Jared's Counterfeit Fiancee - Brenda Jackson [48]
Jared turned slowly, sensing Dana’s presence immediately. A lump thickened in his throat when he saw she was wearing his shirt, a shirt that barely covered her.
Their eyes met. Held. And then she said softly, “I woke up and decided that it was lonely in bed without you.”
Jared didn’t want to tell her the reason he’d left was that he had needed distance from her; he’d been driven to have a few moments alone to get his head back on straight. Making love to her had literally blown him away. Instead he told her part of the truth. “I wanted to hear the sound of the ocean and see the moon and all the stars.”
He drew in a deep breath of air, not able to think beyond the need she aroused in him, and then added slowly. “But do you know what I want now more than anything?”
Dana shook her head. “No. What?”
“To make love to you again.” A part of him wished he could have mustered enough strength to have said that for the remainder of the night they needed to sleep in separate beds; they were getting into something neither had counted on, something he definitely didn’t want. But as she slowly began taking steps, crossing the balcony to him, the only thing he could do was open his arms.
The moment she came close, he gathered her to him, needing to hold her. He felt the willpower he had tried to regain slip away. She pressed against him, needing to be held. She wrapped her arms around his neck and they stood that way for a long moment, body to body, soul to soul. Slow warmth spread from her to him and it seemed that her every curve was molded against his firm muscled length.
And then he swooped her up into his arms and with hurried steps carried her back into the bedroom and placed her on the bed. He leaned down and caught her lips in a kiss that was deep, sensual and demanded full surrender. The sounds of pleasure emitting from her made him want her that much more and his stomach clenched with profound need.
He released her to pull the shirt from over her head, and then proceeded to remove his pants. After taking the time to put on protection, he joined her in bed. She whispered his name and the only thing Jared could think about was demonstrating with his body just what she did to him and how much he wanted her.
The knowledge that she wanted him as much as he wanted her sent his desire skyrocketing in all directions. He intended to spend the rest of the night sharing intense passion with the one woman whose name was more than a whisper on his lips. It was a name that was finding a way to his very soul.
Jared’s last thought as he captured her mouth with his was that having her seep into his heart was something he could not let happen. No matter what.
Nine
“T hanks for being here, Dana.”
Dana gave Jared an assuring smile when he reached out and took her hand in his and tightened his fingers around it as they sat side by side in the hospital’s waiting room. His features were solemn and she knew he was worried about the outcome of his mother’s surgery. “You don’t have to thank me, Jared. I wanted to be here.”
She glanced at the clock on the wall. The doctors had indicated it wouldn’t be a long procedure and that someone would be out to talk to the family when it was over. Jared’s youngest brother, Reggie, had accompanied Mr. Westmoreland downstairs to the coffee shop, and every so often Jared’s cell phone would ring when one of his other brothers called for an update on their mother’s condition. His aunt and uncle were here and so were several of his cousins and their wives. One thing she had learned about the Westmorelands was that they were a close-knit family who bonded in a crisis. She admired that about them.
Dana glanced up at Jared. “Can I get you anything?”
He gave her a reassuring smile. “No, thanks, I’m fine.” He then leaned closer and whispered softly, privately, “What I really want is something I can’t have right now, but there’s always later.”
Dana felt heat flare into her cheeks and hoped no one noticed the blush that came into her