Page 52 of Enemies with Benefits

‘How long do we have until it’s ready?’

‘About eight minutes.’

I smiled. ‘Hmm, that’s long enough.’

Telltale heat scored his cheekbones. ‘For?’

‘For me to drive you a lot crazy.’ I crooked a finger at him. He rose, prowling over to me in a way that made every cell in my body sing. When I made space between my knees, he stepped into them, hands hanging loose at his sides.

Slowly, teasingly, I placed my hands on his calves, then dragged them up. Arousal darkened his eyes as I explored muscular thighs for several seconds before heading north. He hissed out a breath when I brushed my knuckles over his very prominent erection. Keeping my eyes glued on his, I unbuttoned his chinos and drew down the zip. Another slow but firm tug freed his beautiful, engorged cock.

I gripped him, revelling in the hot smoothness of him, while attempting to contain the wildfire hunger rushing through me.

Still keeping my gaze on him, I pumped my hand once...twice. ‘Would you like me to taste you, Jasper?’

His fists clenched convulsively. ‘Holy hell, yes,’ he rasped.

Moaning in anticipation, I leaned in close and wrapped my mouth over his broad head. A thick groan left his throat and I felt a light tremor wash through him. Ravenous, I took more of him in my mouth, my tongue shamelessly circling and licking as pleasure swelled through me.

‘Ah, that’s so good, Wren.’

I explored his cock from root to tip, licked and sucked and teased until he was panting, one hand firmly lodged in my hair as he fucked my mouth. I was so absorbed by the filthy and beautiful act, I protested when he started to draw away.

‘I’d love to come in that gorgeous mouth of yours, sweetheart, but the bath’s waiting.’

The bath I’d forgotten about. A little drunk on him, I watched him tear off the rest of his clothes, then tackled mine. Together we stumbled to the immense rectangular bath that could easily have accommodated a dozen.

Jasper paused long enough to tug on a condom before stepping into the warm water and helping me in. Dropping down onto the last step, he stared up at me, his eyes blazing. ‘Do it, Wren.’

With a needy moan, I braced my hands on his shoulders. Then slowly, my eyes locked on his, I sank down, taking him deep inside me. Shudders of bliss wracked us both as I fucked Jasper into a panting frenzy. Lips bruised, nails raking over flesh as our simultaneous orgasms swept us under.

And when it was all over, he carried me deeper into the water, making space for me between his thighs so I could recline against him. Soft lingering caresses followed, my dreamy gaze on the stars above our heads as minutes drifted by.

Perhaps it was that sense of being untouchable by life’s cruelty in that special moment that made me speak up just then. ‘Can I ask you a question?’

His answer was a contented rumble, his lips trailing kisses against my bare shoulder. ‘Sure.’

‘Your father. You called him a destroyer of lives. Why?’

Jasper stiffened behind me, the hand caressing my thigh freezing. ‘Bloody hell, Wren,’ he replied. ‘I have the most beautiful woman in the world bathing under moonlight with me. The last thing I want to talk about is my father.’

I said nothing, leaving him with the option to answer or not.

Another minute drifted by. ‘Fine. Yes, he was.’

‘Why?’

Another long pause. ‘He called me weak for trying to be the peacemaker of the family. For as long as I could remember, he butted heads with Damian. Even Gem, to some extent. But I was the boy who wouldn’t fight the bullies in school; the one who happily gave away his pocket money to the poor kid I felt needed it more.’ Bitterness coated the laughter that punctuated his words. ‘He particularly hated that when my teachers mentioned it to him, thinking they were doing me a favour and praising me for it. What they didn’t know was that Hugh Mortimer was all for anarchy in the name of dividing and conquering.’

It was my turn to stiffen, the evidence of his father’s ruthlessness the very thing that had created our feud in the first place. But as I heard his clear opposition my soft heart felt for him.

‘He would’ve been prouder of me if I’d thumped everyone who eyed me the wrong way. And he didn’t pull his punches by keeping that shit to himself.’

I twisted in his arms, my shocked gaze searching his. ‘He hit you?’

Relief poured through me when he shook his head. ‘No. Weirdly enough, he had a line he wouldn’t cross. Apparently. But he wasn’t shy about delivering emotional bruises.’ He laughed again.

I cupped one taut cheek. ‘Jasper, I didn’t mean to bring it all up—’

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