With that thought in mind and a wicked gleam in her eye, she stepped out of his embrace and started unbuttoning her blouse, a saucy pout playing on her lips.
Whip was quick on the uptake and a delighted grin spread across his face. With nimble hands, he pulled his shirt over his head and in two strides caught her up and carried her to the bed.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” he growled.
A pang of guilt spread through her at his words, knowing Brenda wanted her gone and forgotten by tomorrow. But that was tomorrow. Whip was here now, and his intention was clear as he tumbled her onto the bed and kissed her and touched her until her toes curled.
Two hours later they left the motel room hand-in-hand. Whip flicked the automatic unlocking device on his keychain and The Beast responded with a flash of lights. “Climb in while I nip over and settle the bill,” he told her, taking a long stride toward the reception.
“Hold it right there, Cowboy.” She reached out and caught his arm.
He swung back to face her, his face crinkling in surprise at her sharp tone.
“What’s up?”
“Nothing’s up. You wait in the car, I’ll settle my account.”
“Oh, I see, that same argument again. I told you, Jessie Rose, your holiday is my treat. I invited you here, and if it wasn’t for Brenda, you’d have been at the ranch last night.”
“It was my choice, end of story.” She clamped her mouth tight and her hands went to her hips. This was one she had no intention of losing.
He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. His eyes rolled and then he gave in. “Okay, if you insist, but it’s not necessary.”
“It’s necessary for me.” She stood on tiptoes and pressed her lips to his in a brief kiss. “Meet you in the car.”
The drive back to the property was spent talking and holding hands but was otherwise uneventful. When they entered the homestead, Brenda was skulking up in her room.
Just as well, Jessica thought, as it was going to be a struggle to be civil to the girl.
The family avoided mentioning the fallout between Brenda and her, but the boys were coolly polite. Only Gladys and Annie seemed truly pleased to see her.
Late in the afternoon, Brenda appeared with a long face and a surly disposition that Jessica chose to ignore. “Hello, Brenda, Gladys said you had a bad headache. I do hope you’re feeling better.” It was sincerely meant. It would be no fun for Brenda at the party tonight feeling unwell, and she indeed looked a little frazzled.
“Like you’d care,” the teenager muttered under her breath.
“Look, I have a suggestion, why don’t we start over? Put yesterday behind us and make a fresh beginning? For your brother’s sake, if nothing else.”
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Well, dream on, Jessica, it’s not going to happen. Save the acting for someone who can’t see through you. What I said still stands—either you’re on that bus tomorrow, or I’m e-mailing Daddy.”
Brenda spun on the spot and marched out of the room while she stared after the girl with her mouth agape.
As the afternoon died and the sun began to sink, the neighbors arrived in droves.
Jessica spent the early part of the evening being introduced to Whip’s friends and neighbors and later chatting with the Texans. They were charming and amicable and declared that they were thrilled to meet one of their countrymen so far from home. One of the men, Carl, looked familiar. When she voiced her thoughts, they discovered he used to live not two miles from her for a short time.
“So what do you do for a living?” he asked.
“I work in a book store, Book Browsers.” She shifted from one high-heeled sandal to the other and smoothed down her dress as the story she’d told her parents flicked through her mind along with Brenda’s discovery.
Carl snapped his fingers. “That must be it.” His lips parted and curved upward showing big white teeth, and his green eyes glimmered. “I’m an avid reader. I used to shop there all the time and was practically a piece of the furniture.” He laughed. “I remember you now, you started about six weeks before I moved back to Texas. Your hair was short then and kind of spiky, right?”
“Ah-ha, but that was quite a few years ago now.”
“I remember you were always so helpful.”
“Well you were always so nice, you made it easy to be helpful.”
“You’re being too modest.”
He gave her a broad grin. Just as her mouth lifted to return his smile, her skin prickled and the fine hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. She angled her head, and Donna and Whip appeared in her peripheral vision. They were standing close, head-to-head. It gave her a jolt, and staying focused on her conversation then proved difficult, but she managed a response anyway. “I was just doing my job.”
“No, you went that extra mile, none of the other sales staff did that. You know, except for the hair, you haven’t changed a bit.”
She laughed. “You Texans are all charm.”
Carl chuckled, but she found herself distracted as movement caught her eye. Donna had touched Whip’s arm, and the sound of their laughter punctuated the air.
Jessica’s heart leaped into her mouth, and gooseflesh erupted along her arms. All of a sudden, she wished she were elsewhere. She looked away and glimpsed Annie, coming from the kitchen with her arms full.
“Please excuse me, I should go and help lay out the food,” she said, then hurried away.
Mark and Drew had done a fantastic job decorating the barn, and Annie and Gladys had set up the tables. Jessica helped bring out the mixed salads, hot potato bake, and assorted breads and sauces while the men brought over the platters of steaming meat. It smelled so good her mouth watered. The scrumptious desserts would follow later. She could hardly wait to sink her sweet tooth into them.
The meal was a lavish affair, with plenty of food, plenty of drink, great conversation, and lots of laughs. When everyone had filled their plates, Whip took the seat beside her.
“You were a big hit, babe. The Texans were quite enamored with your charms.”
“They’re looking forward to doing business with you.”
“Thanks to you, I can see this turning into a very promising relationship.”
His smile broadened, his eyes twinkled, and her heart gave a little jump. “I had very little to do with it. You did all the groundwork.”
“Yes, but you charmed them and made them feel at ease.” Whip nuzzled her neck, and the familiar tingles tickled her spine. Earlier fears were pushed aside. It was probably nothing.
As the evening wore on, Drew and a couple of other men brought out guitars and struck up a tune. Julie, from the next property over, got up and started to sing. Jessica recognized her from the visit to town. Her voice was sweet and engaging, and was the signal for the dancing to begin.
Whip held out his hand, Jessica placed hers in his and followed him onto the makeshift dance floor.
The music was slow and romantic, and they swayed to the beat under a star studded moonlit sky. Her cheek resting against his chest, her body encased in his arms was divine. It was a magical night. Until Donna interrupted.
“Do you mind if I steal Whip away?”
“Be my guest.” What else could she say?
Whip dropped his arms and stepped back a pace. His eyes brightened, and his face lit as he turned from her to face the blonde.
“I hear you two have met,” he said.
“Yes, indeed we have.” Donna placed delicate fingers on Whip’s arm. “You don’t mind, do you, Jessica?”
She shook her head, not trusting herself to speak. Tonight was the last night she’d ever have with him, and she was reluctant to share. “I’ll go and see if Gladys and Annie need a hand cleaning up.”
Neither t
ried to stop her. As she walked away, another couple approached Whip and Donna, then a second couple joined them.
When Jessica emerged from the homestead thirty minutes later, Whip was nowhere to be seen. Nor was Donna. Jessica searched the crowd but couldn’t locate them. When she felt a touch on her arm, she spun around expecting to see him, but her smile dimmed when Brenda greeted her.
“If you’re looking for my brother, he just went that way.” She pointed to the far side of the barn.
“Yes, I was. Thank you.” Jessica turned and headed in that direction. Given the circumstances, Brenda’s cooperativeness was odd. Perhaps she was having a pang of conscience. Jessica smiled in anticipation, but the gladness did not last long.
The minute she rounded the barn it became evident why Brenda had been so accommodating. The scene that greeted her almost stopped her heart. Donna was in Whip’s arms.
“Oh . . .ah . . .I’m sorry,” Jessica stammered, annoyed at being so inarticulate and that she’d apologized, when she’d done nothing to apologize for.
“Jessica.”
Jessica! What happened to Jessie Rose? She pivoted on the balls of her feet and retraced her steps as fast as her legs would carry her.
“Jessie Rose, wait,” Whip called to her, but she quickened her pace, intent on putting as much distance between them as possible.
Tears stung her eyes, and she brushed them away before they could fall.
“Jessie Rose, stop.” Whip caught her shoulder and spun her toward him. “It’s not what you think.”
Her head dropped back and her chin jerked out. She stared up at him with gloomy eyes and a breaking heart. “Then what was it?”
A thousand emotions played across his strong, handsome face, but she was unable to read one. He raised his hand and ran his knuckles down her cheek, his touch so gentle, his eyes vulnerable.
“I . . . I can’t say.”
The food soured in her stomach and her knees wobbled. There was only one reason why he couldn’t say—he was still in love with Donna.
She wanted to turn and flee, but her feet refused to cooperate. Unwelcome tears pooled in her eyes and slipped over her lashes.
He wiped them away with the pad of his finger and then pulled her into his arms. It was where she longed to be, where she wanted to be for the rest of her life, but with enormous effort she pushed him away. “Can’t say, or won’t say?”
The silence was uneasy and the seconds ticked by like minutes while she waited for him to speak. He gave a single nod and then angled her chin and stared into her eyes.
“A bit of both, I guess. But like I said, Jessie Rose, it’s not what you think. I need you to trust me on that.”
The fragments of broken heart inside her chest came together. He’d never asked for anything before. To ask for her trust seemed such a negligible thing, something he shouldn’t have had to ask for at all. It should have been given without restraint. And she did trust him, but she also trusted her own eyes.
She palmed her forehead and closed her eyelids as she weighed her options. An immediate decision had to be made. He’d never lied before.
“I trust you,” she whispered, knowing it was true and launching into his arms as the words left her lips.
His face split in a euphoric grin that warmed to her bones. Broad firm lips covered hers. The kiss was deep and lingering and stole her breath.
When he at last drew back, he said, “I promise to tell you one day soon, but for now, you owe me a dance.”
She hesitated. To have the explanation now would have been nice, but she was prepared to wait so put her hand in his and he towed her toward the music. Twenty minutes later, Brenda interrupted them.
“The Mitchells are getting ready to leave. They’ve offered to drive Jessica back to the motel on their way home.”
Whip stopped dancing and tucked her under his arm while she held her breath. “That won’t be necessary. Jessie Rose is staying here.”
“But Jessica said she was going back to the motel.”
Brenda’s hands went to her hips, her bottom lip pushed out, and she glared with petulant eyes.
“If the Mitchells don’t mind driving me—”
“The only place you’re going is inside the house with me,” Whip snapped.
“But the Mitchells are waiting,” Brenda reminded them.
“Then skedaddle and tell them thanks, but no thanks,” Whip barked.
“But . . .”
“No buts, Jessie Rose.”
The decision was snatched out of her hands. She only hoped her next words would placate the teenager. “It’s only one night, and Whip’s promised to drive me back tomorrow. I’m booked on the four o’clock bus to Sydney.”
Brenda spun on her heel and whirled away mumbling, “I’ll go tell the Mitchells not to wait.”
Time, Jessica realized, was her other enemy. Her stay at the property had been cut short and there was nothing to be done about it. Tonight would be her last at Highland Glen and she was grateful for the reprieve. Tomorrow she’d be on a bus for Sydney. It was with a mixture of sadness and regret that her friendship with this wonderful man was being sabotaged on a whim by his teenage sister, but she just couldn’t risk calling her bluff. Perhaps given more time Jessica may have been able to win the girl over, but now she’d never know.
Chapter 17
The next morning, Jessica woke to brilliant sunshine, cradled in her lover’s arms, snug and comfortable. Whip had been demanding in their lovemaking last night, and the experience was earth shattering, his stamina incredible.
He was awake. She could tell by the huge morning erection poking against her bottom.
“I would have thought you’d be sated after last-night’s efforts,” she whispered, and wriggled against him.
“With you babe, never,” he replied, sliding his muscled thigh between her legs and lifting them apart. “I can’t get enough of you.” He nuzzled her neck between words, one hand cradled her breast while the other glided to her pussy and rigid fingers dipped between her folds. She was wet and oh so ready for what they both had in mind. Not to be left out, she tried to reach behind and caress his penis, but he wouldn’t have it.
“Not fair, Cowboy. If it’s good for you then it’s good for me.” She tried to grab for him again, but he blocked her move.
“No, babe, let me play. You just enjoy.”
Magic fingers massaged her hot spot as he planted little kisses along her clavicle, at the base of her throat, over her breasts. Her head dropped back, and he took the tip between his teeth and gave a gentle tug. She writhed and moaned as the exquisite sensation snapped down to her toes.
“You like that, babe?”
“Mmm, not sure. Perhaps you should do it to my other nipple, so I can make an informed decision.”
His laughter was deep, sexy, and instantaneous.
“An informed decision, hey? Well I guess you do need all the facts.” His free hand cupped her other breast, while his tongue circled the areole then licked over the center, teasing her sensitized flesh until it jutted. When he bit down, her body quivered and her nipple elongated.
She closed her eyes and moaned. “I think the answer to your question is a resounding yes. It feels wonderful.”
“Glad to oblige, ma’am, but now I think we’ll do something that I like.”
Okay, so he wanted head. Not a problem. But before she had time to move, he was between her thighs, his thumbs parting her folds, his tongue tormenting her clit in the most delicious way, and his fingers probing her deep.
Her climax came quick but her orgasm lingered as his tongue and fingers kept coaxing another and another out of her until she was spent and limp.
Whip climbed up her body. “You taste divine, and I love that you are always so re
ady for me.”
Her face heated, and she squirmed. “Well, Cowboy, you are irresistible.”
He laughed and covered her mouth with his. The kiss was deep and probing and the tang of her essence on his lips was strong.
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