Damsel in Danger (Danger Incorporated Book 1)

by Olivia Jaymes

  They were both laughing at her flight of fancy but it didn’t change how empowered she felt at the moment. She didn’t have to live in anyone’s shadow any longer.

  “I’ve got some begonias in the backyard.” Jason stroked his chin playfully. “You’re welcome to roll around in those. Then we can take a few laps around the block if you like. And the back deck has been needing another coat of paint, although it might not be a masterpiece when we’re done.”

  Her heart pounded as she gazed at this man that had become special so quickly. Always before she’d played it safe. Waiting until she knew the man’s feelings before she tipped her own hand. Dragging her feet to intimacy, telling herself that men weren’t worth the hassle and heartache.

  But this one was. It might not be love but damn it…it meant something. More. Than anything had before. She wouldn’t hesitate this time. Grabbing his hand, she led him toward the truck. She had plans, and she wasn’t thinking small now.

  “Take me home,” she said simply and his dazzling smile seemed to say he was thinking exactly the same thing.

  Brinley couldn’t wait to be with Jason and to take another chance.

  *

  Brinley had to easily be the most beautiful woman Jason had ever laid eyes on. He’d watched in fascination as her entire face lit up and her eyes glowed when they’d sang together. It was an incredibly intimate thing to do in front of a crowd of people, but after the first few bars he hadn’t even been aware of the prying eyes. They’d been two people alone.

  Except they weren’t, really.

  He’d laid a couple of pretty big kiss on her pink, full lips in front of the rowdiest crowd in Tremont – which wasn’t like him – and she hadn’t batted an eyelash. She’d simply given as good as she got, making him ache to make love to her. Strip their clothes and do unspeakably carnal things to one another.

  He’d been delighted as she’d dragged him to the truck, her hand on his thigh all the way home. It hadn’t been easy to concentrate with a raging hard-on but luckily Sunday night traffic was light and they’d pulled into his driveway safe, sound, and eager.

  He only had one destination in mind when he unlocked the front door but Huck had other plans. The excited, wriggling canine was happy to see them, licking and barking with joy at their arrival. The overgrown puppy also needed to go outside.

  He’d had his paws crossed apparently, although Jason hadn’t let him alone longer than he knew Huck could handle. All in all it had been about five hours but the dog was acting like it had been five years as he watered those begonias between running back to his master for cuddles.

  “I’m sorry about this,” Jason apologized. “You know how Huck is when we first get home.”

  “I know. I can wait.” Her voice was soft and full of promise. Jason’s cock pressed insistently against his button fly even as his heart accelerated to a full gallop. “I’ll be inside.”

  Jason couldn’t rush Huck through the normal paces no matter how much he wanted to. The dog did his business and Jason made sure there were plenty of belly rubs and ear scratches before they both came in. With Brinley nowhere in the living room or kitchen, Jason tossed Huck a doggy treat, turned on the television, and rushed to the master bedroom. His furry roommate would crash on the nearest soft couch or chair, snoring softly while reruns of Big Bang Theory played in the background.

  One sight of Brinley lying on his bed wearing nothing but a black lace and satin panty and bra set had Jason almost swallowing his tongue. Her long brown hair was swept over one shoulder and she was looking at him with invitation in her eyes. It had been a long time since he’d been with anyone that he cared about. He didn’t know exactly what his feelings for Brinley were but he did know she was special. Tonight wasn’t just any other night.

  “Is Huck okay?”

  Jason’s fogged brain took a moment to remember who the hell Huck was. His blood supply had pooled in his groin making it very hard to think clearly.

  “He’s fine. He likes to lie on the sofa and sleep.”

  “He’s not allowed on the sofa.”

  “That’s why he likes to do it.” Jason took a few steps closer to the bed, his gaze never wavering from Brinley’s luscious form. “God, you are gorgeous. I don’t even know where to start.”

  Looking up at him from under her lashes, she gave him a tremulous smile. She was as nervous as he was. “I’m not sure either. I don’t think I have as much experience as you do.”

  At age forty Jason had been around the block a few times. He’d had serious relationships, casual relationships, and fuck buddies that couldn’t even be called relationships. Brinley, on the other hand, was just passed her thirtieth birthday and he doubted she engaged in casual affairs of the heart or body. She was depending on him to take the lead and make things good for both of them. He only hoped he could do just that and not embarrass himself in his haste.

  Slow the hell down.

  He repeated it a few more times in his head as he tried to even his breathing and calm his racing heart. He knelt on the bed next to her and leaned down so she was trapped between his arms, his palms flat on the mattress.

  “Maybe we should start with some kissing and work from there.”

  “Yes,” she breathed, her lips parted and ready. A band wrapped around his heart as he hovered above her, gently exploring her mouth with his own. Softly he ran his tongue across her lower lip before dipping inside to taste her sweetness. Refusing to be hurried, he languidly explored the warm cavern of her mouth before trailing a series of kisses across her jaw and down her neck to a sensitive spot on her shoulder that made her tremble in his arms. Her back arched as his tongue slid to the curve of her breast and her fingers weaved into his hair.

  “Jason,” she whispered urgently, her legs parting instinctually so he could insinuate himself between her thighs. His hard cock nestled against the warmth of her mound and he rubbed himself against her, making himself crazy with need and sending Brinley into near orgasm. She shuddered against him and wrapped her long, tanned legs around his waist.

  “Sweet Brinley,” he murmured against the petal soft skin of her breast. His shaking fingers fumbled with the catch on her bra, but thankfully she didn’t notice and the material didn’t argue. The lacy confection seemed to melt away, revealing dusky pink nipples that were already hard and pointed.

  His mouth went dry even as his hands caressed her breasts and pinched the tips, his tongue following right behind. He couldn’t get enough of her womanly curves, his fingers tracing the indentation of her waist and the curve of her hip before slipping down to her thighs, taut from gardening and bicycle riding. He tickled her behind the knee before pressing open-mouth kisses down her abdomen, dipping his tongue into her belly button.

  Her fingers dug into his shoulders as he ran his tongue under the elastic of her silky panties. Levering up, he hooked his fingers under the waistband and began tugging them slowly down her legs before tossing them away. Completely bare to his gaze, her skin took on a pink hue from her cheeks to her tummy while her hands went up to cover her breasts.

  “It’s a little late for that now, honey.”

  Brinley’s gaze dropped to her toes and she squirmed on the sheets. “I know. It’s just…I’m shy.” She looked back up and her lips were trembling. “I know it’s silly but I can’t help it. Not too many people have seen me…you know…naked.”

  Jason was heartily grateful to be one of the few who had. Her body was perfect to him and he knew it would take more than one night to learn all its secrets.

  “Would it help if I got naked too?”

  He’d been too eager to explore her body to take his own clothes off but they needed to go either way. He was finding his jeans too restrictive anyway, almost cutting off his circulation pressing back against his straining cock.

  Her hazel eyes went wide and her cheeks turned redder. “Um, that would definitely get my mind off of me.”

  He backed off the mattress and stood by the bed,
tugging at the buttons on his shirt. He shrugged it off before working on his fly, never taking his eyes from her. His mouth went dry when she licked her lips as his cock sprung from the confines of his jeans and boxers. He kicked them away and immediately came back down on the bed with her, capturing those come-hither lips with his own until they were both breathless.

  Brinley’s arms had snaked around him and her palms were gliding up and down the muscles of his back. His cock was sandwiched between them and he felt the coolness of his precum smeared on his belly. He wouldn’t be able to hold back much longer.

  It was time to make her fly with pleasure.

  *

  Brinley had never felt anything like this before. Innately shy, she found it hard to let go and relax with a man in an intimate situation. Despite being hesitant about her nude body, she’d responded enthusiastically to every kiss and caress. His rough hands felt delicious against her bare skin and she shivered in delight as his fingers found sensitive spots she never knew she had. No man had taken this much time. So patient.

  And it looked like he wasn’t finished. If he gave her much more pleasure she was going to break into a million little pieces.

  But in a really good way.

  Jason slid down her body and began tracing patterns on the delicate skin of her inner thigh with his tongue. A strangled moan escaped her lips as a wave of fiery heat swept through her body, sending her arousal into the clouds.

  He pushed her legs farther apart and she stiffened when she realized what he intended to do. She’d been the recipient of the most intimate kiss but had never truly enjoyed it. The men had always seemed to be doing it out of guilt rather than want. She didn’t want Jason doing it because he had to.

  “What’s wrong, honey?” Jason’s warm breath hovered over her clit, sending frissons of sensation straight to her toes and fingers. “Am I doing something wrong? Just tell me what you want.”

  Brinley’s mind wasn’t working clearly enough to even know what she wanted. She did know she wanted to be as close to this man as possible. She wanted to give as well as receive.

  The words simply wouldn’t come out, getting stuck in her throat.

  Lifting her head so she could look into his eyes, she swallowed hard and tried again. “You don’t have to…you know. If you don’t want to.”

  Jason looked confused for a moment and then his expression cleared. “If I didn’t want to do it I wouldn’t. But I do. Very much.” He tilted his head, his green eyes soft. “Are we okay? Just relax back and let me take care of you.”

  Never in her life had she had a man say that to her.

  She wasn’t about to argue.

  Letting her head fall back onto the pillow, she crumpled the sheets in her balled up fists as his tongue began tracing circles around her clit, then down to her opening before traveling back. Her entire body shook with the effort to keep from exploding but Jason wasn’t going to let her hold back from him. He was relentless, pressing one, then two fingers inside of her. She was so wet they slid in easily and he hooked them to rub the sweet spot deep within, sending bolts of electricity careening to every corner of her body and mind.

  Her brain short-circuited and the room spun as she reached the precipice, her climax turning her world upside down. Glittery lights flashed in front of her eyes as waves of pleasure ran through her like white-water rapids. She rode it until it turned into a gentle stream, her body still floating somewhere in the heavens.

  Jason’s body lifted from hers, the cool air drying the sheen of sweat on her skin. He rummaged in the nightstand, pulled out a condom square, and then ripped it open with his teeth. Her trembling fingers helped him roll it on his impressive erection before he positioned himself between her thighs. His muscled arms held himself above her and she couldn’t stop her own hands from exploring his wide shoulders and ridged abdomen. Her palms slid over the dips and planes of his body as he lowered himself, his steely cock nudging at her entrance.

  “We’ll take this slow, honey.”

  His jaw tight with the effort to hold back he pushed forward, paused, and then slowly pressed farther in, letting her stretch to accommodate his girth. Brinley had to catch her breath as he slid in to the hilt, every inch of him filling every nook and cranny of her.

  Tingles started deep inside and began to spread through her abdomen, her climb toward orgasm starting all over again. He pulled out and then thrust back in, rods of pleasure shooting through her body and then back to her clit. Each successive stroke sent them both higher until she was clinging to him, the only solid thing in her spinning, topsy-turvy world. Exhortations fell from her lips as she teetered at the edge, needing only a nudge to go over.

  Jason buried his face in her neck and his thrusts sped up, each one rubbing against her already sensitive clit. The coil in her belly tightened painfully right before it sprang free and she fell over the edge, her body quivering with the intensity of her climax.

  Groaning his own release Jason threw his head back, the veins on his neck standing out in stark relief against his smooth, tanned skin. She ran her hands up and down his back in a soothing motion as he shuddered above her before slumping on top of her, his weight warm and protective.

  Eventually he lifted his head, his fingers pushing back her long hair from her face and softly kissed her lips before rolling away. Immediately she missed his warmth and she pulled up the covers while he murmured that he’d be right back. He padded into the ensuite bathroom while she caught her breath, her brain beginning to function once again. By the time he slid in the bed next to her she’d had the opportunity for regrets but didn’t feel a single one. She wouldn’t have traded this night with Jason for anything in the world.

  “Will you sleep in this bed with me tonight?” he asked, his voice soft and low, his breath tickling her ear.

  Try and stop her.

  “Yes. But shouldn’t we let Huck in too?”

  She knew the lovable canine liked to crawl into bed with Jason early in the morning.

  “He’s got you wrapped around his paw. If I let him in he’s going to sleep with us,” Jason warned, a chuckle in his voice. “Are you sure?”

  She was and Jason opened the door. The pup must have heard the latch because he ran into the bedroom, jumped on the mattress, and curled up next to Brinley. She wasn’t in any danger but she couldn’t have been any safer with Huck on one side and Jason on the other.

  “Can you sleep okay?” he asked, scratching Huck behind the ear. “You’re on his side of the bed so he might get pushy.”

  In answer, Brinley scooted closer to Jason and pillowed her head on his shoulder. “Then I hope you don’t mind sharing your half.”

  From the look on his face Jason didn’t mind in the least. She cuddled into his large frame and let sleep take over. Tomorrow they’d have to think about the case again but tonight she’d think only of the two of them.

  And maybe even let herself imagine…a future.

  Chapter Nineteen

  ‡

  “Let me do the talking, okay?” Jason asked, giving Brinley a sidelong glance as they pulled into the driveway of Wendell Barnes’s home near Bozeman. The house looked remarkably like her own Craftsman home right down to the rockers on the front porch. “Dad gave me a few pointers on talking to him.”

  “No problem.” She climbed down from the truck and took in every detail with a shudder. “This is spooky. Do you see the resemblance?”

  Anyone that had seen both houses couldn’t miss it. Even the flower beds and bushes were located in the same spots in the front yard.

  Fucking weird.

  If Wendell Barnes was trying to recreate his life in Tremont he’d done a decent job. It made Jason wonder what the inside looked like.

  “Maybe it’s a coincidence,” Jason said as they tromped up the front porch steps to ring the doorbell. Peter Anderson had called his friend Wendell to ask if he would talk to Jason. They’d received the all clear but Peter had warned his son that Wendell wasn’
t thrilled about digging up the past and to tread lightly.

  The door swung open and a man about the age of Jason’s own father stood there. Jason didn’t know what he’d been expecting but Wendell was tall with broad shoulders and a square jaw. Despite graying hair and a lined face, the man would still be considered quite handsome.

  “You must be Jason Anderson. We met when you were a boy but you probably don’t remember it.”

  Wendell stepped back so they could enter and Jason put his arm around Brinley. “This is Brinley Snow, Mr. Barnes.”

  They all shook hands and then followed him from the foyer to the living room. Jason and Brinley sat down on the couch while Barnes sat in a chair to their right. Brinley’s gaze was darting all around the room, her eyes wide, and Jason knew why. The same as outside, the inside was a mirror image of her own home right down to the built in book shelves in the living room and the mirrored banquet in the dining room. The only difference was the color scheme and Jason knew that Brinley had spent weeks repainting and decorating when she’d moved in.

  “So you want to talk about Linda,” Wendell began and then looked up when an attractive woman came through from the kitchen with a tray of lemonade. “Ah yes, I asked my wife Lynn to bring us some refreshments. Lynn, this is Jason Anderson and Brinley Snow.”

  “It’s nice to meet you.” The dark haired woman sat down and poured four glasses of lemonade and then offered Jason and Brinley a plate of cookies. “Are both of you police officers?”

  The shock Jason had felt when seeing Lynn Barnes for the first time was making it difficult to concentrate. There had been a picture of Linda Barnes in the police file he’d gone through. An attractive brunette with a trim figure, she could have been this woman’s double.

  Spooky as shit. The longer he spent here the stranger it became.

  Did Lynn – hell, even the name was almost like Linda’s – have any idea she was a dead ringer for Barnes’s deceased wife?