He broke away and pulled her face to his shoulder. “Fuck, Gen. I promised you were safe from me tonight, but I had no idea you’d kiss like that.”
Gen froze, suddenly terrified, but he massaged her neck. “Not tonight, baby. Not when you’ve been drinking. I won’t go back on my word, just saying it isn’t gonna be easy.”
“Bethany thinks my mom screwed us all up, made us think sex is more important than it is.” God, she couldn’t believe she’d said that. She needed to just stop talking until she sobered up. She’d practically begged him to kiss her, challenging him like that. It was like standing with a stick and poking the bear, just to get a reaction.
“Do you think your mom screwed you up?”
“Frisco is apparently a horn-dog, screws anything that moves. When he finally settled down it was with three people. Maria and I apparently went the other direction. Maria has kids, but… I can’t talk about that, it’s Maria’s thing, but let’s just say even I know her thoughts about sex are messed up.”
“And you?”
“You know about how things ended with my first, and the last two cheated on me. As in, they had sex with someone else after they promised it would only be me. A couple of boyfriends I hadn’t had sex with yet have also cheated on me, so…”
“Fuckin’ A, Gen.”
“Yeah, for once I think you’re using the right word.”
Duke laughed, kissed her forehead. “Let’s get you home.”
“No one’s ever kissed me like that.”
He stilled. “Like what, Beautiful?”
God. Why was she sharing this with him? Maybe she really was more drunk than she realized. “Like that. Wild. Raw. Animal.”
Gen clamped her mouth closed before she told him it was possible she’d had a mini-orgasm from his kiss.
“I want you to keep sharing with me, Beautiful. Want you to tell me where your head is, what you’re thinking, how you feel about what I do to you. Can you promise me that?”
She shook her head. “No. I’m pretty sure I’m oversharing now because of the rum.”
“You aren’t oversharing, Genesis. I’ll get you used to me, and we’ll go slow.”
Chapter Eleven
Duke’s cock throbbed in his pants. The kiss had practically undone him, but then her saying she’d never been kissed like that? And calling it wild and animal?
He was going to have to treat her like a virgin. Take it even slower. He’d intended to stay the night with her, claim her for his in the morning, but with this new information, he needed another game plan. Twenty-nine years old, three sex partners, and never truly been kissed.
He was going to rock her world, but he’d have to get her used to it. It might be Sunday evening, or even into Monday, before he could claim her.
She directed him into her driveway and his mouth fell open. He’d seen pictures, knew it was a six thousand plus square foot house, but he’d stayed away, not wanting to come until he was invited. He hadn’t been fully prepared for the magnificence of her home.
He knew with a Stonehenge address it was going to be big, but this was... huge. She lived in a fucking mansion. Wrap-around drive. Brick. Columns. The front doors were gigantic, so he hadn’t truly understood the scale from just the pictures.
“You live in this big house all alone?”
Gen nodded. “My housekeeper used to live in the downstairs apartment, but she got married so now she lives with her husband. She gets here around eight in the morning, leaves around four or five unless I need her for a party or something. Her husband mows my lawn, and he’s available for basic handyman stuff in the evenings.”
“What does she do all day?”
“Grocery shops, cooks, cleans. Does my laundry, handles my dry cleaning, changes the sheets on my bed, changes light bulbs, changes out the seasonal items, brings in fresh floral arrangements. She’s more than a maid, she’s my housekeeper. Frisco says she’s my wife, and he says it’s what Cam does for them. He finds it funny we both have someone who does the same thing, but he says he’s pretty sure Cam is more fun to have around than Amy.”
Duke got out of the truck, rounded it, and helped Gen down. “You’re tired tonight, Beautiful, so you can give me a tour of the house tomorrow. I’m looking forward to seein’ it.”
“You’re coming back tomorrow?” She shook her head. “I haven’t invited you to come back tomorrow. I know I’ll see you Sunday at Frisco’s house, but…”
Duke wasn’t coming back tomorrow. He wasn’t planning on leaving tonight. However, he wasn’t going to argue with her about it, so he didn’t say anything. As they approached her door he took her key, opened it, and then watched as she keyed her code into her security system.
“Good locks, nice security system. I’m impressed.”
“Isaac had the locks changed a few months ago when I kicked Mike out. Or, when Isaac’s people kicked Mike out for me, I guess. He had the security system put in after the first time he came here with Frisco. We actually had a fight about whether I was going to pay for my own security system. Crazy.”
“Isaac has people?” Duke knew he did, but wondered how much Gen knew.
“Yeah, he owns part of a big billiard club, and he owns a fitness club. I guess they have bouncers at the billiard club, and he can call on them to do stuff. He’s kind of scary sometimes, just making a phone call and then stuff happens.”
“Have you ever met any of his people?”
“Yeah. I’ve played pool with them a few times, met the other owner, and a bunch of other people.” She took a breath and Duke knew what was coming next. “Thanks for bringing me home and walking me in. This is kind of weird because it wasn’t a date but you’re bringing me home, and it’s probably why Frisco offered, so it wouldn’t be weird like this. Plus, I’m just off the interstate and not out of the way, really, but—”
Duke leaned in and kissed her again, and his cock throbbed in his pants as her beautiful mouth opened and let him in. He didn’t pillage her mouth, he tried to be gentle, but he wanted her so damned bad. So sweet, so innocent, and his.
When he came up from the kiss, he turned and locked the door before re-arming the system with the code he’d just watched her punch in. Her eyes grew big. “How did you know what to push?!”
“Watched you disarm it, know this system. First five digits are your code, next three are what to do, last numbers are zones. I just armed the doors and windows, since I don’t know your zones. You want do it another way, be my guest.”
She shook her head, her eyes huge.
“Where’s your bedroom, Beautiful?”
“You promised,” she whispered with fear in her eyes.
He tamped back his temper and kept his voice soft. “And I keep my promises, Gen, but if you don’t stop actin’ scared of me you’re gonna piss me off.”
“Then stop freaking scaring me!”
His men had been right about her being a spitfire. Duke kissed her forehead, reached for her hand, and started walking. Bedroom was probably upstairs. He’d find it.
She followed him with her heels clacking on the stately marble staircase. He took her to the first door on the right, which was obviously a guest bedroom. Duke stopped, got the lay of the land, and headed to the back of the house where the best view was likely to be. Looking down over the valley from here should be magnificent. He walked to the door directly in front of him at the back of the hall, and when he stepped through knew he was right. This had to be the master bedroom, and it was so Gen. Large canopy bed, tons of sleek, silky, navy fabric. Huge picture windows looking out over the city lights, with the mountains in the background. And oversized furniture with a pickled and bleached finish, so the only thing dark in the room was the acres of navy fabric on her bed and windows, and the designer looking throw rug under her seating area.
“This your bedroom?”
She was so damned cute when she was mad. “How did you know where my bedroom is?!”
“Wasn’t the first bed
room, stopped to think where the best view would be, headed that way. I’m gonna go downstairs, find a bathroom, and then get you some water and ibuprofen to try to head off your hangover. You do whatever you gotta do to get ready. I’ll be back in five or ten minutes.”
“What am I getting ready for, Keith?” He could smell her fear, as well as her arousal. Her attitude was all pissed-off female with an attitude, though.
“Sleep, Beautiful. You’re getting ready to go to bed and go to sleep. Maybe one more good-night kiss before I tuck you in.”
“You’re bossy.”
“I am. Yes.”
Duke couldn’t help but smile, and the fact his smile annoyed her was just too damned cute, which made him smile even bigger.
Ever the hostess, on his way out the door Gen said, “Go through the formal living room towards the dining room and there’s a bathroom on the left. Kitchen’s at the back left of the house.”
Duke made his way to the bathroom, jacked off as quick as he could, cleaned up, and went to the kitchen.
Chapter Twelve
Gen had no idea what to do with Keith. He obviously wasn’t intending to leave until he was ready, but it made no sense to tuck her in and then make her get up to let him out of the house.
He kept promising nothing would happen tonight though, so she chose to trust him. Her gun was in a hidden alcove of the nightstand, easy to get to. However, she knew there was no way she’d shoot him for just refusing to leave. As long as he didn’t hurt her, anyway.
She brushed her teeth, washed her face, and pulled on yoga pants and a matching tee. No nightgown while Keith was in the house. She could change after he left, but he apparently wanted to see what she slept in, so the yoga pants would have to work.
She was in bed, covers up to her chin, when he returned. He offered the water and ibuprofen, but Gen only accepted the water, saying, “I don’t get headaches from dark liquor, only light. I stuck with rum tonight so I should be okay.”
He nodded, put them on the table, and walked to the seating area of her bedroom. He took off his vest, draped it over the chair, and then walked to the other side of her bed.
Gen’s mouth fell open as he removed a gun from an underarm holster, another from a holster in his pants, and settled them both on the side table. She’d felt the one at his hip while he carried her through the bar, but hadn’t known about the one under his arm. He put two extra magazines, a knife, and his cellphone on the table with the guns, and then walked back to his jacket, where he proceeded to take off his shirt in the sexiest way she’d ever seen — he reached his right arm over his right shoulder, grabbed the back of the neck of the shirt, and yanked it over his head.
His back was muscled, smooth, and sexy. Gen’s entire body was like a lit fuse, just needing to blast off, and she was afraid if he kissed her again she might attack him. She’d never been on top, even though a few guys had asked, but something in her wanted to climb on Keith and… no. Something was wrong with her. Too much rum. Too much something.
Or, maybe it was those two kisses.
She was starting to see Keith as Duke now. He was the same person she’d known as Keith, but a different man.
He stood with his back to her as he unbuckled his belt and took off his jeans to show sexy boxer briefs, and then casually turned and walked to the bed, lifted the covers and sheets, and slid in. As if he’d been in her bed before. As if he was invited. As if he belonged there.
“I bought a new bed and new mattress, after Mike.” Gen’s face went hot and her heart stopped as she realized what she was saying and once again castigated herself for drinking so much rum tonight.
“Go to sleep now, Beautiful.” He stayed on his back, but pulled her into his side and held her. Gen lay frozen, not sure what to do, but he only stroked her hair, almost absentmindedly, until she relaxed and fell asleep.
* * * *
Gen awoke as the sky was just beginning to light outside her window. The master bedroom gave her beautiful sunsets, but no sunrises, which was fine because she wasn’t a morning person. She looked around, trying to figure out why she was awake, and her gaze landed on Duke beside her, his eyes open.
“You seem more like Duke this morning than Keith.”
He gave a lazy half-smile and asked, “How you figure, Beautiful?”
“I don’t know. Somehow in my drunken logic last night, I realized you’re the same person but a different man. Duke fits you better than Keith, now.”
“You know how I got the nickname?”
“I can guess. Probably because you fought a lot?”
He nodded. “Yeah, good with my fists, prone to wanting to duke it out rather than talk it out.”
“This isn’t right, Duke. It’s too intimate, waking up together. Too soon.”
He reached towards her, his movements slow, and he pushed a few strands of hair away from her face before bringing his hand back to himself, no longer touching her. Gen’s heart beat faster at his touch, and then beat even faster as she realized she wanted him to keep touching her once he withdrew his hand.
“My beautiful Gen, I’ve decided I’m gonna have to prove to you I can be trusted. And when I say you can trust me, I mean in all ways. Trust me to take care of you, to protect you, to be careful with you, and to follow through on my promises. Now, you want breakfast? If you have the ingredients I need, I make killer pancakes.”
“Is fixing me pancakes part of taking care of me?”
“Yes, Beautiful. Also, I’m starving, so it’s me taking care of myself. I’m hoping you have bacon or sausage or steaks down there, too.”
“There’s half a beef in the freezer in the pantry. I pulled a steak out yesterday and put it in the fridge. Your choice of using the already thawed steak, or getting something from the freezer and nuking it. My microwave has a good defrost setting, scales are in the drawer under the microwave; just tell the microwave how much it weighs.”
“You have plans today?”
Gen nodded. “I’m meeting a couple at one, will probably take the better part of the afternoon. They have a little over a mil, and can’t decide whether to buy land and build, or buy something already available. They’d prefer the latter, but will deal with the former if I can’t find them something they like.”
“I want to take you to dinner tonight. What time works for you?”
“If we’re going to make this work, you’re going to have to understand I can’t always give times. I may show them one house, they fall in love with it, we make an offer, and I’m done for the day. Or, I may show them houses until five, and then feed them as we discuss what they liked and didn’t, and figure out our next step.”
“Fair enough, Beautiful. If you’re done with them before five, text me when you’re done. If not, text me somewhere around five and let me know how you think the rest of the day will go. I won’t hold you to it, but it’ll give me an idea. That work?”
Gen smiled in relief. “Yes, that works. Give me a thirty minute window, as I prefer to handle texting when I can step away to give them privacy to talk, so it’s about them and not about me.”
Duke caressed her cheek and said, “Not a lot of ways to live in a three-quarter of a million dollar house when you’re twenty-nine, and most of those involve going to the dark side. You found a way to do it and keep your innocence. Your purity.”
She shook her head. “My competition won’t agree with you. I play dirty, Duke. I hire people to do research for me, I know everything about a client and their people before I make the first phone call, and I learn even more before the second. When I walk into a meeting, I’ve stacked the deck in my favor ahead of time. Sometimes I even buy the land through one of my umbrella corporations, but no one in the room knows, which isn’t technically against the law, but goes against the code of ethics. I may not do anything outright illegal, but I’ve skirted the edges more than once, and I’ve done a lot that isn’t exactly moral.”
The look in his eyes wasn’t disgust, it was�
� appreciation. Respect. Gen shook her head and laughed. “You aren’t supposed to be impressed by that.”
“Genesis, I told you up front I’m an outlaw. I have my own moral code, and I handle things my way, the law be damned. Breaking the dude’s hand was the right way to keep him from coming back to my club and pawing it all over another woman. My code. My way. We don’t tolerate drugs, not because they’re illegal but because they fuck up families. I’ll tell you a lot more about the way we operate in the coming days and weeks, and I want you to understand through it all, it’s about our own moral compass, not the one the rest of the world uses.”
“But I just told you I’ve gone places that weren’t moral, though I stayed in the law. In some ways, that makes me worse than you. You keep it moral, even if others don’t agree with your definition.”
She sat up, realized she didn’t have a bra on under her light yellow tee, and pulled the pillow to her front nonchalantly, as if she wanted to lean into it as she talked.
His eyes narrowed. “You went against your own morals, or someone else’s?”
Gen opened her mouth to say she went against her own morals, but realized that wasn’t exactly right. She closed her mouth, thought a few seconds, and said, “It’s complicated.”
“Tell me.”
She shook her head.
“Gen, this is about trust. You know I wore a gun while drinking at Sticky Fingers. You know I broke a man’s hand last night. I’m not gonna hide what I do from you, I don’t want you hiding, either.”
“Okay, but it’s a long story. Maybe I can tell it while we cook?”
Duke didn’t let Gen help, he sat her on the counter where she was close, and where he could stop and give her the occasional kiss on the cheek, or nose, or forehead. He touched her almost every time he walked by, and by the time he put the pancakes with a side of eggs and steak on two plates, she was getting used to his touch. She’d put a robe on before they went downstairs, but she still felt exposed, sitting on the counter without a bra. Duke had made her feel comfortable, though.
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