Accepting His Terms Read online

  After lunch, Jill went back to her office and almost bumped into Jarrod as she walked down the hall. He was looking down at the papers in his hand.

  “Oh, Jill, I was on my way to your office. Have you had lunch yet?” he asked in a professional manner.

  “Yes, I met my sister.”

  “You have a sister?” he asked.

  “Yes, I have a brother and a sister.”

  “You’re very lucky in that respect. I’m an only child.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry. You missed out on a lot then.”

  “Yes, I’m sure I did. I wanted to talk to you about the budget, so can we go in your office?”

  “Sure, come on in.” She walked ahead of him to her office. Sitting down at her desk, she asked if there was a problem.

  “I was thinking we could cut out this piece of artwork for the living room and replace it with something a little less expensive. What do you think?”

  “Let me look around at my catalogues. I’m sure I can find something, but this is the same artwork we’ve been using. Is there a reason to change it?”

  “The Crestview condos are going to be sold for less than some of the other ones. So I think we need to downplay some of the decorating.”

  “Okay, I’ll see what I can come up with.”

  “Just put the new information in my inbox. I’ll be on a site this afternoon.”

  “Sure,” she replied.

  He smiled as he turned to leave. “I’ll call you tonight.”

  She did as he asked, found a replacement for the artwork, refigured the budget, and put the paperwork in his inbox. At five o’clock, he hadn’t returned from the jobsite, so she drove home.

  After she’d changed her clothes and tossed a salad, she sat down in front of the television. At eight-thirty, her cell phone rang. She picked it up and said, “Hello?”

  “Hello there, sorry it’s so late. I got hung up at the site.”

  “It’s okay. I was just watching a movie.”

  “I thought I’d make good on my promise to take you to one of my favorite wineries this weekend, let you do some tasting, see how things are done. What do you say?”

  “Sure, sounds like fun.”

  “I’ll be back at the site tomorrow, there are some problems there. So I’ll just call you Saturday morning.”

  “Okay,” she replied.

  “How was your afternoon?” he asked.

  “I found less expensive artwork and put all the information in your box. Other than that, it was quiet around the office.”

  “I’ll run by in the morning and look at that before I head out. I’m going to get off here now. I’m bushed. Sleep tight.”

  “Goodnight.”

  She hung up and shook her head. He was so… aloof… was that the word? It would be interesting to see how the day at the winery went.

  The next morning, she was in the office early. As Jarrod walked out of his office and saw her, he smiled and said, “Hey, you’re here bright and early.”

  “I wanted to get started on the designs for the next condos,” she explained. “Are you ready to head out?”

  “I was, but why don’t we go in my office for a minute?” he asked.

  She followed him in, and as soon as he shut and locked the door, he pulled her into his arms. “Do you know how much I want to kiss you?”

  “No, I don’t. Why don’t you tell me?” she asked in a low voice.

  “I think I’ll show you instead,” he teased. He leaned down and crushed her lips with his. Again, her body went limp and the heat began to spread throughout her veins.

  As he released her, she said, “Nice, but do you really think we should do that here?”

  “I locked the door.”

  “Well, in that case…” she said as she turned her face upward for a second kiss.

  When the kiss ended, he whispered, “I really have to get out of here or I may never go.”

  “And the site is more important than staying here and kissing me?” she teased.

  He grinned. “You drive a hard bargain, but I need to get up there. Are we still on for tomorrow?”

  “Maybe… I’m not so sure I want to go now. You chose a job site over me,” she said with a sparkle in her eyes and a pouty lip.

  “Ah, teasing me again,” he said with a grin. “Keep it up…and see what happens.”

  “What will happen, Mr. Baine?”

  He lightly smacked her bottom, grinned, and walked out of the room, leaving a somewhat flustered Jill behind.

  Chapter Four

  On Saturday morning, Jarrod kept his word and phoned Jill to tell her he would pick her up at noon.

  She flew around her apartment, straightening, fluffing pillows, and making sure everything was in place. Then she treated herself to a long soak in a cherry-blossom scented bubble bath before getting dressed for their date. She chose a green floral sundress and a pair of sandals. It was spring in Tennessee and the weather had turned warm. After her makeup and hair were near perfect, she sat on the couch waiting for him to arrive.

  At eleven-forty-five, her doorbell rang, she sprang from the couch and let him in.

  “I’m early, I know, these are for you,” he said as he entered the room and handed her a bouquet of flowers.

  “Flowers?” she asked, “Thank you.”

  “Have you eaten?”

  “No, I had a late breakfast,” she replied.

  “Good, there’s a nice little Italian restaurant in the winery. I thought we could have lunch there before we do our wine tasting.”

  “Oh, that sounds fantastic. I love Italian food.”

  He grinned. “Are you ready to go?”

  As he drove to the winery, she said, “I thought it would seem odd to be out with you, but it doesn’t. The other night at dinner was the only time we’ve been together outside the office.”

  “It feels perfectly natural to me, Jill,” he replied as he cast a sideways glance in her direction.

  She smiled and asked him about the music playing in his CD player.

  When they reached the winery, he walked around and opened her car door, helped her out, and took her hand as they walked inside.

  They sat at a corner table and as Jill looked around, she said, “This is nice. I like the atmosphere.”

  “Romantic?” he teased.

  She blushed and took a sip of her water.

  “So after we finish touring the winery, what would you like to do?” he asked.

  “You mean there’s more?” she asked with a smile.

  “If you’d like; we can extend this afternoon date into an evening date. Do you dance?”

  “I love it,” she replied.

  As his hand reached across the table to caress hers gently, she shivered. As her gaze met his, she saw amusement in his eyes.

  “Are you cold, sweetheart?” he asked with a sexy grin.

  “Uh… no…” she stammered.

  Their lunch arrived and the moment passed. As they made pleasant small talk and enjoyed their food, Jill found herself becoming aroused. The sound of his voice, the look in his eyes, and the touch of his hand made her nipples harden and heat to flow through her veins. She caught him watching her and she was sure he’d looked down at her breasts. She shivered again.

  “Are you sure you’re not cold?” he asked again, the amused look back in his eyes.

  “I’m really quite… warm,” she answered with her sweetest smile.

  “I can see that,” he said in a low voice as he leaned across the table. “I think we should get started on our tour before you get any… warmer.”

  She stood up and took the hand he offered. As they made their way to the winery, he leaned over and whispered in her ear, “You’re cute when you’re… bothered.”

  “Bothered? What makes you think I’m bothered?” she asked.

  “Your body betrays you, my dear,” he teased as he leaned over to kiss her.

  They began their tour, tasting many of the different wines offer
ed and finally Jill chose her favorite, a sweet red.

  “We’ll save it for a special occasion,” he said as they walked to his car.

  “Where are we going dancing?” she asked.

  “Well, this is Tennessee. Where else but a good old country dance hall?” he asked.

  “You… like country?” she asked in surprise.

  “I’m an old-fashioned southern country boy at heart.”

  “I never would have guessed that,” she said as he pulled out of the parking lot.

  They arrived at one of the well-known bars in town and as they sat waiting for the band to begin playing, he asked if she was hungry.

  “A little, how about you?” she replied.

  “They have great wings here, how about it?”

  “Sure, that sounds good.”

  They talked some more about movies they’d like to see, books they’d read, and when their wings arrived, they ate, laughed, and talked some more. It was becoming more and more natural for her to be in his company. He really was quite different away from the office. There was still a commanding presence, but there was also a softer, more romantic side to Jarrod Baine.

  “Oh, look, the band is ready to play,” she said as she looked up at the stage.

  “And they’re starting with a slow song. Let’s go,” he said as he stood and took her hand.

  As she was whisked into the arms of the man she’d spent months dreaming about, Jill melted. The moment he pulled her close to his chest, she knew there was nothing she wouldn’t do for this man. She was his. Whether he knew it yet or not, she would surrender to him, and she would love him for as long as he wanted her in his life.

  She looked up at him and caught sight of the corners of his mouth turned slightly upward. His eyes danced as they gazed at her. She put her head on his shoulder and as he pulled her closer, he whispered, “I could stay like this all night.”

  She nestled closer, letting her right hand tease the hair at the nape of his neck. Her body was on fire, as a warm wetness flowed from within. Her nipples were aching, begging for attention. Her left hand moved down his back.

  “If you don’t stop that, I’m going to take you to the parking lot and have my way with you in the car,” he warned as he nibbled at her ear.

  “In that case, I won’t stop,” she teased.

  “Oh, you’ve got such sass… you know I owe you a spanking for putting yourself at risk, for staying late that night, and now with all the sass and teasing you’ve been throwing around, I think you’ve had your three strikes. You’re out, baby.” He spoke in a low, husky voice.

  “Three strikes? I’m out?” she asked as she raised her face his.

  “You’ve been begging for it for days,” he said with a grin.

  “No… really… I haven’t,” she said nervously.

  “Oh, but your body is telling me otherwise. You got even more excited when you heard the word spanking, didn’t you?”

  It was true. She’d always fantasized about having a strong, sexy guy take her in hand, but now that it might actually become a reality, was she really ready for it? Yes, her body betrayed her and he was so in tune with her that he knew it, but she was apprehensive at the same time.

  The song ended and he led her back to the table. As they sat, he ordered drinks for them.

  “You’re biting your lip, baby, and you’re doing that hair twisting thing again. What’s the matter, getting worried I might follow through with my threat?”

  “Now why would I be worried about that? I think you’re all talk,” she said flippantly.

  A knot formed in the pit of her stomach as he raised his eyebrows and said, “Oh, you do, do you? Let’s see, first you stay late at the office not knowing anyone else was around to see you to your car safely, you sass me and tease me not once, not twice, but three times, and you’re so darn cute when you do it, I might add. I’d say the chances of me not giving you exactly what you’ve been asking for are mighty slim right about now.”

  “Jarrod…” she began and stopped. The look in his eyes told her all she needed to know.

  “Shall we go?” he asked with a sexy half grin.

  “Yes,” she replied quietly.

  On the ride back to her apartment, the ball in the pit of her stomach felt like it had grown to the size of a softball. Her panties were wet, her heart was racing, and her nipples still needed attention. Would he really spank her? And what would happen after that?

  She didn’t have to wait long to find out.

  Her hand was shaking, so he took the key from her and unlocked the door. As soon as they were inside her apartment he pulled her into an embrace, claiming her lips with a passion so strong, she thought she would faint. As she leaned into him, she could feel his hardness, and the thought that she turned him on made her even wetter. As she looked up at him, he asked quietly, “Where’s your bedroom?”

  Without a word, she led him by the hand to the room at the end of the hall. Inside the room, he kissed her again then took her hand and led her to the bed. As he sat down, he gazed into her eyes, took her hand once more to pull her across his lap.

  Jill’s heart was beating a mile a minute as she waited for what was to come. Her panties, by now, were drenched and her body ached. It was an ache unlike anything she’d felt before. Never had a man made her want him as much as she wanted Jarrod Baine. And the fact that he was about to fulfill one of her longtime fantasies was just icing on the cake, no matter how apprehensive she might be.

  When he lifted the full skirt of her sundress, she gasped as the cool air in the room breezed across her bottom. And when he pulled her panties down and remarked about the wetness, she bit her bottom lip again. As he caressed her right cheek, and then the left, she thought she would die of sheer joy. But when his hand connected with a slap to the right one, she winced. When he brought his hand down to the left, she sighed. As he repeated with smacks interrupted by gentle caresses, she melted. She could feel his hard cock under her belly and she was sure her pussy was dripping its juices on his pants, but she didn’t care. She was letting him stake his claim, letting him take control, which was all she’d ever wanted.

  “Oh, baby…” he said as he caressed her bottom. “Do you know how many times I’ve watched this ass swaying down the hallway at the office and wanted to reach out and claim it?”

  As he pulled her up and held her close, cuddling her, she looked up at him. “Kiss me, Jarrod,” she said as she pulled his face to hers.

  The kiss was magic, making the hard nubs of her breasts ache for his touch even more, and fanning a flame that had started the minute he’d stood in her doorway that afternoon. When he ended the kiss and whispered, “Are you okay?” she merely shook her head, as she was unable to form any kind of coherent speech at that point.

  As he slowly unzipped her dress and removed it from her body, she took a long, deep breath. When he gently laid her down, she nearly tore the buttons off his shirt in her haste to remove it. His muscles rippled as she gently caressed his chest and his nipples. She could tell he wanted her as much as she wanted him.

  “Touch me, Jarrod,” she urged.

  As he kissed her again, moving his lips down her neck before he finally claimed a pert, hard bud with his mouth, she whispered, “Oh, yes.” When he treated the other one to the same pleasures, the heat flowing throughout her body became white-hot, as she moved her hips, urging him to do more.

  She reached out and unbuckled his belt, unzipped his pants, and allowed him to move away from her only long enough to remove them. She gasped when he stood in all his glory beside the bed. He was perfectly erect and ready for her.

  She beckoned for him to join her again and as he trailed more kisses down her belly and on the inside of her thighs, she nearly went wild with the ache he aroused in her. When his tongue made contact with the sweet spot at her core, she cried out.

  He looked up at her and grinned, as he said in a low voice, “Something wrong?”

  “Oh… no… so r
ight,” she whispered.

  Caressing her bottom as he went back to his task, she encouraged him with her movements, and as he licked and teased, she began to shudder. He continued, letting her feel the intense sensations wracking her body. When she was finally still, he moved up until he was eye level with her and said in a low voice, “Was it good, baby?”

  Her eyes, now deep blue pools, met his. Instinctively he knew she was ready and moved his body to a position where he could tease her with the head of his now thickly swollen cock. He nudged at her opening, teasing her, driving her mad with desire for him. As he finally began to ease his hardness inside her, she moved her hips impatiently.

  “Baby, tell me what you want,” he whispered.

  “Don’t tease me… I want you… all of you.”

  “Oh yes,” he replied as he pushed himself completely inside the warm, velvety wetness.

  As she sighed with pleasure, he withdrew until he was almost all the way back out and eased back in again. “Jarrod…” she cried out, as he did the same again before plunging hard and deep.

  As she moved with him, she met each thrust, each plunge with a hunger she’d never known she possessed, he took her hands in his. Just as she reached the edge of oblivion again, he squeezed her hands and joined her in the sweet release they’d both craved for so long.

  As he held her close, she very nearly purred. “Mmm, so good,” she said as she pulled his arm around her tighter.

  “Baby, I knew it would be like that for us. From the first day you walked into my office, I knew you were the one.”

  She turned in his arms to face him. “The one?” she asked.

  “Yes, baby, the one I’ve been waiting for.”

  “Are you just saying that because we just had sex?”

  “If you mean because we just made love, no, I’m saying it because it’s the way I feel.”

  “Oh,” she replied, at a sudden loss for words.

  “What, no sassy comeback for me? You’re slipping. Did that little bun warming take all the sass out of you?” he asked with a chuckle.

  She blushed and said, “I thought it was sexy. I’m going to admit something to you I never thought I’d ever tell a soul. That was one of my fantasies.”