By the Book j-6

by N. J. Walters

  She hurried past him and climbed into bed. At the last second, she remembered to remove her glasses and place them on the bedside table. Jonah tugged the covers over her and then lay down on top of them. His actions surprised her. “Cold?” she protested, flipping the top comforter over onto him.

  Jonah’s smile deepened. “Don’t worry about me. I’ve slept in much worse conditions than this.”

  Was that supposed to make her feel better? She frowned, but he put his fingers over her lips before she could speak.

  “Rest your voice. You’ll feel better after a good night’s sleep. We’ll talk then.” He turned off the light and she knew he was done talking for tonight.

  She nodded, knowing he was right. Snuggling down, she turned onto her side and sighed. Jonah curled in behind her so that her head was tucked beneath his chin and her bottom was cuddled against his groin. She could feel his arousal through the covers and their clothing.

  His arm wrapped around her, his hand resting between her breasts. She felt completely surrounded and protected. She was suddenly struck by what Jonah had done for her. He’d saved her life and was still watching over her. “Thank you,” she whispered.

  She felt his lips graze the top of her head. “You’re welcome. Now sleep.”

  Amanda’s last thought was that there was no way she would sleep after the trauma of this evening.

  Jonah held Amanda until he was certain she was asleep. Her deep, even breathing soothed the anger churning inside him. Someone had almost killed her tonight. That was unacceptable.

  It didn’t matter that he’d only met her yesterday. Nor did it matter that he wasn’t the kind of man to settle down in a relationship. All he knew for sure was that Amanda was important to him.

  When her phone had gone dead while they’d been talking, he’d almost lost it. The sharp talons of fear had gripped him—icy-cold knives tearing at his belly. He’d driven like a madman to get to her, afraid that he’d be too late.

  Slipping his arm free, he slid out of bed. Amanda gave a soft snort and moan before settling back to sleep with a sigh. He waited, watching her until he was certain she wasn’t going to wake up. Padding silently across the room, he paused long enough to grab his phone before stepping out into the hallway. Using the light from the keypad, he dialed a number from memory.

  “What?” the voice on the other end growled.

  Jonah grinned. His buddy was a man of few words. “I’ve got a situation.”

  “What do you need?” There was no hesitation, no questions, just an offer of help.

  “How soon can you get to Jamesville, Maine?”

  “I’ll be there by tomorrow evening.”

  The line went dead and Jonah closed his phone. Tucking it into his pocket, he returned to bed, easing Amanda back into his arms.

  Chapter Seven

  Feeling warm and cozy, Amanda didn’t want to get up just yet. Her bed was particularly comfortable this morning. She snuggled down beneath the blankets and froze when a heavy male arm snaked out and pulled her toward a very large male body.

  Jonah.

  Memories of the night before came flooding back—the phone sex, the intruder, the desperate fight for her life and Jonah. It always came back to Jonah. He’d saved her life by frightening off her attacker. He’d been with her at the hospital. He’d brought her home and held her throughout the night.

  Amanda rolled over onto her side. She blinked to bring him into focus and began to study his features. His straight black hair was brushed away, giving her a good view of his wide forehead and stubborn jaw. His nose was prominent, but it suited him. He looked rugged and tough, even in sleep.

  As she thought that, his eyes popped open and she was caught in their green gaze.

  Her eyes were green too, but hers were a dark, mossy green. Jonah’s eyes were lighter, like gemstones, sharp and intense.

  “Morning.” He leaned down and brushed a kiss on her forehead. His voice was as scratchy as the stubble on his jaw.

  She swallowed. It didn’t hurt quite as bad as it had last night, so she decided to give talking a try. “Morning.” She sounded like a wounded frog, but it was better than nothing.

  “How are you feeling?”

  It was quite intimate to lie beside a man and talk in the early morning. Both of them not quite awake yet, sleep still weighing heavy. Amanda rested her hand on his chest and felt the steady thump of his heart against her palm. Her fingers curled slightly, tangling in his crisp, dark chest hair.

  “Amanda?”

  His eyebrows furrowed and she could see the concern in his eyes. What had he asked her? Oh yes, how was she? She took stock of her body and swallowed again. “Good. I feel pretty good.” She gave a slight cough. Her throat felt dry.

  “Try not to talk too much.” He picked up a lock of her hair that was resting on her shoulder and let it slip through his fingers. “You have great hair. I love the deep cinnamon color mixed with the red and the way it curls.” He held it up, looking at it in the morning light that streamed through the window.

  Amanda could feel her cheeks heating and knew she was blushing. She’d always thought her hair too bright and curly. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” He rolled until she was flat on her back with him looming over her. “Makes a man wonder what it would look like spread across his pillows.” Jonah smoothed her hair away from her face. “It’s not my pillow, but it still looks sexy as hell.”

  He touched his mouth to hers, his lips nibbling on her lower one. Amanda’s lips parted, but he didn’t deepen the kiss, just continued his slow exploration of her mouth.

  Her toes curled and her skin tingled.

  “You have very kissable lips.” Jonah kissed the tip of her nose and down the slope to her cheekbone. “Your freckles are like little dots of cinnamon. Tasty.”

  He proceeded to kiss and lick at every single one of the fifteen freckles on her face.

  She knew exactly how many she had. They’d been the bane of her existence as a teenager and she’d counted them over and over, using every concoction she could find to get rid of them. Now, she was glad they were there.

  Amanda had never felt so beautiful in her entire life. Jonah picked the features that had always bothered her the most—her wild hair and her freckles—and made her look at them in a new way. Yes, she’d come to accept herself as an adult, even gotten to the point where she thought she was pretty in a girl-next-door sort of way. But she’d never quite looked at herself the way Jonah was making her. It was an amazing experience.

  Propping himself on one arm, he stared at her neck. His fingers traced the bruises.

  She knew they’d be even darker and more colorful than they were last night. His eyes narrowed as his fingers slid lower, trailing across her collarbone before coming to a stop at the V-neck of her nightshirt.

  Amanda shivered. Goose bumps rose on her arms and legs, and heat suffused her entire body. Having Jonah in bed next to her was better than having a heated blanket. His touch was electrifying.

  His hand shifted lower as he pushed the covers aside. She knew her nipples were outlined against the light fabric of the T-shirt. She bit her lip to stifle a moan as he circled one of the tight buds with his thumb. “I know you’re not well enough for us to do anything yet, but I want to see you.”

  Fear and excitement warred within her. Jonah wanted to see her naked. Before she could reply, he stroked his thumb over her nipple, making it tighten even more. Her legs shifted restlessly against the sheets.

  “Let me see you, sugar.”

  She wanted this, wanted to share herself with him. Jonah was special. Deep down inside, she knew she’d never meet another man who would make her feel the way he did.

  She was thirty-one, old enough to know her own mind. She nodded.

  Jonah relaxed and smiled. It was only when he did so that she realized just how tense he’d been. Slowly, he let his hand drift down to the hem of her shirt and slid beneath it.

  He
pushed it up, not stopping until her breasts were fully exposed. They weren’t overly large, but they weren’t too small either. Average breasts, but well formed.

  “Let’s get this off you.” His voice was gruff, but his hands were gentle as he tugged the shirt over her head and tossed it aside. He stared down at her chest. Her breasts looked fuller to her eyes and they seemed to swell under his hot gaze.

  He touched his finger to one nub and she sucked in a breath. Such a simple touch, yet it radiated outward, the sensation running down to her sex and making it pulse.

  “Beautiful. Like succulent berries.” Leaning down, he covered her nipple with his mouth and sucked.

  Amanda moaned as his tongue circled the bud. Her hands fisted in his silky, black hair, pulling him closer. She could feel her panties getting damper with each swipe of his tongue.

  He covered her pubic bone with his hand. The heat radiating from his hand made her want to moan with pleasure. She arched upward in a silent demand. His fingers slid beneath the waistband of her panties, sifted through her pubic hair and found her slick folds beyond.

  Jonah gave a groan of pure pleasure and sat back, removing his hand. His hair was tousled, his eyes hot. “I’ve got to see you.” Gripping the sides of her panties, he pulled them down slowly, giving her every opportunity to protest.

  She lifted her hips and allowed him to skim her underwear over her legs and off. His hand skated up the inside of her thigh. “Open your legs and let me see.”

  Pulling her left leg toward her, she let her knee fall to the side. She knew he could see her sex, that she was totally exposed to him. Jonah leaned forward and buried his face between her thighs. She felt the rasp of his tongue against her sensitive flesh and cried out. Her throat tightened and she began to cough.

  Jonah swore and sat up. “I’m sorry, sugar.” He scooted up and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, holding her until the coughing spurt subsided. “You’re not well enough for this yet.”

  As much as she wanted to protest, she knew he was right. Grabbing the sheet, she pulled it to her neck. “Shower.”

  Jonah rubbed the back of his neck with his hand and nodded. His face was strained, his eyes tired. He looked as bad as she felt. She glanced down at his crotch and saw the hard bulge pressing against the front of his jeans. He caught her looking at him and gave her a wry grin. “I’ll survive.”

  She chuckled, suddenly feeling light-hearted and alive. After almost dying last night, she wanted to celebrate life and everything it had to offer. She realized that was why she’d had no qualms about stripping in front of Jonah this morning.

  He wanted her and she wanted him. It was that simple and that complicated.

  Life was too short not to take chances. After facing the possibility of her death, she knew she wanted to live more. That included indulging in an affair with Jonah. Who knew where it would end? Probably in heartbreak for her, but she didn’t care any longer.

  Jonah made her feel sexy. She wanted him. And when she was feeling well again, she planned to have him.

  Freshly showered and dressed, Amanda was just coming down the stairs when the doorbell rang. “I’ll get it,” Jonah called from the kitchen. Ignoring him, she went to the door and opened it. Her attacker wasn’t exactly going to ring the bell, and besides, when she was putting in her contact lenses, she’d seen the police car still parked out front.

  Cyndi and Shamus stood on the front step. Cyndi took one look at her and bit her bottom lip. Tears filled her friend’s eyes. “We just found out.” Pushing her way inside, she wrapped her arms around Amanda and hugged. “Are you okay?”

  Shamus followed his wife inside and pushed the door closed. “Let her breathe, honey.” He took his wife by the shoulders and gently pulled her back.

  “I’m fine.” Her voice was rough, but useable. She heard Jonah swearing under his breath as he came up behind her, but ignored him.

  Cyndi gasped, her eyes going to Amanda’s throat. “I can’t believe something like this could happen in Jamesville. It’s such a quiet town.”

  Amanda almost laughed. Jamesville might be a small town, but it had seen its fair share of trouble in the past few years. Cyndi had been at the center of some of it last year.

  But unlike Cyndi, Amanda didn’t have a past in this town, or any enemies, at least none that she knew of.

  “I told you not to open the door.” Jonah rested his hands on her shoulders and turned her until she was facing him.

  Amanda just patted him on the chest. “I didn’t think anyone who wanted to hurt me would ring the bell.” Her mouth was dry, her voice hoarse. “Drink first, talk after.”

  “You shouldn’t be talking at all.” He motioned to Shamus and Cyndi. “You might as well join us in the kitchen. The coffee is done and I was just getting ready to see what I could find for breakfast.”

  Shamus removed an insulated bag from his shoulder and held it in front of him. “We didn’t know if Amanda had done much shopping yet, so Cyndi packed breakfast. We’ve got two kinds of muffins, bagels and fresh fruit. She’s got several different kinds of herbal teas and some honey. I think she even packed some cereal and milk too.”

  Amanda smiled. “Thank you.” Her friends’ thoughtfulness brought tears to her eyes.

  She brushed the back of her hands over her eyes and turned away. She didn’t dare look at anyone until she got herself back under control or she might burst into tears. She was feeling very emotional this morning, her mood going up and down like a yo-yo.

  She headed to the kitchen, deliberately not looking at the mess in the front room. She knew she had to deal with it eventually, but not until she’d had a glass of juice and maybe a cup of tea.

  Jonah caught up with her and hooked his arm around her waist. Leaning down, he whispered in her ear. “You’re going to be emotional for a few days. It’s the shock of everything that’s happened. Just go with it.”

  Looking up at him, she realized that he understood what she was feeling. Somehow that made her feel stronger and she managed a smile. Jonah had been busy while she was in the shower. Her antique trestle table was in the center of the eating nook with four chairs around it instead of being buried in the formal dining room with the rest of her furniture. He’d also dug up some plates and found her cutlery.

  She really had to get organized. She’d been so intent on working on her office, she’d neglected the rest of the place. That would have to change, but not today. She wanted to wait until the electrical work and the painting was done before she unpacked and set things up. It would be a nuisance to keep living out of boxes, but she could manage it for another week or so.

  Shamus deposited the insulated bag on the counter and Cyndi moved in beside him.

  She opened the bag and began to pull out containers. The last thing she withdrew was a thermos. “I’ve got orange juice. While we’re having some, you can tell us exactly what happened.”

  Two hours later, Amanda sat in her office chair, her computer propped on her desk.

  Jonah had decided it would be easier for her to work this way and had pulled both pieces of furniture into the center of the room. They’d have to be moved later when it was time to paint, but right now they were exactly what she needed to help her get organized. She methodically worked her way through the piles of books tossed haphazardly across the floor, trying to determine what, if anything was missing.

  Within easy reach was a mug of lemon tea with a large dollop of honey. Cyndi had promised it was just what she needed. Amanda had already had one mug of the stuff and it seemed to be helping her throat.

  Cyndi and Shamus had stayed long enough to share a cup of coffee with them while Jonah had filled them in on what had happened. Amanda had been surprised they’d found out about the attack so fast.

  Shamus had chuckled. “News travels fast in a small town. Patrick called me first thing this morning. He knew it was only a matter of time before the news was all over town. The hospital staff all knows what happened,
as do the sheriff’s deputies. That’s not even taking into account the folks who monitor the police radios.”

  Amanda shook her head at the memory and took a sip of her tea, letting the soothing lemon and honey slide down her throat. The small town grapevine was alive and well.

  She also knew that Cyndi would be calling later to demand an explanation as to why Jonah had been here when they arrived. Amanda had seen the look of speculation in her friend’s eyes, as Cyndi had looked first at Jonah and then back toward her.

  “You okay?” She swiveled in her chair to face the doorway. Jonah leaned against the doorframe, his arms folded across his chest.

  He’d asked her the same question several times this morning. “I’m fine. Really.”

  “Good.” He watched her as if assessing her physical state for himself. “I replaced the glass in the window that I smashed out last night.”

  She hadn’t even known that he’d broken out a window last night to gain access to the house. There was a vague memory of glass tinkling, but with everything else that had happened, she hadn’t made the connection. She had heard him puttering around the house this morning, but it was more background noise than anything. She hadn’t thought anything of it. All her focus was on finding out if any of her books were missing. “Thank you.” She was thanking him for more than just fixing the window and they both knew it.

  “No problem. They delivered the glass and it didn’t take long for me to put it in.

  How about you?” He motioned to the books on the floor.

  “There’s not as much damage as I thought. I guess I interrupted him before he had much of a chance to go through things.”

  Jonah’s gaze narrowed as his eyes tracked around the room. “You have a lot of valuable books?”