Jack left a sleeping Maia on the sprawling brass bed at the gardener’s cottage. She had been sleeping a lot during her recovery, but he thought that this time she just wanted to avoid his mother.
He sauntered through the connecting portico and found his mom directing the caterer who had arrived early to prepare some of the dishes for the following day. Derek and his Aunt Nat were sitting around the large kitchen island drinking pre-dinner cocktails.
“And here is my favorite nephew,” Aunt Nat cooed as she held her cheek out for the obligatory kiss.
“Don’t let Brett hear that,” Jack replied as he thumped Derek on the back in greeting. Looking at his mom, he said. “By the way, where’s Brett?”
“He’ll be in time for dinner,” Frances replied. “Where’s Maia?”
Aunt Nat stilled and listened attentively.
“Taking a nap before dinner. I think the drive wore her out,” Jack said. “Mom, can I talk to you for a sec.”
Frances shrugged and followed her son to the sitting room.
“What is it, dear?” Frances asked.
“Listen, Maia and I are still very new in our relationship. This Thanksgiving dinner kind of spooked her and she’s uncomfortable with you talking like you’re already planning our wedding,” Jack said. One had to be blunt with his mom otherwise it was like pulling hair.
“You do want to marry her, though?”
“Mom,” Jack said in exasperation. “I don’t know. I haven’t even thought that far. We haven’t even talked about how we feel.”
“Jack, it’s obvious that you love her.”
“Well, if it is, she isn’t ready to discuss it,” Jack said bitterly, then exhaled in resignation. “But I’m ready to wait patiently. And I’m hoping you don’t scare her off before I get the chance to tell her how I feel.”
His mom touched her chest as if she had heard something very profound. “Oh Jack, I’m so happy.” Her eyes filled with tears. “After Claire, I wasn’t sure you’d find someone again. But seriously, son, did you have to find someone so complicated?”
Jack chuckled as he wiped his mom’s tears and slung his arm around her to walk her back to the kitchen.
In the brief moment they were gone, more guests had arrived, one of them being Stephanie Locke.
After their previous encounter, Jack didn’t quite know how to act around her. Judging from Stephanie’s attire she had every expectation of picking up where they had left off.
She was wearing an indecently short dress, no tights and tall boots. What was she thinking wearing that to a family dinner? Aunt Nat was already giving her the stink-eye.
“Aunt Frances, Jack!” She trilled as she sashayed towards them. She gave his mom a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
Then she pressed her entire length on him, wrapped her arms around his neck and planted a wet kiss on his mouth. Jack unhooked her arms and tried to extricate himself from Stephanie but she ignored his attempts, and tucked her arm through his so that his arm was pressed against her breast. He glanced over at Derek for help. His friend was silently laughing. Damn him.
“Steph, um, do you want a drink?” Jack offered. He was very close to being rude to a long-time family friend.
“Later, Jack,” she breathed. She led him to a bar stool away from everyone else and made him sit down. He realized soon why she had done so. “We need to catch up,” she went on, whispering in his ear while reaching down to rub his crotch. “We could have a quickie before dinner.” She straddled one of his legs and rubbed her heat against him. “Feel that, I’m hot for you.”
Jack was shocked at Stephanie’s unusual brazenness. He wasn’t able to move, but could just stare at the blatant invitation in her eyes while thinking of a way to turn her down gently. He wasn’t even turned on; he was disgusted.
He heard Derek clear his throat—that familiar throat clearing his friend used to warn him of something whenever they were out tomcatting about town or negotiating in the boardroom. Jack didn’t need to look up to know that Maia had just entered the kitchen.
He turned his head to look straight into icy blue eyes that glared straight at Stephanie who was straddling his thigh in her very short dress and at her hand that was rubbing his crotch enthusiastically.
Fucking great.
Maia stretched out on the luxurious bed. She must have dozed off after showering. The clock showed 6:00 p.m. Where was Jack? After figuring out that he was not at the cottage, she quickly pulled on a tunic sweater over leggings, stabbed her feet in soft slinky tall boots and headed out to the main house. She left her hair loose. She wasn’t sure what the dress code was for dinner and she wished Jack had told her or left her a note.
It was getting dark and the kitchen was surrounded by windows so it was easy to see that most of the guests had gathered in the kitchen. She spotted Derek and frowned when she saw Jack being led around by a blonde-haired woman.
Maia’s mouth tightened. Figured. What was the saying? A leopard can’t change his spots? She entered the kitchen with the errant pair in full view. The blonde bitch was wantonly straddling Jack’s thigh and rubbing his crotch with her hand. And Jack seemed more than content to let her do it. Rat bastard!
Derek looked panicked. Frances, thankfully, was too busy with the caterers to notice and another older woman was staring at Maia with interest.
Derek cleared his throat to warn his friend and Jack twisted his head around to receive the full blast of her arctic stare. He shot out of the chair so fast it almost sent the blonde bitch sprawling on her ass.
His face was etched with guilt and horror. If Maia wasn’t so furious, his expression would be laughable.
“Maia, babe …” Jack began carefully.
Aware that they had an audience, she stalked over to the sitting room. Jack followed.
She spun around, her clear blue eyes sending sparks of fury so intense that Jack flinched. “You bastard, you can’t help it, can you?”
“Maia, I can explain. It happened so fast and with your perfect timing you walked in before I was able to push her off,” Jack whispered, his eyes pleading with her to believe him.
“So it’s my fault? Should I have given you what, five minutes more? You think that’s enough time for her to get you off?” Maia spoke in a low angry voice.
“That’s enough,” Jack thundered starting to get pissed off. “What you did with Lee was worse.”
“I can’t believe you brought that up. That was a job. So what is this, payback for Lee?”
“No, god damn it,” Jack replied in a raised voice. Switching back to an angry whisper, he continued, “You’re making too much of it. I’ll admit she wanted to hookup but I only want you, Maia. Only you.”
“You certainly didn’t look like you wanted only me. She was all over you,” Maia hissed. “She was rubbing herself … ugh!” She threw up her hands in disgust.
“She caught me by surprise, I didn’t know how to react without hurting her feelings,” Jack explained further.
“So you’d rather hurt mine?”
“Stop twisting my words!” Jack grabbed her shoulders, looking frustrated beyond measure. “Maia, babe, please don’t be like this.”
He did look like he was telling the truth. Deep in her heart, Maia knew Jack wouldn’t cheat on her. But that didn’t mean she would make it easy for him, so she continued to stare stonily at him.
“Maia please…” Jack pleaded as he lowered his head to kiss her tentatively. His tongue shot out to lightly brush her upper lip. When she opened her mouth, Jack groaned and crushed her to him, kissing her deeply and hungrily.
“Oh my God, would you guys get a room!” someone shouted from across the room.
Brett!
Jack tore his lips reluctantly away to grin at his brother. “Hi bro, how was the drive?”
Brett rolled his eyes. “Bloody long. How’s my favorite girl,” he said giving Maia a hug and kiss.
“Hey, back off, that’s my woman.”
“Maia, why are you still with this loser? What happened to your cheek!” Brett exclaimed, aghast.
“Great to see you, Brett,” Maia said, breaking through the brotherly banter. “Got tossed around on my last job.”
“You should seriously look for a different profession,” Brett declared.
“So I’ve been told,” Maia replied dryly. “One too many times.”
Frances showed up in the sitting room, hugging her youngest son in greeting. “You just arrived in time. We’re serving dinner in a few minutes.”
Maia awakened to the sound of labored breathing and warm probing fingers seeking the moist heat between her thighs. Jack’s face was buried in her hair and nuzzling her neck, the hardness of his erection pressing against her butt. When it was apparent that she was awake, Jack whispered in a strained voice, “I want you. I need to be inside you. Now.”
“Okay,” Maia whispered as she felt a surge of moisture in that special place.
Jack immediately flipped her on her back and pulled her nightshirt off, leaving her in her underwear. His hands immediately palmed her breasts as he lowered his hips between her thighs and took her mouth in an urgent kiss.
“I dunno if I can go slow,” Jack muttered and then groaned as the tip of his cock hit the heat between her legs through their clothes. He trailed kisses down her neck to her breast, sucking her nipple so hard and letting it go with a pop. “But first I want to taste you, it’s been so long.”
She whimpered in response, her own desire surging at the thought of his talented tongue between her legs. And just like that her underwear disappeared and his head was between her legs, his tongue and mouth driving her towards an explosive finish.
The sound of rapid knocking jolted them out of their lust-filled morning.
“Jack, rise and shine!”
Brett.
“I’m gonna kill him,” Jack said in a manner that made Maia think he really meant it.
“Go away!” Jack growled loudly.
“We have a problem with the turkey fryer, mom’s freaking out.”
“Fucking damn it!” Jack cursed. Looking remorsefully at Maia he said, “I’m so sorry, sweetheart.”
She was frustrated beyond belief, but what could she say? “That’s okay, go.”
“Jack,” Brett hollered again.
Not bothering to put a robe on to hide his condition, Jack went to the front of the cottage and opened the door.
“I’ll be there in five minutes.”
Brett burst out laughing. “Did I interrupt something?”
Jack didn’t answer and slammed the door shut in his brother’s face.
“I can’t eat another bite,” Derek groaned into his plate.
To feed fifty people for Thanksgiving, there were an assortment of appetizers, three roasted turkeys, three baked hams, and all the fixings and desserts provided by the caterer. Aunt Nat’s husband Bert had fried a turkey, and had been the cause of the emergency that morning. The fryer he had brought had a faulty valve which Jack was able to fix to save the day.
By now everyone was in turkey day coma, lounging everywhere in the house watching football or in the study with Robert smoking a cigar and drinking brandy.
“I don’t think I can either,” Maia said as she released a very unladylike burp.
“Ew, does Jack know you do that?” Derek chortled as he nearly choked on his beer.
“No, too soon in the relationship,” she retorted and Derek laughed harder.
On his way for a second plate, Jack was dragged into the study by his dad to discuss business with the other corporate types who had been invited to the festivities. Frances was busy fleeting from huddle to huddle, acting the consummate hostess and making sure everyone had everything they needed.
As for Maia and Derek, they were partners in crime, demolishing more than their fair share of Thanksgiving dinner.
“You know, I always wondered how a little thing like you could eat so much,” her friend said as he eyed her trim figure.
“I’m sure it’ll catch up with me sooner or later,” Maia said sadly as she contemplated getting more food.
Aunt Nat suddenly plopped down on Jack’s seat. “So Maia, we haven’t had a chance to talk to each other. I’m Natalie, Nat for short. I’m Frances’s sister.”
“It’s great to meet you,” Maia replied politely, suddenly on guard.
“So I hear you’re a marketing executive for a medical company?” Aunt Nat began.
“Yes, I am,” Maia smiled as she shoveled the last slice of ham into her mouth.
“Sorry to hear about your accident last week, that bruise on your cheek must hurt. So how did a defense contractor and marketing executive get together?” Nat asked curiously.
“Oh, through Derek here, of course,” Maia said sweetly as her friend choked again on his beer. “Derek and I are old friends.”
“Oh really,” Stephanie purred as she sidled up to their group. “Did you and Derek ever hookup? These two men like to pass their women around,” she said maliciously as Aunt Nat gasped in outrage.
“Steph dear, I think you’ve had enough to drink,” Aunt Nat snapped.
Stephanie looked at Maia with pure venom. “You know, Jack only ever loved Claire. He’s not capable of loving anyone else.”
Derek got up and pulled Stephanie away. “I think you’ve had enough to drink, let’s get you some water.”
The blonde trained her glazed eyes on Derek and leaned into him suggestively as she walked away with him.
“Jack has so much love to give, Maia,” Nat said gently after the pair left. “It may have taken him a while to love again, but that man looks smitten with you.”
“Jack and I like each other,” Maia replied carefully. “We’ve known each other less than a month.”
Nat’s eyes widened. “Really? And he’s already invited you to Thanksgiving? Hmm, Frances was right. When McCord men fall, they fall hard.”
Maia smiled: Frances and her romantic ideas.
Aunt Nat was regaling Maia with stories of Jack as a boy when a stocky Italian looking man dropped into the seat Derek had vacated. “Aunt Nat! Happy Thanksgiving to you.”
“Tony Bianchi! Are you married yet?”
“Well, if you would introduce me to this lovely lady, it may happen soon.”
“Don’t you dare flirt with Maia, Tony. She’s Jack’s girl.”
Tony’s eyes swept over Maia with a hint of disappointment, but it was quickly replaced by a determined glint.
“Maia, I’m Tony. First time Jack’s brought someone to these gatherings,” he murmured thoughtfully.
“So, how do you know the McCords?” Maia asked in cordial conversation. She did not like the way this man was undressing her with his eyes. Obviously, the fact that she was Jack’s girlfriend meant nothing to him.
“I’m a friend of Anna, Jack’s sister,” Tony said. “Which reminds me, where is Steph?”
“She had a bit too much to drink,” Nat replied as she scrunched her nose in disapproval. “Derek Lockwood had taken her for some water.”
Just then, Jack came back. He eyed Tony unhappily. “Maia, you ready to grab some dessert?”
Maia controlled her urge to jump up quickly and join her man, relief probably written all over her face. It felt weird getting sandwiched between Aunt Nat and Tony; she was not ready to be interrogated about her relationship with Jack.
They made their way to the living room where an assortment of desserts was on display.
“Where the hell is Derek?” Jack asked in annoyance.
“Steph was causing some trouble. Derek intervened and whisked her away.”
Jack frowned. “Like what?”
“Like how you and Derek like to pass your women around.”
“That f…, you know that’s not true, right?”
“Of course not. I know Derek. And I know how possessive you are,” Maia said.
“What else did she say?”
Maia shrugged, but Jack gave her a little shake. “Tell me.”
“She mentioned Claire. It’s not important,” Maia said. Her eyes softened as she reached for Jack’s hand. “I know how much you loved her. It’s not as if Steph told me anything new.”
“Babe, Claire is the past. I loved her, she died, took me twelve years to get over her, but I’ve finally moved on. With you,” Jack said as he looked intently into her eyes. “Promise me one thing, Maia. Whatever you hear that makes you question what we have, no matter who says it, whether it’s my mom, Aunt Nat or Stephanie. Tell me, OK? I don’t want any stupid misunderstanding between us.”
“Okay, Jack.”
Maia turned her attention to the dessert table. Jack lingered behind her and wrapped his arms around her while planting a very wet open-mouth kiss on her neck. Maia’s lips curved into a smile as she started filling a plate with sweet treats.
“Want some cream puffs?” Maia asked as she offered a mini-pastry to Jack, who had rested his chin on her shoulder. He took the cream puff deliberately, making sure to caress her fingers with his lips as he swallowed the sweet treat. Just like that, her knees went weak.
“Do you want to take the desserts back to the cottage?” Jack suggested wickedly.
“Jack, it’s four o’clock in the afternoon,” Maia laughed softly.
“So?” He leaned forward and slipped his hand under her dress, edging it up. Maia’s eyes widened as she quickly balanced the plate on one hand and stilled Jack’s marauding fingers.
“Someone’s going to see us!”
“You want it here or back in the cottage?” Jack asked thickly. “I can’t wait to bury myself inside you.”
Oh my God, Maia thought. His words were making her so hot. She felt like just hopping on the table, spreading her thighs and having him slam inside her.
Since she was on the verge of capitulating, Jack grinned and led Maia out the house, through the portico and into the gardener’s cottage.
They were in front of the fire place, just kissing and touching each other in between sips of wine. Maia was curled up against Jack, sitting on a soft, plush rug, and leaning against the edge of a love seat.
Maia noticed, however, that Jack was slightly withdrawn, as if he was in deep reflection.
“Anything wrong, Jack?” Maia asked.
Jack shook his head and sighed. “The holidays usually remind me of what my family had lost. Seeing my sister’s friends reminds me of Anna; thinking of Anna reminds me of Claire.”
Maia felt a twinge in her chest that felt like physical pain. Trying to keep her face passive, she said, “Tell me about Anna.”
“She was the life of the family,” Jack said fondly. “She and Stephanie always got into the worse scrapes. I had to bail them out all the time: pick them up when they were out partying too late and cover for them when they ended up drinking too much. I did lecture them about underage drinking—I never condoned it. But sometimes they needed to learn their lesson so I let them puke their guts out to feel the pain.”
Maia started laughing. “I see where all this overprotectiveness comes from.”
Jack quirked a brow at her. “Yeah, you could say that. Anyway, Anna was wild in high school and gave me a headache keeping her in line—besides I was only three years older than her. My Dad spoiled her shamelessly, and so did Mom—someone had to be the parent. Thankfully, Anna had calmed down when she went to college, about the same time I joined the SEALs. She turned out to be the sweetest girl, believe it or not. She and Claire got along so well.”
Realizing the insensitivity of his last statement, Jack looked instantly contrite. “I’m sorry, Maia,” he whispered.
“Tell me about her,” Maia said softly.
Jack hesitated, Maia squeezed his hand. “Claire had an aura about her. She wasn’t even my type, but she just drew me to her like a moth to a flame—clichéd as that sounds. She was an event planner. I met her when Mom was planning an elaborate homecoming to welcome me home after an extended deployment. She was a strong woman; she took my deployments well, except that one time when my SEAL team took a big hit and one of my buddies didn’t make it and I ended up in the hospital for two weeks. She freaked out—everyone in my family did. I loved her so much I didn’t want to put her through the constant worry, so I quit the SEALs. Little did I know that my ex-job was going to haunt us and cause her death. Hers and Anna’s.”
“Jack, don’t.”
“Babe, it took a while, but I’ve accepted that their deaths were not on me. It was on those assholes with the Colombian drug traffickers. And vengeance became ours eventually to the families that they had dared fuck with. That chapter is closed,” he stated firmly. “But the scars are lasting. Two women that meant a lot to me—I couldn’t protect. Fucking nearly lost my Mom too.”
He curled his arms around Maia and hugged her tight. “I know I drive you crazy sometimes, but I can’t help it. It’s my nature to want to protect—with you it just goes into overdrive.”
Maia started doubting if her relationship with Jack had a future. He had wanted a quiet life with Claire, and that was why he had resigned from the SEALs. He was not getting that from her. Maia knew for certain she would not be happy doing anything Jack considered “safe”. That was not the life Viktor had prepared her for. It was going to be Mike Callahan all over. Sure, the sex was fantastic, but was that enough?
“Babe, I see the wheels turning in your head,” Jack’s voice broke through her thoughts. “What’s on your mind?”
“I’m not what you want.” The words came out strangled because a lump had formed in Maia’s throat.
Jack’s brows drew together in a frown. “What the fuck, Maia?”
She cleared her throat and sipped on her wine before continuing, “I’m not what you want. You want a quiet life. The white picket fence. The woman who’s safe at home. That’s what you want.”
Jack looked at her steadily, his expression inscrutable. “You’re right,” he said, and Maia felt her heart break a little. “That’s what I want. I want to take care of my woman, I want that quiet life.” Jack leaned closer and cupped Maia’s face gently with one hand, using his thumb to tip her chin up to him. “Babe, that’s what I want, but you are what I need.”
Jack brushed her lips and gave her a gentle kiss. He drew away slightly and said, “You’re wrong about the white picket fence, though.” Jack swallowed Maia’s laughter with a teasing kiss while pulling the zipper down the back of her dress. “Done talking,” he murmured thickly against her lips.
He pulled her dress off and lay her down on the soft rug in front of the fire place. She was wearing the black corset bustier that Jack had bought her. “Jesus,” he muttered as his eyes drank up her scantily-clad form. This time his kisses were more devouring and urgent, his body pushing her heavily into the rug. After a while, he angled their bodies so he could reach behind her and deftly released the ties of the corset to free her from its constraints. Her breasts sprang free as he tugged the undergarment off. He pushed up on his arms to look at her, his eyes darkening with lust as his eyes poured over her breasts and then he sat back on his feet and pulled off his sweater and shirt. Never taking his eyes off her, he began unbuckling the fastenings of his pants and dragged them off together with his boxer briefs.
Jack was before her in all his lean-muscled nakedness, his huge erection as hard as the rest of him, a body made for sex. Maia’s heart was hammering at her chest almost painfully. His predatory gaze was raking over her with animalistic hunger.
He covered her body with his own, taking her lips again with plundering intent before lowering slowly to her breasts to pay homage to each peak. He lightly bit each nipple before sucking it into the warmth of his mouth.
“Jack,” Maia pleaded not sure if she could take such slow torture. She wanted him in the heat between her right then!
“Quiet!” Jack ordered as he lowered his lips to lick at her navel. She shuddered in anticipation of his intended target.
“Jack….please…”
“I said, quiet Maia,” Jack repeated and stopped his exploration to prove his point.
After what felt like an eternity, she finally felt his tongue prodding her there. First he licked her through her underwear. Then he nudged the sliver of silk aside to move one finger in and out while licking and sucking her swollen bud. He withdrew his finger and yanked the lacy black panties from her and threw her legs over his shoulders for an all out assault on her throbbing core. The minute his tongue hit her center, she blew apart in her most explosive orgasm yet. He emitted a guttural sound as he fastened his lips on her nub tighter and sucked as she shuddered in wave after wave of raw ecstasy.
“Yes! Don’t stop! Don’t stop! Jack …” Maia sobbed in abandon. God, she couldn’t breathe. She didn’t know whether to push or to pull on his head.
Suddenly he was burying himself inside her as she felt the delicious slide of his hardness. Propping up on his fully extended arms he watched her intently as he flexed his hips to gently rock into her.
“Come for me again, Maia” Jack muttered as he moved inside her.
“I can’t” Maia said even as she felt another wave building.
“Yes, you can,” Jack growled as he canted his hips to push in deeper and Maia gasped as she felt his shaft caress her womb. He withdrew almost to the tip before pushing back slowly into her. After what felt like a maddening pace, he increased his rhythm and intensity. As he lowered himself to interlace his fingers with hers to pin her hands to the rug, he began to pound into her fiercely. His chest hair lightly abrading her breast with the force of his thrusts, the need built again to a dizzying peak before washing over her in ripples of pulsing heat.
“Jack, Jack…” Maia moaned as her shattering climax prodded his own. He shoved into her and stilled, his body shuddering and jerking almost as if in pain.
The anguished look of controlled passion on Jack’s face was wiped out by relief as he yelled out his release.
“I love you! God, I love you!” Jack groaned into her neck as he pumped hot semen into her, gushing out in spurts as he continued to push into her until he was spent. He released her hands and wrapped his arms around her tightly as the last of his shudders receded.
Jack felt, rather than saw, Maia freeze. He knew what had prompted it. His unchecked declarations of love. Fuck it. He wasn’t denying it or taking it back.
“We’re not ignoring it, you know,” Jack said. Maia was in the crook of his arms, albeit stiff as a rod, and he was running the back of his fingers up and down the back of her arms absently.
“I’m in love with you,” Jack said quietly. “I didn’t mean to tell you anytime soon. But I can’t keep it inside me any longer. I think I’ve loved you since the first time I kissed you.”
He tipped her chin up to look at him. He saw some fear and uncertainty in her eyes. “And I know you love me too, Maia.”
Her eyes flashed in annoyance. “Oh, and what makes you think that, you conceited ass?”
Now this, he could deal with. Jack grinned, “Babe, no way can I love you this much without you loving me back in some fucking way. When we make love, Maia, I see it in your eyes. It’s not just physical. It’s fucking body and soul.”
“I don’t think this is a good idea,” Maia mumbled.
“You do love me?” Jack prompted.
“I don’t know,” Maia mumbled again while Jack’s heart fell. He sighed and kissed her on the temple. He was feeling vulnerable, laying his heart out not knowing how she felt for him in return. Maybe this was payback for his past emotional detachment in his previous relationships—didn’t feel too good being on the other side. After a few moments, she huffed in obvious annoyance.
“I think so,” Maia conceded.
Jack knifed up from the bed and straddled her. He dug his fingers into her sides, tickling her. He knew he was not playing fair, but she gave him an in and he was pulling her through the rest of the way.
“Jack!” Maia squealed and started laughing.
“You think?” he said, unrelenting.
“Jack stop it, you’re not playing…stop it!” Maia pleaded while gasping for air.
He was merciless.
“You think?” he repeated.
“Fine! I love you too!” Maia yelled as she swiped his hands away.
He rolled off to his back and took her with him, her naked body sprawled on top of him.
“I love you so much, babe,” Jack declared as he looked deeply in her eyes.
“How much?”
“I think I’d rather show you,” Jack replied devilishly. “Can I?”
“I’ll be disappointed if you didn’t.”
