“How many am I getting?”

She studied the lines of his face, the way his suit jacket emphasized his broad shoulders.

“Does it bother you that I do that?” she asked. “Do you mind about the owls and dogs and everything else I bring into your life?”

He took the champagne glass from her hand and set it on the coffee table, then leaned in, cupped her face in his large hands and kissed her.

The touch of his mouth against hers was soft and caring, with the slight hint of restrained passion. Tenderness ripped her apart from the inside until she was nothing but a beating heart filled with love.

He drew back and stared into her eyes. “I need you to be exactly who you are, Larissa. Chiweenies and all.”

She thought about how easily her dress undid from the back. The single long zipper would make it easy for anyone to help her out of the dress.

She slipped out of her shoes, then stood. “Come on,” she said quietly as she started for the bedroom.

Jack stayed on the sofa. “Larissa, you need to be sure.”

She smiled at him. “I’m leaving on the diamonds.”

He laughed, then got to his feet and followed her.

The bedroom was large, dominated by the big bed. She got as far as the middle of the room before suddenly losing her courage. It was one thing for Jack to seduce her but quite another for her to take charge. She’d had boyfriends before and it wasn’t as if she was a virgin, but Jack was, well, Jack.

She was sure there was more self-doubt on the way, but before she could form it into coherent thought, he walked up to her and pulled her close. She went into his embrace, reveling in the feel of his body against hers.

She reached up as he lowered his head and they met in an openmouthed kiss that started her body humming. His tongue tangled with hers, his hands roamed her from shoulders to hips. She wrapped her arms around him and hung on for all she was worth.

This was what she’d wanted for so long, she thought. Him and them. At last.

He moved his mouth over hers, even as he kissed her deeply. She found herself wanting to move in the same rhythm as the kisses, rubbing her body against him. But there were too many layers, too many clothes. She’d seen Jack na**d a thousand times, but never like this. Never in an intimate setting. She wanted to be free to study and touch and explore without the constraints of work or professional conduct.

She tugged at his suit jacket. He drew back and smiled at her. “Impatient?”

“You have no idea.”

“Then let me help.”

He shrugged out of his jacket and tossed it onto a chair. While he toed off his shoes, he unfastened his tie and slid it through the collar.

She’d planned on undoing her dress so it could be out of the way, but found herself mesmerized by what he was doing. Because while she regularly saw Jack without clothes, she’d never once seen him take them off.

There was something erotic about watching his big hands move gracefully on the buttons at his cuffs and then down the front of his shirt. When he pulled away the white cotton, she saw strong muscles and the scars from his various surgeries.

He pulled off his socks, then reached for the buckle of his belt. She felt both shy and eager.

Seconds later he was na**d and standing in front of her. Six feet two inches of honed, aroused male. Passion darkened his eyes. His breathing was a little fast, and when he reached for her, she knew that for the rest of her life, there was nowhere else she wanted to be.

“Now it’s your turn,” he said as he tugged on the zipper. “This is going to be good.”

The dress drifted to the ground. She stood in front of him wearing a black push-up bra and ridiculously tiny panties. His breathing hitched slightly.

“Damn.”

She smiled. “Oh, please. You’ve been with some of the most beautiful women in the world.”

“Not one of them is anything like you.”

Exactly the right thing to say, she thought happily. She stepped closer and he wrapped his arms around her. They kissed again. She leaned into him, letting him take her weight, wanting to surrender as much as possible. He stroked her arms, then her back. His fingers were warm and sure as he unfastened her bra.

The scrap of lace dropped away and then his hands were cupping her breasts. As his fingers moved against her tight nipples, he kissed his way from her mouth to her jaw. He nibbled and licked until he reached her ear. He sucked on the lobe before biting down.

Shivers rippled through her. There were too many sensations. She didn’t know what to focus on. The way he rubbed her br**sts or the feel of his fingers dancing against her nipples? The hot breath on her neck or the pattern traced by his tongue? The heat of his body or the surge of his erection against her belly?

He shifted slightly, then sat on the bed. He pulled her between his parted legs and settled his mouth on her right breast. The hot, wet heat caressed her sensitive skin. He sucked her in, then flicked her nipple with his tongue. At the same time, he drew her panties down and she stepped out of them.

He shifted to her other breast, giving it the same attention. Something heavy and delicious connected her br**sts to the very core of her and with each stroke, each suck, each second that passed, she felt herself readying for him more and more.

She stroked his hair and his shoulders. The ache between her thighs intensified. He needed to touch her there, she thought. Only what he was doing with her br**sts was too good. She didn’t want that to stop, either.

He put his hands on her thighs and slid them up slowly. His thumbs moved closer and closer to the very core of her but didn’t touch. He moved against her labia, the very outside, lightly touching. Playing, she thought, arching her h*ps toward him in what she hoped was an unmistakable invitation. He ignored her.

He ran his fingers along the outside, just touching the seam, but not parting her or going deeper. He explored the crease where her thighs met her body and lightly stroked her butt. Fingers slipped between her thighs again, but still didn’t go deep enough to get to anything good—all the while he sucked and licked and caressed her breasts.

Arousal grew until it was nearly painful. Her cl*twas swollen and aching. Hunger burned. She held in a whimper.

With lightning speed, he put his hands on her waist. He shifted her, lifting and turning until she was flat on her back in the center of the bed with no idea how she’d gotten there. Before she could catch her breath, Jack was between her bent legs, parting her sensitive flesh and pressing his mouth to the very center of her body.

The feel of his tongue against her core nearly made her scream with pleasure. She was wet and more than halfway there. A couple of strokes later, she was gasping and digging her heels into the bed. When he sucked on her swollen clit, she thought she was going to lose it and when he flicked his tongue over her again, she did.

She came in a rush of shuddering pleasure that claimed every cell of her body. She writhed and gasped, wanting it to never end. He stayed with her, his pace steady, until she was able to breathe again. Only then did he slow, drawing it out until she had nothing left.

He moved next to her on the bed and drew her against him. She snuggled close, feeling the aftereffects of her release rippling through her. He kissed her forehead, then her cheeks. She opened her eyes and saw him watching her.

The need still darkened his eyes but there was something else there, as well. Smugness. That damned male swagger that came from having a well-pleased woman in his bed.

She smiled. “Yes, you were all that.”

He grinned.

She sat up. “Now it’s your turn.”

“I like it when you’re fair.”

He opened the nightstand drawer and pulled out a box of condoms. She shifted onto her knees and took the box from him. He raised an eyebrow.

“You’re doing all the work?” he asked.

“You just did.”

She opened the package and slid the condom over his impressive erection, then straddled him. Jack’s eyes widened.

“On top?”

“Don’t you like it that way?”

“It’s a personal favorite.”

“For me, too.”

While it never had been before, she found herself wanting to be able to see what they were doing. Maybe it was silly, but she wanted to watch him as he got close. She wanted to see him come.

She straddled him. He put his hands on her h*ps and guided her into place. Her long hair hung down, nearly brushing his chest.

“This is going to be good,” he said and lowered her onto his arousal.

She felt him slide inside. He stretched and filled her. She shifted so she was more upright, able to take all of him. When he was completely inside of her, she squeezed and they both groaned. She bent forward and braced her hands on the bed, then began to move.

Their eyes locked. His hands cupped her br**sts and he stroked her sensitized skin. In and out and in and out. He filled her again and again. She increased the pace, watching his face tighten.

Their breathing increased. The friction deep inside made her push harder, faster. She was getting close again. Just being with Jack was enough to make her want to cl**ax a second time. With him, she thought. That was what she wanted.

“Larissa,” he breathed, her name nearly a groan. He swore and tensed. She could feel his muscles pushing him forward. She was close, but not there, she thought frantically, and rode him harder.

Need burned. Tension filled her. She strained to find the last bit of magic needed to push her over the edge.

He slipped a hand between them and pressed his thumb against her and circled the swollen knot of nerves.

It was all she needed. She felt her release begin deep inside of her before spiraling out to claim all of her. She cried out and shuddered, still moving up and down. Jack put his hands on her h*ps and kept her steady. He half rose and groaned deeply as his release overtook him.

Their eyes locked in that moment of perfect pleasure, and for the first time in her life, she saw down to her lover’s soul.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

THE DRIVE FROM San Francisco to Fool’s Gold took about three hours. Larissa was content to sit quietly in the rental car while Jack drove. The miles passed quickly. Too quickly, she thought. She wasn’t ready to return to the real world.

The past twenty-four hours had been amazing. The previous night, after they’d made love, they’d dressed and gone downstairs for dinner. Later, they’d filled the huge bathtub and had touched each other with the thrill that comes with exploration. They’d made love with the water sloshing onto the floor.

She’d slept in Jack’s arms. Larissa turned to look out the window so he wouldn’t see her smile as she explored that nearly unbelievable thought. She’d awakened to find him holding her tight—as if he never wanted to let go.

The concept might be wishful thinking on her part, but she was going to go with it for now.

She glanced back at him. “Thank you for all that.”

“You’re welcome. I had a good time.” He glanced at her and smiled before returning his attention to the road.

She sighed with contentment. “This could make your massages really interesting.”

He laughed. “You’re right. I’m going to have even more trouble not getting a hard-on.”

She thought about the massage table. “Oh, I think we could use that to our advantage.”

“Intriguing. I look forward to what you have in mind.”

* * *

JACK WALKED INTO his house to find Percy on the living room floor playing with what looked like a dozen small dogs. They were tumbling together in a mass of dogs and teen. When Percy saw him, he sat up and grinned.

“We’ve got dogs.”

“I see that.”

Jack put the garment bag he’d purchased in San Francisco over the stair railing. Now that they weren’t moving, he could see there were five. All small with big ears. Some looked more like Chihuahuas and others favored their dachshund blood.

“The guy who dropped them off said these ones were healthy. Probably all under three years old. They should be easy to adopt.”

“Good. I don’t want five dogs.”

Jack started toward the living room. All the chiweenies rushed toward him and began sniffing his shoes and jeans, jumping in front of him and yipping. He bent down to offer pats. One of the little girls flipped onto her back and offered her tummy for a quick rub.

“At least they’re socialized,” he said. “That’s something.”

He sat on the floor across from Percy and picked up a knotted rope toy. Two of the dogs dived for it and started a game of tug-of-war. The little girl climbed into his lap while the remaining two walked over to harass Percy.

“When did they get here?” Jack asked.

“A couple of hours ago. They’re fun.”

“Yeah, but are they housebroken?”

Percy looked blank.

Jack sighed. “Have you taken them outside?”

“No. But we should do that right now.” The teen scrambled to his feet. “I did give them water.”

Water without access to a bathroom could be a bad combination, Jack thought as he stood. Together they herded the dogs out the back.

The five of them ran onto the grass and started chasing each other.

“Keep watch,” Jack instructed. “I want to make sure everyone goes.”

When they were all back inside, Percy showed him the food that had been delivered along with a couple of big dog beds.

“The guy says they’re used to sleeping together in a pack. So we should keep them in the same room.”

“How about your room?” Jack asked.

Percy laughed. “Works for me. I like the little guys.”

The dogs played for another hour or so, then as a group headed for the beds. They went around and around, moving from one bed to the other until they’d found where they wanted to be and flopped down. Seconds later, they were out.