Free Tinsel My Heart by Christi Barth Page B

dated a woman, food fell way below fun on the priority list.
    Moving his lips up her neck, he paused at her ear lobe. Tugged it between his teeth just hard enough to get her attention. “Let’s get you more excited.” Then Jack swooped. One hand planted just above her sweet ass, pulling her tight against him. The other anchored in the base of her braid. And when she opened her mouth in a surprise inhalation, he covered it.
    He feasted on Becca, using all his senses. Inhaled her perfume, which sent a fresh zing straight to his dick. Marveled at the softness of the small slice of skin between her sweater and her jeans. Listened with smug satisfaction to her breathy moans. Tasted Becca’s sweetness as he teased his tongue around hers. Then Jack pulled back to look at her. To see her kiss-swollen lips. The redness at her neck from his goatee. Things that claimed Becca as his. For now. For tonight. That thought sent another surge of need to his dick.
    So he lifted her off her feet. Set her on the counter, and notched himself against her. Jack’s thighs spread hers wide. Clearly on board with his idea, she wrapped them tight around him. Her hands slid up beneath his black T-shirt to roam his back. God, her fingers were soft. It made Jack want to arch his back like a contented tomcat. Instead, he angled his chest away just enough to look at her. Locked onto her aquamarine eyes blurred with passion. Then he took her left arm and slowly pushed up the sleeve of her sweater. Traced one blunt finger from the crook of her elbow to the center of her palm.
    Good. Becca’s entire body shivered. God, he wanted to feel her do that when they were both naked. Jack wanted her. He wanted to make her scream his name to the sky. Still tractor-beaming her eyes, he pressed his lips to the fluttering pulse at her wrist. And then licked his way across her palm all the way to the tip of her middle finger. Jack put his lips around it. Scraped his teeth from base to tip, sucking as he went. Let out a groan of his own at the feel of her nails suddenly biting into his back.
    “Is any part of you ‘comfortable’ right now?” he asked in a low, mocking growl.
    “Not at all,” she sighed.
    Point made, he backed off. Tugged her sleeve back down and set her on her feet. “Then let’s not delay this awesome-smelling dinner any longer.” He feathered a kiss across her cheekbone. But it wouldn’t be the last. Not by a long shot. They had all night.
    “How about we finish our conversation? The one about the amazing career opportunity you’re avoiding.”
    She cocked an eyebrow at him. “That’s a fast topic turnaround from having your tongue down my throat.”
    “It’s all passion, baby. Whether for you or the theatre, I’m chock full of it.”
    While she added cooked pasta to the bubbling pot of sauce, Becca said, “Okay, you get one turn. Hit me with your opinion on my life. As long as you agree to drop it for the rest of the night.” He nodded. “Fire away.”
    Better not waste it beating around the bush. Obviously her friends here either didn’t know about the New York opportunity, or were too selfish to boot some sense into her. Jack took a deep breath. “Look around you. You’re still living your grandmother’s life. Would she really want that for you? It’s time for you to move on, live your own life. No, not just your own life. You need to live your own dreams.”
    A long stare, as cool and hard as the ice chunks bobbing at the edge of the Mississippi River. “Is that it?”
    “I guess.”
    “Good.” She thrust a plate at him. “Let’s eat.”
    Still holding back, huh? Well, Jack didn’t intend to let someone so obviously talented miss out on this career-changing opportunity. He’d drop it—for now. And find a way to bring it up again tomorrow, and the next day, until she saw the light. Strictly as a way to mentor, one professional to another.
    He shook away a niggle of guilt as he picked up his wine glass. It had