by Nadia Aidan
That she’d even considered what used to be an unthinkable thought was what had promptly driven her from her bed before the butt crack of dawn and made her march straight to the stables, where she’d been knee deep in horse shit for almost four hours now.
She stopped to take a quick break and rested her back against one of the stalls. With a soft sigh, she let her eyes drift closed for only a second, but it was long enough for her imagination to conjure the vivid images that had haunted her throughout the night. The hard, tanned, muscled length of Jeff’s naked body covering hers, her hands clinging to his broad back as she wrapped her legs around his lean hips, her ankles clasped against his firm, tight ass as he pushed inside her, until his cock was buried to the hilt in her sheath.
Unbidden, a moan escaped her, and the faint sound was desperate to her ears as sensual embers of lust scorched through her.
He stalked her, all of her. Every guarded corner of her mind, Jeff invaded. The stirrings of her body, he ignited. Not even her dreams were safe from him. Jeff Downing stalked her just as efficiently as a wild mountain lion scenting its prey.
The heavy, purposeful thud of footsteps brought a screeching end to her fantasy and Teresa opened her eyes and stood up straight. She stared into the distance as a shadowed figure entered the stables, the glare of the sunlight making it impossible for her to make out the face of the advancing person.
She didn’t need to see his face. She could have even closed her eyes again. The tingling awareness creeping down her spine, the chill bumps now dotting her flesh had alerted her the moment he’d sauntered into the stables. Yet, even if she’d mistaken the tell-tale signs, the arrogant gait and confident swagger were more than hint enough.
Jeff Downing had finally caught up to her, and like the skittish prey she was, her gaze darted about, desperately searching for an escape, but there wasn’t one. She was cornered there, alone with him, and as he marched closer, Teresa finally resigned herself to the fact that she was trapped.
His long-legged frame came to a halt before her. Her breath hovered somewhere in her lungs, confined there as she struggled to breathe. His nearness, the heat of his body, the distinct masculine scent of him blending with his cologne, wafted off him to tickle her nose. Teresa wanted to close her eyes and savour the rich, heady smell of him. She bit back a groan, doing her darnedest to keep her expression neutral, but it was a challenge, especially with him towering over her, his dimpled grin knotting her belly as his blazing gaze nearly set her aflame.
Her nipples tightened to taut peaks and her breasts grew heavy, the space between her thighs now damp with her arousal. As if he could smell the scent of her desire, Jeff’s nostrils flared, and his eyes darkened.
Teresa had never felt so cornered in her entire life, but she could not escape, not when he inched closer. Setting aside the rake she’d been using to clear hay from the stalls, she folded her arms across her chest, trying to put a measure of space between them, even as she held her ground, despite the urge to retreat.
“What are you doing here, Jeff?” she asked coolly, breaking the stilted silence between them, hoping the sooner she got to the point with him, the sooner she could get him to leave before she embarrassed herself…or worse—before she succumbed to the desires churning inside her and finally surrendered to him.
As if he could discern her inner thoughts, Jeff’s smile was arrogant, his eyes knowing. Teresa held on to her temper. He knew he was steadily wearing her down, but she refused to go down without a bloody fight.
“I stopped by to let you know there’s a storm coming,” Jeff finally answered.
She had to fight the urge to roll her eyes. Considering a category five hurricane had only just ripped through Houston and Galveston early that morning, everyone knew thunderstorms were set to hit Hockley that night. Every weatherman within a fifty mile radius had been reporting on the approaching storm for two days now.
“Thanks, but I already knew that,” she said dryly. “Besides, you could have called just as easily.”
Jeff shrugged, seemingly uncaring of how transparent his motives were. “True, but I also wanted to stop by to see if you needed help with anything before the storm hits.”
Jeff’s words stilled her, along with his earnest expression. Despite his philandering ways, the Southern gentleman in Jeff Downing somehow remained intact. When he wasn’t hitting on her—which was nearly all the time—she could actually believe Jeff was a decent enough guy. She recognised this as one of those instances, and her expression softened.
“Thank you for the offer, but I think we’re fine here.”
Jeff’s brows lifted. “We?”
“Me.” Teresa didn’t understand the reason for his frown until he spoke.
“The storm coming through looks to be pretty bad, I don’t think you should be over here at the ranch by yourself. Why don’t you stay at Cottonmouth, just for the night?”
Despite herself, a shiver skated down her spine with his last words, uttered in that rich, husky voice of his. She knew Jeff hadn’t set out to make his offer a come on, just as she knew when he was around her, he couldn’t seem to help it.
“Thanks, but no thanks,” Teresa replied coolly, forcing Jeff to stifle a curse.
What was wrong with him? If he could have heard her thoughts he would have agreed—he hadn’t meant for his offer to sound like a come on, but when he was around her, he just couldn’t seem to help it. And now Teresa’s walls were up once again, the frost returning to her voice.
“I really don’t think you should stay here alone tonight,” Jeff tried again, this time keeping both his expression and his voice even. He was serious. At the worst, the encroaching storm promised to cause significant damage. At the least, it would probably knock out a few power lines and leave many of the area’s homes without electricity for several hours.
“This isn’t my first storm, and it won’t be my last. I can take care of myself and things here just fine.”
Stubborn, stubborn woman. Jeff didn’t even try to hide his glower of displeasure, but he’d expected her resistance to his offer. For the night he wanted her close, and not entirely for benevolent reasons, but Teresa already knew that, as he was sure she knew he would never jeopardise her safety just because he desired her.
“You know my offer comes with no strings. If you stay at Cottonmouth, I will not touch you unless you want me to.”
And there it was—the tell-tale shudder she did her best to hide, but still failed to. Despite the fact that he’d kept his voice neutral, his expression empty of the lust simmering in his gut, Teresa had reacted to his last words.
Unless you want me to…
He wanted to smile in triumph, in pleasure, because her slight shiver revealed what he already knew…that she did want him to touch her.
No matter her protests that she never thought of him, that she didn’t want him—her body’s reaction to his statement exposed her as a liar.
She was dressed in casual jeans and a fitted T-shirt, and her nipples strained against the white cotton top as her breaths came out on shallow pants. Her cheeks flushed a soft rose, and when her eyes sparkled with lust, her tongue slipping out to moisten her lips, Jeff had to bite back a groan.
“Thank you, but I… I will be fine here,” Teresa finally replied, and he did not mistake the nervous stammering of her voice, nor the cause of it.
Jeff was not a patient man, but he’d been forced to proceed cautiously with Teresa. He wanted to push her, insist that she stay for the night, but he didn’t.
Teresa obviously feared her desire for him, she feared she would soon surrender to him…and he was determined that she would. Pushing her on this would only earn him another stubborn refusal, so he decided to let it be.
“Suit yourself. But the offer still stands.”
Teresa nodded in response, her gaze shadowing him when he turned to leave. She frowned at his retreating back. It was not like Jeff to yield so easily, actually quite the opposite. S
he’d expected him to push and prod her on this point, but he hadn’t, which came as a surprise…but it shouldn’t have. Or rather, she should have known he’d been quick to give in because he figured he would get what he wanted in the end.
It was that notion alone which fuelled Teresa’s stubborn refusal later that evening to simply pack it in and accept that Jeff had been right.
The approaching storm promised to be every bit as brutal as the forecasts had promised. The full brunt of the storm was still a ways away and already wind whipped her cheeks, snaring tendrils of her hair from her ponytail to splay the wisps across her face. It was the dead of summer so the rain pelting her skin wasn’t biting cold, but the flurry of the drops hammering against her stung as she struggled to board up her first floor windows.
She should have done this sooner, but after a gruelling day in the stables—one that had started earlier than usual—she’d been exhausted.
The harsh peal of thunder abruptly broke through her thoughts, and she all but jumped at the sound. The force of the rumbling was so intense she could feel the vibrations through her entire body. Eventually, the quaking stopped and the air around her calmed, but the quiet didn’t even last a minute. When it thundered again, she didn’t jump this time. Instead, Teresa scowled up at the grey clouds darkening the sky as if they were her worst enemy. Right now, they were. Her nap was only supposed to have lasted an hour, but obviously she’d overslept, so now she was rushing around trying to do what should have been done hours ago, and this damn storm was slowing her down. She should have asked the men to help her, but she’d sent them home early so they could take care of their own families before the storm came.
So just ask for help.
That niggling, nagging inner voice of hers kept whispering at her to simply set her pride aside and call the Downing brothers for help…before the telephone lines went out as the electricity had just done.
Despite the fact that she could really use the help, Teresa had managed to ignore that voice only because every time she thought she would cave in and call Jeff Downing, the image of him would flicker before her—sinfully handsome and wickedly arrogant. It wasn’t the vision alone which halted her, but her body’s reaction to the twinkling gleam in his eyes and that smug grin.
My offer still stands.
She bet it did, but she’d be damned if she entered that lion’s den. Teresa knew exactly what would happen if she found herself alone with Jeff Downing at Cottonmouth Ranch—she knew exactly what Jeff Downing would do to her, just as she knew she wouldn’t have the willpower to stop him.
Another angry blast of thunder hurried her pace as she hammered another nail into the wood that would protect her windows from the advancing storm. She only had two more to do but suddenly silver-white lightning streaked across the sky, striking dangerously close to her home and, more importantly, the spot where she was standing.
One glance at the metal hammer and nails in her hand told her it was time to give it up. She barely had a chance to slip back inside before another bolt of lightning sliced through the air.
Teresa shut the door as the storm began to batter her home mercilessly, tossing up a flurry of leaves and dirt in her front yard. She couldn’t stay there alone, she knew that. Not with windows still uncovered and the power out. It was just too dangerous. The two story ranch home had weathered many storms, but this one promised to be violent, worse than any she’d seen in recent years. Besides, BJ and Jackson’s home had been remodelled in the past year for the many hurricanes that ripped through this area, and that was usually where she went whenever she lost power at her place.
There was just one teeny, teensy, tiny problem with her plan this time. BJ and Jackson weren’t there right now and she wasn’t prepared to encounter the man who was.
So you’re prepared to risk your life instead?
Before she could even finish the thought, a rush of thunder reverberated through the house, causing it to tremble. She reached for the telephone…but when she lifted it to her ear, there was nothing but silence. With a frustrated sigh, she slammed the receiver back down. She didn’t even bother reaching for her cell because it was dead, too, having lost its charge an hour ago.
She would have to drive over there, and best she do it now before the storm got any worse. Within minutes, she’d packed a few items and was just reaching for her purse and keys when she swore she heard her name.
Thunder crackled again, the roar deafening, and her front door crashed open, wind and rain whipping inside.
Shaken, Teresa screamed, her eyes widening when a figure loomed in her doorway, the frame of a man obscured by the darkness of the night sky until a flash of lightning illuminated the face of the intruder.
Jeff?
“What are you doing here?”
With a scowl on his face, he closed the distance between them on three angry strides.
“Didn’t you hear me calling you?”
She shook her head, a bit taken aback by the anger pouring off him. “No, I can barely hear over this storm.”
It was as if her words fed his fury, because his features darkened. “I tried to call you, but your phone is out.” He glanced around the room. “I see your power is too. Why didn’t you use your cell to call me, Teresa? It’s not safe for you to stay here tonight.”
“I know.” She gestured towards the overnight bag she’d hastily packed. “I tried to call you but my cell is dead. I was just about to head over to Cottonmouth now.”
His cutting eyes told Teresa he didn’t believe her, even though he’d seen her packed bag. Jeff didn’t say a word, his expression still hard as granite, his eyes flashing with simmering anger. Instead, he reached for her bag and ushered her from her home, locking the door behind them.
Once outside, they raced through the worsening storm to BJ’s truck, which he’d driven over in. She slipped into the seat beside him while he cranked the engine. Teresa’s gaze periodically darted to Jeff as they drove in silence to Cottonmouth Ranch.
She wanted to question him—really, she just wanted to know why he seemed so upset—but she didn’t dare. Besides, she already had an idea. And if she knew anything about Jeff Downing, it was that he needed no encouragement when he was furious. Whoever he was angry with would know soon enough, and she had a feeling that someone was her.
* * * *
Jeff closed the front door with a soft, almost ominous thud. Teresa turned at the faint sound, her wet hair and clothes plastered to her body. She was a vision before him. He could see every sensuous curve beneath her white T-shirt and jeans. Her nipples were dark and pebbled against the translucent fabric, the clingy material taut across her rounded breasts.
He had to force back a groan, his desire for her quickly outpacing his anger.
“Why didn’t you call me?” he demanded, speaking to her for the first time since they’d left her home. Even on the drive back to Cottonmouth, he’d maintained his silence, breaking it for only a minute to call Jason and instruct his brother to grab BJ’s spare key and return to Teresa’s ranch to secure the place and finish boarding up those last two windows.
For the moment, they were alone, and Jeff wanted answers, although he already knew the truth. And he noticed she didn’t rush to respond to him, undoubtedly because she was searching for a plausible lie. The storm had hit three hours ago, and instead of calling him before she’d lost power, or before her phone had died, she’d stubbornly decided to wait it out—a decision that was both foolish and dangerous—all because she was afraid of him and what he wanted to do to her.
Jeff stalked towards her until mere inches separated their wet bodies. As he towered over her trembling frame, he corrected his last thought. She wasn’t just afraid of him. Teresa was afraid of herself and the desires lurking within her that she refused to acknowledge.
“I tried to call y—”
“But you waited hours to do it,” he interrupted her. “Are you that afraid of what is happening between us that you would p
ut yourself in danger before seeking my help?”
Jeff almost winced as he said the words. He would never admit it, but the thought pained him deeply. When the storm had worsened, he’d turned on the news to learn there had already been fatalities. Immediately he’d called her, and when he’d been unable to get through, the fear and panic which had gripped him had been almost paralysing. Teresa was too stubborn to come to him for help, and as he’d raced over there, he’d feared he’d waited too long to go after her.
He’d been relieved to discover she was fine, but as soon as his fear had passed, anger had filled its place. For a year, he’d done nothing but show this woman he was interested in her, that he desired only her, wanted only her. And for a year she’d insulted him, evaded him, ignored him. Was her attraction to him so reprehensible? Was the thought of him touching her, making love to her, such a distasteful notion that she would rather endanger herself than risk letting him near her?
“Answer me, Teresa,” he demanded, and she must have caught the sharp edge to his quiet voice because her eyes rounded and her trembling grew more pronounced. But he had to know. All this time he’d assumed she’d kept him at arm’s length because she believed him to be a player…but what if she simply didn’t want him? What if she just couldn’t stomach the thought of him touching her—?
“Yes.”
The word came out before she could stop herself, before she realised what she was saying, what she was admitting. It was only when she glimpsed a fleeting glimmer of pain in Jeff’s eyes that she reasoned he’d mistaken her words, but she never got the chance to set him straight.
“I would never hurt you.”
The air within her chest seemed to turn to ice right there inside her lungs. She could hardly breathe, let alone speak. Teresa wondered for a moment if he knew the truth, but as she studied his face, he did not stare at her with knowing eyes. Besides, only a few were aware of the truth, and while BJ and Jackson were among them, she knew they would never betray her confidence.
