Rachel Bailey - Return of the Secret Heir

• Название: Return of the Secret Heir
• Автор: Rachel Bailey
• Жанр: Книги

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His thumb stroked over her bottom lip and sent tingles clear to her toes. She looked into his eyes and his name reverberated through her mind-part of her not quite believing it was JT here after all these years, JT who’d just kissed her senseless. The leaves crinkled beneath their coats as she linked her wrists behind his neck and brought his heated mouth back to hers.

“Pia,” he groaned against her lips as he unbuttoned her jacket and blouse without breaking the kiss. The pads of his fingers fanned across the sides of her breasts, moving to tease the undersides, and she tried to hold back a whimper of pleasure, unsure of whether she’d succeeded or not.

She threaded her hands under the edge of his shirt, running them over his back. How could someone be the most familiar person in her life, yet at the same time be so unfamiliar? Even the shape of his back had changed-newer, stronger muscles spread from the ridges of his spine-and she was desperate to know everything about the differences.

He kissed his way to her breasts, then took a beaded peak into his mouth. A hand cupped her other breast, the rough pad of his thumb stroking, while his tongue softly circled, then lightly bit. As she struggled to cope with the exquisite torment, her hands stilled on his upper back. Their surroundings vanished, all that existed in the universe was JT-his mouth, his hands, his heat. Just when she thought she’d dissolve, he moved back up her body and kissed the sensitive spot behind her ear.

“You’re more beautiful now than you ever were,” he whispered, then his tongue touched the shell of her ear and she sank still deeper into the sensations he evoked. The words, combined with his warm rapid breath in her ear sent a delicious shiver across her body.

She pushed his shirt up to his shoulders, watching the color of his chest change as it was exposed to the night’s pearlescent light. Absorbing the vague scent of soap that emanated from his skin, she whispered a kiss across his chest, and smiled when he shuddered. He’d always reacted intensely to her caress-strange that he was so changed in some ways, yet her memories of how he liked to be touched seemed as fresh as ever.

Filled with the power of her recovered knowledge, she pushed the T-shirt higher and he grabbed the fabric behind his neck and tugged it over his head. She touched everywhere she could reach, the ridges of his abdomen, the swell of his biceps, the crisp hair smattered across his chest. The more of him she touched, the faster her blood pumped, and she felt the answering beat of his heart thudding strongly under her hands.

She needed more, so much more. Desire smoldering in her belly, she reached into his jeans to find him straining and ready for her. The soft slide of him against her palm made her breath catch.

He groaned and pulled her hand back to slowly remove the rest of her clothes, peeling away fabric, kissing the skin he exposed as his fingers feathered across her belly, the satin of her thighs.

Instinctively his name slipped from her mouth as he covered her with his weight, and she was losing herself, melting into him. His mouth came down and kissed her with a consuming hunger and she pulled him closer against her. It wasn’t near enough. She wrapped her legs around his strong thighs, and his hand snaked between them and unerringly found the pulsing core of her, his other hand curled around her nape as his mouth sustained the kiss.

The moment after he entered her, his neck corded with tension and he held himself very still. A tear ran down her face-the beauty of finally being reunited with him was breathtaking, nothing could ever compare. JT leaned down and kissed the tear away, then began to move in a rhythm that she matched without thought.

His heavily lidded eyes were locked on hers as they climbed higher, his name on her lips, and higher still, the feel of him everywhere, and higher, before she broke free, released of earthly restraints, and felt him follow her, gripping her tight, calling her name.

She floated for an endless time, neither of them moving, as if not wanting to break the spell. Then, as she drifted back to earth and the hot pulse in her body slowly leveled, the outside world began to intrude. The leaf litter beneath their coats that rustled with every movement, the small stone digging into her arm, the light breeze on her naked leg.

And with the awareness of her surroundings also came awareness of what she’d done. Her stomach shrank to a cold, hard lump as the full folly of her actions came crashing down-she’d crossed a line. A professional and ethical line. But also a personal one…

She’d allowed herself to lapse from the person she’d worked so hard to become.

Although, perhaps it had been inevitable-a healing experience they’d both needed. And now they could move on. She released the breath she’d been holding, relieved to have understanding of what they’d done-she’d simply needed the closure and now she had it. She scrubbed a hand over her face.

JT stroked a finger down the side of her cheek. “Pia, I didn’t mean for that to happen. I did think earlier at your apartment that maybe…but I would never take advantage of you when you were vulnerable.”

“I know,” she whispered. “Maybe making love one final time was closure.”

His forehead furrowed as he considered. “You could have something there.”

“When things ended between us, it was…”

“Messy?” He arched one eyebrow in faint amusement.

“Messy,” she agreed. “Maybe this was inevitable, even if it was the result of getting carried away.”

He smiled his crooked smile, then his body tensed and his face blanched. “Oh God, I’m sorry, Pia. I didn’t use protection.”

Ice trickled through her veins. She hadn’t given it a thought either. Although she’d be safe from pregnancy thanks to a little daily pill, it had been crazy to do this with no other protection. As crazy as doing it at all had been.

“It’s-” she swallowed and offered a half smile “-it’s okay, I’m covered.”

He looked up at the stars, then back to her, disbelief clear in his eyes. “I’ve never forgotten before. Not once, I swear. You’ll be safe.”

“I’m clear as well-I’ve never been unprotected.” It seemed they only lost their minds with each other. The thought was somehow comforting-she wasn’t the only one who was this affected-but it meant she’d need to double her guard. This couldn’t happen again.

Three weeks later, Pia picked up her cobalt blue wide-brimmed hat and stepped out of the cab and into a gorgeous sunny day. Fundraising events targeting the rich and powerful weren’t normally particularly interesting but this one was different. Her bosses had sent her to this charity garden party at the Botanical Gardens so the firm could make an appearance, and anything the partners wanted while her promotion was in the air, the partners would have. They themselves usually attended the higher-profile fundraisers, so she’d been thrilled when they’d asked her to attend this one with the cream of the city’s elite. It meant they trusted her. That promotion was so close she could taste it.

A rogue thought caught her off guard and penetrated her defenses-what was JT doing today? Would he be working? Socializing with a date? Riding his bike? The rush of emotion through her bloodstream made her dizzy and she paused to rebalance. After they’d made love at their beach, they’d traveled back to her apartment in silence and the goodbyes had been awkward. From now on, he was merely a claimant to a will she was administering. Making love had been important for healing, for closure, she could see that, but it was over. All she had to do was hold her thoughts, dreams and fantasies in check and she’d be fine. She shook her head and smiled ruefully at herself, and at how optimistic that plan was. JT was a hard man to shove to the edges of her mind.

She stepped into the park, and smoothed down her dress in the matching blue to her hat and shoes, then took a breath. She was ready to be charming, to make a good impression.

The Botanical Gardens were huge and the annual garden party fundraiser for a wildlife refuge was always held in the rose garden section, so she headed that way along a paved path. A light breeze played with the edges of her dress and she held her hat until it passed. Up ahead she could make out women in bright, bold hats and men in suits standing in groups, laughing and chatting. She spied two women she knew from other city firms and headed for their group, accepting a class of iced tea from a passing waiter on her way.

Within two hours, she’d donated money via the charity auction and made contact with the clients her boss had told her to seek. Two hours was all the partners expected; besides, she was exhausted from the long hours she’d been putting in lately and still had more work to do this afternoon. Plus, the day had warmed-she was looking forward to getting home and taking off the closed-toe shoes.

Just as she was running an eye over the crowd, checking to see if there was anyone else she should talk to before leaving, she saw JT heading over, a slender blonde at his side. Her heart froze, then burst to life again as if trying to break free from her chest. They’d had no contact since he’d dropped her home the night they’d made love on the beach.

The only way she’d been able to cope with that crazy, explosive night was to try not to think about it. But with each step he took closer, the memories assaulted her-his kiss, the feel of him entering her, his tenderness. His companion was talking and JT nodded and replied, but Pia felt the intensity of his gaze in every cell of her body. By the time he reached her, her breath was coming a little too fast for someone standing still on a warm, sunny day, but she was helpless to glance away.

When they stopped in front of her, his blonde friend looked up, seemingly surprised to find someone there.

“Lovely day,” JT said, voice smooth and low.

She swallowed to moisten her throat before she could speak. “JT.” Thankfully, her voice sounded normal, even professional.

“This is Christina,” he said. “She works in my marketing department.” He turned to the woman beside him. “This is Nell.”

Pia blinked then realized he was being discreet, just as she’d asked. Either that or he was making fun of her. She held her hand out to the other woman. “Nice to meet you.”

Christina took Pia’s hand and shook it, giving her a warm smile. “Lovely to meet you too, Nell. By the way, your hat is hands down the best here. I have a largish collection but that one’s something altogether different in style. Where did you buy it?”

“I made it,” she admitted. From the corner of her eye, she saw JT’s gaze sharpen.

“Really?” Christina asked, her eyes fixed above Pia’s crown. “It has such fabulous details on the brim. Are you a milliner?”

For a moment, Pia imagined her mother’s horrified expression if she’d overheard someone asking one of her daughters that question. The Baxter girls were not raised to make things. They were raised to earn exorbitant wages-or marry money-then pay others to make things for them.

“No,” she said, “a lawyer.”

“Do you ever sell your creations? Because I’d be first in line to buy one.”

Sell them? Pia almost laughed. Her job took practically every minute of her day, and once she made partner, it would only get busier. And this woman thought she’d have time to sit around and make hats for other people? That after a law degree from Yale and incalculable hours of overtime, she’d suddenly start spending her nights whipping up designs? A niggle of annoyance reared its head-solely to do with the conversation, not with the fact that this woman was on JT’s arm, of course.

“Sorry to disappoint,” she said with a polite smile, “I don’t have the time.”

Christina was undeterred. “Well, if you ever change your mind, please make sure I’m the first person you call because-”

“Nell,” JT interrupted, “there’s something I wanted to discuss. Do you have a moment to take a walk with me?”

Thankful for the interruption, she turned to him. The offer of escape from Christina’s well-intentioned enthusiasm was hard to bypass, but there was a danger in being alone with this man. Although, they wouldn’t be alone-they were at an event, being held in a large park filled with people, in the middle of the day. It was nothing like being alone at their special beach in the moonlight.

JT offered his arm and after only a brief hesitation, she slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow. “Christina, I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said, and after they made goodbyes to Christina, they moved away.

“So you haven’t given up completely on your dream to be a fashion designer,” he said lightly, looking ahead. She sighed. So much for avoiding a discussion on the topic by leaving with him.

“I’m not designing hats. It’s just a pragmatic solution when I can’t find a suitable one.”

JT looked down into Pia’s serious expression as they walked and wondered if she truly believed that. Had she sublimated her creative nature that far, or was she spinning him a line? Her eyes didn’t flicker. She did believe it-she thought she was as straitlaced as her parents and sisters. Sure, he’d seen the signs when they’d met again-the conservative suits, the harshly pinned-back hair, the closed expression-but he’d thought it was a facade for her career’s sake. And for his sake. But now it was obvious she truly believed it.

She’d forgotten the shape of her soul.

He rubbed a finger across his forehead. How was that possible? Perhaps it’d been the aftermath of losing their baby, when she’d closed herself off to him. It’d been the worst time of his life-perhaps it’d also been enough to rupture her self-image, her belief in her true self?

He blew out a long breath. Whenever it’d happened, whatever it was that had changed her from a free-spirited, joyful person, it was wrong. Suddenly desperate to ruffle her feathers, to mess up that oh-so-controlled mask she was wearing, he guided them away from the crowd, to another part of the garden that was open to tourists but seemed to be empty.

“Pia,” he said, low, as they walked, “you’re not this person.”

Her gaze flew up to his, her violet eyes startled. “What do you mean?”

“This,” he waved a hand up and down her outfit, “is one of your sisters, not you.”

Her eyes hardened and her chin swung away as she spoke. “No, JT. I’ve grown up. Don’t presume you know anything about me anymore.”

People grew up, sure, but they didn’t change this much. There had to be the same person deep down inside her. “You’re wilder, more creative, more dangerous than this.”

She shivered but her step didn’t falter. “That was your influence. It was never the real me.”

His influence? It’d been part of what attracted him to the teenaged Pia when he’d spied her at school on his first day. She’d been so free, so beautiful, so unpredictable.

They came to a greenhouse and he guided her inside to the hothouse flowers that scented the air with their ripe sweetness. “I think you’re overestimating my ability to influence you. Sure I did some crazy things, but you were the one who had us both breaking curfew to watch the sunrise from the top of my apartment building. And it was your idea to make love in the rain on my birthday.” His blood heated at the memory of that wild afternoon- Pia’s hands all over him in a secluded part of her parents’ garden, the chill of raindrops on his back, the heat of her body beneath his.