Somebody's Lover: The Jackson Brothers, Book 1

her palm to his lips and closed his eyes. You’re losing it, man. Christ, he’d lost it over her a long time ago. He just hadn’t known how badly.
    “We have tonight. But then it’s over.”
    It was on the tip of his tongue to say it didn’t have to end. But he’d promised he wouldn’t ask for anything. He prayed she’d do the asking for him. Fear that she was stronger than him cleaved his heart in two. “I know.”
    “You brought me wine.” She took the bottle from his hand.
    If tonight was all he’d get, he’d take it. “I forgot the glasses.”
    “It doesn’t matter. I haven’t drunk wine from the bottle in...” She laughed, a light sound that burrowed beneath his ribs. “Well, I guess I never have. It’ll be a first.”
    He needed to give her a lot of firsts. The first time she came under the moonlight with him. The first time she’d had a man buried to the hilt in three years. With her hand in his, he led her down to the water. Later in the year, the mosquitoes would be out. For now though, the night was warm, the lap of the water at the reeds gentle.
    Slipping the blanket from beneath his arm, she spread it out on the grass, then sat.
    “You look pretty in that dress.”
    “You look nice in black.”
    She said it so shyly, his heart flipped over. Pulling the bottle opener from his back pocket, he came down beside her, then worked the cork. “Ladies first.”
    She drank, a sip. “Mmm, that’s good. Nice and sweet.”
    He felt like a teenager, wanting to make everything perfect. “I remembered you liked it sweet.”
    Her lips glistened with wine. He swallowed, then leaned in to touch those luscious lips with his. Her flavor and the drink’s sweetness burst in his mouth. He pulled away before he dragged her down and had her right then. They didn’t have a lot of time, but he wouldn’t rush this.
    Stretching out beside her, he propped his head on his hand, holding the bottle loosely in front of him. “How was your week?”
    She smiled. Her eyes sparkled in the first light of the rising moon. “It was good, Jace. How was yours?”
    “Fine.” Better than any he’d ever known. He touched her, she’d touched him. That was everything he’d ever wanted. “Are the kids looking forward to summer?”
    “Yes. Brian’s going to camp at the end of July for a week. And Jamey’s doing junior camp at the same time.”
    “You’ll miss them.” She’d be lonely. He could only hope she’d need him to ease the loneliness, but July seemed too far away.
    “Yeah. But they like it.” She smiled again and took the bottle out of his hand for another sip. Then she laid down beside him, tucking her hand beneath her cheek. “Cork the bottle, Jace, so it doesn’t leak.”
    He did as she said, tossing it down to the bottom of the blanket. He’d planned to seduce her, but she touched him first. Just her hand on his chest, smoothing down his abdomen, then back up to his right nipple.
    “Thank you for what you did the other day.”
    “Dessert,” he murmured, concentrating on the mesmerizing feel of her palm caressing him. “You were like dessert.”
    “I was nervous when I drove up just now.”
    “I know.”
    “But I’m not nervous anymore.” She tugged on his hand, pulling it to her breast. “Remember what you said on the phone?”
    “Which part?” He undid the first button, then the second, until suddenly her dress was open to the waist.
    “The part about teasing my nipples.”
    He slid his hand in the opening, cupping her firm bare flesh. “You’re not wearing a bra.”
    “I figured that when you said not to wear panties, you meant I shouldn’t wear a bra either.”
    Oh God. He’d forgotten about the panties, though how he could have, he’d never know. “Are you naked under this?”
    “Uh-huh.” She punctuated with a nod and a smile.
    “You make me nuts, you know.”
    “Ditto.” Then she laid flat on the grass and spread the opening of her dress.
    She had the most beautiful breasts he’d ever seen. They weren’t large, but they were high and firm beneath his fingers. She’d carried two children, yet remained perfect. He dipped his head and took a nipple in his mouth. She arched into him, stroking the back of his neck as she held him to her. She tasted of strawberries or some other sweet fruit. He cupped her other breast with his hand and played with the nipple as he sucked her. She wriggled, moving closer into him.
    “Lord, that’s good,” she sighed. Then she