Impact (21 page)

Conner finally rose and backed away from the desk. “Let’s go,” he told Jessica.

“But—”

“Now, Jess,” he snarled in a low voice. Taking her hand, he pulled her out of the chair and practically dragged her out of the area.

“Where are we going?” she managed to get out as she clambered along behind him.

“We’re gonna find that little fuck and make him wish he’d never been born.” They passed the competition area and Jessica snagged Brady’s attention while Conner continued to stalk ahead of her.

“Brady, help! He’s going after Ryan.”

Brady spun and fell into step with her. He glanced up at his friend and then back at her. “Come again?”

“Ryan, my colleague?” At Brady’s nod she continued. “He was the one who turned me in. Now Conner’s looking for him and I’m afraid he’ll tear him apart when he finds him.”

“Let me talk to him,” Brady advised in a low voice. “You keep back and try to stay calm, all right? Can you do that for me, darlin’?” He was talking to her as if she were a spooked horse, but rather than making her angry, it actually was helping her calm down a little. Brady then jogged on ahead of her and caught up with Conner, who had dropped her hand and was now a good ten feet in front of her. She bit her lip, wondering what he was saying. Whatever it was, Conner had slowed a smidge, and Jessica was grateful for even that small favor.

Then Conner saw Ryan and though Brady reached out to try to grab his arm, Conner shrugged him off and strode toward Ryan like a raging bull. Ryan looked up and saw him. He stood his ground, but looked around as if seeking assistance from the other men around him. Those guys didn’t look inclined to help, though, and Jessica saw Ryan’s Adam’s apple work as he swallowed.

“You wanna do this here or outside? Your choice.”

Ryan put his hands up. “Hey, man, this is hardly fair. It’s two against one.”

Conner smiled, but the action looked anything but friendly. “Brady’s here to make sure I don’t actually kill you. He’s a good buddy, trying to keep me outta jail so I can be with my girl.” Ryan’s gaze slid to Jessica, but Conner barked, “Don’t even fuckin’ look at her, you asshole. Every minute you remain in my sight is givin’ me more incentive to rearrange your body parts to my liking.”

Ryan raised his head in defiance. “What she was doing was wrong. I had to turn her in for her own good.”

There was a murmur amongst the cowboys and other personnel in the area and Ryan took a step back. “You better run, you little pussy,” Conner growled. “I’ll give you a choice, either you get outta here and never show your face again or I beat you down and then you leave.”

“You can’t make me quit my job!”

Conner advanced until he was standing over the smaller man and even Jessica shrank back instinctively. She almost missed what Conner said next, as it came out quietly. “You don’t think so?” His meaning must’ve been crystal clear, because Ryan took a step back.

Brady stepped between the two men. “Guys. Let’s cool off for a sec.” He had an arm straight out over Conner’s chest and was leaning toward him. He looked Ryan up and down in disgust. “Look, dude, it’s your choice what you do, but remember—Conner’s gonna be on the tour with you for months to come and I won’t always be around to save your sorry ass. I wouldn’t discount Jess either. She’s pretty pissed. So if you know what’s good for you, you’ll strongly consider finding new employment.”

“I could blow you guys in too, you know,” Ryan answered, and Jessica couldn’t believe he was this stupid. Did he honestly think this was helping his cause?

Both Brady and Conner crowded him more and he backed up again, stopping when he encountered the wall. Other riders and staff had closed rank around their little group and Jessica could only stand there, waiting to see what happened next. It was like watching a train wreck—every word out of Ryan’s mouth made it worse and worse and Jessica couldn’t look away.

Conner reached over Brady’s arm and took Ryan by the collar with both hands, lifting him a few inches off the floor and slamming him back into the wall. “Get outta here, while you’re still able to.” Brady withdrew his arm and Conner slammed Ryan again. The breath whooshed out of his mouth as the wind was knocked out of him. “I’m losing patience.”

“Get your filthy hands off me and I’ll go.” Conner immediately released him and Jessica felt her heart skip a beat. Up until that moment she’d been convinced Conner was going to beat Ryan into a bloody pile on the floor. Ryan moved around the two men and turned. “You haven’t heard the last of me.”

Jessica stepped up then. It was time to stand up for herself. “We
have
heard the last of you if you know what’s good for you. Oh, and about you supposedly protecting me by getting me fired?” Her hand shot out and landed with a satisfying crack on Ryan’s cheek. His head whipped to the side and the assembled crowd began to laugh. She struck out again before Ryan could react, slapping him in the same place. Her hand stung, but she felt a little bit vindicated as a clear outline of her handprint bloomed on his cheek.

She hadn’t realized she was shaking until Conner grabbed her hand and pulled her back against him. “Shhhh, baby, it’s okay. I think you got him.”

Brady grabbed Ryan by the arm and shoved him. “Go.”

Turning into Conner’s embrace, she let him pull her close.

He murmured nonsense to her and then pulled back enough to say, “I don’t think we need to worry about him anymore.”

“What if he does go to management and tells them you threatened him?”

He lifted her still-tingling hand to his face and he pressed his lips to her palm before looking around and saying, “Did anyone see anything just now?” The assembled crowd shook their heads. “See? Nothing to worry about, darlin’. We take care of our own.”

“Get me out of here,” she whispered.

Conner turned to Brady and said, “You need help tonight?”

“Nah, I’ve got it. I’ll see ya later.” Placing a hand on both of their shoulders, Brady squeezed for a few seconds and then let go.

Conner leaned down and whispered. “Let’s go back to the trailer.” His voice was raw with need and when she looked in his eyes she saw a fire burning behind them matching the one building in her own body.

Chapter Thirteen

She nodded and he took her hand, striding in the direction of the exit. They were back in the trailer not more than ten minutes later, and Jessica collapsed on the bed. “You have got to learn how to slow down to accommodate people who don’t have your freakishly long legs,” she told him as he watched her breasts heave with the effort to bring oxygen into her lungs.

He put a hand on each shoulder and leaned down to smile at her. “Or maybe you need to get in better shape, short stuff. Lift up.” He whipped her shirt over her head and began to work on the buttons of his own. Reaching down, he tugged off first her boots, then his, and then made short work of the rest of their clothes. Bringing his weight down on top of her, he said, “I wanted to sneak into your room last night but I figured your dad owned a shotgun.”

Pushing his hand between her legs, he felt for her wetness. “Always so wet for me, Jessie girl…” Capturing her head with his other hand, he tilted it to his liking and dove into her mouth, holding nothing back as he poured all of his feelings into the kiss. She pulled his tongue into her mouth and sucked it, and he let out a low moan as his dick hardened and lengthened another inch. Wrenching his mouth away, he stared down at her. “Sucking on my tongue is givin’ me ideas, you know.”

Jessica smirked. She knew exactly what she did to him, the little minx. “Maybe I want to give you ideas.”

He rolled them over so she was on top. “I’ll tell you my ideas if you tell me yours.” Rubbing his thumbs up her ribs and over her breasts to her nipples, he waited for her response.

“Hmmmm…” she answered, cocking her head. “Maybe I should give you a little kiss—here,” she touched his shoulder, “and then trail my lips up to here,” she indicated his ear. “Or perhaps start at your nipple here.” Her index finger circled his nipple and it rose to a peak. She flicked it and his breath caught. “And once I’ve got you good and purring I’ll move down your chest to your abs for a little nibble. Then, if you’re a very good boy, maybe I’ll nibble on something else.” Her grin was full of sensual promise and he pushed his pelvis up off the bed, simulating thrusting into her delectable pussy.

“Only if I’m a good boy? What if I tell you I want my dick sucked?”

“Then I guess I’d better do it. Otherwise you’ll spank me. Isn’t that what you said?”

“Yep, that’s what I said,” he agreed. “And it only seems fair, since my dick hasn’t been in your mouth since last night. That’s far too long for me to go without that kind of pleasure.”

“Is that right?”

“That’s right.”

She laughed and his heart warmed at the sound. If he had his way no one would ever hurt her again. “You’re obsessed with getting blowjobs, aren’t you?”

“Reciprocating, too, if you behave.”

“Mmmmm, sounds nice.”

“Nice?” Conner repeated, raising a brow. “I’m gonna wonder about my prowess in the bedroom if you keep sayin’ stuff is ‘nice’.” He pushed up again. “Get on with it. My cock’s about to self-combust. Suck me.”

She laughed and scooted down his body, taking him into her mouth. He watched as she swallowed him right down to the root like she knew he wanted, but his eyes closed when she applied suction. On the way back up she scraped her teeth over him with the gentlest of touches and he groaned, arching his back and fisting his hands into the sheets. Nothing had ever felt as good as Jessica’s mouth on his cock. He loved her pussy and her tight little ass, but he figured her mouth should come with a warning label.

After a few more passes he pulled her up. “Enough.” Rolling her under him, he grabbed a condom from his jeans and covered his erection. Sliding inside her, he began to rock back and forth.

* * * * *

Jessica woke up groggy the next morning. After she and Conner had made love she’d fallen asleep and, except for a brief period when Conner had woken her up to take her again, had slept straight through until now. She began to roll over but the action was prevented by a large hand moving over her waist to her belly, pulling her against a hard body. She smiled.

“Mornin’, darlin’,” came a sleepy voice.

“Hey.” She snuggled farther into him and heard a low growl.

“Don’t start something you can’t finish, woman.”

Jessica turned to look at Conner. “Why wouldn’t I finish it?”

She watched as Conner ran a hand through his hair. “We didn’t talk about what you wanna do now. I know I probably ruined your chances to even take a runner’s job. Of course, Ryan’s job is probably open now,” he smirked a little, “but they obviously won’t consider you for that. Guess they’re gonna be down two stock contractor liaisons. Idiots. Anyway, I need to go on to the next event this morning. Brady should be calling any minute to make plans.” He looked at her. “I don’t wanna ask you to follow me all over the country while I compete, but I don’t wanna let you go either.”

She sighed. He had a point. She had no job. There was no reason to travel with the tour unless it was simply to be with him. She glanced at him, trying to read his expression, but he betrayed nothing. “Do you
want
me to come with you? I’ve got some money saved up, but I’ll need to find another job at some point.”

“I have enough money to pay for you to travel with me,” he answered. “And I want you with me. I know that makes me a selfish bastard, but I don’t wanna spend all my nights in a cold, lonely bed when I know you’re doin’ the same thing somewhere else.”

“It’s not selfish. I feel the same way. I wish there was something I could do for work.”

He leaned down and touched his lips to hers, then pulled back and smiled at her. “You’ll find something.”

“I’m glad you’re so positive,” Jessica replied, frowning. “For now I’ll just bide my time and see what comes up. What will Brady think of me traveling with you guys?”

“I haven’t asked him, but I imagine he’ll be okay with it. He likes you.”

“If it’s going to get between you or throw your routine off…”

“Brady’s a real easygoing guy, sugar. I doubt it’ll be a problem, but I’ll ask him when he calls. For now, why don’t you get up and get dressed so we can be ready to leave soon. We’ll probably have to grab fast food to eat on the way.” He made a face and Jessica laughed.

“Don’t worry, I’ll give you a good workout later.” She slipped out of bed and he slapped her ass on her way by. “Ow! What was that for?”

“I wanted to see my handprint on your ass. It turns me on.” He grinned at her and she shook her head.

“Great…”

She was ready a half-hour later. Conner was just getting off the phone with Brady. “He said he’d love to have you travel with us.”

Jessica raised an eyebrow. “Love?”

“Well,” he answered, chuckling. “He said it was no problem and he would do whatever he could to help you.” Putting his arms around her, he pulled her close. “So, you ready to go see the big, bad world with me?”

“I will.” Her job situation was still up in the air, but as long as Conner loved her, she had everything she really needed.