by J. S. Scott
His encouraging hands speared into her hair as a low, animalistic sound came from his throat. “Take it,” he instructed roughly.
She stroked her hand up and down the shaft as she commented, “I’ll have you begging for it.” Fair was fair. Kristin figured she had begged and pleaded with Julian often enough. It was his turn. She replaced her hand with her tongue and licked up the side of the shaft.
“Kristin,” he exploded in a warning voice.
“Want something?” She sucked the head gently.
“Oh, fuck. Okay. Please,” he shouted in a tone that said he didn’t give a shit about his pride.
She responded immediately, taking him into her mouth as deeply as possible and sucking as she pulled back.
“Oh, Jesus. I’m dying here,” Julian barked gutturally as he tightened his grip on her head.
She had him exactly where she wanted him, the same place he had her almost all the time: hot, needy, and so desperate to come that he didn’t care what he said.
His groans of pleasure spurred her on, and she teased his balls gently as she sped up her pace, letting him guide her on giving him exactly what he needed.
She squealed as she suddenly felt her body turning, her panties jerked from her body in one powerful yank.
“I’m not coming alone,” he grumbled into her slick pussy right before his tongue pierced between the folds, her nightgown now rolled up around her waist.
The pleasure of feeling his hungry mouth devour her shocked adrenaline into her system as she bent down and took him back into her mouth. She could barely keep her rhythm steady as Julian’s grip on her thighs grew tighter, his mouth more urgent and demanding.
Their bodies both damp with perspiration, they climbed together toward climax in a tumble of arms and legs, and with a frenzied kind of madness that sent Kristin over the edge as Julian groaned, the vibration sending her body into a violent orgasm. His hot release came at about the same time, and Kristin savored the taste of him as she trembled above him, lost in her own pleasure.
She collapsed in a heap next to him, her hand stroking his thigh. “Oh, God,” she whispered, knowing what had started as a challenge had ended in something cataclysmic that neither one of them had been able to control.
That’s what happened when Julian touched her. Every. Single. Time.
He sat up and pulled her up beside him, holding her so tightly that she could hardly breathe. But she wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. She needed that closeness and reassurance right now. She wanted him to hold her just like this, like he’d never let go.
“Kristin,” he whispered hoarsely, stroking a soothing hand up her back and then into her hair.
They lay like that for a long time, neither one saying another word.
Eventually, the two of them roused to take a shower. Kristin felt like she’d been completely destroyed, her body limp and lifeless.
“Coming?” Julian asked as he rolled out of bed.
“I already did,” she answered bluntly as she slid across the bed to follow him.
He laughed, a deep rumbling sound of amusement that had Kristin smirking at him.
Making her lift her arms, he slipped her silky nightgown over her head. “I owe you a new pair of panties,” he said, quirking a wicked brow at her.
Julian had already provided her an entire wardrobe. Everything she had packed for Maui had come from the supply of clothing he’d bought her and stocked in his house. “You bought me plenty of underwear,” she replied, wondering if his assistant had picked out her sundresses, jeans, shirts, shoes, and all of the intimate apparel she’d found in the closet.
“I’ll get you more,” he promised as he adjusted the temperature on the shower.
“Who bought the stuff at your house for me?” She asked the question before she could stop herself.
He looked at her, his eyes caressing her face as though he was looking for something. “I did.”
She rolled her eyes. “I know you paid for them. But I know you didn’t shop for them.”
The lingerie was elegantly sexy, but not blatantly trashy, and the clothing was the same.
“My assistant helped. I’m not very good at picking clothing for a woman,” he admitted, sounding like he didn’t want to admit there was anything he didn’t do well. “I’d be happy if you were always naked.”
“She’s willing to do your shopping?” she questioned, ignoring his provocative comment.
He shrugged as he took her hand and tugged her into the shower. “Of course. She’s my assistant.”
The pulsating jets of hot water soothed the muscles in Kristin’s body that she hadn’t known existed until she’d started doing sexual calisthenics with Julian.
He picked up her sponge and body wash, turning her so he could wash her. Kristin tried to keep her mind out of the gutter as he glided the slick sponge all over her body. “Maybe she doesn’t like doing your shopping for a new wife.”
The poor woman had to have a thing for Julian. Kristin couldn’t imagine that any female could work for him and not have some kind of crush on him.
“She didn’t mind.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because she told me,” he answered sensibly.
“Any woman is going to say that to her boss.”
Julian turned her around, taking his time cleaning the front of her body as he answered, “Why do you say that?”
“I’m saying maybe she has a thing for you. Sometimes, when a woman works that closely with a guy, feelings get involved.”
“Are you jealous, Scarlet?” he asked curiously.
“Of course not,” she replied defensively. “It’s just natural that something like that could happen.”
“Look at me,” he beckoned, handing her the sponge when he was finished.
She made a motion for him to turn around, but he didn’t move.
“Kristin, look at me,” he cajoled again.
Lifting her head, she finally met his gaze with a challenging stare. “What?”
“You don’t need to be jealous of my assistant, or anyone else for that matter. She happens to be happily married with several great-grandchildren. I’ve asked her many times if she wanted to retire, but she swears she enjoys having me for a boss. I pay generously, and my employees are loyal. She loved picking out things for my new wife because she keeps up on the current fashions.”
Her face flushed as she made another impatient gesture for him to turn as she looked down at his chest. He spun around, but not before he’d thoroughly surveyed her expression.
She felt somewhat foolish, being envious of a woman who probably looked at Julian as a son. “Well, can you thank her for me? She has great taste,” she finally answered as she scrubbed his back with more force than was probably necessary.
“I know she’ll like hearing that,” Julian answered evenly. He let her work for a minute before he confessed, “I was jealous, too. When I saw you out on a date with somebody else, it nearly killed me.”
“I wasn’t jealous,” she protested instinctively.
“You were, and I kind of like that. Jesus, I feel so fucking possessive of you that it scares me sometimes. It’s a relief to know that sometimes you feel a little bit the same way as I do,” Julian rumbled.
“I didn’t know we were married when I agreed to go out on a blind date. I wasn’t sure I’d even see you again anytime soon,” she told him breathlessly, her heart racing from his admission that he had hated seeing her with another guy.
“Doesn’t matter. All I could think about was if he had touched you, I’d take his head off.”
“He didn’t. It was a date that Mara set up. He was nice enough, but he wasn’t . . .” She stopped herself, almost realizing too late what she was going to say.
“He wasn’t what?”
“Never mind. It’s not important.”
Julian turned and took her shoulders. “It is important,” he insisted. “That guy you were with . . . He wasn’t .
. . what?”
Silently, she washed the front of his body quickly, finally finishing her statement. “He wasn’t you. He wasn’t a pain in my ass from the moment I met him. He didn’t come up with nicknames or challenge me to be more all the time. He didn’t make my body sing when I looked at him, and he sure as hell didn’t make me as angry as you do.”
Foreplay.
The word drifted through her mind in Julian’s husky voice, just like it so often did when she was annoyed with him.
“Good,” Julian said in a satisfied voice. “Then I guess I’ll let him keep breathing.”
The territorial statement satisfied something feral inside her while she kept telling herself neither one of them should be jealous. They weren’t in some kind of committed relationship. Yeah, he was technically her husband, but not for long.
She kept reminding herself that Julian Sinclair was her temporary husband as they stepped out of the shower and got dried off. But for all of her self-talk, it didn’t help at all as she snuggled up against him in bed, more content and happy than she’d ever been in her entire life.
CHAPTER 18
“You look happy, honey. I think your trip was good for you,” Cindy Moore told her daughter as Kristin held out her hand to show her mother her ring.
Strangely, she was happy. Their entire time in Hawaii had been like a surreal dream, and Julian hadn’t changed in the few days they’d been back in Amesport. He was still lusting after her, still spoiling her to death. “I am,” she admitted reluctantly.
Her mother examined her diamond, stroking a thin finger over the center stone. “Expensive. But he has good taste. It’s beautiful, honey.”
“Thanks. He had it custom made by Mia Hamilton.”
Her mom nodded. “Then it’s definitely expensive. But you deserve it.”
Kristin put her arm around her mom as she sat down next to her on the couch. “How are things going? How’s the bar?”
“Are you worried it can’t run without you?” her father teased from his chair across from them.
Julian was at his house, and Kristin had stopped by to see her parents after work. It felt strange to be heading out of town instead of to the bar. “No, Dad. I’m honestly not worried the bar won’t be just fine. I think I was getting tired.”
Just how burnt out she had actually been was distinctly noticeable now that she’d had some time away from work and an opportunity to relax. Before, she didn’t know what it was like to feel normal because she never really had.
It felt . . . pretty damn good.
“I know you were tired, sweetie,” her dad answered as he shook his head. “You never should have had to work so hard.”
“You’re my family,” Kristin protested, regretting the fact that she’d told him how she felt. Her father had to be exhausted, too. He loved her mom, and Kristin knew that if he could have handled everything himself in the last few decades, he would have done it.
Her mom put a hand on her arm to stop her from speaking. “Don’t ever think we’ve never felt guilty about how much you missed. I know you never felt comfortable asking your friends to come around, or going out without worrying about me. And you’ve worked yourself half to death between your own job and Shamrock’s. But honey, it’s time for you to live your own life now. Your dad and I are just fine.”
Thanks to Julian.
Kristin was starting to resent her temporary husband’s involvement in her dad’s livelihood less and less. Shamrock’s wouldn’t be supporting her parents as well as it was right now if he hadn’t taken over and changed everything.
Partnering with Liam had been even more insightful. With Liam checking in frequently, the pub would never go downhill again.
Dale Moore scratched his head. “I wondered why that boy wanted to be involved with a little place like Shamrock’s. I guess now I know. He had ulterior motives. He wanted to marry my daughter. Not that I think that’s a bad thing, mind you. He’s a good man. Liam, too. I couldn’t ask for better partners.” He grinned at his daughter.
Kristin felt her stomach drop. Her parents were both so happy right now. How would they feel when they found out she and Julian weren’t going to stay married? “You like him?” she asked quietly, wondering how Julian would feel about being called a boy.
“We love him,” her mother said emphatically. “Anybody smart enough to marry my daughter and treat her like the wonderful woman she’s become is on my Christmas list.”
“We’re happy for you, Krissy,” her dad added sincerely.
She swallowed hard as she heard her father use the affectionate childhood name for her. He hadn’t done that in a long time. “Thanks, Dad,” she managed to answer.
“Are you happy with the plans we made for your reception?” Her mom sounded excited and happy.
The last thing Kristin had expected was for her parents to plan a party so soon. The two of them had been busy while she’d been in Hawaii. Since Julian had already agreed, she had no choice but to answer, “Yeah. It’s great.”
“Since it’s off-season, we didn’t have a big problem getting the Youth Center booked after the holidays. I think everybody will come. Who would want to miss it?”
It was almost Christmas, which meant the party would happen in only a few weeks. Apparently, her mother had brought all of the Sinclairs over to her parents’ home to discuss the celebration. Now, all of the Sinclairs were involved. When one got a group of Sinclairs together, things happened quickly.
“I have no doubt the Center will be packed,” Kristin answered, trying to plaster a fake smile on her face, still wanting to kill Julian for telling her parents that the timing was good and that he was looking forward to the reception.
There was no way she could cancel it now. Not unless she wanted to dump Julian way earlier than they agreed. He’d make her life miserable if she did, and honestly, she greedily wanted that time now.
Somehow, living with Julian, being with him, took away every bit of the loneliness and isolation she’d felt for so many years. Even though she already knew how it was going to end, she didn’t want to miss the beginning and middle—the good parts. Even though he did, more often than not, make her crazy.
She rose, feeling awkward for lying to her parents. “I’d better run.” She bent down and kissed her mom’s cheek, then moved to her father to do the same. “Julian might cook if I’m not home, and that’s more than a little terrifying.”
They both chuckled as she waved, leaving the living room exhausted from trying to smile so damn much. Letting herself out, she dashed to Julian’s SUV, pushing the button to open the door as she ran. Freezing rain was coming down, and Kristin was grateful when she got inside the comfortable vehicle. She put her foot on the brake pedal and pushed the button to start up the automobile. If she had thought about it earlier, she could have started the SUV from the house so it would be warm. But her car was older, and didn’t have the fancy features that this one did.
The moment they’d returned from Hawaii, Julian had lectured her about needing a new car. She’d put her foot down, arguing that her car might be old, but it ran just fine. He’d finally given up, grumbling about her refusal to let him replace a perfectly reliable vehicle, but she’d lost the battle of what car she was going to drive. He’d heard they were in for some bad weather, so he’d finagled her into driving his SUV today because he was staying in to work on his screenplay.
When she’d lived in town, having a compact vehicle hadn’t been an issue. But once she got going on the country highway, Kristin was grateful to have a heavier vehicle beneath her.
Slowing her speed, she drove home thinking about what to make for dinner, wondering how much work Julian had managed to get done on his writing.
Kristin was fairly certain that his career change wouldn’t last. At some point, he was going to want to do more movies. He’d never be happy in a small town like Amesport after living in California for so long. Granted, townspeople rarely bothered him. Everybody was accustomed
to the Sinclairs living in the area, and nobody cared that the place was crawling with billionaires. Most of them were grateful for the changes Grady, his brothers, and finally his cousins had brought about for the citizens. The Sinclairs cared about the town they lived in, and it showed with every improvement they helped to make happen.
It took her longer to get home because of the icy roads, but Kristin finally pulled into the garage with a sigh.
Julian met her at the garage door with a frown. “I was getting worried. You didn’t answer your text.”
“I was driving,” Kristin retorted. “The roads are slick. I think it will turn to snow shortly.”
He took her coat and hung it up. “I’m glad I didn’t know. I was just wondering if you got delayed.”
“I stopped at my parents’ house. I’ve been driving in winter weather here for years, Julian,” she reminded him, but her heart melted over the fact that he’d been waiting for her.
“Doesn’t matter,” he grumbled. “Shit still happens.”
His comment made her wonder if he was thinking about Xander and his parents. The thought choked her up a little, knowing that Julian still wasn’t completely over his sudden loss. Hell, if she’d lost her parents that traumatically, she’d be the same way: always wondering if and when it could happen again.
She wasn’t about to tell him that she was glad she’d driven his vehicle. He’d just gloat about the fact that he was right, or he’d say something that would touch her heart. Kristin was never sure which response to expect from Julian. “Let me go shower and then I’ll cook something.”
Still in her scrubs, the first thing she wanted when she hit the door was to get cleaned up. Even though she used a lab coat at work, she still wanted to get out of her office attire.
“Kiss me first,” Julian insisted, catching her around the waist as she tried to escape.
