Take Me. Cherry Adair
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Название: Take Me

Автор: Cherry Adair

Издательство: HarperCollins

Жанр: Контркультура

Серия: Mills & Boon Blaze

isbn: 9781408948361

isbn:

СКАЧАТЬ But I’m not interested in a long-term entanglement, and marriage will never be on the table.”

      “Because you’re already married.”

      “Because I never have, nor will I ever have, any interest in the state of holy matrimony. I married to facilitate a business deal, she married me for money. If this is a problem, tell me now.”

      “The problem,” Jessie said sweetly, “is I don’t care one way or the other. And I think it’s a bit presumptuous of you to think I would since we’ve known each other all of two minutes. Your marital status has no effect on me at all one way or the other.”

      “Good.” Joshua only now realized how damned boring life had been lately. It had been a long time since he’d felt the roar of his blood and the thrill of the chase.

      “Let me guess. Your wife’s a petite, blue-eyed blonde?”

      Joshua stared at her blankly. He vaguely remembered Vera as a tall, skinny…blonde? Redhead? Whatever. Somehow he’d lost control of the conversation. He wasn’t sure where or why, but it mildly annoyed him. “What’s that got to do with anything?”

      Brown eyes gleamed devilishly. “I’m trying to point out that I’m not your type.”

      “How do you know what my type is?”

      Jessie fluttered her long eyelashes at him. “Small, blond and busty. Would you like me to name them for you?”

      “I think I can remember,” Joshua said dryly, narrowing his eyes in mild annoyance. CEOs had quailed at that look. She—damn her sassy hide—had the nerve to grin.

      “And why would you be so interested in my lady friends?” he asked silkily, suddenly finding tall, slender dark-haired women extremely appealing. The air about her seemed to crackle with electricity.

      “What?” Little Miss Sass was distracted for a moment watching his mouth. “It’s hard to miss your exploits when every tabloid and newspaper finds the subject absolutely fascinating.”

      A point to the lady for her swift recovery.

      Joshua glanced down. Her nipples were clearly delineated by the fabric of her dress. As he watched, the small buds peaked. He stifled a groan and shifted his stance.

      “Lord,” she said, voice thick, “you are direct, aren’t you?”

      “If I was any more direct, I’d come right out and tell you I want to take you to bed.”

      She smiled. “I believe you just did.”

      “I’m hardly the first man who’s wanted to sleep with you.”

      “You’re the first man who’s said it straight out within moments of meeting me, with about three hundred witnesses.” She didn’t move away as he rested his hand on the small of her back. He could almost feel her skin vibrate beneath his fingers.

      “I want to see you.”

      “You are seeing me.”

      “Without all these people around.”

      “If you’re staying with Simon for the weekend, we should bump into each other sometime.”

      “That’s a little too vague for me.” He scanned her animated face. Her eyes still danced as she crossed her arms over her chest. At the view of her plumped breasts on the shelf of her arms, his mouth went dry.

      He wanted her. He planned to have her. Soon.

      “Several of us are going parachuting tomorrow, and since it’s too far to drive home, then back again so early in the morning, I’m spending the night here. You’re welcome to join us, Joshua.”

      Her husky voice saying his name made him want to yank her into his arms. He craved her mouth under his. He wanted to back her against the wall and have her, right there in Simon’s sunken living room, in front of hundreds of guests. Lord. He couldn’t remember ever being this hot, this fast.

      Jessie glanced at him under her lashes. She took a small step back. “I’ve heard people should live life as if their personal diary would be published in the newspaper every day.” She looked up at him with those big brown eyes. “I’ve read your personal diary in the tabloids for years. Just standing here talking to you is going to give me notoriety I’ve never had before. I’m not sure I’m ready for prime time.”

      More than likely their first meeting would be splashed across every tabloid by tomorrow morning. He didn’t give a damn—unless she cashed in on his weak moment of honesty concerning his marriage. Then every snoop reporter in the country would be on the hunt for Vera.

      Despite the risk, pursuing Jessie held an indefinable, underlying attraction that had nothing to do with her slender body. Something about her made his heart go from zero to a hundred in seconds and he’d be damned if he knew why.

      “Do you realize,” he asked, his voice thick, “that we’re standing right under the mistletoe?”

      Her long lashes fluttered as she glanced up, then directly into his eyes. Yes, her eyes told him. Of course she knew where they stood.

      “Lord, woman, don’t look at me like that.” He didn’t recognize the roughness in his own voice. “What do I have to give you for just one kiss?”

      “Here?” Jessie scanned the room.

      “Yes, damn it.”

      “Chloroform?”

      “Oh,” he mocked, “I think I can find something that works just as well and is far more accessible.” He hailed a waiter, and handed her two brimming glasses of pale wine. “Here.”

      Jessie automatically clutched both glasses as she looked up at him. “What am I supposed to d—”

      He touched her cheek, just the barest of touches, and she closed her eyes, tilting her face up. He kissed her softly on the mouth. Christ, it was as bad as eating one damn peanut. She tasted of Simon’s excellent Chateau Coutet, laughter and something he couldn’t quite put a name to.

      His fingers tightened briefly in the springy silk of her hair as her tongue shyly touched his. His lips moved with expertise over hers, Jessie’s lashes fluttered then drifted closed. He felt her small breasts brand his chest as she leaned into him. He swallowed her ragged moan as he deepened the contact and lost himself in her response.

      And then she was gone.

      One moment he was standing with an armful of pliant willing woman, the next he was holding two dripping glasses and she was several feet away.

      “Give me a call sometime.” Jessie fluttered her fingers and melted into the crowd, disappearing from view before he could recover.

      Joshua felt as if he’d been poleaxed.

      JESSIE’S PURPLE-AND-PINK parachute floated over the vineyard toward the eucalyptus tree windbreak on the south side of the clearing near Simon’s house. Joshua shaded his eyes against the sharp winter sun and scowled. He’d had precious little sleep the night before. Thinking about her, СКАЧАТЬ