Loving Lies (6 page)

“You're thinking too hard,” Slade interrupted her thoughts, his muscled arm stretching along the back of the lounger as his hand played with the long strands of her hair.

“The fish like the quiet,” she reminded him. She had no intention of sharing her fears with him. She would fake her lack of knowledge as far as she could then she would call her cousins, screaming for help. They might live states away, but they would come running if she needed them. And she had no doubt she would eventually need them.

Slade grunted at her answer. “I know you pretty well, Jess. Your eyes narrowed, and you're biting your lip. That usually means you're thinking too damned hard. It usually ends up getting someone in trouble.”

She cast him a glance from the corner of her eyes. “Lucky guess,” she murmured.

“Your ass,” he laughed, his strong white teeth flashing in his sun-darkened face, giving him a rakish look as the thick, dark blond strands of hair fell over his brow. “Come on, baby, tell me what's wrong? Did you finally figure out what a pervert I am and change your mind about being here?” His voice was teasing, but the undercurrent of seriousness slipped through.

“I hardly think so.” She rolled her eyes at the thought. If it were just the sex, she wouldn't have a problem. “Darlin', that rod you're packing is impressive as hell, but I think I can handle you.”

“I think you might be right.” He lowered his head, his lips pressing against her hair. “You make me hotter than hell. And you scare me to death in the same breath. It's a hell of a combination.”

“I scare you?” She turned to him, folding her legs beneath her as she stared up at him in surprise. “How do I scare you?”

She couldn't imagine Slade being scared of anything or anybody.

He moved from his chair then, kneeling beside hers. He cupped her face with his large hands, their fishing rods forgotten. Gently, his thumb smoothed over her lips.

“Because you make my heart race,” he whispered, his eyes stormy, his expression so serious, so intent it sent her pulse racing. “No one's ever made my heart race, Jessie. Except you. For the past three years, every time I've caught sight of you, your laughing eyes, that mysterious little smile on your face, the way you look at me in a way you don't look at anyone else. You make my dick harder than stone, but you make my heart race. You scare the hell out of me.”

She felt her lips trembling. He was a hard man. He wasn't easy to get to know, or to get close to. She had known that, even years before, when she first caught sight of him while he was home from college.

“Slade, I love you.” She couldn't hold the words back, couldn't have stilled them if her life had depended on it. “I know you don't love me—”

“Don't.” He pressed his fingers over her lips. “Don't tell me what I feel or what I don't, Jessie. And let's not rush this. I don't want anyone else, I want to see what this is. I want to see how to make it work, okay? Just you and me, for as long as it lasts. Agreed?”

He wasn't saying the words, but what she saw in his eyes sent her heart exploding with joy. He stared at her as though she was everything. The same way her dad had always smiled at her mom, the same way she knew she watched him. It was there, and the sensations it sent spearing through her were as intense as an orgasm.

“Agreed.” Her hands lifted to his wrists, her fingers flexing at the feel of his hair-roughened flesh, the warmth surrounding her. “I won't be twenty-one forever,” she finally whispered, unable to still her worst fears. “I won't embarrass you—”

“Damn, woman, what the hell are you talking about?” He looked at her in surprise. “Is that why you're as nervous as a damned cat in a yard full of barking dogs? Baby girl, trust me.” He lowered his head, pressing his forehead to hers as he stared into her eyes. “You could never embarrass me. Make me jealous as hell. Tie my guts into knots, but never, ever embarrass me.”

His lips settled over hers, a kiss, not so much of lust, but of feeling. He moved them against hers slowly, his tongue peeking out to lick at the curves, to press into her mouth as a heartfelt moan left her lips. He wasn't taking her—he was loving her. Surely to God he was loving her. If he loved her, she could do whatever it took to fit into the world he knew. No matter what it took.

His lips whispered against hers, nibbling, licking, a slow, teasing benediction that had her breath catching in her throat. Slade raised his head and stared down at her once again, his smile gentle.

“Let's get dinner, before I snack on you again,” he finally sighed. “Damn, you can make me harder faster than anything I've ever known. And there's no way you can take me again today.”

She would try, if he pressed. But waiting wasn't so bad. She had waited since she was sixteen years old, she could wait a little longer.

Chapter Five

 

The weekend ended too soon. Jessie sat beside Slade as he pulled the RV into the parking lot at the main camp Sunday evening, dressed in another of his shirts and a pair of his sweatpants that hung on her frame despite the tie at the waist. It was that or go naked. She liked the feel of his clothes against her, his scent infusing them, reminding her of why her body was so tender and the cause of the exhaustion tugging at her.

Jazz Lancing and Zachary Richards were pulling in beside them. Slade's closest friends and his partners in the business they owned. They had gone through school and college with Slade. They were tall and tough, just as Slade was, and they were good men. Jessie had known them most of her life and she trusted them.

“Jazz and Zack.” Slade's voice was filled with humor and a lazy satisfaction that filled her with pride. “I took you away and didn't let them know.”

Jessie smothered her laughter. She should have told one of them where she was heading when things started getting ugly with Billy, but there hadn't been time. The regulars to the parties were very protective of the women there, though with both her and Slade missing, they should have been able to put two and two together fairly easy.

She leaned against his chest as he locked the door to the RV and held her close. The RVs parked on each side of Slade's and the motors were cut.

“Zack needs to find a woman.” She grinned. “He worries too much about the rest of us. It would give him something else to do.”

Slade chuckled, his cheek brushing against her hair as he bent to smooth his lips down her neck. She loved how often he touched her, always wanting her next to him, his fingers playing with her hair, his lips never far away. He didn't crowd her and many times had wanted nothing more than to just hold her. It sent a warmth flowing through her and filled all the empty places inside she had never known could exist.

“Did you drive in or do you need a ride?” His hand splayed over her stomach, his fingers rubbing against it lazily as he watched Jazz move from the driver's seat of the RV.

“A ride.” She had ridden in with friends. “I could call someone.” She didn't want to presume, didn't want to put him in a position that he had to offer more than he was willing to give right now.

“I have the bike. I'll take you home then run back to my place and shower and change. We could go out and eat.”

“Or I could fix something?” She glanced back at him. “I'm a decent cook.”

A slow smile curved his lips. “Even better. Then I could have you for dessert.”

Heat exploded through her body, tightening her breasts further, sending her juices flowing from her pussy. God, she was so pathetic. All it took was a smile to send her into meltdown.

“Sounds perfect to me.” It sounded more than perfect. Another night to hold him close. She could deal with that. Easily.

“Ready to roll?” He flashed her a wicked smile as Jazz and Zack were opening their doors and coming from the RVs.

“Whenever you are.” She glanced back at Jazz, his arms crossed over his dark chest, a fierce frown contorting his handsome face. He didn't look pleased.

“Hey, Jazz.” Slade paused, his arm dropping from her, his body tensing as the other man grunted, his dark blue eyes going over Jessie first then Slade.

“Hey, Slade,” he finally drawled. “I think tomorrow I'll teach you how to use that radio you keep in that RV. You know, for little warnings when you kidnap pretty little girls.”

“I kidnapped him.” Jessie laughed back at the fierce visage, in no way threatened or frightened of him. “Come on, Jazz, you don't think I'm pretty enough to make a man forget to call first?”

She admitted that the knowledge Slade hadn't thought to do something that should have been second nature to him, pleased her. She had held his attention, completely.

A smile twitched Jazz's lips. “Girl, you're pretty enough to make a grown man forget his own name.” His gaze flickered back to Slade, humor finally lighting the dark depths. “She's dangerous, buddy, you better watch out for her.”

“I intend to do just that.” Slade's arm slipped around her once again. “A very close eye.”

Jessie winked at Jazz, a reminder of the warning she had given him the year before—that Slade was hers, and one day, one way, she would prove it.

The other man shook his head, his arms dropping from his chest before he wagged a finger at her.

“You're a bad girl, Jessie,” he grunted. “Your daddy should have spanked you more when you were little.”

“Well, if he gets lucky, maybe I'll let Slade take care of that minor bit of discipline.” She held back her smile as Jazz's eyes dilated with surprise a second before he chuckled.

“I don't doubt he won't either.” He turned to Slade. “Make sure you at least show up at the office on time tomorrow. We have to get that estimate together and get it out before noon.”

“I'll be there.” Slade urged Jesse forward. “See you tomorrow, Jazz.”

The walk along the parking lot was made in silence, a relaxed, easy silence as the early evening warmth surrounded her, and Slade's hand at her back did little to calm her. The way his fingers stroked and probed, she could feel the sensations clear to her pussy. She was aroused, aching and growing hotter by the minute.

Thankfully, her apartment wasn't far from the RV lot because the hard throb of Slade's Harley beneath her wasn't helping things as she rode behind him. Her knees clasped his thighs, his back raked against her breasts, sensitizing already overly aroused nipples.

“Here you go.” He pulled into the parking lot, helping her from the bike before easing off himself. “Do you have a spare key?”

She moved quickly to her car, reaching beneath the wheel mount where she kept the spare key, and headed to the door. Moments later, the door was unlocked and the security system deactivated.

“Safe and sound—” Her words were cut off as the door slammed closed. She found herself lifted, pressed against it as Slade's lips ravaged hers.

Her arms went around his neck, her fingers sinking into the wealth of dark blond hair as a whimpering sound of hunger left her throat. His tongue pressed against hers, twined with it, as his lips slanted against hers and ate at her like candy.

His hands weren't still. His hard body held her close to the door and his fingers curled around her thighs, lifting them to encase his body. He pressed the jeans-covered length of his cock into the notch of her thighs.

“I can't get enough of you,” he growled, breaking the kiss, staring at her with eyes dark with lust. His fingers moved deeper between her legs, brushing against the aching entrance to her cunt as the wet heat dampened the material of the sweats she wore.

“That's a good thing.” Her head fell back against the door as his lips moved to her neck, his tongue licking, his teeth raking the tender flesh.

“Not when I'm hard as hell and you need to rest.” He groaned, pulling back then licking at her lips again, teasing her with his tongue the barest second. “I'm outta here, baby, before I end up fucking you against the door and ruining dessert.”

He released her slowly and opened the door, before pulling her back and placing another hard kiss on her lips.

“I'll be back in a few hours. Be ready for me. We might just hit dessert before dinner.”

His broad chest moved roughly as he breathed in, a grimace twisting his lips before he kissed her again, his tongue delving deep for long moments. Jessie felt her mind disintegrating beneath the dominant possessiveness of his tongue.

When he pulled back, he unwrapped her arms from his neck, brushing her lips with his thumb again. “You look pretty like that. Your lips swollen from my kiss, your eyes almost black because you want me almost as damned bad as I know I want you. Keep that look, baby, and I won't make it five minutes before I fuck you again.”

“That's supposed to scare me?” She arched a brow suggestively. “You could always shower here, bad boy.”

She watched the muscle jump in his jaw as he stepped back, shaking his head.

“I'll need clothes. If I'm late to the office tomorrow, Jazz and Zack both will kick my ass. Close that damned door and get in there and hide. Because when I come back, you've had it.”

“I'll love it.” She laughed as he groaned, pressing her back before gripping the door and closing it firmly.

Turning, Jessie leaned against it, closing her eyes, her smile still in place. Finally, Slade was hers. She would learn whatever she had to learn, and in time, she was confident she would easily meet whatever needs he had. But he held her, when she knew he wasn't one to hold his women, at least not in public. He kept her at his side, possessive, dominant. He had taken every opportunity to touch and hold her, finding a pleasure in doing so that she could see in his eyes.

Giddy pleasure filled her as a silly smile shaped her lips. Her fingers bunched in the shirt she wore. The damned thing nearly fell to her knees, but it smelled like Slade, it wrapped around her and reminded her of his touch. Warmed her.