by Leah Brooke
Smiling, J.W. nuzzled her hair in the darkness while reaching down to run his fingers through her slit. “I’ll never let anything hurt you.”
Lana’s moan made his cock even harder. “J.W., I thought you said no sex.”
Focusing his attention on her clit, J.W. smiled against her hair. “We’re not having sex, but I want you to sleep, and there’s no way you’re gonna fall asleep in your present condition.”
Stiffening when her hand closed around his cock, J.W. groaned and tried to remove it, but she tightened her hold. Catching his breath, he focused his attention on her clit. “Lana, just let me—”
“No way, cowboy.” Her hand began to move up and down his cock, her intention clear. “Just tell me if I do something wrong.”
If she did any more right, he feared he’d embarrass himself and come before she did.
The apprehension in her voice made it impossible for him to refuse her, though, but he’d be damned if he came first.
It became an erotic challenge, one that had him gritting his teeth in an effort to hold back while giving her clit the attention he knew she needed to go over.
Her soft hand felt so good on his cock, the hesitant and untutored slide of her hand more exciting than he could have imagined.
Her growing confidence and the feel of her soft lips on his chest had him fighting the need to take control, but the knowledge of how much she needed to assert herself kept his need in check.
Nothing, though, could stop him from making sure that she came first.
Rolling to his side, J.W. doubled his efforts, thankful that the experience he’d gained in pleasuring her.
Because of it, he had a slight advantage, the realization of just how slight making him even more determined to lead her down the erotic path he preferred as soon as possible after she recovered from childbirth.
She stiffened, crying out as she came just seconds before his own release.
With a groan, he continued to stroke her clit, spilling his seed on her abdomen as he gathered her close.
Her soft moan held a great deal of feminine satisfaction. “That was real nice, cowboy.”
Amused, J.W. slid a finger into her soaked pussy, struggling to keep his tone threatening. “That moan had a little bit of arrogance in it, and a little bit of amusement. Was that for your orgasm or for making me come?”
Lana giggled, a sound that never failed to make his chest swell. “A bit of both.” She yawned, curling into him. “I like giving you pleasure. It makes me feel good.”
Kissing her hair, he started to slide from the bed. “I’m glad. It made me feel good, too.” Grinning at the thought of letting her have her way with him in order to build her confidence, J.W. rose from the bed, shoving the sheet out of the way.
Chuckling softly when she fought for the covers, J.W. reached out to tug her nipple in playful retaliation. “I’ve got to clean both of us up so we can get to sleep. Behave yourself. I’ll be right back.”
Minutes later, J.W. listened to Lana’s breathing even out, but he knew that sleep wouldn’t come to him for quite some time.
His pregnant bride-to-be had quickly become the most important thing in his life, and he would protect her and their unborn child at all costs.
Holding her close to his side, J.W. smiled when she snuggled into a more comfortable position, his smile falling when he thought about the conversation he’d had with the detective in New York.
It seemed that the man who’d attacked Lana had sent something to her before coming to Monterro.
Flowers had arrived at her condo, the attached note chilling.
You’re mine. We’ll be together soon.
Chapter Eighteen
The sound of the phone ringing brought J.W. instantly awake.
Without opening his eyes, he reached for the receiver, running a hand up and down Lana’s back when she stirred.
“Brant.”
“J.W., it’s Daniel. Kristen had the baby. It’s a boy!”
Opening his eyes, J.W. was surprised to find it was still dark. Grinning, he sat up and turned on the light, reaching out to Lana when she hurriedly sat up beside him. Smiling reassuringly, he took her hand in his. “Congratulations, Daniel.”
He glanced at Lana’s abdomen, covered by the blanket draped in front of her.
Smiling again when Lana’s eyes lit up, he stared at her, knowing that the picture she made was one he’d never forget.
Disheveled, her shoulders and upper curve of her breasts bared to his gaze, and with her eyes dancing with delight, she’d never looked more beautiful.
“Thanks. Oh, hell. I woke you.”
“No problem. Is everything okay with the baby? How’s Kristen?”
“They’re both perfect. Kristen’s exhausted, but she’s perfect.” Daniel sucked in a breath and blew it out in a rush. “Jesus, J.W., she was in such pain. I’ve never felt so helpless in my life. Damn, they’re both so beautiful. Perfect.”
J.W. couldn’t help but smile at Lana’s obvious restlessness while inwardly grimacing at the thought of Lana going through that kind of pain. “Hell. Don’t they give pain medication for that?”
“Just enough to take the edge off. They can’t risk it going into the baby’s system.”
J.W.’s smile fell, the reality of Lana’s pregnancy suddenly bringing with it a new set of worries. “Is Kristen okay now?”
“Yeah. She’s just sore and going nuts over the baby. We named him Henry after my father. Henry Daniel Davies. They’re both resting now. They’ve both had a long night.”
He couldn’t resist teasing his friend and future brother-in-law. “And they’re both perfect.”
Looking into Lana’s eyes, J.W. slid his hand lower. “I’d better give the phone to your sister. She’s just about jumping out of her skin with excitement.”
Daniel laughed. “Okay. Thanks—and J.W.?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks for taking care of her.”
“She’s mine, Daniel.”
“What do you mean—she’s yours?”
“I think that’s self-explanatory.”
“Anything you want to announce?”
Meeting Lana’s gaze, he lifted her hand, automatically turning it to kiss her fading scar. “Soon.”
“Well then.”
J.W. jolted when his cell phone rang, knowing that two calls in the middle of the night couldn’t both be good news. “Exactly. Talk to your sister.” Handing the receiver to Lana, he met her look of concern with a smile. “It’s probably about the ranch. Talk to your brother, baby.”
Turning away from her searching look, he took the call, reaching for his jeans. “Brant.” Fastening his jeans, he strode from the room, heading for the kitchen.
“Mr. Brant, this is Detective Lou Marcuso. I hope I’m not calling too early, but you said that this is the best time of day to contact you without Miss Davies knowing.”
“It is. Has something happened? Have you caught him?”
“No, but a man called her agency and tried to hire her. I just got word. Evidently it happened at the end of last week.”
Knowing that going back to sleep would be impossible, J.W. started the coffee. “I don’t know how that kind of thing works, but couldn’t it have been someone who’d hired her before? She said she had quite a few clients.”
“She did. The agency’s had several requests for her, but this one was unique.”
“Oh? How so?”
“The man who called her claimed to be from the perfume company she was associated with.”
Losing his patience, J.W. frowned. “She was their spokeswoman.”
“Yes, I understand she was. They knew about her leaving a long time ago and got a new spokeswoman. Seems odd that they’d forget that, don’t you think?”
Stiffening, J.W. straightened. “Yes. Yes it does.”
“He also got extremely upset when they told him that Lana Davies no longer had a contract with them. He wanted to know where she was so he could contact
her himself. Got real pissed when they said they didn’t know.”
Gritting his teeth, J.W. fisted a hand on the counter. “I’ll bet.”
“He made up some story about an emergency. The woman he spoke to ended up telling him that she thought Miss Davies went to Monterro, New Mexico.”
J.W. gritted his teeth. “So that’s how he knew where to find her.” He didn’t tell the detective about the trap they’d set for Lana’s attacker, especially since he seemed to be in contact with the local police about the case.
He wanted the bastard caught and he couldn’t take a chance that anyone else would interfere.
The police wouldn’t be notified until Lana’s attacker was safely caught in their trap.
“We traced the call to a burner phone. Dead end. Since you called me the other day, I’ve already called the police in Monterro so we can keep each other informed. They’re aware of the situation. I was concerned for her safety, but I understand that she’s safer on your ranch than she would be in most places.”
J.W. glanced toward the doorway, the tightness in his gut easing some at the sound of Lana’s soft laughter. “She is.”
“I called the police there again a few minutes ago to tell them what we found out about the phone. I understand you had an incident out there today.”
“Yes, and it was handled.”
The detective chuckled. “So I understand. You sound like a scary guy.”
J.W. listened with half an ear for Lana, not wanting her to overhear his conversation with the detective. “We take care of things around here. Lana’s brother’s wife just had a baby, so we’ll be flying to Miami today. I’ll stay with her. If you get any other information on this guy, call my cell again.”
“I will.”
Hearing Lana hang up, J.W. straightened. “Good. Keep me posted.”
“Will do. Take care of Miss Davies. She’s a special lady.”
J.W. heard Lana moving around and turned toward the doorway. “She is, Detective. She is.” He hung up just before Lana appeared.
She danced into the kitchen with the phone in her hand, grinning with excitement. “I’m an aunt!”
J.W. reached into the cabinet for coffee cups and put water on for the herbal tea Alice had bought for Lana. “So you are. Hungry?”
Lana shook her head and started dialing. “No. I want to call my parents. Daniel called them first, and I want to see if they got the plane tickets yet.” She put the phone to her ear, still grinning. “I don’t want to call and get tickets if they’ve already gotten them.”
“If they haven’t bought them yet, tell them we’ll get them. Get four. First class. I don’t fit in economy.”
“You’re going?”
Smiling to hide his concern, J.W. bent to kiss her forehead. “Of course I’m going. I’m not letting you out of my sight. Besides, when you marry me, he’ll be my nephew. I want to meet him.”
* * * *
Leaning against J.W. came naturally, the feel of his arm coming around her too inviting to resist. Smiling as she watched her parents and Kristen’s fuss over the baby, Lana stood back, aware of her brother’s sharp stare.
She stiffened when Daniel came toward her, smiling when J.W.’s hand moved on her back in reassurance. Meeting her brother’s gaze steadily, Lana raised a brow. “So, how does it feel to be a daddy?”
Daniel smiled, but his eyes remained sharp. “Incredible. How are you doing? I like the dress. I’m glad you’re not dressing like a bag lady anymore.”
J.W. pulled her closer, glaring at Daniel. “That wasn’t nice.”
Lana grinned. “You said almost the same thing.”
Daniel had the grace to look sheepish. Taking Lana’s hand in his, he sighed. “J.W.’s right. I’m sorry.” Pulling her into his arms, he hugged her close. “I’ve just been so damned worried.”
Straightening, he held her at arm’s length and looked her over. “You look fantastic. You’ve gained weight. You have more color, and those dark circles under your eyes are almost gone.” Turning to glance at the others behind him, he bent, keeping his voice low enough not to be overheard. “I hated seeing you like that. I hate that I couldn’t take that bastard and—”
J.W. gathered Lana against his side again. “Not the time or the place. It’s over. Lana’s mine now, and she knows she’s safe.”
Looking from Lana to J.W. and back again, Daniel smiled. “I assume we’ll be having a wedding soon?”
Feeling J.W.’s gaze, she turned to him, pressing her hands against his chest. She didn’t know if she was caught up in the moment, or if seeing her brother and his wife with their new baby had put everything into perspective, but she loved J.W. and couldn’t imagine a life with anyone else.
Smiling teasingly, she leaned into J.W., who simply raised a brow and watched her. “He keeps asking.”
Just then, her parents and Kristen’s approached. Her father patted her arm, smiling broadly. “We’re going down to the cafeteria for a sandwich. Thought we’d leave you young people alone for a bit.”
Lana smiled at that, knowing from the conversation he’d had with J.W. on the plane that he wanted nothing more than for J.W. to become his son-in-law.
She could only imagine what he would be like if he knew that she carried J.W.’s child.
J.W. pulled Lana closer. “You go ahead. We’ll be down in a couple of minutes. Lana didn’t have much breakfast.”
“You practically shoved that omelet and juice down my throat.” Frowning up at him, Lana started to poke him in the stomach, but he caught her hand before she could connect, lifting her hand to his lips.
“I’m already bruised from your poking.”
“Liar. It would take a bulldozer to bruise you. Besides, it’s my turn to hold my nephew.”
Smiling at her sister-in-law, Lana went to her bedside and sat on the edge. “You look stunning, Kristen. Motherhood suits you.”
“It sure does.” J.W. smiled at Kristen, his affection for her obvious. “You’re beautiful. Even more beautiful than before. You’ve got this peaceful look about you that makes you glow.”
Blushing, Kristen bit her lip. “Thank you for saying that, but I’ve looked in the mirror.”
Lana touched her arm, shooting a glance at her brother. “J.W.’s right. You look beautiful.” She gestured around the room, which included a seating area, table and chairs, and a small refrigerator, along with a huge flat-screen television. “Nice room.”
Kristen handed the baby to Lana, her sad smile making Lana’s stomach clench. “You know Daniel. He always wants the best. Sometimes I wonder why he settled for me.” A tear escaped, running down Kristen’s cheek.
It startled Lana and prompted a look of panic on Daniel’s face.
Rushing forward, he gathered Kristen against him. “Hey! What’s all this about?”
Kristen sniffed, avoiding his gaze. “You can have any woman you want.”
Sitting next to her on the bed, Daniel cuddled her close. “I know. I married her. Come on, baby. You’re just tired. You’ve been through so much.”
Something inside Kristen seemed to break, one sob escaping after another. “I’m fat! You’re around all those beautiful women all day, all those secretaries who have legs a mile long, and have to come home to someone fat. I’m always tired, and I’ve been a miserable bitch.”
Her usually unflappable brother looked decidedly panicked. “You’re not fat. You just gave birth to my child! I think about you all day and can’t wait to get home to you. I love you, Kristen. How you could ever doubt that is beyond me.”
J.W. slid an arm around Lana’s back and led her to the small seating area. “Let’s give them some privacy.” Settling her on his lap, he slid an arm under hers, supporting both her and the baby. “You look good with a baby in your arms. I can’t wait to see you holding ours.”
Leaning against him, Lana lifted her face to his. “He’s beautiful, isn’t he?”
J.W. glanced toward where her brother and sister-
in-law cuddled together and spoke in hushed tones. “I didn’t want to say anything before, but don’t you think he’s a little small?”
Laughing softly, Lana shook her head. “He’s almost nine pounds! That’s big for a baby. My brother’s a big man. I’m sure it wasn’t a picnic for Kristen.” Raising a brow, she gave him a teasing smile. “You do know where they come out?”
To her surprise, J.W. blanched. “Hell, I’m even bigger than your brother.” Gulping, he eyed the baby. “Damn. He is kinda big, isn’t he? Do you think ours will be even bigger?”
Lana shrugged. “Maybe. Who knows?” She glanced at her brother and his wife, pleased to see Kristen beaming and cuddling against Daniel. “I’m glad she’s okay now. Poor thing.”
“Daniel adores her. I can’t believe she doesn’t know that.”
“She does, but she’s probably feeling a little insecure. She wants to look good for him, but she’s been tired, and carrying around little Henry here couldn’t have been all that comfortable. Daniel’s around a lot of beautiful women, and she loves him so much that she’s scared of losing him. Women are always throwing themselves at him, even when he’s at a party with Kristen.”
Keeping her head lowered, she lifted the baby’s hand, smiling when he closed his fingers around her finger. “It’s hard for a woman to be with a man she loves so much. She knows it would break her if he changed his mind about her. It’s hard to feel so vulnerable.”
Cupping the back of her head, J.W. ran his fingers over her hair. “It amazes me that such smart, beautiful, sweet, and amazing women could be so blind. I’m a man, Lana. Not a boy who’s gonna get tired of playing with one toy and want another. I’ve had plenty of opportunities to have relationships with women, but it never felt right. With you, it felt right—right from the beginning. The first time I kissed you I knew you were a woman I wouldn’t forget easily.”
Easing his arm from beneath hers, J.W. gripped her chin and turned her to face him. “The first time I made love to you I knew that I would do whatever it took to make you mine.” His eyes darkened as he slid his hand under the baby to cover her abdomen. “Now you’re carrying my child. I’ll do whatever it takes to get you to marry me, and once I have you, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you. Do you really think I’d risk losing you for a fling with someone else? I wouldn’t do that, Lana, any more than your brother would.”
