Yet she knew she was testing his restraint. His long fingers wrapped around her biceps as she pushed his pants and briefs down his legs. Her hands were back on his chest, then his abdomen. They moved around to his shoulder blades as Jack’s head dipped and he captured her mouth in a scorching-hot kiss.
But she didn’t let him keep the lead. Instead, her tongue swept over his and pushed deep into his mouth. It was exciting, exhilarating. Jack let her take charge, let her guide them. It seemed to turn him on as much as it did her.
“You like this,” she whispered as her mouth slid from his, her lips grazing his jaw.
Jack groaned. His sooty lashes fanned out against his tanned skin and his hands moved from her arms to tangle in her hair. “Kiss me again,” he said.
How could she refuse him? Even if she was the one in control, she still understood the value of compromise. And, really, not kissing him was like giving up oxygen permanently.
She pressed her mouth to his, gently at first. Then as she felt his chest rise and fall a little more sharply, she traced his lips with her tongue before nipping playfully at the corner of his mouth.
He grinned. “Nice touch.”
“I’m not done.”
Her mouth was on his again, more firmly this time. She commanded the kiss, turning it into something hard and demanding that he responded to. One of Jack’s arms wrapped around her waist and he crushed her against his strong body, but held back just enough so that she could continue to direct their passion. She’d never done anything of the sort until this very moment. She’d always been so passive with Peter. Letting his moodiness dictate what may or may not come of a night together.
But it wasn’t nearly as intimidating or as difficult as she’d thought it would be. At least…not with Jack. Because her pleasure was as important to him as his pleasure was to her. And he wasn’t threatened by her.
Liza realized that now. She and Peter had been such sole and separate creatures, even when they were together, that it must have been strange for others to see them with each other. Trying to figure them out.
Whereas with Jack…
Her kiss turned wildly impassioned as she considered how they responded to the other in public as well as in private. He had no inhibitions and he didn’t care who knew they were together.
Even if it was fleeting, he seemed to like claiming her as his own.
And the feeling was mutual.
When she pulled away from him, she was breathless. She could hear the faint flow of water that told her the tub was almost full. She needed to turn the faucet off. Yet her fingertips were pressed into the muscles of Jack’s back and her body was melded to his.
“Water,” she said, barely able to find her voice.
He glanced over her shoulder at the tub. Then he detangled himself from her and turned the faucet off.
Standing on her own two feet was a bit difficult. Her hand shot out and she gripped the vanity as Jack turned back to her.
Liza let out a crazy little laugh and said, “Those damn weak knees again.”
His smoldering look could melt a block of ice in a nanosecond. “Let me help you with that.”
Suddenly, his hands clasped her waist and he hoisted her onto the granite-topped vanity. His deft fingers worked the buttons of her blouse and then he stripped away the satin material. Her lacy bra followed. He pushed her skirt up and she lifted off the counter so he could shove it up to her waist.
His eyes turned to saucers as he discovered that her stockings were of the thigh-high variety.
“Jesus,” he whispered under his breath. Possibly, his blood pressure shot up a few points.
He stared at her legs—and her pussy, which was covered with black lace—as if he’d never seen lingerie before.
“You do get the Victoria’s Secret catalog, right?” she asked.
“Sure, darlin’…” he said with a low groan. “But that’s just photographs. Paper. And no woman I’ve ever seen in real life has looked this damn good in next to nothing.”
She fought back a grin. “I find that hard to believe.”
“Oh I’ve dated a few southern belles, but…” He shook his head, let out another groan. “I swear to God I’ve never seen anything like you before.”
“There you go again,” she whispered as she reached for his neck and pulled his head to hers. “Saying all the right things that will land you in bed with me.”