Triple Diamonds (Mystic Nights #2)(17)

Joseph lifted his glass taking a cooling sip. He was sure the drink was good, but he had a thought something else might be even sweeter. He wanted to taste her. All of her. But he would settle for a kiss first. Setting his drink back down, he reached behind her and placed an arm along the back of the seat, and then lazily picked up a coil of her hair.

Jewel felt his fingers in her hair. First he lightly picked up a lock and tugged, and then his fingers were in her hair, at the nape of her neck. It sent electric shocks tingling along her spine. She felt it reach all the way down to her core and she had to clench her legs together to hold back the shudder that threatened to overtake her. Such a small move and she felt the intensity of it. The man was good, she would give him that. She gave him another shy glance but did not pull away from his touch, and he smiled at her, pleased with her reaction.

It encouraged him to do more. His hand swept across to her shoulder and he began to make lazy circles on it. And then he moved his hand down the length of her bare arm. When he leaned in to speak to her above the noise of the bar and music, his words continued to heighten her excitement just as his hands continued to play havoc with her senses.

“I want to kiss you.” He saw her nostrils flare. Her breathing hitched. “Ever since I’ve met you, I can’t stop thinking about you. I had to keep myself away from the kitchen.”

She was shocked, but encouraged by his pronouncement. He’d been thinking about her all month. She had been thinking about him too, but didn’t want to tell him that. Brushing it off quickly as a pick up line, which it probably was, she lowered her lashes and picked up her drink once more. Could she do this? She really wanted to. He was tempting.

Looking up, she found his face a mere inch from her own, and it was in that instant she made her choice. She closed the distance.

When his lips touched hers, it was pure bliss. His lips were surprisingly soft. And when she felt his tongue slide across the seam of her mouth, she opened to him. And the burst of heat that came with it made her moan. He tasted like rum and coke. Sweet and warm. Jewel tentatively darted her tongue into his mouth, and he pulled it in more. The kiss continued lighting a fire in her and she had the urge to get closer to him. And so she did, scooting over on the seat so she was tucked into the crook of his arm. The length of his leg against hers, his hand on her shoulder slid behind her, and then she felt the arm at her waist as he gently lowered it to her hip, his hand digging into her flesh. And when he released her, ended the kiss that had rocked her, it caused her to moan the loss, but then that hand was back, and he was trailing nibbles and licks along her slender neck as his hand traced a fiery path to just underneath her breast. She thought she would explode with need. She wanted to feel his hands on her. She wanted him to touch her. All of her.

When Joseph pulled back to gauge Jewel’s reaction, he saw what he wanted. Pure unfettered desire. Her eyes were molten. The girl was primed. Those doe brown eyes were dilated, the pupils large. The thick fringe of lashes batting to regain her composure.

“I don’t know where this is going, Jewel, but I want you,” he admitted. His usual line, was something along the lines of, ‘I’m not into relationships, but if you’re up for it, I’d love to have you come upstairs.’ But he held back that part. It didn’t feel right.

Her reply made his cock even harder. “Let’s take it one day, er night, at a time.”

He dipped down quickly and took her lips once again, claiming them. She tasted sweet and fruity as his tongue tangled with hers, and he knew he wanted that night with her to be tonight more than anything.

When that second kiss ended, they were both breathless. She smiled shyly at him, but she had made her choice. She knew where this had been headed all along. “I never do this,” she confessed.

“Do what?” he asked coyly looking down at his drink, wondering if he should order her one more before he suggested they move this upstairs.

“Pick up a guy in bar.” Her words were breathless and na?ve.

He laughed seductively. She was so . . . fresh. “You didn’t really pick me up,” he confessed. “I heard your friends talking in the kitchen saying you were coming out. That’s why I came. For you.” He gave her the small truth, knowing she probably suspected it anyway.

His admitting that scored him brownie points with her. She’d felt like something had been going on. Returning the laughter, she admitted, “So, I guess you came to pick me up?”

“Absolutely, precious.” His smile took her breath away. She suddenly had the urge to reach up and touch his face. She wanted too. He had a dark shadow of stubble beginning to come in, and she wondered what it would feel like on parts of her body other than her face.

Seeing her eyes dilate even further, he knew where her wayward thoughts were taking her. “Is it working?” he asked.

Jewel bit her lip. There was just a small bit of indecision left and he sensed it. His hand that stilled on her tiny waist began to move again, up along her rib cage, until his thumb could gently rub the underside of her breast. He could sense the weight of it and had to stifle his groan of desire that had his cock throbbing in anticipation. He wanted to see those luscious breasts that were bound by the tight dress spring free. To touch and taste them.

Jewel’s thoughts came into her mind like a crescendo of emotion clouded by intense desire. Could I? Should I? Then, when will I ever get this chance again? I work so hard. I’m so busy. YES! I need this. I want him. “Yes.” She was aching with desire.