Free Wishful Thinking by Sandra Sookoo Page B

apart has been a good thing. I felt nothing—”
    His next kiss muffled her lame protest. Still on the sweet side, he nibbled at the corners of her mouth, sucked on her bottom lip and ran the tip of his tongue along its curve. Jovie whimpered. She drew his head closer in an attempt to deepen the embrace. He pulled away, trailing his lips under her jaw and along her neck to tease the fluttering pulse.
    All thoughts of her problem tumbled to the back of her mind under the force of his tender onslaught. Jolts of excitement powered through her bloodstream as he brushed the pads of this thumbs over her hardened nipples. “Oh, Rand, mmm, yes there.” The tingling bliss tripped all the way down to her toes.
    “I told you the truth before, sweetness. Your body was created for pleasure; your curves demand to be stroked.” Another sweep of his thumbs caused her to gasp for breath, writhing on his lap. “Let me give you that and more tonight.”
    She nodded dumbly, not thinking beyond having his delicious body reacquainted with hers. It was only when he laid her back against the plush velvet of the settee that a glimmer of common sense broke through the haze. “No.” Pushing against his chest, his next kiss temporarily knocked her off course with its sizzling heat.
    “I want you, my peach. We are good for each other. We belong together.” Rand reached for the waistband of her slacks. “Give up this pursuit of my last name and let me cover your body with kisses.”
    “No!” With strength she didn’t know she possessed, Jovie shoved his shoulders and scrambled from beneath him. “Stop it, all right? Seducing me is not going to work.” Warm anger returned and swept aside the lust. “I will find your last name and I will remain here in this world. Exactly where I was meant to be.” Without you.
    “Jovie, I—”
    “Get out.” She crossed her arms over her chest, hiding her pebbled nipples from his view. “This meeting is over. I don’t want to see you again before tomorrow.”
    Rand pushed the fingers of one hand through his hair and his shoulders drooped, a sad imitation of his once-proud stature. “As you wish.” With a snap of those same fingers, he disappeared in a puff of blue smoke.
    Now what? Nothing had been gained and she was no closer to finding a solution. She sank onto the settee and gave in to tears. How could she send him to a death he didn’t deserve any more than she did?
    How could she continue to love Randal L. whatever the hell his last name was?

Chapter Ten
    Jovie paced around her office, wondering how many circuits over the rose carpet she’d need to complete in order to wear a track in the fibers. Would he appear tonight or had she sufficiently run him off the previous evening? She glanced about the office, smiling. Dimmed lights, a bottle of champagne waited in an ice bucket near the settee and faint, romantic jazz music filtered into the room from the computer speakers.
    She’d drawn inspiration from Rand himself. If he thought he could use seduction on her, he could forget it. Sexual manipulation ran both ways and surely magical beings weren’t immune. If he needed encouragement, she’d brought a couple of silk scarves from home. In fact, tying the stubborn creature to the furniture sounded better and better the longer she waited.
    He’d give up his name tonight or else she hadn’t tried hard enough. A flood of warmth surged between her thighs. There was always a second chance if the first one didn’t pan out.
    Now, he only needed to show.
    “If you desired me that badly, you should have called my full name.” Rand’s mocking tones floated through the air as his breath warmed the back of her neck. He snaked his arms around her waist, pulling her backside against his front.
    Prick . Even as she thought it, she couldn’t help but smile wider. She’d get even with him. She settled more comfortably into his embrace—exactly where she wanted to be. “Tell me what it is and I’ll