by Talty, Jen
She cringed at the memory. “That was a horrible time in my life.”
“I know, and I felt so helpless. After you wised up and dumped that prick, Robert had already found out about what was going on with my sister and my financial problems because of it. I sold myself to the devil.”
“But you saved your sister and her son. What you did to JW was shitty and at the same time a blessing. No one blames you.”
“I’m beginning to realize that now.”
Georgia Moon smiled. “Good.”
“As much as I’m enjoying sitting with you here now, I’m still in a space that used to be mine and I lost it. Doing that to myself day in and day out isn’t good for me.”
“You can make new roots.”
“I know,” he said softly.
She dropped the chicken bone onto the plate and licked her fingers, totally aware that Luke stared at her every movement. She’d never been overtly sexual, and no one could ever call her a girly-girl. As a kid, she’d rather play in the mud than with dolls. As a teenager, she’d rather rope a steer than go to the winter formal. The first time she’d had sex had been such a rush, until it was over, and she just wanted to get out of bed and go home.
Most sexual experiences, while they left her physically satisfied, did nothing for her emotionally. She worried she’d feel the same way with Luke. A woman was supposed to want to cuddle and have a man whisper sweet nothings in their ears.
But not her.
She took her index finger and slipped it between her lips, easing into her mouth and slowly popping it out.
Luke’s jaw slacked open. He took his napkin, wiped his face, and tossed it to the plate. “I’m done.” He jumped to his feet and lifted her off the floor.
“Whoa there, big fella. What are you doing?”
He cradled her knees under his arm. “I’m taking you to bed.”
She couldn’t contain her smile if she tried. Her heart beat so fast it hurt her chest. Taking a deep breath became a struggle.
Softly, he laid her on the bed. His hands roamed her body while his tongue delved into her mouth. Her muscles burned with desire as his masterful touch made her drunk with passion. She tugged at his shirt with desperation. Never in her life had she needed or wanted someone as badly as she did Luke.
“Slow down,” he murmured into her ear as he nibbled on the lobe. “I want this to last.”
“That’s fine, but I still want you naked.”
He chuckled. “That can be arranged, but only if you join me.”
“You don’t have to ask me twice.” She kicked off one boot, then the other. Her lips parted, and she gasped as he tossed his shirt to the floor. His stomach muscles twitched under her touch. “Nice.”
“I’m glad you like,” he said with an amused laugh.
Her fingers stopped at the edge of long scar that circled from his stomach to his back. “What happened here?”
“One of my many accidents,” he said. “Your turn. Shirt and bra.”
With shaky fingers, she removed the articles. Her nipples puckered in the air-conditioning.
Or maybe it was because of the way he stared at them.
He dotted her skin with sweet, tender kisses. He kept things slow and controlled, and she caved to her desires.
The moon danced in the skylight, creating a warm glow across their bodies. His loving touch was nothing like she’d ever experienced. They moved together like the ocean rolling across the beach in a perfect rhythm. Intuitively, he understood her passion and needs. She didn’t need to guide him or show him how to touch her to give her the utmost pleasure.
And by his moans and gripping of her hips, she figured she grasped his desires.
He rolled her to her back, pressing his hands on the mattress. “I don’t mean to be a mood killer, but I need to get a condom out of my—”
“Stop talking and just get it,” she said with a shaky breath.
He chuckled as he jumped from the bed.
Raising up on her elbows, she admired his sleek body as the evening moonlight shined on his golden skin.
His smile as he returned to bed sent her heart on a roll. “You are an amazing woman, Georgia Moon.” He kissed both her cheeks before bringing his lips back to her mouth, matching the gentle rocking motion of their bodies.
She’d had a few lovers over the years, but no one rocked her world quite like Luke. The growing thrust for release intensified starting at the tip of her toes, crawling across her skin until she soaked it deep into her soul, fulfilling her in unexpected ways.
As the stars brightened the sky, her climax tore through her like an out-of-control freight train. It came on so hard and fast she hadn’t been able to brace herself for it, much less try to hold it at bay for as long as she could.
He reached between them, rubbing his thumb in a tender circle, sending her into a second frenzy. His labored breath tickled her skin. His groans filled her ears with the sound of a storm building inside his body. “I will always love you,” he whispered as his body tensed and convulsed, propelling her into another carnal indulgence while the word love lingered over her heart like a piece of decadent chocolate in the window of a closed candy store.
The air in her lungs burned as she gasped to catch her breath. She blinked, trying to focus on the stars in the sky, but the room blurred and spun out of control. The intense quivering of her body held her captive in a never-ending river of pleasure.
Long moments passed until she could breathe normally, and her vision returned.
Luke lay next to her, his head propped up on his hand and a wide smile on his face. His hand glided up her stomach. “I wasn’t sure you would ever stop.”
“Me neither,” she managed.
“I’m not sure I want you to stop.” He pressed his sweet lips against her shoulder.
“I might have lost my mind if I hadn’t.” Her thoughts wandered back to his words. He couldn’t have meant them. He had to have said them in the heat of the moment.
God, how she wished the words were real because her heart ached to say them back, but she couldn’t. Not now.
Maybe never.
“I’d like to think that I’m the only man that has given a multiple orgasm like that.”
She smiled. “Can’t say I’ve ever lost count before.”
He arched a brow. “So, something like that happens often?”
Her cheeks heated. “No. They generally end at one. If I’m self-pleasuring, maybe two, if I’m lucky.”
“Wow,” he said softly, nuzzling his face into her neck, peppering kisses under her earlobe. “I’m humbled and terrified at the same time.”
“Why terrified?”
“Because once I’ve rested for a bit, I plan on making love to you again, and now the pressure is on.” He pulled the covers over their bodies and wrapped his arms around her in a protective embrace.
Only, she had no intention of having a repeat performance.
While her body demanded it, her heart was already breaking because Luke would be out of her life in a week.
Chapter 4
“The prosecution calls Luke Hannah to the stand.”
Luke swallowed as he made his way to the front of the courtroom. He placed his hand on the bible and stared into Georgia Moon’s sweet eyes while he swore to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
At least the government gave him permission to lie about his identity, something that would destroy Georgia Moon and any hope of keeping her in his life, even if only as a friend. He hated having second thoughts about having gone to bed with her for many reasons, but the biggest one was he swore he would never hurt her.
And between this testimony, and covering up his identity, he had to resolve himself that pain was about the only thing he would ever cause Georgia Moon and her family.
“You can take a seat,” the prosecutor said. “Can you tell me how you first met the defendant, Robert Brothers?”
“He was my first sponsor when I
was on the bull riding circuit.” The prosecutor had told him to give only the answers he had been asked and not to elaborate. He understood why, but he hoped he’d be able to maintain his cool during cross-examination.
“And when you left the circuit?”
“I worked for him,” Luke said.
“And was that a good working relationship?”
“In the beginning, yes.” Luke continued to keep his focus on Georgia Moon. Her slight smile and tilt of her head kept his pulse from raging out of control.
“And why did you leave your employment with the defendant?”
“I bought my own ranch and started giving private lessons,” Luke said.
“So, would you say you left under good or bad circumstances?”
“I thought they were good, but later I found out that Robert had been spreading rumors about me and my business practices.”
“Objection, Your Honor. Hearsay,” the defense attorney said.
“Overruled,” the judge declared. “Please continue.”
Luke’s mouth was so dry, it took three attempts to swallow.
“What did you do about the rumors?”
“Nothing,” Luke said. “Until JW Whiskey saved my life and wanted to train with me. I fought back, defending my reputation, but by that time, Robert and I called somewhat of a truce, and we coexisted for a couple of years.”
“What prompted the truce?”
“Robert wanted my help in destroying JW,” Luke said.
Georgia Moon shifted her gaze, and Luke’s heart plummeted to the depths of his stomach. She might have forgiven him, but it would forever be stuck between them, just like Joanie Malone’s death.
“And you agreed because he’d dug up some dirt on your sister, and he threatened to ruin her and you. Is that correct?”
“Yes.”
“When did you decide to deviate from Mr. Brothers’ plan for the destruction of JW Whiskey’s reputation?”
“Two things prompted that decision. The first had been his daughter’s decision to accuse JW of beating her, and the second was that I found out he was pumping his horses with steroids.”
There was a collected gasp in the courtroom, and Georgia Moon snapped her focus back on him.
“Objection, Your Honor. This is the first we’ve heard of this allegation. Not to mention no charges have been brought.”
“Your Honor,” the prosecutor said, waving a folder in the air. “I want to enter into evidence a report we received from Mr. Brothers’ own vet regarding the steroids.” The prosecutor placed the file on the judge’s desk. “This shows once again that Robert Brothers will skirt the law for his own personal gain. While I realize it’s not on the long list of injustices, it shows Mr. Brothers’ character. I would also like to add that the prosecution’s office is preparing a motion to add this charge as we have enough evidence to bring to trial.”
“I’ll allow it,” the judge said.
“How did you find out about the injections?”
“He began doing the same thing with my sister’s horses, and one of them died because of it,” Luke said with fury. “It’s when I realized that Robert wasn’t going to help us but destroy us as well.”
“One last question,” the prosecutor said. “Did you help Mr. Brothers cover up that death?”
“Yes. I did,” Luke said, stiffening his spine. “He planned on pinning it on my sister, and I couldn’t have that.”
“Your Honor, I enter into evidence the report on the horse’s demise.” The prosecutor handed the court deputy a piece of paper. “Thank you, Mr. Hannah, for your time.”
Luke’s heart kicked into high gear.
The defense attorney stood, smoothed down his slacks, tugged at his coat, and approached the witness stand.
“Mr. Hannah, isn’t it true that your sister’s husband had already been juicing the horses, and you continued with it because of the money you could win on betting on the horses?”
“No,” Luke said behind a clenched jaw. “My brother-in-law might have been involved in shady business practices, but he never injected a horse with a steroid. He did, however, bet on horses that Robert juiced. I never did.”
“All right, but did you know about it and turn a blind eye?”
“I was gathering information to help Robert help me get that jerk out of my sister’s life. But Robert never did that. Instead, he used that information against me.”
“But you still stood by and let it happen, correct?”
Luke gripped the sides of the chair and squeezed. “Yes.”
“And you bet on the horses that were injected.”
“Objection, Your Honor. The witness is not on trial here.”
“Sustained,” the judge said.
The defense attorney nodded. “Mr. Hannah, isn’t it true you had gambling debts and that’s why you went to my client for help?”
“No, sir. That is not what happened. I did enjoy gambling back in the day, and when Robert became my sponsor, he did help me with some debts when I got in over my head, but that was many years before, and I haven’t gambled since.”
“That’s not what my client says, and we have a list of payments to you at that time. What do you say about that?”
“The money that he gave me during that time period were payments to help destroy JW as well as money to give to my sister.” Luke cleared his throat. “I kept a log.”
“We’ve seen that log and absolutely dispute it.”
“Your Honor, I object to this line of questioning,” the prosecutor said as he stood. “It has already been established that we can’t prove one way or the other what that money was intended for. The only thing it has shown is that Mr. Brothers’ bookkeeping is suspect.”
Luke hoped that was a nice dig.
“I’ll move on,” the defense attorney said. “I really only have one more question. Wasn’t it your idea, after being caught in a compromising situation with the defendant’s daughter, to have her go confront JW and then subsequently have someone else smash up her face and accuse JW? And didn’t you give them the name of someone willing to beat her up?”
There was no way in hell Luke was going to answer those questions with a simple one-word response, even though he could. He looked out over the courtroom and caught Georgia Moon’s gaze. This might not go over well. “Not exactly.” He let out a long breath before sucking in a deep one, trying to slow his heartbeat. He’d been called to the stand for two reasons. The first one being to introduce the steroids and the second was to establish Robert’s role in falsely accusing JW.
“What does that mean, exactly?” the defense attorney asked. “Please, be specific.”
Luke glanced to the right, away from Georgia Moon’s intense gaze. “I was mortified and ashamed by what happened, and I wanted to crawl in a hole and hide for the rest of my life. When JW left my house that night, Bella decided to run off after him. When she returned and told me what happened, I said something to the effect of: too bad he didn’t bruise your pretty face because then you might be able to really ruin him.”
There was another collective gasp from the people sitting in the courtroom.
“And that’s when you gave them the name of the man who actually beat up Bella?”
“No. I never did that, though he was a man in my employment, and he’s admitted to being hired by Robert and Bella and is testifying in—”
“Please don’t comment on anyone else’s testimony,” the judge said.
“I’m sorry.” Luke nodded, releasing his fingers and wiggling them. The tension in his body was like a lead blanket dragging him down. “I never gave them a name.”
“But you did make the suggestion, and when the accusation came out, you didn’t correct anyone, is that right?”
“Yes,” Luke said.
“And isn’t it also correct that right before you sold your ranch to JW Whiskey and his siblings, one of your horses died, and a few weeks later it was found that he’d been injected with steroids.”
“Yes, but—”
The defense attorney held up his hand. “No need to elaborate. Your Honor, I’m done with this witness.”
“Cross-examine?” the judge asked.
“Just one question, Your Honor.” The prosecutor stood. “Mr. Hannah. Do you know who injected your horse and why?”
“My brother-in-law and he was paid to do so by Robert Brothers,” Luke said.
“Objection.” The defense attorney stood, slapping his hand on the table. “Hearsay. The brother-in-law is dead, and my client adamantly denies these allegations, which have no relevance on this case.”
“Your Honor,” the prosecutor said, holding up another document. “I would like to enter into evidence a check made out to Mr. Hannah’s brother-in-law from Robert Brothers.”
“Your Honor. My client has stated that money was to help save the farm. Not to inject a horse with steroids.” The defense attorney leaned across the desk.
Luke just wanted all this to end with Robert Brothers behind bars.
“I’ll allow the documentation to be submitted as evidence,” the judge said. “If you have no other questions for this witness, I’d like call a half-hour recess for lunch.”
“I’m done, Your Honor,” the prosecutor said.
“I am as well,” the defense attorney added.
“Thank you for your time.” The judge nodded.
On wobbly legs, Luke rose and headed toward the doors, where Georgia Moon had raced through the second the judge hit the gavel.
* * *
Georgia Moon pressed her hands on the sink in the ladies’ room and stared at her reflection. She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. She knew Luke had done and said some questionable things.
He had the kind of reason that while it didn’t make his actions okay, she had to remember that his heart was in the right place.
That said, it still stung that after they’d shared a bed, he hadn’t told her about his testimony today. JW told her there were things she might not know about and that there could be a lot of mudslinging. Not only that, but Luke might not have been able to discuss certain things. Although she’d known about the horses and all the rumors flying around about who actually had them injected, it was still a bit of a shock to hear it all rehashed.