Jake got his looks from his mother, who’d been a successful model. She was tall and willowy with Jake’s midnight-black hair.
He’d once told her that his mother had been a trophy wife, but they’d fallen madly in love after they married. It sounded a little far-fetched to Kim, but they seemed genuinely fond of each other.
Kim jumped when someone tapped her on the arm. It was Jake’s sister Abby. She grinned. “Love your outfit,” she murmured. “So much better than a towel.”
“Thank you,” Kim said. “I did consider the towel, but Jake asked for it back. I thought he wanted to wear it himself.”
“Nah, Jake’s way too conscious of being cool.” Abby took a sip of champagne. “Did you know Nadia was here?” she asked Jake.
“She told me she was coming.”
“And she’s been making it very clear that as far as she’s concerned, the two of you are still an item.” She glanced from Kim to Jake. “So what’s going on?”
“None of your business.”
“Aw, come on, Jake.”
He shrugged. “Nadia is deluded.”
“Well, I was surprised when you started seeing her. Though you never seemed to have much taste in women.” She glanced at Kim, and then widened her eyes as she realized she’d been less than diplomatic. “Present company aside, of course.”
“Of course,” Kim replied drily.
“Come on,” Jake said. “I’ll get you a drink.”
They collected a couple of glasses of champagne and then made a circuit of the room. Kim kept her eyes peeled but only spotted Nadia after the circuit was complete. She stood beside one of the tall pillars, a glass in her hand, her eyes narrowed to slits.
“If looks could kill,” Kim murmured.
“Time to act,” Jake replied.
Before she could ask what he meant, he reached out and took her hand, raising it to his lips. He dropped a kiss into her palm, and a tingle ran along her nerve endings.
Pulling her against him, he whispered in her ear, “Come on, Kim, make like you love me.”
She could do this. Think undercover operative. She stared up into Jake’s face, his beautiful eyes, his stern mouth that had kissed her, given her pleasure. She was so close she could breathe in the unique scent of him, warm man and exotic aftershave, sharp and clean and familiar.
What would it be like to allow herself to love a man like Jake? Of course, she had no intention of doing that. And it would be pointless; Jake wasn’t the kind of man to fall in love—he was way too cool.
But what would it be like?
How would she behave? What would it take to convince Nadia that they were in love?
“You’re thinking awfully hard,” Jake said.
“Well, I don’t know how to pretend I’m in love with you. It’s not something I’ve ever thought about, and I’m a bit lost.”
“For a start, you could look at me as though every second until you get me alone and naked is wasted time.” His voice was low and husky and sent shivers running down her spine. Boy, he was a good actor.
Jake laid a hand on the bare skin of her waist. She jumped. A small smile curved his lips, and then he gently urged her toward the wall, where they were still in full view of the rest of the room.
He took her glass of champagne from her fingers and placed it on a small table. “So…?”
Out of the corner of her eye, she could still see Nadia. Though she didn’t have to see her, she could feel the intensity of the other woman’s evil eye.
Kim took a deep breath, then a step back so she could take him all in. Closing her eyes, she imagined what was beneath his clothes. She didn’t need much imagination because she’d seen him in all his naked glory. All those muscles, the long, sleek lines of him, the silky dark hair that bisected his belly. His shaft, long and hard, and…
Since he’d said that thing about her mouth around his dick, she hadn’t been able to get the vivid picture out of her head. She’d never tasted a man there, and now the thought of it sent moisture flooding her core. She licked her lips and heard him mutter something.
Her lids flew open, and she stared at him wide-eyed. “So what next?” she asked a little breathlessly.
“Touch me.”
“Touch you…where?” Her mouth went dry, and her gaze darted down the length of his body to settle on his groin. She couldn’t seem to keep her mind above his waist. What was wrong with her?
He groaned. “Not there. At least not in front of all these people.”
“So where?”
“Just little touches as though you can’t keep your hands off me.” He wrapped his fingers around hers and drew her hand toward his body, then flattened her palm against his chest. Even through the silk of his shirt, his skin felt warm. She slid her hand over him until she reached the front of his shirt and then delved inside to touch his bare skin. She watched his face as her fingers encountered his nipple. His eyes closed briefly as she scraped her nail over the flat nub.