Mistletoe & Hollywood Read Online Free PDF Page B

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    Trying to turn to face him, I was stopped as he released one arm from the sink and wrapped it around my waist, holding me firm, my back to his front.
    “Jack,” I managed, swallowing my words as I felt his arousal.
    He winked at me in the mirror.
    “We, I, we’re supposed to go downstairs. You heard your mom, we—” I broke off as his other hand left the sink and skated up my thigh and under the towel.
    “God, I’ve missed you. So much.” His head dropped to my shoulder and he inhaled deeply.
    “I’ve missed you too.” My voice was low and husky. I wanted nothing more than to be naked and wrapped up against Jack’s hard and hot body, flesh to flesh, my heart beating as close to his as possible. “But we can’t do this right now. It’s, I—”
    “I know, but let me just touch you. Please, I’ve been dying to.” His hand made it around my hip, sliding across my lower belly, and skating downwards. His knee nudged my legs apart. I shuddered and he lifted his face, catching my eye again in the mirror.
    “Jack.”
    “Shhhh.” He drew the sound out softly. “You’ll just have to be quiet. I’ll be quick.”
    A knock sounded at the bedroom door, making me jump.
    Jack straightened, leaving my skin bereft and tingling in his wake. Who was I kidding? More like aching and throbbing and… a belly as nauseous as if we’d been caught in the act.
    “Jack, honey?” Charlotte’s voice was hesitant.
    He cleared his throat and winked at my mortified expression in the mirror before heading out of the bathroom.
    I closed my eyes and released a breath. My point exactly. I finished getting dried off and putting on lotion as I listened to Jack answer the door to Charlotte. Apparently a bunch of packages had arrived for us.
    Jack had told me to pack light because there was absolutely nothing in my wardrobe that could prepare me for a wet British winter. Having arrived and felt the icy, wet mist, that was almost a drizzle but not quite, I was inclined to agree. Especially now I’d seen that Charlotte practically lived in “wellies” as she called them. The closest thing I’d seen growing up in the Lowcountry were galoshes. Anyway, I knew they were available back home, but Jack had expressly told me not to bother with boots and rain jackets since they only made the best ones in England. Seemed like the stuff he’d ordered had arrived.
    When the coast was clear, I came out of the bathroom.
    Jack had opened most of the boxes but was hastily putting something away on top of the armoire. He turned and gave me a crooked smile.
    “What was that?” I asked teasingly.
    “One of your presents, so don’t you dare look.”
    “Jack.” My heart sank a little. “You’re spoiling me. I can’t do the same for you. I, I feel inadequate.” It was true. I loved how excited he got when he gave me things, but I fought with myself and my reactions every time he did it.
    “Keri Ann, you just being here with me is all I’ll ever need. I know that sounds…” he cleared his throat and laughed lightly. “Yeah, it sounds freaking pathetic. I know.”
    “No, it doesn’t,” I whispered. “I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather be than with you.”
    “But I know how hard it is for you with all the bullshit that follows me around.”
    “About that…” I perched on a tufted stool in front of a small antique vanity and faced him.
    His eyes slipped to my legs and the towel that had ridden up. “Jack,” I admonished with a ridiculous grin.
    “Sorry.”
    “So, I was going to say, please don’t feel like you can’t go and see friends and stuff because of me, okay? I can handle a few photographers. I mean, I dread it, sure, but it’s not the end of the world. And anyway, you could always go and I’ll stay here and hang out with Charlotte. She was telling me we could drive down to the coast one day and go beach glass hunting.”
    Jack looked away, his mouth slipping into a frown.
    “What?” I asked, confused by his