by Lynda Chance
He remembered being hurt, but surprisingly, not jealous. But her deviant suggestion had put him off her, and their sex lives had gone stale for a week or two. And that’s all it had taken for her to crawl into his best friend’s bed.
That had nearly devastated him, but it wasn’t her betrayal that had nearly killed him. It had been his friend and business partner cuckolding him, going behind his back and sleeping with his wife that accomplished that trick. That was the day he’d become a total cynic, his harsh attitude and basic tendencies had been pushed over the edge and gone into freefall.
He wasn’t a forgiving man and within weeks had filed for divorce, and put into motion a forced sale of the business he’d worked his ass off for ten years. His partner had worked hard all those years along side him, and although they had split the profits, the return on their initial investment had been substantial.
As long as he was smart, he’d never have to work again.
His former friend had pulled up stakes and left town, refusing to take John’s soon-to-be ex-wife with him. And that had set her off the rails. She’d already been a heavy drinker and habitual drug user, something else he’d found out about soon after their ill-fated marriage, and the knowledge that she’d lost him and his money due to his ironclad prenuptial had sent her into a downward spiral she never recovered from.
All their divorce lacked was her signature the day she had died. Weeks after the fact, all John really felt was a guilty relief and pity for her widowed father who lost his only child that day.
His mind ran through his past as his hand made a path along Sarah’s silky arm. For sure, this was the first day since he found out his wife was a slut that he’d wanted to have sex with a woman without a condom. What he felt for Sarah wasn’t something he cared to analyze, but he knew without a doubt, that it wouldn’t pass in a few weeks as it had with all his previous partners. He uneasily acknowledged that he thought of Sarah as his, as his lover, and he had never assigned that description to any of the other women he’d bedded. They’d been temporary, he always knew that going in, and the only reason he had needed them was for the relief they’d brought.
Now she was pushing against the arm that held her pinned to him and he felt his grasp on her tighten. Where the hell did she think she was going?
“John.” The soft word was an entreaty to let her go.
“What?”
“I need to clean up.”
“No, you don’t.”
“I need to pee,” she added, giving him a bit more description. He didn’t know if he believed it, but he let her loose anyway. After all, it was her house, and he damn sure wasn’t going anywhere.
Sarah reached down and quickly lifted her t-shirt to cover herself. It was broad daylight, and this was all so new. She cringed inwardly as she made her way to the bathroom as quickly as she could. She couldn’t decide what to cover up first. Her body was far from perfect, and her cellulite was on display in all its glory.
John watched her as she picked up her t-shirt and held it over her chest as she walked across the room. Her backside was splendidly, brilliantly, naked. He propped his arm behind his head and enjoyed the view. Her ass was perfect.
Her front was perfect. Her tits were perfect. He felt himself swell again and he looked around and lifted a tissue from the bedside table and took off the soiled condom. He cleaned himself with the tissue and tossed both into the small trash can under the bed.
When she came back, he lifted his hand for her to come to him, and after a brief hesitation, she walked straight into his arms.
****
Two days later, John was drying off from his shower when his cell phone rang. He wrapped the towel around his hips and wasn’t shocked anymore to feel the momentary pleasure when Sarah’s name appeared. He’d stayed at her house for two nights in a row, and had left both mornings to take care of his cattle. The sex between them was indescribable, and as it was Friday night, he had the idea of driving into town and taking her to the diner for supper. He wanted everyone to see her with him. He pushed that curious thought to the back of his brain and injected a teasing note in his voice as he picked up her call. “Hey, dream-girl.”
There was a moment of silence on the other end and he thought for a second they didn’t have a good connection, but then she finally spoke. “John.”
Maybe he’d just taken her by surprise. He hadn’t called her by that silly name since that long ago night. “Yeah?” he asked.
He heard her take a deep breath and then she began speaking in one long breath without taking a break or even a breath in between. “I know you’re going to be pissed but I don’t think you should be and I’m just going to say this and I know you’re not going to like it but I don’t want you to think I’m trying to deceive you or go behind your back or something so I just want you to know that I’m going to the Cut-n-Shoot with Jaime.”
John tried to make sense of her rambling words and then all he heard was ‘Cut-n-Shoot’ and ‘Jaime.’ His answer was instantaneous. “No, you’re not.”
“Yes, I am. She’s pulling up in front of my house right now.”
“Don’t get in the car.” The reverberations of his voice thundered in his head.
“I have to get in the car. She’s my friend.”
“Sarah, I’m warning you—”
“I’m about to hang up the phone because I don’t want her to hear any of this. She’s my friend, I love her, she’s upset and wants me with her tonight and I’ve only known you for a few weeks. And this is all so crazy. But here’s the deal.” She stopped and took a deep breath. “I’d probably be upset if you took off and went there without me so I’ll understand completely if you show up.” She swallowed. “I’ll even be happy to see you.”
He didn’t even have to think about it. “I’m half an hour behind you.”
He heard her sigh in what sounded like relief. “Thank you, John.”
“You best not dance with anyone,” he threatened. “Shit can happen in thirty minutes.”
“Not a problem,” she agreed simply. “I’ll be waiting for you.”
“And you better not be wearing those tight-ass little shorts when I get there.”
He heard her suck in a breath. “Too late.”
The line went dead.
Chapter Seven
John took a drink of the beer in his hand and zeroed in on the beautiful, clumsy chick as she tried to accomplish a turn with everyone else who was dancing the line dance. He couldn’t contain a small smirk as the degree of her awkwardness had a direct correlation on the degree of heat in his groin. Her legs were absolutely fantastic, and she turned him on hard and fast, but the girl was not a dancer.
He didn’t give a shit. He didn’t want her for her dancing.
The answer to what he wanted her for was cut off when the song ended and people began leaving the dance floor. She looked at him and smiled but her friend grabbed her hand and led her to the bar.
There were very few men close to her at the moment, and John took the opportunity to take care of something he needed to do.
He walked over to Steven’s booth and nodded a greeting at the other man and then cut to the chase. “I need to borrow your office.”
The other man grimaced and John knew he was being unfair. But he wanted those damn keys and he wanted them now. “You let me have your office for the night and I’ll let you skip next month’s payment.”
The other man’s eyes narrowed in question. “Defer it?”
“No. Skip it.”
The words had barely left his mouth before the keys came sailing across the air. His instincts were right on target and he lifted his hand and caught them in mid-air. “Thanks.”
****
Sarah turned from the bar while she waited for Jaime to be served and looked around the room. She spied him immediately. He was maybe forty feet away, leaning against the bar, and watching her through slitted eyes. He watched her intently, his gaze riveted on her face. He wasn’t sm
iling, but he didn’t seem to be angry. He just watched her, a smoldering fire in his eyes.
And he waited. She knew he was watching and waiting for her. A molten ribbon of need cascaded through her bloodstream.
He stood alone, and Sarah watched as a woman came up to him. The other woman looked confident and was beautiful, but John shooed her off without once taking his eyes from Sarah. A hot rush of fever wrapped around her like a soft blanket, and a surge of sexual excitement jangled along her nerve-endings.
Suddenly, his face was laced in a scowl and he began shaking his head at her. It was then that she realized that a tall cowboy was standing by her side, asking her something. She looked over at him briefly and without having so much as a clue what he was asking her, with a soft smile, she said ‘no thanks,’ and then turned back to John.
He seemed to relax again, but he didn’t make any move toward her. Sarah was mildly aware of the loud music around them, and then Jaime was tugging on her arm and leading her in the opposite direction toward a table not far from the dance floor. Sarah’s eyes broke from John’s as she followed her friend and took a seat at the table.
Jaime had dressed to kill tonight, and Sarah was mildly amused to see that her friend was drawing attention already. She’d had a particularly rough day at work, and Sarah had commiserated with her earlier about what an ass her boss was. Sarah secretly thought that Jaime had a thing for him but wouldn’t admit it.
She tried to concentrate on her friend, tried to listen to her tale of woe and heartache. Sarah admitted that between the loud music and her inability to concentrate on anything besides John, she was only catching a bit of what Jaime was pouring out. Something about her boss blowing hot and cold, and never giving her a definitive clue as to what he really wanted.
Sarah’s attention was caught when a waitress appeared by their sides, with drinks they hadn’t ordered. A beer the same brand as the one Jaime was drinking, and a Screwdriver for her. She looked toward the last place she had seen John, but he wasn’t there. Her eyes moving around the room, she finally located him on a barstool where he sat and nursed his beer and openly stared at her. She sent him a soft smile and lifted her drink in his direction.
Jamie hadn’t even noticed John or the drinks he sent over and continued her tirade. Sarah kept one ear open and listened while her real attention stayed centered on the male at the bar who watched her and waited like she was some kind of prey he was silently stalking.
Excitement hit her deep in the belly from the game they were playing.
And then two cowboys appeared at their table and the game suddenly escalated to higher stakes as John sat up straight, his shoulders stiffened and his eyes flashed with deadly intent.
He didn’t make a move, but Sarah knew if she couldn’t get rid of the new arrivals in approximately five seconds, then all bets were off.
The guys were both young, maybe twenty-two or twenty-three, they both were tall, and they were both good-looking. Jaime didn’t waste a second before she smiled in their direction and began the introductions. The two men moved to sit down. Sarah knew she needed to say something. When you got down to it, she was here with John, whether it looked like it or not and she needed to get that across to them quickly.
“I’m here with somebody.”
Jaime looked at her and said, “Yeah, me.”
“No, I’m with John,” Sarah announced firmly.
“What? He’s here?”
“Yes.”
“You didn’t tell me.” Jaime was giving her a blistering stare.
“I didn’t see the need.”
“He followed you here?” her friend asked.
“Yes.”
“He’s a stalker, Sarah.”
“No, he’s not, I told him we were coming. I invited him.”
The two men were listening to the rapid-fire conversation between the friends and then one of them broke in. “Well, I don’t see anybody. Guess he shouldn’t have left you all alone. You look like fair game to me.”
“I’m not fair game and y’all either need to get moving or I will.” Sarah began to stand.
“Sarah, stay there.” Jaime looked at the man closest to her and began giving instructions. “How about we dance and your friend takes a walk?”
At that, the ‘friend’ swung his arm around Sarah and said, “Finders, keepers. I’m staying put. Don’t see anybody anyway.” Sarah tensed as she looked up and saw John stalking to the table.
She stiffened her shoulders. The look on his face was deadly and she didn’t want any bloodshed. This was all so ridiculous, really. One minute she was in Dallas and engaged to the calmest man alive, and the next minute, somehow, she belonged to Neanderthal man. She cleared her throat and tried to throw off the guy’s arm. “Dude. He’s right there. Get your freakin’ arm off me.”
John made it to her side in record time. He came to stand directly behind her. “Let go. Now.”
The dude dropped his arm from Sarah’s shoulders and pushed to his feet. “Make me.”
Sarah felt John bristle as he stepped around her and came within inches of the guy’s face. “I just did. Get lost. Don’t touch her again. Don’t even fucking look this way again or you’re gonna be eating your food through an IV. Understand me?”
“Who’s going to make me? You?”
John reached out and grabbed the kid by the neck and jerked him forward.
Sarah’s heat skipped a beat and then began pushing blood frantically through her veins. She watched as two bar bouncers appeared out of nowhere. One of them grabbed John from behind and the other one grabbed the kid. They pulled the two men apart.
John hissed through his teeth and directed the insult to the bouncer holding him. “Diego, you best let go of me in the next three seconds or I’m gonna close this bar down and none of y’all will have jobs.”
Sarah watched as the man released John immediately with an apologetic tone. “I didn’t know it was you, man. Didn’t see your face.”
John turned to the other bouncer who was still holding the kid. “Let him go. I’m taking care of this.”
The man released his hold and the kid stumbled before picking himself up. Sarah could see that the exchange hadn’t gotten past him, and now he was probably wondering just who in the hell he was up against.
One of the bouncers spoke. “You best get out of here Nate. Nothing good can come of this.”
“What the fuck? Are you telling me I have to leave? What about this asshole? I was minding my own business—”
“No, fuckwad. You were minding my business.” John moved behind Sarah once more and put his hands on her shoulders. “Take a good look and then don’t ever look in her direction again. She’s mine. You fuck with what’s mine and you’ll live to regret it.”
With that, John pulled her to her feet and began leading Sarah toward the rear of the building. She followed in a blind haze. He held her wrist manacled in one hand while he stopped in front of the same door he had pulled her through the previous time she saw him here. Without hesitation, he slipped a key in the lock, opened the door and pulled her inside with him.
Sarah hung against the closed and locked door of the office and didn’t think to question how he had access. She just knew he did. It was obviously the same way he could control the bouncers and threaten the closure of the bar. It had something to do with his money. The thought flew from her mind as he pressed his torso against her and put his hand between her legs and cupped her heat. His mouth went to her ear and he let out a deep, heated breath. “You shouldn’t have worn these shorts, baby. I can’t keep my hands off, how do you expect anyone else to?”
She sucked in a breath but couldn’t answer.
He pressed against her and moved to her mouth, kissing her deeply, his hands moving to unbutton her shorts. “I can’t wait,” he growled in a raspy voice. One by one, the buttons came loose and then he reached down, fisted both sides of the material in his hands and ripped her shorts and panties down her legs. Whe
n they fell around her knees, he lifted one big, booted foot and placed it between her legs, stepped on the offending material, and forced it to the ground. “Step out of them.”
Sarah blindly did as he asked and as soon as she did, his hand was on her, his finger slipping inside her hot, wet opening. As he manipulated his finger inside of her, heat hit her and she began softly moaning.
His mouth lifted from her lips and moved to her ear. “What do you think would have happened if I hadn’t been here?”
She began shaking and could barely stand up. “N-nothing. I could have handled it.” Her hands shook as they reached for his face, trying to turn it back around to her, begging for his mouth to be on hers again.
He complied and gave her a silken kiss as he breathed into her mouth, “But not before he touched you even more. And babe, that would have been bad.” His tongue slipped back inside and Sarah felt a heated rush from his finger imbedded deeply inside her and from the kiss they were sharing while they still continued to try to talk.
She broke her mouth away. “Why? What would you have done?”
“Killed him.” His breath came hard.
She gasped. “Be serious.”
His hand pinched her chin and brought her lips back to his. His mouth hovered over hers and just before his lips fell on hers again he said, “Dude would have wished for a quick death, I guarantee it.”
She broke her mouth away again. “John—” His finger moved to her clit and silenced her effectively.
He swirled it over her, around in circles as he kissed the side of her mouth. “No worries, babe. You were a good girl,” he whispered in a deep, raspy voice.
“Was I?” She could barely think anymore. His hand was hot on her, moving back and forth between her hot wet opening and her clit. Back and forth. It was driving her closer and closer to orgasm.
