Midnight Exposure (27 page)

In fact, she was never going to take tabloid pictures again. Seeing what the media had done to Reed’s life hammered the offensiveness of her occupation home. She was exactly what he despised the most.

Since she was done with all that, what did it matter?

No secrets.

But would he forgive hers? Could she take the risk? What if the fact that she’d come here on a tabloid assignment to uncover his identity ruined everything?

Regret passed through her like a tremor.

“I’m sorry. It’s cold in here. Let’s go back in the house.” He tugged her back through the door and across the frozen yard. All the way back to the master bathroom. They shed their outerwear en route, leaving a trail of coats and boots on the hardwood. The bathroom was still steamy and it only took seconds for hot water
to pour from the showerhead. Reed took that brief span of time to step closer. His hand slid up her arm.

Jayne’s heart thudded against her breastbone. Hunger shot through her belly. Her hands clenched in the loose knit of his sweater and pulled him closer. Heat from his body rose through the wool. Jayne leaned closer and breathed him in. He smelled like soap and man. The hint of smoke reminded her of the panic she’d felt when she’d thought he had died in the fire.

But here he was. Alive. Breathing. Touching her. Being touched.

Everything else faded before the wonder of the moment.

His hands slid to her shoulders, smoothed her biceps and forearms, and settled on her hips. He grasped the hem of her sweatshirt and slowly raised it over her head, dropping it to the floor at her feet. She wasn’t wearing anything underneath. She hadn’t had a chance to change into her own clothes since they’d retrieved her things at the inn.

His eyes roamed over her breasts. Her nipples puckered as if he’d touched them.

But he didn’t. Not yet.

He unbuttoned her jeans, dropped to one knee, and drew them down her thighs. A breath hissed out of his mouth. Since she’d drawn the line at borrowing boxers, she’d gone commando there as well.

Inches from her sensitive skin, he inhaled and closed his eyes as if the smell of her was intoxicating, irresistible, and delicious. He exhaled, the breath hot on her thighs as he licked his lips.

“I wanted to worship you the first time I saw you.” Green eyes, dark and intense with desire, looked up at her. “I’d never seen anything so beautiful.”

Reed moved down, sliding the jeans to her ankles. He cupped each foot and gently worked the fabric over her heel. The jeans joined the rest of Jayne’s clothes on the floor.

Reed’s eyes caressed her from her feet up, sliding up her legs, pausing on the juncture of her thighs, before roaming up to her breasts.

Steam filled the room as he stripped off his shirt and pants without the finesse he’d shown disrobing Jayne. He stood naked in front of her in seconds, all sleek muscles and smooth skin on display for her. But he gave her no time to savor the view. He reached under the vanity for a condom and set it on the top of the shower door. His hand settled on her waist and he steered her into the shower.

Jayne ducked under the spray. Hot water cascaded over their bodies as Reed pulled her close. His hard body pressed against her breasts, belly, and thighs. She pressed a kiss to his chest and tasted smoke. Her hand closed around a bar of soap. She leaned back a few inches and slid it across his chest. With soapy hands, she explored his body, washing away all traces of the morning’s horrors from his skin. Reed’s head tipped back, and a low rumble of pleasure came from deep in his chest.

When she brought the bar to her own body, his hand closed over her hand. “Let me.” Hoarseness invaded his voice.

Callused hands lathered every inch of her body. He knelt to massage her arches and slide his fingers between her toes. Then he worked his way up her legs, kneading her calves, sliding up the inside of her thighs and around to cup her buttocks. A moan bubbled from her throat.

Jayne’s legs parted for him, hot and aching for his touch.

The heat and his hands mesmerized her. She could think of nothing but the feel of his fingers on her skin, anticipating where
he’d touch her next. Every beat of her heart pushed desire through her veins like a drug. She couldn’t see. She couldn’t hear anything but her own blood pounding in her head, pulsing between her thighs. Only he could make her blood hum, her body turn limp and helpless with need. For him. Only him.

His hands slid around her hips to her belly and moved up to cup her breasts. His fingers teased her already hard nipples. She splayed her hands on his pectorals. His heart pounded against her palms. She slid her hand down his flat stomach.

A low groan sounded from his throat as she closed her hand around the hard length of him. Reed trembled against her. “Jayne.”

He backed her against the shower wall, the tile cool against her heated skin.

Jayne’s palms sought his shoulders for balance as he pulled one of her legs around his hip. Thickly muscled thighs pressed against the inside of Jayne’s legs. Her fingers dug into the hard muscles of his back as he worked himself slowly inside her. Too slowly. Jayne arched. “More. Now. Please, Reed. I need you.”

“Easy,” he whispered along the cord of her neck and rested his head against her temple.

With a sharp intake of breath he grasped her hips and moved against her, thrusting deep. He filled her completely, and they both groaned at the exquisite sensations.

Reed set a slow, teasing pace. Pleasure pierced her with each deliberate thrust. She clutched him harder to her, unable to get close enough. Tension mounted, grew, and swelled inside her, dragging another guttural moan from her lips.

“Come for me, Jayne,” Reed breathed against her ear, his voice throaty, raw with need. He buried his face in the crook of her neck. His fingers dug into her hips as he pounded into her.

Jayne’s heart raced forward. Her lungs heaved, and she rocked into him. The orgasm built from her toes and ripped through her entire body. It subsided in waves as Reed surged.

His body jerked, and a spasm ripped through his muscles. With a mighty animal-like growl, he sagged against her. The shower spray beat down on their still-joined bodies. Jayne rested her head on his shoulder as her breathing and heart rate slowed.

A hand brushed strands of wet hair from her forehead. Reed tilted her chin upward. His green eyes were filled with tenderness as he planted a soft kiss on her lips. The gesture moved her more than the orgasm. The combination was overpowering.

Jayne shook her spinning head. She felt wrung out, loose, and spent. And freezing cold.

A shiver began at her feet, where the shower pounded on them. His body blocked most of the spray.

“Reed?”

“Hmmm.” Two fingers stroked along her hip bone. The rest of him hadn’t moved.

“The water’s cold.”

“Ugh. Sorry.” He reached around his back and twisted the knob. Opening the shower door, he stepped out onto the mat and grabbed two thick towels from the rack. He wrapped one around her shoulders and used the other to buff her dry, starting at her feet and ending by gently squeezing water from her hair. After wrapping her in his warm robe, he rubbed a towel briskly over his own skin.

“You’re shivering.” He wrapped a towel around his lean hips.

Chills that had started in the shower hadn’t let up. Her skin erupted in goose bumps.

“I have an idea.” He stepped into a pair of sweatpants, scooped her off her feet, and carried her to the living room. He set her
on the sofa and with a quick flip of his wrists snapped a blanket from the back of the couch and spread it on the floor in front of the woodstove. A second blanket and a couple of pillows followed. The stove door opened with a squeak. Reed added wood and stoked the fire.

Jayne relocated to the blanket and stretched her fingers toward the stove. Heat soaked into her skin.

Reed latched the door before disappearing into the kitchen. Minutes later he returned with a tray loaded with sandwiches and milk.

Jayne scarfed down half of a turkey-and-cheese on wheat. The sadness and fear from the events of the day still lurked, but making love with Reed had released long-buried tension. Four years’ worth. Four years of not trusting anyone enough to get close.

Reed hammered back a sandwich. The phone rang and he reached for it.

“Hello.” His eyes narrowed. “Really? Well, that sucks. Yeah, it is weird. I’ll tell her. Thanks for calling.”

Dread curled up in Jayne’s stomach. “How bad is it?”

“Your engine burned up. It’s done.” Reed took her hand and squeezed gently. “The mechanic thinks something caustic was added to the oil. Maybe bleach. He said the underside of the hood had these strange symbols drawn all over it.”

“I don’t know why I’m shocked.” Jayne set down the remainder of her sandwich. “He did it to keep me here. Just like he cut my tires.”

“He still wants you.”

“But why? And who is he?” Frustration and fresh fear coiled inside her. “I want to try Pat again.”

Reed handed her the phone and retreated to the kitchen.

The call went through on Pat’s cell. Her brother’s deep voice brought tears to her eyes. Her story came out in a bubbling, incoherent rush, but Pat understood. Pat always understood.

“It couldn’t be Jennings, could it?” she asked.

“Nope. Phones here have been wonky for days or I would’ve called you. Conor saw Jennings hanging around the bar. The cops picked him up for violating the terms of his parole. He had a knife on him. He’s back in prison, Jaynie. For as long as they can possibly keep him there.”

“I didn’t really think it could be him. But I thought I’d ask.”

Pat’s frustration came through the line. “You don’t have to worry about him. Here I thought you were safe.”

“I’m sorry, Pat. I’m such a pain in the ass.”

“Jaynie, honey, there’s nothing to be sorry about. There are a lot of scumbags out there.” The angry edge in Pat’s voice softened. “I love you, and I’m coming to get you. I’m going to try to get a flight right now. I’ll call you back.”

Jayne ended the call and stared through the glass door of the woodstove. An ember popped. Logs shifted. Another man coming to her rescue. When was she going to be able to fend for herself? Ever?

“You OK?” Reed sat down next to her, first-aid kit in hand.

“Yeah. Pat’s coming.” Pressure built in Jayne’s chest. “Ty Jennings is back in prison. He broke parole trying to stalk me.”

Reed snipped wet bandages off her wrists. Jayne stared at the scabbed-over wounds. Two more reminders of her weakness. “Well, that’s good, right? That means you’ll be safe at home.”

“Unless my kidnapper follows me there. I don’t even know what he looks like, Reed. He could be any blue-eyed stranger who walks into the bar.” How would she live? She’d never be able to
go anywhere alone. She’d be looking over her shoulder, thinking every newcomer was out to get her. She’d go crazy.

“If I hadn’t run away, if I’d have stayed home and faced Jennings, none of this would’ve happened. Hugh would still be alive. You and Scott wouldn’t be in danger. I shouldn’t have run away. I’m a coward.”

“Or Jennings would’ve hurt you before they caught him.” Reed applied fresh bandages, then reached up to stroke the scar on her cheek with the pad of his thumb. “These are battle scars. Cowards don’t fight back. Cowards roll over. You’re a warrior.”

Jayne focused on the clean, white gauze. She bet he wouldn’t have said that if he’d known she’d originally come to Huntsville to reveal his identity to the world. Warriors were honest.

No secrets.

Reed cupped her cheek and lifted her chin. Her eyes avoided contact with his. Was she regretting her decision?

“I know you can’t wait to go home. I can’t blame you, not with all you’ve been through here. I’ll call you. Visit you in Philadelphia. If that’s OK?”

Jayne only nodded. She’d been quiet since they’d made love. Did she think this was a one-night stand?

“Good. I don’t do casual sex. I care about you.” More than he could verbalize.

The past suddenly seemed so long ago. For the first time in years, he had hope that he could move on with his life, experience happiness without the side of guilt. But hope was an emotional double agent that could turn on him at any time and betray the very heart it bolstered.

Didn’t matter. What was done was done. He’d been dragged out into the sunlight. Once he’d experienced its warmth, there was no shoving his soul back underground. All because of the beautiful woman in front of him. The woman who’d lost so much, yet still had something to give to him.

He sunk to the blanket next to her. “Still hungry?”

“No.”

Reed moved the dinner tray aside. A feral longing to claim her, to
show
her how he felt, passed through him. He rose onto his knees and crawled over her body.

Jayne fell back onto the blankets. Her robe parted and a pink nipple peeked out from between the lapels. Reed’s blood surged to his groin.

Heat from the stove washed over them as his body covered hers. “Well, I am. I barely got a taste of what I wanted.”

He pressed his lips to her temple. The scent of his soap on her skin was like a brand. His lips traveled down the side of her face and paused to kiss the scar on her cheek.

He worked his way down her neck to run his tongue along her collarbone. Beneath him, Jayne shivered.

“Are you cold?”

She shook her head.

“Good.” Reed nuzzled the robe open, exposing a breast. Soft and full, it fit perfectly in his palm. He plumped it with his hand and licked her nipple into a stiff bead. He went hard as a tire iron in one heartbeat.

She arched toward him. “More.”

“No rush.” He had one night to show Jayne what she meant to him. She kept saying that he’d rescued her, but in reality she’d saved him from a lifetime of darkness. “We have all night.”

He uncovered her other breast and laved it with his tongue. Jayne’s fingers twined in his hair, pulling him harder to her. He opened wide and sucked her nipple into his mouth. Jayne groaned, a deep and throaty sound that made his erection throb.