Page 63 of Above ’N’ Beyond

On a scale of one to ten of bad ideas, ten being the absolute worst, this rated a fifteen. Man, he was racking up mistakes by the bucketload.

Make that a front-end loader.

Showing up at Bella’s door had been Jamie’s first mistake. Kissing her had been the second. Planting her pretty ass on the counter, then touching her breasts and the sweet warmth of her pussy was a colossal error of the highest order.

Damn you, Jax. His dog had intentionally pushed them together. Jamie was supposed to get close to her. Not this close. But he couldn’t stop. His body was on autopilot.

His heart hammered as he pressed his lips to her soft, warm neck. He hadn’t thought he could get any harder, but when she leaned back and sighed, he did. Painfully so. His dick wanted to be where his finger was. Deep inside her hot, wet warmth.

Smooth, silky wetness coated his finger as he plunged deeper, faster. She rocked against him, her nipples tightening and puckering beneath her nightie. He had to taste those tiny buds or he’d go nuts.

When he pulled his finger from her core, the tiny moan she made was one of disappointment. He began tugging off her nightie when she grabbed the hem, preventing him.

“No, don’t!” A look of horror passed over her features.

“Why in the world not? I want to see you. All of you.” The grin he gave her was meant to put her at ease. Instead, she pulled her nightie down even more. “What’s going on here?” Had he misread things? Judging by how wet his fingers were, he didn’t think so. On the other hand, if she ended this now, it would be the best thing for both of them. Wouldn’t it?

“I, um,” she began. “Can we turn off the lights?”

“Then I won’t be able to see you.” Despite the war in his head, he really, really wanted to see Bella’s totally naked body.

“That’s my plan,” she answered shyly, averting her eyes.

Where was the spunky little spitfire he’d come to know?

“But why?” When she started to turn away, he clasped her chin, forcing her to look at him. “You’re beautiful. Why don’t you want me to look at you?”

She twisted her lips into the cutest little pout he’d ever seen, one he wanted to kiss away. “It’s just that you’re so body-perfect, and I’m so…not.”

Ah. Now he understood.

Bella had told him she’d wanted to shed a few pounds, and that was why she’d been running at the lake. She was insecure about the way she looked, but she shouldn’t be.

“You’ve got nothing to hide and nothing to be insecure about.” He gave her chin a gentle shake. “I already told you that you’re perfect just the way you are, and I meant it. You don’t have to be a supermodel to be beautiful. To me, you are beautiful. Inside and out.” Words he should never have uttered, but he meant them. Every last one. “I want to see you. All of you.” Then taste her and make love to her for the rest of the night. He released her chin, then slid his hands along the insides of her thighs, not stopping until his thumbs teased her wet folds. He leaned in to give her a deep, wet kiss. “You feel me?”

She sighed, closing her eyes. “Oh, yeah. I do. I really do.”

He caught the hem of her nightie, then cautiously tugged the gossamer-soft garment up and over her head, tossing it aside. Jax snorted. The nightie had landed partially on Gnocchi’s head and partially on Jax’s.

Both dogs shook, sending the nightie flying against the dishwasher and reminding Jamie of another problem he couldn’t ignore.

A canine audience.

Having Gnocchi and Jax watch them have sex was a no-go. “Jax.” Jamie snapped his fingers and pointed to the front door. “Guard.”

Jax turned to leave, but Gnocchi stood right where he was, standing in the middle of the kitchen, looking up at him and Bella curiously. He pointed to Gnocchi but looked at Jax. “Take Gnocchi with you.”

Jax paused to look over his shoulder and utter a low snort, as if to say: c’mon, kid.

Gnocchi obediently followed Jax. When his dog lay down directly in front of the door, Gnocchi snuggled beside him, resting his head on Jax’s front paw. Anyone trying to get into the house would be in for a nasty surprise of the canine order.

“Now, where were we?” His question elicited a sexy grin curving the corners of Bella’s lips. Lips he wanted to kiss again and soon, but there were other parts of her enticing body demanding his attention first.

Jamie leaned over and blew air alternately across one of her nipples, then the other, fascinated at how quickly they puckered and tightened into tiny little buds the size of small berries.

He sucked one of them into his mouth and was rewarded with the sexiest sigh he’d ever heard. Bella clasped her hand behind his head, urging him to suck harder. Don’t gotta tell me twice. He sucked and licked and nibbled gently, twisting her other nipple between his fingers.

Eventually, he lifted his head, gratified to see both nipples pert, glossy, and standing at full attention. He could easily nibble on them all night, but again, other parts of Bella’s body needed tending to.