Jared read through the purchase and sale agreement for the fifth time that evening. There were still a few clauses he needed to tinker with a bit before he sent it off to the seller's counsel. It was crucial that he covered the due diligence and inspection periods and other areas of the contract that would protect Thad's company. Every good real estate lawyer knew that when you represented the buyer, you had to stay on top of the seller and their counsel, and hold their feet to the fire on the contract they signed in order to make sure everything was done.More times than he could count, Jared had seen ill-drafted purchase agreements dissolve into litigation when sellers abandoned their duties after they'd been paid by the buyers and no longer considered themselves responsible for the property, even though the deal hadn't been fully closed.The entire afternoon, Jared had worked undisturbed on the agreement. He saved the document on his computer and then shut it down. He spun in his
Club Amazon was packed with writhing bodies. Electronic dance music boomed loudly enough that it reverberated inside Felicity's own body. The heady scent of expensive perfumes and the flashing strobe lights were overwhelming. Silver chandeliers hung from the ceiling, with beads glinting from the flashing lights, and surrounding the dance floor were areas with satin couches and bartenders offering drinks in crystal glasses. Everywhere around her was decadence and luxury.Felicity swallowed hard and took an instinctive step back into Jared's body. His arms wrapped around her from behind as she turned, pressing against him. Startled at her own actions, she tried to recover her control and put distance between them again, but he didn't release her right away. She had to tug herself from his embrace."You okay?" His voice reached her ears, even through the shouting of the crowds. She knew that no matter how loud it got, she'd always be able to pick out the sound of his voice in a crowd, a
"Sowho is she?" Shana asked as Jared continued to pace in the small suite. He didn't want to go outside and see Thad putting his hands on Felicity. It would be too much. He'd lose it."What?" He was barely paying attention to anything around him."The girl. The one you brought here." Shana's accusatory tone was laced with hurt. That, and nothing else, got his attention. He stopped pacing. His feet were rooted to the expensive white carpet. He was hurting Shana, his ex-girlfriend, his friend. This was not who he was. He didn't hurt people."Shana, she'sFelicity," he said. There weren't words to describe what she was, and as a lawyer if he was at a loss for words, it meant something.Shana smoothed her red satin dress and looked away as she eased into one of the chairs by the door. For a long moment, her gaze was distant, seeing things he could not. A rueful smile finally played with the corners of her mouth."You're with her?""NoyesI don't know." He flung himself into the chai
Jared reached over and caught her by the waist. "Easy," he murmured softly in her ear.She didn't seem to hear him. "No hospitals. I'm fine. Really. I just need to eat something and rest in a quiet place. I'm sorry, I just hate hospitals," she added.The medical team exchanged looks, but when Thad coughed politely, they looked his way. "I'm sure she'll be fine. I promise we'll watch over her the rest of the night, and if we think she needs medical help, we'll bring her in to the hospital immediately."Jared could see that the two medical personnel were reluctant to agree, but all it took was a glance at Felicity's terrified face and they didn't press her to go with them.They packed up their gear and let Thad escort them out. When Jared was alone with her, he came around to the front of the couch and pulled her down to sit beside him. He wrapped his right arm around her body and cupped her face with his other hand."Are you really okay? You scared the shit out me, princess."A we
Felicity sighed and dropped her clutch on her bed. What an awful, embarrassing night. She was going to kill Layla for this.But I was dumb enough to think I could go to a dance club where I knew I'd get stuck in crowds. She had to own up to her own idiocy. She just wished Jared hadn't seen her pass out like that.She covered her face with her hands. Her fingers were icy from being gloveless in the cold, but they felt good on her flushed face.Large masculine hands settled on her shoulders, then slid under her collar as they removed her coat."Let's get you into bed," Jared murmured, his warm breath fanned over her left cheek. How could he do that? Make her feel so safe and warm and yet desperate for more of what his hot gazes promised? Maybe it was time to stop fighting her desires and just surrender to them?"Bed?" A little shiver rippled through her, but it wasn't from the cold.He chuckled. "So you can rest."Something wild and completely unlike her took over. "No reason you
He kissed her throat, then worked his way down her chest with gentle kisses before he explored the tip of one breast. She gasped and arched her back, shoving her breast more firmly against his lips. He bit the tip, then sucked on it hard. The tug at her breast made sharp, stinging arousal burst to life in her womb and between her thighs. He scraped his jaw over her sensitive nipple. The slight night beard coming in rasped against the nub, and she whimpered in pleasure. By the time he turned his attention to her second breast, she was writhing and panting and clawing at his back.Jared only smiled. "Just feel me, feel every touch," he murmured. He stroked his hands up and down her body, his fingertips tapping a light melody only he seemed to hear. The touches and teasing taps reached the back of her knees, her inner thighs, moving higher and higher. She felt like the white and black keys of an old piano, being tickled to life with a musician's touch. Right before he reached her sex, he
For the first time in years, Jared slept deeply and without dreams. He was warm and comfortable and happy. Work stress didn't intrude on the sweet nothingness. He simply rested. The world could have ended in fiery sonic boom explosions and he wouldn't have stirred. That was what it was like to share a bed with Felicity after making love to her. He was content. Truly, blissfully content.When he came out of his sleep at last, it was to see the late-morning sun filtering through the blinds on the small window in the bedroom. Everything he'd said the night before, everything he felt came flooding back, and he closed his eyes again. Part of him, a deep part that responded with anxiety to any signs of change, wanted him to bolt from the room and pretend he'd never revealed his weakness, his feelings for the girl in bed next to him. He hadn't held back from her, not a damn thing. It scared him shitless, like he was freefalling without a parachute. But the rush, the adrenaline-spiking, blood
Had it really been two hours since she'd left Jared and gone to class? It seemed like only minutes ago he'd had her pressed up against her door, keeping her trapped, kissing her senseless until sanity finally returned to them both and they'd had to part ways.She closed her eyes for a second, reliving that last sweet kiss. The way his eyes had softened, that warm brown burning into her like embers at the edge of a healthy fire. Banked, barely controlled, yet still dangerous if touched. He was dangerous, so dangerous, and it was too late. She was falling for himhad already fallen for him if she admitted the truth. It had been pure luck she hadn't melted at his feet when he'd smiled and stroked her lips with his fingertips. The man sure knew how to break down a girl's defenses against heartbreak.What would she do ifwhenthis came to an end? Part of her feared he'd wake from this wondrous dream and go looking for a woman more his style. A woman like Shana, all quiet elegance, rich, ed