by Beth Andrews
She’d clawed at his wrist and arm as panic filled her. But Glenn had just cursed her and tightened his grip. When she’d started crying, he’d banged her head against the floor again. And again. And again until all she’d wanted was to slip into the darkness edging her vision.
“Kelsey?” She looked up into Jack’s eyes, saw her own pain reflected there. “You don’t have to go on.”
“It’s okay. I…I want to. I want to tell you.”
After a moment, he nodded and settled back against the pool table, pulling her in between his legs. He wrapped his arms around her waist and for the first time that she could remember, she felt safe. Comforted.
“The next thing I knew,” she said, “Glenn was sort of lifted off of me. I rolled to my side and saw him and Dillon fighting.”
“How did Ward know you were in trouble?”
“He didn’t. He’d come home to change before going to the restaurant. Dillon shouted at me to get out, to get help, but…I was so stupid, I couldn’t move.”
“You weren’t stupid,” Jack soothed. “You were scared and probably in shock.”
“But if I’d gone to get help, if I’d just listened to Dillon in the first place…” God, she’d been such an idiot. “I’d never seen them go at each other before. Glenn was big and a mean drunk. It didn’t take long for him to overpower Dillon. He…he kicked Dillon in the head.” She remembered the sound of Glenn’s foot connecting with Dillon’s skull. Her throat clogged, making it difficult to speak. “I thought he was dead.”
“You okay?” Jack smoothed her hair back, held her face in his hands as he looked into her eyes. “Do you need a minute?”
She shook her head. If she didn’t finish now, she never would. “I couldn’t even scream, I just stared at Dillon, willed him to get up, to be okay. When I looked up, Glenn was advancing toward me. His one eye was already swelling shut and his lip was cracked and bloody but he…he had this smile on his face. I got up and grabbed a knife off the counter but my hands were sweaty, and I was shaking so hard, I don’t know how I even kept a hold of it. At that moment, I wanted more than anything to kill him.”
“I’ve seen what that type of abuse, that type of terror does to a person,” Jack said in his wonderful, calm voice. “How it forces them to do something that under normal circumstances they would never, ever do.” He cupped her face in one hand, and her heart broke seeing the pain in his eyes. Pain she knew was for her. “I hate knowing you suffered, that you were forced to endure something that pushed you over the edge that way.”
She touched his face, his handsome, strong, decent face and hoped he saw the gratitude she couldn’t express. He turned his head and kissed her palm. She curled her fingers and dropped her hand.
“I didn’t have the chance to find out how far I’d been pushed. Glenn lunged at me and twisted my hand back until the bones in my wrist cracked. I dropped the knife.
“Glenn ripped my shirt and yanked my pants down and I knew no one could help me. That Glenn would rape me and my life would never be the same. I would never be the same.”
“But Dillon stopped him.”
“Yes.” Thank God. “He had Glenn’s softball bat—Glenn had left it by the door. The next thing I knew, there was this…thunk.” She swallowed. “Glenn’s eyes rolled back and he collapsed. I looked up and saw Dillon swaying on his feet, barely able to stand, still holding the bat.”
Jack tipped his head back, blew out a breath. “What I still don’t get is how Ward’s public defender didn’t want to bring this up in court. You were beaten, surely they could’ve used that to prove Glenn attacked you.”
“The cops didn’t take my picture—by the time of Dillon’s hearing, it was my word against theirs.” She gripped his arm. “But you see? He didn’t mean to kill Glenn, he was trying to stop him. It wasn’t his fault. If I hadn’t ditched school or pissed Glenn off—”
“Stop. No more blaming yourself. Ever. Maybe if you hadn’t done those things that bastard wouldn’t have attacked you—that night. But, he would’ve another night. And Dillon might not have been around to save you.”
He was right. But knowing it didn’t make it hurt any less, didn’t make her feel any less responsible.
When Jack tugged her toward him, she resisted for all of a second before admitting to herself being held in his arms was exactly where she wanted to be. She slid her arms around his waist and he tucked her head under his chin. The steady rhythm of his heart soothed her.
“Thank you,” Jack whispered and placed a soft kiss on the top of her head. “Thank you for telling me. For trusting me.”
She did trust him. Completely.
The realization made her jolt back. His brows came together as he looked down at her curiously. Panicked at the emotions churning inside her, at the depths of her feelings, she turned her head and kissed the side of his neck. He stiffened.
“Kelsey,” he said gruffly, “I don’t think this is what you need now.”
Reliving that awful night, telling Jack the truth about what had happened, how it was all her fault, only proved she was no good for someone like him.
Which meant she should break her ties with him. Stop their relationship or whatever it was they had going on before it became even more complicated. Before she lost her heart to him completely. She should end things between them, walk away and not look back.
But not yet. Not tonight.
She forced herself to meet his gaze. To keep her voice steady. “I’m beginning to think you are exactly what I need.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
JACK’S FINGERS TIGHTENED ON Kelsey’s waist. His pulse quickened. She rose up on her toes and gently touched her mouth to his. Though it cost him, he leaned back. “Honey, I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You won’t,” she told him solemnly. “You couldn’t.”He searched her face. “Maybe I don’t want you to hurt me.”
She blushed. But instead of pulling away as he expected her to, she said, “I’m no good at making promises, Jack. I don’t know what tomorrow’s going to bring and I’m scared to death Dillon’s going to be arrested for a murder he didn’t commit.” She lowered her voice to barely a whisper. “That I won’t be able to help him. And that he’ll never forgive me for letting him down all those years ago.”
Her honesty and pain almost undid Jack. He smoothed her hair back. “If Ward is guilty, it isn’t your fault.”
She covered his hand with her own. “Deep down, I know that. And I don’t want you to think this is a replay of the other night, because it’s not.”
“What is it then?”
“It’s…inevitable,” she said after a moment. “But tonight I want both of us to go into this with our eyes wide open.”
And that’s what she did. Kept her eyes open and on his as she edged closer, sliding her hands up his arms and linking them behind his neck. He couldn’t stop himself from slipping his fingers under her shirt to touch her warm, soft skin.
Eyes locked on his, Kelsey leaned forward. As their lips met, his head swam. She was so damn hopeful, he thought his racing heart would burst out of his chest. She kissed him again, pressing her mouth to his harder, longer. When her tongue stroked his lips, he groaned in surrender.
She sighed into his mouth and he took the kiss deeper, stroking his hands up her back. He wanted more than anything to strip her bare, to lay her on the pool table and touch and taste every inch of her delectable skin. Feel the tremors of her body under his hands and mouth.
But as much as his body craved the tight feel of hers pulsating around him, he wanted to take his time. He wanted to cherish her.
Reluctantly, he broke the kiss and stood, setting her away from him.
“Jack?” She reached a hand out, clearly disappointed.
He gripped her hand and laid it on his chest. “I was just wondering if that old sleeper sofa I gave Allie is as uncomfortable as I remember.”
She smiled, slow and beautiful. “It’s not bad,” she told him, her
voice husky and sexy as hell. “A bit lumpy maybe.”
He raised her hand and kissed her knuckles. “I should probably check it out for myself. Just to make sure.”
“That’s what I like about you, Sheriff. Always practical.”
He grinned. They shut off the lights in the bar and walked up the stairs hand in hand. At the top of the stairs, she opened the door to the small apartment and flicked on the overhead kitchen light illuminating the unpainted drywall and newly installed cabinets.
Without a word, she walked down the hallway. As Jack followed her, he had a quick glimpse of a tiny living room filled with boxes and painting supplies, a cramped bathroom and a bedroom in worse shape than the living room.
At the end of the hall, Kelsey turned into a second bedroom. When he reached the room, she’d already turned on a small lamp sitting on an overturned crate. The ugly green sleeper sofa he’d gladly given Allie a few months back was already pulled out, dominating the small room.
It wasn’t candlelight and satin sheets, but it would have to do.
He shut the door behind him with a soft click. He stopped next to her and in one smooth move she turned to face him, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. She rubbed against him like a cat, hell, she even sounded like a cat when she purred.
Unable to help himself, he pulled her even closer. When he rolled his hips, she moaned into his mouth, the sound reverberating in his head. He wanted her now.
At that thought, he broke the kiss. She frowned and dropped her hands to his chest. “What’s wrong now?”
“Nothing.” Except that she’d almost made him lose control again. He wanted to take his time and she had him as hot and horny as a teenager. “I thought we’d do something a little…different.”
Humor flashed in her eyes. “There are only so many ways to do this, Jack. And all of them have the same end result. Insert tab A into slot B.”
“If the end result’s the same,” he said as he kneaded her buttocks, “then you won’t mind if I take my time getting there.”
“Well, now, I guess that depends.”
“On?”
“How much time. And what you plan on doing with it.”
Despite her smart-ass attitude, she was clearly nervous. He bent his head and kissed her once, a soft lingering kiss. “As much time as it takes until I’ve had my fill of you. I want my hands on you, Kelsey. All of you. Let me touch you.”
KELSEY DIDN’T POINT OUT that he was touching her. One of his hands had slipped under her shirt to smooth slow circles over her back while his other hand still cupped her rear. She also didn’t mention how, if he hadn’t stopped them a moment ago, they’d be on to full-body contact.
He skimmed hot kisses across her jaw and up to her ear. He flicked her earlobe with his tongue before gently biting down. She gasped at the sensation of his teeth against her sensitive flesh.Jack lifted his head and watched her as he gently caressed her neck with his fingertips. He trailed his fingers up over her chin to her mouth where he outlined her lips with one finger.
“I love your mouth,” he whispered before dipping his head for a soft, clinging kiss. “So pretty.” Another kiss. “So soft.”
He pulled her shirt up and over her head as he reversed their positions so the backs of his legs were against the bed. Dropping the shirt onto the floor, he reached between them and removed her bra. Sitting back on the bed, he pulled her between his legs. Her head fell back as his large hands molded her breasts, his fingers tweaking and gently rolling her nipples.
She watched him from under heavy eyelids. No one had ever looked at her like that before. With desire, yes, but also warmth and sweetness.
Her stomach quivered under his touch as he slipped his fingers down to the waist of her jeans. He unhooked the button, undid the zipper and eased her jeans and panties down her legs.
“Put your hands on my shoulders,” he said hoarsely.
She couldn’t. Her arms, like her brain, felt heavy and weighted down. She couldn’t lift them. Jack solved the problem by bringing them to his shoulders himself before helping her step out of her jeans and panties.
He chuckled. “I’ve been wondering what this was.” He skimmed his finger below her naval, tracing the lines of her dragonfly tattoo and heating her skin. She watched, dazed, as he slid his hand over and brushed a fingertip across her tight curls. Her pelvis contracted.
“You’re beautiful,” he told her, looking up and meeting her eyes. “You take my breath away.”
She quivered under his touch as he smoothed those wonderful, rough hands down her calves and back up behind her legs, pausing to draw circles on the sensitive skin behind her knees. Her breath caught in her throat when he grasped the backs of her thighs and spread her legs. Her knees buckled when he kissed between her thighs.
“Hold on to me,” he urged before settling his mouth on her.
Dark pleasure built quickly as his tongue stroked her. She dug her nails into his shoulders, thrust her hips toward him and whimpered in the back of her throat. Heat and longing spiraled through her system and left her panting. She climaxed suddenly, violently, sensation after sensation rolling through her, leaving her body shaking, her muscles weak.
But Jack was there to hold her up. He stood and eased her onto the bed, quickly took off his own clothes and lay down next to her.
She reached out, but he grabbed both of her wrists in his hand. Trapped them above her head. Her fingers curled when he lowered his head and took one beaded nipple into his mouth and sucked. His free hand glided between her thighs. He raised his head and looked into her face as he slowly slid one finger inside her. Then another. She moaned and contracted around him.
She couldn’t look away from the intensity, the desire in his eyes as he moved his fingers, stroking her, taking her back to the edge of pleasure. Eyes locked on his, Kelsey felt herself soaring again. A cry ripped from her throat as she came, her hips lifting off the lumpy mattress.
He let go of her hands and leaned away from her. Breathing heavily, she watched through blurry eyes as he covered himself with a condom. She reached for him at the same time he moved over her. Bracketing his weight on his elbows, he pinned her to the mattress, his arousal hard and hot against her stomach.
She held her breath in anticipation, waiting for him to push into her. Instead, he bent his head and kissed her slowly, drugging her senses. His fingertips brushed across her face, her neck and shoulders. The slope of her breasts. She lifted her hips in pure frustration and felt him smile against her lips.
She wanted him now.
Damn it, she didn’t want sex between them to be sweet. Didn’t want him to be considerate and careful and reverent. She wanted, no, she needed him to lose that tight reign he had on his control.
She lifted her head and met his mouth, bit down on his lower lip before running her tongue over it to soothe. Jack groaned and Kelsey pushed his shoulders and clung to him as he rolled onto his back. Straddling him, she bent to kiss him again.
His tongue became more insistent as it tangled with hers, his hands rougher and more demanding as they smoothed over her skin, molded her breasts. She moved up, then slid down on the hard, hot ridge between her legs. He hissed out a breath and grabbed her hips in his hands. Not to stop her, but to move her over him again. And again.
Watching him carefully, she settled her hands on his chest, lifted her hips and took him inside.
The look of completion, of intensity on his face as he stretched her, filled her, was one she’d never forget. The raw emotion in his expression. He grasped her waist and lifted his hips, embedding himself more deeply inside her.
She tipped her head back on a soft moan. She’d meant to push him, to get them both back to the explosive heat of raw sex. But with Jack, she no longer felt so alone.
She rocked her hips, set a slow, easy pace. Soon, sweat beaded on his forehead, his muscles quivered underneath her. With a small smile, Kelsey straightened and placed her hands over his on her waist
. She arched her back and increased her pace. His fingers bit into her skin as his body pumped. Harder. Faster. Until she felt herself tumbling yet again. But this time, she didn’t go alone. Jack’s eyes clouded and a guttural grunt escaped his lips as he followed her over the edge.
She collapsed on top of him. Her skin, like Jack’s, was slick with sweat. Her breathing was ragged, her muscles ached, her bones had obviously dissolved, and she couldn’t form a coherent thought if her life depended on it.
She giggled. She’d never felt better.
“Under normal circumstances,” he murmured against her shoulder, “I might be offended by a woman laughing at this particular time.”
She raised her head and grinned down at him. “Your ego’s safe. I wasn’t laughing at your skills, I’m just—” Realizing what she was about to say, she stopped and tried to slide away, but Jack’s arm around her tightened. He pressed her to his side.
“You’re just what?” he asked gruffly.
She was happy. And content.
She felt safe and cared for wrapped in his embrace, but that didn’t mean she could just blurt out her feelings to him. Especially when she wasn’t sure she could trust those feelings. Or herself. “I just feel really good, you know?”
He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Yeah. I do know.” He stroked her arm. “And I’m grateful I don’t have to save my reputation by proving how virile I am, seeing as how I can’t even move.”
“If you want, you could…stay here. Until you’ve recuperated,” she added and then held her breath, waiting.
He stilled. “You sure?”
She nodded. He squeezed her before reaching down and dragging the heavy quilt at the end of the sofa over them. Lying there with her head on Jack’s shoulder while he stroked circles over her back, Kelsey exhaled softly.
And hoped like hell she hadn’t just done the dumbest thing of all. Fallen in love.
JACK WATCHED KELSEY SLEEP, her breathing deep and even, her lashes dark against the fairness of her face. She was curled up next to him, her hand resting on his chest and one long leg entwined with his. He could get used to waking up next to her.