to herself. She looked into Jack’s eyes and felt a familiar spark. Whatever was happening between them on a biological level wasn’t a lie and that would have to be enough for tonight. Tomorrow she could feel like a traitor to the cause.
“Let’s go. We can have dessert later.” Delaney set the wineglass down and signaled for him to lead the way.
T HE BEAT OF Jack’s heart pounded in his ears. Delaney looked as if she’d bolt at any second. He didn’t want that to happen. Not when he was so close to taking her in his arms and lavishing her body with the loving attention it deserved. He longed to bury himself inside of her heat, until they were both too sated to move.
It was quite possible that she was the one woman he could confide in. The thought of having an honest relationship sent a thrill through Jack. He’d spent too many years pretending to be someone he wasn’t, all so he could aid his country’s allies and prevent enemies from becoming a global threat. Who’d have thought a fascination with weapons and a gift for selling could lead him down such a tangled road?
Dealing arms had started out innocently enough. He’d attended gun shows throughout college. On one such occasion, Jack had been speaking to a dealer who specialized in assault rifles. A customer had come up to peruse the merchandise. Jack found himself highlighting the weapon’s features. The customer bought the rifle and Jack landed his first job in the business.
He’d worked his way up from there, moving to bigger and bigger dealers before eventually striking out on his own. There was a fine line between good and bad out in the field. He’d found that out the hard way. Jack had walked a very gray line and escaped the business while he was still able—unlike many of his colleagues. He’d managed to amass a small fortune in the process, which had allowed him to help out his parents with the farm and enter the art world.
He took a ragged breath, then sat his wineglass onto the counter, hoping Delaney didn’t notice the trembling in his hands. She kept him perpetually off balance—a sensation he’d never experienced before.
One minute she smoldered, while the next, she could freeze water with a look. He’d received both, but the latter didn’t deter him. If anything, it made Jack want to delve deeper. He sensed a passionate woman lurking beneath Delaney’s calm exterior and he planned to coax her out, using everything in his sensual arsenal.
Something told him Delaney didn’t normally sleep with a man on the first date, which made Jack beyond grateful that technically this could be considered their second. That didn’t mean he could rush things, no matter how badly he wanted to strip the clothes away from her body.
Jack led Delaney down the hall, going room to room, but he chose to skip his office, a place he considered his personal domain. It held mementos he’d acquired over the years, including spent mortar casings. Not an easy thing to explain on a second date.
Her eyes strayed to the closed door, but he was determined to keep Delaney’s attention focused on the artwork. He’d grown so used to the art being around that somewhere along the line he’d stopped looking at it. Showing the pieces to Delaney renewed his appreciation for the work and the woman.
He saved the master suite for last, throwing the thick double doors wide before stepping out of the way for Delaney to enter. Jack glanced around the room, following her gaze as she drank in the four-poster cherrywood bed in the center of the room, the custom fireplace in the corner, the city views out the wall of windows and the huge arch that led to the Italian marble master bath.
“What do you think?” For some reason her answer was important to him. He wanted her to like his home, feel comfortable here… want to stay.
“You like luxury.” She scanned the room again.
“Yes, I do. I’ve come to appreciate a certain level of comfort.”
“It’s
“Let’s go. We can have dessert later.” Delaney set the wineglass down and signaled for him to lead the way.
T HE BEAT OF Jack’s heart pounded in his ears. Delaney looked as if she’d bolt at any second. He didn’t want that to happen. Not when he was so close to taking her in his arms and lavishing her body with the loving attention it deserved. He longed to bury himself inside of her heat, until they were both too sated to move.
It was quite possible that she was the one woman he could confide in. The thought of having an honest relationship sent a thrill through Jack. He’d spent too many years pretending to be someone he wasn’t, all so he could aid his country’s allies and prevent enemies from becoming a global threat. Who’d have thought a fascination with weapons and a gift for selling could lead him down such a tangled road?
Dealing arms had started out innocently enough. He’d attended gun shows throughout college. On one such occasion, Jack had been speaking to a dealer who specialized in assault rifles. A customer had come up to peruse the merchandise. Jack found himself highlighting the weapon’s features. The customer bought the rifle and Jack landed his first job in the business.
He’d worked his way up from there, moving to bigger and bigger dealers before eventually striking out on his own. There was a fine line between good and bad out in the field. He’d found that out the hard way. Jack had walked a very gray line and escaped the business while he was still able—unlike many of his colleagues. He’d managed to amass a small fortune in the process, which had allowed him to help out his parents with the farm and enter the art world.
He took a ragged breath, then sat his wineglass onto the counter, hoping Delaney didn’t notice the trembling in his hands. She kept him perpetually off balance—a sensation he’d never experienced before.
One minute she smoldered, while the next, she could freeze water with a look. He’d received both, but the latter didn’t deter him. If anything, it made Jack want to delve deeper. He sensed a passionate woman lurking beneath Delaney’s calm exterior and he planned to coax her out, using everything in his sensual arsenal.
Something told him Delaney didn’t normally sleep with a man on the first date, which made Jack beyond grateful that technically this could be considered their second. That didn’t mean he could rush things, no matter how badly he wanted to strip the clothes away from her body.
Jack led Delaney down the hall, going room to room, but he chose to skip his office, a place he considered his personal domain. It held mementos he’d acquired over the years, including spent mortar casings. Not an easy thing to explain on a second date.
Her eyes strayed to the closed door, but he was determined to keep Delaney’s attention focused on the artwork. He’d grown so used to the art being around that somewhere along the line he’d stopped looking at it. Showing the pieces to Delaney renewed his appreciation for the work and the woman.
He saved the master suite for last, throwing the thick double doors wide before stepping out of the way for Delaney to enter. Jack glanced around the room, following her gaze as she drank in the four-poster cherrywood bed in the center of the room, the custom fireplace in the corner, the city views out the wall of windows and the huge arch that led to the Italian marble master bath.
“What do you think?” For some reason her answer was important to him. He wanted her to like his home, feel comfortable here… want to stay.
“You like luxury.” She scanned the room again.
“Yes, I do. I’ve come to appreciate a certain level of comfort.”
“It’s
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