“Chloe, look at me.” Jack said, tipping her head up and locking his eyes on hers. “Can you honestly tell me that what’s happening between us is anything like what you felt with Brandon? I may not be very good at talking about my feelings, but I do know that what I feel for you is nothing like I’ve ever felt before.”
When he lowered his mouth to hers, she didn’t resist. Jack’s words had been truer than he could ever imagine. The kiss was gentle and over all too soon, but Chloe understood why. He’d promised to take things slowly, but that was the last thing she wanted right then. Still she had to make sure he understood how much it was costing her to trust him again.
“I feel the same way and that’s part of the reason it hurt so much.” She said, reaching up to stroke his cheek, tears threatening.
“No tears Chloe, I don’t want you to be sad, I want you to be happy and I’m going to do everything I can to make sure that happens.” Jack said, pulling her against his chest to keep from kissing her.
He’d already decided that the next time he made love to her she would have to make the first move. Then and only then would they be together, it would be pure torture to wait but it was important to him that she trusted him, more important than satisfying the physical need he felt for her. But to his surprise, Chloe reached up and kissed him, pressing her body against his in a clear invitation.
Jack kissed her, running his hands over the smooth skin of her arms and shoulders, but reluctant to take things further than that. They’d made that mistake once before and he didn’t want to risk the fragile trust she’d given him, but Chloe felt so right in his arms he didn’t want to let her go. Pulling her down onto her back, he covered her body with his as the first burst of light filled the sky.
They were so wrapped up in their own little world that they both jumped when the rocket burst in the sky, then laughed the tension between them finally broken. When Chloe shirted under Jack, he came back to the moment immediately, the fireworks once again forgotten.
“I want you Chloe but I want you to be ready this time.” Jack said, his body on fire for Chloe but his mind restraining him from pushing her too fast.
“I want you too, Jack. Let’s start over right now, tonight.” She said, pulling his head down to hers and kissing him.
Neither of them questioned the wisdom of what was about to happen, the connection between them suddenly stronger than ever before. It was like an invisible rope binding them together, weaving a web of passion and desire that neither wanted to escape. The beautiful summer night melted into the background and all they were aware of was themselves and the pent up desire they shared.
Jack deepened the kiss while his hand roamed over Chloe’s body, caressing each inch of bare skin before finally sliding the skirt of her dress up her legs to find skin he’d yet to touch. Chloe could feel her skin slowly being exposed to the chilly night air and realized where they were.
“Jack we can’t do this here.” She finally managed to gasp when he released her mouth.
“We won’t be disturbed, I promise.” He said, leaning over her to look into her eyes.
Chloe only hesitated for a second before reaching for the button on his pants, knowing that she had to trust Jack’s words. When she undid his pants and his erection sprang free, she wrapped both hands around it and ran them up and down his hard length, loving the feel of him in her hands. Jack growled deep in his throat, then slowly pulled away from her and got to his feet taking her with him.
When they were both standing, he reached behind her and unbuttoned her dress and slid it off her shoulders and let it pool at her feet. He gasped when he saw that all she had on under the dress was a pair of lace panties, then quickly stripped off his clothes. When he pulled her to him, his body was hot against her cold one, making her already stiff nipples harden even more.
“If I’d known that this was what was under that dress I would have never made it through the day.” He whispered in her ear. “You’re so beautiful Chloe. You were made for moonlight.”
She let him lower her back down onto the blanket, which was soft against her skin, the bed of moss he’d placed it on giving them all the cushion they needed. Chloe was desperate for Jack to touch her, her body screaming for the feel of his hands on her, but he took his time, letting his eyes roam over her body.
When neither of them could take it any longer, he put his hand on her stomach and spread out his fingers looking into her eyes for permission. Chloe who was desperate for Jack’s touch, nodded her head, licked her lips and opened her legs for him. Jack needed nothing more than that to know she was ready for him, he slid his hand down between her legs and found her clit with his finger knowing he could bring her pleasure almost instantly.
Chloe was instantly filled with the kind of pleasure she knew that only Jack was capable of giving her, but as her climax shattered her senses, he slid his finger deep inside her prolonging the pleasure until she cried out his name. As her orgasm began to fade, Chloe became aware of a driving need to give Jack as much pleasure as he’d just given her, so she pushed him over on his back and took him into her mouth.
Jack practically came up off the blanket when her mouth slid over his pulsing erection, his hands fisted in her hair, his hips thrusting into the heat and moisture of her willing mouth. When the pleasure of Chloe’s mouth threatened to take him over the edge, he pushed her onto her back and moved between her legs, the need to be inside her more powerful than anything he’d ever felt before.
“I need to be inside you.” He rasped, his breath coming in gasps.
Chloe couldn’t help but smile up at Jack, a smile that let him know how much she wanted him, then she wrapped her legs around him and pulled him toward her. When Jack thrust himself into her, Chloe gasped with pleasure at the feeling of him buried so deeply inside her, his throbbing length filling her completely. As much as Jack wanted to take his time, he was too far gone to do so, with powerful thrusts of his hips he filled her over and over again until she was writhing under him, her need for release pushing him closer to his own orgasm.
That release came when she reached up and grabbed his butt and pulled him deeper inside her, her cries of pleasure driving him deeper and deeper into the spinning web of pleasure that her body brought him. All conscious thoughts gone from their minds, only aware of the joining of their bodies, they crested the waves of passion together each finding release as the other did. The force of their pleasure leaving them breathless and their hearts pounding.
As the tremors of pleasure began to fade, Chloe became aware of Jack’s body pressing hers into the ground and knew that she’d found the man she was supposed to spend the rest of her life with. For a split second she began to panic, but Jack must have sensed her panic because he rolled off of her and pulled her close to him, stroking her back until she relaxed.
Chapter 12
Chloe must have dozed, Jack’s body heat warming her in the chilled night air, but a crashing in the trees behind them woke her. Still in a haze from their love making, she was sure that someone had come upon them, so she jumped to her feet and began searching for her dress. Jack immediately jumped to his feet as well, but instead of searching for his clothes, he stepped into his boots and headed straight for the noise.
Her head finally clearing, Chloe realized that the worst thing Jack could do was go in pursuit of whatever was in the woods. It was never a good idea to scare the wildlife, especially bears and since the canyon had an ample supply of water now, bears had begun making their appearance. She wanted to call out to him, but couldn’t seem to find her voice. Finally, she took a deep breath and calmed herself.
Throwing her dress on over her head just in case their visitor was human, she followed Jack into the woods. He hadn’t gotten far and she could see why, there standing on the bank of the river not far from where he stood was the biggest moose she’d ever seen. It only took her another second before she reached Jack and put her hand on his shoulder. A moose could be as dangerous as a
bear and she wasn’t sure if Jack had ever seen one, she certainly hadn’t.
“Don’t get any closer, moose can be very dangerous.” She whispered in his ear.
The moose didn’t seem concerned with them so they watched as he drank from the stream then wandered back up towards the high mountains, past where they’d been sitting. They waited until they were sure he was gone then quietly crept back to the blanket, Chloe shivering in the cold night air. Jack wrapped the blanket around her, pulled her to him, hardly able to contain his laughter.
“So much for our romantic night, that sneaky moose crashed the party.” He finally managed to say.
Chloe looked at Jack standing there naked except for his boots and joined in his laughter. She watched as he got dressed, sad that the night was over, but relieved that they’d made up. Once Jack was dressed, he crossed the little clearing and took her in his arms and kissed her for a long time, igniting the passion between them again.
They stumbled back up the trail in the darkness, Chloe’s hand firmly gripped in Jack’s. When they got back to Honey Hills everyone was gone, but Marissa had left a light on for them. Quietly, they got into Jack’s truck and headed for the ranch where they’d both left their four wheelers. Instead of going home, they climbed into the loft of the barn and Jack made them a bed in the straw.
When they were finally settled in each other’s arms again, they left their clothes in a pile on the floor. "I'm not sure where we’re going from here, but I’m glad we’re doing it together.” Jack said, stroking Chloe’s cheek with his thumb.
“Me too.” Chloe said, pulling Jack down for a kiss.
The next few weeks were some of the happiest in Chloe’s life, Jack was a dream come true, the real man finally able to shine through the hurt that had been holding him back. He was not only a wonderful lover, but he found little ways to take care of Chloe. He cooked her dinner, brought her wild flowers, and left her little love notes all over her cabin.
Josh quickly found his way into her heart, and it wasn’t long before the three of them were inseparable, rarely spending the night apart. Jack moved Josh’s crib into the living room to give them the privacy they needed, knowing that it would be best for them all. Any worries he might have had about Chloe taking on the role of Josh’s mother were quickly settled when he found them asleep on the couch one night when he’d had to work late.
His heart melted at the sight and he knew right then that Chloe was the only woman he’d ever want. Without waking them, he sat down in the chair and watched them sleeping, happier than he’d ever been in his life. Someday, he and Chloe would have children of their own, but for now he was happy with their little family of three. Again he thanked the powers for giving him Chloe and the chance to love her, as he sat there he silently promised himself that he’d always take care of her, even when she didn’t want him to.
When Chloe opened her eyes and saw Jack sitting in the chair next to the couch, her heart swelled with love as it always did when she saw him, but the look on his face told her that he had something on his mind. For a moment, she was afraid that it was something bad, but then he smiled at her and his face lit up. Breathing a sigh of relief, she shifted Josh who was asleep on her chest.
Jack took Josh from her and put him in his crib, then helped her up and led her back to the bedroom. He made love to her that night more tenderly than he had ever before, her pleasure his only concern and when they were finished he held her close all night long. Chloe could sense a change in Jack but didn’t know what had prompted it. All she knew was that for the first time in a long time she felt loved and protected.
When it came time for the next flock of sheep to arrive in LA, they rode together both amazed at how much had changed since the first time they’d picked sheep up in the city. After the pneumonia scare, they’d wisely chosen to give the first sheep a bit more time to recover but now they both felt it was time to increase the flock before winter.
They arrived at the docks just as the sheep did and Chloe was pleased to see that this group looked much better than the first had, but still insisted on keeping them in LA for a few extra days. Jack didn’t fight her on the decision, simply agreed, looking forward to spending a few days with Chloe in LA, a town he found both exciting and overwhelming.
Chloe introduced Michelle to Jack, who charmed her, making her think that Chloe had over exaggerated his sour disposition. They went to the beach and Hollywood, spent time shopping, even hit one of the many amusement parks in the city. By the time the sheep were ready for transport, they were both exhausted and ready to get back to the quiet of the canyon. But before they headed home, Chloe had to stop at the university to pick up some new drug samples she had been waiting for.
Curious to see an American university, Jack came with her, impressed by the school and the fact that almost everyone seemed to like and admire Chloe. That she had an impressive reputation was clear as she interacted with the people they met, until they came across a grumpy looking man at the very end of their visit. The man treated Chloe with so little respect Jack was about to jump in, but Chloe stopped him with a shake of her head.
Later as they were leaving the school she explained, “That was my advisor, he and I didn’t get along very well, but he can’t do anything to me now so it’s not worth the effort to insult him.” She said, with a grin.
“But it would have been so much fun.” Jack said, laughing.
“He did try to ruin my career but look where I am now; I think I won.” She said, only then realizing just how true her words were. If she’d never taken the job in the canyon she’d have never met Jack. “Actually we should be thanking him.” She added, taking his hand in hers.
“Thanking him? Why?” Jack was confused.
“If he hadn’t made me stay at school longer, I might not have ever applied for the job in the canyon.” She explained.
“Then I guess I do owe him a thank you.” Jack said, pulling her into his arms and kissing her, not caring who might see them.
Brandon was standing by his car waiting for a phone call. Ever since he’d broken things off with Chloe his life had gone to crap. It was clear that he wasn’t going to be able to pass his boards when they came up in the fall, his plan to ride Chloe’s coat tails hadn’t taken into account the fact that he’d still have to be certified to practice. He’d been combing the underworld of LA looking for some way out of his predicament, it was really Chloe’s fault he was in this position. If she hadn’t taken her boards early, he would have been able to slide in and use her answers.
Frustrated, he put the phone in his pocket and started to head into the building, but when he looked up he saw Chloe walking across the grass holding a man’s hand. Shocked, he watched as the man pulled her into his arms and kissed her, and it was clearly not the first time he’d done so, that much was clear by their body language. His first instinct was to confront her, cause a scene, but then he took a good look at the guy she was with and decided it might not end well for him.
Instead he ducked back into his car and hid from them as they crossed the parking lot and got into a truck that was twice the size of his little sports car, his mind spinning trying to find a way to make this work to his advantage. He was still sitting there when they finally pulled out of the lot and drove away, nothing had come to him, but he’d think of something. Chloe wasn’t going to ruin his life and come out unscathed, the whole thing was her fault. If she’d stayed in LA where she belonged, he’d on his way to the career he was destined for.
Chloe and Jack were completely unaware of Brandon presence in the parking lot. In fact, Chloe hadn’t thought about him since the day Jack had made her throw his shirt away, replacing it with one of his own, which was even bigger and more comfortable than Brandon’s. Nor could they possibly know that Brandon was hatching a scheme to destroy their relationship – the only way he could find to get back at Chloe.
The sheep made it safely to the pasture at the ranch with little problem. They were
healthier than the first group and everyone now knew what they needed to do to get them loaded and unloaded from the truck. There had been no mishaps on the ship either, so there was no need to transport any of the sheep separately. Still, they were all glad when the trip was over.
Jack and Chloe were standing in the same place as they had all those weeks ago, both thinking about the first time they’d kissed. When Jack moved closer and put his arm around her, she went easily to his side and snuggled up to his warmth, although summer was still in full swing, at night there was a chill to the air that promised changes to come. Chloe looked up at him and smiled, glad that they were together and that all the pain and frustration of the past was behind them.
She knew that they still had challenges to face, but she also knew that together they would face them. Jack still had moments of doubt as she did, but they talked about them together and found they grew closer each time they shared those feelings. It was a new experience for them both to trust someone so completely, but they also knew that no relationship could survive without that kind of intimacy. They also knew that a real test of their relationship was coming. Jack had to fly back to Australia to take care of the sale of some property they no longer needed, so he’d be gone for a week, and Chloe already missed him.
But it was something he had to do, and she couldn’t take time away from the canyon to go with him. “I’m going to miss you. A week suddenly seems like a long time.” She said, as they got ready for bed that night.
“I know, I wish you could come with me.” Jack said, crossing the room to take her in his arms, “I’d love to show you the ranch back home.”
“Someday I’ll go with you.” She promised, burying her head in his chest and taking a deep breath, loving the way he smelled.
“We’ll talk every day, I promise.”
Jack called Chloe at least twice a day for the first few days he was gone, but during their last conversation he explained that he’d have to go up into the hills around the ranch with the surveyor to help him and that he wouldn’t be able to call for a few days. Chloe was disappointed but knew that he had responsibilities that couldn’t be avoided.
Be My Everything (Brothers From Money Book 11) Page 12
