“Nope. Nobody else,” Amanda agreed as she waved her empty at the waitress. With a nod the woman disappeared around the corner.
“So, let’s see. There’s Cody, who we all know likes you.”
At least parts of me.
“Then there is Jace, a man who has already confessed his love to you.” Cindy paused to narrow her eyes on Amanda. She just stared blankly back. “That’s who you left the note for, isn’t it? You think Jace will question Knox about what happened this morning once he finds out about the letter. Then what? You think Knox will actually own up to calling you a whore to his brother?”
“Actually, I do.” Cindy had put it all together quick enough Amanda didn’t even bother to lie about it. “Denying what happened would be cowardly and weak.”
“And just what do you expect Jace to do when he finds out his brother called the woman he loves a whore?”
Amanda leaned in and said it. “Beat the fucking shit out of Knox for me.”
“Amanda!”
“What?” Amanda snapped back, more than willing to defend her position even if she knew it was wrong. “The man deserves a good beat down and don’t try to tell me he doesn’t.”
“I agree. He does, but Jace is his brother. You’re turning two brothers against each other.”
That was the very reason she felt the nasty, gloomy tendrils of guilt trying to worm through her all day. She fought back, unwilling to concede the point.
“Look, you said it yourself. If a relationship is really going to work with all of them, then I have to be strong. I can’t just let Knox say and treat me any way he wants because I’m afraid a fight might upset Jace, okay? If Cody and Jace weren’t in the picture, I would have done exactly the same thing just to be a bitch to him.”
“But they are in the picture, and you can’t just treat this situation as if you’re having separate, individual relationships with three men. You’re having one relationship with three men.”
“I’m not having anything with three men. Let’s get real here, do you know how tired and sore I was this morning? I still fricken ache, and if I had gone back to the ranch I’d be naked right now and being ridden hard. Think about it, three men, every night. They would have to compensate me because at some point I really won’t be able to get out of bed.”
“So you’re just going to walk away then?”
“Yes.” The answer came out quick and straight from the heat of the moment. The sound of the word almost immediately sent a strange panic through her and her mouth moved to stop the riot. “No.”
Cindy raised an eyebrow.
“I don’t know.” Amanda caved. “Who knows if they’ll even want to continue after that note.”
“I do. You really think there are not three Reese brothers scouring this city for you right now?”
Amanda smiled.
“Oh for the love of God.” Cindy rolled her eyes. “That’s what we’re really doing here, isn’t it? This is the second time you’ve run out on those boys. What is it? You just like knowing they’re going insane looking for you.”
“It’s not a bad feeling.” Amanda shrugged.
“I think you need to grow up and deal with the fact you are in a relationship with three men. The odds are you will be returning to the ranch at some point and one of them, probably Knox, is going to piss you off again and you can’t constantly put those boys against each other every time you get into a snit. Somebody is going to get seriously hurt one day if you don’t.”
Amanda scowled. “You sound just like Jace.”
“Well, that just shows you how smart he is.”
Amanda didn’t want to have to think about Cindy’s point, but she did. As the waitress dropped off her second beer and disappeared, Amanda kept turning Cindy’s argument over in her head. It annoyed her because it pierced the logic of the carefully constructed defense she’d erected against all the guilt.
It angered her to feel guilt about this. She might have done wrong, but he still deserved it and certainly started it. Okay Miss Bratty, you’ll be working with Mr. Jackass on the fifth grade science project—how quickest to destroy two brothers’ relationship. Extra points for extra brothers.
“Look, I’m just saying you really need to figure out how you’re going to handle Knox, because you can’t rely on this method. I’m not saying I don’t understand why you did it.”
“I get it,” Amanda groaned, wishing Will was here instead of Cindy. He’d have let her wallow. “Message received.”
* * * *
Knox kicked the brake down with more force than necessary. The storm clouds had been gathering overhead, reflecting his mood perfectly. Fuck the fact it was the middle of the week, he was going to get rip roaring drunk. It would suck come morning, but he could give a shit less. Bottom line, tomorrow would suck no matter what.
Knox had let Jace beat the crap out of him and he just wasn’t young enough to rebound with ease. The next few days would be filled with aches and pains. Already his jaw throbbed and his eyes started to swell shut. Knox deserved the hits. He’d made that decision when he saw Amanda’s cute little note and known then Jace would want a chunk of his flesh.
That’s what he’d told himself, but it wasn’t the reason he didn’t defend himself against his brother’s wrath. No, it had been the look in Amanda’s eyes right before Knox had dismissed her by the guest room door that haunted him. He’d hurt her, not once, but twice that morning.
Guilt had led him into putting in a long nine hours worth of work on her house. Despite his earlier comments, Knox had ordered up and paid for all the repairs, making decisions without even thinking to call Amanda. As much as he knew she’d probably throw a fit over that fact, in Knox’s mind he’d made his apology.
Not that he waited to see her reaction. He’d split before she got home from work with the justification if he lingered, Knox would only make things worse and probably end up owing the girl another apology. Knox just didn’t think he had the stamina for it.
Besides, he’d still had his brothers to face. It wasn’t often Knox’s ass found the hot seat, but he’d certainly been burned tonight. Accepting he’d earned it, he’d held his tongue as his brothers erupted. He even let his baby brother get in a few licks. The last time Cody had landed a punch, Knox sure as hell hadn’t taken it.
At least they hadn’t wasted too much time tearing him up. Both Jace and Cody had been in a snit to run off after the girl. They expected him to choke up an actual apology, because Amanda would be coming back to the ranch. Maybe not tonight, but tomorrow at the latest and Knox would be back at the beginning of the same problem—trying not to fall for Amanda’s less than gracious charm.
Hopping out of his truck, he slammed the door with more force than necessary. Knox parked in back, all the space up front having been filled earlier in the night. He’d pay later, having to stumble out in the rain through the mud, but what did he care?
He didn’t care. He didn’t care about a single thing, not even…Amanda.
Knox froze in his tracks. There sat his nemesis on the back step of the bar where he’d come to drink her out of his mind. She hadn’t noticed him, too focused on staring at the cell phone in her hands. He should get back in his truck and go somewhere, anywhere else before she realized he was there.
Even as that certainty hit him, Knox felt his legs moving forward and not away. What the hell am I doing? What am I going to say to the woman?
“Amanda.”
Her head snapped up, her eyes going wide with surprise to find him standing over her. Knox could see the surprise turn to pain and felt the heavy weight of his own responsibility bear down on him.
“I’m sorry about this morning.” Had he really said that? “I didn’t mean to hurt you.” I’m going to beat the shit out of Jace! “It was wrong of me and I apologize.”
Hello, my name Knox and I’m a fucking Weenie. Knox clenched his jaw, holding off any more humiliating statements from coming out. It would have helped if Ama
nda would say something to fill the gap. As Amanda rose to her feet, though, Knox decided he didn’t really want to hear anything she had to say. Whatever gloating, smug words came out of her mouth would only increase the number of beers he’d need to wipe this conversation out of his memory.
“Whatever, jackass. I don’t care what you have to say.”
Knox blinked, taking in the fact she’d just thrown back his heartfelt apology into his face. He could feel his ears go red as steam boiled up through his blood. Knox never apologized to anybody, and this little girl had the audacity to respond with sarcasm. What the hell had I expected from the Queen of Obnoxiousness? Where the hell does she think she’s going?
Wherever Amanda had intended to run off to, she almost got away. Knox brought her to a quick stop with a harsh grip to her elbow, jerking her back to face him.
“Let me go.” Amanda wrenched her arm, but didn’t manage to break free of his hold.
“What did you just say to me?”
“I said get your oversized paw off me, you two-legged dog.”
Amanda all but shouted the words right in his face as she stepped up. She might not have meant for it to be a turn on, but the way she pressed into him, letting him feel her breasts brush against his chest made more than just her nipples go hard.
“But you like my paws on you. Don’t you, Amanda?” Knox stepped into her, flattening her breasts against his chest when she refused to stand down. “I can feel your nipples, all puckered and hard. I didn’t get a chance to taste them last night. Maybe we should rectify that, or don’t you have another twenty to spare?”
Her eyes rounded and he could feel her heart racing in her chest. The frantic beat echoed his own, making him rush carelessly forward into the storm building between them.
“I was really quite insulted by that. I remember how hot you got, how wet and tight you were when I pumped my dick into that needy little pussy of yours. You begged me to fuck you and passed out when you came. I’d say that was worth more than a twenty, don’t you?”
“It isn’t even worth remembering,” she snarled, hot and heated right into his face.
“Then maybe I’ve got you confused with somebody else. Somebody who is actually worth a little compensation.”
She smacked him so hard Knox could feel the imprint of each single finger throbbing into his cheek. The crack of flesh on flesh echoed the snap of his control. His hand released her arm to twine into her hair and yank her head back.
Amanda’s mouth opened on a scream he swallowed as he sealed their lips together. Wild, savage, the kiss went beyond a simple tasting or duel for control and into the ravaging range of carnal desires completely unleashed.
He’d been starving all day and hadn’t even known it until he once again filled himself with Amanda’s intoxicating taste. Sweet, hot and spicy, the flavor of her kiss drove him deeper into the vortex of aggression-fueled passion. Knox wanted to brand her until it was only his touch, his kiss, his dick that could bring her any kind of satisfaction. He wanted to scar her soul as she had already scarred his.
Knox ripped himself free of her embrace, releasing her to breath in ragged breaths. He wouldn’t do it. Not this way. Not a second time.
Without a word of explanation, he latched back onto her arm and began to drag her off toward his truck.
Chapter 36
Amanda fought Knox the whole way only to end up getting a face full of seat as he all but threw her into his truck through the driver’s side door. She’d have gone out the other side if he hadn’t latched back onto her arm, twisting it up behind her back. She only had two options, go forward into pain or stay still and accept her fate.
Both options were unacceptable to her and she unleashed her anger on the big brute who thought he could treat her any way he damn well pleased. Elbowing, kicking, clawing, biting, she unleashed her full fury onto Knox. All her efforts earned her was to be pinned beneath his awesome weight with her wrists trapped in one hand and her legs pinned together by his massive thighs.
Damn! Why does being held like this turn me on so much?Turned on was an understatement, given the painful level her arousal had taken. She couldn’t help it. Knox did something to her, filled her body with energy and fight. Every cell in her knew where this road ended and thrived on taking another trip with Knox.
Knox made short work of binding her wrists with his belt. With a yank, he had her sitting up, wrists tied to the hand rail over the passenger side window. Amanda anticipated his next move, waiting for whatever insult he intended to blast her with, but he didn’t even look at her. Even in the darkness, she could see Knox’s ears flushed with anger, his jaw tense as he clenched it. His motions were short, jerky, full of aggressive energy as he kicked over the truck engine and threw the oversized vehicle into reverse.
Within a second, he had the oversized vehicle spinning out of the parking lot. Apparently the negotiations were over and he intended to claim victory by force. Knox must have stolen this move from Cody’s playbook.
Outside her window, the night flew past in a blur of pastures marked by the occasional blip of a dark wood telephone pole and the shallow pool of yellow light. As the world whipped past, she made no comment, but worked steadily on twisting her wrists free.
Amanda knew how he wanted this little drama to end, but she wouldn’t go down with Knox the way she had with Cody. Cody enjoyed control, but Knox needed it. He used it as a defense to protect himself, which only made her that much more determined to rip it away from him. Whatever Knox wanted hidden, she wanted to expose.
In a replay of her first day with Cody, Knox jackknifed the truck off the paved road and gunned it into the darkness. She gripped the handle as the seat beneath her bounced. Each pounding impact forged her determination to make this night end differently until her will power was made of pure, six-inch steel.
When Knox slammed the brakes down and jerked the truck to a shuddering halt, Amanda sat ready to do battle with Satan himself. She’d had enough. The leather bind around her wrist had loosened enough she could pull her wrists free at any time.
For the moment she played at being subdued. Cowering in the corner with her fingers still curled around the handle, she silently, eagerly, anticipated Knox’s next move. She’d expected a full on assault, what she got was a dismissal.
The truck door whined at being thrown open. The whole vehicle shifted, bouncing slightly as Knox jumped out. Amanda stared in absolute confusion as Knox stormed off into the night. He prowled like a dangerous beast around the truck, and she knew he was trying to work off his aggressive energy.
Trying to save his control again. He needed another push. One that would shatter his will power into dust. Just the idea of all of Knox’s aggression unleashed had her insides flittering with excitement and some very sensitive parts of her body swelling with glee. She would reduce him to a thing of wild need. Then they’d be equals.
The very idea made her smile and tempted her to do something every sane part of her screamed not to. Sanity had no place here and she hungered for a taste of the insane.
* * * *
Knox took a deep breath and tried to force the feral lust beating at his control back into its place. He would not give in and become another victim of Amanda’s allure. That woman would not rip away all the defenses he had developed to keep any woman from actually touching the beast’s heart within him, no matter how much arguing with her just made him hunger.
No, damnit. He would control himself. If Amanda was the choice his brothers made, he’d only give her what was safe for him to give. He’d be strong, calm, rational. He’d get back into the truck and soothe Amanda’s little tantrum with honeyed words and keep his emotional distance.
I will not allow her to push me around anymore.
The sound of the truck door slamming had his head snapping around, half expecting to see Amanda charging at him with more accusations flowing from her lips. Instead of curses, Knox’s ears rang with the sound of the truck’s engin
e revving. Like a dumbass, he just stared in amazement as the truck spun around, coming within feet of hitting him and throwing dirt into his face.
Son of a bitch! She was stealing the truck!
Oh, hell NO!
Knox barely latched onto the tail gate as it whipped past. Banging his knees, he managed to lift up on the bumper before the truck cut hard and he went tumbling into the bed.
Cussing as he rolled to his knees, Knox could have busted through the rear window open with his fist. Just the fact that it was his truck and he didn’t want to pay for nothing to be fixed had him holding back. He still banged hard enough to make Amanda jump, not that the crazy lady obeyed when he roared, “Stop!”
Like that’s going to happen, but the damn woman didn’t have to fishtail back onto the highway, sending Knox tumbling around the bed. Amanda Johnson would pay like no other, Knox growled. Just as soon as she pulled this truck over he’d—splat!
Knox turned his face up into the big, fat drops of water starting to spatter out of the night sky. Oh, yeah, she’s going to pay for this. That thought kept Knox warm as the sky opened up above him and unleashed a torrent on his head.
Bring it on. Every second, every smack of rain on his face, every nick of dust and dirt against his skin, every bump and bang of the bed beneath him renewed Knox’s determination. He’d be accepting her babbling apologies when she was on her knees, ass in the air, his hands in her hair, holding onto it like a leash while he rode her harder than he had ridden any other woman.
Relentless and furious, Knox would fuck Amanda until he’d reduced her to exactly what she was, a soft, weak woman, begging him for her pleasure, willing to do anything to see to his. He’d screw the arrogance right out of her and when it was over, he’d own her body and soul. With all the power over her, his obsession would be no more than a short phase. Soon enough he’d be bored with screwing her and that would be the end of this insanity.
Kansas Heat Page 33
