Dream Shadow (20 page)

“I’d be happy to do that.”

Brice pulled the garment over her head and threw it across the room.

“I didn’t say anything.”

Brice unhooked her bra and sent it sailing away to join her top.

“I understood you perfectly.”

He had but she found herself feeling vulnerable as his gaze settled on her bare breasts. She wanted to please him and she’d never actually thought about whether or not her breasts were pretty.

“You’ve got the most beautiful set of tits.” Sitting, Brice fastened his mouth to the side of her neck. He moved his hands up her back as he pressed their bodies more firmly together.

Oh God…everything is shattering.
His lips were too hot, but she couldn’t ask him to stop. It felt so good, so right. She twisted her fingers into his shirt, popping buttons free as she searched for his skin. His rough hair brushed her fingers before she found the hard muscle of his chest. A deep rumble of approval came from him. Lowering her head, she caught his stare.

“Kiss me, Grace.”

And she did. Slightly hesitant, she bent forward to touch her mouth to his. Feather light, her lips moved over his, searching for the right touch. His lips parted as she became bolder. They weren’t close enough. She wanted to feel him, just him, not the layers of denim and cotton that covered both of them.

“I want more…” she whispered.

“So do I.”

Cradling her neck, Brice rolled her body beneath his. She shifted with indecision but settled her hand onto his arms.

“A whole lot more than I think I have the control to wait for,” Brice confessed.

He reached for her breast, cupped it and rolled it in his grasp. A harsh gasp escaped her lips and he treated the opposite breast to the same sensation.

Grace couldn’t think, and she didn’t want to. Brice bent his head and licked her nipple before he pulled the entire thing into his mouth. She arched with the sensation and heard her own little moan of pleasure.

“Do you like that?”

Brice’s eyes were hard as he waited for her to voice her surrender.

“You are so stubborn, Grace.”

“I give as good as I get, Campbell.” Grace pushed up on her elbows and caught his nipple with her lips. His rough breath delighted her and she licked the puckered nub through his shirt before she sucked on it harder. She twisted the fabric until it parted to give her his bare skin.

“This doesn’t have to be a battle, sweetheart.” Brice pushed her onto her back and searched her eyes.

“Be honest and call it what it is. You’re not seducing me, you’re rising to the challenge…remember?”

There was a flare of excitement in his eyes, one which unleashed a wave of anticipation inside her. He stood and pulled her off the bed too.

“So see if you can keep up, honey.” He began to pull his clothes off, a few buttons snapping because he was in a hurry. The same urgency drove her. Soon the rest of her clothing was scattered across the floor.

He cupped her face with gentle hands, the heat from his body teasing her bare skin.

“I want to seduce you.”

It was a tender statement, one he sealed with a sweet kiss, but they were both too needy to proceed at a slow pace. He scooped her up and laid her back on his bed. Victory shown in his eyes as he covered her.

Her body shuddered with need and it was overwhelming. She shifted, rubbing against him in invitation, seeking out the intimacy she’d craved since the last time he’d fought his way past her defenses.

He moved his hand and parted her flesh as he found her most sensitive spot. Her body jerked away but he held her down as that finger began a slow circle. Sensation was sharp and merciless as it spiked through her body.

“I want to hear you purr,” Brice promised darkly.

Grace arched, pushing her hips up toward that hand. He pressed his finger against her and then circled before pressing again. Everything drew tight and pleasure spiked straight through her. It was intense and breathtaking but it was also one sided.

“I want more.”

“I want to make love with you too, Grace.” His mouth covered hers and thrust her denial back into her throat.

The word love seemed too exposing, but he didn’t allow her the chance to argue. Grace surrendered because her body demanded it. She wanted him. Wanted more than he’d given her in such a one-sided pleasure.

“You made your point, Brice.”

“Did I?” Her emerald eyes were cloudy with passion. Brice eased to his side and watched her adjust herself against him.

“Yes.” Grace still didn’t have the words to express it. But she wanted his pleasure to mingle with hers. Her body seemed incomplete without his. Spreading her hands over his chest, she sighed with enjoyment. Moving down, she boldly closed her hands around his cock.

Grace stroked his sex. The heavy rod was swollen stiff. Brice sucked his breath in as she moved her hand up the length of the staff. It pulsed, reminding her how it had throbbed deep inside her body.

Brice’s eyes were harsh with arousal. She moved her hand again and watched his face draw tight. The bed shifted again as he rolled her onto her back. He brushed over her healing wound as he watched her face for any sign of pain.

Dipping his head, Brice licked a small pink nipple. She arched her back and he sucked it into his mouth. Her hips thrust up in a tiny movement along with her back. Brice covered her mons with a firm hand then slipped a finger into her wet sex. “Open for me, honey.”

His staff throbbed against her leg, and Grace obeyed as she moaned with anticipation. Her passage ached for his body to fill it. He lifted his body and settled between her thighs. Brice held himself above her as the tip of his staff nudged the opening to her body.

Her hips thrust up, seeking his possession. Brice pressed forward as he groaned with pure pleasure. Her hips tilted to ease his penetration as her nipples brushed against his chest.

Her passage was flooded from her first climax. But she thrust up toward him eagerly seeking another orgasm.

His body was so hard. Grace craved it and she pushed her hips toward his. They moved together in a dance that fed her cravings. Pleasure tightened around his staff again as she let him drive her toward climax. His thrusts were hard and heavy and she wanted more.

“Look at me, Grace. Let me see your pleasure.” His face was raw. The brown probe of his eyes was as hard as his sex. The jump and throb of his staff hit her body as she tightened around him to milk him dry. Pleasure split her apart as he ground his staff deeper into her body. He watched her, absorbing every last wave of sensation that coursed through her.

Brice rolled off her immediately. He brushed his hand over her wound and nodded with satisfaction. The stitches were dry. Gently rubbing her hip, he eased any discomfort that might have resulted from their activity.

“I’m fine.”

Tipping her chin up, Brice considered her emerald eyes. She was slipping her mask back into place as he watched.

“Don’t hide from me, Grace.” His voice was a deep warning.

She shifted closer to him, closing her eyes for a moment so that there was nothing but the sound of his heart. “I don’t want to.” She drew in a deep breath and sighed. “I guess…it’s a habit.”

“Fair enough.”

He stroked her back, slowly petting her. Time froze, stretching out, and she lost track of it completely. There was only the sound of his heart and the feeling of his arms around her. She’d never felt so secure. Or cherished.

But the back door squeaked as it was opened too fast. Jacobs stomped inside and slammed it shut.

“Are you deaf, Campbell? You’ve got company knocking on your front door.”

The sound of her C.O.’s voice hit Grace like a bucket of ice water. She stiffened, bumping Brice’s chin in the process.

“Family has the worst sense of timing,” Brice groused before rising from the bed and stepping into his jeans.

“So does my C.O..”

He turned to shoot a questioning look at her. Halfway into his shirt, Brice paused a moment to grin at her.

“Yeah, him too.”

A sound escaped her that she was sure she’d never made. She slapped a hand over her lips but Brice chuckled. He leaned down over the bed and pulled her hand away.

“I love it when you giggle.”

She rolled away from him and landed on her feet on the opposite side of the bed.

“It’s immature.”

He reached for his gun. “It’s sexy as hell because you hold onto your control so tightly. Makes me wonder if you’re ticklish.”

She wrapped her hands over her body in defense.

“Stay right here,” he instructed. “I’ll be back.”

Brice turned away to see to his company.

Backing away from the bed, Grace grabbed her clothes. Her body was weak. So weak she already wanted another taste of the man.

She already had to fight to keep from giggling.

And the best part was, she liked it.

“Who’s behind that door?” Jacobs’s voice was stone cold, as he demanded information.

“I told you, around here I have friends. I called a few of them over to help even the field.”

Jacobs cocked his head to the side as he digested that.

“Every piece of this trap needs to be tight. We don’t have time to be guessing just which face to trust.”

Understanding came instantly. Jacobs stepped back as he waited for Brice to open the door. The men that entered were muscular with razor-sharp eyes. They committed his face to their memories even as he did the same. The last man through the door gained complete approval from him.

“Grant Campbell.” The sheriff of the neighboring county crossed into the room as he stuck his hand out in greeting. Jacobs shook his brother-in-law’s hand before sending a grin over to Brice.

“Where’s the brat?”

Grant Campbell lifted the corners of his mouth. Jacobs never referred to his sister as anything other than brat. But the man also took brotherly affection to the extreme. “At home, no doubt changing the locks on the doors because I wouldn’t bring her along.”

“She knows I’m here?” The steel was back in Jacobs’s voice.

Brice leveled a hard stare at the man. “You might recall that little chat Ms. Stewart had with you about the gossip chain around these parts. I’m surprised Sarah didn’t waltz into the hospital.”

“You can thank me later. Sarah doesn’t like being kept away from her family.” Grant stated his opinion before he dropped his frame onto the sofa. “These are my men. The best. But most importantly, they know the mill inch by inch.”

“It’s the resource you don’t have, Jacobs.”

Jason nodded. “I think we should introduce them to Grace.”

The shadow of the hallway hid her most effectively. The only occupant of the living room that noticed her was the large bloodhound one of the deputies had with him. The animal aimed its large eyes into the dark to study her. He lifted his nose and shook his head to pull her scent into the deep folds of skin that made up his face. The animal raised a foot to paw at its master as it let out a low-pitched whine.

“What’s got you all excited?” The deputy in charge of the bloodhound ran a familiar hand over the animal’s fur, but the dog wiggled away from the attention. He stared back into the darkness before emitting a series of whines and yelps.

“Rudy’s more excited than I’ve seen him in a long time.” Brice considered the hound.

“Yep. You don’t have a bitch hiding out back there, do ya?”

Jacobs choked. Brice tried, but the noise that came out of his chest sounded far too much like a laugh. Grace frowned. Damn males. They always thought themselves so very perceptive. She knew how to be a bitch. If Brice Campbell found the idea so amusing, she just might have to crack his skull with the reality.

“Good evening, gentlemen. I hope you’ll excuse my tardy arrival.” Grace strolled into the room with a smile plastered to her face. She fluttered her eyelashes just a bit as she looked over their company. Considering Brice’s cousin, she turned her full attention onto Grant Campbell.

“How is your wife?”

Grant Campbell jumped to his feet while his hand made a quick pull at his hat. The other deputies followed their sheriff. Muffled greetings filled the room as the men tried to stare at her without their mouths dropping open.

“What a fine animal.”

“Oh, Rudy is. Thank you, ma’am.” The deputy grinned like a schoolboy as she smiled at him. Grace opened her eyes a bit wider in innocence as she focused on the young deputy.

“You know anything about tracking hounds?”

“I’m familiar with tracking,” she assured him.

He grinned and he launched into a shining explanation of Rudy’s tracking abilities. Grace appeared to hang on his every word. Rudy did interest her. Allan gave the dog its leave and he ambled over to her, giving her a thorough investigation with his nose before sitting at her feet. Grant’s other deputies were practically begging for the chance to gain her attention. Grace fluttered her lashes again before placing the final touch on her performance.