“Good.” She lifted his head, eased out from beneath him and stood. “On your feet, lazy bones,” she ordered, holding out her hands to help him up.
Once he stood he yanked her into his arms. “Anyone ever tell you you’re really bossy?” he asked, nuzzling her neck.
“All the time. I deal with those individuals very harshly.”
He bumped her pelvis with his. “Sounds…kinky.”
“Hmmm. Feels like you’re already more than halfway to being fully revived.”
“Again, all your fault.”
She laughed and eased from his arms. Nodding to the chair by the desk, she said, “All you need to do is set that by the fire, then sit back and relax. I’ll be right back.”
“Sitting back won’t be a problem, but relaxing?” He shot a pointed look at the bulge beneath his robe. “Not likely with you around.”
“Don’t worry,” she said, blowing him a kiss. “I’ll take care of that for you.”
“I think those are my new favorite seven words.”
He made a playful grab for her, but with a laugh Jessica eluded him. After a quick stop at her overnight bag, she headed into the bathroom to ready herself for Eric’s surprise. When she was done, she cast a critical gaze in the mirror. The black lace push-up bra definitely gave her cleavage a boost and the low demi-cup allowed just the tops of her nipples to peek out. Like the bra, the black lace boy-cut bikini panties covered just enough to tease. Perfect.
Or at least she hoped so. She’d never done anything like this before. But then no other man had ever owned her heart and soul so completely. It wasn’t until she met Eric that she realized she’d always held part of herself back in previous relationships. But not with Eric. They just clicked on every level, their personalities and goals meshing perfectly together like letters in a crossword puzzle. Even the topics upon which they didn’t agree made for interesting debates, but they agreed on all the important stuff. Besides, he was the most honorable man she’d ever met. And he made her laugh. And he was great in bed.
Definitely an irresistible combination.
Now if only this damn family feud would end-
She cut off the thought. Tonight, this weekend, was about her and Eric. No one else. They were going to concentrate solely on each other and their relationship.
After slipping on her black strappy four-inch heels, she donned her robe, then slipped the last of her props into her pocket.
Let the score-evening begin.
When she reentered the main room, she found Eric sitting in the chair, half-empty champagne glass dangling from his long fingers. With his hair tousled from her fingers, the trace of evening stubble darkening his square jaw and his robe gaping open at the throat to reveal his muscled chest, he looked deliciously rumpled and more sexy than any man had a right to.
She put some extra sway in her hips as she approached him, which he clearly noticed based on the way his gaze heated. When she stood directly in front of him, she leaned down and settled her hands on his forearms, which rested on the chair’s wooden arms.
“Ready for your surprise?” she asked in her sultriest purr, then leaned forward to lightly run her tongue over his bottom lip.
“Are you trying to get me to say yes?”
“Absolutely.” Another brush of her tongue along his lip. “Is it working?”
“Absolutely.”
Straightening, she took his glass and set it on the floor, then slipped her hand into her pocket and withdrew two silk scarves.
“What’re those for?” he asked, eyeing the material with interest.
“Remember how I said you need to keep your hands to yourself and allow a girl to pay her debts? Well, this is to ensure that you do just that.” She looped the length of silk through the arm of the chair.
“You’re going to tie me?”
“If that’s okay.” Her gaze wandered down his body in a full-blown ogle. Then she met his eyes. “Unless you want me to stop?”
“Hell, no. But you know I’ll be paying you back for this.”
She smiled. “I’ll look forward to that.” When she finished securing his hands to the chair’s arms, she stepped back until two feet separated them. “Ready?”
“Oh, yeah. I have a feeling I’m going to like this.”
She untied the robe’s sash then slowly slid the garment from her shoulders and tossed it aside. His hot gaze skimmed slowly down from her loose hair, over her black lace bra and panties, to her high heels then back up again.
“Oh, yeah,” he said, his voice a hoarse rasp. “I’m definitely going to like this. Striptease?”
“Lap dance.”
His gaze heated from hot to smoldering. “Wow. Guess you read my letter to Santa.”
“Maybe.” She bent at the waist, set her hands on her knees, then slowly dragged her palms upward. “Have you been naughty or nice?”
“A little of both…”
His voice trailed off when she skimmed her fingertips over her breasts.
He cleared his throat. “Good thing you tied me. But I’m not sure these skimpy scarves are going to do the trick.”
“I double-knotted them.” Keeping her movements tantalizingly slow, she spread her feet, arched her back and drew leisurely circles with her hips. Then she slowly bent her knees and gradually ground down, then back up, her arms moving sinuously, hands sifting through her hair, gaze never leaving his. Based on the stark, raw hunger flaming in his eyes, there was no doubt he liked what he saw.
“Where the hell did you learn to move like that?” he asked, his eyes riveted on her undulating hips.
“I bought a DVD-Lap Dancing for Your Lover.”
“You mean you’ve been practicing this?”
Another slow downward grind. “For weeks.”
“Weeks? And I’ve missed the practice sessions? No freakin’ fair.”
She wet her index finger with her tongue, loving the intensity of his attention, then dragged the moist tip along the lacy edge of her bra and was rewarded with a deep groan. Keeping her hips circling and her gaze locked on him, she slowly turned until she faced away from him. With her legs straight, she bent forward slightly and shot him a flirtatious look over her shoulder while lightly stroking her bottom. He groaned again, and shifted in his seat. His erection pressed against his robe and she realized she found this as arousing as he did. Certainly the naked hunger glittering in his eyes encouraged her to see just how hot she could get him. The thought of the benefits she’d reap-that they’d both reap-clenched desire low in her belly.
Keeping her movements torturously slow, she spread her legs then bent lower, until her bottom pointed directly at him. Watching him over her shoulder, she cocked one knee to the side, straightened her other leg, then glided her fingertips up the back of her straight leg. When she reached her bottom, she gave it a smart slap then puckered her lips and blew him a saucy kiss.
“Come here,” he growled.
“Oh, no. A shortcut never leads to anywhere worth going.”
“Yeah, but I may explode before we get there.”
“Aren’t you enjoying the show?” she asked in a throaty purr as she lazily repeated her last move on the other leg.
“Are you kidding? I’m so hard I’ll probably never walk again.”
“Hmmm…yes, you’re looking rather…tense.”
He strained against the ties binding him and lifted his hips. His robe separated, revealing the hard jut of his erection. “There’s no ‘rather’ about it.”
Her gaze drifted over him and heat sizzled along her every nerve ending. “Spread your legs,” she whispered over her shoulder.
With his eyes all but breathing smoke, he obeyed. She straightened, and with hips circling, moved backward until her legs hit the edge of the chair. Keeping her back straight, she bent her knees, rested her hands on his thighs then lowered herself until his erection was nestled against her bottom. Then she slowly rotated her hips.
“Jess…” His voice was a ragged moan. She felt his muscles tense and his rapid breathing warmed the back of her neck. Then he leaned forward and pressed his hot mouth against her nape. “You’re driving me out of my mind.”