One night with her, p.5
One Night With Her,
p.5
She paused, the corner of her lips quirking up in a half-smile. “Just Jack, are you asking me out on a date?”
He grinned, then leaned in for a quick kiss, brushing his lips against her bruised and red ones, the evidence of how she’d been kissed, and desired. His mark on her, this woman he wanted. “I suppose I am.”
“Then you’re going to need to be more than Just Jack. Want to cough up that last name now?” she said, making a gimme motion with her hands.
He parted his lips to answer, but was cut short when Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” started playing, a loud crescendo of the most famous part of the piece of music. Michelle twitched, her shoulders visibly tensing. She sprang out of bed, hunting for her purse, then fishing around in it for her phone as she buttoned her shirt. Possibilities flashed through his brain—was she married? Was this the Bat Call from a friend, saving her from a man she didn’t want?
“Michelle here,” she said in a crisp, business-like tone as she tucked her shirt into her skirt.
Maybe it was work. He didn’t know what she did for a living.
Listening to the call, she nodded several times as she stuffed her feet back into her black pumps, then smoothed a hand down her shirt. “I understand. Please tell her I will call her in three minutes.”
She hung up, and sighed heavily. “Jack. I’m so, so sorry. That was my service. A patient of mine needs me. But I swear I want to see you again, so please take my number and call me tomorrow, okay?”
He narrowed his eyes, not sure if he believed her. “If you just want a one-time thing, that’s cool. Or if you’re married and rushing home to your husband, maybe let me know that too so I can stay far away.”
She walked quickly to the bed, bending down to drop a kiss on his lips. “I swear I’m not married, not even close. And I haven’t been involved with anyone in ages, and I would really like to see you again, so give me your number and I’ll call you right now so you have mine in your phone,” she said, and she seemed so earnest and bullshit-free that he chose to believe her. He knew what she did now; she was a doctor, and that made sense since she’d said she made people feel better. Noble profession, and all. He rattled off his number, and she dialed it. His phone sounded from his pocket.
She arched an eyebrow. “You like Ravel?”
He nodded. “Classical music aficionado here.”
“We have so much to talk about. Text me tomorrow. And, Jack?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks for the two best orgasms of my life.”
“Next time, we’ll make it a double of a double.”
“I’m going to hold you to it. And on that, I need to run,” she said, slinging her purse higher on her shoulder then opening the door. It clanged loudly behind her when it shut, the sound of the night ending far too soon.
He shifted to his back, tucking his hands behind his bed, and staring at the ceiling. Too bad the room didn’t have an hourly rate, because they’d only used it for thirty minutes.
The sound of a siren echoed in the distance, the noise of New York inserting itself into another moment. The room closed in on him, suddenly too small, too empty as he longed for both her company and her body.
CHAPTER FIVE
Your 2 p.m.
Jack wiped the slight sheen of sweat from his forehead and took aim, cleanly delivering the basketball through the net.
“Did you miss me last night?” Nate asked as he grabbed the ball.
Jack laughed. “Not one bit.”
Nate raised an eyebrow as he dribbled the ball between his legs. “Does that mean what I think it means?”
His friend knew him too well. But then, any man would know what he meant, because that’s where a man’s mind was most of the time. Nate was no different. Besides, now that Nate’s friend Bryan had settled down with Nate’s sister, Jack was the one regularly quizzed about his late-night antics. He hadn’t had much to say lately though, and he certainly hadn’t shared details of his sex life with Aubrey back when they were together. Though his times with her had never been as exciting as only one night with Michelle.
It was okay that he was the quieter one when it came to the morning-after report. Nate usually had enough fodder for the both of them.
“Maybe it does,” he said as Nate took his turn shooting.
“And does that mean you’ll be the one canceling drinks next time?” Nate asked as Jack grabbed the ball.
“You know what? It just might mean that. But for a much better reason than working late on a deal.”
“That deal is going to make my company a lot of money, though.”
“That’s a good thing then.”
“Yeah, but not as good as other things.”
He flashed back to last night. To Michelle’s body, half-naked. He’d need to get the rest of her clothes off tonight.
“You’re right. Definitely not as good as other things that I’m going to engage in again tonight,” he said with a wicked grin.
“Lucky bastard,” Nate whistled as the ball sailed through the net.
Maybe he was talking about the ball. Or maybe he was talking about the possibility of another time. The latter was a hell of a lot more exciting.
So exciting that he sent Michelle a text as soon as they finished shooting hoops that morning.
J: Are you still holding me to that foursome of orgasms tonight? Because I plan on delivering.
M: Four? Consider me game.
He texted her on and off throughout his day, until it was time for his appointment, and even then he kept up the volley on his walk to the Lexington Avenue building.
* * *
M: By the way, did I tell you that I woke up this morning thinking about what you did to me against the wall?
J: Did you touch yourself?
M: What do you think?
J: That you had that gorgeous sexy O mouth going on this morning in your bed.
M: Maybe I did
J: Would love to see that. Fingers or toys?
M: Both. And if you want to know more, you’ll have to take me to dinner.
J: That can be arranged, but I’m going to need to eat food, and eat you.
M: How about you make arrangements for the former, and I do for the latter?
J: I’ll make reservations at a restaurant. I might need to taste you first though. Not sure if I can wait. I’ll text you later. I have a meeting in five min. Walking into the building now.
M: Mmm . . . I like the way you think . . . and I have an appt too. Can’t wait to see you again.
J: Can’t wait to see you.
Michelle grinned wickedly as she turned her personal phone to silent, then tucked it into a desk drawer. She always gave her clients supreme focus, and that included not only silencing the phone, but placing it completely out of sight. Besides, Jack was already front and center in her mind; she didn’t need to clutter her thoughts with even more of him when she had to focus on her next patient. He was some kind of magic, though; he’d been the only man whose touch had made her forget Clay. She hadn’t thought of her good friend once last night. Jack had been so overpowering, so dominant that there was no room for anyone but Jack in her head and heart.
He was a good drug, the kind who could wash away the bitter aftertaste of unrequitedness.
Now, here in the light of day, her mind tripped briefly back to Clay. She’d been in love with that man for ten years, and it sucked that he hadn’t loved her back. She’d hoped that Liam, the charming actor she’d dated a few months ago, would blunt her feelings. But as she flipped open her laptop to check on her next appointment, Michelle knew there hadn’t been enough of a spark with Liam—there wasn’t a true light-up-the-night ignition that could erase the past.
It would take a once-in-a-century eclipse to blot out the ache she’d felt for Clay, who was now so happy with another woman. Longing had camped out in her heart for so many years it had squatter’s rights. She wished someone had warned her that loving someone who doesn’t love you is like a permanent sore in the mouth—painful, and you want to touch it all the time, to worry away at it. The ache had dulled in the last few months, but he was still in her heart and she had no clue how to fully erase him.
She clicked open her calendar, checking on the details of her next session. At least she had her work to focus on. Her clients and their challenges fed her, made her whole in a way that only her work as a psychologist could do. She scanned the notes from her office manager who’d arranged the appointment, though she knew very little about the man coming to see her. That was par for the course. She rarely knew much in advance, and her job was to get to know clients during their time together.
But she knew this much. No first name, but the last name was Sullivan. His sister had called to set up the appointment for him, citing intimacy issues. There was a line about “difficulty moving on from last relationship,” and a reminder that discretion of the highest order was vital, since the patient was a prominent businessman.
Not a problem. Never a problem. Discreet was Michelle Milo’s middle name. She hadn’t even breathed Shayla’s name out loud to Jack when she’d called her service late in the middle of the night to talk.
Well, let’s see what we’ve got. She was ready to focus on this Sullivan fellow for the next hour.
When she heard a knock at two o’clock sharp, she opened the door to her office, and all thoughts rushed out of her brain but one.
One word. Blaring like a neon sign.
Smoldering.
This man was smoldering.
And she’d already met him last night.
Stay tuned for Michelle and Jack’s love story in the full-length novel NIGHTS WITH HIM releasing Nov. 11, and available to order here.
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The New York Times and USA Today
Bestselling Seductive Nights series including
Night After Night, After This Night,
and One More Night
Caught Up In Us, a New York Times and
USA Today Bestseller! (Kat and Bryan’s romance!)
Pretending He’s Mine, a Barnes & Noble and
iBooks Bestseller! (Reeve & Sutton’s romance)
Trophy Husband, a New York Times and
USA Today Bestseller! (Chris & McKenna’s romance)
Playing With Her Heart, a
USA Today bestseller! (Davis and Jill’s romance)
Far Too Tempting, an Amazon
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Stars in Their Eyes, an iBooks bestseller and
the start of the new adult series Wrapped Up In Love!
(William and Jess’ romance)
My USA Today bestselling
No Regrets series that includes
The Thrill of It
(Meet Harley and Trey)
and its sequel
Every Second With You
My New York Times and USA Today
Bestselling Fighting Fire series that includes
Burn For Me,
(Smith and Jamie’s romance!)
and Melt for Him
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Lauren Blakely, One Night With Her
