This Game Called Life (Kingdom Book 4)

Her words were the last thing Jake had expected her to say, and they touched him, more than he could have ever imagined. “Thank you for saying that, lovely, and it was my pleasure.”


Jake was surprised to see the usually indomitable MacKenzie lower her eyes as thought suddenly beset by shyness. In one motion, Jake lifted himself and MacKenzie into a sitting position. With her on his lap, he continued to watch her even as she refused to look at him. What she didn’t do however was attempt to pull away from him. “Put your arms around my neck, MacKenzie.”

“This is such a bad idea, Jake.”

“I don’t think it is. As a matter of fact, some of the best concepts comes from what someone thought was a bad idea. Try it, I know you like my manly neck, I already caught you checking it out.”

“You’re just full of yourself, huh, Jacob!” MacKenzie threw out.

“I know you’ve met my brothers? I’m considered to be the quiet, thoughtful one.”

“Then I’m glad I got you!”

At Jake’s chuckle, MacKenzie closed her eyes, and her chin dropped to her chest. “I just said that out loud, right?”

“Yes, you did, and I won’t allow you to take it back.” Seeing the blush that rose beneath her skin, Jake knew if he didn’t act quickly, she would probably think of something to say to ruin the moment.

Placing a long finger under her chin, he lifted her face until it was aligned with his own. Then he waited for her to look at him. When she finally did, he took hold of her unresisting arms and positioned them over his shoulders. Next, he placed one hand against her cheek, and the other around her waist as he pulled her close.

From the moment she had walked into the restaurant earlier in the evening; he had wanted to kiss her. It was as though he had a memory that needed renewal for fear that it would fade away. That what he remembered the first time he had held her in his arms might just be an impression that was only a part of his imagination.

Moving his fingers against her face, Jake marveled at the softness of her skin. As his lips followed the path of his fingers, he knew his time was up, but he didn’t want to rush her. His control of their encounter was tentative enough. Instead of kissing her the way his mind and body urged him to, Jake placed gentle kisses against her face. Moving closer to her neck, he stopped for a moment and ran a wet tongue against her ear.

MacKenzie’s breathlessness was the undoing of all his good intentions. Pulling her tightly against him, Jake moved her head to the side and pressed his lips against hers.

The touch of their lips against each other’s was all it took for his libido to reach maximum. The way she responded to him gave him the reassurance that he had occupied at least some of her thoughts since the last time they had been together.

No sooner had Jake’s tongue pressed against her lips, she opened for him. Each of them wholly invested in renewing their memory of how the other felt and tasted. Just kissing MacKenzie was probably one of the most erotically charged encounters Jake had ever experienced. As each pressed closer, Jake deepened the kiss, his tongue sparring with hers until he felt as though he wanted to devour her.

The sounds of their passion filled kisses brought with it another elevation in what Jake was feeling. Her arms wrapped around his neck, her body pressed against his as she moved in perfect harmony with him.

Jake wanted more, he wanted to feel her, taste her, and know what it was like to be buried deep inside her. This might not be their time but before he left her would at least begin to appease his need for her.

“I want to make love to you,” Jake purred into the stillness that surrounded them.

MacKenzie sucked in a deep breath and Jake found that he couldn’t pull his eyes away from her passion filled expression.

He knew MacKenzie wanted him just as much as he wanted her, but it was too soon. Their time would come, of that he was sure. It just wasn’t now. In the meantime, he would give them both something that would last until their next encounter.

Dipping his head, Jake took her lips in a searing kiss. He didn’t ask for permission, he took what he wanted, and she met his every stroke; their touch filled with a dark heat.

Taking hold of her unresisting hand, he moved it to the evidence of his arousal. Pulling their wet mouths apart, Jake spoke against her lips. “Do you feel that, MacKenzie? Do you feel what you do to me? This is what I want to bury so deep inside you that you scream my name.”

While he was speaking his hand hadn’t been idle. As MacKenzie massaged him, Jake brushed his fingertips against her smooth leg, each stroke bringing him closer to his first touch of her.

When his fingers encountered her backside, Jake grinned at her. “Really MacKenzie, commando, well aren’t you just full of surprises. When we were dancing, did you wonder how it would feel if I had known?” By the time he was finished with his question, his fingers were rubbing against her wetness. Oh, she was definitely wet for him.

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