Microsoft Word - DeadHeat_wrp356.doc (22 page)

mass of auburn curls lay on the pillow above the duvet

she'd pulled up to her chin.

Not since the seventh grade when Lisa Granger

asked him to kiss her behind a huge oak tree in the

schoolyard had he been this tongue-tied. “You okay?”

The gray eyes searching his face were those of a wild

animal caught in a trap. He forced himself not to rush

over. A lost little girl, Millie had said. He tried to keep

Millie's image in his head, but all he saw was a beautiful,

desirable woman. Memories of last night stabbed his

groin.

“Jenna?” He cleared his throat to stop the huskiness.

“What's wrong?”

A pale arm emerged from under the covers and

reached toward him. “Please come here,” she said.

One slow step at a time he moved across the thick

carpet.
I can do this.

She patted the bed and slid over, making room for

him. The sheet slipped, giving him a glimpse of breast.

Jesus.

All of his senses screamed at him to run for his life.

Instead he sat on the bed, as close to the edge as he could

without sliding on the floor. He breathed in the smell of

sweet lavender. He'd come to associate that scent as

belonging to her.

“Will you lie with me? Please?”

He forced his eyes away from her sexy mouth.

“You should rest. Take a nap before dinner.”

“I can't sleep. I'm so alone. I need someone to hold

me.” The pinched look around her mouth told him without

words how difficult it was for her to admit to those needs.

“Jenna, I—”

“Please.” She didn't let him finish. “Don't say no.”

Against his better judgment he pulled off his boots

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and lay on his back beside her. She burrowed into him

like a baby animal seeking warmth from its mother. Only

he wasn't her mother. At the touch of her lips on his neck,

he nearly came off the bed. His erection pushed against

his denim jeans, demanding to be let loose.

“Make love to me, Rye,” she whispered. “I need to feel

alive.”

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The tensing of Rye's muscles didn't cool Jenna's

craving. The warmth of his skin and his beating heart

comforted her. The need to be next to him, skin against

skin, made her frantic. “I need you. Now.”

“Jenna,” he groaned. “This is not a good idea.”

His harsh breathing sliced through the silence. She

refused to back down. She wanted his solid heat to help

her forget the horror.

Rye gathered her close and rested his chin on the top

of her head. “You know I want you. It'd be crazy to deny

it.” “But?” she prodded.

His lips moved against her hair. “You know the

answer to that.”

“Can't you accept I'm okay with just sex? No

emotional ties?”

He propped himself on his elbow, his gaze intent as

he studied her face. One side of his mouth tilted in a

crooked smile. “No. I look at you and see a beautiful

woman who'll make some man a great wife.”

His index finger traced the lines of her eyebrows,

then trailed down her nose and across her lips. “That

man's not me.”

Jenna's lips parted, and she gently sucked his finger

into her mouth.

Rye inhaled sharply. “You make it damn difficult,” he

rasped.

“I'm trying to make it damn impossible.” She kissed

his neck before sliding down the length of his body to

nuzzle his stomach. Her fingers played with the wiry hair

there.

Rye lurched up and grabbed her shoulders. “Come

here where I can see you.”

Jenna scooted up and straddled his body. She settled

on his hardness and gently rocked her pelvis. “Hmmm.

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Nice.”

“Enough,” he moaned, his hands stilling her

movement. “Stop it. We need to talk.”

“Talking's a waste of time,” she gasped.

His fingers curved around her jaw, and he looked

directly into her eyes. “I'm serious, Jenna. The truth.

Where do you want this thing between us to go? Are you

honestly looking for some fun between the sheets? Or are

you hoping I'll fall in love with you?”

She smiled. “A little of both. Do you have protection?”

A twinkle of humor sparkled in his eyes. “Sure of

yourself, aren't you?”

She grinned. “Yeah. I know how much you want me.”

Rye rolled on top of her. “And psychic, as well.” He

cupped her face in his hands, fingers tangling in her hair,

then gently squeezed the back of her neck. “What am I

going to do with you?”

Jenna's body soaked up his hard warmth like a

thirsty sponge. “Please.” Did he see begging in her eyes?

She was beyond caring. “You know what to do.”

“Why me? Why not some other guy?”

She fumbled for an explanation and came up short.

Because I lied. I'm already in love with you.
“I don't know.

The chemistry's right?”

His brows rose. “Sure you're not secretly decorating

the little cottage, planting pink rose bushes out front and

furnishing the nursery in your spare time?”

Jenna lowered her lashes. Never would she let him

know how deep her feelings ran. Not until she was sure

he'd fallen in love with her. If Rye guessed the truth about

how she felt, he'd run so fast he'd beat Rising Sun out of

the starting gate. “As sure as I can be. Besides,” she

teased, “if I remember correctly, you're the one who

started this, Mr. Heartthrob.”

He turned and shifted position until she lay beside

him. His finger trailed across the top of her breasts, his

eyes darkening. “You naked under that sheet?”

All desire to flirt vanished as longing swamped her.

“What do you think?” One by one she unfastened the

buttons on his shirt until it fell open. Her fingers explored

the smooth, tanned skin over his ribs and circled his

nipples before wandering to the top of his jeans.

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Jenna braved a glance at his face. It was tight and

hard with lust. More confident now, she unbuckled his

belt and unsnapped his jeans.

“You're impossible to resist,” he growled, pulling her

over him.

That's the idea. Now we're getting somewhere.
She

clutched the sheet covering her nakedness. “What are you

to do about it?”

“First,” he said, hooking his fingers under the sheet

covering her breasts, “we get rid of this.”

“And then?” she whispered.

“This.” Raising his head off the pillow, he nuzzled her

breasts.

With a will of its own, her body leaned forward to

give him better access. He suckled one breast, then gave

the other equal attention. Cupping both in his hands, his

tongue worked magic on her nipples.

“I'll explode if you don't stop,” she panted, trying to

twist away from his mouth. “Let me make you feel good,

too.” “Believe me, baby, I feel just fine.”

Jenna slipped off the bed and knelt on the floor.

“Help me get your pants off.”

“That's my line,” he chuckled.

“Not this time.”

Together they rid him of the offending jeans. Rye

groped in his pocket and pulled out a small packet. “Hold

on a minute.”

“You have thirty seconds,” she gasped and climbed

back on the bed.

A knock on the door had them scrambling for the

sheet on the floor.

“Who is it?” Rye shouted.

Jenna giggled at his rudeness.

“Millie has dinner on the table.”

Leave it to Brett to ruin her seduction plans.

“We're not hungry. Eat without us,” Rye growled.

Jenna held her breath and waited for Brett to argue,

but his footsteps soon padded down the hall.

Rye reached for her. “Now. Where were we?” The

burning hunger in his eyes drove a thrill straight to her

belly button.

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She smiled and started to roll over on him. “Let me

refresh your memory.”

“Not this time,” he rasped. “This is going to last a

long, long time.” He did the rolling. The heavy weight of

his naked body on hers brought her the warmth she'd

craved. She shuddered as sensation after sensation

coursed through her. Her nipples tightened into buttons

and her toes curled in anticipation of their lovemaking. If

only she could stop time and hold him right where he was

for the next ten years.

His fingers reached between their bodies and drove

any coherent thoughts from her head. Legs splayed

wantonly, she reveled in pleasure.

“You're so wet, so ready. For me.”

“Yes, for you.”
Only for you.
Jenna watched his pulse

beat at the base of his throat as though his heart had

risen there.
Someday you'll be mine.

His hands trailed down her ribs to grasp her hips,

positioning her. He thrust. She gasped.

“Did I hurt you?”

“No. Never.” She squirmed beneath him.

He stilled. “Don't move. Give me a minute.” His

forehead, wet with moisture, rested against hers and he

attempted a laugh. “I usually can go all night. Come when

I want. With you, I lose control.”

She put her hands on either side of his face, pushing

him back to look in his eyes. “And that's a bad thing?” His

eyes clouded with confusion, and something else—perhaps

fear. “I don't know,” he said and closed his eyes.

“I certainly don't mind.”

He smiled.

His hands tightened on her hips. He pumped in and

out several more times.

Pleasure exploded and Jenna cried out first. He ran a

close second.

Neither spoke. Neither moved. Jenna's legs cramped,

but she feared if she loosened their grip, Rye would run

out of the room like he had before. Finally, the cramps

worsened to the point she had no choice but to release

him. When he remained splayed on top of her, she relaxed,

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and ran her fingers over his back and shoulders.

Memorizing the feel of his skin. Mentally mapping each

muscle, the small, as well as the large ones. She

pretended to drift on a big, white fluffy cloud with her

lover, at peace with the world.

****

had fallen asleep. He must be crushing her, but for the

life of him, he couldn't move. The truth was, he didn't

want to. He gloried in the feel and scent of her.

The man who ended up marrying this woman would

think he'd won the lottery. Rye's hands tightened on her

shoulders. Jenna sighed and snuggled closer.

Just the thought of another man's hands touching

her ratcheted his blood pressure.

Way to go, Rye. You've screwed up big time. Gone and

done the unthinkable. Fallen for a woman. Nah, of course

not. It was just good sex.

Yeah, right.

Maybe it wasn't too late. He'd get out of this bed,

pack his clothes and take a trip. By the time he came

back, Brett would have the mystery taken care of, the

murders solved. Jenna would be safe and back in her own

apartment.
Then you'd just have to look at her at the track

day after day.
No doubt about it. He was a condemned

man. Placing a kiss on her forehead, he rolled onto the bed

with every intention of getting up to leave. Instead, he

tucked Jenna into his side, closed his eyes and slept.

When he woke, he checked the time. It was still

early. Just starting to get dark outside. Jenna slept on.

Her hair curling wildly around her head like a briar

patch. The most beautiful briar patch he'd ever seen.

Tenderness slammed into him with the force of a two-by-

four, fast replaced by a surge of hunger to have her again.

That's it. He needed to leave. Right now. She'd never

have to know he'd spent the last few hours sleeping beside

her. Instead of leaving, he fingered a piece of her hair and

tickled her nose with it. Yeah, he was doomed.

****

crawling on her face. She blinked a few times before her

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eyes focused on Rye. The same wariness she'd seen the

last time they'd made love was in his eyes.

She smiled. “Hello. What time is it? I didn't expect

you to stick around.”

“It's only nine o'clock. Disappointed that I did?”

She propped herself on her elbow, facing him.

“Course not. I love sleepovers.”

Rye smoothed down her curls. “Let's sneak down to

the kitchen and find something to eat.”

Her mood brightened. “Good idea. I'm starving.”

“I know. You're stomach's been growling for the last

thirty minutes.”

“My stomach can be very demanding.”

“Much like the rest of you.”

Jenna laughed and poked him in the ribs.

Rye swung his legs around and sat on the edge of the

bed to pull on his jeans. “Might be a good idea to get

dressed. Wouldn't want to shock Millie.”

“I'll be down in a minute,” she said. “After I take a

quick shower.”

****