Page 65 of Love Beyond the Illusion
I’m sensing a different Jack Bradley than the one I’ve been fake dating for the past few weeks. And I think I like it. Surprisingly calm, I do as I’m told and bend at my waist, reach down to pinch the hem of my T-shirt dress, and then lift it over my head.
Jack’s electric blue eyes flare, turning a shade like the open ocean. He steps back and pauses, presumably waiting for me to finish undressing. Without a word, I continue to comply by unhooking my pink satin bra, then sliding the matching white and pink satin panties down my legs and off of my bare feet.
“Your favorite color is pink, isn’t it?” he comments, dragging his eyes over every inch of my body. A chill breaks out behind their powerful path.
“Maybe. Why do you ask?” Uncontrolled power is coursing through my veins, standing in front of Jack, naked and completely exposed.
“Because you own so much pink. Your panties, bras, workout clothes, and even your toes,”—he shifts into me—“all pink.” The roughness of his black suit rubs against my skin. “I told you I’d figure out your favorite color eventually.”
“You noticed all of those things?” I ask, flinching as the heavy rain bellows at the window.
“I notice everything about you.”
I inhale a sharp breath, not expecting that admission to come out of his mouth. “Jack?”
“Yes?” A lightning flash reflects across his face.
“Why are you still clothed?”
He smiles. “Do you want me to take them off?”
“Yes,” I say, rising on my tippy toes. Leaning into him, I run my tongue along his bottom lip. We haven’t kissed again since that night on the balcony at Bradley Wines, and it feels like I’ve been anxiously counting down the seconds until I’d get to touch his soft lips again. I breathe out, and he sucks in at that same time.
“I’ve wanted to have you ever since I ran into you at that fucking airport.” He captures my tongue between his lips, sucking it into his mouth until we’re fully connected. A quiet moan escapes from my mouth and into his.
Fuck, I could die now.
“Have you? And this is the first time you’re doing anything about it,” I say between his rough kisses.
“I won’t be making that mistake again.” He draws back. His smile is broad and mischievous. From the side, I see him bring both arms behind me, and then a light sting laces from the base of my scalp as Jack grips my ponytail, pulling my hair back. The sensation tingles down the back of my neck, onto my shoulders, and down to my clit, creating a throbbing need for him to do it again. A quick gasp ends with a groan filled with delight.
“I knew you’d like that,” Jack whispers into the sensitive skin of my neck. My legs almost give out.
“I do,” I reply with his hand still gripping my hair, my eyes facing the wooden beams of the ceiling above me. I feel helpless, and it’s invigorating.
“I remember the last time you saidI do.You think I don’t remember much from the night, but I remember much more than you realize.” Jack’s soft lips trace my neck, along my jaw, and to the corner of my mouth, eliciting a frantic response from my nerve endings.
My brain is lost in a lust-filled fog to register what he’s saying. I know I’m hearing the words, but right now, all I can think of is getting that goddamned suit and tie off him. As if anticipating my next move, Jack releases my hair, creates only an inch of space between us, and clutches his tie.
I clasp my hands over his. “I’m going to do it,” I tell him, beginning to loosen the slick material. I will be the one taking his clothes off. He may think he’s in control, but I will always say when—and how.
Jack lets his arms hang at his sides while I slide off his tie before moving my fingers to the buttons on his shirt. I start at the top, working my way down, until his collared shirt hangs open, giving me a full view of his six-pack. I almost cry out in desperation at the perfection of his body. I have been watching him walk around for weeks, taunting me with it as he acts like there’s not this palpable surge pulsing between us.
I slide my fingers over his chest and broad shoulders, pushing off the unbuttoned shirt. Once it falls to the floor, I circle him, letting my eyes roam wherever they want. As I move onto his back, I lean in, bringing my lips to his warm skin. My fingertips follow in the line of my mouth, gliding my tongue across his body, tasting small amounts until I’m facing his front once again.
“,” he commands as another rumble of thunder shakes the shutters.
I crawl on top of the bed. Positioning myself at the head, I lay on my back with my eyes fixed on Jack, who is still clothed from the waist down. Once I’m flat, he bends to the floor, retrieving his tie, then slides off his belt in one fluid motion.
“I have to do this. Do you trust me?” he asks. It takes a moment for me to register what he’s asking, and when I do, I’m confused but also at ease. “I’m going to blindfold and bind your wrists. If it gets too much, tell me.”
This is new for me. I’m a little apprehensive, but I do as he says. “Okay.”
“Do you trust me?”
Biting my bottom lip, I nod. “Yes.”
“Now, put your hands above your head.” His voice is deep and without inflection which tells me he’s confident in what he’s doing.
