Whirlpool: Forces of Nature, Book 2 Page 3

  She settled back and got ready to take more notes. Instead, he sat next to her and tugged the notebook from her fingers, flipping through the pages, adding small notations in the margins. She breathed in his scent, clean sandalwood teasing her nostrils. His thigh pressed tight against hers, the warmth of his body spread like a blanket. It was tempting to lean closer and press their torsos together.

  But it wouldn’t be fair. She’d kept a very tight rein on herself as they worked, not wanting to torment him like she’d accidentally done at their first meeting. She struggled to find a distraction. She needed to control herself this time.

  “Do you travel a lot with your work?”

  “I was in New Mexico last, Greece before that, and the Isle of Man at the start of the year.”

  He said it so casually, but Chelsea’s heart thrilled. “Greece? Isle of Man? Oh, I’d love to see those places. It must be so exciting.”

  He nodded, his hands gentle as he picked up a Japanese float resting beside him. He examined it in the light before rising to lay it in a box with other cataloged items. “I love traveling, but it’s been a little stressful. It means I’m off the North American continent a lot of the time, and my family hates that. My mom in particular doesn’t like that I’m not available to visit as often as she wants.”

  “Moms never want their kids to go away. I’d love to travel someday. I’m saving up.” Well, she had been saving. After she had finished helping the family pay off her dad’s emergency medical bills, and contributed to keeping her sister in school, the funds had dried up and disappeared. All her plans were completely turned around now that she couldn’t afford to head to college.

  He winked at her and his beautiful smile warmed the coldness that had begun to creep inside her chest. “Good for you. There are a lot of interesting places in the world.”

  “I know, but some people don’t see it that way at all.” She sighed. Jaffrey’s Cove was nice, but she wanted to be able to visit some of the places she’d read about. Experience them for herself. The stolen opportunity twisted her gut tight, and she fought to keep the bitterness from coming through as she spoke. “I still think you’re lucky your job takes you around the world. I bet your family is proud of you.”

  Jamie snorted. “My family hates what I do for a living.”

  “You’re kidding? But you’re so good at it.” She stared after him as he paced.

  “It has nothing to do with how good I am, it’s more to do with being a common laborer and getting my hands dirty.”

  That made no sense. “They would prefer you didn’t work?”

  “No, no, it’s just that I didn’t go into the family business, and that, my dear, was like kicking them and saying they weren’t good enough for me.”

  Ahhh. “Oh, now I get it. My family doesn’t like what I do either. So I just try not to talk about it with them.”

  Jamie brushed his hands together as he turned to frown at her. “I’m a complete idiot. I never even thought to ask if you helping me would cause problems. I assumed since Braden said you were available—”

  “Oh, this isn’t the problem. I had quit my position at the museum since I had planned on leaving…” She coughed lightly and brushed at imaginary lint on her shorts. She didn’t want to talk about her aborted college attempt. It still hurt too much. “Helping you is not a trouble at all. I needed to find a new job. No, it’s my side job they don’t like.”

  He raised a brow.

  “I dance.” Holy cow, were her cheeks getting hot? She was blushing.

  She never blushed.

  His gaze darted over her again, quick, impersonal this time. “I don’t think you’re built right for the ballet. You could belly dance, or do modern jazz. I can easily see you in a funk ensemble, or then you could—” He broke off, dipping his head in embarrassment. “Damn, sorry. You’re not something to catalog.”

  Chelsea smiled to reassure him. “I said you were good. You’re right, although I did train ballet before I hit my growth spurt in my teens.”

  He perched on the arm of the loveseat, staring at her. “Chelsea, can I ask a personal question? Feel free to tell me to take a hike, but…what’s up with Braden?”

  “What do you mean?”

  He checked his watch. “He’s going to arrive in twenty-seven minutes. He’ll pace around the room, look you over carefully, grunt in my direction, then disappear into the kitchen.”

  The giggles in her belly started to rise. How had Braden thought he could slip anything past this observant man? “He comes home to make lunch, that’s all.”

  Jamie’s expression betrayed his disbelief. “He’ll call out to see if you want anything, remember at the last second that I’m here and add my name to the question. After we both turn him down he’ll sit there…” Jamie pointed to the table, “…and watch us while he eats. Actually, he’ll watch you. Then he’ll clean up, come and ask me if I need anything, tell you to behave yourself and he’ll leave after one final dirty look in my direction.”

  She couldn’t hold it in anymore. Her laughter rang throughout the room and Jamie joined in. When she could speak again her amusement still sounded in her voice.

  “Three days and you know what he’s going to do?”

  Jamie pulled his wallet from his pocket and drew out a twenty. He slapped it on the coffee table. “If he deviates from the norm, you win the twenty.”

  Chelsea smiled. “I’m not betting against you. That’s exactly what he’s going to do.”

  “So the question remains, what’s up?”

  She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. Immaculately dressed in dark slacks and a crisp cotton shirt, he looked like he should be in a New York office, not digging through fishing nets and seashells. He was night and day to Braden’s casual jeans or sweats when out of uniform. Damn if she didn’t find them both attractive.

  “Braden thinks I need to find a boyfriend.”

  Jamie slapped his hands together and pointed at her excitedly. “So that’s what those cryptic comments he made back in his apartment were about.”

  His gaze darted over her, the admiration in his eyes clear. This time he wasn’t analyzing what kind of dancer she was. Heat spread over her skin, her heartbeat picking up.

  “What comments? What did he say to you?”

  “He let me know that when my girlfriend joined me she was welcome to stay in the apartment with me. When I told him I was currently unattached, the grunting began.”

  “Oh Lord, not the grunting.”

  “Yeah, the grunting and the questions. ‘You think Chelsea is good-looking?’ he asked.” Jamie rolled his eyes and gestured at her, his hand sweeping the length of her frame as if he were at a carnival, gesturing in the main attraction. “I asked if he’d been diagnosed with a brain condition.”

  “You didn’t!”

  “Chelsea, I’m missing a piece of the puzzle. I think you like Braden, and the man is obviously head over heels attracted to you—”

  “Really?”

  “Really. So why does it seem like he’s trying to hook us up? At least for the duration of the time I’m working this job?”

  Chelsea flopped back in the loveseat, her head resting on the opposite arm from where he sat. How much could she say so the lines of privacy for the shifters of Jaffrey’s Cove remained uncrossed? She sniffed. How could she explain when she wasn’t sure herself why Braden was acting so strange?

  She kept it simple.

  “The only thing I can come up with is that he thinks we’re not right for each other. For some misguided reason he’s being noble and refusing to get involved with me. I guess he’s approved you as a backup boyfriend, so he’s pushing us together.”

  “Backup boyfriend. Hell, I feel like we’re back in eighth grade. But he actually wants you for himself, so he’s still checking in the hopes nothing happens. Got it. No wonder he’s pissed at me.”

  Chelsea sat up and touched his leg. “Please don’t take this the wrong way, but while I lik
e you a lot, I really want Braden. I have forever.”

  Jamie frowned. “Right back at you. Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m not looking to hook up with anyone right now. While you’re very attractive, I don’t need a girlfriend.” He tapped his fingers on his thigh, brushing her hand accidentally, and Chelsea sucked in a breath. She might know what she wanted, he might know what he wanted, but their chemistry was potentially explosive. She tried to pull her hand away but he grabbed her wrist, held her still.

  “I have an idea if you’re game.”

  “Involving Braden?”

  He gave her a mischievous grin. “He’s on the edge. I’m sure it wouldn’t take much to convince him that his idea isn’t what you two really need. So as long as I’m not in danger of losing any teeth, how about we do a little playacting?”

  “To try and make him jealous?”

  Jamie nodded.

  Chelsea thought fast. Maybe that was what Braden needed to nudge him over and finally not only admit he wanted her but act on it.

  The idea held possible dangers though. She’d been without a lover for a long time, and Jamie was damn attractive in his own way. She bit her lower lip. The sexual fever burning in her veins was difficult enough to control at the best of times. If they pretended to get intimate, she might not be able to hold back.

  She lifted her chin. If Braden didn’t react, then…to hell with him. Getting involved with Jamie for a bit of fun would hurt no one. Neither of them was looking for forever, and she really needed to gain back some control of her life.

  “What are you thinking?”

  Jamie pointed to the twenty. “Let’s start by making him mess up his routine. Give him a little something to look at. Just talk quiet to me, like you’re sharing secrets and stand close. Start pushing a few buttons. See what happens.”

  “What if he doesn’t respond?”

  “Then I get to spend the twenty and buy you dinner. That should go along with the goal of making him jealous.”

  Chelsea grinned at him. “How about if he doesn’t react then we bump it up another notch. I’ll take you to the Grotto where I dance and you can spend the twenty on the floor. Deal?”

  “Deal.”

  They shook hands, the mischief in his eyes shifting to something that made her sex tingle. Tension floated in the air.

  “Maybe we should do a test run before he gets here.” His voice had dropped a notch and a shiver raced over her skin as he tugged on her fingers, drawing them closer until her body was flush with his. “Just to make sure it’s going to look believable.”

  He lowered his head and brushed their lips together.

  Chapter Three

  Jamie intended to keep in control this time. The kiss four days earlier had surprised him, but the way the memory of it kept returning again and again was more disturbing. Even as friendship bloomed between them, there was a simmering undertone of desire he wasn’t sure how to deal with. Solving puzzles was what he did best—and this should be no exception.

  Especially when the investigating was so pleasurable. He reveled in her sweet taste. Chelsea softened in his arms, wrapping her hands around his torso until her fingers splayed across his back. He felt her nails like a kitten’s claws against his skin as her hands traveled in slow sensual circles.

  Their kiss stayed gentle even as the heat between their bodies grew. An experiment or not, the tension between them was enough to make his cock rise with interest. He breathed in deeply through his nose to take in as much of her as possible at one time. Her taste, her scent, the touch of her skin under his hands. He tugged her blouse loose from her jeans, skimming his palms over the warm flesh at her waist, and she purred into his mouth.

  The sound sent a shiver down his spine.

  The unemotional aspect of doing constant analysis made it possible to retreat a moment later instead of sweeping her up and carrying her to her bedroom. They both sucked in deep breaths as he attempted to pull enough oxygen into his lungs to let his mind start to fully function again. He might not want a relationship right now, but damn, some out-and-out pounding sex sounded better by the second. She was an attractive woman, he was a man—the chemistry between them was more than logical.

  Her disheveled appearance made him break into a grin. Her lips were swollen, her eyes dark with desire. She seemed to have had the same physical response to him, whether she would admit it or not, but that was beside the point. She was emotionally attached to Braden, and he was going to help her get her man. It was the right thing to do.

  Wasn’t it?

  “Braden will be here in about three minutes. You want to get back to work?” he asked.

  Her chest continued to heave and she raised her fingers to her cheeks.

  “I look like I’ve just been kissed senseless, don’t I?” He nodded. She pulled a fist back and pumped her arm in victory. “He is so going to fall. You’re a genius.” She kissed his cheek quickly then snatched up the notebook.

  “Wait…”

  If they were going to do this right, there was one more detail to arrange. He reached out and carefully unhooked the top two buttons on her blouse. She swallowed hard before nodding and plopping to the floor to kneel at his feet.

  Jamie closed his eyes for a split second to regain control. Genius, right. His cock was about to explode at the thought of all the things he could have her do while sitting in that position. Damn, it had seemed like a good idea at the time. This is what happens when you speak before you think.

  The door creaked open and they spun to face Braden. That was the first difference—usually they were both so involved in their work Jamie would barely react to Braden’s arrival.

  Chelsea shot to her feet and backed away, the look of guilt in her eyes adding just the perfect touch, and Braden stumbled for a second as he strode toward the kitchen door. He looked her up and down, grunted in Jamie’s direction before disappearing into the kitchen.

  Chelsea straightened her clothing, staring after Braden with a forlorn expression.

  “It didn’t work.”

  Jamie put his finger to his lips, and she nodded.

  “You’re right,” she whispered back. “I’ll give it more time.”

  But nothing further happened. Jamie waited for a glimmer of jealousy to show as Braden continued his routine, glaring at them while Jamie attempted to concentrate enough to catalog a few more items. Chelsea stood closer than usual, her fair hair falling over his shoulder at one point, the sweet scent of her lilac shampoo lingering after she moved away.

  Braden might not seem interested, but Jamie found it more and more difficult to remember why he wasn’t getting involved with the woman. When Braden closed the door and Chelsea rushed off to the back of the house, muttering as she went, Jamie collapsed onto the couch in relief. He adjusted the raging erection crowding his slacks, trying to find a little room to ease the pain.

  Sexual tension was one thing, but he’d been right in his earlier suspicions. The intensity and speed of the desire racing through him was not normal. A faint memory teased him. He’d felt like this once before, this overwhelming and unbidden lust, and his curiosity rose. Something unusual was happening here. Something more than getting caught in the crossfire of a woman attempting to make her love interest jealous.

  He glanced around at the trinkets and boxes crowding the walls, and for the first time in a long time, the idea of spending an afternoon with the past held little attraction.

  Jamie rolled over in the king-sized bed, aching and hard. The vision he’d woken from was more than enough to have his cock at full mast, precome leaking from the tip. Moonlight shone in the window across the bed and his limbs felt heavy.

  The touch of a mouth, the brush of a hand…

  It had been an awesome dream, and he wished he could slip back in to appreciate it to the full extent. He absently stroked his shaft, wrapping his fingers around his girth and pulling back the foreskin on each draw. He didn’t tug hard, just steady, like an easy rhythm of a
lover riding him, her hips undulating as she let her blonde head fall back and…

  Shit.

  He sat up, his cock ignored for a moment. He was fantasizing about screwing Chelsea. Dammit, he shouldn’t be thinking about getting involved with her. No matter what Braden had hinted at, Jamie was sure Braden would prefer to rip the limbs off anyone who truly looked at her.

  They might be trying to make the man jealous, but there was something rotten about lying in the man’s bed and fantasizing about fucking his woman.

  Jamie scrambled to his feet and paced into the kitchen to grab a drink of water. The cool liquid slid down his throat like a balm. He wandered the apartment, naked, his arousal still begging for attention. Damn thing.

  Finally more than he could resist, he gave in to temptation, slipping back to the bed and letting his mind go wild. He pictured Chelsea walking in on him, her soft fingers brushing his shoulders and pressing him to the mattress. He closed his eyes and let the dreamlike trance take over again, pull him away from logical, rational places and back into a fantasy world. An amazing fragrance hung in the air, honeysuckle sweet, spicy at the same time. It made him think about hot sweaty nights and bodies twisted together in passionate embraces. She lay next to him, and the bed shifted. His eyes popped open, fully expecting to see a person next to him.

  No one—only his dreams. He fell back into the mystic.

  They kissed. Her lips as they clung to his were succulent and mouthwatering. As she moved down his body, kissing his chest and licking his nipples, his balls drew up tight to his groin.

  The scent of sex surrounded him.

  Another body joined them, Braden cupping Chelsea’s breasts. He sucked one nipple into his mouth, leaving behind a trail of moisture. Jamie leaned over to taste the rosy tips of her breasts as well, and she hummed with delight. Braden’s flavor lingered on her skin.

  Chelsea kissed him again before pinning him back and mounting him, her body accepting his rigid length into her warmth. She leaned forward and brushed her lips against his, then turned and kissed Braden where he lay skin to skin at Jamie’s side. Braden stroked a hand down her body, past her hip to rest it on Jamie’s thigh. The touch of the other man made a jolt of lightning streak through his groin, and he thrust his cock upward, seeking more pressure, more stimulation.