Hidden Fire: Fire, Book 2: Red Hot Weekend (2 page)

Instead Garreth felt like a crusty piece of shit. Old, dried out, spent and very much alone. Jack might be happy. Rachel too. But Garreth’s actions had effectively killed any chance he might ever have had with Jackson’s twin. Not that those chances had been high to begin with. Jenna had told him in no uncertain terms that the two of them could never be a couple. Never have a life together. She’d promised Jackson she’d never date any of his friends, and nothing, not even Garreth’s love for her, could change her mind.

Before this weekend, his odds with Jenna had stood at about one in a million. Now? His chances had more than likely moved into the negative figures. Soon as Jenna found out he’d slept with Rachel, she’d cut him from her thoughts in a heartbeat. And if she ever found out he’d shared Rachel with Jack…

Garreth shuddered. He didn’t even want to think about it.

All’s well that ends well. He’d done a good deed as far as Rachel and Jack were concerned. And just as soon as he got over himself, he’d rejoice in it. Right now though, he wasn’t ready to celebrate. He’d just take it one day at a time. Go back to Brisbane, pack up his gear and head home to Toronto. Far away from Australia and the life he’d made for himself here. Far away from the woman he loved but could never have.

Before he could step out of the doorway, something barreled into him, crashing into his chest, slamming the breath from his body, winding him.

That something threw her arms around his shoulders, grabbed his neck and held tight. So tight she crushed his chest. Stopped his heart. Prevented his blood from flowing through his brain. He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think.

But then that’s how he reacted every time Jenna Brooks came near.

Her scent assailed him, permeated his cells. Apple and mint, fresh and…edible. Instinctively, his arms came around her back, holding her closer, clutching her to him.

Christ, so tiny. So fragile. So exquisite.

Silken hair tickled his chin, the wind whipping silvery-blond strands across his face. He clasped his hand around her neck, holding her tresses in place. Her breath came in deep gulps, as though she’d sprinted a mile to get here.

His heart lurched. Was she okay? Usually she sprinted in the other direction, racing as far away from him as she could get. “Jenn?”

“Garreth!” She climbed up his body, hitching first one knee up to his hip and winding her slim leg around his waist, and then the other, locking her feet together behind his back.

Instinctively, he placed an arm beneath her ass, supporting her tiny frame, holding her closer, pressing her pelvis against his groin. She belonged there. She should always be there.

Ah, fuck.
Even winded from her attack and worried sick by her sudden appearance, blood emptied into his cock, making him instantly hard. “Talk to me, sweetheart.”

A soft, seductive whimper escaped her mouth, whispered over his neck and sent tingles down his spine. She shifted, flattening her hips against his, pushing hard against his erection, molding herself to its shape. The groan she emitted was a carnal hum.

It took a second, no more, but Garreth saw stars.

Jesus, this was what he’d always wanted. Jenna, in his arms, snuggled up against him, her pussy cradling his cock.

“Tell me what’s wrong.” He knew though. Knew what had her so distressed. He just hadn’t expected this reaction. Hadn’t expected her to run to him after hearing the news.

Garreth stumbled back into the chalet, kicking the door shut behind him. Her anguish needed no audience.

“He loves her, Garreth. He broke the pact.” The words exploded from her mouth. She looked at him, but her eyes were unfocused, dazed even. “Wants to be with her. He’s moving to Sydney for her. I let you go. Turned you away. Forced you to back off, and now he wants my best friend.” The words were a jumbled mess, the explanation coming out in torrents.

Garreth considered interrupting, slowing her down, but couldn’t. She spoke too fast, faster than he’d heard her speak before. Was she in shock?

“All this time I held back. Wouldn’t give myself to you. Wouldn’t betray Jackson like that. I let you go. But he’s with Rachel now. The pact’s over.” Astonishment echoed through her words. “Gone. It’s in the past.” She gasped, stared blindly at him with her beautiful blue eyes. Was she seeing his face or something else? He couldn’t tell. “I can be with you. We can be together, Garreth. You and me. Together.”

And then her lips were on his, kissing him, her tongue probing entry into his mouth.

He’d seen stars before? Hell, comets were crashing into earth now. Jenna, in his arms, kissing him. Disbelief froze him in place—for all of about three seconds—before he kissed her back, wrestling for control, taking her mouth as he plunged his tongue between her lips.

She tasted like cream and sugar all wrapped up in one succulent treat. Her need—her desire—intoxicated him. He sipped from her mouth, drank from it like a parched man.

She’d come to him. After all this time
.
He couldn’t kiss her hard enough, couldn’t get enough of her taste, her mouth, her essence. Jenna was in his arms. She’d come willingly. Run to him. Thrown herself at him.

He paused for a maybe a second to breath, to look to the skies and thank God. The sun broke through the clouds, spilling its rays through the massive windows, catching her hair in its glow.

He would have thrown his head back and laughed, or maybe howled—the dominant alpha claiming his female. Would have, but didn’t. Not if it meant foregoing a second kiss. Never. He was never releasing her mouth again. Never letting her go. He ducked in for another kiss.

The shackles of her past had finally been unlocked, releasing her. There was no longer anything keeping them apart.

Uh, yeah, there is.

Fucking reality! Garreth didn’t want to think about it. Didn’t want to acknowledge it.

Real good, Halt. Deny it. Deny the existence of her boyfriend so neither of you need deal with the fact there’s another man in her life. Deny the truth about your actions this weekend because you know if she knows you slept with her best friend—at the same time as her brother did—she’ll walk away.

He couldn’t hide the truth. He had to say something. But how could he explain? How could she ever understand why he’d done what he’d done?

Her kiss grew more urgent, her hands moved, found the hem of his sweater, pushed underneath. Her icy fingers sent shock waves careening over his back. Her bare hands swept over his exposed skin.

Chills raced up his spine, down again. Her touch drove him wild. Made him crazy. He thrust his hips against hers, pushed his erection against her pussy, cursing the clothes that separated her heat from his aching stiffness.

Jenna pulled away, stared into his eyes. Her lids were heavy, her pupils enormous, the blue of her irises a thin rim around deep black holes. Desire seeped from her gaze. She licked swollen, cherry-red lips and climbed down his legs.

“Make love to me, Garreth. Make me yours. I’ve been such an idiot. Made us wait too long for this. Don’t wanna wait any longer. Please. Love me.” She unbuttoned her cardigan, dropped it on the floor. Pulled her matching shirt over her head and unhooked her white satin and lace bra, leaving her upper body beautifully naked.

Garreth stared in awe. Her breasts were small, not even a handful. But pert, with beautiful nipples. His mouth watered.

His response was guttural. “I
do
love you, Jenn. Always have.” Didn’t she know that? Hadn’t he told her, over and over?

“Prove it. Show me I’m not too late.” She fiddled with her zip and button, opened her jeans, slid them down her legs and kicked them off.

Fuck, she’s gonna give me a heart attack.

When she tugged at her tiny white g-string, Garreth had to close his eyes and grit his teeth, forcing down the urge to explode. His nuts tightened into hard balls.

“Touch me, Garreth. I need to know I haven’t lost you, haven’t pushed you away.”

She had pushed him away. Every day for months. Every fucking day. Didn’t mean he’d stopped loving her. Christ, could he ever stop loving her? This fragile doll whom he’d only ever wanted to protect. This lethal woman who could bring him to his knees with just a look. This friend whom he’d laughed with, cried with, lusted over, reluctantly walked away from.

She stepped back into his arms, pressed her naked body against him.

Planets exploded. Stars collided.

“Make love to me,” she whispered and nipped his ear. “Please.”

God, yes.

Fuck, no.

The muscles in his back went rigid. He couldn’t do this. Couldn’t give her what she demanded without explaining what he’d done this weekend—and why.

“Garreth,” her voice was urgent. “I need you.” She rocked against him, driving logic from his head. Driving everything out of his head but the need to take her.

This was a side to Jenna he’d never seen before. The woman who controlled her every move and considered her every word, had vanished. This Jenna acted purely on instinct, and her open hunger for him fed his greed.

If she carried on like this, he wouldn’t get a chance to make love to her. He’d come in his freaking pants.

She dug her nails into his back, pressed her breasts into his chest. “Fuck me, Garreth.”

He let out a snarling breath. Another planet exploded. Jenna swearing? Christ, she was killing him. He’d always suspected that the façade she presented to the world was just that. A façade. Beneath it all lurked a fiery, passionate woman who’d repressed her true nature for too long.

A musky scent filled the air, so very different from the pungent smell of eucalyptus that permeated the hotel. Her musky scent—of sex and desire. All hers. Made for him.

She scrabbled at his waist, forcing his belt open, tearing at his zip. Her mouth claimed his again, kissing him, screwing with his logic.

Remind her about Sam. Tell her what happened last night. And the night before. Don’t let her do this without knowing the whole truth. She’ll never forgive herself. Or you.

He would. He definitely would. When this kiss ended.

He tunneled his fingers in her hair, massaged her head, and she groaned, the sound sending fresh ripples of yearning undulating over his skin.

Soon. Christ, he had to take her soon.

Garreth lifted his face. “Jenn?”

She raised her beautiful blue eyes to his, looked at him with so much heat and longing he shuddered.

“I love you,” he said. “I have from the instant Jack introduced us, and I will until the day I die. Never, ever doubt my word on that.”

She blinked. Confusion slid into her gaze. “W-why would I doubt it?”

“Because I need to tell you something, and you’re not going to like it.” Something? He needed to tell her so many things. Remind her about Sam. Expose the truth about Rachel and Jackson. And himself.

How the fuck could he remind her about her boyfriend at a time like this? Or tell her he’d slept with her closest friend?

Her reaction was instantaneous. She withdrew from him, pulling back, breaking any contact. He loosened his hold around her, knowing she’d need the space.

Fuck. To think he had her naked in his arms and was letting her go. Insane. Desire raged in his blood, a hunger so fierce he suspected a year in bed with her wouldn’t quell it.

A ripple of tension flexed the muscles in her shoulders. “What do you need to tell me?”

He didn’t want to do this. Didn’t want to bring this up. “I want to make love to you, so damn much it hurts. But I can’t, Jenn. Not while you’re seeing someone else. Not without you knowing
…
”

Her expression silenced him.

She peered at him blankly before her eyes grew wide and her mouth dropped open. The color drained from her face. She slapped a hand over her mouth and gasped in horror.

“Dear God,” she groaned. “
Sam
.” She looked appalled. And disgusted. “I forgot all about him. Have to find him. Have to apologize.”

“Jenn—”

“No, don’t talk to me. Don’t even look at me. I shouldn’t be here. Shouldn’t have done this. Not while Sam’s sleeping in my bed.”

Garreth’s fingers curled into a fist. He wanted to hit someone. Hard. Yeah, he needed to fess up, tell her the truth, but he could deal with just one crisis at a time. And right now, Jenna’s relationship with Sam took precedence over him telling her about Rachel. “You
should
be here. You should have been here all along. In my room. In my bed. In my life. Not his.”

“M-maybe. But being here now is wrong. So terribly, terribly wrong.” Her body shook, guilt assailing her from the inside no doubt.

She scrambled for her clothes, dressed hurriedly. Wouldn’t look him in the eye.

“You’re going back to him?”
Say no. Please say no.

She nodded.

Garreth couldn’t breath. “Forever?”

“To apologize. To make things right.”

“Forever?” he asked again, not wanting to know the answer.

She hesitated, still wouldn’t meet his eyes. “To end things,” she said at last. “I want to come back. To you.”