“Why don’t you?”
Good question. Why didn’t I? Better question. Why hadn’t I? “You need to understand. It’s only recently that I actually decided I could dredge this up and deal with it.”
“I do understand. But now that we’re working through it, maybe it’s time to hire those PIs.”
She was right. “Maybe it is time.”
“Our time’s about up for today, Talon,” Dr. Carmichael said.
I grabbed my cell phone out of my pocket and looked at it. I had turned off the ringer during my session. I had a text from Jade.
I need to see you. I’m coming over after work.
Chapter Nine
Jade
I hadn’t gotten a text back from Talon, but I drove out to the ranch anyway. I had tried to let Steve Dugan down easily. I’d told him I had just had a major breakup a few months ago and I wasn’t ready to go out yet. I had desperately wanted to tell him I was seeing someone else, but Talon and I hadn’t made our relationship public, and I wasn’t sure how he felt about doing so. I figured we’d better talk about it.
Marj opened the door when I knocked. Something was off with her. She didn’t look right.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“Come on in,” she said.
No answer to the “are you okay?” thing. “Marj…”
She sighed. “Just a rough day around here.”
“Yeah? Is everything okay at the ranch?”
She bit her lower lip. “Yeah, just”—she sighed again—“a hard day. We have them sometimes. What are you doing here?”
“I came to see Talon.”
“He’s not home yet. I expect him anytime. You want a drink? I could sure use one.”
“Sure. Whatever you’re having is fine.”
“I’m having a stiff scotch.”
That was so not like her. “Marj, what the hell is wrong? Have you eaten yet?”
She shook her head. “Felicia just left. Dinner’s on the stove. You’re welcome to some.”
“What about you?”
“Not hungry.”
Something was definitely wrong. “Spill it, Marj.”
“I told you. I’m fine.”
I gripped her shoulders. “Remember, best friends don’t have secrets.”
She poured her scotch. “God, Jade, I wish I could tell you.”
“You can.”
The back door opened, and Talon walked in. Roger rushed from my feet over to him, panting.
His eyes widened when he saw me. “Jade.”
“Did you get my text?”
“Yeah.”
“Then why do you look so surprised to see me?”
Marj jiggled her glass of scotch. The ice clinked against the glass. “That’s my cue to leave. Dinner is on the stove, guys.”
“Marj? What in the hell?”
“She’s okay,” Talon said.
“No, she’s not. She’s not eating. She’s drinking scotch. She looks like hell. That’s not the Marj I know.”
“Trust me, blue eyes. She’ll be fine. It was a rough day.”
“Yeah, that’s what she said. Why didn’t you answer my text?”
“I was at an appointment. And then I just wanted to get home.” He smiled, sort of. “How’s your mom doing?”
“Better. And thank you for asking. She’s out of the coma. I wish I could spend more time with her, but I’m glad my dad is there.”
“I’m sure that gives you peace of mind.”
I nodded. “We need to talk, Talon.”
“Did Marj say something to you?”
“No. But she’s keeping something from me.”
“I’m sure she’s not keeping anything from you.” He dropped his gaze to his feet, went to the refrigerator, and poured himself a glass of iced tea. “You want something?”
“A glass of that tea would be great.”
He poured me a glass. “So what do you want to talk about?”
I cleared my throat. “Steve Dugan asked me out today.”
Talon’s eyebrows shot up. “He what?”
“Simmer down. I told him no. In fact, I told him I had just gotten out of a long relationship and I wasn’t ready to date. But the fact of the matter is, I wanted to tell him about us. I just wasn’t sure I could. Can we…make our relationship public?”
“That’s what you want to talk about?”
“Yeah. What did you think I might want to talk about?”
He sighed. “Me leaving you in Grand Junction the other night. Not meeting your dad.”
I cracked a smile. “Well, yeah, that’s on my list as well. And it’s another one of the reasons why I wasn’t sure I could make our relationship public with Steve. I mean, if you say you’re not ready to meet my dad, what does that mean exactly?”
Talon sat down at the table and gestured for me to do the same. “Blue eyes, you may not believe this, but I have never met a woman’s dad in my life.”
“I’m sure you’ve met a lot of dads, Talon, and some of them probably had daughters.”
He shook his head. “You know what I mean.”
“Okay. So you’ve never met a girlfriend’s dad.”
“I’ve never had a girlfriend.”
I froze, silent. Beads of condensation emerged on my glass of iced tea. I didn’t know why I was surprised. He’d told me at the beginning that he used women, took what they offered and then went on. It would make sense he’d never had a relationship before.
“Well, my dad is really easygoing. He’ll be great as a first dad.” And hopefully as a last dad too. I didn’t want to think of Talon meeting any other girlfriends’ dads ever. I wanted to be his one and only girlfriend for the rest of his life. But it was way too soon to voice those thoughts.
“I have so much to work out, blue eyes.”
“Can’t you let me help you? I want to help you. I love you.”
He closed his eyes. “I don’t want you going out with Steve Dugan.”
“Talon, I don’t want to go out with Steve Dugan. But I need to know that you and I are moving forward. That we’re in a real relationship. That what we have means something to you.”
He opened his dark eyes. “How could you think it doesn’t mean something to me? I told you I loved you, for God’s sake. I’ve never said that before.”
“I understand. I really do. And I’m so glad you love me. It means everything to me. But what are we to each other? Up until now, I haven’t felt I could tell anyone that I’m in a relationship with you. Are you okay with that? If Steve Dugan or anyone else asks me out again, can I say I’m in a relationship with you?”
He took a sip of iced tea, seemingly lost in thought. He closed his eyes again. “Jade, I want a relationship with you more than I’ve ever wanted anything. I’ve told you this before. You’re the only thing I’ve ever wanted.”
“You have me, Talon. So why do I feel like I can’t tell people about us?”
“This is difficult for me. I’ve never…”
“You’ve never what? Been in a relationship? You’ve made that clear. What’s the big deal here?”
He sighed and took another sip of his drink. “I’ve got so many things to work out, Jade. I don’t know if I’m ready to go public with a relationship yet.”
“Then what am I supposed to tell Steve Dugan or the next guy who asks me out? And Talon, men will ask me out.” I added that last part for Talon’s benefit. Frankly, I’d never been nearly as popular with the guys as someone as gorgeous as Marj was, but it wouldn’t hurt Talon to think I was.
“I don’t want men asking you out.”
“How exactly are you going to stop them? This is a small town, and I’m new blood. If you’re not willing to admit that you’re in a relationship with me and men don’t know that I’m taken, how do you expect to keep them from asking me out?”
“You can just say no. Tell them what you told Dugan. That you just got out of a long relationship and are taking it easy. That’s even partiall
y true.”
“Or”—I braced myself—“I could just go out with the guys who ask me out.”
His face reddened. “What?”
“You heard me. Steve Dugan is a good-looking man. He seemed pretty nice and straightforward. What would be the harm in having a drink with him?”
He stood and grabbed my shoulders, yanking me out of my chair. “You will not have a drink with Steve Dugan or any other man, here or anywhere.”
“Are you forbidding me? Just like you forbade me to get a tattoo?”
His eyes blazed with fire. “Goddamnit, Jade, why the fuck do you do this to me?”
“Do what—”
His lips came down on mine. His tongue was cold from the iced tea, but still he tasted of Talon—sweet minty cinnamon. This was one of his raw kisses, one of his kisses that said I was his and only his.
If only he were willing to say that with words.
I pulled away with a smack. “Talon, we—”
His lips crushed onto mine again. No use talking to him right now. Talon was showing me something he didn’t have to, something I already knew very well. That I was his. And I was willing to be his, his lover, his life partner even, if he wanted it that way. But I wasn’t about to be told what I could and couldn’t do.
I tried pulling away again, but his grip was too hard. We were suctioned together. So I let the kiss happen. Kissing Talon was no hardship. I loved every minute of it. Our tongues twirled together as he kissed me hard with passion, with fervor. His kisses were like a drug, something that got into my system and that I couldn’t live without.
When he finally ripped his lips from mine and inhaled a deep breath, I tried backing away, but he held me fast. He nipped at my neck and then came up to my ear. “You will not go out with anyone. Do you understand me?”
Before I could answer, he slammed his lips onto mine again. And though I wanted to argue with him and tell him that he didn’t own me, my body took over and I melted into his kiss.
Our lips slid against each other’s, our tongues tangled and dueled, my skin tightened around me, and my body heated. Sizzling arrows shot straight to my pussy. My nipples hardened and pressed into my bra. He held me tightly against him as he continued to devour my mouth.
You’re mine, that kiss said. You’re mine and no one else’s. Only I will possess you.
And the kiss was right.
I didn’t want anyone else.
His hard cock pulsed against my belly. I unclenched one of my hands from his upper arm and grabbed it.
He groaned into my mouth.
He broke the kiss, and again, before I could say anything, he lifted me into his arms and walked out of the kitchen swiftly.
I didn’t bother to ask where we were going.
I didn’t bother to resist.
He was taking me to bed, and no matter how much I hated the fact that he’d “forbidden” me to do anything, and no matter how much I wanted to make our relationship public, I would always go to bed with him. He didn’t have to ask. He could take me by force, and I would go. I would never deny him.
This was solid truth.
When we got to his room, he kicked the door shut, walked through the sitting area and into his bedroom, and threw me—not gently—onto the bed.
“Get undressed,” he said, his eyes dark fire, his skin aglow with perspiration. He raked his fingers through his heavy mop of hair, tousling it sexily.
Refusing him never crossed my mind. Slowly I pulled my camisole over my head and tossed it to the floor. Then I unclasped my bra and got rid of it as well. I cupped my breasts, holding them out in offering, thumbing my nipples softly. They were already hard as red currants, longing for his lips. I pinched the right one and then the left.
Talon sucked in a breath. “God, blue eyes.”
I was already turned on. My panties were no doubt soaking, and just a few little pinches to my nipples by my own hand got my motor running big-time.
Talon raked his fingers through his beautiful hair again. “I said, undress, Jade.”
I bit my lower lip, and he sucked in a breath again. I lay down on the bed, slid my khakis over my hips and down my legs, and kicked them off along with my black pumps. Only my lacy thong separated me from total nudity.
I turned my head and met Talon’s dark gaze. With my left hand, I squeezed my nipple, while I trailed my right hand down my abdomen, over my mound, and underneath the lace of my thong. My pussy was slick with moisture.
“I’m wet, Talon,” I said. “So wet.”
“God…” He pulled my thighs to the edge of the bed, spread my legs, and ripped my thong off me, tearing it and throwing it to the floor. He inhaled between my legs. “God, blue eyes, you smell so ripe. So ripe for me.”
I closed my eyes and sighed, waiting for his tongue to stroke my wet folds.
But his tongue didn’t come. I opened my eyes and lifted my head a bit, meeting his fiery brown gaze.
“This pussy is mine, Jade. You hear me? Mine.”
Well, it was one step closer to me being his. Maybe he wasn’t claiming all of me, but he was at least claiming my pussy.
“Yours,” I said. “This is your pussy.”
“Damned right it is.” He swiped his tongue from my asshole all the way to my clit.
I shuddered. Blood boiled in my veins. One touch from this man, and I was liquid, molten.
“You taste good. So fucking good. Apples, peaches…”
He ate my pussy, the succulent sounds drifting to my ears, turning me on even more. As he ate me, I brought my hands to my breasts and played with my nipples. God, so good.
He forced his tongue inside my channel and then moved to my clit, sucking it between his lips until I was sure I would implode, but then he turned back to my slit, and he pushed my thighs forward and tickled my tight little hole.
“Such a sweet little asshole, blue eyes.”
This time he flicked his tongue against the sensitive flesh. I was on edge. So ready to come. I twisted my nipples further. If only he would go back to my clit just for a moment. But that would mean his tongue would leave my asshole, and that would be a problem indeed. Two tongues—if only he had two tongues…
When he breached my tight hole with a finger, I jerked, almost ready to come.
“You like that, baby? You like when I fuck your little ass? It’s so sweet, baby, such a sweet little butt.”
I pinched my nipples harder, twisting them almost off. What I would give for those nipple clamps…
And then two fingers entered my pussy. He thrust his hand in and out of me, filling both holes.
When his lips came down on my clit, I unraveled, soared to the stars and back, still twisting my nipples. God, so good. So fucking good.
When I finally came back to earth, he was still moving his fingers in and out of my pussy and my ass. I didn’t want him to stop. It still felt so good.
I opened my eyes, and he was looking at me, his eyes black with smoke.
“That’s right, baby. Twist those nipples. Make yourself feel good.”
“Kiss my pussy some more, Talon. Please. Eat me. Suck me.”
He lowered his head and swiped his tongue over me, his fingers still buried inside. I could come again so easily, but I wanted to kiss him, taste my juice on his lips.
I sighed, letting him do whatever he wanted. If he wanted to fuck my ass again, I would let him. He could do whatever he wanted to me. I was his.
“God, baby.” He stood and removed his burgundy shirt. It landed in a wine-colored puddle on the floor. His chest was as beautiful as ever, dark hairs scattered over the copper coin nipples, ripped abs, and that lovely trail of black hair leading to paradise. He unbuckled his jeans and slid them and his boxers over his narrow hips. His gorgeous cock sprang out at attention.
“I’m going to fuck you, Jade. Spread your legs. Show me my pussy.”
I was only too happy to comply.
Within a few seconds, that glorious cock was inside me, an
d Talon was thrusting, thrusting, thrusting…
“God, Jade.”
One more thrust, and I was soaring again, reaching to the moon as I climaxed around him.
“That’s right, baby. Come for me. You come for me. Only for me.”
He pumped and he pumped and he pumped, and with one loud groan, he slammed home.
I was so in sync with him that I could feel every pulse as he shot his semen into me.
He collapsed on top of me and then rolled over onto his back. His jeans were still around his knees, and his boots were still on.
“God, Talon,” I said, “that was amazing.”
He turned to me, his eyes still blazing. “Blue eyes, we’re not even close to done.”
Chapter Ten
Talon
My cock was hard for Jade again almost instantly. Amazing how I could have her and then want her again so quickly. She was so beautiful, lying there, her legs still spread, her body glistening. Her nipples were red and ruddy from her own hands. How I longed to suck them between my lips, to make her scream. Her hair was fanned out in a golden-brown curtain on the bed, her silver-blue eyes heavy-lidded. Her mouth was red and swollen from our kisses, and she licked her lower lip. So fucking sexy. And her pussy, engorged, the color of red wine…
I loved eating her, finger fucking her, playing with her ass. I longed to take her in that tight hole again, but I hadn’t performed very well when I’d taken her ass for the first time. Maybe that hadn’t been such a good idea, given my history. Still, everything had gone fine until—
I didn’t want to go there right now. I wasn’t done making love to her yet, and damn it, nothing would take that away from me.
She was mine. No one else could have her. No one else would take her out. Anyone who tried would answer to me.
Only I would possess her.
I propped up on my side and gazed at her body once more. I reached toward her and caressed her taut abdomen, her beautiful, mountainous breasts. As I fingered one nipple, it hardened under my touch.
She closed her eyes and sighed, that sweet sigh that could only come from Jade’s lips.
Possession: Steel Brothers Saga: Book Three Page 7
