The kid straightened his shoulders and Justin could see his words had the desired effect on the teen’s fragile ego.
The kid nodded and seconds later, Justin found himself accepting the appreciation of all the adults with a handshake and a quick nod. It was surreal, considering the way these people had treated him and Gina earlier in the evening. In his younger days, he probably would’ve told them to take their thank-yous and shove them where the sun don’t shine.
Now, he accepted them, making sure to point out it was Gina’s phone call that got the law there quickly. Then everyone headed back inside until it was only Justin, Gina and Gage standing outside.
“You two going back to finish chaperoning?” Gage asked.
Good question. Justin had no idea what they were going to do, but he sure could use a couple of aspirin and a stiff drink. “Ah, I don’t know—”
“We’re just going to enjoy the rest of our evening,” Gina interrupted Justin, “by ourselves.”
“I’ve got to head to the station and call Racy to let her know you’re both okay.”
“How’s Jacoby?” Justin asked.
“Curled up on the sofa watching a movie and fighting sleep when I left. We plan to take him to church with us in the morning, if that’s okay with you?”
Justin nodded.
Gage started for his Jeep, but stopped to lightly slap his brother-in-law on the back. “You did a good thing here tonight, Dillon. There just might be hope for you yet.”
Gina watched Justin slowly climb behind the wheel. He’d taken back his jacket at her insistence even though he’d told her the slight trembles he was experiencing were a delayed reaction to the fight. He was lying. He was hurt. She could feel it in the way he’d gripped her shoulder earlier and the sharp intake of breath when she’d squeezed him.
“So, where to next?” He buckled the old-fashioned seat belt across his lap and started the engine. Pulling from the parking lot, he headed toward Main Street. “Want to get something to eat? We could go by the diner. I’m guessing they’ll be overrun with teenyboppers in another couple of hours.”
“How about your place?”
Justin hit the brakes for the red light at the intersection a bit too hard. When the truck stopped, he swung his head to look at her. Despite his best effort, she noticed from the corner of her eye that the movements made him flinch.
“My place?”
Proud at how casual her words came out, Gina smoothed out the skirt of her dress. “Of course, we could go back to my house, but my mother might be home by now.”
“Ah, n-no,” Justin croaked, then cleared his throat. “My place is fine.”
She angled to face him, as much as her own seat belt would allow, and lifted his Stetson from where it lay between them to rest it on her lap. Leaning forward, she slowly walked two fingers up the length of his arm from his wrist to shoulder.
“You know, there’s something at your place that both of us really need,” she said.
He looked at her through hooded eyes. “What’s that?”
She bit back the first response that popped into her head, despite the longing that hummed in her veins. With pouted lips, she returned his stare, lashes fluttering. “A first-aid kit.”
He groaned and closed his eyes.
A quick horn toot from the car behind him made Justin put his attention back on the road. He continued to drive, and Gina faced forward again, stunned she’d actually pulled that off.
“How did you know?” he finally asked.
“I’m smart, remember?”
“Gina, it’s no big deal.” He sighed. “You don’t have to do this, I’ll be fine.”
“It’s your place or the clinic.” She gestured at the turnoff to the lake. “Or do I make another 9-1-1 call?”
He glared at her, but she only returned his look and released the catch on the sequined flap of her purse. Justin put on the left directional signal and headed for the cabin. Moments later, they were inside and Justin stripped off his jacket. Letting it fall to the floor, he headed for the kitchen and flipped on the overhead lights.
Gina picked up the jacket and headed for the bathroom. Hanging it on a hook on the back of the door, she found a first-aid kit beneath the sink. She then grabbed two towels, wetting the smaller one with warm soapy water.
Walking back into the main room, she halted, noticing the new furniture for the first time. A sofa and loveseat faced the fireplace and a larger television sat atop a nearby cabinet. Simple end tables held mismatched lamps and a coffee table was covered with magazines, a drawing tablet and a tin full of crayons. A round dining room table and four chairs sat nearby in front of the row of windows. All of it was clearly secondhand purchases and while the place still needed something Gina couldn’t quite put her finger on, it was easy to see Justin was working hard to make a home for himself and his son.
“What do you think?” He returned from the kitchen, his bolo tie gone and the top buttons of his shirt undone, a bottle of whiskey and two glasses in his hands. “None of it’s new, but—”
“I think it’s great.” She joined him at the couch and made room on the coffee table for the items she’d brought from the bathroom. “I also think we’re going to need a bit more light.”
He clicked on one lamp, the sudden brightness causing her to blink, but for the first time she could see the slash marks and spots of blood on his shirt.
“Oh, Justin.”
He backed away from her outstretched hand and set the glasses next to the first-aid kit. Quickly pouring a splash of whiskey in each, he straightened and offered her one. “Thirsty?”
Gina shook her head. He couldn’t look at her. His eyes moved to the glass in his hand before darting around the cabin. Then it hit her. Having her in his home again was driving him crazy. But was it a good crazy or a bad crazy?
She now realized he’d been fighting an attraction to her as much as she’d been fighting what she felt for him. But she’d heard the longing in his voice, felt the restrained desire when he held her while they danced, in the gentleness of his touch when he wiped away her tears.
He didn’t want this—whatever this was between them—and he was fighting it with everything he had. The question now was what was she going to do about it? What would happen if she and Justin gave in to the powerful magnetic pull they seemed to have toward each other?
Would it be magical or the biggest mistake of their lives?
And was she willing to take the risk of falling even deeper for a guy, who according to all common sense was one hundred percent wrong for her?
“You sure?” he asked again, tipping the whiskey-filled glass toward her, finally looking at her.
This time she nodded. Yes, she was sure.
“Suit yourself.” He lifted the glass in a mock toast, then tossed back a mouthful.
Gina took the opportunity to move in closer and quickly unbuttoned his shirt. Two quick yanks and the material was free from his pants and hung open.
“Hey!” He tried to swallow and choked.
“Like I haven’t seen this before? Please.” Gina tried to play it cool as she pushed his shirt open, but the twin red marks that covered his well-defined stomach from midchest to his waist made her cringe. “Oh, my…you know, this would work better if you lay down.”
She looked up at him in time to see Justin toss back the rest of his drink.
“Fine, have it your way.”
She dropped to the couch, crinolines and tulle puffing out around her. His belly button and the faint hairline that disappeared beneath his belt buckle were right in front of her. She grabbed the soapy towel and pressed it to his skin.
“Geez…” Justin released the word in a long hiss.
“You’re not even bleeding. Don’t tell me this stings.” When he didn’t reply she looked up and found her gaze locked with his. “Well? Does it?”
A heartbeat passed before he spoke. “No.”
Breaking free of his hypnotic hold, she foc
used again on the toned stomach muscles that twitched beneath her fingers. She moved the cloth with gentle pressure. “Is it cold?”
“No.”
“Then what are you complaining about?”
Justin dropped the empty glass to the couch cushion beside her, and pulled her to her feet, the towel falling from her hand. “Tell me you aren’t as innocent as you sound. Do you have any idea what you’re doing to me?”
“I don’t—”
He released her, his hands moving low over her waist until they reached her backside. He pressed her intimately against the junction of his thighs. “This, this is what you do to me.”
Biting her bottom lip to hold back a triumphant smile, Gina grabbed on to his dress shirt. His eyes were glued to her mouth, making it impossible for her not to soothe the self-inflicted bite mark with a swipe of her tongue.
Did he just growl?
“Then maybe you should finish what you started at the dance,” she whispered. Feeling a new boldness, Gina pushed up on her tiptoes, her hips shifting in a natural rhythm against him as her mouth stopped inches from his.
“Meaning what?”
“You were going to kiss me before we were interrupted.”
“Kissing you in public, fully clothed, is a lot different than kissing you here.” Justin dropped his head, his lips warm on her bare shoulder. “Or here.” He trailed his mouth to the curve of her neck, gently nipping. “Or here.”
Gina tried and failed to hold back a low mewl when his lips reached her ear, the heat of his tongue circling the outer shell. “We’re—we’re still clothed now.”
“Not for long.”
His warning, spoken against her lips before he took her mouth, caused her heart to pound wildly. He tasted dark and dangerous, like the smooth whiskey on his tongue and the cool night air that clung to his skin. She wound her arms around his neck, fingers curling into the thick strands of his hair. He angled his head to deepen the kiss, more demanding and greedy now. She welcomed him with the quick swipes of her tongue against his.
This kiss was more passionate, more carnal and more decadent than the one they’d shared a few weeks ago, if that was even possible. It burned hotter and brighter, causing a rush of desire to sizzle through every inch of her. His mouth left hers and she gasped for air, instantly missing his touch. Then his lips moved to her other shoulder, his tongue leaving a moist trail to her collarbone. Her eyes drifted closed as she cradled his head in her hands and arched her back as he moved lower.
Was she directing him? She didn’t know or care. All she knew was she didn’t want him to stop.
Chapter Twelve
Justin moaned when he reached the end of warm, soft skin and the scratchy material of Gina’s dress scraped against his chin. It also rasped over his chest and stomach, roughing the already tender skin, but he didn’t care. Gina was in his arms, warm, willing and wanton.
He was in heaven.
The swell of her breasts rose from the front of her dress, even more so when she leaned back in his arms. He moved his lips over her skin, pausing to breathe in her spicy scent. The skirt’s ruffled layers kept him from fully appreciating the curves he held on to, so he crept one hand up her back, searching for the zipper.
Nothing. Disappointment coursed through him. Realizing his self-control was hanging on by a rapidly unraveling thread, he straightened, lifted his head and bracketed his hands on Gina’s waist to set her away from him. When she met his gaze, he read an intense longing in her eyes and fought hard against giving in to the need to kiss her again.
“Gina…”
Her hands drifted from his jaw to rest against his chest, her bright pink fingernails scraping against his skin.
“Gina, you need to be sure—”
She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his chest. “Have I done something to give you the impression I’m not?”
No, she hadn’t, but he wanted—no, needed—to be certain she knew exactly where this was headed.
Justin bit back a groan when the wet heat of her tongue danced over his nipples. Damn, he hadn’t planned this. Not that the thought of making love to her hadn’t crossed his mind when he’d showered and gotten dressed tonight.
Hell, the idea of having this lady in his arms, in his bed, had been permanently etched in his brain ever since that night she’d crawled beneath his sheets at his old apartment almost four months ago.
“If you’re in too much pain—oh, look at you,” Gina gasped and stepped back, her light touch skimming down his chest.
His stomach muscles jumped beneath her fingers. He looked down at the minor red scrapings that melded with the faint cuts from the knife.
“My dress did that to you! I am so sorry. I didn’t even think I might be hurting you.”
“You’re hurting me, all right,” he ground out when her fingertips curled into the waistband of his dress pants causing a spike of heat to hit low in his gut. “But it’s a beautiful pain, darlin’.”
That pretty pink blush he’d come to love stained her cheeks. She looked at him, brushing her thumb across his bottom lip. “I want to stay…with you. If you want me.”
“Want is not the question,” Justin said, before he captured her finger between his lips and gently sucked. “Even with all those layers, I think you can tell how much I want you.”
Her other thumb stayed hooked into his waistband, but her fingers caressed the hard ridge pressing against his zipper. “Oh, you mean this?”
The teasing glint in her eyes fueled the fire deep inside him. It would be so easy to sweep her into his arms and carry her into his bedroom. “Yeah, that.”
“So what are we waiting for?”
Justin wished he knew.
He’d never delayed his need for a woman before in his life. But other than that drunken haze right after his release, he hadn’t been with anyone for months. There’d been plenty who’d made it clear they were willing, but it didn’t matter. Ever since the night he’d held Gina in his arms, trying to show her how to hold a pool cue, he hadn’t wanted anyone else.
The feel of her stepping backward snapped Justin out of his thoughts. She leaned over and clicked off the lamp.
“I can’t make any promises,” he said.
Where the hell had that come from? And why did it seem easier to say it in the semidarkness?
She didn’t speak, only reached for his hand and led him to his bedroom. He followed willingly, but stopped when she did just inside the doorway of the moonlit room.
“Oh, isn’t this nice.”
Gina dropped his hand and moved to the end of the queen-size sleigh bed that filled the space, her hand sliding along the polished footboard. He’d found the frame while cleaning out the cabin and had spent weeks refinishing it to its former glory. Looking at it now, with its curved head and footboard and high side rails, he saw the bed with new eyes.
Gina’s skin would glow against the dark green sheets, reminders of the forest outside the glass doors that filled one wall. The cushioned pillows would cradle her head while he lay between her thighs, and would pad his shoulders as she sat astride him, her legs on either side of his hips—
He crossed to her, needing to get his hands on her again. She turned and met him with a searing kiss. Her hands pushed the shirt off his shoulders and it slid to the floor. Seconds later, her hands released the button on his pants.
“Gina—” He murmured against her lips as he grabbed her trembling fingers.
“I’m not asking for promises, Justin.” She returned the gentle squeeze he’d given her hands. “Just love me. Here…now, tonight.”
That he could do.
He linked one hand with hers and slowly spun her until they were facing a full-length, standing mirror. Then he gently removed the corsage of yellow roses from her wrist.
“Please be careful with those,” she whispered, her gaze locked on their reflection. “I plan on keeping them.”
Her words stole his ability to speak.
&nbs
p; Justin only nodded and placed the flowers on the dresser. He then lowered his mouth to her bare skin, unable to resist the temptation any longer. They hadn’t turned on any lights, but the moonlight streaming through the double glass doors allowed him to easily see her watching his every move in the mirror.
He trailed his fingers up her arms as his lips made their way to her neck, past that bright pink curl. He removed the pins holding the rest of those curls in place. Seconds later, her hair was loose and free.
“You know,” he whispered, “It’s been driving me crazy all night wondering what you’re wearing underneath this dress.”
“Not much.”
His guttural moan vibrated against her curls as she led his hand to the zipper that started just beneath one arm.
Ah, so that’s where it was.
His fingers gently pulled the tiny slider down until it stopped just past her hip. Her hands held the dress to her breasts, but the back opened, revealing nothing but smooth skin and a scrap of black lace.
His gaze locked with hers again in the mirror. Expecting to read shyness in her gaze, the steamy desire he saw instead raced like liquid fire through his veins. He reached out and partially yanked a curtain across the doors, still allowing moonlight to fill the room.
“I thought you didn’t like curtains.”
“Privacy has its good points, too.”
He cupped her chin, turning her head until their lips met. Her kisses were like a drug and he couldn’t get enough of them.
She relaxed against him, and he slowly inched the dress from her body. Breaking free to allow her to step out of the garment, he paused to savor the sight of her. His gaze traveled down the natural curve of her back to her tapered waist, lingered on her backside dressed with sheer black lace before moving on to her amazing legs.
“I’ll put your dress over here.” He started to turn away. “I don’t want anything…to happen…to…it.…”
Gina did a slow turn to face him, her stomach quivering wildly as Justin lost his ability to speak. He handled her dress with care as he laid it over a nearby chair, his eyes never leaving her as she stood naked except for lace panties, high heels and moonlight.
A Daddy for Jacoby Page 14
