“I’ll hold my temper.” Kel got up and put her arms around him. “You can be honest with me.”
He stroked her soft cheek and looked into her eyes. “I think I can, but I’m still afraid you’ll end this.”
“And why would I end something this nice?” she asked him, then leaned her head to rest on his broad chest. “Just tell me. You really can tell me anything.”
Taking her hands, he held her away from him. “Take a seat.”
She did as he’d said to and sat on the edge of the bed. “Okay, spill it, Ethan.”
“My friends and I overheard you and your sisters talking about something that has us all doing some kind of crazy things to you girls.” He began to pace again, putting his hands behind his back as he weighed what he wanted to say.
Kel held her temper, but the fact was that she was getting irate that this was the thing he wanted to be honest about and not the bet he and his friends had. “You and your friends are doing crazy things to me and my sisters, Ethan. Please go on. And what did you hear us talking about?”
Ethan stopped and leveled his eyes on Kel. She looked so small and innocent as she sat on the bed, waiting for his explanation. “Marriage, Kel. Marriage and how you three plan to get us all to marry you and pay your damn bills.” His face was turning red as he grew angry.
Kel’s face began to turn red too. “Anything else you’d like to be honest about, Ethan?”
“These people aren’t my family. I hired them to play the role. I wanted you to think I came from looneys and stop trying to get me to marry you. I actually come from good stock. No Americans are in the mix at all. And no mental illness, either. I’m not proud of what I did. And I wanted you to know that. I want us to be honest with one another. Would you like to confess now?”
Heat filled her as she stood up. “Me? You’re not nearly finished with your confession!”
Ethan grabbed her wrists, as he feared she might try to hit him. “Look, I told you about the fake family and why I did it. There’s no more. I’d like for you to admit that you planned on tricking me into marrying you.”
“I admit it,” Kel spat at him. “Before I ask for your forgiveness for such a thing though, I want more of that honesty you spoke about. I want to know it all, Ethan Southern. Every last bit of it!”
“Well, Griffin is going to make Jess think she’ll have to jack off bulls to be his wife. Phoenix is making Cait think that she’ll have to live in the middle of a stinking oilfield if she wants him to marry her. We all came up with ideas that make us seem less attractive as husbands.” He sat her back down. “There you have it.”
“I’m going to let you have it if you don’t come clean, Ethan. You have mere seconds. I’m about to count to three, and if I get to the last number and the whole truth hasn’t begun to pour from those lips then you will feel my wrath. You and your friends!” The look on her face made him think she knew about the bet.
But how could she? Unless one of his friends had told one of her sisters. That would be the only way, in his opinion. “Who told who what, love?”
“One!” Kel shouted at him.
“Damn it! Kel, you have to tell me what you know,” he shouted back at her.
“Two!” she said through clenched teeth. Her eyes were growing shimmery with what he was sure were angry tears. And when a woman cried those kinds of tears, anything could happen. Thr—”
“Stop!” he shouted as he held up his hands in surrender. “Stop counting. We had a bet.”
Kel couldn’t stop the tears as they crept out of her eyes. He’d finally been honest. “About?”
“About getting laid. Who’d get laid first.” Ethan got on his knees in front of her and took her hands in his, pulling them up to his cheeks where he rubbed them to his face. “We picked the women for each other. You were chosen for me. Kel, I swear it to ya, I’ve never met a woman more perfect for me.”
She let out a sigh of relief. “Ethan, finally. We’ve known since the first night. That’s why we led you all on then left you. The bartender is our cousin; he overheard you and told us. Damn, that feels awesome to get off my chest. The marriage thing we were talking about was to get even with you all.”
Ethan nodded. “That sounds more reasonable than thinking you three strong women wanted what you were talking about.”
“I’m going to call my sisters and tell them to come clean. I can’t imagine the torture their men are putting them through. And you call your friends and let them know the bet’s off.” Kel pulled her hands away from Ethan, but he came along with them and kissed her with a passion he’d never felt before.
The woman was his equal in all ways. And the bet was behind them. The truth had been exposed, and he was about to make sure she knew how he really felt about her.
Chapter 33
Jess cringed as the tall man with the gun walked over to them as they laid on their stomachs on the floor, hands behind their head. He was still pointing it at Griffin, who said, “I’m Griffin Houser. And who the hell are you?”
“Oh, shit!” the man whispered. “Sorry, sir. Here, let me help you up!”
“Don’t bother,” Griffin growled as he got up and helped Jess up too. “And you are?”
“The new head of security. Donald Noland.” He extended his hand for a shake, and Griffin just looked at it.
“I don’ think so,” Griff said as he glared at the man. “My fucking pictures are all over the house. Don’t try to tell me you had no idea who I was.”
“No, sir, really,” Donald said. “This is my first night to work. I was hired on to secure the outside, the animals. The inside is still your security guy you’ve had for years. Mr. Stout is the one who hired me to take care of the outside. I haven’t even met your family yet.”
Griffin’s cell phone rang, and he took it out of his pocket. “It’s Ethan.”
When Jess’ cell rang too, she pulled it out of her pocket and saw it was Kel. “I hope nothing’s happened!”
Griff gave Donald a nod. “Go on about your business. We’re going inside, anyway.” He led Jess out of the barn and back toward the house as he answered his phone. “Griffin here, Ethan.”
“The jig is up. Time to tell Jess about the bet,” Ethan told him.
Jess was listening to Kel as she told her, “I got it out of Ethan about the bet. It’s off. Tell Griff about the fake marriage scam.”
“Wow,” Jess said as she followed Griff into the house. “You’re remarkable.”
“I know. See you on Monday when we come back. We’re going to stay the weekend in this mansion he rented and send his fake family home. You get to have some real fun now that the lying is over. Love you, sis.”
“Love you too,” Jess said, then ended the call. She found Griffin putting away his phone. Then he turned to look at her.
“You knew about the bet all along, Jess?” he asked her, afraid to pull her into his arms the way he yearned to.
“I did,” she said and took a step closer to him. “And we made up the phony marriage thing to see if you guys would run. But you didn’t.”
Ethan looked at her with a sheepish grin. “We all kind of adore you girls. And we all took you on these horrendous dates to make you think none of us were great marriage material.”
“So, the bull-jacking thing is bullshit?” she asked him as she took another step closer.
“It’s a load of it. We do have machines that take care of that task. Can you ever forgive me for almost making you touch a bull cock?” he asked, as he wasn’t sure she’d forgive him or not.
Jess closed the gap between them, wrapping her arms around his neck and gazing at him in a new light. An honest light. “If I’d had to touch one then I can’t say for sure. Since I didn’t have to, the answer is yes. I forgive you, Griff. And can I ask you to be honest about how you feel about me?”
His hands tangled in her long blonde hair as he whispered, “I’m crazy about you, Jess. That’s the truth. And how do you feel about me?”
<
br /> “Oh, I think you’re just about the best thing since sliced bread, Griff.”
He kissed her then. Their first honest kiss. Neither had expected the fire that ripped through them as their tongues danced and their bodies stretched, trying to feel every part of the other’s.
Griff pulled his mouth away and said, “In the spirit of being honest … What are the chances you and I can go up to my bedroom and spend this entire weekend making sweet love to one another?”
Jess winked at him. “I’d say there is a one hundred percent chance of that happening.”
Breathing out a sigh of relief, Griff picked his girl up and carried her away with him. It hadn’t been that long in reality, but it had seemed like forever since they’d met. And things were finally going to be real between them. Griffin was set on making Jess see how he really felt about her.
Chapter 34
Pulling the truck to a stop just outside the gate that secured Phoenix’s oilfield, he looked at Cait as he blurted, “We had a bet. Whichever one of us got laid first would win. It was stupid; and this whole lying to you thing is stupid; and I just want to end it. I know about how you and your sisters want to trick us into marrying you. That’s why I brought you out here. I don’t want to live out here at all. But I don’t know if you and I will work out, either. The fact that you’re a scheming little witch is a thing I can’t take.”
“Whoa!” Cait gasped. “Okay, first of all. You used me in a bet. Second of all, you lied first. That’s why we came up with our lie about getting you guys to marry us. We knew about your bet, and we came up with something to run you all off. Only it didn’t run any of you off.”
Phoenix blinked at her a few times. “You knew about the bet? Since when?”
“Since the beginning of it. Our cousin overheard you guys and told us about it early on. So, we fooled you all into thinking you were going to get lucky.”
“Then you ditched us.” Phoenix nodded as he recalled it all. “You little sneaks.”
“Um, hey, you guys started it,” Cait reminded him. “So, do you want to take me home now or what? Are we done?”
“Is that what you want?” he asked her as he found his heart pounding.
“Is that what you want?” she asked him as she watched his face go blank. Cait had no idea what he wanted, but she knew she wanted to see where things would go with the man.
When he shook his head, she smiled. Phoenix got out of the truck and went around to her side. Opening the door, he pulled her out of the truck and held her tight. “Cait, I think I might love you.”
“That’s nice to hear. I think I might just love you too, Phoenix. Now, how about we go to your beach house and spend this weekend in a more appropriate way? You know, playing fetch with your dog.”
He laughed and hoisted her up, then kissed her hard. When he released her lips, he said, “How about I let the neighbor continue to take care of him so I can play some sex games with you, my little Caity-cat?”
“I say, okay. Take me to your lair; make me your woman.”
Phoenix hoisted her back into the truck and groaned as he ran his fingertip over the top of her breast. “I’m going to rip those clothes off you and not allow you to get dressed at all for the next two days.”
“Promise?” she asked with a grin. “Climb up in this truck and take me home, baby.”
Phoenix closed the door and felt the weight of their lies had lifted completely. He was going to finally get to have Cait the way he’d wanted to since he met her. And the best part of it was that they’d gotten the lies out of the way. And who knew where things would lead with all the baggage gone?
Just as he got back in the truck, both of their cells rang. Cait pulled hers out of her purse as Phoenix picked his up out of the middle console. “It’s Ethan,” he said.
“Kel’s calling me.” Cait answered her phone, “Hey.”
“Hey, you need to tell Phoenix the truth,” Kel said.
“Just did. You have ESP or something?” she said with a laugh.
Phoenix laughed when he heard Ethan say, “The bet’s off.”
“I just told Cait about the whole thing. And she let me in on their secret too.” Phoenix blew a kiss to Cait. “And things are great between us now. I’m taking her to my real home. And I may just keep her there forever.”
“Good luck with that, my friend,” Ethan said. “You two have fun. Bye.”
They both ended their calls as Cait gazed at the handsome man she had finally admitted to loving. “This is nice, isn’t it?” she asked.
“What, being honest?” he asked as he reached over and took her hand, holding it between them as he drove away.
“Yes, being honest. Honest about everything. I think this is going to be a great weekend.” She gave his hand a squeeze.
“I know it is,” he said, then sped up. “Now to get you to my bed!”
She giggled and knew things would be going very well for them very soon.
Chapter 35
Candles lit up the bedroom as Jess came out of the attached bathroom and into Griffin’s bedroom. He’d stripped and was lying naked on his bed. Jess took in her breath sharply. She had a towel wrapped around her and let it fall to the floor.
Griffin moaned as he took her all in. “My God, you’re gorgeous, Jess.”
“You are too,” she purred as she made her way to him. The carpet tickled her feet as she walked across the floor. “The candles make you glow, Griff.”
“I think it’s you who’s doing that,” he cooed as he got off the bed and went to her, taking her into his arms and loving how right she felt in them. Their skin was all that was between them, finally.
Their lips met, and they both knew something was happening that had never happened for either of them before. A bond of sorts had been formed. Something neither had ever had before.
Griffin eased backward with Jess as he took her to his bed. He felt compelled to tell her, “You’re the first woman I’ve ever brought home.”
Jess stared into the dark pools of his eyes. “I’ll be the first to make love with you in your bed?”
“You will,” he told her as he pushed back her hair. “I want you to know that I think you’re special and this isn’t where things will end for us. I see this is just the beginning.”
Running her hand across his back, she said, “That’s good to hear. I want things to keep going as well.”
Picking her up in his arms, Griffin kissed her again. He wanted her to feel every last feeling he could send to her. He wanted her to know he felt more for her than he’d ever felt for anyone before. And he wanted to use his body to show her that, instead of words.
Easing her onto his bed, he placed her head gently on the fluffy pillow. For the longest time, he looked into her eyes, trying to convey his feelings. She stroked his cheek as she returned his loving gaze.
Griffin took her hand, delivering a kiss to her palm. He licked it, then ran his tongue up her arm. Giving her small bites along her neck, he heard her moan, and her body arched up.
He took her hands, holding them down over her head as he kissed and nipped her neck. Griff let them go as he moved down her body, kissing every inch as he went. Spreading her legs, he kissed her pearl, and she moaned with the sensation, “Yes.”
“You taste like sin, Jess. It should be illegal to taste this damn good.” He took the swollen bud between his lips and rolled it between them, making her moan and his cock grow.
It was a sweet agony he was putting her through. Jess wanted to feel his large cock inside of her. But his intimate kiss was more than exciting. His lips moved on her sex with a determination, but also with ease. He put her in a relaxed state as he gently kissed her. Her body was rolling with small waves as the pleasurable sensations flowed through her.
When he licked her warm folds a few times, he ventured down to her vagina and forced his tongue inside of her. She squealed with pleasure. In and out he went until she came with a shout and dug her nails into his shoulde
rs. He licked her until she was a quivering mess. Then he pulled his hot mouth off her and looked at her as he said, “I’m about to ruin you for other men.”
Jess held out her arms and moaned, “Go on and ruin me, Griff. Settle that fat cock into my aching pussy. I’m yours.”
Moving up her body, he pinned her to the bed, forcing her legs even wider. “You ready for this, baby?”
“More than ready. Give it to me.” She gritted her teeth, readying to feel the heat she was confident she’d feel as he stretched her to fit his erection.
The tip slid in, and she felt the pain already. More moved in as she hissed with the fire it created inside her. “You can take it,” he whispered in her ear. “Just breathe, baby. You can handle it all.”
“It’s so big, Griff,” she moaned. “I can’t wait to see how full you make me feel.”
“Yes, baby, that’s the right way to think about it.” He pushed in harder and pulled back without going all the way in. Over and over, he teased her that way until she arched up to him, making him go all the way into her tight walls.
“Griff!” she shrieked as her breathing went ragged. “Oh, God! Oh, baby. Oh, yeah! Do it, baby. Shit, you feel good.”
The groan he made, shook them both as he began thrusting as he held her shoulders to the mattress. She moaned with every one of them. He knew she wasn’t faking. Her face glowed as she let him handle her the way he’d dreamt of from the first time he saw her.
“Your tight pussy was made for my cock, Jess,” he told her as he watched her expression as she held her eyes shut. She couldn’t hide the ecstasy she was feeling. The way he made her feel was unlike anything she knew existed. “I fucking love the way you feel!”
She moaned, “You fuck like a pro, Griff. I feel like you’re making me yours.”
He growled at her, “Because I am. No other man will ever be able to satisfy you the way I can.”
Her eyes flew open. “Then I guess you’ll just have to keep your bed open for me.”
Nobody's Girl: A Billionaire Romance Novel Page 44
