by Mia Carson
“I don’t think we’ll ever know,” he replied, his brow furrowing as she ran her hands up his chest to his shoulders. “But, goddamn it, I don’t give a shit. I want you.”
Much like at the charity event, the moment Reider’s lips caressed hers, Johanna melted into him and moaned at the fire flooding her body down to her toes and up to her fingertips. She ran a hand through his hair, and he lifted her higher as his mouth claimed hers in a kiss so intense it couldn’t be real. She waited for her alarm to sound, to wake up in her bed filled with a painful longing for him, but Reider deepened the kiss. His tongue danced with hers in a fierce need to possess her, and she let him.
Standing together with the light breeze blowing the tall grass around them and the warmth of the sun shining on their bodies, Johanna lacked any care in the world except to keep kissing Reider for as long as she could.
***
Reider’s arms wrapped tightly around Johanna, knowing they were doomed. He could never have enough of her succulent lips, the sweet scent of honeysuckle in his nose, or the quiet moans she made when he deepened the kiss. The game they played was dangerous. It could destroy both of them if they were caught and cause an even worse rift, but for the first time ever, Reider knew with whom he wanted to spend his life.
The thought hit him hard, and he broke the kiss to catch his breath so he could understand his racing heart and the woman in his arms. Her eyes were dark, the brown showing more than the green, and he ran his hands through her curls, loving the softness against his calloused palms.
“Damn, woman,” he muttered and laughed. “I don’t think I can stop this from happening.”
“Good,” she said breathily and kissed his lips in a sweet peck. “Then it’s not just me.”
“You want to do this?” he asked, resting his forehead against hers.
“Don’t tell me you don’t?” she asked and leaned back until he stopped her gently by holding her closer. “Reider?”
“I do, trust me I do, but if this goes wrong… If it ends badly, it won’t be just a bad day,” he warned, watching the emotions race across her tensed face as his want for her grew until he could hardly stand not to kiss her.
She nodded. “For our families, you mean.”
“No, not exactly,” he said and fidgeted, laughing nervously in disbelief over the words about to come out of his mouth. “I just met you, really met you a few weeks ago, and I haven’t stopped thinking about you since. It’s crazy and makes no sense, but this feels right and I don’t think I can live without you now that I know what it feels like.”
He waited for her to pull back and call him crazy, to run off and never talk to him again, but Johanna did none of that. Instead, she reached her hands up and cupped his cheeks, staring fiercely at him.
“I don’t want to date Brandon or anyone else. It might be crazy, but I want you.”
He let out a loud sigh of relief and kissed her gently, enjoying the feel of her in his arms and the way they fit so easily together. He held her close and rested his chin on her head as they looked out over the tall grass swaying in the breeze.
“I know what you mean, though,” she said quietly against his chest.
“About what?”
“If this ends badly, it won’t just be a breakup,” she whispered. “It’ll be the worst storm this state has ever seen, and we’ll be at the center of it.”
Reider’s arms tensed around her in a sudden urge to protect her and keep her away from her brothers, her parents, his parents, and anyone who might come between them. A Chadwick and a Marquette being friends was unheard of, but two of them dating? Having a relationship and possibly falling in love? The notion was beyond treacherous, and he tried not to think about how limited their time might be together if they couldn’t overcome the prejudices that surrounded them.
“How about we finish that walk?” she suggested and leaned back to smile up at him, taking his hand in hers.
Reider held her hand securely in his, and together, they moved through the grass, talking about anything and everything besides their families. Before long, they laughed loudly as old friends would, the sound carrying across the open land. Reider had been in plenty of relationships before, but never had they felt this right. Johanna’s hand in his fit perfectly, like a puzzle piece, and he never wanted to let her go. They were both insane, had to be to find such a strange connection between two people meant to be enemies.
An old cottonwood tree grew beside a small creek running through the land, and Reider pulled Johanna to a stop beneath it. They stared up through the leaves at the sun speckling their faces and rested in the shade. He leaned his back against the bark, and she stood on her toes, smiling as she captured his mouth. He grunted, loving the boldness of the woman in his arms, and let her kiss him passionately.
Figures the one woman you fall for is a Chadwick, he thought, amused by the typical fierceness of the family appearing in a way he never thought to experience.
“Jo,” he said quietly when she stopped to take a breath.
“What? Don’t like it when a woman takes control?” she asked, smirking.
“Hell no, no complaints here,” he said and brushed her wild curls from her face. “Do you want to go on an actual date soon? Only you and me with no one around?”
“Isn’t that what this is?” She glanced around, laughing, and he joined her.
“Well… yeah, but I meant a nice one with dinner and not worrying about your sister—”
“Shit, Izzy!” she screeched and pulled her cell from her butt pocket. “Oh, God! I don’t have reception out here, and it’s nearly six!”
Reider pulled her close for one last kiss, leaving them both breathless before he took her hand and they ran, laughing despite the lateness of the hour, cutting quickly through the field. They reached the barn, grabbed their things, and leapt into the Wrangler. He wanted the afternoon to last longer, but they were just getting started and he didn’t want to risk what this could be because he didn’t drive her back home in time.
When he parked outside the coffee house, Johanna blew out a breath when she spotted Izzy through the window, her head bouncing to whatever music played through her earbuds.
“She probably doesn’t even know what time it is. Never even texted me,” Johanna laughed.
Reider saw the urge to lean over and kiss him in every twitch of her hands and the way she bit her lip, but he placed his hand gently on her thigh to stop her, squeezing gently. “Just have to imagine it. Go on. I’ll see you Wednesday.”
“Text me tonight?” she asked quietly, resting her hand over his.
She tugged nervously at a stray curl, and watching her twisted his gut until he wanted nothing more than to lean over and kiss her again, no matter who was around. “Promise,” he said. “Go on, before she sees you getting out.”
He watched her hop out and hurry into the coffee house. She sat down across from her sister, and Izzy’s face lit up, laughing at whatever Johanna told her. Reider idled at the curb, unable to look away, but she was waiting for him to disappear. He threw the Wrangler into drive and took off down the street, his future looking both brighter and more perilous than ever before.
Chapter 7
“Jo, did you hear your brother?” Ben asked loudly at the dinner table on Thursday night.
“Huh? No, sorry, Frank,” Johanna muttered as she plastered a smile on her face and stared across the table at her brother. “What?”
Izzy stifled a laugh as Lucy scowled at her eldest daughter and Ben frowned at her. Johanna picked at the salad on her plate and acted as if she hadn’t snapped at her brother—something she never did, at least not in front of their parents. No, to their parents, the four siblings got along swimmingly. Anything to keep them in the dark about what really went on in the family, especially now that they had chosen to take a backseat.
“I asked if you’ve heard from Brandon lately,” Frank said through gritted teeth. “You’ve been on your cell a lot.”
/> Johanna controlled her features well, not even flinching at the question. “Yeah, so? Melody’s going through a rough time right now. Am I not allowed to talk to my friend?”
“You sure you’re not hiding something?” Fredrick asked suspiciously.
Turning her glare on him, Johanna let her fork clatter against her plate. “No, I’m not. Are you?”
Fredrick’s eyes widened, and he sagged in his chair. “No, course not.”
She hadn’t meant to actually imply he was hiding something, but Fredrick didn’t meet her gaze again and his jaw clenched so hard she thought he’d crack his teeth. The rest of the tense meal, she watched him closely, wondering what her brother had got himself into. Even Frank seemed thrown off by his sudden change of behavior, but as always, her parents remained oblivious in their perfect bubble, thinking everything was right with their kids and the family.
When dinner finally ended, Johanna carried the dishes to the kitchen, helped Izzy wash up, and walked to her room as quickly as she could without arousing suspicion. After locking her bedroom door, she rushed to her desk and unlocked the bottom drawer to pull out her cell. She was taking no chances in case her brothers were snooping. A message from Reider waited for her as she unlocked the screen, and she fell onto her bed to read it and text him back. She wanted to call him and hear his voice and his deep baritone laugh, but a call risked being overheard. For now, texting would be enough. He had planned their date and needed to know when she thought she might be able to sneak away.
She tried to think of a way to be gone for that many hours without anyone noticing when a knock sounded at her door. “Johanna? Are you still awake, sweetie?”
Tossing her cell back in the drawer, she told her mom she was coming and answered the door. “Something wrong?” she asked, hoping her smile looked normal.
“No. I wanted to remind you of our plans in two weeks.”
“Plans?” she asked, searching her mind. More time away from Reider was not something she looked forward to.
Her mom strolled into her room and straightened her scattering of books and papers on the floor and desk. “Honestly, I don’t know how you function in such clutter,” she mumbled under her breath. “Yes, plans. Your father and I are taking your brothers to the cattle conference in Montana. We’ll be gone Friday afternoon until Sunday. I could have sworn I told you about this months ago. It’s why your brothers have been pushing you to date Brandon.”
Johanna nearly shouted in excitement. Instead, she frowned at her mom. “What does Brandon have to do with anything?”
“They were hoping you two would have a nice romantic weekend getaway, but I guess if you’re too busy with school, it’ll have to wait,” she said wistfully and smiled, tugging at her daughter’s curls. “I’ll let you know more about our plans soon.”
She waited impatiently for her mom to leave, praying she wouldn’t want to talk about Brandon anymore, and finally, she walked out of the room. Johanna waited until her steps faded before she relocked her door and grabbed her cell.
After she sent the text telling Reider they had a whole weekend to plan a date, she held her cell in her hand, waiting for his reply. When it vibrated, she checked it quickly and laughed. Even without him in the room, she sensed the same excitement in him as she’d had when she found out. He said he’d see her tomorrow in class and looked forward to their weekend together.
Johanna would experience the romantic weekend her mom mentioned, just with a Marquette instead of some smug asshole her brothers set her up with.
Since the narrow escape getting home, Johanna had spent a few nights wondering if what they risked was worth it, but she remembered what it felt like to be in his arms, his strength and warmth surrounding her. True security. Maybe even true love? She laughed at the notion, but it lingered long after she flipped off her light and tried to fall asleep. An explosive relationship indeed. The fire coursing through her body as she lay in the dark was unlike any heat she could hope to describe.
For the first time in her life, Johanna was filled with an insane hope that her future would turn out better than she imagined, and if she were lucky, maybe she could take Izzy with her. Making it work with Reider was a long-shot, but she was more than ready to jump in headfirst with him. Their last names held no meaning, not anymore.
If she were going to take this chance, she was not going to hold anything back. When sleep claimed her, the dreams of Reider turned from simple kissing to his hands all over her body as he took her in the field by the creek. The dream was so intense, she woke drenched in sweat, a throbbing between her legs.
“No holding back,” she whispered to the darkness and smirked. “Not with him.”
***
Reider feared the days until he could treat Johanna to an actual date would drag by, but instead, they disappeared one after the other and his heart lightened with each one. Even Micah’s dour mood couldn’t keep a grin off his face, and his parents had noticed him laughing more easily. His mom asked about a girl, but Reider shrugged it off and said life was good.
Micah, however, was not satisfied with that answer. As the days drew closer to his date with Johanna, his cousin’s sudden pestering threatened to destroy his good mood. Reider pulled in the drive after another meeting with Johanna that started at the coffee house and ended at ‘their spot,’ as he called it now. The barn was the perfect hangout for them to relax and forget about the dangerous territory they wandered into by indulging in this relationship.
The date with Johanna loomed closer, and suddenly, he was a nervous teen again. They had kissed and held hands, cuddling on the couch in the barn nearly every time they were together, but this would be different. An official date meant they were serious about having each other in their lives. Meant she was as crazy about him as he was about her to keep risking so much for each other.
“Where were you?” Micah snapped as Reider grabbed his bag from the backseat.
“Studying with friends. What’s it to you?” he asked and pushed past for the front door.
“I’ve been alone a lot lately, that’s all,” Micah whined and trailed behind Reider like a lost puppy. “I was wondering if next time, I can go with you.”
“No, absolutely not,” Reider said, shooting Micah a stern look. “You’ve been at college long enough to have made some friends. Hang out with them.”
“I… uh, don’t talk to anyone, not really,” he said and hung his head, his eyes downcast as they walked through the foyer. “No one wants to talk to me because I’m a Marquette.”
“No,” Reider argued, kicking off his boots. “No one wants to talk to you because you’re depressed all the time. Micah, you need to move on.” He laid a heavy hand on his cousin’s shoulder. “Work at smiling once in a while, and maybe people will treat you differently. You need friends. You can’t always rely on me to be there for you.”
Frowning, Micah watched Reider closely. “But we’re family. We’ll always have each other. Isn’t that what you told me when my parents died?”
Reider nodded slowly and moved towards the stairs, wishing more than ever he lived full-time on campus. His dorm room was still empty and ready to be used as an escape from Micah’s constant hounding. “Listen, do what I told you. Things change, and if I’m not there when you need me, you need someone who can be.”
“Are you dating a girl? Is that what this is about?”
“What? No, of course not,” he said, laughing nervously. “Nothing to do with a girl. You’ll be bored if you come with me.”
He turned and told Micah he’d be down later for dinner. He had some reports to type, which was technically true, but he wanted to finish his plans for the date and text Johanna. He couldn’t stand being away from her on the days when she couldn’t manage an alibi with her sister or friend, both of whom still had no real idea what she and Reider were up to. They still assumed it was all for the class and nothing more.
“Reider!”
His hand was on the doorknob
when he groaned and called back downstairs, “What?”
“Forgot to ask you something,” Micah said and ran up the steps. “I need a favor and can’t ask your parents because… well, I already tried, and they think I should see a shrink.”
“What are you talking about?” You should see a damn shrink anyway, was what he wanted to add, but the words remained in his mind.
“I… uh, I hired a PI to investigate the accident with Mom and Dad, but I’m running out of funds.”
Reider expected to hear almost anything but that and simply stared at his cousin as his mouth slackened and his brow furrowed. “Micah, it was a car accident,” he finally said quietly. “Even the police said so. What are you investigating?”
“No, it wasn’t an accident,” he whispered harshly and leaned closer. His hands twisted together and his eyes were wild as he spoke. “I already have some proof, but I need more. Please, I need a few thousand to finish everything and then I can prove it was them.”
“Them? No, this isn’t healthy,” he said and shook his head. “You need to talk to someone about this. Who do you think caused your parents’ accident?”
Micah straightened, and his body stilled as he glared at his cousin with an open hostility Reider had never seen in him before. He refused to back down, but it unnerved him.
“Who else but the Chadwicks? Your family has most of the control over the cattle, but mine dealt with the railways, the one industry controlled over fifty percent by the Marquettes until the accident,” he said, each word straining against the onslaught of rage and bitterness rushing through his eyes. His hands fisted, and he took a step closer to Reider. “Please, let me prove it. Lend me the money. That’s what family does.”
Reider hoped if his parents heard the same insane theory from Micah, they would have given him a heads up that his cousin had taken a turn towards crazy town… unless he lied to them about what he needed the money for.
