Oh yeah, she wanted him as much as he wanted her. Was there any bigger turn-on to a guy? He didn’t think so.

He shoved her dress down to her waist and over her slender hips. It pooled at her feet, leaving her clad only in a pair of silky midnight-blue panties. The dark color emphasized the creamy white of her skin and they also matched her dress. The woman never missed a trick.

He kissed his way up her neck and found her mouth, needing her lips on his. He slanted his lips over hers, taking and giving at the same time. He slid his hand over the curve of her waist and down her hip until he hit the band of her panties. He toyed with the lacy edge for a moment before dipping beneath it. The curls covering her mound were damp, but not nearly as wet as the slick folds they protected.

He slipped two fingers over her labia, caressing her gently. She hooked her right leg over his hip, opening herself to him. He took immediate advantage and pressed his fingers into her tight sheath.

They both moaned with pleasure. Her inner muscles clutched at his fingers and he knew he couldn’t keep this up much longer. His cock was going to explode if he didn’t get inside her soon. He’d wanted Topaz for too long to linger this first time. He’d buried his attraction to her these past weeks, and now it was like a volcano simmering beneath the surface, ready to finally explode.

“John.” His name was little more than a breathy gasp, but it was more than he could take.

He withdrew his fingers and ripped at the opening to his jeans. Her hands were busy with his shirt and several buttons pinged off the walls, falling to the floor as she spread the fabric wide to caress his broad chest. He almost lost it when her clever fingers found his flat nipples, but he managed to get his wallet out of his back pocket and yank out one of the condoms he had stashed there.

He had it ripped open and rolled on in record time. With a growl, he hoisted her right leg high on his hip, positioned his cock at her moist opening and pressed inward. She gasped, holding her breath as he pushed, not stopping until he was seated to the hilt. Her pussy held him in an iron grip that threatened what was left of his control.

“Don’t move,” he ordered. He buried his face in the curve of her neck and took a deep breath. Big mistake. The seductive perfume of woman, summer heat, sweat and her light, floral scent filled his nostrils.

Topaz canted her hips the slightest bit and he broke. He gripped both her hips in his hands and began to thrust, his rhythm getting faster and faster as he pounded into her welcoming heat. Topaz cried out, her fingers gripping his shoulders, her breasts rubbing against his chest.

His balls pulled up tight to his body and John knew time had run out. “Come for me, baby.” He circled his hips, grinding his pelvis against hers. She whimpered and one of her hands grabbed his butt, yanking him closer.

John swore and managed to maneuver one hand between them. His thumb found her clit and he pressed against the taut bundle of nerves. Topaz arched toward him and called his name.

Her tight channel closed around his cock, squeezing it, massaging it in moist heat. John yelled and pumped his hips several more times. His orgasm started at his balls and shot up through his dick, and he emptied himself into the condom.

Had sex ever been this good, this explosive with any other woman? John knew the answer was no and swore under his breath as he gave two final thrusts.

He leaned heavily against her, desperately trying to catch his breath and order his chaotic thoughts. When he finally did, he realized she was in just as rough a shape as he was. Calling on reserves of strength, he slowly disengaged their bodies, hiked his jeans up, lifted Topaz into his arms and carried her to her bedroom.

They’d spent the rest of the day in her bed until she’d gotten the call to tell her that her sister’s stalker had been caught and that Emerald was in the hospital. That had ended their day and his time with her.

She’d pulled her independent cloak around her and quickly dressed and packed a bag. He’d tried to get her to talk to him, but she was focused on getting to her sister. He respected that even if he didn’t have to like it.

He’d called her when she’d come back to the city, but she hadn’t returned his calls.

* * *

“Thank you, Ms. Jewel.”

John’s attention snapped back to the room and he cursed his inattention. Not only had he not been doing his job, but he also had a raging hard-on that would have been impossible to hide if he didn’t have his leather jacket lying across his lap. It was late March and an unexpected cold front had hit the East Coast in the past few days. The forecasters were even predicting it might snow.

Topaz walked back to her seat with her family near the front of the room. He watched her carefully, but she didn’t even look at him. It was frustrating as hell.

She’d kept a polite, respectful distance between them the past month and he was getting tired of it. It was time for them to talk, even if that meant he had to take her somewhere so she would listen.

The woman was making him crazy. He would have passed off what had happened between them last year as simply a crazy one-night stand except that, on numerous occasions, he’d caught her watching him when she thought he wasn’t looking. And he recognized the emotion in her eyes. The woman wanted him even if she wasn’t particularly happy about it.

He could relate.

This was the last day of testimony and her part in the trial was over. Both sides would make their closing remarks later this afternoon and then the jury would be sequestered to make their decision. John knew it wouldn’t take them long to bring down a verdict. The stalker would be going away for a very long time on multiple charges of attempted murder. The defense had tried to argue that he wasn’t psychologically fit for trial, but that was a load of bull. The guy knew what he’d done was wrong. He just didn’t care.

Now that her part in this was over, John could do what he’d wanted to for the past few weeks. It was time to confront Topaz about their relationship. John was forty years old and had spent half of that time in life-and-death situations. He knew there was something special between them. Now it was only a matter of getting her to admit that and give them a chance.

An hour later, the judge stood and so did everyone else in the courtroom. John slid his leather jacket on in anticipation of leaving. The car was in the parking garage next door and they’d leave by a side entrance to avoid the bulk of the media. They wouldn’t be looking for Topaz anyway. All the attention would be on her sister. He felt bad for Emerald, but his concern was for Topaz.

The judge and jury exited and people began to quickly file out of the courtroom as the defendant was taken away. John waited patiently for Topaz and her family to make their way down to the entrance of the room. He stepped in beside her as soon as they reached him.

“Ready to go?”

She shot him an annoyed glare. “I was thinking about having lunch with my family.”

He shook his head. “Not a good idea until the trial is finally over. Better to split up and divide the media’s attention.”

Aloysius Jewel heard his comment and nodded his agreement. “He’s right, baby.” He put his arm around Topaz’s shoulders and dropped a quick kiss on the top of her head. “I’ll take your mother, Emerald can go with Jackson, Sapphire will go with Jake, and you can slip out with John.”

Her frustration was palpable. “I’ll be glad when this is finally over.”

John caught the subtext. She’d be glad when he was finally out of her life. Not going to happen. Not until they’d talked. If, after that, she wanted him gone, he’d go, but not until he tried to talk her into giving their relationship a chance. They had been together under nothing but stressful situations. John wanted to be a part of her everyday life when it wasn’t quite so crazy.

“Let’s go.” He took her coat from her and held it until she reluctantly accepted his help in putting it on. He caught a whiff of her subtle perfume and his fingers brushed against her neck as he fixed her collar. A delicate shiver went through her, but she squared her shoulders and turned toward her family. He patiently waited while she hugged and kissed her sisters and mother. He’d been around the Jewel family long enough to know they never went anywhere without saying a prolonged goodbye. They were fascinating to watch and he found himself drawn to their warmth and the obvious love they shared for one another. He wanted that for himself.

He glanced toward his brother, but Jake had eyes only for Sapphire. He stood behind her, his big body blocking her from the view of all but her family. He understood his brother’s need to protect his woman, and it went far beyond just doing a job, for both brothers.

As if sensing someone watching him, Jake turned his head and met John’s gaze. He inclined his head, but the connection between them was broken seconds later when Sapphire spoke. Jake leaned down to listen to whatever she was saying to him.

He wished his brother luck with her. He’d need it. They both would. Although, he thought he had it harder than Jake did. Topaz was the eldest sister and the most stubborn and bossy of the bunch.

John stood back and kept one eye on Topaz and the other on the people milling in the hallway. If they stayed here long enough the media hounds outside might think they’d already sneaked out and disperse. They should be so lucky. Some of those guys would do just about anything for a story and a few minutes waiting wouldn’t deter them.