Maya Banks - Giving In

At the time it had seemed like a good idea. Now? Not so much.

Dash had let them all sleep in and when they got up and stumbled into the kitchen looking like death warmed over, Dash served them breakfast and some foul-tasting concoction he swore would cure a hangover.

He so lied.

She slowly got out of her car, glancing over again for the reassurance that Jensen was here because his car was. Lucky for her, she still had a key, so she didn’t have to worry about his doing what she had done and not answering the door.

It was Saturday. No work. And it was early enough that Jensen could still be in bed.

That thought considerably cheered her. It would certainly make her planned seduction easier to pull off.

She shook her head at that crazy thought. Her a seductress? Someone was probably laughing their ass off in heaven over that.

She paused at his front door and waffled on whether to use the key or knock.

The element of surprise was important, so the key it was.

She slid it into the lock, trying to make as little noise as possible. Then she eased the door open and peered inside.

So far so good.

When she got to the entrance to the living room, she froze, taking in the scene before her.

Jensen was sprawled on the couch, head back, either sound asleep or passed out. Judging by the bottles lying around, passed out was probably a good bet.

If it wasn’t such a familiar sight, Kylie might have mustered some outrage.

How pitiful they both were. Obviously miserable apart. It was a damn good thing one of them had sense. This crap was going to end right now.

“Jensen. Jensen!” she said louder. “Wake your ass up.”

She walked closer and then bent down to get in his face. “Wake up, Jensen!”

His eyelids fluttered sluggishly and then he seemed to realize who was standing over him in his living room.

“Dream,” he muttered. “Too much to drink. Fuck me.”

“I’m not a dream. More like a nightmare, but we’ll work on that,” Kylie said in amusement.

He blinked again and then rubbed an arm across his eyes. Then he frowned.

“What the fuck are you doing here?”

“Nice. Good to see you too, Jensen. How’s life been treating you? Wait, don’t answer that. I’d say it’s pretty obvious judging by all the empty liquor bottles.”

She leaned in closer so she was right over his face and she scowled big.

“So help me God, if you aren’t able to get it up because you’re too hungover, I’ll kill you.”

His mouth fell open and she caught a whiff of his breath. Okay, she could work with his. It wasn’t too strong, so she imagined it had been hours since he drank. Possibly even last night and then he’d slept it off.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Jensen demanded. “You aren’t supposed to be here. We’re over, Kylie.”

“Keep talking,” she said with a sneer. “You might even convince yourself before it’s over. But I know it’s a lie and you damn well know it too.”

“What do you want from me?” he asked in bewilderment.

She touched his cheek and stared him directly in the eye so he’d see how serious she was.

“Do you trust me, Jensen?”

“Of course,” he said gruffly. “It’s not you I don’t trust. It’s me. Goddamn it, Kylie, why are you making this so fucking hard? Was it so you could see how miserable I am? Well, take a good look. This is me without you.”

Her heart melted on the spot. The aching vulnerability in his voice undid her.

“Prove it,” she challenged.

“Prove what?”

He was sounding more irritated by the minute and she had to act fast before he threw her out of his house. Again.

“That you trust me,” she said softly.

“There’s nothing to prove. I trust you more than anyone else on earth.”

“Then come into the bedroom with me,” she said.

He closed his eyes. “I can’t do this, Kylie. Please don’t ask me to.”

“I’m asking you to trust me, Jensen. You said you did. Now show me. Please,” she added, the word sounding strangled.

“Fine. We go into the bedroom. Then will you leave me the fuck alone?”

“Are you so desperate to get rid of me, Jensen? Does your version of love mean forgetting someone you love, or supposedly love, so quickly?”

He surged up from the couch, his eyes glittering dangerously. Before? Such an action would have her terrified and dissolving into a panic attack. But now? She was so relieved to have at least a part of the old Jensen back and not this pathetic, grieving man who’d drunk himself into oblivion.

She’d done the same. If she hadn’t had her head stuck so far up her ass she could have had her epiphany a hell of a lot sooner and neither one of them would have had to be miserable all damn week.

“Don’t ever question my love for you,” he seethed. “It’s because I love you that I want you as far away from me as possible.”

Ignoring that particular outburst, and happy to have him on his feet so she didn’t have to try and get him up by herself, she took his hand and led him toward the bedroom.

When they got there, she turned, placing her hands on his chest and looking him in the eye.

“Remember what you said. About trust.”

“I remember,” Jensen said in a tight voice.

She nodded and then turned back toward the bed and began stripping out of her clothes. She whispered a short prayer that this worked out the way she hoped.

“What the hell are you doing, Kylie? You—”

He broke off, his mouth falling open when she turned to him, fully nude.

He closed his eyes and let out a groan. “Why are you torturing me like this?”

She slid her fingers down his chest and down to the fly of his jeans. Then she leaned up and pressed her mouth to his.

At first, he didn’t respond. He held himself rigidly as she explored his mouth. Then his lips parted, a rush of air escaping. Slowly his arms crept around her, anchoring her in place.

She ripped her mouth away, gulping for breath. Then she kissed the lobe of his ear and whispered softly, “Make love to me, Jensen. Really make love to me. No rope. Just you and me.”

A groan escaped his mouth. The sound seemed to come from his very soul. It was a sound of agony—and need.

“You said you trusted me,” she said quietly. “Give me this, Jensen. Trust me. Make love to me.”

He walked her backward toward the bed, ripping at his own clothing until he was as naked as she was. He certainly wanted her. His body couldn’t lie about that. No matter what he said or thought, he was as desperate for her as she was for him.

The backs of her legs bumped into the bed and then she toppled back, landing on the mattress with him on top of her.

“Be sure this is what you want, baby,” he said breathlessly. “If you don’t want it at any time, say stop. I’ll stop, no matter how hard it is.”

She stroked a hand over his face, tracing the hard lines of his jaw.

“I don’t want you to stop, Jensen.”

He let out a groan and then dipped his head to kiss her. He kissed her hungrily, all of his need pouring out in a heated rush. His body was hard and heavy on top of her and she reveled in the feel.

His erection was lodged between her legs. She could feel him hard and pulsing against her clit. She shifted restlessly, wanting, needing. She didn’t want to wait. She wanted him inside her. She wanted to feel complete and whole for the first time in a week.

“Jensen,” she whispered. “Make love to me. Now, please.”

He ignored her demand and kissed a line down her body. He licked and tongued her nipples, coaxing them to aching, straining peaks. He took his time, tasting and sucking until she was out of her mind with need.