to be in control. Jared reached out and wrapped his fingers around a delicate wrist, stilling her movements. “If you can’t keep your hands to yourself, lace your fingers behind your head and hold them there.”
Rita smiled coyly and reached her hand out to touch him, “But—”