The interior was neat as a pin with an expensive GPS unit attached to the dashboard and what appeared to be a plastic grocery bag draped around the gear shaft to act as a trash bag. Other than that, there was nothing to identify whether the owner was male or female. Not that it mattered. Once they got a glimpse of the bag slung over Scott’s shoulder, he or she would get the hint—he wasn’t leaving.
Scott had no more than mounted the porch steps when the door opened and a large figure filled the doorway. Stunned, he stood rooted in place. You’ve got to be kidding me.
“Shit.”
Joe leaned against the doorjamb and offered him a disturbing smile. “Well, hello to you, too.” He looked him over with a nod. “You look well. Come in. Cherry will be out in a minute.”
Scott entered the small single-story home, feeling anything but well. He’d been hoping for a few days to prepare before confronting Joe. What was he supposed to do now? With Charity in close proximity, Joe wasn’t likely to bring up what had happened the night he left. But that didn’t mean he was going to let Scott forget it either.
“I heard you’re a doctor now. Congratulations.” That’s it. Find safe ground. “I applaud your ability to handle it on a daily basis.”
Joe pushed off the frame and allowed Scott to pass. “I’m surprised she told you my specialty. She usually leaves that out when mentioning me to her boyfriends.”
Awkward. “Actually, I heard you on the radio the other day. I walked in on the tail end of that ‘Ask the Expert’ segment. For what it’s worth, you handled your end of it better than I would have.”
“Thanks,” Joe grumbled. “Look, I’m not interested in small talk. All I want to hear is that you’re not going to lead her on a wild goose chase the way you did last time.”
Lead her on? He’d never led Charity on. At least he didn’t think he had. He’d known she had feelings for him and he’d ignored them until he’d felt it too. Wasn’t it then he’d made the decision to leave? Well, he wasn’t running now. He’d heard her declaration of love and, though a part of him was still unsure of what their future entailed, he knew he wanted her in it.
“Twelve years is a long time, don’t you think?” He set his duffle bag down near the door and eased himself onto one of the stools at the kitchen counter. “Let it go all ready. I have no intention of leading her on or hurting her in any way. Contrary to what you think, I’ve always cared for Cherry.”
The sound of a door creaking open floated down the narrow hall and Joe sucked the inside of his cheek before giving him a pointed look. “For your sake, you better be right.” Upon seeing Charity entering the kitchen, he forced a crooked grin. “Perfect timing, I’d say.”
Glancing up from towel drying her hair, Charity peered first at her brother then at Scott. Their gazes met, her smile spreading until a glint shown in her eyes. She dropped the towel on the back of a bistro chair tucked in the corner of the room before coming over to wrap her arms around his neck in a hug.
“Did Kathy mind you taking so much time off?” she asked after placing a small kiss at the corner of his mouth. “I don’t want you getting in trouble.”
It was all he could do to keep from pulling her to him for a proper kiss. But with Joe watching them carefully, he erred on the side of discretion. No sense adding fuel to a delicate situation. Instead, he settled for resting his hands on her hips and giving the denim clad flesh a squeeze.
“Nope. I’m free for the next two weeks.” He chuckled at her squeal of excitement. “Easy, baby girl. I think my mother will insist you share me a few of those days.”
Charity withdrew with a dramatic sigh. “If I must.” She retrieved another beer from the refrigerator and slid it across the counter to Scott. “Hey, I’ve got an idea. Joe, why don’t you come over for dinner tomorrow? I’ll call Laney and see if I can’t sweet talk her into coming over as well.”
At the mention of Charity’s friend, Joe straightened and cleared his throat. “I don’t know about that. She and Emily were pretty adamant about wanting me to take a long walk off a short pier. Maybe it would be best to take a rain check for now.”
She flicked her hand in a dismissive manner and opened the bottle of tequila. “Don’t be silly. Once she hears about Merlin’s payback show, she’ll be fine. It’ll be fun and I promise to have you out of here before bedtime.”
The gentle chide brought a smile to Scott’s face and, to his surprise, Joe’s as well. The two shared a sideways glance and Scott was transported back to a time when he and Joe knew everything about each other.
“Very funny.” After a moment of thought, Joe relented. “All right, but on one condition. You can’t play matchmaker.”
After pouring and passing out the shots, Charity held up her glass in a toast. “I believe I already have.” She gave Scott a wink. “Cheers.”
****
Though she would never admit it aloud, Charity was relieved when her brother left a short time later. With the promise of calling him with a time for dinner the next evening, she shut the door and leaned her forehead against the smooth wood. Had it been her imagination or had Joe been acting especially weird around Scott? She imagined there would be a certain ick factor since they’d been inseparable as kids, but this was different. She could almost feel the tension between the two men. Had her brother voiced his concerns to Scott while she’d been in the shower? God, she hoped not.
Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t hear Scott behind her until he slid his arms around her and nuzzled his lips against her ear. “As nice as it was to see Joe again, would it be rude of me to say I’m glad he’s gone?”
She murmured an unintelligible response when his hands slipped beneath her tank top to cup her breasts. Her breath hitched at the feel of his fingers strumming her nipples through the fabric of her bra. Two weeks, she thought gleefully. Two weeks of not having to be careful who sees us.
“Hmm. Not at all.” She turned and laced her fingers behind his neck. Lifting herself onto her toes, she brushed her lips against his. “Now that we’re alone, why don’t you tell me what you want?”
“You. I don’t think I can wait another minute.”
“Then let’s not dawdle. Bed?”
Scott shook his head, grabbing her around the waist and yanking her against him.
“Right here,” he said before pressing his lips to hers.
He ravished her mouth, his tongue rolling around hers in a frantic dance. His hands slid down her spine and over the curve of her hips before gripping her ass. He pulled her closer still, making sure she felt every inch of his cock as his lips moved from her mouth to her neck.
“Scott,” she moaned, tipping her head back to give him better access to the neglected flesh.
He nipped at her skin and she shivered in delight. Every inch of her body tingled and ached with need for him. With trembling fingers, she reached for the buttons of his shirt. One by one, they came loose, giving her a glimpse of the tight rippled muscles of his chest. She ran her palms across his tanned skin and then down the center of his chest, loving the feel of the soft dark hairs against her fingertips.
“I want to make you mine,” he murmured, lifting the top over her head. “Tonight, tomorrow, for as long as I can have you.”
Charity reached behind her and unclasped her bra, allowing the garment to fall silently to the floor. “I am,” she purred. “All you have to do is take me.”
In a flash, she was in his arms, clinging to him as he backed her into the door. Her back hit the cool wood with a thud, but she didn’t have time to register the dull ache as he cupped her breasts with both hands and lowered his mouth to her hot skin.
Her body hummed at the feel of his tongue tracing tiny circles around her nipples. Pleasure exploded inside her belly and she could feel her panties dampening with each tug of his lips. She buried her fingers in his hair, forcing him to take her into his mouth.
I want to make you mine. Scott’s words echoed in her lust-filled mind, and she could
n’t help thinking she always had been. She hissed in a breath and exhaled a shaky sigh when he sucked the hardened peak into his mouth, the ripples turning to waves at the feel of his teeth gently scraping the sensitive flesh.
“Oh, that’s good,” she whimpered.
She bit the corner of her lip to squelch a protest when he lifted his head from her breasts. He straightened and seized her mouth with his own, his lips demanding total surrender.
She gave it to him. She wiggled her hands between them, telling herself that their bodies would only be separated for a moment, as she twisted the button of her shorts loose and shimmied out of the offending clothing.
“Get naked,” she ordered.
“Yes, ma’am.”
Within seconds, Scott’s clothes were next to hers and she drank him in with her eyes. From the desire burning in his gaze down to his engorged erection, Charity feasted on the sheer masculinity of him. Oh, she was his all right and she wasn’t about to let him walk away from her a second time.
His fingers hooked into the elastic of her panties and pulled them off, pausing to run his palms over the tops of her ivory thighs. The muscles in her legs quivered at the feel of his lightly calloused hands against her baby-soft skin and she dropped her head against the door when his fingertips brushed the one area that needed his touch the most. Arching her hips forward, she held her breath, waiting for him to explore her pussy in more detail.
He parted the dewy folds of her sex, sliding two fingers within her. He found her g-spot immediately and massaged the sensitive area, causing shockwaves of rapture to spiral through her core at breakneck speed. He rested his forehead against the door next to her, breathing kisses on her neck while rubbing his thumb over the tiny nub of her clit.
“I love how wet you get for me,” he bit out between clenched teeth.
Charity reached down to wrap her hand around his cock. He squeezed his eyes shut, pressing his free hand against the door for support as her fingers slid up and down the length of him. She was on the brink of something wonderful, something she wanted to last but knew was impossible. He felt too good and she was too weak to resist him.
Instead, she rocked in time with his quickening movements, pushing herself to reach that euphoric peak. Higher and higher she soared, forgetting everything except the glorious sensation of his fingers inside her pussy and the velvety feel of hot skin over marble-hard erection.
“I—I,” she panted, grinding her hips against his hand. “Oh!”
Scott kissed her neck, her jaw, her chin, and then her lips as his breathing became heavier. “Let it go. I want to feel you come.”
That was all she needed to hear. The tides of ecstasy rose within her, breaking the dam of self-restraint. She cried out while pleasure spilled from her. The pressure of his fingers only intensified her orgasm and her knees shook with each spasm of her body.
“I have to have you.” Scott gripped her hips and lifted her several inches off the floor. “Put your arms around my neck.”
Mindlessly, she held onto his shoulders while wrapping her legs around his hips. She rubbed against him, guiding him with her willing body. He plunged his rigid length deep inside her wet heat in a single thrust. A rush of satisfaction swept over her at the feel of him stretching and filling her.
She clutched his shoulders, her nails digging into his skin. “Deeper. Harder. I want to feel every bit of you.”
A hungry growl rumbled in the back of Scott’s throat and he pushed again, burying himself to the hilt within her warm, tight pussy. He pulled back and drew her hips against him while pushing inside again. Any hope of controlling their tempo vanished when he leaned forward, pressing her back into the wood. The door thumped in its frame as he thrust over and over, driving her to indescribable heights of ecstasy.
“Yes!” she cried, her arms and legs tightening around him until their bodies melded. “Please, more.”
Faster, harder, none of it seemed enough. She buried her face in his neck, inhaling the musky scent of his cologne mingled with sweat. She traced the tense muscles with the tip of her tongue, savoring the salty taste of his skin. She shivered against him. Who would have guessed that something as simple as licking his neck would bring about the urge to come. Not her. However, she welcomed the rippling sensation along with the flood of moisture rushing to the spot where they were joined.
“Cherry,” he moaned in a choked voice. “You’re going to make me come.”
Charity pressed her back into the door and managed a weak nod. “We’ll go together.”
No sooner had the words escaped her lips, Scott gave a hard thrust, sending her careening over the edge. Her body shook as her pussy contracted around him, drawing from him the same intense release she was experiencing. He cursed softly and then shuddered, emptying himself into her.
Seconds later, he fell against her panting, his weight crushing her against the door. She lowered her legs once his cock slid out, but kept her arms wrapped around his neck. He slipped his arms around her and hugged her tightly to him, his fingers stroking her back.
“Damn,” he muttered a moment later.
“What’s wrong?”
“I was in such a hurry to be inside you, I didn’t even think about getting a condom,” he said.
“I’m clean as a whistle if it makes you feel any better.”
Scott laughed. “As am I, but that’s not the only thing that concerns me.”
Oh. Right. Pregnancy. “That’s a non-issue, too. I’ve been on the pill for years.” She smiled at his relieved expression. “Why don’t we take this party into the bedroom? I guarantee you it’s more comfortable than this door.”
She started to reach for their discarded clothing, but instead of releasing her, Scott drew her closer. His lips caressed her neck before fluttering over her chin and jaw. At last she felt his warm breath against her ear and she closed her eyes.
“Cherry, stop.”
“Stop what?”
“Pulling away. For once, will you just let me hold you?”
She stopped at this. It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him she wasn’t going anywhere, when she thought better of it. He was right. Every time they’d made love, it had always been her to draw away first. Whether it was from insecurity or fear of the closeness, she couldn’t say but then she supposed it didn’t matter.
“I don’t know what you’re—”
“Yes, you do.” Frustrated, Scott took the clothes from her and tossed them aside before grasping her hands and pulling her with him toward the hallway. “I’m not going to let you do it this time. We’re going into that bedroom and neither of us are coming out until noon tomorrow. Am I making myself clear?”
Blinking her astonishment, she didn’t say anything. If this was Scott’s idea of punishment for her post-coital detachment, then she was game. In fact, she could think of some creative ways he could punish her that would leave them both too worn out to move from her bed for any longer than to get more supplies.
“Crystal.” She let him lead her into the bedroom and, once the door was shut, she linked her fingers through his while plunking onto the bed. “Just so you know, you might want to work on your threats. The idea is to propose something I wouldn’t enjoy. Spending the night with you is hardly a bad thing.”
The corners of Scott’s lips twitched with the threat of a smile. “You obviously haven’t heard me snore. From what I’ve been told, I can wake the dead.”
Charity squeezed his hands and pulled him onto the mattress with her. “Oh, it wasn’t that bad. I think my drooling will get to you first. It’s not the least bit sexy.”
Scott nudged her up the mattress before lying beside her. His gaze traveled the length of her body, while his fingers splayed across her belly. She closed her eyes at his featherlike touch, losing herself in the feel of his fingertips on her bare skin.
“There isn’t anything about you I don’t find incredibly sexy. I just have one request.”
“What’s that?” S
he opened her eyes when his fingers stilled. “Scott, what is it?”
“Nothing.” He shook his head and kissed her where his fingers had been. “Just don’t get mad if I destroy your kitchen when I make breakfast in the morning.”
He was lying, but rather than calling him on it, she settled for running her fingers through his hair. Whatever was on his mind, he obviously wasn’t ready to share it with her. A part of her was disconcerted by this fact, but it was okay. They had two weeks together and, if in that time he wanted to tell her, she was all ears.
Even if I don’t like what he has to say.
Chapter Seventeen
“Just a minute!”
Scott glanced around his parents’ porch and stifled a yawn. Despite the fact that he was exhausted, he was in a great mood. There was something to be said for waking beside the woman he loved, her disheveled hair spread across his chest while her arms and legs tangled with his. Not that long ago, he would have balked at the intimate picture, but now he kind of liked the idea. The only problem came when his leave was up and he had to return to work. How were they going to make the long distance thing work? Maybe his mother could help him with that.
She’d always wanted me to date Cherry. A decade later, it looked as though his mother was finally getting her wish. The front door opened, bringing Scott back to reality. A lump formed in his throat at the sight of his mother standing before him. Her once-dark hair was streaked silver and an expression of shock gleamed in her eyes.
He removed his sunglasses and glanced at the bouquet of daisies in his hand. Maybe he should have gotten her roses. Damn. Too late now. He returned his attention to her in time to see her place shaking fingertips to her lips.
“Scott?”
“Hi, Mom. I know I should have called first, but I wanted to surprise you.” If her expression was any indication, then he’d accomplished his goal and then some.
“Oh my God. Scott!” Brenda Nolan exclaimed before rushing out onto the porch. Scott barely had enough time to brace himself when she wrapped her arms around his neck in a tight embrace. “I’ve missed you so much, sweetheart.”
Heartbreaker Page 19
