“Maddie—”
“Do it, Jack.” He obliged her, and she crawled on top of him, her legs straddling him, her knees cushioned by the luxurious rug. “I have a proposal for you.”
Jack’s eyes were dark with desire. “A proposal?”
“Mmm-hmm.” She loosened the bodice of her gown, tugged it down, then went to work on her stays and chemise. Jack’s eyes were riveted. “You want Blackjack gone. I want him to stay.”
“Not the bear again.”
Maddie finally freed her breasts from the stays, and she tugged the chemise down. Jack’s hand automatically reached up to finger her nipple. “I propose—mmm, that feels good. I propose a game.”
“I don’t have the patience for games,” Jack said, gripping her hips so his erection brushed against her core.
“Then you’ll surely lose. The object of the game is to have the most patience. Whoever finds fulfillment first, loses.”
Jack was watching her now, his expression arrogant. “You’ll lose.”
“And if I do, then I grant you one wish. Whatever you desire. And if I win—”
“You won’t.”
“If I win, you grant me one wish.”
“Whatever you want, sweetheart,” he groaned, moving against her. Maddie readjusted, allowing the tip of his erection to enter her. But she rose up so that when he tried to plunge deeper, he couldn’t. “Do you promise, Jack? Whatever I want?”
“Yes, yes. God, you’re hot. Maddie . . . ”
She lowered herself a fraction of an inch, taking more of him inside. Now her mind was swirling, the feel of him inside her undeniably erotic. The urge to take all of him, to lower herself and ride him, was almost overwhelming.
“Prepare to lose, Jack,” she managed before he thrust inside her and all coherent thought fled.
“BLOODY, GODDAMN BEAR,” Jack said sometime later. He was sprawled on the soft carpet, a sated Maddie draped over him.
Unfortunately, she hadn’t been sated soon enough. He’d lost her bloody proposal.
“Profanity won’t help you,” she murmured, her breath light and warm on his shoulder. “It was a fair fight.”
“Fair? How was it fair? You were one climax ahead of me before we even began.”
She rose on one elbow and smiled at him. Her blue eyes were dark with the pleasure he’d given her, her mouth swollen from his kisses. “And yet, you were confident you would win.”
“I should have.” He touched her rosy lips.
“You lost, Jack. My wish is that we keep Blackjack. Will you go back on your word? I thought you were a gentleman.”
He laughed at that. “Hardly, sweetheart. But I do honor my bets. We keep the bear, but he’s moving outside. And I’m keeping you nearby. You’re sleeping in here, with me.”
And, devil take him, one of these days he was going to have her in a bed. He glanced up at his bed, the clawed feet of which were near his head. He’d been so close.
Maddie yawned. “Sleep sounds good.”
Jack agreed, and he rose, pulling her to her feet. Naked, she leaned against the bedpost while he pulled back the lavish sheets and coverlet.
“I hope that bed is as comfortable as it looks,” she said. “I have a busy day tomorrow.”
Jack’s hand, wrapped around the soft sheets, clenched. “Doing what?”
She waved a hand and yawned again. “Visiting my charities. You heard my father. I’ve been terribly remiss in my duties.”
