by Leah Brooke
J.W. frowned, and to her delight, his face reddened. Releasing her hand, he picked up his fork again. “Alice and my mother have big mouths. That woman wanted more than I was willing to give. She decided that she wanted to be the lady of the house. She wanted the social standing and wanted the money. She was pissed off that I saw through her and didn’t even like her, or trust her enough to sleep with her. We went out once. Once. That was enough for me, and I told her that I wasn’t interested. She called and came over uninvited, and when that didn’t work, she showed up with luggage.”
Relieved that he hadn’t been serious about the other woman, Lana clicked her tongue. “Poor baby.”
J.W. glared at her. “Very funny.”
Lana giggled, stopping abruptly when J.W.’s eyes narrowed and sharpened.
Leaning forward, he held her gaze, a tenseness about him that hadn’t been there before. “I want you, Lana. I’m not a kid who’s looking for kicks. I’m a man who’s spent years looking for something that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Now I know what I’ve been looking for. I’m not giving up. You’ll be mine.”
Clearing her throat, Lana picked up her fork again, her stomach fluttering at the thought of living with him. “I think you’ve probably got women all over the countryside chasing you.”
J.W. paused with his fork halfway to his mouth, his eyes narrowing again but, this time, glittering with amusement. “Are you jealous, darlin’? Just think, if you stayed with me, you could keep all those other women at bay.”
“Sounds exhausting.”
“Yeah, but you’ll sleep well at night. In my bed and in my arms. You won’t ever have to worry about feeling safe again.”
Riding back to her apartment, Lana couldn’t stop staring at J.W.’s hands on the wheel, remembering the way they felt when they moved over her.
She remembered the slide of them on her body, the way his callused hands and fingertips felt when they caressed her.
Her heart beat faster when she thought about the tenderness in his firm touch.
He drove the way he made love, every movement smooth and controlled.
She tried to imagine him ruffled but found she couldn’t.
Even when he’d told her about the trouble he’d been having with the two brothers he’d fired, he remained cool and controlled.
Somehow, it was even scarier.
Surprised that, over dinner, he’d confided in her about the trouble he’d been having, she turned in her seat toward him. “They really cut your fence?”
“That they did.” The anger in J.W.’s deep voice chilled her.
Ice cold.
He glanced at her, a muscle working in his jaw. “The Avery brothers have been nothing but trouble since they started drinking again. I fired them once for it, but they got themselves dried out and wanted a second chance.”
Lana smiled. “And you gave it to them?”
J.W. shrugged and looked away. “I felt sorry for their mother. They were supposed to be supporting her but probably ended up drinking their paychecks. They won’t get another chance from me. I’ve got the men looking out for them. If they set one foot on Stillwater, they’ll pay for it.”
* * * *
Afraid that his anger might frighten Lana, he pushed it aside as he pulled into the parking lot for her apartment building. Once he shifted to park and turned off the engine, he patted her thigh, smiling tenderly to hide his anger that she’d covered the pretty blouse with another cardigan that hung on her. “Come on, baby. Let’s get you inside.”
She’d claimed she’d worn it because of the air conditioning in the restaurant, but he knew it had more to do with covering the scar on the side of her neck and wrist.
Once they’d left the restaurant, she hadn’t removed it.
Although barely visible, the scars made her feel insecure, and it pissed him off.
So did the dark circles under her eyes.
She wasn’t as pale as she’d been before, and the dark circles weren’t as bad, but she still had a long way to go.
Determined to get her healthy again, both physically and emotionally, he got out of the truck, telling her to stay put until he came around.
He opened the back door and reached in for the leather overnight bag he’d brought with him before going around to open her door.
When he saw that she’d already stepped out, he frowned and reached for her. “Next time wait for me to come and get you. I don’t know about those men in New York, but out here, we open a woman’s door for her.”
Ignoring his remark, she eyed the overnight case, her eyes going wide. “You spending the night, cowboy?”
With a hand at her back, he led her toward the building. “You don’t really think I’m going to go home knowing that you can’t sleep and imagining you waking up alone after a nightmare.” Once inside, they went to the elevator. “Not gonna happen, baby. Either you come to the ranch with me, or I stay here with you. Totally your choice.”
“Some choice.” Lana leaned back against the wall of the elevator, deliciously flushed. “You’re used to getting your way, aren’t you?”
“Of course.” When the elevator opened, he settled his hand at the small of her back again and led her down the hall.
Once inside her apartment, Lana removed her cardigan, revealing the scar near her neck and the one at her wrist without hesitation. “Coffee?”
“Sure.” J.W. lowered himself to the sofa, watching her move around the kitchen. Pleased that she felt comfortable allowing him to see her scars, it was obvious that she still hid them from others.
Poking her head around the corner, Lana smiled, a sweet smile that made his chest swell. “Do you want a whiskey, too?”
Removing his boots, J.W. looked up, meeting her smile with one of his own. “No. I want to keep a clear head tonight.” His cock jumped at the thought of what he wanted to do to her, and he glanced at his bag, pulling it closer to the side of the sofa.
“Oh?” Lana grinned. “You have some plans I should know about?”
“I always have plans for you.”
She was his.
She belonged to him in ways she’d never belonged to another man.
He had plans for her to belong to him in other ways.
Every way.
He wouldn’t be satisfied until she belonged to him completely.
Tonight, he intended to play with her, give her pleasure, and show her more of the passion between them.
He wanted her to become accustomed to his touch and to feel more comfortable around him, and to build the trust between them.
Watching her measure coffee into the coffee maker, he couldn’t help but imagine her living in his home.
Coming home to her every day.
Cuddling with her every night.
She’d rebuffed his offer to move in with him without hesitation, but he could see that the idea appealed to her on some level.
Her fear and insecurity should have enticed her to live at the ranch, but he’d begun to see a stubbornness he hadn’t expected.
Sitting forward to make sure he could see her even if she moved farther into the kitchen, he threaded his fingers together and watched her, easily imagining her in his home. “You know I want you to live with me. Are you playing hard to get, honey?”
Lana turned on the coffee maker and smiled. “I had sex with you within twenty-four hours of meeting you. If anything, I’d think you’d consider me easy.” She glanced away as she continued into the living room and gracefully lowered herself to the chair to his right, tense again.
Gritting his teeth, J.W. continued to watch her. “I hope like hell you don’t think I think you’re easy. You were a virgin, Lana. I’d hardly call you easy. In fact, you’re damned complicated.”
Sitting back again, he held out a hand to her. “You never told me why you were still a virgin.”
With a shrug, Lana placed her hand in his and allowed him to pull her onto his lap. Flattening a hand on his chest, she shrugg
ed again. “It’s no great mystery, J.W.”
He reached down to remove her high-heeled sandals. “Tell me.”
Blowing out a breath, she lifted her foot, flexing it as he tossed her sandal aside. “I was just out of high school and full of ambition when I left Monterro. I dated in high school, but I had a very over-protective brother. I know you didn’t know him then, but Daniel could be pretty scary when he wanted to be. Hell, even now he’s scary without even trying. None of the guys I dated back then wanted to tangle with him.”
J.W. smiled at that. “You’re right. I didn’t know your brother back then, but from what I know of him now, I can imagine he was a pain in the ass, just as I would be if I had a younger sister.”
And just the way I’m overprotective of you now.
Running a finger over her peach-colored toenails, wondering why such a little thing could arouse him, J.W. removed her other sandal. “That doesn’t explain your life in New York. Your brother wasn’t around then.” Unable to resist, he ran his fingers over her toes, the delicate arch of her foot and up to her ankle, smiling faintly when her breath caught.
Her hand tightened on his shoulder. “I know, but when I got there, everything was just so overwhelming. I had to learn how to walk, how to pose, how to flirt with the camera. I had photo shoots. Hair. Makeup. Going to the gym. It sounds glamorous, but I felt like I was always on the move, and I was so damned tired.”
“I’ll bet.” He closed his hand over her foot and began to massage, smiling when she sighed and dropped her head against his shoulder. “Keep going.”
She flexed her foot, a small moan escaping. “I wanted to make as much money as I could and make a name for myself. I knew I couldn’t count on it to last, and I wanted to prepare for the future. I didn’t have a college education, and I knew finding a job would be difficult. I was desperate.”
Lifting her hand to his jaw, she smiled up at him, a smile that held more than a hint of sadness. “I soon learned that most of the men I met wanted to be seen with a model on their arm and were interested in nothing more than carving another notch in their bedposts. They’d also slept with some of my friends, and I cared about the friends more than I cared about them.”
She looked down as if fascinated by the sight of her foot in his hand. “I worked hard, and as much as I could.” Smiling, she pressed a hand to his chest. “Luckily I was in high demand. I was always on the move. Before I knew it, years had gone by.”
Loving the feel of her in his arms, he couldn’t help but imagine holding her this way every night. Lacing her fingers with his, he held her hand against his chest. “And you were still a virgin.”
Inclining her head, she squeezed his hand. “And I was still a virgin. I’d realized years earlier that there was always gossip, and I didn’t want some man bragging that he’d been the first.”
Biting back his anger at the thought of something so precious being the subject of gossip, J.W. scowled down at her. “Doesn’t sound like your friends were very good ones.”
Shaking her head, she smiled. “Oh, I made several good friends. The men I was talking about were dates and a lot of them simply wanted to be seen and photographed with a model. Since I didn’t date much, I was a prime target.”
With a sigh, she dropped her head against his shoulder again. “Jack and Evan are very good friends. They knew the truth about me.” She smiled and glanced up at him. “In a lot of ways, they took over for Daniel. They were the ones who came to my rescue. They were also the ones who called him after the attack. Even now they’re watching my condo until it sells.”
J.W. blinked. “You haven’t sold it yet?” He hated the idea of her having ties with her old life.
He wanted her firmly in his.
“No.” When she shifted and started to rise, he released her, wanting her to finish. Getting to her feet, she wrapped her arms the way she did when she felt defensive and insecure. “I didn’t want strangers in there while I was still there. I told the realtor that they couldn’t show the condo until I’d gone.”
She checked the locks on the front door on the way to the window. “Anyway, I didn’t want my virginity to be a source of gossip or some man’s trophy. That’s why I was still a virgin.”
As she started past him again, he held out his hand, his chest swelling when she readily placed her hand in it and allowed him to pull her onto his lap again.
Incredibly touched and humbled, J.W. pulled her close and kissed her hair, running his hand down her arm and lifting her wrist to his lips. “I’m glad. It’s the most precious gift I’ve ever received.”
Lana blushed and dropped her head to his shoulder, her voice low and intimate. “I’m glad I waited. It never felt right before, but it did with you.” Lifting her head, she smiled up at him and cupped his jaw. “But it doesn’t make you responsible for me, and I sure as hell didn’t do it to coerce you into inviting me to live with you. I’ve lived on my own for a long time. I’m used to it. I like it.”
J.W. wanted to shake her. “You might have before, but you don’t like being alone anymore. What’s more important is that you don’t have to anymore. You’re just too hardheaded to admit it.”
When she opened her mouth to speak, he shook his head. “Don’t deny it. I won’t believe it. You feel better when someone’s with you. You’re just too stubborn to take my offer at face value. You think that it’s only because I feel responsible for you. You and I have something special between us. I love being with you, baby. I love the thought of coming home to you every night.”
He didn’t understand how she couldn’t see that.
Laying her back over his arm, he slid a hand up to cup her breast, loving the heavy weight of it against his palm. “I know I feel a hell of a lot better when you’re with me.”
* * * *
Lana arched into his palm, frustrated that her clothing prevented her from feeling his hand against her bare breast. “J.W.!” Her nipples beaded against his palm, aching sharply for attention.
“I know, baby.” His body tightened against hers, the brush of his lips against her jaw sending shivers to her nipples. “As soon as I touch you, I’m hard and can’t think about anything except getting inside you. I always want you. Even just holding you feels good.”
Lifting a hand to his hair, Lana pulled him closer. “I seem to have the same problem.” Pressing her thighs together, she bent her knees and writhed on his lap to ease the ache at her slit.
J.W. nibbled at her bottom lip, making it sting just enough to heighten the sexual awareness while deftly working the buttons at the front of her blouse free. “Good. I’m going to do whatever it takes to make sure you always want me.”
Gripping his shoulder, she threw her head back, crying out at the sharp pleasure of his callused finger sliding back and forth over her nipple. “Hell. You’re doing a damned good job of it now.”
“Am I?” J.W. grinned, a wolfish grin filled with erotic intent. “Let’s see if I can do better.”
Her nipples beaded even tighter under his hooded gaze, her breasts hot and heavy under his gentle caress. Writhing against him, she cried out his name, the sharp shards of heat to her slit driving her mad.
J.W.’s deep chuckle and the look of satisfaction in his eyes increased the sense of intimacy between them, an intimacy she’d never felt with any other man. “I’ve never felt this close to anyone before.”
She regretted her words as soon as they left her mouth, but his touch seemed to melt her inhibitions.
Cupping the back of her head, J.W. touched his lips to hers. “Neither have I. We’re going to be even closer, and when we are, you’ll realize that we belong together.”
He ran his hand over her breast. “You have no idea what kind of naughty things I want to do to you.”
The need to be everything to him proved overwhelming. “Show me. Tell me what to do. I want to give you pleasure, too.” She gripped his wrist, lifting herself slightly. “Stop babying me. I want you to show me that stu
ff that you said would scare me to death. I want to make you feel as good as you make me feel.”
Cupping the back of her neck, J.W. held her in place for his long, drugging kisses. “You do. Just by being here.” With a groan, he lifted her, kissing her as he worked the sleeves of her blouse down her arms. “I want you so much I shake with it. You were made for me.”
Lana struggled to free her hands, pausing when J.W. chuckled and tied the sleeves around her wrists behind her back, making it impossible for her to get free. “What so damned funny? Why did you do that? Help me out of here.”
“Nope.” J.W.’s eyes took on an intensity that sent a thrill of apprehension through her.
Incredibly aroused, she bit her lip and leaned into him, silently demanding more attention to her nipples. “Why n–not? I want to touch you, too. I told you I wanted to make you feel as good as you make me feel, and you’re not letting me.”
She hated the whine in her tone, and in her present mood, it irritated her that he seemed to find it amusing.
“Poor baby.” J.W. ran his hand over her breast before closing his thumb and finger on her nipple and applying pressure. “Aroused and helpless. Hmm.” His lips took hers in several heated kisses that made her lips tingle and her head swim. “I like it.”
Lifting his head, he stared into her eyes while rolling her nipple between his fingers. “Yes. That look in your eyes gets me every time. Desire. Trust. And there’s something else there. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were falling in love with me.”
Alarmed, Lana struggled for composure, something she found impossible under the circumstances. “We don’t know each other well enough for that. Oh God!”
Lifting her against him, he stripped her of the rest of her clothes and slid a hot hand between her thighs. “Yes. We do. But I won’t push you. Tonight.” He touched his lips to hers, taking her mouth in a tender kiss but with a decadent intent that sent her senses reeling. “Tonight, I want something else.”
Lana gulped, her breath coming out in sharp pants when he began to flick his thumb over her clit. “What do you want?”
