She let him pull her out the door, onto the metal steps leading to the roof.

They were in Midtown, on East Fifty-third between Lexington and Park, and when they’d climbed the two flights of stairs, they walked into a night filled with magic.

They weren’t high enough up to have an unobstructed view, but what they did see was incredible. The Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building, lights blazing, made incredible exclamation points on either side. They were just high enough that the noise from the street was more of a whisper than a roar.

“There,” he said. “Isn’t this better?”

“Still, I should be-”

“You should be right here.” He handed her the champagne. “Drink,” he said. “Breathe. Relax. If nothing else, we need to make Owen wonder what we’re doing.”

She looked at the bubbly Dom Perignon, then back at him. “Okay. Five minutes.”

“Is that all? Boy, you don’t have very high expectations, do you?”

She seemed puzzled for a second, then she snorted in a very ladylike way. “You think Owen thinks we’re out here having sex?”

“Well, yeah.”

“Oh, that’s just silly.”

Now it was his turn to be skeptical. “You don’t think that’s the first thing he’d do if he had the chance?”

She paused. “Owen? Yes, you’re probably right.”

He stepped closer to her, touched her arm. “You don’t think it’s the first thing any man in that room would do if they had the chance?”

“Oh, please.”

He pulled her close so he could feel her against him. “Do you have any idea how desirable you are?”

“Owen isn’t here now.”

“And for that, I’m truly grateful.”

She finally met his gaze. He didn’t hide his thoughts at all. And when he saw her touch her upper lip with the tip of her tongue, he bent down for the kiss that had beckoned all evening.

He wrapped her in his arms, not willing to chance her getting away, but from her response, the move was probably unnecessary. She opened her mouth just enough for him to fully taste her, to linger in that wet heat. She moaned, and he pressed against her, letting her feel what she did to him. Her little gasp told him he’d succeeded.

“I’ve wanted to do this since you walked out of the bedroom tonight,” he whispered.

She responded with her lips, bringing him down again as she teased him with her tongue. His whole body tensed with the feel of her, with the electricity coursing through him. His hand moved slowly over the bare flesh of her back, the softness enough to drive him over the edge.

When he felt her fingers grappling at his back, he was the one to moan. He wallowed in her taste, moving his mouth to get her from every angle, to touch her completely and thoroughly, to possess her.

Pulling her tighter, closer, the party disappeared, the rest of Manhattan faded away, until all that existed were the two of them.

He rubbed against her, hard and anxious, letting her know that all she had to do was say the word-

“Jessica.”

Owen’s voice stopped them cold. She jerked back, pulling away as if she’d been burned.

“Hey there, Owen,” Dan said, disliking the man more and more.

“Jessica,” he said again, ignoring Dan. “I was looking everywhere for you.”

“I was just taking a little break,” she said. “Is there a problem?”

“ET wants an interview, and I thought you should get out there.”

“I thought they wanted to talk to Sheree and Shawn.”

“They do, but I think we need to have a presence.”

“Okay, sure. I’ll be right down.”

Owen gave Dan a look that would singe the hair off his eyebrows. “I’ll take you to them. They’re not in the building.”

She reached out and took Dan’s hand. “Okay, let’s go.”

When Owen saw Dan was joining them, he wasn’t pleased. The rest of the night was all business, but her thoughts never strayed too far from that kiss.

FIVE WORST GIFTS TO BUY A WOMAN

1. Never give a woman any kind of household appliance or something that is going to make “housework” easier. For instance, a blender, a toaster, a new vacuum, anything in an infomercial.

2. Any sharp objects made by Ronco that slices or dices, or a set of Ginsu knives. These may one day be used as a weapon against you when you come home with lipstick on your collar after a “night out with the boys.”

3. Any lingerie made of flannel. It gives her the idea that you do not consider her the sexy woman that she is. Take out that wallet and buy her something sexy from Victoria’s Secret.

4. Any type of cubic zirconium jewelry you see on a home shopping channel.

5. Please do not buy her clothes because you think for one minute you have good taste in woman’s clothing. Believe me, she’ll smile and say it’s beautiful, while choking back tears and mumbling under her breath, “Where the hell would I ever wear this outfit without being arrested for bad taste?”

Source: JokesMagazine.Com “Ten Worst Gifts To Buy A Woman”

http://jokesmagazine.com/frontpage.asp

THEY LEFT THE PARTY at a quarter to three, the quiet of the limo startling after so much noise. Jessica seemed pleased and exhausted. From what he could see, the event had been every bit the success she’d been hoping for. It hadn’t been as victorious for him, however.

The kiss on the rooftop haunted him. He’d felt something powerful up there, something that hadn’t stirred in him for a long, long time.

Jessica leaned back on the black-leather seat and closed her eyes. His gaze lingered on her face, memorizing the lush curve of her lips. He wondered how much of what he felt was primal, and what part of it was his excitement at having someone with such an agile mind as a sparring partner.

The last woman he’d been involved with hadn’t been nearly as bright as Jessica, although she was by no means dull. Lily had been an intoxicatingly beautiful woman and, had she tried, she could have done something with her life. She’d been preoccupied with her beauty, however, and spent inordinate amounts of time primping, shopping, anointing. In the beginning of the relationship, when it was filled with that first blush of excitement, he hadn’t minded a bit. Eventually, though, he’d grown tired of it, preferring the company of his friends. She’d broken up with him, which had been a relief. That was over a year ago, during which time he’d had only one brief encounter, and that was with an old friend who’d visited from Oregon and had left after three wild days.

It wasn’t a stretch to place his ardor for Jessica on the doorstep of lust. And yet, he was just as eager to talk with her as he was to make love to her. Well, maybe that was stretching it pretty thin. He definitely wanted to sleep with her, to explore all of her fantasies. In fact, that was something he intended to pursue as soon as he could. She’d sworn that she would tell the truth, and he was going to press her as far as he could. Get her to open up as no woman ever had, at least to him.

What did she fantasize about? It wasn’t being tied up, that much he knew, but what? In her dreams, was she holding the reins? Or did she yearn for something sweetly romantic? God, he had to know.

She turned her head and opened her eyes just enough so she could see him. “Are we there yet?”

He looked out the window, recognizing the deli on the corner. “Soon.”

“I don’t think I have the energy to get out of the car.”

He scooted over a bit, slid his arm in back of her so her head rested on his shoulder. “You can lean on me,” he said.

She shifted a bit, getting comfy. “You were great tonight. Owen was only a minor nuisance.”

“My pleasure.”

“Sorry we didn’t get that dance.”

“I’m not worried about it. We’ll have our chance.”

She didn’t say anything, and a few moments later her breathing was so slow and even, he thought she must be asleep. They’d be at the hotel in five minutes, so he’d have to wake her, but in the meantime, he enjoyed the feel of her resting against him. She was so warm, so delicate. His fingers brushed her shoulder, amazed at the softness, the creamy texture of her skin. Then his gaze moved down to her breasts, the tantalizing view a little too enticing.