He stood so close, all she could smell was his scent. His words were teasing, but his eyes were—well, not so much. There was a heat in them she wasn’t ready for. She swallowed hard. There really wasn’t anywhere for her to go if she stepped back. And darn it, she didn’t want to step back.
“Um. Okay.” She spun around quickly and pulled the plates out of the cupboard. “I’ll dish it up, you can serve it. That work for you?” she asked.
Her voice was a little too high and her hand a little too unsteady, so the plates rattled against each other as she set them down.
Jensen stepped back and she moved around him to grab the salad. She pulled out two bottles of salad dressing, ranch and Italian.
“Which, if either, do you like?” she asked.
“Ranch is fine,” he said. “Does Tim get any?”
“Tim is not really a fan.” she replied.
He chuckled and the sound hit her down low. Very, ver
Laughter—and a friendly bark—erupted from the living room, and she dried her hands on a towel before she went back out to see what was going on. She had to pause when she caught sight of them.Tim was on top of Jensen, laughing. and Jensen was laughing along with him. Rufus was in there, too, tongue lolling and tail going a mile a minute. Lego towers had collapsed and scattered—maybe due to the tail—and she thought there was a block under Jensen's hip, but he never let on.Tim laughed gleefully, full on belly laughs that made her smile even as her heart stuttered. She made herself walk in there, and hoped her pounding heart wasn’t obvious to Jensen.“Wow, Tim, what are you doing to Jensen?” she teased, and he caught her eye with a wink. Her mouth actually went dry. If a man playing with her kid could make her all mushy inside—and it wasn’t as if there weren't other pe
He appeared at the doorway and halted. He cocked his head to one side, his expression serious."What's wrong?" he asked. "Did something happen?"Jensen edged in front of Katherine, shielding her flushed face from Tim's view. "Nothing, son" he said. "I was just saying goodbye to your mom"The muscles shifting on his back mesmerized Katherine. She forced her dry tongue to move. "Go back to your room, Tim. I will be there real soon""Okay. Bye Jensen." Tim said and ran back to his room.After Tim left, Jensen turned back to Katherine. His smoldering gaze brought a flush to Katherine's entire body. The flat of his hand chafed the stubble on his jaw. "I love how you erupt when I touch you" he said simply.Katherine could not meet his stare. "You should go now" she said. His maleness was still evident through his trousers. He followed her gaze and grinned at her.
Katherine stared at him. "You want to help me bake?" she asked.Slowly, one sleek eyebrow spiked. "You think I don’t know my way around a mixer and batter?"Katherine laughed. "I’m sure you do." She shoved it towards him. "Have at it."He frowned. "Actually when I asked if you needed help, I meant do you have any already baked ones you needed help eating... Now that, I can help with".Katherine couldn't help a smile. "Come in here" she said as she took off her apron and began to walk to her office. She felt his intense gaze singe her back as she walked away. He followed.Jensen watched Katherine move, the sway of her hips so damn attractive, her long, shapely legs extending in that way that only models and trained dancers could execute without appearing pretentious or awkward. Her small heels were a shiny rose gold colour that drew attention to her delicate ankles.He wanted to grip
As nervous as a teenager preparing for her first date, Katherine soaked in a long bubble bath, then shampooed her hair beneath the shower. She rinsed and stepped from the tub."This is silly" she said, mocking her image in the steamy mirror. A ruffle made an upward diagonal across her chest, leaving bare one smooth shoulder. Loose tendrils of hair teased her face, though the knot atop her head was tightly pinned.Katherine lightly dusted her nose with powder, swept blue and green shadow on her eye lids, and brushed her lashes with mascara.She rummaged through her closet for the highest heels she could find, determined to shorten the distance between Jensen's head and hers. She found just the right ones and slid them on, then stood before the mirror. No wonder the sales girl had said this dress was like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, she thought. The front was prim and proper, but the back was pure sin. She added a dash of musky perfume at
"Oh no" Katherine said and Jensen's grin grew wider. "Hell, no, Jensen. I'm a terrible dancer""You're not" he said. "I have seen you dance many times" he stood and held out his hand which she took and then he pulled her up and led her to the dance floor."You dance beautifully" Jensen said as he pulled her gently to him and one of his hands wrapped around her waist. "Remember the last time we danced together?" he asked.Katherine grinned up at him. "Ermm, Jonathan and Kate's wedding" she said.Jensen smiled and shook his head. "No I mean, years ago... before you left"Katherine rested her hand stiffly on his shoulder as they started to move to the music, and her mind drifted back.... To when they were young and things had been perfect. It had been at a wedding too, the Kent's, she remembered. They hadn't attended as a couple, but she had been madly in love with him and had thought he felt the same
"You said you didn't want to get into this because you didn't think we had given it enough thought. But you never said you don’t want to... You do" he said. "I know you, Kat. I've been been watching you since you got back. Waiting for the right moment to catch your attention; wanting to know what’s on that tablet of yours. I’ve been completely hypnotised by you... I always have been. And I know what I want.. I have given it enough thought. Infact I've thought so much about you I'm beginning to think I might go crazy with being unable to think of anything else.... But let's forget about feelings for now, I want you, Kat.. Tonight... In my bed"Katherine knew that if she had huge doubts about what he was asking from her and if she didn't want to get too involved, now was the time to walk away. She had responsibilities and she wasn't sure her heart could take another heartbreak, but she couldn’t just walk away from him. Her heart rate was picking up again, though from
She should be having regrets, or at least second thoughts. But as they drove into the night—Jensen's foot riding a little heavier on the gas pedal than required—she could only anticipate. He made her feel absolutely dizzy with desire.He wanted her. Just wanted her. Those dark eyes hadn’t been appraising her worth; he hadn't been using any tried and truelines of seduction that had worked on the many women in his past.Her reservations had begun to dissipate when he’d thrown that line about making her shiver. Unable to wait, she reached over and dropped her hand onto his leg.“Uh-uh,” he growled.She ignored him, sliding her hand higher. But before she could capture the bulging prize she desperately wanted to trace with her fingertips, he dropped his hand over hers and squeezed.“No baby.” he said.“You don’t want me to touch you?” she whispered, knowing the words were untrue. Despit
“Don’t laugh.” she said, when she saw the look on his face.He covered his mouth. “I’m not laughing. I’m just a little... shocked.” he said.“I couldn’t resist.” She grabbed a towel and scrubbed her mouth with it until her lips were red.He gripped her wrist. “Stop.”“I’m so embarrassed.” She tucked a stand of loose hair behind her ear. “I couldn’t stop eating them. I guess I'm a bit nervous”“It okay. You don't have to feel nervous. There's no reason to be. You have some…” Reaching out, he wiped sugar from the side of her mouth.She touched where his finger had been. “I must look a mess.” she said.“Not even a little bit.”Her eyes softened, propelling him forward unti
She cuddled deeper into his embrace. She hadn’t lied about the cuddling part. She had missed him so much. And she was just so glad to be in the arms of the man she loved.She loved this man. She loved her husband. And she wanted him to come home. She shook her head when she realized that he was talking and she hadn't been listening.“We have options,” Jensen said.She blinked and focused her attention back on the here and now and the fact she was in bed after hot, sweaty sex with the man she loved.It was all she could do not to groan.“What options?” she asked huskily.“I can feed you. I can make mad, passionate love to you again. Or we can take a short nap and then do either option one or two. Or both. See? I’m easy.” he said.She smiled and squeezed him. She did love him. It scared her to death just how much she loved him, and she was flooded by so much em
“Ride me,” he said in a strained voice. His pupils dilated and his brow constricted. Tight lines were etched into his forehead, and his hands gripped her hips so tightly that she could do nothing more than squeeze her inner muscles around his erection.“Sweat heaven,” he groaned.She wasn’t going to last, and she was helpless to do anything about it. She needed to move. She had to move.Placing her palms flat on his chest, she wiggled free of his grasp and began to move up and down, taking him, releasing him, then taking him again. Sweat beaded his brow. His eyes were narrow slits, and he never took his gaze from hers. He urged her closer so he could cup her breasts. They filled both palms and he rubbed the pad of his thumb over the painfully erect nubs.“I can’t hold on,” she whispered.“Then let’s go together,” h
His breath blew hot over her chin and then her jaw. He kissed a line to her ear then sucked the lobe between his teeth. Shivers overtook her. Delicate little goose bumps dotted her flesh until she trembled uncontrollably.He stepped back, his hands falling to the waistband of her pants. His fingers hung in the snap and he stood there staring at her heaving chest.“You’re so beautiful.” he said. "I have missed you so much"He raised one finger to hook in the strap of her bra. He ran it up then down, and he grazed the tip over the swell of her breast.“I love the lingerie.” he said.She leaned back on the dresser, resting her palms on the top to give him a better glimpse of her cleavage.“You’re absolutely merciless, aren’t you?” he murmured.She smiled and arched invitingly until the bare
“Get it together, Katherine” she muttered.Lord, but she did lose all her brain cells when it came to Jensen.She laughed outright and it had the effect of someone popping her thought bubble with a sharp pin. The driver looked up in the rearview mirror, and she valiantly tried to look back with a straight face. If he only knew the absurd thoughts she was processing.If she was truly the naughty girl of her fantasies, she would have ridden over with only a trench coat covering her sexy lingerie. Then when she walked into Jensen's room, she could discard the coat and watch his reaction.The idea certainly had merit, and if she ever received another invitation such as tonight from him again, she’d give it serious consideration. Just to tease him. But for now, she would concentrate on the moment.A few minutes later, the driver pulled up to the sumptuous hotel Jensen had been staying in since he moved
"All they needed was some convincing. I'm finalizing the documents for the dissolution of the partnership. I know you might find it hard to forgive me, but I don't want us to grow apart over this. No one is worth it. So please tell me that you want me back home too, Kat. And maybe this is a little too fast, but I don't care, I wanna be with you tonight. It's been so long. Let me hold you tonight."Katherine sighed. Oh, the man really knew how to get to her, with his words, his touch, his kisses. Everything. “Jensen,” she began again, and promptly shut up when it came out more as a plaintive wail than a protest.“I’ll send a car for you, Katherine." he said." You are my wife. But I want this to be special, kinda like a first date like you said. I’ll have my driver pick you up from work, or if you prefer, you can drive your car to the house and I’ll have him pick you up there. Tim can take care of the house for one night and Deanie can stay at your mo
He looked at her almost like the last was a challenge. She tilted her chin up and stared coolly at him. She hoped that she looked as unruffled as she wanted to portray.“Why did you come to my office today, Jensen?” she asked.His mouth tightened briefly before he relaxed and eyed her with thinly veiled amusement. “We are married, Kat " he said."I can't take my wife to lunch?”She curled her fingers into tight fists.“Jensen.” she said. She stopped when her voice cracked. She felt like the worst sort of idiot. Right now, she felt ridiculously tongue tied.“Yes?” he prompted. He wore a curious smile, almost as if he found her and the situation amusing. It made her angry.“Look Jensen, I'm not going to act like I didn't miss you. I did. But I don't know what you are up to, and if you think that —.”
Behind the desk, a cheerful looking younger woman smiled a warm welcome as he approached.“Good morning, Mr Packard" she said. "And welcome. I assume you are here to see Mrs Packard.”He returned her smile. “Is she in?” he asked.“Yes. But she is not here right now. If you will wait in her office, I’ll get her at once. Would you care for some coffee?” she asked.“No, thank you.” he said, he wasn't sure he could keep anything down right now.She turned to stride down the hallway, leaving Jensen standing there. He walked into Katherine's office and went to the window to look down on the street instead of sitting.A few moments later, he heard the tap tap of heels and turned to see Katherine walk into the office, a confused, wary look in her eyes.“Jensen,” she greeted. “I wasn’t expecting to see you. I thought you were going to San Francisco. T
"Oh" Jensen said. "I gotta say that I'm really glad you told me about this. It's kinda hard to believe how fast you have grown. I mean, there was a time when all you cared about was video games, but now here you are, having girl problems"Tim grinned. "Don't tease me dad" he said."I'm not. I'm not" Jensen said, raising his hands. "And I gotta say that In my time, I was never turned down by a girl. Not bragging"Tim rolled his eyes and smiled. "Show off" he said, and Jensen laughed."But," Jensen continued, "With your mom, I hesitated. I was stupid. Didn't know what I had. I was enjoying all the attention I was getting that I forgot to go after the one thing that mattered, and I almost lost her. So I say, suck it up kid. To hell with that fear. Just ask her to go to the dance with you, what's the worse thing that could happen? ""Ermmm, she could turn me down" Tim replied
"Yeah right" Tim said sarcastically. "I know how stuff like this happens. I watch a lot movies and I know how stuff like this goes. This is how it starts and before you know it, they are giving you a speech about how it isn't your fault and that sometimes things just doesn't work out. I just don't want to have that talk with my parents. I know how much they love each other"Chloe nodded. "Okay" she said. "I can't say that I understand because I don't. My parents aren't... Divorced. But I'm certain that whatever it is, it's not your fault. And honestly, there is nothing you can do about but hope that they find a way to fix their problems. And sometimes, they might just be going through a tough time. Doesn't mean they are gonna get a divorce, so you might just be worried for nothing. Come on" she nudged his shoulder. "You can't be worrying about this when nothing permanent has happened. Remember you have a game next week. One of you have been training for a long time