Forbidden Valentine: A Forbidden Novel (12 page)

“Baseball?” What the hell did she know about baseball? Besides hot men in tight pants running around and hitting balls.

Ransom’s pained groan ripped her away from her thoughts. “Baseball turns you on, huh? That’s got to be a first. How about football instead?”

More men in tight pants running around. Her core clenched, and he shook his head.

“I don’t think this is going to work.”

“What if you finished? That might be easier.”

“It could. Would you be okay with that?”

“Don’t get me wrong, I love having you inside of me, but I can’t live like this. Do what you have to do.”

“You need to work on your romancing skills,” he joked, then began a slow, steady push and retreat inside of her, not going far, but enough to garner the reaction they were both seeking.

Her head fell back against the tiles, her body responding to his instantly. “Just one more thing for you to teach me. At this rate, I’ll have to pay you overtime.”

“If by overtime you mean full-access pussy, it’ll be the best job I’ve ever had.”

“If you keep talking to me like that, I’m going to come again,” she warned, feeling that familiar heat creeping into her muscles.

“I can feel you squeezing me already,” he panted, picking up pace. Her back slapped against the wall, her moans growing louder. “Come on, Dani. Milk me dry.”

She did. Instantly, she succumbed to the lure of his words, her body grabbing and pulsing around him. Ransom’s expression twisted, his movements frantic. Breaths choppy, he crushed her mouth with his, powering into her with abandon.

Then Dani panicked for a whole new reason. He wasn’t stopping. But how could he
when he was stuck
. She tore away from the kiss, realizing she hadn’t thought this through. “Ransom, you have to pull out.”

“I can’t. Oh, God, I can’t.”

“You have to!” But even as she shouted at him, Dani knew it was impossible. She could feel their connection, and it was tighter than ever. The only way to keep him from finishing inside of her would be if they stopped everything right now and went back to square one. But it was too late. Ransom had already reached the point of no return.

Good one, Dani
, she scolded herself.
Brilliant fucking idea.

Her heart felt like it could explode.

“Dani …shit…I’m sorry!”

Ransom’s body froze, every hard muscle packed and unyielding as his release took hold and he spilled inside of her. It seemed to last forever, his body shuddering in the aftermath, his hips flexing each and every time.

Dani wanted to cry.

“I’m sorry,” Ransom apologized again, as if it were somehow is fault. “You said it was okay. Are you on birth control?”

“Yes,” she answered, her voice small and no less distraught. “But it’s not one-hundred percent.”

Picking up on her concern, Ransom withdrew from her then wrapped her up tight in his arms, offering his comfort and strength freely. “I’ve never gone bareback before, so if you’re worried about diseases, you don’t have to. But if you’re worried about getting pregnant, whatever you’re taking should be enough.”

That’s exactly what she was worried about. She was too young to handle raising a child. “What if it’s not?”

“Then I’ll be here. We’ll raise it together. But we don’t need to worry about that, because it’s not going to happen. Not until you’re ready for it to. Okay?”

She looked into his eyes, so steady and sure, and decided to trust him. “Okay.”

“Okay.” He took a deep, fortifying breath and let her down. “Let’s get cleaned up and go make sure Teresa hasn’t had a heart attack.”

“Oh, Lord, I forgot all about her being here.”

Pushing her back beneath the spray of water, Ransom smirked. “I could tell. And so could the rest of the building.”

“Oh, I hate you!” she shouted, slapping his arm. Was it possible for a person to die from embarrassment?

FOURTEEN

“THANK YOU FOR A wonderful breakfast, Teresa.” Pushing his chair out, Ransom stood and slipped on his jacket.

“Are you sure you don’t want some more?”

“Oh no, I’m so full, I’ll probably still be working it off come lunch.”

“I’ll take care of the dishes,” Dani told them both as she stood to join him. “Let me walk you to the door.”

“It was nice meeting you, Teresa,” Ransom said, flashing her a smile. “Maybe next time I’ll make a better first impression.”

She waved her hand through the air. “Think nothing of it. I’m an old woman, not a naïve one.”

Right. At least she’d stopped staring at him like he was an ax murderer, eyes wide and face red as a beet. With that, Ransom told her good-bye and followed Dani to the door. Bending down, he slipped his hands into her damp hair and pulled her face up for a kiss. Getting lost in her was the easiest thing to do. She tasted of sweet syrup and tangy orange juice, his two new favorite flavors. Nipping her lips one last time, he smiled with pleasure as she sighed and melted into him.

“Will I see you later?”

“If you don’t mind being ignored while I catch up on some work. I always fall behind whenever I take a morning off to spend time with Mom.”

“You do that often?”

“About once a month.” A wistful look stole across her face and she fastened her hands behind his back. “So, your place or mine?”

“How about mine. I’ll make us dinner, turn on some music, and we can soak together in the tub.”

“All at once?”

“If you prefer.”

“I just might take you up on that.” Straightening, she dropped her arms back to her sides and took a step back. “You’d better go before I make you late.”

“Mmm,” Ransom hummed, pulling her against him and clasping his hand around her hip. “You’re welcome to make me late any time.”

“Okay, you two. Say good-bye and get out of here,” Teresa said as she passed by the door on her way to the kitchen with a stack of plates in her hand. “I can practically hear the sales flying out the door.”

“She’s going to be impossible,” Dani groaned.

“Try to be patient.” He kissed her forehead. “See you tonight.”

***

RANSOM RECEIVED HIS INVITATION via text, just as Goodwin promised, while sitting at his desk eating his lunch.

Saturday night, seven, located at his home in a fancy, gated community where his house backed up to a golf course, so they had more than enough space for entertaining.

Dread trickled into his veins. Parties weren’t really his scene. Not anymore anyway. There would be a ton of people there, and, no doubt, every one of them would be drinking. He didn’t want to deal with that, but he’d already committed to going.

Calling up Dani’s number, he took a page out of his brother’s handbook and texted her the time and date and told her he wanted her there. If he had to stomach an evening of rubbing elbows with the administrative elite, then he was going to do it with her by his side.

Hopefully, she was still out shopping with her mother so she could pick up something appropriate to wear to the event.

His phone vibrated in his hand, and when Ransom looked down to see who was calling, he wasn’t surprised to see Dani’s name on the screen.

“Hey, babe.”

“Was that supposed to be some kind of invitation you just sent me?”

He grinned, leaned back in his chair, and kicked his feet up on the edge of the desk. “To a dinner with some colleagues, yes.”

“I didn’t see any question marks in there. So am I to assume that you were asking, or were you telling?”

“A little of both?”

She made an annoyed sound he’d heard women make when sucking their teeth and smacking their lips. It reminded him of a Velcro wallet he had as a kid, the tearing sound nearly identical.

“I’m telling your mother next time I see her.”

“You’re already planning when you’ll visit my family again? I like it. Tell me, what else do you see in our future?”

This time she growled her irritation. “Between you and my mother, I’m going to be bald by the end of the day.”

“I’ll buy you nice wig. Then you won’t have to worry about me messing up your hair when I fuck you.”

“Lord, give me patience,” she muttered under breath.

“How’s shopping going?”

“Badly, but thank God we’re almost done. I’m going to need a spa day after this. Can you believe she’d trying to get me to make up with my sister? After what that heifer pulled with Mark, she can forget it.” She huffed. “So, what do I need to wear to this thing?”

“It’s semi-formal. Dress, not a ball-gown.”

“Fine. I’ll see what I can find. Is there anything else you’d like me to pick up while I’m out,
sire
?”

Oh, her attitude was something to be savored. He’d bet she didn’t have any idea the kind of affect she had on him when she was being stubborn. Instead of finding it unattractive, he found her to be irresistibly sexy. “How about a ball gag? It’ll help keep the noise down when I take you from behind, and it’ll come in handy when you’re being mouthy.”

She laughed outright and the joyful sound of it reached every cell in his body, making him wish she were standing right in front of him so he could bend her over the desk and show her how thoroughly she undid him.

Sobering, she said, “Okay, I’m hanging up now. You’re lucky I’m so nice,” she added. “Any other man would be feeling my boot up their ass for speaking to me like that.”

“You like it, don’t try to deny it.”

“Good-bye, Ransom,” she singsonged.

He hung up with a smile on his face and a lightness in his chest that only she could provide. Oh yes, he was definitely in love.

By the time he arrived home that night, Ransom was desperate to see Dani’s gorgeous face. So far they’d spent two nights in each other’s arms, and during that time they’d had sex countless times. He’d never been so lost in a woman before.

Not even Josephine.

It was a true revelation considering, at one time, he’d thought he’d never get over her. His mood hung in a strange in between as he prepared dinner. On the one hand, he was beyond happy to have found someone as special as Dani, someone who could reach inside of him and erase all the hurt and pain that he’d thought would always haunt him. On the other hand, he felt like a fool because of all that he’d put himself and his family through.

Josephine wasn’t his. Never was. And his mother was right. He’d eventually found the right girl for him.

He was wrong to believe that, because he had a twin, that they’d be forever bound to love the same woman. The universe had certainly proven him wrong.

His mother was going to have a field day when she heard about this.

But there still remained the matter of him and Rebel. He knew their estrangement was putting a strain on their family, and he couldn’t see letting it continue when there was nothing left to be angry over.

A part of him wanted to jump in his car and race over just to tell him that, but an illogical part of him wanted to set the idea aside and hold onto the grief a little longer. Besides, Dani was due to arrive any minute and he wasn’t about to miss a second alone with her.

So Ransom cooked, and by the time Dani arrived, the only thought on his mind was feeding his woman, undressing her, bathing her, and making love to her all night.

So that’s exactly what he did.

***

HOURS LATER, LYING IN bed, fully sated and in each other’s arms, Dani traced little circles across his chest. Her soft touch lulled Ransom into a light sleep, his own fingers tracing her spine slowing as his concentration waned.

“So do you want to tell me what was on your mind earlier?”

“Hmm? Oh, nothing. Just been a long day.” He yawned, hoping she’d let the topic rest. As hard as he’d tried to bury his thoughts of his brother, he still found it a distraction at random points throughout their romantic evening together. And Dani was astute enough to pick up on it.

She hadn’t commented on it then, and he was hoping that after four orgasms she would forget about it completely, but apparently, and much to his chagrin, she hadn’t.

“Seemed like more than that to me. Want to talk about it?”

“It’s late.”

“I’m not tired.”

“That’s not possible,” he said smugly. “I fucked you until your body went limp. You should be sleeping clear into next week right now.”

“You made love to me, and it was beautiful,” she corrected him, “but I don’t have the crash and burn ability like you men do. I’m wide awake. So talk to me. Tell me what was bothering you, and maybe I can help fix it.”

He sighed, sensing that she wasn’t going to give up until he’d bared his soul. “I was thinking about my brother.”

“Do you miss him?”

“I don’t know. There’s a lot of shit I have to sort through before I can say one way or another, but I do know that I need to talk to him.”

“About Joe?”

He appreciated that she didn’t refer to Josephine as Rebel’s wife but just as someone he knew. Even though that was the case, and he no longer saw his future entwined with hers, it still stung a bit to be reminded of it.

Being burned, no matter the outcome, was never something a person truly got over. The hurt dug too deep. Left scars.

But Dani was making it better.
Had
made it better. He kissed her forehead in silent thanks. “About everything,” he answered.

“He misses you, too, just so you know.”

“And how would you know that?”

“Because I saw him, at the party. The way he watched you when you weren’t looking? It reminds me of the way you looked tonight. You’re both hurting, and it makes sense since you’re twins. You have a bond that no one can break. You need each other, even if you are both stubborn as mules.”

Ransom chuckled. “Stubborn am I? Isn’t that a bit like the pot calling the kettle black?”

“I never said I wasn’t stubborn. At least I own it.”

“Oh, I own my mulish side. Have to, considering my own mother has spent every day of my life telling me so. And now you.” He lightly pinched her round bottom, earning a startled squeak from her.

“The more I learn about your mother, the more I like her. I might have to make a return visit just so I can learn all your secrets.”

“Can’t. She’s been sworn to secrecy.”

“I’m sure I can bribe her. She wants more grandbabies, right?”

Ransom’s eyes flew open and he twisted his head to look at her. “What are you going on about? Babies? Is there something you’re not telling me that I should know?”

“What? No! If you’re asking if I’m pregnant, I’m totally not,” she said vehemently. “But…don’t you want kids some day?”

He hadn’t given it a lot of thought, per say, but now that he was forced to consider the possibility, he guessed he’d always just assumed he’d have a family one day. But then his world crashed and burned and the idea had flown right out the window. It seemed pointless to consider a family after that…until now.

Scratching his chin, he asked, “With
you
?”

Her mouth dropped open and she gasped. “Jeez, try to contain your enthusiasm why don’t you!” Shooting him the evil eye before rolling away, she curled around her pillow, giving him her back.

Ransom was left staring at the back of her head, wondering what the hell had set her off. “What did I say?”

Her head jerked with every angered word spoken. “
What did I say?
” she mimicked. “As if you don’t know!”

Throwing his hands up, he shouted, “I don’t know! Why do you think I’m asking?” Was it wrong that he found this funny?

“Are you
laughing
at me?”

Carefully and quickly, Ransom smoothed his expression and worked the smile from his voice before he spoke. Redirecting them back to the issue at hand, he explained himself. “All I asked was if you meant having kids with you. How was that offensive in any way?”

She sat up fast, rounding on him, her hair wild from making love and her face flushed from her fury. She was like Athena in the flesh—brilliant and awe worthy. He had the absurd urge to bow in the face of her glory.

But she’d probably smack him, so he stayed put.

“It’s the
way
you said it. As if the very thought of having a family with me was repugnant.”

“Are you kidding?” Ransom moved to his knees before her, uncaring that the sheets had fallen from his waist to revel his renewed desire, thereby likely destroying any point he was about to make. “If I were to have kids with anyone, I couldn’t imagine a more perfect person to have them with.” She scoffed, disbelieving. “Name another woman more nurturing and caring than you.”

“What about Josephine?”

The question hit him square in the chest, and Ransom sat back, staring at her. “That’s a low blow, Dani.”