Authors: Mackenzie Crowne
For the moment, her sex whisperer was silent. He mounted her without a word. Gripping her left calf, he guided her leg up and around his waist then flexed his hips. He pushed inside her and her inner muscles stretched deliciously around his invading length. She arched into him, spiraling close to the edge and needing to take him completely. He slid home and immediately began to move heavily.
Like well-lubed pistons, his hips pumped. She clung to him and matched his pace. His biceps bulged, propping his wide chest above hers, and his shaggy hair curtained his face. Emerald fire burned in the gaze locked with hers. With a grunt, he shifted onto one arm and reached between them, pressing a thumb to her tightened clit.
“Fly with me, baby.”
With a keening cry, she answered his irresistible demand.
Saturday morning was spent on the phone, directing a nervous client on the launch of her new website. Once the call ended, deliciously sweet scents drew Gracie to the empty kitchen. The third double batch of cookies in less than a week cooled on the counter. She rolled her eyes and snagged a water bottle from the fridge. Propping her hips against the counter, she selected a cookie and nibbled on the evidence she wasn’t the only one to fall victim to the sexy bruiser in their midst.
With the exception of Angel, who showed signs of weakening but had yet to surrender completely to Jake’s irresistible charms, the rest of them had melted like Mary’s chocolate chips. The housekeeper had it bad, clucking around Jake like a mother hen, whipping up his favorite recipes and feeding his sweet tooth. As for Charlie, she’d been toast from the beginning, following him around like a doe-eyed groupie.
Shaking her head, Gracie’s lips curved in a secret smile. She, by far, had been the easiest of his conquests, succumbing to his seduction in record time. Still, she couldn’t be sorry, despite the wispy shadows of doubt and guilt occasionally blurring the sultry waves of contented pleasure at where things stood between them.
A lovely tingle tiptoed up her spine and she easily shoved aside her misgivings. Whatever the future held, she meant to enjoy this time they’d been given. Besides, how could she regret the hours they spent together in the cottage yesterday?
Remembered pleasure made her smile. The guy knew what he was about. His talented fingers strummed her body like a Stradivarius in a master’s hand. As bold and brazen as he could be, she’d anticipated sex with him would be earthy and audacious and hadn’t been disappointed. What she hadn’t expected was his underlying gentleness and generosity.
Hardly a player in the sex department, she couldn’t be considered a blushing virgin either, and yet with Jake she might as well have been. Did the newly accepted love in her heart account for the unexpected intensity of the experience? Perhaps the difference lay in the way he telegraphed his every sensual move, vocalizing his desires and whipping her body into a frenzy of anticipation before delivering all he promised and more. Then again, she’d never been with a man who could make her laugh while in the throes of passion. His bawdy teasing invited her quirky sense of humor and somehow kept her off balance
and
simultaneously put her at ease.
Whatever the underlying reason, the thrilling trace of his fingertips over her skin, teasing whispers in her ear, and hot brush of his body against hers delivered her to a place she’d never visited before. A place where inhibitions didn’t tread. A newly discovered sense of feminine power grew stronger with every low moan, sultry smile, and shudder of his big body until she’d teetered on the edge of euphoria.
And if she was reading him right, she wasn’t alone on her blissful journey to uncharted ground. His intent gaze, boring into hers when she wandered into the kitchen for breakfast this morning smoldered with heat and remembrance. The possibility he’d been as bowled over as she by their encounter kept her body humming throughout the rest of the morning. Even now, when he was nowhere in sight, her nipples puckered in anticipation of a repeat performance.
He’d named her greedy, with good reason, but her need for him was so much more. Jake Malone was a craving in her soul. She was in danger of becoming addicted.
Murphy scratched at the back door and she shoved off the counter. Addicted to Jake Malone? A grin pulled at her lips. She could think of worse things.
At Murphy’s whine, she held his collar as she opened the door. Though the words were unclear, the unmistakable, low rumble of Jake’s deep voice floated across the distance from the barn to her ears. A pleasant shiver rippled over her. Girlish laughter followed whatever he’d said, and her lips stretched in a helpless grin at the happy sound.
Several muffled thumps made her brow wrinkle with curiosity. What were he and the girls up to? Grabbing a stray jacket from the hook beside the door, she let the dog out and set off to investigate. The noises coming from inside the barn made sense when she rounded the building. Her steps slowed as she eyed the strange pickup truck. The open ramp of the attached horse trailer could mean only one thing and the giddy joy thrumming through her system cooled by several degrees.
Hercules had arrived at the farm.
Talk about a reality check. While she’d been floating on a haze of pleasure, Jake had been busy making arrangements. No real surprise, considering how determined he was to win the twins over. He’d said he planned to have the animal brought to the farm, hadn’t he? Before he touched her and made her forget the true reason they were both here.
Well, she remembered now. If she were a more cynical type, she might think he’d distracted her on purpose, but her heart denied the possibility he’d slept with her simply to throw her off guard. Would a man playing a role experience four orgasms in two hours if he wasn’t truly attracted? She didn’t think so.
Who was she kidding? With men, her middle name was skeptical, but she couldn’t blame cynicism and couldn’t, in good conscience, blame Jake for her loss of focus, not when she’d willingly fall back into his bed in a heartbeat if given the chance. The sad fact was, the man scrambled her brain and she wanted this…
temporary fling
with him almost as badly as she wanted to make a family with the girls.
The trouble was, no matter what her heart might feel, or how exciting sleeping with him might be, when it came to the custody of the girls, she and Jake were at war. No escaping that fact. She’d known going in, sleeping with him would have drawbacks.
A scrambled brain was apparently one of them and something she’d need to guard against in the future.
Squinting, she studied the empty horse trailer and cleared her throat against the completely unacceptable fist of disappointment clenching in her belly. His sleeping with her might not be a ploy to win custody, not consciously anyway, but the pleasure they shared certainly hadn’t kept
him
from keeping his eye on the prize. She’d do well to follow his example.
She patted a hand to her thigh. “Come here, Murph.” The dog trotted to her side obediently. She gripped his collar tight. Though he got along fine with other dogs, she wasn’t sure what his reaction would be to a horse. She briefly considered returning him to the house but decided against it. This was his home, too—at least for the next few months.
Heart heavy and steps dragging, she pasted on a smile and led Murphy through the open barn door. Moist warmth and the pungent scent of hay and horse enveloped her. After the bright sunlight, her eyes were slow to adjust to the low light of the large building. When they did, she headed down the long center aisle.
On sneakered feet, Angel climbed the metal rails of the last stall and tossed one leg over the top rung. Mary hovered behind her with Charlie clinging to her hand. “Here now. You be careful. That’s a mighty big animal.”
Angel didn’t spare the housekeeper a glance. Balancing her bottom on the rail, she leaned forward and peered into the stall where Jake raked a rough-bristled brush over the flank of a huge black horse. “Look how pretty he is.”
Unnoticed, Gracie came to a stop beside Mary and couldn’t disagree. Like his owner, the proud animal was larger than life and gloriously appealing. Tall and muscular, he exuded strength and power. His glossy, ebony coat gleamed with good health as did his matching mane and long, flowing tail.
The metal clip on his harness jangled when he jerked his regal head in a lurching nod as if agreeing with Angel’s assessment.
Warmth bubbled in Gracie’s belly at Jake’s soft chuckle. He straightened, and her gaze followed his wide palmed hand sliding over the horse’s back to his neck. He thumped the strong column twice in a rough caress. The warmth in her belly intensified to a smolder when he glanced up from his grooming and his laughing gaze clashed with hers.
Pinned in place by the mesmerizing beam of his sparkling green gaze, she bit back a groan. What did it say about her that moisture pooled between her thighs, despite the presence of a grandmotherly housekeeper and two six year-olds? But, damn it, guarding against a scrambled brain was severely problematic with her insides performing a bump and grind shimmy dance to the strippers’ beat echoing through her head.
It made perfect sense she’d fallen in love with a devil like Jake, since she was obviously going to hell.
Her breath escaped in a relieved shudder when he glanced away to wink at Angel.
“I think he agrees with you, Angel face.”
Pleased color bloomed on Angel’s cheeks.
The stripper beat screeched to a halt on a sour note. Gracie resisted the urge to rub a palm over the pang squeezing her heart as right before her eyes, her lone ally slipped an inch closer to surrender. Over the idea of sharing an accord with his horse or from Jake’s use of the nickname? Gracie wasn’t sure, but either way, the arrival of Hercules had already altered the dynamics of Angel’s and Jake’s relationship and further threatened Gracie’s hopes for a family.
The sting of impending tears registered, but they didn’t have the chance to form before Hercules swished his thick tail in a whipping arc. He stomped a back hoof to the floor with a resounding thud. She’d forgotten about Murphy until he jolted at the unexpected sounds. He jumped back from the stall and tore the collar from her fingers after nearly wrenching her arm from the socket.
Startled by the dog’s sudden thrashing, Hercules skittered to the side on clomping hooves. Jake scrambled to grab the dangling reins and missed. The horse’s momentum carried him to the other side of the stall where his large rump crashed against the rails and knocked Angel off balance.
Jake shot out his free arm. With a cry, Gracie leapt forward, as did Mary. None of them were quick enough to prevent the six year old from tumbling over the bars to land between the horse’s stomping front hooves. The clear snap of a bone sent a jagged blade of terror slicing down Gracie’s spine, even as she bent to squeeze between the rails to get to her niece.
Jake grunted gutturally. Gracie jerked a quick glance his way. He struggled to control the nervous animal and prevent him from trampling the tiny body at his feet. The horse balked, high stepping and dancing sideways. Finally, Jake jammed a shoulder into the horse’s solid chest. Using brute force, he shoved the animal back toward the far corner of the stall.
“Shh. It’s okay, boy. Settle. Settle.” He crooned to the fractious animal. Holding the reins in a firm grip, he ran his free hand back and forth over the horse’s quivering shoulder. “Did he step on her?” he called over his shoulder in a deceptively soothing tone.
“Oh, my sweet Lord.” Mary’s brogue thickened with her concern. Tears dripped down Charlie’s scrunched face as she pressed against the railing and ineffectively reached her hand out to her twin.
Gracie dropped to her knees beside Angel’s crumpled body. Busy scrambling into the stall, she hadn’t seen.
Had
Angel been stepped on? The sound of a breaking bone had been unmistakable, but from what cause? The fall, or the horse’s hooves? Terror threatened as she ran gentle hands over Angels back, and she almost fainted with relief when the little girl rolled over on her own. No paralysis, thank God.
Angel moaned and opened her eyes. They immediately flooded with tears. Gracie carefully wrapped one arm under her shoulders when she struggled to sit up, cradling her left arm. Beneath the bulky sleeve of her winter coat, the arm was clearly broken. Angel began to cry in earnest. Charlie joined her, sobbing into Mary’s side.
“Gracie!” Soft and quiet, Jake’s voice held a definite demand.
The lump in her throat made speaking difficult. “No. No, he didn’t, thank God, but I think her arm is broken.”
The heavy rush of his expelled breath registered over the twins’ whimpering sobs. Gracie glanced over Angel’s shoulder. He turned his head and ran his gaze over his half sister. A rolling shudder rippled over his body and searing relief darkened his eyes before they slid shut. Gracie could sympathize with the flash of vulnerability in those green orbs. She’d never been so scared in her life.
His shoulders slumped and his chest expanded on a rough breath. When he opened his eyes a moment later, all sign of vulnerability was gone. Unmistakable anger glittered there.
“Get her out of here.” His gaze sliced briefly to Charlie. His lip curled on a soft snarl when he cast a glance at Murphy. “Get them all out of here. Now.” Though he kept his voice soft, there was no missing the fury in his tone.
Angel winced at his growled demand and ducked her head to burrow her face tighter against Gracie. She wrapped the child tighter to her chest and scalded him with a heated glare. Neither she nor her dog were in any way at fault for what happened with his stupid horse. No skin off her nose if he decided to lay the blame at her feet, but for a guy normally a pro when it came to the female mind, he was acting like a rookie in this case. Couldn’t he see Angel considered his anger aimed at her?
Fine. He was upset, with good reason, but Angel was already distressed enough. Did he have to make matters worse?
Furious with herself as much as with him, she shook her head and turned away. How could she have fallen for a man whose
horse
had a deeper understanding of a little girl’s gentle heart than he did? She rose to her feet with Angel tucked close in her arms. Mary unlatched the stall door and pushed the rail wide so they could exit. Charlie immediately raced forward and curled her fingers around her sister’s ankle.