by Diana Tobin
“You keep shaking that finger at me and I’ll bite it off,” he growled.
“You and who’s army?” Lynn jammed her hands on her hips. For a moment she couldn’t remember why they were fighting, but she loved it. Donny never argued with her; he just agreed with what she said, then did whatever he wanted behind her back.
“I don’t need an army. I need—” JC grabbed her by the hips and pulled her onto his lap before covering her mouth with his. He made a low sound in his throat and she heard a whimper.
Gasping for air, Lynn found herself straddled over JC’s lap, the hard hot length of him pressed to the center of her heat, his hands under her shirt doing wickedly wonderful things to her body, and his mouth devouring hers. No one had ever made her feel like this. No one had ever pushed her to the edge the way JC could. She was sure she would self-combust any moment, and become nothing but a pile of ash.
“You,” he murmured into her mouth before his lips went on a journey south. “I need you.”
“Yes. Yes. Yes.” She rocked her hips against him, seeking the release only he could provide. She ran her hands over his shoulders and down his chest, clenching at his muscles, before continuing down his abs to the opening of his jeans. Dipping her fingers beneath the waistband, she realized he was as naked beneath his clothes as she. “Oh, God,” she whispered.
“I want my shorts back. Now.” His hands slid up her thighs into the loose leg openings, edging closer to where she most needed his touch.
“’Kay.” She pulled up her shirt and pressed her bare flesh to his, loving the feel of the soft curls against her even softer skin. Lynn pressed her mouth to his neck, nipping and licking as her hands fumbled with the front of his jeans. The pounding of her heart had her wiggling closer to JC.
His hands stilled as curses came from his mouth. Gently, he pushed her away.
The pounding grew louder. “It’s okay,” she reassured JC. “It won’t come out.”
“You’re making no sense, honey, but someone’s at the door.” He picked her up, stood her on wobbly legs, and pulled the tee shirt down over her body.
Lynn placed a hand over the center of her chest. “The pounding…my heart.”
JC’s lips flattened as he spit out, “I’m hard enough to pound nails, but whoever is knocking at the door is about to get a fat lip.” He stomped from the room, heading for the back door. Yanking the door open he scowled down into the smiling faces of Ethan and Micki Reigh. “What?” he demanded.
Ethan’s grin grew while Micki’s smile turned to a frown. “Where’s my sister?”
“In the kitchen.” JC ran a hand through his rumpled hair. “I suppose you want to come in.”
Michaela didn’t answer, just shoved him aside as she headed inside. Ethan remained on the door step, but didn’t even try to stop grinning. “We went for a drive and saw Lynn’s car. Michaela insisted on stopping.”
“It didn’t occur to you to convince her otherwise?” JC folded his arms over his bare chest.
“Much as I like you, I prefer to spend my time with Michaela, alone.” Ethan heaved a sigh. “It’s not often we get away from the kids.”
“Not feelin’ it, man. Not when you get to climb into bed each night with a fine woman like your wife.”
Ethan brightened. “Yeah, I do. Which is a good idea. I’ll just collect my woman and leave you to—whatever.” He slipped past JC.
JC stepped over to the dryer to retrieve the clean, dry clothes. Neatly, he folded Lynn’s paint stained jeans and shirt. Her pretty red lace bra would never be the same, and he added it to the pile. He held the scrap of lace he supposed Lynn considered panties. He considered shoving them into his pocket when it hit him that would make him a bit of a creep.
Besides, he’d rather have the real woman in his hands again. Touching her, tasting her…
“Thanks for washing my clothes.” Lynn reached for the small pile on the dryer. “I’ll return your clothes to you tomorrow, if that’s all right?”
“Sure. No hurry.” He guessed he wasn’t going to have the pleasure of peeling her out of his shorts tonight. “Let me walk you down to your car.”
“No need,” Micki interrupted. “We’ll walk her out.”
“Oh, my brushes,” Lynn remembered.
JC gave her a small smile. “I’ll take care of them and leave them here for you,” he pointed to the counter next to the sink. “The house will be unlocked so you come in, get a drink, take a nap. Make yourself at home.”
“Are you sure?” She stared up at him and all he wanted to do was take her in his arms and kiss her. Make love to her.
“Yeah.” He tucked a short strand of hair over her ear. “I’m sure.”
Micki urged her sister out the door. Ethan gave him a look of sympathy as he followed. “See ya, JC.”
“Yeah,” he repeated and watched them walk down his graveled driveway.
Away from the house Lynn and her sister hissed at each other. JC couldn’t make out the words and wondered what they were arguing about. Come to think of it, Micki had never been so unfriendly toward him.
After he heard car doors slam and engines start, he went out to his truck and got Lynn’s painting equipment. Taking it all back into the mud room he cleaned them up and laid it out for her return.
His thoughts weren’t on the mindless tasks; they centered all on Lynn and her unbridled reaction to his touch, his kisses. His lips twitched when he recalled how she’d thought the pounding at the door had been her heart. Unlike his ex-wife, Lynn hadn’t been faking anything.
Neither was he. He wanted her under him, over him, anyway he could have her. And, he was determined he’d get her.
Striding back into the kitchen he went to his planner on the small desk in the corner. If he shuffled a few things around he could be here to help her. Maybe this time, he would get to hose her down. Grinning, he knew the perfect way to warm her back up.
○◊○
“Hello, gorgeous.”
Lynn jumped and slapped the paint brush to her chest. “Damn it, JC. Why are you sneaking up on me?” She’d been deep in thought, reliving the evening before when she’d been draped over JC’s lap.
He grinned, wiped spatters of white paint off her chin before he leaned down to give her a kiss. A long breath-stealing kiss. “I didn’t sneak. How could you miss hearing me in these clod-hoppers?” He pointed down to the boots on his large feet.
She blinked, trying to bring his feet into focus. She wasn’t sure if what she’d said about rat-faced Donny was true. Well, in his case it was true; his male appendage was as short and stubby as his thumbs. “Is that where rule of thumb comes from?” She’d also heard the size of a man’s shoe was in direct correlation to the size of his… “Oh, my.”
“You’re not making much sense. You better come outside and breathe clear air.”
“Are you a mind reader?”
JC barked out a laugh. “Honey, it doesn’t take a mind reader to guess where your thoughts are. If you don’t quit staring at my fly I’m going to take you right here in the dirt.”
She swallowed hard. Could she really get this beautiful man so turned on he’d take her without thought to their surroundings? She swiped at her forehead with the back of her hand.
“Stop, honey.” He grabbed her hand, holding it away from their bodies. “You’re smearing paint all over you. Not that you need the addition of anything, but if you’re into smearing your body with something I suggest whipped cream or chocolate. Something a lot more tasty than paint.”
The image of JC licking her from head to toe had her shuddering. “Oh, my God,” she moaned.
They stared at each other before each took steps away, putting space between them. His breathing was as rapid as hers.
“Maybe I should start on tomorrow’s jobs instead of helping you.” JC’s hands curled into fists, as if he needed to keep them from reaching for her again.
“No.” Her voice cracked and she tried again. “No. If you’re fin
ished working, I have a list of things I need you to do.”
He licked his lips. “Does this list have to do with the stand? Or, you personally?”
Lynn held up the hand with the paint brush as she stared at his mouth. “D-don’t start. We can have the stand finished today.” But she was so tempted to say to hell with the stand and give him a list of ways he could personally start on her. She drew in two deep breaths. “You need to install a lock on the door and a way to lock down the front opening and make it easier for me to lift.”
JC kept watching her, the corner of his mouth lifted in the start of a grin. She waited for it to spread so his dimples would appear. His next words had her sucking in a breath. “I came home to help you, not to seduce you. That’s just a nice side benefit.”
Heaven help her! It wouldn’t take any seduction on his part. He could crook his finger and she’d follow without question. Just like hundreds of women in his past.
That last thought had her spine stiffening. She knew she would become one of many, she just had to reconcile herself to being part of a crowd. His friendship meant more to her, but, oh, how she wanted to experience JC Benjamin at least once in her life.
“I…I’m nearly finished with the painting inside.”
“I’d offer to finish for you, but no sense in us both being covered with paint.” His grin took any sting from his words. He studied the small building for a few moments. “I’ve got some ideas to make things easier for you. Let me check the barn to see if I’ve got what we need.”
Lynn nodded and let out her breath as JC walked up the drive. She didn’t move. She stood rooted, watching his tall muscled body. She didn’t care what her sister said; Lynn couldn’t wait to get her hands on that hot-blooded man!
Once he was out of sight in the barn, Lynn returned to her painting. She was taping a large square on the back wall when JC came back with a ladder and tools.
“What’s the square for?”
“A blackboard.”
“Good idea.” She could tell he was pleased with the idea. “I’ll have to go to Augusta or Farmington for one that size.”
“No, you won’t.” Finished with the tape, she picked up a small can of paint and shook it. Setting it on the floor, she carefully opened the can. Holding the paint can in one hand, with the other she dipped a clean brush into the paint and swiped it inside the taped lines. “This is chalkboard paint. I figured it was worth a try. We can post prices or messages here.”
She heard JC enter the small space, but didn’t look away from what she was doing. “Would you put that can and brush down for a minute, please?”
She stopped her brush in mid-swipe and looked at him. “You don’t like it?”
He backed up a half-step. “Put them down, please.” She did as he asked, setting the can on the floor and the brush on top of the can. “Now, step over here.” He backed up another two steps. When Lynn was in front of him, JC wrapped his arms around her and hugged her to his hard body. “You are clever. I can’t believe all the thought and hard work you’ve put into this for me.”
His praise pleased her even as a worrisome thought flitted through her mind. Was she repeating her Donny mistakes with JC? No. “It’s for me, too. You said you’d share your profits with me and I can sell my cookies. Plus, I can do what I want when not waiting on customers.”
“All true,” he agreed, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “You’ve got to remember, my mother and ex-wife never wanted anything to do with the stand, the farm, nor my father and me.”
“Your mother and ex-wife were idiots,” she spit out, then wondered if she’d overstepped the bounds of friendship.
JC pulled her tighter against him and chuckled. “Keep talking like that and you’ll give me a swelled head.”
She rubbed her belly against the front of him. “Think I already have.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Much as JC wanted to explore what was happening between them, he also wanted the stand finished before Lynn got hurt trying to do something he should’ve handled. Using hunger as an excuse, he asked her to go up to the house and make lunch. Naturally, she protested until he pointed out she needed to give the paint time to dry and he wouldn’t have to worry about dropping something on her if she wasn’t underfoot.
Not his smoothest move, but it gave his blood a chance to cool and for his brain to work again.
He looked over the bright blue farm stand. Not the best paint job he’d ever seen, but he had to admire the woman for tackling the project. The little shack had been rundown and filthy. The smartest thing would’ve been to knock it down and do without. Better yet, start over. The back corner leaned a bit, but overall, it was bright and shiny and looked new. Well, newer.
Maybe it was time for him to admit Lynn Baxter was nothing like his mother nor his ex-wife.
JC set to work. With guide wires, he propped up the front opening so Lynn wouldn’t have to lift the heavy wood and it would provide a bit of shade. Then, he began building two doors to enclose the front counter, making it easier to lock up at night. He would expand the front counter. He didn’t have any extra door locks so he’d put a hasp on the main door with a padlock.
One question kept running through his mind as he worked; why? Why did Lynn put so much time and effort into the old stand? Why did she care how it looked, other than wanting it cleaned up if she was going to spend time in it? Why did any of this matter to her? What was in it for her?
It was that last question that continually gnawed at him. Suzanne never did a damn thing for him unless she planned to gain something. What did Lynn hope to gain?
○◊○
Lynn seasoned the chicken breasts she’d found in the freezer, poured on a bit of oil and popped the tray with them in the oven. She hated adding more heat to the kitchen by using the oven, but roasted chicken was so much better than boiled.
With little to do while the chicken cooked, she opened windows in the farmhouse. The rooms were clean, but tired and dark. Dreary. Nothing a fresh coat of paint couldn’t fix and maybe some new curtains. Huge maples shaded the house and a cooling breeze brought fresh air inside.
JC’s house was large, with a number of bedrooms, and showed the wear from housing many generations of Benjamins. As did her mother’s house. But, Nettie had updated over the years as time and money allowed. It was obvious no one had truly cared for JC’s house for a long time. He maintained it as far as she could tell, and despite a bit of dust here and there, kept it clean.
The house was no glossy bachelor pad as one might expect from a man as handsome and well built as JC. Neither did it fit him completely. The furniture was decades old and looked a bit small for his large frame. Lynn could picture him lying on the couch watching a football game on TV with his head at an odd angle and his feet and legs hanging over the opposite end.
She wouldn’t dare tell JC what he could do to fix up the house. His house. She was merely a guest. One who should concentrate on feeding the owner rather than ways of sprucing up his living space.
Lynn cut up the apples she’d brought to snack on and the grapes she’d found in the fridge. The pantry yielded a jar of pecans. When she’d chopped what she needed, she put the remainder in the freezer, making note to let JC know that was the best place to store them. Removing the chicken breasts from the oven she cut up all but one, saving that for JC’s dinner. Mixing it all together with a bit of mayonnaise, her chicken salad was ready. She just needed her lunch companion and headed out the door to see how he was progressing.
Had she really been inside that long? Or, did JC work that fast? The heavy front board was now a nice overhang, and the counter was twice as wide.
“Wow. You work fast.” His answer was a sexy grin. “I’ve no doubt you work fast with women, too.”
He stepped closer and stared into her eyes. “Oh, darlin’, I can be very slow and thorough.”
Lynn couldn’t say a word as images flashed through her mind of a naked JC making his way over
her body, inch by careful inch.
The grin left his face and he took a step back, clearing his throat. “We’re, uh, going to have to touch up a bit with paint.”
“Huh?” She blinked and tore her gaze from his. “Oh. Paint. Yeah.” Her indrawn breath shuddered a bit. “I can do that.” Keeping her gaze on the building her vision cleared. “Can you get me a piece of wood about this size?” She held out her hands to show him what she wanted.
“Sure, I’ll check the barn. You wanna come look? There might be a chair or stool you’ll want for when you’re out here.”
“Okay, but lunch first. That’s why I came out here.” She led the way back up to the house.
JC knocked the dirt off his boots on the granite door step and washed up at the sink in the mud room. While he cleaned up, Lynn put their meal together and had it on the table when he entered the kitchen.
“Thanks for putting lunch– What is that?” He slid into a chair and inspected the sandwich on his plate.
“Chicken salad.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “You might try it before you start complaining.”
He looked at her in surprise. “I wasn’t complaining. I didn’t expect you to go to all this work.”
“Did you think it would take me all this time to slap together peanut butter and jelly?”
“I don’t know what suddenly got your panties in a twist, but I’d’ve been happy with peanut butter. This, however,” he motioned to his plate, “looks much better. As for time, I wasn’t paying attention. I tend to work till the job is finished or I have to stop.”
Lynn raked a hand through her hair. “Sorry. I—never mind.” She headed for the freezer to pull out ice cubes for their glasses of tea.
JC caught her hand and stopped her. “Don’t ever confuse me with someone else.”
Her automatic reaction was to deny that’s what had happened, deny his words brought back a time with Donny. Instead, she kept her gaze steady on his and returned the warning. “Ditto.”
After they’d eaten, with profuse appreciation from JC, he helped her clean up despite her protests. “It will go faster with both of us. Besides,” stepping behind her, he trapped her between the counter and his body, “I haven’t properly thanked you.”