Authors: Beverly Rae
He hopped into the driver’s seat, buckled up, and turned the key. “A quiet place where we can talk. Is that good for you?”
“Okay.”
“Good.” He placed his hand over hers.
A rush of excitement sizzled through her, waking every nerve ending, every sense. Searching him, she saw that he, too, experienced the same sensations.
He squeezed her hand then grasped the steering wheel. She bit her lower lip, concentrating on his movements. She watched his muscles ripple and bunch as he maneuvered the truck along the two-lane road. She sighed over the strong arms leading to the wide granite shoulders that no amount of denim could disguise. The way he rocked in his seat whenever he moved the stick shift made her mouth go dry with need. Knowing she shouldn’t, but unable to stop herself, she let her gaze slide lower, stopping on the tented material between his legs.
“Is here okay?” He swung the pickup off the road to bump down a gravel path. A creek sparkled under the sun a few yards away with a cluster of trees dotting the bank.
“Sure.”
He jumped out then hurried to her side and helped her out of the pickup. She slid into his arms, her breasts rubbing against his powerful chest, their faces only inches apart. Minutes, even hours could’ve passed but she wouldn’t have cared. She could’ve stayed frozen in the moment forever.
Jimmy cleared his throat then took her hand to lead her down the path to the creek. “Let’s take a seat.”
Two long-stemmed glasses sat beside the silver bucket that housed a bottle of champagne. A large wicker picnic basket rested on the checkered blanket and an iPod with speakers played a soft, instrumental melody.
“Do you like? I figured I should make up for the earlier disaster of a picnic.”
She thought she nodded, but she wasn’t positive. “You sure know how to lay it on thick.”
“What do I lay on thick?”
“The seduction.”
He cupped her chin, making her bring her gaze to his. A fierce love burned in the hazel-flecked-with-amber depths. “A seduction? Maybe. But whatever happens is up to you.”
The flutter in her stomach was echoed by the heat between her legs. Letting Jimmy guide her, she sat on the grass and waited as he filled her glass with champagne.
“I hope we don’t have another unexpected visitor.” The bubbles from the champagne tickled her nose.
“Don’t worry about any boar bothering us. Michael and the others will take care of the wild hog problem. Unless we get attacked by a rabid armadillo, I think we’re pretty safe.”
“Please tell me you’re kidding.”
His chuckle was deep and warm, and it put her at ease even before he spoke. “Yeah, I’m kidding. Besides, I told you I’d never let anything hurt you.”
She wanted to hug herself with joy. “I guess you’re not angry anymore?” She could still remember the way he’d looked as she stood next to Decker. “I hated seeing you so upset with me.”
He leaned forward, his expression urgent. “Then tell me why, Mandy. Why did you leave with him?”
She drank the remainder of her champagne then lay back. Sunlight peeked through the treetops then disappeared as a cloud rolled in front of the sun. “It’s very complicated.”
“Bullshit.”
His jaw set so she could see the way his muscles worked as he ground his teeth. She reached out to him, to caress his face, but he moved back.
“It is bullshit, but it’s true, too. Decker is…” She shook her head, unable to find the right way to describe her relationship. A friend? Yes. A lover? Not yet. A fiancé? Sadness enveloped her. Yes.
“Decker is what? What is he to you, Mandy?” He rested on his elbow, his anger dissipating a little. “Is he your lover?”
“No. I haven’t slept with him.” Although Decker was attractive, sexy by any woman’s measure, something had always held her back from taking him into her bed.
“Then I don’t get it.”
“In the few short months I’ve known him, Decker has wormed his way into my life. He’s helped my mom with money, and now he’s promised to help Glen, too. He even helped me locate my father. I owe him a lot.”
Jimmy moved on top of her, holding his body’s weight off hers as he searched for understanding. “You owe him? That’s why you left with him? Because you feel you have to pay him back somehow?”
She couldn’t stop the tears from coming. “I do. Can you understand that? My mother is so excited and my father is breathing easier with Decker’s promise to help. I can’t let them down.”
“So it’s better to let me down? Hell, to let yourself down?” He brushed away a tear, fell to her side, then slid his hand down her body. His hand stalled on top of the bulge in her pocket. “What’s this?”
Before she could stop him, he’d tugged the velvet box from her pocket and was on his feet. Opening the box, his eyes went wide and his jaw fell slack.
“Please, Jimmy, let me explain.” Pain seared through her, ripping a hole in her heart at his tortured expression.
“Is this an engagement ring? From him?”
She snatched the box from him and shoved it into her pocket. “Yes, it is. Decker asked me to marry him.”
“And what did you tell him?”
“You have to understand.” She couldn’t tell if he was more angry or hurt.
“Answer the question, Mandy. What did you tell him?”
Her heart broke apart, unable to stand the agony she put him through. Dragging in deep breaths, she sobbed her answer. “I said yes.”
* * * *
Her answer barreled through him like a runaway train through a car stuck on the tracks. His mind reeled, and the world around him blurred. He stepped back, physically unbalanced.
“Jimmy, please.”
She had to be joking. Maybe he’d heard her wrong. He’d believe anything. Just not that.
“You’re going to marry Decker.” He should howl his pain, but he couldn’t gather enough strength. Instead, he simply stared at her and wished he’d never met her.
“I told him I would.”
Suddenly the emotions slammed into him, taking him out of his numb state and letting him feel. “Then why the hell did you agree to come with me? You could’ve told me this at the door.”
“No I couldn’t.”
“Why not? Did you think you’d let me down easy? Because, babe, this isn’t easy. Not by any stretch of the imagination.”
“I meant I couldn’t let you go.”
He paused, trying to let her words make sense, but couldn’t. Growling, he reached down to take the end of the blanket. She stopped him, placing her hand on his. The now-familiar rush of heat scorched from her skin to burn his, and he no longer had the ability to think. Instead, he grabbed her arms and threw her onto the blanket.
Mandy didn’t cry out. Instead, she took his face between her hands, rose up, and crushed her mouth to his. Surprise soon gave way to desire, and he welcomed her tongue in his mouth. She tasted sweet and spicy at the same time while her body’s heat lit a flame in his.
He cupped her breast, tugging her shirt away. She yanked him out of his jeans, never letting their urgency interrupt their kiss. Frantic with need, he couldn’t think of anything except seeking the soft skin under her clothes. The warm sun heated his back, but it was nothing compared to the heat under his hands.
Naked, they slid their hands over each other, rediscovering their treasures, savoring the tastes. He groaned and fought the urge to glide his cock inside her. But the battle was one he couldn’t win.
Tumbling over, he pulled her on top of him and guided his shaft into her pussy. Her long, black hair streamed over her shoulders like an obsidian waterfall over pale rocks. Her eyes were closed, but her mouth opened as she flattened her hands against his pecs. Bracing his hands on her hips, he thrust upward. She moved in perfect sync with him, giving proof that they’d been made for each other.
Her breasts bounced as she rocked against him, and he couldn’t resist taking one of her firm, full breasts in his hand. Her taut nipple pushed against his palm, and he ached to catch the hard bud between his teeth.
She was more beautiful than he remembered with the sunlight dancing in the highlights of her hair skimming over her shoulders and along her arms. He fondled her, delighting in the way her breast and butt cheek filled his hands.
He flicked his tongue over her nipple. She opened her lust-filled eyes, and he almost lost control. The animal within burst free, clawing to come out and claim its mate.
She locked her hands behind his neck and held on. Together, they watched each other as she rode him and he plunged deeper inside her.
Groaning, he took her breast and brought her nipple to his mouth. He nipped at her, pumped into her, and listened to the small sound she made with each thrust.
“I want to take you the other way.” He searched her face, wondering if he was asking too much, too soon. But the animal inside him had to ask.
Her lust-clouded gaze met his. “Take me any way you want.”
Growling, he threw her on her side, eliciting a yelp from her. Caressing her arm, he took it then turned her on her stomach. She responded, giving him the permission he couldn’t voice to ask. Going onto her knees, she leaned forward on her forearms and offered her bottom.
The wolf inside howled its victory, and he gritted his teeth to keep from throwing back his head and letting the howl fly skyward. Instead, he bent to her and kissed the tight rings around her anus. She jerked then lowered her upper torso closer to the ground.
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
She craned her neck around, her eyes blazing with need. “You won’t.”
Placing his cock at the opening, he eased himself in. She clenched at first, fighting against the invasion, but soon he heard her deep breaths as she relaxed.
Easy. Take it easy.
He closed his eyes, the sensation of her tightening around him so amazing and so right. Slowly he increased his movement, drawing out then going back in. She moaned and wiggled her bottom, driving him insane. Slapping her butt cheeks, he took hold and rammed into her.
“I can’t last much longer.”
She didn’t answer. Not with her voice. Lifting up, she pushed back against him until he realized what she wanted.
She was tender yet strong, sexy yet sweet. When she stiffened, then let out a moan as her body trembled, he joined her and roared his release along with hers. Their bodies, together as one, fell onto the blanket.
Lying side by side, he waited for her breathing to return to normal, and then he slipped his arm over the small mound of her stomach. She placed her hand over his.
“You’re not marrying Decker.” He couldn’t, wouldn’t let her do it.
“I know.”
Relief flooded him, followed by joy. “Then you have to tell him.”
She turned on her side and snuggled into the crook of his arm. “I can handle my mom, but what do I do about my father? Decker promised to help him.”
“I’ll help him. Whatever the problem, I’ll get him the help he needs.”
She rose on her elbow, her eyes darkened to jade. “He owes a lot of money to some very bad men. I don’t want you to get involved. If anything happened to you…” Her words trailed off, choked by a sob.
Pulling her to his side again, he hugged her. “Nothing will happen to me. Trust me. But I’m going to need help. We need to tell Michael and the others.”
Chapter Eight
“I don’t understand what the problem is.” Michael rested his elbows on his knees and edged forward in his seat.
Mandy and Jimmy sat on the large sectional couch in the big room of the Matheson home, their hands clasped, their attention focused on Michael, Sara, and the four men standing around the room or lounging on the other section of the couch.
“You don’t?” Mandy glanced at Jimmy, who kept his gaze on his friend.
“No, we don’t.” Ranlon stretched his legs onto the ottoman and fell against the couch cushions. His fingers flew over the cell phone’s keypad, texting as he talked. “Seems simple enough. You tell Decker thanks, but no thanks, so you can be with the man you really love—not to mention gaining an entire family of sexy friends—then we pay your father’s debt. Although why you want to save his sorry ass is beyond me.”
“He’s her father, man.” Jimmy had repeated the same reason several times, but the others didn’t put much weight on her feelings of responsibility for her father’s safety.
“Yeah, I know. And I get that.” Michael tunneled a hand through his hair. “But if we decide to do this, then you’ve got to know it’s a one-time deal. Glen messes up again and gets in trouble, then we’re not going to bail him out. Not for your sake or Jimmy’s. And definitely not for Glen’s.”
She brushed her shoulder against Jimmy, urging him to take the lead in the conversation. The lump in her throat at his friends’ generosity prevented her from speaking. In the short time she’d known them, they’d shown her nothing but kindness, always telling her how beautiful she was and doing kind, even romantic, things for her. She cared for them almost as much as she cared for Jimmy. They were her family more than her father ever had been.
“So it’s agreed? We pay the fifteen thousand and Mandy breaks her engagement.”