She knew that if she was going to have any objections, now was the time to express them. Once his lips touched hers, it would all be over.
The countdown began for the ball to drop, and Alyssa missed it all.
. . . four . . . three . . . two . . .
The further things went with Alyssa, the deeper Jackson fell. What particularly surprised him was his need to hold her, to caress her, to make this night never end. That should have scared him into stopping.
He didn’t do long-term relationships. Hell, he didn’t do relationships, period! He just took care of his body’s sexual needs. But with Alyssa, something was going wrong.
Or right.
He had to have this woman. Alyssa obviously wanted a hot, sexy night, and so did he. They’d both walk away with no regrets. Slowly, surely, he pulled her into his arms, enjoying the lowering of her eyes, the deepening of her breath. She was turned on; the foreplay on the plane had ensured that. It was time for both of them to forget all about their respective woes and go together to the highest reaches of heaven.
Tilting her chin, he tasted her lips with a flick of his tongue before he captured the bottom one with his teeth and bit down lightly, just enough to make her moan and turn the beautiful pink lip red.
“Jackson,” she sighed, sending an ache straight to his groin, his body demanding he take more.
He pulled her against him, letting the balcony rail hold them both. He explored her satin-covered back as he deepened the kiss and discovered every nuance of her mouth, taking what he wanted—and giving back even more. Her hands moved slowly up his arms; her elegant fingers glided across his shirt, leaving a trail of fire everywhere she touched. A groan escaped his throat as he undid the buttons of her blouse, then slowly peeled it downward, off her body, leaving her back bare to his touch.
Pure, flawless silk. He’d known her skin would be soft—known she wouldn’t hesitate to give sound to the pleasure she was feeling, not after what they’d shared earlier, not now that they were alone and free to do as they pleased. Now she didn’t have to muffle her pleasure. Her cries of passion would only add fuel to the flames burning inside him.
Knowing they needed privacy, and that if he wanted to take her clothes off he would have to get her in a warmer place, he moved them inside, never breaking the connection of their lips as his hands continued to strip the clothes from her body, exposing more and more of her skin to his wandering hands. After unfastening her bra, he pulled back to behold her perfection.
The air caught in his throat as he took in the luscious mounds of her naked breasts, the pink nipples hard, an invitation for his touch. Gliding over the deep curve at her waist, he ran his hands upward, then cupped her in his palms as his thumbs whispered over her peaks.
“Oh, Jackson,” she gasped, her head falling back, her breasts thrust forward.
She demanded more, and he was glad to oblige. Squeezing a breast with one hand, he bent his head down, captured her sweet nipple, and suckled, his teeth scraping across the sensitive surface.
Hearing the exquisite sounds of encouragement from deep in her throat, he relished her flavor, moving from one side to the other until both peaks were glistening and well loved.
He needed her lips again. With his hands now around her back, he raised them quickly, clasped her neck, and brought her mouth back to his, leaving her in no doubt that he was pleasuring her, possessing her, owning her.
She grabbed the front of his shirt, and he wanted to complain when her exquisite breasts left his chest, but as she began undoing his buttons, his protests faded. Yes. He needed to be skin to skin with her.
He tugged off his cuff links, and the heavy gold flew off, neither of them knowing or caring where. Running her fingers down the insides of his arms, she pushed the offending shirt away, then drew back momentarily with half-closed eyes to take in the sight of his naked chest. A smile tilted the corners of her mouth.
Leaning forward, she kissed his neck before taking her time and exploring him the way he’d been exploring her. He reveled in the feel of her slender hands running across his skin, of her mouth skimming over his chest, her tongue grazing his skin. She kissed his jaw, then circled his lips with her tongue. Her kisses seemed almost hesitant, as if she didn’t quite know what she was doing, but he knew that couldn’t be right. She was beautiful, confident.
He knew she’d had at least one lover—and doubtless more—and he was sure she had plenty of experience to bring to his bedroom. Needing her in bed now, he wrapped his arms around her waist, gripped her luscious behind, and began walking. Gasping, she threw her hands around his neck so she wouldn’t fall.
“Bedroom. Now,” he growled, barely able to speak because his erection was throbbing so desperately.
“Mmm, good,” she said as she pressed closer, the peaks of her breasts rubbing gloriously against his chest.
He strode to the suite’s bedroom, set her down at the side of the bed, and stepped back to take in the full view of her as she stood before him in nothing but a gleaming white pair of minuscule panties.
“I have to say this is the best New Year’s I can ever remember,” he said.
She shifted, apparently embarrassed to be on display. A model could be embarrassed? No. He couldn’t allow nerves to intervene in what they were about to do. If she decided to walk out and leave him in this condition, he might very well explode. Still, he knew he couldn’t take her if she wasn’t sure.
“You’re not having second thoughts, are you, Alyssa?”
She paused, and he could swear his heart stopped. “No. Can we . . . um . . . can we just turn off the lights?”
“Why would you want to turn off the lights? You’re beautiful and surely you’re used to being in the spotlight—after all, you’ve been a model for some years.”
“That’s why I hate the lights. I hated being looked at as nothing more than a sex symbol. I want to be looked at as just me, but that hasn’t happened in a long time.” She shifted on her feet, and he knew he was going to lose her if he wasn’t careful.
Without any further hesitation, he moved over and flicked the lamps off, grateful that there was still a glow of light coming in from the hallway.
Jackson undid his slacks as he walked back toward her, and he let them and his briefs fall to the floor. He pulled her back into his arms, his arousal pressing against her and leaving no doubt whatsoever about how much he wanted her. “I want you because you fascinate me, but don’t doubt for a minute that you are desirable.” She sighed into his mouth as he joined their lips together again, then she ran her hands down his chest and over his stomach. He was practically shaking when she went lower.