Not Strictly Business!: Prodigal Son / The Boss and Miss Baxter / The Baby Deal

Chapter Nine

Jack opened the drapes and returned to the bed to watch the growing light creep across the room. He gently shifted the lock of hair curling across Samantha’s cheek so that he could see the pale skin and the curve of her mouth.

She was beautiful, which wasn’t news, but still struck him this morning. She lay across rumpled sheets, with the blanket tangled in her legs. Her bare arm stretched toward him and he could see her naked right breast.

Just looking at the tight nipple sent blood surging to his groin. He wanted her again, but after last night, he didn’t think he should indulge himself. Three times was impressive, four was greedy. Besides, he didn’t want to make her sore.

He touched her curls again, rubbing his fingers against the soft texture of her hair. He didn’t even have to close his eyes to remember what it had been like the second time, when she’d straddled him, claiming him, moving faster and faster as her body gave itself over to pleasure.

He’d watched her as she’d arched her back, her breasts thrusting toward him, her hair spilling down, swaying with each thrust of her hips.

They were good together, at least in bed. But would she see that? Or would she revert to type—second-guessing what had happened and telling them both that this was all a mistake?

She stirred slightly, then rolled onto her back and opened her eyes. The sheet pooled around her waist, leaving her breasts bare and even after she’d seen him, she didn’t try to cover herself.

“Good morning,” she whispered. “Did you sleep?”

He nodded.

Her mouth curved into a smile. “You’re looking so serious. What’s wrong?”

“I’m fine.”

She rolled toward him and touched his bare chest. “Then what?” she asked, her smile fading. “Are you sorry about last night?”

“That’s your line.”

“Oh.”

He saw the hurt flash in her eyes and groaned. “Samantha, no. I didn’t mean it like that.”

She sat up and pulled the sheet so she was covered to her shoulders. Her messy hair tumbled across her bare shoulders and her mouth twisted.

“You did mean it like that and you have every right to expect me to bolt,” she said firmly. “Based on how I’ve been acting, what else could you think? I’m sorry I was a total change-o girl.”

He stared at her. “A what?”

“You know what I mean. I’ve been the queen of sending mixed messages. I hated that I was doing it and I didn’t know how to stop. I’ve since given myself a stern talking to. I’m working on being in the moment and letting the future take care of itself. You’ve been nothing but terrific since I moved to Chicago. You’re a great guy and I have no regrets about last night.” She shook her head. “I take that back. I have one regret. That it took me so long to get you into bed.”

He’d braced himself to hear a lot of things, but that wasn’t one of them. “You’re not sorry.”

“Nope. Are you?”

He grinned. “Are you kidding? Last night was incredible.”

“I do have a special talent,” she said modestly, then smiled. “Okay, what happens now? What are your usual rules of play.”

“You assume I have rules.”

“All guys do. Tell me what they are and I’ll tell you if I agree.”

Dangerous territory, he thought. Although maybe not. Samantha was coming off a rough divorce. He doubted she was looking for anything serious any more than he was.

“Serial monogamy,” he said. “We stay together as long as it’s good. No forever, no hurt feelings when it’s over.”

She batted her eyes. “So you’d be, like, my boyfriend.”

He chuckled. “If that’s what you want to call it.”

“Would we get matching tattoos?”

“Never.”

“Would we make love?”

“Almost constantly.”

She flopped back on the bed. “What makes you think I want you?”

“Last night you were screaming.”

Her cheeks darkened with color. “I don’t remember that.”

“Trust me. You screamed.”

Her humor faded. “You’ve been really patient with me, Jack. I’ve been so scared about messing up and being taken. I thought it was best to just avoid any kind of relationship. But that’s no way to live. Complicating the situation was my reaction to you.”

He took her hand in his and rubbed her fingers with his thumb. “What reaction?”

“You know, mine.”

“You have to be a little more specific.”

She sighed. “Look at the situation logically. If I didn’t want to get involved, why didn’t I just stay away from you? Why did I keep coming back for more?” She shrugged. “You’ve always been something of a temptation.”

He liked the sound of that. “Since when?”

“Since before. When we were in grad school.”

What? “You blew me off. You said it was a mistake.”

“I was scared.”

“Not of me. What did I ever do wrong?”

“Nothing. That’s my point. My fears were about me. But even they weren’t enough to keep me away. I was so torn. You were a lot like my father in that whole rich, powerful way and I didn’t know how to handle it.”

Which meant he was also like her ex-husband. How did he convince her that he wasn’t the enemy? That he wasn’t interested in hurting her?