Page 47 of A Taste of Trouble

Their bodies writhed, his thrusts slow and calculated, as they savored the moment. The moment she had been waiting for since the first day they met. But she needed more.

“Jake?” Their eyes connected, and without a word, as if he knew exactly what she needed, he picked up the pace.

He released her hands and rested them on either side of her head, pumping, driving, taking her faster and harder to the edge.

Despite the satisfied grunts and slapping of skin that filled the room, they made love. She knew it deep down. He made love to her, giving of himself just as much as she gave to him—everything.

His head fell forward and he nuzzled her neck, tickling her with the graze of his teeth against her damp skin. And then he bit down.

Her body jerked, and she moaned, the spark of erotic pain hurtling her over the edge of pleasure. And when her orgasm hit, it was so deep and so strong that she couldn't breathe. Her eyes rolled back and her eyelids quivered. She spaced out for a second, maybe two.

Jake's groan sounded against her ear as he came with one last thrust, his mouth fused to her neck. When he rolled off her body, his strong arm took her with him, cradling her back against him. He sighed softly and Liv melted into his embrace. She'd let him conquer her. She'd let him in.

And she had no idea where they were going from here.

Chapter Eleven

Jake awoke to the sun casting a soft yellow haze over the room. He rolled over to find Liv facing him, laying half on her stomach, with one of her knees lifted toward her chest. She'd tucked one arm under the pillow and the other rested under her chin.

She looked different. Gone was the steel armor she used to hide, presenting that cool and controlled woman to the world. Although, she hadn't looked like that last night.

Watching her, a sense of peace swept over him, and he was satisfied with his decision to stay.

What would she do when she found him in her apartment? What kind of message was he giving by staying? Liv was probably expecting to be alone. Maybe this was coming on too strong. Jake had no idea how she felt about him, but he knew what was in his heart.

Liv could be “the one.”

No. After last night, he knew she was the one.

Rubbing his hands over his face and through his hair, Jake sat up.

The one. And every minute they spent together had been built on a lie. He was a liar.

His stomach lurched. He'd done it. He'd slept with her. What woman would ever forgive a man for getting into her pants under false pretenses? But they weren't false. From the very first time he'd laid eyes on her, there was an instant connection. That night by her car, he had felt her excitement. There were times when their eyes connected and he knew exactly what she wanted. The sex was more than just two bodies lying together. Everything he thought, everything he felt toward Liv, was the truth. Except for the reason why they met in the first place.

He fisted his hand. Damn it! How did he get himself into this mess? He was usually so controlled. So logical. But the woman sleeping soundly next to him did something to his brain.

He would just have to do everything in his power to make her realize he wanted her. Really wanted her, and not his promotion.

Jake reached across the bed, gently brushing a piece of hair off her face. Last night changed the dynamic of their relationship. Could he even call it a relationship? He had claimed her in every way possible. And now she was his.

He'd gotten her to let go. She admitted there was something more between them. Halfway through, he freaked, unable to let her see his intentions. He thought he'd taken care of that by turning her away from him, but when she grabbed on, pulling him closer, she'd broken him down.

They'd made love, connected. More deeply than he'd ever experienced. He only hoped that when she woke up, she'd remember just how much he belonged. But if she didn't, then with everything he had in him, he was going to do whatever it took to keep her.

He glanced around the room. Pink. It looked like a bottle of Pepto Bismol had exploded—pink comforter, pink curtains, pink area rug, there was even a pink bra jumbled between the bed sheets. He laughed. She hadn't been wearing that last night.

If Liv was controlled and methodical at work, her bedroom was the exact opposite. Clothes spilled out of every drawer. Books were piled high on the nightstand. There was even a half drunk glass of what looked like iced tea sitting on a plate with crumbs.

Jake crept out of bed. She looked so peaceful he didn't want to wake her. Luckily, he found his boxers and pants on the floor near the bed. He had placed them at arm's reach when he got up in the middle of the night to dispose of the condom. He liked seeing his clothes lying on her floor, jumbled with hers. He couldn't help but smile as he pulled on his pants. It felt right, being in this room in the light of day.

After visiting the bathroom, Jake decided to take a look around the rest of the condo. It followed the same chaotic decorating scheme as her bedroom—but with a lot less pink.

Across from the bathroom there was a spare bedroom that was practically empty. No roommates, good sign. Walking into the main area, there was a surprisingly large kitchen off to the right with a bulky island in the middle. The rest of the condo functioned as a living room and dining room. There was a dark wood table with four leather chairs that looked extremely comfortable. The table was littered with papers and more books. A large white couch faced the wall by the bedroom doors, with a matching oversized chair next to it. The furniture surrounded a glass coffee table. The back wall had a flat screen plasma television equipped with a pretty high-tech speaker system and a Blu-ray disc player. Not at all what he'd expected to find.

The most interesting part of the room was the section of overloaded bookshelves that lined the entire side wall. There were hundreds. He skimmed through the titles and wasn't surprised to find an alarming number of romance novels, another reason why he found her so fascinating. At first meeting, no one would guess the self-proclaimed relationship-phobic would read about happy endings. She just proved you could never judge a book by its cover.

This morning, he would push for a decision about the book launch. And if she needed a little coaxing, well, then maybe it was time for him to open up. It was time for her to learn about the real Jake. There was no turning back. By sleeping with Liv, he had just committed himself to proving to her that she meant more than just a one-night stand. She meant more than just sex.

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