Fever

“Everything go okay here?”

She nodded, still unsettled by his presence in the bathroom. She was in a vulnerable position and it made her uneasy.

“Kaden and Trevor give you any issues? Are you comfortable with them?”

She shook her head and then nodded, answering both questions before sinking lower in the tub. So maybe she wasn’t completely comfortable with having two hulks in her living room, but they hadn’t been a bother and they’d tried hard to be as obscure as possible. Or as obscure as two mountains could be anyway. And she didn’t want to come across as ungrateful. That Jace was going to such lengths to make her feel safe overwhelmed her. People just didn’t do things like Jace did. Nothing in her experience with the human race had ever led her to believe that white knights like Jace existed.

Jace chuckled. “Baby, if you go any lower, you’re going to drown.”

He dropped his hand down, delving into the water. She sucked in her breath when he curved his fingers underneath her breast and then thumbed over her nipple. It responded immediately, puckering as a delicious thrill coiled in her belly, spreading lower to the juncture of her thighs.

Her clit pulsed and ached. All the man had to do was touch her and she was a wreck. Her breaths hiccupped erratically from her mouth and the warm water suddenly seemed unbearably hot.

“Is there room enough in there for two?” he murmured.

Her eyes widened and she stared up at him, unsure of whether she’d heard him correctly. Guys like Jace didn’t crawl into girly baths complete with suds and candles. Did they? And did she want him to?

Because guys also did not crawl into a tub with a woman unless they expected a lot more than a bath.

It was a loaded question.

She licked her suddenly dry lips and eyed him nervously.

“Was it that hard of a question?”

Flushing, she shook her head and then shocked herself by saying, “You can come in.”

She was acting positively wanton. But she felt . . . bolder around him. Which was laughable because he still sent butterflies winging into her belly with one look. He definitely made her nervous—and she was still grappling with what his expectations were. This entire situation just seemed . . . insane, for lack of a better word. But somehow he managed to make her feel confident, and that was saying a lot because confident was never a word she would have used to describe herself before.

Cautious, yes. Wary? Definitely. She’d learned to weigh every situation, every person. Always look at underlying intent, because no one did anything without wanting something in return, and so far? The only thing she’d been able to figure out he wanted was . . . her. She certainly had nothing else to offer.

His gaze was gentle and he stroked his thumb over her nipple again. “But do you want me to?”

“Y-yes,” she said huskily. More confident this time. Yes, it was a word she was coming to terms with. She liked it. Liked the sensation of being sure of herself.

Satisfaction gleamed in his eyes. He rose from the edge of the bathtub and stripped out of his clothing, tossing it toward the counter. She couldn’t help but stare at his naked physique. He was so damn beautiful. She soaked him in, memorizing every detail.

The tight coil of muscles that marked his arms, his legs, his chest . . . The dark smattering of hair that lined an enticing path from his chest down his midline to his groin. And the lazy, kind of messy wash of dark hair that fell over his forehead and flipped out at his ears to fall inches below his neck. Her fingers itched to dive into the silky locks, twine them around her hands, just as she’d done the night he and Ash had sex with her.

It was strange that she remembered every aspect of him from that night in stark detail and yet Ash kind of blurred in her memory. It was Jace’s mouth, his hands, his cock, the feel of his body over hers, hard and demanding, that played over and over in her mind.

And now he advanced on her, bristling with an air of dominance. Lust and authority swirled in those delicious brown eyes, the color so dark that it was hard to separate his pupils from the irises. Yet, there was tenderness in his gaze, almost as if he tried to hide the demanding look that was second nature to him.

“Do you work out?” she blurted.

He halted at the edge of the tub, his hand gripping the side. He glanced up at her and then grinned. “Like what you see, baby?”

“You’re beautiful.”

For a moment he looked almost embarrassed. It was absolutely cute to see a thirty-eight-year-old man who was so poised and confident falter for just a moment. She’d done that to him. Yeah, confidence was kind of nice for once.

“You’re the beautiful one, Bethany. So damn beautiful that I can’t get enough of staring at you. I stood there in the doorway watching you forever. I could look at you all day and never get tired of it.”

Heat shot into her cheeks and she ducked self-consciously.

“So do you work out?”

“Yeah. There’s a gym in my apartment building and at work. I try to hit it every day but that’s not always possible.”

“You have a great body,” she said shyly.

“You’re good for my ego.”

She smiled as he threw his leg over the side and into the water. A moment later, he turned so he was facing her and he slid into the water, his feet gliding up the outside of her thighs until they rested just at her waist. He reached down, lifted her feet so they weren’t lodged in his crotch and rested them atop his thighs.

“That’s better,” he said.

“Everything go okay at work?” she said, reaching for a neutral topic.

He smiled at that and let out a chuckle. Her brow furrowed in confusion. “What’s so funny?”

“You sound positively domestic. Asking your man how his day at work went.”

The heat left her cheeks. She was sure she paled and then she dropped her gaze, embarrassed by her presumption. Just as quickly, her earlier confidence fled, leaving a giant gaping hole as uncertainty took firm hold.

“Hey,” he said softly. “What the fuck, baby?”

He leaned forward, causing the water to swirl and ripple around her. It sloshed up her neck but suddenly her chin was lifted as he nudged upward with his fingers. She reluctantly met his gaze.

“Bethany, I liked it. Do you have any idea how much I looked forward to coming back to you? That I hated every fucking minute of my time away from you? I counted the minutes until the goddamn conference call was over. Hell, I didn’t want to leave you to begin with.”

Warmth reentered her face and she smiled, bigger this time. Confidence crept back in, easing the flutter of insecurity that had threatened to take root.

He reached for her, pulling her toward him. Clumsily, she got to her knees, water sluicing down her body. It lapped precariously close to the edge as she straddled him.

She was just a bit higher than him, enough that her breasts just cleared the surface of the bubbles and were directly in front of his face. He didn’t look as though he minded at all.

He wrapped both arms around her, easily encompassing her waist and then she was pressed firmly to his chest, their wet bodies colliding.

He slid his cheek over the swell of her breast and when he got to the nipple, he sucked it gently between his teeth, giving it an experimental tug. When she moaned, he sucked harder, finding a rhythm that was destined to drive her insane.

She wiggled in his arms, against his body. She was slick but he held her tightly, not allowing any space between them.

Never lifting his mouth from her breast, he moved one of his hands down to the juncture of her legs, where she cradled his cock against her pussy. The other arm remained firmly around her, anchoring her so she couldn’t move.

His fingers brushed across super-sensitive skin, flicking ever so lightly over her clit as he went seeking lower, finding her entrance before toying with it. Circling, teasing, inserting barely the tip of his finger inside before retreating.

She palmed his shoulders and then curled her fingers into the muscles in his back. Her nails dug into his skin, but he didn’t protest. He kept sucking at her breast, moving to the other to give it equal attention.

A deep sigh escaped her. Pleasure was liquid silver in her veins, spreading to every part of her body. Never had she imagined being pleasured in a tub full of suds and hot water. It felt sinful and so very naughty. Deliciously so.

Fairy tale. Definitely a fantasy. Some bizarre alternate reality because things like this did not happen in Bethany Willis’s life. They never had. Never would. But it was nice to live the dream just for a while. As long as it lasted.

In this dream, she was wanted. She was desirable. She and Jace were equals. There wasn’t an overwhelming disparity in their lives, their statuses. She fit into his world. She belonged.

The last made her chest ache even as Jace slid two fingers deep inside her, causing completely different parts of her body to ache. His gaze lifted to hers, his eyes piercing and so intense as he worked deeper into her. He thumbed her clit again before spreading the two fingers, stretching her.

Belong.

She wanted to belong to him. Wanted to believe in something more than one more night on the streets and the hope that she’d still be alive come morning.

Damn him for making her dream, even for a moment. This wasn’t real. He wasn’t real. She had no idea what game he played, but she couldn’t let him make her believe. He would break her heart. He would break her.

His fingers slipped deeper and she cried out when he pressed into a point so sensitive that she nearly came on the spot. She shuddered wildly in his arms and gripped his shoulders tighter. When she realized her nails were likely breaking the skin, she yanked her hands away.

“Sorry,” she said in a stricken voice.

His arm left her waist long enough for his hand to grip one of hers. He lifted it back to his shoulder, clamped it down and then he did the same with the other.

“I like it,” he said huskily. “Mark me, baby. Dig those nails deep. I love the way they get sharper when you experience pleasure.”

She closed her eyes and threw back her head when he slipped deep with his fingers again, caressing the slick walls of her pussy. He found her G-spot again and exerted just the right amount of pressure.

Her thighs spasmed and she went weak, but he held her close, supporting her as she leaned her forehead against his.

“Wonder how fast I can get you off,” he murmured. “You’re so fucking responsive. So hypersensitive. Every time I touch you, you do this sexy little shiver that makes me crazy. Your nipples pucker and become so hard that all I want to do is spend the night sucking them.”

She gave a full-body shiver at the husky, naughty words murmured so close to her mouth. He smiled. Smug and beautiful. So damn cocky but so damn gorgeous that it made her weak.

“Yeah, baby. Just like that.”

His thumb stroked her clit, adding the perfect amount of pressure as his fingers continued to glide through her wetness. His teeth grazed her nipple, toying, teasing, and then he sucked hard, tugging strongly.

“Jace,” she whispered.

It was all she could manage to say. His name. Her anchor.

Her hands left his shoulders and went to his hair, diving into the unruly strands. She loved the messy, dark look he wore. He had beautiful hair. She curled her fingers into the silky mass and gripped so tightly she could swear she’d pull him bald.

She rose up from the suds, water cascading down her body as she rode his fingers.

“That’s it. Ride my hand, baby. Come for me.”

She fidgeted and ground downward, wanting, needing more. She cupped the back of his head, holding him against her breast as he sucked and nipped at her nipple. Each time he bit into the puckered crest, a liquid bolt of pleasure seared through her veins like fire.

“My baby likes that,” he said, lust and approval thick in his voice.

Oh yeah. She liked it all right.

Her release rose sharply. So fast it left her breathless and straining, her entire body so tight it was painful. She bucked upward and then back down, her body frantically seeking ultimate satisfaction.

She felt pulled in a dozen different directions. His mouth, his hands, his body. He was everywhere all at once. She was drowning in pleasure. Awash in pure sinful sensations.

His thumb pressed over her clit and then did a tight roll. He kept rubbing in a taut, circular motion. Her breath hiccupped and then she held it, a cry escaping.

“That’s it,” he said in a gentle voice. But his next words contradicted that gentleness. Gruff. Authoritative. Demanding obedience. “Come for me, Bethany. Let go now.”

She was helpless to hold on. His words washed over her, snapping that rigid tension building and coiling low in her belly. It ricocheted through her body with enough force to completely shake her. She spasmed against him and slid down his body, her head falling to his shoulder.

He caught her, holding her so she didn’t fall farther into the water. She buried her face in his neck, sucking in deep breaths as her chest heaved against his. She bucked and writhed as his fingers did their magic. Never had she had such an explosive orgasm from a man’s hand. Everything about Jace unhinged her. She had no control around him.

For the longest moment, he held her, rubbing his hand up and down her back as she breathed into his neck. Weak, shaking, completely wrung out. She was wrecked. So limp she didn’t have a prayer of holding herself up.

He dipped his head down to kiss and nibble at her shoulder, sending chill bumps racing down her back.

“I need to get you out and dried off. You’re getting cold.”

“’Kay,” she mumbled.

He eased her off and back, water lapping up her arms as he settled her across from him. Then he rose and she let out a sound of appreciation as she saw his rigid erection straining upward. Engorged and tight. She licked her lips, unaware she’d done so until she caught Jace’s expression as he stared down at her.

“For God’s sake, baby,” he said hoarsely.

She blinked and gazed up at him innocently. “What?”

He growled low in his throat. “Tease.”

She smiled as he got out of the tub and reached for one of the towels folded on the counter.

Even though he’d gone in to work, he’d taken the time to ensure she was taken care of. There’d been a steady parade of delivery people through her apartment bearing food, toiletries, household supplies, linens. Things she wouldn’t have even thought of. But Jace had.

She shook her head. The man was freaking perfect. Did he have any faults? Well, besides his bossiness, his take-charge attitude, the fact that he’d basically kidnapped her and he wouldn’t take no for an answer.

The more she thought on those supposed faults, the more she thought they weren’t faults at all.

Jace wrapped a towel around his waist and then reached down for her hand. He held another towel in his other hand and when he pulled her to her feet and helped her step from the tub, he enveloped her in its warmth.

He quickly dried her and then arranged the towel around her so she’d be warm before leading her into the bedroom.

“You in the mood for anything in particular tonight?” he asked.

There was a small overnight bag by the bed and he reached down, pulling out underwear and a change of clothes. She saw he had jeans and a T-shirt. Definitely casual. She mentally went over the contents of her new wardrobe. She had a blingy pair of jeans and a gorgeous turtleneck with a cardigan and scarf that would be casual but still looked nice. And boots. She had a beautiful pair of fur-lined boots that would look awesome with the jeans.

“Finger foods,” she said before thinking better of it. Then she flushed. Jace hardly looked the type who went for cheap finger foods. He was more a caviar kind of guy. Expensive steaks, expensive cuts of meat she couldn’t even pronounce and dishes with sauces she also couldn’t pronounce.

But he went on like he didn’t notice her gaffe. “There’s a place not too far from here. Ash and I took Mia not so long ago. It’s a pub that serves terrific appetizer-type foods. The nachos are good. They have burgers, wings, all the usual suspects.”

Her mouth watered. “That sounds utterly perfect. Can we go?”

He smiled and pulled her into his arms. “You get dressed and I’ll take you.”





chapter eighteen





Jace sat in his office, completely distracted by his thoughts. There was a pile of notes from Eleanor, the receptionist, of calls he had to return. E-mails to respond to. Financials to study. He had a videoconference in forty-five minutes, but his concentration was shot.

He hated that he’d put Bethany up in a separate apartment. At the time, it had seemed like the right thing to do. He hadn’t wanted to overwhelm her. He knew he had to move slow—or at least slower—or risk frightening her away. Because he knew the minute she moved into his apartment, into his space, into his bed, it was all over.

So here he was, having installed her into Mia’s old apartment knowing damn well he wasn’t going to spend any time apart from her—only what he had to in order to get his work done and fulfill his obligations. But if having her own apartment gave her a semblance of power and at least the guise of having a choice, then he could deal. Because he knew she had neither power nor choice. She was his. Belonged to him. That didn’t change because she had the appearance of independence.

He was biding his time, waiting for the right opening to make his move. And then she was completely and utterly his. And he’d be damned if they spent any time apart.

The last week had been a hell of sorts. He was living out of an overnight bag, spending his nights in Mia’s old apartment because it was where Bethany was. He had a routine of sorts, where he left her in the mornings with Kaden and Trevor and then dismissed them when he arrived in the afternoons. But at least she was safe and watched over. Until he had her firmly ensconced in his own apartment, he wouldn’t rest easy.

A soft knock sounded at his door and he looked up to see his sister standing hesitantly in the doorway, her gaze wary. She was likely studying his mood, and if Ash was right, she had reason to after Jace bit her head off the last two times she’d come to see him.

“Hey, baby girl,” he said, allowing the affection he felt for her to shine through.

She relaxed, relief crossing her pretty features, and walked into his office.

“Thank God you’re in a better mood,” she said.

He chuckled but then quickly sobered as he rose and went around his desk to pull her into a crushing hug.

“Ash told me what a dick I was to you. Sorry, sweetheart. It probably doesn’t make you feel any better that I don’t even remember you coming in to see me. Ash swears it happened and he also swears I was a complete asshole and that Gabe wanted to rearrange my face for upsetting you. I deserved it.”

Mia’s brow crinkled with concern as Jace pulled away and motioned for her to sit down.

“Is everything all right, Jace? You haven’t been yourself. And you haven’t said anything about Christmas, which is why I came to see you. Gabe and I want you and Ash to spend it with us. Gabe’s parents are going to come over but for the most part it’s just going to be us. Like old times,” she added softly.

He hadn’t given Christmas much thought. All his thoughts had been occupied by Bethany. He glanced down at his desk calendar and realized it was just a few short days away.

His first Christmas with Bethany. Bethany, who had nothing. Who likely had never had a tree, presents, had never been surrounded by family and good friends. Instead, Christmas had been just another day on the streets. Cold, hungry. A time to feel even more lonely than usual.

Hell, he hadn’t put up a tree in his apartment. Hadn’t made certain she had one for her apartment. Hadn’t taken her Christmas shopping. Hadn’t taken her down to Rockefeller Center, as he had with Mia so many times in the past, to see the tree.

He blew out his breath and lifted his gaze to his sister, who sat staring at him, concern darkening her rich brown eyes. Eyes that were a mirror of his.

“I met a woman,” he began.

Mia’s eyebrows shot up and she leaned forward in her chair. “Whoa, wait. You met a woman? As in this isn’t someone you and Ash hooked up together with?”

Jace winced. “For God’s sake, Mia. I’m not discussing my sex life with you. What the hell do you know about Ash, anyway?”

She rolled her eyes. “Oh please. It’s not exactly a secret that neither of