Chapter Six
All day Friday, Randi was a wreck. She was anxious to see Jack this evening, but she was so looking forward to it. She had made meatloaf with gravy in the crockpot this morning and she hoped he liked it.
“You should have asked him if he liked meatloaf,” she murmured. “Damn, too late now.”
She had put a sign in the window that she would be closing at five today, so she hoped she didn’t run past that time. She wanted to take a shower and get in some comfy clothes.
When it was time to close, she still had two customers in the shop. With a sigh, she walked toward the door, turned the sign over to ‘Closed’, then made her way to behind the counter. She hoped they took the hint.
A few minutes passed and they finally carried items to the counter. Smiling, the women set them down and waited while she rung them up. After placing them in the bags, she handed them to the women.
“Thank you for shopping here. I hope you come back.”
“We will. We have one more week here, so I plan on taking some gifts home. We’ll be back for sure. I’m sorry we kept you here late.”
“Oh, it’s no problem. Enjoy your candles and bath salts.” Randi smiled as they walked out of the store, then she quickly locked the door behind them. She gathered her purse, turned out the lights, and made her way out the back door and up the stairs. After unlocking the door, she entered the apartment, and groaned at the smell coming from the crockpot. She locked the door, then headed for the shower.
At six, she sat on the sofa, waiting. Then when a knock sounded on the door, she jumped. Taking a deep breath, she stood up, walked toward the door, and looked out the peephole and sighed. So handsome!
Randi unlocked the door, opened it and smiled when Jack grinned at her. He held a pink carnation in his hand, then handed it to her.
“Thank you. Come inside.” She opened the door wider.
Jack removed his hat, wiped his feet on the welcome mat and entered the apartment.
“Damn, something smells good.”
“It’s meatloaf.”
“I meant you,” he said as he stared into her eyes. “But the meatloaf smells good too.”
“I should have asked you if you liked meatloaf,” Randi said.
“What red-blooded man doesn’t?” Jack grinned.
“Please, sit down. I’ll put this in water.”
She turned from him, but he wrapped his fingers around her wrist, stopping her. She looked into his eyes.
“How about a kiss first?”
“Definitely.” She turned to face him. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. She moaned, and he pulled her tight against him, deepening the kiss. When Jack slowly lifted his lips from hers, she wanted them back. He placed his forehead against hers.
“I could get used to that,” he said.
Randi smiled. “You and me both.” She stepped back from him, took his hat from his hands and hung it on the hat wrack. “What would you like to drink?”
“Just water is fine.”
“Alright. Have a seat, Jack. I’ll be right there.” She watched him nod, but didn’t move toward the sofa. Frowning, she filled a glass with ice and water, then handed it to him. He took a sip.
“That feels good after a hot day.”
“Jack, please sit.”
“I will after you.” He stared at her and the heat filled her cheeks. When he grinned, she pointed her finger at him.
“Don’t.”
His eyebrows shot up. “Don’t what?”
“You know very well what. Let me put dinner on the table.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I hope you’re hungry.”
“Starving. I missed lunch today. I was so busy working around the barn.”
“Did you get everything done?”
“Around the barn, yes, but I still need to check the fence to make sure it’s not down anywhere before I let the horses run.”
“That will make a nice ride for you.” She smiled over her shoulder at him.
“Twenty-five acres isn’t much compared to some places in Montana, but I only have four horses, so it’s more than enough.”
“I’d love to see your place, Jack and go riding. If your horses are gentle enough.”
“They are, and that sounds good. Maybe next weekend.”
“I’d love it.” Randi picked up the plate with the meatloaf, set it on the table, then got the mashed potatoes. She moved close to a chair and was surprised when Jack pulled it from the table for her. She smiled, sat down, then watched as he resumed his seat.
Once they finished eating, which Jack raved about, they both cleaned up the table. Randi put the dishes in the dishwasher, ran it, then they sat on the sofa. She picked up the remote and turned the TV on.
“Do you want to watch a movie?”
“No.”
Randi frowned as she looked at him. “No?”
“No.”
“Well, what do you want to do?”
When he grinned, her cheeks turned red. “Jack—”
“I want to talk about you.”
Randi sat up and glared at him. “You did that on purpose?”
“Did what?” He raised his eyebrows.
“Made me think—” She shook her head.
“Think… what?”
“That you… you wanted to, to…” She shook her head.
Jack laughed. “Oh, I want to do that too, but we barely know each other. This is only the second time we’ve gotten together. Damn, what kind of man do you take me for?”
Randi narrowed her eyes and could tell he was trying not to laugh, so she did.
“Okay, what do you want to know?”
“Tell me about the man you used to see.”
Randi sighed. “He’s never happy with one woman. We’d been together for almost two years before he proposed. Of course, I said yes, but…”
“But what?”
“He was still engaged to his previous fiancée.” Randi laughed. “I can laugh about it now, but then, I wanted to punch him.”
“I’m sure. How did he explain that?”
“He said he just hadn’t had the heart to break it off with her yet.” She shook her head. “She didn’t even know he wanted to end the engagement.”
“How did you find that out?”
Randi smiled. “She came to my shop one day and asked me what I thought I was doing going out with her fiancé. I asked her what she was talking about, and she told me that Alan was her fiancé. She even showed me the ring. So, I showed her mine.” Randi giggled. “It was the same damn ring!”
“You’re kidding?”
“Nope. So, we went to my office to talk and discovered we weren’t the only ones to fall for his lies. We went to see him and the look on his face when he opened the door was just hysterical. Debra and I looked at each other and burst out laughing. We took the rings off, gave them to him, and left. As we’re walking down the hall toward the elevator, he yells, ‘they’re not even real!’. Well, that just set me and Debra off again. We had lunch together and became good friends. We still keep in touch. But Alan didn’t like it that we were the ones to figure him out and little things would happen in my shop that I knew he had something to do with, but could never prove.”
“Like what?”
“Oh, nothing serious. Just candles in the soap section, bath salts in the candle section.” She shrugged. “Silly things, really. But I got tired of dealing with it and decided to move. I’m not going to lie; it broke my heart that he not only cheated but had been engaged to another woman while engaged to me. I had to get as far away from him as I could. I was too afraid I’d run into him somewhere. I’m much happier here.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“My grandmother told me he was engaged again. I just laughed. One day someone will put him in his place.”
“It’s no less than what he deserves. I don’t understand men who think it’s a good idea to be involved with more than one woman at a time. That’s just asking for trouble.”
“I believe that too. Even women who date more than one man at a time. Jealousy is going to rear its ugly head at some point.”
“Did you hear from him once you left?”
“No. He knows I’d find out who’s he engaged to and tell her the truth about him.”
Jack chuckled. “Yeah, that should make him keep his distance.”
“So, what about the woman you were involved with?”
“Brenda and I were together almost two years. We were in love, but we didn’t want the same things. We should have discussed it but neither brought it up.”
“Brought what up?”
“Kids.”
Randi sat up. “You don’t want kids?”
“Oh, yeah. I do for sure, but Brenda didn’t. She’s a fashion designer and damn good at it, but she said having kids would be all on her. Not just the birthing but the raising them too because I was always on a case and traveling. But when I suggested I could leave the Marshals and work in local law enforcement, the truth came out. She was dead set against having kids.”
“How much did you have to travel?”
“One or two overnights per week. Sometimes longer.”
“That would be a little hard on a marriage. Especially with kids.”
“That’s one reason I wanted to quit and come home. I’d love to settle down, get married, and have a few kids.”
“Me too.” Randi sighed. “I’m not getting any younger.”
“I hear you on that. I thought I’d have a family by now.” Jack shrugged.
“Do your sister and her husband have kids?”
“Not yet, but they want to. They’d both make great parents. Brenna’s a schoolteacher, so she loves kids.”
“I had a teacher come in the other day. She had to order some things and her husband is going to pick it up.”
“What was her name?”
“Vivian Beckett.”
“Oh, I know Vivian and her husband, Grayson. He’s the sheriff in Hartland County.”
“She seemed very nice. She said she taught first grade.”
“Yes, so does Brenna.”
“Well, how about a movie now?”
“As long as I don’t keep you up too late. I don’t have to get up early, but you do.”
“I don’t have to be up until eight.” Randi looked at the clock. “It’s only seven-thirty.”
“Okay.”
“Okay, find something,” she said as she handed him the remote.
As they tried to find something to watch, Randi couldn’t stop sneaking glances at him. She would love for him to spend the night. Sure, they haven’t known each other long but he was a good man. She knew that with all her heart. She just hoped that when the time came for sex, he wasn’t a dud in bed.
She watched him glance at her, then did a doubletake. He set the remote on the coffee table and turned to face her.
****
Jack gently cupped Randi’s face in his hands, his fingers softly tracing the contours of her cheeks as he stared deeply into her eyes, searching for her unspoken words.
“Jack,” she whispered, her voice barely audible, like a delicate breeze carrying a secret. “I thought you said we barely know each other?”
“Yeah, that went out the window when you looked at me.”
He leaned forward slowly, his movements deliberate, his eyes never leaving hers. He could feel the heat radiating off her, a tangible reminder of the tension that had been building between them since they first met.
Before their lips met, he shifted his eyes to her lips, lingering there for a moment before returning to her eyes. He could see the desire in them, but also a hint of hesitation. All he wanted was to feel his lips on hers, to be consumed by the fire that burned between them. But he would never pressure her.
Their lips finally met, and it was like a spark igniting a flame. As their mouths moved together, he could feel all his doubts melting away. In that moment, there was only them, and the intense connection that they shared.
Jack could taste her desire, her hunger for him, and it only fueled his own. They were like two flames merging into one, intensifying with each passing moment.
When Jack lifted his lips from hers, their eyes locked in silent understanding. They didn’t need words to express what they felt, for in that moment, their lips had said it all.
“Tell me what you want, Randi,” he murmured, his breath a warm caress hovering just above her lips.
“Kiss me again,” she breathed, her words an invitation and a promise.
Jack pressed his lips over hers, enveloping them in a kiss that was both gentle and hungry. His hands remained cradling her cheeks tenderly. In response, Randi’s arm snaked around his neck, pulling him closer, her touch igniting a low, resonant moan from him.
He leaned forward, gently guiding her onto her back on the plush sofa, then moved over her. With a subtle nudge, he spread her legs, positioning himself between them with a natural ease. His lips lifted from hers, trailing a tender path along her cheek to her ear, where he captured the soft lobe between his teeth, evoking a shiver from her.
His lips journeyed back across her cheek, pausing as he gazed at her face, framed by the soft glow of the light.
“I want you so much, Randi, but if you tell me to stop, I will. At any time,” he assured.
“I want you too, Jack. It’s just been a while for me,” she admitted, her eyes reflecting both trust and a hint of apprehension.
“As I said, you can tell me to stop if you don’t feel comfortable,” he reiterated, his eyes never leaving hers.
Randi stared deeply into his eyes, then a smile graced her lips. “I believe you, but I don’t want the sofa to be where we have sex the first time.”
Jack grinned, a look of understanding crossing his face. “Okay.”
He moved off her, standing and extending his hand to her. She placed hers in his, as he pulled her to her feet. They stood facing each other, a shared anticipation buzzing in the air between them.
“You can still say no, Randi,” he reminded her, his voice gentle yet firm. “I swear to you, I would never do anything you didn’t want me to.”
Randi shook her head, a soft determination in her gaze. “I’m not saying no. Come with me.”
“Lead the way, sweetheart,” he replied.
****
Randi led him along the hallway, then into her bedroom. The door clicked shut behind them, sealing them in the shadowy cocoon of Randi’s bedroom. The air was thick with anticipation, the scent of her perfume mingling with his aftershave. Jack reached for her, his hands on her waist, pulling her body flush against him. His cock, rock-hard and straining against his jeans, pressed into the soft curve of her belly, making her gasp.
“I’m so hard for you, Randi,” he growled, his voice deep and gravelly with lust. “You’re driving me insane.”
Her fingers tangled in his hair, tugging him down to her lips. Their mouths crashed together in a deep desperate kiss, tongues tangling like they were trying to devour each other. Jack’s hands roamed over her body, squeezing her ass through her jeans.
“I need you, Jack,” Randi said, breaking the kiss to yank at the hem of his shirt. Jack pulled the shirt over his head, exposing his broad chest, his muscles rippling under the faint glow of the moon peeking through the curtains. Randi’s hands immediately went to his pecs, her nails scraping lightly over his nipples, making him hiss.
“You have an amazing body, Jack,” she said, then leaned forward and kissed his chest.
“I need to see you,” he said, his voice thick with need. His fingers fumbled with the buttons of her blouse, peeling it open to reveal the black lace bra that barely contained her breasts. Jack groaned, as he slid his mouth down her chest to suck a nipple through the fabric.
“Jack, please.” Randi arched into him, her hands clawing at his back.
He didn’t waste time. One hand yanked down the cup of her bra, freeing her breast to his mouth. He sucked hard, his tongue flicking over her nipple until it was a stiff little peak. His other hand worked its way down, unbuttoning her jeans and sliding inside her panties and slid his finger between her legs.
“Damn, baby,” he muttered, his finger sliding through her slick slit. “You’re wet.”
Randi whimpered, grinding against his hand as he rubbed tight circles around her clitoris.
“Don’t stop,” she begged, as his finger worked its magic. “Please, don’t stop.”
“Not a chance,” Jack growled. He dropped to his knees, yanking her jeans and panties down in one rough motion. She stepped out of them, her thighs trembling as he spread her legs and buried his face between them.
Randi groaned as his tongue moved along her slit, making her legs shake.
“You taste so fucking good.” He moaned against her, his whiskered cheeks scratching her sensitive skin. He sucked her clitoris into his mouth, flicking it with his tongue until she was writhing and gasping on the edge of an orgasm.
“Jack—” she started, but Jack sucked harder, and she trembled as her orgasm hit her hard.
Jack didn’t give her a second to recover. He stood up, his cock straining against the zipper of his jeans. Randi reached for him, unsnapped his jeans, lowered the zipper and shoved them down. His dick sprang free, thick and throbbing.
“Please, Jack,” Randi demanded, her eyes locked on his cock, then she stared into his eyes. “Now.”
Jack grabbed a condom from his wallet, tore it open with his teeth, and rolled it onto his dick in one smooth motion. He pushed Randi back onto the bed, spreading her legs wide and positioning himself between them.
“Are you ready for me, baby?” he asked, his voice rough and ragged.
“Yes, please,” Randi moaned, reaching down to guide him inside.
Jack thrust into her in one powerful stroke, burying himself to the hilt. They both groaned in unison, the sensation of him filling her almost too much to bear.
“Damn, sweetheart, you’re so tight,” Jack growled, pulling out and slamming back in. “You feel so good.”
“Harder,” Randi begged, her nails raking down his back as he pounded into her. Their groans and gasps mingling with the rhythmic creak of the bed.
Jack leaned down to capture her lips in another deep kiss, their tongues tangling as he fucked her harder and deeper. His hand gripped her hip, lifting her up to meet each thrust as he drove them both closer to the edge.
Jack raised his lips and stared into her eyes. “I can feel you clenching around my cock. You’re so close baby,” he said, and she fell apart, her orgasm crashing over her like a tidal wave. Jack wasn’t far behind. With a grunt, he buried himself deep and came, shuddering with pleasure.
They collapsed in a sweaty, tangled heap, their breath ragged and hearts pounding.
“Jack,” Randi panted, a lazy smile spreading across her face. “That was…”
“Incredible,” Jack finished for her, pressing a kiss to her forehead, then he rolled onto his back, and pulled her against him.
“Will you spend the night?”
“If you want me to.”
“Do you want to?”
“Yes, but it’s your decision, Randi.”
“I want you to.”
Jack kissed the top of her head. “Then I will.”
“I need to use the bathroom.”
“Could I use it first?” he asked.
“Oh! Yes, of course.” She watched him enter the bathroom, then return to the bed.
“I could take a nap,” Jack said around a yawn.
“How about a bath? I have a nice jacuzzi.”
“That sounds good.”
“I’ll meet you in there.” Randi rolled away from him, then entered the bathroom.
She turned the water on, then stared into the mirror. So, that’s what a satisfied woman looks like. She thought with a smile.
“What are you smiling about?”
She turned to look at the opened door to see Jack leaning against the frame with his arms folded across his chest and not a thing on. Damn. He had one hell of a body.
“I was smiling about the sex. I see a satisfied woman staring back at me in the mirror.”
Jack chuckled. “Glad to be of service.”
Randi walked toward him, wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed his neck. She sighed when his arms encircled her.
“I suppose I won’t see you at all this weekend, other than tomorrow morning.”
“Probably not. But, hey, if I’m at the office and nothing’s going on, you could come see me.”
“Really? That won’t get you into trouble?”
“No. As long as I’m doing my job—no, you’d better not. You’re too distracting.” When she gasped, he laughed. “I’m teasing. I would love to have you come by. Just text me and if I’m there, you can visit. I’m supposed to stay in the office to keep Declan and Mark in the loop about any calls, but if something comes up, I might have to leave.”
“Sounds like a plan. For now, let’s get in this tub, relax, and then head to bed. I have a feeling I’ll sleep very well tonight.”
“You and me both, darlin’.” Jack kissed her lips, held her hand while she stepped into the tub, then got in behind her.
When he kissed her collarbone, she couldn’t help but think of how romantic he was, and she really wanted to see if this would go anywhere. She knew she hoped so.