Dream Lover (Denim and Spurs Book 2) (17 page)

Karis stood there matching her glare for glare. “Feel better now?”

“Not really, no.”

“That’s not who you are, Laciee. That helped shape you, but you need to stop letting that define you. You’re so much more than that.” She took a few steps toward Laciee. “Look at you”—she waved a hand around—“you’re living in New York. You have a wonderful job that from all accounts you love. You’re surrounded by friends and family and are no longer alone. Vic, Gian, their entire family—they would have come to Texas for you if you’d not told them you were okay. Why can’t you focus on that, Laciee, instead of the one who left Branchwater scared?”

“Because we’re one and the same.”

“No,” she said, wrapping Laciee in a hug. “She helped make you the strong woman I see before me. I know you have Vic for support, but I’ve never stopped believing in you, Laciee. I love you as well. So does Judd. We want you to come home.”

She stepped back from Karis, shaking her head. “Really think that’s the smartest thing to do?”

“You belong there.”

“I had your mother arrested for attempted murder. My mother spread her legs for your father, which is why we’re related. I don’t think that’s the place for me.”

“I disagree. She brought that on herself. We never knew the depth of her hatred until now. She did your hotel room, the grave, as well as your car. We still need to talk about all that, but first I need a shower, so I’m going to take one. Do me a favor though, look at this picture and your reflection now while I’m gone.”

Karis took a photo out of her pocket and placed it in Laciee’s hand before swiping her bag and heading to the bathroom. With a sigh, Laciee looked down at the image, heart seizing. She stood beside Kilburn, her hand on the gelding’s neck.

There was no need to compare this her to the one she was now. Her skin shone with a healthy glow and she witnessed the happiness in her own expression. Now there was sadness.
Perhaps she’s right and I do need to go home.

Chapter Seventeen

Judd slammed the door to the cab and stepped out, instinctively tensing as he gazed about the urban jungle. All the people and all the noise, he hadn’t any clue how anyone lived this way and did so happily. Barely there two hours and he was ready to knock the first man he saw off his horse and ride like hell out of the city. He paid the driver, tipped his hat, and stared up at the building before him.

There’d been snow early and the biting wind whipped down the streets, carrying with it the pungent odor of fuel and emissions. Shaking off his wandering thoughts, he made his way to the door and pulled it open. His boots clacked over the tile entryway as he made his way to the mailboxes and past to where the elevator was. He waited for the car and spun his hat in his hand.

“Wondered when I’d see you up here, cowboy.”

He turned to find Vic striding across the floor toward him. Judd gave her a nod and said, “Vic.”

“She’s not home at the moment.”

“Where is she?” The doors slid open and Vic entered before reaching out and tugging on his jacket to pull him in as well.

“Out running some errands, no point in you waiting down here, come on up and I’ll let you stay in my place or let you into hers. Either way.” She crossed her arms and looked at him. “Honestly, I thought you would have beaten me back here. Did Karis call you?”

“No, why?”

“Karis showed up here a while ago and the two of them had a chat. That little woman is a bit pushy.”

He arched an eyebrow at her statement. Vic laughed and departed the elevator once the doors slid open. “Come on, cowboy. I’ll make you feel at home until she returns.”

Judd followed her down a hallway covered in green carpet. The place wasn’t ugly, but as a man who needed the wide-open spaces, this was stifling to him. Inside Vic’s apartment, she left him and went to change from her dress into something else. Since she told him to make himself at home, he walked around her living room, taking in all the art she had on the walls and the figurines that lined the bookshelves.

“Not what you expected from me?”

“No, can’t say it was,” he said in response without turning from the Thomas Blackshear
Sisters Forever A Time to Share
statue of two black women who obviously shared a great deal of feeling for one another.

He turned and found another shock for the tight fitting clothing had vanished and the woman before him had pulled on a pair of green and pink flannel pants as well as a dark blue sweatshirt. Her smile informed him she expected that to shock him as well.

“Good.” She checked her phone and walked to the kitchen where she got them both a can of Pepsi. He preferred Coke, but he’d take this for the moment.

“Thanks,” he said.

“Go make yourself at home. She just sent me a text saying she was on her way back and was stopping to pick up some of the items I’d asked her to get. She’ll be here in about forty minutes.”

Forty minutes seemed so long, but considering the length of time since he’d seen her, he could take this little bit more. Vic filled the time by talking about this and that. Not really requiring a response from him but just chattering.

“She’s home,” Vic said. “I told her I’d be right over for my things. So you can go to her apartment. I’ll give you my key to just walk in. It’s what she would expect me to do. Just give it back to me before you leave and please be aware that I want some of those items she brought for me so…oh forget it, I’ll walk you down there and unlock it. This way when you’re having lots of dirty nasty make up sex, I can sneak in and get my food.” She pushed to her feet. “Come on.”

At her motion, he rose and followed her back to the door. She could talk an elephant to death, but the way she felt about and protected Laciee he couldn’t find fault with the woman. When she paused before Laciee’s apartment, Vic turned and faced him.

“You hurt her again I’ll hunt you down on that ranch of yours and leave the remains for the buzzards, we clear?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She held his gaze for a moment before she turned away, apparently satisfied by what she’d seen in his eyes. With a motion of her wrist, she opened the door and practically shoved him in the door. “Have fun,” she whispered behind him before calling out loudly. “I’m here, Laciee.” Then she shut the door behind her, leaving him alone in an apartment with a woman who didn’t know he was there.

He gazed about her place, spotlessly neat. The air smelled of a light floral scent that made him think about beaches and sun. Wood flooring had thick colorful rugs dotting it. Not a lot in the way of furniture and it looked all Ikea. For a moment, he wondered if she’d put it together or had some man done it for her.

He shook his head, accepting he was in love with the woman. A bag with a paramedic logo on the blue material sat packed by him. She had flowers on almost every surface and again he wondered were they from a man or something she’d done for herself.

Judd cleared his throat and opened his mouth to announce himself when her strong voice streaked up the short hallway.

“Thank God, I’ve been waiting to tell you this. I ran into Mark again on the way back. Some men don’t know how to take no for an answer. Can you believe he thinks I’d actually date him again? We had one date years ago and damn it, the man lives with his mama, and not to mention has a small dick he sure as hell doesn’t know how to use. At least not to my satisfaction. Anyway, he was trying to convince me to give him another chance, said things would be different. I asked him if that meant he didn’t live in the basement anymore but had moved upstairs to be on the same floor with his mama. I know I was rude, but crap on a cracker, Vic, the dude is almost forty. I think he should be able to live on his own.”

Footsteps from the hallway preceded her next words. “You’re being awfully quiet. You have something on your mind?”

He tossed his Stetson on the table by the door and watched her walk into view, carrying her shirt wearing pants and a bra. “A lot actually.” Lust slammed him with the force of a steer hitting the rail when he wanted his mate.

“Shit!” she screamed, dropping the shirt on the floor. “Judd?”

He didn’t respond, just strode across her floor, his boots marking his arrival. When he reached her, he slid his hand along her cheek before delving it through her hair. Then he dragged her into his arms and kissed her. Poured all the worry he’d had and the anger he’d felt over her leaving into it. Thrust his tongue deep into her mouth where it tangled with hers.

Her body, which had been stiff for one moment, melted into him. Her arms curved around his neck, and she pressed as close as she could to him. Her moans were music to his ears. His cock couldn’t possibly get any harder than it was at the moment. He skimmed one hand down her back, relishing her silken skin beneath his palm once more.

He dipped his fingers below the waist of her jeans and she whimpered, hips bucking into him. Judd fisted his hand in her locks and tugged her away from his mouth, so her head tipped back. Her eyes were hazy with desire, lips wet and parted, as she panted softly.

His decision was made in that moment, if it hadn’t already been once he’d walked into her room. He flicked open her bra and tucked his head to capture her left nipple in his mouth the second it was free of the blue material that had held it prisoner.

“Judd,” she cried, back arching as she slapped a hand on the back of his head, holding him closer.

He suckled hard, swirling his tongue around the pebbled tip before scraping his teeth over it. Her body trembled beneath his administrations. He repositioned his arm to carry her and moved them back down the hall she’d just walked up. On his left was the bathroom and he bypassed that, heading straight for the single door at the end of the hall.

Soon she lay on her bed and he covered her with his body while he continued to kiss and make love to her breasts. She writhed and wriggled beneath him, his name falling from her lips like prayers.

Moving back up to kiss her mouth, he undid her pants and worked them down her hips. His need for this woman overtook everything else. He nipped her lower lip before laving a trail down to her bellybutton. Judd went lower, his hands baring her skin as his lips tasted it along with little flicks of his tongue. He tossed the jeans off to the side and focused on the pair of white cotton panties. Nothing frilly or fancy, but they encased his already hard cock in another coating of metal.

He kissed her core, rubbing along the material with the flat of his tongue.

“Judd,” she cried.

He moved it to the side with two fingers and licked along the seam of her pussy, her heady aroma flowing around him. After two teasing laps, he took her clit in his mouth and sucked, hard. Her hips bucked and he held her to him, lapping at her pussy. She came hard and he still didn’t stop, not until she came another time. Only then did he stop and remove her panties the rest of the way.

“Fuck me,” she begged.

“I plan on it.” He stripped off his own clothing in record time and positioned himself back over her. One hand on his heavy shaft, he brushed the head along her wetness three times before pushing into her. Her velvet heat parted and welcomed him home.

Her eyes fluttered closed as a sigh slipped from between her lips. He understood the feeling. Dipping his head, he sank a hand back into her hair before claiming her mouth once more. He couldn’t get enough of her. Hips pistoning in and out, he buried his face into the side of her neck. Her nails raked down his shoulders, legs clamped around him as she undulated with him.

With his free hand, he went between them and flicked her clit. Her pussy clenched around his cock as he continued to thrust. She came hard, her screams filling the air. He released her, and swiftly flipped her around to her knees before slamming home back inside her. Her back bowed as she gripped the bedding, scrunching it in her fists.

He fucked her until he could no longer stave off his own release and shot thick ropes of cum deep inside her. Then he withdrew and collapsed on the bed, bringing her sweaty body with him. Turning her so they were face to face, he kissed her one more time, gently this time.

Those light brown eyes could shoot direct to his soul, and they did so currently. She moved her lips, and he shook his head.

“I love you, Laciee Dupree.” Her eyes grew large with shock. “I wanted it out there so you knew.”

Tears welled up in her eyes and she lowered the lids, hiding her gaze. “Judd.” The single word was full of torture. She tucked her arms between them and burrowed close. He yanked the blanket over them, uncaring he was ruining the bed even more than they’d already done. Closing his eyes, he drifted off to sleep, the best he’d had since before Laciee had left Texas.

* * * *

Laciee sat in her overstuff chair, feet upon the cushion and her arms around her legs as she rested her chin on her knees. Between her chest and thighs she had the one stuffed animal she owned. A unicorn her grandmother had given her on her eighth birthday. The winter sun added a golden glow to the city she could see out the window. In her ears, she listened to the Broadway cast recording of
Ghost
. It was “Unchained Melody” from the end, when Molly could not only hear Sam but see him as well. Tears licked at the corners of her eyes, and she turned her gaze to the man slumbering in her bed.

The light highlighted the scruff on his face as a single beam pushed through onto him. His dark lashes rested on his cheeks, and her fingers itched to touch him all over. Just take the time memorize it all one more time.

She loved him so much it hurt and yet, despite his words, she was absolutely petrified to trust. Closing her eyes, she wiped away the tears that spilled free. Against her chest, the warmth of the unicorn reminded her of the one she’d loved unconditionally.

“I wish you were here, Grandma. I’ve run for so long I’m scared to stop and allow myself to start living again.” She turned her head and rested her cheek on her knee, staring once again out the window, the man on her bed too much for her to take in.
Just when I thought I’d convinced myself I would be okay without him in my life.

She heard Vic out in the main part of her apartment and slowly unfurled her body from the chair, leaving the unicorn. Tucking some hair behind her ears, she made her way quietly up to where her friend was gathering the items she’d purchased for her.

“Oh, see here, I was thinking you were getting great sex and didn’t want to disturb you.” Vic ran her gaze critically over Laciee. “You’ve been crying. I’m going to geld him.”

“Not because of him.” Well, not fully. “I was thinking about my grandmother.”

Vic paused in looking at the container of pumpkin. “What brought that on?”

“He told me he loved me.”

“Why do you sound devastated about such a claim?” She placed the can in the bag and rooted around through the remaining items on the countertop. “I would think that would be the exact thing you wanted to hear.”

“I’m in love with him.”

She set down the
acini de pepe
and crossed her arms. “I must be getting old. He loves you, you love him. Where’s the problem I’m so obviously missing here?”

“Where is it going? What future could we possibly have? What—?”

“Elephants and blowholes, shut it already,” she snapped in Italian.