Page 44 of Jacob

He didn’t look embarrassed or ill at ease at all. And he certainly wasn’t blushing, though it would be hard to tell on that dark, weather-beaten face.

She sat up, realized her breasts were bare and snatched up the covers and covered her breasts, pulling the covers up to her neck. If she could have, she’d have pulled them over her head. But that would be childish.

Her face was cherry-red, she could feel it. Damn her fair skin and damn the effect he had on her and while she was at it, damn sex. The sex had turned her entire world upside down.

“Hey.” His voice was soft. He was holding an espresso cup in one hand and with the other motioned for her to scoot over in bed to make room for him.

She scooted, feeling like a fool.

Jacob Black had probably had a hundred—a thousand—lovers. Was probably used to sophisticated women in his bed.

Well, she was sophisticated. Had a PhD and a master’s and had a high-level job. So why was she blushing and why was her tongue suddenly this inert thing in her mouth? Why was her mind such a blank?

Gah.

Jacob handed the cup to her and she sipped then gulped. Delicious. Perfect. Of course. She stared down into the cup, hoping that it would tell her something. Make her feel less awkward. An Indian friend in college had told fortunes from tea leaves in the bottom of cups. No fortune to be read here, just a little bit of fragrant brown liquid.

His finger ran down her face, from temple to chin. It felt like a line of fire.

“You’re blushing.”

Alex closed her eyes and wished intently that she could teleport herself somewhere else. Or press fast forward when they could be in the cabin, calmly discussing strategy. And she’d be fully dressed.

“Alex, don’t be uncomfortable with me, please.”

She shook her head.

He took her cup and put it on the bedside table. Turned and took her in his arms. “I want you to be happy. Like I am. I haven’t been happy in a long time. Maybe not ever, not like this. This is very rare. We should enjoy it. Very few people have what we do.” He dropped a kiss on her forehead. “Please.”

She let out a great sigh and with it went her discomfort. He was right. Last night had been… amazing. She’d never felt anything like it. Maybe never would again. They’d both been through very hard times and should appreciate when life threw pleasure at them.

It might not last. It probably wouldn’t. And they might die today or tomorrow.

He nudged her with his shoulder. “So. Was it good for you?”

Alex laughed, pulled away. He was smiling. It looked so strange on that hard, grim face.

“You’re going to have to feed me before I answer that.”

“Roger that.” Jacob chuckled and stood up, offering his hand. “If you want to take a shower, breakfast will be ready when you come out. Then we’ll talk strategy.”

“Ok. You cooking breakfast while I shower sounds like a reasonable division of labor.”

She took his hand, swung her legs over the edge of the bed, and stood up. She was naked but somehow it didn’t bother her. That attack of extreme prudery had passed, some vestige of her past that didn’t exist anymore. Jacob had examined her body in all its details last night and that thought finally caught up with her. The prudery train had passed.

It bothered him, though.

He closed his eyes and grimaced. “Please get into the bathroom quick. You’re pure temptation.”

Delighted at the thought of being temptation, she sashayed to the bathroom. Well, this was a change. Usually she was admired from the neck up, not the neck down.

The shower was small but deluxe, the first shower she’d ever seen in an airplane. It got the job done, though. Sex and a hot shower did her a lot of good. When she caught a glimpse of herself in the bathroom mirror, she looked refreshed, color high, eyes bright. She hadn’t slept much, but obviously fabulous sex was a good substitute for sleep.

Jacob stood when she entered the main cabin, checking her out, head to toe. It wasn’t sexy. He was checking on her well-being, like you would with a teammate. “Looking good,” he said, finally, satisfaction in his voice. “We’re going to have another long day, so eat a good breakfast. It’ll have to be brunch because we slept in and we’ll be landing soon.”

Alex side-eyed him. “Whose fault is it we slept in late?”

“Mine.” He smiled. “Don’t regret a second of it. But do eat, we won’t have another meal until we’re at the hotel.

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