Chapter 5
He should get the hell away from her. He had no business being here and no right to ask her something so personal. He had told himself he would stay away from her, but it was as if he was being drawn by magnet and that was completely dangerous.
Striding from the living area, he started for the door and then hesitated. Swearing beneath his breath, he changed direction and went into the kitchen. She had taken off her boots and was perched on a chair at the dining table sipping tea.
Her eyes lifted to his as he stood there just inside the doorway as if contemplating whether or not to come further into the room.
“I should go!” He said foolishly.
“Should you?” Curving her fingers around the cup, she took another sip. “Then I suppose I should bid you good night. When I am finished with the tea, I shall be heading to the bedroom. It’s the first one on your left. I will leave the door open, in case you change your mind.”
His eyes glittered and he cursed the thudding of his heart. “Is it that easy for you?” He tried for caustic and hit harsh. “You just came from having dinner with one man and who knows what else and just casually invite another to your bed. Who the hell are you?”
Her composure remained intact, and her expression did not alter. “I am free and single and do whatever the hell I want to do. I had dinner with a guy I met today who wanted to treat me to a meal.
I am inviting you into my bed because I happen to be attracted to you. It’s up to you what you do what that.” Finishing the tea, she rose and went to put the cup in the sink.
He stood where he was and felt the shame coursing through his body as she swept past him. he had no right to judge her, no damn right to question her actions. He did not own her, hell, he did not even know her.
But something was happening between them, at least on his part. He could not stay away from her and even if he turned and walked out, he would be back. He was sure of it.
Leaning on the door jamb, he closed his eyes as the internal battle raged. He wanted her. It was that simple. Even before he had a taste, the need had been there. The desire to have her had been there.
It had only gotten worse when they kissed. He wanted a hell of a lot more and he was not going to leave without having her.
Pushing back his hat, he dragged restless fingers through his hair, fingers trembling. Letting out a strangled breath, he turned and went after her.
She was undressing. His breath caught inside his throat as he stood just inside the open door staring at her. She was down to her underwear, flimsy black lace that barely covered her.
He stood there mesmerized as she unhooked the front clasp of her bra. Her eyes met his boldly as she took the bra off and put it over a chair. There was no sign of coyness in her expression, and she was not shy.
Why should she be? He thought dazedly. She was perfect. Her breasts were small, the nipples wide and already puckered, just by him staring at them. Her belly was flat and contoured. Her sex…, his eyes whipped back to her face. His heart was racing, his skin clammy.
“I see you’ve changed your mind. Are you going to just stand there?”
“No!” He shook his head as if to clear it. “No!” He cleared his throat and came further into the room. A low fire was simmering inside the hearth giving the small area, a warmth and coziness. The quilt was already turned down, invitingly.
Jon had never been so nervous in his life. He had been with a lot of women. In the past, he had been reckless, carefree and being the son of a billionaire rancher had its perks. He had been allowed a lot of freedom and women were attracted to him.
When his dad died and he had to take over the running of the ranch, his perspective had changed. He had become more responsible.
Running a multi-billion-dollar ranch took up a lot of his time, almost all of it and the former restlessness and promiscuity had been shelved and done with. He found himself wanting more.
He had gotten more selective. Now at thirty-five, here he was after several months of celibacy, faced with the most alluring and seductive woman he had ever met and was tongue-tied and foolish around her.
He had no idea he had made the final steps until he was standing in front of her. She was tiny, he thought whimsically. She did not come to his shoulders and had to tilt her head back to meet his gaze. Hers was bold, while his…, he did not care to think how he appeared to her. He felt gauche and awkward.
She was the one who made the first move. Lifting a hand, she touched his jaw, fingers trailing over his stubble.
“Still upset?”
“What?” He blinked blue eyes at her, his body primed and ready to take hers.
“You were mad that I had dinner with someone else.” She trailed a finger over his bottom lip and felt the answering desire trembling through her body at his reaction.
“It’s none of my business.” His voice was hoarse. He still had his hands at his sides, as if unsure what to do with them. The heat from her body was warping his senses and making him dizzy.
“I agree with you there. Aren’t you going to kiss me?”
Her question galvanized him into action. Suddenly, it was as if he had awakened from a deep sleep. His hands came up to clamp around her neck and waist. Hauling her against him, he lifted her so that he could take her lips. The kiss was rough and potent and had her gasping.
His hands roamed over her naked flesh, reveling at the silky feel of her skin. Pressing her against him, he drove his tongue into her mouth, his control snapping.
With a feral growl, he lifted her into his arms, never breaking the kiss and with unerring accuracy, brought her over to the bed. Her arms came around his neck as she held on.
Her response – passionate and giving had his body tightening with a need that surpassed anything he had ever experienced before. He was still fully clothed but could not bear to make the effort to get undressed. It would mean ending the contact with her, and that was not something he wanted to do.
Besides, her mouth – Sweet God! Her mouth was honey laced with a very potent wine. The taste of her wrapped around him like a blanket, sucking him in. He wanted to devour her, take her all in and never stop.
But he wanted more. So much more of her. Dragging his lips from hers, he had to suck in several breaths as he tried to steady himself.
“Wait!” He whispered thickly when she tried to reach for him.
“I need to…,“ he wrestled with his shirt and with a husky laugh, she tore at the buttons and sent them flying.
“My jeans and boots….” With a frustrated sigh, he shoved off the bed and practically tore them off.
Kamilah murmured deep inside her throat as she got her first glimpse of the magnificent body. He was lean, his muscles toned. His belly was flat, his chest smooth, muscles flexing as he toed off his boots. His sex…! “Oh Lord.” She whispered, one hand flying to her throat. “Oh my. “Come here.”
Desire rose up inside her and threatened to overwhelm as he climbed in next to her.
“On me. I need you inside me.” Her hands raced up and down his chest; eyes bright with passion as she turned into him.
“Not yet. I want you weeping and wanting.” He whispered harshly. “And begging.” He trailed a finger down one cheek, to trace the outline of her lush bottom lip.
“I don’t beg.” She retorted but damn him! She did not like the fact that she was jumping, every nerve cell was active and painfully alive. She wanted desperately to feel the lean muscled body on hers. Wanted to feel his penis deep inside her.
“You will.” He had the sudden need to be in control. Since the first time he met her, she had the upper hand, and it disturbed him. he meant to change that. Bending his head, he kissed her lightly, tongue tracing the shape of her lips and felt his body reacting when she started to tremble.
Capturing her restless hands when she tried to take over, he simply held them above her head and started nibbling her bottom lip.
Fire shot through her with a swiftness and force that had her heaving towards him.
“Damn you.” Her eyes blazed at him as her slender body worked hard to try and get him to do more.
“I am in charge.” He murmured. He was bursting. Good God! His control was almost in tatters, and he knew that soon enough, he would have to end the torture, but he wanted the win.
He wanted the chance to show them both that this was something she could not control. His tongue eased into her mouth, and he captured her moans. The kiss was slow, soft, feather light, deliberately so.
He wanted to build up the momentum, spin her to heights she had never been before. He wanted to erase all the other men from her life. He was selfish and desperate to be the one she would never forget, and he was willing to do just about anything to bring this about.
Kamilah felt as if she was poised on the edge of a cliff and about to take the leap. She squirmed against him, almost willing him to do more, take more. She wanted to feel all of him and the pace was killing her.
“Please.” She whispered in his mouth.
“Not yet.” He loved her taste. Her breath was an aphrodisiac that was sliding into him like a narcotic. His entire body was affected. He was sure she could feel the unsteady beating of his heart.
Heat flooded him like a volcano about to erupt. His sex was heavy and full, throbbing painfully. When he plunged his tongue into her mouth and deepened the kiss, she cried out softly, her body arching.
But he did not prolong the kiss. Her frustrated moan turned to absolute shocked pleasure when he kissed her throat, her collarbone, and the top of her breasts.
Hungry lips sought and found her throbbing and painful nipples and when they did, she dissolved. He suckled slowly at first and then with an increased ardor that demanded a volcanic response from her.
The climax was a surprise, and it was intense. She had so often equated the act with just a pop, a small release that had often left her mildly pleasant and dissatisfied. Nothing like this. Never like this. The feeling shuddered through her unsuspecting body with a force that had her trembling.
“I can’t!”
Feeling the power of her surrender, like a drug running through his system, Jon eased a hand between them and cupped her sex. His fingers was on her and then into her, piercing her and sending her flying again.
She could not believe it! Sensations shuddered through her body with a force that had her reaching for him and calling out his name.
Her complete surrender sent him over the edge. Covering her body with his, he drove into her, expression harsh and intense with passion. He filled her – she enveloped him, her tightness tugging, taking him in. He stayed still for a minute, body shuddering, mind blank, unable to comprehend what was happening.
With a low and fierce growl, he covered her lips, crushing the softness as he drove into her. She came again, slender curves shivering against him.
He knew he would not last long, but he tried to prolong the agonizing sweetness. For the first time in his life, he was not worried about consequences, was not even thinking of it.
Ending the kiss, he buried his face in the curve of her neck as he poured himself deep inside her, his body shuddering, his heart racing, and his mind in a turmoil.
Lying beneath him, Kamilah could still feel her heart hammering and her body susceptible to his. And he had called it. She had whimpered and moaned, and she had begged. It humiliated to remember how much.
And how much she had felt and experienced – it had started out as a game, a casual fling and had taken her completely by surprise. She had felt too much, needed too much for it to be classified as casual.
“You’re crushing me.” She lied as she pushed at him.
“Sorry.” He mumbled and only just manage to roll off her. His skin was coated in a thin layer of sweat, and he felt hot all over. Unlike her, he was not surprised by the tumultuous lovemaking – all right, he was shocked at the intensity of it, and it terrified him. All he knew was that he wanted more.
“Well.” She tried for brisk, tried to appear as if she was not extremely affected. She needed clothing – she need to cover herself up and get him out of her space.
She need time to think and process what had just happened. “I should get some sleep. And I am sure you have to get going.” She started to move away only to have him clamp his hand on her upper arm.
“I am not done. We’re not done.”
She did not want to look at him. His hard lean body had played complete havoc on hers and her mind was still somewhere she could not find.
“Look…” That was as far as she got. Hauling her on top of him, he crushed her lips with his. Her body was rigid at first as she tried to resist, but it took only a few minutes to have her melting against him.
*****
He was gone the next morning when she opened her eyes. At first, she had no recollection of what had happened and then it came flooding right back.
The sheets were hopelessly tangled, and she was sore all over. Her nipples were still sensitive and between her thighs – she closed her eyes as sensations rocketed her body. Three times! That was not possible. She could not comprehend her behavior either. That was not her.
So, it was good that he had left before they could have a conversation, because frankly, she had no idea what she would have said to him.
“It was nice.” Seemed like a woefully inadequate phrasing. And she had not asked him about…
“Oh, dear God!” She whispered. She had been on the pill for what seemed like forever, but she had started having an allergic reaction. Her gynecologist had suggested she gave it a rest and since she was not in a relationship, she had decided to.
That was three months ago. Was it still in her system? Scrubbing her hands over her face, she cursed lavishly. How could she have been so damn careless?
That had never happened to her before. Dragging herself out of bed, she went to hunt down a robe and headed towards the bathroom. She was going to settle down with her writing and try to get all of it out of her mind.
*****
He told himself he had to leave early. He had a ranch to run and because of the recent flooding, there were still things to be done. It was business as usual.
They had a damn tour coming by today and his mother as well as the rest of the staff at the ranch house was preparing for the ‘End of Summer Gala’. It was a few days away and the storm had not dampened the need to prepare for it.
It was an annual event – a combination of several things. McCarthy Fields was heavy into charity and sponsored several young people who wanted to attend college. It was also fruit picking as well. It was an entire day packed with activities.
Their fruit were well tended and free of fertilization, therefore, in very high demand. There was also the peeling, the ‘jam fest’ where women all over town come to participate in the preparation of apple, peach, and orange jams.
He did not have time to reflect on what happened between them last night and this morning. Or the fact that he had stood by the side of the bed, staring at her, examining her flawless skin, with the butterfly tattoo on her left buttocks.
Neither was he going to consider how that had made him feel to wonder if the tattoo artist had been male and if so, had she slept with him.
The fierce possessiveness he felt towards her was frightening the crap out of him. For the first time since he assumed responsibility of the ranch, he had been reluctant to attend to his duties. He had wanted to stay with her, wanted to wrap his arms around her and make love to her the entire day.
And he could not get the taste of her out of his mouth. There was another worry. He had always been so careful, had to be. He was Jonathan McCarthy, heir to a fortune. But that had never even entered his mind – it had never occurred to him to ask if she was protected.
With a grim look settled on his features, he went to work.
*****
She could not concentrate on work. She sat there staring at the few sentences she had written after prevaricating for what seemed like most of the morning. It was no good, certainly not up to her usual lofty standards. And the wine had not helped.
She had barely eaten a slice of toast and a boiled egg for breakfast, topped off by several cups of coffee. Maybe she was jacked up on caffeine, which could be a logical explanation, she thought, pushing away from the table.
Outside was washed with light from the sun. She had opened the window to let some air in and appreciated the cool breeze. Trying to ignore thoughts of him from circling inside her head was proving to be a futile endeavor. She was about to force herself to go back to her writing when her phone vibrated.
It was her friends calling and she remembered telling them about the storm and heavy rain and promising she would call back.
“I am so sorry,” she started as soon as she pressed the icon. Sitting back down, she reached for her glass of wine. “I completely forgot that I owed you guys a phone call.” “And in the meantime, we have been worried,” Salome complained. “How is it there?”
“The rain stopped, and I am all dry and safe. I did not bother mentioning anything to gramps because he would have been worried.”
“And we have not said anything either,” Lauren told her, “how are you? I told Salome, you must be climbing the walls about now.”
She laughed softly, looking out the window just in time to see a blue jay flitting around the rose bush. “Far from it.” She watched fascinated as the beautiful bird hovered over the plant, before soaring towards the redwood tree at the edge of the fence.
It was funny how she had never bothered with nature and realize how stunning and relaxing just watching a bird performs. “I went to the museum the other day and attended a local play at the theater. It was quite intriguing. I also had dinner with a travel writer from New York.”
“Did you sleep with him?”
The question had her going back to last night and this morning. “It was just dinner.”
“What about the gorgeous blonde cowboy who owns the town? Surely, you have been introduced?”
Usually, she would be spilling everything or almost everything to her friends. It surprised her that she was reluctant to share anything this time.
“I have seen him around,” she lied easily. Picking up her glass, she took a bolstering sip of the wine.
“And?” Salome demanded. “Was the picture worth a thousand words?”
“More than. Anyway guys, I was in the middle of trying to get a chapter finished. I will call you tomorrow.” To her relief, they accepted that and said their goodbyes. Setting her glass down, she sat there staring at the screen.