“Umm,” he groaned inaudibly, too intent on pleasing her to answer.
“J.T.…” she gasped unexpectedly as his fingers found her tender treasure and began stroking her gently. She reached for his hand again but he captured her and intertwined his finger with hers.
“Shhh,” he muttered, “let me love you.” He heard the sizzle of her quick breath and felt the moisture of her readiness.
She opened her eyes and found him staring at her just inches away. He hovered over her preparing to enter. She reached down and found his hardness. Gripping solidly she guided him to the entrance of her treasure. He lowered his body easing himself into her drawing a gasp of exquisite pleasure.
Juliet’s body shuddered and arched upwards taking him in fully and instantly felt the full force of his passion. Tight and taut her body accepted him. Her nails bit into his shoulder and her thighs wrapped around his waist.
His lips fastened to hers as his body pulled back then thrust again. He sank deep into her as the next thrust joined them again. Juliet bit at her lower lip and J.T. took and held her hands on either side of her shoulders and suckled sending her over the edge of elation.
He rocked his hips to her rhythm as the ancient dance continued. The swelling of rapture filled them as their bodies moved as one joined in a single goal in furious abandon. The frantic pace continued until the ultimate crescendo took them like a tsunami over the edge in a climatic explosion.
Their bodies tensed then released as the last remnants of passion drained from his body. He gathered her into his arms and tucked her to his side as he rolled from her body pulling her with him.
Later after her breathing returned and her heart stopped pounding, she opened her eyes. She assumed that she had fallen asleep because the room had changed. She was under the covers and J.T.’s arm was protectively over her waist.
With gentle ease she removed his arm and sat up. It was time to leave. She found her clothes draped neatly on the back of a chair assuming that J.T. had placed them there. Dressing quickly, she slipped into her shoes, grabbed her shawl and purse and silently closed the door behind her.
An hour later she lay in her own bed with the images of their first night indelibly imprinted on her memory. A satisfied sigh coursed through Juliet as she smiled slyly remembering that night. Never had a man made her feel the way he had. She chuckled silently then snuggled deeper under the sheets cocooned and bathed in the warmth of her memory of their last time together. As thousands suffered the endless ramifications of the blackout, she had been blissfully content in the arms of J.T. Evans.
That was until morning came and she rolled over leisurely to the coolness of an empty bed. With her eyes still closed, she’d reached out to feel if he was still there. He wasn’t. She sat up suddenly and looked around. The desk and the lamp in the corner were on, along with the laptop computer, but the room was very certainly empty.
“J.T.,” she had called out then waited for a response. The silence told her that she was definitely alone. She gathered the sheet around her body and stood. Walking to the bathroom, she glanced in. Shiny black marble and polished chrome sparkled. She went back into the bedroom and checked out a half hour later.
It was as if fate had thrown them together, sending them to the hotel at exactly the same time. It was fate that led them into each other’s arms, and it was fate that let her wake up alone.
Everything added up to one big coincidence after another, the blackout, the hotel room and now finally, the biggest coincidence of them all, J.T. had come back into her life.
Chapter Eight
J.T. glanced at his watch as he sat in the meeting for over an hour listening to the best and brightest minds in the company discuss strategy for the launch of their latest software. Months had gone into its conception, production and implementation. This was the exciting part, marketing the release of a new product. Unfortunately, J.T. didn’t have the slightest clue what was going on at the moment. For the first time in months his thoughts were miles away.
Like so many of his dreams and fantasies, Juliet had come to him and they had made love. The memory of the red dress in his hand brought a knowing smile. When he picked it up off the floor he brought it to his face and inhaled the sweet perfume of her body. Sweet and sexy, his body yearned for her again. But he had decided to wait and let her rest. The morning would be soon enough.
Then he would take her into his shower and they would make love again. Afterwards, he’d dry her body with his hands, lay her back down on the bed and make love to her again, the perfect start to his day. But it didn’t happen that way. Instead, he woke up alone to an empty bed. The fantasy of making love again to Juliet had vanished like a thief in the night.
J.T. picked up the computer tablet in front of him and refocused his attention back on the employees surrounding him at the conference table. They were all capable and proficient, yet no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t grasp the simplest ideas they presented.
This was ridiculous
, he thought to himself as he picked up and shuffled the papers again.
He had never been so distracted by anything or anyone in his life.
Except
, he thought knowingly, months ago when he’d actually gone so far as to hire a private investigator to find his elusive New York City dancer. Thinking that it was business, Trey had suggested it after realizing the change in him. At that time he had been completely distracted and totally preoccupied with a single thought, finding Juliet.
Now, here he was again with Juliet on his mind. But this time he knew exactly where to find her. The question was what was he going to do about it? He mulled over the question in his mind as he impatiently tapped his pen on the table drawing several eyes in his direction. There was only one way to find out the answer to his question. That was to go directly to the source, Juliet Bridges.
He looked at his watch again, impatient for time to move. But it only served to frustrate him further. “Why don’t we take a break and pick this up again tomorrow, same time,” he suggested, instantly ending the meeting and dismissing everyone. Amid nods, closing folders and glances of concern the key marketing and sales teams began leaving the conference room.
He stayed seated as the others returned to their respective offices. Within minutes the conference room was empty except for J.T. and his father seated on opposite ends of the long mahogany conference table.
J.T. ventured a glance into the gripping eyes that mirrored his own. The family resemblance was obvious. After all, he was his father’s son. Unfortunately, the last thing he needed to see right now was his conscious reflected back at him through his father’s eyes.
Jace gathered the meeting notes into the folder. “You want to tell me what that was all about?” he asked as the door closed soundly behind the last person to leave.
J.T. didn’t bother to look away. “Nothing,” he said and looked at his watch for effect. “I have another appointment across town and I just wanted more time to consider our options.”
Jace looked at his son skeptically. He’d noticed all morning that J.T. was behaving oddly. He wasn’t his usual single-mindedly focused self. This, the product launch, was always his favorite part. He usually had dozens of brilliant promotional and marketing ideas. Yet this morning he barely opened his mouth. And the statement,
considering his options,
was completely out of character.
Jace seldom concerned himself with the day-to-day operations of Evans Corporation, having recently appointed J.T. as CEO. He was now free to leave the bulk of the management of the business to his son.
J.T. was an expert when it came to developing computer software. He was considered one of the few computer geniuses and always been passionate about his work. So, to see him disinterested in the launch of a new product that he himself had designed and developed, and lose focus in the middle of an important meeting was more than just a little troubling.
Jace stood and walked over to J.T. “Now, you want to tell me what’s really going on?” He laid his computer tablet down on the table and took a seat at his son’s side.
J.T. shrugged easily as he hit a few key strokes and waited a few seconds for an image to appear. He spun the laptop computer in his father’s direction. “The product is perfect.” He smiled as he glanced at the computer simulation, proud of his latest achievement. “We’re going to revolutionize software with this one. We just need to develop the perfect launch. After that it will practically sell itself.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about,” Jace said then pressed a key making the monitor go black.
J.T. looked at his father, surprised by his father’s intuition. “What do you mean?”
Jace arched his brow but remained silent. J.T. looked at his father’s impatient expression. There was no getting around it. When it came to willful and stubborn, Jace Evans was the epitome.
“I had lunch with Mom yesterday. She told me about her latest venture.”
“And?” Jace prompted.
“And? Dad, aren’t you the least bit concerned that she’s being taken advantage of with this arts center thing?”
Jace smiled and shook his head remembering his reaction all too well. He had felt the same way years ago when it came to the Taylor’s love for the arts. At the time, as far as he was concerned, it was a waste of time and energy. But that was a long time ago before Taylor had opened his eyes to a new world of art. "Arts center thing?” he said sternly.
“You know what I mean.”
“Don’t underestimate your mother. I learned a long time ago not to make that mistake.” He shook his head and chuckled. “I suggest you not do the same.” Jace stood and picked up the computer tablet.
“A million dollars…” J.T. followed his father’s lead. He picking up his computer and walked to the conference room door.
Jace turned to his son. “Is it the money that concerns you?”
“No, of course, not.”
Jace continued walking down the hallway, smiling knowingly. “You never did develop a passion for the arts, did you?”
“You need to talk to her about this,” J.T. said.
“And what exactly do you want me to say?” Jace asked.
“Anything, tell her how dangerous a venture like this can be.”
Jace shook his head. “You’ve obviously been on the road too long.”
“There’s no way she’s prepared to undertake something like this. With something this big every bogus artists and arts group will be trying to get in on it. She’s making a mistake by being so trusting.”
“Believe me,” Jace said, opening the door, “your mother seldom makes mistakes. As a matter of fact,” he thought for a moment then smiled broadly, “in all these years she’s never made one.” The two men walked down the hall towards the executive wing, side by side. “And as for trust,” Jace continued, “she’s a better judge of character than anyone I know. I’m sure Taylor knows exactly what she’s doing.”
They rounded the corner nearing J.T.’s corner office. “That’s precisely what concerns me. Why exactly is she doing this?”
“Believe me your mother knows exactly what she’s doing. The property she’s interested in is appraised for one point four million dollars. She’s getting it for a bargain at one million—an excellent price considering the neighborhood is up-and-coming.”
“What up-and-coming, she told me herself that it’s an old condemned building.”
“Diamond in the rough,” Jace reminded him. “It’s not the building, it’s the land. The entire area is primed for a renaissance and your mother is the person to make that happen. Since her art gallery opened, there have been a number of companies attracted to the waterfront location. The tourists love the nearby historic sites and the neighborhood feel. It’s a goldmine.
“Mark my words, in five years that area will be the next Georgetown. So your mother’s million dollar rundown building will quadruple in less than five years without touching a single brick.”