Reclaiming His Wife

CHAPTER EIGHT - MY WIFE

Mark sat on the couch in the lobby of the hotel and tried to get the image of Jessica about to kiss another man out of his head. She’d been swaying toward the tour guide like she’d needed a shot of adrenaline. If she didn’t get inside here in the next five minutes he was going back out to drag her in. It had taken willpower he hadn't known he possessed to walk by and leave his wife in the arms of another man. The rage churning inside him, if he'd stayed a second longer, the night would have ended in blood and gore. It was taking everything he had to remain in the hotel while Jessica was outside sucking face with that guy. Their only saving grace was that they were kissing outside of the hotel as if it were a good night kiss, as compared to them kissing outside of her hotel room with the possibility of them taking things further. That's the only reason he'd allowed the tour guide to remain breathing and hadn't torn him limb from limb for touching what was his.

Mark had never been a possessive person, especially when it came to women. But he found he was very possessive when it came to Jessica. He didn't want any other guys looking at her...breathing her air, much less touching her...kissing her.

As he thought of her kissing Dewayne, his heart literally pained him; he felt like someone was squeezing his heart.

When she came in, he'd need to have a talk with her. While they were sorting through whatever it was that was happening in their marriage, she needed to understand that she could go around kissing any Tom, d**k or Harry. And especially not any Dewayne.

He'd have to let her know she was too trusting and he was concerned for her safety.

Yes, he'd have to stress his concern for her safety. That and other things. She was clearly ready to jump into bed with the first man who looked twice at her, and all to get back at him for an alleged affair with Veronica. A charge he was innocent of. That was another issue they'd have to talk about. He had not brought it up earlier because he was still ticked she could believe he would be unfaithful to her and their marriage. She should know him better than that.

She also needed to make peace with the fact he was not letting her walk away from him, from their marriage. Hell, if he’d agreed to the divorce she would have already disappeared from his life. His gut twisted at the thought. The front door opened right then and in she walked. His pulse began to race when he saw she was alone.

Good. He wouldn't have to commit murder tonight.

She seemed distracted as she headed for the stairs, undoing the buttons of her coat as she walked. Then she saw him sitting on the couch and her eyes flared with pleasure before she seemed to catch herself.

For a moment his breath stalled. She’d never shown this type of emotion toward him before. They got on well together - had a great friendship, an amicable marriage but it had always been business between them. There wasn't any room for flirting or s****l tension - s****l exploration. He should be perturbed by the sudden change in her. It was as if the tour guide had left her wanting. But he didn't care. He knew he could use it to his advantage.

Then her mouth tightened as she came toward him. “Are you waiting up for me?” she said, her tone and stance less than friendly, making him question if it had been a trick of the light before. He mentally shook his head. No, he knew what he’d seen.

“Can’t a man have a drink before bed? Can't a caring husband wait up to ensure his wife got in safely?” he drawled, relaxing. She was home now…with him…and that’s all that mattered.

Her top lip curled. “You certainly didn’t have to worry about drinking and driving, did you?”

He pretended ignorance. “No, I didn’t.” He indicated another glass of brandy on the coffee table in front of him. “I requested a nightcap for you. Sit with me.”

An odd look skimmed across her face. “Perhaps I’d prefer to go straight to bed.”

If one of the women whom he'd dated in the past had said that he would have taken it as a come-on. They all knew the score and weren't shy to go after what they wanted - which was either his money, a tumble in the hay or a little of both. But Jessica, his Jessica was different. Not even NASA would be able to decipher the meaning behind some of her words. She was a challenge in a different way. Did she know what she was inviting in that dress? Did she have any idea what she actually did to a man’s libido? All at once, he was enjoying what he now suspected to be her s****l naïveté.

“One drink,” he coaxed. “And you can tell me all about your evening.”

She paused, then put down her evening purse and began undoing the rest of her coat buttons. Slowly she began taking it off in an unintentional striptease, exposing the sexy honey-coloured material beneath.

God, his wife was a f*****g goddess.

She sank down on the opposite chair and gracefully picked up the glass, indicating the already poured brandy. “You were so sure I wouldn’t take Dewayne up to my room, were you?”

He hadn’t been, no. “Yes.”

She took a sip then considered him. “You certainly tried hard enough to make it not happen.”

“Did I?” He was feeling rather proud of himself for putting obstacles in her way tonight. It must have worked or she wouldn’t be here now. With him.

“You know you did, and I don’t appreciate it. You know our marriage is over. Why you are trying to sabotage my efforts to move on, I can't fathom. You never paid me this much attention before. Why now? Why try to come between me and Dewayne?”

Is that what she thought? That he hadn't paid attention to her before? He may not have made his presence known, but he'd always known where she was and what she was up to. Keep tabs on her had become an addiction for him. But he couldn't tell her that.

“Maybe I was protecting you?”

She gave a short laugh. “From what? Having a good time? Catching up with a good friend?”

He looked over at her kissable lips that had recently been beneath another man’s…and something became even more determined inside him. If she was going to have fun, she was going to have it with him.

He forced a shrug. “Come, the hour is getting Iate. Let me walk you up to your room.”

Her lips twisted. “Figures you won't have had a good response.”

Ignoring her comment, Mark downed the last of her brandy, as he'd long finished his. He gathered her clutch and coat in one hand and used the other to pull her to her feet.

Jessica was a lightweight when it came to alcohol and he knew she would soon begin to feel the effects of whatever she drank during dinner and the brandy she'd just consumed.

As they made their way up the stairs, he tried diligently to control his raging libido. The smooth soft skin exposed at her back was driving him wild. He'd never been this attracted to a back before. The way the dress hugged her curves and outlined a butt he wanted to drop to his knees and worship - had him drooling. Jessica was not tall by any stretch of the imagination. But those killer shapely legs in those six-inch f**k-me heels were giving him visions of having said legs wrapped around his waist. He’d give anything to reach out and touch her; to run his hands up those smooth legs to her treasure trove.

Before he could put words to action, he told himself he had to slow it down. He didn’t want to frighten her by moving too quickly. Time was running out but he had to get her to buy into the idea of them giving their marriage another try and taking it to the next level.

He'd take it slow...tonight, anyway. Tomorrow—when she was in a friendlier mood—was another day.

He cleared his throat. Perhaps a conversation would distract him from picturing them f*****g up against his hotel door.

“So. Did you have a good time tonight?”

She looked at him then her eyes darted away briefly before returning his gaze. “Yes, I did. Very much.”

She was lying. He knew when she was lying. He knew all her tells. “I bet.”

Turning to look at him over her shoulder, she arched one of her elegant eyebrows. “I hope you didn’t put much money on that bet, Mark.”

“I didn’t have to.” He knew women, both in the business world and out of it. And he especially knew his wife. He may not know her intimately...yet...but he knew everything else about her. She was lying. And he was intensely relieved.

A soft smile curved her lips. “Dewayne really knows how to treat a woman. Our discourse was titillating.”

She was still lying. And he found that fascinating. “Sure he knows how to treat a woman.”

They reached her door.

"Ah, perhaps I should ask him for some pointers then?" He said as he entered her personal space, effectively caging her between his body and her door.

There was a hint of amusement in her eyes and something else, that looked a lot like a flare of lust.

He started to lean forward. “Jessica…”

Her head snapped up. “For your information, Dewayne’s a very nice man,” she said, making it clear she was trying to ignore the sudden s****l tension between them.

It was a wasted effort. “I’m sure he is.”

She sent him a defiant look. “Don’t think I wouldn’t go to bed with him if I wanted to, Mark.”

She was all talk, but his gut still knotted at her words. “Obviously you didn’t want to, or you would be in bed with him this very minute. Am I right?”

“No, you’re wrong. I mean, yes… I mean, mind your own business.” Her lips pressed together. “I’ll sleep with whoever I want when I want.”

“You’re being very contradictory tonight, Jessica,” he mocked.

She stiffened. “Listen, Mark, I’ll sleep with any man I want when I’m good and ready. Tonight I just wasn’t ready. And in case I haven't made myself clear, this is none of your business.”

Mark was sure what she'd said. He'd stopped listening. All of his attention was focused on her lips and the singleminded purpose of erasing her kiss with the tour guide from her mind. Standing so close to her, he could smell her sweet chocolate flavoured scent and he wanted to eat her alive right now. He wanted to kiss her and take away the imprint of another man’s lips, his hands itching to slide up over her hot dress and lift that hair off her nape himself, exposing the soft skin beneath to his lips.

Adrenaline pumping through him, he knew it was time to take action. He’d had enough playing games tonight. He wasn’t one to sit on the sidelines for long. He needed to feel her lips on his once more. He needed to know if her body would curve to his touch if the skin at her nape was soft and sensitive.

He stepped closer to her.

“Mark?” she said huskily as he brought her into the circle of his arms, leaving not even air between them. He revelled being this close to her. Close enough to see the rush of desire in her brown eyes. It knocked the breath from his body. But he didn't mind. He would simply take hers.

He kissed her.

More precise, he devoured her.

Time froze.

He didn't know how long they'd braced her door swapping each other's breath, but it was not long enough.

And then before he knew it, she had pushed against him and spun away. Scurrying behind her door and slamming it in his face.

She left him standing there, his arms never feeling as empty as they did right now.

As hard as it was, as hard as he was, he let her go. He could follow her and satisfy both of their desires. But he knew all he needed to know for the moment. She wanted him. His wife desired him. So he wasn’t giving up. If seduction was what it took to get her to cross the invisible boundary she put up between them, then seduce her he would.

Jessica closed the door behind her and pressed herself back against it, willing her racing heart to slow down so that she could let herself think. She’d gone and panicked just now. Mark had finally reached for her and she’d blown it. What was wrong with her! Having him see her as a woman and desire her, being in his arms and in his bed was what she'd wanted, wasn’t it?

So why had she run away like a frightened deer?

Could love grow from lust?

Was lust a stepping stone to greater emotions between them?

Despite the spark of electricity on the plane, she’d managed to convince herself that he'd felt nothing for her. But just now the desire in his eyes had thrown her for a loop. It had scared the crap out of her. He really did feel passion for her, and when he’d touched her they’d both felt that zip of attraction. It had overwhelmed her, that’s all.

Oh, God, what should she do now? He must think she's a ninny.

Now that she'd calmed down a bit, should she go next door and beg him to make love to her? She couldn’t. She’d maxed out her courage and boldness for the night. She didn’t have it in her to face him again so soon.

She took a steadying breath. Tonight had not gone as she'd planned. However, it had revealed some truths: she didn't feel anything sexually for Dewayne and she now knew that her husband really did want to have s*x with her. So if she wanted Mark, and he wanted her, then next time there should be no further problems - despite the fact she still wanted a divorce.

They could scratch each other's itch for old times sake before going their separate ways.

At least she hoped.