Penni walked across the room, placing her hand on the mirror where she imagined his face was. “I wish so badly that I felt the same way about you that I did before Hennessy kidnapped me, but I don’t. I love you, Jackal. I’m dropping out of the race. I’m going to stop and smell the roses and find out what it feels like to be loved by you.” Her hand dropped to the top button of her dress. She slowly unfastened it.
“I’m not going to spend the rest of my life missing you, so before you open that door, make sure that you want me, too, because I’m not going to give you your soul back. I’m going to keep it, even if you try to take it back.” She undid the last of the buttons, laying the dress on the chair next to the bed and giving him a view of her ass with the thong riding up it. Facing the mirror again, she slipped her arms behind her back to unhook the red lacy bra then placed that on the chair.
When Jackal hadn’t come through the door after several minutes, her heart broke. He had made his choice.
She had started toward her clothes when she heard her cell phone ringing in her purse. Dammit, it was not the time to answer the freaking phone. But feeling embarrassed that Jackal had decided not to take her up on her invitation, she searched for her phone.
Seeing it was Jackal calling, she put it to her ear, turning toward the mirror.
“Can I come in now?” His hoarse voice put her fears to rest.
“Yes.” She was still laughing when Jackal came through the door, already taking his T-shirt off and throwing it to the ground.
“The observation room is soundproof to avoid anyone knowing they’re being watched.” Jackal toed off his boots, unsnapping his jeans and kicking them away as he stepped out of them.
“Oh…” Penni backed toward the side of the bed. “Are you sure?” She began retreating, only to have Jackal push her on the bed.
“I’m sure.”
Her body reacted to the dominance that was stamped across his face.
“You took a piece of my soul the first time I saw you. It’s only fair I take a piece of yours.”
She melted into the coverlet on the bed. “I know this is insane to ask this now, but is this clean?”
Jackal laughed. “Yeah. Henry gets a discount from a factory then gives them to the homeless shelter after they’re washed.”
“No wonder he charged so much for the room.”
“If you had told me what you were planning, I would have talked Henry into giving you a discount.”
“I don’t think he would’ve. I don’t think he likes me.”
“I’ll give you back the money for the room,” Jackal offered, covering her with his body.
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll get it back when Max pays Ice for the bet I got him to place for me.”
“Damn, I’m going to marry a smart woman.”
Penni would have jumped from the bed, but Jackal kept her pinned under him.
“I didn’t mean tonight. I can’t believe you weren’t afraid of me, the Predators, or Hennessy and his men, but I mention marriage, and you’re ready to run screaming from the room.”
“Marriage scares me,” Penni confessed. “I’ve had this weird fear since I was younger that I would end up being one of those women who have multiple marriages. I have an uncle who has been married five times and an aunt who’s been married six.”
“How many times have your parents been married?”
“My mother was married to Shade’s father and then my dad.”
“Have you met Shade’s father?”
“Yes, and I like him a lot. My mother was just tired of being alone. He served overseas and wasn’t ready to retire. He spent a couple of vacations with Shade when he remarried and retired.”
Talking had her relaxing back on the bed, becoming aware that he was stroking the pulse on her throat with his thumb.
“You’re only going to get married once … to me. But I can wait until you’re ready.”
“As long as you understand that it is going to be a looong time before I’m ready.” She looked down her body to stare at Jackal. “What are you doing?”
“Trying to make love to you.”
“Oh … That feels good.” Her head fell back to the pillow.
The muscles in her pussy were already in need, wanting him to fill the ache that had begun when she had seen the full view of his naked body.
Jackal circled her nipple with his tongue, making it pebble in arousal. He put his hand between her legs, playing with her pussy as if they had all the time in the world.
“Mmm, that feels really good, but I only bought the room for an hour.” She circled her hips, raising them and trying to hurry him along.