STORY EXCERPT

Jordan King looked like a man who could handle himself on the streets of her old neighborhood as well as he could in a boardroom.

Or a bedroom.

He murmured something to Thomas as he carried her into the elevator, and when the other man nodded, Jordan pushed the button with a sigh.

Lifting her head, she met his look of concern with a smile.

“I’m sorry you have to carry me.”

Her head dropped onto his shoulder again, her eyes fluttering closed no matter how hard she tried to keep them open.

“It’s no trouble. You’ve had a rough day. Once I get you settled in the spare bedroom, I’ll fix you some scrambled eggs.”

“You cook?”

She didn’t know why she was surprised.

Jordan King appeared to be the kind of man who could do anything he set his mind to.

“I had to learn.”

The ping of the elevator jerked her out of her light doze. Lifting her head, she looked up at him.

“Why?”

Striding into the apartment, Jordan glanced down at her, his eyes flat.

“Because my business partner was killed and I became his son’s ward. Growing teenagers are always hungry.”

“Oh.” She glanced around, taking in the sophisticated furnishings. “Is he here?”

Jordan’s lips twitched. “No. He’s on tour and then on to college.”

“Tour?” Her eyes kept closing, and it became harder and harder to open them again.

“He a magician.” He paused at the first doorway and opened the door. “Be still. I don’t want to bump your ankle.”

“Okay.”

He sat her on the edge of what appeared to be a king-sized bed and turned on the bedside lamp.

“Do you have to use the bathroom?”

Surprised that he didn’t appear the least embarrassed to ask the question, Leslie smiled.

“No, thank you. The nurse helped me before I left. Thank you again for letting me stay here.”

“You’re welcome. I’ll go get one of my shirts for you to sleep in.”

Leslie nodded, looking down at her blood-stained and torn clothing. “Thank you. I’m sorry to be putting you to so much trouble.

He turned from the doorway with a smile. “No trouble at all, Leslie. I’ll be right back.”

As soon as he left, she stood on her uninjured foot, holding on to the bed as she worked what remained of her tattered pantyhose off.

She’d lost one shoe somehow, and the other had a broken heel, so she’d thrown it away in the emergency room.

Stiffening at the sound of voices coming from the living room, she turned toward the doorway, waiting for Jordan to appear again.

It was silent for several long seconds before he came through the doorway, this time carrying a button-down shirt and wearing a scowl.

He was also barefoot and shirtless.

Wide shoulders and clearly delineated muscles in his arms, chest, and abdomen had adrenaline pumping through her veins again, her mouth going dry.

Lifting her gaze to his, she burned under his steady stare.

“You shouldn’t be standing.” He rushed forward, tossing the shirt onto the bed and closing his hand on her uninjured upper arm. “Sit down before you fall. Now, Leslie.”

“I wanted to get rid of my pantyhose. I heard voices.” Sucking in a breath when he slid a knife from his pocket, Leslie backed away. “What are you doing?”

Jordan sighed. “Your shirt is ruined anyway, and it’ll be far less painful to cut it off of you than to try to work it off. Be still.”

With an efficiency she’d come to expect of him, he cut her shirt from her and tossed it aside.

He did the same with her blood-soaked bra, leaving her naked from the waist up.

With a cry, she rushed to cover herself, crying out again at the pull to her arm.

With a curse, Jordan closed the knife and slid it back into his pocket. “For God’s sake, Leslie, I’m not going to attack you. Your bra had blood all over it. Don’t put that shirt on yet. I’ll get you a towel to cover yourself until I can wash the blood off.”

When he disappeared into the adjoining bathroom, Leslie covered her breasts with her good arm, wincing at the pain in her other side.

 Lifting the arm covering her breasts to look down at herself, she sucked in a breath when she saw that a large bruise had formed on her ribcage where her attacker had slammed her against the wall.

“Look at you.” Jordan came back into the room with a bowl of steaming water, a bottle of shower gel, a towel, and a washcloth, his bare feet silent on the thick carpet.

Even his feet were beautiful.

She hurriedly covered herself again, her sense of vulnerability increasing when he set the bowl on the floor and knelt in front of her.

“I can do it.”

Jordan bent to examine the large bruise, a muscle working in his jaw.

“I doubt that very much. Damn it, Leslie, you’re a mess.”

He wet the washcloth and squirted some of the gel onto it. “I know you don’t know me, but I’ve been nothing but gentle with you. I have no plans to hurt you. I just want to get you cleaned up and comfortable. You’ll sleep better once you’re clean, have some food in your stomach, and in about an hour, you can take a pain pill and a dose of your antibiotic.”

Feeling extremely vulnerable, she met his gaze and reached out her other hand for the washcloth.

“I can do it.”

Looking into her eyes, he smiled faintly.

“The longer you want to fight this, the longer it’ll be before I help you into that shirt. Now, be still so I can wash this blood off of you.”

Lowering her arm again, Leslie frowned.

“You’re awfully bossy.”

Watching her eyes, Jordan gently lifted her injured arm. “Baby, you have no idea.”

ADULT EXCERPT

She’d known sex would be intimate, but she’d never imagined such intimacy.

His touch was firm. Hot. Controlling.

Everywhere.

Wrapped in a cocoon of heat and sensation, she found herself falling helplessly into a world of pleasure, guided by nothing except Jordan’s touch.

His mouth made demands she found herself helpless to deny, his lips and tongue like fire on her swollen and throbbing clit.

The sharp sensation grew, becoming hotter.

Stronger—so strong that it scared her.

A pressure built inside her that she found herself fighting, but Jordan wouldn’t let her escape.

He held her to him and used his mouth on her with a ruthlessness that left her powerless to resist.

But she didn’t feel powerless.

She felt wanted.

Desired.

Overwhelmed with sensation, she sucked in a breath when the pleasure exploded, her entire body stiffening as wave after wave of heat washed over her.

She’d never known anything could feel so good.

Her mind went blank, her body trembling in the aftermath of a pleasure she hadn’t known existed.

Jordan slid from the bed, staring down at her as he threw off his clothes, running a hand over her trembling body as he reached into the nightstand drawer.

Shocked at the size of his cock, Leslie pressed her thighs together, struggling to hide her fear.

She should have known that Jordan would see it.

Ripping the condom open with his teeth, he knelt between her thighs, watching her as he rolled it on.

“There’s no reason to be scared. I’ll go easy on you—this time.”

Stretching out over her, he gripped her wrists in one large hand, holding them above her head.

Needing to touch him, she struggled to get her hands free, her struggles forgotten as he plunged into her.

Crying out at the sharp sting, she stiffened and squeezed her eyes closed, trying to close her legs to keep him from moving.

“You’re a virgin.” Filled with a combination of accusation and wonder, Jordan’s low whisper came from directly above her, his breath warm against her temple.

Relieved that, other than releasing her hands, he didn’t move, Leslie slowly opened her eyes, her face burning.

Lowering her hands to his shoulders, she smiled, delighted by the hunger tightening his features. “Not anymore.

Jordan’s features hardened even more, and his dark eyes appeared nearly black.

“I knew you were inexperienced, but I had no idea you were a virgin. Hell. Why didn’t you tell me?”

She involuntarily clamped down on his cock, thrilled at the shudder that went through him.

“If I had told you, would you have made love to me?”

Cupping her cheek, he kissed her, deepening his kiss and rekindling the fires inside her. The reverence in his kiss stunned her, the gentle slide of his hand over her, both soothing and arousing. Lifting his head, he used his other arm to keep his weight off of her ribs and stared down at her with eyes that seemed to glow from within.

“I would love to be able to say no, but I’m afraid I can’t.” Frowning, he continued to stare down at her as he eased back, keeping his weight on his elbows and withdrawing slightly.

“I could have been gentler with you.”

Digging her heels into the backs of his thighs, Leslie lifted herself. “Don’t go.”

Jordan sank deep again with a groan.

“I’m not fucking going anywhere.” Staring down into her eyes, he began to move. “Except deeper.”

Braced on his elbows, he stared into her eyes, thrusting faster, the friction of his cock sliding over her inner walls taking her higher.

“Damn, you feel good. Incredible.” He cupped her breast, sliding his thumb over her nipple and thrusting faster.

So deep. So full.

So hot.

His cock felt like hot steel inside her, the friction against her nipple tugging at her clit.

His groans of pleasure stoked the flames inside her, and before she knew it, the pressure began to build again.

Not wanting it to be over, she writhed under him, trying to avoid coming again to prolong the pleasure.

“No you don’t.” Jordan’s guttural tone both frightened and excited her as he slid his hands under her legs, hooking his arms under her knees and lifting them high and wide.

Fisting her hands in the sheets, she threw her head back, the pleasure almost too much to bear.

“Jordan. No. I want it to last.”

“I want you too fucking much for slow. Come, damn you!”

Unable to fight the pleasure, Leslie stiffened again as another orgasm slammed into her, this one harder and longer lasting than the first.

Dimly aware of Jordan’s growl of satisfaction, she opened her eyes, blinking against the light to see his face.

He filled her so completely that she could feel his cock pulse inside her, the intimate sensations sending more ripples of pleasure through her.

His eyes were closed, his handsome features twisted and tight, and after several long seconds, he released her legs and pressed his body against hers again.

Nuzzling her neck, he took several ragged breaths.

“I sure as hell didn’t plan for this to happen, but now that it has, you’re mine, Leslie.”

Smiling, she wrapped her arms around him and sighed, letting her eyes flutter closed.

“Yes, Jordan. I think I am.”