by L. Wilder
“That would be great, but first …”
I walked over to him and wound my arms around his neck, pulling him towards me as I covered his mouth with mine, kissing him softly. “Thank you for doing all this for me.”
“Baby, there’s nothing in this world I wouldn’t do for you.”
“Do you think we’ll be okay?”
“Yeah, baby. We’ll be okay. I’ll make sure of it.”
13
Jasper
When I stepped out of the shower, Madison was in the doorway with her towel still wrapped around. Fuck. She looked absolutely stunning standing there with hunger in her eyes—a hunger that was directed solely at me. “Do you need a towel?”
“Yeah, you got one for me?”
“Sure do.” She let the cloth fall from her body, then offered it to me. “Here you go.”
I couldn’t take my eyes off her as I took it from her hand and started to dry off. With a sexy smirk, she stepped towards me and grabbed the towel from my hand then tossed it aside. Placing her hands on my chest, she said, “I think you mentioned something about payback?”
“I did.”
“Well, in case you didn’t know”—she wound her arms around my neck—“I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.”
“Is that right?”
“Um-hmm. I’ve kinda been looking forward to it,” she whispered as she lifted up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against mine.
Having her bare skin so close to mine set me on fire, making every nerve in my body burn with need. Feeling the heat surge through me, my hand dove into her wet hair, pulling her close as I deepened the kiss. Our tongues twisted, tasting each other as we let ourselves forget about the danger lurking around us. I was quickly losing control, and Madison knew it. Breaking from our embrace, she let her fingers trail slowly down my abdomen as she lowered herself to her knees.
As I watched her kneel, my cock instantly hardened. My entire body craved her touch, and I ached with anticipation. With one hand, she took me in her fist and squeezed me gently in her palm. Her other hand slid up my thigh, cupping my balls as her mouth closed over the head of my throbbing cock. My breath caught in my chest, and I had to work to steady myself. Between her warm, soft skin against mine and the wet heat of her mouth, it was almost too much to take. A groan escaped from deep in my chest as I savored the feeling of her lips tightening around me, and when she started licking and swirling her soft tongue around the head of my cock, I almost lost it.
I had never experienced such an intense combination of love and lust in my entire life. This woman exceeded every fantasy I’d ever had. She took me further into her mouth until my cock pressed against the back of her throat. She sucked me with expert finesse in and out of her mouth while her hand slid from my balls to around my hip and gripped my ass. She pulled me into her mouth, and the enthusiasm she showed had me rock hard. She wanted me every bit as much as I wanted her. I hadn’t even thought that was possible. I could feel my orgasm building, winding me tighter and tighter, as she sucked and licked my cock hungrily. I moaned, “Yeah, baby,” as I leaned my head back and felt my body tense for my release.
Suddenly, she stopped. She looked up at me and grinned, “Oh, you like that, huh?”
Stunned, I looked down at her in confusion, and was just about to ask why she had stopped, when she took my cock in her hand and began pumping it in a torturous rhythm. As she began to suck me again, my eyes squeezed shut in ecstasy.
“Fuuuuck,” I moaned as my hands moved to her hair.
She continued to slide her hand up and down while sucking and licking me right to the edge of oblivion. Each swirl of her tongue made the blood rush to my cock, and I could feel my release building again. She pulled back and murmured, a mischievous look on her face, “Oh, no, baby, I’m not done with you yet.”
I realized then she was teasing me, fucking with me until I lost my mind from desire. Well, two could play that game. I reached down and lifted Madison to her feet, “As much as I like having your mouth on me, it’s time for me to have a little payback of my own.”
Her eyes locked on mine as I lifted her into my arms and carried her to the bed, tossing her playfully onto the mattress. I crawled towards her, spreading her legs wide before burying my head between her soft, creamy thighs. Separating her flesh with my fingertips, I took her clit in my mouth as my fingers explored further. Madison’s breathing became uneven and hitched as I slipped a finger deep inside her. Focused and unrelenting, I teased her g-spot with a slow and steady rhythm. Her hips inched forward as she tensed around me and goosebumps prickled across her skin. Her head thrashed back as she gasped, “Yes!”
Loving how her beautiful body responded to my touch, I continued grazing and teasing her clit with my tongue, tormenting her as she writhed beneath me. Overcome by her impending release, her hips lifted up from the bed, begging me to give her more.
I raised my head and looked at her deviously. I mocked, “Oh, no, baby, I’m not done with you yet.”
Madison’s eyes flew open in shock as she gasped, “No! I was almost there!”
I only smirked in response before immediately driving another finger deep inside her. I slightly crooked my fingers and rubbed that spot that drove her wild over and over, adding the perfect amount of pressure as she moaned with pleasure. Her eyes squeezed shut and her mouth dropped open as I teased her clit with the pad of my thumb, giving her exactly what she wanted. “Please!” she whimpered as she squirmed desperately for release.
Ignoring her pleas, I slowed down, sliding my tongue over her as I continued moving my fingers inside, tormenting that spot that was driving her to the edge while easing my pressure.
“Now, have you had enough? Or do you want to keep going?” Panting, she threw her hand down on the mattress, hitting it several times. “Is that what I think it is?”
“Yes!”
“So, you’re tapping out?” I grinned.
“YES! Please. I’ve had all I can take,” she pleaded.
Nodding, I grabbed a condom from the nightstand and quickly rolled it on. “Is this what you want?”
“Yes,” she whispered as her eyes locked on mine, darkening with desire. She held my gaze as I slipped my hands under her ass and pulled her towards me. Fuck. She looked so damn beautiful sprawled out on the bed, bare and waiting for me with that wanton look in her eyes. I couldn’t imagine wanting her more.
I settled myself between her thighs with her legs spread wide, giving me complete access as I brushed my aching cock against her center then drove inside.
Shifting her hips upward, her body tightly gripped my cock, and as I rocked my hips forward, an intense heat coursed through my body each time I thrust deeper inside her.
She wrapped her legs around me, forcing me fully inside. I froze. She felt too fucking good. As I slowly withdrew and looked down at Madison, her eyes were clouded with desire and pleasure.
A slight hiss slipped through her teeth as I plunged into her again and again—each time a bit faster and more unforgiving. Her heels dug into my lower back as she shouted, “Jasper!”
As much as I loved having her that way, I wanted more. I placed my hands on her hips and flipped her over onto her knees so I could take her from behind. I reached for her hair, fisting it in my hand as I gave it a tug. Then I shoved forward, driving inside her once again. Damn, it didn’t get better than this. Unable to control myself, I slowly drew back and slammed into her again, fucking her hard and deep. A sexy-ass moan slipped from her throat as she started to rock back, meeting my every thrust. I slid my hand from her hip down between her legs, and feverish cries echoed through the room as I began teasing her clit. Within seconds, I could feel her muscles start contracting all around me as she pleaded, “Don’t stop!”
She panted wildly, moaning, and desperately gripping the sheets as I drove deeper.
“Yes!” she shouted. “Yes!”
I felt her body tremble around me, urging me on as I pounded
into her, over and over. She muttered my name incoherently, submitting to her release, and clamped down around me. “Jasper!”
Damn. Nothing turned me on more than watching her come undone, and I felt my own release building as the muscles in my abs and legs grew taut. I continued to drive into her, and the sound of my body slapping against hers pushed me over the edge. I gave her hair another tug, holding her to me as I came deep inside, growling with complete and utter satisfaction. I pulled out of her and grabbed a tissue by the nightstand to get rid of the condom, then turned my attention back to her.
This woman had a hold on me like I never thought possible. As Madison lay on her stomach, I lowered my mouth to her neck and whispered, “I’m not gonna be able to let you go.” Then I shifted and lay back on the bed.
She lifted her head and looked over at me. “Don’t you know by now that I want you to?” Relief washed over me as I listened to her say, “I want the good and the bad, your flaws and imperfections. I want your kind heart and off-the-wall sense of humor. All of you, so you don’t have to worry about letting me go. I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.”
Without waiting for my response, she rested her head on my shoulder, closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep. As I lay there watching her sleep, I wondered how it was possible for one person to have such a huge effect on another. I’d had people come and go in my life, each one leaving their own mark on my existence, but none had touched me the way Madison had. I was naïve. I knew there was a chance this thing with her would leave me broken in shambles. Life had taught me a long time ago that love wasn’t always enough. There were times when it didn’t matter how much you cared about a person, it didn’t mean that they felt the same about you. It was truly rare to find someone who felt the same way you did, but I found that with Madison, and now that I did, I had every intention of holding on to her. I wasn’t going to let anything or anyone take her away from me, especially someone I thought I could trust.
It was just after three a.m. when I eased out of bed. After I’d put on a pair of boxers, I grabbed my burner cell from the pocket of my jeans and went out onto the porch. I looked down at the screen for a moment, then dialed Charlie’s number. I had no idea why I’d put off calling him. Maybe I didn’t want to face the fact that someone who’d been my mentor and treated me like family could not only turn his back on me, but actually hire someone to kill me. While the thought sickened me, it angered me even more. He finally answered, “Yeah?”
“Hello, Charlie … It’s Jasper.”
“Jasper?” he asked, sounding surprised. There was a long pause before he continued, “Do you have any idea what time it is?”
“I do.” My jaw tightened as I tried to bite back my rage. “But this couldn’t wait.”
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“I want to know why you decided to put a fucking hit on me.”
“What the fuck are you talking about, Jasper?”
“You know damn well what I’m talking about, Charlie!” I growled.
“No, you’re wrong. I don’t have a clue about a hit on you.”
My heart was pounding in my chest as I shouted into my phone, “You’re telling me that it was a coincidence that I called you three days ago asking questions about Madison Brooks, and then last night Murdock paid me a visit?”
“Whoa. Why in the hell would I want to have you taken out?”
“Because I’m a loose end. Because I asked questions … I broke some fucking rule you had fabricated in that thick head of yours!”
“Wait. You got it wrong. I’d never do that to you … You’re my best operative, and not only that, you’re like a fucking son to me,” he replied, actually sounding surprised.
“Save the bullshit. I’m not buying it, man. You and I both know you ordered that hit, and you gotta be out of your fucking mind if you think you’re gonna get away with that shit!”
“Stop, Jasper. Think about what you’re saying.” His tone was demanding as he continued, “If I was gonna put a fucking hit on you, do you really think I’d be stupid enough to use someone like Murdock? He’s a complete fuckup.”
I knew nothing about Murdock, so there was no way of knowing if Charlie was telling me the truth. I was trying to make sense of things when Charlie said, “I know it might seem like a coincidence and all that, but I give you my word, I had nothing to do with this. I knew you were shaken up by the hit on the Brooks girl, and I was looking into it for you.”
“What have you found out?”
“Nothing just yet, but I made some calls. I’m doing what I can to find out anything I can.” He sighed, then said, “I know this thing is important to you, but right now … we need to find out why someone would call a hit on you, Jasper. You need to think of who it might’ve been.”
“How the hell would I know? The only person who makes sense is you.”
“Well, it wasn’t me, so we’re gonna need to figure out who it was, and fast.”
When I’d picked up the phone to call Charlie, I was certain he was the one who’d ordered the hit on me, but damn, if he was lying, he was doing a damn good job of it. He almost had me convinced, and the more he talked, the more inclined I was to believe him. “No idea how the hell I’m supposed to do that.
“Think back over your last few jobs. Are you sure no one saw you, or maybe you left some kind of evidence behind?”
“Not possible.”
“There has to be something, Jasper,” he argued. “You gotta remember … it’s only a matter of time before they send someone else to finish the job.”
“Very aware of that.”
“I don’t want to see you end up six feet under, Jasper. Let me help you figure this thing out.”
Still feeling a little wary, I asked, “Where do we start?”
“First, we need to get you somewhere safe.”
“Already done.”
“Good. Glad to hear that.” He yawned then asked, “That’ll give us some time.”
“Time for what?”
“To track down whoever put the hit on you. For now, we both could use some sleep. Call me in the morning, and we’ll talk things over. One way or another, it’ll get squared away.”
“You’re right. We’ll talk tomorrow.”
“Maybe we could meet up. Might be easier to talk face to face.”
I thought about it for a moment, then said, “Give me a few days to think about it.”
“Take all the time you need.” Before we hung, he said once more, “Just remember, I’m here for you, Jasper.”
After I hung the phone, I stood out on the porch, listening to the sound of the river flowing beneath me, and thought back to everything Charlie had said. I thought I had it all figured out. I thought I knew exactly who’d wanted me dead, but after talking to him, not only hearing the words he’d said but the sound in his voice, I wasn’t so sure. I knew there was a difference between a working partnership and a friendship, but Charlie always seemed genuinely concerned about me, like he actually gave a damn about me. I didn’t want to believe that he would betray me, but I wasn’t going to let that stop me from finding out the truth. Facing him and looking him straight in the eye was the only way I’d ever know if he was being completely honest with me, so I knew what I had to do.
14
Madison
Over the last few days, I’d started to become accustomed to life on the river. I’d even gone so far as to start my own little routine. While Jasper was still sleeping, I’d ease out of bed, make a cup of coffee, and go sit out on the front porch. The weather couldn’t have been more perfect. It was much warmer than it had been in the mountains, and the trees and flowers were in full bloom. As I sat there watching the sunlight dancing across the water, I couldn’t believe how beautiful it was. There wasn’t a house around for miles, leaving Jasper and me completely alone in our own little secret haven. I couldn’t help but think that it would’ve been a perfect getaway if wasn’t for the fact that our lives were in danger. No
matter how hard I tried to push it to the back of my mind, the worry was always there. Even though Jasper tried to assure me that he would handle things, I knew it was weighing on him too.
Since our first night at the fishing lodge, he’d been quiet and only spoke if I started up a conversation. Today was no different. He came out to say good morning, then went right back inside and got busy fixing something in the house, losing himself in his own world of thoughts. I understood that he had a lot on his mind, but that didn’t stop me from wanting to distract him from all of it—even if it was just for a little while.
Having no idea what I was looking for, I went inside and start poking around the lodge, opening drawers and closets. I was about to give up hope when I came across several fishing rods stashed away in the guest bedroom. Even though I didn’t know the first thing about fishing, I grabbed a couple of poles and the fishing box full of lures, then started towards the front door. I hadn’t gotten far when Jasper asked, “Where are you headed with those?”
“I thought I’d try and see if I could catch us some dinner.”
“You know how to fish?”
“Well, no,” I admitted with a smile. “You wanna come give me a few pointers?”
A smile crept across his face as he sauntered over and took the fishing rods from my hand. “Yeah, I could give you a couple.”
“Great.”
I followed him outside and over to the shed. He grabbed a bucket and a set of pliers, and then we walked to the end of the lodge’s small dock. After he’d opened the fishing box or, as I was corrected, the tackle box, I watched patiently as he put a lure on the end of each rod. Once he was done, he handed one over to me and asked, “Do you know how to cast it?”
“To what?”
“I’ll take that as a no.” He shook his head and said, “Okay, city girl. Let me show you how it’s done.”
“City girl?”
