The Reckoning (The O'Neils Book 6)

by Kathryn Shay

  But they sat in the car a long, long time. Why? Was there something he didn’t know about their relationship? Nah, Moran had ice in his veins. But to be sure, he’d find out what the house was. He didn’t need any surprises.

  Chapter 7

  * * *

  A few days later, on Friday night, Jamie purposefully, if unenthusiastically, made a date with Brad Larson, the cute firefighter Sophie had been trying to set her up with. He was picking her up after his shift and wouldn’t be here until six, so she decided to stay at work and catch up on some of the things Kinley had left on her desk. Grandma had taken Ben over to her sister’s house, about an hour away and was staying for the weekend. Ben loved playing with her grandkids.

  She and Kinley hadn’t had a conversation since their shared experience at Guardian. He’d been out of the office Tuesday when she worked. And today, he’d been holed up inside.

  But she wasn’t prepared for him coming out looking like a movie star going to the Oscars. He wore a beautifully-tailored, raven tuxedo with a white ascot, over a pristine white shirt and a black bow tie. Jamie literally gasped.

  His face showed surprise, too. “What are you doing here?

  You should have left an hour ago.”

  “I-um, I have a date and he’s picking me up at six. I’m catching up on some work that I didn’t have a chance to do this week. I actually thought you were gone.”

  His eyes narrowed with a steely expression. “A date? With the firefighter?”

  Standing, she circled the desk. Sat on its edge. “Yes, with the firefighter. Where are you going looking like James Bond?”

  “I have a wedding to attend.”

  “With Blandine?”

  “Yes.”

  She just stared at him.

  He just stared at her.

  They said simultaneously, “Damn it.”

  She gave him a half smile. “We knew this was coming.”

  Frustrated, Kinley shook his head. “I don’t like it.”

  “Me, either.” She straightened. “But this is what we decided.”

  He scanned her from head to toe. “Nice dress. Great color on you.”

  The soft jersey peach material, dipped a bit at the neck, gathered at the waist and flared out at the knees. She’d change into the new heels and eventually she’d put on the black jacket she wore with the outfit as a light coat. “Thanks. I splurged.”

  “I’ve got to go. Put in for overtime for these hours.” He perused her up and down again. “It’ll help pay for the dress.” He pressed the elevator button, got in. She watched him as he watched her as the doors closed.

  “Well, that’s that.” But her heart broke a little bit more thinking of him with Blandine.

  “Darling, you seem bored.”

  Kinley had been staring blindly over Blandine’s shoulder and when she spoke, he said, “Do I?” He didn’t have the energy to lie.

  “Yes. Is it me or this dreadfully slow reception?”

  “Of course it’s not you. You’re lovely tonight.” In a strapless silver dress, she was dazzling. Only he didn’t really care.

  “Good.” She gave him a seductive smile. “Because I have plans for you later.”

  “Ah.” He’d flirt back. Maybe it would help. “Do you?”

  Leaning over, she whispered what she was going to do to him tonight, and he tried, he did, to get interested. Shit, he wasn’t! Maybe he’d wake up back at her house.

  “Let’s dance.”

  They went onto the floor. He held her close. Smelled the sinful perfume in her hair. Felt the silkiness of her skin. The lovely and luscious and very desirable Blandine was any man’s dream.

  Still, he felt nothing.

  Jamie forced herself to have fun with Brad. He was handsome with his blond hair kissed lightly by the sun, tanned, built. She asked, “So, where did you get the tan? It’s only the first week of April and we haven’t had a lot of warm weather.”

  “Spring break. I went to Belize with some firefighters.”

  “Did you have fun?”

  “Yeah. Zip-lining. Swimming with dolphins. Scuba diving, of course. Lots of restaurants. All-inclusive booze.”

  “Sounds like fun.” For a college kid.

  Jamie wasn’t interested in any of those activities. If she ever took a vacation, she would lie in the sun on the beach. A man—she knew who—would be rubbing her back with lotion. Leaning over to kiss her bare neck. He would…

  “So,” Brad said, “Want to dance?”

  Dancing might help.

  The band played some rock and roll.

  She asked, “Do you do swing dance?”

  “I know how. I’m a little rusty.”

  “Let’s go make fools of ourselves.”

  Jamie got into the dancing. It was fun to let go, move to music, feel the energy shoot through her body. By the time they left the bar, her feet hurt. And she’d forgotten about Kinley.

  Until now. Now, the vision of him in a tux came back to her in full living color. Then the horrid thought: Was Blandine taking that tux off of him right now?

  She reached up to take off his ascot, then his vest and tossed them on the floor. He hoped she didn’t rip his shirt in her haste. He liked it. Nice thing to be thinking about, Moran. You have a half-naked woman disrobing you and you worry about clothes.

  “Hmm,” she said reaching for his belt buckle. He stayed her hands. Her expression turned to impatient. “What is it this time?”

  He blurted out, “Another woman.”

  She recoiled, then she reached over and grabbed a robe lying across a chaise. After donning it, she went to a box on her dresser, took out a cigarette and lit it. “Want one?”

  “Yeah.” He took the tobacco, lit it and sat next to her on the bench at the end of the bed. She got an ashtray out of the nightstand drawer and put it between them.

  “I’m away a lot. We were never exclusive, but this kind of thing never happened.” Blandine sounded seriously bemused.

  “Believe me, I know.”

  “So Kinley Moran finally cares about somebody. Maybe even loves her?”

  He took a puff then butted the distasteful thing out. “Maybe.”

  “She’s not rebuffing you, is she?”

  “Not exactly. It’s complicated.”

  “I didn’t bargain for complicated, Kinley.”

  “I know. I think we should stop seeing each other.”

  She turned and kissed him on the mouth. “Maybe. But I’ll be on another tour, in Milan this time, and when I come back, I’ll call you. See how you made out, so to speak.”

  He stood and picked up his shirt. Donned it and the jacket he’d tossed to a chair. He walked over and took her chin. “I’m sorry, Blandine.”

  “As I am, Kinley.”

  Leaving his SUV parked on the street, Brad crossed the road with Jamie to her house. He asked, “So you live with your grandma and son, right?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “That makes it impossible for me to come in.” He gave her a boyish grin. “On the other hand, my place is empty.”

  She didn’t tell him hers was, too. “This is our first date, Brad.”

  He moved in closer. “Yeah, but I feel like I’ve known you forever.”

  “That might rate a goodnight kiss.” Jamie wanted to try it. To see if she could respond. That’s what this was all about, after all. And who knew what Kinley was doing.

  “I’ll settle for that.” He took her into his arms and lowered his head. The contact was sweet and sensual, making her calm and serene. She liked that. But when he started deepening the kiss, teasing her mouth open, she just…couldn’t.

  She eased back. He asked, “Well?”

  “It was sweet. But enough for now.”

  “You know, Jamie, I don’t think I could ever get enough of you.”

  “Thanks.” She gave him a peck on the cheek. “Now go.”

  “Get inside first.”

  From her window, she could see him jog to his
car and get in. She leaned her head against the cold glass. Why, why couldn’t she respond to him like she did to Kinley? Brad was a wonderful guy. More her type.

  She’d started away when she heard a soft knock on the door. Or had she imagined it? She went back, peeked out the side window, and her heart sang. Then quickly deflated. She wasn’t strong enough to do make him go tonight.

  Don’t answer.

  Another knock and she unlocked the dead bolt and opened the door. He faced her, all flustered and windblown. And wonderful. “I saw you kiss him.” His voice was raw, tinged with anger.

  “Were you spying on me?” But she couldn’t keep the delight from her voice.

  “I guess.”

  “What about Blandine?”

  “She’s very unhappy.”

  “Why?”

  “Look, can I come in? It’s cold out here.”

  “Not that cold.” But she opened the door the rest of the way.

  He walked inside and shut the night out. Faced her. “I told Blandine I couldn’t see her anymore because I cared about another woman, a lot, and dating her wouldn’t be fair.”

  “What did she say?”

  “She was shocked. This…” He motioned to her, to the room, “isn’t quite my style.”

  Oh, Dear God, her worst nightmare. She stepped away. “What, slumming it?”

  “No, caring about a woman so much.”

  Once again, her heart sang.

  “Will you come to my house, please?”

  “No. You said you wouldn’t be with me that night at Guardian because you were afraid I’d chose the O’Neils over you.”

  “Jamie, nothing about this whole relationship makes sense to me.”

  She stepped closer. Grabbed his lapels. “I’ll try never to do that, but I won’t reject them. I’ll be loyal to them, even if we do this.”

  “I can accept that. For now.”

  She said, “We can go to your house if you want, but Grandma and Ben are staying the weekend with her sister.”

  “Then what are we waiting for?

  He scooped her up before she could answer.

  Slowly, reluctantly, he let her slide down his body. The motion only increased the driving need he had for her. He couldn’t recall a time when he wanted so much.

  She cradled his cheek in her palm. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

  “Believe it, babe. I’m here and I’m going to have you all night.” His words were macho but he couldn’t help himself.

  Her hands went to his chest. She eased off his jacket and unbuttoned his shirt. Bare-chested, now, he reached around her, unzipped the pretty peach dress and eased it off her shoulders. A pink bra half-covered her breasts. He unsnapped the front closure and she spilled into his hands.

  “I’m not sure I can take this slow,” she murmured in his ear.

  “We’ll see.” He stepped back, pushed down her dress and found matching panties. “Hell, Jamie.”

  She eased them down, while he whipped off his belt, pants and briefs. She smiled at his erection. “Hmm.”

  Shaking his head, murmuring, “Witch!” he picked her up and lovingly laid her on the bed. She stretched out like a naked courtesan, and all he could see was the pure beauty of her.

  He laid down next to her, and her scent, something soft and sexy, filled his head. “Tell me what you like.”

  “Where’s the fun in that?”

  “I guess I’ll have to experiment, then.”

  First, he ran his fingertips over her neck, skimmed her breasts, tickled her stomach, then stopped between her legs. He pressed his palm there. Circled it. Ground it. She squirmed beneath him. He chuckled and opened her. Slid a finger inside. Then leaned over and said, “You’re as wet as I’m hard.”

  “Kinley.”

  “Yes, love?”

  “Don’t tease.”

  “Where’s the fun in that?”

  Jamie was close to incoherence, but her eyes still teared. She’d never seen this playful side of him. “Oh…” she moaned when he inserted another finger. “I’m, um, ready.”

  “I know you are.”

  “Don’t wait.”

  His talented fingers left her most sensitive spot and traveled further down her legs. Tickled the inside of her thighs. Every inch of her skin was sensitized.

  “Seriously. If you don’t…”

  In seconds, he drew a leg over his and poised his penis at her opening. “Look at me, Jamie,” he said solemnly.

  She held his gaze. He entered her slowly. His jaw clenched. He gave a push and filled her.

  “Oh, my God,” she said closing her eyes briefly.

  “Hurt?” She’d told him it had been a year for her.

  “No. W-wonderful.”

  Sweat beaded on his brow as he thrust once. And again. He almost pulled out, then pushed forward hard. The spasms started and increased until they burst upon her with pleasure that swelled and swelled and peaked and peaked.

  Kinley waited until she settled, then said, “Again.”

  A second orgasm hit her as he moved again. When he was sure she was done, he let himself go. His climax happened instantly, came hard, harder until ecstasy possessed him.

  Jamie held him as he emptied himself inside her. When he was finally spent, she hugged him close on top of her while his breath came in gasps. She couldn’t believe he was here, that they’d made poignant yet…fun love. When doubts started in her brain, she blanked her mind, concentrated on how his hair curled at his neck, how his nape was sweaty, how broad his shoulders were. His scent was all male.

  After a minute or so, he levered himself up on his forearms. She’d never seen him look at her like this. Awed. Happy. Loving. He brushed tendrils of her hair over her face.

  “Jamie.”

  She smiled.

  He sighed and rolled off her, took her with him to cradle her in the crook of his arm. “I guess it was good for you.”

  “Good doesn’t even begin to describe what I felt.”

  He chuckled.

  “You, too, right?” He heard the note of worry in her voice.

  “Any better and you’d be taking me to the hospital. I thought my skull was going to burst.”

  She laughed.

  “It was magnificent.”

  “I’m glad. Though I’m still a bit stymied by what brought you here.”

  He waited a bit, then answered. “I couldn’t handle the thought of you with your fireman. I couldn’t bear making love to another woman. I threw caution to the wind, told Blandine we were over and hightailed it here.”

  “What if I’d been with Brad?”

  “I didn’t care. I’d have dragged you away.”

  She came up and braced herself on his chest. It was smattered with dark brown hair. “You’re getting pretty caveman on me, Kinley.”

  “I’m sorry if that offends you. I lost control, love, long before I had you in bed.” He swallowed hard. “This, what we did, never happened to me before.”

  She arched a brow.

  “Honestly. I’ve had climaxes with other women, of course. But a part of me managed to distance myself. This time, I didn’t.”

  “I’m glad you never felt this way with anyone else.”

  He tipped her chin. “You?”

  “It was the best I’ve ever had,” she told him as her hand traveled down to his groin. He was hard again. “So much so, I want more.”

  “I think I’ve died and gone to heaven.”

  She cooked him breakfast. It had been a long time since anyone did that for him. His mother never had. His aunt tried, but Kinley was away at prep school, and on holidays, the three of them ate together, so it wasn’t the same as this. The scents were heavenly. Bacon frying. The doughy smell of pancakes sizzling on a griddle. As he sat at the counter, his mouth watered waiting for the food.

  Meanwhile, watching her was fun. Her hair hung loose and free to her waist. His shirt graced her torso, and when she moved just right, he could see the bottom
of her butt. She turned around, and he caught glimpses of her breasts as she hadn’t buttoned up all the way.

  “What’s that look for?” she asked sipping her coffee.

  “I don’t know what I want more, you or that breakfast you’re cooking.”

  “Already?”

  “Hmm.” They made love once more last night, then again this morning. They’d slept in each other’s arms, and Kinley was shocked at the sensation. He’d never, ever, done that.

  He glanced dramatically at the clock. “That was an hour ago.”

  “Long enough, probably. But I’m a bit sore.”

  His face fell. “Seriously? I’m so sorry.”

  She winked to make light of her message. “Worth it. But we have to wait some.”

  “I have an idea. Let’s go to my place. There’s a jacuzzi in the bathroom. We can hang out there.”

  She frowned. “I know where you live. I checked out the apartments in the Ritz online.”

  “Because of me?”

  “Yes, silly. I’m not sure I belong there.”

  He stood abruptly and crossed to the stove. Grasped her by the shoulders. “You belong wherever I am. Do you understand?”

  “Um, no, I didn’t.”

  “Well, it’s true.”

  “I suppose we could go there until tomorrow afternoon.”

  “What time are Ben and Jean coming back?”

  “Five, but I said I’d have dinner ready for them.”

  “Then let’s make the most of our time.”

  “All right. We’ll eat then I’ll pack a bag.”

  “I’ll clean up here while you do that.”

  “Do you even know how?”

  He kissed her hard. “Sassy, aren’t you?”

  “Is that a no?”

  “I think I can figure it out.”

  Jamie rode the elevator up to the thirty-first floor with trepidation. She’d dressed in simple jeans and a fitted red shirt, over which she put a light canvas jacket. Kinley had thrown on a navy sweat suit from the car he’d driven last night to her house. He looked boyish.

  “We’re here.”