“Jesus, did you major in psych?” I asked, grabbing another bottle of water.
He shook his head. “Marine engineering.”
“And that taught you about women?”
“Nope. Four sisters took care of that.”
“What?” I started laughing. “You’re like this giant red puzzle, so there’s no way to know where the pieces go.”
“I’m not much of a people person.”
“Oh, you think?” My eyes glanced to the clock. “I have to wake her so she can get ready.” I started to walk down the hallway.
“Jagger?”
I turned around, my eyes slightly widened. He’d never called me by my first name. “Yeah?”
“That fear you felt? Don’t lose it. It will remind you what she means to you, because the second you become complacent…” He looked away and took a deep breath. “Life is short, man. That’s all.”
“Someone fucked you up.” Another puzzle piece fell into place.
He picked up the pencil and lowered his head to study. “No. I did that all myself.”
I knew he’d closed the subject. Hell, I was impressed I’d gotten that much out of him.
Paisley gave me a sleepy kiss as she woke, smiling at me. “Time already?” She stretched to reveal a tantalizing strip of smooth skin at her stomach. I bent down, swiping my tongue across her belly button. “None of that,” she murmured, her fingers threading through my hair. “I won’t leave this bed.”
“Sounds like a plan to me.” My hands skimmed underneath her shirt to her ribs.
“Sure, until my father comes looking for us.”
Well, there went that erection. “Yeah, up you go.”
She laughed and swung her feet over the side. Her fingers braced her temple.
“You okay?” I tipped her face up and handed her the bottle of water I’d brought her.
“Yeah, just sat up too fast. You sure you don’t mind if I use your shower?” Her open mouth on the rim of the bottle had my full attention.
I groaned at the thought of her naked in my shower. “Oh, no, feel free. I’ll just stay out here and think about licking water off your skin.”
Her lips parted. “That sounds pretty perfect.” She stood, so close to me that her breasts rubbed against my chest. “Maybe you want to join me?”
Fuck, yes. “Only if you want to cancel our reservations.” Please cancel.
She sighed and slid past me. “I wish! Part of being a Donovan—we don’t cancel family dinners. Give me a few minutes, and I’ll be ready.”
I went to find something—anything—to do so I’d keep my hands off her body. I’d never slept with the same girl twice, and never really wanted to, but Paisley was an addiction I was going to need therapy for. Monogamy was strangely awesome. I’d already learned what turned her on, where her boundaries were, which ones I could push, and which ones of mine I let her push. I felt like I’d traded a ton of traveling carnivals to live at Disney World. It was definitely the happiest place on earth.
I killed time quizzing Grayson for our check ride. He got most of the answers right, but lifted an eyebrow at me when I missed one he got purposely wrong. Fine, I was distracted.
Once it was time, I dressed up—gray slacks, a light blue shirt, and my burnt-orange Hermès tie, just for fun. I ran my fingers over my hair and did a quick survey, making sure there was nothing out of place. This was my chance to make it up to Paisley’s parents, to show them I was capable of not acting like a Neanderthal. I thought about taking my tongue stud out, but didn’t. After all, it was nothing compared to seeing me take down their favored son in the entry hall.
The bathroom door opened, and I caught sight of Paisley in the mirror. Fuck me. My mouth went dry. She wore a red dress that wrapped across her breasts, leaving the neckline low enough for me to start drooling. It fitted to her waist with a belt and flared out at her hips, ending at her knees. It was far from the most revealing dress I’d ever seen on a woman, but it was certainly the sexiest. Her hair curled softly down her back, and I wanted nothing more than to wrap my hands in it.
“We’re never going to get there on time.” I let my hunger for her show in my eyes. She skirted around me, giggling as I stalked her back into the bathroom, but I caught her from behind, wrapping my arms around her and kissing her neck. “And you smell amazing, too.”
She leaned her head away, giving me a better angle on her neck, and I took full advantage, running my lips in a line down to her collarbone. “As much as I would like to continue this, we’re going to have to get there.” If her nails hadn’t bit into my forearm, I would have thought she was unaffected. Her breathing hitched as I sucked lightly on the hollow of her neck. “Jagger…”
She turned in my arms and kissed me, pressing her body to the full length of mine. Her tongue stroked across my lips, and I sucked it inside, groaning at the taste of her, the feel of her under my hands. I backed her against the wall next to the towel bar. Then I took her face in my hands and kissed her, using every ounce of skill I had to make her forget her own name.
In the process, I forgot mine. She arched into me, her fingers tangling in my hair, pulling me closer in a grip that bordered on painful, and I loved it. My hands skimmed the dress to her neckline, slipping inside her bra at the same time to gently palm her breast. This wasn’t enough. I wanted my mouth on her, my fingers inside her, pumping her to an orgasm. Why wasn’t one touch ever enough? She moaned, leaning into me. I gently pinched her nipple, and she gasped into my mouth.