Just Trust (The Reluctant Heart Book 2)

by Jeannette Winters

  Reanna closed her eyes, pissed. THEN SLEEP IN THE BARN.

  He didn’t respond, and hopefully that meant he’d be gone when she got home. There was a part of her that felt badly, but she didn’t owe Bobby anything. And like he did when they had been married, Bobby was taking advantage of her kindness. Time to find someone else to mooch off of. I’m done being your doormat.

  Jerry didn’t need to ask if she had enjoyed herself. Her shrieks through her headset had told him everything. Even now, as they sat across from each other finishing up their lobster dinner, she was all smiles.

  “I think I could’ve fed you a grilled cheese sandwich and you’d have the same expression right now,” he teased.

  “You’re right. What can I say? That wasn’t something I even dreamed I’d ever do. When I go back to work on Monday, everyone at the station is going to be so jealous.”

  “So, was my hint appropriate now?” he asked.

  Reanna nodded. “Now it’s clear. Can’t believe I couldn’t guess it. Then again, even if I had, I’d have thought I couldn’t be right. How the heck did you get them to let me drive that?”

  He owned that car, even though he didn’t race it himself. It was something he hadn’t even shared with his brothers, yet he knew it was where he’d wanted to take Reanna. But he wasn’t willing to tell her everything. We all have secrets, and this one is mine. “I know the pit crew.” And pay them.

  “Your friends must be impressed when you bring them there. I know I was, am, still blown away,” she said.

  “You’re the first,” he stated honestly. Very rarely does he ever even show his face at the track. Jerry didn’t want his name linked in any way. It was his…hobby. As a youth, he’d always wanted to be a racecar driver. But that wasn’t what his parents wanted for him. Growing up, it was well known, what his parents wanted, was what they got. The Hearts were driven by making wise business decisions. They weren’t risk takers, but rather, strategic planners. Racecar driver definitely wouldn’t fit in the Heart legacy.

  Reanna said in a joking tone, “I don’t think I’ve ever been anyone’s first before. I’ll have to go and mark that on my calendar.”

  Jerry smirked. “Not diary material?” he teased back.

  She bit her bottom lip and said, “The night is young. We’ll have to see.”

  Was that an invitation to up his game? Even though he’d told himself he wasn’t going to sleep with her, tonight or any other night, he also wasn’t going to say no if the opportunity presented itself.

  “Racing and lobster wasn’t enough? Should we take a drive back to that lake and maybe then I can rate high enough to earn a paragraph or two?” Jerry asked.

  Reanna shook her head. “The lake is already in there. Not as exciting as I would’ve thought.”

  “Really? What did you write?” he asked. In his mind, that kiss had been pretty fucking good.

  “Ended too quickly,” she stated.

  Jerry reached across the table and with his thumb he made small circles on the inside of her wrist. “I promise Reanna, next time I kiss you, you won’t have any complaints.”

  “Maybe we can…discuss it when you bring me home,” she said softly.

  “I suggest you stop looking at me with that look in your eyes or we might not make it to your house,” he warned. The hunger in her eyes reflected his burning need. They hadn’t even finished eating, but dinner was over as far as he was concerned.

  She pulled her hand from beneath his, then picked up a piece of the lobster claw meat, dipped it in butter, and brought it to her mouth. Her tongue licked the droplets of butter lingering on her lips. Fuck. When he looked back into her eyes, he knew every movement had been intentional.

  Jerry pulled out his wallet and tossed a hundred on the table. Reanna asked, “Not hungry any longer?”

  Not falling for that sweet, innocent act. “Not for this,” his voice was hungry with need. He watched Reanna take her napkin off her lap, fold it, and slowly place it on the table. Killing me here. “I take it you’re…finished as well?”

  She smiled, “Haven’t even begun.” Reanna pushed her chair out and got up. “How long of a drive is it?” she asked.

  Jerry got up and said, “Trust me, it’s not going to take me as long as whatever the GPS is going to tell us.” He placed a hand on the base of her back as they left the restaurant.

  He thought she’d remind him that she was a police officer and he shouldn’t speed. Instead she said, “Too bad we don’t have that Mustang right now. Bet we could make it to my house in a quarter of the time.”

  Jerry wasn’t worried about a speeding ticket, and Reanna didn’t seem troubled by how quickly they had made it back to her house. When they pulled into the driveway, there was a young kid sitting on her stairs.

  Hell no. Not now.

  He’d been thinking of carrying her up those stairs, kicking open the door, and kissing her senseless the entire way. None of his fantasies included this.

  “Kid brother?” he asked.

  Reanna sighed. “No. And I have no idea what he’s doing here.”

  “Is he a problem? Do you want me to get rid of him for you?” Jerry asked. She might not need his help, but when she was with him, he was going to protect her.

  “Kyle is a good kid, just never good with timing,” she stated while opening her door and getting out. As they approached Kyle she asked, “What are you doing here?”

  “I think I screwed up,” he said.

  “What did you do?” Reanna asked.

  “I was down at the pond fishing and you wouldn’t believe what I saw. The biggest fu, freaking toad I’ve ever seen,” Kyle said.

  “And?” she prodded.

  “I caught it. And then I brought it to Mrs. Grossman. I thought it would make her happy. You know, that I didn’t buy her one but actually caught one instead,” Kyle said.

  Jerry wasn’t sure if he was hearing correctly. This kid was here because of a toad? This was his worry? Nothing like Boston.

  Reanna said, “How did Mrs. Grossman take it?”

  Kyle shook his head. “She didn’t. She yelled at me and then said if I ever come back she’d call the police. I was only trying to make things better.”

  “By giving her a frog?” Jerry asked. He’d meant that comment to be internal.

  Kyle snapped, “Not a frog. A toad.”

  Excuse me. Frog. Toad. Whichever it was, it was preventing him and Reanna from finishing what they had started last night. It was evident that Reanna wasn’t going to just send Kyle on his way without helping him either. Jerry bit back any further comment. Not for Kyle, but the expression on Reanna’s face provided enough of a warning. Like a mama bear protecting a cub.

  “Jerry, it’s a bit more complicated than it seems,” Reanna interjected.

  “Yeah. By the looks of that car, you don’t live around here, so you wouldn’t get it,” Kyle grumbled. “Mrs. Grossman is really angry at me. Everyone knows it.”

  “I told you, give her a few days and she’ll calm down. What you should’ve done was listened to me and stayed away,” Reanna said. “She loved Sammy. Bringing her a toad isn’t going to make it any easier for her. If anything, you just made it a whole lot worse.”

  “Do you think you can come with me and talk to her?” Kyle asked.

  Both Reanna and Jerry said in unison, “Now?” Kyle nodded.

  Reanna said, “It’s late. I’m sure she’s in bed.”

  “Nope. I just left her about an hour ago,” Kyle stated.

  Jerry watched Reanna fighting to maintain control. “Kyle, not only did you go and stir up trouble, you probably woke her up. Now unless you want me to call your father, I suggest you take that toad back to the pond and let it go. Then you get your butt home and stay there. You’re supposed to be studying. Not fishing. Not playing basketball. Studying!”

  Kyle nodded. “Are you really going to call my dad, Officer Long?”

  “If you don’t get A’s and B’s on those exams,
I will,” she stated, arms crossed, using a tone of authority.

  Kyle walked back to his car, head hung low in defeat. Neither spoke until he pulled away and the car was out of sight.

  “That was—”

  “Odd. But he respects you. That’s why he came here instead of going home,” Jerry said. “I think he might fear you a bit too,” he chuckled. “You almost make me regret how fast I was driving here.”

  Reanna laughed. “You don’t look all that sorry.”

  Jerry was glad their light, playful mood wasn’t gone; it just had been put on hold. Stepping closer, he pulled her into his arms. “If you want, I’d be happy to show you how sorry I am,” he said, looking down at her.

  “I might require a lot of convincing,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Why don’t we go inside where you can work on that in private?”

  Jerry slid an arm beneath her legs and scooped her high into his arms. “And hopefully without any interruptions.” He climbed the steps, two at a time, and waited for her to pull out her keys and unlock the door. Once inside, he felt his cell phone vibrating. He didn’t care if it was the president calling him for advice. Jerry wasn’t answering it tonight.

  She must’ve heard the soft buzzing sound because she asked, “Do you need to get that?”

  “I’ll call them tomorrow,” he said. I have other things that need my attention right now.

  “Then what are you waiting for?” she said before her tongue traced her top lip.

  For self-control. He’d been battling for it since last night, and now it was a lost cause. Jerry tightened his grip then claimed her sweet, seductive lips in a fiery kiss. He felt her tense briefly before melting into his embrace. He could feel the hunger within him as his muscles tightened and his jeans weren’t able to hide his need any longer.

  He lifted his mouth from hers and asked, “Where’s your room?”

  Reanna pointed to the stairs. “First door on the right,” she said as she ran her hands through the back of his hair and nipped his earlobe. That was all the encouragement Jerry needed. With long strides, he quickly crossed the hallway and climbed the flight of stairs, refusing to release her. He headed right to the bedroom and stopped. The bed was covered with stuffed animals. Not at all what he expected. She was sexy and fire, and nothing in here matched her personality. The room looked like it belonged to someone who spent all their time playing carnival games.

  “Is this—?”

  “My room?” she asked, her voice muffled as she kissed his neck.

  “Yes,” he replied, still not able to bring himself to fully enter.

  Reanna lifted her head from his neck and when she turned to look inside the room she said, “God no! I meant the room on the left.”

  “Good. You had me worried for a minute,” Jerry answered as he backed out of this one and headed for hers. As soon as he entered, he noticed her uniform hanging on a hook and her gun holster hanging on the bed post. And worried again. “Tell me you don’t keep your gun under your pillow.”

  Reanna said, “Locked away in my nightstand with all my private things.”

  He could only imagine what sex toys she might have stashed away. As he lowered her, but kept her pressed against him, he said, “You won’t need either tonight. I’m going to make you forget all about that Mustang.”

  “I thought a smart businessman always under-promised and over-delivered?” she said playfully.

  Jerry ran a hand over her hip and cupped her ass. “I don’t play games and always deliver what I promise.”

  “So do I,” she said, running her hands down his chest, and around to cup his ass too.

  Fuck yeah.

  “Honey, I want you, but I don’t want you to feel rushed. Like I said with the Mustang, we can take this as fast or as slow as you want,” he said softly. Reanna wasn’t shy, but he also didn’t want to assume anything either.

  Reanna looked up to meet his eyes. All it took was one glance for him to see her hunger burning deep. He was lost. The kiss they had shared last night had been only a flicker compared to the roaring flames that promised to engulf them tonight.

  “Jerry, I’m not a delicate rose petal. I won’t wilt when you touch me, but I might die if you don’t,” Reanna said. Boldly, she reached behind her back and took his hands off her ass, and led him to the side of the bed. Then she pulled her T-shirt over her head and tossed it onto a chair. “Do you need me to help you with yours?” she asked teasingly.

  Jerry pulled off his shirt, then kicked off his shoes, unbuckled his jeans, and slipped out of them as well. “Now who is overdressed?”

  Reanna smiled. He thought for sure she’d remove her jeans as well, but instead she said, “Still you.” She stepped closer and when her hands hit his bare skin on his stomach, his entire body hardened. She then slipped her fingers in the elastic waistband of his boxers and lowered them so fucking slowly it was almost painful. He could’ve ripped them off his own body with the anticipation of her touch.

  When he was completely naked, he reached out and did the same to her, but this time, his hands didn’t leave her silky-smooth skin. And every place they touched, his lips followed. From her shoulders when he moved her bra strap, to her hips when he removed her white underwear with the pink hearts.

  While Jerry’s hands roamed over her body, Reanna began to do the same. But what he hadn’t expected was for Reanna to get to her knees, reach out, and touch him. His cock sprung as though begging her to suck him. Damn, he wanted to feel those lips wrapped around his cock. But he had promised her a mind-blowing time, and that didn’t include her blowing him.

  Before he could say anything, she opened her mouth, and instantly her lips wrapped around him. A deep moan escaped him. Fuck. Oh, fuck.

  His hands brushed the hair away from her face as he watched her taking him into her mouth again. When she cupped his balls, he thought he’d explode right then. This couldn’t be over that fast. He needed to slow it down, gain control.

  He pulled away and said, “I’m loving every fucking second of that, but enjoying it way too much.”

  “So am I,” she said, and blew gently before licking the tip. A deep, husky groan rumbled through him and he couldn’t bring himself to stop her again. There was no way she wanted this more than he did. Her tongue continued to lick him from the base, up his length, to the tip, and then she’d take his cock into her mouth and suck.

  “Reanna,” his voice growled, filled with need. His breath was ragged. “If you don’t stop, I won’t be able to hold back.”

  He took her by her shoulders and raised her up. Jerry needed to push his own wants aside. Time to over-deliver.

  He claimed her lips, his tongue hungrily exploring her mouth as his hands ran over her body. He needed to touch and taste every inch of her. He slipped a hand between her legs and said against her mouth, “Open for me.” She did and he instantly slipped a finger inside her core. She was so hot, wet, and ready for him. But there was so much more to give her.

  “Please, Jerry, I want…”

  “Just trust me Reanna. I’m going to give you everything you want, and more,” he said as his thumb circled her clit. She trembled in his arms.

  So much more.

  The built-up desire was too much. Her voice cracked as she pleaded, “I want you to . . .”

  Jerry teased, “I promise you, I’ll get there, but I want to touch every inch of you first.” Bending, he took her nipple into his mouth, and flicked it with his tongue until she moaned. Then he nipped it until she moaned again. Yes honey. I’m going to get there, but I’m going to make your engine purr first.

  She wiggled, “Are you…really…going to make me…beg?” Reanna asked breathlessly.

  Jerry grinned, then lifted her and placed her in the center of the full-size bed. It felt way too small when he lay beside her. Jerry rested his weight on one elbow so he could look down at her. He wanted to watch her as her desire built.

  His other hand traced up the outside
of her thigh as he said, “You wanted me to…maybe touch you like this?” His touch intentionally soft like a feather. “Or maybe like this,” a bit more intense, but he still knew that wasn’t what she was waiting for. Slipping his hand farther he crossed over her stomach and down through the patch of hair, until she moaned. “Maybe like this,” he said, rubbing her clit.

  He did it again, and another moan filled the roam. His torture wasn’t over. Not until she quivered at his touch. Jerry slid his hand between her legs and his fingers parted her wet folds. “Here?” His thumb still on her swollen clit. He circled it while staring into her eyes.

  “Yes.” Her voice shook as she replied.

  Jerry continued rubbing her clit as she opened her legs farther to give him more access to her hot center. He slipped one finger deep inside her then stroked her G-spot before pulling it back out. Again and again he fucked her with his finger. She moaned and grabbed his shoulders as though fighting to hold on. He didn’t want her in control. Not now.

  Breathlessly, she begged, “I can’t take much more.”

  “Just trust me. Let me take you there,” he whispered against her ear. “I want to feel and watch you when you come.”

  “Please, Jerry,” she begged as he continued fucking her. He entered her again but with two fingers. She cried out with pleasure as he continued circling her clit, arching her hips closer to him.

  Jerry adjusted himself lower, so his mouth replaced his thumb on her clit. His tongue darted out and licked her. First he circled her clit, teasing her until her legs trembled. He could feel the waves of passion rippling through her body as she began to shudder and scream out his name.

  “Jerry! Jerry! Oh fuck, Jerry!”

  He felt her body clenched around his fingers as her hot juices flowed. Jerry removed his hand and quickly reached for his jeans. No matter how badly he needed to be inside her right now, he never had unprotected sex.

  Sheathing himself, he rolled back over and Reanna was still panting with pleasure. He settled between her legs again, his hard cock begging for him to plunge deep within her. He ached with need. But once again, he wanted to watch her enjoy every minute. “Or maybe this?” he asked as he took the head of his cock and rubbed her clit. She moaned and opened her legs even wider for him. Hold back.