Later that evening, Hope watched Jason from the kitchen—ogling him had rapidly become her favorite activity—as he worked from his laptop on one of the recliners in the living room. He looked deep in thought, his eyes narrowed as he studied what was probably data. She’d cooked dinner and hustled him out of the kitchen to finish whatever he was working on as soon as they’d finished eating. He’d told her he was in the middle of a project, and she’d balked when he’d been ready to go with her shopping earlier in the day. She told him to finish whatever he needed to do while she went to town. He’d given her a look that said he didn’t want her to go anywhere without him, and she’d reminded him that it was just a shopping trip. It wasn’t as if she was going out to chase a storm. Jason had relented, but he hadn’t looked happy about it. In fact, he’d greeted her at the door with a look of relief when she’d returned, and gave her a fiery kiss that had made her body sizzle down to her toes, and every part of her anatomy in between, too.
Hope bit her lip to keep from laughing when Daisy hopped onto the chair and walked over Jason’s laptop as though the computer and Jason belonged to her. Her heart skittered as she watched him move Daisy gently, placed the feline next to his thighs, and gave her the attention she obviously wanted by stroking her head and then her silky body repeatedly. Hope grew teary eyed as she noticed Jason murmured to a deaf cat who couldn’t hear a word he said. Daisy ate up the attention as though she could hear his comforting words, and bumped him in the belly so he could keep on petting her.
The Jason she adored was back, the caring boy who’d grown into a protective, alpha, kindhearted man. Seeing him, seeing the man he really was, made it even harder to resist him. She hadn’t detected any sign of the ruthless bastard who’d tried to blackmail her. Instead, a tear rolled down her cheek as Jason continued to talk to Daisy, moved his laptop and let her cuddle on his lap while he used both hands to stroke her delighted kitty body.
She swiped away the tear, opened the fridge and snatched one of the chocolates she’d stashed away as a surprise.
“I thought most men didn’t like cats,” she said casually as she sauntered into the living room.
“She seems to like me,” Jason said defensively. He continued to pet Daisy as he watched her walk toward him.
She stopped beside the chair. “Open your mouth. I got you something today.”
He looked at her cautiously. “If it’s a Rocky Mountain oyster, I get to paddle your ass,” he warned in a low, ominous voice.
“Hmm…no…it’s not. But I almost wish it was now,” she pondered aloud before she could censor her words. Something about Jason’s preference to be dominating both humbled her and excited her. To let her take the lead had to kill him, yet he did it for her. “Open,” she requested sweetly. “Please,” she added.
He still gave her a startled but smoldering look from her comment about the spanking. Finally, he closed his eyes and opened his mouth, a gesture of trust that made Hope’s heart accelerate. She dropped the milk chocolate pecan turtle into his mouth and watched as he chewed and groaned as the chocolate hit his taste buds. “Good?” She already knew the answer. She had recognized the name of the chocolatier when shopping earlier. It was a small company that had several stores in Colorado, and the chocolates were out of this world.
Jason swallowed, a rapturous look on his face. “Tell me you have more.” His voice was both demanding and pleading.
“I have more,” she agreed compliantly and smiled. “I know you and chocolate.”
“I’ve had chocolate everywhere in the world, and that’s incredible.” He lowered Daisy gently to the floor and moved his laptop to the floor beside the recliner.
Hope squealed as Jason wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her onto his lap. Recovering quickly, she straddled him and let her legs dangle off both sides of the chair. “It’s about time I got my turn,” she told him with false indignation. “I was getting jealous of my own cat.”
He palmed her ass and pulled her closer against him. “I like your cat, baby. But you feel a hell of a lot better.” His hand moved up underneath her t-shirt and stroked over the bare skin of her back.
Hope almost purred just like Daisy as Jason’s touch shot fire through her blood. She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I can’t wait until tomorrow, Jason. I need you.” She could feel his hard erection push against the denim of his jeans, and she moved her hips to get her heated, saturated core closer.
I need to be closer. I need him inside me.
“Hope.” He sounded tortured as he moved one of his hands behind her head and brought her mouth down on his.
She responded immediately, thrust her hips forward again and tangled her fingers into his disheveled hair to mess it up even more.
Hope surrendered completely and moaned desperately into his mouth as he gripped her ass, trying to mold their bodies together to mimic the actions of their seeking, needy tongues. She actually wanted Jason’s dominance, craved having him show her that he wanted her beyond reason. Fear wasn’t an issue. Desire reigned supreme, and she was crazed to experience Jason’s complete loss of control, to let him show her everything she’d been missing for so long. Hope felt bold and Jason had helped her regain her power. Now, all she wanted was…him.
She pulled away from him, panting. “Fuck me, Jason. I need you.”
He let out a strangled groan and stood, her legs still wrapped around his powerful body, his hands still squeezing her ass. “Christ knows I want to, baby. I’m just afraid of doing something wrong. What if it hurts because we’re doing it again far too soon?”
Her heart melted as his husky voice, so low and full of passion, also vibrated with concern…for her. “It won’t,” she assured him. Hope knew in her gut she was right. She knew exactly who she was with, and why she was with him.
“I don’t have the control I need with you,” Jason protested as he walked them toward the bedroom. “But I’ll make you come,” he growled. Her feet landed on the floor as he stopped in the bedroom. “Strip,” he commanded, his voice harsh with controlled desire.
Hope wasn’t having it. She needed Jason inside her. “You do it,” she countered and stood back with her hands by her side. “When we made our deal, I told you I’d do anything you wanted. Make me do it,” she challenged, without a flinch as she watched his nostrils flare and the muscle in his jaw twitch.