LOVE in a Small Town (Ladies of Legend Boxed Set)

by Janet Eaves

  He took the steps to the wrap-around porch, his boot heels echoed against the night. He reached for the screen door, opened it, and jiggled the door’s brass handle. It swung open. Would she go somewhere and leave her house unlocked? He couldn’t imagine anyone doing that. Not in this day and age.

  He took a quick walk through the kitchen to her private quarters where her door was left ajar. The room was dark.

  The house was empty.

  Where was she? He really needed to talk with her. She had misunderstood. He had to set things right.

  He glanced out the back door. The large upper windowpane expertly framed a serene picture of a lake, moon and mountain.

  Breathtaking.

  He’d bet his inheritance that Suzie thought so, too.

  ****

  Don’t look his way.

  Don’t. Look. His. Way.

  “Suzie-Q?”

  He stood beside her. She stared at the lake.

  Don’t look at him. Don’t. Look. At. Him.

  He moved directly in front of her and crouched down, blocking her view. She glared to her right.

  “Suzette. You have to talk to me.”

  She opened her mouth. No. Don’t. Talk. Then snapped it shut again.

  He fidgeted but remained steadfast.

  “I know you are mad.”

  “Ha!” Shit, she talked.

  “But let me explain,” he continued. “And it is okay if you are mad because, well, hey, let’s face it, a lot of things have happened in the last twenty-four hours and I’m sure you’re pretty confused and upset and….”

  She looked at him. “You have a lot of nerve, Brad Matthews, coming back here and talking to me like this. You have a helluva lot of nerve. I do not want to talk to you about this. Now. Later. Ever. Go away.”

  Suzie watched his face fall and his head lower. His dark hair shimmered against the moonlight. Was he staring at her bright red toenails (which felt way too sexy for her liking at the moment)? She curled her toes up under her feet.

  Might as well get this over with.

  “Do you realize what you did tonight? You nailed the coffin shut on my little business, Brad. My blood-sweat-and-tears, my hard fought and won existence, the rest of my life.” She straightened in the chair. “My only life. Do you understand that? This….” she slapped a hand on the Adirondack chair, “is my life. All I have. Did you not think about what your super-mega-freakin’ big honker of a hotel is going to do to me? What in the hell were you thinking?” Her voice rose and bounced off the night. “And to think, you said you came back here because you wanted me. Because you wanted us to get back together. What was I even thinking? I mean, I was even starting to consider the possibilities, but now… I hope you realize that you’ve killed any thoughts in that direction, Mister.”

  She watched him take a deep breath while still looking at her toes—which caused heat to rise in her cheeks and was rather unnerving—then he reached for her ankles, clasped those long, strong fingers of his around them (oh, his hands were warm), jerked her feet out from under her and pulled her completely off the Adirondack chair on top of him.

  He toppled backwards.

  They rolled.

  He laughed uncontrollably.

  She screamed a number of obscenities.

  And they landed in a heap against the hull of her dry-docked boat. Suzie was firmly pinned beneath Brad. A position she didn’t entirely want to be in at the moment.

  “Ouch.”

  “Hold still.”

  “Get off me!” She pushed.

  “Give me a second your leg is wrapped around mine.”

  “I’ve lost my sandals!” She twisted and batted at his chest.

  “Stop pushing me!”

  “What the hell do you think you were doing? I think my neck is broken.”

  “Would you quit squirming, Suzette? Hold on.” Brad groaned but didn’t move one iota.

  “I want up, now!”

  Damn him. He didn’t want to move. She could tell by the way the moonlight backlit the smirk on his face.

  Damn. Him.

  She whacked his bicep. “Let me up!”

  Brad grasped her wrists and pinned her hands back to the ground, at ear level. “Not until you listen to me, Suzette.”

  Shaking her head, she returned, “I don’t need to listen to you. I want up. I want to go into my house. I want you to leave.”

  He shook his head. “Not a chance, sweetheart. You are going to hear me out.”

  “Like hell I will.”

  “Suzette.”

  “Quit Suzette-ing me. I don’t like that.”

  Brad chuckled. “Yes, you do.”

  She sighed. “Quit changing the subject. Brad, I mean it. Let me up now.”

  He didn’t. He looked at her. And the way he looked at her, all moon-faced and dreamy-eyed she wanted to melt. Gosh-darn full moon. Why in the hell was the man so gawd-awful hunkingly delicious?

  She glanced away.

  Brad grasped her chin in his fingers and gently moved her face back toward his. His warm touch was firm and downright magical. In the next instant, his mouth lowered to capture hers.

  Don’t kiss him.

  Oh. Hell’s bells.

  She’d forgotten how soft and firm his lips could be all at the same time. How they tasted of spice and musk. Strong and smooth. Hot and moist.

  Tantalizingly painful.

  Oh….

  He nibbled softly at first, his fingers stroking her chin. His body lowered over hers and relaxed more fully against her. Dammit, she felt herself letting go, too.

  Putty. Butter.

  Goner. Yup.

  He moaned and pressed his lips over the corners of her mouth. His fingers tangled in her hair. Her body arched upward and her fingers moved to mesh themselves in the thick, jet black crown of hair on his head.

  Damn him.

  Chapter Seven

  It’s now or never.

  Brad rose to his knees and, in one swift movement, stood and scooped Suzie into his arms and headed for the back door of the house.

  Her fingers laced around his neck and held tight. She didn’t try to deck him. Good sign.

  “What do you think you are doing?” she chided.

  He ducked his head to capture her lips again. Walking and kissing was definitely not his forte, but he managed to shut her up and shuffle along.

  Christ, but she felt good in his arms, her lips pressed against his. He loved the way she sucked and nibbled on his lower lip. He stumbled, broke the kiss with a quick exhale, then righted himself and shifted her firmly in his arms.

  “You’re going to kill us before we get there.”

  “Not a chance,” he whispered against her mouth, tracing her puffy, sexy and sweet lips with his tongue. “Not a damn chance.”

  Breathless, he took the steps to the back porch two at a time.

  “Put me down. I can walk.”

  “No…sweetheart. I’m not letting you go.”

  He fumbled with the door handle and bumped it open with his hip, moved swiftly through the doorway and then slammed it shut with a kick. Traveling through the kitchen on a blur, he barely registered rushing through her bedroom, followed by falling solidly, completely, and finally into the middle of her king-sized bed.

  With her.

  And she wasn’t protesting, lying there looking up at him. Waiting.

  Thank God for small miracles.

  Man, she felt good underneath him. The heat of her chest seared through his thin t-shirt.

  “Hurry.” She pulled at him.

  “Yes.” He straddled her hips, ripped the shirt off his head and tossed it aside. Her hands covered his as he reached for his belt and shot a look to her.

  He drank in every soft feature of her face. Sweet Suzette. His Suzette. Back in his arms. In her bed. Could life get any better?

  A thin niggle of doubt tugged at him.

  Making love with her wouldn’t solve anything, would it? Perhaps they shou
ld talk first….

  She yanked at his buckle.

  “You’re sure?”

  “Yes,” she breathed. “Yes, Brad. Now.”

  Her fingers fumbled with the buckle in hot pursuit. Deftly her hands played over his belt, his fly, sliding under the waistband of his jeans.

  He groaned. In seconds he’d rolled off of her and pushed his jeans and underwear to his ankles. He struggled momentarily with the boots and socks but, with her help, hastily kicked them away. His attention focused on her, he slowly unbuttoned her shirt.

  In a flash she switched momentum and pushed him onto his back. She was over him, straddling him. She stripped the ponytail holder out of her hair to let her strawberry blond locks spill around her shoulders. Her gaze never left his eyes. The moonlight filtered from the lakeside windows of her room, perfectly illuminating her features.

  The look on her face was…well, priceless. She really was his.

  Her fingers moved over the six buttons of her knit shirt and within seconds, she had jerked the article over her head and tossed it aside. She popped the fly on her jeans and leisurely lowered the zipper. She opened the gape, and he caught a glimpse of silky, lace pink panties. His gaze rose to her matched bra, and with a flick of her wrist, her ample breasts tumbled out.

  “My God, you are beautiful,” he whispered. “Come here.”

  She hesitated a second, then reached up to cup one of her full breasts. Damn, how he’d missed fondling them. The most beautiful and delicate mounds of flesh he’d ever seen in his life. Full. Pink. Firm. Ripe.

  He smoothed both hands around her back to hold her, and settled one delectable dusky nipple between his lips. Suzie let out a soft moan and melted into him. Sweet Jesus. She was his. She felt so wonderful in his mouth. Like, it was why she had breasts—for him.

  He moved from that breast to the other. “Equal time,” he rasped.

  “Umm…yes.”

  His hands played across her back, relishing in the satin feel of her ivory skin. He dipped under the waistband of her jeans to cup her round buttocks.

  “Shit, Suzette. Get rid of these.” He broke away and flipped her over onto her back.

  “Gladly.” With one whoosh of a sigh, she let him finish undressing her.

  His hands skillfully moved over her body. God, she had missed this. How could she have forgotten, pushed aside, all the wonderful feelings Brad had stirred within her? How he woke her from a dead sleep and held her captive with every touch of his hands and lips?

  With every stroke her body came alive again. With each groan she wanted more. To hell with everything else. This…this intimate moment with Brad, she needed now. She’d deal with the rest later.

  Besides, people need sex. Right? She’d read that recently in a women’s magazine. It had something to do with hormones. Or was it testosterone? Sex was important for that. And she’d been deprived lately, so it was okay.

  Stop thinking, Suzie…just feel.

  He stripped away the last of her clothing and lay over her. “I need your skin next to mine.”

  “No problem here,” she whispered. “Never a problem….”

  He stroked a lock of hair from her face, tracing her cheekbones and around her chin. He watched the path of his fingertips as he slowly explored every nook and cranny, every line and jut of her profile. After a moment, she closed her eyes to wallow in his caresses.

  His breath wafted over her, flushing her cheeks. She savored the moist sensation of his heat. Inhaled it. Took that part of him inside her. Instantly, his breath was replaced with his lips, and Suzie found herself embraced in one of the most powerful, all-consuming kisses she’d ever experienced.

  Their bodies intertwined, skin next to skin, wrapped into and around each other, his lips caressed hers, first lightly, then with more urgency. Full mouthed kisses rained over her face and all she could do were lick, suck and tease right back. Breathing in his scent. Tasting his passion. And then finally, she lay back against the bed, allowing him to boldly kiss every inch of her face. With a gentle caress, he began his descent.

  She loved how he nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck, and at the same time bit and tugged with his teeth. His fingers inched lower between her thighs, teasing her curls. He moved over her body, suckling hungrily at her breasts.

  Licking. Molding her to him.

  Cupping her mound, inching a finger closer…rimming her opening.

  Slipping inside.

  There.

  Yes.

  “You’re driving me crazy,” she moaned.

  “Good. Be crazy with me. ‘Cause I’m crazy about you.”

  “Yeah….”

  Quickly, he moved lower. His lips and tongue glided past her tummy to her hipbones and lingered at the juncture of her thighs. He laid one long lick in both crevices on either side of her mound, starting from deep between her thighs and up to her hip bone. Then he smoothly moved to place himself squarely between her legs. God, she knew what was coming, where he was headed, and her body jerked with memories of the best sex she ever had in her life. And it all started like this. With his tongue on her, inside of her, playing with her. Taunting her.

  He was pulling out the big guns.

  With his hands on either side of her inner thighs, he spread her legs wide, perfectly poised, and looked into her face.

  “I love…” he rasped. Adoration showered over his face.

  She nodded, breathless. Would he get on with it?

  He moved closer to her center. Breathed deeply. “I love how you smell,” he whispered.

  With both hands, he lightly framed her, opening her up for him.

  “I love how you look. How you feel. Soft. Hot.”

  She grew more aware, a definite sense of urging, as he spread her lips with his fingers and bared herself fully to him. To him. Her Brad. Giving him everything she had. Herself. Opening her wide, he exposed not only her center, her core, but the small pleasure nodule that throbbed with need.

  “Love…you…” he breathed.

  And just when she felt Brad’s ministrations would be her undoing, he placed his hot, wet lips over that throbbing node and drew her firmly into his mouth.

  Pleasure screamed through her. Intense, so extreme, she lurched up. He suckled softly at first, then harder. Passion welled up through her. Reaching to her with one hand, he grasped a breast and pushed, urging her to lie back. Relax. His mouth never left her, totally encompassing her tender and delicate moistness, teasing her with his tongue.

  Relax hell. Tension was building inside her like a freight train! She wrapped her legs around his head and shoulders, keeping him there. Imprisoning him against her, her little love slave. Love slave? Where did that come from in her dizzy and spiraling out of control brain?

  Her younger man. Her boy toy.

  “God, Brad. Don’t stop.”

  His head shook against her.

  “Please, Mr. Love Slave, don’t stop…”

  A deep throaty chuckle escaped him. She heard it, but soon dismissed it, because all thought had ceased. It was all sensation now. Feeling. Experiencing. He pulled and tugged at her nipple with his fingers in the same cadence that he pulled and tugged at her swollen nub. Her brain swirled with a primal, elemental need for release. He let loose of her nipple, grasped her legs from around his neck and pinned them open on the bed, then bore into her again with his tongue.

  She screamed. The intensity of the orgasm ripped through her, raising her up from the bed. Her hands grabbed for his head and her fingers entwined in his hair. Her body wracked with pleasure-laden spasms that rocked her to the core.

  Brad wouldn’t give up. He held her firm against the bed, pushed his face, tongue and lips harder into her and lapped everything she gave him. Hot. Moist. Waves of pleasure. They sped through him with the same level of intensity as they ran through her. The intense pleasure he got from doing this to her, for her, was nearly as much of a high as having an orgasm himself.

  And he was too damn close
to risk not having that deep-in-his-gut pleasure while he was inside of her.

  Suzie trembled and slumped backward against the bed and he released his lip-hold on her. Sweet Suzette. He never wanted to be rid of the taste of her on his lips. But at the moment he wanted more.

  “Suzette…I need….”

  She reached for him and he shifted over her—slipped quickly inside of her. The slick velvet of her insides wrapped him in glory. Her full breasts were like soft, molten lava against his chest. The sheer ecstasy of joining with her after so long was the pinnacle of what he sought. All he wanted. Needed.

  They wound together legs and arms, and he thrust deep within her. With every stroke that bordered on excruciating pleasure, he plundered her mouth, reveled in the sheer pleasure of being inside her, pleasing her, experiencing once again the no-holds-barred passion they once had.

  His explosion was powerful and loud. He growled out her name in a primal shout. As he spilled himself within her, her sweet name exploded from his lips until he fell spent against her. Only then did her name become a sweet whisper of passion that barely escaped on a breath against her cheek.

  Melded together, their sighs mingled. Hands and fingers lightly caressed; hot skin embraced and savored. When he raised his head to look up onto Suzie’s face, brushing her hair from her eyes, he saw the lone tear move down her cheek.

  A small thing, that lone tear. But it scared the hell out of him.

  Chapter Eight

  Suzie woke tangled in sheets, body parts and stray pieces of clothing. A sunbeam streamed into her bedroom and her right eye. Groggily, she stretched and moaned, then snuggled into Brad’s warm and naked body.

  Holy shit. What in the hell had she done?

  Too tired to ponder it now. Too lethargic to move or think about it. But it was going to nag her later.

  She rolled to her left and glanced at the grandfather clock against the far wall.

  Eight-thirty-three. Which meant it was really eight-twenty-three. Which meant she should have had breakfast fixed one hour and twenty-three minutes ago! She never slept this late!