Finding Forever (10 page)

Time seemed to stand still as Jordan waited for an answer. After what seemed like an eternity, Jake closed the distance between them and touched his hand to her chin. He lowered his head and brushed his lips softly over hers.

Jordan parted her lips, inviting further exploration, and his tongue proved willing, darting inside and beginning its dance with hers. He pulled her closer, and she relaxed against his torso, grateful for his strong arms around her to combat her weakening knees.

“So far, so good,” Jake whispered as he pulled away, giving her bottom lip one last nibble that left her breathless. “I think I need to try that dessert, though, to really make up my mind.”

He was a cruel man, Jordan decided, but she had a few tricks up her sleeve, too, even if she’d never tried this particular method of seduction before. She touched her finger to the plate, coating it in the
cajeta
, then held it up. “Ready for a taste?”

“Oh, yeah.” Jake took her hand and raised her finger to his mouth. 

As his tongue flicked over her finger, savoring the rich sweetness of the caramel sauce, Jordan quivered in anticipation of the things his tongue could do to the rest of her body.

“Mmm,” Jake murmured. “That’s not the regular caramel I’m used to pouring on ice cream.”

“No. Mexican
cajeta
, made with goat’s milk,” Jordan explained, glad she’d decided to get the real thing. “You haven’t had the best part yet.” With a fork, she cut a piece of the delicacy, making sure it included the chocolate layer and the custard layer, as well as the sauce. She held the heaping forkful out, inviting him to taste.

He took it all in one bite, and his eyes widened as he chewed, then swallowed. “Damn.”

“You have a little caramel left on your lip,” Jordan said, leaning in to lick it off. She quickly deemed the dessert worth the fuss to prepare, at least if it had the desired result. So far, so good on that front, as she cast a sly glance at the growing bulge in Jake’s pants. “I guess you like it,” she said with a chuckle.

“Yeah, but I see one potential problem with this local custom you mentioned.”

“Oh? What’s that?”

“If the dessert’s this good, what if what follows can’t compare?” Jake grinned.

Jordan cocked her head to one side. “Are you doubting me, or yourself?”

“Never you,” Jake said. “And you’ve always brought out the best in me, so I think we’ll do okay.”

“Good answer,” Jordan said. “And we seem to be off to a promising start.” She rubbed her hand over his crotch and felt him stiffen even more. “Maybe we should take it inside, though, rather than give my neighbors a show.”

The chocolate flan was quickly forgotten, but it had served its purpose, anyway. Jordan led Jake to her bedroom, then closed the door behind them, banishing the cat from the room.

“Now that you have me where you want me, what do you plan on doing with me?” Jake asked, a wicked grin forming on his face.

“What do you think?” Jordan sat on the edge of the bed and pulled him close to her as she worked the buttons on his shirt. She ran her hands across his muscled torso, but it wasn’t where her interest lay and her hand soon gravitated lower. Jordan wasted no time, unbuttoning his pants and lowering his zipper. She knew what Jake liked, she’d been there before. “I figured things might be getting a little tight in there. Let me fix that for you.” She pushed his pants down his legs, then his boxers, finally freeing him.

She put her hand on his cock and guided it closer. She danced her tongue around the head, tasting a drop of the pre-cum liquid that already spurted from it.

Jake let out a soft moan. “Christ, Jordan, you could kill a man.”

“I don’t want to kill you, just drive you wild.”  To prove her point, Jordan closed her  mouth around his shaft.

Jake ran his hands through her hair, but instead of pulling her closer and pushing himself in deeper, he withdrew, causing Jordan to freeze.

“What are you doing? Did I do something wrong?” Immediately, she hated how pathetic she sounded.

“Oh, God, no. You did everything right, babe. You always do.” Jake put his hand to her chin and lifted it, planting a kiss on her forehead. “I may be half out of my mind, but this time I want to make love to you the right way.”

The words were so unlike any Jordan was used to hearing that she found herself at a loss how to respond. Usually men took what they wanted from her—and she knew bore some responsibility for giving it so willingly—with little regard for own pleasure. Yet here was Jake, rumored Hollywood playboy with whom she’d already shared some wild and reckless nights, insisting on pleasing her first, even if he did seem to be getting a little frustrated with her dress.

“There’s a zipper,” she said.

“Right. Zipper.” Jake made quick work of it, finally pulling the dress over her head. His eyes widened as he saw her breasts were bare underneath. “Oh, I do like the way you think,” he said, closing his mouth on one.

Jordan’s body quivered with anticipation as Jake’s fingers and tongue explored every inch of it, touching her, tasting her, loving her like no one ever had before. There was no selfishness to his touch, and even as the urgency built, Jake never rushed, so unlike Carl or Matt or anyone else. Jordan closed her eyes, wanting to savor every second as if it were her first time. In so many ways, it felt like it was, even as memories resurfaced of the magic Jake could work with his tongue.

Jake reached the pleasure point between her legs, teasing her with it before probing inside, taking her to the brink. He could send her over the edge this way, she didn’t doubt that, but this time, Jordan realized she, too, wanted more. She wanted him, all of him.

“Love me, Jake, please,” she cried when she wasn’t sure she could take it any longer.

“Oh, babe, there’s nothing I want more.” Jake moved off of her, grabbing his pants from the floor. “Just hold on.” He quickly sheathed himself with a condom. “You’re so beautiful, so perfect,” he said as entered her with both urgency and gentleness at the same time. 

Jordan arched her back and lifted her hips to welcome him deeper so they could become one. Nothing before had ever felt this right or this perfect, and Jordan knew why. As they moved together, quickly finding a matching rhythm, she knew she was home.

***

Sweat glistened on her forehead, and Jake planted a kiss on it. He didn’t want to leave her. In fact, he felt as if he could stay forever. And why not? She was everything his fantasies were made of, but at the same time she was a woman he could take back to Iowa to meet his mom.

Jake dared to think she might even like Jordan a little, and Dottie was notoriously hard to please when it came to the women in her sons’ lives. At least that’s what his brother Jared insisted. Jake hadn’t been brave enough to bring a woman home, but maybe it was about time to change that. If he did, he’d ask Jordan to make the chocolate flan. His mother could never resist a good dessert. He’d just warn Jordan not to tell her about the local legend that came with it.

“You look deep in thought,” Jordan said, interrupting the silence. She traced a finger along his bare chest. “Want to tell me what’s on your mind?”

“You,” he said without hesitation. “How amazing you are, and how I don’t want to leave you.”

“Then don’t leave.” Her words were a warm whisper against his cheek, and would probably be enough to arouse him if he wasn’t still recovering.

“I’ll have to eventually. Early set call.”

“How early?”

“Seven.”

“Lots of time, then.”

Jake turned his head to look at the clock by the bed. Just past ten. She was right. Plenty of time. They could lay here, talk, make love again.

“How’s filming going?” Jordan asked. “You don’t talk much about it.” A grin crossed her face. “Is it top secret or something?”

“Not secret, no.” He propped his elbow up, resting his head on his palm as he faced her. “I just didn’t want to bore you with a bunch of movie talk. I know you left that life behind.”

She reached out and touched his cheek. “Yes, but I’m still interested in your success.”

“You always have been.” It was no small gesture, because not everyone was. “Things are going great,” Jake said. “The schedule’s about to get busier, though.”

“Are you falling behind?”

“No. The studio pushed up our release date.” As he said it out loud, it was impossible to stop the smile from breaking out. “Christmas.”

“What?” Jordan’s eyes widened, and Jake knew she recognized what it meant. “Are you serious? You’re getting the Christmas release?”

“Yeah, looks like it. Pretty cool, huh?”

“Um, yeah.”

“It gets better,” he said.

“How so?”

“Oh, because Reece is sending some of my scenes to the Academy voters.” He tried to keep his tone nonchalant. “What do you make of that?”

“Holy shit, Jake.” Jordan bolted up in bed, thankfully not bothering with modesty. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

“Yes.” Jake sat up, too, and took her hand in his. Success was sweet, but it would be sweeter if there were someone to share it with. Thankfully, Jake had found that someone. “It’s all still a little surreal. I didn’t know if I’d ever work again after
Passions
went off the air. Hopefully this means I won’t have to worry about that anymore.”

“Oh, I think that’s pretty safe bet. Wow.” Jordan shook her head, as if still taking it in, but the big smile on her face told Jake she was happy f
or him. “You’ve come a long way, Jake. If you get that nomination, you can bet I’ll be cheering you on while I watch on TV.”

“Watch on TV? No way.” Jake shook his head. “I want you there with me, by my side.”

Her smile faded to a frown. “I can’t do that, Jake. I can’t go back there. I thought you knew that. I’ll support you however I can, except I won’t go back to that town.” Her tone was firm, and was it Jake’s imagination, or did her body visibly tense?

Damn it. Just when things were going so well, too. Jake chastised himself. He should have known better than to bring it all up so casually. It must scare the hell out of her to think about going back to a town she referred to as toxic, especially for an awards event where the booze was sure to flow freely. If the bar at the Daytime Emmys after-party was always a popular place, Jake was fairly
certain the one at the Academy Awards would put it to shame. “We don’t have to talk about it now,” he said, lifting her hand to his mouth and kissing it. “I probably won’t even get nominated.”

“Or maybe you will, and you’ll win, and you can think about me every once in a while when you’re with your adoring public.” She separated her hand from his and moved to get out of bed. “Do you want to go swimming? I think we should go swimming.”

Jake stared at her, not sure he’d heard correctly. Even though he thought he was getting used to her abrupt changes of subject whenever she felt ill at ease, this one still managed to floor him. “Swimming?”

“Yes. Don’t you want to experience that beautiful pool?”

“It’s ten-thirty at night.” It was a half-hearted protest, though. She made everything sound so enticing.

“So?” Jordan shrugged. “Moonlight swims are the best.”

Jake couldn’t disagree, but there was one slight problem. Or maybe it wasn’t a problem at all. “I don’t have anything to wear.” He smirked.

“I wouldn’t actually mind that, but in case we’re not alone, you should probably put these back on.” She tossed him the boxer shorts that lay on the floor. She crossed to her dresser and much to Jake’s chagrin pulled a bathing suit out of drawer. At least it was a fairly skimpy bathing suit.

Jake pulled his shorts on and five minutes later, they arrived at the pool area, which was empty. “Looks like we have it to ourselves,” he said as Jordan used a key to unlock the gate.

“It’s usually like this at night. That’s why I like moonlight swims.” Jordan tossed a towel onto a lounge chair and stepped to the water’s edge, where she dipped her foot in. “Perfect,” she said, making her way down the sloped entry.

I couldn’t agree more
, Jake thought as he stared after her, admiring her lithe form as it disappeared further below the water as she walked.

“Aren’t you coming?” She turned and called when the water reached to waist level.

“In a minute.” Jake continued to watch, curious if she was one of those women who waded in, afraid to get her hair wet. He’d never understood that. What was the point of swimming if they didn’t want to get wet?

When finally the water level reached her shoulders, Jordan dipped her head under, then emerged, wet, blond
e tresses falling down her back.

Of course.

As she took off and swam the length of the pool, Jake stepped into the water, wading until he reached a depth comfortable for swimming, then joined her at the other side.

“Incredible, isn’t it?” She shook water from her hair, sending droplets flying through the air.

“I’ll say.” Jake wasn’t referring to the moonlight reflecting on the pool’s water, though he couldn’t deny it was nice, too.