Raine

by J.C. Valentine

  “Oh, I think they might want to know that their son moved a whore into their home.”

  Jarret was in his face before either of them could blink. “This is my home. I say who lives here and who doesn’t, and it’s no one else’s goddamn business.”

  A flicker of shock and fear flashed in Camron’s eyes before he stepped back, sizing Jarret up. A slow smile crept across his face, revealing a full set of shiny, perfectly even, bleached white teeth. “Shit, she already got to you, didn’t she? I was right, wasn’t I? You played right into her game.” He chuckled. “I guess she figured if she was going to tap one brother, she might as well tap the other.”

  Jarret heard a tiny gasp, and looked over his shoulder to see Raine watching from the base of the stairs. Her hand covered her mouth, her eyes glistening. As he watched, she fell back against the wall and her knees gave out as she slid down to the floor.

  An instant bolt of protectiveness came over him. “Watch it,” Jarret warned his brother, his hands balling into fists at his side. As far as threats went, his wasn’t a very good one, but this was his brother. He’d never approved of his behavior, but he’d always turned a blind eye, choosing their relationship over drama. But now… He just couldn’t stand by and let him talk about Raine like that, especially when she was right there to hear it.

  “No, you watch it,” Camron shot back. “Take it from someone who knows. You turn your back, and before you know it, she’ll be pinning her bastard on you. Let me save you the trouble of wondering. She was a lousy lay and not worth…”

  Jarret’s fist was flying before he knew he’d made the decision. The hit landed square in the middle of Camron’s face, and Jarret was pretty sure he’d felt bone crack.

  “Son of a bitch—you broke my nose!” Camron shouted, cupping his hands over his nose as blood leaked between his fingers.

  He’d guess that Saturday dinner was off now. Punching his kid brother in the face was something that his parents would certainly take offense to, and he’d likely be banned from the dinner table until, at least, the next month came around. He’d consider it a reprieve.

  Snatching Camron up by the front of his shirt, Jarret ignored the mess he was making all over his kitchen floor. “You will not, I repeat, not talk to the woman who is carrying my niece or nephew like that again, you hear me? Now get the fuck out of my house before I kick your ass.” Shoving him away, Jarret stood stock still, absorbing Camron’s hatred-filled look like a shot to the heart, and watched as his brother turned and fled through the open garage door. He didn’t move from his spot until he heard the sound of Camron’s car peeling away, and then he rushed to Raine’s side, dropping down onto the cold tiles and wrapping his arms around her.

  She surprised him, turning into his embrace and burying her face in his chest. A sob tore loose, ripping his heart out in the process. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered into her hair as he rocked her back and forth in his arms. “You didn’t deserve any of that.”

  “Take me home,” Raine said brokenly. “I don’t belong here. Just take me home.”

  Some raw emotion he couldn’t name lanced through him, making Jarret suck in air. “This is your home now.”

  Lifting her face from his chest, Raine’s bloodshot, watery eyes peered into his. “No, it’s not, and I want to go home.”

  “I don’t want to take you home, Raine. Stay and I’ll take care of you.”

  Her gaze flitted away, and Jarret could feel that he was losing her. He had to say something that would make her want to stick around, but what?

  “Jarret…”

  “Until the car is fixed.” Raine looked up at him, a question in her eyes. “Stay until the car is fixed, and then if you still want to go, I won’t stop you.” But he was going to make it harder than hell for her to want to leave.

  Biting her bottom lip, she weighed his words. Finally, after too much time had passed and Jarret was on the verge of begging, she nodded. “Okay.”

  Relief flooded him. “You’ll stay?”

  “I’ll stay.” She smiled, and it was the most radiant, sexy smile Jarret had ever seen. It made him want to kiss her, but instead, he released her.

  Climbing to his feet, Jarret held out his hands. “I think this calls for ice cream.”

  “With sprinkles?”

  “It wouldn’t be ice cream without them.”

  Grinning, Raine slipped her hands into his and he pulled her to her feet. “You certainly know the way to girl’s heart.”

  No, but he aimed to find out.

  NINE

  Waking in a bed surrounded by fluffy down and bathing in a tub big enough for three was a dream Raine didn’t mind never waking up from. A week had passed since Jarret talked her into staying, and in that time he’d been a pretty fantastic roommate.

  Jarret had taken her shopping a few times, and despite her refusal to purchase anything, he’d forced items on her. He’d bought so many outfits and diapers for the baby that she didn’t know where she’d put it all once she returned home. Not only that, but he’d snuck in a few items she’d admired along the way, and now she had a few new outfits that fit her expanding waistline and would get her through the week.

  It was a relief to have his help, but it made her feel awkward at the same time. Accepting help had never been her strong suit, but it was even harder now that she was forced to find her own way in the world. Jarret’s insistence on helping her wasn’t something she was used to, but she was grateful for it.

  Living with Jarret was like a vacation from reality. Returning to the real world was going to be a shock, but she planned to spend her time absorbing every little detail of this experience so when she did go back, she’d have fond memories to look back on. She’d be able to say, “I had that once.” It didn’t matter if it was a fantasy. Sometimes a person didn’t have anything else to make the dark days brighter.

  Draping a fluffy white robe over her shoulders, Raine left the bedroom in search of something to eat. Despite her continued struggle with morning sickness, she was constantly hungry. Noting her increased appetite, Jarret made sure to keep the kitchen fully stocked with more food than she had seen in months, taking special care to keep the pantry and refrigerator well stocked with her favorite peaches, which prompted his new nickname for her: Peach. He really was a great guy, she thought to herself as she stopped to peek into the second bedroom closest to hers.

  That was another thing Jarret insisted on. He was redecorating. Creating a space for the baby. Already painters had come in to put a fresh coat of sunny yellow over the walls, and all the furniture had been removed to make way for a crib and dresser.

  Raine tried to explain once more that she wouldn’t be there to enjoy making use of it, but Jarret just gave her a little smile, as if he thought she was cute to think that. He’d explained to her that he planned to change her mind, but if it came down to it and she left, the room would still be there for his niece or nephew to use.

  How could she deny him that?

  At the bottom of the stairs, Raine’s bare feet padded lightly across the cool tile. She admired the artwork, all colorful swirls twisting and turning in opposing directions and returning to tangle together in wondrous fashion, wondering if any of them had been painted by Jarret. Most likely not, she decided, considering his reaction when she’d peeked at one of his paintings the first time they met.

  Embarrassment colored her cheeks at the memory, and she moved on.

  Jarret was a private person. The biggest detail she had learned about him so far—aside from him being the most generous and attentive person she’d ever met—was that he was an early riser. He explained that he liked to get moving and knock out the day’s responsibilities so he could spend the evening doing whatever he wanted.

  He pulled part-time hours at a garage working on cars, which she thought was an unusual job choice, considering his parents’ affluence and presence in the community. Even Camron was reaching for loftier goals. But Jarret struck her as a person wh
o enjoyed working with his hands, and while he hid his art on the third floor of his home, he displayed it to the world in the work he performed on people’s cars.

  At the rate he was going with her car, however, it’d be classified as an antique by the time he finished with it. If Raine didn’t know any better, she might think that he was dragging out the repairs so she would have to stay longer.

  She’d never admit it to him, but she was relieved. The thought of returning to her apartment was growing more and more distasteful with each day she spent under his roof. How could she raise a child in a home where addicts and violent criminals surrounded them when she had the choice to stay someplace safe and warm and comfortable?

  Shaking off the dangerous line of thinking, Raine entered the kitchen. There was half a cheesecake left over from last night’s dinner with her name on it.

  Pulling it down from the top shelf of the fridge, she carried the entire box over to the counter, poured a glass of milk, and grabbed a fork before sitting down to eat. “Oh my God,” she moaned as the first bite hit her tongue, her eyes rolling back in ecstasy. Never had she enjoyed a more luscious breakfast. Digging in, she’d eaten the equivalent of two whole slices before she told herself she needed to slow down.

  Pregnancy and stuffed bellies didn’t always mix. Not if she planned to keep it down. Sipping her milk, she gasped when she felt the baby stir.

  She’d felt tiny flutters before, some subtle shifting, but never anything this pronounced. Setting her glass down, Raine tore open the robe, uncaring that she was completely nude underneath. She probed her stomach with excited fingers. “Is that you in there?” she asked, her lips twitching into a hopeful smile. There was a rapid double tap beneath her fingertips and Raine erupted into surprised laughter.

  A strangled sound cut off her excitement, and when Raine lifted her head, she screamed. “Jarret!” Yanking the sides of the robe closed, she gripped the collar around her neck with trembling hands.

  Infinite blue eyes burned as Jarret took her in, his gaze so intent Raine felt stripped bare despite the soft material she held snug against her body. “The last time a woman cried my name like that,” he said, his voice low and husky, “she was naked and writhing in my bed.”

  Raine’s jaw dropped and her heart hammered in her chest at the mental image. “Wow, um…”

  Blinking, as if he just realized what he’d said and wanted to stick his head in the oven, Jarret quickly apologized. “I’m sorry, Raine. I don’t know why I said that. You surprised me,” he rambled. “I got off early and the last thing I expected was to come in and see your tits hanging out and—shit, sorry. Oh, fuck.” Raking his hands through his disheveled hair, Jarret’s expression turned pained. “I’m sorry. It’s been a long day. I’m going to go shower and if I’m lucky, maybe I’ll drown.”

  Stunned, Raine sat silently, watching Jarret’s retreating figure as he rushed from the room and up the stairs. A moment later, she heard the low whine of the pipes overhead as he started the shower.

  Well, that was awkward.

  ***

  He’d taken two showers and was working on the third, aiming the frigid water directly on his cock. The bastard got hard every time he laid eyes on Raine, but after seeing her tits—full, round globes of silky flesh that tightened every muscle in his body to painful heights—it refused to go down.

  No girl had ever gotten him so hard with so little motivation.

  He’d been at work all morning, repairing a cracked bumper on a minivan. According to his schedule, he was supposed to be on the clock another few hours, but he just didn’t have it in him today.

  Thanks to the dreams dogging him every night for the past week, his mind was filled with pictures of Raine. All kinds of dirty, inappropriate thoughts, like what would she taste like if he licked her between her thighs? What would she sound like in the throes of an orgasm? The sound of his name, high and keening, when he walked into the kitchen and caught her by surprise had him hard all over again.

  If she knew the kind of thoughts that ran through his head every time he looked at her, no doubt it would get him slapped in the face. Or worse. He needed to come home for another Raine fix.

  She was becoming an addiction. One that he needed to kick before it spun out of control, but he just couldn’t seem to help himself.

  Imagine his shock when he’d walked through the door, expecting… well, he didn’t know what he was expecting exactly, but it wasn’t that.

  What the hell was she doing, sitting in the middle of the kitchen with her robe gaping open? Was it on purpose? Did she hear him pull in and decide to give him an eyeful?

  Camron’s warning rose up in his head, giving him pause.

  Could Raine really be the kind of girl his brother claimed she was? Was she playing him?

  The thought angered him. He wasn’t someone to be played, and he’d be damned if he walked blindly into a trap. If she was up to something, he planned to get to the bottom of it.

  Shutting off the water, Jarret snapped the towel off the rack and wrapped it around his waist. His focus was no longer on what he couldn’t have, but what he would have. If Raine was playing, then she was about to get beat at her own game.

  He found her in the kitchen in the exact spot he’d left her. She had her head bent down and her hands in her lap. Hearing him approach, she jerked her head up, her brows furrowing as he marched toward her. Her eyes skated over him, taking in the towel tied around his hips and the water still clinging to his skin.

  It was a quick appraisal that filled those brown eyes of hers with heat and him with satisfaction.

  She likes what she sees, does she?

  “Why are you here, really?” he asked, his tone brooking no argument. He wanted answers, and he was going to get them.

  “What?” Confusion laced her tone, adding to the air of innocence that clung to her, but it could just be another layer to her game. “You brought me here. You made me come.”

  “Not yet I haven’t.” His eyes narrowed as he stopped in front of her, her knees pressing into the fronts of his thighs. Looking uncomfortable, she tried to scoot back, but he refused to give her an inch. Leaning over her, Jarret held her gaze captive. “You argued about living with me. An hour ago, you asked me to take you home. I’m wondering why you don’t fight harder. If you really didn’t want to be here, you wouldn’t be. So, I’ll ask you again, why are you really here?”

  Lips parting, Raine choked on her words. “I…don’t know what to say,” she said finally.

  “How about the truth.”

  She studied him for one long, silent moment. “No one’s ever helped me before. I don’t know how to take it, but I…” She looked away briefly, and when her eyes came back to his, they were wide and pleading. “I need it. And I like being with you.” Those last words were spoken in a whisper, almost as if she didn’t want him to hear them.

  But he did.

  And they gave him so much pleasure, he couldn’t help himself. Despite their connection to each other, he’d made up his mind. Not allowing himself time to think, Jarret grabbed ahold of her face and kissed her.

  TEN

  He’s kissing me.

  Raine’s thoughts were a swirl of sensation and emotion, all threatening to consume her. Jarret was kissing her. The act was so sudden, so unexpected, it wrenched a startled moan of pleasure from somewhere deep inside. Unbidden, her body leaned into his, and her fingers dug into the hard flesh of his solid triceps.

  The man was built.

  She knew Jarret must take good care of himself just by the perfect way in which his clothes hugged his body, as if they wanted to get closer and never let him go. Pretty much what she suspected most girls felt like when they set eyes on him.

  Then he’d come down the stairs soaking wet from his shower and wrapped only in a towel, and he’d blown whatever lame ass fantasy she might have had about him right out the window.

  Jarret was absolute perfection. He was all honed muscle that a
man his age shouldn’t be able to have, and that only came with years of hard work and dedication.

  Not that she was an expert in bodybuilding, but she’d seen the kind of constant, strenuous activity Camron and his teammates performed in order to get and stay in shape for the season.

  Having her hands wrapped around all that muscle made her stomach flutter, and when Jarret tilted her head to the side and deepened the kiss, her legs threatened to give out. It was a good thing she was already sitting down.

  Snaking one arm around her, Jarret crushed Raine against his chest. His other hand still cupping her face moved to the back of her head, closing in a fist around her hair, and held her tight as he plunged his tongue inside her mouth.

  Holy crap, the man could kiss, too.

  Raine wasn’t new to kissing. Camron had taught her much, but Jarret’s mouth felt like a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Good Lord, she hoped it wasn’t.

  His lips were a contradiction—soft but firm, hard but forgiving, demanding but cautious. The longer it went on, the more her body craved. Raine let out a whimper as he nipped her bottom lip with his teeth, and gripped him tighter, wanting more, wanting everything.

  He’d turned something on inside of her, like a switch. Something she didn’t know she wanted, but now had to have. Desperately.

  Instead of giving her body what it craved, Jarret pulled away. Her head still spinning from the amazing kiss, Raine fell forward. Grabbing her shoulders, Jarret steadied her.

  His lips glistened from her kiss, and Raine couldn’t seem to take her eyes off them. Never taking his eyes from hers, Jarret wiped his lips dry with his fingertips. Taking a deep breath, he motioned to the living room.

  “I’m going to get dressed then order a movie.”

  The abrupt change of behavior, so closed off now, caught Raine off guard, and she frowned. He’d just kissed her like she was his next breath, and he was acting like nothing had happened. A shiver of disappointment ran down her spine, but Raine couldn’t just let him walk away. If he did, she’d lose the only friend and ally she had. “Can I come?”