Personal Assets (Texas Nights) (22 page)

Allie smoothed her palms over his thighs and encircled him with both hands, as if to keep him from pulling away. Yeah, as if that would ever happen. She stroked him hand over fist from the base of his cock over the slick head. He forced his body to remain motionless so he could savor every inch of her caressing fingers along his overheated skin. His heart thumped so hard she could probably hear each distinct beat.

To his everlasting relief and torment, she slipped the tight circle of her lips around his tip. She kept the pumping rhythm steady with her hand firmly moving from above his balls to mid-shaft while she licked at him, sliding her clever tongue along the sensitive ridge on the underside of his cock. Her hair caressed his skin with each bob of her head.

He’d thought he couldn’t get any hotter after seeing Allie bring herself to orgasm. He’d been wrong.

She slid her fingertips between his legs to cup his sac, rubbing him with her thumb while she stroked a finger along the sensitive skin behind his balls. He could feel them tighten in her grasp. “Allie, if you don’t stop now...”

She didn’t pause, merely pulled him fully into the heat of her mouth with long, sure strokes. Each time, she took a little more of his length until he was no longer sure where he ended and she began. The tempo accelerated and Cameron lost his tenuous control, thrusting into her clinging suction on each stroke.

Allie gently squeezed his sac, and his orgasm clawed its way through his body and he came with draining bursts of pleasure.

His head fell back against the headrest, nerves still shooting wild messages all over his body. Allie smoothed her palms over his legs and chest.

Destroyed.
That was the only word to describe the state of his mind, body and emotions.

“You okay?”

No, he was much better—and worse—than okay. How could he have missed something this desperately when he and Allie had only become lovers recently? Yes, he’d missed this explosive sexual chemistry between them, but more, he’d missed
Allie.

She was so much more than he could’ve ever imagined. And everything—strength, determination, heart—he now knew he wanted in his life. Now he just had to convince her.

How would Allie feel if she knew the reason he’d been so damned upset about that stuff with his mom was because he’d felt off-kilter about what was happening between them? Would she admit that she felt the same uncertainty? Or would she be worried he wasn’t able to keep his feelings in the nice, neat slot they’d agreed on?

“I guess I’d like to know where we stand,” he said.

She jerked upright, abandoning her clothing-recon mission. “Should be pretty apparent from—” she waved a vague circle in the air, “—all this.”

Damn.
She’d seduced the pants off him, but she hadn’t smiled all evening. At least not her normal, warm smile.

Uncertainty swirled in the pit of his stomach. Either that or he needed to pop some antacids. Something wasn’t right here, though. “No, it’s hard for a guy to figure these things out when the woman he’s involved with only shares select pieces of her life. You came in here and acted like this—” he pointed at her, then himself, “—was the only thing on your mind. I think it was an excuse to distract yourself from something else.”

Allie avoided his gaze by scooping up her clothes, which had somehow ended up all over his office. She turned away from him and stepped into her underwear and wrinkled skirt. “Nothing. It has nothing to do with this. Us.”

Dammit, everything in his world revolved around them right now. Whether or not she wanted it to.

He pulled on his pants and started to reach for her before he remembered he’d yet to scrub his hands. He dropped his arms to his sides. “Listen, I know you’re probably gun-shy about confiding in me after the way I reacted about my mom. You have to understand that she’s been my responsibility for almost as long as I can remember. I’m not rational when I think she could get hurt.”

“I know, but this has nothing to do with her.”

“Then talk to me.” Her attempt to distance him pierced him, as if he might sluggishly bleed out, leaving him a shell. “Or can’t your lover be your friend too?”

Her back stiffened. “That’s not what I meant at all. But with everything you have going on, I don’t want to burden you with something that has nothing to do with you.”

To hell with her clothes. He gripped her shoulders and turned her to face him, leaving greasy splotches along the seams of her shirt. “I’ll buy you another one.” He bent at the knees to draw her gaze. “Now spill it.”

She twined her arms around her waist, and apparently his office floor was riveting. “My business is having minor money problems.”

He blew out a relieved breath. For some self-centered reason, he’d expected her issue to have something to do with him. “I thought you said Personal Assets was doing fine between your local and out-of-town clients.”

“Clients aren’t the problem. Cash flow is.”

He waited for her to elaborate.

“Okay, here’s the deal. I was stupid enough to go through my dad’s bank for a business loan. He decided to call in the loan, requiring the entire amount be paid back in full within fourteen days.”

“This is what had you so down the other night, isn’t it?” Which meant Allie had just over a week to repay the money she owed. He thought he’d understood Shelby’s game, but the man was using every weapon he had to try to manipulate Allie. Cameron’s blood pressure inched up.

“Yes, but I’ll handle it.”

He lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him. “But what if I could—”

“I don’t need your help. I will fix this by myself.”

“How do you plan to do that?”

“I’m still working on the details.”

He was pretty sure that was girl code for “I don’t have a fucking clue.”

Chapter Eighteen

Allie’s chest squeezed as she sat across yet another desk watching the used car salesman shake his head. “Your name ain’t the only one on the title.”

“What does that matter?”

“If you want to sell, then both people on the title got to agree and sign the paper.” He handed her the Escalade’s title. Sure enough, it listed both hers and her father’s names.

Cold understanding seeped into her skin. Why hadn’t she considered this? She’d planned to sell the SUV since it was the only asset she didn’t owe money on, but it had never occurred to her that she wouldn’t have the authority to sell, that she didn’t own the damn thing. Robert Shelby had struck again.

Allie stared at the calendar pinned to the wall, where a whitetail deer gazed back at her with wide eyes. She knew how he felt, wandering around minding his own business when some self-serving hunter with a gun full of buckshot snuck up behind him. The deer’s only option was to run through the woods hoping not to get his butt blown off.

By God, she wanted a gun.

She wanted to shoot back.

Her face must’ve hinted at her thoughts because Rusty, apparently named for the shade of his wiry hair, pushed back his chair and jumped to his feet. “Listen, I don’t want any trouble with you...or your daddy.” He scrubbed his palms across his head, making him resemble a breathing Brillo Pad. “But I can’t give you no money for a car that ain’t rightfully yours. Now if you want to bring him down here, then we’ll see what we can do.”

She retrieved her bag from beside her chair and stood to shake his hand. “Thank you for your time.”

“Really, Miz Shelby, I—”

“Thank you again.” Oh, God, she had a week. Only one week. Then it was bye-bye Personal Assets and Red Light. Allie strode through the glass door painted with Rusty & Sons Auto and climbed back into her gas-guzzling, good-for-less-than-nothing automotive albatross. She turned the key over and waited for the fuel gauge to climb. It hovered just above empty.

Resigned to shelling out big bucks for gas that wouldn’t even fill her tank, Allie pointed the SUV toward the gas station. She pulled to the pump farthest from the store, hoping to avoid human contact. No one should be subjected to her in this mood.

Then the gas pump had the audacity to ask her if she’d like a receipt or a refreshing soft drink from inside.

“No, I wouldn’t,” she snapped. The machine continued pitching deli sandwiches and car washes, but she ignored it and walked to the other side of her SUV to avoid the gas fumes rippling through the hot summer air.

Allie eyed her beast of a car. She’d hated the thing the instant her father had handed her the keys, but he wouldn’t listen to all the reasons she didn’t want it. It was too big. Too bulky. Too expensive. Too pretentious.

Now she couldn’t even sell the thing.

Rounding on the SUV, Allie kicked the tire with the toe of her pointed slingback. “I hate you, you useless hunk of metal. What have you done for me lately? Nothing, that’s what.” Every other word was punctuated with a sharp punch of leather against rubber. The toes on her right foot were going numb, but that didn’t stop her. “I can’t even get rid of you.”

“You might consider going back to your corner. Call me a fool, but I don’t think you’re going to win this one.” A male voice came from near the Escalade’s hood.

Allie swung around, ready to attack the person who’d dared witness, much less interrupt, her hissy fit. This was a private moment. By God, if she wanted to abuse her car, she could. What was he going to do? Call Vehicular Protective Services and report her? “Thanks for the advice, but I don’t...”

She froze when she recognized the man who’d intruded on her one-sided kickboxing match. This day continued to improve. “Hello, Jamie. It’s nice to see you.”

It wasn’t, really. She still wanted to punt the crud out of her car, but shame crept over her throat and cheeks. Her audience was none other than Emmalee’s other son and Cameron’s brother.

“Am I interrupting something?” He smiled the beautiful angel-boy smile she’d thought so cute when they were teenagers. Jamie was taller than his brother by two or three inches and had a lean, elegant frame rather than Cameron’s stockier build. However, they shared that decadent dark chocolate hair and olive-toned skin.

“Yes...ah...no.”
Click.
The pump shut off, which meant she’d just spent mega big bucks. Allie looked down at her shoe, now riddled with black streaks. Perfect. “What brings you to town?”

“The cultural offerings and exciting nightlife.”

“I think you took the wrong exit.”

Jamie laughed and disappeared to the driver’s side. Allie heard the slide and
clank
of the nozzle being pulled from the gas tank and returned to the pump. “Want your receipt?”

“Is he still nagging me?” She marched over, half afraid the pump would try to sell her a piece of pie or real estate.

“Who?”

She pointed to the pump. “Him.”

“Uh-huh.” He nodded, a slow, cautious movement. “Hey, it’s been a long time. Why don’t we grab a cup of coffee and catch up?”

“You don’t have any bad news for me, do you?” The way her luck was running, he’d probably come from Houston to serve her with legal papers.

Jamie cocked his head and stepped back, regarding her like he might a toddler about to melt down. “No. Especially since I had no idea I would run into you.”

Poor guy. He’d stumbled across her temper tantrum and now felt he had to defuse it. But he was tough, he could handle her.

“Sure. Why not?” Allie rubbed the toe of her shoe against her opposite trouser leg.

“Then let’s go to the Skillet. I still need to put a little gas in the U-Haul—” he waved to a truck and flatbed trailer carrying a car, chained and covered with a tarp, “—but I’ll follow you in five.”

“Moving back for that culture and nightlife?”

“Not in this lifetime.” He smiled and gestured to the lump under the tarp. “Picked up a 1958 Corvette that I’m dropping off at Cameron’s garage. Figured he might be the guy to help me restore her.”

“I’ve heard rumor he’s decent with that type of thing.”

* * *

Allie tucked herself into a booth at the Skillet and ordered a cup of coffee she didn’t really want. But if she didn’t keep her hands busy, she might break down and throw another hissy fit, heels and fists pumping against the restaurant floor.

“Want a doughnut with that?”

“What?” She glanced up to find Jamie pointing at the moat of dark liquid surrounding her mug. She let her spoon clatter against the side and a tidal wave lapped over the side of her cup. “Great.”

He smiled and sat, careful not to bump the table and attract the escaped coffee to him. “I thought a doughnut might kill two birds. Paper towel and breakfast.”

She grabbed a handful of napkins from the metal dispenser on the table and mopped at the puddle she’d created.

Their waitress, Dolores, hurried over and shooed her away from the mess. “Don’t worry about that, hon. I’ll take care of it.” She wiped away the evidence of Allie’s distraction with a white bar towel. “Can I bring you coffee?” She batted her fake eyelashes at Jamie.

“Black, please.” He smiled at Allie. “And I’d love a couple of doughnuts, if you have them.”

“Sure thing, sweetie.”

In the time it took Dolores to walk to the kitchen, Allie was able to paste on a passable social smile. She could do this, have a pleasant visit with her lover’s brother and pretend she wasn’t about to pluck out every hair on her head, one by one. “It was a surprise running into you this morning, especially on a weekday. Normally you visit your mom on the weekend.”

“My plan was a quick trip. Just long enough to drop off the car and head home.”

“Then you came across an insane woman insulting her car when all you wanted to do was fill your gas tank.” She covered her eyes with her palms. “You should’ve walked away when you had the chance.”

Dolores placed a cup and a plate of three pastries on the table, and Jamie winked at her.

“You forget I’m a lawyer. Insanity is an everyday occurrence for me.” He nudged Allie’s elbow with the plate of doughnuts, and she dropped her hands. “But my colleagues and clients are rarely as entertaining as you.”

“What, they don’t argue with and kick inanimate objects?”