Layers Crossed

by Lacey Silks

  “I bet there are things women still prefer done the old-fashioned way,” I countered.

  “Like what?” She swallowed nervously. The evident pulse at the side of her neck drew me closer to her, until the sweet smell of her breath reached my face.

  “Like opening car doors for ladies, pulling their chair out when getting ready to sit down to dinner, or letting her know politely when the button on her shirt has popped so she can cover herself up.”

  I gently touched the hem of her shirt where her breasts spread the fabric outward, revealing the see-through laced bra underneath. Even if I’d already seen much more of her body, this way, a little bit covered up, was much sexier.

  My finger brushed the curve of her cleavage, and she held her breath. I lifted my other hand toward the shirt and fastened the misbehaving button. Sitting this close to her was infuriating. The smell of her floral perfume filled me from the bottom up, propelling my pulse to rush. Her scent was that last ingredient needed to drive me over the edge.

  “Thank you,” she whispered.

  “You’re welcome.” I leaned back in my chair again. This would be one hell of a week. Could I really be the gentleman I was taught to be? With Emma around, all bets were off. She was like a drug I needed. I longed to hear what would come out of her intelligent mouth next. Some men would call it a smart mouth, but I found it clever and intriguing. The need to protect her from the work she sought grew with each second. As much as I didn’t think the job I’d hired her for was dangerous just yet, with my past and what John Huntz was capable of, it definitely had the potential to be.

  “So you’re seeking adventure?” I asked.

  “Yeah, I guess you could say that. Can you give me that adventure, Cowboy?”

  “Maybe, if you stop calling me Cowboy.”

  “What’s wrong with Cowboy?” She rolled her eyes.

  “Please don’t roll your eyes at me.”

  “Or what?”

  “Or I may need to force you to close them for long enough not to roll them.”

  “And just how would you do that?”

  Like a tease, she rolled them again with a devious smirk. If I couldn’t stop her from doing that, I’d go nuts. And so I turned my head toward her and leaned forward. With our noses nearly touching and mouths a shiver away, her sweet breath was too much and not enough at the same time, and when she closed her eyes I knew I succeeded, but I wanted more. Much more. I wanted her lips, her entire mouth, her tongue – I wanted her everything – and I knew she’d give it to me – not because she was easy or someone looking for a fling, but because the attraction between the two of us could no longer be contained.

  Still, I’d only take as much as she allowed. I wouldn’t push it – because I couldn’t push her away – ever.

  I touched my lips to hers, taking them into my mouth, stroking the bow of her upper lip with my tongue before dipping in. Her mouth was so small and so warm and she worked it so well, moving her lips with mine. I tilted her head slightly, holding her steady because if I didn’t, I was afraid I’d lose my patience. Slowly tracing my hand to her neck, I held it there, smoothing my thumb over her pulsing vein. Her skin felt silkier than I expected. And when her tongue moved against mine, rubbing and teasing, inviting me even deeper, I knew she had me in the palm of her hand. She could ask me anything, and I would give her everything.

  When I pulled away, I pressed my forehead against hers, breathing heavily. This was not an ordinary kiss. This was pure lust.

  “Will this be a problem for you, Emma? Me wanting you so badly and being your client,” I asked.

  “Consider this a service with a cherry on top. Besides, you’ve kissed one guy, you’ve kissed them all.” She shrugged and pulled away.

  Playing hard to get, I thought.

  I could see through her lies so easily. Her tiny nose wrinkled up and betrayed her. And her body language was another story. The way her breasts swelled when we’d kissed, and the feel of her pumping jugular underneath my thumb as I traced her neck told me I’d affected her as much as she’d affected me. And she was still panting. If her goal was to push me away or seem nonchalant, she’d have to try much harder than that. As much as she wanted to deny the truth – or maybe she was afraid of the truth? – she was mine the moment I’d laid my eyes on her a few nights back.

  “And how many guys have you kissed, exactly?”

  “Enough.”

  “And have they kissed you back the way I did?”

  “Why are you asking all these questions, Cowboy? It was a good kiss, I can’t deny it. But did it knock me off my feet? Did it make this plane come down? Nope, still sitting.”

  “Then let me correct my mistake, my lady.” And I pressed myself to her again, this time with nearly my full strength, keeping a little back so that I wouldn’t crush her completely. Devouring her mouth like she was my life-line, taking every breath from her lungs into mine, I molded myself into her curves. I pushed a button to recline the luxurious leather chair, making her lie beneath me, her soft body writhing under my muscles. And once she was down, I couldn’t help but feel every luscious curve of her body, sliding my hands up her sides and along the outline of her breasts. Her hips were in full motion, grinding against my length. The feel of her pubic bone made me even harder for her. And her delicious mouth fit in mine so perfectly, I couldn’t get enough. At that moment, I knew that no matter how long or how often I kissed Emma, it would never be enough. And as much as I wanted to join the mile-high club on my virgin flight, this wasn’t the right time.

  When we pulled away I traced her lip with my thumb, kissing her gently once more. Her eyes were wide open now, her heart pounding against mine so profoundly. I smiled and she smiled back, and I knew that this time I’d done it right. I gave her a kiss worthy of acceptance – even though in all honesty, the first one wasn’t bad either.

  “I won’t make the plane come down and kill us both, but you’re definitely not on your feet, Emma. And there is much more where that came from,” I whispered, getting up and straightening her clothes, as well as fastening the three buttons which had now popped on her shirt.

  She didn’t say anything, but the obvious flush on her cheeks told me I’d succeeded in knocking her off her feet.

  Emma remained quiet for the remainder of the flight. She opened her laptop and began searching through a database. With a sidelong glance I caught Huntz’s name on the screen. He’d apparently made his way to Mexico quite often, but always returned to a different town you could barely find on a map. But there was only one little nest he’d come back to more than once. Emma focused her search on that part and was now reading through a page. I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to clear my head. If I was going to get the answers I sought while keeping her occupied for more than a couple of weeks, the way I’d promised, I needed to make sure Emma could concentrate. There was no way she could find Huntz earlier, could she? If I was going to keep my promise to Hunter, kisses like the one we’d just shared would have to be postponed. The question was, how in the world was I going to do that?

  CHAPTER 9

  Emma

  I hadn’t been able to recover from the way Eric kissed me on the plane. The passion that curled through me from his mouth and the way he’d held me against him left me breathless.

  No man had ever kissed me that way, and I was afraid I was getting more involved with him than I should. After all, he was a client, and I didn’t fool around with clients. Yet what was happening between us was more than just playing around. The attraction was like a sparkling current of electricity igniting midway between our bodies. It didn’t surprise me that both my brothers and their wives had been suspicious.

  And then there was the guilt. Knowing how much Eric had affected me brought back memories of someone else who had once drawn similar emotions from my body. The one person who made me feel like the world belonged to us. I was his and only his: laughing, crying, sharing secrets and making plans for the future. He’d moved
from Vienna to be with me. Dropped everything that he loved and planned to open a bakery in New York just so that he could wake up next to me in the morning. And he was taken away so quickly. It had been two years since David died, and it was my fault. For months I couldn’t even say his name. I’d moved out of our apartment at my parent’s guest house, leaving everything behind. And when I finally began dating again, I knew the moment I agreed to a date that it wouldn’t last longer than a week. I hadn’t been able to let go of the past with anyone.

  Eric was so much more than I’d expected him to be. That first kiss spun my head, and the second one had me nearly climaxing as I rubbed myself against his erection. And whatever piece of jewelry he sported on his nipples – I wanted to see it, to lick it and play with it with my tongue. First it was the tattoo, and now his piercings? Pressed against him, the abrasive metal rubbed on my cleavage with excruciatingly delightful force. If he didn’t pull away, if he didn’t stop, I was sure I’d melt underneath him and start removing his clothes. I was all ready to rip that shirt off him when he pulled away. With my mind finally free, desperately trying to return to earth, or at least back to our flight, I’d lost myself in my work.

  If Eric was able to fry my mind with a kiss, what would happen if… No, I couldn’t think about being in his bed, his naked body above me, him slamming into my wet core, burying himself deeper and deeper with each thrust, driving me mad with the way his hands would roam my body, as he caressed my curves with his divine mouth. Oh, God, what was his mouth capable of, exactly? I shook my head. My lecherous thoughts had me soaking between my legs.

  How would I be able to resist him? Thank God I was staying at a nearby motel. That way I could keep my distance and focus on the job.

  Once we landed, I gave Eric the directions to the motel I’d booked, and watched the farm fields roll by the side. The little time I’d had to research Eric’s town, which was only a few miles away, hadn’t turned up anything out of the ordinary. The information about John Huntz was another story. This man wanted to stay hidden. Not only that, but it appeared he had made his way back to Ogden every six months or so without anyone knowing. How he’d stayed concealed in a town that small, without anyone seeing him or hearing from him, surprised me. I had a feeling his daughter, the only relative he apparently had, would know more – who else would he have been contacting? I didn’t want to share that information with Eric yet. He’d freak out that the man who had kidnapped him and his sister had made his way back to the little town. My gut told me there was something in Ogden he wanted, and what that was would remain a mystery for a while longer.

  As we pulled up to a house, my attention came back to where we were.

  “This isn’t the motel,” I said.

  “Welcome to my ranch, Emma,” he replied, opening the car door for me.

  I stepped out, and with my hands dropped to my sides, I took in the picturesque log home and its surroundings. To the right, an enclosed area stretched as far as I could see. Far in the distance a group of horses grazed the fields. I felt as if I’d just stepped onto a movie set for Legends of the Fall.

  Turning around, I noticed the pathway we’d taken to drive up to this beautiful ranch. Tall willow trees lined its sides, with white fencing running all the way through, beyond which I assumed Eric’s horses frolicked. How did I miss this? I’d been so busy thinking about the case that I hadn’t seen any of Eric’s home.

  “This is yours?” I asked in awe, suddenly aware that this stopover wasn’t where we were originally heading.

  “Yes.”

  “It’s beautiful. And so peaceful.”

  “Thank you. It definitely is different than New York.”

  Wow! I wasn’t sure I could find words eloquent enough to describe this property and do it justice. And in my mind, more questions began to spill over. How could someone as young as Eric afford this? From the background check I’d done on him, I knew he was only two years older than me. Looking at the land stretching out in front of me, I couldn’t believe how quiet and peaceful it was, and I immediately felt my shoulders sink lower as I wondered what it would be like to live like this, so far away from people. I couldn’t imagine not having a friend like Grace living just a few floors below me, or a family within an hour’s drive. Although Eric’s parents didn’t live that far away, it still seemed like they could have been on the other side of the country. Standing here, for that brief moment, I wished I could stay at this ranch instead of the motel.

  “Wait, you are going to take me to the motel, aren’t you? You know I can call a cab if it’s an issue.”

  Eric simply laughed, shaking his head and murmuring under his breath, “A cab.”

  “What?” I asked.

  “You’d have to wait quite a while for a cab around here. Mr. Carlton’s old Buick doesn’t go faster than thirty miles per hour, and that’s when he’s sober enough to drive.”

  “There’s only one cab?”

  “If you call it a cab. He just drives people to places when they can’t get there. But don’t worry, I can take you to the motel if you’d like, Emma. That is, if you want to sleep with bed bugs and God knows what else, then you’re more than welcome to. But I promise my bed is much more comfortable.”

  “You want me to stay here?”

  “Of course. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Seeing how your brothers were ready to hang me if I let anything happen to you, I’d prefer to have you within sight at all times.”

  “I can take care of myself.”

  “I don’t doubt that. All right. Let me give you another motive then.” Eric stepped closer to me. His voice lowered, charged with the yearning of a man who was on a mission. I watched his chest rise and fall in slow motion. He was so close, the heat beaming off his body wrapped around me and the smell of his morning aftershave and a little bit of sweat filled me.

  “I want you like I haven’t wanted a woman in my life, and at this point I couldn’t stand being away from you for a moment. I understand you’re working and need space. I’ll keep my distance for now. But once you’re done, all bets are off, Emma. You will be mine. Please, stay with me.”

  He gently kissed me and pulled away.

  My heart nearly jumped out of my chest. How was I supposed to reply to that? Eric’s forward yet gentlemanly nature somehow took away all those witty words that usually came out of my mouth.

  “Now, let me show you to our bedroom.”

  “Our?”

  “It’s mine, but since you’ll be using it, it’s yours. Making it ours.” He grinned. “Don’t worry. I’ll be sleeping somewhere else.”

  “Too bad.”

  Eric halted mid-step.

  Crap! Did I say that out loud?

  “It is, isn’t it? Look at it this way. The better you’re able to concentrate and find Huntz, the quicker I can give you all the attention that you deserve. And believe me, I want to give you all my attention, Emma.”

  “That’s very forward.”

  “I don’t play games. And I hope you won’t either.”

  For the first time in my life, I didn’t want to play games either. I’d had enough of the cat and mouse chase with men I was so used to. I loved Eric’s determination and confidence. And most of all, I loved how much I wanted to learn more about this cowboy. There weren’t enough dates I could have with him that would have bored me. I wanted to know what he liked to eat, about his favorite games as a child, how he got that scar in his brow and whether beyond Huntz he had any fears. I’d seen the way his temple twitched at the mention of Huntz’s name. It took all my strength not to kiss it and ease Eric’s pain. I’d do anything to erase that dreadful past, but I couldn’t. Instead, I’d do everything in my power to give him the kind of justice he sought, and once the bastard was behind bars, I’d soothe his agony with my kisses, until he could only remember my mouth grazing all over his skin, his abs, his chest.

  I followed Eric inside the house, which reminded me of one of our family cottages up in Colora
do, and my cousin Gabe’s home in Austria’s Alps, except this one appeared a bit smaller and it was a bungalow. Wooden beams stretched across the wall, exposed joists supported the roof, and right smack in the middle of the house was a fireplace, splitting the family room and the dining area in half. Beyond was a kitchen that opened up onto a wooden patio. The open concept of the home with country tones and artifacts filling every nook and corner felt warm and inviting. It gave the home more interior space than I would have thought from the outside. Fluffy blankets spread across the two couches and chair. Fat pillows lay in one corner of a room, right by a basket filled with books, all spread over sheep skin. The smell of vanilla candles and farm air filled me as I felt a slight tug at my hand.

  “This way,” Eric led me to the right side of the house where he opened the bedroom door.

  A standard king-size bed was the focal point. A rocking chair was set in the corner of the bedroom with a dresser right beside it.

  “The sheets are fresh. Please make yourself at home. This is not a five-star hotel, but I hope it’s sufficient for what you need. I’ll freshen up and go make some food. We can visit Ogden after we eat.”

  Was he kidding? This was the best hospitality I’d had in a long time. No hotel host could have been as personal or kind as Eric had been.

  “Great, thank you.”

  “And if you need anything, Emma, don’t be shy.”

  What I really needed now was Eric on that bed. I’d been curious about those muscles hidden underneath his shirt since the evening we’d met at the strip club. Now that I’d felt his pecs with my hands, I couldn’t wait to see those jewels decorating his nipples. A Cowboy with piercings – that must be a first! But something inside me snapped. I’d never been this quiet or timid in my life. I didn’t think this could actually be happening to me. Shy had never been part of my vocabulary, but with Eric at my side, I was beginning to feel more embarrassed about my usually bold ways each minute. What was happening to me?