The Ultimate Romantic Suspense Set (8 romantic suspense novels from 8 bestselling authors for 99c)

by Lee Taylor

  Jesse took an absentminded swallow from her glass. Her gaze was distant, her eyes glazed.

  Dameon hoped she would continue. As challenging as her story was, he needed to hear it. Perhaps it would help him understand this complicated woman who gotten under his skin. Way under.

  “I met Garrett in my first year at college. He was dashing and the first guy I’d ever dated. Like I said, I got pregnant. His family hated me, they still do. They called me white trash. They thought I was a whore, that I’d gotten pregnant on purpose to snare Garrett. They were wrong, I didn’t know any better. I was only eighteen when I had Trey. I wasn’t a good mother. I just didn’t… know how.”

  Dameon did his best to cover his shock. Fortunately Jesse didn’t seem to notice his dismay at her story. She was in a far-away zone, locked in her memory. She tossed out her history in a flat monotone as if she were reciting a rote lesson. Dameon tried to come to grips with the fact that Jesse began living on her own when she was only four years older than his adored and pampered daughter was now. Christ, he thought Zoey was independent.

  When Jesse paused, he pushed wanting to hear more.

  “You must’ve finished college.”

  “Oh yes. I loved school. My father was horrified when I got pregnant. He insisted I join the Army. Said it was the best way to get my education paid for. Garrett wouldn’t pay for me to go to school and I couldn’t work. You know, with the baby. My dad was fierce. Dad thought the Army was the answer to everything. To be honest, I loved the Army. It was the kind of life I’d always known. I didn’t care how hard it was to be a woman or to have a kid. Garret hated it and frankly he hated me. He was ashamed of me. After the first rush I discovered that I didn’t like him either. He was shallow, pampered and felt entitled. I divorced him when Trey was three. Garrett was shocked that I left him. He told me I’d never get his son if I left. He’s been fighting for Trey ever since. Not because he wants him but because he doesn’t want me to have him. He said I didn’t deserve to have a son of his. That Trey was a ‘Chambers.’ For a long time I was afraid Garrett was right. What could I offer a young boy? Garrett’s family has everything. But I couldn’t give him up. This last thing Garrett did to….”

  Jesse stopped and frowned. She glanced around, looking surprised, uncertain. As if she just realized she had been talking for several uninterrupted minutes.

  She shook her head. “Uh, never mind. I left the Army and followed them here to fight for my son.”

  She sighed and took a large swallow of her drink. She grimaced then glanced at him. Crouching against the corner of the sofa, she looked defensive, guarded.

  “I don’t know why I told you all of that. I never talk… about it… or anything… to anyone. It must be the….”

  Dameon waited for her to finish the sentence. When she didn’t he moved toward her.

  “I agree. That’s enough for tonight, Jesse. This has been a difficult evening. You can tell me the rest of the story some other time.”

  She reared up and pushed away, clearly distressed.

  “No. There’s nothing to tell. And I don’t tell it at all. That’s the most I’ve ever told anyone about what happened.”

  Dameon was cautious.

  “You can tell me whatever you do or don’t want to tell me, Jesse. Now and ever, okay? For what it’s worth, I’m not surprised. It’s been a challenging night. I’ll leave so that you can get some rest. Tomorrow is also going to be difficult.”

  Relief bloomed on her face, easing the tight lines around her eyes and mouth. She quickly stood up letting the throw drop to the ground.

  “Yes, yes, please. I… you should go now.”

  She followed him through the house and out to the front porch. He started to walk down the steps but then turned back toward her. She was leaning against the doorjamb, her pale face luminous in the moonlight. The strain on her face tore at his heart.

  His voice was husky.

  “Jesse. I don’t think I can leave you looking this sad. Let me put my arms around you. Just for a moment, let me hold you.”

  She shook her head no. When he reached for her, she started to resist. Then, surprising them both, she whispered, “Okay,” and leaned into him.

  Chapter 13

  Dameon held her for a long moment. Her body was rigid against his own. When she let go and leaned into him, he groaned, knowing his resistance was shaky.

  “Ah, baby, you really do need this, don’t you?”

  “No. I don’t. Please… let me go.”

  “Uh uh, not a chance. Just let me hold you, Jesse.”

  Running his hands over her back, he pulled her closer and tipped up her chin with his thumb and forefinger, gazing into her eyes.

  He murmured, “Relax, Jesse. You can lean on me.”

  When she shook her head no, he nipped at her earlobe.

  “Remember, tiger, I have broad shoulders.”

  Pulling her closer, he buried his nose in her hair and breathed in her rich intoxicating scent.

  “God, woman, you smell good.”

  He was shocked at how quickly he’d become aroused. His cock was iron hard and he’d barely touched her. But the die was cast. His body knew what his brain was beginning to accept. There was no hiding what he felt for this woman—from her or from himself. And there was no way to turn back.

  He tipped her head up and nipped gently at her full lips.

  She murmured, “No, no, no,” but her breath was coming in shallow breathy pants.

  He nibbled at Jesse’s lips, licking her, tasting her. Tugging at the corner of her mouth, Dameon bit down softly. She gasped but instead of pushing him away she pulled him closer her body trembling against his. An involuntary moan escaped her lips.

  He groaned a hard masculine sound. “Oh honey, that was a big mistake.”

  There was no stopping him now.

  Tugging at the binder holding her hair he freed the tangled mass. It tumbled over her shoulders and down her back. He couldn’t hold back his low groan.

  He buried his nose and mouth in the fragrant strands.

  “Jesus, do you know how long I’ve wanted to do this? Free your beautiful hair and run my hands through it? Do you, tiger?”

  He wound his hand through the curls and tipped her head back. His voice was hoarse, raspy with desire.

  “Since the first time I saw you, I wanted to lift up your beautiful face like this. Hold you in place by your hair so I could kiss you.”

  Her low moan urged him on.

  He ran his tongue over the seam of her lips. Grasping her bottom lip between his teeth, he tugged on it.

  “Open for me, Jesse. Open, baby. Let me come in.”

  Shocked at the sensations flooding her, Jesse couldn’t hold back a soft moan. It was as though Dameon had struck a match and her body ignited with a fiery blast.

  He groaned and pressed her mouth open, probing inside with his tongue.

  “Yes, like that! Open for me.” Taking possession of her mouth, his gentle nips became probing thrusts. To her shock Jesse responded as fiercely. Their tongues tangled as he drove into her mouth. They began kissing frantically. Jesse tasted the burn of the pungent whisky he’d drunk earlier and wanted more. She wanted to taste all of him. She had a crazed need to devour him, take him deeper and deeper in her mouth. His rumbling groan drove her desire to a passionate peak. To her surprise, she reached up to grasp his short tousled hair and began tugging on it. She wanted him more desperately than she’d ever wanted anything.

  Crooning harsh, sexy words, he tightened his grip on her hair and pulled her head back baring her throat to his eager mouth. He began licking, nipping at her tender skin, his beard shadow was tantalizingly rough against her throat. Burying his tongue in the sensitive place between her neck and shoulder, he bit down. A wild tremor shook her, sending an electric charge straight to her clit. Shocked by the rioting sensations cascading over her, she cried out a passionate wail.

  Dameon regarded her in wonder.


  “God, Jesse. Holy Christ, baby. Listen to you. God, woman, you are hot!”

  He ran his hands under her shirt carefully avoiding the bandaged area. She felt him hesitate and shook her head frantically. Grabbing hold of his hands, she pressed them against her breasts.

  “No, no, it doesn’t hurt. Don’t stop. Please don’t stop.”

  “God, honey, you want me to touch your breasts? Yes? Run my hands over them?”

  She writhed under him and whispered, “Yes, Dameon. Yes, please!”

  Jesse’s breasts felt full, swollen. When he worked his hands behind her back and snapped open her bra, she arched her back pushing her breasts up into his hands. She wanted, needed his hands around them.

  A wave of pleasure swamped her and she sobbed in delight when he reached in front of her and cupped her breasts in his big hands.

  “Damn, baby. Your breasts! Holy Christ, they overflow my hands. Jesse, I need to suck on them. Say yes, honey.”

  Before she could answer, he’d captured her tender nipples tweaking them between his fingers and thumbs. When he bent down and sucked one peaked nipple into his mouth, fiery sensations streaked across her body. Gasping for breath she cried, “Oh my God, yes, please yes!”

  He suckled her running his rough tongue round and round the hard nub then twisted her other nipple, tugging on it mercilessly. She shrieked, crying out at the combustible mix of pain and incredible erotic pleasure. She writhed under him, wanting, begging for more.

  Dameon struggled against his lust. He knew how desperately he wanted her but he hadn’t dared dream that she would respond to him the way that she was. Christ, she was on fire and her passion was driving him crazy. He was stunned at his desire, it was a fearsome tide. His cock was throbbing. He knew if he couldn’t get inside of her soon, very soon, he’d explode. For one crazy moment he allowed himself to imagine burying himself deep inside this beautiful woman.

  Hearing her passionate whimpers, begging him not to stop, he dragged her up against the wall and lifted her up on his knee. Pressing her hard against the wall he drove his burgeoning prick between her legs.

  She cried out, “Oh my God, Dameon! Do that! More, please! Don’t stop!”

  “Oh darlin’, I don’t know that I can stop. Ride me honey. Yeah, Jesse. God, baby, like that!” He groaned a deep reverberating sound. “Yes, just like that.”

  No longer able to hold back, he knew he had to have her. He lifted her leg and wrapped it up around his waist. Sliding one hand under the flowing material he shoved the soft pant leg up against her crotch his expert fingers probing between her legs.

  “Christ, honey, you’re wet for me. Hell, yeah. Damn, I can smell you.”

  And she could smell him. Jesse drank in Dameon’s strong masculine scent. His cock was hard against her. Gasping for air, she pressed against his hard thigh, riding his cock. She wanted him deep inside of her. When he probed at the apex of her thighs with his clever fingers, she felt herself dampening further at his penetrating touch. A wave of sensation unfurled inside of her, flooding her with torrents of desire. She cried out, begging him not to stop.

  Dameon heard her passionate cries and felt the beginning of Jesse’s orgasm. He fought the urge to strip off her pants and drive deep inside of her. For an agonizing instant he imagined the thrill of entering her, feeling her tight pussy around his eager cock. With a huge effort, he forced himself to pull back. He knew the worst thing he could do was to take her like this, no matter how much he wanted to. He reminded himself of the traumatic evening she and Trey had been through and that her son was upstairs. He knew he couldn’t fuck her and leave. Hell no. When he came inside of her it would be at least for a night—if not a week or a month. Somehow his big head managed to talk down his small one.

  It took every ounce of strength he had to wrap his arms around her and gently ease her to her feet. He held her close, their breaths combining in shallow pants. He stroked a finger under her chin and raised her face to his gaze.

  “Jesse. Jesse. Baby, we can’t do this. I can’t do this. Not like this. You are way, way too vulnerable, and honey I want you way, way too much to take you like this.”

  She clung to him, shaking, her eyes glazed with desire. Her voice was hoarse.

  “I… I understand.”

  “No, you don’t. And hell, neither do I.”

  He forced a small smile and stared at her flushed face, her hair wildly tangled about her shoulders.

  “Jesse, I’ve never wanted a woman like I want you. But, somehow, some goddamned way I’m going to stop. I can’t take you like this, Jesse. You’re too special. This is too special, too important.”

  He lifted her chin forcing her to look at him.

  “Jesse, you want me as much as I want you. But for now—just for now—it has to be like this. Do you understand?”

  Her eyes were wide with passion, clouded with uncertainty. He forced her to look at him. He needed her to understand.

  “Promise me? Promise me, Jesse, that you won’t minimize this? That you won’t rewrite it, make is less than it is? You’re as crazy as I am now and, baby, we have a right to be.”

  He held her close for a long moment then gently kissed both of her cheeks.

  “Good night, sweet woman.”

  ~~~

  Jesse watched Dameon climb into his truck and drive away. She was shaken, stunned. In all her life she had never been so aroused. So totally, carnally on fire. She had had men in her life. But they were fleeting experiences. She’d always found that she could do more to bring herself to orgasm than the few and far between men she’d experimented with. But Dameon? Just the thought of him sent passion flashing to her groin. She’d never responded to a man like this. Raw, hungry, fierce…. She could have come from his mouth, from his hands alone. It was a stunning realization. For the first time in her life she knew what pure primal passion was. And now that she’d tasted it, she wanted and needed more.

  Chapter 14

  Jesse waited for Trey in the school parking lot. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw him coming toward her. He was looking at the ground, his rigid shoulders belying his casual stride. She reached over to open the passenger door and touched his shoulder briefly as he climbed in. Jesse ached for him, but like her son, she assumed a casual tone.

  “How did it go?”

  He shrugged and batted at the messy curls hanging low over his forehead. He’d let his hair grow to chin length this summer. Jesse thought Trey did it to annoy his father and to make himself look older, cooler. Jesse choked back a pained laugh. More than anything he looked like he did as a young boy: outrageously beautiful with a shocking mass of reddish blond curls. Like her, he’d avoided the redhead’s usual scourge of sandy lashes and brows. Like hers, dark eyelashes and eyebrows set off his bright green eyes.

  “A lot of the kids knew about it. They wanted to know why the other guys were in jail and I wasn’t.”

  “What did you tell them?”

  He shrugged again. “That I helped the guy Peter shot, and called 911. And that I have to go to a place for kids in trouble. That shut them up.”

  Jesse’s heart tugged at his feigned nonchalance.

  He took a deep breath.

  “The principal called me down. I guess the police called him to let the school know what had happened.”

  Jesse had talked at length with Principal Rodriguez. He’d told her that he’d been disappointed in Trey to date—that he wasn’t the kid that he had expected from his previous school’s records. He was cautious but encouraged that Trey had shown a different side of himself last night, a more admirable side.

  “I also talked with your principal, Trey. He was impressed with what you did last night.”

  “Yeah. He said he hoped I’d be different from now on. Get better grades and stuff. Said he was going to be watching me closely.”

  Jesse nodded. “A lot of people are going to be watching you, Trey. And most of them are pulling for you. They want you to succeed.”
/>   Trey muttered an unintelligible response.

  “I didn’t hear what you said, Trey.”

  “Dad doesn’t.”

  Jesse forced herself to hide her true feelings.

  “He’s angry now, Trey, and upset.”

  In a surprising turn, Trey blurted, “I wish Dad was more like Chief Macarios. Even though he’s a police chief, he understands kids. More than Principal Rodriquez or most of my teachers do.”

  Jesse didn’t trust herself to respond. She just nodded and focused on driving. Dwelling on last night wouldn’t help. She’d barely slept. Unlike the other nights when she’d been upset and angry, last night her erotic dreams interrupted her sleep. She’d fall asleep then wake from another turbulent dream with her body on fire, aching to be touched. Nothing she did could sate the hunger raging inside of her.

  She’d spent at least two hours this morning deciding what to wear. Having lived most of her adult life in required uniforms, choosing a daily wardrobe was a new ordeal. When she arrived in Albuquerque, she’d hit the high-end department stores determined to change her image. She soon discovered her usual sweats and t-shirts and unisex Army uniforms had masked her body more than she’d realized. Everything she chose made her look sexy, inviting. At first she was horrified at her reflection in the mirror, wondering if she should take back all the new clothes. Remembering the gleam in Dameon’s eyes when he looked at her she was glad she’d resisted. But that didn’t make it any easier to decide what to wear to the police station.

  Jesse tried on one outfit after another. She finally picked a black pencil skirt and a cropped short sleeved sweater that flared at her waist to hide her back holster. Adding thigh high stockings and three inch heels made her feel professional, and sexy.

  She saw Trey studying her as they walked into the station.

  She was surprised and gratified when he complimented her.