Sleeping With the Enemy Read online

  As though sensing her dissonance, Jay palmed her breast and nipped at her ear. “Forget all that shit. Let’s just be those two people again, Bridgett. It’s still good between us. You know it as well as I do,” his voice rasped next to her ear.

  Bridgett couldn’t take it any longer. Digging her fingers into his hair, she tilted his mouth up to meet hers. Jay’s hands slid beneath her skirt and pushed aside her panties. He slipped a thick finger inside of her, causing her hips to arch. Both his tongue and his finger picked up the same rhythm, and Bridgett’s body began to tighten around him. Moaning, she pulled her mouth free from his, burying her face against his shoulder. Jay’s breath caressed her ear as he murmured to her. “Let go, Bridgett. Let go of all of it.”

  She came in a rush, startling in its intensity, yet not long enough to ease the ache inside of her. Frantically, she stripped her panties off her legs as Jay deftly unzipped his trousers and rolled a condom over his erection. He maneuvered her hips back over top of him and slid home with heavy sigh. Eyes closed, Jay remained motionless a moment as Bridgett stretched to accommodate him. His fingers dug into her hips as he slowly moved beneath her. It was too slow for Bridgett. She tried to rise up on her knees but Jay held her fast, a lazy smile forming on his lips as he opened his eyes. The intensity and possessiveness shining in those blue eyes startled her. “This is real,” he said as he moved her over him. “This is who we are.”

  Bridgett didn’t have time to contemplate his words because he began to move faster beneath her, and it was all she could do to hold on as her body met his stride for stride. His mouth found her breast and the sensation of his tongue pleasuring her through the silk of her blouse and her bra made her wild. Suddenly his thumb found her sweet spot and her breath seized in her lungs. She threw her head back to scream from the pure pleasure of her climax, but no sound came. Jay stilled beneath her, his face drawn as he watched her come back to earth. Brushing her hair back off her face, he gently touched his lips to hers. Then, with a single thrust, his eyes slammed shut and he breathed her name ferociously as his own release overtook him.

  • • •

  Jay rubbed his hands along Bridgett’s back. He was still deep inside her with her body draped over his. The soft, contented breaths she was releasing were making him hard again, but he would die before moving her an inch. The faint scent of pumpkin from her hair mingled with the musky smell of sex that permeated the plane’s cabin and he couldn’t help but grin smugly. She was his and always would be. While he’d never give her the power to hurt him again, he would possess her, sharing a life with her. They could carve out a relationship that left their hearts intact. They’d have to, because Jay wasn’t letting her go again.

  His phone buzzed from deep within the pocket of his suit jacket, which was hanging on the seat across from them. Jay ignored it, groaning as Bridgett stirred. She turned her face toward his, her eyes dazed as she began to come to her senses. But Jay didn’t want her thinking. A coherent Bridgett was too risky. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before leaning in to kiss her back into delirium in hopes of a second round before they landed.

  Jay swore against her mouth as Bridgett’s phone began ringing seconds after Jay’s quieted. She pulled out of the kiss, inhaling a deep breath as she glanced around the cabin. “That’ll be Stuart,” she said matter-of-factly. “I told him I’d call him at eight.”

  Bridgett started to climb off him, but Jay didn’t want the distance between them to return. “Ignore it,” he demanded. Her eyes homed in on his lips and he twitched inside of her, forcing a startled gasp from deep in her throat. Unfortunately, it didn’t do the trick because she jumped off him and hightailed it to the lavatory without a second glance his way.

  By the time she emerged, all tucked in and buttoned up, Jay had righted his own clothes and was sipping black coffee from a travel cup. She dug into the bowels of the ugly red bag she carried everywhere and pulled out her cell phone. Taking the seat across from him, she checked the screen.

  “Stuart is sending our investigator out to San Francisco to check for any potential hot spots that could still be lingering from your sexual discrimination suits,” she said without lifting her eyes.

  Jay had anticipated such a move, which was why he’d insisted Linc get the files together. “I told you that you can have whatever files I have.”

  She looked up at him then, worry flashing in her eyes before her cool mask slipped into place. “Scott won’t find anything, then?”

  He knew what she was asking, but her secret was safe from her firm’s investigator. If his suspicions were correct, it would be used to blackmail him instead. Jay didn’t bother sharing that tidbit with her, though.

  “I’m pretty sure that just before your initiation into the mile-high club I reminded you that I had already given you my word about that. Nothing has changed.”

  Bridgett fidgeted in her seat, her cheeks a delicious pink as she swiped a finger over the screen of her phone. “I’ll put this on speaker so we can both talk to Stuart.”

  Jay didn’t want to talk to her boss. He wanted to unwrap her from the brittle shield she’d cloaked herself in and have his way with her for the rest of the flight. Unfortunately, Stuart answered on the second ring.

  By the time they’d begun their descent, Stuart and Bridgett had mapped out a plan of attack for the day. While Bridgett dealt with her sister this morning, Stuart would be meeting with Mimi Something-or-Other and setting up a prevent defense in case Alesha Warren—or whoever was behind the lawsuit—leaked damaging information to the press or, more specifically, the person hiding behind that damn blog. Jay texted Linc to make the sexual harassment files available to the media specialist since Bridgett would be delayed this morning.

  After taxiing the plane up to the small terminal adjacent to Logan Airport, Ron emerged from the cockpit and opened up the outer door. “I’ll go check on the car,” he said as he hurried down the steps.

  Bridgett stood and gathered her things while Jay lounged in his seat, finishing his coffee.

  “Is there a taxi stand here or do I have to go to the main terminal?” she asked.

  Jay couldn’t decide if he was insulted or amused by her demeanor. “The car he’s getting is for you.”

  “Oh.” Seeming embarrassed, she shoved her giant bag on her shoulder, clutching her raincoat with the other hand. “Of course. You’ll want to head right back. I’ll get out of your way, then.”

  She turned to leave but Jay was quicker. Rising to his feet, he blocked her exit. She took a small step back to avoid coming into contact with his chest, not that Jay would have minded.

  “Ron is staying put. He’ll fly you back whenever you’re ready.”

  “You’re just going to sit around waiting for me?”

  “Ron is. I’m not. I’m catching a flight out to Napa in an hour.” He reached out and fingered a strand of hair that had attached itself to her cheek.

  “To get ahead of Scott?”

  “No,” he said, easing his body closer to hers. “I told you not to worry about that. It seems, though, that we’re both destined to have to rescue our sisters today.”

  “Is Charlie all right?” Her voice was breathless now as he moved to within an inch of her.

  Jay gave a frustrated laugh. “She won’t be when I get through with her.” He brushed her cheek with his finger, then reached around to pull her in for a kiss, but she quickly pulled away, taking giant step back.

  “No,” she said, her voice breathless. “No more. We had our walk down memory lane, but that’s all it was. We were both tired and overwrought and we lost our heads.”

  He arched an eyebrow at her. “I have never been nor will I ever be ‘overwrought.’”

  Bridgett’s eyes narrowed and she released an exasperated huff. “No, but you are insufferable. You wore me down once, but it won’t happen again. You are a client. Nothi
ng else can or will happen.” She jerked her chin up in the air, defying him to argue with her.

  Jay felt a grin break out—not to mention a very nice hard-on begin to develop—at her belligerent stance. “That would have sounded a lot tougher if I didn’t have your panties in my pocket.”

  Her eyes went wide and wild as she tried to stomp past him, muttering words that sounded both dangerous and sexy. She didn’t get far, though. Jay wrapped his fingers around her arm and maneuvered her back against the wall of the plane, just out of the sight line for the door. She opened her mouth to protest but Jay silenced her words with his own lips. He feasted on her mouth, tasting tea and mint and a well-satisfied woman. She could have resisted him, likely doing serious damage with those weapons that doubled as shoes, but after a token slap on the chest, her fingers curled into his suit jacket and she was putty in his hands. Jay worked his thigh between her legs and she made a sweet sound at the back of her throat that had him agonizingly hard.

  Voices on the tarmac brought him back to his senses. As much as they both seemed to want each other, they’d have to wait. The idea of having her naked in a bed soon would have to sustain him through the crazy day he had ahead of him. Breaking their kiss, he ran his lips along her neck as she blew out gasping breaths.

  Jay tugged at her ear with his teeth. “We’re not done, Bridgett. Not even close. I’m beginning to think we never were. Go. Take care of your family while I go take care of mine. But this is going to happen again. Count on it.”

  He pulled back abruptly and wrapped his fingers around her elbow, guiding her to the metal steps leading off the plane to the tarmac. Ron was waiting to intercept her at the bottom. Jay watched as his pilot led her to the waiting town car. Bridgett walked purposefully toward the car without looking back. Jay bit back a smile, confident that he’d won that round.

  Nine

  “I should have just done what you did and given up on marriage altogether,” Gwen said as she stretched out on the chaise in Bridgett’s living room. “I could use a cozy little condo like this to lounge around in and sip wine all day.”

  Bridgett bit back the ugly retort that bubbled up on her lips, cutting her sister some slack for being bitchy. Gwen did have an excuse. This time.

  The town car had dropped Bridgett off at her condo an hour ago, long enough for her to shower and change into her business-casual work clothes of wool slacks and a cashmere sweater from Talbots. Gwen had descended on her doorstep just as the teakettle began whistling.

  “Unfortunately this ‘cozy little condo’ costs a fortune and I have to work long hours to maintain it. I don’t get much time to ‘lounge around and sip wine.’”

  “Are you saying I’m afraid of a little work?” Gwen’s eyes grew damp and her lip began to tremble.

  Apparently, everything Bridgett said was going to be taken out of context this morning. She took another sip of tea and reached for a tissue for her sister. “Will you stop putting words in my mouth, Gwen? You know that’s not what I meant. Just keep in mind that the grass isn’t always greener.”

  Gwen went into mother bear mode at Bridgett’s words. “Oh, honey. Do you want to talk about it?” She jumped off the chaise and stood beside the bar stool Bridgett was perched on, wrapping an arm over her shoulders. While distracting Gwen might be the only way to survive the morning, Bridgett knew better than to let her sister in on her secrets.

  “I’ve just had a stressful week, that’s all.”

  “I can imagine. Being stranded in a tropical storm with that hunky Jay McManus had to be traumatic.”

  Bridgett’s head whipped around toward her sister. “How did you know who I was with?”

  “That nice lawyer, Adam, mentioned it when he came by with the separation papers this morning.”

  Lovely. The way her life was going, both the Boston office and the Baltimore staff were gossiping about her trip.

  “Don’t worry.” Gwen gave her shoulder a pat. “I didn’t tell him that you don’t like men.”

  “Arghh!” Bridgett shrugged off her sister’s arm and trudged over to the sink to rinse out her teacup. Clearly her sister was manic. Because there was no doubt that Bridgett did like men. Especially one man in particular. Grateful that her back was to Gwen, she fanned her flushed face with a dish towel. This morning’s little tryst at thirty thousand feet had been amazing. The connection that sizzled between their bodies was stronger than ever. She’d been with men since Jay. But none had ever brought her body to such an intense climax as the Antichrist. Damn him.

  “We’re not done, Bridgett. Not even close,” the arrogant bastard had the nerve to declare. “This is going to happen again. Count on it.” She desperately wanted to prove him wrong. Except her panties were already wet just thinking about it.

  With a frustrated sigh, she tossed the dish towel onto the counter and turned to find her sister scrutinizing her carefully.

  “Oh, Bridgett,” Gwen finally said. “Who did this to you? Who hurt you so badly that you don’t feel worthy of love anymore?”

  Bridgett reached for the counter before she could lose her balance and collapse on the floor. Her breath was sawing in and out of her lungs at her sister’s startling questions. She tried to formulate a coherent response but words failed her.

  Gwen walked over and cupped her hands on Bridgett’s face to steady her. “Oh, sweetie. Did you think I didn’t know?” She did that tsking thing that always annoyed Bridgett, but right now had her hypnotized. “You came back from your internship in Italy a different person. A woman jaded. With a lot harder shell. I know I say things to annoy you sometimes.” A squeak escaped Bridgett’s throat. “Okay, most of the time. But it’s only because I wanted you to open up. To tell me about your broken heart. You’re so self-sufficient sometimes it makes me so damn jealous.” Tears were streaming down Gwen’s face now. “Yes, I want what you have, Bridge. But not the things. I want the resolve that you possess. If I’d had one-tenth of it, I’d have left Skip years ago.” She gave Bridgett a little shake. “Please tell me I can do this? Please show me how to survive divorce, because I don’t think I’ll make it otherwise.”

  Bridgett pulled her sister in for a tight hug. “Of course you’re going to survive,” she told Gwen. “You have two beautiful children and a family that loves you. Surviving is the only option. Putting the thumbscrews to Skip will be the icing on the cake.”

  Gwen laughed through her tears. “There’s another thing I admire about you, little sister. You’re bloodthirsty.”

  They spent the rest of the morning crafting the separation agreement that Adam would present to Skip later that evening, and then Bridgett accompanied Gwen to lunch with their parents, where they broke the news of the divorce. Neither parent was surprised, a fact that made Gwen cry yet again. Thankfully, their mother stepped in and took over hand-holding duties for the remainder of the day.

  “What was Alesha Warren’s reaction when you spoke with her this morning?” Stuart asked later that afternoon. Bridgett was seated at her bistro table, basking in the sun streaming in the French doors as they discussed the case by phone.

  “Pretty much as expected. She sounded resigned to the fact that she’d have to play her next hand. I’m starting to agree with the conspiracy theory that Donovan has going. It does look more and more like someone is putting her up to this.”

  Stuart sighed. “Yeah. I think our client is holding something back here, too. This should be an open-and-shut class action case; one that languishes in the court for years and annoys the team because of the slight tarnish on their image and the never-ending court costs. But I get the feeling there’s something more going on here. There’s a reason she’s going after Jay personally. I just don’t know what it is.”

  A trickle of unease ran up Bridgett’s spine. Jay had hinted that whoever’s behind this case may be serving a personal vendetta, but she’d hoped that he was just being cauti
ous, if not a little paranoid. Except he’d warned her about their secrets getting out. Who had he angered with his secret files in the past? A Google search had revealed that Lloyd Davis had a lot of enemies. Could Jay have carried on the same business practices? Having Stuart raising suspicions made her nervous, because her boss was like a dog with a bone when he thought there was something out of order. She just didn’t want him digging so deeply that he unearthed her secret.

  “Do we know if Donovan has located Jennifer Knowles yet?” Stuart asked.

  “I assumed you’d hear from Jay when they’ve found her.”

  Stuart laughed. “You’re forgetting, Buffy, that the man is very clear that you’re the lead attorney on this case. He doesn’t even take my phone calls half the time. Definitely follow up with him this afternoon. I’d also like for the two of you to meet with Mimi first thing tomorrow. Hopefully nothing will hit the fan—or the web—before then.”

  “That might be difficult.”

  “I thought his pilot was prepared to bring you back?”

  “Yeah, me.” She glanced out the window at the sun reflected in the harbor. “Jay left for Napa after we landed here this morning. Something to do with his sister.”

  “That or a little blackmail recon,” Stuart said. “The Blaze play San Francisco on Sunday. I imagine he’ll just stay out there. Which means we’ll have to take the mountain to Muhammad. Can you leave your sister in the capable hands of Adam and head west? I’ll send Mimi out, too, and the three of you can strategize.”

  “But what about my other case?”

  “Don’t worry about the chicken farmers. Dan can handle an easy tax case.”

  “But, Stuart—”

  “No buts, Buffy. Trust me, I know neither one of you is happy about how these cases were assigned, but this is what the client wants. And I want Jay McManus’s business.”