“Well, Justin. Are we going to the movies or are we going to miss most of it while you stand there gawking?”
The movie had been a comedy, and they had shared laughter the entire time. After the movie they’d gone to a café in the West End Market Place for coffee. On the way home he had taken a sharp turn off the highway, heading toward Bristol Trail, a wooded area reputed to be a nighttime hideaway for lovers.
Lorren’s mind returned to the present as Justin shifted positions in the car seat. He turned to her and openly studied both her and the outfit she wore. His eyes boldly scanned her from head to toe. She tensed under his close examination, suddenly feeling underdressed. His gaze locked with hers, as if trying to penetrate every defense she had. And to her dismay, it was beginning to work.
“Take me home, Justin. We’re a bit too old for this sort of thing.”
A slow smile tilted Justin’s lips. “You’re never too old for lovers’ lane.”
Lorren shook her head, more than slightly annoyed. “That’s your opinion. I happen to disagree.”
“Did you enjoy the movie?”
“Yes. Thanks for taking me. Now take me home.”
“I brought you here to ask a favor of you.”
She raised a suspicious brow. “What kind of favor?”
“How would you like to go camping with me this weekend?”
“No, I don’t think so.”
Justin smiled. “Relax. We won’t be alone. In fact, you’ll be the only female with me and five other guys.”
Lorren’s eyes widened. “You can’t be serious!”
Seeing the look of shock on her face, Justin laughed. “On the contrary, I’m completely serious. But before you get all bent out of shape, I’ll level with you. The other guys are between the ages of five and ten.”
Lorren frowned, her eyes puzzled. “I don’t understand.”
“I’m a volunteer at the Children’s Home Society. A group of the little guys and I are going camping this weekend. The Society has a policy that there has to be at least two adults for every five kids. My usual partner can’t make it, so I’m asking you to fill in as his replacement.”
“And I’ll be the only female?”
“Yeah, for my group. Friends of mine from Dallas—John and his wife, Juanita—will be camping in the site next to us with another group.”
“What happens if you can’t find a replacement?”
“Then I won’t have any other choice but to cancel the trip. And I’d hate to do that. The boys have been looking forward to this outing for quite a while.”
Lorren sighed. Should she consider going? She would hate for the little guys to be disappointed if the trip had to be canceled. Growing up in a foster home, she knew how important outings were.
“Are you sure there’s no one else you can ask?”
“Yeah, I’m sure. There’s no one else I can ask at this late date.”
“Will the boys have any qualms about a woman tagging along?”
“Erick will probably have something to say at first, but he’ll get over it. He still classifies girls in the same category as spinach. Yucky, yuck.”
A smile touched Lorren’s lips. “What you’re doing with the boys is real special, Justin. One of the things I appreciated most when I lived with Mama Nora was the people who unselfishly gave their time to us.”
Justin noticed how her face became even more beautiful when she was pleased with something. “Then you’ll go?”
“Yeah. I’ll go.”
“Great. My parents’ friends from Dallas let me borrow their recreational vehicle whenever I take the boys camping. I’m picking it up late Friday afternoon. We’ll leave around six o’clock Saturday morning.”
Lorren nodded, a smile pursing her lips. “You didn’t have to bring me to Bristol Trail to ask me about the camping trip.”
She glanced toward the rear of the car. “I guess I should be glad your Vette doesn’t have a back seat. I wouldn’t want you to get any ideas,” she said, grinning, beginning to feel relaxed.
There was teasing laughter in Justin’s eyes. “Shame on you. You’re behind the times. No one uses a back seat anymore.”
Lorren tried suppressing a giggle. “No? What’re they using now?”
“The hood.”
Lorren couldn’t help herself as she burst out laughing at Justin’s reply. Justin found himself joining her infectious laughter.
Suddenly, their amusement died simultaneously. All traces of humor were replaced by raw desire. Their gazes held. Their breathing quickened in unison. Concurrent shivers surged through their veins.
Justin slowly leaned forward, his eyes focused on Lorren’s mouth. She felt paralyzed under his intense gaze. Her pulse became erratic.
He touched her forearm. The heat of the caress made Lorren feel dizzy. Warmth radiated in her throat. Liquid heat raced from her head to her toes—and he hadn’t even kissed her yet.
Her breath sharpened painfully as his mouth came closer; the manly scent of his cologne was overwhelming. A soft groan escaped her throat. Her mouth burned with anticipation. Desire bubbled within her like a geyser, filling her with a strange inner excitement.
Justin flicked his tongue over her bottom lip, making her shiver. His tongue leisurely outlined her upper lip. She melted. Lorren felt the thrusting pressure as his tongue entered her mouth. She died a slow, erotic death as their mouths mated, hotly, hungrily.
He pulled her across the seat and into his lap, cradling her intimately, crushing her breasts against his chest. He kissed her with searing intensity, with heated longing, with unconcealed wanting. The kiss was greedy, sensuous, deep. His hands moved in provocative caresses over her back and down her legs.
Lorren clung to him, as a hot glowing ache began radiating from the very core of her. Sinking even deeper into his arms, her body responded to his seduction, slow and hot.
A loud crash jarred them from the heated moment, and they parted quickly.
“What the…”
“What was that?” Lorren’s voice was slurred with passion, her lips wet from his kiss. She moved from Justin’s lap and back into her seat, straightening her clothing.
Justin shook his head, his breathing coming in short gasps. “I don’t know, but I intend to find out. It sounded like an accident or something.”
Backing his car out of the secluded spot, he headed toward the highway. They hadn’t driven far when they spotted an overturned vehicle on the road. Reacting with undaunting speed, Justin used his cellular phone to call for help. Then, grabbing his medical bag from the back of the car, he ran toward the vehicle. Chills swept over Lorren’s body as she followed him to offer her assistance.
“Go back, Lorren,” he ordered, taking immediate charge of the situation. “This car might blow any minute. There’re two people inside. I have to get to them and check the extent of their injuries. Call 911 again and tell them to get a chopper in here fast. It looks pretty bad, and I can’t risk moving them.”
Lorren did as Justin instructed, moving swiftly. When she returned moments later, he had crawled through a broken window and was inside the car, administering medical aid to the victims. She noticed they were teenagers, a girl and a boy.
Standing a safe distance away, she watched Justin. Gone was the taunting gleam in his eyes and the suggestive smile tilting his lips. Both had been replaced by frowns of deep concern and compassion. She fought back the bile threatening to rise in her throat at the sight of the teenagers’ physical condition. She felt faint. “Justin, are they—”
“They’re alive, Lorren, but barely. I hope the chopper gets here soon. They need to be transported to the hospital immediately. Both have extensive injuries.”
A few minutes later the sound of a chopper could be heard overhead and the loud squeal of sirens followed. Shortly thereafter, the area was swarming with help.
Justin beckoned to her when both victims were being loaded in the chopper. “I’m going with them to the hospital. It
was touch and go there for a while with the girl, so say a prayer for both of them. Drive the Vette back to your place. I don’t know how long I’ll be, so just leave the keys under your mat.”
“How will you get home?”
“I’ll get one of the officers to drop me off.” He quickly brushed her lips with his. Then, turning, he ran toward the chopper.
Lorren got in Justin’s car. Before starting the ignition she bent her head and said a prayer.
Lorren threw off the bedcovers when she heard the sound of a car pulling into the driveway. Not bothering to slip into her robe, she quickly went into the kitchen and turned on the coffeemaker. A quick glance at the kitchen clock indicated it was almost three o’clock.
Peeping out the window, she saw Justin get out of a patrol car. He headed toward the porch to retrieve his keys from under the mat. She opened the door. “Justin?”
Justin came toward her, then stopped. Hooking his thumbs in the waistband of his jeans, he cocked his head to one side. “What are you doing up?”
“I couldn’t sleep.” She moved aside, holding the door open for him. “Come in. I’ve made coffee.”
Inside, in full view of the lights, she saw lines of strain and fatigue etched on his face. Without further thought, she took his hand and led him into the kitchen. She poured a steaming cup of coffee and gave it to him.
Justin gazed into the dark murky substance before lifting the brew to his lips. He raised his head and met her eyes, knowing the questions lodged there. “They’re in critical condition. Let’s pray they make it.”
He let out a deep breath, and his eyes bored into Lorren. “They had a high alcohol level, way over the limits. Can you believe that? The boy is only seventeen and the girl is sixteen. And to top if off, neither of them were wearing seat belts. It’s a wonder they weren’t killed instantly. If we hadn’t heard the crash, there’s no telling what would’ve happened. That stretch of highway is pretty much deserted after midnight.”
His voice crumbled slightly. “They’re just kids, Lorren. Kids who should have a full life ahead of them, going swimming, skating, dancing. Kids who should not have been drinking. The girl is just a few months older than my baby sister.”
Instinctively, Lorren put her arm around Justin and pressed her head against his chest. He was a man who had dedicated his life to helping others, but he was also human. And at the moment, the human side of him agonized over a senseless accident. His hold on her tightened, and she knew he was trying to come to grips with what he’d witnessed tonight.
She pulled back and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “You did all you could, Justin. And you may have saved their lives. You even risked your own life by getting inside that car to help them. The car could have caught fire at any moment. I was so proud of you tonight.”
Justin slipped an arm around Lorren and drew her back against the hard warmth of his chest. She became confused with the feelings of warmth and protectiveness he was stirring in her. The thought that she could protect him from anything was absolutely ridiculous. But still, she couldn’t help feeling she was comforting him in some way.
Lorren intended to place another kiss on his cheek, but he turned and caught her lips with his. Her mouth responded to the gentle probing of his tongue. He drew her closer to him. She moved her hips and gasped when she felt his hardness pressed against her.
Justin gently caressed her mouth with slow moist strokes, building pleasure inside of her with each second that ticked by. He thoroughly explored the insides of her lips, drawing one into his mouth, sucking on it. She groaned at the sensations churning inside her.
“Let me love you, Lorren. Please.” His plea, spoken huskily in her ear, sent shivers down her body. He hadn’t demanded anything from her with dirty words, as Scott had always done. His words were soft and sensual. And he wasn’t handling her roughly either. He was touching her as though she were a fine piece of china. She shivered as his caresses became more sensual, more heated through the fabric of her nightgown. Her breathing quickened along with his. She knew where they were headed if she didn’t stop him. But for the life of her, she couldn’t.
And deep down, she didn’t want to.
Please let all of Scott’s accusations be lies. Please don’t let me disappoint Justin. More than anything else in the world, tonight I want Scott to be wrong about me. Please let it be so. Please.
“Please.” Her lips whispered the words in his mouth. Slipping her arms around his neck, she melted into his embrace. “Please.”
Justin’s eyes smoldered with desire when he raised his head. In one smooth movement he swept Lorren into his arms. She closed her eyes and brushed her face against his throat as he carried her from the kitchen to the bedroom. Once there he gently placed her on the bed in the tangle of bedcovers, then joined her, pulling her into his arms.
His lips again took hers, his tongue probing the soft sweetness of her mouth. She melted against him. Justin’s hand traced a path down her waist, toward her thigh, then stopped. A part of him held back as sanity returned. What am I doing? The last thing Lorren needs is for me to take advantage of her. We’re both in a highly charged emotional state as a result of the auto accident. I won’t be able to handle it if she regrets our lovemaking in the morning.
Reluctantly, Justin broke off their kiss. “No,” he whispered raggedly, forcing his head up. “This is no good.”
Misunderstanding his words, Lorren’s body stiffened. She pushed herself away from him and his rejection. Humiliation swept through her. She was lying in bed, with her nightgown up, and he didn’t want her.
Scott had been right about her.
A fresh wave of pain swept over Lorren. She pushed her gown down and turned away from him. She couldn’t look at him. “Please leave,” she managed to say, her voice shaky.
Justin got off the bed, straightening his clothes and cursing under his breath. “Lorren, I’m really sorry about—”
“Just leave, Justin.” She couldn’t handle any words of pity he was about to say.
He hesitated before speaking again, rubbing the palm of his hand across his haggard face. “I think we need to talk about—”
“No. There’s nothing to discuss. Just go.”
When Lorren heard the door closing behind Justin, she collapsed on the bed, giving in to her tears.
Chapter 6
J ustin stood at the grill and basted the ribs. Looking up, he smiled. “Syneda, I’m glad you could make it.” He glanced around the patio. “Where’s Lorren?”
“She’s not coming.”
Justin’s smile vanished. “Did she say why?”
“She said something about feeling a little under the weather.”
Justin cast a sidelong glance through the trees, to the house where Lorren was staying. “Oh, I see.”
Syneda was silent for a long moment. As an attorney she’d become very adept at judging people’s characters. She felt she’d done a pretty good job of summing up Justin Madaris. He came across as a very caring man, one who would never intentionally hurt a woman. And the bottom line was that Lorren was hurting because she was convinced that, like Scott, Justin had rejected her. Lorren had told her what had almost happened last night, and how Justin had stopped and walked away. She believed he had done so because he’d realized she wasn’t worth the bother. But Syneda believed he’d acted the role of a gentleman, and had stopped himself from taking advantage of the situation. Nothing she could say would convince Lorren of her theory. Now Syneda wondered how she could get Justin to succeed where she had failed, without betraying her friend’s confidence.
Justin cleared his throat. Syneda was staring at him silently, her sea green eyes oddly speculative. “Is something wrong, Syneda?”
Syneda gazed up at him, her decision made. “Yeah. I have this problem, and I’m hoping you can help me with it.”
Justin raised a brow. “Oh, what sort of problem is it?”
“Strictly professional, involving one of my clients.
It may be a little out of your expertise, but at times another ear helps. And I’m hoping, with your medical background, you can possibly steer me in the right direction.”
“All right. I’ll try.”
Syneda took a deep breath. “I’ve been working with this client who’s been abused by her husband.”
“Physically abused?”
She squinted up at him. “No, emotionally abused.”
Justin nodded knowingly. “Sometimes that’s even worse. Cruel words can hurt just as deeply as any physical blow. Physical wounds can heal pretty quickly. Mental wounds can fester for years.”
“I agree, Justin. My client and her husband have been married a couple of years, and he’s managed to tear down her self-confidence as a woman by convincing her she’s sexually worthless.”
“And she believes him?”
“He’s the only man she’s ever been involved with, so yes, she believes him. And because he’s been successful in convincing her of this, she feels threatened by any other man who tries to get too close.”
“In other words, she’s built a wall around herself.”
“Precisely.”
“Sounds like your client has one hell of a problem, Syneda. Have you advised her to seek professional help?”
“Yes, I’ve tried, but she refuses to listen,” Syneda admitted softly. “To be totally honest with you, Justin, I’m not sure professional help is what she needs right now.”
Justin lifted a brow. “What do you think she needs?”
“Someone caring and concerned enough to prove her husband wrong.”
“Matchmaking isn’t within your profession, but if you feel strongly that’s the answer, I suggest you do your damnedest to get her out of her present situation by speeding up her divorce. Hopefully she’ll be able to rebuild her life. Eventually she’ll meet someone who’ll realize just how special she is.”
Syneda smiled. “Perhaps she has already. She recently moved back to her hometown and has a doctor living close by. In fact, he’s her only neighbor, for miles. The good doctor appears to be interested in her. I just hope he’s smart enough to key in on the fact she needs his help.”
Tonight and Forever Page 8