"This is your room. Jewell pointed toward the door and then motioned toward the adjoining room. "That's mine." She leaned up and whispered, "There is an adjoining door. We are taking over Jasmine and Jade's rooms."
"Are you sure your mom will be okay with that?"
"I'm not worried about my mom. Frank? He's the one I'd worry about. Go. Wash up and then knock on my door. I'll escort you to the grand inquisition."
Zane watched her disappear through her door and entered the huge bedroom. He glanced over the massive bed, built-in dresser and exposed log wall onward to the huge window.
The rolling green pastures were dotted with cattle and contrasted against the vivid blue of the expansive skyline. A snick of metal drew his attention. He pivoted and watched Jewell enter his room from hers. She grinned at him and pointed at the bathroom. "There should be everything you need in there. Mom is good about restocking the bathrooms with new stuff. They never know who will be stopping in or passing through."
Zane shook his head and lifted his hand pulling a beckoning finger toward her. Her eyebrows rose in question, but she followed his unspoken direction and approached him. He brought her into his arms and took her lips. The fresh taste of mint burst across the delicious familiar flavor of the woman to whom he'd given his heart.
She wiggled away and shook her head. "Go, get cleaned up, or we will be late for dinner, and that will piss Frank off. The man has like two rules and being late for dinner is breaking one of them. Dinner time around here is sacred."
Zane took off his suit jacket and laid it on the bed before he undid his cufflinks and rolled up his shirt sleeves. "Why is that?" He moved into the bathroom and unwrapped a new toothbrush.
"Mom says it is because everyone can be together, if only for that short time. The needs of the ranch and the complex are pretty demanding, but for an hour each night, Frank has everyone check in and makes sure they have everything they need."
"Does he run the training complex, too?" Zane asked around the toothbrush in his mouth.
"No, Chief oversees the entire complex. Under him, Dixon and Drake take care of the day to day training requirements, running the ancillary programs, rotating people in and out and recruiting trainers. Adam is in charge of the hospital and rehab area. But Frank treats all those guys like his sons. He's just that way." Jewell was sitting on his bed when he came back out to the bedroom. Fuck, he'd rather just pull her down onto that soft looking mattress and forget dinner. But he still needed to meet her mother and deal with the inevitable questions.
"Well then, lead the way." Zane started to roll down his shirt sleeves when she placed her hand on his.
"Leave them rolled up. Everyone else will be in jeans and work clothes. Be comfortable. I love you and they will, too. "
Zane didn't try to prevent the puff of laughter that her comment forced out of him. "Frank doesn't seem to be on the 'glad Zane's dating his step-daughter' bandwagon."
"That's just his outside layer. Inside he's as soft as a marshmallow." Jewell stood on her tiptoes and brushed her lips against his. "Don't tell me my big, bad assassin is afraid of a sixty-year-old cowboy?" Her eyes danced with laughter when she tilted her head and looked up at him.
Zane snapped his fingers and pointed at her. "You see that's the dilemma. I can't kill him."
"No, I agree. That would be rude." Jewell quipped right back at him.
"Right? So my options are limited."
"You could try talking to him." Jewell headed toward the door to the bedroom.
"Been there, did that, got the cold shoulder." Zane followed her as he spoke.
"Does that bother you?" She paused and looked back at the man she loved.
"If it were anyone else, I wouldn't give it a second thought, but I want your people to accept me."
"They will, but even if they didn't, they aren't who you are in love with." Jewell's smile spread across her face. Zane reminded himself to never let her know how that expression melted him. He'd do anything to keep her this happy.
Zane reached out, and Jewell took his hand. "Let's get this inquisition over." Zane sighed dramatically.
"Stop worrying." She laughed when he rolled his eyes and tugged him along the hallway and down the grand staircase.
He could smell the food as soon as they left the bedroom. He sure as hell hoped it tasted as good as it smelled. When they stepped into the dining room, all conversation ceased. Jewell darted over to an older woman, wrapping her in a hug. He swept the room noting how many people were gathered around the table, the entrances and exits to include the windows. His eyes landed on Fury for a millisecond before he noticed the very pregnant woman next to him. A man with an eye patch and a beautiful blonde woman, plus the twins were all seated around the table. Frank nodded at him, and he nodded back before he turned to take in the reunion of mother and daughter.
Jewell reached her hand out. "Zane, this is my mom. Mom, this is Zane Reynolds."
The woman's warm, welcoming expression eased a bit of the tension he'd been carrying. "Zane, it is good to meet you. I'm Amanda. Jason and Joseph have told me so much about you. Thank you for everything you've done to keep my family safe." He didn't expect the hug that enveloped him. He tensed slightly and glanced at Jewell although he had no idea why.
"I would do anything to make sure Jewell was safe." Zane's voice was low and intended for her mom's ears only.
"I know. Take good care of my girl." She patted his back and gestured toward the table. "Please sit down. We need to eat while the food's hot."
"That would be my preference." Frank's gruff voice from the head of the table earned a low rumble of laughter from everyone in attendance.
Zane sat down between Jewell and her mom. He pulled out both ladies' chairs and situated them before he took his seat. As if by some imaginary cue, everyone at the table dropped their heads and folded their hands. Well, everyone except Joseph who stared directly at Zane.
"Father God, thank you once again for the bounty of our lives, for the food at this table and the people who surround it." A round of 'amens' flanked Frank's prayer, and then a coordinated type of chaos erupted. Dish after dish of food was passed around the table. Zane took a sample of everything and even put a scoop of a fresh chopped vegetable salad on Jewell's plate after she'd passed the dish without taking any. She cocked her eyebrow at him. He put a second scoop on her plate. She smiled and nudged him with her shoulder. Zane turned to pass the dish to Amanda. The woman's expression arrested Zane's movements for a moment. Zane didn't know for sure, but he thought he saw tears misting her eyes. But the moment passed when Jewell handed him a dish of homemade biscuits.
"So Zane, where are your people from?" Frank asked before he took a bite of his chicken.
"I don't have any people. I grew up in several areas, but none that I call home." Zane was going to be completely honest with the man until he bumped up against his previous life, then he'd hedge the truth.
"What do you do for Guardian?" Zane's head swiveled to the blonde woman across from him.
"Hi, I'm Adam Cassidy, and this is my wife, Keelee. She's Frank's daughter and has his penchant for asking direct questions." The man's smile seemed to take the sting out of the comment because the woman scrunched her nose at him and smiled as she turned back to Zane.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, and I'm a personal security officer." Zane was happy to tell them the truth, or at least the most recent version of the truth.
"Is that how you met, Jewell?" The very pregnant redhead sitting next to Fury asked. When Zane turned toward her, she gave him a little wave. "Hi, I'm Ember. I believe you've met my husband, Joey."
Zane nodded at Fury because he'd never be able to think of the man as anyone else. "A pleasure. Yes, ma'am. I met Jewell last year when there was a perceived threat to some of the people who worked at Guardian. We've worked together since then."
"How long have you worked with Guardian?" Amanda asked as she passed one of the twins the bowl of mashed potatoes… again. Damn those two could eat.
"Since I left the service, over twelve years now."
"Oh, then you must know my daughters Jade and Jasmine?" Zane sensed the twins and Jewell tense more than saw it happen. Fury was out of his line of sight, but no doubt that man was waiting for him to respond. From the innocent way she asked, he doubted Amanda knew Jade could be in jeopardy.
"I'm sorry, no. I just recently transferred into the field. I was used in other areas before that."
They ate in between casual conversation about the ranch. Jewell slid her hand on his thigh and glanced over at the twins. "Where is Chief?"
"He and Taty work on her rehab Monday, Wednesday and Friday nights. It's when the clinic is available. She's getting some of her mobility back in her shoulder, but the arm is still weak." The one he thought was Drake spoke because his brother had just taken a huge bite off of the chicken leg he held in his hand.
A tiny cry broke through a small speaker on the sideboard. "And that would be Miss Elizabeth waking up from her nap." The man who introduced himself as Adam chuckled as his wife gulped her drink while she stood up.
"Yeah, she wouldn't go down this afternoon. There are new puppies at the barn, and she wore them out. I'll be right back." Keelee darted through the door before anyone could respond.
"So Zane, do you ride?" Frank was wiping his plate with half a buttered biscuit. Zane nodded before he swallowed the food he had in his mouth. "Yes, sir. I learned how to ride in the service. We were required to be in places a Humvee couldn't take us. I've also ridden for pleasure."
Frank nodded and leaned back in his chair. His gaze lingered on Zane. "So, son, what are your intentions toward my daughter?"
The iced tea Jewell had been drinking sprayed across the table. Dixon and Drake broke out in laughter, and a smile even tugged on Joseph's lips. Zane put down his fork and knife and leaned in so he could see the man over Jewell who was now trying to wipe up her mess.
Adam laughed and held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "I've had this conversation with him. Good luck, my friend."
Zane drew his attention away from the man across from him back to Frank before he spoke. "I love her, and I have loved her for a long time now. She is my forever. My intentions past those facts are private and are none of your business."
Jewell turned toward him, her eyes as huge as saucers. She slowly swiveled her head back toward Frank. Zane watched the older man now that the people around the table were motionless and silent.
Frank sucked his teeth making a 'tsking' sound, leaned forward on his forearms and glared down the table at Zane. "Son, Jason told me you had balls the size of coconuts, glad to see you have the sense to pull them out and use them when you need to." He looked at Joseph and nodded toward Zane. "You know him?"
Joseph raised an eyebrow at the older man and nodded once.
"You figure he's good enough for your sister?"
Zane didn't know whether he was more annoyed at the conversation about him, or if was more curious as to Fury's answer.
Joseph swung his eyes to Zane and then back to Frank. He lifted his chin again.
"Huh." Frank stood and leaned over to Amanda kissing her on the cheek. "Good dinner, hun." He glanced at the twins on the way out of the dining room. They'd somehow cleared their plates in record time. Frank stopped as hit the arched doorway. "You drink Scotch?" Zane nodded. "I'll pour." Frank meandered out of the room.
"I think that means he wants you to go with him." Jewell nudged Zane as she whispered, her radiant smile flashed at him.
Dixon and Drake stood at the same time and stepped around their chairs in unison. Freaky. Zane really wasn't sure he'd ever get used to that shit. One of them, he'd given up on figuring out which one was which, motioned toward him. "Come on. Never a good idea to keep him waiting."
Adam wiped his lips and dropped his napkin. "I'm heading back to the hospital after I go see my girls. I have rounds to make. It was good to meet you, Zane."
Zane replied in kind and glanced at Fury as he stood. He paused half standing. For just a second he could have sworn Fury was smiling. But the expression was so fleeting Zane wondered if he'd seen it or not. He bent down and pressed a soft kiss on Jewell's lips. "If I don't come back, send in a search party." Her laughter followed him out the door.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Jewell sat on Zane's bed and brushed her hair out. She'd helped her mom and Keelee clear the table and do the dishes. Joseph and Ember had retired after dinner. Ember got tired easily now, and Joseph was a hovering, doting ball of nerves. After dinner, she'd passed Frank's study and heard laughter, so she was pretty sure Zane didn't need rescuing. She smiled to herself. The man was amazing on so many levels. He'd recreated himself. His choices in his life had cost him, and she was amazed that he was able to stop, take a step back and realize he didn't want to be the person he'd become. He was rock solid, and that gave her a sense of security that she didn't know she'd been missing.
The door opened silently. She smiled as he entered. "You didn't need a search party?"
Zane chuckled and started taking off his shirt as he crossed the room. "No, I seemed to have made it through the evening relatively unscathed."
His dress shirt slid off his shoulders pulling Jewell's eyes to the taut muscles that moved and shifted as he undid his belt, button, and zipper. Jewell leaned forward and crawled across the mattress that separated them. Zane froze as she approached. She liked the lust that filled his eyes.She did that to him. He chose her. Jewell felt liberated at the thought. He wanted her. Her, the computer nerd. She sat on her heels and reached out, grabbing the waistband of his boxers and drew him closer to the bed.
Jewell leaned forward and licked one of his nipples. His entire body tightened, and he stopped breathing. She sucked the brown disk into her mouth and teased the tightening nub. He groaned a low and desperate sound. Jewell licked her way to the other side of his chest as she pushed his pants and boxers down his thighs. His long, hard cock was the softest velvet in her hand as she stroked up his iron-hard shaft. She sucked the other nipple into her mouth and thumbed his slit, spreading the dew drop of come that had formed at the tip his cock.
"Babe, that feels so good." Zane's hands cupped the back of her head, and his hips thrust forward into her hand. Jewell bit down slightly causing Zane to suck in a lungful of air. She moved away and lay down on her back, dropping her head off the mattress of the bed. She'd only done this once before.
She scooted over until Zane's cock and balls were directly over her face. She reached up and stroked his cock while she licked and sucked on his balls. Jewell lost track of time, instead focused on the man above her.
He tapped her arm and whispered in a hoarse plea, "Babe, you need to stop, or I'll shoot."
Jewell tilted her head so she could see him. "I want that." Before he could respond, she pushed his cock down and sucked the head into her mouth.
"Fuck!" Zane dropped down over her bracing himself on his hands by her hips. His hips thrust forward slightly moving his cock deeper down her throat. She moaned at the sensation of him taking his pleasure. His tempo increased, but he didn't thrust any deeper. Jewell wrapped her hands around the back of his thighs and drew him in, sending his cock down her throat. Her gag reflex triggered, and he backed away, but she grabbed his thighs and drew him back. Zane finally got the message and started to fuck her mouth. She moaned against his flesh.
"Oh, God. I'm…" Zane didn't finish his words. His thrusts lost their tempo, and he pushed deeper cutting off her air when he came. Jewell gasped around his cock when he started to withdraw. She braced against his thighs to keep him in her mouth as she sucked the length of his cock. He shivered violently and moved away. "Too sensitive." His gravelly voice was breathless.
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Jewell lifted her head up onto the bed and scooted to the center so he could lie down. Zane flopped onto the bed, his arm landing over her waist. The mattress stopped most of the momentum, but she still bounced when he collapsed. She laughed at him and ran her hand over the arm that corralled her.
"God, that was amazing," Zane spoke into the pillow which muffled his words, but that's what Jewell believed he said.
"Glad you enjoyed yourself." She turned to him and snuggled up next to him. He folded her into him, turning onto his side as he did.
"Not bad for starters." Zane lowered his lips to hers.
"Not bad?" Jewell laughed and tried to pull away.
"Okay, unbelievably good for starters." Zane's strong arms brought her close, and he lowered his head to her breast. The man's tongue needed to be registered as a deadly weapon because what he could do with it was insane. She arched into him. His hand trailed down the length of her body, occasionally pausing to tickle, tease or trace. He rolled her onto her back while continuing his sensuous onslaught. His touches lifted her higher, pulling that delicious heat and tension to her core. Jewell's body reacted to Zane. Her senses were swamped with his smell, with the sensations of his touch and kisses. The crinkle of a condom wrapper drifted through the overwhelming awareness of… him. She grabbed his biceps when he centered over her.
His eyes locked with hers. "I love you."
The honesty of his words laid her bare. She slid her hand up to his shoulders. "You are the most amazing man I know. I love you. All of you, your past, who you are now and whoever you will become."
Zane entered her as his lips descended. Jewell lifted her hips begging for his heat. He enveloped her in his arms, cradling her against his chest. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his. Zane had wrapped his essence around her until she didn't know how she could breathe without him in her arms. The passion, awareness, and emotion of their lovemaking brought tears to her eyes. Zane kissed them away and held her as if she was precious. The intimacy was unlike anything she'd ever experienced. The man who'd sat behind her and quietly made his way into her life had filled it to capacity. He found the dark, lonely places and filled them with meaning, love, and hope. Jewell arched into him and shattered against the steady rhythm of his strokes. She allowed the crescendo of their lovemaking to carry her as he crested and crashed with her.
Jewell (The Kings of Guardian Book 8) Page 23
