by Debra Jupe
She glanced at him, snug in his warm running pants. “I packed several pairs of shorts.” She stretched into the front seat, propped a shoulder against the captain chair, and unzipped her suitcase. After a few moments of searching, she found them. She unsnapped her top button of her pants, glancing at Jack. He’d sprawled out, resting on his makeshift pillow, his eyes rested on her wearing a smile.
“Can you turn the other way?”
He grinned widened. “I could.”
“You’re not going to, are you?”
“Not a lot of ways to move in such a small spot.”
No way around it. She’d either have to suffer in her wet clothes or she would have to change in front of him. Though darkness blanketed the vehicle’s insides, the penlight lay near Jack’s hip—too close to his crotch area for her to risk a grab, and it glowed just enough to give him a clear view of her. If she’d been thinking, she’d have turned the blasted thing off before he reclined. Careful not to look in his direction, she lay on her back, extending her legs and unfastened the second snap of her jeans.
“Hold on.” Jack maneuvered his large body to rotate toward the outer window. “I’m not looking. Now you can undress.”
Relieved, she attempted to slip her pants over her hips. But the moisture filled denim prevented her from performing any swift movements. She couldn’t push them off the way Jack had. Besides even on a normal day, her blue jeans fit snugger than his.
With the hatch closed, lying on her back wasn’t working. With some difficulty, she rose to her knees, and twisted her body to force the wet pants over her thighs. The jeep’s close-fitting gap didn’t give her much wiggle room. She angled to one side and tried to pull a leg out. A foot wound within the soggy fabric. She swayed and rocked off center. The knee on the floor gave way. She tumbled sideways, and bounced her head off the window when she fell.
Jack whirled around. His expression appeared concerned. “You okay?”
She ignored the sting on her forehead, undid her foot, and pressed into a sitting position. “I’m fine.”
A small smile played on his lips, his dark green eyes held a warm gleam. “Pink and stringing. Who’d a thought?”
“My secret is out.” She squirmed out of her pants and promptly discarded them, wondering when she’d turned into such a klutz. Jack seemed to bring out her gawkiness. She hurried to put on her shorts, glad to cover up her bright fuchsia stringed panties, which were on display much longer than she’d preferred.
“How come you’re so nervous about undressing in front of me?” he asked with a definite sound of laughter in his voice.
“I’m not,” she answered indignantly. She yanked the elastic waistband over to her stomach with a snap. “I’m cold.” She lay onto the pillow and dragged the blanket he’d already spread up to her shoulders.
“If you say so.” He clicked the light switch, dimming the interior. “You do realize I saw less of you now than during your teenage years when you wore those microscopic bathing suits at the ranch pool.”
“You noticed me?”
“I was an adolescent boy, and you were a girl in a tiny two piece.” He yanked at the cover as he settled, draping an arm over hers. “Enough said.”
Katie braced her body. The cramped space didn’t give much extent for expansion on either side, and there wasn’t any way they could lay without touching. She mentally told herself to relax.
Yeah, relax. Like she would rest tonight. No matter how far he’d tumbled, career wise, or personally, Jack Pharrell was still the hottest man she’d ever met.
Sleep wasn’t going to happen.
The warmth of flesh on flesh made her wonder what it’d be like to have all of him across her. Jack’s warm skin on hers. She squirmed. Flames ignited in her stomach, the burn plunged, and scorched her between her legs. Nothing concrete pointed in that direction, but they were alone, out in the middle of nowhere. All grown up. Things could happen.
She cerebrally kicked herself. She shouldn’t allow her mind to drift like that with him lying next to her. Getting riled up with no satisfaction in sight wouldn’t benefit her. From outside, the wind howled, and shook the vehicle. Rain rattled the windows. Except this kind of night whispered cuddling. Or better yet…she inched nearer. Her slight movement stirred him to ease closer into her. He released a heavy gasp. She raised her head—and fell into her pillow. He wasn’t breathing hard because of their closeness. He was snoring.
She quietly sighed. They may have united where the backseat and blanket were concerned, but he didn’t share her amorous thoughts. She maneuvered onto her side and lifted her head, cautious not to move her arm and break contact. With some difficulty, she folded the pillow and perched at the edge. Her eyes adjusted to the blackness, allowing her to stare at his perfect profile. She ingested a sea of saliva.
He sniffed and pulled the blanket further over his chest. He appeared peaceful. Something he hadn’t been since they’d reconnected. Or maybe she only witnessed the darker side of Jackson Pharrell. Almost unthinking, she traced a finger over his stubbled jawline.
“Mmmm,” he mumbled. “Feels nice.”
She jerked her hand away and leaned closer. His eyes remained shut.
“Don’t stop,” he murmured in a sleepy voice. “Been a long time since someone’s touched me.” He shifted nearer and nuzzled her ear.
Her heartbeat raced to Indy car speed. She shivered.
“Cold?” he asked.
“Totally the opposite.”
She rolled away, removing her arm from underneath his, afraid to touch him, to be so close. She rested the back of her palm on her forehead. He withdrew his hand from under the cover to reach for her, capturing her fingers, and tugged. She slowly spun onto her side, facing him again.
An arm slid around her waist as he moved closer. Close enough to brush his lips against her neckline, his mouth trailed down an invisible path. She let go a soft moan, gliding her hands over his chest, grasping his shoulders, her fingers digging into his warm covered flesh. His tongue traced over her throat, the scruff of his jawline scratched her skin in the most delicious way.
Katie closed her eyes and arched her back. “Jack.”
She inhaled deep, relishing his tangy male scent. She tilted her head and stared into his sleepy, green eyes. The unadorned yearn in his gaze spurred her desires to swell farther. He slid a hand around the nap of her neck, intertwining his fingers in her hair. His cheek stroked hers as his lips feathered over her until his mouth found hers, and firmly closed over her lips. His grip tightened, their bodies merged together.
Kissing Jack. This was something she’d waited forever for, but she wasn’t sure if she was dreaming. Her mind whirled as he caressed the inside her mouth with his tongue, taunting, and tasting her with intense discovery. Inner fervor thundered like fiery lava, heating every nerve ending in her body. Sometimes wanting something for such a long time, waiting, then when it finally happened; expectations fell short. But not this. His kisses were beyond fantastic. His mouth, his lips, and his delectable tongue devoured her as he eased onto her.
She needed more. Katie threaded her fingers through his hair. She pulled away to slow the kiss down. Gently she nibbled at his bottom lip, slipping her tongue around his. A faint rumble came from his chest. He intensified the pressure with his mouth. A hand encircled each of her wrists and pinned her to the base where they laid. He lowered further and pressed his hardness between her thighs. Sexual fluxes triggered a surge of sizzling intenseness burning her inside and out. His thick, solid erection thrust against her, his body revealing silently what she’d waited for, for so long.
“Jack.”
“Hmm?” he hummed as he nudged away her shirt to kiss her bare shoulder.
“You’re holding me down,” she panted. “I want to touch you too.”
Jack raised his head, his dazzling eyes roved over her. He released her.
Palms placed onto his shoulder blades, she squeezed, savoring the rigidness of his w
ell-formed torso. She continued to explore, finding a way under his shirt, stroking his chest, his hardened muscles as her fingers caressed the soft hair sprinkled across his pecks.
He clasped her hands, bringing them to his lips, lightly kissing each finger.
“My turn,” he said in a husky voice. He lifted up the front of her shirt and unclasped her bra without effort. Katie gasped as the coolness swept over her exposed breasts. Jack gazed at her bareness with a smile. “Beautiful.”
He stroked the nipple with his fingers, grasping the mound until she quivered. He lowered his head and took her breast into his mouth while his hand inched to the other side. Katie curved her body. Molten heat seared her skin and spiraled between her legs. She bit her tongue so not to scream. He drew her nipple into the tight peak, licking tenderly, before he took the tip, and kissed it with eager greed. Jack urged her shirt higher. His mouth skimmed across her naked chest. His fingers glided over the band of her sleep shorts. He stopped and stiffened above her.
“Shit,” Jack hissed. He instantly spun away. “What are we doing?” He yanked his shirt down to cover his abdomen. “This can’t happen.”
The words tumbling out of his mouth were like massive boulders rolling over her chest. His tone had turned severe. He furthered himself from her, or at least as far as the undersized space allowed.
A knot instantly appeared and squeezed her throat. Her heart almost came to a standstill. “You’re right,” she lied in a hoarse whisper.
So this was too good to be true. She thrust her shirt to cover her nakedness and rearranged her shorts while trying to drive away the humiliation.
“I’m sorry,” he said from the darkness. He gulped loudly. “I didn’t mean to take advantage of this situation.”
A response failed her. She was a willing participant and now he knew. What was she supposed to say? And how would she handle the pain from this horrible rejection. She rotated onto her side, spinning away from him and blinked. I will not cry, I will not cry. Weeping wasn’t a possibility. She wouldn’t allow him to see what his callous behavior had done. She felt like such a fool for putting herself out there. Again.
“Katie? Are you okay?”
She inhaled before she shakily answered him, “I’m fine, Jack. Go to sleep.”
He rose onto an elbow and leaned over her. He touched her arm, but her flinch made him yank his hand away. “I don’t know what to say. I’m so so sorry.”
She revolved onto her back, bravely staring him in the eye. “You don’t have to keep apologizing. We both got carried away. It’s a good thing you stopped us or we would’ve made a huge mistake. I actually owe you a world of thanks.” She twisted onto her side, no longer able to look at him. Her lids lowered, and squeezed her eyes tight. “Good night, Jack.”
Chapter 14
“This house is really old.” Jack stopped walking and gazed at the shadowed outline of the two-story structure.
Almost forgetting the strain between them, or that this was the first actual sentence he’d spoken since the previous night’s debacle, Katie followed his look and smiled. Even in early morning light the dwelling did appear ageless, although she viewed it more as comfortable. Her family home held countless years of wonderful memories. Recollections of holidays, summers with relatives, many no longer living, became front and center of her thoughts.
“Yes, this house has been standing for a long time. My great-great-grandparents were the original owners, and the estate was passed down through generations.” She inhaled deep, filling her lungs with the crisp morning air. “I love the area. I’m crazy about the loft, but if the drive wasn’t so far, I would consider making this home.”
“Right now, you’d better think of the place as a hideout.” He gestured at the sprawling acreage. “How much real estate goes with the property?”
“We once owned several thousand acres though the land has been slowly sold off with only six hundred left. The house is a century and a half years old.”
He stared at the home, wearing an expression of distaste. “Ancient,” he said in a dry tone.
Katie assumed he didn’t share her passion for family antiquity or her appreciation of the historical buildings situated over the grounds. Though at the moment, she could care less about his tastes.
She led him to an outdated barn and slid the exterior rusted handle. The entry creaked. She leaned in. With all of her strength, she shoved the door open. Jack stepped into the musty scented shed. Katie dusted her hands and followed. Inside the structure displayed an array of cobwebs, tarnished cans, broken barrels, and antique equipment. Each timeworn farm piece appeared to grab Jack’s interest. This old stuff, he liked. In the midst of the vintage gear sat a surprisingly newer model tractor.
He strolled to the machine, and slowly paced around it. “This is out of place.”
“The land is rented to farmers to produce their crops, but the unused grounds grow over with weeds during the summer.” She motioned toward the tractor. “Pops keeps it here for shredding purposes.”
A hand traced over the workings. Once he finished his admiration, he hoisted into the seat, his face almost glowing. “Been a few years, but let’s see if I remember how to drive one of these babies.”
Katie snatched a rope hanging on the wall, and then mounted the tractors step ladder. She climbed until she stood beside Jack, careful not to make any kind of physical contact. He turned the key and the motor cranked. Gears shifted, he backed out of the barn, maneuvered onto the muddy road, and headed toward her stuck vehicle.
Like on their walk earlier, neither spoke. The awkwardness remained steadfast between them. Katie tried not to think about last night or how the next couple of days would play out. She supposed they’d do like were doing now and pretend nothing happened, although she wasn’t sure she was that fine of actress.
The rough terrain had her gripping the stepladder’s handle. She kept her gaze away from Jack and focused into the distance. The sun barely tipped the horizon as a frosty haze lifted from a nearby stock pond. The air was cold, but the rain had passed and the strong wind died. A slight breeze remained and wafted the tips of the overgrown brush occupying the unseeded fields.
They found no major damage to the jeep. The effort was minimal to pull it from the mud. Jack helped her return the luggage to the vehicle’s rear, hurried to the tractor, and drove away without a word.
She stared at after him as he vanished into the dawn’s dazzling glimmer. She wished she didn’t have to follow him. Her heart still stung from last night’s blow and probably would for the rest of her life. She’d lay awake the entire night, fighting the urges to either burst into tears or smother the man sleeping beside her with her pillow.
Key turned the jeep engine came alive. She gingerly pressed on the gas, taking her time to return. She didn’t want to deal with her issues, and she especially preferred not to have anything to do with Jack.
The drive wasn’t long. Within minutes, Katie opened her door and stepped out of the vehicle. For a moment, she forgot about Jack and everything else that was wrong in her life. Just the sight of her grandparents’ home glinting in the morning sun brought a on a wealth of warmth, despite the biting breeze. Several years had passed since she’d visited, and she’d missed the place. Regardless of her pending troubles, and Jack’s presence, she experienced an instant tranquility, more calm than the past few days.
Jack emerged from the barn. “I forgot how hard driving those things are on the body.” He placed both hands on his back he stretched, halting in mid-stretch. He stared at a shed next to the main quarters. “Oh, shit. Is that an outhouse?”
Katie glanced in the direction of the broken down outdoor toilet, then turned to Jack. “Wild creatures won’t bother you this time of year.” She almost grinned. “Too cold.” She held in a laugh at his horrified expression. After last night, and this morning’s uneasiness, real levity wasn’t going to happen. She was tempted to make him use the shattered building. She popped the rear
latch and trekked to the back to unload. “Relax. The place contains all the comforts we need. Electricity, indoor plumbing, satellite for television, we even have Internet connections.”
Jack leaned in for his bag. “Heat and air?”
Her belongings on the ground and assured Jack had his things, she slammed the door shut with more force than she intended. “Sure. There’s a fireplace and you can raise the windows.” Handbag in place, she picked up her suitcase, a cooler, and satchel. “How are you a chopping wood?”
He made a noise that sounded like a growl as he hauled his overnight bag over his shoulder. “I suck.” He walked to her and took the case and the cooler.
After she locked her car, she prodded into her purse, produced a second set of keys, and fronted the way through the door. They stepped onto a screened porch that stretched the length of the residence, maneuvering past a cistern placed in the center.
She signaled to an opening off the side. “The restroom. Added on long after the house was built.”
“No outhouse, but you’re nearly going outside to use the bathroom anyway.”
“At least you won’t encounter anything icky.”
“Always see the positive, don’t you?”
She switched on the light as they entered a small kitchen. An old time Formica table, surrounded by four, white vinyl chairs dominated the tiny galley. A stove, sink, and refrigerator lined the walls, everything prehistoric. Jack sat the cooler on the diminutive counter and followed her into the living area. A whisper of his warm breath drifted over her neck, making her aware of his closeness.
She hastened her step to create a distance between them, and then whirled around and gestured to a double set of curtain covered glass doors. “That’s Nana’s old room. I’ll sleep in there. The other bedroom across the hall belonged to my aunt. You can take that one.” She led him into the hallway, motioned to a sharp angled staircase positioned to one side. “My dad slept upstairs, but the top floor hasn’t been aired out in ages. You’ll be more comfortable here.”