The Lawson Boys: Alex

by Angela Verdenius

  Especially with him.

  “Okay,” she said. “You found out my secret. I have a weakness for silk stockings and garters.”

  “You and me both.”

  “I sort of hope you’re not wearing them.”

  “Baby, I like taking ‘em off women.” He grinned with a flash of teeth. “I’m really going to love taking ‘em off you. With my teeth.”

  “That’s not likely to happen.” She gave him a small shove.

  “Oh, trust me, it is.”

  “Flatterer.” She started to push upwards.

  “Not flattery. A promise.” And so saying, he cupped her cheek firmly, curving his thumb under her chin to hold her still while he took her mouth in a deep, drugging kiss.

  Jesus, he felt like he could kiss her forever. Drown in her scent, her taste, her essence. He swallowed her breath, ravaged her mouth, kissed deeper, hotter, feeling his blood thicken with carnal lust.

  He’d have taken her there on the floor except that as he started to lower her backwards, she slipped again in the puddle and nearly brought them both down into the sticky mess. It was enough to bring him to his senses and he lifted his mouth reluctantly from hers.

  “Think we’re gonna have to take a raincheck,” he said huskily.

  “Okay.” Eyes dreamy and lips lush and red from his marauding mouth, she nodded.

  “Raincheck for five minutes, enough time to go to your bedroom.”

  “Okay,” she said again.

  Keeping his arm around her back, he took her other hand and stood, drawing her up with him and tucking her into his side. Dropping his hand from her waist to her ample bottom - Jesus, what a luscious handful - he gave it a squeeze. “I’ll help get you into the shower.”

  Dreamy or not, she baulked at that. “I don’t think so, Lawson.”

  His hand went from a squeeze to a warning tap.

  “Threats won’t work-” she began, only to be cut off by the phone ringing.

  “Ignore it,” Alex said, walking her towards the doorway to the hall.

  In obvious agreement, she nestled in closer, but the answering machine cut in just as they drew level to the phone and Mrs Bentley’s voice sounded.

  “Hi honey. I’m surprised you’re not home. I was going to pop over and drop off some home-made jam while passing on my way to the flower club meeting. You’re obviously not home, so I’ll leave it on the front veranda in about half an hour. Toodles!”

  Harly drew to a halt to look at the phone. “Half an hour.”

  “No worries,” Alex said. “I usually like a lot of foreplay and fun first, but I can man up to it and bed you in ten minutes, leaving fifteen for you to shower and change and we can be out of here for dinner before your mother arrives.”

  The look she cast him spoke volumes.

  “The passion’s leaving, isn’t it?’ he asked in mock sadness.

  “Mothers have a way of throwing water on the hottest of fires.” Her eyes twinkled.

  With a sigh, he crossed to the sink and picked up the dish cloth. “Go and get changed and I’ll clean up.” He watched as she crossed to the door, his gaze falling on her breasts outlined by her wet shirt. “Oh, and Harly?”

  She glanced at him over her shoulder.

  “You owe me. Boy, do you owe me.” He smiled at her. “And I’m going to collect.”

  There was that adorable blush again, but this time it was accompanied by a small, and oh yes, an undeniably breathy laugh. He might be manfully ignoring his stirring shaft, but he could take satisfaction in knowing that his woman was just as affected. There was no way he could miss the nipples pebbling hard against her shirt, or the dreaminess of her eyes.

  Oh yeah, he was going to collect big time, and soon.

  “The dinner you’re buying me better be worth it then,” she retorted right before disappearing into the hall.

  Buying dinner. It was enough to remind Alex that this was a time of getting to know each other, but hell, nothing wrong with getting a little more acquainted with their bodies as well. If Harly was game, so was he. More than game. Burning for it, in fact.

  “I’m a sad, desperate case,” he informed Buffy, who wagged her tail back at him.

  He also had to acknowledge that gaining Harly’s trust required more than being good in bed with her. There was more to a lasting, solid relationship than sex.

  “Just keep telling yourself that,” he murmured. “You’re not taking one for your solo team for a very good reason.”

  Unless Harly wanted to, and then he’d be more than happy to oblige.

  “I’m over-thinking it,” he told Buffy. “That hot little moment with your owner scrambled my brains, not just my nuts.”

  Finished cleaning the mess, he threw the dishcloth in the bin, washed and dried the bowl, and sat down at the kitchen table to read the newspaper.

  It wasn’t far from his mind that Harly - luscious, naked Harly - was only a couple of rooms from him, but he tried to ignore it, otherwise he was going to go to dinner with the biggest boner of his life.

  And with his luck, he’d meet Mrs Bentley at the door while that boner was seeking a way out of his pants.

  Not cool, as Marty would say.

  It wasn’t long before Harly came back into the kitchen, this time dressed in black slacks topped with a cream, long-sleeved jumper. In her hand she held a heavy jacket. Her black hair hung loose, the sides pulled back in a clasp at the back of her head. Her startlingly pale grey eyes, heavily fringed, needed no mascara, but he could see that she’d put on a sweep of berry lipstick.

  “Nice.” He ran his gaze appreciatively down her body, lingering on the swell of her generous hips and bosom as he did so.

  She blushed a little. “Thank you.”

  Pushing to his feet, he closed the small distance between them and placed his arms around her waist, loosely linking his hands in the small of her back. Looking down at her, he grinned. “Dare I hope the silk stockings and garter belt are beneath these slacks?”

  “Try socks. Thick socks.”

  “Shame.”

  “Actually, what I was wearing was for going out, but it was the only winter skirt I had, so…” She shrugged, the movement causing her breast to brush against his shirt-front.

  Dipping his head, he feathered his breath over her lips, enjoying the shiver that went through her, enjoying even more the way one of her hands came up to rest against his chest, right over his heart.

  Instead of kissing her, however, he ran his tongue lightly across her lips. “Mmmm, strawberry flavoured lipstick. Yummy.”

  Her grey eyes were like pools of depthless crystal as she gazed up at him. “Flavoured lip gloss.”

  “Remind me to paint it across your entire body so I can lick it off.” Heat spiralled through him at just the thought, but it was tempered with amusement at her deepening blush. “Harly, you are such an innocent.”

  “No, I’m not,” she denied almost hotly. “I know what sex play is, what some people do.”

  “Ah, love, but you don’t know what I do.” He ginned wickedly, dropping his hands to cup her generous derriere. “You will, though. I’ll take great delight in dragging you into my world of depravity.”

  Expecting her to blush even more, he was caught by surprise when instead she smiled sweetly. “So for research, I should re-read those erotic romances Maryanne gave me?”

  “Sweet Jesus, yes.” His eyes narrowed thoughtfully. “You read them? Seriously?”

  Coming up on tiptoe, she slid one hand behind his head and he obligingly bent down so she could place her mouth at his ear, her warm breath making his blood spark. “Guess you’ll have to wait and find out.”

  “Forget dinner,” he said decisively. “I’ve decided I’m into research.”

  Laughing, she pulled out of his arms. “No way, Lawson. You promised me dinner, remember?”

  “We can do dinner tomorrow.” He reached for her.

  She slapped his hand away, laughing and blushing all at once, whic
h he found so enchanting.

  Sweet, shy, but with a little carnal streak that only made her more enticing, Harly was full of surprises. Alex couldn’t wait to banish her shyness in bed and see exactly what she was game to try. Or out of bed. He didn’t actually care; lovemaking between two people could be done anywhere, anytime. He wasn’t fussed.

  Commonsense warned him not to push it, either, for she was slowly relaxing in his company, but he knew if he pushed it, she might just retreat.

  Slowly, slowly, he reminded himself. He already knew he’d gained a lot of ground for the short time he’d been here, especially considering the past they shared and the way he’d come into town breathing fire.

  “Fine.” He made a show of sighing heavily. “Dinner first. I know when I’m whipped.”

  “You? Whipped?” Harly laughed as she picked up the house keys and made to slip them into her jacket pocket.

  “Yes.” Alex took the keys from her hand. “Ready, Mistress?”

  “Mistress?” She eyed him doubtfully, laughter still lurking in her eyes. “I somehow doubt I’d be topping you.”

  “Topping?” His eyes widened, partly in surprise, partly in humour. “And what, Miss Innocence, do you know about topping?”

  “Why, Master, I do read some of those erotic romances, you know,” she almost purred.

  “Jesus.” He reached for her again, but she danced out of reach and actually ran out of the kitchen.

  Shaking his head, Alex followed her more slowly. Already at the front door, she watched with twinkling eyes as he approached.

  “If you read so much,” he informed her sternly, “then you’d know about obedience.”

  “I said I read them, I didn’t say I agreed with everything.” Folding her arms, she lifted her chin. “And I was merely pointing out that you’d never be any woman’s dog.”

  “Dog? Did you just say dog?”

  “Bitch somehow doesn’t seem right.”

  The minx was laughing outright. Shaking his head, Alex walked right up to her, backing her against the door. Bracing his hands on the solid wood each side of her head, he leaned forward to look down at her. It took all he had to remain stoic-faced when laughter pulled at him. Harly was delightful.

  “Now, Miss Bentley,” he said with mock seriousness. “I’ll have you know that yes, you are correct, I will always be the master in a relationship. I will always be the master when it comes to sex. I am the man.”

  Harly was having a hard time trying to maintain her own contrite, meek expression; her quivering lips gave that away. “Yes, Sir.”

  “See, when I say strip, you strip. When I say come here, you come. When I say kiss me, you kiss me. When I say you’re walking around in my presence in nothing but silk stockings and a garter belt and a red satin bra, you will do so.”

  “Not happening.”

  “Insubordination will not be tolerated.”

  “I’ll tell my mother.”

  “I’m not scared of her.”

  “All right. I’ll tell your mother.”

  “Okay, some insubordination will be tolerated.”

  “I thought so.”

  “And when I say get the bondage gear-”

  She guffawed right in his face.

  He laughed right along with her. Warmth overflowing him, he gathered her into his arms and hugged her.

  Harly hugged him back, still giggling. “Do I still get dinner even though I’m insubordinate?”

  “Why not? The punishment can wait until later.” Dropping a quick kiss on the glossy hair just level with his shoulder, Alex reached around her for the door knob. “I’ve now got two appetites raging thanks to that titillating little discussion, but I know by your words that only one is going to be appeased right now. Let’s go.”

  Harly stepped to the side as Alex swung the door open, only to say in surprise, “Mum?” when Mrs Bentley was revealed standing on the veranda holding a small basket.

  “Mrs Bentley.” Recovering his surprise, Alex opened the security screen and stood to the side, holding it open.

  Mrs Bentley looked from Harly to Alex, and even though she smiled, her eyes were watchful. “Alex. What a surprise.”

  He had the definite feeling it wasn’t a pleasant one.

  “You shouldn’t have worried about coming out,” Harly said. “I could have picked the jam up tomorrow on my way home from work.”

  Her mother raised one brow. “Oh, so you did get my phone call. Why didn’t you just pick up the phone?”

  “Oh - ah - ” Harly glanced at Alex.

  “Harly had spilt something and we were in the middle of cleaning up,” Alex said smoothly. “She meant to ring you back, but we got talking.”

  “Talking.” Mrs Bentley looked him up and down.

  Alex wondered just how much she had heard of their conversation, but the wooden door was solid and he doubted she’d heard anything clearly apart from the laughter.

  Obviously Harly wasn’t so certain, for her cheeks were bright red. “Is that the jam?”

  Her mother took two jars from the basket and handed it to her. “Strawberry jam.”

  “Thank you.” Taking it from her, Harly glanced again at Alex. “I’ll just put this in the kitchen. I won’t be a minute.”

  As soon as Harly disappeared into the house, Mrs Bentley looked sharply at him. “Are you taking my daughter out?”

  “We’re going for dinner,” he replied carefully, aware of some undercurrent.

  “Harly’s a lovely girl, Alex.”

  “I’m well aware of that. I’ll take care of her.”

  She stared at him for several seconds before stating quietly, “Be sure that you do. I don’t want her hurt.”

  Before he could reply to that, Harly reappeared.

  “Thanks for the jam, Mum.”

  “No worries, sweetheart.” Mrs Bentley leaned forward to kiss her cheek. “I hear you’re going to dinner, so I won’t keep you. Must get to my club meeting before I’m late.” She gave Alex a tight smile. “Enjoy yourselves.”

  Harly walked her mother to the car while Alex shut and locked the house doors. Pocketing the keys, he strode down the veranda and waited by the Jeep as Harly exchanged a few words with her mother before she left.

  Gazing hard at Mrs Bentley, he couldn’t believe that she had the gall to warn him about hurting Harly. That was rich, coming from a woman who hadn’t supported her own daughter in her time of need. Anger simmered below the surface as he tried to work out just what made the woman tick. She seemed concerned for Harly, but after what she had done to her all those years ago…

  As soon as the tail-lights of the car disappeared down the road, Harly walked back to him. “Mum makes delicious jam. I’ll give you a jar and you can take it back to Becky’s and have it for breakfast on toast.”

  Opening the Jeep door, Alex waited until she got inside before shutting it and walking around to the driver’s side. Getting in, he switched on the ignition, put the car into gear and drove down the driveway and out onto the road.

  “Alex? Is everything all right?”

  “Hmm?” He glanced at her.

  “You’re very quiet suddenly.”

  “Just thinking.”

  “Oh.”

  Silence fell between them for several minutes before he commented, “Your mother cares about you.”

  “Of course.” Harly was surprised.

  “I wasn’t sure…when she didn’t get you help after you miscarried.” Alex frowned. “She sounded so…cold.” Harly was quiet for so long that he wondered if he’d hit a raw nerve. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything.”

  “No, it’s all right.” She shrugged. “Mum and Dad do love me, they care. I know it’s hard to believe after what I told you, but they do care. You have to understand, Mum came from a small town in another state, and her sister had a child out of wedlock. Back then, it was a shame, and it was one that stayed with her. Keeping a clean name has always been important to her.”

 
; “Her daughter should be more important.”

  Harly turned in her seat to look at him. “Don’t mistake that she cares about me. If I’d been in danger, she’d have had me in the local hospital in no time. But there was no danger, the doctor was there, and in her opinion there was no need to cause a scandal.”

  “Your dad-”

  “Dad knew what she was doing. You forget, they are both from a different time.”

  “They were still your parents.’

  “They did what they thought best.”

  “How can you forgive them so easily?”

  “How can you not?” she returned bluntly.

  “What?” Incredulous, he glanced at her.

  “It was my problem, not yours. They are my parents, not yours. If I can move on, you can, too.”

  Oh, that didn’t sit well. Alex pulled the Jeep over onto the shoulder of the road and applied the handbrake. Unsnapping the seatbelt, he turned fully in the seat to face her. “You can seriously say that to me?”

  “Yeah,” she replied, unfazed. “I can.”

  “You went through hell, Harly, and they didn’t support you. That concerns me.”

  “It’s in the past.”

  “It’s pretty bloody fresh for me.”

  Rubbing her forehead, she sighed. “Alex, I know it’s new to you. I know you’re trying to accept things. But it’s also in the past, and what happened, happened.”

  Gazing out into the blackness beyond the Jeeps headlights, Alex gripped the steering wheel. “This isn’t about the baby, Harly.”

  “Then what is it about?”

  “You never had the support you needed. I wasn’t here for you, and your parents didn’t want to know. Who was there for you? Who, damn it?”

  The silence in the cab was thick with emotion, his anger and frustration, his concern. His regrets.

  “I didn’t have the support then.” Leaning towards him, Harly laid her hand on his arm. “But I have it now.”

  Alex looked at her. Her face was so earnest in the reflection of the headlights.

  “I have you now.”

  Those four words touched him right to the soul. With a groan, he laid his hand atop hers, gripping her tightly. “Harly.”

  She smiled a little.

  “Okay,” he finally said a trifle harshly. “Okay, you’re right. They’re not my parents. For you, I’ll try to put my anger aside, but don’t think that I can just forgive them for what they did. I’ll be polite for your sake. But don’t ask me to forgive them.”