In The Still of the Night [The Protectors 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) (13 page)

He walked around the car and opened her door, helping her out. Jenna stuck close to him as he led her toward the little store. She looked into the windows and grinned.

“I want to go in here. That dress looks perfect for work.”

Riley frowned but followed her into the store. Once inside, she browsed and gathered several items to try on. She walked to the back of the building and started to slip into the dressing room. Riley stopped her.

“Wait, I’m going to look in there first.” He dragged her with him as he checked out the dressing room.

She tried to stop him from going in, but he was persistent and not even the store clerk managed to stop him. Jenna could only pray there was no one else in there. Her prayers were answered, and the room was empty of customers. He nodded and stepped outside so she could try the clothes on. Maybe she wouldn’t do a lot of shopping after all, not if he was going to insist on checking out every dressing room in every store she entered.

She didn’t even want to try on the stupid clothes anymore after that but figured she’d already endured the humiliation, so she might as well see if any of them fit. After trying them all on, she settled on the dress from the window display and a pair of navy blue capris.

Riley took her bags from her and stowed them in the trunk of the car before leading her on to the next store. She skipped the next two but dragged Riley into the third one. Shoes were a passion of hers. You could never have too many shoes, she thought with a smile. He grimaced but settled into a chair and crossed his ankle over his knee to wait on her. She spent well over an hour trying on shoe after shoe. He only grunted when she asked if he liked any of them. She took that as a “whatever” and picked out a pair of black pumps and a pair of strappy sandals that would look great with the new capris.

After several more stores, Riley called it quits. He led her back to the car.

“You’ve just about closed all the stores down. It’s time to go home.”

It wasn’t lost on Jenna that he had referred to her house as home. It was just a figure of speech, but it thrilled her. If only he really meant it.

“Do you think he was watching?” Jenna asked as they headed back to the house.

“I hope so. I felt like someone was watching us, but it could have been me picking up on the guys. They were out there watching, too.” Riley pulled into her drive and shut off the engine.

He opened the door and climbed out, looking around before opening her door for her. Once she was standing next to the car, he closed the door and stepped to the back to pull out her bags. She followed him into the house and locked the door behind them as he headed for her room with her new things. She grinned. He made a nice pack mule for carrying packages. Then she frowned. He wasn’t sticking around though. She had to get that through her thick skull.

The minute she stepped into the bedroom to put away her purchases, Riley grabbed her and pushed her against the wall by the door. He leaned in and took her mouth in a kiss. His lips pressed hard against hers until they opened and he could dip his tongue inside her mouth and devour it. She moaned, relishing the taste of him against her tongue.

“I’ve needed to touch you ever since you walked out of the dressing room in that damn dress.” He nibbled at the corner of her mouth and down to her jawline.

“I couldn’t tell you cared one way or the other.”

“Oh, I cared all right. Feel how much I cared.” He grabbed her hand and brought it down to the bulge in his pants.

“Oh,” was all she could think to say at the hard proof of his arousal.

Jenna drew in a deep breath when he licked, sucked, and nipped his way down her neck to the curve that met her shoulder. One hand maneuvered its way beneath the hemline of her shirt and found her breast through the lacy material of her bra. His fingers teased at her nipple, pinching and rubbing until she squirmed in his arms.

Riley’s other hand cupped the back of her neck, holding her head still for his continued assault on her mouth. His tongue danced with hers, mimicking what she hoped they would be doing soon. Her pussy cried for his hard cock to claim her. As if reading her thoughts, his hand left her nipple to snake its way down her jeans until he could unzip and then unsnap them. Fingers found their way into her panties, and soon she writhed against him for another reason.

* * * *

He pushed one finger through her slit until he could bury it between her thighs inside of her. God, she was hot and wet. Her juices soaked her panties and now dripped down his hand as he forced another finger into her hot channel. He couldn’t stop a growl escaping his mouth as he ground his groin into her soft belly. He wanted inside of her. Now.

Riley withdrew his hand and pulled her around until her back now faced the bed. He backed her toward it, kissing her as if he couldn’t get enough of her. He couldn’t. He needed the taste of her in his mouth all the time now. She was an addiction he didn’t want to kick. Instead of pushing her back on the bed to undress her, he stepped back.

“Take off your clothes, baby. I want to watch you get naked for me.”

Jenna’s eyes grew wide then dropped with arousal. She kicked off her shoes and slowly unbuttoned her shirt from the bottom up. Inch by inch, her creamy belly was exposed to his eager eyes. By the time she had reached the top button, he wanted to rip the damn shirt off of her. He looked deep into her eyes when she slowly removed the shirt, letting it slide down her arms to the floor.

“You’re pushing it, Jenna,” he said with a low growl.

“I’m just doing what you told me to.” Her husky voice tightened his groin even more if that was possible.

Next, she slipped her hands around behind her, pushing her breasts outward as she unhooked her bra. He had to fist his hands to keep from reaching out to touch them. They were perfect to him. They weren’t too large, but not small either, just enough to overflow his hands.

The silky material loosened and began to slide down her shoulders. The cups kept it from falling all the way off. She reached up with one hand to remove it, but he stopped her. Instead, he leaned down and grasped the bra with his teeth and pulled it off her body without touching her anywhere else. He let the discarded material drop. His eyes didn’t follow it as it hit the floor. They were glued to the beauties standing before him.

Rounded globes with dusky pink nipples made his mouth water to taste them. They were firm but swayed when she was bent over or on all fours. He loved feeling the full weight of them in his hands when she was like that. Once again, he leaned down, but this time he swiped his tongue over one of the pretty tips. She moaned and swayed closer to him. He nipped at the other one then stepped back before he lost his tight rein on his libido and tore her jeans off so he could bury himself between her warm thighs.

“Take off your jeans.” His hands opened and closed to the rhythm of the blood flowing in his tortured cock.

She smiled coyly at him and finished unzipping before turning around to bend over and push her jeans down her thighs then to her knees and finally all the way down to her ankles. He nearly lost it. Her sweet ass swayed before him as she stepped out of her jeans but remained bent over. She was wearing a thong. If he had known that earlier, they might not have ever made it out of the house to go shopping.

Riley couldn’t take it anymore. He pulled her back against his body until his cock rested in the top of the crack of her ass. He reached down and grabbed her by the hair and hauled her up against him.

“I’m going to fuck you in that sweet ass of yours one of these days, but right now, I want that wet pussy instead.”

“Fuck me, Riley. Fast and hard,” she begged him.

He turned her around and picked her up in his arms. She tried to protest, but he wasn’t having any part of it. He wanted to throw her down on the bed and attack her breasts with his mouth, but instead, he gently laid her down and watched her with his eyes half closed. With trembling hands, he slowly undid the buttons on his jeans and pushed them down his legs, stepping out of them as soon as they hit the floor. He didn’t wear underwear, so he was hanging heavy with need. His balls were already tight in their sacs, eager for the action to come.

She whimpered and reached for him, licking her lips. He smiled tightly and climbed on the bed, positioning his cock at her mouth. She nuzzled it and reached up to hold him in her hands, but he stopped her.

“No. No hands. I’m going to fuck your hot mouth. Trust me, baby.” He waited to see if she would let him, fully expecting her to balk.

He was pushing too hard, he knew, but he couldn’t help it. She needed to see how he was so that when he left, she wouldn’t care. He tensed for a second. Not care, that really wasn’t what he wanted, but it was for the best. He couldn’t stick around. He’d hurt her eventually, and to see her tears because of him would surely kill him.

Jenna dropped her hands by her sides and opened her mouth for him.
Yes!
He couldn’t believe she was going to trust him. After everything she’d been through, and she was going to let him fuck her mouth, trusting he wouldn’t hurt her.

“There you go, baby. Open wide.”

He slowly fed his cock to her until he felt the back of her throat. Then he pulled nearly all the way out and did it again, a little faster this time. He stopped each time he met resistance and pulled out. He slowly picked up speed but never gave her more than she could handle. Once, when he held it deep for a few seconds, she swallowed, and he nearly shot his load right then.

Over and over again, he pumped his cock deep into her mouth. She hummed, and he nearly lost it. Then her hands came up, and he nearly stopped what he was doing when they took hold of her breasts and began massaging them.

“God, that looks so hot. Pinch your nipples for me,” he said.

She complied and was soon pulling and pinching them as she groaned around his cock in her mouth. As she twisted them, he pumped into her mouth over and over. He was so close. He wanted to be inside her though when he came. He suddenly pulled back, gasping for breath. She whimpered and reached for him.

“I want inside you. I can smell how hot you are from here.”

He reached down to his jeans and extracted a condom. He sheathed his cock and positioned it at her opening. Hips rose to meet him, and he plunged in to the hilt. His balls slapped against her ass, and he groaned at the pure pleasure of being inside her. He waited until he was sure she had adjusted to his girth and began to slowly screw her until she bucked against him, urging him to go faster.

“I want to take it slow, baby. I love being inside you like this.” Riley bent down and kissed her. Slow, deep, and wet.

Jenna’s eyes rolled back in her head when his cock found that sweet spot inside of her. He made sure to hit it over and over again until she bucked beneath him and screamed his name. Her climax triggered his, and he swore he saw stars as he came.

Chapter Ten

Riley left Jenna in the bed sleeping. He used the guest shower so as not to wake her and dressed again. It was nearly seven, and he knew the guys would call soon to talk about the day. He sighed as he watched her sleep. Her innocence and trust in him was humbling considering what all she’d lived through. How could she trust him like she did?

He shook his head and backed out of the bedroom, shutting the door behind him after he double-checked the windows. Less than ten steps toward the kitchen and his cell phone rang.

“Hey, Logan, what did you see?” Riley asked as he stepped into the kitchen.

“I’m not sure, but I think you were followed back from town. I caught sight of a dark blue Ford truck that followed you all the way to the turnoff to her street, but it went straight when you turned. My gut says that was our guy. I followed him down one more street, and then I turned and don’t know where he went after that.”

“Once you were in place again, did you see anything?” Riley asked him.

“Nope, not a thing, but you’ve got some dense shrubbery around the house. Does Jenna know you left the blinds open in the bedroom?”

“No, and she isn’t going to, pervert.” Riley growled.

Logan laughed into the phone. “I paid more attention to what was going on around you than to you.”

“When Tyler and Morgan show up, have them call me.” Riley snapped his phone back into its holder and set about making coffee.

Once he had that going, he dug around in the freezer and found something to make for dinner. She would be waking up soon, and he didn’t want her worrying over cooking. He was a pretty good cook since he spent so much time in the army.

Thirty minutes later, he had the chicken breasts and rice casserole in the oven and a pot of green beans on the stove simmering. His phone rang again. On checking caller ID, he found it to be Morgan.

“Did Logan fill you in?” he asked.

“Yep. We’ll be on the lookout for a dark blue Ford truck. Do think he will make a move tonight?”

“Good possibility,” Riley said.

“Tyler is going to be on the north side. I’m going to stick to the back. I’ll ease over to the south side now and then check things out.”

“Later,” Riley said and hung up.

“Who were you talking to?”

Riley swung around to find Jenna leaning against the kitchen doorway, wearing a long T-shirt and what looked like nothing else. He was sure she had on underwear though. She wasn’t that daring.

“Morgan. He and Tyler are watching the house tonight.” He walked over to where she stood. “I’ve got dinner cooking in the oven. Do you want something to drink?”

“Yeah, I’ll take a wine cooler.” Jenna smiled and held her hand out when he fished one out of the fridge.

There wasn’t anything more beautiful than watching Jenna walk across the kitchen to the living room in nothing but a T-shirt and maybe that thong she’d had on earlier. His cock grew hard. Riley closed his eyes for a moment to regain some control. He wanted her again. He knew deep inside that he would want her over and over for the rest of his life if he stayed anywhere near her. For her sake, he was going to have to leave once this was all over. He was no good for her.

The phone rang, and Jenna grabbed it before he could. By the sound of it, though, it was probably Tina. He heard her laugh and relaxed. She needed something to distract her from everything. He would let them girl talk while he checked the house again.

* * * *

“So, how are you and Riley doing?” Tina asked over the phone.

“We’re doing fine. Did Logan tell you we went shopping?” Jenna asked.

“Yeah. I can’t believe you got him to take you.”

“Oh, it was his idea. They are trying to draw Gregg out into the open.”

Tina’s intake of breath could be heard over the phone.

“I know, but I feel the same way. I want this over with.”

“I don’t like it. Something could happen to you if they push him. You and I know what he is capable of,” Tina said.

“I trust Riley to keep me safe.”

“You’ve got it bad for him, don’t you?” Tina asked.

“I can’t help it. I know he’s going to leave when this is all over. He hasn’t made any promises, but still I want him.”

Tina’s sigh could be heard over the phone. “I can’t believe he will leave you. I know he cares about you as much as you do about him.”

“I do care for him.”

“Do you love him?” Tina asked softly.

“I…I don’t know.”

“I think you do. I think you have from almost the beginning. Otherwise, you would never have trusted him enough to let him sleep with you.”

“Jenna? Are you still there?”

“Yeah. Just thinking.”

“Don’t think too much about it. Let whatever happens happen. I can tell you from experience, love is worth every bit of the heartache,” Tina said.

“You should see the dress and shoes I bought today.” Jenna changed the subject.

They continued talking for another fifteen minutes until Logan started harassing Tina, and the other woman hung up. Jenna smiled. They truly loved each other. They would be happy together. She was sure of it. Logan had been the best thing to ever happen to her friend. She refused to believe that she was making a mistake by letting Riley so close to her heart.

The phone rang again. She figured it was Tina and grabbed it.

“That sure was a quickie,” she said.

“Bitch! You belong to me. I’m going to teach you once and for all whose whore you are.”

“I don’t belong to you! I’ll never belong to you. I’d rather be dead than have you touch me again,” she yelled into the phone.

Suddenly, the phone was jerked out of her hand.

Riley growled into the phone. “Gregg, you’re going to pay for touching her. Do you understand me?”

Jenna couldn’t hear what Gregg said, but she could tell by the fury on Riley’s face it wasn’t good. When he slammed the phone down, she jumped.

“What did he say?” It came out almost as a whisper.

“Nothing,” he said and turned away.

She grabbed his arm and stopped him. “What did he say?”

“Nothing that need concern you, Jenna. The chicken should be ready now.” He sighed and looked at her.

“Why won’t you tell me what he said? Is it that bad?”

“It’s just more of his bullshit, and there’s no need for you to have to hear any more of it.”

Jenna closed her eyes and shook her head. She let go of his arm and followed him into the kitchen. Suddenly, she wasn’t as hungry anymore.

He opened the stove and pulled out the casserole. He took off the top and set it aside then turned the beans back on to warm up. He shoved a pan of rolls into the oven and closed the door with a snap.

“Fuck!” He huffed out a breath and then turned around to face Jenna.

“He said he would make sure you knew what he intended to do to you. He wanted you scared, baby. I don’t want you scared. I’ll take care of you.”

“I know you will, Riley.” She stepped closer and put her hands on his chest. “I trust you.”

Riley wrapped his arms around her and kissed her gently before stepping back and brushing a stray hair from her face. She wished she could read his thoughts. He looked worried for a second then he looked like he always did, hard and in control. Even Riley was human. She knew there was still a chance that Gregg would get to her despite Riley’s promises. She trusted him to do the best he could to take care of her, but she was a realist, and Gregg was crazy.

* * * *

Riley waited until after dinner, while Jenna was in the shower, to call Logan and fill him in on the phone conversation with Gregg. He didn’t want her overhearing him.

“He said he was going to use one of her friends to show her what he planned to do to her. Watch out close for Tina. I don’t know what he will try to do or to whom. I’m going to send Tyler back over there to watch. Morgan can handle here.”

“I’ll be on the look out here.”

Riley hung up and then called Tyler and had the other man go back to Logan’s house to watch them. Tyler didn’t ask questions. He just said okay and hung up. Morgan, on the other hand, asked plenty of them.

“You think he is serious about hurting someone she knows?”

“I don’t know what to think. I don’t know him well enough to make guesses. I do know he nearly killed Jenna. That’s all that matters to me.”

“What did she say about it?” Morgan asked.

“I didn’t tell her the entire thing. I only told her enough to satisfy her. She’s already on edge now as it is after talking to him,” Riley said.

“I wouldn’t let her answer the phone anymore in case he has someone call her while he hurts them.”

Riley hadn’t thought of that and nearly groaned out loud. He would have to make sure she didn’t answer the phone for sure now. If she knew he had someone she knew in his grasp, she would lose it.

“I’ll talk to you in the morning. Watch your back.” Riley hung up.

He walked back into the bedroom and heard the shower shut off as he slipped off his shoes. He removed his shirt and opened the bathroom door to find Jenna surrounded by steam as she bent over, rubbing her hair dry with a towel. He grabbed another towel and wrapped it around her body. Their eyes met in the mirror. He pulled her up against him and began to dry her front with the towel. She wound the towel around her hair and reached back with one hand to wrap around his neck.

“You look good enough to eat,” Riley said against her ear.

“I wouldn’t say no to that,” she teased.

“Let’s get you dry and into bed.” Riley ran the towel up and down her sides.

With her hand around the back of his neck, her breasts were pushed out proud and standing out. He dropped the towel and focused his attention on them. He cupped them in his hands and ran his thumbs over the tips. She drew in a deep breath. He groaned. He wanted her again. He didn’t think he would ever not want her.

“I have to dry my hair, or it will be a massive knot later,” she finally said.

He kissed along her neck then stepped back and popped her on the ass.

“I’ll handle the hairdryer while you brush.” He picked up the hairdryer from the counter and stared at her in the mirror.

Their eyes met, and for an instant, he couldn’t breathe. She literally took his breath away. She smiled, and the moment was gone. He turned on the dryer and aimed it at her hair. She laughed and turned his wrist at an angle so it didn’t blow directly on her scalp. For the next fifteen minutes, he manned the dryer while she brushed out her hair until it lay soft and dry against her shoulders.

He could already see the droop to her eyelids. She was about to fall asleep on her feet. He smiled and steered her toward the bed. He pulled back the covers and had her climb in then he covered her up.

“I’m going to check the house good again, and I’ll be right back. Don’t move.”

She smiled and curled up in the bed. After checking the windows in the bedroom first, Riley made the rounds in the house, checking all the windows and doors to be sure they were secure. Then he stood in the middle of the living room just thinking. What was it about Jenna that called to him? Why was he so attracted to her? Enough so that he really thought about sticking around for awhile.