Swallowing, Jenna looked away from him. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She gripped the edge of the sheet, holding it against her breasts.
Jackson grabbed her chin, pinching it between his thumb and index finger. “Don’t ever lie to me, angel. Do you understand?” He knew he sounded harsh but at that moment, knowing she wore his brand on her body, he couldn’t find an ounce of gentle in him.
“I’d like to talk to Addison.”
“Do you understand?”
Sealing her lips, Jenna glared at him then glanced at Addison.
“Do you really think she can protect you, angel?”
Shaking her head, she dropped her eyes to the sheet over her lap as she pleated the material and felt herself growing wet with arousal. “Yes, Jackson,” she whispered, aroused at his demands yet embarrassed that Addison might hear her giving in to him.
“Good. Now you can talk to Addison.” Settling into a wide-legged stance, he crossed his heavily muscled arms over his chest and nodded at her to go ahead.
“Alone.”
“No. Not alone. First you fall in the pool and drown.” His voice broke on the last word, and he had to clear his throat before he could go on. “You understand that? Right? You nearly fucking died.” When he had heard her tell Doc she couldn’t swim, bile had filled his mouth and he’d had to rush from the exam room. He’d made it as far as the nurses’ station before throwing up in a quickly offered plastic tub. Even now his nerves were stretched tight, and the only thing keeping him from taking his belt to her ass were the orders Doc had given for her care. Though Doc hadn’t said anything about not yelling at her.
“I know that, Jackson, and I already than—”
“Don’t you dare fucking thank me again.” He planted his hands on the bed next to her hip. “I’ve seen you in the river. You and Addison, floating on tubes and splashing around without a care in the world. And all that fucking time you knew you couldn’t swim.” His voice had increased in volume until he was yelling at her. “I finally understand the hell Addison has put Cade through. The two of you are not going to get the chance to carry out any more of your crazy schemes as long as I’m on watch.”
“We aren’t planning anything. We haven’t even spoken to each other yet,” Addison told him, trying to calm him and wishing for once Cade was present.
“There’s talking and then there’s talking. I could feel the eye rolling and brow lifting coming from both of you.”
Before Addison could say anything more, Cade silently walked up behind her and slid his arms around her waist. He pulled her back against him as he exchanged a long look with Jackson.
“Now, who’s doing the scheming?” Addison asked.
“It’s time for dinner, baby,” Cade told her, ignoring her remark.
“I’m eating with Jenna.”
“No. You’re coming downstairs and having dinner with me, Luc, and Logan. Zane had to get back to Dallas so he won’t be joining us. Jane has made some soup for Jenna, and Jackson is going to eat with her.”
Jerking away from him, she moved to the bed, sat down on the edge, and crossed her legs as she leaned back. “No. I’m staying right here. Jackson’s being mean to Jenna and I’m not leaving him alone with her.”
“Addison, look at Jenna,” Jackson said quietly. “She’s asleep and she’ll probably sleep for hours, if not all night.”
“Oh,” Addison said. “I’m still staying. She might need me.”
Losing patience with her, Cade grabbed her hand and jerked her up, sending her flying toward his shoulder. Hearing the oomph she made as her belly made contact with his shoulder, he grinned and moved toward the door.
Poking him in the back, Addison said, her pokes keeping time with each quietly hissed word, “You better put me down right now, Cade Ramsey.”
Ignoring her, he strode out of the room, stopping only long enough to jerk her shoes from her feet and toss them through the open door of the bedroom she used at the ranch. She was damn good at using those things as weapons, he thought as he walked toward the stairs. “You poke me one more time and you’ll have to stand to eat your dinner, Addison.”
“Just because I think we might have gone out on what might have been an actual dinner date, don’t think you have the right to do interesting, er, I mean horrible things to me. Besides, you wouldn’t dare,” she said, her voice breathless.
Hearing the excitement in her voice, Cade couldn’t keep the grin off his face. “You’d be surprised what I’d dare, baby.” He ran his hand over her smooth calves then circled one slender ankle with his fingers as he walked down the stairs and into the dining room. Luc jumped up and pulled out a chair at the end of the table and Cade dropped her into it.
“Hey, Addison,” Luc greeted her.
Shoving her long hair out of her face, she glared at Cade then smiled at Luc. “Hi, Luc.” Looking across from him, she smiled at his twin, Logan. “Hi, Logan.”
“Hi, Addison. I really like that shirt.”
“It’s a dress, Logan.”
“Really?” Logan bent to look under the table in her direction.
“That’s enough, Logan. Don’t encourage her.” Cade looked at Addison, his brows drawn down over dark-green eyes. “Addison, you will leave Jenna alone so she can rest. Jackson will take care of her.”
“Why can’t I help?”
“Because Jackson doesn’t need you getting in the way.”
“I wouldn’t be in the way. Jenna’s my best friend.”
“If I catch you sneaking into her room”—he narrowed his emerald-green eyes—“and I will catch you, baby, you’ll be sorry.”
“Fine then. I’ll stay away.” She sighed with relief when Jane came through the door from the kitchen, pushing a cart loaded with yummy-smelling platters and bowls.
“Jane, is Maggie still here?” Addison asked.
“Yes. We’re having dinner in the kitchen.”
“Great! I’ll join you.” She began to stand up.
Cade sighed and grabbed her hand. “Stay where you are, Addison.” Jane, would you and Maggie please join us for dinner?”
“No.” Addison sent Jane a pleading look. “We women want to visit and our feminine chatter would just irritate you, Cade. You know how you hate it.”
“You just want to catch up on all the latest gossip, Addison.”
Pouting, she fluttered her lashes at him. “I do not gossip!”
Logan and Luc laughed as Cade said, “Oh, yes, you do, baby. You live for it. I bet you dream about it.”
“You make my interest in my friends sound bad when all I want to do is help them.”
“The Johnsons ended up getting a divorce, Addison,” Logan said.
“That was a good thing. They weren’t happy together. And now they’re both married to people they really love and they’re both happy.”
“What about the Myers?” Luc asked. “They’re still separated.”
“He cheated on her when she was pregnant. With her best friend, no less. He’ll be lucky if she finds a way to forgive him. Besides, I didn’t tell her. Valerie Jones did. I’m just paying some of Karen’s expenses until she decides what she wants to do.”
“Or my friends, the Lees?” Logan glared at her. “They’re still in marriage counseling three times a week. He never has time for a game of golf anymore.”
“Well, really, Logan. You sound like you think a game of golf is more important to you than your friends’ marriage. That’s rather selfish of you.”
Logan raised his brows then looked at Cade. “The next time someone wants to kill her for meddling in their lives, I vote we let them.”
“Logan! How can you say that?” Addison looked at Cade. “I just want to help my friends.”
Cade tried but failed to give her a sympathetic look. “I know, baby, but promise me you won’t try to help anyone else ever again. I can’t protect you from everyone in Rendezvous.”
While the brothers laughed, Addison stood and sto
mped away, her bare feet slapping against the hardwood floor as she headed for the kitchen and hopefully an hour or two of juicy rumors.
“Addison!”
“What?” Twisting around, she glared at Cade.
“I catch you gossiping, and I will catch you, baby, I’ll make you sorry.”
Planting her hands on her hips, she stood to her full height of five feet four inches. “You don’t scare me, Cade Ramsey.”
Smiling, he winked at her. “Yes, I do, baby.”
Chapter Three
The sound of whimpering woke Jackson from a light doze. He held still and kept his breathing steady as he cracked his eyes open and checked out the area around him. Used to waking up in war zones all over the world, he breathed a sigh of relief when he remembered he had left the military and come home for good two months ago. Slumped in a chair he had shoved into the shadows of the room, he inspected the room, waiting to see if he could identify what had woken him. Across from him, the bed Jenna slept on was softly lit by the moonlight streaming through the sheer drapes. Shadows flitted over it as a cloud drifted across the moon and a whimper came from Jenna as she stirred restlessly.
Jackson rose and stood over the bed. Tear tracks marred her face as her hands moved restlessly, reaching for something in her dreams. Lowering himself to the edge of the bed, he covered her hands with his, marveling at the softness of her skin beneath the calluses on his palm. In the dim coolness of the room, he could see the contrast between his bronzed skin and her lightly tanned ivory flesh. Earlier, when he had unrolled her from the blanket, the dark-peach color of her nipples had reminded him that he already knew from their encounter four years ago that she tasted like the sweetest summer peach. He’d spent the better part of the evening resisting the urge to spread her legs wide and find out if her sweet little pussy was the same color and if it still tasted like peaches.
When she stirred again, then sat up with his name on her lips, he slid his arms around her.
“Shh, angel, I’m here,” Jackson said, rubbing circles over her silky back and feeling her plump breasts with their engorged nipples scrape against his chest.
“I was fighting the water, so scared, but then you were there with me.” Leaning against him, shivering, Jenna tried to absorb the warmth from his skin as her throat burned. Remembering the terror she had felt when she fell into the pool and had thought she was going to die without ever knowing his touch again, her tears increased.
“I’ve got you now. You’re safe with me, angel.” His voice was still raspy from yelling at her earlier. He could have lost her today. In fact, he had lost her. Only the fact that he and Cade had known what to do had brought her back to him. He tightened his arms around her, hearing her gasp as he squeezed her too hard and silently cursed those damn shoes again. He nuzzled her neck then branded her shoulder with a soft kiss followed by a bite hard enough to leave a shallow impression.
Jenna gasped then let her body sink against him as she tipped her head, giving him better access to the soft, responsive spot, encouraging him to bite her again. When he granted her wish, she shivered with pleasure and moaned. Jackson moved his lips over her neck below her chin to the other side and kissed then gave her a light nip there. She moaned again, her heartbeat speeding up as her lungs sucked in little puffs of air. Unable to resist his call, praying she wouldn’t regret this in the morning, she turned her head, brushing his lips with hers. He didn’t hesitate to accept her offer, going from soft and comforting to hard and demanding in less than a second. This was the way she had always suspected he would be. Had always hoped he would be.
Jackson used his tongue to press her mouth open, his tongue stabbing between her lips and into her mouth then sweeping over her tongue and tangling around it. He tasted her, learned her, and coaxed her tongue into his mouth, where he closed his teeth over it and held her prisoner for a moment before freeing her to explore his mouth.
Moaning, their breath mingling, she swept her tongue against his, stretching up so she could get above him and take control of the kiss. She let him pull her onto his lap, changing the angle of their mouths as she felt his hands sweep down her back and clench on her waist. Jenna pressed her breasts more firmly against Jackson, humming with pleasure, feeling her nipples swell and tighten until they ached. She ran her lips across his cheek to his ear and bit his lobe then told him, her breath hot on his neck, “Jackson, I need you. Touch me.”
“Where, angel? Here?” Jackson slid his hands down her back, across her butt, and then back up. “Or, here?” He slid his hands over her shoulders and cupped her breasts before smoothing his hands over them, the calluses on his palms scraping over her nipples. He pinched her nipples between his fingers, plucking at them until she moaned with pleasure. The Dom in him demanded more so he tightened his fingers, putting pressure on her nipples until she squeaked with pain then groaned and wiggled with pleasure. Her essence filled the air between them and he drew in a deep breath, memorizing her scent. “Oh, yeah, that’s what you need. Isn’t it, angel?” He waited for her response, tightening his fingers a little more with each second she made him wait.
“Yes, oh, yes, Jackson. Don’t stop.” Pressing her breasts more firmly into his hands, Jenna pushed her hips back, the coarse material of his jeans scratching against the softer skin of her butt. She loved that there was nothing slow and sweet about him. Most people saw him as easygoing and calm, but she knew the real man. The one whose temper could blaze as hot as the sun or whose kisses and demands could make a woman moan and scream with pleasure.
Jackson massaged her breasts, tightening then loosening his fingers and enjoying her cries that began as pained moans then turned into sharp little sobs of pleasure. Watching Jenna come alive in the moonlight was intoxicating, but knowing no other man could bring her to these heights of pleasure was the real addiction. Replacing the fingers of one hand with his lips, he closed his teeth on the nipple and tugged, enjoying her stuttering cries of pleasure. As her cries grew louder, he slid his hand over her mouth to muffle them while at the same time increasing the pressure on her nipples.
Jenna licked the palm of his hand, the saliva moistening her lips as she glided her palms over the muscles of his chest before lightly dragging her nails over his stomach, feeling each rise and hollow of his abs. His belly sank in as she slid her fingers lower, teasingly following the top edge of his belt outward to his sides then back before she hooked her fingers behind his buckle. Falling back on the bed, she pulled him with her, feeling the head of his cock against the tips of her fingers. She swiped her index finger over the slit, gathered the drop of pre-cum, and then lifted her finger to her lips. Knowing her face was illuminated in the pale light, she sucked his cum from it, her eyes locked on his.
“Angel, my angel.” Jackson rose up onto his knees, unbuckled his belt, and jerked it off. He held it in his hands, his eyes locked on it. The need to use it on her sweet curved ass, to punish her for her recklessness and hear her cries of pained pleasure, was almost overwhelming.
“Go ahead, Jackson. I want you to, please.” Jenna stretched her hands over her head then rolled over between his knees until she was on her belly, her lush ass bare, waiting for his pleasure. Tempting him. “Addison won’t hear. A hurricane couldn’t wake her once she’s asleep.”
Jackson placed the belt on her lower back then got up and locked the door. He kicked off his boots and pushed his jeans to the floor, taking his socks with them. Grabbing a couple pillows, he tapped Jenna on her hip. “Raise up.” When she lifted her ass, he pushed the pillows beneath her hips then rubbed his hands over her ass and the backs of her thighs. He picked up the belt and ran the expensive, supple leather through his hands then held the buckle and looped the belt around his palm several times. “Ten, angel. I won’t be easy on you but if you can’t take it I expect you to tell me to stop. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Jackson.”
“Good. We’ll begin then.” Raising his arm, he brought it down rapidly, the bel
t a blur as it streaked through the air above her, the sound of the leather snapping across her ass sharp in the room.
Jenna smothered her squeal of pain and clenched her hands on the sheets. For a moment she wanted to stop him even as she wiggled her ass encouraging him to continue.
“I need a count, angel.” Jackson’s voice rang with command, the shaky feeling in his gut fading as the pleasure of using his belt on her spread through him.
Hearing him, but not sure what he wanted, Jenna waited.
“I need a count, angel, or we start over at one again.”
Understanding dawned and she gasped, “One.” Then hearing him sigh, she added, “Jackson?” not sure if she was asking him or telling him.
Jackson moved up, clenched his hand in Jenna’s soft, silky hair, and then lifted her head, forcing her to meet his eyes. “When you are being punished you will call me Sir. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Ja—Sir.”
Giving her a quick, hard kiss, he released her hair then moved back into position and raised his hand again, this time bringing the belt down on her other ass cheek.
After a little scream and a gasp, she told him, “Two, Sir.”
“You please me, angel.” Lifting his arm, he gave her four sharp lashes, working across and down the plumpest part of her ass.
“Three, four, five, six, Sir.” Sobbing, she buried her face in the sheets, gripping the sheets harder to keep from reaching back and rubbing the sting from her burning flesh. Before she could, the burn turned to a heated wave of pleasure and she wiggled and tightened the muscles of her ass and moaned with pleasure.
“You’re my sweet little angel,” Jackson said as he stroked his hands over the marks on her ass cheeks and enjoyed the heat of the rosy flesh beneath his fingers. “How are you doing, angel?”
“So good, Sir,” Jenna said, her voice dreamy as she wiggled her butt and lifted it toward him.
“Good girl. These last four are going to be fast and hard.” He raised the belt and brought it down on the curve of her ass where it met the tops of her thighs. The tightness in his chest eased, and for the first time in hours he drew a deep breath. He held on to the belt and listened to her breaths sawing in and out of her mouth as the scent of her arousal filled the room.
Jackson's Sub [The Doms of Club Mystique 2] (Siren Publishing Allure) Page 5
